Magic Info
Magic is something that all sentient races are capable of accessing and unlocking. It comes from the energy of a person’s soul and is known commonly as mana. This mana is what powers magic, the soul itself is connected to magic as well. While mana is used to power magic, the soul is what ties a person to a certain type of magic. When a witch is learning magic they are allowed to explore and experience all types of magic. From there, the soul itself figures out which one is right for the person. Nobody is really sure how this happens, some speculate it's based on personality while others believe it's based on skill set. Whatever the reason, once a person is bound to a type of magic they choose a theme. A theme is sort of like a subclass of magic, it influences how a person’s magic will appear and also influences their uniform (more on that later). For example, someone with elemental magic could choose a fire theme, meaning that they would focus on fire magic, depending on what their theme exactly is could mean that their magic flames could be blue or purple or could smell a distinct way.
More about themes: Besides changing how magic appears, themes also give students what is called your witch name, it's a special title that you gain once becoming a witch. When this name is being written or filed out, it is written out as “NAME the (theme) witch” or the shorter version (typically for students) “(theme) witch”. These titles are often embroidered or engraved somewhere on the uniform. It is considered impolite to address a senior witch by their theme title. Themes don’t always relate directly to the type of magic, although most of the time they do. For example, someone with nature magic would typically choose a theme like mushroom or tulip. However, someone with fire magic could choose something more obscure like sakura flame or burnt sugar. Both connect to the idea of fire but would make the magic appear differently. The sakura flame could appear pink and have the small flickers appear like sakura petals. Burnt sugar could make magic flames smell like burnt sugar or could have a brownish tint. Themes and magic are physical manifestations of the soul and thus are unique to everyone. Side note, the theme suggestions under each type of magic are purely suggestions, by no means do you have to follow them :)
Changing themes: Changing themes is uncommon but not unheard of. Typically themes are changed by younger witches who are still exploring and discovering who they are, but it is not unheard of for adult witches to change their themes. While themes can change, making magic appear differently for everyone, the type of magic cannot. Changing themes is not an easy task as you have to separate the idea from your soul. It can take a few weeks to a month for this process to be completed. During this time magic may also be weaker and will slowly detach itself from the theme, resulting in it appearing in the natural and pure magical state. After the previous theme is completely gone, the witch can select a new theme.
Primary Magic: Magic is divided into 6 distinct groups; Elemental (Earth, air, water, fire), Nature, cosmic/”pure magic”, balanced (light, dark, and neutral), Potion/alchemy, and music. These are known as the primary magics, the main forms of magic that people theme after and their soul chooses. There are also two other types of magic, commonly referred to as “demon magic” as demons were the first to discover and use it, these two are blood and necromancy.
Elemental :|: Elemental magic is one of the most broad categories of magic as it covers subcategories relating to the four elements. Typically, a student will start out by learning all types of elemental magic before choosing one to theme after. Theming for elemental magic is somewhat tricky to do as it's a very broad category. Typically witches pick a single element and theme after that, however some have been known to combine elements and theme after more than one. Examples would include steam, mud, rainstorms, etc.)
Earth
In order to use earth magic, or any elemental magic, a natural source must be present. As such, earth magic users will often carry extra materials that are hard to find as dirt and stone are almost always available. When casting or reducing magic, the materials being used will often float and orbit the castor.
- Earth magic is typically more defense based than offense based. Earth magic involves manipulating earth, stone, minerals, crystals. This includes changing shape and form, being able to sift through the ground and detect things, and even animating fossils.
- Common forms of earth magic include shields, shards of rock, animated fossils, sensing vibrations and such through the ground, etc.
- Jewelry making is often a common profession of earth magic along with construction, chiseling stone, landscaping, and many more
- Common themes for earth magic include specific minerals, gemstones, rock types, burrowing creatures, and some landforms.
Air
Air magic is the easiest to use out of the elemental magics because the source that is needed to perform air magic is everywhere. Castors often float or have a breeze moving their hair when casting.
- Air magic is pretty balanced with offensive and defensive. It involves manipulating and altering air flow and direction, manipulation of clouds, and even temperatures if you concentrate enough and it's not an extremely drastic change.
- Common forms of air magic include blasts of concentrated air, appearing to float or fly without the need for wings, being able to shape clouds, and even creating minor storm forms like tornadoes and whirlwinds.
- Common professions include moderating air traffic (because flying brooms and carpets do exist and can be very hazardous in crowded areas), movers, being players for many kinds of magical sports, etc.
- Common themes for air magic include specific types of wind, specific types of clouds, airborne creatures, and certain types of storms.
Water
Water magic is one of the most versatile forms of magic and is the second easiest. Typically, water magic users don’t have to carry water with them to cast as it is commonly found. However, it is not unheard of for water magic users to walk around with jugs of water. Castors will often have dew or water droplets around them and their hair will flow as if underwater.
- Water magic is the most versatile when it comes to casting, being extremely proficient in both offense and defense. Water magic involves manipulating the shape, temperature, and flow of water and even changing the humidity in the air.
- Common forms of water magic include highly compressed streams of water, bubbles of water which can be thrown at high speeds, shapes and domes that can act as shields or prisons, and even keeping a water bubble around the caster's head filled with air so that they can essentially breathe underwater. Others take water and only use it in cold temperatures, resulting in what looks like ice magic.
- Common professions for water magic users include swimming instructor, lifeguard, fisherman, boat captain, and some even experiment with flavoring water or snow cones.
- Common themes for water magic include types of bodies of water, types of shells, types of marine creatures, types of tropical storms, and types of marine plants.
Fire
Fire magic is the most difficult to use out of the elemental magics because it can be extremely hazardous and (shouldn’t) be commonly found. Those who use fire magic will need to carry around the tools necessary to start fires along with fuel depending on the size they need. Castors often will radiate heat, have small flames float in the air around them, and even have a fiery glow in their eyes when casting. With enough training they can become immune to fire under their control and even a resistance to heat in general.
- Fire magic is the most offensive type of elemental magic. It involves controlling the heat of fire, manipulating and altering its shape and size, and even containing it to specific and small areas.
- Common forms of fire magic include controlled flames, manipulation and control of smoke, walls of flames, control of ash, and even lava manipulation.
- Common professions for fire magic include becoming a chef or something involving culinary arts, fireman/fire monitoring, metalworking, and many more.
- Common themes for fire magic include fire related words, smoke or ash related words, specific volcanoes, and heat related words.
Balanced :|: Balanced magic is another broad category of magic, although it covers a much smaller range than elemental magic. Balanced magic focuses on light and dark, opposing forces, and a neutral ground. These three magic are strong against each other: light is strong against dark, dark is strong against neutral and neutral is strong against light. It is not unheard of for people to theme after ideas of opposing forces or of balance, most often witches theme one side with a hint of the stronger one, sort of like balancing the magic.
Light
Light magic is considered to be the ‘good’ side of balanced magic. Unlike elemental magic, light magic can be used without a source available as the energy needed for it comes from the person’s soul and mana. Light magic focuses on defense and healing, most doctors have light magic to aid in healing. Light magic can be used to make shields and weapons and it’s pure light form can be used to heal a person’s body and soul. Light magic can help others mana regenerate faster, however they cannot help restore mana that has been stolen by a demon.
- Common themes for light magic are words relating to peace, words related to healing, words relating to light, and positive words.
Dark
Dark magic is considered to be the ‘evil’ side of balanced magic. It focuses on shadows and voids, which is where it draws power from. Much like light magic, dark magic can be used without a source available as the energy needed for it comes from the person’s soul and mana. Dark magic focuses on attack and can be used to make anything from weapons of shadow to void creatures that obey the castor. With enough training, witches who use dark magic can even teleport from shadow to shadow.
- Common themes for dark magic include words relating to , words relating to shadows or voids, and negative words.
Neutral
Neutral magic is one of the more confusing kinds of magic, it is neither good nor bad, neither weak nor powerful, it is the midground of everything. Neutral magic comes from the castor’s soul, like all balanced magic, and is the most uncommon of the three. Neutral magic specializes not in attack or defense but rather in cancelation and prevention, it is also called cancelation magic or mirror magic. Besides being able to cancel out other primary magics, especially light and dark, neutral magic can be used to form shields, magic blasts, and with enough training witches can walk through mirrors. The only thing that neutral magic cannot cancel out is subclasses magics, but most of these are harmless so it’s relatively effective.
- Common themes for neutral magic include words relating to mirrors and reflections, simple themes, words related to nullifying things, etc.
Nature :|: Nature magic is exactly what it sounds like, magic that is found and discovered through and by nature. It involves plants and animals of all kinds and involves learning about these organisms to unlock further magic advancements and spells. Pure nature magic often appears as vines that are not specific to any known plant, they are often referred to as spell vines. Some spells include growing plants rapidly, being able to influence and command animals, and being able to alter plants beyond their limits and even create new hybrids. Those with nature magic can unlock an animal form that they can shift into, tying them ever further to nature and granting them the abilities of that animal when shifted. Nature magic users are known for their green thumbs, amazing gardening skills, and the ability to talk to animals. Skilled nature magic witches even have plants growing on or out of them and are unaffected by thorns and things like poison ivy.
- Common themes for nature magic include plants, animals, and biomes.
Cosmic :|: Cosmic magic, also called pure magic, is said to be the first magic discovered. It has a wide range of abilities and typically uses signals and incantations that people have learned by listening and observing the stars. Pure cosmic magic appears pink and symbols for magic often look like constellations. These symbols are typically drawn using the mana from a person, they can be drawn on surfaces or in the air, wherever the caster needs them to be. To activate the symbols, a hand must be placed in the center and an incantation must be spoken if necessary. It can be used to create blasts of pure mana, complex magical traps and spells, and even shields and false flames and liquids.
- Common themes include names of stars and constellations, zodiac signs, and space related words.
Alchemy :|: Alchemy, also known as potion magic, is much more complex and experimental than the other types of magic. Alchemy uses the concept of mixing magical ingredients together to create new types of magic, it’s a combination of science and magic. Ingredients for alchemy often include plants with magical properties, enchanted items, leftover spell remnants, etc. Through alchemy, synthetic replications of other types of magic can be achieved, as well as things exclusive to alchemy. For example, using flames and other things used by a fire elemental witch, a potion can be created that can replicate fire magic when thrown on placed on things. Things exclusive to alchemy include the transformation of objects (stone into gold, liquids into solids of different materials, etc.), potions and poisons that can boost or hinder magic, potions that can enhance physical strength, speed, etc., and even potions that can neutralize the effects of other magics. Some alchemy witches decide to put their skills towards making delicious drinks and beverages, it's rumored that hot chocolate was a creation of an alchemy witch.
- Common themes include elements from the periodic table, ingredients used in alchemy, types of drinks and potions, and chemistry words.
Music :|: Musical magic is the most expressive form of magic. It’s casting methods involve music whether that’s by singing, playing an instrument, or anything that involves music. It’s the magic that extroverted people most commonly get and has a variety of uses. It’s the only magic with the power of influencing others and can also attack with waves of sound, create and weave illusions through song and story, and even can use a sort of echolocation.
- Common themes include types of instruments, clefs, notes, and other musical notations, and song genres and names.
Necromancy :|: Necromancy, the original “demonic magic”, is an extremely dangerous and risky magic. The power to bring dead things back to life and animate them is extremely powerful, however it also comes at great risks. Unlike other types of magic which stop after you have drained your mana, necromancy can continue to be used after all mana is drained, however this comes at a price. The caster's soul will be eaten away by the magic until there is nothing left, turning the user into a hollow, magicless husk of who they used to be. This fate is worse than having your magic drained and the few people who have had this happen never return to their normal lives. It is speculated that demons who drain magic are often necromancy users, taking other’s mana so they can retain their soul, however nobody knows if this is the case. Either way, necromancy is a banned form of magic due to the connection to demons and the life-threatening risks that come with it.