Alteration
Overview
Alteration is the ability to materialize imagination and memories into reality using Mana. Unlike The Tumult, which causes Aether to adhere erratically to beings and things, Alteration channels ideas through the filter of thought and will.
Accessibility
All human beings possess the capacity for Alteration — a baker capable of minor Alteration could manipulate the idea of fire to bake bread, or a carpenter could tap into the Aether to create otherwise impossible shapes. However, certain individuals known as Alterers have made this skill their specialty through innate talent or relentless effort. While Alterers do not necessarily belong to a Faction, many join the ranks of these groups according to the philosophy that resonates with them most, seeking to channel their abilities within a broader framework.
Mechanics
Through Alteration, it is possible to materialize physical objects, constructs, and Eidolons. While most things created through Alteration are ephemeral, allocating large amounts of Mana can make them more resilient and more strongly anchored in reality.
Knowledge Dependency
Alteration’s effectiveness depends on the richness of the practitioner’s imagination. During The Great Wandering, the loss of humanity’s stories — books, annals, and tales abandoned by the Tumult Nomads — severely limited early Alterers. Oral traditions preserved through campfires and bedtime stories sustained the first summonings of Eidolons. One goal of the Rediscovery Endeavor is to reclaim forgotten cultures and lost stories, thereby strengthening Asgarthan Alteration capabilities.
Societal Impact
Alteration has been invaluable in structuring Asgarthan society, enabling it to endure in hostile environments. The six Factions of Asgartha each have their own philosophy on how Alteration should be used to stabilize the world.
Faction Styles
Each faction has developed its own distinctive approach to Alteration:
- Axiom: Focus on practical, technological applications
- Bravos: Practice The Avgrunn, absorbing Aether to strengthen themselves
- Lyra: Practice The Ignescence, drawing Mana from within or harvesting performance energy
- Muna: Practice The Anam, shaping Mana for long-term transformations
- Ordis: Practice Heka, using written glyphs to rewrite natural laws
- Yzmir: Practice The Naali, channeling Aether through The Spheres
Relationships
- Mana: Energy that powers Alteration
- The Aether: Immaterial substance channeled through Alteration
- Quintessence: Physical substance that Aether is bound to via Mana
- Eidolons: Conscious beings that can be summoned through Alteration
- Alterers: Individuals who specialize in Alteration
- The Tumult: Chaotic counterpart to controlled Alteration
- Oblivion: Affliction that can impair Alterers’ ability to use Alteration
- Rediscovery Endeavor: Initiative partly aimed at recovering lost knowledge to strengthen Alteration