Magic System
The magic system in Ealamkha'fif is complex and varied, leading to much of it still being unexplored or unexplained, despite the age and development of magic. Spell-based magic has three main Types - Casting, Infusion, and Creation.
Humanoids are generally limited to one Type of magic - There are some exceptions, especially around the unnatural, yet meddling in more than one type often has side effects that are undesirable at best and fatal at worst.
Casting is, by far, the most common type in Ealamkha'fif. Accounting for roughly 70 percent of magic users, this magic is what is considered the standard - often using one's mana or energy to create a magical effect by forcefully changing the world around one's self. As dramatic as this may sound, this often means lighting a candle at night with ones finger, or washing clothes by controlling water to the average person. However, this class of magic also includes the massive explosions of artillery mages, weapons created of pure magic, flight, or the construction of massive buildings by Earthworn. In addition to being the most common, this type includes the most variety. Healers, supports, artillery, and frontlines in combat can all include Casting type magic, due to it's versatility, speed and wide range or abilities.
On a intellectual level, Casting magic is the most "natural" for most to use. Rather than focusing on any specific way of manipulating Magica Particles and Mana, Casting simply focuses on shaping and direct the magic within the environment. If magic is like a muscle, Casting would be akin to flexing that muscle.
Casting also has many unique types called Aspects. Aspect is often compared to the outdated analogy of "elements". It deals with the energy, substance or output of a spell, and groups them with spells that also deal with similar substance or energy. The aspect for a lower level mage may be highly specific or highly generalized. Between two new students at Gohai Academy, one may be able to manipulate exclusively iron, within a small cube, but to a great degree of precision, while the other may be able to shape stone into rough shapes, with no emphasis on a specific material. In the latter case, specific materials in the stone are considered a part of the stone, rather than iron. The obvious downside to this is a lack of control over their element, at the gain of flexibility. However, as spellcasters mature and gain power, they will likely learn other aspects, at least at a bare minimum level. Of course, this is in the case of formally educated magic users; Self taught magic users may gain immense mastery of an single aspect, or pick up bits and pieces based on their uses and needs. Some more well known aspects include
Arcane
Heat
Cold
Wind
Water
Earth
Electric
Flora (Plant life and growth)
Shadow
Light
Metal
Smoke
Erasure (Rending and manipulating space)
Sound/Music
Paint/Ink
Illusion
These aspects are the simpler ones - many casters deepen the complexity and applications of their spells by breaking down their aspects into their parts. For instance, high ranking pyromancers will often know not only huge explosions of fire, but also controlling the oxygen level and spark to create precise strikes. It is in this way that Ealamkha'fif's magic is truly expressed - no two people will ever use their magic exactly the same.
Infusion is a tricky type to both learn and understand. The most uncommon type, due to the necessary dedication and flexibility of the user, Infusion deals with putting magic into something else, or amplifying it. Making up about 10 percent of magic users, infusers are those who create magic items, reduce an enemy's magical capacity, increase the strength of an attack, or strengthening themselves or their items. Infusing enables one to meddle with the magical makeup of something
- While Creationists might be able to create something new, Infusers shape the magic around them and already within objects. Infusion works on the same principles no matter what is being infused, whether it be allies, enemies, objects or magic. This is not to say Infusion has no variety - Old Guard Witches use magic to weaken enemies slowly until collapse, while Artificers and enchanters use the same magic type to create powerful items.
Intellectually, Infusing deals with naturally moving Magica and Mana within and out of things. Rather than manipulate the magic itself, you manipulate the "containers" or "cells" you are trying to influence. In exchange for lacking direct control, Infusers can permanently alter things on a fundamental level. If magic were a muscle, Infusion would be more akin to pressing pressure points or shocking the muscles to move them.
While it doesn't have specific Aspects like Casting, Infusion does have different types and disciplines. These types are
Drain - Drain focuses on drawing magic, and all that comes with it, out of creatures and things, often putting it to good use elsewhere
Saturate - The inflow of magic into a creature or object - because magic is innate to everything, an excess of magic can speed up a healing process, cure conditions, restore strength or overload processes depending on the usage and amount.
Conversion - Conversion involves, as many Infusers explain it, altering the “flavor” of magic. In a combat scenario, this often means changing aspects of magic targeted at themselves to be less damaging, or the opposite for allies’ magic. Conversion offers any group a huge amount of flexibility and can shore up any weakness, so Infusers versed in Conversion are valued heavily in adventuring groups.
Reshape - Reshaping instead focuses on the “container” of said magic. This makes Reshaping the most coveted type of Infusion in daily life, especially of ordinary people. Reshaping Infusers are among the best cosmetologists, surgical specialists, and other medical professionals around. Over time, a skilled Infuser can even cause huge changes to an organism including musculature, face shape and even gender.
Emotion - Long ago, Infusers learned that concentration of magic within beings could create sharp increases in certain emotions and feelings and soon, Emotion Infusion was born. Although it sometimes has a scandalous history, Emotion is hugely useful to the socially inclined. These types serve much more as different means to Infuse, rather than different specializations like Casting Aspects. An even beginner Infuser likely knows a basic of 3-4 of these types.
Creation magic is the most strange and “free” of the three types of magic. While it does require knowledge of the arcane, Creation focuses less around study and more around imagination. Creationists have the power to create unique and strange summons, tools or objects that defy the usual rules of the Arcane by being composed entirely of Mana. While usually unstable and fragile, Creations born of this type of magic can stay present in the world without needing to be actively maintained, and can even be infused with emotion and personality by their Creator. Exceptionally powerful and practiced Creationists can even strengthen these Creations, making them outlast their Creators - all “Magic Items” are born of Creation. Creationists will often have a specialty of some sort, objects of a type they're familiar with, such as
- Unique Weapons, especially Arcanarms
- Minions
- Explosives or Ammunition
- Walls/shields
- Useful everyday items and trinkets
Intellectually, Creation is the only magic type only used by humanoids - perhaps because of it's creative roots. When a creator makes an object, they are essentially "forcing" Magica to take up the shape of matter. If magic were a muscle, then Creation would best be compared to using that muscles to make a tool.
All three of these types are used by humanoids - and like learning a skill, there's many ways to master magic. Origin is a newer concept, and fairly vague. Origin is generally considered to be where one's mastery or abilities' come from. Often considered unimportant to most, Origin is simply used to explain certain types and use of magic - namely Holy, Pact, and Altered. The most common types, in order, are
- Innate/natural
- Learned
- Holy
- Altered
- Pact
Innate magic is the most common, almost universal due to the innate magic present in the world. Most people have some magic innately, and often, as they use it, gain power, flexibility and control over their magic. Some may combine innate magic with learned, or have it compounded any of the others.
Learned magic allows those with little innate magic to gain benefits of those more lucky or talented. Learning magical theory, use, and gaining a deeper understanding of one's own magic allows one to increase in power, usually greater than someone simply using all of their mana each day to self - teach.
Holy magic originates from holy sources - The gods are the primary origin for this magic, yet not the sole origin.
Altered and pact magic share many traits - they are both uncommon compared to the other origins, are often viewed as something to be afraid of, and those who have these types of magic often keep it quiet. Altered magic is magic usually forcefully imposed on one, by arcane-related accidents or environments. It shares many qualities with innate magic - yet usually has an air of uncontrollability. Pact magic is rare in Ealamkha'fif - most gods are generous with their powers and require little in return, and many other powerful beings are hunted down by adventurers.
Some notable exceptions or usual confusion in the magic system will be addressed here.
-Stone shaping-type casting is notably not creation. No stone is "Created", but rather moved or stretched. This is why Earthworn are mostly casters, despite creating buildings and civil works. When stones and other materials are created for casting magic attacks, the materials are extremely unstable, disappearing completely when broken.
In a similar light, casting type magic that does materialize substances water, ice, or stone, are not casting by a similar reason. Scholars still debate, but the general consensus is that these magic manipulate arcane energy to "manifest" a material, rather than "create". These manifested materials return to energy if not focused on, lending credence to this particular theory.
-People can be born with little or no magical essence. It's not impossible for these people to gain magical power, but often their lack of magic leads to less reliance on it in general. Some of the most storied heroes were born without magic - rather than a negative trait, lacking magic is seen as a sign someone may do something great. Those born with only a small amount, however, often have to find creative ways to use what they have, or risk being compared to more powerful mages...
-Origin is a point of contention in the magic researcher community - Most civilians have one origin, but adventurers and professional mages often have two or even three. One will often define themselves as the origin that provides them with most of their power - Altered magic users often need learned magic to control their immense power, while weaker innate users may become holy warriors to increase their power.
-Mind control, charms, and other soul and mind manipulating powers belong wholly to Infusers. Infusers, while often stereotyped as magic users who increase the potency of items of others, also have the power to do the reverse - weaken enemies, control them via influencing magic, and change their perception.
Humanoids are generally limited to one Type of magic - There are some exceptions, especially around the unnatural, yet meddling in more than one type often has side effects that are undesirable at best and fatal at worst.
Casting is, by far, the most common type in Ealamkha'fif. Accounting for roughly 70 percent of magic users, this magic is what is considered the standard - often using one's mana or energy to create a magical effect by forcefully changing the world around one's self. As dramatic as this may sound, this often means lighting a candle at night with ones finger, or washing clothes by controlling water to the average person. However, this class of magic also includes the massive explosions of artillery mages, weapons created of pure magic, flight, or the construction of massive buildings by Earthworn. In addition to being the most common, this type includes the most variety. Healers, supports, artillery, and frontlines in combat can all include Casting type magic, due to it's versatility, speed and wide range or abilities.
On a intellectual level, Casting magic is the most "natural" for most to use. Rather than focusing on any specific way of manipulating Magica Particles and Mana, Casting simply focuses on shaping and direct the magic within the environment. If magic is like a muscle, Casting would be akin to flexing that muscle.
Casting also has many unique types called Aspects. Aspect is often compared to the outdated analogy of "elements". It deals with the energy, substance or output of a spell, and groups them with spells that also deal with similar substance or energy. The aspect for a lower level mage may be highly specific or highly generalized. Between two new students at Gohai Academy, one may be able to manipulate exclusively iron, within a small cube, but to a great degree of precision, while the other may be able to shape stone into rough shapes, with no emphasis on a specific material. In the latter case, specific materials in the stone are considered a part of the stone, rather than iron. The obvious downside to this is a lack of control over their element, at the gain of flexibility. However, as spellcasters mature and gain power, they will likely learn other aspects, at least at a bare minimum level. Of course, this is in the case of formally educated magic users; Self taught magic users may gain immense mastery of an single aspect, or pick up bits and pieces based on their uses and needs. Some more well known aspects include
Arcane
Heat
Cold
Wind
Water
Earth
Electric
Flora (Plant life and growth)
Shadow
Light
Metal
Smoke
Erasure (Rending and manipulating space)
Sound/Music
Paint/Ink
Illusion
These aspects are the simpler ones - many casters deepen the complexity and applications of their spells by breaking down their aspects into their parts. For instance, high ranking pyromancers will often know not only huge explosions of fire, but also controlling the oxygen level and spark to create precise strikes. It is in this way that Ealamkha'fif's magic is truly expressed - no two people will ever use their magic exactly the same.
Infusion is a tricky type to both learn and understand. The most uncommon type, due to the necessary dedication and flexibility of the user, Infusion deals with putting magic into something else, or amplifying it. Making up about 10 percent of magic users, infusers are those who create magic items, reduce an enemy's magical capacity, increase the strength of an attack, or strengthening themselves or their items. Infusing enables one to meddle with the magical makeup of something
- While Creationists might be able to create something new, Infusers shape the magic around them and already within objects. Infusion works on the same principles no matter what is being infused, whether it be allies, enemies, objects or magic. This is not to say Infusion has no variety - Old Guard Witches use magic to weaken enemies slowly until collapse, while Artificers and enchanters use the same magic type to create powerful items.
Intellectually, Infusing deals with naturally moving Magica and Mana within and out of things. Rather than manipulate the magic itself, you manipulate the "containers" or "cells" you are trying to influence. In exchange for lacking direct control, Infusers can permanently alter things on a fundamental level. If magic were a muscle, Infusion would be more akin to pressing pressure points or shocking the muscles to move them.
While it doesn't have specific Aspects like Casting, Infusion does have different types and disciplines. These types are
Drain - Drain focuses on drawing magic, and all that comes with it, out of creatures and things, often putting it to good use elsewhere
Saturate - The inflow of magic into a creature or object - because magic is innate to everything, an excess of magic can speed up a healing process, cure conditions, restore strength or overload processes depending on the usage and amount.
Conversion - Conversion involves, as many Infusers explain it, altering the “flavor” of magic. In a combat scenario, this often means changing aspects of magic targeted at themselves to be less damaging, or the opposite for allies’ magic. Conversion offers any group a huge amount of flexibility and can shore up any weakness, so Infusers versed in Conversion are valued heavily in adventuring groups.
Reshape - Reshaping instead focuses on the “container” of said magic. This makes Reshaping the most coveted type of Infusion in daily life, especially of ordinary people. Reshaping Infusers are among the best cosmetologists, surgical specialists, and other medical professionals around. Over time, a skilled Infuser can even cause huge changes to an organism including musculature, face shape and even gender.
Emotion - Long ago, Infusers learned that concentration of magic within beings could create sharp increases in certain emotions and feelings and soon, Emotion Infusion was born. Although it sometimes has a scandalous history, Emotion is hugely useful to the socially inclined. These types serve much more as different means to Infuse, rather than different specializations like Casting Aspects. An even beginner Infuser likely knows a basic of 3-4 of these types.
Creation magic is the most strange and “free” of the three types of magic. While it does require knowledge of the arcane, Creation focuses less around study and more around imagination. Creationists have the power to create unique and strange summons, tools or objects that defy the usual rules of the Arcane by being composed entirely of Mana. While usually unstable and fragile, Creations born of this type of magic can stay present in the world without needing to be actively maintained, and can even be infused with emotion and personality by their Creator. Exceptionally powerful and practiced Creationists can even strengthen these Creations, making them outlast their Creators - all “Magic Items” are born of Creation. Creationists will often have a specialty of some sort, objects of a type they're familiar with, such as
- Unique Weapons, especially Arcanarms
- Minions
- Explosives or Ammunition
- Walls/shields
- Useful everyday items and trinkets
Intellectually, Creation is the only magic type only used by humanoids - perhaps because of it's creative roots. When a creator makes an object, they are essentially "forcing" Magica to take up the shape of matter. If magic were a muscle, then Creation would best be compared to using that muscles to make a tool.
All three of these types are used by humanoids - and like learning a skill, there's many ways to master magic. Origin is a newer concept, and fairly vague. Origin is generally considered to be where one's mastery or abilities' come from. Often considered unimportant to most, Origin is simply used to explain certain types and use of magic - namely Holy, Pact, and Altered. The most common types, in order, are
- Innate/natural
- Learned
- Holy
- Altered
- Pact
Innate magic is the most common, almost universal due to the innate magic present in the world. Most people have some magic innately, and often, as they use it, gain power, flexibility and control over their magic. Some may combine innate magic with learned, or have it compounded any of the others.
Learned magic allows those with little innate magic to gain benefits of those more lucky or talented. Learning magical theory, use, and gaining a deeper understanding of one's own magic allows one to increase in power, usually greater than someone simply using all of their mana each day to self - teach.
Holy magic originates from holy sources - The gods are the primary origin for this magic, yet not the sole origin.
Altered and pact magic share many traits - they are both uncommon compared to the other origins, are often viewed as something to be afraid of, and those who have these types of magic often keep it quiet. Altered magic is magic usually forcefully imposed on one, by arcane-related accidents or environments. It shares many qualities with innate magic - yet usually has an air of uncontrollability. Pact magic is rare in Ealamkha'fif - most gods are generous with their powers and require little in return, and many other powerful beings are hunted down by adventurers.
Some notable exceptions or usual confusion in the magic system will be addressed here.
-Stone shaping-type casting is notably not creation. No stone is "Created", but rather moved or stretched. This is why Earthworn are mostly casters, despite creating buildings and civil works. When stones and other materials are created for casting magic attacks, the materials are extremely unstable, disappearing completely when broken.
In a similar light, casting type magic that does materialize substances water, ice, or stone, are not casting by a similar reason. Scholars still debate, but the general consensus is that these magic manipulate arcane energy to "manifest" a material, rather than "create". These manifested materials return to energy if not focused on, lending credence to this particular theory.
-People can be born with little or no magical essence. It's not impossible for these people to gain magical power, but often their lack of magic leads to less reliance on it in general. Some of the most storied heroes were born without magic - rather than a negative trait, lacking magic is seen as a sign someone may do something great. Those born with only a small amount, however, often have to find creative ways to use what they have, or risk being compared to more powerful mages...
-Origin is a point of contention in the magic researcher community - Most civilians have one origin, but adventurers and professional mages often have two or even three. One will often define themselves as the origin that provides them with most of their power - Altered magic users often need learned magic to control their immense power, while weaker innate users may become holy warriors to increase their power.
-Mind control, charms, and other soul and mind manipulating powers belong wholly to Infusers. Infusers, while often stereotyped as magic users who increase the potency of items of others, also have the power to do the reverse - weaken enemies, control them via influencing magic, and change their perception.
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