Aura (PQ)

While the other paste is concerned with the mechanics and numbers of Aura, this paste is entirely about concepts.

Aura Mechanics: https://pastebin.com/q1B73cnR

Table of Contents

1. Aura and its place in the Worlds
2. Media/Foci/Channels, Reactants and Effects
3. Aura as a Medium
4. Polysema and potential
5. Aura Fields
6. Environmental Aura Fields
7. Aura made manifest
8. Cultivating Aura and Aura Breakpoints
9. Applications of Aura
10. Medicine
11. Glossary

Aura and its place in the Worlds

Aura is a symbiotic energy that exists in all things in all Worlds. Everything from sapient organisms to subatomic particles has some amount of Aura. However, the Aura of living beings is always exponentially greater than that of nonliving things. Additionally, Aura amounts get infinitesimally small the less complex their "host" is. The less Aura something has, the more difficult it is to interact with using one's own Aura. Furthermore, Aura attracts Aura, and tends to coalesce. For example, a drinking glass is composed of innumerable atoms, and each atom has its own Aura. However, all of those individual Auras will gather together and form a single Aura Field: That of the drinking glass. If the glass is broken, then its Aura will be as well, until each piece of the glass forms its own Aura Field.

Many cultures and people groups across history have learned of Aura, but there exists no single, unified system for channeling, cultivating and harnessing it. Various traditions exist across the world and many are syncretic due to pilgrimages of Aura sages and gurus across the world. Aura is known by many names, such as Ki, Prana, Od, Vitae, and so on.


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Media/Foci/Channels, Reactants and Effects

A Medium, in the general sense, is a conduit for using a kind of energy to enact a desired task. Most Media can only interact with a specific kind of energy.

When energy is transmitted through a Medium, the target of the energy is called the Reactant. The result of the energy being used on the Reactant is called the Effect.

In general, this is how a Medium functions:

1. Energy is directed through the Medium
2. The Medium circulates the energy around the Reactant
3. The appropriate Effect occurs

There are two types of Media: Foci and Channels. By definition, a Focus is any kind of tangible Medium, such as a staff, a rune, a wand, or one's body if one has natural casting talent. A Channel is an intangible Medium. Examples include faith, the soul, mental power, and Aura. While Foci can be created, Channels cannot, but one's Channels can be strengthened through prayer, meditation, study, and creative activity.

In conversation, the terms Medium, Focus and Channel can be used interchangeably, but it's generally better to use the term specific to the type of Medium. Another term is Catalyst, but this is generally used by those who are not aware of Aura, and generally only used for conventional magic.


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Aura as a Medium

Aura is a special Channel-type Medium. Generally, the quantity of a user's Aura is less important than how the user spends it, because Aura's effectiveness depends on where, how and in what amounts the User applies it. As a general rule, Aura is more powerful when concentrated in highly specific ways, instead of used willy-nilly.

As a Medium, Aura can only interact with its User's Polysema. Polysema is a manifestation of one's untapped potential. In a way, it can also be considered a form of chaos, because one can use their Polysema for literally any purpose. Users tend to employ their Polysema in specific, limited ways that correspond with who they are as a person and what they are already capable of. But sometimes the opposite is true, and the User's use of Polysema runs counter to their natural abilities, such a knight with no magical ability using Aura and Polysema to perform magic. This can be a result of a conscious choice by the User, or by a natural, subconscious inclination.

Polysema can turn into magical fire, kinetic energy, life energy, any type of matter, memories, sound, holy light, etc. But, its purposes aren't limited to battle. It can augment what the User is already good at, or give them access to skills which they normally have no affinity for. The uses of Aura and Polysema are only limited by the the User's imagination and their skill in their use. But in general, a User who uses Polysema to try to become a jack-of-all-trades will be less effective in its use than a User who concentrates in particular fields.

This is how Aura functions as a Medium in the aforementioned equation:

1. An Aura-User channels Polysema through his Aura
2. Aura transfers the Polysema to the Reactant
3. The appropriate effect occurs


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Polysema and potential

Polysema is the embodiment of the User's untapped potential to grow and develop. Polysema is sometimes thought of as the "fuel" for Aura-based techniques. But, unlike fuel, it does not follow the principle of conservation of energy. An inexperienced User may temporarily use up his Polysema by over-exerting himself, and be unable to use Aura for a time. But eventually, both the Polysema and ability to use Aura will return. For most Users, their Polysema "level" will remain more or less constant, even as they're using Aura techniques. For some highly experienced Users, their amount can even temporarily increase when it's being used.

Generally, the young tend to have the most Polysema, but they are also the least adept in its use. As such, cultures that are aware of Aura's existence will begin training their people in the use of Aura at a very young age. Conversely, the elderly have little Polysema left. But, an old person can still pick up the principles of Aura, and thus regain his Polysema through practice.

The use of Aura tends to keep one appearing youthful, and extend one's lifespan. In addition, the age window for the "prime of one's life" extends for Aura Users, meaning they can stay at their best for decades.

Anyone can learn to use Aura, theoretically. The trouble is that most people don't have the drive to push themselves past their limit and continue to grow. Most people recoil and hide when confronted by a seemingly-insurmountable challenge. When they hit the wall, they simply give up. It is only those who are willing to surpass every trial who will be able to unlock their potential.


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Aura Fields

The collective pool of an object's Aura is called its Aura Field. Aura is attracted to Aura, and greater sources of Aura tend to subsume lesser sources of Aura. This means that, although a person's body may contain lots of microbes (each of which has its own Aura), the person's Aura will subsume the Auras of the microbes.

The only things which at times might not have Aura (and by extension, Aura Fields) are tools, structures or other items which are made by sentient/sapient creatures (ie, a beaver dam, a sword, a bird's nest).

An Aura Field can be disrupted easily when something is significantly changed. For example, if a man cuts down a tree, the tree's Aura Field will be disrupted, but after a short period, the Field will regenerate with minor differences to account for it being chopped down. In this example, the tree's Aura Field will only take a few seconds to regenerate, because the change was not very significant. Another aspect that affects how long it takes to regenerate an Aura Field is the initial size of the Field. If an object has a very small Aura Field, it won't take very long to regenerate it (ie, insects can regenerate their Aura Fields in a mere instant).

An Aura Field will take longer to regenerate if, after being broken, the object is then brought into contact with another, different Aura Field of similar or greater size. For example, think of an iron sword. All the components that went into making that sword had their own Aura Fields. But as the components were being harvested, smelted and hammered, their respective Aura Fields were in a constant state of flux from contacting one another and through the forging process. It is not until the smith finishes the sword that the Aura Field will regenerate, but the sword will now have its own Aura Field, distinct from all the Aura Fields of the components that went into making it. Another note: The longer that an Aura Field is disrupted, the longer it takes to regenerate.

However, Aura researchers have also noticed that the continual presence of a strong Aura Field can expedite the regeneration of another Aura Field, and in some cases, influence the resultant Field of the finished construct. For example, a blacksmith who spends a long time carefully working on a single weapon will end up influencing the weapon's new Aura Field with his own. Conversely, a series of mass-produced weapons will not be affected in this way. However, if a soldier carries a particular mass-produced weapon with him for a long time, the soldier's Aura Field will also end up influencing the weapon's Aura Field, although not to the same degree as the blacksmith who spent a long time on crafting one weapon.


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Environmental Aura Fields

A location can develop its own Aura Field, called an Environmental Aura Field (EAF). An EAF has three primary differences from the Aura Fields of objects and living beings. The first difference is that an EAF is much sturdier and harder to disrupt than other kinds of Aura Fields. The second difference is that an EAF is in a constant state of flux, while other kinds of Aura Fields are generally more stable. The third difference is that an EAF does not easily subsume Aura Fields that are within it, unlike the Aura Fields of objects and living beings. For example, think of a swamp. The EAF of a swamp is quite sturdy, but it is also very fluid because of all the life, death and rebirth which takes place in it. And, while the swamp has its own EAF, all the plants and animals inside the swamp retain their own Aura Fields. The same also holds true for villages, cities, and even countries.

Although an EAF will not subsume the Aura Field of an object or living being inside of it, it will still influence those Aura Fields over time. A User who lives in a particular city for a very long time will have an Aura Field which is reminiscent of the EAF of that city, whether in its texture, smell, shape, etc. The place where a User grows up will also have a large, formative influence on the kinds of Aura abilities he will develop an aptitude for. Most Users who are aware of the influence of EAFs on their Auras will carefully choose where they live, and for how long. Some Users will travel to and live in a single place for a long time because they want that specific place's influence on their Aura. Others may stay right where they are their whole lives. Still others may make a point to constantly travel the whole world, so that they will either a) keep their Aura "pure" of EAF influence or b) get as much influence on their Auras from as many different places as they can. There is no right or wrong way of managing EAF influence on one's own Aura; all approaches have advantages and disadvantages.


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Aura Made Manifest

All Aura Fields have an appearance and a texture. Powerful ones might have smells, sounds and even tastes. Typically, only a User's Aura Field and an Environmental Aura Field have a color, smell, sound and/or taste. For most objects, their Aura Field will be colorless, and appear to be a shroud of soft light extending a few millimeters to a few centimeters off the object's surface, depending on its size.

Aura is typically invisible, odorless, tasteless and silent to non-Users, though they can still feel a User's Aura Field if they come into contact with it. Users can perceive the Aura-Fields of other Users when they are active. Users are only able to perceive the Aura Fields of objects if they stop and concentrate for a few seconds. As for EAFs, Users can only perceive those when they are in the middle of deep concentration.

Because Aura is symbiotic, it typically adopts a form that is pleasing to or representative of the User. Usually, its color is the User's favorite color. If it has a smell, it will be one they like quite a lot. If it has a sound, it is typically a constant, subtle tone that clears the User's mind and helps them focus. Texture is harder to control, but it is often the most indicative of the User's personality and current mental state. For example, a hard texture if they are a stern person, or a smooth, liquid-like one if they are flexible and carefree. But, a flexible person's Aura may turn into a gas if they are feeling nervous and indecisive. Similarly, a coward's Aura may go from paper-thin to a hot blaze if they have a moment of sudden bravery.

On the subject of emotion, it is worth noting that strong emotions often interfere with the ability to use Aura. Extreme anger and sorrow can make a User's effects malfunction, but so too can unrestrained joy and amusement. Similarly, apathy and detachment from the world are perhaps more detrimental to the use of Aura, and can result in your Aura fizzling out, or even becoming permanently broken. The ideal conditions for using Aura are a clear, focused mind and an unclouded heart. Using Aura continually while emotionally unstable or distant will lead to the buildup of physical impurities inside your body that take the form of a black gunk called Klesh. The presence of Klesh causes those emotions to linger like a disease. A common example lies in anger. If you use your Aura in anger too many times, you will come to feel angry all the time, because your Aura will be clouded by that anger, in the form of the Klesh that lingers in your body. It can be driven out of your body by cultivating new Aura, and using it with a cool head, unaffected by anger.


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Cultivating Aura and Aura Breakpoints

The methods of cultivating Aura are too numerous to list here, but in general, the best methods of cultivation are ones which challenge the body, mind and/or soul. Popular methods include meditation, physical training, ritual prayer, chants, study of treatises on Aura or tales of Aura masters, contemplation of riddles and continuous, repetitive action (such as chopping wood, writing certain characters or phrases over and over, etc).

At many times in an Aura-user's growth, they will continually reach what are known as Aura Breakpoints. At each Breakpoint, a User's Aura will no longer grow stronger through simple cultivation methods, and the User will need to overcome an overwhelming Trial to advance any further in their prowess. Lots of Aura users tend to die when pursuing these Trials. However, a Trial does not necessarily need to be dangerous. The primary requisite for a Breakpoint Trial is that it must be difficult enough to force an Aura user to surpass their current level with intense effort. Furthermore, it must be something that requires an Aura user to commit all their body, mind and soul into conquering. It could be anything from slaying a dragon to flawlessly performing a piece of music, as long as it is difficult enough for the Aura-user at their current level. A final known condition for a Breakpoint Trial is that it must be related to the way(s) in which the User operates his/her Aura. For example, a User who operates his Aura through strength may have to push a heavy boulder to the top of a mountain. Another case: A User who operates her Aura through painting may have to undertake an art project which employs all her skills as an artist, and requires her to use skills or techniques which she is weak at.

Many Aura users become discouraged when they hit a Breakpoint and give up their training, especially because there is no way of knowing for sure whether a Trial is 1) difficult enough to push them past their Breakpoint and 2) not so difficult they have no chance of overcoming it. Most who decide to stick with their training will simply seek out great enough challenges until they feel their Aura growing stronger once again. However, some Aura Masters have noticed that successful Breakpoint Trials tend to relate to a User's emotions-- fears, ambitions, dreams, vulnerabilities, etc. Thus, Masters will instruct students to perform meditative introspection before seeking out a Trial. This is more of a general correlation and not a hard rule, however.

There are also other, more illicit means of overcoming Breakpoints. There exist drugs which increase the speed or quantity of one's flow of Aura, and if one such drug is taken when a user has reached their Breakpoint (or even is in the middle of a Breakpoint Trial) then the effect can function in the same way as overcoming the Trial. Many Aura Masters violently despise the use of these drugs, and will expel or even kill their students if they discover that the student has used one to overcome their Trials. But, the lack of any central authority in matters of Aura means that such methods are used more often than Masters would like to admit. In addition, some Users may cut deals with demons, employ surreptitious rituals or hunt down artifacts with lingering Aura power to try to bolster their own with minimal effort.

Theoretically, a User might reach and overcome an infinite amount of Breakpoints, but most Users who become Masters (without resorting to any shortcuts) will end up hitting between 18 and 22 Breakpoints in their lives. The average user will hit between 6 and 8.


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Applications of Aura

Simply put, Aura can be used for anything. Although some prefer to master Aura strictly for battle and conquest, its versatility in use means that many Users live ordinary lives that are made a little more easy using the abilities they've gained through Aura. To name just a few examples, it can make work easier for laborers, give leaders greater influence and rapport among their peons and even help housewives care for children. Many cultures assign different roles and ideas to how Aura ought to be used, and there exist many disciplines within each category of Aura that are aimed at structuring and defining the ways that category of Aura manifests. There are no limits to the possibilities for how Aura can be used; indeed, this is because Aura is aimed at harnessing Potential, ie Possibility itself.



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Aura Tools and Enchanting

The process of Aura Enchanting is identical to the process of regular, magical enchanting. To enchant an object with Aura, a User must circulate his Aura through the object in a specific Pattern enough times for the Pattern to remain intact on its own. That Aura Pattern becomes part of the object's Aura Field. Once you're done enchanting an object, activating it is as simple as linking your Aura to the Pattern. An object which has been enchanted is called an Aura Tool. Most Users can only make weak Aura Tools, whose enchantments are only good for a single use, or about 10-15 seconds (in-game, a single turn) if they have a passive effect. Aura Masters and Enchanters (Users who spend their whole lives practicing Enchanting) can create Aura Tools which last for multiple uses. Aura Tools which have a permanent effect are extremely rare.

In general, a User can only make Aura Tools which can perform Effects that the User himself can already perform. But, an experienced Enchanter may even come to learn how to Enchant effects that he cannot perform himself.


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Medicine

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Glossary of Terms

Aura: A special form of energy present in literally everything. It is most often used to serve as a Medium for conducting Polysema, which in turn can bring about desired Effects.

Aura Field: The sum total of an object, being or location's Aura. Aura naturally tends to gather together into Fields.

Aura Tool: Any object which has been Enchanted by Aura. An Aura Tool can be used to repeatedly cast a single Effect over and over. An Aura Tool is akin to a magical scroll, or any other item with a preset magical Effect.

Breakpoint: A point at which an Aura-User's prowess in Aura stops improving through normal training. When a User hits a Breakpoint, he must complete a sufficiently difficult challenge, known as a Trial, before his Aura will grow any further.

Channel: Any kind of intangible Medium. Aura, by definition, is a Channel.

Cultivation: Any process by which a User refines his Aura and increases its amount.

Effect: Any change which is the result of energy being directed through a Medium.

Enchanting: The process by which an object is infused with a specific pattern of Aura-based Polysema, which transforms the object into an Aura Tool.

Focus: Any kind of tangible Medium.

Klesh: A black gunk that accumulates within a person's body that comes as a result of frequently using their Aura while emotionally compromised or distant.

Master: A person who has amassed a superhuman prowess of harnessing Aura. Users are generally not regarded as Masters until they have overcome an impressive amount of Breakpoints (usually 13-14).

Medicine: Any kind of consumable substance or compound intended to affect a User's Aura, such as elixirs, tablets, salves and herbal powders. Most are intended to enhance a User's Aura. Their use is controversial. Some cultures frown upon and harshly punish the use of Medicine, while others consider Medicine to be an essential component of Aura training.

Medium: Any substance, physical or non-physical, which is used to direct a particular form of energy.

Pattern: A particular flow of Polysema which is used in Aura Enchanting. It can be thought of as a computer program.

Polysema: A manifestation of a person's untapped potential. All living beings have Polysema, but only Aura Users can access and manipulate it.

Reactant: Anything which is the target of an effect.

Trial: A test or challenge which an Aura-User must overcome when he has hit a Breakpoint. In order to push a User past the Breakpoint, a Trial must be difficult enough that it forces the User to surpass their current level with intense effort. Furthermore, it must be related to the way in which a User operates his Aura. Finally, it must be something that the User cannot conquer unless he devotes all of his body, mind and spirit into overcoming.

User: Anyone who consciously cultivates and employs Aura. A User does not have to be sapient, as there are creatures that are known to cultivate and use Aura. On the other hand, there is much debate over whether constructs like robots or golems can be considered Users, even if they demonstrate the ability to use Aura, as they generally cannot increase their Aura through conventional cultivation methods.