Elementalists

**Elementalists** are users of Harmonic energy (chi, essence) who are in-tune with one or more of the Harmonic Elements. There are different names for the complex disciplines surrounding the physical, telepathic usage of the elements, each with their own traditions and martial styles. Collectively, they are known as the **Forces** or the **Dances**due to the dance-like movements sometimes seen when practicing it, as they attempt to mimic the elements.

**Firedance**, or **Sundance,** the name of which (and the most prevailing martial tradition) having originated in prehistoric Rajahai, (but has spread and melded with other pre-existing Firedancing traditions around the world) is an elemental art which can generate and control fire, and some smoke. Firedancers are known for their speed, as control of fire requires intense, quick, wild physical movements, and passion. Firedancers kick and move, run and gesture in a chaotic and aggressive manner which still somehow remains firmly like a dance, practiced and specific. The scientific name for control of flame of any kind, even outside of any traditions, is called **Pyrokinesis.** Urban Firedancers are known as **Arsonists** in Boreal cities - though some Arsonists like to claim they operate on a slightly different, independently evolved art called **Arson** which only later developed cross-over with the broader, international tradition of Firedancing. Firedancers are also known as **Fire-Tamers**, primarily in Rajahai and the Ummah.

**Waterdance** is the elemental art which *predominantly* uses water, and some ice - a unique waterdancing skill is the ability to transition water between states, freezing and melting it at will. Sub-traditions even branch out into cloud, though they are rare specialists. Waterdancers cannot generate water. The martial traditions of Waterdancing go so far back and were developed in so many places that no true origin can be placed, though the most widely-used name of "Waterdancing" came after Firedancing spread across the world, following precedence. They are known for their uncanny adaptability, as control of water requires easy, flowy movement, yet with power behind it, much like the waves of the ocean - with control and awareness over their surroundings that allows them to bend with and divert along anything that comes at them. The scientific name for control of the element of water is **Hydrokinesis.**Waterdancing is known in pirate circles as **Sea-charming,**and are regularly conflated with Sea Witches, though errounously, as Sea Witches are a type of occult practitioner who pay tribute to the Deep Ones.

In Hahnunah, the **Raindance** or **Riverdance** tradition is similar in terms of physical movement and philosophy, though with more of a bounce and a rythymn in their step. However, they have two very distinct differences when it comes to actual abilities. Firstly, they only *exclusively* control the element of water, and have immense difficulty with controlling any water that isn't fresh water and without impurities. Secondly, Riverdancers spend their entire lives learning a special set of skills which allow them to actually somewhat *generate* water, although indirectly, by calling forth rain.

**Earthcraft**or **Stonecraft**is the elemental art which focuses on the elements of earth, metal, and magma, with some sand, though it cannot generate any of them. Broadly, the central Earthcrafting style and name originated in a large area that encompasses what is now Hovit-se all the way towards mainland Gao over several millenia ago. However, much like Waterdancing, other peoples independently developed similar techniques, and they syncretized over time. Though Earthcraft and druidry are theoretically separate things, the overlap between the two is much deeper than the other elementalists - there are practically no Earthcrafters who aren't also druids in the broader sense, because when pursuing elementalism with a strong Earth pattern, most people already have an intuitive ability to harmonize with the environment, with plants and with nature. Earthcrafters are known for their very deliberate, rigid, solid movements, and display patience and a resolute behavior with their actions, projecting strength. Earthcrafters almost never kick or move their feet, remaining firmly on the ground, and are the hardest to make fall. The scientific name of control of earth is **Geokinesis.**

**Skycall** is the elemental art of primarily air, though it broadly reaches into other sky-based and gaseous elements, such as cloud, thunder, or smoke. Skycalling mainly originated in ancient Borea, particularly with the dwarves of Nordheim. Skycallers are known for their large, dramatic, sweeping movements, stretching their limbs and leaving themselves open a lot, as well as their regular usage of jumping, elevation, and sometimes even true flight. The scientific name for control of the element of air is **Aerokinesis**. Sometimes, elementalists attempts to control the sky and weather even *past* the air-based elemental patterns- in this case, a Skycaller with a focus on storms, and who has managed to reach control of even the element of electricity, would be called a **Stormbringer.** Stormbringing is not seen as a different dance, but an extension of Skycalling.

**Windstep** is a similar art to Skycall, but it focuses exclusively on the element of air. It originated in the far east of Hyperion. Windsteppers also have large, open movements, but not dramatic or risky ones. They are meant to be much lighter and quieter, almost peaceful, in how they move, deftly weaving and dodging with subtlety and nuance.

**Vaporwave** is the elemental art of gasses - a dual focus on cloud and smoke. It is a slow, deliberate art which can effect the environment and climate in very broad-reaching, powerful ways, but not quickly or efficiently. Vaporwave movement is much the same way, consisting of a lot of slow swaying and getting into a trance, where moving too quickly or being put off guard can harm the desired result, which is why the best Vaporwavers inhabit a calm, detached presence (or more accurately, a lack of one). Vaporwavers are also able to produce gasses of various kinds out of their bodies, or summon them from the distance - they are known for bringing an ever-present fog wherever they go.

**Lightweave**or **Darkweave** is the elemental art of light and void. Not just both - these are not seperate arts. Control of darkness *is*control of light, because it is the absence of it, and vice versa. Elementalists belonging to one of those patterns are also inherently able to control the other without much need for training, if they decided to. Darkweave that focused exclusively on shadow-forming had originated in the primordial age, making it the first and original elemental dance. However, incorporating the element of Light was only discovered a few millennia ago in ancient Ummah in the Mukhtaa desert, relatively recently when examining dance traditions - the beginnings of the Lightweave art is in fact written and described on contemporary tablets, its first discovers named, making it one of the newest dances to be developed. Lightweavers are able to both generate and control shadows and light, absorb either, and even turn light into searing hardlight or use the shadows as essence-disrupting, tendril-like formations. Lightweaving is known for its simultaneously quick yet complicated movements, with precice and sharp, specific, complex little gesticulations, always so maddeningly fast that their deft fingers become a blur as they intricately weave shadows or light into the air. Lightweavers have a correlation with Seers not unlike the the way most Earthcrafters are druids. The scientific name for control of light is **Photokinesis**, and for darkness, **Umbrakinesis** - since both phenomenon are the same basically the same phenomenon, scientists typically refer to both collectively as **Photo-Umbrakinesis**. In urban Boreal cities, they are known as **Gloomers** and **Glowers**. It is also known as **Shadowstep** in the far east of Hyperion, which also dabbles in the air and smoke elements. Shadowstep is the most common elemental dance in Yami.

**Icecraft** or **Snowcraft**is the elemental art of exclusively ice. It originated in Sinal’iar Pok several millenia ago, but slowly spread northwards over time. Icecraft can generate ice and snow, not just control ice already there. Icecrafting is known for its extreme foot-based movements - to summon ice quick enough to matter, icecrafters have to violently kick into the air with an intense agression that gives many pause. Yet despite this, they are meant to keep their feet stable and on the ground once they generate ice, as it's the most effective way to control ice already there - a contrast that's difficult to pull off, and requires much practice and an intuitive understanding of ice. The scientific name for control of ice is **Cryokinesis**.

**Sandscream** is the elemental art of sand. The dance is known for its unique ability to utilize voice - there are some vocal elements in other dances, most notably Skycallers and Stormbringers, but Sandscreaming relies on it to destroy structures and firmly grasp control of the broken remains. It has many movements reminiscent of water-controlling dances - flowy and adaptable - yet much more frenzied and chaotic. Sandshift developed several thousand years ago in Mukhtaa by the nomadic desert dwellers, possibly in reaction to the development of civilizations and their changing way of life. Sandshifters can uniquely break and control glass with their screaming alone, and can control other particle-based substances like dust, ash, spices, powder, and broken rubble.

**Cinderboom** is the elemental art of heat, smoldering, and combustion - primarily focused on magma and smoke. It includes control of local temperature, with the ability to heat up their surroundings or objects they come into contact with. Cinderboomers can manipulate ashes, and produce smoke. With enough build up, they are able to spew lava and even cause certain objects to explode. Cinderboomers have the strongest ability to affect their own bodies out of all the dancing arts - able to turn their own extremities into smoke-guzzling molten rock, or have magma erupt from their own heads.