The Gods and the Weave

This document has been contributed by: Deurian Blackwright

The Gods and the Weave is a book written by critically acclaimed academic writer Deurian Blackwright, meant to cover the majority of the known information regarding the celestial deities, the devils, and their relation to the planar and magical energy that permeates Dulūn.

Document Structure

References

The document references twelve academic sources, all published in peer-reviewed journals - the majority of which funded by the Cobalt Sun.

Show sources

1: Teigar, L. "Using alternate measurements of energy in the core deities", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Negash 12.
2: Rainsinger, M., Erein, R., Walshe, D., Llis, E., & Viove, N. "Planar energy signatures across Vechia cross-referenced with vocivicite growth", Publications of the Circle: Revelatory Circle of Energy. 1989 Nesyren 30.
3: Teiger, L. and Llis, E. "Differing energy signatures in old & new vocivicite growth", Publications of the Circle: Revelatory Circle of Energy. 1993 Nevatharo 11.
4: Rayne, S. "A look at modern and historical planar relations", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1997 Nemylal 2.
5: Eryne, H. "Are the gods growing stronger? A proposed source for newfound divine ability", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Nevatharo 32.
6: Corik, C., Leis, B., Mourik, R., & Lemm, D. "The relationship between divine and planar energy", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 1987 Netyro 2.
7: Leis, B. "Divine origins: The questions of the source of celestial power", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 1994 Neconozol 14.
8: Lemm, D. "A theory as to the origins of celestial power", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1998 Nevehrun 8.
9: Eryne, H. "Do the gods have unbound ability? An investigation into alternate sources of energy", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1988 Nevaug 22.
10: Rayne, S. "The undeniable tie between the planes and the gods", Solimé Journal of Deific Discussion. 1999 Nevelil 23.
11: Aesthen, I. "A historical look at the goddess of magic", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Nevatharo 32.
12: Mourik, R. "The nature of the Weave and the divine", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 2000 Nevelil 31.

Publication Status

The Gods and the Weave was published on the second of Negash, 2000. It was published through the Cobalt Sun in the journal sponsored by the Divine Circle of Fortune, though Blackwright did initially wish to have it published through the Revelatory Circle of Energy instead.

Historical Details

Background

Deurian Blackwright is a scholar on the Weave, and had always been interested in not just how it worked or how to use it, but rather where it was from. Blackwright himself was not a mage of any sorts, and rather the manipulating the Weave in order to use magic, he instead studied it and how it worked. His expertise in this subject eventually made casting spells on him fruitless, as despite his inability to cast spells, he could easily parry them. His studies eventually led him to ask certain questions based on new research he was coming across, which drove him to writing this book.

Public Reaction

There was a fairly neutral public reaction to the book, though in certain academic circles it became a heavily debated topic of conversation. There were those who agreed fully with him, as well as some who thought he was right on some points but wrong on others. The overwhelming majority, however, met his book with anger and denial, claiming that he did not know what he was talking about and that the book was entirely inaccurate. They claimed the conclusions that he made were not justified, and that his sources were nowhere near enough to provide the information he needed.

Medium

Paper

Authoring Date

13 Nevehrun 2000

Authors

• Deurian Blackwright

Note: This is significantly shorter than what the book would look like in-universe. I do not have the time nor capability to write a realistic-length academic text for my worldbuilding.

The Gods and the Weave

A Compendium of Research and Commentary collected by Deurian Blackwright

Introduction

Our body of research regarding magic is, as of the time of writing this, worringly slim. Though wizards and mages and the like are incredibly familiar with how the Weave works and how it can be accessed and manipulated, to look into the Weave itself, its history, and its origin, has been a neglected topic. The topic appears to be cut and dry; as any mage, and they will respond with a remark on how Myldala created the weave by threading the Astral Plane into the Material. But this is an oversimplification, and though we are aware of it, no one has cared to look into it in depth. We treat the Weave as this isolated source of magic, when in reality, it is connected inherently to the deities, the God War, and the planar void. I have accumulated this collection of sources and research, in the hopes of shedding some light on this topic, or at least bringing it out from the shadows of academia.

Chapter One

The Origin of the Gods

As far back as the creation of our planets and realms, we have little information on how our world came to be. The gods themselves are also a mystery; we categorise the Core Deities into "creative" and "destructive" on seemingly arbitrary categories. Any logical onlooker would certainly not group the god of peace into the "destructive" side and the god of conquest and tyrrany into the "creative". This points to an alternate source of categorisation, one that we are not privy to. Though I believe there to be evidence of some source to this - in recent groundbreaking research, Teigar discovered that the energy signatures of the core deities relate to one another in their established pairs as well as across these classifications. More interestingly, however, she discovered a connection to the Astral and Celestial Planes in the destructive and creative deities, respectively.¹ Separate research performed by Rainsinger et al reveals patterns of similar energy within vocivicite crystals charged by these planes² - though this does not point directly to the proposed tie between the gods and these planes, the crystals can be dated, and thus can shed some light on this matter.

Chapter 2

Planes of Existence

Further research from Teigar and Llis does explore vocivicite growth more in-depth. Their findings indicate stronger energy stored within the crystals the further back they can be dated to³, implying either the slow closing of the rifts they are growing around, or something affecting the planes which the rifts are connected to. On such a large scale as this, the former option would only be a possibility were the planes drifting apart, implying that the tethers holding the planes together are weakening. The latter explanation is no less concerning, implying a slow-moving event slowly reducing the size or power of the Astral Plane. To further discern the source of this phenomenon, I look at Rayne's more recent publication discussing the relationships between the planes. This research suggests the contrary of the initial proposed source of the ebbing rift energies - the data instead indicated that the planes have been drifting closer, rather than further.⁴. So, this leaves the possibility of a weakening Astral plane.

Chapter 3

The Gods and the Planes

The gods still do tie into all of this. Recent measures of energy in the "destructive" deities have been higher than all known records from the past (of which there are admittedly little).⁵ The core deities of destruction, in particular, hold more influence on the Material Plane than has been measured in the past multiple centuries. Additional research by Corik et al in prior years shows that there has been an ebb and flow historically of the power of the gods and the energy from the planes.⁶ We have agreed for years that the celestials are intrinsically tied to the Celestial Plane, with the exception of Myldala, but the extent of this has not been solidly determined, nor has the Astral Plane been brought into the question excepting discussions of Myldala and the Weave.
It has been demonstrated that the gods get their power from something other than the Weave.⁷ Past theories have included energy from worship⁸, a source of primordial power⁹, and something interplanar¹⁰, though the planes themselves seem a promising source.

Chapter 4

Myldala and the Planes

Of course, one cannot discuss the gods nor their relation to the Astral Plane without discussing the goddess who created the Weave. Myldala is quite an engima; we have sources on the relations of the core deities to one another, but no hints as to where she fits in. Her influence is certainly great, and she is one of very few celestials whose power has not waned, nor increased, in the past centuries.¹¹ Her relationship with the core deities is also strange. I'd almost come to the conclusion that they were scared of her, if the concept weren't entirely outlandish. Still, she seems to have quite the pull in the celestial realm. Though some have theorised that she is the source of the remaining celestials' power¹², I do not think this to be the case. Comparatively, though her power and influence is steady, she is by far the least powerful of the celestials.

References

1: Teigar, L. "Using alternate measurements of energy in the core deities", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Negash 12.
2: Rainsinger, M., Erein, R., Walshe, D., Llis, E., & Viove, N. "Planar energy signatures across Vechia cross-referenced with vocivicite growth", Publications of the Circle: Revelatory Circle of Energy. 1989 Nesyren 30.
3: Teiger, L. and Llis, E. "Differing energy signatures in old & new vocivicite growth", Publications of the Circle: Revelatory Circle of Energy. 1993 Nevatharo 11.
4: Rayne, S. "A look at modern and historical planar relations", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1997 Nemylal 2.
5: Eryne, H. "Are the gods growing stronger? A proposed source for newfound divine ability", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Nevatharo 32.
6: Corik, C., Leis, B., Mourik, R., & Lemm, D. "The relationship between divine and planar energy", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 1987 Netyro 2.
7: Leis, B. "Divine origins: The questions of the source of celestial power", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 1994 Neconozol 14.
8: Lemm, D. "A theory as to the origins of celestial power", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1998 Nevehrun 8.
9: Eryne, H. "Do the gods have unbound ability? An investigation into alternate sources of energy", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 1988 Nevaug 22.
10: Rayne, S. "The undeniable tie between the planes and the gods", Solimé Journal of Deific Discussion. 1999 Nevelil 23.
11: Aesthen, I. "A historical look at the goddess of magic", Publications of the Circle: Divine Circle of Fortune. 2000 Nevatharo 32.
12: Mourik, R. "The nature of the Weave and the divine", Vehasic Independent Journal of Publications. 2000 Nevelil 31.