Universal Natures

A draft of a small pamphlet containing information about my in-universe magic system. This version is my first attempt at working said magic system into something coherent and logical.

Universal Natures

A small book of explanations

History

The early years of the ancestors to the already present races were filled with deathly conflict and extravagant peace. These ancestors dealt with many difficulties, from wars over territory or resources to tranquil harmony that lasted over a hundred years. It was after eight Draconic generations that the presence of the first humanoids to use, what they referred to then as, ‘Universal Natures’. Before that fateful week, only the dragons could use Universal Natures.

Two Children from each race had been born with an extraordinary ability to manipulate and control the elements in the world. The names of each child are as follows:

Elven Children

Ānāglāsh Renū Syogn�"n 

Lāxān Grāt Sy’Nymūrān 

Craftian Children

Thenūx Onōn Hārgālān 

Jānūl Utlā Dīlūx

Witch Children

Romī Ārgrāvdix Vānūx 

Syrā Bynā Cl�"rīny 

Human Children

Jālik Syn Grāk’Nordūgān

Onrū Jebā Hynūkā

Ocean-Folk Children (all names pronounced together)

Rālu Nūgā L�"xinā

Myxnā Grān Venīxā

Beast-Folk Children

Rkā Nāvī

Grākū Lā

Air-Folk Children

Kwātā

Shrāk

It was a long and difficult road for the children. They dealt with constant isolation, threats, and mistreatment. This lasted until the children were around their respective ages of maturity. At that point, more people were discovered to have the innate ability to harness the power of ‘Universal Natures’. Not long after the second generation of ‘Universal Natures’ users came another. Those children were called upon by their respective leaders and begged to teach the younger generations. It took many years for them to agree. After years of teaching their own younger generations separately, they decided to combine forces and teach together. Thus, they founded many schools to teach Universal Natures.

What are ‘Universal Natures’

Universal Nature, now known as “The Natures” or “Uniturema,” is the very core of everything. It is in everything in this world, and nothing seems to live without it. Participating in a ‘give and take’ system it is the balance of the world. There are six main types of Uniturema: Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Dark, and Light. There are many ways to utilize and combine each Uniturema listed.

Who can use Uniturema

  Anything or one can use Uniturema to an extent, but certain beings can use it fully.

Elves have a natural giftedness when practicing Uniturema. They can branch out into different specializations without difficulty, and all types of Uniturema come almost naturally to them. Though different subspecies of Elves specialize in various kinds of Uniturema, they will still have an advantage over other races regarding all types of Uniturema.

Witches have a natural giftedness when practicing Earth and Dark Uniturema. When practicing other elements of Uniturema, most witches are faced with a small amount of resistance.

Craftians have a natural giftedness when practicing Earth Uniturema. When practicing other elements, they will face a moderate amount of resistance.

Air-Folk have a natural giftedness when practicing Air and Earth Uniturema. Depending on the person, they will experience mild-to-moderate resistance when practicing other elements.

Beast-Folk have a natural giftedness towards each element but experience moderate difficulty when practicing any element. Beast-Folk also cannot reach the amount of power the Elves have.

Ocean-Folk have a natural giftedness towards Water Uniturema. They cannot practice Fire, Dark, and Light Uniturema and experience moderate to extreme resistance towards other elements.

Humans don't have any sort of natural giftedness towards any element. They experience extreme resistance when practicing Uniturema and cannot produce power comparable to the weakest Beast-Folk.

Types of Uniturema

There are three main types of Uniturema: Raw, Unrefined, and Refined.

Raw Uniturema: 

Uniturema that is in its natural state. This particular type of Uniturema is challenging to wield because its very nature is to be challenging. There hasn’t been proof that there is a way to control raw Uniturema, only to manipulate it. 

• Manipulating this type of Uniturema includes moving the surrounding wind to form a loose barrier. Raw Uniturema is primarily used for teaching and introductory purposes.

Unrefined Uniturema:

Uniturema that hasn’t been made into a specific tool or weapon. For example, a fireball.

• Everyone can use this type, making it the most accessible form of Uniturema to wield. Most Uniturema users specialize in only this type of usage due to the many levels of power exuded and how this form is utilized.

Refined Uniturema:

Uniturema that is made into a tool or a weapon.

• This type of Uniturema is easy to learn, challenging to understand, and extremely hard to master, even in small increments. This type of Uniturema is only taught after obtaining a decent grasp of unrefined Uniturema.

Styles of Uniturema

There are many ways that Uniturema users utilize it. The various styles that users implement are too numerous to name, but the basics are uniform amongst most users.

Raw Uniturema

The style for Raw Uniturema is similar to moving a thick fog with a giant fan and clearing an area. A Uniturema user manipulates raw elements by moving it around them, not condensing it into something. This style of Uniturema is very destructive if not handled with care. Resembling slow and careful movements, mostly associated with the ritual dances of some species of Beast-Folk, this style is one that requires intense concentration and precise motions. Even the slight shakiness that is usually present in a user's body while just standing still or holding an appendage out can make it to where the element they are trying to manipulate gets far out of their control. Raw Uniturema uses a mostly pushing movement. This particular style of usage is the most used type and the easiest. The other styles include a bringing style, a lifting style, and a holding style. 

The bringing style is as the name states. The Uniturema user brings the specific element towards them. 

The lifting style is, like the bringing style, as the name states. The specific element of choice is lifted from the source and moved upward. This style is the most difficult subcategory.

The holding style is a style in which the user stops the element from moving by pushing down on it. This differs from the pushing style because the downward motion is the only motion that it can exclusively use.

Raw Uniturema exclusively seems to affect only the more natural elements among the main six. Those being fire, earth, water, and air. 

Unrefined Uniturema

Being one of the most used styles of Uniturema, unrefined Uniturema varies wildly from person to person. Resembling more controlled and concise movements, this style of usage is more simplistic. Though most users exhibit very complex and flashy movements, the basics for each element are very visible.

There are many differing basic styles for Unrefined Uniturema, but the core ones are comparable to the fighting movements of most bar brawls or adolescent fights and regular non-tool objects. 

These named and unnamed styles can be used with any element of Uniturema.

Refined Uniturema

Mimicking the ways weapons and tools move, refined Uniturema is very powerful. Even with the foundation of mastering unrefined Uniturema behind the usage, refined Uniturema can become overwhelming for any user of Uniturema at any time. Even with years of practicing Uniturema following a person, there is still risk involved when utilizing this style.

How Uniturema is used and calculated

Uniturema is usually felt by all living creatures, some more than others, and is drawn upon instinctually. All living creatures draw Uniturema into themselves as soon as they are born. Absorbing Uniturema is tied to the instinctive action of breathing. Whenever a living organism breathes, they draw upon a very miniscule amount of Uniturema surrounding them. Every breath in brings Uniturema and every breath out removes a large percentage of the already miniscule amount. This is one of the major ways Uniturema is gathered.

Uniturema can also be gathered by grabbing on to the naturally occurring and absorbing it into a user's body. Mimicking the four styles of Raw Uniturema, those movements are used to gather and absorb the surrounding material.

Absorbing Uniturema

Uniturema is absorbed in the body, similar to the way most food and drink are. It primarily attaches to blood cells but, depending on the person, can attach to both muscle and bone. In uncommon cases, it can attach to the brain and brainstem.

Drawing upon Uniturema

There are two types of Uniturema drawing: Internal Uniturema Drawing and External Uniturema Drawing. Both types of Uniturema drawing rely on the internal Uniturema all users have.

Internal Uniturema Drawing

As implied in the name, a Uniturema user utilizing ‘Internal Uniturema Drawing’ draws upon the stores of Uniturema laying semi-dormant inside each user. This type of drawing is the weaker amongst the two given that there isn’t as large of a source to draw from. The drawbacks of primarily using Internal Uniturema Drawing are more powerful as well. A user will experience multiple different types of exhaustion much more frequently while using this drawing type. There is also a possibility of the user contracting a mild sickness after the usage of Internal Uniturema Drawing. It is more likely to happen to those less experienced with Uniturema as well as those with weaker immune systems.

External Uniturema Drawing

In contrast to Internal Uniturema Drawing, External Uniturema Drawing pulls primarily from external sources. This type of Uniturema drawing is the strongest and skill focused. The higher skill a user has absorbing the Uniturema around them, the better they are at External Uniturema Drawing. This usage has the same drawbacks as Internal Uniturema Drawing, but with a lower rate of occurrence. Along with these drawbacks include the possibility of  said user dislocating limbs and causing an exorbitant amount of physical damage.

Where to Draw Uniturema from

There is no universal spot to draw from throughout all the races present. It is, however, tied to whatever that race gives importance to. Humans, for example, value their freedom of choice and individual lives, so their Uniturema stores can be found closer to their heart. Elves, on the other hand, value their intelligence and mental fortitude and have their Uniturema stores closer to their brain.

When it comes to the Witches and the Craftians, their Uniturema stores seem to lay in multiple places along their body, mostly centered in their chest, arms, hands, and fingers. They value their craft and, depending on what their craft is, will determine where their stores permanently reside.

Regarding the other races, their Uniturema stores and what they value are diverse from one subrace to another.

Specifics of each type of Uniturema

Taken and categorized from the lecture of Professor Ānāglāsh Renū Syogn�"n

Air Uniturema

“We are starting with this part of ‘The Natures’, also known to most as Uniturema, due to the accessibility of it. Air is infinite, but the ability to harness is finite. But before we go into that, let's cover the different types of air.

Wet

Dry

Hot

Cold

I’m sure that you’ve all experienced these types at least once in your life, some more than others, so I don’t believe I have a need to go in depth with an explanation of what each feels like. If you have never felt one of the above mentioned before, you will soon not to worry. These different types of air are important to know and recognize so one does not exert more or not enough energy than what is intended. The heavier types, wet and hot, will cause one to exert more energy to move them or even draw from them. The lighter types, dry and cold, will cause one to exert less energy to move or draw from them. It is common for those who are not trained with different types of air to overexert themselves, even with the lighter airs. A guideline to follow when dealing with the air element is to know your surroundings. This can be applied with any other element, but especially so with air. If you are unaware of the type of environment you are in, it can cause injuries and even death.”

Earth Uniturema

“This is another type of ‘The Natures’ that is readily available. There are many types of Earth to manipulate, too many to accurately name, so like air Uniturema, you will have to adapt. When it comes to Earth Uniturema, there is not a way for you not to exert energy to manipulate or control it. Whether you overexert yourself to do so is determined by your physical capabilities. There has even been record of a student fainting while attempting to draw from a small puddle of mud to create a small ball. 

You must recognize your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to prioritizing this element above the others. If you are unable to move something as small as a pebble with fluidity, then you will not progress far with this element. Of course, there are some who are exceptions to this, but that is a rare occurrence.”

Fire Uniturema

“Fire Uniturema, though powerful, is ‌limited outside of the user's body. Sources for this type can be made and found, but both are limited by power, time, and amount. With shorter framed materials, wood, for example, the Uniturema from that specific source is weak in power and depletes quickly. It is a practical choice for a quick counter, but not much else.

Those with ‌erratic emotions will be unable to specialize in this element. One needs to have a calm and rational mind when dealing with fire Uniturema. As soon as one's emotions get the better of them, whether they are positive or negative, their control will slip. Emotional control is something we all need to practice, but those who specialize in fire Uniturema have no other choice but constantly regulating their emotions.”

Water Uniturema

“Water Uniturema is seen as a weak element. That is one of the most false statements that continues to circulate. There have been many who have specialized in water Uniturema and have done incredible feats. There are many types of water, but the one that we will come across the most is rain water. The second after that is water that claims its residence in the ground. The third, of course, is the water that separates us from other communities and kingdoms. Water, whether we realize it or not, is all around us. It is in the air, the ground, and our bodies. 

Most who specialize in water Uniturema are carefree individuals who, when pushed, become dangerous and lethal. There hasn't been a record of those without a relaxed personality making it far specializing in this type of Uniturema, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. I wonder if we will have some future specialists who break that mold of being relaxed.”

Dark Uniturema

“Dark Uniturema is not one to take lightly. It has been primarily used to harm, but has the ability to heal. There have been rumors that those who specialize in dark Uniturema use the lives of others to advance and grow their power. Other rumors include the use of this type to torment the deceased into doing their bidding and to control those amongst the living into performing horrid actions. Though these have been seen in action, it is never the way that mistakenly is presented. There have been more people throughout time that have used this type of Uniturema to help spirits pass on.

There isn’t a record stating that a specific type of personality or even physical characteristic helps or hinders a user with specializing in this type. Since there is no natural source for this type, a user must stockpile their internal drawing pool. After a death of any sort, you can see those who specialize in this type absorbing the Uniturema that forms as a result. Most users who specialize in this type can be seen assisting those who work with burying and memorializing the dead. There is no limit to how long something that was once living has to be dead for them to absorb the dark Uniturema.”

Light Uniturema

“Light Uniturema, like dark Uniturema, is not one to be taken lightly. Yes, it is mostly used to heal, but there are harmful sides to this type. There have been numerous incidents where a student has accidentally harmed the other student they are healing. Whether it be using the wrong source or even not matching with the student, these incidents have shown that the healing properties of light Uniturema can be used to harm. 

The healing process with this type is dependent on the source and the target of healing. For example, if you want to heal a light cut on your arm, you can use either your own body or a patch of grass. The patch of grass you decided to source from will be dead after you heal the cut, but the cut will be healed. The side effect of using this method is a silver-colored scar on where the injury was healed. If you decide to source yourself, then you will receive the injury and the target will have no sign of a scar on them. The level of healing is proportional to the injury. For instance, you cant use a whole tree to heal a small cut. You might kill off a part of a branch but never the whole tree. This changes as the injuries get more complex and widespread. If the target is missing a limb, the bleeding, and possible infection can be stopped by using an entire tree, depending on the size. Regrowing limbs come at a greater cost, so great that multiple trees and even a few animals have been sacrificed to regrow a target's arm to full functionality.

With this knowledge in mind, I do hope that this new generation of Uniturema users proceeds their studies with caution.”

Consequences of using Uniturema

The consequences of using Uniturema include personality shifts, Unituremic psychosis, and Unituremic sickness. There are, through the course of practicing and learning, physical, and emotional consequences to being a Uniturema user as well. 

Miniscule shifts in personality

Similar to a child changing their favorite item daily, this shift in personality usually occurs in those who have been primarily focusing on evolving their Uniturema power. It is a permanent effect that doesn’t impact the lives of the sufferer much.

Partial shifts in personality

Being a major step up from the miniscule shift, the sufferer has half of their preferences and tastes changed to something different. Whether it is the opposite of what they like or something they hate, their personality is affected to the point where a ‘ghost’ of the sufferer remains.

Complete shifts in personality

The final shift in personality rewires the sufferer’s personality to the point of being unrecognizable. By this time, the sufferer is usually locked away and either healed or euthanized.

Unituremic sickness

As explained before, this occurs mostly in those who have weak immune systems as well as those who are new to using Uniturema. It mimics the symptoms of a few different seasonal infections. It can be treated with time as well as exposure for most. For those with weak immune systems, they must ingest or inject supplements to stave off the worse of the effects.

Unituremic psychosis

This can occur at small increments or large ones. It is less likely to happen when the sufferer has a history of psychosis, whether by themselves or in family. It is able to be stalled by not practicing Uniturema as well as consistently releasing more Uniturema than is being absorbed.

Races that suffer from each consequence frequently

Humans: Personality shifts and Unituremic sickness

Elves: Personality shifts, Unituremic sickness, and Unituremic Psychosis

Witches: Personality shifts and Unituremic Psychosis

Cratians: Personality shifts and Unituremic sickness

Beast-Folk: Personality shifts and Unituremic sickness

Air-Folk: Personality shifts, Unituremic sickness, and Unituremic Psychosis

Water-Folk: Personality shifts and Unituremic sickness

Alternative ways to use Uniturema

Uniturema can be inserted into tools as well as weapons. Uniturema weapons and tools were first developed back in the beginning stages of all the races. They were almost fully expanded on by the Elves, and fully expanded on by the humans. Since the Elves had no use for the weapons and tools after a time, they didn’t see the purpose of expanding on the research into them beyond using them for basic purposes. Humans, however, are fully reliant on them.

The weapons, or what is usually used as a weapon, are enhanced with gems and other things holding Uniturema in them. These enhancements are usually a combination of the six main types of Uniturema that have been proven to work. Uniturema tools are the same as the weapons.

Author's Note

I don't have much of a pronunciation guide for any of the names since I'm learning how to make a conlang. I'm also in the process of revising this while working on some other world-building projects. This is something I haven't had much time to reread either.