Ya 2017-06-27

The Ya (plural: Yame) is a 3 m long wooden staff which is covered with blue luminous ornaments against the top. In its tip there's a fist-sized focus crystal of 4-8 cm diameter, which lights up when in use.

Nazra receive a personal Ya during their inclusion ritual (10 to 12 years of age), which they wear for a lifetime. Yame are always worn in the right hand. The Ya can be used as energy storage or as aid for bundling (and alignment) of the thoughts. For example, they can teleport everything, including themselves. Besides it's also an excellent melee weapon.

The metallic glossy ornaments on the surface of the Ya are similar to electronic circuits. They're composed of filigree lines, circles and angles, occasionally glowing in a gentle light blue and spread on the staff over the years, until it's almost completely covered. The ornaments are responsible for energy storage and buffering; the maximum capacity of the staff increases with its number and size.

Nazra doesn't always carry the Ya with them, sometimes its stored at home, and only "summoned" if necessary. It's a form of teleportation and according to observations it works in a radius up to 2 km. In principle, a Nazra reaches into the air as if the staff were there, and while he calls it, it "materializes" in its hand. In this way, even a misplaced staff can be recalled as long as it's located in the radius of action.

If the Ya is destroyed, the emotional bond to its carrier, which is usually built up over many years, breaks. This is comparable to the loss of a good friend and is mourned accordingly in society. Although the Ya can be replaced immediately, it takes months or years for the new staff to be fully accepted by its carrier and can be used accordingly. Thus in some cases (especially with older Nazra) the Ya isn't replaced.