The Three Authorities

Three Authorities

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b8b6f820_c.jpg

"Active evil is better than passive good."

The universe is a complicated thing. The worlds are guided by two opposing forces the goodness which is the Nexus and the evil which is the Void. They are equal in power with opposite goals and they are trying to influence both the worlds and humanity for their own goals. But if one of these entities wants only good and the other wants only bad, there is nothing to mediate the two extreme poles of desire. This is something left to the 'World' the consciousness of the very land to decide where it wishes and what it wishes to do. The consciousness of the World makes decisions for itself and its continued existence, it cares not for society, for progress nor stagnation, it cares for itself, and by virtue of that it is neutral in its inclinations.

These three forces combined are the reasons that the universe exists as it does. A set of two world working towards good, but constantly being bombarded by evils, with a constantly changing landmass and physical realm. The fluidity of these things is that they each learn and adapt. They grow to figure out what they do and don't want. They figure out how to make things go more their way and sometimes they win, and sometimes they lose, but in all of their forms they seem to be trying to reach their unattainable goals.

The Nexus

The entity which tries to create within the worlds a Utopian Paradise. In order to do this, it is constantly stirring both worlds towards the best possible outcome. It chooses the best people who will make the best decisions. It is capable of easily manipulating people, but not easily manipulating either world. As such it is limited in how it tries to create its world. That being said the Nexus' ability to influence people is great, and it is in control of peoples powers and abilities, their perceptions and even their names. The Nexus knows and understands the goodness in people and chooses those good people with good traits to try and make the Worlds into the best places for life. The Nexus has several ways of interacting with its inhabitants, mostly in how it exists as the system which determines the qualifications of individuals, ie Parameters/Classes/Types/Sub-Classes etc. But beyond this the Nexus has control of names, titles, experience and even the news and perceptions around individual actions (morality). In order to change any of these things there are several things the Nexus can do indirectly, including encouraging the 'Conversion' of certain individuals and making people reach out to those who can help by giving them information they may not yet have. As far as experience and interactions are concerned the Nexus is able to create several 'Objects' that people can interact with through special means.

• Dragon Hourglass - A shrine made to each individual converted to Alaya from Tera. It is a shrine which shows their collected experience as grains of sand within a large hourglass. This hourglass appears in the place where players spawn, not on Alaya's plane, but in the Nexus, and where it is, they can interact with it at several points in their journey. Doing so will allow them to break imposed level caps, gain more powers and the ability to interact directly with the Nexus.
  
  
  1. Level 30 - Interacting with the Dragon Hourglass for the first time, a player will flip it over, causing the sands to flow once more. Allowing them to gain experience up to level 50. (Any experience gained before the hourglass is flipped is stored and added after its activation).
  2. Level 50 - Interacting with the Dragon Hourglass for the second time, a player will break it, absorbing the sands into themselves from all of their previous levels. Raising the level cap from 50 to 100.
  
  
• Avatar Creation - After reaching certain pre-requisites within the world, individuals are able to create new character Avatars. Which can have different races, skills, abilities and classes and sub-classes. Certain attributes though end up tied directly to the 'Player' and not their individual character and as such are spread across every character the player creates. One such attribute is the progress of the Dragon Hourglass, which aside from a few exceptions determines the levels a singular Avatar of a 'Player' can reach. Though each Avatar will have to work its way up from level One. There are of course, exceptions made for certain classes of creature which can only be spawned in at specific levels, but usually have greater prerequisite tasks to create.
  
  
• Temples - Temples are puzzles created as Nexus access points. It will allow those worthy to enter, complete puzzles and gain easier access to Nexus based abilities. Temples appear at crossing points between lands in the world, which allow the Nexus to physically manipulate the world. The temples themselves are physical structures which are built by the people who have Nexus abilities. The Nexus is able to access them, by accessing the people who step inside and they give away items which make Nexus access and manipulation easier.
  
• Divergences - Divergences are singular instances, where the Nexus interferes directly with the world by poking a small hole to allow a short-lived access point through. The access points created in such a way are called 'Beacons' and they allow a player/person to gain higher amounts of EXP and better loot within the space they affect. Divergences drop as loot 'EXP' Crystals which can give bonus EXP to the individuals while also dropping rare loot from the Nexus itself and rare spawned monsters as well, which may or may not have by virtue of being part of the world other rare items and materials. (Kou and Miki encountered Divergences to face Goblin Lord and Orc Lord in their games as players). Divergences have a special chance of gifting a player permanent crystals known as Dracolite.
  
  
  • Experience Crystals (EXP Crystals) - Are rainbow colored gems with several sides which shine in the light. They give various amounts of EXP or an EXP earned boost when carried about. They count as rare loot, and as a crafting material, but they can only be used by skilled craftsman. They can be used or stored for various purposes and also can be fed extra experience to be used at a later time.
    
  • Dracolite - A crystal granted by completing a Divergence. These are connected intrinsically to the energy of both worlds (Magic or Science) and can have abilities that far exceed the logic of either world individually. It comes in tiers and gives special abilities to those who possess them. The quality of the Dracolite determines the level of manipulation an individual can accomplish in absolute or non-absolute terms. Dracolite pieces harmonize with other pieces of Dracolite, but only those of the same tier have any great affect on each other.
    
    
    1. Dracolite Shards - Are drops from Wyrms in Divergences. It can be used to power magical items and has little influence.
       
       
    2. Dracolite - Dropped from Wyverns in Divergences, it can be used to permanently power magical items. It has influence and usually an elemental affinity. It is often used in simple magical weapons and machinery.
       
       
    3. Large Dracolite - Dropped from Dragonnewts in Divergences, they can be used to power an individual. They are usually found within them and grant them powers over a single element of nature. They gain enhancements of physical strength and extra fortitude from them. They can be split up into smaller pieces to make something
       
       
    4. Rigid Dracolite - Comes from the bodies of Dragonoids in Divergences. They can be used to power multiple complex systems or create around themselves large barriers and power structures. These crystals are harder to break apart and take a great deal of magical control to wield properly. They are often included as center stones for weapons which can grow and shift with their users.
       
       
    5. Pure Dracolite - These come from Emperor Class Dragons (Be they Dragonoids or Dragonnewts) and they have the ability to defy the logic of the universe at their maximums. They are held within the bodies of their users and grow with them to extremes until they ultimately take the form of a True Dragon and are able to expel it from their systems. These stones are referred to as 'Wish Gems' and are thought to be legendary things which can grant the wishes of those who possess them and give extreme and differential magic to their possessors. They are said to possess the 'Souls of Dragons'.
    
    
    
  
  
  

The Void

The entity which tries to create a Dystopia in both worlds. It has an easier time affecting the worlds but a harder time directly influencing the people. That being said it is still constantly trying to drive both worlds towards a particular negative outcome. As such it is limited in how it tries to enforce its will over the people but has an easier time creating negative energies within the worlds. If Demons, evil humans and the like are being encountered regularly their source is the Void. It is said that creatures who end up in the Void properly can never go back to their regular lives, because once the Void has affected you, you are bound to it. The Void is infinite darkness trying to snuff out the light of both worlds.

• Dungeons - Are physical access points created by the Void within the world that contain negative energies. They are singular instances that usually contain rare items and loot and are filled with monsters/demons and other such things. They are meant to have a negative influence upon those who enter them and usually contain items that the Void can use to influence the player (normally items which are considered rare loot and the like). Dungeons once cleared disappear from the world, but can spawn literally anywhere within it and as such can be used to reach directly a mass of people with negative influence.
  
  
• Rifts - are large gashes ripped into the fabric of reality by the Void. They contain high class demons, monsters and a significant amount of negative energy of the Void. Rifts can be closed up by defeating the monsters within them, but can be small enough to simple send demons through into the world they effect. Through these, catastrophes, aberrations and terrible entities can enter the world and try to enforce the will of the Void. Beyond this, when Rifts are failed they claim whoever was inside them for the Void itself, giving the Void direct access to the people to influence them and send them back with their new negative aspects into the worlds.