Hand Magic

"The processes of Hand Magic directly creates a flesh and magical bridge that allows magic to arc from one source to another. It gives the user the ability to absorb, store, and recast magical energies, from any magical source whether inanimate or alive. This will eventually deplete the item of all magical energy but leave it intact, but it will also drain the creature eventually causing death. Thankfully this is an obsolete system and will never be practiced again."

— Zsalya Arcano from the Manual Of Magic Systems

Discovery

Hand Magic was developed sometime in the ancient past during the Age Of Mystery. It is believed to have originated through the natural evolution of magical practices during that era. The exact discovery of this magic system is not known and is generally thought to have been a result of a magical arms race by powerful groups and organizations of the highest ranking wizards of the time. Very few magical texts and spell books have survived from those early days and who they were and what the exact time was has never been discovered. It is not unreasonable to think that there may have been several co-discoveries around the same time.

Utility

Hand Magic was developed as the next phase in the evolution of magical practices. It attempted to be more convenient, effective, and less destructive than the system that came before it. It was designed to allow the spell caster to absorb and drain the magic out of a magical object and incidentally out of a magical creature and then use that magic to cast a spell. Although this draining of magic was permanent it didn’t usually destroy the object. The object still existed, it just didn’t have any magic left in it, and could in theory be recharged. However, in the case of a living magical creature, once it was drained of magic it quickly died. That magic is believed by many to be intertwined with the life essence and without the magic it unwound and was no more. Needless to say this destructive draining has cast the entire process and magic users in a very negative light.

Manufacturing

There are only a few scraps of parchment and partial records remaining of the creation of this alternate magic system and many of them seem to contradict one another. What we have found out is that in order to use this system of magic, the user must already have the predisposition to manipulate magical forces and then also transform themselves and specifically their hand into a magical arcing device.
This was originally done by physically inserting a magical device known as the Parl Malm into the hand of the magic user. This device was composed of a large, flawless and magically charged gemstone that itself had been inscribed with magical sigils and glyphs and interwoven with Arcane Silver and other rare metals. This infusion of flesh and mineral allowed the magic to be permanently drained from the object or creature being held and deposited into the holder. The holder could now cast any spell of equivalent level that was absorbed as long they had already learned that spell.
This transformation process was not without risk and the slightest of errors caused many spell casters to lose their hands and in many cases lose their lives. Even a successful transformation immediately reduced the person to a mere fraction of their health. Years later a substitute for the Parl Malm was devised. A special potion infused with gemstone magic and liquid metals called the Xarba would be used in its place. Although this potion caused fewer mishaps, those that did occur almost always resulted in death.

Social Impact

Those who had survived the initial transformative process were able to wield the powerful magics much easier and with only slightly less destruction than the Staff Magic system that this arose from. This process similarly absorbs and drains magic and occasionally destroys the item or magical creature and this brought much fear to those who witnessed the mighty power.
With their new ability, spell casters were both the envy of the magic using world and despised by the rest of the populace. As the spell casters grew more powerful and more destructive, they were viewed with terror and panic at the unnatural damage that they seemed to dispense without a second thought for anyone. These acts just magnified the already bad reputations of wizards and sorcerers who had just spent years pillaging the lands with the Staff Magic system.
Now instead of relying on a magical staff to do the destruction, the violence is done by a mere touch of the hand. Hope was always there that the staves could be taken away or lost or destroyed, but the hand is always with the spell caster making them much more deadly than ever before. Magic that was once a wonder to behold now reeks of unnatural sorrow, tragedy and violence.

Parent Technologies

• Staff Magic

Inventor(s)

No one knows who or what organizations may have first created the Hand Magic system. That knowledge has been lost to time far back in the Age Of Mystery. The few remaining notes and pages of spell books of that era indicate that it was just a natural progression and evolution of those who sought to wield the power of magic.

Access & Availability

Like all magic, this system was a highly guarded practice that was not openly shared. As a result anyone wishing to learn how to cast magic in this way needed to either beg, borrow, or steal the information. As with its predecessor Staff Magic, it was feared that in the wrong hands this system could be used to destroy them and even other magical creatures.

Complexity

Devising this system of magic was terribly complex and rarely worked correctly. Many people suffered greatly as a result of small errors in their attempts to work the magic. Initially the Parl Malm had to be created flawlessly and then implanted into the would-be casters hand. After many tragic accidents the Xarba potion was produced to take its place. Although this new format had a higher success rate it also had more severe consequences.

Related Species

• All Humanoid