The Planet is Alive
Long story short: The planet is a living being that is able to link its power to its inhabitants. It generally does so in return for protecting it from the Invasive Devourers, the Manticrabs. The link gives them abilities to better fight the Manticrabs off.
Now for the long story.
Highlionds are not inherently magical. The planet itself is a sentient entity that does not have any biology that Highlionds can comprehend. The crust is generally not a part of the planet's body, just dust that has gathered. However, there are a few geographic locations that the Highlionds know/believe to be closer to the planet's physical being than others. For example: a few mountains with crystal protrusions that are like antennae in function and several deep bodies of unusually blue water that contain long tendrils in their depths are considered the Mouths of the planet, absorbing the energy of the solar light.
Views towards the planet range from worship to simple acknowledgement to resentment. Everyone has their own reasons. Highlionds aren't native to the planet, though some choose/don't want to believe that (though it's akin to believing the Earth is flat). They fell upon the planet's back through mostly forgotten reasons** but their genetic makeup is naturally adaptive and so they thrived.
The arrival of the first season of Manticrabs was a shock. Many were consumed before they were able to recognize these creatures as incredibly dangerous. The manticrabs start out consuming the surface organic matter until they grow larger (they do not stop growing) and target the life source of the planet. Usually the planet had to fend them off itself, but the Highlionds attacked the Manticrabs, mostly in self-defense as they weren't aware of the planet's sentience, but the planet acknowledged their aid. The more Manticrabs a Highliond slew, the more they realized they gained additional powers.
The Highlionds that defeated a Major Manticrab became Blessed, the planet breaching the surface to speak to them and connect their life forces together. In doing so, the Highlionds became Legends: as immortal as the planet. These few became known as Angelionds, regarded as Voices for the Land, since the planet can communicate with them and therefore through them.
Not all see this as a blessing, considering it an eternity of servitude.
**the original planet for Highlionds became overpopulated and a good number were chucked out in space pods and crashed upon the planet's surface before they were ready to rouse from their cryogenic sleep. The side effect of this being that most Highlionds suffered from heavy amnesia and didn't remember who they were or where they came from. If they did, it was blurry.
Now for the long story.
Highlionds are not inherently magical. The planet itself is a sentient entity that does not have any biology that Highlionds can comprehend. The crust is generally not a part of the planet's body, just dust that has gathered. However, there are a few geographic locations that the Highlionds know/believe to be closer to the planet's physical being than others. For example: a few mountains with crystal protrusions that are like antennae in function and several deep bodies of unusually blue water that contain long tendrils in their depths are considered the Mouths of the planet, absorbing the energy of the solar light.
Views towards the planet range from worship to simple acknowledgement to resentment. Everyone has their own reasons. Highlionds aren't native to the planet, though some choose/don't want to believe that (though it's akin to believing the Earth is flat). They fell upon the planet's back through mostly forgotten reasons** but their genetic makeup is naturally adaptive and so they thrived.
The arrival of the first season of Manticrabs was a shock. Many were consumed before they were able to recognize these creatures as incredibly dangerous. The manticrabs start out consuming the surface organic matter until they grow larger (they do not stop growing) and target the life source of the planet. Usually the planet had to fend them off itself, but the Highlionds attacked the Manticrabs, mostly in self-defense as they weren't aware of the planet's sentience, but the planet acknowledged their aid. The more Manticrabs a Highliond slew, the more they realized they gained additional powers.
The Highlionds that defeated a Major Manticrab became Blessed, the planet breaching the surface to speak to them and connect their life forces together. In doing so, the Highlionds became Legends: as immortal as the planet. These few became known as Angelionds, regarded as Voices for the Land, since the planet can communicate with them and therefore through them.
Not all see this as a blessing, considering it an eternity of servitude.
**the original planet for Highlionds became overpopulated and a good number were chucked out in space pods and crashed upon the planet's surface before they were ready to rouse from their cryogenic sleep. The side effect of this being that most Highlionds suffered from heavy amnesia and didn't remember who they were or where they came from. If they did, it was blurry.