Mechanics of Magic

This page details the mechanics surrounding magic and the casting of different types of spells. This is a regulation page on how magic works. The guidelines listed here are published by the Lead Administration.

Overview
When a magical spell is cast, it is drawing upon the omnipresent forces of magical essence. Magical essence is in everything, so when a mage is casting a spell, they are essentially manipulating the magical essence around them. There are several different types of spells which are each cast in different ways.

Battle Spells
Battle Spells are used to deal damage quickly. They do not require incantation of a spell in order to be cast as essence is manipulated inherently upon casting the spell.

Noninherent Battle Spells
Noninherent Battle Spells are more powerful than normal battle spells because they draw on more essence around the caster. They require a few words to be said. They also require a wand or staff in order to direct the energy more effectively. Without a wand or staff, essence is not focused enough and a normal battle spell is cast instead of a noninherent, more powerful battle spell.

Protections and Healing
Lesser healing spells are often inherent and do not require incantation. Greater healing or recovery spells require incantation as do protections. Protections protect a target (or multiple targets) from being hurt by a certain thing for a certain amount of time.

Enchantments
Enchantments imbue essence directly into an object for an extended period of time (usually permanent). They require long incantations of ancient books in order for the enchantment to be successful.

Types of Magic
There are several different classifications of magic depending on the type of essence used. The type of essence used dictates how effective that magic spell is against a target.

Fire Magic
Fire Magic draws upon the Essence of Fire, which is present within all objects in the form of heat. Hotter objects contain more fire essence and thus produce more effective fire spells. An object, upon being drawn upon, will lose some of its internal heat. Fire Magic cannot be used to heal.

Sun Magic
Sun Magic is fire magic that is only cast when the sun is in the sky. Essentially, it is more powerful than fire magic because it does not require a hot object to be in the area of casting since the essence is drawn from heated air.

Water Magic
Water Magic draws upon the Essence of Water, which is present within all objects containing water or coldness. If an object is hot, it often contains more fire essence and less water essence. Likewise, if an object is cold, it often contains more water essence than fire essence. The only exception to this is an object such as heated water, in which the essences are approximately equal. Water Magic is extremely effective for healing.

Tide Magic
Tide Magic is water magic that is only cast when the moon is in the sky. Tide Magic can be cast when the moon is full. It allows the caster to manipulate the tides to assist them.

Earth Magic
Earth Magic draws upon the Essence of Earth, which is present within all thing which have a form of rock in them. An object which contains more minerals will have more Essence of Earth within them. Earth Magic is effective for protecting allies, but cannot be used to heal.

Solid Magic
Highly trained Earth Mages can control objects which have even the finest amount of Earth essence in them. This includes slightly controlling the movements of a human.

Air Magic
Air Magic draws upon the Essence of Air, which is contained in oxygen. Air Magic allows people to redirect the wind and to create things using the wind. Highly trained Air Mages can suck the air out of a mortal's lungs. Air Magic can be used to heal allies, but not protect them as well as Earth Magic.

Storm Magic
Highly trained Air Mages can use air magic to create and manipulate storms. With control over the weather, they can effectively use storms to their advantage in battle with other mages. This can also be used to put out fires or to increase heat in an area, reducing the strength of other mages by eliminating usable essence in the area.

Special Magics
There are special magic categories which do not fall into any other category. These types of magic are extremely hard to learn and derive directly from ancient magics used by the first men.

Draw Essence Bending
Draw Essence Mages are able to bend any form of essence into its pure form - Magical Essence. Magical Essence does not fall under any other category and has extremely odd qualities. It can be used to heal mortals, kill mortals, create elemental essence, and do other odd things. Draw Essence Mages are often skilled in all of the other elemental magics before attempting to learn the ancient art of Draw Essence Bending.

Arcane Magic
Arcane Magic draws from Light Essence, which is contained within light. As long as there is a source of light, there is a source of Light Essence. Arcane Magic is a set of highly powerful light-bending spells which purge corruption. Arcane Magic is the most effective type of magic for healing and protection spells.

Shadow Magic
Shadow Magic is derived from the absence of Light Essence. If there is a light source, there is more Light Essence and Shadow Powers are suppressed. Shadow Magic focuses on torturous, evil spellcrafting. For this reason, it has mainly been outlawed in the Northern Alliance.

Shadowfire
Shadowfire is a type of shadow magic which is combined with fire magic. By drawing upon fire essence at the same time as shadow magic is being directed, shadowfire is created. Shadowfire has all of the effects of Fire Magic, but can also carry hidden effects that shadow magic uses such as torture, disease, temporary banishment, etc. Only the most talented mages in the world have been known to attempt Shadowfire as it is extremely dangerous. Shadowfire has the potential to destroy the caster indefinitely if not directed and manipulated perfectly.