Elements

Elements are the fundamental forces from which all existence is created. They permeate every sphere of life on Noraena, from the form and relationships of its gods, through forming the basis of magic theory, to being reflected in the civil organization of its kingdoms.

\* naturally occurring sources of Spirit exhibit pink color, while magic of that element used by living beings takes on colors corresponding to the user's mental state, commonly referred to as the user's aura.

\*\* sources of Being are transparent, but distort the image behind them, much like the air above a flame.

### Organization and semantics

There are fourteen elements, most often presented as pairs of opposing forces:

Fire and Water, Earth and Air, Body and Spirit, Nature and Force, Light and Darkness, Time and Space, Being and Void.

These pairs are rooted in how phenomena based on those elements interacts - for example, extinguishing a fire is easiest with water, harder with air or earth, harder still with other methods; a similar opposition is immediately evident in magic. This mutual cancellation is one of the most important principles in any research concerning the elements, and one of the first lessons when learning magic.

For a more generalized grouping, elements are usually assigned to four domains, based on their relative similarities and ease of use in magical arts:

Domain of Fundamentals consists of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air;

Domain of Cognizance consists of Body, Spirit, Nature, and Force;

Domain of Pervasion consists of Light, Darkness, Time, and Space;

Domain of Order consists of Being and Void.

### Variations and alternative classifications

Some classifications consider Being and Void to not be true elements, but rather properties of all things in existence, akin to shape or color. They limit the main list of elements to 12 positions. In those systems, Being and Void are sometimes considered two extremes of entropy.

There are systems with more than 14 Elements. The most common addition is the pair of Physicality (sometimes called Tangibility) and Etherealness, included as part of the Domain of Order. Some others consider secondary, or derivative elements, resulting from stable combinations of two primary elements. Such derivatives can include Ice (a combination of Water and Air), Steam (Water and Fire), Hard Light, or Luxin (Light and Force), and many others. Including sub-derivatives, that is results of combining two elements of which at least one is itself a derivative, can result in classifications that count their elements in the hundreds, and try to cover every area of existence or endeavor with its own specific element.

There are no systems that eschew the pairings of elements, but some of them expand those influences and, for example, consider all elements of the Domain of Fundamentals aspects of the same underlying 'super-element', some aspect of existence even more fundamental than the elements themselves.

### Religion

The most popular religions on Noraena all use the same pantheon of elemental gods, each one a patron of their own element. Most then append scores of lesser deities, most often created as prodigy and children between the members of the main pantheon, and then each other.