The Solar System
Introduction
Eseron, the planetary body that houses the continents such as Eden lies around the center of the universe close to Sol’s light that has brought mortal life to it that does not depend on the Shroud’s magical radiation to sustain it. Yet Eseron does not lie alone in the darkness that surrounds it, for many other planetary bodies circle around Sol and vary wildly in their magical affinity caused by exposure to the Shroud. When one looks up at the sky with their bare eyes or maybe a simple Eseron-made telescope one will get a much clearer vision of the many bodies that surround them. Eseron and its twisted sibling, Lilith, lie in only a small bubble surrounded by my much more potent realms occupied by magically driven horrors of the void that attempt to claw their way into Eseron at every turn like how they did with Lilith, corrupting and twisting it to its core. By nature, Eseron is a relatively safe haven from those horrors but it is spellcasters who create rifts, or tears, in reality to the outer realms to borrow its magical potency for personal power but through this also create an opening for the horrors from beyond to claw their way into mortal reality if not kept in check by those who know how to wield such powers. It is a careful balance between enhancing the world of Eseron using the powers of the outer realms and containing its corrupting nature to keep demons from manifesting. A responsibility that every mortal bears constantly to ensure the survival of their world among the many forces that wish to rip it to shreds.
The Solar System
The Solar System
The Solar System that Eseron finds itself in is a large and complex web of realms of varying magical potency and affinity. To best understand this system it is recommended to look at it through the lens of rings that divide the system into categories based on the magical potency and exposure of a realm to the shroud’s radiation.
The Shroud
The shroud is the most outer ring of the solar system. It is a shapeless mist that surrounds all the other rings and is only kept away from creeping closer to the realms is Sol, whose light keeps this dark mist at bay. The Shroud in itself is not a physical realm but as stated before, a mist that surrounds the entirety of the system. It is a storm-like radiated barrier that cannot be crossed and constantly radiates energy which we in mundane terms call magic into the system towards the center where Sol lies. The magic that the shroud spews out is not colored by the influences of the realms but is in itself formless and can be felt and bent by everyone with a magical affinity to open rifts or tears to the outer realms of the system to cast spells and use “colored” magic that has been shaped into something useable by the realms it passes.
The shroud works differently when it comes to time and space compared to the rings within Sol’s protection. The Shroud lies decades ahead in time compared to our mortal world and thus, anyone who hypothetically attempts to cross it will find itself instantly ripped to shreds by means of immediate rapid aging. Making it so there would be nothing left of a mere mortal being such as those on Eseron in a matter of seconds.
Yet the Shroud’s influence is not only a negative for it also grants many life-enhancing perks. One of the most obvious is the introduction of magic and the many positives that come with that, but one of the less spoken-about perks is the ability to predict the future for those who know how to read the stars. Some believe that in the heavens are written the tales of what has passed, what happens now, and what shall come to be. For generations, Men have looked up to the firmament to question their purpose and place, casting prayers to whatever deaf gods play amongst the burning torches of the sky. Stars in themself are holes in the shroud that form patterns, or more commonly known as constellations or star signs. These star signs when seen in the sky above often predict the coming of either great horror or prosperity. Stargazers across Eseron have been studying the patterns of the constellations to decipher their meaning and predict what omen they preach. Over the centuries, certain clusters of stars that have been identified as omens from the shroud have been given names so that they and their preachings can be more easily identified in the future.
Under any normal circumstances, seeing one of the great named constellations in the skies above on their recorded pattern is nothing to be afraid of. Yet once a sign appears off its scheduled appearance it is a reason for fear and unrest for it usually predicts a looming disaster.
Star Signs
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| The Horns | The Morningstar | The Seducing Dancer | The Stag | The Thief | The Cross | The Maw | The Broken Spear | The Fool | The Bone | The Spider | The Hornblower |
| Sign of Rage | Sign of Righteousness | Sign of Hedonism | Sign of Bravery | Sign of Illusion | Sign of Clarity | Sign of Excess | Sign of Great Loss | Sign of Mystery | Sign of Death | Sign of Deceit | Sign of War |
| 22/12 - 04/01 | 05/1 - 19/01 | 20/01 - 32/01 | 01/02 - 11/02 | 12/02 - 24/02 | 25/02 - 02/03 | 03/03 - 18/03 | 19/03 - 28/03 | 29/03 - 12/04 | 14/04 - 27/04 | 28/04 - 15/05 | 16/05 - 28/05 |
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| The Rat | The Maiden | The Wizard | The Griffin | The Phoenix | The Bell | The Dragon | The All-seeing Eye | The Sword | The Scythe | The Beggar | The Scroll |
| Sign of Rot | Sign of Fertility | Sign of Magic | Sign of Pride | Sign of Rebirth | Sign of Gluttony | Sign of Destruction | Sign of the Gods | Sign of Precision | Sign of Decay | Sign of Uncertainty | Sign of Wisdom |
| 29/05 - 14/06 | 15/06 - 30/06 | 31/06 - 18/07 | 19/07 - 03/08 | 04/08 - 24/08 | 25/08 - 12/09 | 13/09 - 32/09 | 01/10 - 21/10 | 21/10 - 07/11 | 08/11 - 21/11 | 22/11 - 09/12 | 10/12 - 21/12 |
The Inner Rings
The Chaotic Ring
The Chaotic ring lies directly beyond the shroud. It is the host of the outermost realms of the known universe and acts as a shield against most raw magical radiation that comes into the world from the shroud for better or for worse. The worlds residing in this ring use their gravity ring to attract the magical energy radiating from the shroud, letting only a small portion through to the inner rings. The worlds in the chaotic ring are highly magically potent due to this as the raw magical energy coming into these worlds shapes them and the life forms within. Making them dependent on this energy to exist like how mere mortals from Eseron are dependent on oxygen to live. Due to the combination of a high concentration of magic and the dependency on it for the lifeforms in the chaotic ring, it is almost impossible for them to exist on the worlds closer to Sol as the lower concentration of magic would almost certainly immediately make them fade away into nothingness.
These mysterious creatures that are fully reliant on magical energy to live are what mortals in the inner rings call “demons”. Most demons are but lowly creatures that are simple manifestations of the magic that sustains them. Their shapes, looks, and sizes mostly rely on the coloration of the magic once it comes to a world. Once the magical energy from the shroud is absorbed by a host world’s gravity, the magic begins to shift and change, adapting to its new host and mutating the surroundings and beings residing on it. In most instances, the creatures that reside on these chaotic worlds are nothing more than magical lifeforms that are simple of mind and have little to offer besides their inherent magical talents. Yet in other instances, creatures arise that are of incredibly high potency. Though rare, these “greater demons” are usually intelligent, cunning, and tactful monsters that can take command of simpler demons to carve out their own domain on an entire, or part of a world from where they scheme and plot for further expansion of their domain on their inherent desire for greater knowledge and power.
There are currently eight known chaotic worlds in the outer ring. Some of which are nothing but barren wastelands inhabited by the lowliest of life forms, and others are highly developed chaotic domains of greater demons.
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The Elemental Ring
The second layer, or ring in the solar system is called the Elemental Ring. It lies beyond the chaotic ring and is considerably smaller due to its position closer to Sol in the center of the system. What makes this area stand out as its own ring in the system is the considerably lower concentration of raw magical energy that radiates from the shroud since most of it has been absorbed by the chaotic realms by the time it reaches the inner ring. What remains after the chaotic realms take their share is a more subtle and manageable stream of magical energy. The four worlds that inhabit this ring are therefore still very much under the influence of magic, yet instead of it being the all-deciding life energy and breathing life into magically dependant creatures, the magic of these worlds is calmer and more easily contained and tamed than the raw power that thunders beyond. The magic attached to these worlds has over time also received its coloration, having adapted to the world it resides on, creating four highly distinguishable elemental planes that seem to over time have engaged in a great ballet in their circulation. Shifting in their position each year and in highly precise order, each influencing the climate of the planets within the habitable ring in turn when they stand closest to its borders. Giving the planets like Eseron a seasonal cycle that lasts four years instead of one.
Creatures residing on the elemental planes are all highly tailored to the climate of the realm they live in, having adapted to the magical influences that shaped their realms. These creatures are far less dependent on magic to sustain them and thus are seen more often on each other’s and the mortal planes such as Eseron. Though they cannot live forever without their color of magic sustaining them. They are more than capable of remaining away from their home realm or tears bleeding that energy through for hours or sometimes days on end before needing to return. More often than not the elemental creatures are far more passive toward others than their demonic counterparts, acting more like animals or lower-intelligence creatures in most cases. However, exceptions of higher intelligence exist. These more developed elementals, or spirits are the wielders of the local magics and act as shepherds of the more simple-minded elementals. They are manifestations of the magic itself and are completely shapeless, often appearing in a recognizable shape only when called upon by those potent with the art of the element they embody such as spellcasters who thank their potency with magic to them. They are wise and ancient creatures that though careful, are masterful tutors for those whom they deem worthy. Making them willing to share their endless wisdom with spellcasters who wish to learn the ways of elemental magic. But to those who don’t, they are no more than a protective force of the plane, a storm of magic, a terror that drives away all that tries to disturb the natural order of the elemental realms.
The elemental realms act as a direct filter for the habitable ring, barely allowing any magical radiation to pass through to the inner planetary bodies, making them mostly unaltered by magic as a result, forcing spellcasters to open tears using the little raw magic there is to the outer realms to pull more colored magical energy through, allowing wielders of the winds to cast magic tailored to the realm they connect themselves with through these tears.
There are a total of four elemental worlds. Each is tailored to a specific element with its own elemental creatures and spirits.
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The Habitable Ring
The most inner ring of the solar system is what is known as the “Habitable Ring”. It is named that because it is the most mundane and unaltered by magical radiation from the shroud. Having in fact barely anything on its own. It is because of this that most magical wonders can technically be explained away as spellcasters meddling with tears, allowing magic from the outer rings to influence the planets in the Habitable Ring. In fact, the most magical influence the likes of Eseron receive from the outer realms is the Elemental ones influencing and altering its natural seasonal cycle. Making each last a full year at a time depending on which of the four elemental planets lies closest to the Habitable Ring that year.
Most natural life on Eseron is a product of the “normal” forming and evolution of life. Animals and intelligent species are all without influence or dependency on magic. Though they are capable of wielding it with enough training and studying of its working. Mortal spellcasters are dotted all over Eseron and have mastered wielding the many colors of magic that lie beyond the ring. To be able to use these magics not natural to Eden, a spellcaster must use the little uncolored magic flowing over Eseron to open a tear or rift to one of the outer realms from where they allow magic to flow into Eseron which they then form into spells to hurl at their foes or use to be of aid to themselves or allies. However, using this tactic to wield magic does not come without its risks as leaving a tear persist or allowing it to grow beyond the control of its spellcaster can have catastrophic consequences. Demons can pass through and the uncontrolled flow of magic will begin to alter or corrupt its surroundings. This is especially dangerous with voidal tears that will over time begin to spew the most vile things into whatever realm it touches or even act as a staging ground for a demonic incursion if a Greater Demon directs its minions there.
There are two planets inside the Habitable Ring. One being Eseron and the other being Lilith which ironically enough is a perfect example of what uncontrolled tears can do to a realm for Lilith is completely corrupted, torn, and rotten to its very core. A stark reminder and warning for all that inhabit Eseron.
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