Life Force Mastery through Inner Balance
Monks in Eldara are unique among all practitioners of magic, as they are the only beings capable of bridging their own life force directly with The Aetheric Weave (Magic). This ancient practice originated when a small group of humans remained on Aelarion (Pre-fracture) after 1. The Great Exodus to study The Ythraewyn and understand the divine balance within their own nature. Through decades of meditation and spiritual discipline, they learned to channel their ki—their personal life essence—to supplement and enhance their connection to the weave itself.
Good-Aligned Monks: Seekers of Inner Light
Divine Connection: Good monks focus on purifying their inner essence and using their life force to bring healing, protection, and enlightenment to the world. They seek to embody the light within the cosmic balance.
Common Worship:
- Zyren, God of Life - Celebrating and protecting the sacred spark of existence
- Ithara, Healer of Sorrows - Using their abilities to heal and comfort others
- Miralin, God of Knowledge - Pursuing wisdom and inner understanding
- Seliana, Guardian of Hearth - Protecting communities through inner strength
Practices: Serve as healers, teachers, protectors of sacred sites, and guides for those seeking spiritual enlightenment. Use their life force magic to defend the innocent and preserve ancient wisdom.
Evil-Aligned Monks: Masters of Inner Shadow
Divine Connection: Evil monks embrace the darkness within the cosmic balance, using their life force to dominate, corrupt, and inflict suffering. They believe that power over one’s own essence grants the right to control others.
Common Worship:
- Vyrr, Patron of Forbidden Arts - Using life force magic to access dangerous knowledge
- Karash, God of Corruption - Corrupting others through mastery of inner darkness
- Xylar, Harbinger of Despair - Draining hope and vitality from their enemies
- Nythera, Weaver of Nightmares - Using inner darkness to torment others’ dreams
Practices: Serve as assassins, corrupt teachers, agents of dark cults, and masters of fear. Use their life force magic to drain enemies, spread corruption, and achieve personal power.
Neutral Monks: Keepers of Perfect Balance
Divine Connection: Neutral monks understand that true mastery comes from embracing both light and shadow within themselves, using their life force to maintain cosmic equilibrium and natural order.
Common Worship:
- Thanriel, God of Passage - Understanding life and death as natural transitions
- Ralos, God of Decay - Accepting ending as necessary for new beginning
- Caelith, God of Winter / Solana, God of Summer - Embodying seasonal balance
- Ancient philosophical principles rather than specific deities
Practices: Serve as mediators, guardians of ancient knowledge, neutral arbiters in conflicts, and preservers of cosmic balance. Use their abilities to maintain equilibrium regardless of moral implications.
Monastic Orders and Traditions
Various monastic orders have developed across Eldara, each specializing in different applications of life force magic:
- Way of the Flowing Stream (See Way of Mercy) - Focus on healing and restoration
- Way of the Iron Will (See Way of the Open Hand) - Master combat applications and physical enhancement
- Way of the Eternal Moment (See way of the Astral Self) - Dedicate themselves to meditation, divination, and spiritual insight
- Keepers of the Inner Flame - The original order that remained on Aelarion
- Way of the Four Elements - Draw power from the fundamental forces of the world
- Way of The Light (See Way of the Sun Soul) - Ki-fueled abilities calling on the sun’s power
- Way of the Drake (See Way of the Ascendant Dragon)
- Way of Steel (See Way of Kensei)
- Way of Shadow
Life Force Magic and the Weave
Monks alone possess the ability to use their own life essence as a bridge to The Aetheric Weave (Magic), creating a form of magic that is both deeply personal and cosmically connected. This practice requires perfect balance between expenditure and renewal of their vital energy, making monks naturally sensitive to the eternal struggle between light and shadow that defines existence.
Their unique connection grants them intuitive understanding of cosmic forces, making them capable of detecting corruption, maintaining spiritual equilibrium, and sensing the influence of both The Alorama and The Nyx upon the world around them.