| Category | Lexicon |
| Type | energy lore |
Most things are composed of one or more energies. Usually, a particular energy is concentrated, like the life energy of living creatures, the negative energy of the undead, or the Fire Energy of certain fiery brutes. Spells are made up of various energy types, such as the arcane energy of a mage's *Fireball*, which has an energy composition of arcane, fire, and air - the latter to grant the spell flight. Certain areas, worlds, and even entire systems can be a concentration for specific energy types; some Focuses for certain energy types, places where they are more potent and perilous.
In the Dawn Era, a Lith-Crillion named Githyon, an advisor to the archangel Ptah, conducted extensive research and experiments with psychic energy. One of the most significant outcomes was the concept of Energy Exchange. In 2219 DE, within a secret laboratory on GhĂfthauk, Githyon utilized earth archons as subjects and created the first Githzerai and then the Githyanki. These two new races were formed by exchanging the subjects' Earth Energy with life energy. This work was highly secretive; only Githyon's boss, Ptah, was aware of it. Both Githyon and Ptah knew that such endeavors would not be viewed favorably by the Creationists and certain virtuous members of the NawirrĂ»s Covenant.
In the Second Epoch, githzerai scientists of the Zisi-Nul aided the Ageless Emperor with the accelerated evolution of the Orc race, purportedly creating the Githirmil race. Utilizing the process of Energy Exchange, the Entropy of the common orc was supplanted with Negative Entropy.
In the First Epoch, the Khazarkar Empire selectively bred minotaurs. The Khazarkar's Department of Retooling, through the Minotaur Cultural Edict (420 - 796), managed who was allowed to mate, ensuring only those with low entropic energies copulated. Three centuries of this led to most minotaurs having more Negative Entropy than its opposite. This change, however, was only temporary. During the time when Coeus was their patron deity (815 - 1695), Ba'lith's minotaurs were as chaotic as the day they were crafted by Baphomet.
When a living creature becomes undead, they forfeit their life energy in exchange for negative energy. This is regarded as the simplest method of converting one energy type to another. Aside from a potent psion or group of psions performing an Energy Exchange, the typical means of exchanging one energy for another is through the passage of time; the more a wizard dedicates themselves to the arcane arts, the greater the arcane energy they amass, often at the cost of other aspects.
The energy composition of certain worlds is believed to be particularly well-suited for the emergence of specific lifeforms, such as the legendary beasts said to have been born on one of Aborea's beast worlds. Certain entities are intrinsically tied to a particular world or system, undergoing both beneficial and detrimental changes if they spend excessive time elsewhere. One such example is the Xorn of the world Bal-Kriav, who, unable to fully adapt to this world's energy composition, develop crystalline cysts throughout their bodies.
| Type | Highest Energy | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| living creature | life energy | >= 51% |
| undead creature | negative energy | >= 51% |
| created in Chaos | entropic energy | >= 25% |
| created on Mechanus | Negative Entropy | >= 25% |