The Estolcise, Paradium

"Those who walk the path, know to look to the stars. Those who walk this path know the stars as their home."
— _{Amradani Parahvi'ir, the 'Cold-Star of Maest.'}

Introduction

The Estolcise also known by its true name, the Paradium; is a broad practice amongst the world of Arkan with several varieties, though all seem to hold the same base ideal--that every soul is connected to a star of their own in the firmament. If one can achieve the difficult task of Celestial Reunion or Ex Dium where they commune and reattune with their Origin Star, they will awaken; not only to the truth of this reality, but their latent power as well. Though the belief is widespread, it is rare for a practitioner of estolcise to connect to their Origin Star. So rare in fact that it is often seen as impossible, and even more so for mortal kin who have shorter lifespans. Though many other beliefs and races look down on or dismiss this practice due to its vagueness and lack of truly written scripture, many still acknowledge it, as many of the religions of Arkan hint at the existence of it and the stars being something more. The belief is widely practiced by the Ahnima, though some tribal human cultures and many other older tribes of various species. Practitioners of the belief are called by many outsiders the Estoldrim, and though it has no former hierarchy, those who practice it confirm there are acolytes and more adept practitioners referred to as Pericepts. Those who reach the mastery of this belief are recognized as "Amradrim," or Starbeings, and are rumored to have incredible power and wisdom beyond their years.
Renown practitioners of Estolcism:

Amradani Parahvi'ir, "Cold-Star."

The Last Wife of the House of the Elden Ones.

Queen Heritika, Queen Anolstra, Queen Levia and the current Queen Sovereign Hellqueen "Sinika'Zeal Dul Aldoria XII" of the Andramedus Royalty.

King Thanulos of the Kingdom of Maest.

Prior Kings to Maest.

The Elden Ones

The Sul-Kosa Ahnima

Elven King Thoravi'm Dres Lokail

Etymology

The term estolcise comes from human dialects, the estol meaning, "fleeting" and the Solstice, referring to the seasons, the 'fleeting seasons' or 'fleeting cycles.' Some refer to this as an example that the belief is considered less than anything more than passing tradition to most others. Its true title, Paradium comes from the Ahnimaen dialect, Parah meaning "Eternal," with dium translating lightly from 'adium' meaning "Awake" or "Awakening." The Eternally Awakened. Referring to those that reach the final stages of this doctrine, are filled with so much energy from their star that they no longer need to sleep.

Practice

No written text defines the ways of Estolcism, as the Paradium was explained purely through spoken word from even the beginning eras of its conception, some say even before the era of Amra's Wrath. And though the practice is relatively obscure, many would agree that the belief has remained mostly the same over the centuries since its incarnation. Writing of the teachings in written media is taboo. The belief is very much monastic in its design, though, unlike monks, things such as vegetarianism, celibacy, and simple attire are not considered. It's quite the opposite actually, with some sects even mentioning that sex and by extension, Tantra is an important part of the belief itself. Monks are encouraged to enjoy their life and do so with empathy and respect towards others. Hardships must be faced, fears must be challenged. Often the teachings and methods are passed down between mentors and those who have mastered Amradrim.

Mental Preparations, Trainings and Practices

The mental ritual performed by the practitioners of the Paradium is meditation; often this meditation is aided with hallucinatory drugs (of the natural variety), the acolyte is encouraged to detach their spiritual body and send one's spirit into the void to find their star, this is called, "No'Eali'k." Or "to Dive" in common. Finding one's star can take years, only the devoted or curiously attuned might discover their Origin Star. Another test is Anima and Animus reflections, this is done through meditation while looking in a mirror. The individual must face their shadows, learning and understanding the depth of their fears, hopes, dreams, touches of melancholy, grievances, shameful thoughts, and events of true guilt, they must ponder the illusions of life, the truths and lies they tell themselves and find harmony within their existence. If this isn't done they cannot attune properly with their star and risk rejection. There are various other mental practices all meant to enrich the mind, but these teachings vary upon the teacher. Sometimes meditative visual arts are chosen, while others may incorporate mentally complex games, all with the intent to get the practitioner to open their mind.

Physical Preparations, Trainings and Practices

As mentioned, tantra is a big part of this belief. However, there is also a martial aspect to it as well, one is encouraged to train, hone, and empower their body, and the Monastic portion of this heavily inspires one to learn martial arts. Oftentimes, physical honing is considered a step necessary for preparing the body to accept the star spirit's attunement with them.

Origin Stars

In this belief's teachings, all living, mortal, creatures regardless if they were born or created hermetically have an origin star. What that is however might surprise some as not all origin stars are stars. Any celestial entity can represent the soul in question. Whether it be a black hole, a meteor, or a planet, all these things can represent one's origin star. Often an individual's inherent powers are all linked to the kind of origin star they possess.

Abyssal Pericepts

If an individual's origin star is a black hole, the individual is blessed with incredible forms of empathic abilities. They are not only capable of sensing emotions, but absorbing them into themselves along with the ability to absorb and filter true life energy, mana, and energetic mana of the sort. Black Hole Pericepts can also possess powerful psionic abilities.

_{Metadata: +6 to insight checks. Immunity to radiant damage, Radiant damage is absorbed as hit-points. Can absorb energy from a source to restore their restore hit-points, ki, mana, or any other pool of their choice with exception of skills such as rage, etc. They can use this ability up to their proficiency bonus per long rest, this can be used as a reaction or a bonus action.}

Signet Pericept

When a pericept's soul is connected to a comet, the individual's psionic abilities amplify their physical movements substantially. They are well known for being active and we trained warriors.

_{Metadeta: +3 to all Athletics checks, may add twice their proficiency modifier to their saves regarding exhaustion, increase their CON by +2.}

Lunar Pericepts

These Pericepts are well-known for their ability to reflect or nullify sources of elemental hazards and more, they are well-known for being incredible arbiters as well as sentinels. Their psionic power can also amplify their ki.

_{Metadata: Up to the creature proficiency bonus, they may choose to spend a reaction or bonus action after taking damage from a spell or psionic ability, the target of the spell must succeed a DC 8 + Your Wisdom Modifier + your proficiency bonus or take half the damage of the casted spell, or ability along with the damage type. Base Ki increased by 3.}

Terra Pericepts

Pericepts that are connected planetoidal entities, since there is a large variety, these entities are all capable of various abilities regarding their specific planetoid. ^{Pericept's Planetoid
Abilities and Effects
Terranoid
When healing any target, you may choose up to half your proficiency bonus per day, to increase the spell's healing effects by your proficiency bonus, adding it after calculating the rolls and bonuses associated. Whenever you heal a creature, you gain half that amount in temporary hit points, up to a maximum of half your current hit points. +2 to Charisma.
Ice Giant
All spells, abilities, and attacks that you use that contain Ice or Cold Damage have increased damage up to your current hit-dice amount. Up to half your proficiency modifier per day, you may choose a source of cold damage you are dealing with and add half your proficiency modifier to the effect. This resets after a long rest. You have resistance to cold damage and take twice as long to build exhaustion from cold environments.
Magmatic Giant
All spells, abilities, and attacks that you use that contain Fire or Heat Damage have increased damage up to your current hit-dice amount. Up to half your proficiency modifier per day, you may choose a source of fire damage you are dealing with and add half your proficiency modifier to the effect. This resets after a long rest. You have resistance to fire damage and take twice as long to build exhaustion from hot environments.
Gas Giant
Whenever you level, add half your current hit-die amount to your health. Once per day, you can go berserk until the end of combat or for 30 minutes out of combat. During this time you take half damage from all sources of damage, restore up to 1d8's worth of lost hit-points per turn and gain advantage on all attack rolls with a melee weapon, if you are a monk, you gain an extra flurry-of-blows strike following the same formula as if adding an attack via ki. At the end of your rage, you gain one point of exhaustion.
Iron Giant
You gain a +3 Natural AC bonus, you also gain half your proficiency modifier in HP each level. Once per day, while wielding a shield or two-handed weapon you can boister your defenses adding +1d6 Magical AC to you and your whole party until the end of combat. You are resistant to being knocked down or thrown giving you adcantages on saves against them.}

Celest Pericepts

Represented by true stars, pericepts are the result of stars being their true origin celestial. They have immense psionic abilities and incredible levels of ki control if trained in it. ^{Pericept's Star
Abilities and Effects
Yellow Stars
+2 to Charisma. If you are a monk, you gain one extra Ki point per level. You are resistant to radiant damage, Spells, abilities, or attacks that deal radiant damage you activate, deal up to your hit-dies worth of extra damage to your targets.
Red Giants
+2 to all attributes, on your first level you gain double your base hit-die roll to determine HP and gain half your constitution modifier in hit-die per day. You can choose once per day to gain double your proficiency modifier in temporary hit points.
Blue Stragglers
+2 to Wisdom, whenever any form of elemental or radiant damage is dealt against you, you can declare to place half that amount into a pool, the maximum this pool can contain is double your proficiency modifier. As a reaction or bonus action, you can choose to either release the absorbed pool as a touch attack against the enemy dealing raw damage and half on successful dexterity saving throw vs your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Or, choose to gain temporary hit points up to the amount you sacrifice. Abilities, skills, and spells you use that drain attributes, skills, and hit points are twice as effective.
Neutron Star
You generate mana at a faster rate, you replenish your entire mana pool under a short rest instead of a full rest. Once per day, you fire a quasar beam focused on a single target, the beam deals 3d8 + 8 radiant damage on an unsuccessful save, and half on a full save. If the target fails this save, they are dazed until they make the save on each of their turns, after being struck by the ability.
Brown Dwarf
+2 to Dexterit, +3 to Deception, +6 to stealth checks. You can hide in plain sight when in dim or dark areas and when taking stealth actions in dim or dark areas, gain an extra plus +3 to your stealth checks thereafter.
Nebula
+2 to an attribute of your choice. +4 to Persuasion and Intimidation checks, for spells or abilities that deal with alignments, your alignment is indiscernible and misleading, effects like Sense Good and Evil do not work on you regardless of your current alignment.}

The Estolcise, Paradium

Introduction

Renown practitioners of Estolcism:

Etymology

Practice

Mental Preparations, Trainings and Practices

Physical Preparations, Trainings and Practices

Origin Stars

Abyssal Pericepts

Signet Pericept

Lunar Pericepts

Terra Pericepts

Celest Pericepts

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Pericept's Planetoid	Abilities and Effects
Terranoid	When healing any target, you may choose up to half your proficiency bonus per day, to increase the spell's healing effects by your proficiency bonus, adding it after calculating the rolls and bonuses associated. Whenever you heal a creature, you gain half that amount in temporary hit points, up to a maximum of half your current hit points. +2 to Charisma.
Ice Giant	All spells, abilities, and attacks that you use that contain Ice or Cold Damage have increased damage up to your current hit-dice amount. Up to half your proficiency modifier per day, you may choose a source of cold damage you are dealing with and add half your proficiency modifier to the effect. This resets after a long rest. You have resistance to cold damage and take twice as long to build exhaustion from cold environments.
Magmatic Giant	All spells, abilities, and attacks that you use that contain Fire or Heat Damage have increased damage up to your current hit-dice amount. Up to half your proficiency modifier per day, you may choose a source of fire damage you are dealing with and add half your proficiency modifier to the effect. This resets after a long rest. You have resistance to fire damage and take twice as long to build exhaustion from hot environments.
Gas Giant	Whenever you level, add half your current hit-die amount to your health. Once per day, you can go berserk until the end of combat or for 30 minutes out of combat. During this time you take half damage from all sources of damage, restore up to 1d8's worth of lost hit-points per turn and gain advantage on all attack rolls with a melee weapon, if you are a monk, you gain an extra flurry-of-blows strike following the same formula as if adding an attack via ki. At the end of your rage, you gain one point of exhaustion.
Iron Giant	You gain a +3 Natural AC bonus, you also gain half your proficiency modifier in HP each level. Once per day, while wielding a shield or two-handed weapon you can boister your defenses adding +1d6 Magical AC to you and your whole party until the end of combat. You are resistant to being knocked down or thrown giving you adcantages on saves against them.

Pericept's Star	Abilities and Effects
Yellow Stars	+2 to Charisma. If you are a monk, you gain one extra Ki point per level. You are resistant to radiant damage, Spells, abilities, or attacks that deal radiant damage you activate, deal up to your hit-dies worth of extra damage to your targets.
Red Giants	+2 to all attributes, on your first level you gain double your base hit-die roll to determine HP and gain half your constitution modifier in hit-die per day. You can choose once per day to gain double your proficiency modifier in temporary hit points.
Blue Stragglers	+2 to Wisdom, whenever any form of elemental or radiant damage is dealt against you, you can declare to place half that amount into a pool, the maximum this pool can contain is double your proficiency modifier. As a reaction or bonus action, you can choose to either release the absorbed pool as a touch attack against the enemy dealing raw damage and half on successful dexterity saving throw vs your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Or, choose to gain temporary hit points up to the amount you sacrifice. Abilities, skills, and spells you use that drain attributes, skills, and hit points are twice as effective.
Neutron Star	You generate mana at a faster rate, you replenish your entire mana pool under a short rest instead of a full rest. Once per day, you fire a quasar beam focused on a single target, the beam deals 3d8 + 8 radiant damage on an unsuccessful save, and half on a full save. If the target fails this save, they are dazed until they make the save on each of their turns, after being struck by the ability.
Brown Dwarf	+2 to Dexterit, +3 to Deception, +6 to stealth checks. You can hide in plain sight when in dim or dark areas and when taking stealth actions in dim or dark areas, gain an extra plus +3 to your stealth checks thereafter.
Nebula	+2 to an attribute of your choice. +4 to Persuasion and Intimidation checks, for spells or abilities that deal with alignments, your alignment is indiscernible and misleading, effects like Sense Good and Evil do not work on you regardless of your current alignment.