Post by Grimone on Aug 7, 2023 14:50:39 GMT
 | Magic Essence of The Soul |
What Is Essence
Magic is the essence of life and the animating power of the cosmos. Every soul has the potential to wield magic, though few possess the skill, knowledge, affinity and innate talent required to harness it. This essence can be channeled directly from within oneself or borrowed from external forces. However when tainted with fear, harnessing essence becomes nigh impossible. Any fear, doubt, anxiety, despair, stress and frustration will darken ones own soul, making harnessing essence impossible. Thus mages must regularly meditate and purify themselves of these negative emotions else they become powerless.
Source of Essence
Essence is either internal or external, harnessed from one of four sources. Celestial Essence, is the essence of the gods, the three eternal forces of creation, destruction and transformation. Known as The Light, The Dark & The Grey. Those wield it are called prophets. Elemental Essence, is the essence of nature and living creatures, taken from the world around them. Those who wield it are called druids. Infernal Essence, is the essence of Archons, immortal spirits who make pacts with mortals. Those who wield it are called warlocks. Primordial Essence, is the essence of ones own soul. Channeling their own life energy to fuel their spells. Those who wield it are called sorcerers.
Essence Into Spells
The vast majority of magic users channel essence indirectly via a focus. This focus can be any object so long as they have a strong emotional connection to it. Often items that are personally crafted or forged and attuned to them specifically. Thus nobody is able to wield a focus they're not attuned to. However those with a natural affinity and talent for a specific source of essence are capable of casting spells without a focus. Spells on the other hand are unique to the individual and limited by the source of essence. These spells are casted by channeling ones preferred essence and imagining a specific effect with clarity. Once the essence is gathered in sufficient amount, the spell is activated by a spoken incantation. The language spoken is irrelevant, but the exact effect of the spell depends on the casters personal imagination and interpretation of what that spoken command or incantation means to them. At which point the essence is expelled and the spell created. Generally speaking, if the spell you desire to cast is alien to the essence used it will fail, or worse, explode in the casters face. Using celestial essence to cast a water breathing spell, elemental essence to summon a demon, or infernal essence to commune with the gods is likely to result in death or grave injury. The time spent gathering essence for a spell also determines it's strength. A few seconds of channeled essence may make a relatively weak puff of smoke. Several minutes may unleash a whisp of flame. Several hours, a fist sized fireball. A few days, a cannon like explosion, and so on.
Essence Stones
Because gathering essence for stronger spells is such a time consuming process, most magic users will carry mana with them in a hex bag. Mana, also called essence stones, are small multicolored crystals found and mined in the felands. Naturally absorbent of essence and able to store large amounts of essence for later use. Mages of any kind can infused pure essence of their preferred type into the stone and then draw from it later when needed. However the size and clarity of the mana crystal limits the amount of essence it can hold. Such overloaded essence stones will crack and explode. However these stones are expensive and thus most magic users wield hex bags of numerous smaller stones. Those of wealthy families or noble birth are typically the only ones capable of collecting larger stones with greater capacity. In practice most low quality, smaller stones can hold a few hours worth of channeled essence. Average quality, medium stones up to a days worth of channeled essence. High quality, larger stones several days to a weeks worth of channeled essence. Truly legendary stones the size of a fist or more are extremely rare and valuable. Able to hold weeks or even months worth of channeled essence.
Mixing Essences
Though some throughout history have been capable of channeling multiple types of essence. Very few have been able to form spells from this mixed essence. Those few who have the affinity and knowledge to do so are usually twisted and corrupted beyond repair. Mutated into hideous monsters known only as "Eldritch". Hideous mockeries of magic who have been consumed by mixed essence and driven to insanity. Horrific monsters of myth and legend who hide in dark places and cause terror whenever they awaken. Only one has mastered all four types of essence and achieved apotheosis. The Mortal God, Parem'Zel. Founder of the empire and greatest mage to ever walk the material plane. Eventually ascending to godhood after his death. Or so the imperial church would have you believe.
Spheres of Magic
CELESTIAL
- Manifestation: Prophets of The Light are capable of temporarily shaping pure celestial essence into a physical form. The only limit being their knowledge and understanding of the object they wish to create. However these objects require constant physical contact or it will loose its shape and vanish after a minute or so.
- Nullification: Prophets of The Dark are gifted an innate aura of anti magic. Allowing them to dispel any non celestial essence and nullify a spells effect. However this requires constant focus to maintain this aura for any extended period of time.
- Mutation: Prophets of The Grey are blessed with powers of shapeshifting to various degrees. Able to morph their physical bodies into unnatural forms. Their own flesh, blood and bone under their complete control. Some have even taken the shape of animals, though this is known to be an intensely painful process.
ELEMENTAL
- Pyromancy:
- Aquamancy:
- Geomancy:
- Aeromancy:
- Faunamancy:
- Floramancy:
INFERNAL
- Divination:
- Banishment:
- Summoning:
- Necromancy:
- Golemancy:
- Possession:
PRIMORDIAL
- Telekinesis:
- Telepathy:
- Projection:
- Mesmerism:
- Shadow Travel:
- Hypnokinesis: