Essencekin

Enigmatic and swift to anger, the avian race known as the jyoti are xenophobic natives of the Positive Energy Plane. Though some believe the jyoti are inherently good because their home plane is the source of all life, these beliefs are quite in error, for the jyoti react to all other races with wary suspicion at best, and usually assume the worst and attack before they can themselves be attacked. They guard their crystalline cities from all intrusion, especially by creatures from other planes and servants of the gods. They have been known to hold dangerous artifacts in their vaults on behalf of desperate visitors, though in the case of holy or unholy artifacts, the jyoti are more likely to destroy the artifacts as soon as possible. Jyoti loathe natives of the Shadow Plane and the Negative Energy Plane in particular, though there is an element of pity in their actions toward undead. They never discuss the sceaduinar, and even hearing that name inflames jyoti into immediate anger. Those who dare argue on the sceaduinar’s behalf are immediately attacked.

Manus aspire to elevate members of a specific race or type of creature to enlightenment, adopting them collectively as special charges. Typically, this race or type of creature is chosen from those to whom the manu belonged during its most meaningful mortal incarnation, but this is not always the case.  While most manus focus on a people’s enlightenment across a single Material Plane world, some ambitious manus follow their charges from world to world, continuing to elevate and guide them as they propagate among the stars. Manus are largely solitary, though they sometimes gather into tight-knit groups called rounds that coordinate efforts to guide their chosen peoples.

Rishi manus are the shepherds of entire worlds, watching for shifts in the collective consciousness and gently nudging specific individuals of significant power or influence toward paths of enlightenment that will affect as many others as possible.

Serene, introspective, and simultaneously old and timeless, a maharishi manu often sits in quiet contemplation, speaking only rarely and acting only when it must. When it does communicate, it tends to do so telepathically, and phrases its advice and commands as strange riddles that seem nonsensical at first, but grow increasingly meaningful as listeners overcome struggles and grow on their own. Maharishi manus are at the pinnacle of the manu caste of manasaputras, leading the hierarchy by following directions set by the kumaras and the Logos at the center of the Positive Energy Plane. These outsiders govern the spiritual development over vast epochs, teaching lesser manus and guiding all mortal incarnations toward a sense of perfect enlightenment. Because of the nature of their missions, maharishi manus form strong bonds with the inhabitants of the planets under their care and are never kept away for long before returning to those worlds should they be banished by malicious forces.

While clerics and oracles spin their own myths of creation, manasaputras tout an occult truth behind these stories— the current multiverse is not the first to exist and it won’t be the last. Like the cycle of seasons and the moon, existence itself waxes and wanes.  Similar to the highest caste of pitris, twilight pitris are manasaputras whose existence predates the current multiverse. Unlike the solar pitris, these creatures started their path to enlightenment in the preceding multiverse, not some more ancient one. During that indescribable existence, twilight pitris were mortals who ascended to the ranks of manus. Surviving the natural end of their native reality, they endured and were incarnated into the current multiverse as this higher caste of manasaputras. Though they are in a higher form, it is one filled with tribulation and challenge, as becoming a twilight pitri is among the greatest trials in the path to absolute enlightenment.  This transition between multiverses has the effect of cutting off the former manus’ souls from the Cosmic Fire of creation. This “twilight” forces the new pitris to pursue enlightenment without the fire’s guidance.  While these creatures can hover around the Cosmic Fire on the Positive Energy Plane, they are barred from entering it. Some occult scholars believe this is merely a taboo,    but the prohibition is more than a metaphysical barrier. These pitris are incapable of the spiritual incorporeality found among other types of manasaputras, which enables communion with the flame.  While some occult scholars teach that this exile is some form of punishment for actions in past incarnations, both twilight and even solar pitris deny this explanation. Instead, exile from the cosmic source is a test in spiritual suffering and self-sufficiency. Without the benefit of the Cosmic Fire, each twilight pitri must look within itself or to others to achieve full enlightenment, which is both challenging and spiritually taxing. Failure of this test leads to either the destruction of a twilight pitri or its continuance within lesser incarnations until the death of this multiverse and the creation of the next. Those who gain true enlightenment from this test become solar pitris when the next multiverse ignites, though most achieve status as a twilight pitri, fail the test, and are reincarnated as lesser manasaputras many times before succeeding and becoming solar pitris.  Because these pitris are disconnected from the cosmic source, their wisdom can sometimes seem imperfect, at least compared to that of the solar pitris. While all twilight pitris seek to expand enlightenment in the multiverse, their actions can accidently work against enlightened truth.  During the earliest epochs of this multiverse, the first twilight pitris sought not only to shepherd the fledgling races, but also to impart knowledge and reason to those with whom they formed the closest bonds. The results of this effort still haunt them, as the pitris’ imperfect mastery of cosmic enlightenment turned these races into beings driven only by reason, logic, and systematic philosophies. As these beliefs opposed the spiritual ascension touted by other manasaputras, these early races ascended to become other types of outsiders, swelling the ranks of such beings. In the end, the kumaras had to intercede and right the wrongs inadvertently spurred by the twilight pitris’ actions. Because of this, many twilight pitris have chosen to be more contemplative and intuitive in deciding on their courses of action than other manasaputras, while others become more active hoping to make up for this early misstep.  In spite of their alien origins, twilight pitris seek to aid and inspire mortals of the Material Plane. They take great care to search for and study the individual mortals, societies, and worlds that hold the greatest promise. Mortals who show the best chance of becoming some form of manu in their next incarnations are chosen and taught the methods of contemplation, mindfully executed action, and focused meditation necessary to achieve their next stage of enlightenment. At the same time, such visitations—either to mortals or others of their kind— can be both a boon and a curse, for the twilight pitris often act in unexpected ways—their minds inscrutable to the denizens of the Material Plane—and their lack of connection with the Cosmic Fire often makes them seem disconnected from other manasaputras. A handful of kumaras seek out the aid of twilight pitris when they do leave the Positive Energy Plane, enjoying and finding wisdom in their sometimes alien and unexpected modes of thought.  Relationships between twilight pitris and manus are complicated. Many manus have at least one twilight pitri to thank for their first steps of enlightenment and acceptance into the manasaputra castes, but upon ascension, the new manus intuit how disconnected their former teachers are from the cosmic source of all things. They immediately find the words and guidance of the twilight pitris to be filled with half-truths and blind paths, even though the twilight pitri’s intentions are true and honorable. These manus still give members of this caste the respect and reverence they deserve, and understand the importance of this test—especially since they may face it themselves one day— but often go to great pains to avoid asking a twilight pitri for counsel. Relationships between twilight pitris and samsarans are even more strained, as knowledgeable members of that race blame the twilight pitris for nearly damning the entire samsaran race to a path outside of reincarnation and enlightenment. While they would never outwardly disrespect these higher forms of being, they are often suspicious of the twilight pitris’ guidance and disregard twilight pitris’ advice. Some samsarans outright refuse all aid coming from one of these manasaputras.

There is a common myth among many far-flung tribes of a great and regal bird who comes sometimes with prophecy and other times as a savior for a great hero. These majestic creatures are both stern and benevolent, using their power to scatter a tribe’s foes or to herald great eras of prosperity. To benefit from the being’s attention, the leaders of the tribe must acquiesce to the bird’s demands, which typically include accomplishing some difficult quest to which the bird’s enigmatic prophecies allude. While sometimes these radiant messengers are phoenixes, occasionally they are a rarer sort of prophet— majestic birdlike creatures from the Positive Energy Plane known as turuls.  Turuls often treat the Material Plane as a hunting ground, where they might feed upon wild beasts or hunt undead and other creatures that wantonly spread mayhem. Such hunters keep to themselves, avoiding other creatures, but other turuls take a more active role with peaceful, intelligent creatures. While a few turuls go so far as to portray themselves as deities, granting protection and healing in return for worship, most of these magnificent outsiders watch from a distance, treating their chosen tribe more like pets, meddling only when their favorites are threatened or in the midst of dire circumstances.  While many turuls enjoy their forays on the Material Plane, the massive avians are intrinsically tied to the Positive Energy Plane. They also seem to be somehow related to the jyoti—another race of avian natives of the Positive Energy Plane—though neither turuls nor jyoti care to divulge the true nature of the relationship. Some scholars of the outer planes suggest that the two avian species are actually incarnations of the same genesis, while others postulate that turuls are some higher form of jyoti within a cycle of reincarnation intrinsic to many of the Positive Energy Plane’s denizens. Both theories are mere speculation.  Unlike the more social jyoti, turuls tend to be loners. They keep company for short periods of time, either to mate or purely for the enjoyment of one another’s company, but such couplings last for a few decades at most. Instead of dwelling in crystalline cities like the jyoti, turuls roost at the tops of tree-shaped gemstone formations that spring up from the landscape of their home plane. Turuls are haughty but talkative and sometimes welcome visitors. They perch silently upon their crystal trees, taking time to speak to any who approach them, so long as they find the conversation worthwhile. As soon as they lose interest, they politely dismiss themselves or their guests. Those who don’t leave are typically met with scorn if not aggression. Turuls are not used to or fond of being ignored or insulted.  In stark contrast to the jyoti, the turuls hold no hatred or ill will toward deities and their servants, at least when they encounter such creatures on planes other than the Positive Energy Plane. While on the Material Plane, turuls will even work with good- and neutral-aligned outsiders to protect their hunting grounds and adopted humanoid communities.  In rare circumstances, a turul dwells at the heart of a jyoti crystal city, supervising these settlements from atop their eyries as ever-vigilant protectors. Those who do become more like the jyoti over time, and treat outsiders with the same anger and vehemence as their wards. Such arrangements are typically short-lived, though. Turuls who live with jyoti only do so for a century at most, and when they leave, their personalities and relations with others revert to a more calm and contemplative manner. Such might hint at some arrangement wherein a turul agrees to become part of a jyoti community, living by their rules for a period in return for something the turul covets— such as mystical knowledge, information about egress to the Material Plane, or possibly one of the artifacts that the jyoti hoard.  The most consistent relationship the turuls have is with phoenixes. Those fiery avians often treat turuls like royalty and willingly serve them, whether or not the turul has expressed any interest in gaining a flaming entourage. Though, for all their impatience with other creatures, turuls tolerate the presence of phoenixes better than they do others.  Part of turuls’ legendary moodiness stems from the same myths for which they’re best known—those wherein they bring prophecies of light and peace. On some Material Plane worlds, such tales are so pervasive that mortal heroes go as far as venturing to the Positive Energy Plane to seek blessings and wisdom from turuls. The great avians have little patience for those who presume upon their occasional benevolence. Not only that, but a turul’s prophecies are not merely boons to be meted out. Rather, their promises of peace and prosperity typically come about via changes they’ve affected using their own considerable power, or as inevitabilities they’ve had the foresight to predict. In the rarest of cases, some turuls claim to have communed with the power of the deepest Positive Energy Plane and that they serve as messengers of that mysterious cosmic will. Whether or not such is true few can know, but that possibility has certainly influenced the greatest variety of mortal myths regarding turuls.  Gigantic in stature, turuls stand nearly 30 feet tall and have a wingspan of almost 50 feet. They weigh upwards of 15 tons. While they reside on the Positive Energy Plane, turuls are effectively immortal. They age only when traveling from their home plane.

Nearly perfect in form, action, and thought, solar pitris are revered as godlike creatures, and possess souls on fire with the radiance of creation and reincarnation. Solar pitris are in some ways alien to mortal reality, yet strongly in tune with it by way of the cycle of reincarnation. Each solar pitri is the embodiment of a soul that lived thousands— if not millions—of incarnations in at least one other multiverse that existed prior to the creation of the current one. Final expressions of enlightenment, these incredibly powerful entities have guided the development of all life for countless eons. Solar pitris possess singular focus on the development of the entire multiverse and all its creatures—some say even of deities themselves—guiding events down a course that leads like a descending spiral to another cycle of reincarnation at the eventual end of the current multiverse and creation of the next.   Some occult scholars contend that there are only seven solar pitris, and that they are the seven kumaras. Others believe that the numbers of these creatures range in the hundreds, thousands, or even millions, but that the majority of the solar pitris rest in still and silent meditation at the heart of the Positive Energy Plane, never venturing out into the vastness of the Astral Plane or other corners of the multiverse. Such sages insist that the intensity of their contemplation and meditation is the underlying fuel for the progression of souls, the expansion of space, and the flow of time. Some even go so far as to credit the solar pitris with the creation of the Cosmic Fire in the first place, though like all theories about the manasaputras in general and the kumaras in particular, the details are the subjects of heated debate and very little concrete evidence.  All the various camps of esoteric thought agree that seven of these creatures are known as the kumaras, and that they are the only solar pitris who have interacted with creatures that are not other manasaputras. Scholars generally believe that the solar pitris serve as masters to a number of twilight pitris, and sometimes even various manus, but the exact relationships seem to have a degree of fluidity—as some esoteric texts insist that this group of manasaputras serve Ksathras, the Dominion, while others claim the same group or members of that group serve Ameuritati, the First Immortal. Many of these contradictions stem from transcription mistakes in ancient texts or issues with the variety of spellings or even names by which some kumaras are known, but others can be explained only by shifts in the structure of the manasaputra caste system over the eons.  The lore regarding the relationship between the solar pitris and mortal races is less muddled. Most stories relate that at the dawn of creation, solar pitris took pity on misguided mortals, who were confused by the teachings and guidance given to them by the twilight pitris. The twilight pitris’ nurturing led to overly rational mortals who lacked the compassion and empathy necessary for true enlightenment. The solar pitris intervened, and granted those wayward mortals a favored place in the cycle of cosmic reincarnation. Scholars speculate that this act on the part of the solar pitris was the first step that led to the evolution of samsarans, though many samsarans deny this story, instead insisting that they are early forms of what will later become the next wave of manasaputras.  Because of their unfathomably ancient minds and far-reaching plans, solar pitris rarely interact with other creatures. They must restrain their power, lest their very presence prove deadly to other living beings. Solar pitris are creatures of fire, and even witnessing a solar pitri shifting from corporeality to incorporeality from afar can blind mortals. Creatures that come close to a solar pitri are scorched by the outsider’s boundless, radiant energies. Adherents of some cults attempt such approaches regardless of the danger, believing that even if they burn to death, their souls will be purified by the solar pitri’s presence. Most of what is known about solar pitris comes from the teachings handed down to mortals by lesser manasaputras, the traditions of those samsarans who believe that they are connected to manasaputras (or even that they are some early form of manu), the often wild and fanciful speculation of occult thinkers, the feverish dreams of eccentric mystics, and the few legitimate historical accounts of the various kumaras leaving their contemplation within the Cosmic Fire and interacting with mortals. But even then, only monumental events such as mass extinctions of whole worlds, the death of gods, the eradication of an entire intelligent species, or other reality-shaking events draw solar pitris’ attention. Otherwise, their time is spent pondering unknowable truths and guiding other manasaputras from deep within the heart of the Positive Energy Plane.