Astrology

Introduction and Overview

When the Gods first set to work creating the planes, many of the planes were made with one another in mind. There was a certain kind of reliance to it all. Atharen needed Muid in order for pure clean Divinity to leak out into the mortal realm in order for it to keep going. Similarly, the core elements of which the world was comprised were made into lesser planes which also required a connection to Atharen in order to keep it running. Realizing this, Venadak and Izonata both worked together to create what is known as the cosmos to the majority of the people of Atharen. The stars, the planets, the sun, the moon. Many assume all of which to be distant celestial bodies, while in truth only the sun and the moon are actual celestial bodies. The creation of the sun is most commonly associated with Venadak as it's what allows life to flourish and grow, whereas the moon which reflects the sun is commonly associated with Izonata.

The planets and stars are something different entirely. While the sun and moon are actual celestial bodies, the six planets which compose Atharen's "solar system" are in truth portal to the six largest elemental planes, the six which are most commonly required for Atharen to continue running. The stars on the other hand are pinpricks through which Divinity escapes Muid and slowly leaks into Atharen without being a direct well like what's found in Ganeron. They allow for a constant but steady flow. The most important are the twelve major constellations that are visible during Atharen's various months, during which time they affect the flow of Ether on Atharen. The planets similar affect the flow of ether at different points throughout the year depending on when they're most dominant. There are many lessers constellations and notable stars which can also affect the flow of ether, though not to the degree often attributed to the planets and greater constellations.

It's worth noting that while Atharen's solar system is often described as having six planets, there are in reality eight with the last two being considered inactive and having notable not been created by the Gods at all. These two planets, which are a significantly farther distance from Atharen proper, after theorized to be portals to Bel and the Outlands respectively, though none have been able to prove it with the same accuracy as the other six have been proven. While they are almost always inactive, they've been shown to have small bursts of activity which have been known to affect the flow of ether as well as the flow of corruption prior to quickly being sealed back up by the current Living Gods, more often not by Maztyx through his will of Destruction. Again, none are entirely certain when or how these final two planets came to be, though many believe it to be a recent development when historical astrological charts are taken into account.

Astrology is important for the denizens of Atharen to take into account as it can have a significant effect on magic within the world of Atharen, especially in the case of practices like Alchemy or elemental magics. The following speaks of each aspect of Atharen's astrology in greater detail.

The Sun and The Moon

The sun and moon are notable in that their purpose differs from most of the rest of Atharen's celestial bodies in that the sun and the moon are actual celestial bodies. Both change the follow of Atharen's Divinity instead of shaping the flow of ether like the rest of Atharen's celestial bodies. This is perhaps rooted in the fact that the sun and moon are directly attributed to the influence and power of Venadak and Izonata, and the purpose of each is to more so give stability to Atharen than it is to power it.

While they don't have as significant of an effect on magic, they do have a strong effect on the natural world with the sun being associated with creation and activity while the moon is often associated with healing and growth.