Metaphor

Metaphor

Comprising the Planar Forces of the world, Metaphor is a form of energy that lives within concepts. All things are born from one or several Metaphors, as are spells and artifacts that make use of it. Manipulating Metaphor is the aim of not just mages, but practitioners and theorists.

Metaphorical Forces

Each metaphorical force originates from a Plane within the Godlands, but all are present in every Plane. All things have a varied metaphorical composition, and living things are a mix of Saol, Aether, and varying degrees of other Metaphors that influence Arcane Potential and personality. In the case of the undead, Miasmata supplants Saol.

• Aether is the Metaphor grown and drawn upon by Souls for potential and power, a natural consequence of the Plane of infinites, Aetherium.

• Saol — or Life Force — is the Metaphor borne of Ælphyne. Woven with nature and ignorance, Fae Glamour evolved where Life Force suffuses the Plane’s very air.

• Miasmata — the Metaphor of death and memories — comes from Avernus, with all Undead owing their continued existence to the anima thereof.

• Somnium — the Metaphor of dreams and nightmares — stems from the wondrous reflections of Arcadia.

• Fabula is the complex Antarokian Metaphor of sound, stories and omens, underpinning all other forces within the Godlands.

• Anathema is the Metaphor native to Gehenna, responsible for shadow, despair and dissolution.

• Luxium births heat, light and hope, shining down from the brilliant star of Aarda.

• Geomena forms the earth element composing minerals such as stone or sand and drives the ingenuity found in all thinking minds. Borne of the Ur'Duun— the heart of the Godlands— its tunnels serve as blueprints for the vasculature of all.

• Aeris, composing air and winds, is the Metaphor belonging to Céleste, the Plane of beautiful and free skies far above Antarok.

• Imber is the Metaphor from which flows water, filling the secretive depths of Lacon and pushing the primal drives of predation in order to keep the wheel of life turning.

• Ardor is the Metaphor of bitter cold, emanating from Æylune and thriving in the absence of warmth. It fuels survival instincts and the adherence to tradition.

• Absentia, the All and Nothing, is the limited force of the Void, as Nihilos is not a true Godhead. It is a direct subversion of Aether.

Nativity

When it comes to working with the native Metaphor of any given Plane, there are a few natural caveats.

Using Fabula, the native force of Antarok, as an example: Mystics will have difficulty sensing manifestations of Fabula beyond themselves, and Aetheric Glass tuned to its signature will be entirely opaque without first traveling to another Plane. However, Fabula and Fabulite may be manipulated by practices or personal arcana with greater ease, the latter even enjoying the Fifth Order of Sovereignty further explained at the bottom of the page.

Invocation

Metaphor is invoked through theory by tying one's understanding of a Godhead's concepts, their forces, and their Plane to an aspect of the self, others, objects, or their environment as a whole. This understanding is often comparable with religion, and indeed, many faiths teach Metaphor to their supplicants or utilize it with their Theurgical Language. Doing so creates a sensation associated with that Metaphorical Force within one's awareness.

Example: Animists who mentally understand the purpose of Saol and attribute Mimira, Godhead of Ælphyne, to the life of a beast - in understanding that Saol powers its flesh - who then translate this through speech and gestures, are likely to conjure the force of Saol Metaphor within themselves and the beast to ease its nature. See Animism.

Sovereignty

Sovereignty is born from the sum of Metaphorical and Esoteric understanding, forged together through practice. When one truly understands a form of Arcana, they experience an edge of control. This control allows them to direct their spells more accurately, more quickly, and more safely through Metaphorical Expression than someone who has not studied theory. In other words, there are more jagged bumps, edges, and irregularities in a spell conjured by a mage who has not cultivated this concept.

Metaphorical Expression

To express or cant an incantation is to think, chant, or gesture the very feeling of a Metaphor, speaking verbally or non-verbally the Metaphor of the forces you wield. A Fulgurist might thrust their body in arcs and swoops, screaming at a high pitch to better call upon the Luxium that fuels their spells with heat. This process confers a significant edge to the mage, with each canted Order of Expression applying around 5% efficiency to the spell, up to a 30% reduction in cost to one's Spell Reserves.

• Thought, the First Order - Canting via one's thoughts is the first order of expression, aligning oneself with a force by suffusing one’s thoughts.
• Speech, the Second Order - Canting via one's speech is the second order of expression, priming the environment for an expression of Sovereignty.
• Gesture, the Third Order - Canting via one's gesture is the third order of expression, directing Metaphorical forces towards one's intention.
• Sacrifice, the Fourth Order - Canting via sacrifice is to harm oneself or destroy a sentimental belonging, fueling a force with intensity.
• Environ, the Fifth Order - Canting within the bounds of an environment metaphorically connected to the force will add that power to a spell, if one is aware of that connection.
• Planar, the Sixth Order - Canting within the very Plane a force is from will yield a slight edge to casting, if one is aware of that connection.

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