Summoning Magic

Summoning is a universal discipline, a potent art that draws forth entities, objects, or forces through the manipulation of Aether. Unlike other magical disciplines, summoning relies not solely on the caster’s Gate but on the Gate alignment of the summoned target itself.
To successfully summon, a caster must align their Gate with the target’s essence, forming a bridge through Aetherics. While summoning outside of one’s alignment is possible, it requires significantly more Aether, focus, and risk.
In essence, summoning is the act of calling forth that which is not present, bringing it to the caster’s side. The power, risk, and complexity of a summoning spell vary based on what is being summoned, the strength of the connection, and the caster’s control over Aether.

Types of Summoning

Contracted Summoning - "By Pact and Promise, by name and oath, I call thee forth!"
This form of summoning comes with the least inherent risk. Two entities come into a mutual agreement between the summoner and the summoned, either by written or spoken oaths often seal in pacts of blood or some other similar exchange. Since the entity being summoned chooses to answer the call, this summoning method is stable on Aether usage. If the contractor breaks their agreement with the contracted entity, the entity may choose to refuse further calls to be summoned, sometimes turning hostile if the aggrievance is sever.
Binding - "By my will and word, submit!"
This form of summoning can be dangerous, it depends largely on the strength of the summoner versus what is being bound. The summoner attempts to impose their will over the entity being summoned or attempts to forcibly call a target without its consent. This is a constant battle of wills between summoner and summoned, this puts the summoner at risk of being bound to the entity instead of the other way around. Circles of Binding, Blood Magic, and Name Magic are ubiquitous in this type of summoning. Examples include, a necromancer calling forth many skeletons to do its bidding, a mage attempting to call a demon forth to make a deal, a seer calling a spirit to a seance to extract a secret.
Calling - "By Wind and Fortune, come forth!"
Calling is the most versatile form of summoning, capable of being both a request and a command. Unlike Contracted Summoning or Binding, the target is not bound to the caster’s will, but is simply brought to the caster’s location. Once present, the summoned entity acts of its own volition, for good or ill.
Object Summoning - "Let what is mine return..."
Object Summoning is the art of recalling items attuned to the caster’s Gate, often stored in a Gate-Vault (a personal pocket dimension linked to the caster). It is a low-risk, practical form of summoning, widely used by adventurers, merchants, and warriors. If the bond to the summoner is lost, an item may be lost, damaged, or destroyed. With some imagination, this type of summoning can be used to great effect, such as when the hero Siegfried the Dragonslayer dropped an island stored in his immense Gate-Vault onto the Ancient Odwyrm.

Common Summoning Requirements

While summoning is a complex discipline and each variation of it can require specific components, rituals, or conditions to ensure successful casting, these items listed can apply to each as a requirement or catalyst to ensure success:
Aether Source: Summoning consumes Aether. The caster must draw on ambient Aether or their own reserves. Areas rich in Aether saturation are optimal for summoning rituals.
Sigil or Focus: Every summoning spell requires a sigil or focus to act as the target's anchor to the plane to which it was summoned. This can be a number of things; a true name, a container of the target's essence(such as a personal item belong to the target), or a sigil stone with the target's resonance.
Invocation or Command Phrase: The spoken words that initiate the summoning, forming the bridge between the caster and the target. The more specific and clear the words, the more stable the connection.
Circle or Binding Mark: The caster must draw or etch a summoning circle to define the limits of the summon. Binding circles often use salt, powdered Aether, blood, or enchanted ink to maintain integrity.

“Beware the demon that comes without consent. It may wear the mask of servitude, but it will always remember the one who called it.” — Kaleth, Keeper of the Blackstone Seal