Taekni

"What exactly is Taekni? The Arcane ability to rewrite reality itself, constructed by our own hands - Well, that sounds a lot better than saying, 'We have absolutely no idea what it even is anymore.'"

Arguably the single greatest force in the known Cosmic Tide, Taekni is one of the two Arcane abilities present within the Voidsea and the Realmlands.

It is, put simply, the ability to warp reality itself, and create whatever result one desires - Though in practicality, it's power is far more limited by caster, energy required, and various other factors. The full extent of it's abilities is transmitted via the Broadwave. Regions which, for whatever reason, cannot manifest Taekni are known as Null Zones.

Not a naturally occurring phenomenon, Taekni was originally created during the Void Age, though it's creators, original Sphere, and even which Kinde is responsible for it's creation is completely lost to history. What little is known about the creation of Taekni seems to have changed - suggesting that the current form of Taekni has evolved independently of it's creators, leaving it's new functions to be a mystery that must be re-discovered by those who practice the Arcane Arts.

The use of Taekni can vary radically depending on culture and circumstance - It can be a central component in various technologies, an additional component in others, a weapon, a tool to aid construction, a subject of religious interpretation, and various other forms.

Though many forces claim to be it's origin, for political, economic, religious, or other such reasons, none have been certified, or been able to offer anything that could even be considered convincing evidence. It's emergence is said to have brought about the Technopocalypse that brought an end to the Void Age, leading to the end of many empires and civilizations of the time, and the beginning of the Lost Age.

Despite commonly being referred to as though it were a single phenomenon, Taekni is in reality, an overlapping series of technological, biological, environmental, astronomical, and geographical phenomena. It is more powerful in some areas, in some areas cannot manifest, and has impacted the evolution of many Kinde, both directly, and indirectly.

The presence of Taekni and the Broadwave has impacted nearly every world it has touched, sometimes creating unpredictable results. Some forms of evolution have occurred due to the existence of Taekni, most noticeably within the Fae Rest. It has even impacted previously existing life as well, such as the emergence of Traits within many different Kinde within it's reach. The exact conditions it created that lead to this, how those impacted the evolutionary processes of all these wildly different Kinde, why some were impacted and some weren't, and what precisely it is doing, is not known.

In fact, Taekni is not well understood in general - Much of the understanding that originated with it was lost during the Technopocolypse. One of the only things that is known for certain is that the very first references to it originate from the Abyssreach, at the centre of the Sky River. It has become a field of study onto itself, with those who study runes, their effects, and the creation of new spells being known as Rune Sages.

Taekni is not an intrinsic ability one is born understanding - Users must study Runes and Input commands, and learn to control, manipulate, and create it, much like any other skill. Many choose to get tattoos, or engrain Runes onto armour, weapons, or buildings to speed up the process, though it still requires one to intentionally activate it. Some go as far as to cybernetically enhance themselves to make casting Taekni easier.

Present in every society within the Voidsea, and showing no preference for any Faction of Kinde, any individual with sentience is theoretically capable of learning Taekni. Those that do are known as Sages. Practice of Taekni comes in many forms, from more instant manifestations, to more drawn out ritualistic practices. This is in contrast to Traits, which can be in-born abilities.

Perceptions of Taekni vary from Kinde to Kinde, Void Island to Void Island, and Sphere to Sphere - Kin tend to have a more open, but apathetic attitude towards it, seeing it merely as something that is. Elvendritch view Taekni as a great power, used to wage eternal war against their Gods and enemies, and a gift from their Honoured Fallen. The Quirri initially viewed Taekni with suspicion or outright contempt, seeing it as the reason their ambitions to traverse the Voidsea became hindered. It is also important to note that some Spheres, despite containing the same Kinde, may view Taekni very differently to one another - Witch Hunting was not uncommon on some worlds, whereas others became Kratocratic oligarchies based on ones ability to manifest Taekni. Worlds that exist in Null Zones, such as Xeo-Quartz, weren't even aware of Taekni until leaving their home region, instead placing a far greater importance on the existence of Traits, leading to a society based on individual acts of Heroism, until the Villain Uprising.

How exactly Taekni came into being, and what precisely caused it to come into being are questions which are constantly pondered and researched into by just about every known faction in both the Voidsea and the Realmlands, though no side has any truly concrete answer.

Origins

'The ingenuity, creativity, and limitless potential of all sentient life across the Voidsea and the Realmlands is demonstrated in the creation of Taekni - Not even the universe itself could create such a technology. We could. And now with it, the potential to bend reality itself to our whims is always in the palms of our hands.'

Taekni was created during the Void Age - An era of immense technological achievement. To those born after it's creation, the Void Age is all the more impressive, as it's many achievements were made without the aid of Taekni. It is from this time that Taekni was forged.

The exact origins of Taekni have been lost to time, though many researchers from many Spheres still study the event, and the Void Age leading up to it's creation. The occasional discovery of Relic-Stations and Data-Packets have given some insight onto the creation process.

Taekni does not appear to have been intentionally created - Rather, it was the accumulation of a variety of technological systems all merging together to create something far more powerful than the sum of it's parts. It is suspected that this is why most of the Cosmic Tide was completely unprepared for the Technopocalypse - the convergence of these various systems, which on their own, the technology of the age was able to handle, simply overloaded when all of them combined and became what is now known as Taekni.

As it spread across the Voidsea, the Broadwave began to impact just about everything it came into contact with, and both directly and indirectly, began to alter nearly everything it came into contact with - New life was seeded, ecosystems changed and evolved at rapid rates, and even the very stars themselves began to have secondary effects to help spread Taekni's reach. Though there are regions that lack much exposure to the Broadwave, much of the known Voidsea has been touched by both phenomenon in some way.

Description

'As Taekni spread, bit by bit, the Voidsea began to glow.'

Considering it's origins, the easiest way to describe Taekni is, put simply: a form of technology, which allows its user to cast spells, and warp reality.

It is an ever-present phenomenon which, when reached out to, can be manipulated to create an immense variety of effects.

The Abyssreach emits constant radio waves - The Broadwave - which are omnipresent, even within Null Zones. These Broadwaves respond to certain commands, which are known as 'Inputs'. These Inputs appear to tell the Broadwave how to manifest itself, which forms the basis of any spell-crafting. Due to the requirements to use Taekni, it is often depicted as being ritualistic, but can also be very dynamic by those Sages who are practiced in it.

When a user casts Taekni, their eyes will often glow.

Components

When written or spoken of, Taekni is often referred to as a a singular phenomenon - However, this is untrue.

In reality, Taekni is made up of, and it's existence is supported by, various technological, biological, environmental, astronomical, and geographical phenomenon. Many different things work in tandem to create the intricate systems upon which Taekni functions. These functions often overlap and are inseparable from one another.

Technological

It is easy for many to forget, but Taekni is distinctly a technological phenomenon. Were it not, the Technopocalypse would not have come to pass. Taekni exists due to various forms of technology intermingling, converging, and re-interpreting their directives and redefining their function.

Technology of the Void Age was significantly more advanced than that of the Valhallan Age, despite the latter's many advancements. It is also a different kind of technology - Taekni has been used to assist in the creation of many new technologies since it's inception, whereas Void Age technology utilized systems and versions of physics which have been rendered both outdated and redundant, in part due to Taekni. Due to this, even if Taekni were capable of being researched conventionally, it would be rendered difficult, as the laws of reality have literally been rewritten by it. To understand it would require a different understanding of reality.

This makes Taekni both too advanced, and too ancient to understand by conventional means.

However, it is still a form of technology, and thus, similar rules still apply to it.

The actual casting of Taekni is often considered to be something of a mechanical affair, similar to operating a piece of machinery - The correct actions are required to make the machinery do what the user wants it to do. The same is true of Taekni, though the casting of Taekni is a far more difficult feat to accomplish.

A major part of the spread of Taekni is linked to the Weaveway Network - A series of technological Void Constructs from the Void Age.

Revelations related to Null Zones taught Sages that it is in theory possible to block someone from performing Taekni, even if the Broadwave is present. Furthermore, it is theoretically capable that Taekni could be destroyed, should all the components that allow it to function be destroyed.

Biological

Despite Taekni's technological nature, it's presence, properties, and impacts have had massive impacts on the biology of those it has touched. The Broadwave surrounds all, even within Null Zones where Taekni cannot properly manifest itself, and it's highly fluidic and reality-a nnnltering properties have resulted in both random, and consistent changes, impacting evolution on an immense scale across both the Voidsea, and the Realmlands.

Specifically, all sentient Kinde have evolved an innate ability to manipulate the Broadwave.

Through willpower, concentration, and a certainty of ability to do so, they are able to channel and control the Broadwave and bend it to their will - Forming the basis upon which one would begin to cast Taekni.

However, there is something of an interesting paradox within this process.

Various records from survivors of the Technopocalypse claim that they were able to learn the mechanics of Taekni shortly after the event. Despite the Broadwaves ability to influence evolution, it does not typically act this quickly. It is speculated, therefore, that the Broadwave was simply the last major pulse, and that during the build up, it was already emitting pulses that were impacting and influencing the evolution of sentient Kinde.

Environmental

The first is technological - Taekni is a form of technology, meaning it interfaces best with other forms of technology. All across the Voidsea, the Broadwave is supported by a series of Void Constructs which it has repurposed to act as rapid redistribution pathways.

These Void Constructs were made during the Void Age, and seem to have been used for a variety of other purposes, from hydroponics, to political, to merely housing - Regardless of what they were, the Broadwave has hijacked them, and made them part of what is called the Weaveway Network. These Void Constructs are often rediscovered, preserved, and re-inhabited, in part to ensure that the Network remains intact. These Constructs are known as Relay Constructs.

Depending on how close to a Relay construct one is, Taekni will be more powerful, due to the concentration and emission of the Broadwave.

The second is organic - Taekni and the Broadwave's presence has impacted more than sentient Kinde, but various florakinde as well. Many plants have evolved absorb the Broadwave in a manner similar to that of photosynthesis, known as Taeknosynthesis.

Various species of tree, such as, raydis, staeliet, echowood and sagecoil all have similar processes, absorbing the Broadwave, and then emitting signals further in a manner similar to pollination. Many Void Islands evolve unique florakinde which perform these functions - They are known as Netspire Flora. Worlds which don't have been known to import Netspire Flora to create Broadwave regions on their surfaces.

Amplifier Worlds

Naturally, Taekni is strongest where the Broadwave is - Thus meaning, within the Voidsea, when left to it's own devices, Taekni is strongest within the Abyssreach, the Fae Rest, and around the Weaveway.

However, many Kinde have learned how to construct radio-transmitters that are designed to increase the power of Taekni within a certain area. Over time, these transmitters began to engulf entire Void Islands and Islets. These became known as Amplifier Worlds - Void Islands whom's main purpose was to massively increase the range and power of Taekni within a region, usually spanning dozens of Light-Years. Many Archipelagos have at least one Amplifier World.

The Broadwave is far more omnipresent within the Realmlands - Thus there is no equivalent within them.

Astronomical

It is not just organic and biological evolution Taekni has influenced as it spread to perpetuate itself, but the stars themselves.

A not small number of celestial bodies and Voidsea regions have been documented as having been impacted the Broadwave - Stars, and other cosmic bodies and phenomenon have been affected. Some regions, such as the Everaway Glimmer Shoal have multiple stars which have become what are now known as Hotspot Stars - Stars which, on top of the normal function of a star, is capable of spreading the Broadwave further into the Voidsea. Void Islands that orbit these stars are more likely to become Runic Worlds.

But it is not merely just stars either - Black Whirlpools have also been impacted, and can serve similar functions. Various Black Whirlpools, such as the Crooked Core, and the Maw of Echoes, were transformed into Hotspots, though these are rarer than star Hotspots. The most famous examples of Hotspot Black Whirlpools are those within the Abyssreach. Many Black Whirlpools which were otherwise invisible before began to glow overtime, as the Broadwave concentrate and became visible to the naked eye, making them far easier to detect. This has had an additional impact of making the Voidsea seem far brighter that in previous Ages - Something which caused much superstition in the cultures of the time.

Various other stellar phenomenon have also demonstrated these sorts of effects, from Void Canals to Nebula. Some became Hotspots, while others did not. Many different types of strange anomalies have been recorded, and have been studied by various groups.

Geographical

The Void Island Failstate, and it's Cove Dead End, both exist within a Null Zone

Finally, geography plays a role in Taekni's ability to spread, especially throughout the Voidsea - but this is less about it's ability to manifest, and more about how it doesn't in certain regions.

Cosmic geography does play a role in how Taekni manifests - Systems near points of concentrated Broadwave, such as Hotspots, the Weaveway, and Amplifier Worlds are able to manifest Taekni more easily. Runic Worlds and regions like the Fae Rest also manifest Taekni in higher quantities.

However, there are regions within the Voidsea which are known as Null Zones - These are regions which do receive the Broadwave and all the evolutionary adaptations that came with it, but for whatever reason, are not able to manifest Taekni within them. These regions are oddities, and it is not understood what causes them. For whatever reason, Taekni, and any technology which uses Taekni as a component, are not able to function in these regions. For all intents and purposes, these are regions which operate under a different series of physics, more akin to those of the Void Age. Regretfully, this does not mean that those from Null Zones have any better understanding of the workings of Taekni from a technological perspective.

Interestingly, those within Null Zones still develop Traits. This revelation lead to many realizing that Taekni was capable of being blocked out, even if the Broadwave is still present.

Usage

With such massive potential, Taekni can be utilized in an immense variety of ways - And has been, all across the Cosmic Tide. Various Kindes have found a huge number of uses for it, from helping to build their cities and pilot their Voidcraft, to wielding it as a weapon within the Eternal War of Ideology, the Shadow Game, or various other conflicts.

For ease of understanding, the mechanics of Taekni are often split into two parts - Runes, and Inputs.

Runes

Runes are symbols which represent various effects. They can be of any shape, influenced by any culture, and contain as many, or as few, complexities as the spellcaster desires - However, a Rune requires what is called "Consensus" to function - To put it simply, there must be enough Registered uses of a Rune having the intended effect, that the Broadwave recognizes the Input, and creates the same effect.

Once the Consensus has accepted a Runes input, it will not change, allowing for at least some consistency in an otherwise highly inconsistent Arcane ability.

However, the original Rune can then be modified to create a new Spell - For example, the same Rune can be used, but with a different Input incantation, thus creating a different effect.

The process of creating new Runes and new effects for them is called Rune-Crafting.

In addition, some Runes will appear in the Consensus of their own accord, and can be discovered throughout the Cosmic Tide, on what are often called Runestones. Despite the name, they can appear on any surface.

A Kin Taekni user, covered in Runes - Image taken from the Quartet Conflict. This Kin is able to activate the Runes rapidly via the tattoos engraved onto their body.

Inputs

'Inputs' are actions a caster takes in order to use Taekni. Essentially what happens is that the user will channel Taekni, and perform an action. The Broadwave will interpret that action, and thus create the effect the user desires. Inputs are required to avoid confusing a regular, every day action, with the casting of Taekni.

Runes are the most common Input found across the Voidsea and the Realmlands - Drawing a Rune in the air, channelling Taekni into depictions of runes, be they written on a page, chiselled into stone, drawn in soil or snow, or tattooed onto the body.

Runes, however, are not always required - the Wytch Kinde, for example, have mastered a style of casting that focuses mainly on chants. Uttering certain words in certain tones, cadences, or languages can also be an input. More powerful, or permanent spells, may require certain materials, such as gold, silver, circuitry, or various other objects.

Inputs can be 'In the moment' acts, or planned out, such as creating various drawings, or carving the runes into stone. So long as Taekni is channelled in the correct way, it will activate the respective spell.

Evolution

Taekni is not an Arcane ability that remains static - It is constantly changing, and has been changing from the very moment it came into being.

The process appears to take place over three stages, which repeat constantly. There is no known timeframe in which these processes occur - It is not even certain if this process is accurate. It is simply the understanding many Kinde have come to in order to comprehend what is happening. If it is accurate, then it simply happens whenever it happens.

Absorption

A huge variety of influences and imagery, symbolism, cultural tendencies, and various other bits of information across the entire Voidsea and Realmlands, are 'Absorbed' by the Broadwave. Many of these symbols are taken from radio-waves, Inputs into the Broadwave itself, and other, unknown means.

Re-Iteration

As these symbols are all brought back, Taekni begins to 'Re-Iterate' them - They are combined with other symbols and concepts, many of which have never so much as been made aware of one another's existences, and merged together, taken apart, and merged again elsewhere. Concepts that seem to have nothing to do with one another suddenly have deep connections or interactions with one another.

Projection

The Broadwave them emits these new iterations back out into the Cosmic Tide. Taekni is always projecting new symbols out, but within the cycle, there is a period called the 'Blooming', which shows an increase in the number of new Runes and symbols found. This period is over a relatively small period of time.

Reaction

Also known as the 'Breath' phase, Taekni and the Broadwave both simply stop - The new iterations make themselves known across the Cosmic Tide, and those within begin to learn of them, absorb them, and re-iterate them themselves. After a certain period of time, the process will go back to stage one, Absorption, and it will happen all over again.

Requirements to learn Taekni

Any being that is capable of thought is capable of learning Taekni. It is beyond the reach of no Kinde, be they biological, or mechanical.

Yet, to learn Taekni is a deep undertaking. Though many technological marvels exist thanks to Taekni, and many people know a variety of spells that can assist them in their day to day, learning more advanced Taekni an be a struggle, for it requires several things.

Limits

Taekni's ability and potential is immense - However, it does have certain limitations, both for itself, and based on the individual.

Taekni Limits

On it's own, Taekni borders onto limitless - It's impact on the Cosmic Tide around it has been immense, from fusing planets, to defying gravity, to creating new Kindes outright. However, there is one single limit that Taekni has.

The mind.

No matter how skilled a user is, Taekni is not capable of impacting the mind of any being - Including mechanical ones. No Kinde can have their mind directly influenced by the Arcane. They may be manipulated in other ways, such as illusions or auditory deception, but one may not reach into the mind of another being, and change their thoughts directly. It is a limit Taekni simply cannot overcome. It is uncertain why this is.

Some believe it to be something of a defence mechanism placed into various forms of technology made during the Void Age that Taekni simply adopted into it's systems. Others who view Taekni with more spiritualism view it as an act of divinity - That one cannot use the gift to control others.

Whatever the truth may be as to why, the inarguable conclusion all agree on is that no matter what they do, Taekni will not influence another beings mind directly.

User Limits

Users of Taekni will often come across a variety of limitations. Some limits are universal, but some are more specific to an individual. Many serious learners attend various Arcane Institutions to study and learn to overcome these various limitations.

Randomness

Taekni is, by nature, not a stable or consistent force. It is capable of creating randomized effects. A perfect example of these impacts are the Arcane Worlds - Worlds which have a very strong presence of Taekni. The very existence of such worlds is inconsistent. Why some worlds are more naturally prone to Taekni, while others are not, is not understood. Nor are the effects that they can produce, which appear to be random and diverse, ranging from merely making spells more powerful, to complete environmental restructuring.

These are factors which can impact a users ability to understand Taekni - This can, in turn, impact their beleif that they can control or manipulate it - Thus ensuring that they cannot.

Exhaustion

Casting Taekni for long periods of time can be physically and mentally draining - It can require focus, and constant effort to manipulate the Broadwave. Learning to do it for extended periods of times can be done through a number of means. Sheer practice is one. Physical endurance is another. And learning specialized techniques for the manipulation of the Broadwave is yet one more.

Some choose to cybernetically augment themselves in order to overcome these limits. Many of these cybernetics are designed around channelling Taekni more efficiently. These individuals are often known as Taeknomancers.

Knowledge

Taekni is the more academic of the Arcane Arts - It often requires extensive study to understand a wide variety of methods of spell-casting. Taekni is, however, so expansive that no one individual is capable of learning every single aspect of it in a meaningful way - This is not a matter of physical or mental inability, but a matter of time. Taekni evolves, changes, and expands so rapidly, that no one can keep up.

The Impact of Taekni

Taekni completely rewrote the Cosmic Tide - Things that were impossible before it became commonplace, the way we understood limitations and physics were completely rewritten - It turned a universe of limits into one free of those limits.

It is often considered difficult to convey the full impact that Taekni has had on the Cosmic Tide - The changes it has been directly responsible for are impossible to number. The changes it has been indirectly responsible for are even more innumerable. And there are almost certainly countless more ways it has been impactful that has simply not been documented yet.