Humans live on Earth and in Xalmyrra. Their populations include ordinary people and mages whose connection to essence strengthens their bodies.
Appearance and Magic
Human appearance varies between populations. Among the people Eira encountered in Thalcoris were humans with warmer skin tones than those of Xalmyrra and vivid yellow or red eyes.
Essence flowing through a mage's body increases strength and durability. Enchantments can further improve physical abilities: Ilyra enchanted Lirien to run fast enough to keep pace with her. Uncontrolled essence can be fatal; an engineer in Zeydrith erupted in a blast that killed and injured people around him.
Humans live on Earth and throughout Valrindor, including Xalmyrra. Their populations include ordinary people and mages whose connection to essence strengthens their bodies.
Appearance and Magic
Human appearance varies between populations. Among the people Eira encountered in Thalcoris were humans with warmer skin tones than those of Xalmyrra and vivid yellow or red eyes.
Essence flowing through a mage's body increases strength and durability. Enchantments can further improve physical abilities: Ilyra enchanted Lirien to run fast enough to keep pace with her. Uncontrolled essence can be fatal; an engineer in Zeydrith erupted in a blast that killed and injured people around him.
Most people in Valrindor do not reach the highest mage ranks. Thalena lived for centuries while still needing food and rest; the gods attributed her immortality to a temporal spell.
Essence Infusion
After the fall of Malverand, researchers embedded microscopic essence-core fragments in human flesh to survive the encroaching darkness. The procedure transformed people into essence shapers, who depended on replenishing their stored essence.
Humans live on Earth and throughout Valrindor, including Xalmyrra. Their populations include ordinary people and mages whose connection to essence strengthens their bodies.
Physiology and Magic
Human appearance varies between populations. Among the people Eira encountered in Thalcoris were humans with warmer skin tones than those of Xalmyrra and vivid yellow or red eyes.
Humans from Earth and Valrindor are closely similar. Isandro compared their biological composition and identified small differences. His scan showed that Eira's human ancestry was half Earthling and half Valrindorian. He confirmed that the differences between her and Kaelion made having children more difficult, although it remained possible.
Essence flowing through a mage's body increases strength and durability. Enchantments can further improve physical abilities: Ilyra enchanted Lirien to run fast enough to keep pace with her. Uncontrolled essence can be fatal; an engineer in Zeydrith erupted in a blast that killed and injured people around him.
Most people in Valrindor do not reach the highest mage ranks.
Altered Bodies
After the fall of Malverand, researchers embedded microscopic essence-core fragments in human flesh to survive the encroaching darkness. The procedure transformed people into essence shapers, who depended on replenishing their stored essence.
The Malverand Intergalactic Empire developed technology that greatly extended human life. Its nanotechnology copied and altered ancient magic, and its cell-repair technology was based on divine healing. Imperial researchers found a copied and altered form of their reflective nanite technology in Thalena's essence. She had lived for centuries while still needing food and rest. Isandro described his own body as as much machine as human, with modifications that repelled essence.