Before the dawn of time, before the echoes of creation, there was only the Umbra – a boundless ocean of potential, a shimmering void pregnant with possibilities. It was from this Umbra that the first Sorcerers, known as the Nulli, emerged. They were not born, but coalesced, drawn to the raw power, becoming extensions of the Umbra itself. Their purpose? To understand and, ultimately, to *shape* the chaos.
The Nulli spoke in a language older than memory, a series of resonant vibrations that influenced reality. Their rituals weren’t mere gestures; they were *translations* – converting thought into effect. They utilized the 'Veils', thin distortions in the fabric of existence, to manipulate energy, drawing upon the latent power of the Umbra.
“To understand is to *become*. The sorcerer is not a master, but a conduit.” – Archimagus Silas the Silent
The Nulli fractured into distinct schools, each dedicated to a particular aspect of manipulating the Umbra. The most prominent were:
Each discipline required years of rigorous study, often involving the consumption of 'Shadow Bloom', a rare fungus that accelerated the connection to the Umbra. However, overuse led to 'Umbral Drift' - a gradual loss of identity, replaced by the cold, detached logic of the void.
The knowledge of the Nulli fragmented, lost to the ages. Centuries passed, and the art of sorcery was reduced to fragmented myths and legends. However, the echoes of the Umbra remained, subtly influencing the world. The rise of powerful empires was often attributed to the lingering effects of Nulli rituals – a whispered enchantment here, a manipulated temporal anomaly there.
The last known Archmage, Lyra the Veiled, attempted to rekindle the ancient knowledge, but her efforts ended in disaster. She sought to create a 'Nexus' – a permanent conduit to the Umbra – but the unstable energy overwhelmed her, shattering the Nexus and unleashing a wave of chaotic energy that reshaped the landscape and warped reality for generations to come. The Codex Umbrarum, this treatise, is a desperate attempt to preserve what remains of the Nulli's wisdom, before it is lost forever to the relentless tide of time.
“Beware the allure of the Umbra. It offers power, but demands a price – the surrender of your self.” – Archmage Lyra the Veiled (Fragmentary)