[center][h1]General Magic Lore[/h1][/center][hr][hider=Five Magics]
[center][h1]The Gift[/h1][h3]Magnetic. Arcane. Binding. Chemical. Kinetic.[/h3][/center]Magic is a blessing of the Gods and so is called, respectfully, The Gift. Yet, it does not come from nowhere. Before any spells can be cast, no matter how trivial, all magical power must be drawn from sources of energy abundant in the world. The five great schools of magic - Magnetic, Arcane, Binding, Chemical, and Kinetic, draw from the heat, light, metabolic, kinetic, potential, and electric energies of one's surroundings. Those skilled in The Gift may then convert one type of energy into another within themselves. You might draw heat from a raging fire, but that does not mean that you need to cast a fireball. If you can afford an extra few seconds, then you might decide on Arc Lightning from the Magnetic school or a telekinetic shove. Spells from all five canonical schools are made viable through the blessed act of conversion. However, there have long been rumours of other - forbidden - magics: Blood, Atomic, Temporal, and Dark Magics that promise far greater power if used as well as far greater consequences...
[hr][center][h2][color=FFD700]Magnetic Magic[/color][/h2][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/yTYDMdf.png?1[/img][/center][list][*][b]Drawing:[/b] Magnetic magic draws its energy from the polarity of atoms and molecules, using their tendencies to attract and repel each other to build powerful charges.
[*][b]Offense:[/b] While magnetic mages have a reputation for being defensive counterpunchers, they are more than capable of mounting independent (and often terrifying) offense of their own. They rely on creating charges and polarizations first and then capitalizing on those.
[*][b]Defense:[/b] With Magnetic mages, the line between offense and defense is often blurred, as they tend to be masters of subtle and sneaky techniques that cause their opponents to destroy themselves or set them up to be countered mercilessly.
[*][b]Utility:[/b] Magnetic mages tend not to directly favour utility spells, most of their repertoires being multifunctional. However, their ability to set up their environments, manipulate electric currents, and move charged objects using magnetism can be helpful.[/list]
[hr][center][h2][color=FF8C00]Arcane Magic[/color][/h2][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/E3KzPNz.png?1[/img][/center][list][*][b]Drawing:[/b] Arcane magic uses the radiative energy of heat (thermal) and light as a power source. As a result, it has a virtually limitless (and potentially overwhelming) supply of power during the day and in warmer places and considerably less at night and in colder places.
[*]Casts from this school focus on using heat and light in a multitude of different ways. Partially as a result, Arcane is easily the most balanced school in terms of offensive, defensive, and utility spells, boasting impressive flexibility that enables adherents to take either subtle or aggressive approaches. This, combined with the sheer abundance and ready availability of heat and light energy makes Arcane the preferred school for mages than any other.
[*][b]Offense:[/b] In terms of offense, arcane magic users can focus the powers of heat and light to burn and blind. Intensely focused beams of light and heat can cut and burn holes in solid objects, while fire can spread rapidly and offensive draws can cause targets to freeze to death.
[*][b]Defense:[/b] Defensively, arcane magic can warp and bend the visible light spectrum to allow a user to disappear from sight and can manipulate temperatures and the surrounding environment to negate incoming attacks.
[*][b]Utility:[/b] In terms of utility, arcanists can create powerful illusions, as well as provide light and heat. Especially intense heat can cauterize wounds.[/list]
[hr][center][h2][color=FF0000]Binding Magic[/color][/h2][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/myZqQXV.png?1[/img][/center][list][*][b]Drawing:[/b] Binding magic is unique in that it is primarily a casting school. Drawing is rarely undertaken as it involves not the repurposing of energy but the repurposing of matter by destroying it and using its potential energy. In some cases, this can be used to remove foreign objects from the body and treat patients or to prevent harm. However, the 'blood price' of turning matter into energy is not a reputable form of magic and is strongly discouraged outside of healing utility.
[*][b]Difficulty:[/b] A Binding mage must be highly skilled in the art of drawing, so as not to inflict any harm while removing unwanted matter. She also needs to possess a thorough understanding of the human body and be skilled in the art of converting, for when other -less dangerous - sources of energy are required. Due to the abundance of sources and the horrifying destructive potential of Binding magic if misused, it is only taught at the most prestigious of academies and only to students who pass a rigorous set of tests designed to gauge their intellectual and moral fortitude.
[*][b]Offense:[/b] Binding Magic is not used for offense.
[*][b]Defense:[/b] The ability to covert matter into usable energy, and vise versa, makes Binding a massively powerful school of magic on the defensive side of the ledger. Binding practitioners can destroy enemy projectiles, heal wounds from trivial to fatal, invigorate allies, and materialize barriers for protection.
[*][b]Utility:[/b] There is significant overlap between defense and utility when going the Binding route, but this school of magic remains a powerhouse. The ability to create passages for allies and obstacles for enemies is of considerable use. One may also materialize simple, useful devices. Exceptionally skilled Binders may even 'seal' simple spells by creating items that, when drawn from, release the necessary energy and type of energy for the spell.[/list]
[hr][center][h2][color=BA55D3]Chemical Magic[/color][/h2][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NIu4EtU.png?1[/img][/center][list][*][b]Drawing:[/b] Chemical magic uses the power of chemical reactions as a source. It can use smaller reactions to trigger larger reactions, amplifying the power of the initial spell exponentially and creating a power loop to draw more from. Be careful, though! These can quickly spiral out of control.
[*][b]Offense:[/b] Chemical mages are known for their terrifying array of offensive skills, and these come in two primary varieties: External and Internal. The former focuses on manipulating and often chemically altering the environment to generate powerful reactions in the form of combustion, explosions, and corrosives, which can be further perpetuated for cataclysmic results. The latter focuses on manipulating the biochemical properties of a living target’s body to injure, incapacitate, dominate, or destroy it.
[*][b]Defense:[/b] While they are offensive powerhouses, Chemical mages are markedly weaker on defense, relying predominantly on their ability to keep opponents on the back foot and, at higher skill levels, to deceive and dominate them mentally.
[*][b]Utility:[/b] In terms of utility, Chemical mages possess a plethora of skills beneficial to both themselves and allies, from minor casts augmenting moods and abilities, to transmutation, to powerful healing and even quasi-resurrection spells.[/list]
[hr][center][h2][color=1E90FF]Kinetic Magic[/color][/h2][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/uJJrSK1.png?1[/img][/center][list][*][b]Drawing:[/b] Kinetic Magic uses the power of kinetic energy as a source, meaning that the simple act of anything with mass in motion can power it. It also interacts with less obvious forms of motion and energy, such as sound waves and gravity.
[*][b]Offense:[/b] There are three distinct approaches to kinetic offense. The first seeks to manipulate motion and sound within the environment to use it against the target. The second focuses on offensive drawing and manipulating the target itself. The third approach uses the kinetic energy of the environment to turn the caster’s body into a powerful weapon.
[*][b]Defense:[/b] Defensively, Kinetic magic’s telekinesis can allow its caster to throw objects into the path of attacks to act as shield instead of using them as offense. Additionally, the manipulation of sound is a subtle but powerful tool.
[*][b]Utility:[/b] In terms of utility, the telekinetic abilities of the kinetic school are front and center, though their multifunctional nature makes them potent offensive and defensive tools as well. Kinetic spells can also augment their caster’s movements and help him to levitate, making him a very elusive target.[/list]
[hr][center][h2]Other Magics[/h2][/center][center][h3][color=00FF00]Atomic Magic[/color][/h3][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/48t2JT5.png?1[/img][/center]
Long treated as a sub-school of Arcane and known as 'Deep Arcane', most senior practitioners of The Gift have now come to recognize Atomic Magic as a school in its own right. To draw from this incredibly powerful but near-impossible to master source, one must split or join the very smallest particles of matter imaginable, using the immense power generated to cast spells. The only reason that Atomic Magic has not received official recognition is due to the primacy of Five. There is no God within the Pentad to represent this unofficial school.
[hr][center][h3][color=FF0000]Blood Magic[/color][/h3][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/myZqQXV.png?1[/img][/center]
Blood Magic is simply 'Binding Magic' unbound. Due to its immense destructive potential, extreme ease of use, and the spectre of sealed spells being sold to those not versed in the Gift (thereby breaking the noble classes' stranglehold on magic), the school that should be known as Blood Magic and that should be a foundational school, has instead been tamed. Controlled, regulated, and served with a heaping dose of moralism, Binding Magic - the diluted version taught in academies - is nonetheless considered dangerous and its practitioners carefully watched.
[hr][center][h3][color=FFFFFF]Temporal Magic[/color][/h3][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QKRroEr.png?1[/img][/center]
The average magic caster belongs to an elite group, yet it is rare for even [i]him[/i] to have heard more than rumours about Temporal Magic. Its secrets sealed away in dusty old tomes and locked securely in the vaults of the grandest academies' libraries, this is a forbidden magic to all but the most eminent of masters. Practitioners of the Temporal school - numbering no more than two dozen - draw power from the fabric of spacetime itself, manipulating it in order to teleport and manipulate time. Yet, despite offering such fantastic power, Temporal Magic is rarely used. Some say that there is a price to pay; that it causes 'aberrations': holes in the fabric of reality that can drive those who encounter them to the most horrible of insanities.
[hr][center][h3][color=000000]Dark Magic[/color][/h3][/center][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/oc8fVuQ.png?1[/img][/center]
Some have heard whispers of a yet-more terrifying magic than that of the Temporal school. It is able to create spells from nowhere. It does not need to draw energy or destroy matter or else the energy and matter that it uses is dark, in a sense, like this unknown potential school.[hr][/hider]
[hider=The Rahman-Albanda Scale (RAS) of Magical Capacity][center][h2]A Necessary but Not Absolute Measure[/h2][/center]Developed nearly three hundred years ago by the Arch-Zeno Theofar Rahman and his understudy, Cerise Albanda, the RAS provides a reliable, repeatable, scientific measurement of a person's capacity for The Gift. A massive weight is set spinning and maintained at a set speed by a powerful user (or multiple users) of The Gift in order to generate a specific amount of kinetic energy. Upon a signal, the candidate being tested will draw all of the energy that he can from it and the speed that it slows down to when he is finished will provide a measure of that person's capacity for drawing energy. While the RAS can put a number on how much energy a person is able to safely draw from his surroundings, what it cannot do is give him an absolute measurement of something as abstract as 'power'. Other factors such as drawing range and efficiency, conversion efficiency, spell focusing techniques, environmental and multiplicative effects, and a caster's mastery of a spell all have roles to play. Having a high RAS number certainly doesn't hurt, though. While other factors can change, it is the only one that is more or less immutable. Let's take a bit more of a look, shall we?
[center][h3]What the Numbers Mean[/h3][/center]The RAS is not a linear scale. It's exponential. That means that each whole number on it represents double the power of the one before. Let's say that a hypothetical person with a score of one has a magic capacity of 1. If he had a score of two, he would be twice as powerful and his capacity would also be 2. However, let's say that he's not totally useless in magic and give him a score of three. We now have to double the number 2. That means his capacity for magic is 4. Doubling that again, for someone with a RAS score of four gives us a capacity of 8. Let's look at how the level diverges from the actual capacity as we move further up the scale.

1=1 (effectively no magic) - 27% of people
2=2 (no useful magic) - 43% of people
3=4 (minimum for visible magic) - 22% of people
4=8 (parlor tricks) - 6% of people
5=16 (minimum to recieve training in magic) - 1.5% of people
6=32 (average mage) - 0.3% of people
7=64 (average mage) - 0.15% of people
8=128 (prodigy) - 0.05% of people
9=256 (once in a generation) - 0.000001% of people
10=512 (unreached) - 0% of people

As you can see, a simple whole number score becomes a bit imprecise at higher levels, so we can add decimals to the RAS score, like a 6.5 or a 7.85. Also, while everyone has some degree of ability with The Gift, it isn't noticeable or useful until you score at least a three and you can't be considered for training in The Gift unless you score at least a five. Most actual mages have RAS levels of between six and eight and these comprise only a tiny fraction of the overall population. Anything above an eight is prodigious and exceedingly rare, and anything above a nine would be considered a once-in-a-generation type of talent. No human has ever reached a score of ten. So, as you can see, if you've been accepted to Ersand'Enise, you're in pretty elite company.[/hider]
[hider=An In-Depth Guide to RAS Levels][center][h2]An In-Depth Guide to what Your RAS Level Entails[/h2][/center][b]0.00 - 2.99:[/b] simply can't use magic and can't appreciably sense energies.

[b]3.00 - 3.99:[/b] can vaguely sense energies in their immediate vicinity. Any casting done is of no true utility, however. [i]Ex: Manuel Escarra[/i]

[b]4.00 - 4.49:[/b] can properly sense magic, though not with great clarity or range. Their ability to cast is very rudimentary and they cannot manage much. Most children who manifest the Gift strongly begin around here. [i]Ex: Rita Belvedere[/i]

[b]4.50 - 4.99:[/b] can sense magic with reasonable clarity and range. They can manage small but effectual casts. Most people in this range prefer subtle chemical and illusory magics or those that make use of existing process and devices, enhancing them. Most magusjaegers fall in this range. [i]Ex: Carmillia Carbonneau[/i]

[b]5.00 - 5.49:[/b] are capable of 'proper' magic in both drawing and sensing. Many magusjaegers and maledicts fall here and it is considered the minimum RAS for admission to magic schools. People in this range prefer to augment existing processes and technologies. [i]Ex: Desmond 'Catulus'[/i]

[b]5.50 - 5.99:[/b] are lower tier users who can nonetheless act as 'proper mages' without having to rely on devices and environmental effects to cast most magics. They struggle with more energy-intense schools of magic and spells, however, and still prefer to augment processes and technologies. [i]Ex: Yalen Castel[/i]

[b]6.00 - 6.49:[/b] are considered respectably lower-average in magic circles. While they may not be able to reach the heights of their higher RAS peers, and will generally seek to master schools with amplification effects, they are quite capable of using conventional magics and augmenting is mostly additive instead of essential. [i]Ex: Dorothea Hohnstein[/i]

[b]6.50 - 6.99:[/b] are average mages and capable in magic. They can generally expect to master all schools except for Atomic with proper practice. They struggle with very large draws and casts however, and prefer augmenting with environmental and other effects when they can. [i]Ex: Seung Eun-Ji[/i]

[b]7.00 - 7.49:[/b] are above average mages and sought after for their skills. They tend not to rely on augmenting as they have enough RAS to use magic as they please with the exception of Atomic. [i]Ex: Kaspar Elstrøm[/i]

[b]7.50 - 7.99:[/b] are strong mages who are capable of reaching Zeno rank at most magic academies. Relatively rare, their ability to draw offensively as well as cast is pronounced. In terms of everyday and combat magics there is little that their RAS prevents them from doing. [i]Ex: Zarina Al-Nader[/i]

[b]8.00 - 8.49:[/b] are a very rare and also heterogenous bunch. At the lower end, they perform similarly to those just below them. Towards the upper echelons of this scale, they are capable of mastering the Atomic school as well as considerable feats of spacetime warping. Most Zenos fall within this range. [i]Ex: Ingrid Penderson[/i]

[b]8.50 - 8.99:[/b] are the rarest of magic users that one can expect to see outside of Academy grounds. These are the strongest of strong mages, capable of masterful feats across all schools. Nearly all human magic users of this level pursue a career in magic and most Arch-Zenos fall under this range. [i]Ex: Joshe Intaba[/i]

[b]9.00 - 9.49:[/b] there are usually no more than a half-dozen of these at most in the world at any given time. Nearly all become legendary. Their abilities with magic appear to transcend the limits of what more mundane individuals believe to be possible. [i]Ex: Jocasta Re[/i]

[b]9.50 - 9.99:[/b] In the annals of history, there have been precisely three magic users ever to reach this level: Fradje Ironshaper, Enna Lantisca, and Hugo Hunghorasz, and the first only did so as a Mooncaster. They have quite literally shaped the world that we live in. Enough said. [i]Ex: Hugo Hunghorasz[/i]
[/hider]
[hider=The Origin and Workings of Magic][center][h2]Why You Can Use The Gift[/h2][/center]A mage's ability to wield magic comes from a process of drawing, containing, (converting), and casting, which will be covered in more depth in the next article. The first and most important aspect of the magical process, however, is the act of drawing energy from your environment. Humans and yasoi do this through the use of 'Manas', which are single-celled organisms that live within their bloodstreams. The manas form a symbiotic relationship with their host, using him or her for protection as they feed on energy directly, drawing it in interdermally. However, a mage is able to sense energies through his or her relationship with the manas and can train fine mental and muscle control in order to use the manas to draw, contain, and expel energy. This is the basis of magic. Important points below:
[list][*]The more manas that you have in your bloodstream the more energy that you can draw, contain, and expel. This is your capacity, as measure on the RAS.
[*]This isn't uniform across the population, of course. For reasons as yet unknown, some people have a higher Mana Density than others. 
[*]Larger people have more blood, which means that, if two people have comparable mana densities, the larger person will have more manas overall and, thus, a higher capacity and RAS.
[*]Since women are generally smaller than men, this would seem to put them at a disadvantage. However, for reasons unknown, manas seem to demonstrate a slight preference for women over men, which generally serves to balance out the disadvantage of being smaller.
[*]This may be due to pregnancy. The amount of blood in a woman's body rises by about 50% when she's pregnant. This essentially gives the manas more room to populate as well as a new host, whose nascent bloodstream they also quickly populate. It further means that, temporarily, a pregnant woman will have a significantly higher capacity than usual. Often, for a period immediately after she gives birth, her capacity will dip precipitously before returning to pre-pregnancy levels.
[*]There are different species of manas as well, and this is covered in another article below. However, at present manas are known only to inhabit the bloodstreams of all species of the genus 'homo', some larger primates, dragons, and species of birds such as owls and corvids.[/list][/hider]
[hider=Sensing, Drawing, and Casting Range][center][h2]Sensing, Drawing, and Casting Range[/h2][/center]As the march of technology progresses, allowing humans and yasoi ever greater comfort and convenience, many natural processes have been enhanced and unnatural ones created. Stubbornly resisting this march and - to a degree - the understanding of natural philosophers, is the sensing, drawing, and casting of magic. Of particular importance is the range at which one can take these actions. In today's day and age, as the effective range of personal firearms approaches that of most magic casters, the future of the mage in warfare and - by extension - other endeavors has been called into question. What follows is a brief overview of the topic.

[u][b]Sensing[/b][/u]
The range at which a magic user can sense energies relates to their RAS, any special conditions or manas (such as Tethered manas), and the amount of energy they are sensing. Think of it like sound: the louder the sound, the further that you can hear it from. Think of your RAS like ears: the higher your RAS, the better your hearing. However, inverse to the exponential relationship between RAS and ability to contain energy, there are diminishing returns the higher that one gets in terms of sensing and an eventual plateau.

[u][b]Drawing[/b][/u]
The same essential rules apply for drawing as they do for sensing. The larger the source, the further that you can draw from it. There is much less or a relationship here between RAS and range, however, though individuals with higher RAS levels do tend to enjoy a small range advantage. Generally, a magic user's maximum drawing range rarely falls outside the vicinity of two to three hundred meters. 

[u][b]Casting[/b][/u]
Casting follows rules very similar to drawing, though the power of what is being cast is inverse to what is being drawn. Essentially, it is easier to stretch the range of spells that use little energy a bit further than those that use a great deal. While range is similar to that of drawing, one can use environmental factors, ignition processes, and launch projectiles with momentum that carries them further. 
[/hider]
[hider=Overdrawing][center][h2]Effects of Overdrawing[/h2][/center]As a magic user draws energy, the manas in her bloodstream fill with it and expand to contain it, essentially inflating. The more that there are, the less that each one will have to inflate to draw the amount of energy that the magic user wishes. She will be considered to have reached her capacity once all of her manas have expanded to the point where they are about to become overstressed. When manas are overstressed, their cell walls begin to deteriorate. This has the following effects: firstly, they become slower at drawing and expelling energy, resulting in slower spell usage. They die off more quickly, resulting in temporary dips in capacity as they repopulate. In the short term, however, a mana that is stressed enough and filled with enough energy will simply burst. If enough manas within a blood vessel burst, that blood vessel will burst. If blood vessels in essential areas - like the brain - burst, then the magic user may suffer serious injury or even die. However, there are warning signs before the worst effects take place, and these should be heeded by all mages. We'll illustrate these with a case study below:
[list][*]Anna Sigmundottir is an Arcane Mage with a RAS score of 7.20. 
[*]In order to have enough energy for most of her everyday spells she will probably have to draw up to between 4-6. She won't need to make use of her full capacity on a regular basis.
[*]However, Anna likes really big explosions. She wants to cast a large fireball and draws up to about 7.00: close to her full capacity.
[*]When she does this, Anna will probably start to feel a weird sort of pressure as all of her manas inflate to very near their full capacity and her blood pressure increases as a result.
[*]Anna decides that she wants even more power, because you can never have too much destruction.
[*]She draws right up to her capacity of 7.20. Her manas are at full stretch. Their cell walls are starting to deteriorate.
[*] Anna will likely start to develop a headache. Things will feel a bit faint and fuzzy and she might be lightheaded.
[*]Wisely, Anna releases the energy and casts a massive fireball, eyes sparkling with dark glee, reveling in the carnage which she hath wrought.
[*]However, Anna loves destruction so much that, a short while later, she starts drawing for another huge fireball and, this time, she ignores her body's warning signs and continues drawing energy past her capacity.
[*]As she passes it, her manas start to burst. At first, there is no outward sign of this.
[*]However, once a few in a given blood vessel (especially smaller blood vessels) start to burst, that blood vessel itself bursts.
[*]The result is that Anna starts bruising in random places. She develops hematomas. Her headache and dizziness intensify as she draws past 7.25 and she begins to hear a ringing in her ears.
[*]As she nears 7.30, Anna has lost a significant number of manas, which will take a while to repopulate. 
[*]At 7.30, she is in mortal danger, all for the payoff of a spicy fireball. What a maroon! She gets a nosebleed. Her eyes become bloodshot.
[*]All it will take at this point is a burst blood vessel in the wrong place - such as in a major artery or in her brain, and Anna could suffer a debilitating injury or even die.
[*]If she's lucky, she'll faint first, but that's not a guarantee. Mages [i]have[/i] overdrawn themselves to death.
[*]In the event, Anna gets lucky and faints. The energy starts leaking out of her, but not quickly enough.
[*]Fortunately, another mage is there to siphon some of the excess energy from her before further damage is done.
[*]Anna has pushed her capabilities to their very limit, but all that she has gained from it is a splitting headache, nosebleed, and multiple bruises. She has not expanded her capacity and has, in fact, temporarily reduced it. Your RAS is your RAS and everybody knows that you can't just increase it by 'training hard'.[/list][/hider]
[hider=The Limits and Utility of Offensive Drawing][center][h2]No, You Can't Just Draw Your Opponent to Death[/h2][/center]As they become more acquainted with the Gift, most mages will learn, either by accident or with intent, that they can draw from other living things. However, they may mind it noticeably more difficult to draw from people (humans and yasoi) and, in particular, to draw from other advanced magic users. It is an established fact that, since the human body both generates and contains multiple types of energy, mages can draw from other mages. However, in practice, this can prove extremely difficult. The reason why is that manas naturally want to hold onto energy at all costs and see the energy contained in their host as 'their' energy. They're quasi-territorial about it and only the mage that controls them is really able to exert enough direct influence to force them to release energy. It's an important part of that symbiotic relationship. What this means is that drawing from other people with an appreciable capacity is a tug of war: your manas (from a distance) vs their manas. If you have a higher capacity, you can pull with a magical strength and 'leverage' that you opponent simply can't, and you'll gradually gain ground, especially if you're the more skilled drawer. This is massively inefficient, however, and exacerbated by the fact that drawing isn't instant and the time that it takes increases with distance. You can probably tear away a bit of energy, but anyone with even the barest understanding of magic will notice quickly before you have the chance to do much of substance, and they'll counter you if they're able. The only times when you can smoothly draw from another mage are if you're orders of magnitude stronger or if that other mage has overdrawn and their manas are dead, damaged, or completely worn out.[/hider]
[hider=The Process of Spellcasting][center][h2]Draw > Contain > Convert > Cast[/h2][/center]
The power of a mage is based upon a number of factors, but the four steps above are the essentials of any spell, though conversion is optional for some. We've already touched on capacity and schools of magic, so let's take a closer look at exactly how using The Gift works and how one can use it more effectively.
[hr][center][h3]Spell Power Determinants[/h3][/center][list][*][b]Capacity [/b]– all magic users have a capacity for energy that their body can process at a given moment. Effectively, the higher the capacity (as measured by the RAS), the more energy that can be drawn in, contained, and expelled. While other skills can be learned, this one is innate. While it increases as you grow, once you're an adult, your capacity is what it is.
[*][b]Reading [/b]– Energy exists in a number of forms in nature and artificially: kinetic, arcane (thermal and radiative), chemical, blood (metabolic and matter-based), magnetic, and deep arcane (nuclear). The better that a mage is at reading energy sources, the more ready a supply of energy for spells he will have.
[*][b]Drawing [/b]– the energy that a magic user relies upon originates in her surroundings. She must be able to sense it, grasp it, and draw it to herself in order to utilize it for casting spells. Drawing is the first active step in transferring the energy from its origin to its eventual target, using the mage as a conduit and, at times, a temporary accumulator.
[*][b]Containment [/b]- For a period either brief or long, the magic user must contain the drawn energy within herself, and containing large amounts for long periods can be dangerous. It often manifests itself as a sort of pressure that one feels inside, and a mounting headache. Energy contatinend for too long also tends to 'leak out' into one's surroundings and gradually dissipate. 
[*][b]Conversion [/b]– Energy for use in spells can be drawn from a multitude of different types of sources: kinetic (motion, gravity, and sound), arcane (thermal and radiative), chemical, magnetic, blood (potential energy and matter-based), and 'deep arcane' (atomic). Normally, a spell simply intensifies and redirects that energy towards a preferred target. However, with training, a mage can store the drawn energy temporarily and expel it as a different type.
[*][b]Efficiency [/b]– energy must be pulled from surroundings, contained, (potentially connverted), and then expelled (cast). Energy is not easy to control, and may escape the grasp of the magic user during any of these stages. Maximizing the amount of energy retained through each results in more powerful spells. Basically, the process is as follows: Draw Efficiency >> Containment Efficiency >> Conversion Efficiency >> Expulsion (Cast) Efficiency.
[*][b]Focus Words[/b] - This is the spoken part of any spell. It is not strictly necessary, but many mages like to use this for more complex or energy-intense spells. Basically, having a routine of prescribed words that correspond to what one is doing can help with maintaining focus and ensuring efficiency.
[*][b]Preservation [/b]– Drawing, containing, and casting large amounts of energy is often dangerous to the human body, so a mage must spend a certain amount of focus and energy on protecting himself. This is usually accomplished through projection of spells away from the body, or the casting of small counterspells. 
[*][b]Freecasting [/b]– Preservation when casting is often achieved through use of a wand or staff that acts as a focus point for the spell away from the body. In fact, many magic users do not know how to cast any other way. However, with the right protection in place, it is possible to cast without the use of an instrument or focus point, giving the magic user far greater flexibility.
[*][b]Multiplying [/b]– The energy released by a spell can cause secondary and tertiary effects in the environment, which skilled mages should learn to anticipate and benefit from. Possessing a keen awareness of the potential for these effects and tailoring one’s spells to take advantage of them can multiply the energy output of a cast exponentially.  
[*][b]Spatial Intensifying (Impact Focusing)[/b] – When bursts of energy are diffused over too large of an area, their impact is diluted. A skilled mage can increase their intensity by forcing all of the energy into a small focus point and maintaining that focus all of the way through spell completion. 
[*][b]Temporal Intensifying (Impact Bursting)[/b] – Drawing energy can take a considerable amount of time. While expelling energy is a faster, simpler process, there still tends to be a power curve. This effectively weakens the spell, as the total amount of energy is not used all at once. A disciplined and well-trained mage can release all of her energy in a very short burst to ensure that it reaches its objective with maximum impact.[/list][/hider]
[hider=Mana Blood Types][center][h3]Primary Mana Types[/h3][/center]The factors that cause The Gift to manifest within individuals were, until recently, completely unknown. Thanks to the emergence of the New Sciences and the invention of the microscope, we now know that magical ability is a result of a symbiotic relationship between a human or yasoi and microscopic creatures known as Manas that inhabit his bloodstream. The exact mechanisms by which they come to be there and by which they manipulate energy remain mysterious for the time being. However, scientists have also discovered that there are fundamentally three different types of Manas and that every person alive has one of the three:
[list][*][b][u]Blueblood[/u][/b]: 9%, often found in high noble lineages, 1/11 people – Bluebloods simply tend to be more powerful than other types of mages, with RAS capacities rarely below 7.5. They can draw and expel (cast) prodigious volumes of energy. However, they often struggle somewhat with containment and efficiency, though these obstacles are not insurmountable with the right training and dedication.
[*][b][u]Blackblood[/u][/b]: 33%, mainly found in noble lineages, 1/3 people – This is most mages. There are no particular benefits or drawbacks associated with being a blackblood.
[*][b][u]Redblood (Baseborn)[/u][/b]: 58%, mainly found in non-noble lineages, ~1/2 people – these are people from non-magical lineages who manifest magical power. This is often (but not always) of negligible capacity, but they have a higher chance of manifesting a second, rare Mana type.
[*][u][b]Goldblood[/b][/u]: Almost always found in Eeaiko (though rarely in Hegelans and Sirrahi), it is their most common primary type by an overwhelming margin. The Goldblood manas allow them to more easily combine their draws and casts. As a result, their combo spells are extremely versatile and often take their opponents by surprise. However, capacities are often modest, rarely exceeding 7.25.
[*][u][b]Silverblood[/b][/u]: Only found in Sirrahi and Meerami, this type repulses and rejects incoming energies originating from other manas, dissipating them. Both a great strength and weakness.
[*][u][b]Bronzeblood[/b][/u]: Only found in Hegelans, this type is notable for its quick draw and cast turnaround and extreme cast efficiency, aggressively expelling every last bit of energy and leaking virtually none during travel to target. Draw efficiency is also fairly high, but capacities are often modest, rarely topping 6.50.[/list][center][h3]Secondary Mana Types[/h3][/center]In addition to one's Primary Manas, some individuals also possess a secondary Mana type which is additive to their primary type and just represents a different breed of manas living within their bloodstream. These secondary types often come with very specific benefits and drawbacks and can be found in about twenty percent of magic users. Below are all of the types so far definitively identified by science and the names ascribed to those people who manifest them.

[list][*][u][b]Fireblood[/b][/u]: mainly in lineages from West Severa, 20/1000 magic users – Firebloods are masters of offensive magic, particularly from the arcane, chemical, and blood schools. Their resistance to magnetic spells covers Chemical’s traditional weakness. They are resistant to hot temperatures and being burned, not having to worry about wasting energy on preservation, but their power levels are often modest, very rarely exceeding 7.25.
[*][u][b]Icevein[/b][/u]: often in families from Rettand, 10/1000 magic users – Iceveins are masters of defensive magic, particularly against arcane, kinetic, and chemical draws. They can draw heat out of targets and slow movement with exceptional ease. They are resistant to cold temperatures and to being frozen, however, their base power levels are often modest, very rarely exceeding 7.25.
[*][u][b]Bloodchild[/b][/u]: appears universal, but often in children revived using blood magic, 24/1000 magic users – Bloodchildren are almost always albino, and are excellent at drawing from matter and at matter reconstitution. They possess a natural proclivity for Binding Magic, but some secretly dabble in Blood Magic. They have an alarming tendency to self-damage and to damage allies when not careful with their drawing.
[*][u][b]Skyborn:[/b][/u] often in lineages from East Constantia, 36/1000 magic users – Skyborn are generally light on their feet, can self-levitate easily, take a long time to physically tire, and are excellent at evasion. However, they struggle greatly with spells that involve weight and recoil.
[*][u][b]Truecaster[/b][/u]: often in lineages from Torragon, Joru, and Firraz, 10/1000 magic users – Truecasters are hobbled by their inability to convert. They can only cast from the same school that they draw from, rendering them inflexible and predictable. However, they compensate by way of prodigious raw power, with capacities almost always over 8.00.
[*][u][b]Thunderchild[/b][/u]: often in families from South Constantia, 42/1000 magic users – Thunderchildren are highly susceptible to magnetic charges and pick them up easily. This makes them extremely powerful with Magnetic Magic. However, they must always be careful to maintain a balanced charge for fear of significant self-injury.
[*][u][b]Leadvein[/b][/u]: mainly in lineages from Belzagg and East Severa, 32/1000 – Leadveins are generally solid and balanced. They can safely draw and contain half again the amount of kinetic energy that their capacity would usually allow. They can impart this into physical blows and tend to be highly self-damage resistant. However, they tend to tire easily and can struggle to control their own kinetic force.
[*][u][b]Timewalker[/b][/u]: only in yasoi bloodlines, 2/1000 - Timewalkers are rare and both valued and feared in most yasoi cultures. They demonstrate a natural aptitude for temporal drawing, innately sensing what takes many mages years to master (and which most never do). Many also seem to be able to intuitively manipulate the time stream in minor ways, speeding up or slowing its flow locally in a manner similar to special relativity. Those who master their abilities can learn to project their consciousness forward or backward in time. However, they seem to suffer for these skills by being a magnet for aberrations, which often appear around them and sometimes directly in their paths. Few Timewalkers remain sane into old age and some even have to be put down.
[*][u][b]Greengrowth[/b][/u]: In select bloodlines from Crisia and Perrence, 8/1000 - When drawing, Greengrowths are naturally and sometimes purposely inefficient, imbuing their surroundings with enriched energy and stimulating rapid growth of plants and animals as well as encouraging the growth of manas and resultantly causing babies to be born with a higher RAS level. 
[*][u][b]Devourer[/b][/u]: Most often in West Severa, 6/1000 - Devourers are notable for having generally high capacities (over 7.6) but being slow at drawing. Their manas are highly aggressive toward foreign or invasive substances, relentlessly attacking them. This is a double-edged sword, as it sometimes leads to severe and unwarranted allergic reactions. At its best, however, it renders Devourers virtually immune to all forms of poison and most forms of illness and disease.
[*][u][b]Manatracer[/b][/u]: Most common in  Sawand, Vossoriya, and Xolectoxo, individuals with this type of mana possess the rare ability to sense and draw from energies along the fourth dimension, which is to say: time. They have not only a (rather standard) physical range, but also a temporal range, being able to interact with energy from the past, present, and future. Unfortunately, their recovery time between draws and casts can be quite long.
[*][u][b]Agitator[/b][/u]: this blood type is quite widespread, particularly along the Ensollian coasts. It allows its bearers to excite the molecules in their drawing and (non-magic-using) casting targets as their manas interact with these, accelerating chemical reactions and possibly state changes.
[*][u][b]Oceanborn[/b][/u]: most common in Eeaiko and Meerami, but present in some human populations of Callanast and Rettand, these manas exert pressure matching their surroundings (water or air) and undertake constant chemical magic while underwater, breaking down the molecular structure of water to create breathable bubbles of air.
[*][u][b]Blackrot[/b][/u]: A thematic opposite to greengrowth, this type is most common in humans and yasoi from Malabash, Virang, and Tarlon. Blackrots are known for their very aggressive and efficient drawing, often seeking out and finding additional energy sources and drawing so aggressively that they damage these, in a manner not dissimilar to offensive blood drawing. 
[*][u][b]Glowvein[/b][/u]: Most common in far east Constantia, glowvein manas bombard the air with energies that target radiative matter, protecting their bearer from harmful radiation.
[*][u][b]Venomhand[/b][/u]: explosively kills manas belonging to others with a physical touch of five seconds of longer. Otherwise causes them to respond unreliably if within twenty meters.
[*][u][b]Sensemaster[/b][/u]: can heighten or dull any and all of their senses or those of people they touch. Can manipulate senses.
[*][u][b]Limitbreaker[/b][/u]: a mana type where if you draw past your limit, your manas protect themselves by violently expelling the energy in the form of an uncontrolled AoE.
[*][u][b]Skinspeaker[/b][/u]: a mana that resides in the upper layers of your skin. It enhances your sense of touch and makes you extra sensitive to vibrations and movement. 
[*][u][b]Timeracer[/b][/u]: a variant of Timewalker that has spread to humans. It is exclusively bound to the forward flow of time, meaning that somebody with these manas is able to separate themselves from the timestream around them, moving forward through it either quicker or slower than their surroundings (or is it their surroundings that move at a different pace?). Due to most people's lack of self-control, this often leads to artificially rapid aging and severe mental health issues. 
[*][u][b]Dualblood[/b][/u]: because of twins' shared genetics and the fact that both individuals' manas sprung from a single colony, they are able to freely interact and exchange energy in a manner similar to Goldbloods. They also often help their bearers exchange other information such as mood, impulses, warnings, and images.
[*][u][b]Moodcaster[/b][/u]: These manas are affected by the biochemicals in the bloodstream, with different emotions boosting facets of casting such as capacity, drawing speed, casting speed, efficiency, or containment.
[*][u][b]Titanblood[/b][/u]: It is said there once was a mana type that directly transformed its hosts in the same vein as Sanguinaires and Wildbloods. However, rather than turn their hosts into monsters, the manas simply made them grow... larger. Perhaps it was an evolutionary accident that allowed manas to create more "living space" for themselves by inducing gigantism in their hosts.
[*][b][u]Glutton[/u][/b] - The main mana colony resides within the host's digestive system. This allows them to digest organic materials that would normally be inedible, such as tree bark and even decaying matter. Food is digested several times faster than a normal person and processed into nutrients just as quickly, giving them an accelerated healing factor and an instant energy boost that scales with calories consumed. However, the host's appetite is insatiable. They grow hungry at least twice as quickly.
[*][b][u]Rosebud[/u][/b] - The host's pheromones are permanently altered by the manas to make them more attractive to members of the same species, regardless of gender. In general, everyone will be a bit friendlier to the host even if they consider themselves an enemy. If full control over the mana is achieved, one can give hypnotic suggestions without the aid of magic and even create willing thralls out of those with high levels of infatuation. 
[/list][center][h3]Viral Mana Types[/h3][/center]For reasons unknown but suspected to be related to territoriality and the nature of mana symbiosis, a magic user can only support a maximum of two types of manas. However, there exist mana 'viruses' that are not true secondary mana types. These infect the primary manas, changing their effects and abilities. In theory, if one has a mana virus, he or she could appear to manifest two 'secondary manas', even though one is, of course, simply the primary type being repurposed. Usually, mana viruses are innate and one is born with them. However, there are a handful of confirmed cases of people contracting a mana virus via fluid exchange.
[list][*][u][b]Mooncaster[/b][/u]: in select lineages from Eskand, 5/10000 magic users – Mooncasters are extremely rare, and often possess heightened senses and reflexes. Their base power levels are often quite low, rarely exceeding 6.25. However, they grow exponentially more powerful depending on the position and brightness of the five moons. Given the right position, a mediocre 6.00 on the RAS with a capacity of 32 can become a monstrous 9.25 with a capacity of 320. 
[*][u][b]Greyborn[/b][/u]: usually in families from Tarlon or southwest Callanast, 4/10000 - Greyborn are a mystery to modern natural science because they seem to break the established laws of magic. These strange, doomed individuals possess the otherwise unheard-of ability to not have to draw magic from any visible source. It simply seems to come out of nowhere for them and they never have to worry about supply. However, the dark side of this is that they are often only semi-corporeal. Once they hit puberty, Greyborn begin to phase in and out of reality, becoming ghostlike and near-invisible. To some degree, they can control this and use it to their advantage. It is near-impossible to strike a Greyborn who doesn't wish to be struck. However, while phased out, they also seem to lose the ability to cast spells of any real power. The worst part of all is that, as time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to remain corporeal. Eventually, all Greyborn fade away, and very few live to see forty. 
[*][u][b]Sunblessed[/b][/u]: only in lineages from West Callanast, 20/10000 - Sunblessed are a rare phenomenon and, until recently, one unknown to Constantian and Severan study. These people are renowned for their abilities with light and heat, however this is merely a byproduct of the fact that they are forced to use the sun as their most common drawing source and so become more innately familiar with the Arcane School. Their real power is that they don't actually have a hard capacity limit, their manas rapidly reproducing as they draw. The other side of this is that they are virtually unable to draw from traditional sources, only being able to passively and gradually absorb energy.
[*][u][b]Tethered[/b][/u]: mostly in lineages from the Ensollian Basin, 20/10000 (more common in females) - Until recently, Tethered was recognized not as a viral mana type, but as a disease (the Tethering). It is the only viral mana type with effects that are considered overwhelmingly negative. First becoming evident a couple of years before puberty, Tethered manas integrate themselves into the nervous system, granting their users immense drawing and casting range and incredibly fine control. However, Tethered gradually lose sensation and movement, starting in the feet and working up to the head, at which point, they die. It is rare for a Tethered to live past age thirty. Given the common belief that the disease is hereditary, having a Tethered child damages the marriage prospects of the family. As a result, they are often either euthanized or reported deceased and sent to special 'refuges' to live out their days under pseudonyms.
[*][u][b]Powergazer[/b][/u]: mostly in lineages from the Ensollian Basin, 15/10000 (more common in males) - As much a curse as a blessing, this viral mana type infects the eyes directly, rendering those with it blind in the traditional sense. Instead, their eyes change, becoming dark and porous. Unlike most mages, who gain a dull sense of agglomerations of energy, Powergazers can 'see' by sensing all of the energies around them with great clarity: size, shape, and type. They can also draw and expel energy at an extremely rapid rate using their eyes as apertures. 
[*][u][b]Festerblood[/b][/u]: Found mainly in Callanast and Missai, these manas reproduce quickly and endlessly, gradually cutting off circulation first in extremities and protrusions and then in more essential tissues over time. They offer very high capacities that only increase with time, but tend to be uncooperative, leading to underperformance despite RAS levels often above 8.25. Exceptionally skilled individuals may be able to manage the deterioration caused by this virus, localizing it.
[*][u][b]Deadhead[/b][/u]: Related to Festerblood and Sanguinaire, deadheads display extreme aggression, heightened reflexes, instincts, and senses, and loss of higher cognitive function. Feeding on living tissue, deadhead manas compel their host to draw from it. Barring this, they draw from their own host, gradually destroying his or her body.
[*][u][b]Brutalist[/b][/u]: unable to draw or cast outside of melee range: usually requires physical contact. Unusually hardy and slow at drawing. Can cast with up to double their capacity.
[*][u][b]Wildblood[/b][/u]: contracted from wild animals with mana. Manas permeate the body, leading to greatly enhanced capabilities and lifespan, but destabilized genetic structures and DNA. Under four or more full moons, the manas gain strength and try to 'hijack' the body and restructure it to match the animal they originally inhabited.
[*][u][b]Sanguinaire[/b][/u]: Turns manas non-territorial, allowing all and any to be assimilated (even simultaneously) if a target's blood is consumed. Noticeably heightened physical capabilities and lengthened lifespan. Need regular blood consumption to maintain. Photosensitivity.
[*][u][b]Stoneskin[/b][/u]: resists all forms of internal magic, suffers from 33% reduced drawing range and speed.
[*][u][b]Lifestealer[/b][/u]: A dangerous mutation of Wildblood. If a Lifestealer's manas are able to make it into a new host's body, they will gradually corrupt that person's genetic material, causing him or her to transform into an exact copy of their original host, down to memories, learned skills, and existing brain chemistry. 
[*][u][b]Facemimic[/b][/u]: A mana type that is able to latch onto foreign manas and convert the surrounding cells to transform  into a copy of the other manas' host. The targets must have an at least somewhat similar DNA make-up.  Makes for near instant identification of mages: RAS, manatypes.  Transformation is slow and often painful, if too many foreign manas are consumed, the transformation runs the risk of becoming permanent.
[*][u][b]Chaosgrasper[/b][/u]: An extreme mutation of Agitator where manas are hyperactive in sensing to the point where they constantly imperfectly draw. This disrupts all nearby energies, making accurate sensing and drawing difficult for all around you... and yourself.[/list][/hider]
[hider=Manipulable Mediums][center][h3]Solids[/h3][/center] 
Often very heavy due to their high density, but capable of maintaining a fully cohesive shape, solids usually require a very large amount of built up energy to be expended to move. However, since they maintain their own shape, they require no extra concentration or energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. rocks, trees, clothes, living things
- Sometimes, an unchanging shape can be a problem, as solids cannot be manipulated as finely.
[center][h3]Liquids[/h3][/center]
Often somewhat heavy due to their density, but capable of maintaining only a partially cohesive shape, liquids usually require a fairly large amount of built up energy to move. Since they cannot maintain a fully cohesive shape, they also require some concentration and a lesser amount of energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. water, blood, chemicals, drinks
- Sometimes, it is easy for a mage to lose control of a large volume of liquid
[center][h3]Gases[/h3][/center]
Often quite light due to their low density, but incapable of maintaining any sort of cohesive shape, gases usually require a fairly small amount of built up energy to move. However, since they cannot maintain any kind of cohesive shape, they also require considerable concentration and energy in order to hold them together. 
- E.g. air, smoke, water vapour, helium
- While easy to manipulate, it is hard to do much by manipulating air alone and directly.
[center][h3]Plasmas[/h3][/center]
Often virtually weightless due to their extremely low density, but actively resisting any sort of cohesive shape, plasmas usually require virtually no built up energy to move. However, since they are charged and resist a cohesive shape, they also require exceptional concentration and energy in order to hold them together.
- E.g. fire, lightning, electric sparks, stars
- Impossible to control completely, and requires constant sources of energy to maintain it.[/hider]
[hider=Animals and Magic][center][h2]Animals and Magic[/h2][/center]
For reasons unknown, manas seem to form symbiotic relationships with sentient animals only, such as humans, yasoi, and sirrahi. There are, however, a handful of exceptions to this:

[u][b]Corvids:[/b][/u] the most intelligent of bird species, these seem to commonly have some basic use of magic in navigation, hunting, and threat recognition, though they don't understand it as such.

[u][b]Primates:[/b][/u] some of the closest relatives of humans and yasoi display a primitive use of active magic. In some cases, they have even been taught basic spellcasting by skilled mages with... nothing better to do.

[u][b]Delphinidae:[/b][/u] dolphins are known to have a degree of mana usage and some understanding of how to employ magic to sense energies and self-enhance as they hunt or avoid predators. Evidence for any sort of active spellcasting, however, is limited.

[u][b]Pachyderms:[/b][/u] it is not uncommon to see elephants, mammoths, and mastodons with manas, though they tend not to employ these actively, instead, often passively augmenting their metabolic processes and movement. Those that do so most effectively are usually the leaders of herds.

[u][b]Cephalopods:[/b][/u] many species are known magic users, often using basic spells to enhance their natural abilities. The largest species - the fifteen meter in diameter Black Abyssal - is often the cause of sea monster sightings.

[b][u]Procyonids:[/u][/b] the common raccoon sometimes harbours manas it its bloodstream and there is some evidence that these crafty animals use them to sense energy and provide an early warning of opportunities and dangers.

[b][u]Boidae:[/u][/b] passive mana usage has been observed in some large species of snake belonging to this subfamily, particularly as regards sensing and metabolism. 

[b][u]Testudines:[/u][/b] some very long-lived species of turtle and tortoise have occasionally been known to support manas, though this appears relatively rare and they do not appear to use them for anything.

[u][b]Dragons:[/b][/u] All larger dragons have mana and a handful of the more intelligent species are known to actively use magic in their hunting, particularly to allow for offensive weaponry such as fiery or corrosive breath.[/hider]
[hider=Magic in the Natural Sciences]Coming Soon[/hider]
[hider=Magic in Arts and Culture]Coming Soon[/hider]
[hider=Magic in Warfare and Dueling][center][h2]Magic in Warfare[/h2][/center]For as long as humans and yasoi have used magic, it has been a part of warfare. In the present day, depending on culture, battlefield, size of the conflict, and objectives, magic users are deployed in a number of different ways. This post will seek to shed some light on the most common tactics, effects, and unit types.
[center][h3]Effect on the Course of Battles[/h3][/center]Warfare in the early modern period has been defined by a marked shift away from heavy armour and smaller, more elite forces. Much of this is due to the continuing development of firearms. Where once heavy plate armour protected its wearer from swords, arrows, and projectiles hurled by Kinetic mages, a levied foot soldier who was a farmer one month ago can now pierce his breastplate from one hundred yards away. Add to this the danger of wearing metallic armour when magnetic mages share a battlefield with you, and it's little surprise that this sort of materiel has very much seen its day come and go. The magus, however, has remained a powerful and elite unit in warfare, favoured by the nobility over even the cavalry (and often mounted anyhow), and capable of quickly dealing devastating blows to an enemy force if left unchecked.

In practice, what this often leads to is a high-stakes shadow game played between the two armies' mageries where each seeks to score a ferocious blow against the opposing side's infantry, cavalry, and artillery while nullifying its opposition. These are intense battles that demand immense situational awareness, focus, and rapid reaction time. Attacks both visible and invisible, are launched at the mages and at regular troops and must be responded to immediately while also probing for gaps in the enemy's defences. A strong internal chemical mage is often needed to maintain the calm, focus, and courage of his peers, but almost always finds himself a favoured target of his his enemies on the other side of the field.

In many cases, the pivotal action of a battle is what is referred to as 'breaking through'. This is when one magery manages to gain the upper hand enough on the other that they can launch uncountered attacks on the regular troops. At that point, unless something changes very seriously or very quickly, or unless it was only a momentary lapse quickly corrected, the battle is essentially over. It is more or less checkmate in the sense of, "My mages have you over a barrel. Retire from the field or face the consequences."
[center][h3]Unit Types and Tactics[/h3][/center]If the above description gives the impression that the magery inevitably fights in massed groups like the infantry and cavalry, then that is in error. Many do congregate, especially Magnetic specialists, who feed off of each other's charges to generate colossal lightning attacks. If there are thunderclouds in the sky, this becomes a nigh unstoppable strike force and an army with a strong Magnetic corps will look to press the battle while one without will usually demur, delay, and attempt to fight only once the skies have cleared. However, not all mages fight en masse. There are - by necessity - smaller corps and even pairs or individuals who are given prerogative to roam the battlefield freely. 

Binding mages, acting as healers, are among these. Those who operate behind the lines do so in groups and are considered sacrosanct under the rules of war, but many go into the field not only to tend to the wounded on the front lines, but take an active part in stymieing the enemy's attacks and drawing unneeded mater and repurposing it to create bullets and weapons for their own side.

Stealthy types, such as Arcane Illusionists and Internal Chemists, also often work alone or in small squads, trying to infiltrate the enemy lines and score a decisive blow. Similarly, combat Kineticists tend not to be part of the general magery, but they are a far blunter instrument, charging headlong into the general melee, drawing from their foes and empowering their strikes, often at the head of skirmishers or infantry units during a final charge. This is far different from their Deep and Distance Kinetic brethren, who prefer to work together to generate massive kinetic pushes, sonic bursts, and hurl large objects in support of Destruction-specialized Arcanists and Chemists.

However, if one side is able to muster an Atomic Mage, it is usually cause for the other side to retreat unless they have a suitable counter. Often, this takes the form of a powerful Internal Chemist or Arcane Illusionist who can score a quick and decisive victory. In practice, however, an Atomic mage is a massively valuable unit and is well protected by Illusionists and Chemists of his own, as well as dreadfully powerful spells that make approaching him a highly unlikely proposition. 
[center][h3]Non-Magic Units[/h3][/center]Yet, mages are far from the only effective unit on the field of war. Ever since gunpowder was invented, originally as a reagent for Chemical Magic spells, it has been a tool of great use. Once the musket came into being, the size of armies exploded. Instead of skilled knights and longbowmen, sometimes paired with levies of common drudges who are woefully underequipped and minimally effective, the common soldier possesses more killing power for less skill. A man who was a farmer a month earlier can now, under the right circumstances, kill an armoured knight or mage with a well placed musket ball.
  
Of course, an undistracted mage is still a ferocious target and the average foot soldier stands little chance against her one on one. As a result they rely on numbers. In most armies, there is a command drilled into everyone's head: "On Magus!" soldiers are trained to drop whatever it is that they are doing, turn, and mass fire at the mage, hoping to overwhelm her with incoming fire and too many targets to strike back at.

The cavalry also has its anti-mage tactics. In particular, the cavalry charge is often used for when the enemy's magery is on the back foot trying to counter one's own. While their focus is on the other mages, a quick breakout by cavalry can surprise them. Essentially, the goal is to break the enemy mages' concentration or, if their hands are too full with your own mages, cut them down. This is made easier by the fact that, among that cavalry, there will often be a handful of magic users. Of course, it only takes one destruction Arcanist to get free and cast a big fire spell and... horses don't like fire. Or a Kineticist with a sonic blast, or... the point is that it's a risky business. 

However, a mage is still human (or else yasoi), and bullets can still kill. As we will see in a moment, the invention of rifling has been hugely important in this regard and in the development of a specialized and deadly unit.
[center][h3]The Magusjaeger[/h3][/center]In Kerremand (Cirrimane) and Holmania, endless border conflicts have given birth to a specialized unit: the Magusjaeger. These are usually people of the noble or merchant classes, often with RAS levels of 3.5-6. They are able to sense magic and use simple Arcane, Magnetic, and Kinetic spells. However, they lack the capacity to become actual mages. No matter. Rudimentary use of magic is all that they require. Using low-level light magnifying abilities from the Arcane school, they can zoom in on targets. Using Kinetic and Magnetic spells, they can guide or increase the velocity of their bullets. With the aid of Chemical magic, they can increase the yield of their rounds exponentially. Magusjaegers are trained to draw from readily available sources, to synthesize their four main schools seamlessly and solely for the use of their craft, and to mask their limited magic use with very small, incremental draws easily missed amid the heat of battle. They train in stealthy movement, patience, and to be deadly accurate with a long-barreled sniper rifle. These special hybrid units lurk, hidden in place, behind the lines of battle, picking off mages one by one from extreme range.
[/hider]
[hider=Magic and the Social Order: A History][center][h2]Magic and Social Class in Constantia & Severa: a Treatise by Stresian Magister Alcaster Serra[/h2][/center]
In the lands of Constantia and Severa, magic has, in many ways, created the class system that we see in evidence today. It all begins with the noble class and what was once a near-complete monopoly on the use of magic. This had a number of important effects. In the first place, it acted as a further justification, beyond character, for their right to hold the reins of society. They were visibly, tangibly superior to the people whom they ruled over and this reinforced the idea of a sort of 'divine right'. A single average noble with the gift would fancy his chances in combat against a dozen commonfolk without.

Secondly, it made them indispensable to their neighbours. A noble can do things for you using the Gift that you could not hope to do yourself. She can heal your sick, heat your hearth, and enrich the soil of your fields. Far more than in a hypothetical society without the Gift, the past nobility of Constantia was a working nobility and not just a political and military elite. On any given day, it would not be unusual for an average peasant to see her lord about the town with his three pretty daughters who know Arcane magic, helping his people and receiving, as recompense, their gratitude and tribute. 

This sort of arrangement is an ancient one and has birthed two overarching effects: the first is a peasantry dependent on noble benefactors and hence not just subject to them but also indebted. The second is a greater physical closeness but also cultural difference best explained thusly: The nobles, being more actively a part of the commons' lives, see, know, and form relationships with them. Yet, by and large, they share few of the  peasantry's mundane problems and concerns because they have the Gift to imbue their existences with a level of comfort, convenience, and security that the commonfolk simply cannot relate to.

This largely static and well-threaded tapestry, preordained by the Pentad, as it seemed, only began to fall apart with the emergence of the Merchant and Artisans classes, which began in earnest some 200 years hence.

Because the magic academies are unable to simply take, train, and ennoble everyone with a RAS level above 4 (and the lower echelons of power would quite useless as true mages anyhow), eventually what emerged was a middle magic class: people who didn't need the help of the nobles and who could, with a bit of patience, assistance, and understanding, take over many of the more menial tasks that the nobles would formerly perform for their commonfolk.

As these people quickly came to be the beneficiaries of gifts and command higher salaries, they naturally had the spare capital to invest in apprenticeships for their children,  better housing and education, and business ventures, which of course only accelerated the process of them separating from the peasantry.

These were the embryonic merchant and artisan classes. Initially, they were indistinguishable from each other save for their professions and, to a limited degree, their wealth (though there remained significant overlap). However, those with greater business acumen, social skills, literacy, or connections were able to transition from crafting to the more lucrative and less labour intensive business of buying and selling.

As these new merchants gained in wealth, they invested in training in the Gift for their children. They began marrying strategically to bring together more magically-gifted bloodlines. Quite a handful became strong enough in the Gift that they overlapped with the nobility and, in many cases were as prosperous or more so. Before long, some struggling houses were accepting merchant blood. Intermarriage grew. Others felt threatened and demanded a clearly delineated system of class duties and privileges. Enough magic use had already seeped into the Merchant class by then and they had drifted far enough from their common roots that there was no being rid of them, however.

To a degree, the same could be said for the artisans, but what happened with them was a little bit different. Perhaps many of their number lacked the ambition or social skill to rise higher or perhaps they simply weren't interested. The artisanal class today largely represent the continuation of the original borderline magically-skilled population who had broken from the commonfolk once upon a time. In many cases, they came to occupy professions where magic use was beneficial and where training and skill was required. In short, they continued to be crafters. Most of them can use magic, but it is rare for one to be especially strong in it.

Then, of course, there remained the commonfolk. Every once in a while, some magic manifests in a family and it sees its fortunes improve. If that gifted individual is smart and seizes his opportunities, then perhaps he can gain a permanent advantage for his descendants. By and large, however, the life of a commoner remains the drudgery and dependence that is always has.

If one thing has changed, it is perhaps that the noble folk do not come around as often anymore, are not as involved in their lives. Besides, there are now others who they can rely on should they need magic. For a half-silvershell, the local blacksmith can heat your water just as well as he can heat his forge, after all. The doctor doesn't ask you for tribute or levy your sons in times of war. He requires only a small fee in order to close your wound and bind the flesh. It is a far more sensible and arrangement and, though these people are not of common blood, they feel somewhat closer at least, somewhat more familiar.[/hider]
[hider=Magic Academies of Sipenta][h2]Magic Academies of Sipenta[/h2]
[b]Prime Tier:[/b] This is the most prestigious place to learn magic in the world. It is headed by the Zenith and home to six Arch-Zenos.

Ersand'Enise Academy of Thaumatugy, located in the independent city state of the same name on the border of Revidia and Perrence in Constantia.

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[b]Great Tier:[/b] These are large magic academies with considerable prestige. There are five and they are each headed by an Arch-Zeno.

Twin Emperors' Academy of Magic, located on Duōyún Island in ReTan.

Tantas Island Academy of the Gift, located on Tantas Island in the Tantas Sea of Tantiac.

Golden Star Magic Institute,  located in Nalapurna, central Sawand.

Blue Sky School of Sorcery, located on the Olaxec River near Atlahuixo in Xolexocto.

Conservatory of Ancient Magic, located on the shores of Lake Suul in Oiyac.

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[b]Entry Tier:[/b] these are smaller magic academies with lesser prestige. There are ten in all, each administered by a 'Head Zeno' and collectively overseen by an itinerant Arch-Zeno.

Sculpted Waters School of Conjuring, located on and off the coast of Pīkī Island, in Avalu.

Greenfields Institute of Magical Excellence, located on the shore of Gǒuzhǎo Bay, in ReTan.

Dragon's Mouth Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, located on Wykoolikaw Island, Yspawashi.

St. Yuri's Academy of Thaumaturgy, near Sovetskaya, in eastern Vossoriya.

Mirror Lake Magic School, on the shore of Lake Escaloosa, Colusetts. 

Greedy King's School of Enchantment, near Ucyaz, Kagan.

All-Seeing Eye School for the Magically Gifted, at the mouth of the Endsgar River, in Eskand Loft.

Ever-Dreaming Seminary of Magic, on the shore of lake Ahangaziz, in Inipor.

Blue Tower Academy of the Gift, at the fork of the Kazongo River, Belzagg.

Shrouded Isle Institute, on Juramash Island, off the coast of Rahundal, in Arrund.[/hider]
[hider=Enchantment Types][h2]Enchanting in Sipenta[/h2]
[b]1. Additive:[/b] it has manas. It improves your casting power. If you exchange manas with the item, you 'attune' to it and it works better for you. 
[b]2. Specific:[/b] the item's manas are encoded with specific instructions to cast or assist with a particular spell or ability.
[b]3. Self-destructive:[/b] this can be a subset of either of the above types. The manas just use blood magic to destroy their vessel, adding power to the spell.
[b]4. False:[/b] the item isn't truly enchanted. It only has a very few manas and a minor spell meant to alert the mage who created it so that they may cast the desired effect if within range.[/hider]