Warning: This item is a plot element of the Arcadia Complex plot. Due to its retroactive nature, it is not meant to be applied to or overwrite any preexisting elements of the entire Ayenee setting.

“I believe you and that insolent man have been playing in a fire older than you realize. Echyllis- A nasty old material, some would call it a force. At least a little bit of it can be found strained down into anything and everything of worth. Creatures, planets, stars. Though it lived long before them, the Arcadians and Nepherians found ways to cultivate it in their technologies, and lives.” - OSC-01, Episode Two: Union

Echyllis is an ancient, abstract material found in varying quantities across the known universe. In its natural vaporous form, Echyllis is invisible to the human eye. However, the material may be channeled and compiled by the strong and the cunning of mind. Echyllis has many applications, and was most notably cultivated and exploited by the Arcadians and their foil, the Nepherians.

Echyllis is a string-like material that can be found anywhere matter is, in varying quantities. The arcane material is as old as time itself, with its exact inception believed to be a byproduct of the creation of matter itself. Echyllis is found in its highest saturation in the paradoxical space between dimensions known as the Great Nothing, with a near complete saturation of the material. Between dimensional travel and interference, Echyllis in its loose, vaporous form has become common in varying degrees around all of space.

Echyllis in high saturation can be detected through a radioactive property that becomes stronger as more of the material saturates an area. Traditional Geiger counters can detect it in high concentrations, but are ineffective with smaller doses and nowhere near as accurate as custom-engineered gauges.

Echyllis comes in four main forms: Vapor, Energized, Semi-Hardened, and Hardened. Echyllis cannot be created or destroyed, like matter itself, but it can be channeled into new forms, gaining or losing energy in the process.

Vaporous Echyllis particles are invisible to the human eye, and are found in varying amounts everywhere matter can be found.

Energized Echyllis is vapor Echyllis that has been channeled or through natural means condensed, forming an unstable reaction. Energized Echyllis is visible as a colorful suspended reaction, often appearing as a wispy or liquid plane of light that ignores the conventional laws of gravity. Energized Echyllis' ongoing reaction lends it to create a lot of heat and energy until it destabilizes or burns out, giving it a short lifespan when created.

Semi-Hardened Echyllis is Energized Echyllis that has been compacted further, creating a hard, physical shape. Naturally channeled or formed, Semi-Hardened Echyllis forms crystalline structures that are often low in geometry, giving them a blunt or spearlike appearance. In this state, the Echyllis is still unstable and will begin to deteriorate if not maintained. It is also still volatile, lending itself to shatter and release hot energy when struck with enough force.

Hardened Echyllis is combined with matter such as dust, metal, or debris in the air to form a much more stable structure. Like its Semi-Hardened counterpart, this form takes a crystalline shape when formed naturally, though it can be shaped or woven into metallic or flat structures.

Hardened Echyllis will maintain its charge for as long as its half-life may allow, unless outside forces interfere or draw. Discharged Echyllis crystals are a dark and dull color, and are more susceptible to cracking and erosion. They may regain their charge over time by being introduced to an area enriched with Vaporous Echyllis, or through accelerated means by contact with controlled doses of Energized Echyllis.

Echyllis itself has a very long half-life when left to its own devices. The Energized form will cause a sparadic release of energy that can burn out quickly if not controlled, but the base will still be there afterwards. Drifting contact with other Echyllis particles will eventually distribute energy back to burnt out ones. This makes the energy of Echyllis an incredibly, unimaginably vast energy source- but not truly non-renewable.

Hardened Echyllis is susceptible to warping and growth over time, as contact with more energized particles can cause the structure to grow outwards. This reaction takes years to develop in stationary machinery, but can lead to faults in machinery using Hardened Echyllis as a power source or conduit. Regular maintenance and checkups can keep an Echyllis crystal that has been machined in shape.

Echyllis particles have an inexplicable trait which could almost be defined as memory recognition. While the material bears no mind or will of its own, Echyllis is capable of “remembering” forms it has taken, matter it has inhibited, and people who have channeled or otherwise inhibited it. This memory is weak, but can lead to the creation of strange phenomenon when the material is imprinted by a strong force.

Echyllis Imprints at their highest strength and fidelity are able to take the form of what it has been in the past, most notably a living being. These specters are uncommon, and usually die out not long after inception. The strongest of Echyllis manipulators (referred to as Syllics) are capable of leaving their imprint on the world for much longer after their passing. Make no mistake, however- these rare specters are not a perfect copy of their progenitor. They may share traits, but Imprints on this scale are usually exaggerated and reflect the strongest traits, regrets, and desires of their progenitor. Approach with caution.

Echyllis has multiple uses, such as its use as a channeled resource, an efficient energy source, and its essential role in dimensional travel.

Channeling (also called Echyllis Manipulation) is the art of collecting and condensing vaporous Echyllis into a more usable formation, such as energized particles or a hardened crystal. The act can be completed by a strong, compatible mind, or an equally strong set of machinery. Be wary that the power draw from either can easily drain the manipulator.

Natural channeling involves compressing Echyllis using the strengths of ones mental physique alone. The power is extraordinarily difficult for a normal human to achieve, requiring elongated exposure to the material with a rigorous training regime to even begin. The Arcadians and Nepherians were capable of channeling Echyllis naturally and easily due to their evolution within saturated dimensions, and the a weaker compatibility with the material can be found even in their thin-blooded offspring. The strong end of natural manipulators are referred to as Syllics.

Complicated or continuous channeling of Echyllis can easily wear on the mind and body of the manipulator, and overexertion can lead to lightheadedness or loss of conscious.

Artificial channeling is the compression of Echyllis particles through machinery. The exact kind of machinery can vary depending on the application, but artificially-formed Echyllis structures (such as those made for fuses) is crafted using an Echyllis Spindle. Artificial channeling may also be used to draw energy from an Echyllis fuse to be used as a tool or weapon, but the effectiveness of the weapon depends on the materials used. The highest efficiency conductor is a secret that may well have died with the Arcadians.

As with natural channeling, artificial channeling requires a high power draw that becomes harder to maintain the more precise an operation is requested.

Hardened Echyllis crystals may be used as an energy source when placed inside a fuse case with proper adapters for the machinery at hand. On its own, a fuse may hold a long-lasting charge. The true benefits of Echyllis fuses come with reactor housings, which are capable of keeping the fuse in motion to attract and refract nearby Echyllis particles, greatly extending the longevity of a fuse.

As Echyllis is found in its highest saturation between dimensions, it serves a vital role in safe travel between them. High-capacity Echyllis fuses may be used with Rift Boring rigs to tear a temporary hole into and through the Great Nothing, allowing passage through the otherwise impassable. Localized travel through rifts is also possible, and a far less risky endeavor. Syllics may open small-scale rifts through their own willpower, but these more volatile rifts are not as safe for traveling long distances.

Echyllis is a versatile and powerful tool when channeled from its dormant state, but it is not without grave risk.

Echyllis particles constantly emit a radioactive aura when colliding with one another. In most cases, this interaction is negligible and carries no risk to ones health. Energized Echyllis and areas of very high saturation can be a different story, however. The constant bombardment of these reactions can emit a radioactive aura strong enough to cause gradual radiation poisoning to organic matter in the vicinity. Echyllis Poisoning is not only a life-long risk, but can cause mutations to ones gene pool, threatening their offspring as well.

Early or low-level symptoms of Echyllis Poisoning include general unsteadiness, leading into nausea, sickness, fatigue, blood clots (rarely), headaches, and shortness of breath. Late or high-level symptoms may include discoloration of the skin, lightly accelerated aging, cancer, internal bleeding, genetic instability, tumors and other mutant growths, and death.

Other, rarer symptoms of Echyllis poisoning include Glassvein, a condition that causes hardened Echyllis formations to grow unwillingly to the infected persons nerve endings and other body parts.

Although the Echyllis exposure required warrants some kind of disaster to reproduce without the object being destroyed, an object may become so saturated with Echyllis that it becomes a volatile explosive.

A hazard of staying in areas of high Echyllis saturation such at the Great Nothing is Imprint Haze, a byproduct of Echyllis' ability to form a memory of its use. Continued exposure to Echyllis that has formed an imprint can result in confusion, short term memory loss, inability to concentrate, hallucination, and falsified memories.

Due to the strange nature of Imprint Haze, it is entirely possible for an afflicted person to gain memories and traits they never bore before. Due to this, it is highly recommended to make your inter-dimensional travels as brief as possible to avoid the complications of the Haze.

This page was originally created by Pancakei on Wed 04-12-19.