Planetary Bodies

Alaswha

Alaswha is a planet somewhat reminiscent of the trune parts of Yolen, possessing of humans and other trune fauna and flora. It would also share features such as regular seasons, and is of similar size and gravity.

Notable geographical features include the Central Sea, which serves as a convenient medium for trade and travel for many civilizations, most of which would rely upon it.

Investiture is present in some portion on the planet, though was not previously available to any forms of life. Instead, Investiture was present in nonorganic environmental features and natural phenomena. This is seen in Alaswha’s Invested wind currents and masses of stone untethered from gravity. Prior to Dominion, these would be the only Invested phenomena observable.

With the arrival of Dominion, other Invested phenomena would begin to arise, characterized by one of ten Surges. Great storms would correspond to Adhesion, and large mounds of earth struggling to break away from the ground would correspond to Gravitation. Other phenomena than these would be less numerous, but have similar scales of effect.

Human civilization on Alaswha also resembles that of human civilization upon Yolen. Many groups would exist in city states, small nations, and fledgling empires. Other groups might exist in semi-nomadic and migratory states.

Following emergence of Surgebinders—and those rare Surgebinders which express irregular uses of those Surges—a period of rapid military centralization occur, nations often backed by semi-theocratic orders of Surgebinders, kept in control by users of Anomalous Adhesion, capable of suppressing the Surge of another.

Wind Patterns and Freed Earth

These Invested phenomena predate and are not classified as Surge Loci, though seemingly draw from the same primal source as Loci do, and last indefinitely. Unlike the Loci of Adhesion and Gravitation, these effects are hardly violent, gentle breezes surround lush mountain environments held stably aloft in the sky, drawing smaller lands into a kind of orbit. Their own harmonious worlds.

Invested Entities and Phenomena

Surge Loci

Rarely, loci of Invested phenomena arise in seemingly randomly determined places, each correlating to one of the Ten Surges. Interacting with the core of a locus could result in the use of Alaswhan Surgebinding, via Environmental Acquisition.

All of these, as a subset, would draw upon a field of Investiture that encompasses the planet. Emitted by the planet. This effect does not extend beyond Alaswha and can be exhausted temporarily in an area. Invested loci draw upon this field, making Surgebinding less effective. Over time, this draw eventually overpowers the field and the locus dies. The rate at which this Light replenishes can very slowly infuse a gem over time, so long as it is not damaged. Probably takes less time to wait for a highstorm.

At the epicenter of a Surge Locus’ range of effect lies a sort of perpendicularity. Not one which allows travel to and from realms, but is an area of condensed Investiture. It tugs on the spirits of those nearby, beckoning them towards it. Upon contact, one is pulled into a sort of… vision quest. They see their soul unraveled, glimpse their life fading away beneath the power of the Locus. Their mind might experience this as burning pain, being shredded or bent painfully, deformed by cancerous growths, depending on the Locus’ Surge. From this point, there are two outcomes. The potential Surgebinder grapples and contains this effect, surviving, transformed, and returned to the Physical where the Locus fades. Or, the Surgebinder-to-be is consumed and ceases to be.

Invested Arts and Arcana

Alaswhan Surgebinding

Alaswhan Surgebinders have experienced a fundamental transformation of the soul. The addition of a spiritual organ; new sDNA.

Their command of a Surge is expressed through producing an effect in the environment. Investiture works to force something to happen, sorta. Makes wind blow, overwrites gravity, throws fire or other destructive things.

These Surgebinders look normal, most times. Yet their eyes change colors, depending on Surge, when in use, and shapes might play out in the eye. The healing of Alaswhan Surgebinders is slightly different from others. They heal damage done to them not with flesh, but with something else. Division heals with blaze, molten liquid, burned bone, blackened skin. Adhesion with condensed gas. Tension with scales and coral. Over time, these features fade to return to unblemished, healthy skin. Quite unnerving while in use, however. Most often, these correspond to the colors and essences of the Ten Essences, but not always.

Alaswhan ‘Fabrials’

The result of applying Alaswhan Transformation onto an object, granting it a spiritual trait, or improving its base traits. Not as effective as other forms of fabrial, oftentimes.

Commonly, there exist enhanced arms and armor, hardened or enchanted with flame or cutting wind, or boots that never slip. Not much else to say, really. Generally nothing too crazy. A wand of fireballs is out of the question.