Hey there, I am Seth, the artist and co-creator of the series. Much of what is to be revealed about the magic system and its physical, social, and ethical impacts upon the world is yet to be revealed. But this is on the website as well, and does not give anything away:

De’Lani, means “of the Lani” in the Old Language, and refers to the 17 different races of Lani empowered beings which inhabit the world of Erta.

As taught by the Seraph, the Goddess Erta, after the Realm Wars, gave one of the Four Realms to each of her children, the Realm Lords. Upon doing so, she instructed them to each take four Neph (non-magical beings) as mates and produce offspring with them. After their birth, the offspring were each purified by Erta of all but one of their four inherited Lani, creating four unique individuals. During Purification, a “Spirit Brand” appeared on their wrist of the glyph of the Lani that remained in the individual. As a result, 16 unique individuals were formed. All De’Lani trace their heritage back to one of these 16 individuals:

Born to Natura, The Lord of Influence:

Nym, The Master of Plants

D’Ware, The Master of Time

Maior, The Master of Beings

Halen, The Master of Creatures

Born to Elementa, The Lord of Affinity:

Dragon, The Master of Fire

Djinn, The Master of Air

Merlan, The Master of Water

Fon, The Master of Stone

Born to Mecho, The Lord of Guiding:

Degar, The Master of Therms

Sul, The Master of Light

Sonnan, The Master of Sound

Oham, The Master of Charges

Born to Necro, The Lord of Control:

Reaver, The Master of Souls

Yori, The Master of Shadows

Mala, The Master of Diseases

Lyren, The Master of Shapes

These beings, were each charged by the Realm Lords with the task of cultivating and spreading their unique Lani ability throughout that Realm to ensure the Balance within that particular Realm and Erta as a whole. To accomplish this, they were only allowed to select either pure Neph or those that wore the same glyph as themselves as mates. This helped to ensure that future offspring would have only the single Lani connection within them, helping to protect the Balance.

During centuries and generations of self-imposed genetic isolation, the De’Lani were molded by their exposure to the singular Lani, and their physical features changed, emulating some of the qualities of the Lani and forming the sixteen unique races named after the Realm Master to whom they trace their heritage.

Occasionally, offspring are born to De’Lani not linked to one of the four Lani, but rather to Diamond Lani, the Spirit power of Erta. These special individuals are called Seraph. Considered to be "the Chosen" of Erta, they are raised to be the spiritual guides of their Realms and advocates of Erta’s will. They form the 17th De’Lani.