[h3][b][color=crimson]=The Science of Magic=[/color][/b][/h3] [url=https://i.imgur.com/eFlRSQu.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/eFlRSQum.jpg[/img][/url] [b][color=crimson]=Prominence of Magic=[/color][/b] [hider] Magic is a presence felt in the world, perhaps heavily due to the Black and White Trees of Anar, also known as Anarian Trees. Magic is a well known factor, something that the majority of people acknowledge exists, whether or not they believe it to be a miracle or an abomination against nature. Despite the fact that the existence of magic is common knowledge, the ability to use it is rare, as only Magi, also known as Drenched or Enlarged Souls, are capable of using it. [b][color=crimson]-Magi, The Drenched Souls-[/color][/b] Magi, Wizards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, they go by many names, some even calling them Drenched Souls, Divine Souls, Enlarged souls. They are those mortal races that were born with souls more powerful than others, as they are born with a greater share of Anar’s soul, making them more godly than other mortals. This supposed godliness grants these mortals the ability to use magic, allowing them to unnaturally bend the mortal realm to their desires. However, this power isn’t given freely; even with their more powerful souls, mortals cannot cast any spells past the cantrip tier on their own due to their general lack of power. It is for this reason that Magi pledge themselves to the Gods, as they, in exchange for worship and often service, will grant the Magi their power, allowing them to cast higher tiers of spells. [b][color=crimson]-Divine Power-[/color][/b] Mortal Magi, if they wish to cast any spells of significance, need to enter into a covenant or pact with a god or pantheon of gods in order to cast spells greater than cantrips or parlor tricks, as gods can unlock the capabilities of Magi the stronger their bond to each other is. It is for this reason that Magi are often closely tied to the priesthood of their god or act within their interest. However, even with a god lending their strength and unlocking the true potential of a Magi, a Magi’s powers are limited to the domains of their god. Not only are they bound to their god and their domains, but a Magi that wishes to convert often has a much more difficult time than a mundane mortal, as their connection to their god or gods is much deeper. This often results in a Mage writhing in agony and torment as their former gods retaliates in vengeance for their betrayal, commonly resulting in curses and blights upon them until their connection to their new god is strong enough to remove them. [b][color=crimson]-Domains-[/color][/b] [b]Light-[/b] The Domain of Light encompasses not just physical light, but also the inner light of thinking beings, representing the light of good, mental fortitude, willpower, and endurance. It is for this reason that the domain of light cannot only be used for illusionary magic, but also for healing, enchanting, and fortification, and to some extent even more damaging spells, delivering radiant power against one’s enemy. [b]Nature-[/b] The Domain of Nature encompasses all things natural and living, taking into its power; plants, animals, growth, but even things such as poisons and toxins. Nature can be both beautiful and calm, yet also merciless and dangerous. Those that control the powers of nature can typically heal and control the beings of nature, communing with animals and plants, and even able to shift themselves and others into them, yet also capable of spreading disease and poison. [b]Arcane-[/b] The Domain of Arcane encompasses Magic, Spellcraft, and the Mind. It is the domain of learning, discipline, intellect, and telekinesis. Arcane is the raw energy of the world [b]Fire-[/b] The Domain of Fire encompasses Flame, Heat, Lightning, and raw energy. It also encompasses more mental aspects as well, namely passion, which in turn encompasses things such as hate and love. It is for this that the domain of fire is not only used for destructive power, but also to fuel and empower both objects and living things. [b]Water-[/b] The Domain of Water encompasses Water, Ice, and Cold, but also represents the tranquility of mind, discipline, and logic. Water magic can be used for many things, such as healing, casting calm and rationality on enraged beings, or forming objects of ice, as well as many other untold possibilities. [b]Earth-[/b] The Domain of Earth encompasses all things brought about by the earth, namely Stone, Metal, and Gems, but also lava and magma. The Domain of Earth is mainly useful for the manipulation of these elements and thus is useful for transmutation and the creation of physical items such as fortifications, tools, or weapons. [b]Celestial-[/b] The Celestial Domain, also known as the Domain of Sky, encompasses all things heavenly, such as Starlight, Sunlight, Lightning, and Air and Wind. It is heavily based on the mind as well, as it is to experience beyond the earthly world, and combined with air, allows for such things as telekinesis and premonitions, as well as scrying and looking beyond the mortal world. [b]Dark-[/b] The Domain of Dark encompasses Darkness, Shadow, as well as the darkness of the mind, such as fear, doubt, and anger. It is a domain of mystery, illusions, and manipulation. It is often used to hide and obscure, to torment or manipulate the mind, or even to disguise oneself as another. [b]Death-[/b] The Domain of Death encompasses Decay, Death, Dying, and Dead Things such as corpses and spirits. While these are typically seen as evil, the Death Domain is also capable allowing communion with the dead, looking beyond the mortal realm, and even resurrection. It also encompasses rot and decay, not just of flesh but of mind, metal, ideals, anything that can stagnate and crumble in time. [/hider] [b][color=crimson]=Capabilities of Magic=[/color][/b] [hider] Magic is a source of boundless power and energy allowing those that wield it to simply point out their finger and destroy entire armies and castles with a single thought. Or at least that is what the mundane and uneducated believe and fear. To the learned and the practitioners of magic, they know magic to be a science, one that must obey a set of laws and must be studied and learned and properly understood to be put into practice. Different spells require different levels of understanding in their complexity, raw experience, willpower, and mana to cast. Because of this, spells and magics are separated into different tiers of casting, which are commonly known by many different names to many different civilizations, such as circles, ranks, levels, and so on. [b][color=crimson]-Cantrips-[/color][/b] Cantrips are the most basic of spells, commonly little more than parlor tricks, and are the first spells that any magi will cast until they pledge themselves to a deity or set of deities of some sort. These spells often include simple things, such as produce a small fire, making their voices more radiant, creating dazzling and blinding lights, causing objects to glow, or causing small objects to levitate. Unlike later tier spells, the domains of one’s deities does not matter, as cantrips do not require the power of a god to cast. [b][color=crimson]-Novice-[/color][/b] The beginnings of a true mage, novice tier spells are the more basic spells and are dependent on the domains of the caster’s deities. These spells are typically of small and direct effect, and are never in large scale. Examples of novice spells include creating a bolt of elemental energy, creating a magic barrier or shield, conjuring a dagger or axe, shooting out flames from one’s hand in a tight cone, simple healing spells, summoning vines and roots to entangle a foe, and temporarily commanding some one’s mind. [b][color=crimson]-Adept-[/color][/b] The tier that most magi will eventually reach and many even remain at, the Adept tier of spells are often more powerful and larger in scale than that of novice spells, being able to conjure forth larger items or making temporary enchantments upon them. Adept spell casters are able to, among other things and according to domain; shapeshift, turn invisible, temporarily enchant items with elemental effects, remove curses and diseases, as well as inflict them, breath fire in large cones, control the minds of others for longer, and can even conjure entire suits of armor temporarily. [b][color=crimson]-Expert-[/color][/b] Rather uncommon, as many magi do not reach this tier or are only able to cast a few spells from it at a time due to the larger consumption of mana they require. Expert tier spells are more capable of warping reality and casting more extravagant effects. Expert magi are able to cast such spells that can make them fly, teleport, fire large exploding fireballs out of their hands or call down bolts of lightning on their foes. They are also able to alter themselves, others, and the world around them to much greater affect, being able to make the skin of themselves or others turn to stone for extra resilience, or even to turn their foes into statues, or can cause the land around them in a moderate radius to grow fertile and quickly grow plants such as crops, trees, and other plant life. It is expert casters that are also capable of complex enough enchantments and spells to be able to create undead creatures or golems. [b][color=crimson]-Master-[/color][/b] Rarest of the Magi are those that are able to cast Master Tier spells, and have reached this power through hard study and well earned experience. Their spells are much more capable, able to affect large radiuses of people, being able to create greater and large things, and even resurrect the recently dead. More examples of their spells include being able to dominate the minds of several people or beasts, being able to disintegrate a target, creating stone walls, letting out a wave of fire, disease, or pure destructive force, as well as being able to heal, enchant and curse people in a large radius around them or of their choosing. [/hider] [b][color=crimson]=Application of Magic=[/color][/b] [hider] [b][color=crimson]-Knowledge-[/color][/b] Magic, while mystical and to most people, unknowable, is a science that must be learned and understood before a magi can cast sells, even if they’re simple cantrips and tricks. In order for a magi to use magic, they must study and understand the fundamental of how magic works, how it interacts with the world, and how to properly utilize it in order to create spells. Magi must know how to weave different magics together and how to direct them together into making spells. The More powerful the spell the more complex the weaving of magic is, as casting spells requires weaving certain magics in varying amounts together in sequences. This is most commonly accomplished through the use of words of power, speaking sequences of words and even sentences to summon forth the magics required for a spell and weaving them together to create the spell. Learning and memorizing these words takes study, much like learning a new language, and even more study to create or experiment with new spells. [b][color=crimson]-Will-[/color][/b] While magic is a science that requires intense study, intellect, and memorization in order to weave magic and words of power together, one also requires the willpower to call forth that power into being to weave it to begin with. Not only does one require the willpower to call forth magic, they also require it to bind it and maintain it while weaving it into spells. This requires what is known as mana, the natural energy provided by to Magi by their larger soul. Magi have mana pools, and they increase over the years through practice, experience, and general usage of magic. This is exceptionally important due to the fact that more complex spells of higher tiers require greater willpower, and thus mana to conjure the magics necessary to not only weave the spell but also to maintain the magics while the spell is being woven. [b][color=crimson]-Healing-[/color][/b] To the mundane, the art of magical healing, also known as Thaumaturgy, is a quick, and effortless form of healing wounds, curing disease, or restoring ailments of the mind. The truth of healing magic, or rather applying healing magic, is that one requires and intricate knowledge of the anatomy of the being they are healing to know how to properly close wounds, or know of the disease in order to properly purge it from the body. This means that those magi devoted to the healing art must effectively be doctors and physicians, or at least be trained in the art enough to heal basic wounds and diseases. [b][color=crimson]-Resistance-[/color][/b] The use of magic against on unwilling targets is not always a simple task, especially when it comes to spells such as curses, charms, or other spells that do not affect them as directly as a fireball or lightning bolt. As all living beings, being born with a piece of Anar’s soul, hold some magic in them even if they are not magi. Because of this, all living creatures are capable of resisting a spell to either diminish its effects upon them or even resist it entirely. This is often based on many things, primarily the victim’s own will compared to the will of the caster, or perhaps just pure endurance. [/hider] [b][color=crimson]=Schools of Magic=[/color][/b] [hider] Magic can be classified into various types, known as schools, each encompassing various aspects of magic such as healing, cursing, enchanting, destruction, and so on. Most spells can be placed into one of these schools, although many are also capable of being in multiple schools at once. Most importantly however, due to the need of domains to cast spells, some schools are unavailable. It is for this reason that religions or pantheons with a variety of domains are typically favorable for spell casters. [b][color=crimson]-Evocation-[/color][/b] The art of calling forth energy, Evocation is the school that handles the use of more destructive and chaotic powers of magic, and is primarily used to conjure forth raw power for attacks or to charge items. It conjures forth flame, lightning, ice, raw arcane power, sunlight, the raw powers and energies of the world, made manifest in various forms so that the caster may use it to strike out against their enemies. [b][color=crimson]-Augury-[/color][/b] Augury is the school of sight and mind, producing not only false images, but also false sounds, sensations, and smells as well as casting spells that affect the mind. It is the art of deceiving the eyes and ears, tricking others into believing what is not truly there or manipulating their mind. As it is also the school of sight, it is capable of letting the caster see things that the mundane cannot, such as invisible or concealed creatures, visions, or scrying. [b][color=crimson]-Thaumaturgy-[/color][/b] More commonly known as healing magic, Thaumaturgy is the art of healing wounds, curing diseases, as well as fortification and enhancing of the mind and body. It is the magic most commonly used by priests, miracle makers, prophets, and others that seek to help people or win them over due to its more benign nature. [b][color=crimson]-Conjuration-[/color][/b] The Magic of summoning, Conjuration allows a mage to bring forth items or creatures from other worlds, and even banish them. In its most typical form however a mage cannot simply create items or creatures from their imagination or will, as these are the powers of a more skilled mage. Rather, magi that are able to cast novice and adept spells will often have to take an already existing item or creature, and “store” them in a pocket dimension so that they can summon them later. [b][color=crimson]-Enchantment-[/color][/b] One of the more common magic schools to be seen much like Evocation, enchantment is the modification of objects to produce magical effects. This can range anything from enchanting a sword to be on fire, or a helmet to provide water breathing. However the most important aspect of enchantment to note is that most enchantments are temporary, as it requires transfering a potion of one’s own soul into an enchantment to make it permanent. [b][color=crimson]-Transmutation-[/color][/b] Also known as the school of Alteration, Transmutation is the school that allows a Mage to take already existing items within the physical world and alter or change them to something else, such as turning a steel ingot into a blade within seconds, or altering the color of a flower or even making the flower bigger. However Transmutation has rules, and lower tier Transmutation spells cannot change one material into another material. For instance a Novice Mage cannot change stone into metal, but a Mage of Expert skill or more can, albeit only temporarily. [b][color=crimson]-Necromancy-[/color][/b] Often considered to be a forbidden art, Necromancy is the school of magic that manipulates the forces of life and death, as well as blood magic and the creation of simulacrum to create undead constructs. It is a most foul magic that allows the user to manipulate the corpses of others, as well as their life force, commonly being used to drain the life force or youth from others to repair or improve one’s own. Truly powerful master necromancers are even able to capture and manipulate souls. [/hider] [b][color=crimson]=Enchantment and Magical Items=[/color][/b] [hider] Enchantment in the world of Ophad is a fickle thing, as most enchantments are not permanent, and so are separated into two categories, Temporary and Permanent enchantments. [b][color=crimson]-Temporary Enchantments-[/color][/b] The most common type of enchantment, temporary enchantments are the most common place simply due to the fact that enchanted items require a permanent source of magic to continue functioning as a magic item. Most enchantments are spells cast by magi to temporarily give themselves or others around them a spell effect, such as lightning on their weapons, or an arcane barrier on their armor. These sorts of enchantments usually last as long the mage’s mana permits or for a certain amount of time depending on how powerful the spell was. However, magical items are different from spells, in that they were enchanted by a mage to be semi permanent. Magical items are items that are enchanted to have a continuous spell effect without the mage needing to cast it or be present to be used. These items, much like enchantment spells, require a mana pool to draw from, and so typically only draw from that pool when activated, however, this mana pool is finite and depends on the skill and power of the mage that created the item. This is the major drawback of temporary magic items, they require recharging by a mage in order to use continuously because each usage drains the mana pool placed into the item. [b][color=crimson]-Permanent Enchantments-[/color][/b] Permanent enchantments is a truly rare form of enchantment as the cost of creating them is too great to many magi. Unlike temporary enchantments, which require a continuous source of magic or mana to be made, Permanent enchantments are able to provide this. However, the only continuous source of magic is a soul, as only souls can produce mana. It is because of this, that magi have learned, that the only way to create a permanently enchanted item is to sacrifice a portion of their own soul, so that an enchanted item will permanently have a source of mana being produced from within the item itself. However, sacrificing a portion of one’s own soul does have its toll, as it will make the mage weaker for it, power that is not easily regained. Powerful necromancers however are able to forcibly take a portion of another’s soul to use instead, although this act often infuriates the gods. [b][color=crimson]-Creation of Servant Constructs-[/color][/b] Creating servile constructs, namely golems or undead creatures such as skeletons and zombies, requires a “false soul”, also known as a Simulacrum to the practitioners of magic. While any mage can use enchanting to place magical effects on an item or person, simply infusing a construct or body with magic is not enough to make it an autonomous being capable of fulfilling tasks. For this purpose, a Simulacrum is created, a fake soul, that is capable, to varying levels, of moving, comprehending commands, and carrying out those commands. For all intents and purposes, it is an artificial intelligence needed to ensure that the construct is capable of doing anything other than simply sitting immobile. Much like other magical items, constructs require a mana pool to maintain them, often requiring recharging from a mage. [/hider] [b][color=crimson]=Miscellaneous Rules=[/color][/b] [hider] [b][color=crimson]-Resurrection-[/color][/b] Resurrection is a rare and powerful magic and is only capable of those that are able to cast Master Tier spells, and commonly requires various components and objects. In order to attempt the resurrection, the target must have no signs of decay upon them and so must be committed within a day of their death. It requires a ritual in which items cherished by the dead individual are presented and those dear to them are present to help tie their soul closer to the mortal world. Should the connection to the soul be strong enough with offerings and words from their loved ones, and if their god is willing to return the soul to the mortal world, the deceased can be brought back to life, albeit often weak and drained until they are properly rested. However, even this is an uncertainty, as the recently slain are in a stupor, as though someone being woken from a deep and desired sleep, and so are not always willing to return, or the connection is not strong enough to wrest them from death’s grip. Those who died wanting death, and unwilling to return automatically cause such a ritual to fail. [b][color=crimson]-Time Magic-[/color][/b] Time magic itself is a rare magic that even gods rarely touch and is only capable of a Master Mage. However, even then, time magic has severe limitations: for instance, time magic is incapable of sending one back or forwards in time, as time magic itself is only capable of manipulating the flow of time rather than altering it. However, as a mage cannot alter history by opening portals to the past or future, they also cannot stop the flow of time, simply manipulate it. This means that time magic can only be used to slow or accelerate time, whether in an area, on a person, or an object. For instance a mage might be able to cast slow on a target, causing them to physically slow compared to everything else, or the mage could speed up the time of an arrow and make it travel faster, causing it to have greater velocity and strike with greater impact. However, the altering of time often only works on a target, or within a radius of the caster’s choosing. [/hider]