project-kedrel

[project-kedrel]

Magic is a mutator. It changes things, and the human body is not exempt. Blood mages will cry blood under stress as a defense mechanism. This can interact with other forms of magic within the body, such as curses. The result is a gruesome sight to behold.

Day 10 - Hanahaki (2020)

[project-kedrel]

"What say you, demon?! What say you?!"

With the spear deep in his chest, Rhaza smirked. "The Aristocrats."

Day 6 - Impaled (2020)

[project-kedrel]

The Elements Dance Around You (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Triad of illustrations I made in Krita so I can learn to use it.

DISTRESS (2020)

Frustration (2020)

who are you (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Wintry Festival (2020)

[project-kedrel]

There is no Heaven or Hell in Kedrel. There is only the Ether, with its order and chaos. The higher and less populated layers of the Ether's infinite atmosphere are less chaotic, while the denser layers, closer to the planet, are more chaotic. One's sleeping mind or soul can experience thoughts and feelings from billions more if they pass through a dense layer. Some believe that evil or sinful souls are rooted to dense layers, doomed to be overwhelmed by several thousands of consciousness.

Illustration regarding the layers of the Ether, Kedrel’s dream world and afterlife. (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Forces work together, not against each other. The auroras in the sky are the works of Earth, the dust, Sky, the atmosphere, and Ice, the cold. Think of other common things in your life that utilize many Forces.

Illustration regarding Forces overlapping each other in nature. (2020)

[project-kedrel]

The force of morality and lack thereof dominates the souls of mortal man (and monster, sometimes). The force of good in one's soul is called a Seed, and the force of evil in one's soul is called a Thorn. A Seed and a Thorn both take root in the soul of a sapient being and grow with them as they make decisions. However, the laws of good and evil are strange in Kedrel; what is considered good to one soul may be evil to another.

Illustration of the Seed and Thorn (2020)

[project-kedrel]

A realm exists beyond the physical world called the Ether. The Ether is a surreal realm made of the collective memories, dreams, and experiences of the living and dead. Everything here has a slight influence on the real world, but only a very slight one. Spirits of many kinds and shapes are born here. Creatures born out of the Ether are called “Ether Beings”. Most will stay in the Ether or cannot leave, and others can enter and exit the Ether at will. These beings manifest due to the imagination of those who exist in the physical world.

Illustration of the Ether (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Mastery of the forces takes a long time. It can take years before someone can cast anything past intermediate range, maybe more if the force isn't native to the caster. The arrows in the image arent hard limits -- the actual range is slightly fuzzy. 

Beginner-level magics are within arms length of the caster. When you first start out commanding the forces, you learn about their natural behavior and how to attune your mind to them. This usually entails being in physical contact or very close range of the force, or meditating to focus on the force or where the force manifests in your body (stomach for fire, etc). Beginner magics include small fireballs, streams of water, and weak healing. Stronger, intermediate magic doesn't require one to be touching or being in close range of the force. Those who are more skilled can command the forces in a larger radius. You still must attune your mind to their behavior, but you can exert a bit of control over this behavior now. Intermediate magics include small barriers, mid-level healing, and communicating/understanding of the forces' will. Advanced magics can go far past the caster, though the further away it is, the more difficult it is to cast. Attunement is no longer necessary, as one can now override a force's behavior with their thoughts and willpower. Advanced users can even imbue the power of the forces in their body and cause mutations. Examples of mutations caused by magic include resistance to a force's harmful effects, subdermal formations, and at its most extreme, shapeshifting. Advanced magics include weather influence, strong healing, and the release of powerful bolts of energy.

An interesting case regarding power scaling is in the form of runic circles. Casting from a circle is not limited by skill, but from the caster's available resources. If a rune isn't powered enough, it won't work. If it's overcharged, it may explode or randomly discharge.

Illustration regarding power scaling (the difference between an unskilled magic user and a master of magic) in Kedrel. (2020)

[project-kedrel]

The distinction between animals and monsters is important. 

Animals are multi-cellular, heterotrophic, reproduce sexually, have cells without cell walls, and are capable of movement at some point in their life cycle. The animal example here is a chicken.

Monsters will often violate these rules, and sometimes they will violate the laws of biology as we know it. Monsters are often in control of supernatural abilities, usually stronger and stranger than those humans and animals are capable of. In addition, magic affects their bodies in far more extreme ways than it will affect an animal, causing mutations and sometimes granting a monster humanoid sapience. (Viruses can be mutated in this same way, causing things like viral petrification.) The monster example here is a cockatrice.

Demons follow a lot of the same rules that monsters do, but they are usually very abstract-looking and are predisposed to evil. All demons have at least one horn, to channel magic, and at least one core, to store energy. The Ether, Kedrel's dream realm, is what houses the demons, as well as angels and other spirits. The demon example here is called a "felbird", a lesser demon.

Illustrations of an animal, a monster, and a demon, to display what sets the three classes of life/sub-life apart. (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Protect yourself. Protect yourself even if you don't think you need it. Coronavirus is very easily transmissable, and even if you won't be harmed by it, others will, including vulnerable individuals.

Look after your vulnerable peers. Be someone else's guardian angel.

Divine Ward PSA (2020)

[project-kedrel]

"Stand down," the being said.

The monster roared.

"Stand down!"

Then the monster looked physically pained. It sank back into the depths, still growling a little, but Cyo was sure that it wouldn't come back...at least until the next nightmare.

Nightmare Slayer (2020)

[project-kedrel]

“I caught one last glimpse of his eyes as he disappeared into the mortals’ world. His eyes were full of...apathy.”

Rhaza’s Fall (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Where the Wind Takes Us (2020)

[project-kedrel]

Pistil: :p

Cyo: :o

(2020)

[project-kedrel]

Mist - A Silent Village (2020)