Sorcerer Staffs

A sorcerer staff is very important to its owner, for it is as much a part of their body as, say, their limbs are. If it is destroyed or 'injured', the major elemental energy would bleed out, and the staff's owner would get sick or even die. In blood sorcerers' cases, a staff being damaged would cause the owner to essentially bleed out, more often than not resulting in death. As such, even if it is not a blood staff, sorcerers are extremely protective of their magical sticks.

Sorcerer staffs have roughly 3 'stages' of development, each named after a stage in the life cycle of a tree. These stages are not necessarily precise or linear, and some sorcerers find their staffs in the second stage, not the first.

1. The first stage of development is called 'the sprouting stage'. This is essentially the stage where the staff is more of a wand. It is easily mistaken for a stick, but sorcerers will feel an instant attraction to it. The gemstone is not yet visible and is hidden inside. While this creates a harsh buffer between the sorcerer and the stone, it still provides more control over a sorcerer's magic than it would without. The wand grows very quickly and usually reaches the second stage within two weeks.
2. The second stage of development is called 'the mature stage'. It's the longest stage, and quite honestly the most useful. At this stage, the bark on the wooden part of the staff is smooth, indents for its sorcerer's hands carved in, and the gemstone inside is revealed. The gemstone often floats slightly in a thin and sparsely barred cage, covered just enough so it doesn't fall off the staff. There are, however, many different appearances these staffs have taken, and it's impossible to tell which form a staff in the sprouting stage will take. Mature sorcerer staffs are taller than the sorcerer wielding it, and the thickness of the staff will match the height of the staff while still keeping the staff visibly thin and lightweight. In the mature stage, the sorcerer's control over their powers is at its peak, and the only possible issue with the staff is that it often gives the sorcerer random urges to consume overwhelming amounts of its element. These cravings can be ignored, but it only becomes more difficult with age. Satisfying these cravings can lead to the staff rapidly growing in power and size, accelerating the rate at which the third stage is achieved.
3. The third stage of development is called either 'the decline stage' or, more commonly, 'the snag stage'. This stage is characterized by the staff fusing to the sorcerer's body and growing rapidly until it resembles a large tree bearing the sorcerer's face and form, a shift in the sorcerer's personality, and the staff's gemstone fusing to the sorcerer's sternum. The sorcerer still has their sentience and personality, but they are unable to move, their limbs covered in bark and wood. The sorcerer's mind is constantly overshadowed my their ever-evolving craving for their elemental energy. In this stage, the sorcerer does not need to eat, for the staff photosynthesizes for them. Moreover, eating is simply impossible at this point. This is not because of stiffened limbs, but instead because of the stifted dependence on photosynthesis. In addition, sleep is both not needed and impossible for a sorcerer in this stage. While it may seem nice to endlessly be able to focus on other tasks and not have to take any breaks to eat or sleep, it is a form of pure torture for sorcerers, especially those who are trying to ignore elemental cravings, for they cannot do anything by themselves and have to expend more energy to stop themselves from draining their element from the earth around their roots. This is very mentally draining, and more often than not leads to a shift in the sorcerer's personality, big or small. Eventually, the staff may decide that their little 'relationship' with the sorcerer is not as beneficial to them as it should be, and the sorcerer, including the staff's gemstone, is pulled into the middle of the tree, killing them. The sorcerer officially loses their sentience and becomes the core of the tree. People call this core, for lack of better terms, heartwood. Luckily, however, most sorcerers either get into an accident or die due to complications of old age before the snag stage really begins.

While they may be their downfall, a sorcerer's staff is crucial to any sorcerer. It is, in fact, what makes a sorcerer a sorcerer instead of a rampant magic-wielder.

Significance

Sorcerer staffs are essentially an extra limb for their sorcerers, and both are crucial to the other's continued survival.

Item type

Magical

Used by

• Maria's Staff

Rarity

Very rare, as they are a birthright and a sign of natural magic. They cannot be bought, sold, or crafted by mortal hands.

Weight

0.5 lb in the sprouting stage, and 2.5 lb in the mature stage

Dimensions

Depends on the staff and the sorcerer

Raw materials & Components

Wood, the powers one or more of the gods, and an elemental stone.

Tools

The powers of a god or gods.