Pneuma (ˈnjuːmə)

Of all the components of a person, the Pneuma is the most important, and hardest to describe. - Callisthenes of Macris

As described in The Structure of the Universe, this world is made up of the interplay of three realms - the Physical Realm, the Spirit Realm, and the Dream Realm. Likewise, the people and creatures of this world are also comprised of three parts, one corresponding to the three realms. These parts are known as the physical body (or Soma), the mental body (or Eidolon), and the spiritual body (or Pneuma). To learn more about the Spirit Realm that the Pneuma inhabits, look here.

The pneuma is the repository of a person's true nature, and also the part of a person which forms their bonds and connections. While it does not carry any memory or identity, the weight and significance of emotional bonds are borne by the pneuma. Without the pneuma, a person may remember their relationships with others (for memory is a part of the eidolon), but will no longer feel the emotional power of those relationships. For some idea of what happens to a pneuma after it is no longer part of living person, look here.

The Pneuma does not experience time or space, and does not carry memories or identity. Instead, the pneuma has a resonance that responds to aspects of the physical, mental, and dream realms. When untethered from a soma and an eidolon (such as when a creature dies), the pneuma will migrate within the Spirit Realm in a manner dictated by the resonance and the bonds it has formed. If in the process of this migration it encounters a structure which matches its resonance, it will inhabit it. This it the typical manner in which pneumas become joined with physical and mental components to create new people.

The new creature will be shaped by the resonance and bonds the pneuma had from its previous incarnations. During its lifetime, a person's experiences will reflect and modify that resonance, and they will create and break bonds to the pneuma of others. Different people with the same experiences may behave entirely differently, depending on the resonance of their pneuma.

Most pneumas have complex resonances, and the variations in reaction are correspondingly subtle. But some people have pneumas that are dominated by a particular resonance, usually some kind of emotion. These creatures will have extreme reactions and behaviors as a result. Creatures with pneumas like this frequently become monsters or saints, or other, stranger things.

These singular pneumas can even have transformative effects on the people they are a part of. These beings may develop to be unusually large and strong, or to have supernatural abilities. Great beasts are born this way, as are some of the world's most terrifying monsters.

Spiritual Predators

Most creatures will derive their primary source of sustenance from one of the three realms. Mortal beings typically are sustained by physical food and drink, while Numina gain sustenance from the ideas and thoughts about them in the Dream. But there are some creatures who gain their sustenance directly from the pneumas of other beings, or from the connections they form with others.

One of the most common of these creatures is the Leechleaf Bush, found on several islands in the Middlesea. This plant is covered in fine hairs which snap off easily and burrow into the skin of anyone who brushes against them. Once implanted, they provide a link between the pneuma of the target and the plant, allowing it to siphon away the pneuma of the victim no matter how far away they may go. This is an extremely painful process, that results in the death of the afflicted person.

There are also those being commonly referred to as Angels and Demons (or sometimes, Heralds and Fiends). These creatures derive their sustenance from the manipulation of the bonds between pneumas, either from building and reinforcing them in the case of Angels, or breaking them apart in the case of Demons. These creatures come in a wide variety, and are usually specialized in a particular kind of bond and a strategy for manipulating it. For example, there is a form of Angel sometimes called a Cupid, which uses magic and trickery to form intimate bonds between people, and derives energy from the creation of infatuation.

A Note on Terms

In this article I am using the terms popularized by Callisthenes of Macris and derived from the Kaphtorikós language. Other languages around the Great Ring use different terms for these concepts.

True Mages

The pneuma is the repository of spiritual energy within a person, the same energies that are used to create true magic. For most people, these energies are inaccessible. But some people can access them, and use them to do incredible things. These are the True Mages, and you can read more about them and True Magic here.

Unusual Pneumas

Not all pneumas are alike, and the different kinds of pneuma can create different kinds of creatures. While in most creatures True Magic is extremely rare, this is not always the case. For reasons we still don't understand, the Pneuma that inhabit gods and spirits (collectively known as Numina) are all capable of True Magic to one extent or another. Also, there are some species of animal (like the Hval Catfish) who all seem to have a magical gift that resembles True Magic in a limited form. Even some objects can have active pneumas - these are usually known as artifacts, and usually have strange and incredible powers. Creatures with unusual pneumas are one of the main ways that magic appears in the world, and can be found throughout the Million Islands.

Evil Angels and Good Demons?

While it is common to classify Angels and Demons as either good or bad, this is inaccurate. There are angels who thrive on creating bonds of hatred and enmity, tying people into endless cycles of vendettas. And there are demons who specialize in the shattering of unhealthy bonds, breaking people out of a cycle of pain and anger. While it is tempting to try and categorize these entities according the morals our legends ascribe to them, it turns out that they are not so simply dealt with.

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