Elements

Ervenian Era, 1051 AB

This article is about the physical phenomenon. For the field of study, see Elementologism.

The entirety of Theras, with the exception of the Far Realm, is comprised of four physical elements and four metaphysical elements. Said elements join together to create any form of matter, information, and interaction. There are two kinds of elements - Physical elements occur naturally in the inner planes, the astral and the Material Planes; Metaphysical elements occur naturally in the outer planes, the ethereal, and the Material Planes.

Type

Pandimensional Principle

Physical Elements

Air

Air has negative weight and causes levitation, flight, and dryness; anything lighter than water is never comprised of Air. It allows change, but does not change on its own. Air is hot and wet.

Earth

Earth is the element that gives matter rigidity and has double weight; anything lighter than water is never comprised of Earth. It resists change, unless the change is promoted by water. Earth is cold and dry.

Fire

Fire is the element that gives matter heat; anything that gives off heat, or is cold but can start a fire will always have fire. Fire is weightless. It promotes change, and causes change on its own. Fire is hot and dry.

Water

Water is the element that gives matter fluidity; a liquid's comprising elements will always have water. Water has unit weight. It allows change, and may cause change on its own. Water is cold and wet.

The table below showcases the standard classification system, which allows Elementologists to infer the elemental composition of materials by describing and measuring their properties. If every possible measurement has been made but the elemental composition still wasn't found, it is possible that there are additional comprising elements.

Element	Weight	Thermicity	Wetness	Erosivity	Mobility	Changeability
Air	Negative	Hot	Wet	Bland	Mobile	Allows change
Earth	Double	Cold	Dry	Bland	Immobile	Resists change
Fire	Zero	Hot	Dry	Erosive	Mobile	Promotes change
Water	Unit	Cold	Wet	Erosive	Mobile	Allows change

A material comprised of more than two elements is known as a muelement of the 3^rd degree; two muelements made of the same elements but in a different order create different materials. The ratio between elements also creates a variety in the material, similarly to the composition of alloys; a large enough difference of ratios may form a different material. Some examples:

Acid weighs as much as water by volume, so its comprising elements are either Earth and Air, or Fire and Water; and it promotes change, so its comprising elements are either Air and Fire, or Fire and Water; therefore, acid is comprised of Fire and Water.

Mercury weighs more than water by volume, so its comprising elements are either Air and Earth, Earth and Fire, or Earth and Water; it is cold, so it cannot have fire, and is a liquid, so it cannot have air, and therefore must be comprised of Earth and Water.

Glass weighs more than water by volume, so its comprising elements are either Air and Earth, Earth and Fire, or Earth and Water; it allows change, so its comprising elements are either Air and Water or Earth and Fire. Air, Earth and either Fire or Water could make it heavier than water; to allow change, its comprising elements could be either Air Earth and Fire or Earth Fire and Water. Therefore, Glass is comprised of Air, Earth, and Fire.

Lightning weighs less than water so it cannot be comprised of Earth; It strikes from the skies towards the planet, so it weighs more than Air; It is hot, so it must contain Fire; and, it is not Fire. This means it must also be comprised of Air and Water to remain weightless, since they have complementary weights. Therefore, Lightning is comprised of Air, Fire, and Water.

Metaphysical Elements

Aether

Aether is the element that fills the Astral Plane and the Ethereal Plane, and is the breath of gods, much like how mortals require air. While at rest, Aether is completely dark; when it is disturbed, it becomes luminiferous. It other words, it is the medium through which light and darkness permeate. Of all elements, Aether interacts the fastest and the farthest - light travels thousands upon thousands of miles in fractions of a second. Aether is also the most efficient catalyst for psionic interactions; for this reason many psionic-inclined races, such as psiants inhabit the astral, even if they aren’t native to it, like the gith.

Glow

is the disturbance of Aether, light itself. Differences in eye structure, magical nature, and magical effects may increase a creature's sensitivity to disturbances in the Aether. There are three major levels of sensitivity, ordered from highest to lowest: darkvision, low light vision, and regular vision.

Shine

is the interaction and effect of glow on whatever it interacts with. Examples of shine include sunburns, reflections, paint, shadowstuff, invisibility, and certain sesquinatural phenomena. Positive and Negative energy may shine in undisturbed Aether, which can be utilized by psions, or by those of sufficient Ki.

Phenomena that emit light, either natural or magical, do so by causing a disturbance in the Aether. Some planes can be more or less prone to disturbances, most famously the Feywild and the Shadowfell.

Faith

Faith, unlike all other elements, is defined between two points - the Subject and the Object, where the subject's actions, both day-to-day and long-term, are modified in accordance with the commanded or perceived goals of the object. Faith is a bidirectional pathway for energy and power between the subject and object; it is the lifeblood of deities, and they may perish without it. Faith is defined by three principles:

Reciprocity

is a principle that asserts that Faith empowers both the object and subject, or neither of them. The Object of faith must act towards the benefit of the Subject of Faith, otherwise the Object cannot benefit from the worship of their Subject/s. This may take the form of miracles, boons, favors, or allowing the Subject to serve as a conduit for Divine Magic.

Dominion

is a principle that asserts that any act that fits under a deity's portfolio creates Faith, even if not done in the deity's name. The greater the magnitude of the act the more likely it is to coincidentally empower a deity; a massacre empowers Cain more than a single murder.

Purpose

is a principle that asserts that the intentions and purpose of a Subject's act of worship done may empower the Object, even if it is small in magnitude. This allows petitioners of non-orthodox denominations to benefit from the Reciprocity of Faith, and also gives power to symbolic rituals.

Soul

Soul is what gives a being life; it is, generally speaking, the element that differentiates between objects and creatures. A soul has two aspects - the Anima and the Genius.

Genius

is what gives a soul its character - its will, ambitions, and alignment. It is the aspect of the soul which differentiates it from other souls.

Anima

is what gives a soul its ability to exert influence - magic, movement, and conviction. It is the motive force of the soul.

The degree to which anima and genius are harmonized is known as Ki. Few beings can draw upon this harmony as a source of power; those that are able can do so only by dedicating their whole for achieving harmony, and are known as monks. The only exception to this rule are the Serpentine Dragons. Energy is described as Positive if it affects both aspects, and Negative if it affects only one aspect. Undead are a prime example of negative energy, as they are all created due to one of the aspects returning to the Prime Material Plane; ghosts are purely the Genius, zombies and skeletons are purely the Anima.

Time

Time is a fluid and is ever-flowing, albeit not uniformly; it permeates all existence, and can only move in a single direction - forwards, towards the future. As an element, time is defined by three principles, which also affect the way it interacts:

Continuity

is a principle that asserts that time flows continuously rather than discretely, and therefore can continuously shift between different flow rates. Since the flow is continuous, stopping its flow is a feat achievable only by the most powerful of wizards or sorcerers. Moving backwards in time breaks an axiom, which dispatches an Inevitable to restore and enforce order.

Causality

is a principle that asserts that effects have causes, and that those causes must precede the effect. The speed at which event A causes event B is immeasurable and seems to be instantaneous: at the very least, it happens faster than light travels.

Finality

is a principle that asserts that everything comes to an end. Even immortal beings and eternal constants will eventually decay and deteriorate, whether physically, mentally, or effectively; even the Lake of Remaining Time will dry out.

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