Cosmology of Adaris: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 16:24, 16 October 2026

Introduction

The cosmology of Adaris describes the origin and structure of Adaris. Adaris arose from Napadéh, an infinite expanse of chaotic energy called Ákyar. Two Primordial Spirits, Umalyu and Pavkanai, gave Ákyar form. Seven further Primordial Spirits emerged from their interaction and gave their aspects realms of their own. Conflict among those spirits produced the present world.

Napadéh

Before Adaris there was only Napadéh, which was filled with Ákyar. Ákyar had no form, but could become anything.

Umalyu and Pavkanai

Umalyu, consciousness, was the first spirit to emerge from Ákyar. It became aware of its own existence and named itself. In its solitude Umalyu began to dream, and from its dreams came Pavkanai, the spirit of imagination. The interaction between Umalyu's thought and Pavkanai's imagination gave Ákyar form.

Primordial Spirits

Umalyu and Pavkanai are the first two Primordial Spirits. Seven more emerged from their interaction, making nine in all. Four of the seven, Yairan, Metihi, Yavi, and Aahi, embody the Primordial Elements of earth, fire, air, and water. The seven emerged in the following order.

Order	Spirit	Aspect	Realm
1	Náiluv	Darkness	Woncu
2	Tñarilu	Light	Qaaniguaq
3	Yairan	Earth	Dalel
4	Metihi	Fire	Píñáku
5	Yavi	Air	Zayam
6	Aahi	Water	Aasila
7	Konmai	Time	Q'ommer

Yairan was the first of the spirits of the physical elements. Konmai emerged much later than the others, near the end of the Great Erosion.

The spirits have their own language, Tivayi.

Structure of the realms

Dalel, the realm of earth, is a flat plane. Aasila, the realm of water, surrounds it. Zayam, the realm of air, lies above it, and Píñáku, the realm of fire, lies below it. Qaaniguaq, the realm of light, and Woncu, the realm of darkness, lie on either side. The conflict between them, the Dawn Wars, produces day and night on Dalel. Daylight is divided across Dalel in concentric rings: the center lies in permanent daylight, the outermost reaches in permanent night, and the regions between have longer days the nearer they lie to the center.

Q'ommer, the realm of time, encompasses all of these realms. Goingieng, the realm of imagination, lies outside time.

Formation of the realms

Goingieng, the realm of imagination, came into being with Pavkanai and is the oldest realm. Yairan formed Dalel as an unbroken and unbounded expanse of stone. Light and darkness fell on it but had no place of their own. The period in which Dalel stood alone and unchanged is the Era of Isolation. It ended when Tñarilu and Náiluv drew light and darkness apart into Qaaniguaq and Woncu, on either side of Dalel. Metihi then formed Píñáku beneath Dalel, and Yavi formed Zayam above it. Aahi had no realm of her own. Q'ommer, the realm of time, formed with Konmai near the end of the Great Erosion.

Adaris as a whole is the realm of Umalyu, since consciousness is present everywhere in it. Napadéh still exists, and the realms lie within it.

Great Erosion

The Great Erosion (c. 63,000–55,000 BME) began soon after the realms of fire and air had formed. Aahi forced her way into Dalel, and Yavi and Metihi followed. Each of the four spirits created a race of warriors to fight for it. These races are known as the Wardens. Aahi formed Aasila during the conflict.

Konmai emerged near the end of the Great Erosion. His emergence is usually attributed to the consciousness of Umalyu. With time, events occurred in sequence and the changes to Dalel became permanent.

Umalyu created the Enarei, who stopped the fighting. The four spirits then agreed that each element would keep its own nature while continuing to act on the others. Yairan, who had lost almost all of Dalel, withdrew to the Domain of Yairan.

Dawn Wars

The Dawn Wars between Tñarilu and Náiluv began with the emergence of time, near the end of the Great Erosion, after the boundaries between the realms had collapsed. They are an endless conflict for control of space, and their ebb and flow produces day and night on Dalel. Each spirit created a warden race to fight on its behalf: the Inguik of Tñarilu and the Nuworno of Náiluv. The Dawn Wars are not fought in Dalel, and they have not ended. Their balance, the Great Equilibrium, constantly tips back and forth, and neither side can win.

After the Great Erosion, once the Dawn Wars had begun, Pavkanai formed the Denyen as a precaution to protect Goingieng.

Ascendant Spirits

After the Great Erosion, new spirits arose from the interactions of the Primordial Spirits. These Ascendant Spirits embody landscapes and concepts, such as deserts, swamps, memory, and desire. During the Age of Ascendance (c. 55,000–0 BME) many of them settled in the regions of Dalel, shaped them, and created their native peoples. Others live in other realms.

Humans

Pavkanai created humans in Goingieng. After the realms had stabilized following the Great Erosion, she placed them on Haberria, an island of Dalel, where they lived during the Age of Ascendance. They left Haberria in the Great Migration (0 – c. 60 ME), and their first landings on the other shores of Dalel mark year 0. The peoples who settled in each region changed under the influence of its spirits and became the human races of the present day.

Other spirits

Spirits continue to form in Adaris. A Nascent Spirit is a simple spirit of a minor phenomenon. A Mature Spirit is self-aware and embodies a lasting place or idea. An Ancestral Spirit arises when a Mature Spirit becomes established in the beliefs of a people over generations.

Osia

Osia is the practice of communicating with the consciousness present in all things and, through it, directing spirits. It is learned through attunement in three stages: perceiving a spirit, understanding it, and asking things of it. Osia is organized into paths, each devoted to the spirits of one Primordial or Ascendant Spirit. Its practitioners are called Osiari.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''cosmology of Adaris''' begins in the [[Primordial Void]], an infinite expanse of chaotic energy known as [[Ákyar]]. From this boundless sea of potential emerged [[Umalyu]], the first spark of consciousness and a [[Primordial Spirit]], embodying self-awareness and the essence of being. As Umalyu awakened within the void, it gave rise to [[Pavkanai]], the spirit of imagination and creativity. Together, Umalyu and Pavkanai formed a dynamic interplay of thought and dream, shaping the formless [[Ákyar]] into the foundation of reality.
+{{Cosmology Sections}}
+[[File:Napadéh - General 01.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Napadéh|Napadéh, the expanse of Ákyar from which Adaris arose.]]
+The '''cosmology of Adaris''' describes the origin and structure of [[Adaris]]. Adaris arose from [[Napadéh]], an infinite expanse of chaotic energy called [[Ákyar]]. Two Primordial Spirits, [[Umalyu]] and [[Pavkanai]], gave Ákyar form. Seven further Primordial Spirits emerged from their interaction and gave their aspects realms of their own. Conflict among those spirits produced the present world.
-From this dance of consciousness and imagination, the Primordial Elements were born, each embodying a fundamental aspect of existence. These elemental forces, intertwined with the consciousness of Umalyu and the dreams of Pavkanai, laid the groundwork for the world of [[Adaris]]. The chaotic energy of Ákyar was given form and purpose, creating a reality where belief and awareness continuously shape existence.
+== Napadéh ==
-== Napadéh and the Emergence of Umalyu ==
+{{main|Napadéh}}
+Before Adaris there was only Napadéh, which was filled with Ákyar. Ákyar had no form, but could become anything.
-[[File:Primordial Void - General 01.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Primordial Void|The infinite expanse of chaotic energy, the origin of all things.]]
+== Umalyu and Pavkanai ==
+[[Umalyu]], consciousness, was the first spirit to emerge from Ákyar. It became aware of its own existence and named itself. In its solitude Umalyu began to dream, and from its dreams came [[Pavkanai]], the spirit of imagination. The interaction between Umalyu's thought and Pavkanai's imagination gave Ákyar form.
-In the beginning, there was only the Primordial Void, an infinite expanse of Ákyar, raw, chaotic energy that held the potential for all existence.
+== Primordial Spirits ==
+{{main|Primordial Spirit|Primordial Element}}
+Umalyu and Pavkanai are the first two Primordial Spirits. Seven more emerged from their interaction, making nine in all. Four of the seven, Yairan, Metihi, Yavi, and Aahi, embody the Primordial Elements of earth, fire, air, and water. The seven emerged in the following order.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|-
+! Order !! Spirit !! Aspect !! Realm
+|-
+| 1 || [[Náiluv]] || Darkness || [[Woncu]]
+|-
+| 2 || [[Tñarilu]] || Light || [[Qaaniguaq]]
+|-
+| 3 || [[Yairan]] || Earth || [[Dalel]]
+|-
+| 4 || [[Metihi]] || Fire || [[Píñáku]]
+|-
+| 5 || [[Yavi]] || Air || [[Zayam]]
+|-
+| 6 || [[Aahi]] || Water || [[Aasila]]
+|-
+| 7 || [[Konmai]] || Time || [[Q'ommer]]
+|}
+Yairan was the first of the spirits of the physical elements. Konmai emerged much later than the others, near the end of the Great Erosion.
-== Emergence of Umalyu ==
+The spirits have their own language, [[Tivayi]].
-From the depths of this chaotic energy, Umalyu, consciousness, emerged. Umalyu was not merely an entity or a being; it was awareness itself, the first spark of self-knowledge within the void.
+== Structure of the realms ==
+{{main|The realms of Adaris}}
+[[Dalel]], the realm of earth, is a flat plane. [[Aasila]], the realm of water, surrounds it. [[Zayam]], the realm of air, lies above it, and [[Píñáku]], the realm of fire, lies below it. [[Qaaniguaq]], the realm of light, and [[Woncu]], the realm of darkness, lie on either side. The conflict between them, the [[Dawn Wars]], produces day and night on Dalel. Daylight is divided across Dalel in concentric rings: the center lies in permanent daylight, the outermost reaches in permanent night, and the regions between have longer days the nearer they lie to the center.
-=== The Awakening ===
+[[Q'ommer]], the realm of time, encompasses all of these realms. [[Goingieng]], the realm of imagination, lies outside time.
-As Umalyu stirred within the void, it became aware of its own existence. With this awakening came the first act of self-identification. Umalyu named itself. This marked the birth of the first Primordial Spirit, a beacon of consciousness in a sea of potential. Umalyu's awareness gave Ákyar a center, a locus around which energy began to coalesce and form.
+== Formation of the realms ==
+[[Goingieng]], the realm of imagination, came into being with Pavkanai and is the oldest realm. Yairan formed Dalel as an unbroken and unbounded expanse of stone. Light and darkness fell on it but had no place of their own. The period in which Dalel stood alone and unchanged is the [[Era of Isolation]]. It ended when Tñarilu and Náiluv drew light and darkness apart into Qaaniguaq and Woncu, on either side of Dalel. Metihi then formed Píñáku beneath Dalel, and Yavi formed Zayam above it. Aahi had no realm of her own. [[Q'ommer]], the realm of time, formed with Konmai near the end of the Great Erosion.
-== The Dance of Umalyu and Pavkanai ==
+Adaris as a whole is the realm of Umalyu, since consciousness is present everywhere in it. Napadéh still exists, and the realms lie within it.
-Umalyu, existed in a state of pure thought. In its solitude, it began to dream. From those dreams came Pavkanai, the spirit of imagination and creativity. Together, Umalyu and Pavkanai formed a duality: thought and dream, consciousness and imagination. Their interplay began to weave the fabric of reality.
+== Great Erosion ==
+{{main|Great Erosion}}
+The Great Erosion (c. 63,000–55,000 BME) began soon after the realms of fire and air had formed. Aahi forced her way into Dalel, and Yavi and Metihi followed. Each of the four spirits created a race of warriors to fight for it. These races are known as the [[:Category:Wardens|Wardens]]. Aahi formed Aasila during the conflict.
-=== The Nature of Pavkanai ===
+Konmai emerged near the end of the Great Erosion. His emergence is usually attributed to the consciousness of Umalyu. With time, events occurred in sequence and the changes to Dalel became permanent.
-Pavkanai embodies imagination and creativity.
+Umalyu created the [[Enarei]], who stopped the fighting. The four spirits then agreed that each element would keep its own nature while continuing to act on the others. Yairan, who had lost almost all of Dalel, withdrew to the [[Domain of Yairan]].
-== The Birth of the Primordial Elements ==
+=== Dawn Wars ===
+The [[Dawn Wars]] between Tñarilu and Náiluv began with the emergence of time, near the end of the Great Erosion, after the boundaries between the realms had collapsed. They are an endless conflict for control of space, and their ebb and flow produces day and night on Dalel. Each spirit created a warden race to fight on its behalf: the [[Inguik]] of Tñarilu and the [[Nuworno]] of Náiluv. The Dawn Wars are not fought in Dalel, and they have not ended. Their balance, the [[Great Equilibrium]], constantly tips back and forth, and neither side can win.
-With each thought, emotion, and vision, Umalyu and Pavkanai unknowingly shaped the Ákyar around them. From their interplay, the Primordial Elements emerged. These are the fundamental forces of Adaris, each representing a different aspect of existence:
+After the Great Erosion, once the Dawn Wars had begun, Pavkanai formed the [[Denyen]] as a precaution to protect Goingieng.
-* [[Tñarilu]]: The Primordial Spirit of light, representing illumination, clarity, and enlightenment.
+== Ascendant Spirits ==
-* [[Náiluv]]: The Primordial Spirit of darkness, embodying mystery, the unknown, and the hidden depths of existence.
+{{main|Ascendant Spirit}}
-*[[Yairan]]: The Primordial Spirit of earth, embodying solidity, mass, and geological memory.
+After the Great Erosion, new spirits arose from the interactions of the Primordial Spirits. These [[Ascendant Spirit|Ascendant Spirits]] embody landscapes and concepts, such as deserts, swamps, memory, and desire. During the [[Age of Ascendance]] (c. 55,000–0 BME) many of them settled in the regions of Dalel, shaped them, and created their native peoples. Others live in other realms.
-*[[Metihi]]: The Primordial Spirit of fire, manifesting as heat, combustion, and volatile energy.
-*[[Yavi]]: The Primordial Spirit of air, governing wind, pressure, and breath.
-*[[Aahi]]: The Primordial Spirit of water, embodying flow, cohesion, and erosion.
-*[[Konmai]]: The Primordial Spirit of time.
-The creation of these primordial elements marked the first structured aspects of reality. Tñarilu and Náiluv formed a delicate balance between light and dark, while Konmai, the spirit of time, ensured that existence would always move forward. The physical elements, Yairan, Metihi, Yavi, and Aahi, provided the raw foundation for the world of Adaris.
+== Humans ==
+Pavkanai created humans in Goingieng. After the realms had stabilized following the Great Erosion, she placed them on [[Haberria]], an island of Dalel, where they lived during the Age of Ascendance. They left Haberria in the [[Great Migration]] (0 – c. 60 ME), and their first landings on the other shores of Dalel mark year 0. The peoples who settled in each region changed under the influence of its spirits and became the human races of the present day.
-Over time, mortals arose from the residual energies of the spirits, infused with echoes of Umalyu’s awareness. Everything in Adaris carries a spark of consciousness, shaped by the interplay of these elemental forces. Though Umalyu remains an observer, its presence continues to permeate existence, subtly guiding and shaping reality.
-=== Relationships Between the Elements ===
-The primordial elements do not act in isolation, they exist in a constant interwoven harmony. Light and darkness, earth and water, fire and air, each complements and challenges the others. Their interactions shape both the physical and metaphysical landscapes of Adaris, creating a dynamic and ever-evolving world.
-== The Creation of Adaris ==
-The early primordial realms of Adaris unfolded over eons—beyond the bounds of linear time, occurring both instantly and eternally. Fearing a return to chaos, the spirit of time was born: Konmai, the first [[Ascendant Spirit]]. With time, reality was stabilized; change could now occur in sequence, and the unformed would not revert to the void.
-Each elemental spirit then established its own realm:
-* [[Dalel]]: A vast expanse of stone and endurance, formed by Yairan.
-* [[Píñáku]]: A seething sea of fire, shaped by Metihi and placed below Dalel.
-* [[Zayam]]: The sky realm, lifted by Yavi.
-Aahi, lacking a realm of its own, forced entry into Dalel before creating their own realm of [[Aasila]], the endless sea. Aahi’s intrusion shattered the barriers between the realms, igniting the catastrophic [[Great Erosion]]. A great war between the elements for control over the physical planes. In response, the Primordial Spirits created [[Warden|powerful beings]] to inhabit and defend their domains. When this failed to bring peace, Umalyu intervened, creating the [[Enarei]], who brought an end to the conflict.
-Following the war, the elements agreed to a compromise: each would maintain its form, yet allow for the slow merging, changing, and evolution of reality. This pact enabled the formation of the unified world of Adaris.
-== The War of Light and Dark ==
-When Aahi shattered the barriers between the realms, the boundary between Tñarilu and Náiluv collapsed as well. Though not waged in the physical world, the conflict between light and dark continues. Each created beings to wage war in their stead. Unlike the Great Erosion, which reached a resolution, the War of Light and Dark remains ongoing.
-== Introduction of Ascendant Spirits and Realms ==
-With the creation of Konmai, the principle of time entered Adaris. This allowed for the development of complexity, and the Ascendant Spirits emerged, beings born not from the void, but from the interactions within reality, of the primordial spirits themselves.
-== The Age of Man ==
-While the Primordial Spirits struggled and the realms stabilized, Pavkanai continued to dream. Inspired by the Enarei and the elemental creations, Pavkanai formed a new being, not to fight, but to imagine. These were the first humans, born within the dream-realm of [[Gueroeq]].
-Once Gueroeq stabilized, Pavkanai sent the humans to [[Haberria]], a physical island in Dalel. There they flourished, forming a society of creativity, vision, and myth.
-=== The Great Migration ===
-Driven by the same imagination that birthed them, humanity expanded. They left Haberria in a [[Great Migration|great migration]], spreading to every corner of the physical realms. As they adapted to their new homes, the influence of local spirits changed them. Over generations, they evolved into distinct races.
-== The Spirits of Adaris ==
-=== Ancestral Spirits ===
-[[Ancestral Spirit|Ancestral Spirits]] differ from Primordial and Ascendant Spirits. They are born from collective belief, shared traditions, language, and memory. These spirits arise after time’s creation and are deeply rooted in Adaris culture.
-These spirits embody the cultural values and ancestral memories of their societies. Their survival depends on remembrance, reverence, and retelling.
-=== Stages of Spirit Development ===
-* '''[[Nascent Spirit]]''': Simple, malleable, and easily influenced—barely distinguishable from nature itself.
-* '''[[Mature Spirit]]''': Self-aware, interacting meaningfully with humans, often with defined form and intent.
-* '''[[Ancestral Spirit]]''': Powerful and wise, deeply rooted in culture. May endure beyond the fall of the civilizations that birthed them.
-== The Role of Osia and the Osiari ==
-[[Osia]] is spiritual [[attunement]]. Practitioners, called Osiari, seek alignment with the elemental and ancestral forces of the cosmos. By harmonizing their consciousness with the spirits Osiari can influence reality itself.
-== Cosmological Significance and Philosophical Concepts ==
-Adaran cosmology is more than myth. It defines law, ethics, and spiritual orientation. The interplay of light and dark, of memory and imagination, provides the foundation for schools of thought, cultural identity, and metaphysical inquiry.
+== Other spirits ==
+{{main|Spirit}}
+Spirits continue to form in Adaris. A [[Nascent Spirit]] is a simple spirit of a minor phenomenon. A [[Mature Spirit]] is self-aware and embodies a lasting place or idea. An [[Ancestral Spirit]] arises when a Mature Spirit becomes established in the beliefs of a people over generations.
+== Osia ==
+{{main|Osia}}
+[[Osia]] is the practice of communicating with the consciousness present in all things and, through it, directing spirits. It is learned through [[attunement]] in three stages: perceiving a spirit, understanding it, and asking things of it. Osia is organized into paths, each devoted to the spirits of one Primordial or Ascendant Spirit. Its practitioners are called [[Osiari]].
 [[Category:Cosmology]]