Anima

Anima: The homely science

All that inhabits Lume, living or otherwise, is woven from the intangible substance known to learned Lumians as Anima. It has gone by other names; spirit, mana, life-force, god. It is the secret science, the omitted art, the neglected discipline; by its very nature elusive. The Folk who spend time devoted to its practice may begin to comprehend its workings. These practitioners observe, adhere to, implore, redirect, or manipulate, this energy.

Magic on Lume is a science operated by Casters. Folk may learn to sense Anima with time and training, though each experiences it in their own way. Some tap into it subconsciously, generally after years of dedication to one craft or another, while others see wisps of ethereal energy, or sense it intuitively, defying conventional description. It may present itself to different senses; as icons or symbols around the world of one practitioner, while another may experience smells that have no obvious origin, or describe an odd tingling sensation. These manifestations change depending on the one's focus and practice. Casters who have had the benefit of a mentor are first taught to sense their surroundings, then attune with them, before attempting any serious manipulation of Anima. Those with informal training - which we can assume are many - learn to do so from long hours spent immersed in an activity.

As far as modern Lume scholars can discern, the lack of a general understanding of Anima is the reason the Forerunners created religion. The oldest texts tell us they originally adhered to shamanism and various forms of spirituality, later developing alchemy, studying theology and philosophy, and eventually empirical science, as they grappled to control the world around them. Anima is the law of physics they failed to integrate, in part due to the bias instilled from consecutive societies bent on progress. For Anima is a subtle thing, and best observed when attuned to one’s surroundings. It is both arcane, and homely. To perceive its influence, one must first accept they know nothing for certain, and perhaps never will. The Folk of Lume require years to detect its presence, and the Forerunners may have lacked the necessary framework.

Perhaps the species had not yet reached that point in its evolution?

I do not mean to state the science of the Forerunners was wrong. Merely... incomplete.

Seemingly, their society lacked the widespread study and acceptance of their species' allotment within an ecosystem, the impact their outlook had on the world around them, and by extension, on themselves.

Anima may account for the relative lack of organised religion on the Continent. Various cults have arisen since the fall of the Deumana demi-gods, but none have left a lasting legacy. Perhaps the Demigods' manipulation of matter left a cultural memory on Lume's residents; an awareness of the irreverent malleability of existence. To a peoples whose history recollects their modest origins, faith appears to hold little sway or appeal. Worship is generally considered to make one too pliable, and an easy victim for the manipulative and opportunistic. Instead - at least among most Folk, Slenders and Frost Giants - one is encouraged from a young age to form their own ethics, and take responsibility for their own actions, without resorting to higher powers. That said, considering the diversity among Races, and even among the Folk themselves, this tendency to secularism is not without exceptions.

When discussing Anima, the tampering of genetics by Deumana cannot be overlooked. They manipulated the laws of nature past breaking point, and the creatures on Lume are living in the aftermath. While genes were harnessed with machines and chemicals, the latent Anima was siphoned, atomized, spliced and repurposed again, and again, and again, without the Deumana ever knowing of its presence. For all their mastery, the lacked the necessary humility. Despite their tampering, Anima continued to pulse through all things, and the Gardeners - devoted to maintaining their plots for countless cycles - were the first among the Races to note these veins of energy. The Deumana initially dismissed the Gardeners' claims - and for this arrogance all of Lume is indebted. It was not until the newly created Folk began to demonstrate their latent abilities that the Deumana took notice. And to feel envy. If the Deumana could splice such an ability into themselves, they could do away with the artifice, and rise to true Godhood.

The Folk are immersed in their surroundings, attuned with them, a part of them. The Deumana strove for the opposite; they were outside of Lume, above it, excluding themselves from it. But if one thing could be said of the Deumana it is that they were persistent, and who knows what results could be achieved with sufficient time, dedication, and ruthless experimentation?

On Wands, Staffs, and Words

Casters may make use of conduits to channel Anima, such as staffs, incantations, gestures, among other methods, to focus their Casting. It should be noted the Orders of Casters wish to make it clear that the ability resides in the Caster, and not the conduit. Our records indicate that Relics may be the exception. Despite predominantly being creations of the Deumana, some Relics have demonstrated influence on Anima. This peculiarity is touched on in the Reliquary, and requires further study.

Anima abridged: What we know for certain

One must first accept that there is no afterlife as the Forerunners understood it. No lush garden paradises of primitive, nomadic origins. The Buddhists and philosophers were closest in their approximations, and nonetheless, they missed the mark. There are no souls, and thus dead flesh can be revitalized, if sufficient Anima is repurposed for the task. The results, though, are generally undesirable.