Nine Lights

A higher power calls ye, O babe yet to leave thy Mother's wings...

The Nine Lights are a set of nine of the emanations that weave the fabric of Axocora, tracing along its infinite scale of dimensionality nine unique paths of fundamental elements. They are not differentiated from the rest by their nature, but rather the fact that they are the emanations reached by and connected to the toxelugh of the Great Beast Archipelago.

The Nine Lights are the basis for power and much esotechnology throughout the Evervoid. The Ae Lugh require the Nine Lights for the basis of their military prowess, and applications of Attuned Nascenium alloys have been the backbone of many new technologies, including refrigeration, lighting, and advanced metal smelting. As essentially raw elemental power, the Nine Lights have been channeled via technique and tech to improve the world since they were first discovered. It's no wonder that their appearance in a controllable form marks the era of the calendar.

Attunement

Toxelugh have the unique ability to, through use of their psychic abilities, forge a permanent connection to one of the Nine Lights via Attunement. This process is irreversible and strips them of the freedom to use their sense of psyche for anything besides the Light they Attune to. In return, however, they are granted a theoretically infinite amount of power to channel. Attunement changes the properties of the body and mind slightly, granting passive abilities in addition to the raw elemental manipulation that comes with any Attunement.

Utilizing the power of an Attunement is mentally exhausting for a toxelugh, as it uses an advanced application of psyche that draws something inwards from the linkage and then projects it outward. The infinite power contained within the Nine Lights erodes the body very slightly as the power is released, too, and the energy cost of regeneration gives the abilities an effective cost of stamina.

The shared indicator of an Attunement between all of the Nine Lights is a change in the color of a toxelugh's eyes and blood. Normally off-white, these Attunements impose their own color on top of it. As toxelugh travel through dimensions and the elemental form of their Attunement varies, their indicating color also changes, which can make travel disorienting for groups. It provides useful data for those working on the secretive Pioneer Initiative, though...

The Lights

The Lights themselves are a set of nine, acquired and discovered in waves. At first there was the Light of Space, followed by the four of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth, and then followed up a century and a half later by Smoke, Ice, Nature, and Magma. Each one uniquely affects its Attuned users and grants them different abilities. Shared between all of the Lights are basic elemental manipulation of the concept they represent and some passive alterations to the body to better fit the element. The specifics diverge from here as the mechanics of all Emanation Attunements become the mechanics of the individual elements themselves.

Space

The Light of Space, sometimes called the First Light and the Light of Khythis, was the first of the Nine Lights to be discovered and Attuned to. In 1 CE, Khythis Allseer awakened to its power and introduced it to the world. Space-Attuned toxelugh have the ability to warp and control space, giving them power over distance, locations, and gravity. The signature color of Space is a vivid phlox-magenta.

Some common techniques and applications of Space are teleportation, levitation via weightlessness, paraspatial storage, and kinetic acceleration through gravity. Users of Space have to be somewhat creative to get much destructive potential out of their Attunement, as it manipulates the omnipresent stage upon which all else exists, rather than the objects within it. The overwhelming presence of their element exhausts them quicker through usage than the other Attunements, so efficiency is key. Advanced applications include transdimensional rifts, telekinesis, and the Divine Art of Grandmaster Sword Havenfeller that has been named "Absolute Severance".

The passive abilities granted to those Attuned to Space include much greater directional awareness, enhanced eyesight, and immensely improved kinetic intuition. Out of any Attunement, it is rarest to find a clumsy person Attuned to Space, and the Ae Lugh with use of Space tend to pick up hand to hand combat the fastest.

Fire

The Light of Fire, sometimes called the Light of Vanhall, was one of the four Orthogonal Attunements to emerge in 220 CE. Its first user was born in the northern reaches of the Great Beast Island, what has now become the desert island Vanhall since the Sundering. Fire-Attuned toxelugh have control over flames and the ability to generate them. Their abilities are the second-most inherently destructive, superceded only by Magma. The signature color of Fire is a vivid red.

Common applications of Fire tend to focus on area control or usage of flame as a reaction. Dispersing smaller "seed fires" to expand out into vast conflagrations is a common tactic. Additionally, sheet flames to render surfaces scorching hot can be used to control the path of opponents. Fire is the easiest Attunement to render cleanly destructive, as it can be released with no prior warning and its mobile filamentary form is easy to control. Advanced tactics are much more energy consuming, as they tend to be more based around solving the great weakness of Fire, that being its relative lack of density. Compression or collection of flames into more defined, solid forms is one of the tasks given to all prospective Ae Lugh Masters of this Attunement.

Attunement to Fire grants its Attuned multiple passive abilities, including a more variable metabolism based on activity and incredible resistance to heat. Fire-Attuned toxelugh tend to have erratic meal schedules, having anywhere from one to seven meals in a day depending on how much they used their Attunement abilities.

Air

The Light of Air, sometimes called the Light of Aevlau, was one of the four Orthogonal Attunements to emerge in 220 CE. Its first user was born in the western reaches of the Great Beast Island, what has now become the windswept steppe-covered island Aevlau since the Sundering. Air-Attuned toxelugh are granted control over air and lightning, and while a good portion tend to favor one over the other, both are simply expressions of the same Light. The signature color of Air is a bright cyan.

Common applications of Air include localized cyclones for levitation or support, tightly controlled vortices as cutting edges, and applying lightning to the metal parts of weapons to augment their destructiveness. Air is one of the most versatile Attunements in use, since carefully controlled wind currents can be used as a pseudo-telekinetic agent and for transport. When raw power is required, the ability to call on lightning is also there, though it consumes much more energy to channel and is less controllable. Of the Orthogonal Attunements, Air has the most esoteric capacity, evidenced by the Divine Art of Grandmaster Mask Whitehollow, which allows her to quite literally ride lightning as a method of transport.

Attunement to Air physically lightens the Attuned and allows them greater agility and flexibility. While this reduced weight also reduces the force behind much of their movements, this gives Air-Attuned toxelugh a greater appreciation for the path of least resistance and the use of a cutting edge. Among Attuned toxelugh, the users of Air tend to be most mobile and best suited for travel.

Water

The Light of Water, sometimes called the Light of Larumer, was one of the four Orthogonal Attunements to emerge in 220 CE. Its first user was born in the southern reaches of the Great Beast Island, what has now become the lake-filled island Larumer since the Sundering. Water-Attuned toxelugh have power over liquid water, though advanced users have limited sway over vaporous or frozen water. The signature color of Water is a deep blue, bordering on indigo.

Common applications of Water include the forging of restraints and fluid constructs for weaponry. Because of the incompressibility of fluids, pressure placed on water makes it more violent and powerful instead of shrinking the volume. This pressure application is an incredibly useful tool for Water-Attuned toxelugh, as it lets them control the general feel and surface tension of their water. Should they get overzealous and accidentally pressurize their water enough to freeze it, however, they will lose control over it entirely. The Light of Water only has jurisdiction over liquid water.

Attunement to Water grants a toxelugh the ability to breathe underwater and greater intuition for air/water resistance and drag. Much of the actual developed settlement on Larumer is under the surface of its lakes, and that which remains above water is usually used for tasks that cannot be done underwater, like metalworking. Besides Air and Space Attuned toxelugh, Water-Attuned toxelugh are the quickest in reflexes.

Earth

The Light of Earth, sometimes called the Light of Rakken, was one of the four Orthogonal Attunements to emerge in 220 CE. Its first user was born in the eastern reaches of the Great Beast Island, what has now become the mountainous island Rakken since the Sundering. Earth-Attuned toxelugh have control over stone and rocks, though more advanced users of the Light can expand this to some raw metals and mineral-rich substances like crystals and glass. The signature color of Earth is a bright gold.

Common applications of Earth include "skating" on stones held beneath one's feet so as to make motion a matter of Attunement use rather than physical exertion, construction of environments and structures for habitation, heavy restraint creation, and good old brute-force power. Earth is the Attunement with the greatest physical durability, and though its manipulation can be slow it packs the most force behind its motions.

Earth-Attuned toxelugh are granted much greater physical strength by their Light. It's quite simple, but it forms a prerequisite for actually using Earth. Most tend to find their appetite suddenly increases after becoming Attuned, needing more food to build the stronger and denser muscles that their Light dictates. While their height isn't affected, Earth-Attuned toxelugh tend to have stockier builds than average.

Smoke

The Light of Smoke, sometimes called the Light of Hahshin, was one of the four Chimeric Attunements to emerge around 370 CE. Its first users were born in the northwestern reaches of the Great Beast Island, between users of Air and Fire, in regions that have since the Sundering become the fog-shrouded island Hahshin. Smoke-Attuned toxelugh have power over all sorts of smoke, vapors, and mists, as well as some esoteric capabilities related to illusions. The signature color of Smoke is a pale lavender.

Common applications of Smoke involve hiding the body or parts of it to reduce visibility. It is the Attunement with the least capability for force behind its use, so its users need to get very creative with their techniques instead to stand on even footing with the other Attunements. The relative lightness of the element means it takes much less energy to create, though, and Smoke users have a good amount of control over the composition of their vapors. Illusions are more of an advanced tactic, as they involve projecting stable imagined scenarios onto the smoke itself.

Smoke-Attuned toxelugh are given resistance to all manners of poison and toxin, though not total immunity. They can withstand a lot more of their own ability than other creatures, though the Smoke-Attuned amongst the Ae Lugh have face coverings to prevent too much inhalation. This unique resistance applies to foods that would normally be considered poisonous as well, and so some Smoke-specific cuisine does exist on Hahshin. About a fifth of all poisoning incidents are caused by someone accidentally giving food meant for the Smoke-Attuned to anyone else.

Ice

The Light of Ice, sometimes called the Light of Crysgaard, was one of the four Chimeric Attunements to emerge around 370 CE. Its first users were born in the southwestern reaches of the Great Beast Island, between users of Water and Air, in regions that have since the Sundering become the snowcapped island Crysgaard. Ice-Attuned toxelugh have control over ice, snow, and the concept of cold itself. They also have limited control over the esoteric concept of stillness as a facet of the cold. The signature color of Ice is a pale glaucous.

Common applications of Ice include quick construction of weapons and environmental hazards from freezing water vapor in the air, debilitating opponents with rapid temperature decreases, applying their ability to their weapons to freeze points of contact with targets, and area control tactics. If not enough water is present for Ice to be used to freeze it, Ice-Attuned toxelugh are capable of creating it from nothing at an increased cost. Snow manipulation is generally seen as less useful in combat, but can be situationally good as a restraining or cover mechanism for its airborne fluidity and obscuring nature. It's also great for making some of Crysgaard's specialized desserts. Their more esoteric techniques of stillness can only be learned by the most advanced users, allowing them to in some cases halt the motion of an object or entity or even nullify a use of the Nine Lights. The Ae Lugh Master Pierce Shatterweld was recently offered promotion to the position of Grandmaster on account of his seemingly total mastery of this cancellation, though he claims the drawbacks are too intense to reasonably use and declined the offer.

Attunement to Ice grants toxelugh an incredible resistance to cold, allowing them to work through the deadlier aspects of their ability as if it were nothing. Their body temperature significantly lowers when utilizing their Attunement, giving an easy indication by breath visibility of when they are about to engage. Ice-Attuned toxelugh construct much of their architecture out of ice for its ease of use and replacement, and because they can handle its presence as easily as if it were stone.

Nature

The Light of Nature, sometimes called the Light of Relkim, was one of the four Chimeric Attunements to emerge around 370 CE. Its first users were born in the southeastern reaches of the Great Beast Island, between users of Earth and Water, in regions that have since the Sundering become the jungle island Relkim. Nature-Attuned toxelugh have control over plant life and its growth, as well as some level of authority over domesticated animals. There are technically other applications of the Light of Nature, but they have been forbidden entirely and mostly forgotten. Regardless of these restrictions, Nature is one of the most versatile Attunements for its connection with the Evervoid's rich ecosystem. The signature color of Nature is a bright green.

The most common applications of Nature are difficult to generalize, as they are as varied as the species of plants used in them. Thorny brambles grown from carried seeds are typical attacks, though wider constructs made of various plants do exist. Poisonous or toxic plants are sometimes used for weaponry, but are somewhat avoided because of the Nature Attunement's lack of resistance to poisons. The rapid growth of biomass takes a large toll on the toxelugh using it, so efficiency and working with the natural growth patterns of plants is key. Advanced techniques can extend some authority over animals with low senses of will, allowing Nature users to coordinate effectively with trained pets.

There was once a time when Nature's true esoteric idea of growth and regeneration was used without limit. Inducing biological functions or actually manipulating flesh was commonplace. With such violent control over biology, Nature was only halted by the range of effect for this usage. Multiple rebellions from within the Ae Lugh started from Relkim, only quelled by the collective efforts of the entire rest of the Archipelago's might. These applications of the Attunement are strictly forbidden now, punishable by death.

Nature-Attuned toxelugh are granted incredible stamina and accelerated regeneration beyond that of a normal toxelugh. These qualities make their uniquely exhausting techniques bearable, and for those who still focus on maximum efficiency, they serve as incredible boons in combat. The forbidden warping of flesh is sometimes discreetly used under the guise of "active regeneration", though whether it is actually known to be those forbidden aspects remains unclear. It's quite hard to persecute someone for using their power on themself.

Magma

The Light of Magma, sometimes called the Light of Vylgkae, was one of the four Chimeric Attunements to emerge around 370 CE. Its first users were born in the northeastern reaches of the Great Beast Island, between users of Fire and Earth, in regions that have since the Sundering become the volcanic island Vylgkae. Users of Magma have complete control over molten rock, the ability to melt stone into their element to control it, and some esoteric domain over the concept of autonomy. Magma is the messiest and most destructive Attunement by its innate qualities, and its usage makes for the broadest environmental hazards of any Attunement. Its signature color is a vivid orange.

Common applications of Magma include area control and wide-ranging attacks, though more precise uses are possible. It's generally rare to see Magma-Attuned amongst the Ae Lugh enforcing laws in populated areas, as their Attunement isn't well suited for precise attacks or nonlethal restraint. Those who do go for a more focused set of techniques tend to prefer molten metal over molten stone, as it tends to be more fluid and easier to control. Advanced techniques let the magma take on a life of its own, adding a slight constant drainage on the user's stamina in order to grant constructs a low level of autonomy. Like that of Nature, a Magma user in their uninhibited element can be a one-person army.

Magma grants its users something of a combination of the passive effects of both Fire and Earth, including a high enough heat resistance to treat lava like bathwater and greater physical strength. Magma-Attuned toxelugh have a generally higher appetite than the other Attunements. Fortunately for them, the Great Beast Archipelago has a wealth of food sources and the soil on Vylgkae in particular is prime ground for agriculture.

Interactions

The Attunements represent various elements of the world, so surely there must be some cycle of which ones triumph over another. This set of interactions is complex and not a neat cycle, nor is it entirely balanced. Ultimately, though, skill with one's Attunement is not all there is to a fight, so it isn't the be-all and end-all of conflicts between toxelugh. Additionally, some of these interactions can actually be used constructively, making inter-Attunement party composition not only possible but encouraged.

Space generally does not have any sort of elemental interaction with the other Lights. It is the First, and as such refuses to recognize any Light as particularly superior or inferior to itself. It is the stage, not merely an actor upon it.

Fire is obviously quenched by Water and Ice, but with enough consistent usage it can completely keep Ice at bay. Much of Nature's constructs can be burned as fuel and actually serve to reduce strain on a Fire user. Air has a strange interaction with Fire. Beyond the obvious disruption and dispersal of wind currents, the lightning of the Air Attunement creates a strange recoil explosion when in contact with actively controlled Fire. Though quite difficult, Fire can also be used to render a chunk of stone useless for Earth manipulation by melting it.

Air has the aforementioned interaction with Fire and is generally a bad matchup against it, but otherwise plays nicely with most of the other Attunements. Its winds, when not used for cutting, can help reduce many burdens. Lightning conducts freely through water, and can be used to empower a Water user that way or use their Attunement against them. Air can be quite effective against Smoke as well, as strong whirlwinds can keep the miasmas from gathering.

Water can be rendered deadly by the lightning of Air, as mentioned previously. It can be used to quench Fire and render Magma back into stone, although the both of those can boil water away with enough power. Water is a particularly bad matchup for Nature, as the latter can rapidly sequester the former into plants. However, this can be similarly used to lessen the burden on a Nature user when collaborating. If Water is vaporized or frozen, it falls out of easy control, instead able to be taken over by Smoke and Ice users respectively. A very advanced Water user may exhibit limited control over these, but it is only through workarounds and is not worth the effort.

Earth is made null by Magma and Fire, which can both melt the stone and render it outside of the control of Earth. With enough advanced application, Earth users may be able to exert some resistance against this. Besides that, there are not any notable interactions to speak of. Rocks tend to be pretty inert like that.

Smoke can control water if it gaseous or vaporous, and the toxic fumes some Smoke users specialize in can be used to contaminate water. Air tends to be highly effective against Smoke, as the winds can force their mists to disperse and many of the smokes they create explode when struck by lightning. Fire has some similar effects with certain compounds, but Smoke generally chokes flames out rather than bolstering them. Nature users can have their plants forced to wither by the toxins, and have trouble using their own poison against the natural resistance of the Smoke-Attuned.

Ice can freeze Water to take control of it, as the Attunement controls pure cold as well. It can quench Fire and Magma quite easily, though this usually amounts to a power on power clash of temperature change. Earth wins out against Ice in terms of sheer hardness, so in a competition of elemental strength an Ice user will always lose. Water users can reduce stamina burden on Ice users by supplying water to freeze.

Nature can quite easily sequester vast quantities of Water away within its plants, and doing so is easier than growing them from scratch. Nature users who specialize in poisons are a poor matchup for users of Smoke. Besides those and the obvious flammability of many plants, Nature tends to not have much elemental interaction.

Magma users cannot take control of solid rock, but their ability to melt it is an easy counter. They are significantly slowed down by Water and Ice users trying to solidify their constructs. Fire is almost ineffective on them, as their heat tolerance is quite extraordinary. This goes both ways between those attuned to Fire and Magma, but Magma has the mass advantage. Magma Attuned toxelugh can take over anything that an Earth user hurls at them easily.

The Bindings

Why only Nine Lights, one might ask, when the universe is made up of thousands or more? Why must the toxelugh rely on other dimensions changing their Attunement's expression to reach those powers? What binds these Lights to be the only ones allowed? The answer is a question of history more than some fundamental cosmological limit. The rest of the emanations would be just as generous to share their power. The Sundering, that event that turned the Great Beast Island into the Great Beast Archipelago and segregated all Attuned toxelugh by their Light, is what caused the toxelugh themselves to elementally calcify.

Centuries of geographic separation caused their bodies and minds to stabilize these Nine Lights as the only valid ones to connect to. In essence, they lost the ability to recognize the myriad emanations beyond them. All the universe holds its hands out to be taken as power, but the toxelugh have forgotten how to reach for the ones not present in their blood. This was intentional and very few of them resent their ancestors for the Sundering, since the Nine Lights are versatile and powerful enough to propel their civilization into its modern age.

These bindings make themselves apparent in the islands of the Archipelago itself, too. The varied climate zones across the isles is a direct result of the Nine Lights being used in such excess and without balance in those locations. Their energy gained greater local influence and changed the very landscapes, and this effect in turn gave the toxelugh species a very clear instinctual recognition for them.