Codex Entry: The Planet Barista. Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a high-level planetary survey of Barista, a spherical world approximately 8,000 miles in diameter located within the Baras System of the Milky Way galaxy. This entry documents the world’s unique polar geology, its celestial influences, and the profound cultural shift following the era of the blind psychic god.

Global Geology and the Belt of Isles:

Barista is defined by two massive circular landmasses at either pole, separated by a vast central ocean. Wrapping around the equator is the Belt of Isles, a collection of islands considered a continent in its own right, though it lacks a singular capital city.

The Southern Continent: Surhilk:

Surhilk is structured in concentric rings of extreme environments:

Aborea: A thick, outer jungle ring containing the tree-top city of Treskir, where fire and heat are strictly regulated.

Muspel Range: A blackish-red mountain ring featuring active volcanoes and Muspel City, an urban centre built within stone chimneys to manage volcanic heat.

Frigid Haven: The frozen central taiga forest, home to Castle City, a stone fortress the size of a metropolis built directly into an ice lake.

The Northern Continent: Clausta:

Clausta is divided into diverse regions, each housing distinct societies:

Sanvor & Savidor: The northern landmass features the sandy desert of Sanvor, anchored by the trade hub Al-Murad, and the acacia-dotted savannah of Savidor, featuring the clay city of Achor.

The Blood Forest: A region corrupted by the Haemomancer Noni, where trees bleed, the sky is perpetually crimson, and rivers run with blood. Its medieval hub is Crimson City.

Canyon Country: Home to Geostan, this region consists of four massive canyons reaching far below sea level, populated by cacti and sandstone structures.

The Orbal Range & Plaikik: The snowy peaks of the Orbal Range house Orbal City, carved from a mountain interior, while the hills of Plaikik contain Hillton, where dwellings are dug into the earth.

Celestial Orbit and Divine Origins:

Barista is orbited by two distinct moons: Vulcor (volcanic) and Frigal (ice). An adjacent asteroid belt is unique for hosting various forms of plant life. The entire system was created by the Giga Pantheon—including deities such as Skadi, Surtur, Tempor, Solra, Stonta, and Halo—who sought to cultivate a dedicated following away from the more populated Divine Galaxy.

History and the Reign of Lelouch:

The archive notes a dark historical epoch when the blind psychic god Lelouch arrived and forced the populace into worship. Accompanied by the vampire Noni, he oversaw the corruption of the Green Forest into the Blood Forest. Due to Lelouch’s affection for cats, his tyrannical reign caused the people of Barista to develop a profound fear and disdain for feline creatures. His rule was eventually ended by the druidic luchador Swolo Templado and Finn the Paladin.

Technology and Arcane Systems:

Modern Barista utilizes steam-powered technology, often enhanced through magical integration. While Haemomancy is practised almost exclusively in the Blood Forest, the rest of the world relies on Primordial, Faith, and Arcane magic as everyday tools for survival and industry.

Codex Entry: The Potioncraft Sub-Mantle (Wizards). Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a specialized study into the School of Potioncraft, a distinguished sub-Mantle of the Wizards defined by the philosophy that consumable liquids are the ultimate form of magic. This entry meticulously documents their unique magical process, their extensive training requirements, and their vital roles as plague doctors and arcane alchemists across the universe.

Core Philosophy and Magical Process:

Wizards belonging to the School of Potioncraft focus their entire study on the fusion of magical essence into liquid form. Their objective is threefold:

Extraction: To meticulously extract the magical essence held deep within various types of mundane and extraordinary matter.

Fusion: To successfully fuse this magical essence with the essence of mundane liquids.

Excitation: To excite and boost the magical essence within the resulting liquid to produce a controlled magical effect when consumed.

Abilities and Potency:

Just as other Wizards can imbue writing to create scrolls, Potioncraft specialists can imbue consumable liquids with powerful magical effects derived from their complex formulas. Once an individual drinks these potions, they gain the full, intended benefit of the magical effect.

Utility: The most common and vital uses for their potions are the healing and curing of ailments, making them essential figures in many societies.

Advanced Study (Poisons): Further meticulous study within this school allows the wizard to learn about various poisons. They can then harness this dangerous knowledge to mimic the poisons' debilitating effects within their own formulated potions, creating potent toxins alongside beneficial draughts.

Cultural Roles and Nomenclature:

Due to their specialization in healing and curing widespread sickness, Potioncraft Wizards are often highly regarded in certain systems. In some locations within Universe 336, they are formally known by the titles of plague doctors or arcane alchemists, reflecting their blend of medical necessity and magical specialization.

Rigorous Training and Initiation:

The path to becoming a successful Potioncraft Wizard demands unparalleled dedication, consistency, and precision—even among the demanding standards of the general Wizard Mantle:

Initial Study: Candidates must dedicate long hours of study and practice into understanding the specific nature of the deep magical essence within matter and how to successfully extract it consistently.

Mastery: Even more hours and days of meticulous time and effort are required to successfully and consistently merge these essences together and fuse them with liquid mediums.

Consistency: Learning how to successfully and reliably replicate each magical effect consistently—including the delicate balancing act required for creating poisons—requires extraordinary time, effort, study, learning, and practice. This constant, meticulous process is the hallmark of the School of Potioncraft

Codex Entry: The Wizards Mantle. Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a critical study of the Wizards, the archetypal Mantle Holders defined by their relentless practice, study, and understanding of the fundamental laws of Universe 336. This entry documents their flexible power structure, unique specialization schools, and their rigorous path to achieving the rank of Archmage.

Core Concept and Philosophy:

Wizards are individuals who acquire and wield magic through intellectual pursuit. Their effectiveness is intrinsically linked to the individual's innate level of intelligence, which dictates the potency and success of their magical effects. Their core philosophy is that magic is a thing to be studied, learned, and wielded, believing that through intense study and practice, anything is possible. Because they learn and figure out their magic, the diversity and range of wizardly magic is immense, allowing them to study and utilise different types and sources of magic.

The Path to Mastery and Archmagi:

The sub-Mantles of the wizard are commonly referred to as schools, which represent the different specializations and areas of study a wizard can pursue. The most powerful, experienced, and learned practitioners are known as Archmages. These peak-level wizards no longer need to expend magical energy on commonly used effects, as practice has rendered those effects almost effortless.

Abilities and Spellcraft:

A wizard's primary ability is the creation and execution of formulas unique to their personal view of magic. They combine material components (or channel through a personal Magical Focus) with their deep understanding of the universe and linked magic type to produce a magical effect—often referred to as a spell.

Flexibility: Spells and magical effects vary wildly (utility, movement, offence, defence, etc.). Highly knowledgeable wizards can even alter the effect mid-casting.

Power Progression: As a wizard grows in knowledge and experience, they unlock the ability to wield ever more potent and powerful magic.

Knowledge Preservation: Wizards can record the formulas of their magical effects in writing and imbue the magic within, allowing others to reproduce the effect with the right components. This also allows the wizard to cast certain effects even when their Magical Energy reserve is temporarily depleted.

Resources and Equipment:

The essential resource for a wizard is their reserve of magical energy. Different amounts must be expended for most abilities, but as their knowledge grows, they learn to access more potent and powerful reservoirs of energy. While energy typically replenishes after an 8-hour rest, some wizards have figured out ways to expedite the replenishment process.

Key Equipment:

Spellbook: Although historically a book, a 'spellbook' is anything the wizard uses to record the formulas for magical effects.

Components/Focus: Wizards use either a collection of material components or a personal Magical Focus to channel their effects.

Cultural Role and Training:

Wizards face varied Public Perception: they are sometimes viewed with disdain by highly religious or opposing cultures, but are also highly sought after for their vast versatility.

Common Roles: These include lorekeeper (due to natural curiosity), Magical teachers, explorers, warriors, and spies.

Training Methods:

There are two paths to becoming a wizard:

Taught: Gaining knowledge through tutorledge (classroom, homeschooled, etc.), acquiring formulas passed down by another.

Self-Taught: By far the more impressive, having figured out the workings of the universe themselves. Their magic is often more unique in its manifestation and formulas than Taught wizards, leading to professional envy between the two groups. Both methods require rigorous practice and study—the most of any Mantle.

Codex Entry: The Settlement of Geostan. Archivist Sarla Everhart dedicates this long-form study to the towering city of Geostan, a monumental hub of artistry, trade, and arcane study built into and bridging a colossal canyon system. This entry meticulously documents the settlement's unique origin, complex infrastructure, and the society bound by the Council of 4.

Geography and Infrastructure:

Geostan is situated within a massive wall separating two enormous canyons, each approximately 5,000 feet deep and 7,500 feet wide, with the canyon tops at sea level. The city is structurally integrated across four districts:

Upper Geostan: Built on the surface atop the canyon wall.

Central Geostan: Constructed within the canyon wall, suspended above the magnificent Giant's Arch.

Outer Geostan: Built in and around the base of the Arch and along the surfaces of the colossal stairs.

Lower Geostan: Built into the canyon wall beneath the Arch and its supportive stair system.

The Giant's Arch, located at the 2,500-foot mark, stands 100 feet tall and 300 feet wide at its base, adorned with intricate Gigish text detailing the settlement's history. Transport within this vertical city relies on a network of pathways, stairs, ramps, lifts, and riding the powerful Steelweave Spiders—even up canyon sides and across ceilings for the daring. Water is sourced from the ocean via large pipes, and the sewer system expertly converts faecal matter into fertiliser for city farms.

Demographics and Factions:

Geostan boasts a diverse species mix, notably being very welcoming to feline species (unlike other Barista settlements, due to minimal impact from the Lelouch trauma). A large tribe of Stone Gigas is permanently present just below the Arch in Lower Geostan. The primary professions driving the economy are stone masons, jewellers, and silkweavers, all represented by the ruling factions. A colony of Filthclaw Scorpions resides near the refuse centre, adjacent to the Orbal mountain range.

Governance and Military Specialisation:

The city is run by the Council of 4, with each member governing one district from the central office within the Arch:

High Mage: Governs Upper Geostan, commanding a Mage Guard (warriors wielding magical armour and weapons).

Silkmaster: Governs Central Geostan, commanding the Silkguard (who use steel silk whips and slings, protected by steelweave clothing).

Grand Jeweller: Governs Outer Geostan, commanding the Crystal Guard (wielding weapons and armour crafted from crystals and minerals).

Stonemaster: Governs Lower Geostan, commanding the Stone Guard (who favour bludgeoning weapons and armour made from local rock and stone).

Economy and Steelsilk Production:

The city's primary purpose was founded on a three-way truce between the Stone Gigas, Mages, and Guildmasters. The economy remains focused on these original crafts, with the production and trade of steelsilk being the primary economic driver.

Exports include jewellery, stonework art, and heavily resilient silk clothing. The silk is sourced from Steelweave Spiders housed in the large East and West silk farms of Central Geostan. This unique silk is as tough as steel but as flexible and light as normal silk. The spiders are also utilized as beasts of burden. The presence of new magic students and guild operations further supports the robust economy.

Culture and Notable Locations:

Geostan's culture is notably secular, with a minority of religious followers. Society is primarily split into three core beliefs: following the primal elemental earth; belief in the shared work and community; and the pursuit of learned magecraft and science.

Key Locations:

The Arcane Academy: supported by the Grand Library below—the centre of magical learning.

Weaver's Academy: where students learn to weave and utilize steelsilk.

The Mines: he source of stone, sandstone, jewels, and crystals.

The Steel Web: A chain of taverns featuring a steelweaver spider logo, popular with guild members and the workforce.

Codex Entry: Feats. Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a crucial mechanical and narrative study into the Feats—the specific, specialized abilities that Civilised Species of Universe 336 can acquire and master throughout their lives. This category details the vast range of diverse abilities, both minor and monumental, that define an individual's unique specialization, personal journey, and connection to their allies.

The Four Categories of Feats:

Feats manifest across the spectrum of an individual's experience—biologically, magically, and mundanely—and are divided into four distinct types that can be acquired through a variety of means:

Background Feats: Abilities gained strictly through training and experience within a job or different role within society. These are closely related to a specific Profession or Backgrounds, but different roles can award the same Feat, though its manifestation may be unique to the individual.

Mantle Feats: Abilities and features that any Mantle Holder can learn through their experience and specialized training tied to their innate Mantle power. This allows for diverse manifestation of arcane or unique biological traits.

Community Feats: Specialized actions that require more than one individual and must be utilized as a group. They represent the close bond between individuals and their combined abilities, often reflecting a character's deep connection to their allies and loved ones.

Epic Feats: The pinnacle of specialization. These are powerful feats and boons that Mantle Holders can acquire at the height of their power, allowing them to continue to gain in power and knowledge even after reaching the peak of their core Mantle abilities.

Background Feats can also be learned and utilized by Mantle Holders as Mantle Feats, reinforcing the continuity between an individual's past and present power level.

Interconnections to Experience and Specialization:

This category acts as the primary link between an individual's role in society and their raw power:

Characters and Journey: The different Feats represent a Character's journey and experience, detailing their hobbies, skills outside of normal Mantle and job progression, and their personal history.

Backgrounds/Professions and Mantles: This category is intrinsically linked to the Mantles category and the Backgrounds/Professions category, providing mechanical expression for societal roles and power levels.

Equipment Mastery: Some Feats represent a character's specialized training with various different Equipment and Items, such as mastery over specific types of armour and weapons.

Magical Focus: Certain Feats also focus on different Types of Magic, granting martial-focused Mantle Holders access to a bit of magic and allowing those who already cast Spells to increase the scope and power of their arcane knowledge.

To study Feats is to chart the paths of specialization, dedication, and ultimate power available to all the Civilised Species of Universe 336.

Codex Entry: Moons. Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a critical astronomical, biological, and magical study of the Moons—the natural satellites that orbit the Planets and other large celestial bodies of Universe 336. This comprehensive category documents the physical, cultural, and arcane significance of these smaller worlds.

Definition and Unique Biological Trait:

A Moon is defined as any natural mass that orbits a Planet (or its equivalent) and is significantly smaller than its host world. Moons can be of any size and shape and made of any material of any state, just like planets.

The key, unique trait defining a moon and any creatures that are native to those moons is their innate ability to absorb and redirect photons—often from a distant Star—to create moonlight. This crucial process is central to their biological and magical existence.

Extraordinary Origins and Nature:

While not strictly deitific, Moons often possess unique, dramatic origins:

Sentience and Biology: Some Moons are documented to hold sentience and may be fundamentally biological in nature.

Cosmic Remnants: Many are the remnants of dead deities and titans, containing vast reserves of primordial energy or bone matter that directly influence the environment.

Celestial Eggs: In the most extreme cases, a Moon may be the egg for large creatures, potentially including some of the vast, sentient Planets themselves.

Interconnections to Civilisation and Magic:

Moons serve as vital, strategic locations and possess powerful, non-obvious effects on the systems they orbit:

Settlements and Sustained Life: Although Moons often lack the native resources to sustain life, many functional Settlements, cities, and society have been constructed upon them. This is achieved because various Civilised Species transport life-sustaining plants and technology to create viable living spaces.

Native Fauna: The archive documents the variety of creatures that are native to these moons from all 11 Kingdoms, adapted to the unique, reflective, low-light environment.

Gravitational and Arcane Flow: All Moons naturally affect the gravitational and temporal flow of their orbiting planet. More profoundly, those Moons that are remnants of dead gods and titans can significantly affect the flow of certain Types of Magic, creating unique magical fields.

Lunar Magic: This influence is so great that an entire discipline, Lunar Magic, has been created around these bodies and is fully detailed in the Types of Magic category.

Codex Entry: Backgrounds and Professions. Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a crucial sociological study into the diverse roles and professions that define the labour, specialization, and societal function of every individual across Universe 336. This comprehensive category details the immense variety of paid and unpaid jobs found in all walks of life, providing essential context for the economic and cultural structures of the cosmos.

The Diversity of Roles and Requisites:

This category documents the specific functions and required qualifications for a vast spectrum of occupations:

Role Entailment: A precise description of what the role entails, including daily responsibilities, typical environment, and legal standing within a society.

Acquisition Requirements: Clear outlines of what is required to acquire the profession or role, detailing necessary training, certification, apprenticeship, or required innate abilities.

Social Spectrum: Documentation encompasses all societal roles, from legitimate civil service to roles within the fringe, including criminal gangs, the sex industry, essential roles like naturalists and astronomers, and complex positions like street urchins.

Magical Specializations: This includes specialized magical professions that mandate the ability to cast magic, such as a teacher of magic, an arcane consultant, or the powerful, contract-bound warlock patron.

Interconnections to Factions, Species, and Power:

Backgrounds and Professions acts as a core interconnection point, providing structure and function to the universe's large-scale organizations and individual powers:

Factions and Organisations: Many professions link directly to the various Factions and Organisations within the universe, as these groups often have specific, ranked professions that are an integral part of their hierarchy, governance, and operational structure (e.g., specific ranks within an intergalactic union or a specialized role within a criminal guild).

Species Limitations: Although many professions are open to any Civilised Species, this category documents roles that can only be done by specific species, due to unique anatomical requirements (like the Aeroen's respiratory abilities) or innate biological traits.

Mantle and Role: Certain Mantles and Submantles are often strongly attributed to or sought after for specific professions, such as a healing Mantle holder being a battlefield medic, or a specific Mantle being essential for a master assassin.

Character Depth: Individual Characters are almost always defined by having one or more jobs and roles within society, adding depth and motivation to their personal biographies.

To study Backgrounds and Professions is to understand the economic engine, the social stratification, and the intricate division of labour that sustains every aspect of Universe 336

Codex Entry: Homo catus (The Felinis Species). Archivist Sarla Everhart initiates a critical biological and cultural study of the Felinis—also commonly known as catfolk—a widespread Civilised Species characterised by their natural agility, sharp senses, and unique genetic origin stemming from ancient druidic circles. Their offspring are referred to as kittens, and their plural name is Felini.

Appearance and Anatomical Hybridisation:

The Felinis are defined as humanoid cats. They possess a high degree of diversity in their build, comparable to humans, and have an average lifespan of 100 years, reaching adulthood at 18. Their bodies are entirely covered in fur, and their heads feature whiskers and a snout, closely resembling cats and other felines found throughout the universe (excluding lions, who possess their own distinct Civilised Species entry).

Anatomically, they are a hybrid marvel: they are bipedal, possess humanoid reproductive organs (though fur-covered), and their hands, while padded like a cat's, are shaped closer to a human's, allowing for complex manipulation of Items, Equipment, and Objects.

Innate Abilities and Sensory Prowess:

The Felinis possess superior natural traits that aid their survival and integration into society:

Agility and Claws: They have a powerful natural instinct for climbing and possess strong retractable claws which facilitate this skill.

Stealth and Camouflage: Their dense fur and padded feet effectively muffle sound, enhancing their natural stealth and aiding in camouflage within various environments.

Superior Perception: They boast more sensitive sensory capabilities than the average human, granting them naturally increased perception, including the essential ability to see in the dark (likely due to a highly efficient ocular structure similar to the tandem lucidem or enhanced light absorption).

Perfect Landing: Their biology includes the famed feline trait of being able to land perfectly on their feet when they fall, thanks to complex, instinctive reflexes and skeletal structure.

Mantle Holder Specialisation: Dormant Cheetah Genes:

When a Felinis becomes a Mantle Holder, they can learn to harness their dormant cheetah genes to achieve a quick, temporary burst of speed. This is a high-risk biological manoeuvre achieved by the rapid deployment of lactic acid to the leg muscles.

The Cost: After the surge of speed, the leg muscles temporarily paralyze themselves, severely restricting movement. This paralysis is a necessary biological safeguard, allowing for the rapid, efficient expulsion of the lactic acid so that the Felinis can eventually resume normal movement.

Origin and Interconnections:

The Felinis species originated when secluded humanoid druidic circles used their innate Magic to establish communication with the surrounding felines. They then successfully created the G0 genome within these animals, subsequently forming relationships and interbreeding, leading to the creation of the first Felinis. This process was repeated, leading to the spread of this unique Civilised Species across the universe.