Vojûn - Brilliance of Atûn

In Qadal, there exists a form of unnatural energy that defies comfortable category and comprehension. It is known as Vojûn, or the Gift of Atûn in the tongue of the Etayen. The Aemar know it as, while the Daorhu and Odyrzid name it. This power was created by Atûn the Youngest, who ranked among the most powerful Eshan in existence save for Aebaster. As might be said from most Eshanic developments, the creation of Vojûn was a pragmatic means to a self-serving end. A rivalry seethed between Aebaster and Atûn since the times of Olûn. They each sought dominion and influence over their fellow Eshan and the mortal world created for them by Ácolitus. Back and forth they struggled in those ancient days, but one never found means to usurp the other. However, opportunity did come when Ácolitus discovered the Viscari which Qazun created in secret. A divine conflict of incredible proportion was fought for the sake of mortality, upon which both Aebaster and Atûn diverted their power. Against all expectations, the allies of Aebaster were triumphant when Atûn betrayed Ácolitus and shattered his mortal form- suddenly the battle was over. Following the terrors of the First Feud and the subsequent creation of mortals, the Alor'eshan and many of the Ebal'eshan chose to return to the Void alongside Ácolitus, putting aside the mortal forms with which they waged war against one another. The mortal races were left to their own devices, taming the world and altering it at will. Atûn was cunning, however, and he saw opportunity in the departure of the other Eshan. From the Void, there was little they could do to influence events in Qadal, save bestowing Eshara upon chosen mortals. While in Qadal, Atûn could bring the full measure of his power to bear, unhindered and unbound. Like he had done during the First Feud, Atûn broke away from the Alor'eshan to follow his own path. Power in the mortal realm, where it mattered, was his desire. This was the context into which Vojûn first came into existence, and how it flourished unrivaled.
Having made his decision to remain in the mortal realm rather than ascend to the Void, Atûn set to work creating his chosen people. The other Alor’eshan meshed their creations with mortal elements of the world as created by Ácolitus, thus reducing the Eshanic power required to conceive them. This was another pragmatic concession made by the shrewd Eshan. Each of them feared weakness in relation to their siblings, and methods to increase their worldly influence at minimal cost were common. Atûn figured his calculations differently. He chose to craft with purity, using Eshanic power alone at great expense and short-term detriment. The Etayen, therefore, are not unlike the Eshan themselves. They were powerful
compared to other mortal races and enjoyed much longer lives. As a result, there was only a small number of them populating Etal in the first years. In contrast, innumerable Aemar were placed across the known world when Aebaster created them, but it drained his power immensely. The outcome in terms of power was the same. Aebaster and Atûn were utterly drained. However, Aemarda was developed upon birth, destined to remain unchanged over the centuries save for alterations in civilization and the growth of knowledge. The Etayen were allowed to grow and become outstanding among individuals. This method carried facilitated another significant property of Eshanic power, being the essence or soul. As described in the sections regarding Eshara, the Eshan gather short-term power through the acceptance of mortal spirits and their attached power. The potency of the Etayen meant that Atûn could gather much greater amounts of power than Aebaster could with his mundane creations muddied by mortal elements.
As the centuries continued, the clever Atûn observed the growth and tribultations of Voryndal. It was there where the battles between numerous Eshan and their races were fierce, for each civilization was founded too close to another. Immense slaughter and the annihilation of whole settlements were commonplace, such that the Eshan lamented that their powers were not sufficient to be granted to all faithful at one time. Atûn recognized a common limitation for each Eshanic deity upon that mortal battlefield of the divine- power. Every matter is decided by power, after all. His solution was to imbue the Etayen with greater quantities of his own energy upon creation than the other Eshan, as noted before, so that his people might thrive in the long-term. The growth of the Etayen population throughout the Awakening, being separated from the conflicts of other races in Etal, meant that Atûn grew to be immensely powerful by the dawn of the Ascension Era. The Etayen did prosper andtheir world was beautiful. Those few Eshan who knew of these idealistic musings were impressed with this deliberate self-weakening for such distant scheming, but that was not the whole of Atûn’s machinations. Indeed, the Etayen were mere reserves of Eshanic energy so that no rival might perceive the real strengths of Atûn and instead believe him as humble. His real desire was to remedy the ancient shortcoming of limited power distribution through the creation of his own energy. The memory of Sekrihira’s demise were fresh, but Atûn was never one for deterrence nor following the footsteps of others blindly.
The means through which Atûn pursued his unique creation were ingenious. When sufficient power was gained among the Etayen, he gathered thousands of them together beneath Qasladur in an event known colloquially as the Binding. He then looked to the distant Void and Éshabal to broker a deal with Ácolitus. Now, the great Creator was eternally enmeshed in the petty machinations of himself and his children, and thus entertained the negotiation regardless of its wisdom. The terms were that Atûn would surrender the established mechanisms of Eshanic power exchanged between mortals and divine upon the former’s death. Instead, this raw Eshanic power would be returned to Etal to make that land powerful and beautiful- greater than every other domain. Trees would blosson mighty, the gardens grow verdant beside tidal pools, and the people would never know hunger. Ácolitus did ponder this request, and he remembered the attempts and failures of Sekrihira to achieve similar results. Every expectation was present that Atûn would be ruined. If nothing more, the Creator still harbored deep resentment for the youngest Alor’eshan from the era of the First Feud. It would be pleasing to see him destroyed. It was with such malice that Ácolitus agreed to this request, forever barring the Etayen from permanent peace in the Void, but rather returning their Eshanic essence to Esha as new Vojûn. One is astounded with what ease with extraordinary innovation was allowed to pass, but Ácolitus underestimated the foresight of Atûn.
Unlike the power of Sekrihira, Vojûn was constantly proliferated by mortal death, whereas Sekura was contingent on the distribution from that Eshan, making it little better than Eshara. Additionally, unlike the Eshanic power which sustained him, the Vojûn Atûn created was omnipresent rather than reserved within the Eshan to await usage. It is a self-contained energy, mingling with the elements of mortal existence. It
flows beneath the physical landscape like water that gathers in a cistern, pooling in isolated places devoid of other energies. Atûn kept the flowing power of Vojûn in check by using his own power of Eshara to bind the expansion of Vojûn to Etal. This ensured that it was strongest in the homeland and weak elsewhere, thus out of the hands of other races.
In terms of physical manifestations and properties of Vojunic energy, there are unique characteristics which separate it from Eshara or Ackesh. Foremost, Vojûnic an all-pervasive element bound to and within the world itself, and thus divorced from the traditional rules of power granted and withdrawn. It exists beneath the surface of the world, flowing and clotting like blood. Where ever one might stand, the power of Vojûn might be called upon, which was eminently important to the Etayen. The power through which their empire thrived was available at all times in all places. However, not all was so simple. Vojûnic power possessed a harmful tendency to coalesce in places remote and low in the earth- caves, steep ravines, narrow chasms, dried watersheds, and others. When Atûn yet lived, this was not significant, for the Vojûnic power released into the world was highly regulated. It was withheld in Etal foremost, and drawn up to the surface through Voladûr, information regarding which will come in time. The physical appearance of Vojûn when drawn forth through the Voladûr is like a miasma, visible and strangely potent to the touch. It feels like soot upon the skin, tastes like sand, and carries and earthly smell. After Atûn’s death, Vojûnic was released upon the world unhindered. The physical manifestations of that power therefore became more pronounced and devastating. In the worst of places, Vojûnic power began to bleed forth from the earth, seeping out like a flooded river delta. The power mortals could harness therefore increased to terrible effect. Matters of Vojûnic beasts spawned from residual energy are spoken of elsewhere, but they appeared contemporaneously to mortal warlords bearing that power. Phyiscal manifestations, then, became the harbinger of terrible crimes committed against Eshanic creation.
The power of Atûn's eshara to contain Vojûn did not completely limits its exposure to the outside world. Voletal ghalûn who acted as the foremost agents of colonization for Étunas desired the power of Atûn to help expand their borders and build up their states. The nature of Vojûn meant that while Atûn could severely limit its spread, there were trace amounts coursing beneath the surface that could be accessed. For the majority of Qadal's races, they were none the wiser of this energy deep in the rock of the world. The only method possible to bring the Vojûn to the surface in those days was by constructing great pillars of wood or stone and imbued with large quanities of raw Vojunic energy. The Etayen called such structures Voladûr, or simply "pillars of Vojûn". By creating these pillars throughout Qadal, the Etayen colonizers were able to access the power of Vojûn with varying strength, depending on their distance to the pillar. The closer, the stronger. Voletal princes made it a point to have these built en masse throughout Othos, Everos, and some islands of Nevan, where many of them stand into modern times.
"You may see strange pillars dotting the countryside. People fear them, but I tell you that they are not dangerous. These constructions are tools, fulcrums by which the power of Atûn can be wrought from the core of Qadal and used. Desiring that you are not taken unawares by their sight, they are of the following description. The base is dug deep into the ground, perhaps 15 feet into the rock and equally wide. That releases the energy. It can be gauged for certain when the rocks around the pit turn a pale shade of blue, glowing lightly both during the day and at night. Alongside the pale stones, highly prized ebonstone is known to appear in small amount in these locations. That variety of rock is black like the Void, but capable of dampening the power of Vojûn, for it is that energy manifested.
In the center of these carved pits sit pillars of wood or stone, which are the most distinguishable feature of the Voladûr. Your men can approach these as well, for without proper stimulus they lay dormant. Be wary, however, if there is a garrison of Etayen troops
around them. The nemeshari knowledgeable in Atûn's art that Étunas commands can access the energy drawn from the Voladûr. These great pillars are often carved of stone, but the earliest among them are crafted of wood. Etayen markings run down their length, giving prayers of power and protection to Atûn. As far as our war effort it concerned, these pillars are best destroyed. That being said, the reason I write is to implore that you refrain from that destruction. The Voladûr are ancient, dating back to the early years of the Ascension, and are more valuable to history if kept intact. Post guards at their foot, kill those who come close, but do not destroy them. My support of our alliance depends on that honorable task."

Letter from Nassarus Nathroghal to Corgastor Ghedelon

The Fall of Étunas -- -8
The Etayen, including the rebellious Nassarus Nathroghal, saw the value of the Voladûr. At the time, no mortal could have foreseen the death of Atûn as a result of Corgastor's war, so it was understood that the only way from Vojûn to escape Etal was to keep the Voladûr intact. It is unlikely that Nassarus was particularly interested in the historical value of the sites, but his power was as tightly bound to the Voladûr as Étunas. If the fury of Corgastor's host wiped them out, the decline of Vojûn in Nathrovas would be a disastrous break in power.
The golden age of Étunas and Vojûn came to a swift end around the year zero, when Atûn the Betrayer was finally destroyed in his mortal form. His demise came about as the number of Etayen in Qadal dropped significantly as the vicious Velgasid Etag raged on Everos. Thousands on both sides died by the battle, but it was the Etayen who proved unable to sustain the losses. Worse still, Atûn was unable to go forward and assist them, lest the power of Vojûn be released to the world at large. He was trapped on Etal, and only able to give advice and lend wisdom. As the war came cloSer to its conclusion during the later months of the Ascension Era, the Etayen watched with horror as their god became weaker by the day, losing complexion and turning a pale white. He was beginning to die, like Aebaster had done so many years ago after he created Aemarda. They began to notice as well that the concentration of Vojûnic energy in Etal was decreasing, as it was radiating outward. By the time he died the power of Vojûn was spreading across the world, ushering in a new dynamic among the powers of Qadal. Mortals other than the Etayen could now utilize Vojûn, which added to the chaos that consumed the world during the Weeping Era.
In truth, Vojûn was the cause of horrendous global turmoil during those 1,000 years of the Weeping Era. Without the careful guidance and control of Atûn, who monitored the spread of Vojûn throughout Qadal by manner of his Eshara, the energy flowed like a sweeping river. The currents which flowed beneath the surface of the world grew in strength, and within a few years it was possible to summon Vojûn without the assistance of the Voladûr. Mortals went wild with this power. Those with minds strong enough to harness the power became warlords and monsters, crushing their neighbors with great torrents of bright energy. The ancient names of such domains, such as Chardarod, Feredorn, and Sathod reign like night over the history of that period. These nations rose and fell, many of them living and dying all within that turbulent era. Heroes rose as well, using the powers of Vojûn to counter the wanton violence and greed that plagued Aemarda in tandem with this great power. Figures such as Ferdyn the Southerner, who created a host called the Gifted to hunt rogue Vojûnic Nemeshari, and Bothera of the Gismyr, who purged Vojûn from her home islands, are but two figures who successfully opposed disorder.
Yet, for all their efforts, powers greater than corrupted mortals spawned from Vojûn. The raw energy of Vojûn, boundless in power and possibility, meshed poorly with the mortal world. By its nature, Vojûn is
unstable and borderline volatile in high concentrations. When Atûn reigned in the world, his Eshara allowed for Vojûn to expand and coalesce at a reasonable, realtively safe rate. It pulsed through every part of the world, spreading from Etal throughout Qadal and into Voryndal. When he died, and this barrier was broken, the essence of Vojûn was magnified in all places which it existed- think of a wave crashing upon the shore. In time, the energy stabilized and became safe once more, but during the Weeping Era the world was swamped with this unleashed power. The worst manifestations that developed were what some in Qadal called ‘Nemgarotirs’, which were the product of Vojûn that had materialized time. Deep and isolated locations were most commonly the haven of these beasts. The Daorhu and Aemar who mined the earth were horrified to have their mines, then home flooded with great numbers of such monsters- each bearing talons, spiny tendrils, and other physical properties of violence and carnage. In the Black Hills of Nathrovas these Nemgarotirs grew as well, along with the halls of the Odyrzid, many of which were destroyed of abandoned in that period. They were malign beasts, lacking all sense of morality and justice. Why? The answer is that nothing was taught to them regarding these subjects. The world they were born into was chaotic and murderous by nature, and thus their temperament reflected that reality.
Within the vein of horrible manifestations of Vojûn, there is another topic worthy of discussion. It is possessions and the attachment of Vojûnic essence to non-living entities to create manifest life. These are quite common through the epochs-long history of Esha. The former companions of Typhon manifested in a similar form, though Eshanic per the essence torn apart and restored, but utilized Vojûn to bolster their strength. They escaped the boundaries of Eshanic properties, but their formless nature, attached to a physical object yet existing in material space, unlike the Eshan themselves who possess a defined energy in the Void or coil in Esha. Alike the Vojûnic beings created from nothing, they were projections upon physical object rather than real beings- caught in a limbo state, as it were. In another case, Zunik, who ranked among the Caranadu crafted by Naordu to combat the Karthuulites, was broken in body yet survived as a Vojûnic essence. This energy was applied to a book, symbolic of his role as historian and keeper of knowledge. It was thereafter maintained by further Vojûnic power to prevent its dissipating after centuries. Powerful Nemeshari practice such methods to seal important chests or doors, creating some manner of Vojûn life to ooze within the gaps and be unmovable. With some primitive, intelligence, however, these seals can be unlatched with certain words or stimulie to prompt the entity into action. Regardless of the specific case, the properties involved are alike. Vojûnic life manifested into objects rather than living entities are not physically rooted. They exist upon the surface of things, not within them. This makes such beings extremely vulnerable to what damage might befall the vessel. Zunik, for example, would have been lost for eternity if the book was destroyed. The same, Vojûnic seals die when the guarded object is destroyed, or their surface-ooze destroyed.
For such possessions and strange extra-bodily beings to continue existing, there is a special requirement of energy. Vojûnic beings are different from Eshanic beings in how their bodily energy deteriorates. The latter is slow, defining the spans of life which mortals live. This energy is grounded in the natural elements which the Eshan utilized the create said races. What material was chosen is irrelevant, for water, fire, earth, and air were compositied with Eshanic power in the same manner save for the symbolic values which mortals thereafter decided to their fancy. Vojûnic entities possess nothing of the kind. Not even the materials onto which they project offer the same extended state of deterioration which other, more lucky beings might call life. It is therefore that Vojûnic entities must continue to gather Vojûnic power to survive, lest they waste away as pure energy and be destroyed. This is the eternal, inescapable reality which ensures the superiority of Eshanic races as designed by the Eshan after the First Feud over strange bastardizations of this image created thereafter.
“I entered her home and travelled down to the lowest levels of the manor, which were sealed behind numerous doors and barricades.
The floor was bare soil without any protections nor fashioning. Standing upon rough mounds in the half-life stood the vaults and chests of her most prized possessions. A steady series of whispers emited throughout the space, though I was at once unsure of the origin. The Ghetunbast smiled and guided my attention to the containers themselves. Upon them were strange black splotches like oil stains upon the hardwood and metal. Indeed, these places were where the whispers did arise!”

Narbaro of the Duilyalar visits Ghetunbast Herelesa outside Ghethemas

North Meets the Middle Land - 1783
The power of Vojûn spread with unmatched potency during the Weeping Era, causing hideous terror and sorrow. However, means existed among the Eshan to halt its devastation. In the distant oceans between Qadal and Voryndal, Idorûn, ancient ally of Atûn and faithful subject of Ácolitus, maintained Misladur. This was the pillar and well through which Kovûnkal was maintained and Eshanic power controlled. In theory, the tower was a deterrent more than significant aspect of Eshanic dynamics. Breaches of Kovûnkal were numbered in single digits while assaults upon the tower were inconceivable. Elsewhere, Atûn was known to act as the opposing nexus of his new-created powers, and thus did not violate the traditional balance into which fell Misladur. Idorûn thus made no move against his ally. Without Atûn, Vojûn became a necessary extension of these responsibilities. Without the constant activity of the pillar and well, the Vojûnic power created by the deaths of Etayen mortals would continue unabated until everything was awash with it. The outcome for mortality would be devastating, rendering all Esha nigh uninhabitable save for the highest locations occupied by the hardiest of individuals. None among the Eshan, even Acolitus, desired this outcome. The keeper of Misladur was then mandated to process and terminate Vojûn. Idorûn spent the Weeping Era attempting to process the latent Vojûnic energy and recycle its raw power into Esha and the Void. The prospects for eventual success were high, but the 1,500 years of stored power required time to dissipate in full. This meant that the coming eras would host much suffering before the eventual alleviation of the worst residues.
Despite the noble efforts of Idorûn, the energies released by Atûn were too potent to be removed with swiftness. As the power of Vojûn proliferated within the healthy and natural world, the nature of said land was altered to unpredictable effect. The most infamous of these transformations came in the form of Villfura, or Vile Storms in the Etayen tongue. Per the name, the Villfura are vicious tempests bearing incredible power. They are fueled by the energies of Vojûn which course beneath the oceans but gather in irregular currents and thus coalesce. When these concentrations reach sufficient intensity, the water itself begins to smoke and obscure as if overtaken with an all-pervasive morning mist. For those perceptive and wise, the immediate response is flight or shelter within some well-founded shelter. As the storm intensifies, raw energy smolders and rises toward the heavens, creating great billows and plumes of acrid smoke. Before an hour passes, the lethal pall is joined by columns of fire and erratic spears of luminescent lightening. Contact with any such projectiles means instant and painful death! Flesh and ship timbers alike are vulnerable from the destructive torrent. Sailmen’s legends tell of strong, three-masted vessels being cloven apart by single, upward bursts of hideous and unnatural fire. If these fates were not terrible enough, the searing weapons of Vojûnic power present an incomplete image of the Villfura’s dangers. The mere presence of Eshanic mortals within that corrupted environment can breed unfavorable and unforeseen effects. Monstrous tumors, unsightly spines, stunted wings, and every other manner of disgusting mutations can be created from that essence of creation gone rogue. Short hours can be enough for the worst to occur, while days or weeks mean disaster for weak and untested flesh. The sole respite of tested value in these conditions is Eshara, granted directly from the Eshan themselves to ward against
the assailing powers of Vojûn. One might consider Vojûn as a viable substitute, but only among the most experiences wielders. Otherwise, the power might combine with the Villfura and destroy those mortals completely. These storms must be feared, have been feared, and will breed fear among mortal lives.
Beyond the malignity of the Villfura, Vojûn altered the relationship between mortals and the subterranean world. Settlements which existed beneath the ground or upon the lowlands were threatened by the malignant energies of Vojûn which ascended on their own whim and nature. With them came monstrosities and corruption which rendered life untenable in those places. Among the Odyrzid and Daorhu, for example, the mines and chambers which they built in existing caverns and recesses were flooded with that raw power and decimated. The dwellers there were destroyed or bent beyond recognition. As such, these places were sealed and remain sealed save for the more ambitious explorers or most intrepid entrepreneurs. The Odyrzid and Daorhu moved their operations to higher ground, building their cities as other mortals did and mining within the upper reaches of mountains where the Vojûnic power was weak. Other races followed these moves and removed themselves from regions made vulnerable after the death of Atûn. For the --, an Aemardic breed, this meant the abandonment of ancient traditions. It was their custom to bury their dead within great natural caverns which occurred often in their homeland. As Vojûn overcame those places, the – attempted to remove the remains of their ancestors at great personal peril as to avoid their corruption and abandonment. With their ancestral corpses in tow, the – moved into higher regions of --. They remained there until the Weeping Era was passed and Twilight era begun, as in those 1,000 years the massive influx of Vojûnic power relented and began endurable save for the most remote caverns and lowland marshes. Come the Imperial and Wandering eras, the impact of Vojûn’s Weeping Era turmoil has passed into memory. Modern methods of mining and pacts of Eshanic protection blunt the damages wrought by remaining energies. Monstrosities are slain, and miasmatic corruption purged with Eshara. For all these advances, however, one cannot ignore or understate the impact which Vojûn forced upon the unprepared world.
In terms of Vojûn's application, one of the most interesting discussions is centered on the construction and control of gwazkerrags. In truth, little is known of what the wider world terms "gwazkerrags". What is known is that they are by far the most powerful of the Daorhu crafts and form the lynchpin of the Daorhu' impenetrable fortress defenses. In fact, these nemeshiral mechanical hybrids are so potent of weapons that only in extraordinary cases have Daorhu Mountain holds fallen to foreign foes. The two notable incidents being the fall of Bankaldir in the 1800s to the forces of the ferocious Gressar, and the fall of BanBaljir in 2999 at the hands of Death. Accounts concerning their detail are often suspect at best, but some commonalities emerge. They are hulking creatures standing almost two men in height. They are made of varyingly metal or stone and are immensely strong. Their structure renders them impervious to most normal weapons and some manner of craft seemingly renders them all but immune to even the strongest blasts of Vojûn. Nemeshir resistance is key, as they were created in response to their encounters with the Etayen and it is believed that their invention was instrumental to the stabilization of their borders. That answers one of the longest lasting historical questions of Everos' history, how the advance of the Etayen was stemmed and eventually repulsed.
The creation of gwazkerrag by the Daorhu put them in direct competition with the Etayen, who in the Ascension Era were enjoying preeminence in all areas. Their soldiers were the most skilled; their explorers had discovered lands beyond comprehension; their settlers had annexed large areas of both Everos and Othos; and their control of Vojûn made their nemeshari only a few steps below gods. The creation of gwazkerrags, however, showed the limits of the Etayen Vojûnic power. The gwazkerrags could not be harmed by such energy and even a horde of Etayen warriors would be beaten back by them. The response from Etal was as might be expected: they attempted to create gwazkerrags of their own to compete with
the Daorhu. The Etayen crafted gwazkerrags proved to be the weaker creation, for no other race could match the handiwork of Naordu, and the Vojûnic power imbued within the Etayen gwazkerrags was often too powerful for the weak physical molds. The Etayen called their creations --, and created a number of them, but only a small number of Etayen lords ever bothered to acquire them. The Ghalûn of Jequa are unique in this regard, and they had four crafted to guard the lower tunnels and inner halls of Drakar.
Elsewhere in Qadal, the practice of Vojûn has been the catalyst of intense research and vigorous debate. Those nations worse effected by the outpouring of Vojûn during the Weeping Era strove to destroy that energy completely or stem its growth. The realm of Corgastor was, somewhat ironically, at the head of this charge, and prosecuted nemeshari of Vojûn within Everos. Those captured were bound in irons and executed. Those suspected were arrested and interrogated. Vojûnic practice carries no outward signs, so torture and false confessions were often the preferred methods of discovering the perpetrators. The period between 1150 and 2349 was the most brutal in this regard, for there existed an intense prejudice and fear against Vojûn and no established institution to control it. After the creation of the Corgastorian Sanctuary in that latter year, Vojûn became a greadually accepted extension of those teachings and curriculum, helpful and potent in the fight hands. The Eurobians in Othos, conversely, were more open to Vojûn practice during the reign of Karnast in Tarimikras. It was believed in that continent that Vojûnic practicioners had to duty to police themselves for the betterment of the community. This changed after the fall of Karnast in the 2000s and the tightening of Vojûnic control by the Eurobian government. Long-standing nemeshari across the continent resisted this vigorously but were silenced and swiftly replaced by nemeshari from the Eurobian Vessatar. In Nevan, the third great continent of Qadal, Vojûn never came under tight government or institutional control. Instead, race was the dividing factor. The Axodraharik and their dynasties purchased licences to practice, while Aemar dynasties of high standing could do the same under particularly expensive circumstances. A full account of Vojûnic doctrines across the civilized world exists elsewhere in the Zolrassal but suffice to mention here that the practice of Vojûn, although within the grasp of all mortal peoples, was a divisive and terribly complicated series of laws and customs.
Yet, for all the animosity against the gift of Atûn, not every civilization rejected it. Among every institution of unnatural energy in the world, the organization that best embodies the free nature of Vojûn is the Mystrallon Eubanora of Othos. Other organizations, such as the Sanctuary of Corgastor or the Atysvala of Etal put strict limits on the practice of Vojûn for fear of its power. The guild on the other hand embraces the endless mystery of Vojûn and the strength it can bring to those who master it. That is the purpose of the guild, to harness the powers of Vojûn with the least damage incurred. In that pursuit, they have been relatively successful, barring a few outstanding instances of things going wrong. The destruction of the great library of Karnast, located in Tarimikras, is perhaps the most famous of those calamities. The story, in short, is that members of the guild were scouring the library for information pertaining to Typhon and his aspect spirits around the year 1740. Typhon had been vanquished only around 400 years prior, but within the time the prophets of the spirits had been working tirelessly to reunite them. To what end it could not be said, but each served their master's wishes.
The great power of Vojûn is not merely limited to unnatural energy, but also takes on physical manifestations in proper circumstances. When that energy gathers for long enough periods, the Vojûn hardens into something called ebonstone, operates in a manner opposite to Vojûn. It consumes and dissipates that energy when it arrives in contact. This is utterly unique among mortal elements and their properties, and broadly misunderstood thoughout the Weeping Era period wherein it first appeared. Mortals first feared ebonstone due to its profusion near Etayen Voladûr. However, in time they noticed how the potency of the Voladûr and Vojûnic power in those regions seemed to decrease in relation to the amount of ebonstone formed thereabouts. The brave and curious approached these ruins of ancient
Étunas and began to collect this material and found it heavy and rought to the touch. In time they discovered the anti-Vojûnic properties, and thereafter began the crafting of ebonstone into items of defense. Ebonstone weapons and armor possess the ability to dispel Vojûn, limiting its damage and decimating its casting effectiveness. Such objects are highly coveted and valuable. However, the material is quite heavy, making full suits of armor or pure ebonstone weapons difficult to manage or wield. Moreover, the limited technological capabilities of Weeping Era peoples precluded any noteworthy attempts of creating sophisticated ebonstone products. Trinkets, icons, and other small things were sufficient for the time, though weak against the incredible potency of raw, unleashed Vojûn. It wasn’t until later centuries when ebonstone could be forged into steel weapons and armor, making them heavier but inrecdibly effective against Vojûnic attack. In those years, mostly after the Great Conflict, the market and competition for ebonstone became a global enterprise worth million of dolns, Gissir, or inik.
In the later eras of relative enlightenment, the retrospective specter of Vojûn’s embattled history casts a long and rather curious shadow.