The Cauldron

 Known Information 

The Cauldron is what many consider to be the birth place of all magic that exists in the entirety of the universe, including all of the realms. Despite many referring to it as such, there is very little known about what the Cauldron actually looks like or where it is located. However, those who have claimed to have seen it, whether it be in visions or dreams, they describe it as being a fissure within the ground emanating with intense magical energy. This is only one of many accounts of what the Cauldron may look like though, for some have even claimed for it to take on the form of an impossibly structured fortress, or as a literal giant cauldron existing in a plane of nothingness. Many can agree though that the name is given due to its seemingly limitless combination of magical power, serving as a "melting pot" of energy.

 Origins 

There are two popular theories on the creation of the Cauldron. One theory, and currently the most popular theory, suggests that the Cauldron was what helped shaped the now lost kingdom of Alghara during the height of the Old World Order. Blending the combined essences of all the Old World Gods into one source of power, the Cauldron was able to "become alive" and create structures beyond one's comprehension to an impossibly perfected degree, and formed the neighboring realms. It was also said to have been how the Old World Gods experimented in creating complex life or helped existing life forms evolve and flourish. This theory is known colloquially as the "Paradise Theory." However, after Alghara fell, and with the disappearance of the Old World Gods to maintain it, the Cauldron had grown unstable to the point of collapsing in on itself, releasing all of the pure magical energy in a chaotic form out into the world and causing havoc. This marked the beginning of the First Rapture. Many believe that this is how many of the more chaotic and "undesirable" races and monsters were born, as the chaotic energy from the then destroyed Cauldron produced unpredictable results. However, amidst the chaos, many believe that the Cauldron may have had a "hard reset" backup pre-programmed into itself as a way to take back control of itself in case anything were to ever happen to it. The theory ends with the Cauldron having used whatever magic it could still control to transport itself to a makeshift realm to prevent any more chaotic magic energy from spilling into the mortal realm. To compensate for the destruction as well, the Cauldron had began creating multiple neighboring realms with different functions to further assist with damage control.

The second popular theory is that the Cauldron had existed since the dawn of time, a point in time where nothing existed, as a culmination of all the universe's energy stored into one gigantic sphere. When the sphere had gotten too big, or perhaps there was outside influence involved, the sphere exploded and dispersed all of its concentrated magical energy into the universe. This sudden release of concentrated energy made the already uninhabitable realm of nothingness the universe started as even more inhospitable and unimaginably chaotic. However, many believe that the universe always has a way of correcting itself, and this was the first of many instances. Amidst the chaotic energy, powerful beings were formed that we consider the Old World Gods. With all of their pure magical power, they helped maintain the chaotic magical energy by creating a separate realm to store everything within. From there, they would pull magical energy bit by bit into what we know as the mortal realm to create the stars, the moon, the sun, our world, etc. On top of this, neighboring realms were created with the same energy. This theory is known colloquially as the "Explosion Theory."

 Geography 

Despite the actual whereabouts and location of the Cauldron itself being completely unknown, it has left visible traces on the world. Areas known as "Cauldron Spots" are scattered throughout the land of Termina and potentially elsewhere. Cauldron Spots are wells of magical energy presumably created by left behind concentrated portions of pure energy. The energy within these sports take on the form of a radiant glowing purple liquid, accompanied by a thick yet refreshingly cool mist. The energy had seeped into the ground of the world, and began forming ravines to serve as natural vents to ensure the energy does not well up too much within the ground and explode. Cauldron Spots are considered the main sources of magical energy for spellcasters to replenish themselves in a pinch. However, depending on the size of the Cauldron Spot, one use may result in the spot drying up. For large Cauldron Spots, they may even give the spellcaster unlimited spellcasting as long as they stay within close proximity to the spot. Due to the unstable nature of the Cauldron Spots' pure magic though, casting spells constantly when near them can be considered extremely risky and cause unwarranted side effects.

Crystal formations colloquially called Cauldron Crystals can also be formed underground usually near large Cauldron Spots. These crystals are usually harvested and grinded into fine dust to be used as a main ingredient in magical potions. However, one must make sure not to drink too many at once, for the side effects may be potent.