Fundamentals of Magic

Magic lies at the heart of Thravil, and at the essence of every living being. The mind and souls of all creatures are connected through the arcane forces that form the world. While the strength of magic can vary from location to location, ebbing and flowing like the tide, nowhere is devoid of it. No matter where in Thravil one stands, there will always be the faint marvellous aura encompassing them.

Aspects of Magic

Magic is composed of eight Aspects, each from their own Arcane Font, and together form the latent magic that fills the world. The eight Aspects all intertwine and connect, with the exception that each opposes another: Storm and Earth, Flame and Water, Life and Death, Light and Shadow. The Aspects flow around the world, dynamically changing the magical energies across Thravil.

Flame

Eternal Hearth
Fierce, heated, and blazing, the Aspect of Flame has powers over fire and hearth. Flameweavers make use of it to provide warmth and summon great infernos.

Light

Luminous Plains
Bright, revealing, and blinding, the Aspect of Light has powers over sight and luminescence. Lightweavers make use of it to see things at a great distance, and illuminate their surroundings.

Storm

Boundless Sky
Wild, free, and unrestrained, the Aspect of Storm has powers over wind and tempest. Stormweavers make use of it to control the winds and conjure bolts of lightning.

Life

Garden of Essence
Invigorating, spirited, and creative, the Aspect of Life has powers over creation and growth. Lifeweavers make use of it to heal the wounded and restore vitality to the weak.

Water

Untold Ocean
Ever-shifting, flowing, and steady, the Aspect of Water has powers over sea and spray. Waterweavers make use of it to shape water and change the tides of situations.

Shadow

Unending Darkness
Mysterious, concealing, and black, the Aspect of Shadow has powers over night and darkness. Shadowweavers make use of it to move shade and hide items from unwanted eyes.

Earth

Titan’s Grotto
Controlled, strong, and unmoving, the Aspect of Earth has powers over ground and stone. Earthweavers make use of it to manipulate the land around them and mould it to their liking.

Death

Ruin of Souls
Draining, withering, and cold, the Aspect of Death has powers over destruction and stagnation. Deathweavers make use of it to siphon life and bring decay.

Spellweaving

Spellweaving is the practice of manipulating magic into matter and force by "weaving" the raw magic surrounded them in the way they desire. Spellweavers need ability and intelligence to do so effectively, requiring the correct thoughts and emotions to evoke the magic, and the skill needed to weave it without fault.

Instrumental in the process of spellweaving is an Arcane Focus, which serves as the catalyst, converting the arcane potential into effect. A Focus is, at its heart, an item filled with the magic of a single Aspect. Each Focus is specific to its Aspect, and only functions for that Aspect. The most common form of Focus is that of a crystal containing raw magic of one Aspect.
Most Spellweavers incorporate a staff or similar instrument into their Foci, in order to aid them, but it is not unheard of to wield a Focus by itself. Another form of Focus, one far more dangerous, is when a child is born with magic in their blood. Be this passed down through ancestry or exposure to strong magic before birth, the child in question becomes a Focus for whichever Aspect flows through their veins. They are a Spellweaver by birth, not choice, and every thought has a risk of evoking magic into being.

There are two stages to spellweaving, with the Focus at the centre of both. The first is where the Spellweaver, in contact with the Focus, uses their thoughts and emotion to awaken the Focus, causing it to begin channelling the magic surrounding it. The strength and matter of what the Spellweaver thinks directly influence how much magic is used and in what form it is transferred to. For example, invoking a Flame Focus using anger will result in an unstable burst of fire, while doing the same to a Storm Focus will conjure a maelstrom of wind and lightning.Using too strong an emotion, however, can cause the Focus to conduct too much magic, destroying it.
The second stage of spellweaving is the more important one: the actual weaving of the spell. Without this, magic is uncontrolled and unpredictable, taking form without intent and likely causing only destruction. The Spellweaver makes meticulous motions with the Focus, manipulating the magic into the correct form. Any mistake here risks the spell going awry, so it is vital that Spellweavers are well practised in the correct gestures. Doing both correctly results in a successfully woven spell, enacting the Spellweaver's will on the world.

Most Spellweavers only learn to use a single Aspect, as each one requires its own dedication to perfecting the necessary gesticulation, and even rarer, some make use of Various Foci at once, increasing the power through the use of multiple Aspects. Most spells will have their effects empowered by the presence of another Aspect, with the exception of their opposing Aspect.
Opposing Aspects can be woven together, albeit with great difficulty, but neither augments the other. Instead, the combination results in unique and powerful magic, capable of doing what no other can. Weaving multiple Aspects at the same time requires intense concentration, strength of mind and skill, as the effort required increases for each Focus used. Weaving more than two Aspects at once is nearly unheard of due to people only having two hands to hold the Foci.

All races are capable of weaving magic, but many forbid the practice, believing it either too dangerous, too sacred, or both. The Seraphim hunt down and control those with the ability to do so in an attempt to keep the world safe from the dangers of magic.

Manifestation

Thravil's magic has very subtle manifestation, each related to the individual Aspect. Outside influences, such as a practised Spellweaver, can weave magic into whatever form they desire.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane