The Lifeblood of the World

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The Lifeblood of the World: Waterways that Transcend Boarders
A pair of rivers run through the world and beyond, their many tributaries winding deep into nature and every living being that has drawn breath or will ever draw breath. Existing beyond the scope of mortal men to touch in a physical sense, the River of Light and the Deep Flow as they are known exist on their own planes between the Physical World and what ever lays beyond. These Rivers flow into all living and natural things, suffusing them with their power though like their real world equals not all rivers flow with the same depth and speed. Some are born like deserts, devoid of the gentle touch of the River of Light or the cool and lonely Deep Flow. Others are awash with their power, performing feats of power and wonder that until the present day had hardly any equal. Said to exist “beneath” the world, the River of Light is an emerald flow of brilliant light that stretches well beyond the ability of a single being to see the other side of the shore. But for every light a shadow must be cast and the River of Light casts the darkest and deepest shadow imaginable. Where the light of the River is warm and soothing, the Deep Flow is a narrow band that stretches in the night sky, visible to those who have been trained to see the Rivers themselves. The Rivers are guarded beyond the Physical Realm by ancient and powerful Elementals though these stewards of the life blood of the world ignore all but the gravest of threats.

Those who touch the River describe the experience as if touching the beating heart of the world, grabbing at something wild and untamed with no hope of ever collaring it. The Deep Flow is similar, a deluge of unbridled icy water that washes over the body at the slightest brush against it’s power. True masters of the Rivers joint flows balance between the pair, a vortex in the natural order that blends the two together in profound and often times startling ways. These Masters are said to be closer to Elementals than actual mortals though such tales are merely legends held over from times before stories could be conveyed in such a swift manner as with the radio. These men and women have grown rare in recent times with the advent of technology and the growth of cities across the world.

Rare pools that tap directly into the Rivers can be found in the natural world much like an oil well for a more mundane equivalent. These wells are often guarded by Elementals of varying strength drawn by the magical energy the waters that collect attract. Such wells are not bottomless, even those attached to the Deep Flow, and in time will dry up only to move elsewhere in the world. Some speculate that the Elementals themselves can steer these pools if they are powerful enough though if any have lived to see what could only be a magnificent display are not alive or refuse to speak of such things in the company of lesser men.

Power of the Winding Rivers
Two sides of the same coin, the powers gained from harnessing the raw power of the Deep Flow and the River are known in the common tongue as Shadow Magic and Primal Magic respectively and each are indicative of the powers they represent. The Practitioners of these magics are varied from village shamans and witch doctors to highly educated nobles and merchants who dabble in the occult. Many cultures regard Shadow Magic as “evil” or “sinister” with it’s association with darkness and the night however the Rivers do not possess morals, existing beyond any attempt frail mortal minds could ever hope to assign them.

Primal Magic concerns itself with the physical world, summoning powerful and devastating magical effects such a torrential rains, pillars of molten stone or even the raw elements themselves such as shards of spear like ice or a literal firestorm from the heavens. However Primal Magic is not merely concerned with the destruction so evident in nature but also with the growth and life that exists between the pools of devastation that plague the world. Primal Magic can summon forth or force existing life to grow, heal wounds by causing cell regeneration to increase natural healing or to force the body to reject diseases or grow an immunity to poisons for a short duration. Regardless of it's effects, Primal Magic is power at it's base from taken from the veins of the world itself and it's displays reflect that. It is said that there is no hidden display of Primal Magic and that is most certainly true.

Shadow Magic is also linked closely to it’s source, the Deep Flow. Shadow Magic concerns itself with the ethereal and the non-physical such as the realms the Rivers themselves exist within along with more mundane effects such as controlling the effects of light on an environment or darkness as well. Shadow Magic can create rifts that allow for swift travel by making use of the strange metaphysical space that exists between worlds, cloak areas in supernatural darkness or even cause lights to flare far brighter than what would would expect. At the height of it's power, Shadow Magic can pull at it's very core where no light or life can exist, willing it into the physical realm for short periods of time. Such displays are brief yet their effects are instantly apparent as matter is swiftly devoured never to be seen again.

Shades in the Light, Fireflies in the Dark
Those who touch the River of Light and the Deep Flow speak of entities that dwell within the flows, enigmatic and distant to those who dip into what is their home. The River holds what many claim as an aloof presence, always at the boundaries of what they can touch and just beyond their reach no matter how hard they struggle. The Deep Flow is said to hold a more intense entity, remaining outside of reach much like it’s counterpart or counterparts in the River of Light, yet keenly aware of all who ply it’s waters. Many describe the entity or entities of the Deep Flow as if a thousand eyes were on their person at any time. If the Elementals know the true nature of these entities they remain silent even in the face of overwhelming payment. The rantings of mad men accompany such beings, whispers in the darkness from a thousand mouths pushing weak men to terrible and often times convoluted ends. What perhaps is the most chilling of these accounts is that stories of such violent acts are not restricted to those who have encountered the Deep Flow, in fact more often than not such terrifying acts of violence and cruelty are linked to the River of Light.