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Cosmology of Adaris

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The cosmology of Adaris begins in the Primordial Void, an infinite expanse of chaotic energy known as Astram. From this boundless sea of potential emerged Daathir, the first spark of consciousness and a primordial spirit, embodying self-awareness and the essence of being. As Daathir awakened within the void, it gave rise to Awenlas, the spirit of imagination and creativity. Together, Daathir and Awenlas shaped the formless Astram into the foundation of reality through a metaphysical interplay of thought and dream.

From their dance emerged the Primordial Elements, the fundamental forces that define existence in Adaris. These elements—infused with the consciousness of Daathir and the dreams of Awenlas—gave form and purpose to the chaos of Astram, establishing a world where belief and awareness continuously shape reality.

The Primordial Void and the Emergence of Daathir

Primordial Void
The infinite expanse of chaotic energy, the origin of all things.

The Nature of the Primordial Void

The Primordial Void is not truly empty, but a realm of unformed potential—raw, chaotic energy in constant flux. Known as Astram, this energy lacks structure or purpose until acted upon by conscious intent. Myths describe it as the canvas of all existence, waiting to be shaped.

Emergence of Daathir

From the shifting depths of Astram emerged Daathir: not a being, but consciousness itself. It was both the observer and the observed—the first awareness to name itself and thus create the possibility of identity. This act marked the birth of the first Primordial Spirit, a focal point around which Astram could begin to coalesce.

The Dance of Daathir and Awenlas

In its solitude, Daathir dreamt—and from this dreaming arose Awenlas, the spirit of imagination. Where Daathir is thought and awareness, Awenlas is inspiration and vision. The two did not create reality by design, but through their interplay: imagination stirring thought, and thought giving shape to dream.

The Nature of Awenlas

Awenlas is the embodiment of unbounded creativity. While Daathir contemplates, Awenlas envisions. Their metaphysical union generated ripples through Astram—waves of potential made real—initiating the first structural layers of existence.

The Birth of the Primordial Elements

Through the fusion of thought, dream, and the ever-shifting Astram, six Primordial Elements emerged:

  • Dharas: Spirit of light—illumination, clarity, and revelation.
  • Arafia: Spirit of darkness—mystery, depth, and the hidden. Not merely the absence of light, but an active force.
  • Oras: Spirit of earth—permanence, endurance, and crystallized form.
  • Tejas: Spirit of fire—creation, destruction, and transformation.
  • Shasae: Spirit of air—motion, breath, and connection between realms.
  • Jala: Spirit of water—fluidity, reflection, and adaptation.

Together, these forces formed the raw materials of Adaris. Dharas and Arafia created a balance of illumination and obscurity, while Oras, Tejas, Shasae, and Jala defined the physical structure of the world.

Over time, the residual energies of these elements gave rise to mortals—beings infused with fragments of Daathir’s awareness. Everything in Adaris carries a trace of this original consciousness, shaped by the elemental interplay.

Relationships Between the Elements

None of the elements act alone. They influence one another—earth grounded by water, fire consumed by air, light balanced by darkness. This interconnection defines the spiritual and physical ecology of Adaris.

The Creation of Adaris

The elemental realms took form over uncountable eons, not bound by linear time. But chaos lingered, and so the spirit of time, Kairos, came into being—an Ascendant Spirit who stabilized the progression of events.

Each elemental spirit established its own realm:

  • Orethil: The boundless earthplane, shaped by Oras.
  • Anarik: The undersea of flame, formed by Tejas.
  • Caelum: The air above, shaped by Shasae.

Jala, lacking a space of its own, entered Orethil uninvited. This act shattered the barriers between realms and ignited the **Great Erosion Wars**—a conflict of elemental boundaries and power.

To halt the destruction, Daathir created the Enarei—mediators of cosmic will—who ended the war and brokered a pact among the elements: each would retain its form while allowing for change, blending, and eventual transformation. From this compromise, the true world of Adaris was born.

The War of Light and Dark

The collapse of barriers also dissolved the separation between Dharas and Arafia. Though not fought in the material realm, their conflict continues in abstract forms. The spirits created entities to serve their will in a metaphysical war—its ebb and flow forming the rhythms of day and night, and even seasonal shifts.

Unlike the Great Erosion, this war has no known end. It is an eternal tension—presence versus mystery—woven into the world's very rhythm.

The Rise of Ascendant Spirits

The creation of Kairos introduced linear time to Adaris. As the elements mixed and stabilized, new concepts emerged: truth, memory, justice, decay—each one personified by a new **Ascendant Spirit**. Unlike the primordial forces, Ascendant Spirits were not born from Astram, but from interactions within the world.

They carved out domains of influence, often dwelling in Orethil or creating new realms of their own.

The Age of Man

While the Primordial Spirits warred, Awenlas continued to dream. From their dream came **humans**—not to fight, but to imagine. These first humans existed in the realm of Kalpanas, and once it stabilized, Awenlas sent them to the island of Awenelir.

Here they flourished—creating a civilization rooted in creativity and vision.

The Great Migration

Driven by curiosity, humanity expanded beyond Awenelir, migrating into the broader physical realms. In doing so, they encountered other spirits whose influence reshaped them. Over generations, this adaptability caused humans to evolve into new lineages—each with its own culture, memory, and sometimes physiology.

The Spirits of Adaris

Primordial and Ascendant Spirits

Primordial Spirits emerged from Astram at the dawn of time; Ascendant Spirits arose later, as expressions of complex interaction and thought. Both shape Adaris, but only Primordials hold foundational roles.

Ancestral Spirits

Ancestral Spirits differ in origin. They emerge from collective belief, tradition, and memory—formed when a society invests enough consciousness into an idea that it gains form. These spirits reflect culture, rather than create it.

They evolve across three stages:

  • Nascent Spirits: Raw potential, tied to small phenomena.
  • Mature Spirits: Self-aware entities capable of interaction.
  • Ancestral Spirits: Powerful beings integral to cultural identity.

Spirits fade if forgotten, or become erratic without continued belief. Some outlast their cultures, becoming elemental forces unto themselves.

The Role of Osia and the Osiari

Osia is the internal art of spiritual attunement. Practiced by the Osiari, it is not spellwork but conscious alignment with elemental and ancestral forces.

Osiari seek to understand and move with the cosmos. Through this, they influence the world—not by command, but by resonance with the foundational spirits of Adaris.

Cosmological and Philosophical Significance

The cosmology of Adaris is not a static myth, but a living framework. It shapes identity, governance, ritual, and thought. The idea that everything is made of layered consciousness informs how Adarans understand morality, law, and social cohesion.

Influence on Society and Governance

Across Adaris, leadership often draws upon cosmological insight. In cultures where Dharas and Arafia are venerated, law emphasizes balance and perspective. In Tejas-aligned societies, change and innovation are core principles.

The Osiari often serve as advisers, mediators, and spiritual architects of civic life.

Cultural Practices and Rituals

Many rituals reflect the cosmological balance:

  • Ceremonies of Light and Darkness: Honor Dharas and Arafia through light, shadow, and silence.
  • Earth and Stone Festivals: Dedicate craft and structure to Oras.
  • Fire and Water Rites: Invoke Tejas and Jala through transformation rituals.
  • Sky Celebrations: Celebrate Shasae with wind-play and skywatching.

These events reinforce the elemental roots of Adaran society and connect the people to the primordial forces that shape their world.