Glossary
Short definitions of the terms used across the world and the rules. Each one links to the page that defines it. On other pages, the first mention of a term links here, and hovering over or focusing the link shows its definition.
A
- AethyrAethyr and magic
The primal force underlying all existence in Geminaea, born in the Aethyr Explosion that began the universe. It is the source of all magic and the medium connecting thought and reality, recognized only through its effects on the matter it suffuses.
- Aethyr FocusCharacters
A spellcasting focus: the object a caster can hold in place of material components. It has nothing to do with a focus check.
- Aethyr KnotAethyr and magic
A mortal's soul: the knot formed where strands of the Aethyrweave entangle with their beliefs, experiences and desires. Every Geminaean has one, unique to them. When it is sparked, it becomes an Aethyrflame.
- Aethyr nodeAethyr and magic
A natural concentration of Aethyr, found near ancient ruins, deep within planetary crusts or high in the atmosphere. Nodes make spellcasting easier and more potent and are mined for Lyrium, but their intense energy can make the area around them unstable.
- Aethyr PointsAethyrflames
Motes of magical power that measure the strength of an Aethyrflame. Characters earn them from encounters, Aspirations and Player-Given Boon Points, about 6 a session on average, and spend them on Aethyrflame Features.
- Aethyr riftAethyr and magic
A place where the flow of Aethyr has been disrupted or torn, by a collapsing star, intense magical battle or cataclysm. Reality may bend or break there, with spontaneous magic, warped space and time, and portals to other realms.
- AethyrflameAethyr and magic
A sparked Aethyr Knot: a furnace of magical potential that keeps drawing energy from the surrounding Aethyr. It smolders when unused and flares when its bearer draws on the Aethyrweave; left unused long enough, it goes out.
- Aethyrflame AbilityAethyrflames
The ability (Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma) chosen when an Aethyrflame is sparked at level 1. It sets the Aethyrflame Ability Modifier, and the Aethyrflame Spell Save DC is 8 plus proficiency bonus plus that modifier.
- Aethyrflame FeatureAethyrflames
An ability an Aethyrsparked character gains, usually only once and subject to Technique, Source, Affinity, level and prerequisite requirements. Features are granted by a Technique or Source, taken as free picks, or bought with Aethyr Points.
- Aethyrflame RejuvenationAethyrflames
Completing a Long Rest, for an Aethyrsparked character: the time when Aethyr Points can be spent on new Aethyrflame Features.
- Aethyrspark eventAethyrflames
The moment a mortal's Aethyr Knot ignites into an Aethyrflame. For some it is personal and unique, for others a tradition or ceremony. Players work out their character's with the GM, helped by tables tied to their Source.
- AethyrsparkedAethyr and magic
A mortal whose Aethyr Knot has been ignited into an Aethyrflame. The Aethyrsparked heal faster than ordinary mortals, can be revived after death by magic such as Revivify or Raise Dead, and can wield powers far beyond theirs.
- Aethyrsparked ArchetypeAethyrflames
One of the 36 standardized methods of harnessing Aethyr, each a unique combination of Technique, Domain and Source. These methods have been known by many names through history.
- AethyrweaveAethyr and magic
The intricate web of Aethyr that flows through and connects all things. Mortals and gods alike draw on it to work magic; scholars of the Arcane Era were the first to identify it.
- Anti-AethyrAethyr and magic
The counterforce to Aethyr: a power of inertia, stability and negation woven into the Aethyrweave. It disperses or dissolves concentrated Aethyr to restore equilibrium, and surges in response to extreme concentrations of it.
- AntimagicAethyr and magic
The practice of wielding Anti-Aethyr to counter, dispel or suppress magic. Advanced antimagic needs an Aethyrflame and Nullification Points. Nullifying active magic calls for an Anti-Magic Instability Check, and failing it can trigger a chaos surge.
- AradaeaPlaces
The arid twin planet of Geminaea, shaped by relentless sun and harsh winds. Its peoples, such as the Elden (elves), Grekkin (orcs and goblins) and Dwek (dwarves), trace their lineage to the Haku-Prota, the first humans.
- ArcCalendar
A season of the Spiral calendar, 90 days or three Segments long. The year has four: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
- ArcaneAethyrflames
The domain of Aethyr reached through intellect, study and precision, treating magic as a science. It covers conjuration, evocation, mental manipulation, psionics, illusions and the occult, and demands intense focus and discipline.
- AspirationAethyrflames
A goal tied to a character's Persona, chosen at creation; a character holds up to 3. Completing one earns 5 Aethyr Points, at most once every 5 days, and committing to a new one with a 1-hour ritual earns 1.
B
- BeliefAethyr and magic
One of the six core aspects of creation: the catalyst through which the potential of Aethyr becomes reality, shaped by the thoughts, dreams and aspirations of sapient beings. It draws the strands of the Aethyrweave into each mortal soul.
C
- Chaos surgeAethyr and magic
A chaotic release of concentrated Aethyr, set off by things like overreaching spellcasting, saturated places, failed rituals or antimagic. Its severity runs from Minor to Catastrophic, set by a pool of d20s that grows with the Aethyr involved; the GM then rolls d100 on that severity's table.
D
- Dead zoneAethyr and magic
An area where Aethyr is depleted or absent, so magic becomes unpredictable or impossible. Heavy spellcasting can drain an area into one until the Winds of Magic replenish it, over hours to weeks; others occur naturally.
- DedicationAethyrflames
The Source of Aethyrflames forged through unwavering dedication to a divine domain, devoted to a higher purpose. Through oaths and devout action they uphold the tenets of their chosen deity, pantheon, philosophy or conviction.
- DekaCalendar
The 10-day week of the Spiral calendar. Each day is named after one of the Ten Guilds of the Pact, and the days fall into four cycles: the Duties, Learnings, Harvests and Freedoms. Most public offices work 8 of the 10.
- DivineAethyrflames
The domain of Aethyr reached through faith, ritual and devotion to gods or higher ideals. It focuses on healing, protection, smiting evil, blessing allies and revelation, and its strength reflects the practitioner's devotion.
- DomainAethyrflames
One of the three ways mortals channel Aethyr: Arcane, Divine or Nature, each with its own powers, limits and philosophy. Most practitioners can attune to only one, a lifelong commitment that shapes their abilities and their worldview.
- Duties, Learnings, Harvests and FreedomsCalendar
The four cultural cycles that group the ten guild-days of a Deka, each a pillar of Raveni civilization. The early days emphasize duty and structure, the middle days knowledge and healing, and the last days celebration, wilderness and truth.
E
- EraHistory
A period of Geminaean history. The history is divided into five timelines, Genesis, Divergence, Recovery, Discovery and Neoteric, each made up of eras, the most recent being the Ascendant Era.
F
- Fragments of CreationAethyr and magic
Jagged crystal artifacts of immense, possibly limitless magical power, each holding a force of will tied to its domain of Creation. Their origin is unknown. They were used in the God Wars, and a wielder must contend with the will inside.
- Free pickAethyrflames
A feature of a given kind, such as a Fighting Style or Martial Maneuver, chosen without spending Aethyr Points because a technique or source feature grants it. Fighting styles, Bodily Improvements and Combat Superiority can only be obtained this way.
G
- GeminaeaPlaces
The setting: a celestial system of two planets, Aradaea and Vitaea, orbiting a shared moon, Ravena. The planets were once a single world, Terra, until The Rending split it. Mortal belief plays a central role in its creation and evolution.
- GodspactDivinity
The covenant that balances divine power. The Otaan, last mortals of Terra, first wrote it to separate the realm of the divines from the realm of mortals; the Phoenix Chryseum renewed it to disperse divine power among all mortals.
- GuildpactHistory
The pact, first forged at the end of the War of the Moon, that governs Ravena: a shared legal system and a coalition government of ten Pact-bound guilds, each overseeing domains such as justice or medicine. It also codified Raveni citizenship.
H
- HeritageCharacters
The people a character belongs to, Geminaea's term for a race. The Heritages (Races) page lists the playable heritages.
I
- Intensity levelAethyrflames
An Aethyrflame's level of power, from 1 to 20. Each level is reached at a cumulative Aethyr Point total, from 0 at level 1 to 1,000 at level 20, and sets the proficiency bonus. Many features require a minimum level.
K
- KnowledgeAethyrflames
The Source of Aethyrflames attained through the pursuit of knowledge: scholars, sages and researchers who unlock the secrets of the Aethyr and wield its energy with precision and intellect.
L
- Lingering injuryRules
A lasting mark, such as a broken bone or a lost eye, gained when a character at 0 hit points is healed before being stabilized. The GM rolls on the d20 table for the damage type that dropped them; it lasts until cured.
- LyriumAethyr and magic
Solid Aethyr: crystals that are its most stable form. Mined from Aethyr nodes, powdered Lyrium is used to craft magical artifacts, create enchantments and fuel Aethyr technology, and whole economies turn on it. Mishandling it is still dangerous.
M
- MartialAethyrflames
The Technique of formidable physical combatants, who use their Aethyr potential to enhance their strength, agility, weapon mastery and endurance and to perform extraordinary feats of athleticism.
- Mortal PlanesPlaces
The physical realms where mortals live: 4 of the 12 significant celestial bodies of the Geminaean system. There, mortal thought and belief shape reality and ripple outward to the Transitive and Divine Planes.
- Mortal remembranceAethyr and magic
The way the living sustain the dead: a soul remembered through stories, rituals or memory keeps its Aethyr and its presence in the afterlife, and how it is remembered shapes its experience there. Forgotten souls fade from the Aethyrweave.
- Mortal SoulAethyr and magic
The ethereal essence of a mortal, intertwined with the Aethyrweave through Belief. Its entanglement with the weave forms the Aethyr Knot, a common thread that binds all sapient beings together.
N
- NaturalAethyrflames
The domain of Aethyr drawn from the elements and living things, also called Nature. Its practitioners seek harmony rather than control. It governs plants, animals, weather and the elements, and misuse can disturb ecosystems or provoke elemental entities.
- Nullification PointsAethyr and magic
A finite reserve of Anti-Aethyr, which only those with an Aethyrflame can fully harness, spent to fuel advanced antimagic abilities. An Anti-Magic Instability Check fails if its result is over the practitioner's unspent points.
O
- OdamancyAethyr and magic
Structured, ritualistic magic that pulls Aethyr from the surrounding Aethyrweave, using verbal, somatic and material components, concentration and spell slots. It is powerful, but Counterspell can interrupt it and it is more likely to trigger chaos events.
P
- PersonaCharacters
A collection of attributes describing a character's beliefs, characteristics and approach to life: their Values, Axioms, Traits, Relationships and Challenges, each with its own table to choose from.
- Player-Given Boon PointsAethyrflames
Aethyr Points that players award at the end of each session: each player can give another player's character one, for any reason, and the DM also awards points to two players' characters. Characters average about 1.5 a session from them.
- PossessionAethyrflames
The Source of Aethyrflames born from a binding pact with a potent source of Aethyr or the acquisition of a mystical artifact, drawing strength from these supernatural affiliations.
- Prime DeitiesDivinity
The nineteen leaders and supreme powers among Geminaea's eighty-eight gods, served by the sixty-nine Divines. Like all the gods, they were given form by mortal belief.
- Proficiency levelCharacters
One of the five levels at which Geminaea measures skill proficiency, in place of the SRD's proficient or not: Incompetent, Untrained, Proficient, Expert and Master.
- PromaHistory
The first sapient beings, who arose on Terra in the Divergence Timeline. They developed cultures and belief systems and discovered their ability to wield magic before the War of Belief and The Rending.
R
- RavenaPlaces
The artificial moon that Aradaean and Vitaean Aethyrists created to stop the twin planets colliding. Powered by an Aethyr fusion reaction at its core, it is now a megalopolis and hub of commerce, culture and magical research, governed by guilds.
- The RendingHistory
The cataclysm that split the world of Terra in two at the end of the War of the Gods. Only the Otaan survived, by fleeing to Terra's moon; their descendants, the Eldaari and Wataari, rebuilt the halves into Aradaea and Vitaea.
- RunesmithAethyrflames
A practitioner of Runesmithing, the art of inscribing runes of power that draw energy from the Aethyrweave. A rune attached to an item makes it magical and requires attunement; Runesmiths learn to bind several runes to an item and attune to several such items.
S
- SegmentCalendar
A month of the Spiral calendar: 30 days, or three Dekas, named for one of the Prime Deities, such as Greidassan, the Month of Awakening.
- SomamancyAethyr and magic
Magic worked from Aethyr held within the practitioner, tied to their soul, bloodline or training, rather than drawn from the Aethyrweave. It needs no components, is hard to counter, and is less likely to trigger chaos events than Odamancy.
- Soul FrayRules
How worn a character's Aethyr Knot is from being returned from death. Each return adds 1 and makes the next restoration check or ritual harder. It's carried as a condition, from Soul Fray 1 to 5, and never ends.
- SourceAethyrflames
Where an Aethyrflame's connection to Aethyr comes from, one of its core aspects alongside its Domain and Technique. The four Sources are Dedication, Knowledge, Possession and Suffusion, and each has its own features by level.
- Source (liquid Aethyr)Aethyr and magic
Liquid Aethyr in the blood of mortals who often engage with the Aethyrweave. It lets them channel more Aethyr without being overwhelmed, and grows with the use of magic, but too much causes erratic magic or strain. It can be hereditary.
- SpellcasterAethyrflames
The Technique of mastery over the magical arts: casting spells from a vast repertoire to shape reality, often specializing toward a particular domain.
- SpellfighterAethyrflames
The Technique that blends martial skill with spellcasting, combining melee or ranged attacks with spells and channeling Aethyr energy into their strikes.
- SpiralCalendar
The calendar used throughout Geminaea, set by the Raveni Office of the Guildpact. A Spiral year has 360 days: 4 Arcs of 3 Segments, each Segment three 10-day Dekas. The 4 or 5 days of Realignment fall between years.
- SuffusionAethyrflames
The Source of Aethyrflames whose bodies and souls are suffused with the raw power of the Aethyr, through Aethyr-rich places, rituals or other phenomena, making them living conduits of its energy.
- Surge ChargeRules
How many d20s a chaos surge check rolls: the level of the magic, adjusted for how it was worked, plus dice for a charged weave such as an Aethyr Node, Aethyrstorm or Aethyr Rift. Each die under 10 raises the surge's severity.
- Surge signRules
A visible tell rolled on a d20 with every chaos surge check, such as lights changing color or shadows lagging, shown even when nothing surges.
T
- TechniqueAethyrflames
An Aethyrflame's approach to harnessing its Aethyr potential, one of its core aspects. The three Techniques of Aethyr Invocation are Martial, Spellfighter and Spellcaster, each with its own features by level.
V
- VitaeaPlaces
The wild twin planet of Geminaea: lush, fertile and abundant with life. The dryad-like Sylvar have nurtured it since The Rending, and their Great Awakening brought its creatures to sapience as the Animalfolk.
- VocationCharacters
Geminaea's name for a background: what a character did before becoming Aethyrsparked, which gives story cues about their identity. A Vocation also provides skill proficiencies, languages and Aethyrflame Features.
W
- War of the MoonHistory
The century-long war fought on Ravena after its creation, as the peoples of Aradaea and Vitaea raced to claim its Aethyr. It ended with the Treaty of the Guildpact, which made Ravena neutral territory governed by a confederacy of guilds.
- Winds of MagicAethyr and magic
Gaseous Aethyr, flowing and ebbing through the atmosphere like a cosmic weather. Spellcasting draws on it, and heavy use can deplete an area into a dead zone until the Winds return to replenish it.