Background:
Eons ago, magic existed in a very, very different form than it does today. Magic was a wild and chaotic force that anyone with proper discipline could grab ahold of and control, albeit briefly. Those who were exceptionally skilled at this were referred to as Magi and were able to slightly distort reality for brief periods of time at the height of their power. Needless to say, conflicts that arose between Magi were bloody conflicts that took many lives, but it was this assurance of mutual destruction that kept most Magi bound to paths of diplomacy and peace rather than conquest.
As with all delicate balances, however, it was not to last forever. A young Magi, known only as Blackheart today, rose to eminence as a genius. He showed such a talent with magic during his apprenticeship that it was plain to everyone that he would do incredible things for good. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Blinded by greed and a lust for power, he slew his master and began to war with the other Magi. Many, many lives were claimed, and it was only by working together that the other Magi were able to put a stop to Blackheart’s schemes, slaying him atop his tower.
Knowing that there was always a chance for history to repeat itself, the Magi responsible for defeating Blackheart combined their powers to cast a spell that would rework magic itself. They took the wild, chaotic source of energy and fragmented it, creating twelve different forms that are referred to today as Schools. They also changed the biology of the people of the world, setting affinities for different schools within different individuals in a more or less random manner. With a spell of that magnitude, it comes as no surprise that the Magi were drained of life like a battery, bodies disintegrating as the spell was finished.
To this day, the way magic works as remained the same. People have affinities for one of the twelve schools of magic, eight of them benign and four of them considered evil. These four Dark Magicks are beginning to be accepted by magi, however, especially in the College of Preicana, one of many guilds for magicians. The College is a bit of a rarity due to the fact that it exists harmoniously inside of a regular country headed by a king, rather than a country headed by magi as most others are. The real oddity, of course, is not that the College is in such a country, but rather that the country allows the College, as magi are often treated with hostility and viewed as hating those without affinities for magic.
These guilds supply their members with lodging inside the guild hall, often referred to as an institute, university, or college, instruction in magic, and jobs that they can do to earn income. Some of this income is received by the guild itself, but the percentage isn’t usually more than five to ten percent. With this commission, the guild can afford to continue lodging their members and pay any taxes they may need to, as well as shop for any other necessity. These benefits to the local economy are more than likely what make certain countries more accepting of magic, to virtually no one’s surprise.
Preicana, the country in which the College itself is located, is a large, bustling city that specializes in ores and gems found in the mines, particularly mithril, which is renowned for its resistance to magic. The city consists of four major districts in the main area: the Cloud District, the River District, the Hills District, and the Flats District. These four districts sit on a lower plateau beneath the seat of government on the higher plateau to the north, and the College on the higher plateau to the east. The densely wooded areas to the southwest of the city and the farms spread throughout the area are fairly profitable as well. Occasionally, they have a problem that they request help from the College for, but the most common sources of jobs are the small towns out several miles from the city itself.
Races:
Wood Elves:
Wood Elves are like other Elves in that they are tall with pointed ears and lithe bodies, but their hair and eye colors are usually more human. Their eyes tend to be green, brown, gray, or blue, and their hair tends to be black, brown, or auburn. As such, Wood Elves can sometimes blend into human crowd, though they tend to avoid the city as a whole due to their love for nature. Wood Elves are also less arrogant than the other Elven races, tending to view themselves as a part of the natural cycles. This also reflects their culture of peace and tranquility, showing itself in their art and music.
Moon Elves:
While still possessing pointed ears and lithe bodies, Moon Elves are not as tall as other Elves on average. They also differ from other Elves in that their skin color ranges from pale grey to charcoal black, eyes that are violet, red, blue, or silver, and hair of brilliant white to dark black. Moon Elves are not as arrogant as Sun Elves tend to be, but do take great pride in bloodlines. They prefer challenges of intellect as well, viewing games of strategy as a wonderful pastime. A subterranean race, the Moon Elves have also adapted to low-light conditions and colder air.
Sun Elves:
Tall with pointed ears and lithe bodies, the only thing that really distinguishes Sun Elves from the other races of Elves physically is their golden skin, light colored eyes of blue, green, brown, or gold, and their rich hair, with shades of blonde or red being most common. Sun Elves are also known for their arrogance and isolationist tendencies, which override the few that are actually pleasant to be around. They are also known for a rich culture, what with their pursuit for artistic displays. Many of the best painters and composers are Sun Elves. Typically, they prefer cities over the environments of their Elven cousins, though few know exactly why.
Dwarves:
Dwarves are known the world over for their short, powerful builds and their long beards, often styled like most other races style hair. Considering they are a subterranean race, a lot of Dwarves are involved in the process of metallurgy, whether it’s mining the ore or smithing it. They are valued highly in mines the world over for their ability to locate ore veins and their precision in extracting them, and their smiths make quite a lot of money on their reputation as masters of the trade. Dwarves that are more artistically inclined enjoy sculpting and the crafting of jewelry, most of their pieces rarities outside of the Dwarven strongholds.
Faeries:
With their petite bodies and general cheeriness, Faeries tend to be underestimated quite frequently by those who don’t know any better. Usually, this ends up coming to haunt the individual in question, as Faeries tend to hold grudges for a long time and almost always have the backing of their fellows. Reflecting their wild and carefree nature, Faeries usually have vivid or flamboyant hair and eye colors, with colors like orange or blue not all that uncommon. Typically, their wings match their hair and eyes in some way or another, though it can be hard to tell with their iridescence. Many Faeries love music, tricks, and revelry, often leaving those who pass through their cities in the woods feeling like they were caught up in a whirlwind of exuberance and deposited rather unceremoniously at the other end.
Gnomes:
Among the races of the world, Gnomes are known best for their inventiveness. They are firm believers that one should work smarter, not harder, which really matters to them considering they are only slightly taller than Dwarves on average and much less muscular. Strangely enough, they share a love of beards with the Dwarves, though they tend to merely let them grow out. Many Gnomes have lighter hair colors with larger ears and bright eyes, all of which make them easily distinguishable from Dwarves. Living in the woods, they make all sorts of ingenious contraptions to make the tasks of life, such as harvesting food or watering crops, much easier than they normally would be, and they are often accepted into guilds or universities as researchers or engineers.
Orcs:
Often considered to be little more than barbarians at heart, Orcs live in smaller societies known as tribes, where they take care of one another and tend to work for the good of all. Several tribes are nomadic as well, traveling from area to area as the resources move. Other tribes are sedentary and farm in addition to hunting to provide food. Easily the most physically intimidating of all the races, Orcs stand taller than men and elves, and are usually quite stocky as well. This musculature makes them perfect for taking down big game or defending their territory, but kind of hinders their attempts at diplomacy and bargaining. As a whole, Orcs tend to focus on things they consider practical, like gathering timber and food, and avoid things they consider fanciful, like art.
Humans:
It is often said that the defining characteristic of humans as a race is that there is no defining characteristic. They are not overly tall or overly short, their hair and eye colors are not flamboyant or unattractive, and they specialize in no single field. Most humans tend to prefer the urban settings of the large cities that they build, though there are certainly those who cling to the rugged beauty of tamed nature on their farms. Dabbling in everything from art and music to engineering and science to magic and philosophy, it’s no wonder they seem so diverse.
Bloodlines:
This is sort of a catch-all term for those races that transcend mortality: demons and dragons being foremost among them. The reason that they are referred to as Bloodlines is that they can have children with the other races, but only appear to pass on blood. It is a rather difficult area to explain, even among the brightest minds of the age, but suffice to say that children with demonic or draconic blood lack the other traits of the parent races. A human with a dragon father will still appear to be human in nature. There is some speculation that demonic blood makes magic more efficient, and that draconic blood provides a minor defense against magic, but there has been little evidence to support these claims.
Magic:
Conjuration:
Conjuration allows the magi to summon beings or objects to them, so long as these objects are bonded to the Conjurer before time. These bonds require rituals to form, and differ depending on what is being bonded to the Conjurer. For creatures, it requires a contract to be formed between the two parties stating what is expected of both parties and the like. Objects are much, much simpler, and merely require a mark of ownership be placed on the object during the ritual. These rituals tend to vary based on what is being bonded, though they typically involve something associated with the bondee, like ashes for a phoenix. Even mundane objects and creatures can be powerful with a Conjurer, receiving benefits, like increased durability or strength, from the bond itself.
Invocation:
Invocation involves calling forth the energy of the world around the Invoker and manipulating it for a variety of effects. Due to its nature, Invocation tends to lend itself to offensive applications rather than defensive or supportive ones. Invokers are well-known for their affinity with elements, each Invoker having some ability with at least one element, some with two, but never with all five: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Lightning. Affinity is incredibly important because the Invoker’s internal energy has to resonate with the elemental energy they are trying to control. If it doesn’t resonate, it fails, possibly with disastrous results.
Alteration:
Alteration is all about transmutation, or changing the nature and properties of things. An Alterist can sharpen blades, make robes as strong as steel, lighten loads, and turn water into wine. They can also do the opposite, weakening foes by making their blades flexible or increasing the heaviness of armor. Really, it’s no wonder that Alteration is considered one of the most, if not the most, versatile schools of magic in existence. Magi with their major affinity in Alteration can even change their physical shape. This alone allows an Alterist to be suited to an incredible number of tasks, able to change their entire bodies or just parts.
Abjuration:
Abjuration is essentially the definition of defensive magic. Abjurers are able to create wards to deflect projectiles, absorb magic, or function as alarm systems. The easiest and most rudimentary form of warding is a sheet of magical energy in front of the abjurer, but masters can create wards in all kinds of shapes that last for decades. They are also the healers of the magi, able to cure people of things most would assume to be irreversibly fatal. There are two ways of healing, with differences between them. The first draws upon the strength of the target. It heals the individual slower than the other method, but it is easier on the Abjurer. The second draws upon the strength of the healer, healing the individual much more quickly, but at a greater cost to the Abjurer.
Memoration:
Memoration is the magic of the mind and focuses on illusions and telepathy because of that. Memors are actually one of the most distrusted mages due to their close association with stealth and subterfuge. It's not without good reason however, as Memors can use their magic to make themselves invisible, charm others, glean information from the mind, or manipulate emotions to an extent. Surprisingly enough, animals are completely immune to the magic of Memors, their instincts overriding the effects that the magic lays on the mind. Needless to say, this makes them a relatively popular defense among nobles against Memor mages. Other mages also resist Memoration due to their natural willpower. Simple Memoration is easy to cast and can be done almost instantaneously, while more powerful magic requires a little bit of time depending on the complexity of the illusion.
Divination:
Divination deals with searching out the truth with the use of magic. Natural Diviners, that is, magi with a major affinity for Divination, are known for being gifted with clairvoyance, able to see the future in fits of uncontrollable magic that hit them seemingly at random. Those without a major affinity still receive stronger resistance to illusions, the ability to find objects via dowsing, the ability to scry, and the ability to identify enchantments or other magical constructs, among other things. Diviners are usually scholarly, which may or may not have anything to do with their affinity for languages, reading, and mathematics.
Articification:
Articification is all about enchantments and magical items. An Artificer creates these items, known as artifacts, by imbuing them with magic. Most Artificers explain the process as pushing magic through the item and willing that magic to do a particular thing, much like other schools of magic. The difference is that the magic in the object continues to obey the will of the Artificer no matter who is using the item. Artificers also require a particular item to do even the most rudimentary of enchantments: mana stones. These crystallizations of magical energy can be crafted artificially, but they aren’t as good as natural stones, which are uncommon. The creation of a mana stone is actually pretty simple, though it requires a lot of endurance. The magi has to channel magical energy into a stone over several days, going slowly and carefully in order to make a half-decent stone. But the time and energy is worth it, as enchantments can be incredibly diverse.
Venecation:
Venecation is the magic of potion making. Venecators collect their ingredients, plants and other items with magical properties, and mix them together with their own magical energy in order to create potions of various effects. The potions themselves come in all sorts of forms as well, such as liquids, powders, or gels, depending on the ingredients used. Most potions, however, are used to make an aspect of life easier, such as moving cargo. But that’s not to say that they can’t be used to mimic aspects of magic, such as potions of healing. More stealth-oriented Venecators also make use of powerful poisons to incapacitate their foes. Much like regular potions, these poisons can have a wide variety of effects on the target.
Obitation:
Obitation is the school of death magic, and involves everything one would expect of such practices, like necromancy. Obiters can also use their magic to inspire fear with an aura of dread, chill their opponents, or kill outright using necrotic energy. The common notion is that Obiters are all plotting to raise armies of the undead and conquer the world, inspiring the notion of it as a Dark Magic with its apparent violations of the sanctity of the grave. Some power-hungry Obiters choose to become liches to further their desire for power, but they are usually taken care of quickly due to the fact that that much magical energy is like a beacon for the proper authorities.
Malefication:
Malefication is the school of magic dealing with curses, hexes, and the like. Of all the “Dark Magicks,” it is usually considered as the least offensive and most benign. Some mage states, that is, governments ruled by magi, use it to punish those guilty of crimes of magic. Its usage is quite flexible, as the number of ways someone can be cursed is quite vast, but it is rarely useful in anything but an offensive capacity. Part of the reason is that intent is a large part of it, so the Maleficator can’t just curse someone with good health. They have to want it, as well as know that it will be a hindrance to the target. That is what has led to the magic being declared forbidden in the past.
Pravation:
Pravation is a school of magic based on dominating the mind and soul of another sentient being in order to control them. Sometimes this takes place as possession, where the mind of the Pravator inhabits the body of the victim and cuts of their mind from control, but puppeteering is the most common form of Pravation. Due to the fact that it violates the sanctity of the soul and the free will of the victim, it is regarded as the second foulest school of magic that the dark arts have to offer. Experienced practitioners can wield even more frightening abilities, such as dividing their attention among various animals in order to use them as spies and servants. There is always a risk in the art of Pravation, however, as the part of the mind the practitioner sends out can become trapped within the victim if the victim regains control.
Sanguination:
Sanguination is the school of magic that involves blood as a medium through which the mage casts spells. Sanguinaires can create blood sigils for many spells, like bindings or communication, can sense blood around them, and can manipulate the blood inside of themselves to harden their skin, increase blood flow, or puppeteer themselves. Of course, their ability to manipulate blood also extends to the outside of the body as well. In extreme situations, a Sanquinaire can consume blood to heal injuries, provide themselves with sustenance, and give themselves energy.
Sera's back, too.
