Focus

**Focus** is the force that permeates nearly all of the Material Planes and all living beings within them. In many ways, Focus is an inherent life force that every being possesses - in other words, a soul. This force allows creatures to use magic, by manipulating the Focus within them and outside of them. While a neutral force on its own, Focus can be "leaned" or "tuned" towards different elements - for example, a *fireball* spell is cast by tuning the Focus of the spell towards the fire element.

A notable feature of Focus is that it grows stronger over time in a strange phenomena that allows extremely old magics to become much more powerful. Not much is known of this phenomena, however it is understood that weakly enchanted magical items and spells typically "fizzle out" and fail to work after extremely long periods of time. However, magical objects that are enchanted with powerful magics tend to last far longer and are far more powerful over time.

## Focus Currents

Throughout the Material Planes, focus flows in "currents" across the realms and has a significant impact on its environment. In short, Focus is the life energy that permeates the universe. Wherever Focus flows, life is certain to follow - whether it be in the form of the smallest grub or the biggest tree. These currents act very similar to wind currents, and are typically divided into three forms based on where they are altitude-wise in a Material Plane.

### Terran Currents

Terran currents are Focus currents that run beneath a Material Plane's surface. These currents carry by far the most Focus of any current, and often cause focus points - extreme Focus pinpointed in a small area - to arise. These focus points are often of significant interest to sentient races, who can use them for any number of magical reasons. Almost all terran currents are neutral in their elemental signatures and it is nigh impossible for them to be shifted one direction or another.

When a creature dies, their Focus typically returns to a terran current nearby.

### Aerial Currents

Aerial currents are Focus currents that run in the sky of Material Planes', above their surface. These currents carry a moderate amount of Focus, and by all means are perhaps the most important currents, as they are what most magic users draw on to cast their spells. Aerial currents also possess a powerful effect on the climate of a particular region - depending on where the elemental signature of an aerial current flows, the climate in a particular area could change substantially. Aerial currents are difficult to shift in any particular direction, however extremely powerful beings, such as the First Brood dragons, can do so with great enough effort (regardless of its destructive consequences).

On many planes, aerial currents have drastically impacted their environments. Rosenwelt, for example, in the wake of the Draconic Cataclysm experienced near-worldwide climate changes as their elements shifted, with some parts of the world even being shattered and lifted up into the sky. On planes such as the Plane of Fire, aerial currents are so tuned to a particular element that the entire plane is defined by it.

### Astral Currents

Astral currents are the highest-reaching Focus currents, sitting above a plane's atmosphere. These currents carry the least Focus, but paradoxically are the most important. They determine where and how the terran and aerial currents flow, and most importantly are the most neutral of all the currents, keeping things in check. However, they are relatively easy compared to other currents to shift - and doing so could have catastrophic consequences, potentially destroying entire planes.

## Souls

Focus is not only the magical force of the universe, but its life force as well. Almost every living being has some form of Focus in it, taking the form of its "soul." This collection of Focus in a being is what allows them to use magic, as well as what generally allows their bodies to function. This Focus is what maintains a creature's memories, experiences, and thoughts - in short, it is their consciousness, and what makes a person themselves.

When a creature dies, their soul leaves their body and typically rejoins the nearest terran current, unless there is something closer actively attempting to take that Focus for themselves. This is what makes resurrection of dead creatures a particularly difficult task, as once the soul has rejoined a terran current it is nigh impossible to find it again.

Like muscles, the soul Focus grows stronger with use. As a result, a powerful mage typically has more Focus in their soul than a normal villager. The use of magic typically grows the soul Focus the more it is used, and the most skilled archmages typically have a significant amount of Focus stored within them.

Some creatures, particularly those from the Bleak like Mage Hunters, lack any Focus in their souls. How they function without this is unknown.

### Focus and Passion

Focus can be manifested in many ways, not solely through the use of magic. While it is typically considered to be ones soul, and can increase with use of magic and spellcasting, the Focus of one's soul also increases through acts of passion. This can vary wildly in its definition, however most commonly, it is noted that adventurers with no magical experience but proficient martial experience have roughly equivalent Focus to similarly skilled mages. This growth in Focus is a result of the passion one may feel for their work - whether that passion be driven from their combat prowess, their thirst for knowledge, or their close bonds with others, or something else entirely does not inherently matter. What *does*, however, is that the passion generates more Focus in an individual and, in turn, can be translated into their combat abilities. It is believed by many a scholar that this is why adventurers, even those who do not dabble in magics, are significantly more powerful than commonfolk - their passion translates to stronger Focus, which allows them to strengthen their combat abilities in turn.

## Elements and Tuning Focus

There are four primary elements and two secondary elements that Focus tends to align towards. While the elements are all named after specific things, it is important to recognize that these elements are not, inherently, *just* what the word means. Elements have different associations more than simply flames or ice.

### Primary Elements

The primary elements of Focus are Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. These elements oppose each other - in other words, each element is the opposite of another. Focus tends to lean towards these elements the most, and magic users also tend to utilize them most often in spells. It is important to note that, while elements may oppose one another, it is rare that a spell only uses a single element. Oftentimes, most spells use a combination of different levels of Focus, tuned to different elements.

#### Fire

Fire is the first primary element and is in opposition to water. It is closely tied to flames, heat, and warmth. Fire represents passion, destruction, death, and war - it is the most destructive of the primary elements. As a result, fire tends to be used as an offensive element, however it need not be. Fire can also be used to cleanse and free things, to fuel what needs to be fueled and burn away what is not needed.

#### Water

Water is the second primary element and is in opposition to fire. It is closely tied to the ocean, waves, and frost. Water represents healing, serenity, and construction. However, there is more to water than meets the eye. It also represents a slow, sloshing, painful destruction - slowly eating away at things until they give way.

#### Earth

Earth is the third primary element, and is in opposition to air. It is closely tied to stability, strength, and nature. Earth represents the immovable object, the foundation of things, and the natural world. However, as peaceful as earth may seem, it is important to remember that nature is cruel. While earth can be used defensively, it can also be violent and unforgiving.

#### Air

Air is the fourth and final primary element and is in opposition to earth. It is tied to change, winds, and the sky. Air represents the marching of time and the inevitable fact of change and alteration. The air is tricky, calculating and hidden, yet is also quick, moving, and sudden.

### Secondary Elements

There are two secondary elements in Focus - aetherial and umbral. These elements are more or less considered to be harder to manipulate than other elements, and are typically only used for research and hypothetical purposes. These secondary elements are tied less to natural phenomena and more to the mind. These elements oppose each other similar to the primary elements.

#### Aetherial

Aetherial Focus is aligned to the higher thought, typically to calm and more civilized emotions. This Focus is strange and hard to manipulate for many a mage, and is by and large simply ignored as there is little reason to use it. Focus of the Aetherial kind is often treated simply as neutral energy.

#### Umbral

Umbral Focus is aligned to the primal thought, to more aggressive base instincts. This Focus is darker than Aetherial and is typically considered more "evil" - easier to manipulate when one is in an angry or dark mindset. However, there is relatively little reason to manipulate Umbral Focus for most mages, however it is important for young magic users to be aware of it as too much Umbral Focus can cause a spell to misfire.