Antimagic

The magical class of antimagic includes absorption and cancelation spells to counter magical spells and effects. Due to the Imperium requirements for effective antimagic spellwork only skilled and powerful mages can effectively use antimagic.
Each application of antimagic comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. The niche use of these skills makes them a powerful option for defense or magical safety systems but antimagic itself is of little interest to the average individual.

Utility

Antimagic, contrary to the name, is still a classification of magic. These skills allow for counters to magical spells, canceling the effects of other spells within their area of effect. The success of these spells is directly proportional to the strength of the antimagic spell when compared to the spell being canceled, and therefore antimagic is typically only useful when cast by a powerful mage.

Absorption

Absorption antimagic spells are set to absorb a particular quantity of magic before the spell is used up and magical casting can proceed as normal. The quantity absorbed depends upon the caster as well as the level of Imperium used to create the spell. Once the spell is used up it is done and magical effects will proceed as before with no effects on the results of subsequent spells.
This spell is a static spell and does not require channeling to maintain its effects. As a result it is also easily transcribed into Runes for specialized cases such as Alchemy Boxes. Antimagic runes must be stored within Tyrellium Shielding when not in use or any passing magic effects will drain their power. When in use the runes require frequent maintenance and replacement to maintain the antimagic effects.

Cancelation

Cancelation magic by comparison is a channeled effect, canceling all spells weaker than the cancelation spell. For magical effects which are stronger than the cancelation antimagic only the remaining strength of the magic will resolve. In cases where absorption antimagic and cancelation magic both exist the absorption antimagic will be used up first. Cancelation antimagic will also only work on new magical spells and effects and has no impact on previously present or channeled effects which began before the cancelation antimagic channel began, making cancelation antimagic a strong preventative skill but a poor reactive response.
Cancelation antimagic also drains the available Imperium of the caster. The input of Imperium is small when the cancelation antimagic is unchallenged but increases when magical effects are successfully countered.

Shielding

Shielding antimagic defines a boundary for the antimagic effects. This shielding could be centered on an individual or a location, and can be set to operate in one or two directions. Shielding antimagic can be a one time absorption magic cast or can provide a channeled cancelation magic effect depending upon the caster's needs and processes. Shielding antimagic can be used to block magic entering or leaving the area of a spell but will have no effect on magic which does not attempt to cross the barrier, nor will it stop anyone or anything from physically crossing the barrier.
Shielding can also be applied in rune form, although this requires an extremely advanced mage and carries a heavy rune maintenance requirement to maintain the full effects of the barrier. Shielding antimagic is therefore rarely used in rune form alone except in extreme conditions. Among antimagic experts the case of Andur Goldaming III is of particular interest for study, as the installation of shielding antimagic runes to envelop his bedroom in the magic-saturated Goldaming Estate was a remarkable and remarkably expensive feat of magic technology.

Parent Technologies

• Countermagic

Access & Availability

Antimagic is only taught to those who have mastered at least one other form of magic, due to the concepts involved in its application. This magic class is particularly useful in defensive combat situations or as a safety precaution among groups performing heavy magical research and is only as effective as the power of its caster and the Imperium used to cast the spell. As a result its casting and usage is typically not of interest to the majority of the population.

Complexity

Casting antimagic spells requires following an exact formula and series of steps or the caster risks undoing their own spell with the antimagic components, resulting in a partial spell. If this occurs the antimagic spell must be exposed to attempts to cast other magical abilities until its antimagic countering is used up before the spell can be successfully cast, which can be particularly draining on an individual's Imperium.