Myo

Myo is everything and all there is. Every stone, every creature, every thought deep within. It is body, mind and spirit, as we are body, mind and spirit. This are the three building blocks of life and existence. Our body is the vessel ensheathing us, made from the elements and bound to fugacity. The immortal spirit forms and connects us to the vessel, so we can walk in this realm. The mind governs body and spirit and bestows free will upon our being. Yet only the interaction of all three elements in perfect harmony enables us to strive for higher forms of existence. Body and spirit together create the force of life, the everflowing Chi. The dialogue of mind and body induces sensibility and emotion. Spirit and mind evoke the subconscious and its access to the cosmos. The pure essence of our being, the ominous "Me" we try to understand, is deeply rooted in this three pillars of existence, touching all of us in different ways. To bring balance to our innermost self, we need to embrace the triality of Myo, turn towards each aspect equally and follow their pathway to enlightenment.

— Aaris of Guldelwig, "Lights of the long night", 97 A.S.

Myo, also called myotic energy, is a natural force of creation in the universe. There are many theories suggesting that Myo even created the universe itself, life and everything else in it. Myo is streaming through time and space like a giant web. From the center of the universe to it's furthest reaches it is a constant force of change and progess. However, it's distribution throughout the cosmos is not completley even. Much like blood vessels, Myostreams of various flow capacities branch off of countless junctions, ramify and reconnect. So, there are places where access to Myo can happen much easier and quicker, or in return can seem just about impossible, as the average distribution of Myo may indicate. Places, where Myo is potent, sometimes have drastic effects on the surrounding ecology, causing it to change more rapidly by manifesting its energy into material objects and beings.

Manifestation

Whenever Myo manifests in life-forms, giving them new abilities, it is called myotic powers. Myotic powers can show up in different ways, depending on the physiology of the species as well as its natural habitat. In most cases myotic powers are passed on from generation to generation, growing in its potential. The Oraniri categorized Myo into twelve different Myo Aspects, which are taught at the academies, where young Myodancers usually pick only one to follow and master.

Manifestation in Oraniri

About 0,1% of the Oraniri have developed some sort of myotic power since the impact of the shard and are therefor called Myotics. There are two different types of Myotics: Ritualists and Myodancers. In theory every person has developed Myo nodes in their bodies, connected to the nervous systems. Myo flows through this nodes and can be manipulated while it happens. Ritualists are the small percentage of the population, who can actually access the innate energy of the Myo Nodes. However, Ritualists have to follow strict rules and recipies to cause specific effects, as the Myo nodes aren't connected to each other and are stimluated by different vibrational frequencies. In contrast, the Myo nodes of the Myodancers (about 0,03% of the Myotics) are much further developed and create a interconnected web throughout their bodies, similar to the nervous system. Therefor Myodancers are able to guide Myo from node to node directly, using only physical motion and willpower.

Manifestation in Ugknat

Ugknat have only access to myotic powers on the level of Ritualists; an equivalent to Myodancers has yet to be found. However, even Ugknat without any observable myotic powers possess a high affinity for Myo and its flow, connecting them to nature on a deeper level. Their senses are capable to feel sutle changes in their sourroundings, like changes in the weather or animal behaviour, even bevore they occur. For people not knowing much about their culture, this often creates the impression, that Ugknat could see the future. So, when experienced Ukgnat Ritualists with a talent for improvisation use their abilities in perfect attunement, they seem to downright fuse with their surroundings and are therefor often deemed natural spirits.

Manifestation in Varaz

Varaz are very resistent to myotic energies and therefor never got influenced as much, as the other species. They are not able to create any external myotic effects, as they can't even feel the streams of Myo flowing through and around them. However, one organ of the Varaz was affected by Myo as well: the so called Myo-Gland. With this Myo-to-Chi-converting gland the Varaz are able to slowly mutate their bodies into a specific direction, if they follow the right training, turning them literally into unstoppable beasts (if they live long enough).

Localization

Myo spreads over Ora'a like a giant invisible network of streams, however there are some locations where its energies occur more potent than in others. In Shardstorm, where the Shard hit the surface of Manaeyra, a giant cyclone of Myo is raging since the impact. Nowhere else on Ora'a is Myo as potent as it is there, carrying so much energy that the minds of even highly intelligent beings can't take it for long and crumble into madness.
Myo is slowly wandering, so that regions, where Myo is especially rich or not there at all, are rare and usually not permanent.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane