Elementals
Elementals
The Elementals are a group mentioned often in early texts. Some view them as religious icons, others see them as an allegory for early life, and some view them as pure fiction. However one thing is certain, they are almost always mentioned by the same names, even in texts written by different cultures spanning the world.
The Elementals have titles, usually numbers, but there exists no explanation as to what they actually mean. Some view them as the order in which they appeared, or their order of importance. While there is much dispute over whether the titles should be taken literally by some, most view these as simply superficial matters and thus unimportant.
The Base Elementals
There are six (6) Elementals who are considered to be part of the lower echelon. While this is not a universal standard, it is often agreed that the Elementals are divided into at least two groupings. The most common grouping splits them into Base and High based on perceived power. These six would be considered the weakest.
Galago the First One
The Elemental that represents the wind that blows across the plains and the very air that exists all around us. They are associated with the number one and are thought to have been the original Elemental.
Galago is revered by the Order known as Wind of Aura, apparently named for it’s founder. They see the wind as the most important of the elements and the one that has the power to bring things together as well as push them apart.
Teranigmus the Second One
The Elemental that represents the ground beneath our feet and the mountains that rise above us.
Teranigmus is revered by the Order called Land of Gaea, named after the planet itself. They see the ground as something that supports us and can be both tough and firm, or soft and malleable. Many who follow Teranigmus also associate plants and flora with this Elemental. Feylins are especially reverent of Teranigmus due to their strong connection with nature.
Aquatis the Third One
This Elemental is associated with the ocean that provides plentiful food, the rivers that connect distant peoples, and the lakes from which we drink.
Aquatis is represented by the Order, Flow of Saga named after the leader of an island nation where Aquatis is thought to inhabit. They see water as the most important of the elements as every living thing requires it.
Pyracule the Fourth One
This Elemental represents the fires that forged the land and garners reverence for it’s pure destructive power.
Pyracule, also known as Pyranaga, is studied by the Order known as Heat of Mariel named after one of the first masters of the Pyra Fist style. Those who follow Pyracule for it’s martial arts are known to view Teranigmus as a proper rival.
Voltania the Fifth One
The Elemental that represents the incredible speed of lightning and the roar of thunder. More recently it has been channeled into energy by those who embrace the Sciences which has made it more relevant than ever.
Voltania is mainly honored by the Order, Bolt of Sango. Not much is known about this Order in the west as people there view Voltania in a different light. In the west, House Vyce of Acedia is most often associated with Voltania. Once every century a member of House Vyce is said to be born as an incarnation of Voltania herself. Regardless, they usually have a very high affinity with Vola Elemental power.
Rimacole the Sixth One
The Elemental that represents the freezing force and transformative nature of ice. It is also the last of the officially numbered Elementals.
Rimacole, also known as Rimacine, is tended to by Frost of Ryme, a relatively new Order. For the longest time, Rimacole was lumped together with the Aqua Elemental due to them both being water based. It wasn’t until much later when the Prophet Ryme made his declaration that Rimacole represented the actual act of freezing, not just frozen water. Many still view them as one and the same, at least in practice, but in truth there is a vast difference in the style and arts associated with this Elementals.
The High Elementals
Beyond the six base Elementals, there are two (2) Elementals that are considered to be in a class of their own which is often stated as being above the rest.
Lumalent of the Dawn
With an extremely large following throughout the Northern Continent, Lumalent is one of the most popular Elementals. There exist many Guild Halls associated with the Luma Elemental and they have a devout following that also operates as a place of religious worship.
Lumalent is officially represented by the Order known as Light of Lucina. Aside from the spiritual connections, there are many who study under Lucina to learn the powerful healing properties of Luma Elemental Magick.
Noxarasmus of the Dusk
This Elemental tends to be less mainstream than the others. This is most likely due to the fact that it deals with dark forces which few have a proper affinity to wield.
Noxarasmus is the focal point of Shroud of Nyx, the largest Order associated with it. While many do not consider them to be an official Order, they are in fact recognized by the Grand Order and maintain a seat on the Grand Order Council. Still, due to the stigma, they hold many of their meetings in secrecy and as such little is known about them.
Other Elementals
Beyond the basic six and the high two, there exist entities that are not exactly recognized as even being Elementals, but nonetheless have enough of a following to be noteworthy.
Nonagon the Ninth One
This “Elemental” is not considered to be an actual Elemental. It is thought to have been created quite recently as either social commentary or a prank, but its popularity grew. Nonagon is said to represent the Non-Elemental.
Nonagon, who goes by many other names, may have been started as a joke, but it does have a relatively large Order, albeit unofficial, known as Master of None. It tends to be popular with people who don’t follow any Elementals or those who have little or no affinity with any of recognized Elementals and as such lacked much of a connection to them.
Tempust the Infinite
While there is record of a Tempest in ancient texts, it is not really considered an Elemental. Tempust is mostly associated with Time. As such, there are differing opinions as to whether Tempust is an Elemental and/or if the Tema Element actually exists.
Many years ago, a man by the name of Cronos made the argument that the Tema Element not only existed but had practical implications in magick that involved the manipulation of time. Many years after his death, his acolytes started an Order called Time of Cronos. While it’s currently not recognized, it has brought about more research into time manipulation.
Locus of All
The name Locus, or Aether, appears often when the Elementals are mentioned, but mostly as a precursor to the Elementals themselves. Some writings depict it as the culmination of all the Elementals, while others consider it the overall progenitor of them. Modern day followers view it as the penultimate Elemental power, putting it above even the High Elementals. The associated Omna Element is seen as abstract by outsiders, but has been shown to be capable of manipulating Spacial properties.
A long standing Order called Domain of Erebos is the unofficial representation of Locus. This Order has very strict guidelines as to who may join and keeps most of it’s knowledge to itself. In general, it’s adherents tend to be seen as a bit odd.
Elemental Orders
The eight (8) recognized Orders for the Base and High Elementals are the only Orders related to Elementals officially recognized by the Grand Order. This gives their leaders representation rights on the Grand Order Council that oversees all Orders. They make up one of the three main types of Orders: National Orders, Job Orders, and Elemental Orders.
Like many other Orders, Elemental Orders often seek to impart knowledge, techniques, and abilities (both physical and magickal) to their followers. These Orders in particular are highly focused upon their respective Element and tend to offer some more advanced teachings regarding its usage.
There are many Skills, Spells, and even Passives that can only be learned by joining a specific Order and gaining reputation with it.