Soul
The Soul is a metaphysical construct that is the unique identifier of an entity in the Manaverse.
Function
it's a soul
Anatomy
Any Soul is composed of three distinct "components"; the Shell, the Kernel, and the Radix. The Shell is the outermost layer, and also makes up the majority of the Soul's volume. The Kernel is the inner "core" of the Soul, and is the primary location where the machinations that produce a Soul's capabilities occur. The Radix, enshrined within the Kernel, is the proverbial nucleus of the Soul, being responsible for the Soul's inherent uniqueness.
In any almaphore, a network of Aetheric Circuits also develops from the Soul, originating from the Kernel. Aetheric Circuits, however, are not considered to be part of the Soul's anatomy.
Shell
The protective outermost layer of the Soul. It is composed of Prana and Ectoplasmic Vibrations, occupying most of the volume of the Soul. The Shell is not an integral part of the Soul, bearing none of the vital responsibilities for its continued functioning as the Kernel and Radix do, but a Soul without a Shell will leave the Kernel unprotected. Damage to the Soul is primarily mitigated by the Shell, and Shells can be scarred or destroyed altogether, but an able Kernel can repair or replenish it given time. The density of the composition of the Shell factors into the Soul’s susceptibility to spiritual phenomena, with Shells of low density incurring an increased sensitivity.
The Shell is also responsible for resonating with the Soul’s respective spiritual wavelengths, and acts as an amplifier that allows them to travel outwards.
Kernel
The Kernel is the central node of the Soul, considered to be an indispensable component of it. It is much akin to a metaphysical engine that transforms input Mana into output Prana, and derives Ectoplasmic Vibrations from this process. Prana in the Kernel is arranged into magiologically active structures of “Soul Matter”, which are composed of Prana and Ectoplasmic Vibration Chains. These structures are considered to be the primary elements of the Soul, as they are directly responsible for its continued function; without Mana, the Kernel cannot maintain structures of Soul Matter and will eventually decay, leading to death. Certain, more permanent Soul Matter structures record important facets of an individual, such as memories and emotions.
The composition of the Kernel is not known definitively, although it is theorized Kernels lay host to constant fluctuations of reality.
Radix
The most fundamental, innermost component of the Soul. The Radix, also known as the Root, is an intractably complex component located within the Kernel, considered to hold the very definition of one's identity. A Radix can be compared to an extremely vast matrix or fractal of metaphysical data, and is thought to be simply a fragment or essence of the Fabric that is embedded into the Kernel, serving no functional purpose other than to encode the Soul with variable uniqueness. No two Radices are the same: Souls are often referred to be exclusively unique due to the immeasurably large variability in each Radix. It is unknown if the information encoded in the Radix can be unraveled and understood—the Radix is thought to be either infinitely complex, or simply too arbitrarily large to be interpreted meaningfully.
The Radix is also the location where the Domain of a Soul is defined, and is directly responsible for the manifestation of Soul Phantasms.
