The central continent,Aeridor was not a unified realm but a mosaic of five dominant nations, each with its own customs, ambitions, and unique relationship with the pervasive energy known as Flow. These nations were:
The Kingdom of 'Aerthos', his own current, unwilling residence;
The enigmatic Sultanate of Kemet to the south, renowned for its shimmering deserts and ancient arcane knowledge, a land of deep mystery and often… unsettling practices;
The mercantile Free Cities of Veridian to the west, a loose confederation driven by trade and economic might, where coin often held more sway than noble birth;
The stoic Duchies of Nordhelm to the north, hardy people of the unforgiving mountains, whose independence was fiercely guarded through generations of fierce, unyielding tradition;
And finally, the Island Nation of Xylos to the east, shrouded in mists and primordial magic, rarely engaging directly with the mainland powers, a place of legend even to the most learned scholars.
Within these nations, Flow manifested and was used differently with different theories and schools of thought surrounding the power system , but its fundamentals remained largely consistent accross the whole world.
Flow, the fundamental energy that underlies all existence, is not wielded equally by all. Across history, scholars and practitioners have observed a distinct stratification—a hierarchy of mastery that separates the untamed from the divine.
This essay delineates the seven ascending orders of those who command Flow, from the fumbling Acolyte to the unfathomable Primordial. As stated,this process was called,'Ascension' .
At the base of this hierarchy stand the 'Acolytes', individuals in whom Flow stirs but does not yet obey. Their abilities manifest in erratic bursts—sparks without direction, surges without control. To witness an Acolyte is to see raw energy in its most volatile form: a storm contained within fragile flesh. Like a bomb in a bottle.They are the unshaped clay, brimming with possibility but lacking the hand of a sculptor.
Beyond the Acolytes rise the 'Votaries', those who have taken their first steps toward true mastery. No longer slaves to chance, they exert deliberate, if limited, influence over Flow. A Votary can steady the tremors of their power, bending it to minor but intentional feats—kindling flames with a thought, stilling a wound's bleeding, or coaxing a breeze from still air. Theirs is the discipline of apprenticeship, the slow and steady refinement of instinct into skill.
'Saints' are where mastery begins to transcend mere control and enter the realm of artistry. Flow answers their call with elegance, responding not as a tool but as an extension of their being. They heal with a touch, mend broken objects with a glance, and weave subtle alterations into the fabric of reality. To stand in the presence of a Saint is to witness Flow as harmony—a force not commanded, but conversed with.
Where Saints embody harmony, 'Praetorians' embody dominion. They are the warriors of Flow, shaping it into shields that halt armies and blades that sunder fortresses. Their mastery is not gentle but absolute; they do not request, they demand. A Praetorian does not merely influence their surroundings—they rewrite them, turning battlefields into their personal domain. Flow, in their hands, is both sword and citadel.
Beyond the martial might of the Praetorians stand the 'Paragons', beings whose mastery has surpassed the need for force. They do not bend Flow—they redefine it. A Paragon can reshape landscapes with a gesture, calm hurricanes with a breath, or will entire forests into bloom. Their power is not confined to destruction or creation; it is both, effortlessly. They are the architects of civilizations, the unseen hands that guide the fate of nations.
'Archons' are legends that 'Transcend' the flesh. They do not manipulate Flow; they dictate its laws. Time, space, and energy are not constraints but suggestions to an Archon. They can unravel the fabric of a city and reweave it anew, or unmake a mountain with a glance, reducing it to however they will it to be. To oppose an Archon is to oppose the tides of existence itself—futile, for they stand beyond mortal comprehension, rulers of a world that kneels to their will. The two 'Divine' Races,the Akuma and the Aether exist on this level,of this rank.
And then, beyond even the Archons, there are whispers of the 'Primordials'. Whether they are beings or forces is irrelevant—they are the beginning and the end of Flow. A Primordial does not wield power; they are power. Reality is their thought, existence their echo. To speak of their abilities is folly, for they exist beyond scale, beyond time. They are the reason Flow exists at all.
They are embodiments of Flow itself.
There is only a single word to describe a Primordial.
A god.
There are three individuals who have attained the rank of "Paragon" in Aerthos. Because it was difficult to achieve this level only a handful of these people existed accross the globe, twenty-two to be precise,each one at the top of thier trait. No one has Transcended beyond this rank. These individuals who had reached near-divine command of Flow, their numbers varying from nation to nation across the whole world,some having none at all.
These people where said to be at the Pinnacle of all Earthborn and could reshape the reality enough to contend, somewhat,with divine beings like the Akuma and the Aether,as they stand at the threshold to divinity.
These Paragons are revered.
Elias, with his newly discovered infinite wellspring of Flow, now contemplated this hierarchy with a grim fascination.
"Maybe one of them would know of a way to kill me." He thought.