The Double  "A" UNDERLIGHT CHRONICLES

Dreamsoul and Avatar Treatise:

This Treatise is the result of many hours of study, observing, and hands on research. I compiled this out of a number of related studies, looking at different aspects of how Avatars are created and held together. Hopefully someone will find this of use at some point. Please note that much of this IS Theory, albiet, theory that has been studied extensively and seems to follow a logical progression. So it could be wrong, and I am well aware that it is incomplete simply because my studies have only carried me so far with it.

I would further note that Dreamsoul behaves differently than our Focal elements. Though many of the healing notes apply equally to Focal energies, these energies are an inherent part of all dream beings. Even In an area completely devoid of ambient motes of those elements, dream beings would very slowly regenerate these energies without the the need for an artifical "Spark". The presence of Ambient motes merely allows a faster regeneration rate. The same basic principle for all other aspects applies to them, except for the "Aural Spark".

Basics:
An avatar is nothing more or less, than a collection of Dreamsoul bound together by the aural emanations of the creature. The more powerful and attuned the creature is to the dreamscape, the more Dreamsoul can be bound around their soulsphere... thus, the more damage it can take before being stripped away.

On Damaging Avatars:
Damaging attacks don't actually break or damage the Dreamsoul of the creature. What it actually does, is break the bonding between measures of Dreamsoul. This causes the dreamsoul that's been separated from the bonds of the targets aural field, to drift away. Thus resulting in "Damage" to the avatar. This tearing of the bonds is painful to the target, which is why there is always at least a brief yelp or scream of pain from them. It is an abrupt, painful process that cannot be adequately prepared for. Even the strongest willed creature can't help but make some sound when hit. The nearest equivalent I can make, is touching a red hot piece of metal. Even if your watching it, and know your going to touch it... have braced yourself and prepared for the pain, No one I have ever seen or heard of has been able to restrain at least a growl or sharp and audible intake of breath when the metal does make contact.

The only effects that damage this bond without causing that burst of searing pain, are Bleed and Poison... along with the damaging aura of a Horron. These do not cause the searing pain of burst damage effects, because they work on a slower more gradual basis. Disrupting the bond between Dreamsoul measures instead of tearing them apart. Each achieves this in a slightly different fashion, but the result is the same. In all cases, the actual Dreamsoul of the avatar itself is NOT damaged. It is merely lost to the creature. 

The breaking of the bonds between Dreamsoul is accomplished by two methods. Regardless of the art or talisman used, burst damaging arts all work on the same basic premise. A concentrated burst of energy is applied to the target avatar. This initial impact of energy stretches and weakens the bonds between Dreamsoul. The 2nd effect is applied NEARLY instantly, a mere fraction of a fraction of a second later. This effect is an explosion of the impacting energy. The Dreamsoul caught in the burst is rapidly expelled away from the target avatar, tearing the bonds apart and scattering the dreamsoul away from the target.

The Disruptive effects are more subtle, and simply erode the bonds between dreamsoul, letting the Dreamsoul motes drift away from the affected avatar as the bonds are eaten.

Of particular note, are Melee weapons. Though the same basic premise as burst damage effects, applies to melee weapons as well, it is not an explosion that scatters the Dreamsoul motes. Instead, it is the "force" of the attackers weapon impact that tears away the dreamsoul from the target. This is the functional equivalent ripping skin away flesh and bone in terms of its effect on the target.

Of additional note is the effect of Sanctuaries on mares. Because of the energetic state of the mares energy (IE: Highly agitated Dreamsoul motes, usually only seen in offensive/attack energies), the sanctuaries field reacts as if the mares presence was an offensive act. Though not able to prevent entrance to the mare, the constant attempts of the sanctuary field disrupts the bonding to their dreamsoul... working much like a poison or bleed effect. Once their dreamsoul is completely separated from them (IE: They've collapsed from the sanctuary effect), they are unable to bond further dreamsoul as the field disrupts the bonding process before it can complete.

Avatar's Coherence:
The basic element of coherence is a single spark of focused aural energy. This spark is naturally formed by us now, though had to be painstakingly induced during the discovery of how to form the shielding avatar of Dreamsoul. Additional Dreamsoul is bonded to that single mote, buried directly about the Soulsphere, beneath the outer layers of Dreamsoul, so it is the last to be disrupted. When the bond to that mote is disrupted or broken, the trauma prevents the Aural field from bonding to another mote without help. 

Regaining coherence is a matter of re-igniting that Aural "Spark". This can be done either via arts such as Restore or Healing Aura (The energies involved in both arts, automatically sooth and re-ignite the traumatized Aural Spark which allows it to immediately bond a single mote of Dreamsoul), or via the passive field generated by Sanctuaries (The field generated by a sanctuary contains many of the elements found in both Restore and Healing Aura, constantly in motion throughout the room. This effect is automatic, and so pervasive that a dreamer cannot "push away" the restorative effect). Theoretically, the Aural Spark would naturally re-ignite given enough time... though this would likely take days or weeks depending on the individual.

Other effects can also sooth and re-ignite the Aural Spark, most notably a circle of Dreamer Essences specifically channeled for such an effect and the maren sanctuaries, along with the Rifts and Dark Awakening for mares. 

Perma-spheres:
Most dreamers have heard stories of beings (usually dreamers) that have Soul evoked, or otherwise suffered catastrophic harm that results in them being completely unable to bond even a single mote of Dreamsoul. This effect is caused by damage to the creatures to Aural field which inhibits the Aural Spark necessary to bond dreamsoul. The aural field is simply too weakened to attract and form the initial dreamsoul bond. WIthout that first connection, there is nothing further for other Dreamsoul motes to bond with. 

Soul Evoke:
In specific, damages the aural field by artificially forcing a bond with a single mote of Dreamsoul. The bond is not strong enough to form the Dreamsoul mote into even a rudimentary avatar, but does allow the evoker to channel their other focal elements through that Dreamsoul mote to manifest art effects. The functional equivalent with this, would be grabbing and pulling at something heavy with an unset or splinted broken arm. Each individual use may only do minor damage, but the cumulative effect is eventually crippling damage to the limb.

On Healing:
All avatars "Heal" naturally as new Dreamsoul slowly bonds to what's already there in ever expanding layers as ambient motes come into contact with the beings avatar. Its a slow process, mostly because the naturally Chaotic Dreamsoul is very energetic... much more so than dreamers are normally able to contain. So those dreamsoul motes have to be "Calmed" before they can bond, otherwise their energetic state causes them to break away before any bonding can take place. That is the function of the Aural field, it slows and calms the energetic state of natural Dreamsoul motes, allowing the bonding to take place. Note that moving distracts the dreamer, taking up the subconscious effort (Moving is an act of directed Will) otherwise used to direct the Aural Field towards absorbing ambient elemental and Dreamsoul motes.

Dreamsoul "Pads" are areas that naturally calm the energetic natural dreamsoul, allowing for much faster bonding with being standing within the field.

Meditation is the first art that grants increased healing, and works by expanding and strengthening the evokers Aural field in a wider area around them. Functionally projecting it outwards, so a wider area is influenced by its calming effects on ambient Dreamsoul. This causes more Dreamsoul motes to be calmed, which allows faster (Much faster at higher plateaus) bonding of dreamsoul. 

Arts such as Restore and Healing Aura basically use an artificial Aural field to attract loose ambient Dreamsoul, slow its natural chaotic patterns to match the beings norms, and carry it directly to the target/targets. Because its already been converted, this dreamsoul is able to immediately bond to the targets avatar. Functionally healing them. 

Drain Self instead directly releases some of the evoker's bonded Dreamsoul motes and channels it to the target. This art does not re-ignite the Aural Spark, instead merely forming a brief channel and funneling already Dreamer stabilized dreamsoul to the target.

Mares can heal in a very similar fashion to dreamers, but due to their Aural Fields "Flavor"... they are able to bond with ambient Dreamsoul motes much faster and more efficiently. Their aural fields are also much stronger, allowing them to draw Ambient motes from a greater distance. This is what grants their phenomenal (by Dreamer standards) natural Regeneration rates, though it would be more valid to say that Dreamers have a below natural rate of gathering ambient Element/Dreamsoul motes.

On Aural Fields:
The Aural Field is a beings natural expression of its presence. Various different personalities and focus's cause this to manifest in different ways, but all beings within the dream possess one. It is the basic control of this Aural Field that allows us to interact effectively with our surroundings in the city. Indeed, blade arts exist entirely within the using beings Aural Field. Tiny focused bursts of it grate against the Dreamsoul layers of the target, creating the disruption and tearing effect described. Push also uses this aural field, causing a broad pulse of bonded dreamsoul to impact against the target's Dreamsoul layers... repelling it from the evoker. Kinesis works similarly, seemingly involving forming the Aural Field into a projected beam by an act of sheer will. Without the Dreamsoul component however, this aural beam directly repels the targets Aural Field. Tempest, similarly without a dreamsoul component, seems to cause the evokers Aural Field to erupt in a pulse that impacts the aural fields of others in the room.

It is, in essence, the beings Force of personality as represented by the sum of their focal elements. Which is why Dreamers tend to have consistent aural fields, despite having different concentrations of any given elemental focus.

On Aural "Flavor":
A beings Aural "Flavor" is unique to them, but tends to fall within certain ranges according to the their type (Mare or Dreamer). This Aural "Flavor" is what allows a specific individual to be tracked with Locate Dreamer, gives "Weight" to their presence... which is what Sense Dreamers seems to detect, as well as regenerate. As a general rule, with sufficient knowledge, element measures from beings of similar "Flavor" can be transfered without much difficulty. The link formed by Drain Self allows a transition period between the evoker and target however, making the transfer an exact one for one mote transition. Other methods are theoretically possible, but would likely involve a substantial loss of transfer efficiency... particularly between Dreamers and Mares.

This Flavor also naturally draws element/dreamsoul motes within its area that are more naturally in tune with the Flavor. Though more distant "Flavors" of element/Dreamsoul Motes can be bonded given time, this involves more efforts and is made more efficient by arts that either "Neutralize" the flavor or bring it more in tune with the target.

It is basically the specific frequency resulting from the beings individual element pools and personalities.

Aural "Flaring":
One of the secrets of elder power beings, or "Titan's" to use the common term, is their knowledge of how to "Flare" their aural fields. Immediately drawing in mass amounts of all sorts of Element/Dreamsoul motes. The abrupt clash and movement of these motes is enough to re-ignite the "Aural Spark", letting them re-bond Dreamsoul motes even if their link to the last bonded one has been disrupted (IE: They've been collapsed). This seems to be a tiring effort on the Titan's part, limiting their use of it. Though each individual seems to have their own limits. There may unknown costs to this process as well that limits their use of it.

In Closing:
I know there is a LOT yet to discover, and what I've come up with could be proven wrong, though I can support all of my results and conclusions as of this moment. Though I won't go into everything here, if anyone is interested in discussing these theories, please feel free to seek me out in the city.

~Arnaya, Soulmistress