Potent beings, the Passions have powers that dwarf the magical talents of Adepts and the spells of magicians. Though they exist on the physical plane, the Passions possess abilities that enable them to travel at incredible speeds, sometimes by traveling as winds, sometimes by taking the forms of eagles or hawks. Some can even transport themselves by simple thought.

The Passions physically exist in our world and sometimes interact with it directly as well as through their questors. For example, many adventurers tell stories of meeting the Passion Thystonius while traveling along the road. Sometimes a group of explorers wandering through a forest or across a dusty plain stumbles across a humble hut or a huge fortress that houses a member of Barsaive's pantheon. The Passions move these homes around with them, setting up residence for a period of time that may last anywhere from a day to a year or more. On occasion, a Passion welcomes a polite knock at his door. Other times, visitors had best keep well away.

Stories and legends hold that the Passions care nothing for Barsaive's political alliances and rivalries, and most of their documented behavior supports this belief. They champion neither the dwarven kingdom of Throal nor the magical empire of Thera because they believe the conflict between these two mighty states generates the passions and adventures of life that the universe craves. Though they do not intercede in worldly conflicts on their own, they will eagerly support any side that calls to them for help. The Passions bring their powers to these conflicts through the questors, their human agents. If a questor sides with you, his Passion supports your cause, and the power the questor brings can make the difference between victory and defeat.

For years scholars and historians have debated the true appearance of the Passions. If one travels throughout Barsaive and asks people to describe the Passion Thystonius, one will receive a variety of answers. Humans describe a tall man with a flowing black beard and piercing blue eyes. Trolls tell of a troll carrying a warhammer as heavy as a boulder. Dwarfs speak of a massive dwarf, standing fifty feet tall, who makes his home in the Throal Mountains. These differences in appearance are not confined to race, but encompass gender and other aspects of physical appearance. For example, many people think of the Passion Garlen as a woman, because she is depicted as female in the many statues gracing kaers and villages across Barsaive. But if Garlen comes to them in dreams, often during the deepest crises of their lives, they see the Passion as a man. Most observers believe these varied appearances occur because a Passion tailors its physical form to the individual who sees it, so that the individual can easily recognize the ideals and forces embodied by the Passion and will be receptive to its message. However, all the manifestations of a Passion contain certain identifiable, common elements, described later in this section.

Scholars continue to debate whether or not the Passions have a "true" appearance. So far no one has formulated a definitive answer, and many believe the mystery may never be solved. Most people do not care to know, believing that the true forms of the Passions remain hidden for good reason.

NEXT