Transmutation Physical / Metaphysical Law in Melyria | World Anvil

Transmutation

Schools of magic: Art of Alteration

The School of Transmutation doesn't create things out of thin air or summon them from other dimensions nor it works with illusory images: Transmutation changes the way things truly are, sometimes permanently. Transmuter starts their career by adjusting one's appearance or physical abilities, but the true masters of transmutation bend the reality by their will.

Successful Transmuter is calculative, open-minded, has excellent nerves, and is ready to take calculated risks. Confidence plays a particularly important role for those who attempt to master transmutations, as otherwise, their reality-defying feats end up half-finished and potentially dangerous to their well-being.

Manifestation

Green is the color associated with transmutation. Transmutation has flexible, rubbery feel and can cause the caster as well as their target to feel sensations of pulling and pushing and sometimes physical discomfort, even pain. The caster can experience flashes of change in their focus, and have out of body experiences or feelings of "melting".

Transmutation spells can be roughly divided into six groups by their usages:

Altering form

To transmuter, altering the form of things is important part of the practice. Was it changing a whisper to a message the only receiver can hear or turning Balrog into a fluffy kitten, by altering the very form of a person or an object is one of the most striking and defining features of transmutation magic.

Some form altering spells include: Alter Self, Polymorph, Message, and Gaseous Form

Controlling Speed and Time

Transmutations offer several ways to change the speed in which things happen or even wrap time around them. Such power can truly save the caster from the trickiest of situations.

Some time/speed control spells include: Haste, Feather Fall, Time Stop, and Zephyr Strike

Bending surroundings

Practitioners of the arts don't create things from nothing, but they alter things around them. Lifting items with power of their mind, feeding flames, making ground erupt to a massive, stone fist, opening locks by just looking at them - these are just a few of the feats Transmuters are able to pull off.

Some bending spells include: Reverse Gravity, Mold Earth, Telekinesis, and Create and Destroy Water

Enhancing/change properties

Enchanments change or give an item or person properties they did not have previously or they power already existing ones. This can anything from walking through walls to making something more powerful, making these buffs particularly useful.

Some enhancement spells include: Shillelagh, Skill Empowerment, Spider Climb, and Investiture of Ice

Repairing

Repairing both people and items is something one needs to do when living the reckless traveler lifestyle. While transmutations don't offer the healing power of evocation or resurrection power of Necromancy, Transmuters have their own way to cheat death... Even if sometimes a bit confusing.

Some repairing spells include: Mending, Plant Growth, Regenerate, and Reincarnate

Offering (limited) sentience

Sometimes you wish that a sword would fight on its own - with transmutation, that is possible. Transmutation can be used to give limited consciousness to things that didn't have that previously, if only in a limited capacity. These are particularly good on diversions or as helping hands.

Some sentience waking spells include: Awaken, Animate Objects, Tiny Servant, and Create Homuculus

Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
Color
Green
Specialist title(s)
Transmuter

Side-effects

Transmutations that have gone haywire are painful to watch, and sadly something quite common. Transmutation gone wrong can alter things that were not supposed to be altered, or leave a person in a middle stage of transformation.

Making several changes on target abilities can wear them off or cause them serious nausea. Also, concentration is a particularly useful skill, as losing it can mean life or death for the person that is currently on the air with a fly-spell. Extra care should be taken when applying Transmutations before things end up going horribly wrong.



Credit where credit is due!

This article uses DnD rules and descriptions for Transmutation magic as their base, with the twist fit for the Melyria setting.


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