Calcomancy

the iconic magical art of Lerinim, Calcomancy, or Chalk-magic, is based around the drawing of complex chalk diagrams and scripts, known as patterns and traditionally marked on slate. Each pattern must be learned individually and constucted perfectly in order to function, and generally require memorisation and practice to be able to draw well. they are extremely specific and controllable via altering their "parameters", which is both a blessing and a curse - more precision in the hands of a skilled user, but more complexity and difficulty to use, especially at speed. Hundreds of patterns exist, most with very specific effects, and rarely is a new one developed - by accident, by pushing existing patterns beyond their understood regimes, or (rarest of all) from first principles. As this is generally done by permuting off of existing patterns, patterns can be classified into a tree-like system with various major branches. Calcomancers tend to specialise in one or a few sub-branches, though most also know a handful of useful patterns from other areas. Formerly consisting of many competing teachers and groups, as well as eccentric inventors, secret enclaves and hedge-chalk mages, for the most part Calcomancy has been brought into the structure of the Commonwealth that now governs Lerinim and Reld beyond. In the old days, spells we're often hoarded by individuals or groups, to be lost when they dies or disbanded - some of these ancient patterns are still being uncovered. These days,there are approved lists of patterns, approved teaching approaches and organisations, and so on. A loose underground fringe lives on, however, wary of the top-down state control of the Commonwealth. One major use of Calcomancy is essence-flow forecasting - sampling info at various points and combining it to forecast essence flows, harvests and the like. the messages are carried by the order of Wayfarers and Messengers, But are overseen by the Order of Calcomancers. They sometimes work well beyond Commonwealth Borders. Ithrum was a member of this organisation. Branches:

Force-shaping: dealing mainly with heat, motion, light, sound, and life-force.
Spirit-making: creating entities that follow pre-programmed instructions of varying levels of complexity. Their physical forms are incorporeal, apparently composed of glowing geometric shapes that combine pentagrams with foraminafera and other chalk-forming creatures (generally stellated and radially/spherically symmetrical).
Analysis: scanning, scrying, and other similar effects
Warding: barrier-lines that have different effects and different levels of selectiveness.

Limitations:

Requires chalk and a suitable surface, as well as time to draw - many calcomancers carry slates for just this purpose. Other assistant equipment, like straight-edge and compass, may be required or beneficial.
attunement to the pattern and the chalk essence, rather than just drawing, is required - this is a large part of the training and practice.
More powerful patterns are larger, requiring more time and area to construct.
Patterns themselves are one-shot rather than persistent, and though wards and spirits can last longer, no patterns last for more than hours or a handful of days. once a Pattern is "Cast", it erases itself. the duration of a pattern is determined by the length of its "tail", a line that is part of every pattern and may be elongated in convoluted labyrinths as needed for the spell's duration, a little like a fuse.
Individual patterns are extremely fiddly in how they can be specified - very precise, and not straightforward to "aim".
"aesthetics": its magic is abstracted, clinical, physics/mathematical in feel and effects; produces clean and abstract and minimalist results.
Effects it cannot produce: permanent tangible objects; teleportation and fast/safe/reliable travel; possibly, effects a great distance from the Pattern?

ways in which a calcomancer can be skilled:

number of patterns known
complexity/power of patterns known
understanding of the variables for each pattern known
speed and accuracy of specifying and calculating variables
speed of constructing patterns
ability at drawing freehand
reliability of pattern-drawing working
skill at creating new patterns

Examples:

Surge: among the simplest of patterns, causes a small point-like burst of all different energy types. basic form of the Pattern is a dot within a circle.
Transfer: physically move objects between circles along pre-drawn lines
Jolt: quick blast of force. Some versions are radial, others out of the plane of the pattern
Enumerators: specific enumerators exist for many different objects and types of people. They create spirits that patrol the area, seeking the thing they seek, and changing colour to reflect how many they encountered once they return
Retrievers: a variation on enumerators.
Flame: bursts into brief-lived but intense flames.
Essence-barriers: create barriers that exclude specific essences?
common forms of attack: knocking back, twisting, and other kinetic attacks; targeted Surges; intense light or sound; adding or removing heat or life energy from the target.

The close relationship between a Calcomancer and their slate. The magical effects of the Patterns they draw are correlated with the precision and regularity of their construction, So 'Mancers become very finely attuned to the texture and tiny imperfections in their particular slate, and if one is broken it can somewhat reduce their speed and efficacy as magicians until they become familiar with the replacement. They also polish and maintain the surface very carefully, and keep it in a fleece-lined pouch for protection. They also use balances and angle-measuring devices (like a sextant or inclinometer - or more likely, a more primitive technology like a cross-staff, quadrant or similar) in order to correctly calibrate spells - though the mathematics involved is not the complex part. They mostly find the best pieces of slate they can get to begin with, then use successively finer polishes to achieve the perfect finish. But there will always still be tiny imperfections, which mostly come into play for very precise Patterns. As far as tools - the magic only works when chalk is used, and calcomancers use fairly rudimentary tools like rulers, set squares, compasses and string to do their work. But a good Calcomancer can draw a pretty perfect circle freehand and at speed, if required.

Type

Arcane

Famous in the Field