Hekau

Hekau is a form of sorcery, first discovered and used by members of the Kem-Duati pantheon. The magic of Hekau involves the use of Words of Power, inscriptions and utterances which truly encapsulate certain commands, such as "burn", "sleep", and "mend".

Words of Power has two important elements too it: As Utterances and as Inscriptions. Utterances involve speaking a Word of Power aloud to invoke its command, causing the energies of Creation bend to see it fulfilled. An Inscription involves drawing a Power Glyph of one of the Words of Power, either by painting it on a wall, carving it into an amulet, or tracing an outline of Substantiated Light in the air. Those who wield the power of Hekau are known as a *sekhem.*

Of the two, the Utterance is the heart of Hekau, which actually generates a magical effect. A Hekau wielding sorcerer makes use of its magics by Speaking a Word of Power, and combining it with mundane words, spoken in the Kemari tongue of Kem'Rakh, in order to direct the Word's effect. For instance, an Utterance might using the Word of Power for "Open" might entail using the phrase "*Open* the door", or "*Open* this lock." Utterances can be as long and complicated as need be, though more detailed Utterances usually require higher levels of mastery over a particular Word of Power. Should a *sekhem* be rendered incapable of verbal speech, they will be unable to wield their Hekau magic.

Inscriptions, on the other hand, are used as supplements to the power of an Utterance or Word of Power. A Hekau Inscription can store the power of any Utterance, allowing for a myriad of uses. For instance, novice *sekhem* are often given amulets Inscribed with a Word of Power, strengthening their use of any Utterances in which that Word is employed. One can also place Power Glyphs in guarded areas, for instance, infusing them with the utterance "*Burn* all intruders". Power Glyphs can also be applied to enchant various items, such as by infusing a cup with the Utterance "*Poison* any who drink from this cup".

The Power Glyphs in Inscriptions can also be supplemented with additional Kemari Glyphs, which spell out the full incantation of an Utterance. Such detailed Inscriptions can assist greatly in focusing an Utterance's power, if the Inscription matches perfectly the Utterance used. For this reason, many experienced *sekhem* maintain tomes or scrolls filled with Inscriptions of as many Utterances as they can think of.

## Mastering Words of Power

Every Hekau Word of Power must be learned and mastered individually. The greater a *sekhem's* mastery of a Word, the more potent the effects when they use it in an Utterance, and the more complex and long lasting such Utterances can be.

The mechanics required to master Words of Power are not fully understood. Some beings are simply incapable of mastering certain Words enough even to make basic use of them, while they master other Words with ease. Thoth, one of the greatest *sekhem* in the cosmos, has theorized that there are several components necessary for mastering a Word of Power:

1. Strength of will, to enforce one's command upon the world.
2. A mind that values knowledge and understanding for its own sake.
3. Creativity and imagination to see a Word take effect.
4. Affinity with a Word of Power's effect.

### Tiers of Mastery

* Minor Mastery: This mastery tier means that a *sekhem* is capable of wielding Utterances with a Word of Power so long as their strength is supplemented by an Inscription. Bereft of such augmentation, the Word cannot be used. Utterances at this tier are weak and basic, limited to short, immediate, and single use commands such as "*Mend* that stone" or "*Sleep,* boy". Only mortals and mundane objects can be affected by Utterances at this tier.
* Lesser Mastery: Bereft of augmentation, Utterances of a Word can be used, but they retain the simplicity of augmented Utterances at Minor Mastery. With an empowering Inscription, however, Lesser Mastery of a Word of Power allows for certain layers of condition to be added to an Utterance such as "*Stun* anyone who walks through the door". Such Utterances maybe delayed in their effects, depending on their wording, but will usually only have a few "charges". In the previous example, a single Utterance might only stun three to a dozen people. Utterances of Words a *sekhem* has lesser mastery over can affect beings and items of moderate magical power, including most halfborn and average monsters, as well as many average magic items.
* Greater Mastery: Greater Mastery of a Word means that augmenting Inscriptions are no longer as important as they were before. An unstrengthened Utterance at this tier can affect many powerful magical beings and items, and if one has Greater Mastery over multiple Words, they can be combined into a single Utterance. Utterances can be quite complex, carrying multiple conditions. Augmented Utterances can have near limitless complexity, and can affect even the mightiest of gods with their power.
* Full Mastery: Full Mastery of a Word means that one can speak naught but the Word itself as an Utterance, and one's will shall be immediately enacted, so long as the desired effect is relatively immediate and simple. More complex effects still require longer Utterances, but their complexity is unbounded, even bereft of a strengthening Inscription.

## Words of Power

* Awaken: Living beings are instantly roused from slumber or unconsciousness. This can also be used to Awaken the spirits within an object.
* Blind: Use of this Word causes beings afflicted with it to loose their sense of sight for the duration of the effect.
* Burn: This Word causes a targeted individual, areas or object to be bombarded with heat or burst into flame.
* Calm: Beings targeted by this Word will lapse into a state of calm, subduing any extreme passion they may be feeling.
* Deafen: Those targeted by this Word are stripped of their sense of hearing.
* Empower: This Word augments physical force, strengthening impacts or allowing heavier weights to be lifted.
* Freeze: The Word Freeze causes targets to begin to be cooled or frozen.
* Heal: Living beings have their rate of healing sped up by this word.
* Join: Targeted objects are stuck together by this word if they are making physical contact, with the areas that are joined fusing together.
* Kill: Living entities who have this Word used on them successfully perish instantly.
* Lie: Any being targeted by this Word is prevented from speaking honestly, or saying anything they believe to be true.
* Mend: Inanimate objects that have been broken can be repaired by use of this Word.
* Open: Doors, locks, barriers and other such physical structures can be opened by this Word.
* Pain: Use of this Word inflicts agony upon any being it targets.
* Poison: Targets are inflicted with a poison of the *sekhem's* choice, though it must be a poison they are intimately familiar with.
* Seal: Doors, barriers, locks, and drawers are prevented from opening by this Word.
* Sever: Objects or structures, such as limbs, objects merged by the Join Word, are split harmlessly apart.
* Sleep: Beings are forced into a quiet slumber by this Word. This also returns magically animated items to an inert state.
* Soothe: Individuals experiencing physical pain have their agony dulled.
* Stun: Conscious beings have their minds overwhelmed by psychic force, preventing them from taking any actions.
* Truth: Beings targeted by this Word are prevented from stating anything they believe to be falsehood or speaking deceptively.