Calthos

Calthos in Cerythin is rare, and slightly inconsistent in its spread throughout the different populations. Some states and species see large amounts of magic users, while others see none at all. The exact requirements to have a child with a link to the calthos, as it is called in many cultures, are unknown.

Calthos users are broken up into 4 main categories with a few minor sub categories in Taethos.

Taethos users have a strong link with energies of the world around them. Taethosians are broken up into 2 major categories. Conduits, cons for short, are able to channel the energy of the world around them. They can feel the energy in the earth, water, fire, air, gravity, light, heat, etc. They channel this energy and manipulate it with their will. They can stop rivers, cause landslides and fires, make it rain and more diabolically boil the blood of their enemies. However, this channeling is taxing. It causes both mental and physical stress, many have died trying to handle more than they could and it takes years of practice and rigorous training and knowledge to understand and be able to handle advanced techniques. Performing beyond ones trained level of stress can take years from an individuals life.

The second Taethos user is known as the naturalist or life warden. These people are very similar to conduits except usually instead of the energy around them they are more connected to the life around them. They have an internal connection and understanding of nature, animals, other people, and the cycle of the world. While many naturalists are also able to dabble in all taethos, their link with this life orientated side is much stronger, than a Conduit. Many naturalists choose a life of solitude or tribal existence with others of their own kind. Many choose a life among another species, in herds and colonies, as their bond is so great with life that they simply can blend and exist within animal groups.

A category distinct from the other groups is the people of Calibarrin. Not much is known about this xenophobic secluded society, but what is known is that they have taethos users in large abundance and practice a style all their own. Many who have come into contact with them speak of curses and tortures that are other worldly. They practice magical taboos that other states have since outlawed and banned.

The third major type of calthos in Cerythin is the ones known as the insightful. The insightful, are those that have a strong link to the energies of the past and the future, the people around them and their own minds. Insightful are very rare and highly prized for many cultures as they are able to give insight on things that a regular man or even a Taethosian could never know. They can look deep into the mind of those around them and know their past, their present and even more rarely, their future. Many great kings and nations use and protect the insightful within their kingdoms as they offer a great advantage over those that lack this powerful information that can be provided. Other nations and areas of Cerythin have a very different view. Some insightful have been exiled, killed or tortured. Many fear their abilities and misinterpret what they are capable of. Some cultures believe they bring bad luck or even guarantee doomsday prophecies. Many insightful for this reason either live within the king’s court or in caves deep within the woods of the world.

This fear of their abilities is not totally miscalculated. The few greatly powerful Insightful that have existed have been known to be able to channel all of the worlds energies as well as performing darker practices. Their weakness however lies within their inconsistency to channel the energies through their proverbial third eye, it takes a lifetime or more to master.

The fourth major category of Calthos is not spoken of throughout nearly all of the civilizations of the world and has many names, none of which are spoken willingly, Death Walkers and Spirit Wardens, Those that have crossed, and Reapers. These are the rarest of all the Calthos users. Many do not live long enough to even be set in their cradle or into their mother’s arms upon birth. Daethos as it's called is the ability to move the spirits of the dead or demons themselves. A distinct feature of one that can move Daethosian is solid black eyes. Few Daethosian exist and those that do either exist only in rumor or total exile and seclusion. Stories are told of their abilities to field armies of the dead, and control spirits and ghosts. The origins of their names come from historical appearances of fully realized Daethos users.

One such user, named Spirit Warden of the Etter Glade, was a powerful daethosian. He lived in seclusion in the Etter Glade, in a ruined castle from ages past. Rumors of hordes of zombies, and ghouls roaming the glade surfaced and the area was pretty much never again traveled. It is unknown whether he still exists or otherwise. Another name, the Death Walker, is given to those that have crossed over. There is thought to exist a realm outside of Cerythin, in which all wicked things go, spirits of the dead, demons, etc. Those that can cross to this realm, are given the title. All that is known of Death Walkers exists in Gelzhoulin's Journal. A famous book of which there are few copies, all sealed away behind heavy security. In these journals, Gelzhoulin talks of his study of Daethos and his discovery of this ability to traverse the realms folds and boundaries. His description of a desolate wasteland of heat and despair and the demons that traverse it are used in many myths and stories.

