Semblance

Everything that is, was and ever will be is the manifestation of the collective energies of the Aetherium given distinct purpose. Within the Aetherium itself these energies coalesce and shift according to the focused willpower of the sentient beings capable of manipulating them, bending and flowing in whatever direction is desired with no definitive identity or purpose. On the material plane, all things originated from the Aetherium and were shaped drawing from its infinite power and possibilities. The power to awaken one's senses to observe this energy and the information it contains is bestowed by the Cardinal Rune of Semblance.

Origins

Semblance is believed to have been gifted to mortals by the Dragon God of Dreams, Thiovan. The reasons for this are as wild and varied as stories about the Dreamer are. Whatever the truth, it has been lost to time. Semblance remains one of the oldest and most widely used forms of magic across all of Ransera. Its applications and uses are as numerous as the wizards who practice it. At one point in time, Semblance was viewed to be standard among the teachings and rune magics offered and taught at magical institutions across the Clockwork Empire.

Initiation and Threshold Sickness

As with all disciplines of rune magic the prospective semblance user must seek out a wizard who is both willing and capable of inscribing the Cardinal Rune of Semblance upon their body. Semblance is among one of the less dangerous branches of rune magic with regard to threshold sickness. Its effects are typically psychological and sensory with those afflicted by it experiencing hallucinations of varying degrees. These can range from auditory, olfactory, or visual with the very worst of the sickness being documented to include vivid waking dreams of such profound detail some believe them to be moments where they have physically walked the Aetherium. Most scholars believe these instances to simply be a byproduct of the sickness itself. It is well known that entry into the Aetherium by a mortal, short of death or the intervention of a god, is difficult even in the best of circumstances.

Overstepping

Misuse of Semblance leads to mostly psychological consequences as opposed to physical ones. It is only in the most severe circumstances where these afflictions remain permanent. Continued abuse of the magic can compound its effects leading to permanence. Those who have pushed themselves well beyond their limits with Semblance have been reported to experience the involuntary awakening of their powers, temporary blindness, deafness, being rendered comatose for lengthy periods of time and even madness. Semblance almost never causes death directly. Rather, its abuse leads a mage to place themselves in more risky and reckless circumstances.

The Aura

In its simplest definition, an aura is the imprint one leaves upon the world. It is the signature that identifies one object from another. Everyone and everything has an aura that is unique to it. Two rocks could be placed side by side and while the fundamental properties of the aura might be similar, if one studied it long enough they would find something that made each one different from the other. Contained within the aura is a multitude of information and the greater one’s skill with Semblance, the more adept one becomes at discerning this information.

Within the aura is the complete record of everything about any particular person, place or thing and its properties. Beginning semblance users can only gather surface information. The most powerful users of this magic are capable of discerning detailed properties about that which they’re observing down to minute detail.

Perception of the aura is a personal experience but it is most commonly viewed through the eyesight as a corona of light around that which they’re observing. Creatures lacking in intelligence will have very miniscule aura’s that extend perhaps a few inches around them. The more intelligent and powerful the individual, the larger and more complex the aura they have. Humans and the other sentient races typically have aura’s extending up to a foot or so around them. Wizards and other practitioners or bearers of magic tend to have auras much larger than the average person. Endir, Aldir and Gods can have auras that are so vast as to be considered blinding in their intensity and power but most can suppress them at will.

There is a limit to what an aura will tell the wizard about that which they are perceiving. Semblance users cannot read minds. The aura does not convey thoughts but it does register moods and emotions. Cleverly guided questioning can enable a wizard to infer much about what an individual is thinking based on an individual’s emotional reactions. Additionally, people who are particularly skilled at controlling their emotions are more difficult to read in this manner.

Powers and Abilities

Semblance is unique among the Disciplines of Rune Magic in that the powers bestowed by it are immediately available to all practitioners of all levels. The difference between a beginner and a master is the level of proficiency with which they can wield these abilities and how draining they are of the wizard’s aether.

Structure- An aura will reveal to the observer the physical structure of something. In this way, a wizard can use it as a means of sensing the presence of other people or objects around them. However, their sight only extends so far. Clothing is easy to bypass, walls are more of a challenge.

Physical Properties- By far the most straightforward of all aspects that can be gleaned from an aura are physical properties. Semblance allows the wizard to use their aether as a proxy for their senses. Taste, touch, smell, sight, sound are all possible avenues of study through the use of semblance.

Emotions- Recognizing that emotions are present is one thing, identifying the nuance of more subtle emotions is something that requires time, focus and skill. Emotions that are strongly felt are very easy to identify as they present themselves at the forefront of a person’s aura. The more nuanced emotions tend to be more difficult to interpret and are easily concealed.

Echo- Auras leave imprints upon the world around them. Semblance users can study these imprints to varying degrees of proficiency. A beginner might be able to recognize that a person just recently had a cup of tea with breakfast as the imprint is very recent. The flavor, smell and warmth of it might still cling to the individual who drank it. A master could stand in a house that had at one point completely burned down but had been rebuilt. They would be able to pick up on the echo of the fire’s heat, the smell of the smoke, perhaps even the emotions of people who were either trapped or present inside the building as it burned.

Magic- Semblance users are able to study and observe the aether of that which they come into contact with on a very deep level. The longer they have to study something, the deeper they can delve into studying its aura and aether. In this way they can discern magical properties of that which is brought to their attention. The more complex and powerful the magic, the longer it takes to glean the details of it.

Alteration- A semblance user has the power to mask or alter their own aura as it is perceived by others. This is a useful ability that can be used to fool others and mask their intentions or things about themselves as would be present in an aura.

Focus- An aura can reveal what a living creature is focus on. Where their attention is directed can be revealed with careful study. A powerful wizard can follow this focus and even predict where it might shift.

Tiers of Progression

Novice (1-24)

The beginner in Semblance can only focus on a single aura at a time and can only discern the most basic facts about that which they observe. They must concentrate and study quite carefully the aura’s in their view which requires all of their focus.

Apprentice (25-49)

More comfortable in their ability to read aura’s, the Semblance user can begin to understand the nuances of more complex emotions though they are still easily misled. Discerning magical properties becomes viable at this level. The wizard can focus on a few auras at a time but only for short durations and with careful concentration.

Journeyman (50-74)

The journeyman can comfortably use most aspects of Semblance. They are able to discern more nuanced emotions. They can read the echoes of things extending up to several days past, if not a week or so, without a terrible amount of difficulty. They are able to glean more detailed information about magical objects. The wizard can juggle multiple auras simultaneously for a good length of time before requiring rest.

Expert (75-99)

The expert Semblance user can utilize all aspects of the magic with relative ease. They are only taxed by the most advanced levels of using their powers. They are able to pick up rudimentary facts at a glance without much conscious effort involved. Their ability to perceive echoes in the aether left behind by others can extend back to months or seasons at a time. The wizard can comfortably study the aura of up to a dozen things at once.

Master (100)

The master is able to effectively glean every bit of information possible from an aura if given enough time to safely study it. Basic and mid level information is gathered at a glance. They are able to alter and mask their own aura to such a profound degree as to be able to fool all observers save other masters. A master can observe dozens of auras at a time with ease and will recognize any aura they have previously come into contact with.