Energy and Affinities

[B-rad]

"Energy" is a broad term broadly used to refer to a being or object's ability to preform action.  All living things possess some form and amount of "energy" to live.  Many beings of the world have learned to harness energy in different ways with wildly varying results.  Below is detailed a few general "Affinities" or ways in which energy is commonly used, though there are many more, less common methods.

---Ki---
Ki is defined as the presence and manipulation of the Energy from within one's body.  Though all beings technically have Ki, proper control of it can be pivotal in battle.  Ki, as it comes from the body, is generally suited to physical action, compounding upon or completely changing aspects of martial arts in many ways.  The basics of Ki control fall into 3 major categories of Body, Mind, and Spirit, and each are further broken down into 2 sub-categories, as listed below:

"Body" forms the basis for martial arts.  Practitioners who train their bodies will make them into powerful weapons in their own right, able to power through dire situations, assured that your limits are temporary.  Mastering one's body will certainly lead to a long life.
---Strengthening:  Basic in nature, but powerful when applied in specific ways, the user can alter the way their body responds by manipulating the flow of Ki within them.  A noticeable change in musculature may signify the use of this ability, though not always.  Higher speed and power for attacking.
---Conditioning:  Increases the users own density and hardness.  By coating one's body (or part of it) in a dense layer of Ki and coursing energy within at a high volume or speed, it is possible to take powerful blows head-on with little repercussion.  Training one's own body to never tire and maintain health.

"Mind" governs quick thought and instinct in a fight.  Weapon masters excel at reading their opponent and striking or defending at the proper time.  Speed and precision can bring down even the most lethal foes.
---Quickening:  Enhancing one's reflexes and the springiness of one's joints with Ki to allow quick and dexterous movement.  Not strictly higher speed, but also improved reflexes and judgement of an opponents intent can be classified under this training.
---Imbuing:  Moving Ki through a foreign object outside of the body.  This can increase an object's properties or provide them with new properties altogether.  Weapons and armor can be made rock hard or course with energy.

"Spirit" is the fiber that tethers body and mind together, and even other living things.  Reaching out through this intangible medium allows a broader understanding of others and the self.  Masters of this aspect can project their intent directly into the world around them, often construed as "magic" or "mysticism", this power comes from the self.
---Projection:  Expending Ki from one's own body in some form or another.  The formation of energy-based constructs or projectiles falls into this category.  You are never unarmed so long as you can maintain your focus.
---Manipulation:  The ability to control energy around one's self, drawing it in, pushing it away, or using it to sense one's surroundings.  Masters may erect barriers of force, detect threats, or conceal oneself.

Ki is a flowing energy system within living beings, and its flowing nature means that the many applications of it cannot be covered strictly under one umbrella category or sub-category, but often bleed between the lines, depending on the complexity of the skill.  Rarely, even branching out into other aspects of energy usage outside of Ki itself, such as cybernetic enhancements or spell-sword techniques.  Vast discussions have occurred on the boundaries of "Ki", and many more will in the future.  Generally speaking, if it comes from the power of a living thing, it has a basis in Ki control.

---Magic---
Magic is the projection of Energy through external mediums.  The user harnesses energy from their surroundings, or from a provided source such as a magical item, and process it in certain ways with their minds or Runes to create complex effects known as "spells". While this energy is primarily external, it does take a toll on the caster's own energy supply, as the movement and control of elemental energy does take effort.
Contemporary magics are formed via channeling one of six different elements (Fire, Water, Sky, Earth, Light, or Dark) into a runic sigil to produce a specified effect.  Multiple sigils can be applied to an element to create more complex spells.  Magical Items such as gems, wands, or staves can be used to augment or assist in the use of spells by a more experienced magician.
Runes can be applied to objects such as weapons, armor, trinkets, etc. to provide blueprints for easy spell casting on-demand by simply infusing elemental energy into the runes to complete a spell. Well-made equipment might be a staff with an elemental focus of fire and a rune sequence to launch the energy in waves. All the wielder would need to do is force a connection between the two components with their own energy as a conduit to create walls of flame with a wave of the staff.
People are born with affinities to certain elements, being better suited for magic of a specific type.  While magic has various uses that are not strictly for combat, the world is a dangerous place, and any mage with a hope of survival trains to master at least a handful of "Known Magic", an assortment of basic spells, based on their strongest affinity.
Covered in-depth here:  Elements, Runes, and "Known Magic"

---Energy Weaponry---
Primarily used by the Rovan Empire as their weapons of choice, this energy is contained within devices like a batter and expelled to produce a desired effect.  There are several types of energy weapons from guns, blasters, and melee weapons.  There are also different "color" grades, based on the material used to power it.
---Synchronium:  A synthetic energy source created by the Rovans years ago.  It is blue in color and comes in a chalky form, but is unstable when powered.  Loaded into cartridges, their energetic bursts are directed from a weapon to a target with potentially lethal results.  The energy tends to stun and incapacitate its target, but repeated blasts or shots to sensitive areas can cause serious damage.  This is the most commonly used material to power blaster and energy weapons alike.
---Coronium:  Synchronium's older brother, this is a red mineral that is plentiful in central Allura which can produce substantial bursts of power when agitated.  Initially used simply as a plentiful, on-hand explosive substance, the extremely versatile applications of the material saw it being used in specialized equipment by the Falborne Army.  In Rovan territories, it is commonly crystallized and used primarily in "Red Cartridges" to fire powerful energy-based projectiles.  Its abundant presence in Allura may have sparked the hostile Rovan invasion of the region for mining purposes.
---Almarium:  Created by Dr. Alma Pewter 8 years ago, this material is a very precise mixture of Synchronium and Coronium with a few other elements for bonding purposes.  After her untimely death at the hands of the Rovan Empire, her daughter Amber discovered her secret research notes, including the method for producing this at-the-time unnamed yellow substance.  Its kinetic properties are significantly higher than any Coronium-based weapon, and it is used to power specialized heavy weapons for the ERF.  The yield of one Cartridge-sized burst can punch thru a concrete barricade.  The ERF us shells up to 3x larger than a standard Cartridge for this very reason.
---Black Cartridges:  An unknown energy powers these new and incredibly devastating cartridges.  Highly volatile, they were recently discovered by the Empire Resistance Force in a Rovan R&D Lab.  Their composition is unknown and their firepower is terrifying.  Though they have not been seen since the destruction of the R&D Lab in question, the ERF isn't foolish enough to think they are in possession of the only remaining cartridges.  First and only field-test resulted in a toppled building.

---ESP---
Extra-Sensory Perception, or the use of energy to have "Psychic Powers".  Espers, though rare, have been confirmed to exist in the world, but generally remain anonymous for fear of oppression, exploitation, or personal reasons.  Their powers are vastly different from person to person, and they seem to be born with them.  Their powers can manifest early in childhood or later in adolescence, but none have been reported developing later into adulthood.  Below details known types of ESP Powers and how they are theorized to work.
---Detection:  The reading of surrounding energy of the energy of others to determine location, action, and even extreme detail of a scenario happening in real-time.  This power has been focused by few Espers in history to such a degree they could spy on their enemies from the other side of a city.  This technique requires concentration of the user, and calmness (or in some cases a sudden change) in the environment.
---Divination:  "Prophecy" by another name.  Though proven as an Esper ability, Divination has failed in accuracy on numerous occasions.  The Esper will often have vivid dreams or hallucinations of an event before it happens.  This is possible to be triggered at will, though with much training and difficulty.  Those bearing this ability are often regarded as pillars of their communities or even "sacred", as their Divinations can lead to early warning before disasters or wars.
---Telekinesis:  The moving of objects with raw energy.  This power can be used quite effectively to move all manner of objects, large and small.  A famous assassin from the Rovan Empire was documented using telekinesis to kill his targets with small glass marbles traveling at 300 meters per second.
---Mind Reading:  This power, said to be one of the most powerful requires intense concentration.  Once a user has synchronized his energies with another, he becomes able to read their thoughts and actions while or even before they are making them.  Allegations of 'mind control' are as-of-yet unfounded until more evidence is gathered.
---Telepathy:  Using a similar method to Mind Readers, Telepaths instead communicate 2-ways at impressive distances.  Largely dismissed with the presence of long-distance communication devices, one should never discount the effectiveness of a well-trained Telepath.

---Life Force---
Powerful life-energy is the source of...well, life.  Though all living things have varying amounts of natural energy, each of them also possesses a finite amount of Life Force.  It can be detected in living things and the amount is usually small, like the flame of a candle surrounded by the bodily "Ki" of the individual.  Over time, this 'flame' will dim as a being ages, until eventually it disappears upon their death.  Thought by some to be a "Soul", Life-force is directly linked to a being's vitality.  Throughout history, there have been very few cases where this small spark of energy has been tapped into.  The result is always an overflowing energy from the individual for a short while, followed by the inevitable death of that person.  It is theorized the Ki of the individuals had become synchronized with their Life Force, resulting in the two becoming one and the same, expending all energy within them.  Certain techniques have been rumored to exist based on these stories.
---Soul Force:  There is a rumor of a man living in Allura who is able to manipulate and transfer Life Energy into objects, enchanting them with characteristics pertaining to the particular soul.
---Soul Steal:  Definitely not rumor, certain monsters have the ability to directly manipulate the Life Force of other beings, even removing it from a body intact to be collected or devoured.  Some humans are rumored to have developed a method similar to this.
---Transference:  The act of transferring part of one's Life Force into another to prolong life.  This practice is merely speculation, though with the above mentioned method, this is a definite possibility.

---Willpower---
A well known, and yet generally unexplored topic.  The unexplained force that allows a being with no reserves of energy to draw on some unknown strength and stand back up when it must.  A drive that some possess to rally again and again, no matter the odds and face their greatest challenges.  Tapping into this power, no matter how hopeless the situation, can kick the very scales of fate and resound uncertainty throughout the universe in that very instant.  Truly a subject worthy of much further study.