Encyclopaedia Erethna: First Codex

I. Foundations of Existence – Forces, Energies, and the Nature of the Realms

Erethna is not merely land beneath one's feet or sky stretched above.

It is a multilayered mechanism, a stratified reality—where the tangible intertwines with the mystical, and the mystical with that which lies beyond reason.

Here, magic, aura, and other arcane powers are not deviations from nature's path.

They are nature.

They are law.

They are the unseen breath that keeps the balance of existence intact.

1. The Realms of Erethna

The world is split into several realms of being. The Upper World—the one in which Antares first awakened—is the most comprehensible to mortals.

It is the place where the tale unfolds.

The structure of this realm is bound to six fundamental forces, interwoven with reality itself: Mana. Aura. Natural Energy. Vital Force. Unclean Power. Divine Energy (bestowed only upon the blessed).

1) Mana – The Arcane Lifeblood

The very air of the Upper World hums softly with mana and natural energy.

Mana itself, however, is not something born within all creatures—at least not typically.

In most cases, it must be awakened—through mental trials, focused meditation, relentless study, or immersion in the arcane arts.

Once awakened, mana becomes both a weapon and a wellspring.

Each cast, each chant, each moment of channeling pushes its wielder closer to the limits of their vessel. And those limits grow—but only to a point. Every being possesses a ceiling, a natural cap on what their spirit can sustain. Some are born with a deep reservoir. Others… barely scratch the surface.

From the personal scrolls of Archmage Zephyrion: "There is a theory—long debated and seldom proven—that a child born with mana already flowing through their soul may, by adulthood, hold ten times the volume of power compared to one who awakens it at the age of ten. Even if the former trains less. Even if they sleep more. My peers estimate that such gifted individuals, rare though they are, go on to reach the rank of Archmage in eight out of ten cases. Sadly, none of us shall live long enough to confirm it with certainty. These children are… elusive things."

The volume and potency of mana are influenced by many factors: Innate talent and spiritual aptitude. Age of awakening. Diligence in arcane study. And, of course, magical enhancers—the so-called "arcane dopants": Elixirs of Replenishment, Tonics of Focus, Potions of Limit Expansion.

In modern classification, practitioners of the arcane arts are ranked by Ten Circles—each representing a stage of growth, mastery, and potential devastation.

The Ten Circles of Magic

Throughout the millennia, mages, scholars, and arcanists across Erethna have come to accept a shared framework for the classification of magical prowess—known simply as The Ten Circles.

A mage's place within this structure is not determined solely by raw power, but by control, depth of knowledge, and mastery over the forces they command. Some rise quickly. Others never move beyond their first flicker of flame.

And yet, every Circle holds its place in the grand arcane hierarchy.

0. The Unawakened

Souls untouched by magic. Possess no active connection to mana, nor the ability to manipulate its flow.

These are the ordinary—the unmarked.

1st Circle – The Apprentice

Novices who have only just brushed the veil of magic.

Capable of basic incantations: conjuring sparks, forming weak shields, crafting minor illusions.

Destructive Potential: Minimal. Practical for domestic tasks or ceremonial magic.

2nd Circle – The Adept

Possess stable mana flow and rudimentary battlefield competency.

Can wield elemental bolts, minor enchantments, and basic offensive spells.

Destructive Potential: Enough to splinter wood, fell a tree, or demolish a cottage wall—when well-prepared.

3rd Circle – The Mage

Recognized as full practitioners of the arcane.

Command a wide variety of elemental forces: fire, water, wind, earth.

Frequently employed by military orders, academies, and noble houses.

Destructive Potential: Significant structural damage; capable of turning buildings to ruin.

4th Circle – The Battle-Mage

Veterans of both theory and practice.

Wield advanced elemental variants—lightning, ice, ashfire. Shields become wards; spells become strategies.

Destructive Potential: Can level multiple structures or disable squads of enemies.

5th Circle – The Magister

Respected masters of war-magic and strategic sorcery.

Their presence can shift the course of a skirmish.

Destructive Potential: Entire districts may crumble from a single well-cast spell, depending on mana investment.

6th Circle – The Grand Mage

Capable of changing the flow of battle single-handedly.

Wield meteorological incantations—summoning storms, causing localized quakes, bending weather itself.

Destructive Potential: Terrain alteration. Quartered regions razed to ash.

These are forces that reshape.

7th Circle – The Archmage

The peak of mortal academia. Often serve as instructors in the Grand Academies or as heads of magical Orders.

They possess mana pools vast enough to sustain flight, and conjurations far beyond traditional spellcraft.

Destructive Potential: Fortresses fall. Cities tremble.

8th Circle – The Grand Archmage

Entities of lore, rarely glimpsed outside the capital or wartime.

They have shaped Empires with spell and word alone.

Destructive Potential: Landscapes fracture, armies disappear.

Their arrival on the battlefield is a cataclysm.

9th Circle – The Legendary

Figures of myth—only a few arise per century.

Among humans, they are rarer than stars at dawn.

Destructive Potential: Mountains may break; cities turn to dust.

Their magic is no longer bound by conventional limitations.

10th Circle – The Mythic

The apex.

Only twelve mages have ever reached this pinnacle throughout the recorded history of the Aurelian Empire.

To these beings, rituals are as breath, mana is boundless, and reality itself becomes clay.

Destructive Potential: Comparable to entire kingdoms. They are not forces within the world.

They are forces upon the world.

Yet even beyond the mythic… there exist anomalies. Beings who transcend the Tenth Circle not through raw power alone, but through evolution. Among mortals, none have ever breached that final threshold. But the elves—those born with attunement to the breath of nature and the pulse of magic—have, on rare occasion, pierced that veil. What lies beyond the Tenth is not taught. It is whispered. Not knowledge. But legend.

2. Vital Force

Vital Force—commonly abbreviated as V.F.—is the intrinsic reservoir of strength within all living beings. Unlike mana or aura, which must be awakened or refined through study and training, Vital Force is present from birth. It forms the core of one's physical endurance, regenerative capacity, resistance to disease, and most notably—lifespan.

Among sentient species, the strength of one's Vital Force varies greatly depending on race, bloodline, and lineage. In draconids, for instance, this energy manifests as overwhelming physical might—their muscular density and stamina far surpass that of other Senitar's, making them dominant in terms of raw power.

Elves, on the other hand, owe their famed longevity and ageless beauty not only to their affinity with nature and the blessings of the Great Tree, but also to their immense reservoir of Vital Force. In their case, it grants near-immortality, at least in the sense of halted aging.

Growth and Amplification

The quantity of Vital Force present in a being at birth is largely predetermined, but it is not fixed. Though rare and often difficult, there are known methods to expand one's reserves:

Ritualistic Augmentation – complex rites designed to harmonize body and soul, often involving celestial alignments or blood pacts.

Divine Intervention – receiving a blessing from a god, demigod, or celestial entity can amplify Vital Force dramatically.

Artifacts – rare relics exist that can either preserve, amplify, or even steal Vital Force from others.

Mutation – most commonly seen in monster races, some creatures evolve new pathways to store and utilize life-energy in unstable forms.

Indirect Growth – increases in magical or aural prowess can, under specific conditions, stimulate slow growth in Vital Force reserves.

Lineage also plays a significant role. Descendants of warriors or magically gifted bloodlines often inherit a higher baseline Vital Force—not merely through genetics, but through an imprint of ancestral might woven into their essence.

Conversion: The Last Resort

There exists a rare and forbidden technique known to few: when mana, aura, or other fundamental energies are fully depleted, one may draw upon their Vital Force as a substitute.

However, the cost is severe.

Premature aging, until the Vital Force recovers. Tissue degradation—damaging the vessel that contains all other energies. Loss of affinity—blocking or permanently severing access to other fundamental forces. In extreme cases: total system failure… death.

Such methods are considered desperate acts—last resorts employed by those who have no other option. Only masters of deep internal harmony can survive repeated use.

When Vital Force falls too low, the body enacts a protective measure: the being slips into a deep coma, forcing hibernation to prevent further depletion. If the reserve is ever fully exhausted… death follows inevitably.

Excerpt from the Journal of Archmage Xylander

"During our descent into the forsaken caves of Breganholm, my companion Naeron faced a battalion of undead nesting deep within. With his mana long depleted, he turned to his own Vital Force to power a spell of collapse.

The walls buckled. The ceiling shattered. And Naeron… disintegrated. Not from impact. Not from magic backlash. But from sheer internal collapse.

His body crumbled to dust—burnt out, not from fire, but from drawing beyond his vessel's limit.

I have recorded this tragedy as proof: those who use Vital Force recklessly—without attunement or experience—face not only death, but erasure."

3. Aura

Aura is the force of will, the strength of being—an energy born not of thought, but of existence. Where mana flows from intellect, arcane discipline, and connection to the world's ethereal weavings, aura pulses from the soul, the body, and the weight of one's presence.

It is, in every way, the opposite of mana.

Those attuned to aura are rarely—if ever—capable of awakening mana within themselves. As with all things, there are rare exceptions. The High Elves, for instance, are said to be capable of wielding both mana and aura, and even drawing from the natural force of the world itself.

Among the sentient races: Draconids show a distinct bias toward aura, their powerful bloodlines steeped in combat and ancient dominance. Dwarves, molded by generations of physical labor and sacred craftsmanship, are likewise more inclined to awaken aura than mana. Humans present the most balance—some born with aptitude for aura, others with the spark of arcane potential.

Awakening Aura

Unlike mana, aura is not sparked through meditation or scholarly focus. It is earned—hardened into being through sweat, strain, and survival.

Aura awakens only after long hours of physical exertion: training, battle, or life-threatening experience. Once awakened, its flow becomes more refined and expansive with each exertion, its volume increasing as the body adapts to channeling its power.

Those adept in aura learn to pour it into their limbs, their weapons—even their surroundings. A master of aura can enhance their reflexes, strength, and endurance beyond the mortal norm. But such power comes at a price: overuse leads to torn muscle, frayed nerves, and internal collapse. Aura strengthens, but it does not shield the unready from their own limits.

Interestingly, individuals who cultivate immense quantities of aura have also been known to experience prolonged lifespans.

A Traveler's Memory

"When I was but a boy, I met a wandering swordsman—quiet, composed, and fierce. His face bore the scars of countless battles, yet he moved with the grace of youth. He trained me briefly… then vanished on the road again.

That was sixty years ago.

I'm eighty-two now—wrinkled and brittle.

And yesterday… I saw him again.

He hadn't aged a single day."

The Spectrum of Aura

Aura, unlike mana which is divided into circles, is represented through a color spectrum—a manifestation of depth, refinement, and raw potential. Each hue marks a significant threshold in one's mastery:

White Aura – Initiate

The first awakening. Unstable, thin, barely perceptible. The user can reinforce their body with minor enhancements, but is not yet battle-ready.

Sky Blue Aura – Adept

The flow stabilizes. Physical augmentation improves, and aura can now envelop weapons, granting them greater sharpness and durability.

Deep Blue Aura – Warrior

Significant leap in control. Physical traits—strength, speed, stamina—are enhanced even at rest. Aura-based attacks can now be projected at ranges of 5–8 meters.

Midnight Blue Aura – Veteran

Aura becomes a dense force within the vessel. Every movement is empowered. Long-range aura slashes, pressure bursts, and zone control become possible—up to 20 meters.

Violet Aura – Master

At this stage, aura responds like an extension of thought. Its volume is enormous, its power tangible. Attacks can travel hundreds of meters, cutting through ranks, terrain, and even magic.

Golden Aura – Kings of the Blade

This level stands apart. Aura bends not just to motion, but to will. The user is a living conduit of their soul's force—radiating dominance, shaping aura as easily as breath. Their mere presence can silence rooms or shatter weaker minds.

Red Aura – Myth

A color reserved for legends.

According to Imperial records, only one man in all of Aurelia's history bore crimson aura: Aurelion the Great, founder of the First Empire. His blade cleaved fortresses. His voice silenced armies. He was said to have stopped a storm with a single word.

None since have matched him. At least… none among men.

4. Natural Energy

Natural Energy is not born of the self, but of the world.

Like mana, it exists throughout the environment—but unlike mana, it does not reside within the body. It flows through the leaves of trees, the roots of mushrooms, the depths of rivers, and the wind curling between stones. It is not a force to be hoarded, but a stream to be guided.

Unlike mana, aura, or lifeforce, natural energy cannot be stored internally. It can only be drawn, shaped, and redirected through interaction with the world itself.

Those most attuned to it are the Elves—particularly the High Elves, whose communion with the land borders on reverence. Their cities hum with unseen ley-lines; their songs echo with ancient harmonies; their very breath bends gently with the rhythm of the forest.

Scholars have tried, and largely failed, to classify this force into tiers or structures. Its behavior is fluid, its nature elusive.

From the Journal of Archmage Xylander

"During my expedition to the lower elven lands of Il'Morrassé, I heard a claim both astonishing and—upon reflection—eerily plausible.

One of the elders there told me that no matter how long they cast their spells, natural energy is never depleted. He likened it to the tides—ebbing, flowing, but always returning.

He said: 'It renews itself, not in seconds… but in cycles—cycles written into the bones of the world.'

He offered no proof. And yet, I find myself unable to disprove him either."

5. Corrupted Power

(Also called: Unclean Power, Tainted Magic, or the Breath Beyond)

Not all power belongs to this world.

There exists a kind of energy that does not originate from Erethna, nor from any layer of the natural order. It seeps through the thinning walls between realms—drawn from the Other Side, the realm of spirits, specters, and formless horrors.

This force is not learned in schools nor passed from master to apprentice. It is summoned through ancient rites, channeled through forbidden tomes, and bargained for in blood.

Those who wield this power are often:

Necromancers, who defy death not with understanding, but with defiance.

Dark magi, who have turned from the paths of nature and spirit in pursuit of something… else.

And most of all, the Unwilling Dead—souls who, in refusal of their judgment, have clung to the world through force alone.

The more of this energy one draws into their being, the further they stray from themselves.

Insanity is not a risk. It is an eventuality.

Words of a Priest of the Church of Light:

"We encounter many who have made pacts with what lies beyond. Their strength grows, yes—but their eyes dim. Their voices twist.

It is not they who speak after a time…

but the thing behind them.

Some of them… laugh without breath. Others wake in the night, screaming verses in no known tongue.

Light is our shield. And sanctity, our blade.

If one you know begins to behave strangely—pray first. But do not hesitate to strike."

6. Divine Power

(Also known as: The Light of Origin, Blessing of the Law, or the Breath of the Primordials)

This power exists not to conquer, but to maintain. It is the unseen force that preserves the structure of realms, the thread that holds reality intact.

It does not belong to mortals.

It belongs to the gods—and is lent only to a worthy few.

Those chosen—often priests, paladins, or oracles—receive a portion of divine essence. The form it takes varies: A slowed aging process. A body purified of sickness. A surge in strength and clarity during sacred moments. Or, in exceedingly rare cases… a complete transformation—where all natural parameters are enhanced beyond recognition.

But this blessing is not random. It is tied to faith, discipline, and a will aligned with the divine. No oathbreaker can hold it for long.

Whisperings from the Church of Darkness: They say our Grand Inquisitor was but a boy—barely old enough to grip a blade—when he was touched by the will of the Lady of Darkness. No one ever saw the ritual. No one dares speak of the moment. But from that day forward… his aura was no longer his own. When he speaks—even the silence listens. He is the youngest Grand Inquisitor in living memory. And yet… none dare meet his gaze.

2. 

The Netherworld

The Netherworld is not a realm of death as mortals understand it. It is an unseen layer of reality—a plane devoid of flesh, yet saturated with will, memory, and the echo of existence.

It is the domain of spirits, phantoms, and beings beyond description. They are not "dead," for such a word implies finality. These entities are displaced—torn from the flow of life, yet never truly gone.

The ghosts that wander the Upper World are but fragments—flickers of this other realm, lost echoes that clawed their way free. Yet they remain incomplete, tethered to the aether, incapable of true manifestation. They drift as shadows, felt on the skin but never truly seen.

If a vessel is prepared—be it a relic, a beast, or a human body—and a summoning ritual is performed, a Netherborn entity may pass through the veil entirely. Yet even then, it does not belong. The world rejects it, bends around it. Its presence distorts the very air.

Confession of Zarutul, former dark mage:

"To touch the Nether… is to invite something within. It watches you—not with eyes, but from inside your mind. You begin to think thoughts that are no longer yours.

We know almost nothing of that realm. But we've learned how to draw power from it. Perhaps no one has ever entered… or perhaps they did—

and never returned."

3. 

The Lower Realm

The Lower Realm runs parallel to Erethna—but behind a veil that few dare even acknowledge. Compared to the Netherworld, it is even more obscure, more shrouded in silence.

It is said to be a kingdom of twisted chaos, the prison of the Fallen God—a place not shaped by form, but by madness. It cannot be mapped. It holds no borders, no horizon. Only rumors remain—shadows of contact, whispers in the minds of the broken.

No one knows the Lower Realm. They merely feel it—like a cold breath on the soul.

Fragment from a preserved Dark Elven chronicle: "Of the Lower Realm, we know only that we know nothing. To prove its existence is to predict the fall of Zorkhalis. Yet… sometimes, something from there touches the lost ones. Sometimes it speaks to us. Sometimes—through us."