Ilsaad: Benkinsky's Idea of a Valor-Mercy-Shardworld

[Benkinsky they/them]

Welcome to Benkinsky decides he wants to post his ideas somewhere before he gets sidetracked again.
What is this? On a meta sense, it's what I thought of when we learned the names of shards that we haven't seen yet in RoW. I thought about how I imagined a world with Valor in presence, or in this case, Valor and Mercy. I know there's probably not another dishardic planet, and technically, Ilsaad isn't dishardic in that sense. Obviously, I don't think this is how we'll see Valor, but I just love the Cosmere framework so much and had a ton of fun inventing a planet shaped by the Shards Valor and Mercy. I will split this first post in three, and leave it up to you in what order you want to look at it. If you want to just jump into the story, start with the second part, Chapter 1. If you want the worldbuilding laid out for you, start with those. And if you want to go for the Arcanum Unbounded feel, start with the essay. Alright, that's the preface, enjoy. I look forward to questions and feedback and whatnot

Essay on the Ilsaadi System:

Spoiler

The Ilsaadi System is largely barren. Of the six planets there, only two seem to me to be of any interest. One of these is Ilsaad, the namesake of the system. It is a fairly small planet, 0.8 Cosmere standard, and Silverlight scholars disagree on whether it actually inhabits the system's habitable zone or merely borders on its edge. It is comparable to Dayside in the constant presence of heat, although Dayside lacks both the day-night-cycle of Ilsaad and the cooling mist that permeates the air on Ilsaad. Ilsaad is home to not only a lush ecosystem of jungles and beasts, but also hosts a bustling civilization. Valor's presence is felt in all aspects of Ilsaad life, from its culture and religions to its fauna. Presumably, Valor's influence is also what stabilizies life on a planet that should otherwise be far too hot for human life to flourish. Religious prophecies dating back multiple milennia suggest that humanity was one day to leave Ilsaad, ascending to Mengiland, the "new place". I wonder whether those prophecies hold some connection to Unkaar, the sixth planet of the system. Though there seems to be no intelligent life on it, the space around Unkaar is unusually large in the cognitive Realm. The realms are also closer than usual around Unkaar, although i have not been able to locate a Perpendicularity, while Ilsaad has two.

Death is an important topic in Ilsaadi religions. Cognitive Shadows are a widely known phenomenon on Ilsaad, appearing in different forms, referred to as Brilliances and Veiled respectively. While Brilliances are highly revered, they have become somewhat rare in the last 150 years compared to before, if documentation of the past is to be believed.

Ilsaad is a planet that, like many others, is shaped today more by technological development than by religion. However, the topic of salvation should never leave Ilsaadi discourse; scholars estimate that in about 20 to 40 years, Ilsaad will permanently leave its habitable zone, fully burning up in its star in about 120 years.

Blurb:

Spoiler

There is some Crem going on on Ilsaad. Ever since president Tague's accident a few months back, she has become a lot more religious, letting her newfound belief strongly influence her policies. Elieis, an investigative reporter, is convinced there is more to the presidents subtle, but important changes in behaviour. Teaming up with the ghost of a long dead warrior, he will go as deep as he must in over to uncover what he is convined of: The president is posessed, and is going to doom all of humanity because of it.

Chapter 1

Spoiler

Chapter 1

 

The rain poured down heavily on Elieis. The raindrops splattered onto the stone around him, streaming down his coat as he held onto the ledge. Carefully, he readjusted the grip his left hand hat onto it, trying to feel out whether the ledge was starting to get too wet to hold onto everywhere but under his hands.

“You’re making an awful lot of noise” Roldaine said, floating beside him. Her arms were crossed, her ghostly face bearing a scowl. “Why are you doing this anyway?”

“There was someone patrolling the floor next to us. I couldn’t be seen, and there wasn’t anywhere else to hide. The rain isn’t helping either.”

“Why hide in the first place?” Roldaine replied, turning up her nose. “Hiding sounds an awful lot like cowardice.”

“Yeah? Well, getting spotted on the president’s compounds without a permit sounds an awful lot like an arrest. And I’d rather be a free coward than locked up.”

“Pah. Disgraceful.”

Elieis rolled his eyes. He tried to ignore Roldaine, focussing instead on the wall before him. He felt where his knees touched against it, where his shoes pressed against the stone. And where his soles were resting on constructs of yellowish light, hovering just high enough for him to be crouching on without being visible from the windows underneath.

“Aeor Daom”

With a whisper, Elieis felt his consciousness expand a bit. That familiar feeling of urgency returned, alongside his conviction for his mission. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten why he was here. But using magic required attention, and an understanding for why you were Graced. Elieis felt Roldaine’s presence stronger as he siphoned power of her. Using his magic had become a lot easier since he had become a wielder, but with how relentless Roldaine was in her commentary of his life, he sometimes wondered if it had been worth it.

“This is ridiculous” the warrior ghost scuffed as she watched Elieis conjure another platform, yellow light congealing in the air next to him. He summoned another, until they could serve as steps for him to climb back up onto the roof he had quickly slipped off.

Quickly checking the well-lit corridor in the building next to this one, Elieis saw that the patrolling guard had left. Getting up onto the roof, he disbanded his Protections, stretching as he looked at the main building of the presidential palace. He still had at least one more floor to climb up if he was lucky. If he was unlucky, the president was meeting her guests in the top floor.

Instinctively, before he continued on sneaking along the rooftop, he checked for his camera. It was still there, as always, hanging around his body in its leather bag. But feeling it’s presence gave Elieis confidence. And a reminder why he was here. It was his duty. The most important thing he could be doing with his life. Finding the truth.

“Back in my day, we’d be summoned to warriors. Leaders. Brave men and women, who we’d know would one day join us, standing guard until the Day of Challenge. And here I am, bound to a picture box.” She scoffed. “How the mighty have fallen.”

Elieis tried not to respond. To let Roldaine’s talking stay just that. But he couldn’t. After all, her constant insistence on the past was part of the reason he’d been so grateful to find her.

“Look, Roldaine. It’s not my fault the world has changed, okay? I’m sorry that the world is different than when you were alive. I’m sorry we don’t swing big axes at each other anymore, and that we aren’t ruled by whoever can chop off the most people’s heads in one day. But that’s the way it is. The world has changed. A lot. Bravery looks different now.”

He turned to his Brilliance, meeting her eyes. He saw disappointment in them, but not just with him. There was hurt there, frustration. And, as he met her gaze, scowling back, he saw something else. Intrigue, the same intrigue Roldaine had shown when they’d just two months before. And the slightest bit of pride.

Elieis rolled his eyes.

“Okay, look. This ‘picture box’, as you call it, can do some very, very impressive things. For example, if you decide to shut up and not get me caught because I’m busy arguing with you, it could take pictures of the most powerful woman on our planet meeting with people who really, really shouldn’t have anything to do with our government. That’s one option.

Or we turn back. Go back home, I sit down on my couch, and you do whatever Brilliances like to do to pretend they’re not bored.”

He didn’t even need to look at Roldaine to know what face she was making.

“That’s cowardly. If you turn around now, son of Gwyn, I will unbind myself from your artefact and leave you stranded.”

“You would die.”

“I was already dead. And I would rather die again than make a coward a wielder.”

Elieis smiled. “Thank you.”

He had reached the end of the roof, and with it, a maintenance ladder. He put a hand on one of its rungs, and concentrated, closing his eyes

“Aeor Ienum”

With a whisper, images started to flash past his mind’s eyes, impressions of times past. Water and Sunlight and Water and Sunlight and footsteps, treading on him from time to time, going this way and that, performing the task he had been made for. And a break. It took barely two seconds of going back for him to feel one. The fourth rung from the top, breaking under years of first steps. Glued back on, but never fully repaired. He made a mental note, and started climbing.

“Aeor Naeum”

As he climbed, he conjured an image around him. A false shadow, hiding him under a guise. It wasn’t perfect, sadly. Elieis couldn’t make himself invisible. But in this way, the rainy evening was somewhat of a blessing. Making himself look more dishevelled, his dark green coat disappearing under layers of black and grey fabric, silently rustling as he climbed, would mean he was harder to spot from the lit rooms of the presidential palace.

Twelfth rung. Thirteenth. That meant that – yes. Elieis felt the weaker rung under his hand, reaching further up to skip it. The last thing he could need was unnecessary noise. Silently dodging the faulty metal, he made it onto the next level, reaching a service balcony. It was made for ladders and other equipment to be placed on for repairs and maintenance on the actual palace. Tonight, it was empty, save for one wet journalist sitting down on it, trying to get into as calm a position as he could.

Leaning against the wall behind him, he breathed in slowly. His heartbeat was loud, resonating inside his head, but he tried to ignore it, focusing instead on his breath. Out. In. Out.

“Aeor Edaum”

This Merit was one that he had less practice with, so far. Being this high up, further away from the bustling streets would make it easier to concentrate on, though. Or so he hoped.

With his next breath out, Elieis felt the rain fade from around him, the sound blanketed by the fog that came with this state. As he opened his eyes, he blinked, twice, three times, his eyes trying to adjust to seeing double. Once he accepted that they wouldn’t, he managed to actually look.

The world around him was now twice. The real, solid world overlayed by a ghostly copy. His shadowy disguise didn’t exist in this vision, but that was by far the least overwhelming thing about it. There were lights everywhere around him. Some were dimmer than others, and some shone powerfully. In the streets underneath them, like tiny lightbulbs, wandering around.

In the distance, something that looked like the sun dominated to horizon. It was smaller than the actual sun, much smaller, and its light didn’t hurt his eyes, but it filled the sky with luminance around it. That must be north pass, he thought. The Favour there was a massive one, he recalled from his last visit. It made sense that he’d see it this far.

Favours were somewhat like accidental photographs; he’d come to realize. If you concentrated hard, you could touch the little lights, get an impression of the person they belonged to, like a whisper of their thoughts. It was similar with Favours. They were a lot louder, though. If Elieis were less busy in his life, he might have tried to find out if he could sense something of the heroes that had earned humanity these Favours in them.

Elieis looked to his side. To Roldaine. She could hide herself in the physical realm, but when he was Projecting, he could always see her clear as days. She had turned towards north pass too, her arms crossed while she silently stared in the direction of the radiant Favour.

“Do you know anything about it, Roldaine?” He asked. She was an old Radiance, one of the oldest, as she liked to boast. Maybe she knew had been alive during the siege of north pass.

“No.” she said.

“Really? You’re old, right? I thought maybe you’d witnessed – “

“Nothing that you need to know.” She turned to him. “I thought you had a mission, boy. Shouldn’t you concentrate on that?”

Elieis look at her confused. She normally liked to talk about the past, it was odd for her to deny an opportunity to. Though she was right. He really should focus. The beauty of this world sometimes got to him. He averted his eyes from the horizon, focusing instead on the building in front of him.

He could see lights in it, too. Many of them. Some, moving in regular patterns, patrolling corridors like the one he almost got spotted from. There were more guards that unusual, more than he had seen during his scouting in the last two weeks.

Some lights didn’t move irregularly, though. A small group, standing in a rough circle, barely moving around. These were the people he had came here for, the people that the world had to see together. And of course, they were one floor above him still. One of them was supposed to be here, President Teague. She was notoriously difficult to catch off guard, be that with questions or snapshots. That wasn’t his concern tonight, though. Who were the others that she was meeting with? And much more importantly, why were they here in secret?

He could touch their lights if he wanted to. Could hear snippets of their thoughts, impressions of the emotions they felt. They were close enough. He would just have to reach out and…

Elieis stopped himself. This was dangerous. Very dangerous. It was a common rumour that the president had a Wielder in her staff, and that person could detect him if he did. Besides, he had been Projecting for too long already. Roldaine didn’t say anything, but he assumed he was putting a strain on her. With some difficulty, the ghostly second world fading away slower than it did usually, Elieis pulled away from it. Roldaine was still staring towards north pass until he regained his normal vision. She turned to him only then.

“Did you find what you were searching for? The people you’re hunting?” She seemed eager.

“I… Yes, I did. They’re another story higher. But I was right! The president is meeting people, which is in no way publicly known. We have to get up there, Roldaine.”

“The roof behind you goes upwards. It’s wet, but it’s your best shot.” The Brilliance nodded. She looked serious. He wasn’t used to her agreeing with his thoughts so quickly. He had expected her to suggest he jump over to the other building, breaking in through a window. But he decided not to question her this time. He just nodded.

“Aeor Daom”

Yellow light coalesced over the wet tiles of the roof, once again creating steps for him to climb on. The higher he got, the more he crouched, until he was fully crouching down on top of the roof. The fall behind him seemed steep, so he decided best not to look. He had to focus anyway. Roldaine was nowhere to be seen, but as Elieis reached for his bag and pulled out his camera, he could feel her presence.

He looked up. Before him, maybe fifteen, twenty metres away, was the room he was here for. One of the presidential offices, shining with warm light even in this late hour. And it was occupied.

He raised his camera, adjusting the zoom until he could see clearly through his lens. There she was, clear as day in his view. Amadea Tague, former Governor of ____, and current president of the world. Her usual determination was mixed with something else tonight. Her expression held more than that. Conviction. And concern.

And she wasn’t alone. Her vice president was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was conversing with three guests, all standing around her desk. One of them was Governor Kelith. His red hair was part of his look, and even without his camera, Elieis would have recognised. The next guest was a woman who Elieis recognized from somewhere, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. He would find out once he had these pictures printed out. And the last was a woman he didn’t recognize at all. She was blonde, and while she was smiling, her eyes were following president Tague whenever she spoke, jumping to the other guests whenever she didn’t.

Elieis zoomed in a bit more, to make sure he had proper shots of this woman too. But something was off with the light, it seemed to be getting darker. A cloud maybe? No, it had been cloudy the whole time. Maybe one of the windows?

Elieis lowered his camera to check. Looked to the side, the window closest to the entrance of the office. And saw a man stare at him dead on, his eyes focusing on Elieis. His hands weren’t visible under the windowsill, but he was fidgeting with something. Like he was screwing something onto something else. Like a silencer. Valor help.

He heard Roldaine shout in his head just as he plunged forward, praying to Valor that his disguise had made him as unrecognizable as he’d hoped as he crashed down onto the balcony.

Ars Arcanum

Spoiler

There are two manifestations of magic on Ilsaad, or three, depending on how you count. These are Gratomancy, Cognitive Shadows, and Wielding.

Aside from these, each person is born with innate Investiture. While this Investiture cannot be actively used, it enables the Ilsaadi people to live in temperatures that would be otherwise dangerous, if not lethal, to humans. It is also responsible for the unusual emotional volatility that the the Ilsaadi people display once removed from external investiture.

Scattered throughout Ilsaad are the so called Favours, little rifts between the realms that leak Investiture. There are often settlements around these rifts, as the increase in Investiture makes societies there safer and more stable.

1. Gratomancy

Referred to as "the Graces" colloquially. There are two ways to become a Gratomancer, making one either a Favored or Graced.

Favored are those people who, often in situations of danger or dire need, have been touched in life by a Veiled, connecting their soul to Mercy. Favored can wield all seven Graces. Those who, often religiously, follow a Favored, their wisdom and advice, maybe become Graced. Graced can wield only one of the Graces, depending on the nature of their Favored. While in the ancient days, Favored were most often remarkable warriors or explorers with Graced in their companies, a more modern example of a Favored is Fryd Estrem, an investigative Journalist who was almost executed for her investigations into corruption.

Graces are channeled with key phrases. Gratomancy is an end-negative system. The seven Graces are:

1. Aeor Etoum. The first Grace supplies the user with physical resilience and healing capabilities. This healing is siphoned from those around you.

2. Aeor Enaum. The second Grace lets the user soothe or numb other people's emotions. An Enaum Savant might be able to manipulate other people's identities too, weakening Connections and aspects of Identity, but weakening their own identity in the process.

3. Aeor Saoum. The third Grace lets the user learn the history of objects, reading their cognitive aspect. This slowly petrifies the object in question.

4. Aeor Alaum. The fourth Grace lets the user manipulate how they are percieved. This works both mentally and visually. The user can subtly change appearance. Unlike the free creativity of Lightweaving, as seen in some Knights Radiant, Alaum lets the user utilize cognitive perceptions of them. Roughly said, Alaum lets people see what they want to see.

5. Aeor Diom. The fifth Grace lets the user summon hardlight constructs, which can manifest physically. These constructs can absorb forces put against them, depending on the strength of the user. They slowly break down matter around them in the process. It is unclear whether this affects axial bonds too.

6. Aeor Edoum. The sixth Grace lets the user project a ghostly version of themselves over short distances. Over larger distances, the projection requires investiture, and can siphon this from the surrounding area if available. If not, the users own Investiture will be used up, up until death. However, Edoum users are said to be particularly aligned to Mercy, and will often become full Veiled after death.

7. Aeor Idoum. The seventh Grace is often called the Pure Grace. It is not yet fully understood, since there has so far never been a documented case of an Idoum Graced, and it is difficult to tell what to attribute to a Favored's seventh Grace and what to attribute to their overall state. Folklore calls Idoum "the Hero's Grace", the "Grace that makes heroes." The seventh Grace lets users manipulate Fortune.

2. Shadows

Cognitive Shadows come in multiple forms on Ilsaad.

1. Brilliances. The cognitive shadows of those who have fallen in brave action. Whether that be warriors, explorers, martyrs or others. Brilliances are the basis of the religious belief that the fallen virtuous will guide the Ilsaadi off the world and to Mengiland when the last night comes. Brilliances often migrate to temples, either local ones or the legendary Temple of Camis, hidden deep in the jungle. While some Brilliances are eager to talk to mortals, most of them disappear into the deep jungles.

2. Veiled. These shadows cannot kill or harm mortals. They sometimes appear to those in dire need, and often appear near the dying. It is believed that they grant safe passage to the afterlife. While there are rumors of an ancient temple of Lahros, this search is generally deemed futile since the Veiled seem to be present everywhere, just hiding from mortal eyes most of the time, guarding silently.

3. Muted. These are barely known, barely distinguishable from Veiled. The Muted appear attracted to those in peril, similar to the Veiled. However, the Muted do not save lives. They only protect from painful, gruesome deaths by granting a silent one.

3. Wielding.

Wielding is not by itself a different manifestation of magic. It can be understood as the unity of Gratomancy and Brilliances. If one is brave enough to venture into the deep jungle, lucky enough to actually find the Temple of Camis and virtuous enough to brace its trials, they might be judged worthy by Valor, or rather, its representatives. If a person is deemed worthy, a Brilliance will bind themselves to an object, imbuing it and the Wielder with its connection to Valor. These artefacts can take different shapes, depending on the nature of the wielder. The most famous one being the Sword and Shield of Horsk. Being a Wielder will make a person Favored, but does not grant other powers. Instead, the Brilliance's influence mitigates the negative effects of Graces, instead using up its own investiture. Similar to the Divine Breath, this will eventually end the Cognitive Shadow's existence.

 

Note: I came across legends of the "Covered", Cognitive Shadows posessing mortal bodies. I don't like that at all. The Muted remind me of Shades, and the idea of Shades posessing people is unsettling, to say the least. - N.
It is unclear whether these legends are attributed to Brilliances, Veiled or Muted. - K.

Worldbuilding/behind the scenes/Ilsaad as the Cosmere at large meets it.

Spoiler

Hoo, Boy. This was so fun to write down. Prepare for my town to become a lot more casual now, lol. So:

Welcome to Ilsaad. A small, hot planet full with dangerous biomes of Jungle, Desert and Savannah, populated by a society that was once always engaged in warfare and has now moved on to a more or less unified world with four main countries and a world president. Think roughly 1990s, 2000s, in technology level. I haven't decided if its more futuristic even maybe, with some Cyberpunk elements in it. Though society has moved on from the days of old, many of the ideas still prevail. Back in the day, you had warriors and explorers and that culture of Bravery is still there. The world is kind of one huge police state, with Police being highly respected. Where there used to be Gladiator combat, there's now dirtbiking, bungee jumping, etc. Monster Hunting used to be a very real job and still kind of is. Though the Ilsaad has become more secure in modern times, you're still living on a planet with dinosaur-like beasts and other monsters stalking the night. Think Vampires, but it's First Grace users keeping alive by siphoning health of people.

One of the things that have made Ilsaad what it is today was Horsk. And for sure, you could write a story about Horsk, but for Elieis and his contemporaries, he's a figure of legend. 600 years ago, in one of many wars, Horsk was a warrior that learnt of the ancient cult of Lahros. Religion so far surrounded Camis, the Godmother, and her six children. Lahros, so the belief goes, is her seventh child, the banished son, because the kindness he represented upset Camis, the Godess of Bravery, who saw it as Cowardice. Horsk accepted Lahros as his god, equal to his other gods, and this culminated in the legendary moment where in his duel against an enemy leader, Horsks sword transformed into a shield with which he protected his adversary from an attack from behind. This moment is the symbolic beginning of the transformation of Ilsaadi society. "By the seven braveries" is an exclamation you might hear. Each god represents a different kind of bravery, the seventh and final one being the bravery of kindness and mercy.

There is also an ancient prophecy of Soljorg, the end of days. This prophecy states that on that day, the fallen virtuous will lead humanity to Mengiland, the "new place". While this is often understood as an afterlife, Mengiland refers to Unkaar, which Valor is cultivating with the help of the Brilliances, cognitive shadows that she created. Valor deliberately chose not only a planet that would fall into its sun at some point, but one that is also filled with dangerous wildlife on top of that. Humanity has to learn and train, and do it fast, fast enough to escape Ilsaad in time, whether that be physically or through the Cognitive Realm.

In modern times, the religious belief surrounding Mengiland has lost cultural relevance, like almost all religions. Ilsaad has experienced two major cultural shifts. One, tracing back around 600 years, is signified by Horsk, who is hailed as the first person to embrace an old, nearly forgotten god, Lahros. Organized religion has lost its dominance in the last 150 years. Unitism, a religion worshipping the seven braveries, represented by the United Church, is a bit of an exception, and it is fairly popular. Unitists believe that the old religions were fundamentally wrong in excluding Lahros, and since the rediscovery of Lahros, Humanitys salvation is safe. Unlike the ancient prophecies, Unitists believe that after death, people are welcomed into paradise by Lahros. Lahros is an Avatar of Mercy, whose presence on Ilsaad has indeed influenced Ilsaadi Society quite a bit.

Actual spoiler/plot-relevant revelations.

Spoiler

The story follows Elieis, a reporter and Wielder, who is trying to find out what is up with the presidents changes in policy. A few months back, the president was involved in an accident that would have killed her, if not for the protection of a Veiled. Since then, she has become more religious, much to the delight of High Abess Bruun and the United Church. She is changing some of her approaches to problems to suddenly be very focused on immediate solutions and changes, believing in the gods to take care of them, especially Lahros.

Elieis is one of the people who believe in the existance of the Covered. He is convinced his brother almost became one when he was younger. Coincidentally, this is also when Elieis snapped. And yes, I say snapped. That's a thing, and it's not in the Ars Arcanum for good reason. Him and his brother were playing, where his brother got seriously hurt, which attracted a shadow. A Veiled, supposedly. But Elieis was afraid of it. Very afraid. Something was wrong. And he stood over his brother, screaming at the shadow to disappear, that he didn't want it. It was this act of bravery that snapped Elieis, which he has kept hidden for most of his life. Going against the grain in many of his beliefs has led Elieis to become a reporter, which is an excellent excuse for him to pretend like he is Graced. But to investigate the president, he needs more help. This doesn't come in just the shape of a few friends he has, but with Rholdaine. After venturing into the Jungle like a madman, Elieis managed to prove himself Valorous and in turn, now has Rholdaine as a spirit guide. Dead for hundreds of years, a viking woman who was known for her prowess swinging an axe around, Rholdaine is both disgusted by the world that she percieves as cowardly and boring, and intrigued by this weird man who had earned her respect, only for her to be bound to not a weapon, but a camera.

And Elieis is right. There's a lot of lies and danger in the high ranks of Ilsaadi politics. The president is Covered, and since then is working very much towards Mercy's goals.

Lahros hasn't always been on Ilsaad. Ilsaad was originally just Valor's Shardworld. But with Valor splitting her attention between Ilsaad and Unkaar and Ilsaad slowly but surely hurling towards a fiery death, Mercy felt it its duty to intervene. By giving the Ilsaadi a peaceful and quiet end, soothing their worries and corrupting their magic, aligning them with itself. Mercy doesn't believe in Valors plan, and is convinced that coopting her people so that they'll die soon and quick and painfully, numbed by Lahro's influence, is the preferable alternative. Busy with fighting Lahros and its attention still split, Valor's influence on Ilsaad has become weaker, and Elieis is one of the very few people actually connected to Valor in his magic.

Cause, fun fact, the Graces are a fairly young magic system, the result of Lahros' corruption. The original system was/is called Apostomancy (i still need a better word), and includes only Six forms, called Merits. That's where Gratomancy is correct: The Seventh Grace is the (only) Pure Grace, Future Manipulation the only Grace that is purely of Mercy. The rest, well, they're corruptions of Valor's Merits. Similarly to modern Gratomancy, Apostomancy has both those who can use all six merits and those who Squire to them, able to use just one. Apostomancy is an End-Neutral system. The six Merits are:

1. Aeor Eonum. Physical resiliance and healing, think A-Pewter. This power is pulled forward from your future, leaving you weak and sick for a while afterwards.

2. Aeor Eheum. Emotional manipulation. The emotions that you want to change/remove, you take upon yourself.

3. Aeor Ienum. Object learning. Touch an object's cognitive aspect, learn of its past. This does make the object age faster though.

4. Aeor Naeum. Look manipulation. Change how you look, though weaker than Lightweaving. You risk losing yourself to the persona if you wear it too long. Naeum Savants barely need investiture anymore to keep up the persona, some even don't need to anymore.

5. Aeor Daom. Protection. Summoning hardlight shapes that can either take or redirect force (I, Benkinsky, am not sure about this yet). This takes from your own strength and energy.

6. Aeor Edaum. Projection. I'm unsure of how exactly this works realmatically, but the gist is that you glimpse into the Cognitive Realm. Whether that is connecting with your own cognitive Aspect, partially changing realms or something like that, you can look into Physical and Cognitive Realms both. This weakens your body though, and you risk losing yourself and dieing.

Apostomancy is end-neutral. However, if you are a Wielder, you can essentially compound, using up the Investiture of the Cognitive Shadow to mitigate the negative effects of your magic.

 

I think this is the longest post I've ever made anywhere. Hope you enjoyed it!

[Going_North_cal]

oh.

my.

gosh.

OH MY GOSH.

HOLY CRAP.

I LOVE IT.

I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I SOAKED UP ALL THIS LORE LIKE A SPONGE. A DRY, THIRSTY SPONGE HOLY CRAP.

BENKINSKY YOU ABSOLUTE LEGEND YOU JUST CREATED A SHARDWORLD. A DISHARDIC WORLD, AT THAT. AND IT'S AMAZING.

i love it i love it i love it and im just aooooooooe afeuoaehfoeuhao

[Lego Mistborn he/him]

Lovely ideas, now I'm sad because we'll almost never get to see these made canon. (Barring very far-fetched possibilities.)

[Benkinsky they/them]

Aww thank you to both of you! I'm happy you find it cool

16 hours ago, Ta'veren Kaladin said:

(Barring very far-fetched possibilities.)

Trust me, that would be soooo cool It's still fun to play around with Cosmere ideas ^^ but man, would that be insane.

On 3.8.2022 at 5:48 PM, CalanoCorvus said:

I SOAKED UP ALL THIS LORE LIKE A SPONGE. A DRY, THIRSTY SPONGE HOLY CRAP.

BENKINSKY YOU ABSOLUTE LEGEND YOU JUST CREATED A SHARDWORLD. A DISHARDIC WORLD, AT THAT. AND IT'S AMAZING.

Aww hell yeah, thanks. Happy to hear you've enjoyed it any particularly favourite bits, or anything that intrigued you the most? Would be interesting to know.

There are a few existing characters already that I have in mind that didn't fit into this post yet, hopefully you'll meet those in future Chapters once I get around to those. Those characters may or may not include a certain hawk faced someone...

[Going_North_cal]

not my boy Cephandrius

hmm fav bits...

Oh!

So, in most fantasy books, it's like "oh yeah we're this cool religion and you're gonna like do cool things to get to super cool heaven place." Now, usually, that's just propoganda, but you've actually confirmed that Humanity on Ilsaad will get to go to super cool paradise-like thing!!

It's cool that you broke a norm like that

[Benkinsky they/them]

On 4.8.2022 at 6:52 PM, CalanoCorvus said:

not my boy Cephandrius

How'd you guess

On 4.8.2022 at 6:52 PM, CalanoCorvus said:

but you've actually confirmed that Humanity on Ilsaad will get to go to super cool paradise-like thing

thanks! I really liked that in SA with Damnation corresponding to Braize, but the Tranquiline Halls don't really have an equivalent. I like playing with that idea, especially since Valor's version of it has a lot of "you guys better put in the hours to get there, otherwise..." although that got lost in translation a bit.

An extra interesting aspect is also based on that Mengiland is a physical place. Yes, Unkaar is a planet, larger and far away from the sun, being prepared by Valor and Brilliances to host humanity. On one hand though, it's not like there's Urithiru level cities there already. They'll still have to make the planet their own.

And on the other, while Unkaar has been part of Valor's plans for hundreds, thousands of years, this story would take place at the beginning of the space age. So who knows whether the Ones Above, IRE, or others haven't also already found Unkaar.

Imagine reaching Valhallah and there's some other people there that noone's ever seen.

[Going_North_cal]

That spices things up a bit. I love that.