Conduit And Core

Mystic Potential

The Globe was a planet built by a God with no stock in mystic arts. It is ruled by a class of machines with no ability to connect to magic. Still, though, Magic is a force of the multiverse and it will have a foothold. The Globe lacks any sort of organized study of magic, so prepared spellcasters are rare with spontaneous casters being the norm.

On The Globe there are those who are born with magic, who are blessed or cursed with it, who barter for crumbs of cosmic knowledge from entities they barely understand. These are paths to power, to be sure, but they are undoubtedly incomplete paths that pale before the mystic might of the power that can be offered only to Arks.

To be sure in raw power the other spellcasters may match or exceed an Ark, but it is the sum of the parts of the Ark that make them greater than the others. An Ark has a connection to the very cosmos in a way none other can understand, they have a connection to other PEOPLE that few can truly understand. They can unlock the potential in others, but they can also unlock the potential latent in the world.

The Core

Arks have a direct mystic connection to the cosmos, acting as gates and conduits to the hidden heart of the world known as the Core. The Ark's connection to this Core is known as their conduit and each conduit reaches the core through the symbolic power of an aspect of reality, called a theme. The Moon conduit channels the raw possibility in the energy of the core through the lens of the night, blending silver light and sable shadow, deception and beauty. The Flame conduit conjures up the heat of the hearth, the warmth of the sun and the fury of the untamed blaze. The theme of their conduit not only provides flavor and shape to their powers, but perhaps also colors their philosophy. They would not have a theme that didn't work with them, that's simply not how the connection to the Core works.

It is said that the pure cosmic energy that flows through the Core is the very energy that allows new universes to be born, and as such both all things that could be and all things that are can be found in the ever-shifting sea of possibility that makes up the energy drawn through a conduit. This possibility is what gives an Ark the instinct and drive to do more, to be more, to find a mission and carry it out.

Arks and Voyages

An Ark's mission is something that is both highly personal and something that is a duty to the universe. It is a desire of the self that resonates with the all. One Ark's mission may be to bring down an encroaching empire from within, and it just so happens that empire is responsible for their parent's death. Another may be destined to open an ancient tomb, accidentally releasing the evil within, and coincidentally forming a bond with a Passenger who will become her lover as they unite to set right her mistake. The mission will undoubtedly change, sometimes completed, sometimes stymied, but one thing connects all Arks: They are people in motion who set things in motion, there is no such thing as an idle conduit. The culmination of each mission, however small, sets ripples in effect that will one day change the lives of many.

Oftentimes, Arks will be at odds with each other either for temporal reasons or because their missions clash. When their missions align, however, Arks and their Passengers will join up in groups called Voyages, banding together and forming a great group out of their whole. No one wants to hear that a Voyage has decided to come and ruin their plans with their cosmic mission. Voyages have been the lynchpins for more
world-turning events than anything else save war.

The Passenger

Despite the Subservient name, Passengers are afforded equal power to the Ark. In fact each Ark's conduit gives off excess energy that can't be converted into Core, instead it is turned into Potentia which can only be used by Passengers to fuel some of their extranormal powers called Binding Gifts.

Passengers are equal parts travelling companion, guardian and friend. It takes a great deal of trust to form a bond between a Passenger and an Ark, once the bond is made the two of them will always know where the other is and they can always read each other's minds, communicating telepathically. An Ark and their Passenger, therefore, must be comfortable offering their privacy to the other. The link isn't always open, their minds chattering away, but one can look into the other's mind at any time. This power comes in very handy for easy communication. An Ark can relay telepathic messages between their passengers as well, as long as they're conscious.

Passengers join to an Ark for many reasons. First, and foremost, is because they were close before the Ark awakened to their powers. Second are those who join because the Ark's missions call to them and they want to join in on their great adventures. The third, and least likely to last, are those who are drawn to the glamor and allure of power that being an Ark's Passenger provides. These people usually lack the trust and patience required to be a Passenger and so usually break the bond themselves.

The binding process is a highly personal thing, different for every Ark. Each Ark has their own style of binding ritual (one might require a tandem dance, another might perform a tea ceremony, another might require a contract be written up). Once bound, the Ark and their Passengers share an Emblem on their foreheads that are normally invisible, but flare into sight for a few seconds whenever any Potentia is given or spent.

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