The World Wheel

When the world was made the Old Ones gathered within a painted wheel and each of them had a dream of wisdom. Mata dreamed about the earth, Sipha had a vision of air while her sister Bila saw water and Essa dreamed of fire. Together the four sisters made the world and their sisters, Drua and Drasa dreamed about all the creatures that would live there. The last sisters, Auna and Gama gave them shape and spirits so that they would come to life and populate the world.
- Song of the Dream, Cuiving Myth of Creation

The World Wheel is a mythological figure made of eight founding elements known as Essence. To most settlers in the New World Essence is a mystical substance that saturates all life and defines their reality. Cailorubia is both a sacred place and a place of many conflicts and turmoil. It is a mystic world where spirits are born into a cycle of reincarnations, where all beings follow a hidden pattern, and where good and evil is defined by the World Wheel. Once you enter this world the Character you choose to play will become a part of its mythological figure and you will find that the wheel itself is mirrored in his or her personality, skills and powers. In Cailorubia the spirit is immortal and it is believed that groups or families of spirits form a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth.

Each of these Wandering Spirits is tied to one of the aspects of the World Wheel dividing them into eight families. To bring life to your Character you must choose a Spirit to represent his or her personality, like a golden cord relating it to one of the aspects of the World Wheel. In its physical form your Character is defined by a series of numeric values representing strengths and weaknesses. Abilities will illustrate your physical and mental potentials, Skills represent practical crafts and knowledgde, and Essence is a source from which you can draw energy – a part of your spirit that is linked to the eight elements.

Throughout the game you will be able to use that link in many ways, but perhaps the most important of them all is that of The Awakening! As a mysterious reminiscence of creation itself all creatures share a divine potential in form of hidden powers known as Paths. This knowledge is tied to the World Wheel itself and by tapping into an Essence your character can learn how to invoke strange powers of magic. Many civilizations in Cailorubia believe that mastering the paths lead to a state of spiritual enlightenment known as The Awakening. Since all intelligent life forms can learn how to use paths it is up to each player to determine how far he will pursuit his spiritual enlightenment. Those seeking to master their paths are called Middlers and although they are rare in numbers they are known to wield great powers.

Essence of the Wheel
A Character has eight Essence values each associated with one of the spiritual powers of the World Wheel. Essence is a part of your mind that draws energy from the World Wheel providing willpower and spiritual prowess. There are eight kinds of Essence: Mata (Earth), Drua (Beasts), Auna (Spirit), Essa (Fire), Sipha (Air), Drasa (Plants), Gama (Body) and Bila (Water). Essence is a powerful resource that can help you in numerous situations. With your mind you can reduce and in some cases absorb the elements of fire, cold and energy. You can draw upon inner resources to temporarily boost Abilities, and by tapping your Essence you are able to invoke Gifts.

Gifts are magical powers used by Middlers, and when using them you must spend a certain amount of Essence. After a full night’s sleep you will regain all lost Essence. Each of the eight Essences is associated with a form of Elemental Damage and help to protect you against that type of Damage. Both acting in combination with your Manna as a source for your Paths the eight Essences are an important part of the game as they also help you reduce elemental damage like armour does with physical damage. The elements are alligned as follows.

Mata
Chemical Damage. Acid, poisonous chemicals, radiation.

Drua
Decay Damage. Diseases, rot and corruptive attacks.

Auna
Nether Damage. Spiritual energy, negative energy, divine attacks.

Essa
Fire Damage. All forms of fire, heat and explosions.

Sipha
Breath Damage. Suffocation, drowning, poisonous gas.

Drasa
Poison Damage. All manner of herbal or animal poison.

Gama
Energy Damage. Electricity, rays, chemical energy.

Bila
Cold Damage. Frost, chilling attacks and cold weather.