Abjuration
"The Drow Dunlaithe, would challenge the Halfling Montregor, to a friendly wizard's dual in a test of a supposed new spell of Montregor's own design, his secret weapon that would change arcane combat forever. Taking their stances, they began the spar, Dunlaithe would make the first move, snapping both arms forward, propelling a great Magick plume of ice and snow at his opponent from the ends of his fists. But Montregor stood tall, despite facing down a storm which utterly dwarfed the Halfling in it's path. On the approach of Dunlaithe's volley, Montregor, with one wave of his hand now swathed in soft magenta light, would disperse his rival's blizzard in an instant, completely unscathed, providing only a mock shiver as the storm subsided. Awestruck, Dunlaithe found himself spent, kneeling graciously in defeat, his deference marking the first recorded successful application of Dispel Magick." -Caliban, Henri. 400 CA. Practical Abjuration vol. 1. Middleglade, Scholar's Guild.
Abjuration is the school of magick focused on denial, barrier, and banishment, the rejection of hostile forces through precise control over the Arcane’s flow. It is the metaphysical shield, the invisible hand that says no, and the last word in a conversation with death. Where Evocation roars and Necromancy whispers, Abjuration stands still. It is calm, quiet, deliberate, and because of this, underestimated. Its practitioners are guardians and tacticians. They do not seek to dominate or deceive, but to survive and to ensure others do. A skilled Abjurer doesn’t just protect their allies, they nullify their enemies. They extinguish enchantments, deflect curses, dissolve illusions, and sever the leashes of summoned horrors. It is not the magick of victory, but of enduring long enough to make victory possible. Principles of Barriercraft: Abjuration does not create energy, it redirects it. The core technique involves channeling Arcane current along controlled pathways, forcibly reconfiguring magick’s natural momentum. Abjurers train their minds like dam engineers, studying the terrain of the world’s energy until they can plug a breach in the weave with a flick of their will. Mastery in Abjuration requires patience and perfect timing. Over-committing to a shield can sever your own access to the Arcane, while under-committing can let a fireball reduce you to ash. The magick must not merely resist; it must yield without breaking and bend without surrendering. A peculiar hazard unique to Abjuration is a rare form of Magickal Dissonance, a condition wherein the caster’s own body begins to reject the Arcane entirely, not out of overload like typical Magebane, but due to prolonged exposure to reversed flow. These casters become what is known as Hollowed Wards, unable to channel or even feel magick ever again. Applications and Manifestations:
Among Abjurers, one of the most widely taught but poorly understood rituals is the Circle of Quiet. Carved in salt, silver, or ichor-paint, it silences all sound and magickal communication within its boundary. Developed during the Schism to prevent enemy mages from coordinating during nighttime raids, it became a foundational piece of defensive Abjuration. In modern times, Coalition inquisitors use it to question rogue spellcasters without the risk of psychic messaging or cursed language. Historical Legacy:
Abjuration has deep roots in Everwealth’s wartime history. During the Schism, entire military units were formed around Wardweavers—battle-mages whose sole purpose was to protect siege weapons, cavalry advances, and spell-slinging Evokers. One of the most celebrated abjurative episodes was the Weeping Bastion, wherein twenty-four Abjurers defended the eastern wall of Ashvale for three full days without rest, their wards fueled by shared magick and blood pacts. When the final barrier fell, only three of them still breathed—and none of them ever cast again. In civil times, Abjurers became advisors to noble houses, protectors of sacred sites, and quiet fixtures in city guard outposts. Their enchantments line the inner walls of Fort Sunless, their signatures encoded into Coalition defensive spells. Forbidden Rites and Misuse:
While Abjuration is often seen as the “safe” school, its depths are not without peril. Advanced abjurative spells, such as Reality Anchor, can halt planar shifts or alter spatial boundaries temporarily. This has led to controversial practices such as Dimensional Locking, trapping foes in warped time loops, or “unmaking” small areas of space where magick ceases to function. The Arcane Coalition tightly restricts these spells, especially after the Silent Tomb Incident, where an abjurative vault was sealed so thoroughly that its creator forgot how to access it, and inadvertently entombed himself for nearly a decade. Rumors persist of Black Abjuration, a twisted variant developed by renegade scholars in the pre-Schism age. This corrupted branch doesn't block magick but corrupts it, transforming healing spells into poison, or turning illusions into madness. Its very existence is disputed, though the Scholar’s Guild keeps at least one sealed tome with its seal intact, just in case. Cultural Presence:
In Everwealth, Abjurers are a mixed breed. In common towns, they are seen as trusted defenders, often petitioned to ward grain silos, churches, and wedding bands. In noble society, however, they are feared. Too often has a ring hidden a warding rune or a cloak stitched with silence runes changed the course of a courtroom argument. Some guilds commission personal Abjurers as Shieldwrights—arcane armorers who enchant clothing, amulets, and banners with abjurative sigils. These symbols are status pieces and deterrents alike, especially in mercantile cities like Merchant’s Meet or war-wracked hubs like Bordersword. Even among criminals, Abjurers are respected. Smugglers employ Veil Seals, anti-scrying abjurations that let contraband wagons pass undetected beneath Coalition checkpoints. Signature Effect – The Weeping Glass:
Occasionally, Abjurers who specialize in reflection develop a haunting condition known as the Weeping Glass. When struck by magickal attacks, their skin begins to crack and shimmer like glass. It is painless, at first. But with each cast, tiny transparent fractures appear across their body, weeping translucent blood that reflects images of the spell reflected. Eventually, the Abjurer becomes semi-permanently covered in mirrored veins. Some see this as a blessing. Others see it as the mark of someone who has rejected too much of the world for too long.d form that doesn't block magick, but reflects it, distorting and returning the caster’s will in twisted form. Whether this is real or just a scare tactic spread by Coalition zealots is unknown.
Abjuration is the school of magick focused on denial, barrier, and banishment, the rejection of hostile forces through precise control over the Arcane’s flow. It is the metaphysical shield, the invisible hand that says no, and the last word in a conversation with death. Where Evocation roars and Necromancy whispers, Abjuration stands still. It is calm, quiet, deliberate, and because of this, underestimated. Its practitioners are guardians and tacticians. They do not seek to dominate or deceive, but to survive and to ensure others do. A skilled Abjurer doesn’t just protect their allies, they nullify their enemies. They extinguish enchantments, deflect curses, dissolve illusions, and sever the leashes of summoned horrors. It is not the magick of victory, but of enduring long enough to make victory possible. Principles of Barriercraft: Abjuration does not create energy, it redirects it. The core technique involves channeling Arcane current along controlled pathways, forcibly reconfiguring magick’s natural momentum. Abjurers train their minds like dam engineers, studying the terrain of the world’s energy until they can plug a breach in the weave with a flick of their will. Mastery in Abjuration requires patience and perfect timing. Over-committing to a shield can sever your own access to the Arcane, while under-committing can let a fireball reduce you to ash. The magick must not merely resist; it must yield without breaking and bend without surrendering. A peculiar hazard unique to Abjuration is a rare form of Magickal Dissonance, a condition wherein the caster’s own body begins to reject the Arcane entirely, not out of overload like typical Magebane, but due to prolonged exposure to reversed flow. These casters become what is known as Hollowed Wards, unable to channel or even feel magick ever again. Applications and Manifestations:
- Warding: Abjurers can summon barriers of shimmering energy, each tuned to specific threats—flame, frost, blades, curses. Wards can be layered across objects, bodies, or even entire structures, appearing as translucent domes or flickering arcane tattoos.
- Dispel Magick: The most iconic abjurative technique, it severs an active spell’s anchor to the Arcane. Its timing is surgical. Cast too early, and the spell reforms. Too late, and it detonates at full force. Montregor’s first successful dispel remains the gold standard in Coalition training manuals.
- Banishment: A high-level technique that forcibly severs the Arcane tether binding a summoned entity to this plane. Particularly useful against Conjuration runes and unstable portal fractures. Improperly cast, it can trigger backlash—sometimes even drawing the caster toward the entity’s realm.
- Ritual Circles: Commonly etched around relics, beds, gates, and graves. These protective runes can ward against possession, intrusion, or corruption. In the Scholar’s Guild, ritual circles often protect ancient texts from scrying eyes or time decay.
- Rebounding Sigils: These advanced glyphs don’t just block energy—they reflect it. The rare and dangerous art of reflection requires absorbing a spell’s essence and hurling it back at its source. Few Abjurers risk it, as a mistimed reflection can rebound the spell twice, turning the caster into collateral.
Among Abjurers, one of the most widely taught but poorly understood rituals is the Circle of Quiet. Carved in salt, silver, or ichor-paint, it silences all sound and magickal communication within its boundary. Developed during the Schism to prevent enemy mages from coordinating during nighttime raids, it became a foundational piece of defensive Abjuration. In modern times, Coalition inquisitors use it to question rogue spellcasters without the risk of psychic messaging or cursed language. Historical Legacy:
Abjuration has deep roots in Everwealth’s wartime history. During the Schism, entire military units were formed around Wardweavers—battle-mages whose sole purpose was to protect siege weapons, cavalry advances, and spell-slinging Evokers. One of the most celebrated abjurative episodes was the Weeping Bastion, wherein twenty-four Abjurers defended the eastern wall of Ashvale for three full days without rest, their wards fueled by shared magick and blood pacts. When the final barrier fell, only three of them still breathed—and none of them ever cast again. In civil times, Abjurers became advisors to noble houses, protectors of sacred sites, and quiet fixtures in city guard outposts. Their enchantments line the inner walls of Fort Sunless, their signatures encoded into Coalition defensive spells. Forbidden Rites and Misuse:
While Abjuration is often seen as the “safe” school, its depths are not without peril. Advanced abjurative spells, such as Reality Anchor, can halt planar shifts or alter spatial boundaries temporarily. This has led to controversial practices such as Dimensional Locking, trapping foes in warped time loops, or “unmaking” small areas of space where magick ceases to function. The Arcane Coalition tightly restricts these spells, especially after the Silent Tomb Incident, where an abjurative vault was sealed so thoroughly that its creator forgot how to access it, and inadvertently entombed himself for nearly a decade. Rumors persist of Black Abjuration, a twisted variant developed by renegade scholars in the pre-Schism age. This corrupted branch doesn't block magick but corrupts it, transforming healing spells into poison, or turning illusions into madness. Its very existence is disputed, though the Scholar’s Guild keeps at least one sealed tome with its seal intact, just in case. Cultural Presence:
In Everwealth, Abjurers are a mixed breed. In common towns, they are seen as trusted defenders, often petitioned to ward grain silos, churches, and wedding bands. In noble society, however, they are feared. Too often has a ring hidden a warding rune or a cloak stitched with silence runes changed the course of a courtroom argument. Some guilds commission personal Abjurers as Shieldwrights—arcane armorers who enchant clothing, amulets, and banners with abjurative sigils. These symbols are status pieces and deterrents alike, especially in mercantile cities like Merchant’s Meet or war-wracked hubs like Bordersword. Even among criminals, Abjurers are respected. Smugglers employ Veil Seals, anti-scrying abjurations that let contraband wagons pass undetected beneath Coalition checkpoints. Signature Effect – The Weeping Glass:
Occasionally, Abjurers who specialize in reflection develop a haunting condition known as the Weeping Glass. When struck by magickal attacks, their skin begins to crack and shimmer like glass. It is painless, at first. But with each cast, tiny transparent fractures appear across their body, weeping translucent blood that reflects images of the spell reflected. Eventually, the Abjurer becomes semi-permanently covered in mirrored veins. Some see this as a blessing. Others see it as the mark of someone who has rejected too much of the world for too long.d form that doesn't block magick, but reflects it, distorting and returning the caster’s will in twisted form. Whether this is real or just a scare tactic spread by Coalition zealots is unknown.
Comments