Anima

Anima is an energy that nearly all living beings, with the excepting of the Esurites, have had dormant within them ever since the Black Century. It can exist freely or imbued into matter. It is always generated by a living being using their abilities. Anima cannot be generated naturally in the Material World. However, the Void is filled entirely with Anima. While Anima cannot exist naturally in the Material World, it can be stored in a in a gemstone known as Undarite. This material can only contain one Anima Nature at a time and will change color depending on the Nature. The Anima stored within can be manipulated to behave in certain ways if the stone is cut a certain way. The Anima can even be amplified if it is cut a certain way. Every Anima user has an internal reservoir of Anima that they can draw from. If it gets low enough, they will lose consciousness, and if it is drained even further the user will suffer brain damage and eventually die. The internal reservoir will replenish itself with food and rest. Repeated depletion of the User's Anima will cause the reservoir to grow over time, much how like using a muscle will eventually make it stronger.

Manifestation

Some people are born with the ability to use their Anima. However, this trait is quite rare. Most Anima users must awaken their abilities through fairly extreme measures. One can only awaken their abailities when they believe they are in mortal peril and their survival instincts kick in. This is not always successful however. someone must have a specific mental reaction in order to awaken their Anima. If someone simply devolves into a blind panic, or they give up, they will not be able to awaken their abilities. In order to to unlock their Anima, one has to have the will to fight and overcome the perceived threat. Unfortunately however, there are times when the threat is too great for a newly awakened Anima user and they are killed before they learn to make anything of their abilities. Many military leaders have had the tides turned on them by unexpectedly powerful Anima users awakening in the middle of a battle.

Anima can manifest in a living being a variety of ways, leading to a incredibly diverse range of ways that it is used. Anima can manifest, with the exception of Green Anima, Purple Anima, and Ascendants, as six different Aspects and Natures. Every Anima user is born with a specific Anima Nature that cannot be changed naturally. It is possible to use other Anima Natures, but only with incredibly drastic surgeries that involve transplanting brain matter from one person to another. Anima Aspects are much simpler. Every Anima user specializes in one Anima Aspect when they first awaken, but with training, can branch out to the other Aspects in time. However, when one uses an Aspect outside their specialty, the cost increases considerably. If one uses an Aspect adjacent to their own, the cost is doubled. One further, and it is doubled again. The Aspect opposite of their specialty will cost eight times the amount of Anima, making it practically useless

The usage of Anima is a very cerebral task. When one uses Anima, they must consciously manipulate all of the Anima they are using. Because of this, complex techniques take an immense amount of concentration, making them impractical in battle. To compensate for this, Runes and Commands have been created that allow for the instant deployment of of complex techniques.

Commands are mental techniques that lock in a certain Anima techniques and save them to be instantly deployed by a verbal command. With training, they can be deployed by mental command. In order to set a command, one must be physically capable of performing the technique and must do so at least once while setting it. The downside of Commands however, is that once initiated, the technique will run its course even if the user does not wish to, loses consciousness, or dies. Runes are essentially a written alphabet for transcribing Commands. It is a very rare art known by only a few families and clans. Runes can be remotely activated if their blood is used in the transcription of them. Additionally, these Runes can only be used by the person whose blood is used. If no blood as been used, than all a user has to do is infuse their Anima into the runes and the effect will begin. When transcribing Runes, a single Anima Nature must be specified. In order to activate the Runes, they must be infused with Anima of the same Nature that is specified. By using Runes, an Anima user will be capable of using any Aspect without any increase of cost. One does not need to be able to read the Runes in order to use them.

Localization

Individuals conceived within the area of a Crossroads will not be born with ability to use Anima. However, they will possess an extraordinary amount of talent for manipulation Ki and Mana. The sole exception to this rule is when a child is conceived and a Sovereign is one of the parents. Additionally, the child must be the first child of the Sovereign. This child will be born innate talent for Ki manipulation as well as being able to utilize Purple Anima .

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural