No one has ever been able to say for certain where Aberrations come from. We know that they emerge from rifts, great openings in the earth that connect this world to the void between the other planets of the Apotheon. While primarily found in Kajiri, these rifts have sometimes been reported in Signan Ols and even the far away continents of Ni Ren and Xipica and the Kalan-Jani Isles. Current theories hold that they are warped lesser spirits, in the same family of those that bond with animals to create soul beasts. Created along with the Firstborn and the other greater spirits, they were affected by something that changed their very natures, twisting them into the mockeries of life we see today.

I've always found this explanation far too loose for my taste. For one, it suggests that all Aberrations in existence were made at the same time, which given our long history, is highly unlikely. It also begs the question of what exactly corrupted the spirits. Even before I advanced to Sage, I dedicated much of my time and efforts towards unravelling that mystery. And though there's much I and many others do not yet know, I am proud that my efforts have not been in vain. Although varied in appearance, Aberrations, regardless of their mode of creation, can be firmly placed into several classes.

Lowest are the Direlings, small and weak and only dangerous because of their venomous bite.

After them come the Direbeasts, and these, along with the Direlings, are the most common Aberrations. Depending on age, they can grow strong enough to prove a challenge to even a Practitioner.

Direblights, while rarer and smaller than Direlings, also belong to this class. They are usually placed higher in the hierarchy due to their behaviour. Direblights always attack in large, ravenous swarms. While weak individually, groups are a considerable threat and a large enough swarm can be as dangerous as Direbeasts.

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Next are the Diremaws and Diretooths, specialists of the sky and water. Though a popular choice to place them higher, it has historically proven controversial, with many arguing that they are simply variants of Direbeasts. Careful study has, however, proven that they are almost always stronger than Direbeasts, so the choice still stands. While rarer, Diremaws are frequently spotted darkening the skies of the Dry Lands, and many a sailor has reported the snake-like form of a Diretooth stalking their ships.

A unique and terrifying variant is the Dire Wraith. These are humans who have been bitten by Direlings and subsequently transformed. Depending on the individual, they can retain some or all of their powers and memories, overlaid with a mad rage and desire to harm all that lives. In some cases, Dire Wraiths can be more dangerous than even a Dire Lord. Due to their unique nature, some scholars have argued that they should be placed outside the standard classification and ranked separately.

And finally, for what might be the rarest of the confirmed Aberration classes, the emergence of a Dire Lord has occurred only half a dozen times (most notably the Abuchi case where the Ordained Matriarch of the clan allowed a rift emergence to fester). Bigger and stronger than the other classes, they also possess the ability to control other Aberration classes, a most dangerous combination if allowed to go unchecked.

Now, unfortunately, we must now enter the field of conjecture and theories. A study of ancient history reveals tales of Dire Kings; bigger, stronger versions of Dire Lords, and above them the calculating Dire Queens, Aberrations capable of complex thoughts and schemes. There have even been a few mentions of Dire Empresses, gargantuan monsters capable of being a threat to even Thrones.

It goes without saying that these should be taken with generous helpings of salt. There has only been one comprehensive report of a Dire King attack, and Dire Empresses only ever appear in a few scattered accounts. Still, they are cause for wonder. These stories had to have come from somewhere and perhaps, right now, in some dark corner of the world, a Dire Queen is raising its face to roar at the sky.

— Chapter 24: Aberrations: A Dark Shadow; paragraphs 1—10, The Last Testament of Omaliko Dike.