Magic and the Arcane

Alathra holds host to a wide range of magic and mystical creatures. Some are givers of life and others bring rot and destruction.

Types of magic
Several types of arts exist and have been displayed in use.

Basic construct of magic
Magic is split up into four energies. These are:


 * Flux - life energy that exists all around the world. Levels of flux can determine how much life exists in a place. Too little can cause a place to become barren but too much can damage the area. It is split into five sub parts.
 * Arcane - Pure energy that can affect other energies and subsequently shape them.
 * Taint - Energies forren to a world. Often come from other worlds and dimensions. Too much can cause chaos.
 * Daemonic - Energies from the Other or similar places.

The Elements
Flux is split into five parts. These parts are often referred to as Elements. Everything has some aspect to them that causes it to be related to an element. This also applies to people. The Elements can also relate to certain concepts. These elements are:


 * Fire - Often associated with destruction, fire is one people often avoid. However it can also represent safety and rebirth.
 * Water - Often seen as representing change as well as death. It's often said that a river is what separates the living world and the afterlife and the water from that river comes from a cosmic tree.
 * Earth - Earth is seen as representing creation and life. It is neither chaotic nor has order but can withstand the test of time and crumble to the architect's tools.
 * Air - like water it can represent change however it can be a more destructive, however it can give life to the world. Because of this people see it as something that ties the elements together.
 * Spirit - spirit is the most free of the Elements. Nothing physical truly contains it yet one can be surrounded by it. It is often associated with the mind and can heal it or control it.

People are attuned to certain elements. While this doesn't effect the person's personality it determines which element one can weald and manipulate. The Attunement of a person is random but can never change. A person also has another type of attunement that is based on the species of that person. This represents the 'nature' of the species. For example, terrestrial creatures are attuned to earth while aquatic are attuned to water. This type of attunement is called the lesser attunement while the other is the greater.

The lesser attunement can often aid the greater attunement making that person stronger than another. The way this system works can be complicated. The lesser attunement, e.g. Air, aids the greater attunement, e.g. Water. However this works only one way, e.g. Air aids water but water doesn't aid Air. A similar system works with which element is stronger or weaker to another element, e.g. Air is weak to earth but strong against spirit.

Determining the attunement of a person is difficult and is best done with a ritual of revealing on one's self. The only acceptance is when a person is attuned to spirit, be it lesser or greater. This is due to a 'trait' that can occur in these people, however it doesn't occur in everyone attuned to spirit. This 'trait' is the ability to see into the Other, also known as mediumship.

Alchemy
Alchemy is the art of changing a substance into a preexisting or theoretical substance. It primarily uses flux to shape materials but a input of a secondary power is needed. The most commonly used is heat. Alchemy is often used to make potions and treatments in Alathra but some have used it to make other materials, but be it rarely.

Thurgy
Thurgy is the ability to change mundane materials into something Arcane. It primarily uses Flux but also uses Arcane powers alongside it. Because of this it is easier to create complex materials and mechanisms. However, with the aid of Other entites one can surpass what is normally possible.

Biomancy
Biomancy is the ability to control and change living material. It makes use of primarily earth flux though Arcane powers are used for more complex procedures. It has the ability to alter plants and animals but is often used in healing as users of this art can heal devastating and life threatening injuries. It has also shown the ability to replace lost body parts with no problems.

Necromancy
Necromancy is most often the communication and gathering of information from the dead. Though more experienced and practiced necromancers can raise the dead. However this side of magic is rarely used due to its representation as an evil and dark magic. Necromancy strangely uses water flux as a primary source of manipulation.

Runes
Runes are a form of controlled magic that use symbols to perform certain activities. This is most likely due to content use of the Runes over an extremely long period of time, so much so that they were given power. Runes are commonly used as remote spells or as wards that keep out some entites.

Spells and rituals
Some categories of magic fall under what are known as spells. These are designed to best suit the user and can be adapted to perform other tasks. The way these spells are performed is best done by what is preferred to the caster. Rituals on the other hand can't be changed with ease and follow a strict set of rules and requirements. Often they are activated by a catalyst such as a phrase of words or a sacrifice. It should be also known that spells are designed around an element and if the caster is attuned to that element then it will be easier for them to use. If the person has a lesser attunement that aids the greater than the spell will be stronger and easier to cast.

Goetia
Goetia is the use of demons to help a person. It makes use of greater demons to perform a task. However the person can not control the demon and must ask for its help. A summoner must also know what demon to summon first as every demon does something different. Demons can be called upon via name said or written down as a sigil. One must remember to respect a demon and never demand something. No demon is stronger or weaker than another and no demon is above or below another.

Druidic magic
Druidic magic is the manipulation of nature while not changing it. Unlike its more chaotic and rule breaking cousin Biomancy, Druidic magic can not change what there is but instead makes use of the abilities of what is around. In some cases it is thought as a request system instead of one controlling. Druidic magic is highly common around Alathra as many depend on nature to aid them. Earth flux is primarily used in this form of magic.

Blood magic
Blood magic is often seen as a highly forbidden type of magic. It often revolves around blood sacrifice, the giving of flesh, cannibalism, and the creation and birth of life. Blood magic is a quick and fast acting type of magic. People who use it often do so because it is cheap. However it doesn't last long and can require constant sacrifice to maintain it. Its most commonly used for a quick gain of power or for a bountiful harvest, though it has other uses.

Dark magic
With the aid of dark gods and spirits one can perform dark magic.