Big Lore Post / Gift of Creation ; Part 0 - 0.6

• Gift of Creation

It is a privilege to tap into the essence of Existence and become a single reason with it, a way to unobey its laws or structure new ones. One who is blessed by our Joyful and Gorgeous with this Gift is endowed to ask questions to the Stars and hear the Existence to give its answers.

Modern scientific believe is that the Gift is part of Her being – merely splinters of shattered true power we absorb throughout our lives. Just as when we taste the harvest ripened from Her flesh and drink Her tears, the Gift becomes a part of us; for some more, for some less, but eventually it returns back to Her with our bodies, and is then bestowed anew upon others.

The Vehemence (empowerment) of all Engifted depends first on the intensity of their Gift. Most can suspect they are blessed, but never powerful enough to manifest Miracles, as it is beyond their control more than their own heartbeat. Some are capable to bend tangibility without realizing it just like people around them, attributing strange events to the normality of luck. Those few who truly aware of their potentials use the Gift and toil hard in Her name, accepting the duties of being blessed. The rarest of all wield tremendous might – their’st actions can reshape Meorenell and its history, if they so choose.

Alas, the true potential of the Engifted lies in their inner perception of reality, because to bend the reality one must understand it first: one may imagine how a metal rod gets hued with myriads shades of hot white before melting; another can delve into the atomic level and comprehend how each of trillions of atoms moves in chaos, transforming a solid mass into a liquid; but a few would befriend Miss Rod and make her blushing and melting with embarrassment. All of this can lead to the same result. After all, different approaches suit different minds.

Most Engifted understand the natural logic of the physical reality that surrounds us and can therefore briefly transform this logic to perform Miracles. But the greater one’s Gift, the heavier its weight on her mind and sanity: if not for our understanding, Vehement Enifted individuals would be considered insane and deranged. In actuality, they see the truth of existence on different planes, and these truths seep out of their consciousness, allowing them to create that which shouldn’t exist.

In such cases, the Gift manifests itself not only in the mind but also in the flesh: an Engifted body is destined for a long life, is not subject to pity illnesses, suppresses viruses, very quick to heal wounds, and even regrows lost limbs. Inherently, our Engifted sisters are more perfected in Her image than others. But the higher-grade Engifted inadvertently conjure bodily anomalies and even environmental changes, an effect they unable to control and only accept as part of themselves.

• Engifted Grades

The Grade System, constituted by the Herquisition administration and approved by the Supreme Council of Her’s in the Year 20 of the AA, defines the mental lucidity and Vehemence of the Engifted, who were twice blessed in Her Light. It encompasses eight individual grades, from those with limited potential to those who are exemplar of Creation. In ascending order they are: Glimmer, Glint, Spark, Blaze, Enshined, Luminant, Radiant and Solsticed. The first four grades are further subdivided into Dim and Bright ranks.

The system aids throughout Meority to rationalize the recognition of the obligations and burdens one can bring in using their Gift for the engoodening of the fellow sistren and for the protection of the Allmother’s Gorgeousness. After all, some tasks may prove either too meaningless or impossible for Engifted of different grades.

Although this Grade System was created only this age, Herquisition historians carefully researched the famous and celebrated Engifted of the Age of Crumbling and have awarded these heroes and queens of the past the most closely matching grades possible. However, their work is difficult to be accurate due to so many missing or oversaturated stories.

Glimmer

They exhibit the weakest manifestations of the Gift and not even required to study the basic Doctrines. Herquisition researches estimate that three-quarters of Glimmer-grade Engifted living in rural or remote areas never learn of their blessing. In most cases, these Glimmers grade themselves as Muten, while friends and neighbors dismiss the slightly unnatural events around them as the result of random luck. When they do use the Gift, Glimmers can perform Miracles that don't provide much benefit but are at least situationally useful in everyday life: creating a flame the size of a candle or close small wounds by running a finger over them. Physical mutations on Glimmers' bodies are also not observed.

Herquisition have concluded that the most likely number of people alive today who can receive the grade of Glimmer is ninety million.

Glint

Engifted of this grade are fully aware of this. Even if their Gift is not as formidable as that of their peers at higher grades, they are encouraged to study the Doctrines, at least the basic ones, to nurture and constrain their existing abilities. With some effort and training, Glints can utilize the Gift in regular work when applicable: they can easily generate a dense continuous flame large enough to cover their palm or freeze fresh meat with a simple touch. Minor physical changes can be observed on Glints’ bodies, but not particularly abnormal ones, be that a lock of hair permanently dyed an unnatural color or an unusually shaped birthmark.

According to the latest official report from the Herquisition, less than ten million sistren, given the current population, is the plausible number of Engifted that could be graded as Glints.

Spark

Their Gift can be effectively used in civil life, but sadly, for the prospect of destructive energy, its primary utilization is against the enemies of Meority. Engifted of the Spark grade and above are regularly conscripted into military service in most nations, but even if not, there are many professions where their talents will always be welcomed and highly rewarded. Regardless, by Herquisition’s demand, Sparks are decreed to complete basic Doctrines, and even additional ones depending on their future assignments. Most members of the Remedy Forces or those providing personal support to the Knights of Creation are of this grade. These Engifted are powerful enough to rely on their Gift in brief one-on-one combat, and their Miracles are still based on the rules of scientific reality that we in Meority understand, without excessive paranormal misrepresentations: for example, creating fireballs the size of ample breasts or slowing the movement of matter in a surrounding bubble-area.

Their bodies clearly display numerous anomalies, whether it be the unique shape of their horns and ears or a somewhat aberrant skin tint.

According to Herquisition’s officials, the number of Spark-grade sistren living among us today is estimated to be around one million and one hundred thousand.

Blaze

One hundred twenty thousands is the number of known sistren of this grade, and at this very moment, many of them are risking their lives for us as Knights of Creation.

To be born one of them is an honor, but also a responsibility: the parasites are Infinite, as is thou’s service in Her name. From early childhood, many Blazes are destined to take the place among the Knights of Creation in their homeland. Intense study of the Doctrines and military training will be conducted under the guidance of Herquisition, and great results will be achieved – their flesh will harden and minds will sharpen. Possessing formidable Gift and effortless skill, Blazes can enchant their blades to pierce through the toughest armor, set an enemy aflame simply by walking nearby, manipulate the earth to impale foes, and cause treacherous fists to shatter if anyone dares to raise them.

Blazes exhibit unique bodily anomalies that are often inconsistent with their natural biology, yet still beautiful in their forms, whether it be reptilian-scaled fingers when they are not of the reptilian tribe, or highly unusual skin coloring and patterns.

Enshined

The first of unstable grades. These Engifted are merely more Vehement than Blazes, but the weight of the Gift on their minds is already beginning to show. It is still easy to educate and inculcate the Doctrines to the Enshined, but caution is required, as there is a chance their minds may internalize knowledge incorrectly, affecting the Miracles they will manifest in the future. Furthermore, not all of them are disciplined or obey orders; they often make decisions independently and use the Gift irregularly and eccentrically, though this does not mean ineffective. The Miracles of the Enshined may express superstitious elements, significant and logical only to their insight, but largely useless to truly work (or so it seems) – things like prayer words and runes weaved into manipulated shapes and substances, or specific colors determining various characteristics of the Miracles created.

Enshineds’ bodily anomalies are larger in size and may include more unnatural growths of originally inorganic matter, as well as dermis patterns that have... what some called, “magical origins”.

As per the Herquisition's Office, there are currently just under fourteen thousand people carry the grade of Enshined.

Luminant

With their minds even more volatile under the pressure of the Gift than those of the previous grade, not all of them are capable of becoming Knights of Creation. Firstly, because only a handful are capable of accepting authority and following orders, and secondly, not many Luminants can be taught the Doctrines and refrain from unsound actions that disrupt the stability of the surrounding reality. And yet, they always find abode among the Red Capes of Herquisition: the enemies within grow, evolve uncontrollably, obey no rules or principles, and therefore those who hunt them must also have no limitations.

Close to thirteen hundred sistren living on Her Gorgeousness today have officially received the status of Luminants, and many of them serve in the Ordono Krano with the freedoms and jurisdictions that come with it.

On top of greater bodily anomalies, the Luminants’ presence can constantly graze the surroundings, especially through direct contact, leaving behind alterations that defy the laws of nature – and this is even before they channel their Gift with intent. Their Miracles cannot be explained by logic: when Luminants use fire, they don't simply incinerate their foes, but can also coat themselves in freezing flames, showering the entire room with a swarm of sparks, before departing unburned and leaving behind the shattered insect-ravaged bodies of the heretics.

Radiant

Radiants are blessed with the Gift, but... also cursed. They are not hated, but venerated – their enjoyment of live is involuntarily sacrificed for an elevating power they might never have wanted. Even the mere Anomalous Presence of Radiants affects the reality around them, even in their unconscious state. Be that abnormal temperatures or the appearance of ghostly paint in the surrounding space – this is the result of an unknowingly insane and frantic worldview somewhere deep within their consciousness, and seeing these anomalies everywhere, Radiants begin to believe they are part of the real world, further amplifying their abnormal beliefs. The same can be said for their social adequacy: if you dare to communicate with such an Engifted, you will feel as if you are standing on a sea of broken glass, where a single wrong word can cause you to slip and drown in the sharpness. Thus, ordinary people are advised not to approach such Engifted, otherwise you risk facing irreversible changes permeating within yourself, often depriving you of life, even if neither of you wants such an outcome.

As a result, the Radiants cannot understand the reality we do, they cannot commune with us, they cannot wield the technologies we create. The Gift of theirs is too Vehement, and their minds are fever with frenzy thoughts. Even the Herquisition not always finds a place for them to stay. All they can do in life is to seek purpose, one which they often find in battles against the nightmares spawned by the Envy. When a Radiant steps onto the battlefields against the Umbral Horrors, she resembles a candle in a bog of darkness, but she shines like a comet in the empty sky, leading the way out of the night.

For better or worse, there are only a few of them. The Herquisition Office recognizes one hundred and sixty-one of our sistren who are of the Radiant grade.

Solsticed

The most powerful and puissant – the Paragons of the Engifted. Very few of them live at the same time, but even the distant presence of one is enough to fill us all with awe. For that reason, each Solsticed receives the unique title of the Lord of Creation, by which they will be known and remembered in history.

With the recent passing of Flattia Bellus III, Lord of Perpetual Calm, there are currently only twenty other confirmed Solsticed living on Meorenell.

Neither Herquisitors, nor Queens, nor Empresses can command them – the Solsticed obey to no one but the Aspects. However, most of them just act as they freely please. Some hide forever in their consecrated Domains alone, other gather honorable Retinues to march against Nightmares of Envy, third rule over nations, and some… become even frenzier than they already are. Whatever the Solsticed do, their actions leave marks on our world.

Under the influence of the Gift, the bodies of the Solsticed change and take on a greater beauty, recognizable yet distant from their tribes. Although compared to the might and power of the Aspects the Solsticed still look like children with toys, they are formidable. Their Anomalous Presence alters reality in ways we can only describe with a simple word from the language of the Giant – “Magic”, for what happens always defies both logic and science. Whether they are awake or slumber, the Vehemence of their Gift continuously reshapes Existence around them: when they believe white-colored objects are indestructible, then it is true; when they believe other people are always smiling, everyone around them laughs uncontrollably; when they believe they are levitating, then so be it; and when they believe the world is aflame, then everything they look upon burns.

• Muten

Today, it is widely believed that every child of Meora is blessed with the Gift, but just as not everyone is destined to be born with spectacular breasts or elegant feet, not everyone is born Engifted of any significance. Whether this is true or not, the vast majority of people in Meority bereft the ability to create Miracles and are graded as Muten.

• Resonants

Very often, the term refers to the rare instances of people (or living creatures in general) who are unaffected by the Anomalous Presence of a high-grade Engifted. Typically, this is a person so dear to said Engifted that her fear of harmful repercussions inadvertently subdues and neutralizes the Gift's effects on or around that person. After all, the lives of most high-grade Engifted is lonely and sad; they can’t even find kinship in each other, for their delirium and distorted understandings of reality clash when they meet. Forever they dream of sharing life with other sistrens in all its fullness someday – a wish that will never come true. And so they travel across Her Gorgeousness to find those few we call Resonants, whom they can touch and who, in turn, can be kindred to them not from a distance. And when they find one, they treasure it greatly.

It also refers to two or more Engifted of the same grade and Vehemence who are perfectly synchronized and suppress each other due to a flawless understanding of how the opponent thinks and uses the Gift, thereby mutually restricting its use.

Too it refers to the very few historical high-grade Enigfted who saw the world as it was, whose insight on reality was not crushed under the influence of the Gift, and therefore their presence kept reality as it would be, even preventing other Engifted from altering it in any way.