Karma Constructs and Weapons

The magic in Dragonia is so advanced that it can emulate technology in many aspects, providing technological wonders such as elevators and printing presses, shifting Dragonia from a medieval society to something more akin to a “steampunk” society (though there is no steam!), in the sense that there is a lot of industrial technology going on, even though the setting is primarily medieval in nature and feel. Karma Cores and more elaborate Karma Devices allow the creation of many machines (logically called Karma Machines, or simply Machines) that would be otherwise impossible in a medieval context, and therefore Dragonia is a society in which medieval values and way of thinking coexist with a more advanced technology and culture.

One major application of this technology is the creation of Golems, Karmic constructs, generally humanoid, that have a modicum of awareness and intelligence. Golems are used as brute workforce (ie. ploughing fields, or building roads), to access places usually hazardous to normal humans (entering a volcano to collect volcanic rocks for a scholar, or entering an oxygen-deprived mine as a scout, or delving into the sea) and, sometimes, as servants to the wealthy and powerful. They can be made from many different materials, in different sizes and shapes, each according to the usage the Golem will face; most are humanoid, but there are some that aren’t. While Golems have a little intelligence and self-awareness, and even the ability to communicate with others, they are not, and neither do they see themselves as, individual creatures with freewill. However, they are still built with internal constraints that limits their actions for safety measures, and each Golem has a specific keyword that automatically deactivates it once uttered.

A specific type of Golem that is far more dangerous than the usual workforce type is the Legionnaire – a larger, stronger, more durable and well-armed version of a normal Golem, usually performing duties as constables, guards, and soldiers. Legionnaires were the reason behind the research on Golems in the first place, and they have neatly replaced almost all military personnel in the League of Empires, with the exception of officers and generals, reducing the cost in lives of war and conflicts. They are also far more powerful and destructive than the average soldier, giving the nations of the League an edge against their financially inferior enemies who do not have the resources to build their own Legions. However, no matter how strong the Legionnaire, a powerful War-Weaver or even a well-trained soldier is superior in war potential, due to their ability to adapt and work together, leading to many nations still keeping elite forces in reserve, in addition to – or, sometimes, instead of – automated Legions.

Another war-funded technology is that of the Karma Weapons, Devices that use one or more Karma Cores in conjunction or not with a standard weapon to maximize its war potential. Examples include swords that are powered by a Fire Core that makes their blade catch on fire, or bows strengthened by Wood Cores to provide more power for less strength wasted on their pull, or even more extraordinary weapons such as a sword that is comprised only of the hilt – which is in truth a complex Device – that, once activated, generates a sword-blade entirely of condensed Karma. However, all of these weapons are usually far too expensive to mass-produce for their benefit, and are relegated to either ceremonial status or as weapons to the rich and powerful. This is not the case with Fuciles, however.

The Fucile is a ranged weapon that draws energy from one or more Karma Cores or the wielder to shoot out bolts of compressed Karma; its basic version, which draws energy from the user, is quite simple, and easily mass-produced, thus ensuring that all soldiers can have access to a powerful ranged weapon at almost no expense – and less training required than what is necessary to skilfully use a bow, for example. More complex or powerful versions of Fuciles exist, that draw on their internal Cores for energy, or on external “ammunition packs” made of disposable, low-cost Karma Cores, or that have special and powerful effects, but those are not freely distributed to the common soldiers, and are instead only found as property of the rich and powerful. It goes without saying that Legionnaires are outfitted with two or more Fuciles, thus ensuring their efficiency on the battlefield.



The Lopar People






On Karma Cores

One of the major subfields of Weaving and Karmic engineering is the study of Karma Cores, devices that, by themselves, generate, modify or apply Karma in one or more given ways. They are the true wonder behind the entire Karma-based technology, because they allow automatization of tasks and help lessen the strain on any Weaver operators that the device requires. There are three main types of Karma Cores: Engine Cores, Effect Cores and Utility Cores. No matter their type, all Cores are highly valuable, because the process of creating them has only recently been rediscovered, and is still an arduous process that only few Weavers can pull off.

Engine Cores: The most prized of the Core types, Engine Cores actually generate a specific kind of Karma, under specific circunstances, generally set by the Weaver operating or installing the Core. Simple Engine Cores only generate one specific type of Karma, in a constant flow, while more complex types can be controlled to generate different flows of different Karma types, separately or together.

Utility Cores: Another very important – and useful – type of Core, Utility Cores change the shape or quantity of Karma flowing through them, and as such are very useful tools; the ones which change the shape of the flow can be used to help even the weakest Weaver create complex effects with his Weaves, for example, and the ones which increase the flow can be used by an expert Weave to increase the power of a complex Weave. They can also be used in concert with the flows from Engine Cores, thus increasing the range of devices that can be made from Cores.

Effect Cores: Last but not least, Effect Cores produce a particular effect whenever Karma is flowing through them; the simpler versions only produce a single effect for a single type of flow, but more complex Cores can create multiple effects depending on what is flowing through them, or create multiple effects at the same time, or even produce a set of effects no matter what is flowing inside them, as long as there is Karma flowing (these are the hardest types of Effect Core to produce, despite what one would think).


An Introduction to the Politics of Dragonia

The political environment of Dragonia is heavily influenced by the fact that, not much more than a few thousand years ago, the entire world was a single entity under the rule and guidance of the mighty Dragons; whatever remains now is simply what humans could do to adapt and survive. There are many city-states and small nations spread across the islands of Dragonia, and by themselves no single island has enough power to extend their domination to the adjacent areas, let alone to elsewhere. As such, most nations band together in leagues and alliances, finding strength in numbers.

The League of Empires is one such alliance, and in truth the oldest and most powerful. Having emerged soon after the Fall of the Dragons, the League was the attempt of the small empires that appeared at the time to strengthen and enforce their rule, though they have since broken down in smaller nations still, and can barely be called Empires now. Each member of the League – usually a full island – is ruled by a High Lord or High Lady, and the League as a whole is led by the Grand Lord (or Grand Lady), who is first among equals and has the final say in decisions, if there is indecision – all important aspects of the League are decided by vote.

The Free Lands, also called the Harfall Alliance, named such for Herid Harfall, is the League of Empire’s major competitor and enemy. The Alliance is made up of islands and nations on the western border of the League, and their is a history of rebellion and fighting. In the early days of the rule of the League, a man named Herid Harfall stood up against the opression of the League, and carved with fire and blood a land where he and his could be free; this land has grown and held its own against the League up to the current day. Although they call themselves an alliance, the Free Lands are a collection of holds and city-states loosely related to each other, and whose only true connection is their mutual hate towards the League – a hatred that might not be entirely with reason, as there is more to Herid Harfall’s story than is widely known.

The Dragonic Uprising consists of a few islands on the eastern border of the League of Empires, and is composed by those nation who believe that the way of life taught by the Dragons should be continued, and as such the Ordo Draconis is predominant in the region. Not much is known about them, as they have closed their orders to all outside envoys, and attack any ships that come too close to their lands.

Other than these three major powers, there are also independent city-states and small nations that manage to hold their own against outside influences, if only because all of the major powers are too busy watching each other to worry about these minor powers.


On Karma Pools and Karma Locii

I briefly mentioned Karma Pools and Karma Locii on my previous post about geography, and now it’s time to expand on them a bit more – something I should have done in the post about Karma and Weaving. Both are very important aspects in the natural working of the world, and in the exploitation that Weavers can do of the natural energies that course through the land, and as such are the subject of much study.

Karma Locus is a place where one or more Karma Veins manifest with exceptional strength, and they usually have a very strong Karma Scion associated with them. They are true places of power, and an expert Weaver can channel this power to fuel his own Weavings. These places of power are highly sought after by the rulers of an island, as control over them ensures their continued rule, and increases the military strength of their nation; Locii in wild islands are greatly sought by freelance adventurers and mercenaries, for the creation of strongholds and to fuel their own purposes.

Karma Pool is a rare metaphysical occurence that sometimes appears inside Karma Locii; it is a concentration of one or more Karma Veins, creating a metaphorical pool of Karma that can be tapped upon by expert Weavers. This creates an even stronger source of power than a common Locus, especially if the strength and quality of the Karma Vein is high. Locii with Karma Pools are even more sought out than their normal counterparts, and Locii with more than one Pool are frequently the cause of wars.

Just as Karma Veins have a bodily equivalent in the form of Karma Circuits, Karma Pools also have one, called Karma Centres, which are specific points in the body of a living being that have a higher concentration of Karma, and fuel the energies of the entire body. They are tightly connected to the bloodstream and the health of the living being, who will die or at least be severely injured if their Karma Centres are damaged. On humans, the three major Karma Centres are present between the eyes, in the middle of the chest, and on the genitals, but there are thousands more spread across the entire body.


Geography of Dragonia

I’ve talked a bit on my World of Dragonia post about how the world is shaped, the fact that it consists of several small islands and archipelagoes, and in this post I’m going to expand on that concept, especifically on the fact that the land is magical in nature (due to the Karma Veins explained on the Karma post), and as such that magic translates into specific aspects that guide the geography of the world.

Islands can be categorized in many different ways, according to their seasonal type (Summer, Winter, Spring or Autumn Islands), according to their geographical characteristics (Desert, Forest, Lake, Swamp Islands, etc), according to their Karma saturation rating (Type 0, Type 1, Type 2, etc, with the number representing the amount of Karma Veins that have a pool, sometimes called Karma Locus, on the island, ie. a place where Karma gathers and fills, ready to be used by expert Karmacists), or even according to the nature of this saturation (Fire, Water, Earth Islands, etc). Let’s talk a bit about each of these categories and what they really mean.

The Geographical Categorization and the Seasonal Categorization are the two most used categorizations, usually put together (a Summer Desert Island, or a Spring Forest Island, for example), and widely used by the people of Dragonia. They are self-explanatory, and most people don’t give them a second thought, as they are present in daily life as people refer to one island or another.

The Saturation Categorization, both the qualitative and quantitative methods, are less common, used mostly by Weavers and scholars with interest in Karma research. The number of Karma Locii in an island is not always public knowledge, since it directly correlates to the island’s military capabilities, and as such it is usually hard to apply this categorization in an effective way on developed islands, who usually want to protect their secrets and hide their true strength (or lack of).

However, even as people love to find order and categories for everything, the world is not an orderly place. There are islands which escape such categorization, be it by behaving oddly in respect to seasonal events (there are islands where it is always winter, or always summer, for example, called Everlasting Seasonal Islands), by having geographical characteristics warped by the action of strong Karma, and thus having no natural equivalent anywhere else (called Aberrant Islands), or by having a variable number of Karma Veins, or Karma Veins with variable Karma types, a much rare – and much more dangerous – occurence.


On the Nature of Karma and Weaving

As I mentioned briefly in the previous post about Theology, the natural energy of the world is called Karma, and with Weaving and magic being abundant in Dragonia, Karma has a great impact on the everyday lives of the citizens of the world. Much like other energy abstractions (“mana”, “ki”), Karma is simply the name of the energy that permeates every living being and every unliving object, lending substance and essence to everything material and immaterial. The Gods themselves are beings of Karma, and so are the Dragons; everything orbits around it.

Pure, unaltered Karma is extremely dangerous and volatile; no normal being would survive contact with it. As such, it is distilled into the several different Elements before entering Dragonia, thus making the world capable of supporting such vast amounts of energy. In addition to this distillation, the land is filled with abstract magical constructs known as “Karma Veins”, which are pathways through which Karma flows, allowing for further containment of its tremendous power. The Dragons who created Dragonia knew of the hazards that pure Karma could be, and as such planned and created these Veins so that Karma could flow through the world and maintain the natural balance. Similarly, every living being have what is called “Karma Circuits”, the same concept as the Karma Veins, but in a smaller scale, which allows the flow of Karma through the body and its manipulation, called Weaving.

When a living being tries to Weave Karma, he needs to open his Circuits and synchronize himself with the Karma he is trying to wield. This can be done in one of three ways: the person can try to use his own reserves of Karma to achieve a desired effect, which is called “drawing from the Inner Source”, he can try to use the Karma already present in the environment and in his surroundings for the desired effect, which is called “drawing from the Outer Source”, or he could channel Karma through an outside force, like a God or a Scion, which is often called “drawing from an Sponsored Source”. Each way of using Karma has its pros and cons:

Inner Source: The Inner Source is the easiest to use, since the Karma being manipulated is the person’s own Karma, and as such is completely compliant to the user’s desires. This form of manipulating Karma is generally used with martial under-tones, closely related to the performance of martial arts movements and bodily techniques to draw, mould, and direct Karma. The downside of this Source is that the Karma used is depleted from the user’s own reserve, and as such the more they use it, the more they feels physically exhausted.

Outer Source: The Outer Source is harder to use, but offers theoretically unlimited power, as the Karma being used is coming from the user’s surroundings. However, due to this, the user has to first synchronize himself with his surroundings, and force the Karma around him to leave its inertia and be shaped into the desired effect; for this reason, the user must have a strong willpower to impose his will on the natural cycle of Karma around him, and even then, effects that use the exact same amount of Karma are always weaker if used with the Outer Source, since the Karma will always have a lingering inertial resistance to being shaped. Another downside of this Source is that the user becomes mentally exhausted if they force too much Karma to be shaped.

Sponsored Source: This method combines the pros of the other two Sources, as Karma drawn this way is fully compliant to the user, and comes from an outside source other than their own reserves. However, an entity capable of sponsoring a mortal’s Weaving is generally far more powerful than the mortal itself, and thus their Karma slowly erodes the mortal’s body away if used for too long – this is, in fact, the most dangerous of the three Sources. There is also the matter of debt; if such an entity is willing to lend his power to a mortal, they certainly expect something in return.

On the matter of naming, a person who uses Weaving is generally called simply a “Karmacist” – a farmer who uses a bit of Earth Weaving to soften his planting ground, for example -, unless they have undergone formal training, in which case they are called Weavers. The example of the farmer brings us to the question of elements, which are outlined below:

Primal Elements: These are Fire, Water, Air and Earth, and their subelements, like Ice (Water), Sound (Air), Metal (Earth) and Gravity (Earth), among others, called so because they form the basis of the material world, representing the aspects of Solid, Liquid, Gaseous and Energy matter.

Dual Elements: Light and Darkness, and their subelements like Lightning (Light) and Void (Darkness), among others, called so because they are in direct opposition of each other. Sometimes they are also added to the list of Primal Elements, even though they do not translate directly into any material aspects.

Continuity Element: Spirit, which is called so because it is used as a bridge to join two or more elements together and form a new element. It has little use or power on its own, however.

Joint Elements: Elements made by the union of two or more elements, through a bridge of Spirit. Examples include Wood (Water+Earth), Magma (Fire+Earth), Radiance (Fire+Light), and Venom (Water+Darkness).

Abstract Elements: Elements that are not directly correlated to the material world, like Fate or Dreams. Just as it is possible to Weave any of the normal elements, it is also possible to Weave Fate or Weave Dreams, though it is a much rarer skill, and seldom seen anywhere since the fall of the Dragons. Also, although not an Element on its own, it is also possible to Weave Karma through blood, the own user’s or someone else’s, and this Karma taken directly from blood has a much higher potency and strength; however, Bloodweaving is outlawed in most civilized places, since Bloodweavers are usually more interested in using the blood of others than their own, generally without their consent.

Lastly, there is also the concept of Internalized Weaving. While Weaving is, in general, the use of Karma to achieve a desired effect on the world around the Karmacist or Weaver, Internalized Weaving is the manipulation of Karma within the Karmacist’s own body, to increase or change his own personal characteristics. At the basics, Internalized Weaving consists of increasing strength, speed and endurance, but at higher levels it can go as far as transfiguration of the body.


Theology of Dragonia

Dragonia is an inherently mystic world, and as such stuff like gods, religions and theology in general have a very strong impact in the everyday lives of its citizens and in society and culture. As was said in a previous post about Dragonia, the Dragons created the world and used to protect it, but they are gone now, and they were never the only divine beings in existence. In this post, I will try to shed some light into those theological matters. I’ll divide it into 2 sections: Divine Beings and Religions.

Divine Beings

The Dragons were the greatest and mightiest of all divine beings, the creators of the material world and its guardians. They stood at the top of the food chain, so to speak, and were unchallenged in their power. However, many other divine beings exist, among them gods and spirits of the world (called Scions).

Cosmic Gods, named so for their exile from Dragonia into the cosmos beyond, are beings with almost as much power as the Dragons themselves, and who were exiled because their infighting and wars caused great suffering for humanity and threatened to destroy the world. Now, with the Dragons gone, they are back, but the great seal made by their condemners still holds true, and the Cosmic Gods are unable to physically manifest in Dragonia, or to directly affect it. However, they are increasing in power and influence, and some look forward to the day they fully break the seal and are able to use Dragonia for their games and wars again.

Below the Cosmic Gods are the Lesser Gods, beings who are spawned by mortal belief and faith. Wherever humans believe in something or give their respects and prayers, a Lesser God is formed, a being firmly bound to the concept or place that generated him, and whose existence is fuelled by the belief and prayers of those who created it. While prayers and belief strengthen Cosmic Gods, a Lesser God who receives no prayers weakens and disappears. They take no part in the Cosmic Gods’ wars and struggles, and want nothing more than to garner followers and prayers for themselves, ensuring their continued survival. Although they are very strong beings, they are helpless outside of their domains, and have very limited access to the mortal world.

Scions are different from the Gods in that they are direct representations of the land and the natural energy of the world (called Karma). Every natural place that has significance has a Scion associated with it, of the appropriate element (or elements), and who is responsible for the well-being of his domain and steering the flow of energy to the right direction, thus maintaining the balance of the world. Sometimes, mortal worship creates a Lesser God associated with the domain of a Scion, and these situations can result in the two Divine Beings working together or against each other, depending on the nature of each. Above the Scions are the Noble Scions, beings who, instead of being associated with small places like a waterfall or a forest, are associated with large, energy-filled places, like a great volcano or the entire sea. These beings have much more power than even the strongest of the Lesser Gods, and with the absence of Dragons, they can be easily credited to be the strongest divine beings of Dragonia.


The Celestial Faith: This religion is based on three sister Cosmic Goddesses: Solaris, the Lady of the Sun, Lunaris, the Lady of the Moon, and Staralis, the Lady of the Stars. The Faith is predominantly feminine in nature, with only women being able to hold positions of power within the clergy; in fact, men can only go as high as Acolytes, and there are few male Acolytes in the Faith. It is also divided into three Sisterhoods, one for each Goddess, and although each Sisterhood has different religious views and duties, together they form the whole of the Faith, and no major decision is made without the consensus of the three Sisterhoods. Each Sisterhood is headed by a High Priestess.

The Twilight Order: Followers of Amaranth, the Unfading Flower, this religion focuses on life, death, and the tenuous line between. The Cosmic Goddess Amaranth is the one responsible for tending the souls of the restless dead and ensuring their return to the normal cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and as such her followers – who are also exclusively women – take upon themselves the task of ensuring the dead are properly prepared and readied into their coming existence, and as such are responsible for the rites and rituals necessary for a smooth passage. The Order also has a special branch which is responsible for dealing with the undead and ghosts.

Ordo Draconis: Also colloquially called the “Cult of the Dragon”, the Ordo Draconis believes that the Dragons have not died, and preaches their return to glory, while attempting to actively hasten that return. Most other religions persecute the Ordo Draconis, since the Cosmic Gods resent the Dragons, and their return is not their desire in the least. Because of the great strength some of these religions have, the Ordo Draconis is outlawed in many parts of the civilized world.

Church of the Light: Followers of the abstract concept of “the Light”, a term encompassing all that is considered good, this church is also somewhat persecuted, since it does not follow any of the Cosmic Gods, or any divine being, in fact, and therefore does not have the backing of such a powerful being. However, it is also one of the most widespread religions, since its tenets are simple and comfortable: helping others, bringing peace, and doing no harm to other living things, basically.

Other than these four major religions, it is usually common practice to pay respects to a local Lesser God, or to ancestors, or to simple concepts such as a totem animal or a believed protector (which end up creating a local Lesser God, after a few generations of worship). This is, in a nutshell, the theological aspects of Dragonia as they are right now, though I will write more posts in the future, both detailing the divine beings and the religions, with probably more religions being created in the process (I’m a big fan of intrigue and politics in a setting, and religions provide plenty of opportunities for both).


The World of Dragonia

Most, if not all, of my novels and short stories happen in my home-grown setting of Dragonia, and I’ve also tried my hand at running a few RPG campaigns on it in the past (though, unfortunately, none lasted to the present day); however, Dragonia is still far from being complete, with only rough sketches and overviews in place. In fact, I use these games and short stories to further develop the setting and craft its history and contextualization. Therefore, this blog can be yet another way for me to expand on this awesome world, hopefully with some feedback from other people as well.

The basics of Dragonia is that the world is a great ocean, dotted with archipelagos and small islands. I’ve decided to use this because I think there are too few works of fiction that explore the concept of a world dominated by water (the only example that jumps to the top of my head is the manga/anime One Piece, though I’m sure there are others I’m unaware of), and it allows for some key difference with other established fantasy settings like Forgotten Realms or Eberron.

Another key point of Dragonia is that magic (called Weaving in the setting) is abundant and overflowing, and available to everyone; indeed, there is simply no person in Dragonia that does not have Weaving skills, even though there are plenty of people who have small skills at that. This means that Weaving has a major impact in society and culture, and as such life in Dragonia is deeply influenced by the notion that magic exists and is helpful to society as a whole. This brings the setting into the realm of technomagical High Fantasy, where constructs such as magic-powered trains, elevators and the like are common and widespread.

In a schism with other usual fantasy settings, I’ve decided that Dragonia is populated uniquely by humans. There are fantastical creatures and monsters, and even other intelligent beings (like Faeries and the like), but the only major civilized race is humanity. On the other hand, humans have broader cultural and physical differences than in most fantasy settings, to accommodate the character archetypes usually relegated to dwarves, elves, and other Tolkiensque fantasy races.

Another major point of the setting is that humans were once the protégés of the mighty race of Dragons, who were the actual creators of the world and its guardians. However, a few hundred of years ago, the dragons mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind chaos and destruction as the dragon-powered human society crumbled and humans were forced to adapt and rise from the ashes of their previous glory, now prey to dangers their Dragon masters had once protected them from. The disappearance of the Dragons has also led to the return of the Cosmic Gods, entities that had been banished from Creation for their disruptive wars and games, but who are no longer sealed away by the Dragons’ power.

Well, this is Dragonia in a nutshell, the very basics of the setting. I will be organizing and further exposing my thoughts on the setting here on the future, as well as posting short stories in the setting.