See "Matu'd'arum"

Spells of the Sphere of Air deal with the prediction and control of weather, with more potent spells dealing with the power of storms and precipitation (such as the causing of rain or sleet -- as the temperature allows -- or even lightning.) Due to the nature of the weather, even an Air Mage cannot perfectly predict the weather -- or perfectly control it. Spells of this Sphere, when interrupted, have a high chance of having disastrous side effects, proportional to the power of the spell and the energy already invested in it.

According to the theory of the organization of spheres most held by Rephidimite scholarship, the Sphere of Air is closely related to the Sphere of Chaos (Chaos, Sphere of), and is diametrically opposed by the Sphere of Earth (Earth, Sphere of).

Under this system, a period of 30 days may be referred to as a "Sphere" or an "Apex", while a period of 15 days may be referred to as a "Hemisphere" or a "Transition".

Holidays and dates of note include:

These are the incantations that are to be mastered by mage apprentices before more complex proper spells and rituals are learned. Unlike rituals, cantrips do not require such preparations as magical circles, and usually don't require material components.

On the surface of Sinai, the average cantrip takes about fifteen seconds to cast by the average trained mage. The same cantrip would take four times as long (that is, about one minute) to cast in Rephidim, due to the weaker state of magical energies at that elevation.

Chaos Mages have no agreed-upon traditional color for their robes. Their rune is "The Burst", or "The Explosion", which is also the rune for the planet Fortunatis.

The Sphere of Chaos is, according to the traditions of Rephidimite scholarship, closely associated with the Sphere of Air (Air, Sphere of), and diametrically opposed to the logical and orderly Sphere of Mind (Mind, Sphere of).

"Dagh" also figures into colorful phrases and exclamations such as "Dagh's dentures!" or names of forboding locations, or strange rock formations, such as "Dagh's Tower".

Somewhat controversially, Dagh is also recognized as the name of a recently discovered eleventh planet in the Primus System, associated with the Sphere of Illusion (Illusion, Sphere of). However, an explorer dubbed the planet "Quicksilver", and since this name is not considered a foul word in any known language or culture, it is often used as an alternate name for the world. Presently, little is known of this planet, save that it is accessible through the Gateway Tower and that it appears to be a reflective orb.

In regards to Bosch, Degenerates are beings that were once living, sapient creatures, but who -- for one reason or another -- succumbed to the corrupting magicks of Bosch, and are more or less bound to it for the remainder of their existence.

Bosch, a realm of wild magic and magical "illusion", can be quite harmful to those who enter it. Aside from the possibility of simply being slain by its inhabitants, there are numerous ways in which one's form might be altered in such a way that -- while one might be sustained by the magic of Bosch, where physics seem to only sometimes apply -- one would not be able to survive for long outside of this Forbidden Zone. This appears to not only be a physical but a mental transformation, as persons with strong wills and strong faith have been known to be able to resist ... at least, for a time.

The process is greatly accelerated if one makes the mistake of consuming anything while in Bosch. After all, the sustenance one receives from food or drink of illusory origin is not real and physical. A person sustained on food and drink in Bosch for a prolonged time (and nobody really knows how long a "prolonged time" actually is) would eventually have much of his or her physical form replaced by magical substance ... a magical substance that would disintegrate once the person was removed from Bosch.

Therefore, Degenerates are persons who have reached a state where they may be weakened by leaving Bosch ... or might simply disintegrate outright. There may be hope for a Degenerate in the earliest stages ... but even something so simple as eating a single piece of illusory fruit, or taking a sip of illusory water can open the door for Bosch's magicks to take over the victim's body in insidious ways. Furthermore, being a Degenerate does horrible things to one's sanity.

The rune of the Sphere of Dream is "The Crescent", which is also the rune of the planet Morpheus. Mages of the Sphere of Dream traditionally dress in robes of grey.

According to traditional Rephidim scholarship, the Sphere of Dream is closely associated with the Sphere of Water (Water, Sphere of), and is diametrically opposed to the more material Sphere of Life (Life, Sphere of).

Spells of the Sphere of Earth deal with the "elements" of stone and metal, and often involve the shaping or locating of such, as well as powers regarding plant life and "nature" in general. This diversity of spell focii is such that many Earth Mages specialize in some subset ... becoming druid-like "forest mages", or the rare (but often wealthy) "alchemist" focusing on the metal elements. Spells of the Sphere of Earth are regarded as being strong and long-lasting, with effects that are resistant to dispelling, and also require a great deal of fortitude in the wizards who dare employ such magicks.

According to Rephidim scholarship, the Sphere of Earth is most closely associated with the logical, steadfast Sphere of Mind (Mind, Sphere of), and diametrically opposed to the Sphere of Air (Air, Sphere of).

The Eeee (also known as Bats, Batbats, Flappers, and (squeak) ) are plantigrade, bat-like humanoids with short bodyfur, large ears, head hair, human-like eyes, and a pair of wings sprouting from behind the shoulders. The Eeee are noted for their exceptional hearing, able to navigate in total darkness by a sort of "sonar", hearing the echo of their own voices off of objects.

However, they are also very fragile and often weak as far as most races of their size go, so they are not generally very impressive in hand-to-hand combat.

Most Eeee consider the Ashdod Territories -- especially the city-state of Babel -- to be their homeland. However, a sub-strain of vampiric Eeee (often bearing mutations, such as glowing red eyes) can be found in the Nordikan region of Sylvania. While most Eeee are omnivorous (having a diet high in bugs and fruits), the vampiric Eeee subsist off of blood ... and are often looked upon with disdain by their non-vampiric Eeee "cousins".

There is also a distinct sub-strain of "fruit bat" Eeee in the now independent state of Saskanar (formerly part of the Ashdod Territories). There is a very common mutation in these parts of Eeee that do not possess separate wings, but have forearms/wings fused together.

"Eeee" also refers to a language widely used by the race of the same name, particularly in Ashdod. (Sylvanian Eeee tend to speak Sylvanian instead.) This language, while it can be pronounced at a rudimentary level by other races, utilizes tones that are outside of the hearing range of many other species (and their ability to emulate). The end result is that non-Eeee trying to speak Eeee sound roughly as if they're lisping, and non-Eeee can't fully appreciate the intricacies of Eeee poetry and song.

Note: The "Babelite Alphabet" shown above is listed as a GM's tool and reference. While the "real" Babelite language would be quite unlike English, for the sake of simplicity (and so the GM and PCs don't have to learn a new, fictitious language), the above "language" -- used in some illustrations -- is nothing more than a letter-substitution code.

Traditionally, the Emperor-Potentate is known by title, not name. Combined with the extended lifespan of the typical Nagai Emperor, many tend to think of him as an immortal, much like was supposed of the Sabaoth of Babel. Purportedly, the Emperor-Potentate was slain by a Kavi assassin on Landing Day 6, 6103 RTR, resulting in the fragmentation of the once mighty Nagai Empire.

However, with the reported return of the Emperor-Potentate on 31 Ring, 6104 RTR, displacing the temporary "Emperor" who took his place over the smaller state of Nagai, rumors of the Emperor-Potentate's immortality have begun anew, perhaps even encouraged by the ruler himself.

It is quite probable that they have magic users in their ranks (or have some in their employ), for the most noteworthy feature of the Faceless Ones is just how frustratingly hard it is to make out any details of their faces. Anyone who attempts to describe a Faceless One is bound to recall nothing so much as a blur where the face should have been.

Fire magic, of course, deals with fire, and, of the various Spheres, is the most potentially powerful in terms of releasing raw, physical force. It can also be particularly dangerous to be around when a spell of a Fire Mage is interrupted, once sufficient energy has been pumped into the ritual.

According to Rephidim scholarship, the Sphere of Fire is most closely related, oddly enough, to the dynamic Sphere of Life (Life, Sphere of), and diametrically opposed to the Sphere of Water (Water, Sphere of).

This term is also used to refer to an airship that has, for whatever reason, been abandoned and set adrift. Most airships left so abandoned will not stay aloft for very long untended, since the gas will eventually seep out, or else the ship will eventually fall prey to various airborne predators or scavengers -- be they wild animals, or pirates.

On the ground, there isn't necessarily anything special at all ... except that the persons known as "Exiles", when they arrive on Sinai, show up somewhere within these Zones, by some mysterious means.

Forbidden Zones vary greatly in size, some of the more noteworthy (and especially large) ones including Shabar, Aeztepa, Bosch, the Forbidden Zone of Mount Dronnel, and Xenea Canyon (site of the City of Hands). Other Zones have been discovered, among other places, in the Vykarin Wastes, the Wandering Roams, the Himaat, Himar, and the Desolate Band.

Great Gretchen has also become a byword for many Chronotopians, almost to the point of anthropomorphization, in such phrases of "What in the name of Gretchen," "I swear by Great Gretchen," and so forth. As far as can be told, there is no "Gretchen" that the tower is actually named after, but it is simply a nickname of unknown origin that became applied as a matter of tradition.

When the "Knife" is most visible in the sky at night, it reflects enough light to subtly affect the available illumination, somewhat like a full moon would, but less impressive. Since this alignment is favorable to hunting at night, it tends to be associated with hunters, hence its identity as "Hunter's Knife".

The rune of this Sphere is "The Mirror", and Illusionists typically dress in robes of black (though, given their nature, they may opt for other attire so as to not give their true profession away).

According to Rephidim scholarship, the Sphere of Illusion is most closely related to the Sphere of Shadow (Shadow, Sphere of), and diametrically opposed to the Sphere of Spirit (Spirit, Sphere of) - the latter often being associated with the sense of "truth", for purposes of this debated opposition scheme.

The singular, "Jinga" is very rarely used, but "Jingai" refers to, as a collective, the various reptiloid sapient races found in abundance in the Nagai Empire, specifically excluding the Nagai themselves. This would include the Shigai, Rokugai, Kirigai and (excluding the Nagai) the Nigai. The plural (as in, referring to a finite number) would be "Jingas".

In the Nagai Empire, only Nagai and Jingai may be considered citizens. The Jingai are "second-class citizens" by comparison.

The Jupani analogues (humanoids with wolf-like features) to be found on the planet of Abaddon (as part of an organization known as the Expedition) are known as "Karnor" or "Karnors". By all appearances, they are genetically identical to "City Jupani" ( Jupani (City-Born) ) on Sinai.

It also happens that an obscure name for "City Jupani" on Sinai is "Karnor", pointing at common origins. "Karnor" is also the name of an obscure language sometimes used by City Jupani, and a variant dialect is in use on Abaddon.

However, in the fallout of the Alliance Wars, the Khattan Emirate - which chose to remain neutral in the conflict - has grown in prosperity and influence, in large part due to its alliance with the Kampfzengruppe of Abaddon, and its control over Sinai's Gateway Tower in the Himaat Desert. With the displacement of Elamoore, the Emir wielded considerable political and economic influence in neighboring Himar, to the point that Himar has now been annexed. The small area of Tizhar is considered to be under the influence of the Emirate as well, and the mountainous country of Kilmanjar is under the Emir's sway as well.

The Khattan Emirate is dominated by the feline Khatta and Kattha races, though with a large presence of the Zerda people as well. Due to the alliance with the Kampfzengruppe of Abaddon, there are many humans that may be found in the domains of the Emirate now as well, and there is an especially diverse racial distribution in the annexed lands of Himar. While there are many Nohbakim nomads in the Himaat Desert, they are considered riff-raff, and not true and loyal subjects of the Emir. As various events have led to greater association between certain of the Nohbakim people and the outside world, however, this may be a changing factor.

The Temple of Rephidim once had its own Order of the Bounded Star and Anchor, its members known as the Knights Templar. The Order was a semi-autonomous body which performs police functions, and pledges loyalty to the Temple, falling under the authority of the Inquisition.

The Knights Templar are divided into Lances of warriors identified by color, but otherwise wearing fairly uniform suits of armor. They have long been picked from the elite of the Temple Guard. Once joining the Order, the members go by assigned names rather than their own former identities. This anonymity is further enhanced by the practice of wearing face-covering helms even to social functions, and many Knights take vows of silence, lest they say anything to tarnish the mystique and honor of this body.

Of the Knights Templar, the most distinguished warriors are known as Champions, or as the Templars Elite. The personal names of these elite warriors are known to few, and they are referred to by title and Crest (or Aspect) instead -- as the "Champion of Roses", the "Champion of Ashes" and so forth. Each Champion may lead a Lance of knights, but many times they work solo, at times going across Sinai on Pilgrimages.

Due to a schism with the leadership of Rephidim Temple, the Knights Templar have become a largely independent organization, moving their base of operations from the training grounds of Golgotha to the recently acquired sky island of Fetiss.

Traditionally, each Lance is made up of members who are all of the same species (or else at least somewhat similar species), with the idea that they will be able to work better together, and quite often of the same species as their Champion. They are typically identified by a single color assigned to the Lance, identified by what color cloak they wear.

Some examples of active Lances would include the Bronze Lance, the Magenta Lance, the Black Lance, the Diamond Lance, the Crimson Lance and the Cobalt Lance.

The Bronze Lance, consisting of Rath'anis, is led by the Champion of Gears (also known as the Champion of Order), and is special in that its members are chosen in part by the Technopriesthood. They are based in the Sanctuary of Order, on the edge of Bosch.

The Magenta Lance, an all-female group consisting of a mix of Khattas and Katthas, is led by the Champion of Roses, based in Rephidim. It has been controversial from the start, being one of the newest Lances, recruited from Temple Scout graduates, and more recently marred by numerous failures.

The Black Lance, consisting of "City" Jupanis, is led by the Champion of Ashes, and is also based in Rephidim, though their Sanctuary at Golgotha appears to be abandoned and ruinous.

The Diamond Lance, consisting of Vartans, is led by the Champion of Diamonds (unofficially called by some the "Champion of Shinies"), and is based in Rephidim.

The Crimson Lance, comprised of "City" Jupanis, is led by the Champion of Flames, and is another Rephidim-based Lance, though often sent on missions to the surface.

The Cobalt Lance, comprised entirely of Titanians, is another relatively newly-created Lance, led by the Champion of Sound, and is noteworthy in that all of its members are musicians, their instruments doubling as weapons.

Members of a Lance are typically referred to as "Lancers". They are also sometimes called "Templars", though this term can be confused with the more generic reference to anyone serving Rephidim Temple.

Life Mages traditionally wear robes in a rainbow of colors in their greatest rituals, but it is not uncommon for many of them to opt for white robes or those of more drab colors, for the sake of convenience. The rune of their Sphere is "The Tree", which is also the symbol for the planet Arcadia.

According to Rephidim scholarship, the Sphere of Life is considered to be associated with the Sphere of Fire (Fire, Sphere of), and diametrically opposed to the Sphere of Dream (Dream, Sphere of), though there is some disagreement on this arrangement of the Spheres.

Due to the trouble and expense of Major Rituals, they are the least used of the classes of incantations to be found on Sinai ... though their effects are by far the longest-lasting, and the most likely to be celebrated in legend.

See "A'Natur'Matu"

Mind mages traditionally dress in rich brown robes bearing the rune of their Sphere, "The Center" (or "The Heart"), which is also the rune of the planet Logos.

"Overlords" are believed to be the most powerful entities in the Forbidden Zone of Bosch, and often figure into the mythos of cultures in the Nordikan region. They are deified as dark gods, or -- more often -- demonized in those theologies that center around the "Great Gear" or the "Star".

Some believe that the Overlords are another type of Degenerate ... persons who were once living beings, but who ventured into Bosch. While these Overlords may have been consumed by Bosch and may very well be unable to leave its boundaries, the belief is that these individuals were strong-willed enough to master the wild magicks of Bosch, and to exert their influence over the Imps and Degenerates dwelling there -- making themselves lords with near god-like powers over their limited domain.

It is also believed that some scattered dark societies might actually worship these Overlords as gods, and might actively serve them, seeking the downfall of "mundane" society and the expansion of the wild zone of madness that is Bosch.

The ring is so named because ancient myth holds it to be a procession of the recently departed souls making a pilgrimage to the land beyond the stars. The larger points of light follow fairly consistent orbits (despite frequent collisions with smaller chunks of space debris) and have been attributed with names corresponding to major persons of history long past -- the names having survived much longer than the memory of what exactly made the owners of them worthy of such immortality in legend. These "guides" are held to remain forever in the Procession, leading the way to the lands beyond.

The theory has its ties in long-lost sciences dealing with the make-up of matter, and the term itself is believed to have been coined long ago, perhaps back in the Expedition era. The theory is that some force within the heart of Sinai has an effect on the movements of particles that make up matter, disrupting their natural order. The closer one is the surface, the greater this influence has on particles, thus making matter behave in slightly unpredictable ways.

Due to the regulatory nature of biological matter, it seems that living beings are not affected in quite the same way complex machines are, but there still is a higher incidence of mutation on the surface ... a phenomenon which may well be linked to Quantum Uncertainty.

Peculiar devices such as the Chronotopian Quantometer are designed to "measure" this phenomenon, though -- by definition -- without a high degree of accuracy. Quantum Uncertainty generally increases with a decrease in altitude, but it also increases within places known to be unfused with high levels of magic -- such as Forbidden Zones and ancient First Ones sites.

So far as can be told, Rephidim Standard has remained in its current form, virtually unchanged, for many millenia, purportedly since the time of the Expedition (0 RTR). Part of this is due to the Temple's stabilizing influence, and part of it is through the Learning Helmet training given to Exiles -- The language taught by the helmet is unchanged all these millenia, and therefore it is an unchanging standard. Individual terms and jargon may be introduced, of course, but the basic structure of the language and core words have remained unchanged.

Still, there are instances of "offshoots" from Rephidim Standard, especially during the earliest days of Rephidim's history, before the age of widespread exploration and travel of Sinai by means of airship. Some isolated colonies -- free from the stabilizing influence of the Temple -- would develop on their own, and the language accordingly would diverge as well. Some call these "spin-off" languages "archaic Rephidim Standard", somewhat erroneously, therefore.

A standard requirement of any ritual-level spell is to have some sort of "magic circle", which the spellcaster typically sits in the center of. The exact nature of the circle can vary greatly with the particular spell, the sphere of magic being used, and even the individual spellcaster's "style". Ultimately, if one were to, say, have some layman exactly mimic the words uttered by a mage, and recreate a ritual perfectly, it would not cause magic to occur. The ritual is a mental tool, the nature of which is not fully understood even by mages themselves. More powerful mages tend to be able to make shorter rituals to achieve the same results.

Since it is inconvenient, say, to have a Fire Mage ask some bandits to kindly pause while he casts a Fireball spell, it is a common practice for more experienced mages to use "held spells". In a theoretical situation with a Fire Mage undertaking a hazardous journey, the mage would cast the spell in the morning, right up to the last word.

The magic of the spell would manifest itself in the form of, say, a magical flame dancing about in his off hand. If needed, at some point later in the day, he could fire off the last word of his spell, and release the stored energy. (A hazard of this is that, under certain circumstances, such as the mage being knocked unconscious, the spell's power might go off a bit prematurely. Caution is advised.)

Legend had it that the Sabaoth was immortal, and "Sabaoth" therefore was both name and title. While he was the "king" of Ashdod, there was no queen. Still, there are yet many who can claim to be a son of Sabaoth ("bar Sabaoth"). Since the Sabaoth was considered to be immortal, this implied no succession by heritage as it would in many other kingdoms.

The Sabaoth's history was long shrouded in mystery, and few were those who would get to see him except at a great distance. He was not completely secluded, however, for he made daily appearances on a daily basis for the ceremony of the Greeting of the Sun.

His mortality is now evident, however, as the Sabaoth was slain in an uprising after the great defeat Ashdod suffered in the War of the Plaguebringers. He was succeeded by the High Prince Boghaz (his biological son), but was not long after murdered, and replaced by his wife, Saraizadze, who was dubbed the High Princess. It looks as if a tradition of calling the leader of the land the "High Prince" or "High Princess" is being set here, though it is not yet demonstrated whether this rule will be passed on in hereditary fashion. (In Babelite politics, it is likely that the throne will find a new successor by blood -- shed rather than inherited.)

Spells of the Sphere of Shadow deal with obscuring and hiding, but also with the obscure nature of "shadows", which only exist, it is said, in the mind of the observer, which attempts to place meaning upon the division between light and darkness. Thus, shadow magic can involve the twisting of light and perception to warp actual shadows, and even to make such shadows seem to take on more substantial form. In this respect, the Sphere of Magic encroaches upon the domain of certain other Spheres (such as Illusion, Spirit, and even Scrying), but is the weakest of any Sphere and the most easily dispelled or warded in such endeavors.

Cantrip: Weakest of spells. At least 15 seconds to cast on surface of Sinai.

Spell or Minor Spell: At least 15 minutes to cast on surface of Sinai.

Ritual: At least one hour to cast on surface of Sinai.

Major Ritual: At least one day to cast on surface of Sinai.

At higher elevations, spellcasting times take longer. For instance, at the level of Rephidim and other sky islands (about 10,000 feet above sea level), spells take about four times as long to cast. At some places on the surface of Sinai (such as at ancient ruins or in Forbidden Zones), casting times may vary greatly.

The rune of the Sphere of Spirit is "The Spirit", which is also the sign of the planet Ariel. Mages of the Sphere of Spirit, in their high rituals, typically wear robes of white, whether Necromancers or Warders, though the former quite often do away with any color schemes and opt for red, black, violet, or whatever suits them.

By tradition, Rath'ani (raccoons) are most dominant in the Technopriest hierarchy, though there are also several Eeee and members of other races as well.

However, the majority of Titanians are members of a race of large bipedal, plantigrade lupines. Hence, the term "Titanian" is often used as a racial term rather than an indication of nationality. Lupine Titanians (also known as Titanian Jupanis) are very large, and are distinctive in having hairy manes as well as "fetlocks" on their forearms and sometimes legs. They are typically known as being very hardy and stereotypically dimwitted ... though somehow capable of considerable feats of engineering.

Spells of this Sphere deal with, as would be expected, water in its various forms -- including rainstorms and ice.

The distinction may seem unclear, but the presumption is that a true mage is invoking powers of Sinai through ritual, knowledge of magic, and willpower, and that only persons with a certain Magic Potential can hope to cast spells.

A witch, on the other hand, need not necessarily have any Magic Potential at all, but rather casts magic indirectly, by calling upon spirits (naturally occuring or not) to do her bidding. This practice is frowned upon by the Mages' Guild. The difference between a priest or priestesses who calls upon a deity for divine favors and a "witch" is not clearly defined.

It should be noted that a "witchdoctor" is in no way related to a "witch", despite the similarity in name. Also, "witch" may be applied to male conjurers as well, though in the latter case the term "warlock" is also used.

In some circles, the term "witch" has become synonymous with "mage", but its usage usually implies the negative in most Sinai societies.