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The Mana, known in life as Sei'koh, is the representation of the energy of the world. She is the individual Her race chose before they committed their souls to a cycle of rebirth, as mortals. As their chosen, She was one of the two left behind, to remain immortal, as a conduit for the mortal races to access The Mana for energy used in casting magic. She was deemed to be the most incorruptible of them all, and therefore gifted with this great responsibility and power. When this conduit became abused, She entered a pact with a mortal, Musa'bo Shin'toku, who decided to signify this pact with a tattoo on Her chest of all the vices, virtues, and their associated Paths.
The Mana's home is in a place known as Shii, The Undercroft of Death, a temple on an island continent. Constructed last, Her temple was made by Her request, before its geographic location was moved to a more precise destination - in preparation for the creation of The Seal of Existence, marking the beginning of The Age of Agony.
The Mana is depicted in two ways. First, the burning of sage incense, which replicates the smell of powerful magic. Second, Her appearance for those who have seen Her: a tall, full-figured woman with pure white skin in a ruined black robe. The robe covers Her form to Her wrists and ankles, but has been clawed open in the front to reveal the tattoo on Her chest. What may be the remnants of that damage, She wears as a veil atop her head. If painted in color, Her eyes are also a pure white, without eyelashes, and give off a cyan mist. Her eyebrows and long straight hair are white. Her tattoo is spread across Her chest in black ink, with the top point just under Her throat, and the bottom point just above Her groin.
The Mana is considered the highest form of existence among the other "Paths" as taught by Her race. The others are, from highest to lowest, Ascended, Celestial, Mortal, Hollow, Animal, Wraith, and Demon. Each is or was a race of people, with the exception of The Mana itself as an energy. Sei'koh was crafted to be the soul through which all other races would interact with said energy - She interprets the will of the caster and helps to better form the spell they wish to cast.
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=== Vices, Virtues, and Paths ===
According to the teachings of The Ascended, the Paths are as follows, including their associated vices, virtues, and position on the body. ;Path of The Mana is often worshiped by those who believe, rightlyAspect of Death, Virtue of Determination, Vice of LossContained in the chest, this Aspect of magic tells the tale of the world itself. With each change, cataclysm, miracle, and passing instant, that it has a willsomething new is lost. During The Age This loss is part of Agonyexisting in balance, and must be overcome. This Aspect becomes clouded when one holds on to things they are attached to, She was and becomes unable to directly interact move forward. The vice is depicted as a figure hugging its hands to its chest, weeping. The virtue is depicted as a figure with other races beyond more than chest out, a few words at foot forward, and a timeface upturned in defiance or hope. ;Path of The Ascended, Aspect of Water, Virtue of Discovery, Vice of IgnoranceContained in the left hand, this Aspect is the remains of The Ascended race. As the source of all souls, the original users of magic, The Ascended were the pilgrims of power and balance. Their discoveries were more than simple curiosity; they truly believed themselves to be the universe beginning to understand itself. They practically feared lack of knowledge, and especially hated the rare individual who would shut their eyes to the truth. This Aspect is clouded in the same manner - refusing to learn and grow, believing there is nothing left to learn. The vice is depicted as a resultfigure covering its eyes with its left hand, little was known about Her by blinded. The virtue is depicted as a figure with its left hand shielding its eyes from the common peoplebright sun, forging ahead. Only Her ;Path of The Celestial, Aspect of DeathWind, Virtue of Equality, essentially Her Warlock (Vice of ArroganceContained in regards to 5e)the right hand, could call upon a vague avatar the Aspect of HerWind and its associated Tower evoke The Celestial race. When called upon in this mannerSome of the original descendants, She indeed the only ever appeared ones that remain besides Mortals, of the Ascended who believed themselves above all others. Theirs is a story of learning one's place in the world. The vice is depicted as a female humanoid figure shaking the right fist at head level, asserting superiority. The virtue is depicted by a figure with the right hand over the heart, understanding and conceding one's lot in a cyan mistlife and the universe. Only those who visited ;Path of The Undercroft Mortal, Aspect of Light, Virtue of DeathCooperation, Vice of PrideContained in the right foot, the Aspect of Light exemplifies the greatest strengths and successfully demonstrated Her virtue weaknesses of determination over humans and their variants. Almost all the souls that were once Ascended have settled at this level, where control and impulse can find balance. A soul who insists that they alone can rule or change the world is the weakest of all. The vice of lossis depicted as a figure with hands on its hips, feet apart, could see Her in living colorto stand stubbornly alone. As The virtue is depicted as a result figure with hands outstretched at hip level, heels together to humbly request aid. ;Path of The Hollow, Aspect of Earth, Virtue of Selflessness, Vice of SelfishnessContained at the hips, this loss Aspect is deeply rooted in the language of knowledgeThe Hollows, and who created the system of writing many subsequent hands-off approach She has taken civilizations used, until the knowledge was lost to Her duties, only small sects throughout the world worship Her in modern timeswhen Mortals created theirs. Clerics study Her virtuesIn their language, "lust" and "selfishness" and often recreate Her tattoo somewhere on their bodies in varying degrees of detaileven "vice" were the same word. Temples to mirror those on While the island continent other Paths were constructedtranslated accurately, The Hollows and some are still inhabited by worshipers of their wild emotions often ascribed complex metaphysical denotations to their ideographs, which made it difficult on future generations. Under The Mana's teachings, but churches and the like do after all, intense emotions, even anger, are not exist beyond their walls a vice. This vice is depicted as a figure -- so threadbare are Her followers.>
There are two sets of nine temples, one on each continent, across the planet from one another. The temples, matching the Paths, are Death, Water, Wind, Light, Earth, Life, Darkness, and Fire. Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind are in cardinal directions, with the others being the combinations of them; Death is between Fire and Earth, Darkness between Earth and Water, Life between Water and Wind, Light between Wind and Fire.
In order to interact with The Mana, several things must be considered: Do you have a connection to magic? Are you notably more virtuous or, inversely, indulgent than most others? Are you attempting to change the world for the better, or have you drastically changed the world for the worse? Even one without the ability to cast spells may interact with Her and journey to Her temple, as all temples are designed to be completed by anyone with a measure of intellect. She recognizes those who display her virtue of "determination," who can overcome the vice of extended grieving associated with "loss."
There are three artifacts of The Mana, two of which are considered cursed.
A sword made of obsidian, right down to the grip and quillons. Through magical infusion, a power of the Aspect of Darkness, it is infused with several effects. First, as long as its wielder is alive or it is not in a vacuum, the sword draws Mana from its surroundings to power itself. Second, as long as it is powered, it is unbreakable by any force, even The Mana Herself. Third, it is capable of permanently removing one's ability to use magic, unless the person struck by it is of a race created by or altered by magic. More mundane races will not only lose their connection to magic, but they aren't so much cut as erased by touching the sword. Thick cured leather, stone, and other inert materials can be used to handle the sword by such a mortal, but touching the Sealer's Edge at all will result in irreversible injury.
The skull of an ancient mortal. This person is said to have demonstrated great virtue early in life, and reached The Mana in Her temple. For those who have cleared every temple, She had previously offered a great decision: leave as you are, or sacrifice your immortal soul to gain unimaginable magic power. By accepting the offer of power, upon death, your soul would be destroyed upon its return to The Mana, and crafted into an entirely new soul with new potential. This ancient mortal took the offer, but was corrupted by the power they received. When The Mana entered Her pact and received Her tattoo, this mortal used the new, stronger connection to magic to make himself into an overlord of indomitable might. Musa'bo Shin'toku rose in opposition, but was killed by the overlord... Until Musa'bo was raised as a revenant and returned from the dead for vengeance. The Mana kept the skull of this slain overlord, the first to accept Her offer of such incredible power, as an example to any in the future who would accept it.
Yet another skull, the second person to demonstrate virtue and accept Her offer of power. This skull is black, as if made of obsidian, and has horns. Like the overlord before, this mortal received incredible power. Unlike the overlord, this mortal watched as disaster befell the world and did not act. They fell short of being truly virtuous, and allowed for great suffering to come over the world. As a result, when they finally died of old age, The Mana destroyed their soul and kept their skull as another example for posterity.
For events later in the history of Her world, see the [[Soulbringer_(5e_Class)|Soulbringer class]] and Her mortal form (pending).
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