The Haan Study, What is Haan?

Latest edit done: 2024-02-15

The Seconded Scroll: What is Haan?

Haan is the broadest term used in The Eferian Day’s magic system.

Generally, it has two primary meanings.

the first meaning refers to the magic system in its entirety. When characters speak of it, or mentions it in any way, often are they referring to magic being casted or magic as a topic of discussion. This is normally the case for characters who do not have a higher education in Haan practices.

The secondary meaning of the term — the topic for this section of the chapter — refers to the elements in which the system is based upon. Haan is a set of ninety-four elements (as discovered and known by the people within the Eferian continent in the current time of the main series) existing within Sagen’s nature. And whose properties make up the foundations of the character’s spellcasting abilities. Haan both is and refers to the magic system in the Sagen universe.

Similarly, like the periodic table of elements makes up everything in the real-world: the Haan elements makes up everything from spellcasting and alchemy to plant life and creature anatomy alteration. This is regarding animal and plant life that has been altered or changed due to the interference of specific Haan elemental families (refer to the ‘‘What is Numbrina?’‘ and the ‘‘What is Cambriny?’‘ scrolls for more information on the topic).

Though, for the example used previously: it’s important to note that the Haan elements are not supposed to replicate, imitate, nor explain real-life topics and subjects of science. Haan is within its own bracket of Sagen’s natural world and are not subjected to follow principals of science, such as physics or chemistry, outside of already existing laws and principals.

To understand the nature and functions of the system, one must think of it as a theory within an already made-up theory. And because of it, the ideas provided can only exist within said reality. The elements the characters use for their magical abilities can only be explained if the fictional world follows the concepts and ideas of the system.

These theories are a playful exploration of magic structures rather than a redesign of already existing mystical worlds’ systems. Haan is comprised of eight primary groups segregating each element by abilities, usability to overall Haan practices as well as natural movements and ‘’rain pattern’’ (refer to ‘‘the nature and Hierarchy of Haan’‘ scroll for more information on the subject). The eight elemental groupings are: Dhemsen, Vex, Cambriny, Neicora, Hath, Gellens, Hako and Haki.

These are the official groups of Dast Casting Haan elements used by schools and higher educated characters. Apart from these eight groups, there are also elements within other forms of Haan’s nature which are also included in the ninety-four Haan elements. Other types of groupings and terms are used all throughout the continent. Though wording changes depending on who talks about it and the character’s understanding of the elements’ nature and functions.

For an element in the Haan system to be considered a spell component, it needs to fulfil the criteria of usability by the people who set the standard of spellcasting. These criteria are also known as Dast Casting. This version of definition used, however, does not include all elements Haan are comprised of. And elements whose nature only react and exist within alchemy and creature anatomy are also not considered in this definition.

The elements existing in plant life and whose properties have altered the nature of the plant itself are known to the Haan academic world as Numbrina. (refer to the ‘‘What is Numbrina?’‘ scroll for more information on the topic). Elements whose properties do not react to spellcasting abilities but have similar powers as such are known as Cambriny (refer to the ‘’What is Cambriny?’’ scroll for more information on the topic).

Every Haan element are featured within the same table of elements. But the distinction of these groupings makes it so the elements with spellcasting abilities are the only ones who primarily get brought up in discussion between characters. Another major distinction that needs to be made to understand the Haan system is that spells and abilities are not limited to, nor fixated on, commonly used magic system principles such as fire, earth, water, and air elements.

Instead, the Haan system’s spell abilities functions by each element’s properties reacting to and with each other. in the Haan system, a ‘’fire’’ spell is not comprised of a literal ball of fire. Rather, the reactions of the elements within the spell combination might give off radiating heat. Or what feels as such. The spell a character considers to be in the category of fire would be capable of causing burns to the body yet be unable to light a candle. This makes it closer to a chemical burn. More detailed descriptions of spell composition will be brought up in coming chapters.

Following the nature of how the system function: another key aspect coming into play is that the Haan elements are not constant everywhere in Sagen. Due to how the elemental rain patterns are set up by the powers who keep them (refer to ‘‘the nature and Hierarchy of Haan’‘ scroll for more information on the subject), one spell composition is capable of being created in the northern parts of Eferian. But would struggle or starve to form in the south. Not all Haan elements exist everywhere in Sagen.

There are multiple reasons for this. The most predominant reason has to do with the practices and rulings of the Yulis, the Keepers of Haan, and the events ongoing within the Eferian world. Because of the Yulis’ interactions with Haan’s nature: the elemental rain patterns gradually shift over time. The only location where this is not the case is the area in and surrounding the major Haan universities, like The Sunset River in Varangia. Though it is something the Yulis can alter, the ability to change where the Haan elements rain over does not come with great haste or tremendous power.

The Yulis’ abilities to interfere with the Haan elements is based in the notion that the Yulis have direct connection with the source of the elements’ raining pattern (refer to ‘‘the nature and Hierarchy of Haan’‘ scroll for more information on the subject). Haan is constant in the elements’ abilities of Numbrina and Dast Casting but everchanging in location and reaction with each other.

As the elements shift, so does their interactions and reactions with the elements around them who have not changed pattern. An example of this is the event of the Yulis by Nedrian War which took place two centuries before the main series’ timeline. During the time of the invasion of Highmore, the Roamen forces were able to cast Haan spells to a much powerful degree in the western parts of Eferian.

But once their armies came closer to the eastern side towards the Capital of Highmore, their powers began to gradually decrees in destructive capabilities. The reason for this was that the western side of the Eferian continent had a much greater housing of elements Roamen were using in their newfound spellbooks. But these elements did not exist towards the south-eastern ends of the continent.

In current time of the main series, the pattern of these elements began shifting once again due to Kloros and the new Yulis altering the patterns to change the destructive powers within one singular location.