A Question of Choice
One thing that throws many off when first falling into Evocation is the sheer number of realms and dimensions that exist, many of which, almost nothing is known about. People who fall down the path of Evocation generally stick with what they are familiar with, however, and learn to manipulate border realms rather than alternate or primal ones. What is the difference?
Border Realms
Border realms are the planes of reality that many know of, things like the Fey Wilds, the Netherrealms, the Aether, and so forth. They are the realms that border your own, and are the simplest to get ahold of and manipulate. Being the simplest, they are also the weakest form of Evocation, since they are very similar to our own world. This means that it doesn't provide more than a hole to these alternate worlds, and any enchantments to items provided by these worlds are not terribly interesting or unique. A list of the most well-known border realms can be found with the Border Realms section of the Realms Category or
here.
Primal Realms
Places that embody the primal elements and what they stand for, little to nothing is known of the Primal Realms since travelling to them is difficult, and retaining the information of your travels even more-so. The only things we know of these worlds come from an ancient Evocative Mage known as Liamar, who carried a journal with him from place to place. He would spend ages in these worlds, only writing simple notes instead of detailed entries. He was only able to discover a
fraction of the Primal Realms. In his journals, one can find a preword stating that the primal realms do not
'like being known', that their mystery is what keeps them stable. As such, many don't fall down this path, and those who do tend to vanish into one of the primal realms, never to be seen again. A list of the primal realms discovered by Liamar can be found in the Dimensional Affinity,
here.
Alternate Realms
Skyreach is a place that has many versions of the Overworld. Countries and continents that have different rules and lifestyles, a slurry of realms that make up what one calls
The Overworld. The ability to access Alternate Realms is the ability to hop into these alternate countries and landmasses outside their own, like bouncing around a map of the world. There are too many to explain and, despite being the realms closest to your own, are the hardest worlds to access, for some, unknown reason. There are very few people who are known among two or more of the Alternate Realms, and they are known, not as Evocative mages, but as Planeswalkers, people who can take the knowledge and experience of one world, and bring them to another.
Evocation Sub-Types
After going through the realms and learning about them, one may question what the practical uses of Evocation are, since traveling to alternate realms is a master-level ability. While traveling to other realms is extremely difficult, the manipulation and usage of their energies is not, and is what the magic of evocation revolves around. Not only this, but Evocation tends to blend into Quantum, as someone who is adept with Evocation may find themselves falling into Quantum as well to create their own pocket realms and teleport.
Enchantment
Probably the simplest and most straightforward use of Evocation is known as
Enchantment. This is the dipping of an item into another world and imbuing it with that worlds natural magics. Generally, dipping an item into an Alternate Realm does nothing and dipping into a Border Realm may have a small effect. No, the main realms used in Enchantment are Primal Realms, whose primal energies and raw power are imbued into the very fabric of the item's being. However, there is a small side effect to this- The item cannot be magically imbued by anything else. All of that item's magical potential will be completely used up when dipping into a Primal Realm, and this may be for the best, as dipping into multiple realms could have unforeseen consequences. Enchantment does go further, however, since it's more about the manipulation of the base energy of a realm, those who fall deep into the enchantment path may learn to imbue their spells and powers with the magic of another realm, giving them some extra kick and usage.
Alteration
A peg up from Enchantment is
Evocative Alteration. This is the ability to pull the properties of one world into another, creating spanses of space that mimic the natural terrain and effects of another realm. Those of Alteration are masters of the battlefield, able to, temporarily, turn the terrain to their favor. Pulling the purity and sanctity of Ether to slow the undead and ease their restless souls, The light and tranquility of Aether against vampires, to smite and burn them, and so on. However, these mimicries hold no favorites and will even effect the caster and their allies negatively if they meet the wrong requirements. Alteration, like any other magical sub-type, is flexible, able to be used for more than just terrain and battleground. Some can imbue nature with the effects of another world to make it more resilient to certain things, summon creatures and items from Border Realms, and much, much more. However, we'll talk about summoning creatures and items next. Masters of Evocative Alteration can access Primal Realms and do all of the above with those instead, making them a chaotic and powerful force of raw and primal power.
Summoning
As one begins to fall into the realm of Evocation, they may begin to wonder if there is a way to bring items, creatures, and more from the countless worlds they fail to visit. And the answer is, yes, yes they can. Along the same vein and skill level as Alteration, Summoning can fall down a few branches, from summoning items, creatures, and knowledge from other worlds, to marking items and creatures in your world for later conjuration. Summoning takes advantage of the other realms' tools and creatures in a way like no other. However, the unwise Evocative should be careful, as summoned creatures will rarely be friendly, and will likely need time, effort, or a contract to put them on your side.
Travel
The mastery over Evocation is the ability to access and traverse the many worlds you can manipulate. Some worlds offer vast collection of knowledge, and there is still so much to discover about the Primal Realms. However, the ability to rip holes into other realities is a skill spent years mastering. However, upon doing so, one may find a home they prefer more than the Overworld. The easiest form of this is the ability to enter Border Realms, and can be mastered relatively easy. However, Primal and Alternate Realms are a different story altogether.
