As described mainly in the books Potentiae Lapis Niger (The Powers of the Black Stone, by Silvius Garabella, 317 A.D.) and Þe Blaecstan Magyk (The Blackstone Magic, by Parsifal Bleckner, 1169).
All magical aspects of the world derive from the same energy, called the Effluvium or Shimmer from its appearance in its less concentrated form. Alternate names are the Energy, Air Noir, Black Air, Air Vif, Quickair, Live air, Effluve.
History of the Effluvium
The Effluvium was released during the Shift that separated the universe into two planes of existence.
It was present equally in both worlds originally.
Yet ancient beings found ways to harvest it in order to gain its power. They fashioned creatures and imbued them with shimmer to give them a semblance of life. The creatures built intricate mechanisms to collect Effluvium for their masters, coalesce it in concentrated form, and send it to the Ancients through a unique portal.
The Mortal world is mostly emptied of Effluvium now.
The Otherworld, where men never spread, has almost been emptied, too.
Yet the servants of the Ancients, left to die when they fulfilled their task, managed to refine the Effluvium further, and shape it as Cores of power they fused with — thus extending their power and life. The became Gods of less powerful creatures on both sides of the world.
Yet their Cores of power failed the Gods after centuries of use, releasing their power in the form of raw Corrosion that killed them one by one.
Only a wise God who had separated from his Core, and another who had it torn away by men, were left alive.
Physical states of Effluvium
Gaseous: dark shimmering in the air, diffraction of light.
Liquid/Concentrated: fluid-like behaviour, but needs to be contained for stability.
Solid/Compacted: solid, stone-like, a Core of power. They also need to be contained or fused with a host.
Unstable: turns into black, spiky Corrosion: black matter that expands and corrupts all matter.
Refined: Corrosion, when heated very slowly and for a long time, can be purified again, however the amount of “clean” Effluvium will be minimal (0.01% of original amount). It will be solid, but still much less concentrated than a Core of power.
Effluvium in nature
There are rare pockets of Effluvium still present in nature, generally in hidden or remote areas (most commonly caves). In those areas the Effluvium will slowly create Corrosion with the matter surrounding it, however due to its low concentration the Corrosion takes centuries or millennia to crystallise and spread.
Using Powers
Using a power requires the caster to have a certain amount of Effluvium available, which means that his body can tap the Effluvium to cast the spell.
The Effluvium can be present in the body in several ways:
- A Core. The most powerful way. A concentrated Effluvium solid fused with the caster’s body.
- A residual Effluvium presence. A certain amount of Effluvium can be retained in matter, alive or not.
- An insertion of a roughly refined shard of Effluvium in the flesh, ideally in the nervous system.
Side effects of using powers
Using powers from the Effluvium has an impact on the caster. It is always going to consume some of his life force, and also diminish the amount for available power, or consume it entirely.
Cores (highly concentrated) will last the longest — almost like a nuclear reactor, it is hard to see their energy falter with time. However, it does. Every discharge of power also slightly imbalances the Core, rendering it unstable after a long time and strong usage.
Fragments of refined Corrosion will last a limited amount of time, sometimes no more than a few hours or even minutes. Their end of life will generate a certain amount of Corrosion that will be painful but not immediately deadly. The more refined the fragment, the lesser the Corrosion.
Effluvium concentrated in the caster’s body behave slightly differently. The Effluvium is concentrated when the caster does cast a spell, meaning that some part will be concentrated and consumed. However due to its lessened concentration, it does not turn into Corrosion as much. It will take years and years of use before Corrosion appears on the body — however there is no stopping it. The amount of power stored in the caster diminishes with each power use, but people imbued with Effluvium are able to reabsorb some if they are in prolonged contact with Effluvium. The longer they have been exposed to Effluvium, the more their body can hold — up to a point. This power does not compare with a concentrated Core.
Addiction
Imperfect forms of Effluvium — specifically refined Corrosion, and in a lesser manner bodies imbued with shimmer — will behave like a drug: they will demand more and more of it to be effective.
Contact with Corrosion
Being in contact with Corrosion will hurt any living creature. Like a cancer, it causes distortion and dereliction of the flesh, and eventually death.
There are however side effects: mostly a sensitivity to the Effluvium, with symptoms such as visions dictated by the substance, and an enhanced feeling of people with Effluvium.
Once the Corrosion spreads living creatures lose their minds and become drones only attracted by the Effluvium, the denser the better: they would attack and try to absorb anyone imbued with it.