Agrokinesis

Agrokinesis is a branch of Nature Magic focusing on plant manipulation. This includes everything from the growth rate and shapes of plants, to their genetics, and even their health. Skilled agrokineticists can often determine the needs of a plant simply by touching them, with an expert few needing only to observe the plant. As with all Exoarcana, Agrokinesis draws its strength from the surrounding magical fields for its type, thereby growing in power depending upon the prevalence of life surrounding the caster. The magic is popular among practitioners of Alchemy. It's also quite prominent among skilled craftsmen, resulting in highly specialized crafting spells centered around planets.

Utility

While Agrokinesis is most commonly used on plants, practitioners have also been able to adapt its spells to work work on larger collections of fungi or algae, although smaller organisms and groupings also require skills in Biomicrokinesis, mainly due to the matter of scaling. Agrokinetic abilities and spells are typically broken up into three categories.

Growth Enhancement

This is the most basic class of Agrokinesis, pertaining to the growth rate, strength, and shape of the targeted organism. These spells are able to alter the growth of the plant or other organism in question, but without altering the basic form and patterns of that plant. For example, trees can be encouraged to grow to impressive sizes, but only if their natural genetics are able to support their own weight at that size. These spells can also direct vines to move into new shapes, or leaves to shift their angles, but only if the plants' natural structure allows it to control those positions in the first place. The organism must be provided with the resources it requires to fulfill the new requirements of its altered state, or it will die. For this reason, most instructors stress the importance of root health and mass to their students, emphasizing the need to alter roots and other nutrient capture systems as needed while using magical growth enhancements. Fertilizer is also heavily encouraged, although not to excess, as this can also harm plants.

Health and Repair

A more advanced application of growth enhancement, this branch of Agrokinesis encompasses an assortment of spells related specifically to the health of the target plant or organizing, including healing spells intend to encourage self-repair. This classification of study also includes specialized spells to alter growth rates to adjust for available nutrients and other needs, or even encourage adaptations and evolution in growth patterns, allowing the recipient to thrive in its present environment. This classification is often compared to Curative Magic, the healing magic specifically focused on Sophont Species. The similarities in application are notable enough, some schools of study teach their healing students healing Agrokinesis prior to expanding their study into Zokinesis and eventually Curative Magic.

Genetics

This highly advanced form of Agrokinesis focuses on careful alteration of the genetic makeup of a plant. The changes can be temporary or permanent, set to apply to all parts of the organism or only specific locations. Some spells limit the effects to a single plant, while others allow the organism to pass the genetic changes to its offspring through traditional reproductive means. Applied adjustments vary in scale and complexity, and include possible changes to coloration, growth rate, disease or bug resistance, flavoring, nutritional and resource requirements, or even alchemical properties including potency.

Crafting

Emphasis on the use of plant matter in crafting has led to additional advancements within the field, with highly specialized spells focused solely on plantworking results. Arbormancy focuses on the manipulation, preparation, and final strengths and forms of plant matter. While most Agrokinesis spells focus on living organisms, Arbormancy was specifically developed to work on dried dead woods, although skilled practitioners can also apply them to living trees. Fibramancy instead focuses on the manipulation of threads crafted from plant matter and fibers.

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