Elements (Reflection)

The Elements are a metaphysical concept in the setting of Reflection.

## Structure and Classification

An "Element", as defined by Ridill Arondite, is a kind of property invested in matter within the Cycle that can be best conceptualized as a "command" or "instruction" given to that matter. As an example, a rock invested with the "Gravity" Element may fall faster or slower when dropped depending on how exactly it's been affected. The presence of an Element as a "core" Element of a given world means that it's adjustable and manipulable. All previous worlds had the force of gravity, but only in World Twelve, where Gravity is a primary Element, can it be manipulated to such a degree.

### Properties

While the Elements themselves seem to be more metaphysical entities than physical ones, OPIA has devised a method of quantifying the amount of Elemental influence on an object's form in terms of "units" of an Element. This classification has several useful applications. Firstly, the amount of Flame an object's shape can hold is equal to their lowest Elemental unit, so if a person has, say, three units of Gravity, three units of Dreams, and five units of Humanity in their composition, their body can hold up to three units of Flame. Humans tend to have around three units of all of a world's Elements, while most non-sapient lifeforms and inorganic matter have less than one unit each of all Elements. It is unclear how the quantity of Elements relates to physical chemistry and the amount of atoms in one's body. Entities with an extremely small amount of units in one Element experience negative health effects due to an inability for their Flame to grow to a healthy size. This is exacerbated if they have a high amount of units in another Element since this would cause a massive disparity between their theoretical maximum Flame level and their current Flame level. This is considered a manifestation of the "Satyr Condition". Relatedly, a person's Elements can become "corruptive" under certain circumstances, causing negative health effects.

When an Element is wholly removed from an object's composition, this causes portions of that object's form to simply disappear or disintegrate. In living matter this can be extremely dangerous as Elements also tend to be spread out throughout one's physical body, meaning that removing even one Element could cause organ failure in several areas at once. Losing a single organ or limb in its entirety and nothing else would be considered "lucky" when it comes to removing Elements. If a person's Element is lost for whatever reason, it can be supplanted with prosthetics made from a new Element or a Reflection. Objects made of only one or two Elements are more physically durable.

Entities with large amounts of a given Element in their composition can alter their relationship to the concept an Element represents. As an example, someone with a high amount of units of the "Gravity" Element could choose to become lighter or heavier. It is unclear how this ability would manifest in non-sapient lifeforms or inanimate objects that do not possess the self-awareness to choose how they interface with a concept.

#### Essentia

OPIA refers to the "pure" form of an Element as "Essentia". Essentia takes the form of a fine sand-like material, and manifests when a person's shape deteriorates due to various circumstances, causing their physical body to break apart into individual particles aligned with a single Element. It is unclear what Essentia is made out of chemically and how it relates to an object's previous chemical form. Essentia is capable of altering its Element if it is in proximity to a larger quantity of Essentia that is aligned with the same "Higher Element" as it's original Element.

### Standard Elements

Each world created by the Flame of Creation has a collection of three Elements natural to it that govern the vast majority of matter in that world, although trace quantities of other Elements exist alongside the much more common "core three" of any given world. Previous worlds had different numbers of Elements. The Old World, for example, had six core Elements. The list of known elements is as follows:

#### World Three

* Music
* Promises
* Discipline

#### World Twelve

* Gravity - Manipulates the literal force of gravity. Objects with high amounts of the Gravity Element can fall faster or slower as well as become heavier or lighter.
* Humanity - Relates primarily to emotions. Living entities with high amounts of Humanity can be both more emotional or more in control of their emotions depending on their specific circumstances. Inanimate objects high in Humanity seem to have some connection to the concept of history, often forming into "Trees of Humanity" that can record human history.
* Dreams - Entities that are high in Dreams have more vivid imaginations and can more easily intuit complicated or theoretical concepts. As a result, humans with a high amount of Dreams become ESPers more easily.

Within World Twelve, three of its four gods were associated with one of its core Elements. It is unknown if this is unique to World Twelve or a feature of the gods of previous worlds as well.

#### Unknown World

* Mazes
* Philosophy
* Sunshine
* Discovery
* Alchemy
* Cycles
* Survival
* Ingenuity
* Nature
* Cosmic Balance
* Legends
* Swords
* Rust/Growth
* High Spirits
* Darkness
* Empathy
* Punishment
* Gold
* Divinity-as-is-Beast
* Heavens
* Ego
* Tomorrows
* Shapes

### Demonic Elements

The Demons of the Coda have their own pool of Elements that they can be made out of. As one-Element creatures, the Demons of the Coda have bodies made entirely of a single Element. While OPIA's ESP Research and Development team has acquired and studied samples of all six of the Demonic Elements, knowledge of their names is information potent enough to deal permanent Burn, so their true names are kept unknown. They are instead color-coded. Demonic Elements exist in pairs of two. Both sides of the pair are antithetical to one another. This means that if large quantities of a Demonic Element make contact with an entity made of its antithesis, that entity's Elemental Composition will begin to weaken. The list of Demonic Elements are as follows:

* "White" - This Element is associated with "angelic" feelings
* "Black"
* "Red"
* "Blue"
* "Purple"
* "Orange" - This Element is associated with monstrous or primordial imagery

The Demonic Element pairs are as follows:

* White-Black
* Red-Blue
* Purple-Orange

OPIA has started referring to the Demonic Elements as the "Higher Elements" after certain recent discoveries, mainly that all Elements in the Burning World are aligned with at least one of the Higher Elements.

### Willow Wisp Elements

Due to several abnormal factors relating to the structure of her Flame as well as her ESP and existence as a formerly dead person revived within a Simulacrum, the FLOW agent Willow Wisp has undergone a "mutation" of her Elements. Both her pre- and post-death Elemental configurations are changing the nature of the exact commands and powers they are influenced by. Willow can direct to some extent the exact nature of this mutation, and has so far solidified three Elements. Willow's new elements are listed below:

* Hunting (mutated from Survival)
* Heroism
* Absolution

## Properties

#### Burn

"Burn" is a term used by OPIA to describe the effect on one's elemental composition after encountering "otherworld information". It is most often incurred after perceiving the Coda or its inhabitants, but any information from a world that a person does not originate from will cause Burn.

When a person's Flame attempts to intake information from otherworldly sources, their Flame becomes active and "flares up", causing their Elemental composition to fray. The higher one's Burn is, the more frayed their Elemental composition is. At higher levels of Burn, one's composition becomes weak enough for Demons and other forces to make contact with their Flame and possess them, as well as incite hallucinations. Higher levels of Burn can cause physical ailments including pain, headaches, and insomnia.

A certain level of Burn seems to be required for one to develop ESP, with temporary ESP having a chance to appear at lower Burn levels (around 12) and permanent ESP having a chance to appear at higher levels (around 20 or above).

Burn can be healed by partaking in actions that elicit the metaphysical concept an Element is aligned with, which will cause the Element to slowly regrow itself. For example, experiencing intense emotions, either positive or negative, will cause one's Humanity to regrow, if Humanity is an Element comprising a part of their composition.

## References

1. ↑ The Sword That Does Not Exist
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 [1]
3. ↑ https://stabbyness.com/episodes/jay-s-ttrpg-map-making-stream
4. ↑ Dig Deeper
5. ↑ Forgotten Hero
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Dear Sweetest Me
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Superhero
8. ↑ For Today
9. ↑ Dying Flame
10. ↑ Sync or Swim
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Under The Bus
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Parasite
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Beachside Burn
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Above and Below
15. ↑ Sum of Experiences