Reality Manipulation

“The Forbidden Art”

“They tried to reshape reality itself. They succeeded. And the Shattering was the price.”
—Fragment from Luminar Council records

Quick Reference

Reality Manipulation - The Forbidden Art

Overview

Reality Manipulation was the pinnacle of pre-Shattering Luminar knowledge—the ability to reshape the fundamental nature of existence through mathematical precision and willpower. It was humanity’s greatest achievement and greatest hubris. The Apogee Working, the Luminar Council’s final attempt to perfect this art, caused the Shattering and destroyed the world.

What little is known comes from fragments: ruined laboratories, partial texts, Archivist reconstructions, and the testimony of structures that still function despite 287 years without maintenance. The Lighthouse in Skyport Eos still glows. Ironhold remains anchored. The constellations returned after the Shattering. These are not natural phenomena—they are echoes of reality manipulation, still functioning, still reshaping existence.

The Constellation Clergy has declared all reality manipulation knowledge forbidden—heresy punishable by exile or death. They teach that the Shattering was punishment for humanity’s attempt to usurp divine power. Yet The Returners seek this knowledge, believing it’s the only way to undo the Shattering and restore the world.

The truth remains unclear: Was reality manipulation humanity’s path to transcendence or its road to damnation? And if the knowledge still exists, should it be recovered or destroyed forever?

Known Techniques

Astral Geometry

Description: Mathematical framework for manipulating space and matter

Principle: Reality follows geometric patterns; alter the pattern, alter reality

Applications: - Space manipulation (folding, expanding, anchoring) - Matter transmutation (changing one substance to another) - Energy generation (extracting power from dimensional boundaries) - Structural reinforcement (making buildings indestructible)

Evidence: - Pre-Shattering buildings still standing (impossible durability) - The Lighthouse (eternal light source) - Ironhold’s anchor (defies natural drift)

Current Understanding: Fragments only (complete knowledge lost)

Danger: Miscalculation causes catastrophic failure (see: the Shattering)

Dimensional Manipulation

Description: Accessing and manipulating parallel dimensions

Theory: Multiple dimensions exist; skilled practitioners can access them

Applications: - Storage (pocket dimensions for objects) - Travel (shortcuts through dimensional space) - Power extraction (tap dimensional energy) - Observation (see through dimensional barriers)

Evidence: - The Nexus Spire (disappeared, possibly to another dimension) - Strange spaces in pre-Shattering ruins (larger inside than outside) - Reports of “thin places” where reality feels unstable

Current Understanding: Theoretical (no confirmed practitioners)

Danger: Dimensional breaches can’t be closed (permanent tears in reality)

Matter Transmutation

Description: Converting one substance into another

Principle: All matter is energy in different configurations; reconfigure, transmute

Applications: - Creating rare materials (gold from lead, etc.) - Repairing damaged structures (stone from air) - Food generation (matter from energy) - Weapon creation (instant armaments)

Evidence: - Pre-Shattering artifacts of impossible materials - Structures that self-repair (slowly) - Legends of Luminar creating food during sieges

Current Understanding: Lost (alchemists attempt crude versions)

Danger: Unstable transmutations explode or decay rapidly

Consciousness Projection

Description: Separating consciousness from body, projecting it elsewhere

Principle: Mind is pattern, not matter; patterns can be moved

Applications: - Remote observation (see distant locations) - Communication (mind-to-mind) - Possession (inhabiting other bodies) - Immortality (transferring consciousness to new vessel)

Evidence: - The Watcher at Throne of Stars (survives without supplies—consciousness projection?) - Pre-Shattering texts describing “astral travel” - Some Rot-Touched claim to project consciousness

Current Understanding: Speculative (no confirmed cases)

Danger: Consciousness may become lost, unable to return to body

The Apogee Working

Event: Luminar Council’s final reality manipulation attempt

Date: Day 1, Year 0 S. (the Shattering)

Goal: Transcend physical limitations, achieve collective godhood

Method: Synchronized reality manipulation by all 12 Luminar Council members

Outcome: Catastrophic failure—world shattered, billions died

Survivors: None of the Council (all died in the Working)

Legacy: The Shattering, 287 years of suffering

Details: See Apogee Working

Current Seekers

The Returners

Goal: Recover reality manipulation knowledge to undo the Shattering

Belief: Shattering can be reversed through precise counter-Working

Methods: - Excavating pre-Shattering ruins - Recovering Luminar texts - Experimenting with fragments of knowledge - Seeking The Nexus Spire

Progress: Limited (fragments only)

Danger: Might cause second Shattering

Leadership: Unknown (secretive organization)

Alchemist Kael Greythorn

Goal: Understand reality manipulation to cure Rot

Belief: Rot is reality corruption; reality manipulation might reverse it

Methods: - Studying Rot samples - Experimenting with pre-Shattering techniques - Testing on himself (dangerous)

Progress: Unclear (he’s secretive, possibly mad)

Danger: His experiments might spread Rot or cause localized Shatterings

The Archivists

Goal: Preserve knowledge (including forbidden knowledge)

Approach: Document, don’t practice

Belief: Knowledge should be preserved even if never used

Collection: Largest repository of reality manipulation fragments

Stance: Will share knowledge with serious scholars (controversial)

Conflict: Clergy wants them to destroy forbidden texts

Evidence of Lingering Effects

The Lighthouse (Skyport Eos)

Phenomenon: Glows eternally without fuel or mechanism

Theory: Reality manipulation made light generation permanent

Attempts to Study: All failed (instruments malfunction nearby)

Implication: Some reality manipulations are self-sustaining

Ironhold’s Anchor

Phenomenon: Island doesn’t drift despite Aether-Currents

Theory: Anchored to specific point in space through reality manipulation

Evidence: No physical anchor found (it’s spatial, not material)

Implication: Space itself can be manipulated permanently

The Constellations

Phenomenon: Appeared after Shattering, seem to respond to prayers

Theory: Reality manipulation created them (or summoned them)

Alternative: They existed before, Shattering made them visible

Implication: Consciousness can be embedded in reality itself

Self-Repairing Structures

Phenomenon: Some pre-Shattering buildings slowly repair damage

Observation: Cracks close over months, broken stones rejoin

Theory: Matter transmutation encoded into structure

Limitation: Very slow (years to repair major damage)

Implication: Instructions can be embedded in matter

Theoretical Applications

Reversing the Shattering

Returner Theory: Precise counter-Working could reunify world

Requirements: - Complete understanding of original Working - Equal power to original Council - Perfect execution (no mistakes)

Probability: Unknown (possibly 0%)

Risk: Could cause worse Shattering

Clergy Position: Blasphemous, forbidden, suicidal

Curing the Rot

Kael’s Theory: Rot is reality corruption; reality manipulation might reverse it

Approach: Use reality manipulation to “reset” corrupted matter

Progress: Experimental (no success yet)

Danger: Might spread Rot or create new corruption

Alternative: Might be impossible (Rot might be irreversible)

Creating New Islands

Speculative: Could reality manipulation create stable islands?

Theory: Transmute Aether into solid matter

Benefit: Solve space shortage, expand habitable area

Problem: No one knows how

Risk: Unstable islands might dissolve, killing inhabitants

Dimensional Travel

Speculative: Access parallel dimensions where world didn’t Shatter

Theory: Multiple timelines exist; travel to better one

Problem: No evidence parallel dimensions exist

Risk: Might get trapped in worse dimension

Clergy Position

Official Doctrine

Stance: Reality manipulation is heresy

Reasoning: - Caused the Shattering (proven catastrophic) - Usurps divine power (blasphemy) - Corrupts practitioners (hubris) - Threatens world again (too dangerous)

Punishment: Exile or execution for practicing

Enforcement: Moderate (hard to detect, rare practitioners)

Theological Argument

Teaching: Constellations are divine; reality manipulation is mortal hubris

Lesson: Shattering was punishment for attempting to become gods

Warning: Second attempt will bring worse punishment

Alternative: Trust constellations, accept world as it is

Counter-Argument (The Returners): Constellations might be reality manipulation (not divine)

Quest Hooks

1. The Forbidden Text: Recover pre-Shattering reality manipulation manual
2. The Returner Contact: The Returners recruit party for expedition
3. The Experiment: Alchemist Kael needs test subjects (moral dilemma)
4. The Heresy Trial: Defend (or prosecute) someone accused of reality manipulation
5. The Artifact: Find pre-Shattering device that still manipulates reality
6. The Ruin: Explore laboratory where reality manipulation was practiced
7. The Choice: Learn reality manipulation technique (use it? Destroy it?)
8. The Accident: Reality manipulation experiment goes wrong (contain damage)
9. The Revelation: Discover truth about what caused the Shattering
10. The Second Working: Stop (or assist) attempt to reverse the Shattering

Related Topics

• The Shattering - Caused by reality manipulation
• Apogee Working - The fatal attempt
• Luminar Council - The practitioners
• The Returners - Seek to recover knowledge
• Alchemist Kael Greythorn - Experiments with fragments
• The Archivists - Preserve forbidden knowledge
• Forbidden Knowledge - Related mysteries

“They thought they could reshape reality. They were right. They thought they could control it. They were wrong.”
—Archivist summary of the Shattering

“The Luminar Council tried to become gods. Instead, they broke the world. That’s what happens when mortals reach too far.”
—Constellation Clergy teaching

“Reality manipulation isn’t evil. It’s knowledge. Dangerous knowledge, yes. But the Shattering wasn’t inevitable—it was a mistake. We can learn from that mistake. We can do better.”
—The Returners manifesto

“I’ve seen what reality manipulation can do. I’ve touched the fragments of that power. And I’m terrified. Not because it doesn’t work—because it does. That’s what makes it so dangerous.”
—Alchemist Kael Greythorn