Empyrean Extension - Empyrean Runes

The magic of Empyreans is a mystery. The key to unlock this mystery is the Empyrean Runes. Only Empyreans trained in the Aether Weave and Empyrean Invocation can successfully use these powerful symbols, in order to channel their forces, and even combine them successfully.

The Runes are the most accurate representation of how Empyrean magic actually works. Although an involved system, they are actually recommended to players who want to thoroughly explore the role of the Empyrean Invoker. In fact, the Empyrean Invoker is, in many ways, the foundation of Empyrean itself. Being creatures with strong spiritual ties, Empyreans fit best to the role of the Invoker, than any other concept.

It is therefore recommended to use the Empyrean Runes extension, at least conceptually, in all aspects of Empyrean. This will truly help emphasize the intense relationship of Empyreans to the world of Spirit.

Each Empyrean Rune is a nexus of forces that the Empyrean can tap onto, just by mentally projecting the rune. Each rune opens a portal into different primordial planes, channeling the raw energies thereof. With sheer force of will and mental focus it is possible to draw the desired force from the rune and bring it into the material world, although often a blend of different forces is drawn.

By combining different runes together, the Invoker coaxes the aetheric currents to blend in specific ways. Each combination results in a unique magical disposition, which is ultimately shaped by the invoker's own will.

Overall there are five tiers of runes. In the first tier are the Prime Runes - these represent the most fundamental forces and aspects of reality. In the second tier are the Transcendent Runes - these represent forces of evolution and transience that enhance the power of the prime runes in a specific manner each. In the third tier are the Celestial Runes. These are the representations of the most sublime forces. The fourth and fifth tiers are known as the Lost Lore, and contain runes that have never been accessed from within a Prime World, and which are spoken in legend among Empyreans. So far, any attempts to uncover runes from these tiers have failed, and some invokers posit that the power that such runes would unleash upon the Prime World would upset the world's own balance tremendously.

With the use of runes, Empyreans tap into the rune's aetheric current, and mixing these currents is what allows the Empyrean to build spells. Because of the needed alchemy between the primal runic energies, a single rune is useful only for the most basic effects. Often runes must be combined, and invoked in the right order in order to produce the needed result.

We will begin to explore individual runes in subsequent posts. This is also how spells with runic combinations will be revealed.