HekaHeka Starborne Arcana Keys of Life
An anomalous electromagnetic radiation that presents itself in a manner similar to neutrinos and can be referred to as aether or magic. Heka can be used by nearly everything, focused for use the same way one thinks about using any motor skills. These elements of life, the most common of heka, are biologically inherited, with taothomet having accessibility to learning new skills.
Heka can be recorded in grimoires or scrolls using glyphs and runes, and learned through studying. No reading aloud but rather having the words' names alter the reader's very being and become part of them. It helps to write anything out of direct starlight to reduce mishaps, or on/in something with the proper binding glyphs or charms or amulets to negate the effects. There are many ways to do this, and usually each person or company has their own techique for binding. Done wrong and objects, usually made of plants, will renaissance and proceed to use any spells written on it, even the broken ones. It is normally recommended not to write spells.
However, this occurs in everyday situations such as writing documents, meaning anything from writing a book to doing schoolwork. Most languages use glyphs that contain the aether of heka and unknown combinations could create new glamour in the world. This may be why more and more people are turning to the Nyomian language, a dialect that mixes many languages, helping null the heka.
Other ways to adjure aether, as the Shenuankh and Bansidhe have displayed, is through sound, vibrations, and music. And, as the Len and Mentandgar have discovered, even doing maths can lead to so-called spellcasting, often exhibited in alchemy, a favourite of the Djeart. Soku'on and Cyoou Toh have learned that even their sign language is subject to heka corruption if misused.
Conduits
Conduits can be used to amplify the use of heka, and most things can be used as one. Weapons are the most commonly used conduits, others include gemstones and any other natural objects, one's own extremities due to the blood circulation, or anything else that has a direct connection to the world and stars such as the Bansidhe horn and Kiamat gem.
Starborne
The star K1IV is enmeshed with aether and exudes its own distorted form of this radiation, affecting all within its orbit, especially influencing any kind of life.
Renaissance
Kin's influence on living creatures includes the ability to transmutate into a new form, considered a reflection of the true self by most cultures, many of which having their own mythos surrounding renaissance. It is unique to every genus and species and sometimes an individual, and can be used fairly easily by most creatures.
Transfiguration is tied to one's name, or "ren" from the Shenuankh language. Shenuankh believe everything has a name or should habour a name, when they do the aura of the ren protects them. The ren's aether is powered by the giving of a unique name, it may gain new essence and ability, even act as protection. Be it a gifted name, changed name, or even an alias, as long as the name holds significance to its holder. (i.e. dead names are exactly that: dead.)
Iriteb
A creature that has immense power, believed by some cultures to be heka incarnate. Iriteb over the millennia have been unique, born to regular aeon. The majority of folklore regarding the iriteb involve them destroying and rebuilding Umeon, but there's no strong evidence for their influence on Umeon one way or the other. Their title comes from the Djeart belief that the essence of life comes from the heart and that when life dies all hearts return to their source, where the Keeper resides and allows life to continue on.
Kinesis
A negative response to Kin's radiation, this ailment expresses itself in strange ways. Most regard this as a form of arcanum, though others believe it to be independent from it as there is no known way to reverse the effects, unlike arcanum which can be undone.
Arcana
Arcana includes alchemy, blood magic, and hexes. Those more connected to tangible nature use ingredients to create tinctures, elixirs, charms, and such.
Alchemy
Blood
Charms
Elixirs
Glamour
Just throw something together using the leftovers, maybe you won't explode in the process.
Bansidhe and Kiamat are familiar with this, Kiamat use it to live.
Spells written specific ways, usually presented as paper or objects.
Alchemy that you can drink and not die from doing so.
This arcanum is the best way to keep your outfit pristine while in renaissance form.
Keys of Life
The base elements coalesce as the keys of life, each a ward and important on their own. Many have a connection to a handful of these, and with practice, like any art, most can learn new elemental skills not normally inherited through their taothomet roots. These skills are very similar to natural skills, such as running and swimming, and take stamina and practice to perfect.
Aeon, Heka
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Connected to the essence of life itself, the Ai/Ei, and heavily tied to mind and body, making all living animals linked to this key. It is considered the bridge to arcanum itself, and psychic and telekinetic abilities are also tied to it.
Air, Aerogens
Maybe you got bullied for being able to claim controlling gas, because that sounds funny, till you replace the oxygen in their lungs with neon and watch them suffer. The winds blow all right, they blow big time, even straight up yell at Antarcticans at times, which also places sound in this category.
Fire, Volatiles
Standard combustion of matter, and a grasp of igneous rock in molten flows. While control over lava is difficult and requires more strength, fire can be created in terms deemed simple to most taothomet.
Gravity, Void
Most who have a handle on this kind of heka are familiar with its ability to not so much remove gravity but compound it in some way. Cyoou Toh use this to their advantage when out of water while in renaissance to stay afloat. The void also controls space itself and allows folding, giving way to portals.
Light, Healing
Light is versatile in altering vision and manipulating aeon flesh due to Kin's light. Mending on a deeper level often requires prior knowledge of anatomy to properly put things back together, and bodies heal only as much as they are willing. Associated with life on a flesh level, light is often considered in cultural traditions to represent death, as healing only delays what always approaches, and Kin, giver of life, is often seen as the one whom takes life.
Lightning
Lightning, plasma, currents and conductivity in general, this element is so highly associated with Zeitheir that the key's sigil takes directly from their anatomy. The crystalline mineral Glance grows with a conductive current, making it Umeon's most commonly used stored power source. Possibly the most difficult element to handle, followed by Light itself.
Rock (dense minerals)
Minerals such as your standard rocks, gemtstones, metal ore, alloys. Using this heka is often physical strength dependent, unless you're Kiamat. It is heavily associated with Mentandgar, some attributing their hardiness to their bones being more rock-like than others. Eithelat can find deposits of basically anything simply from smelling them out by their unique scent.
Soil (thin minerals)
This consists of decaying organic material, such as peat, or of thin minerals such as silt or finer sand. Moreso than Light, this element is heavily connected with death, in a positive way regarding renewal.
Toxin, Pathogen
Chemical substances, poisons, pathogens; some burn, some decay; some can even influence thinking creatures, but that one is more reserved for aberrant verdigris use, or nin trees.
Verdigris
Tied to Light but relates to the plant life on Umeon, similar to how Heka affects Aeon. Most use this talent to know which verdigris is friendly enough to live next to, even get to know their emotions. A smaller group can use this to manipulate verdigris itself, but any kind of ability to communicate with verdigris is considered an essential skills.
Water, Ice
Water in its liquid form is much easier to deal with than ice; at least steam mostly requires knowing something fire, ice you need to adjust the temperature yourself even more so, without reliance on anything else. Ice is especially difficult given how tepid Umeon is usually.
