Spiritual Power

Spirits: elemental creatures in Alania responsible for acts of nature. They prefer to stay hidden. The ability to see a Spirit is a genetic trait of descendants of Zalen.

Some elementals are common: Spirits that grow plants, Spirits channeling streams and rivers, Earth Spirits in mountains, Wind Spirits in the breeze. Others can be rarer and and can be limited to dangerous areas: Fire Spirits are prolific in volcanoes or deep underground; Mystic Spirits live long, reclusive lives.

Spirit power is derived from the natural energy produced from the earth. While humans cannot readily tap into this energy without a conduit, Spirits can.

Manifestation

A human who can synchronize with Spirits and use their power is called a Spiriter. Most Spiriters can only associate with one particular element. e.g. Earth Spiriter, Water Spiriter, etc. Brandon is the exception and can manipulate raw natural energy.

Synchronization: The merging of a human and Spirit's rhythm allows the human to utilize Spirit Power. The stronger a human is bonded with their Spirit, the easier they can synchronize, taking less time to charge and launch spells. Synchronizing with an Elemental Spirit allows one to cast the Spirit's abilities as his own.

A Spirit will not obey a human they are not bonded with. Therefore, a human can only Synchronize when they have gained their Spirit's trust and solidified it with a Pledge.

Pledge: a pact forming the human-spirit partnership, often a promise to fulfill the Spirit's wishes. This can be from anything simple (Brandon's pact requires he supply Espor at all times with food) to complex (Daniel's pact requires he find Curti a home). Though rare, Pledges can be voided if violated or unfulfilled.

e.g. Alanuans prefer control over their Spirit and use physical trinkets such as coins, stones, or medallions and absorb their Spirit's power when they so desire. "Barbaric" Zarenians carve Pledges into their skin with their Spirit's power to channel energy more easily.

Synchronizing is painful and places incredible strain on the body. The Spirit must channel their power through human tissue into the bloodstream. Usage must be trained through experience (training, meditation, etc). Thus, the stronger the Spirit bond, the easier it is to Synchronize and the easier it is to hold the power for longer periods of time.

The overuse of synchronization can lead to overclocking. Occasional, mild overclocking results in numbness and cramps, easily recoverable with a course of minutes or hours. Continued or severe overclocking leads to permanent tissue damage and can result in permanent paralysis.

Limitations:

• Spirits are sentient beings that like having their egos stroked. Using them for household chores as an insult. Any conflict with your Spirit will reduce fighting power or disable possibility of Synchronizing altogether.
• Curtidagua (a Water Spirit) does not appreciate being used as temporary plumbing (i.e. a showerhead) at all. The one time Daniel asked, he was hit with ice-cold water.
• Espor (a Plant Spirit), despite knowing how to, hates growing plants unless she gets to eat it too. She makes an exception for bamboo—it helps Brandon get her food.
• Diaroca (an Earth Spirit) detests being sat on despite its cubic shape. It only allows Jorden that honor.
• Spirits are fiercely loyal to their one human and tend not to bond with anyone else except through excruciating circumstances such as extreme disrespect.

Augmentations

Spirits provide different enhancements depending on their ability. While most Spirits are better at certain augmentations, they are not limited to only one.

Physical - enhance physical a body's physical attributes.

• ex: Rokida (Earth Spirit) can change her shape to mold armor or give them extra limbs (in Eric's case, restore his missing arm).
• ex2: a currently unnamed fire cat gives its user increased speed and mobility. When in perfect sync, its user can cloak themselves with fire to augment their physical attacks (e.g. fire claws).

Elemental - form a structure using elementalized Spirit power.

• ex: When in Sync with Curti, Daniel can shape water balls into items he needs.
• ex2: When in Sync with Espor, Brandon can sprout bamboo within a certain range.

Spiritual - enhance something else

• ex. When in Sync with Diaroca, Jorden can absorb or change the mineral composition of anything he touches.

Localization

Zarenians:

Zarenians have a naturally lower red blood cell concentration to tolerate the low-oxygen conditions in their mountainous home. While it doesn't make the synchronization process any less painful, Zarenian Spiriters learn breathing techniques to accelerate blood flow and blood pressure, making it easier to channel and release Spirit power. Zarenians also carve runic symbols into themselves using their Spirit's ability to make absorption of Spirit power easier.

Alanuans:

Alanuans call this natural energy which they harvest using Zanite crystals. Natural energy powers much of the Alanuan infrastructure. By using different minerals, Alanuans also utilize different elemental powers.

Aça:

Mostly swampy areas. They ingest herbs for a temporary use of natural energy. The herbs are toxic in large doses so it's generally looked down upon if situations require such usage.

Valviceno:

Grows the empire's food. The populace is mostly at war with wild spirits over human development. To an extent, they receive some Alanuan technology to help with their work.

Montafielia:

An island of fishermen and sailors. Masters of the sea. Spirits here are mostly wild. Residents treat them as gods, praying to them and giving offerings in hope they will help them.

Millas:

A tropical region. Those who rely on the old method of finding a Spirit and forming a pact are looked down on. Most present-day Spiriters use Alanuan technology. Spiriters tattoo the Spirit's likeness on parts of their body, touching it with a hand when they need its power.

Sidoliseia:

Abandoned region plagued with disease.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane