Spirit
Spirits in Adaris are elemental forces, abstract concepts and collective beliefs given form by consciousness. As the Primordial Elements and the Primordial Spirits interact, as beliefs and traditions arise and as language develops, new spirits form. All things in Adaris, from the smallest creature to the largest mountain, are composed of spirits, and each carries a share of the consciousness of Umalyu, the first consciousness.
As spirits coalesce, their consciousness grows and becomes more distinct. Some remain nascent; others develop over time and become self-aware. Spirits are classed as Nascent, Mature, Ancestral, Ascendant and Primordial Spirits. The Primordial Spirits are the progenitors of all others.
Types of Spirits
Nascent Spirits
Nascent Spirits are the youngest and most malleable spirits in Adaris. They have little consciousness or awareness and represent minor, fleeting things, such as a mote of dust, a gust of wind or a brief memory. They are shaped by the beliefs, actions and changes in the environment around them, and their form and function are fluid.
Nascent Spirits are the building blocks of the natural world and form the foundation of all matter. They are not self-aware, but they coalesce to create more complex spirits. Osiari, practitioners of Osia, work mainly with Nascent Spirits to influence the elements and the physical world.
Mature Spirits
Where Nascent Spirits represent brief, undefined moments, such as a gust of wind or the ripple of water, Mature Spirits form when such moments accumulate and settle into a lasting concept. They arise from long-standing natural phenomena, human constructions or widely accepted ideas, where Nascent Spirits have coalesced over time.
Mature Spirits can influence natural events and play active roles in Adarian myths and rituals. They keep some connection to their origins, but their greater consciousness lets them act with more independence and intent.
Ancestral Spirits
Given enough time and cultural recognition, a Mature Spirit can become an Ancestral Spirit. This happens when the spirit's concept becomes rooted in the collective consciousness of a society.
Ancestral Spirits that arise from mortal belief often become patrons of communities, regions or whole cultures, and hold great influence over their followers. They are regarded as embodiments of ancient knowledge and often outlast the cultures that created them. They no longer need active worship to exist, having become a lasting part of the world.
Ascendant Spirits
Ascendant Spirits arose after the Great Erosion, born from the interactions between the Primordial Spirits. They embody both physical phenomena and conceptual forces, such as destiny, knowledge or memory.
The Primordial Spirits formed the material framework of the world; the Ascendant Spirits formed within it. Many settled the regions of Dalel, shaped them, and created the non-human native peoples; others inhabit the other realms.
Primordial Spirits
The Primordial Spirits are the original spirits of creation and the most powerful beings in existence. The Primordial Spirits came into being in the Napadéh itself; the Ascendant Spirits formed within the world. They are manifestations of consciousness and imagination.
There are nine Primordial Spirits. Umalyu, the Primordial Spirit of consciousness, emerged first. Pavkanai, the Primordial Spirit of imagination, arose from it as a natural consequence of consciousness. The other seven arose from the interaction of consciousness and imagination. In order of emergence:
- Náiluv – the Primordial Spirit of darkness
- Tñarilu – the Primordial Spirit of light
- Yairan – the Primordial Spirit of earth
- Metihi – the Primordial Spirit of fire
- Yavi – the Primordial Spirit of air
- Aahi – the Primordial Spirit of water
- Konmai – the Primordial Spirit of time, the last to emerge, near the end of the Great Erosion
Yairan, Metihi, Yavi and Aahi are also the four Primordial Elements. A spirit and its element are not separate things.
The Ratio of Consciousness
In Adaris, everything contains some consciousness, from the smallest insect to the tallest mountain, but the amount varies widely. A thinking being may be physically small but hold a large share of consciousness because of its self-awareness and complex mind. A mountain may be massive but is composed of many Nascent earth spirits, each with little consciousness.
This balance shapes how beings interact with the world. A mountain, for all its size, lacks complex consciousness and is slow to act. Beings with more consciousness, such as humans and Osiari, can act on the world through their connection to its spirits.
Hierarchy of Spirits
| Spirit Type | Origin | Consciousness | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nascent Spirit | Minor, fleeting things and events | Pre-conscious, reactive | Forms matter, reacts to presence |
| Mature Spirit | Persistent natural or conceptual patterns | Partially self-aware | Local influence, mythic presence |
| Ancestral Spirit | Cultural belief and time | Fully self-aware | Guardian, cultural memory |
| Ascendant Spirit | Interactions between the Primordial Spirits, after the Great Erosion | Fully aware, abstract | Governs a concept or feature of the land; settled the regions |
| Primordial Spirit | The Napadéh; the interaction of Umalyu and Pavkanai | Archetypal consciousness | Origin of existence and of the four elements |
Significance and Worship
Spirits are central to the culture and philosophy of Adaris and influence everything from daily life to religious practice. Many societies revere spirits, from the Nascent Spirits held to ensure the fertility of crops to the Ancestral Spirits that offer protection and wisdom. Temples, shrines and rituals dedicated to spirits are found throughout Adaris, and each reflects a people's relationship with the spirits of its land.
The practice of Osia depends on understanding and manipulating spirits. Osiari are often called on to mediate between spirits and people.