Magic | The Wardens

Elemental Affinities

In this world, the regions equate to the elements you use. Someone born in Azmith, the fire region, is more likely to be able to wield fire magic than that of someone from the ice region, just like someone from Eren, the earth region, is more likely to wield earth magic than someone from the air region.

There are four primary elements:
Water, Earth, Air, and Fire

And four born as a result of mixing two of the primary elements together:
Ice, Clay, Magma, and Lightning

As well as the two anomaly elements:
Light and Dark

If you look to the chart, you can see which fusions of each element make what.

A user can have an affinity for a fusion element AND a primary element due to how much the gates have effected the world we live in.

For example; Air and Clay

Affinities and Mana

As the planes began to stabilize themselves, those ancient peoples found it easier to manipulate their mana in certain ways. Those people gained affinities for certain elements, depending on the Gate their ancestors found themselves near while the unstable elemental chaos poured out of them. These affinities became a part of themselves, of their being, and passed down into future generations.

Mana is an otherworldly energy source that bleeds into our reality from the Gates, even long before they had been fastened to the 8 kingdoms we now know today. And for so long as mana has been in our world, it has now seeped into everything, and has now become a part of everyone. Not a single living being is without mana, even if they are inept to conjure it. This is believed to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power within the soul, where it can be held and centralized throughout the body.

When drawn out successfully, Mana has the chance to take on any form to be bent by the will of its user. Mana in this case has become a display of the users outward subconscious being reshaped into reality. This is what is called a spell. Though what shape the spell takes is highly dependent on the elemental affinities the user is capable of.

Mana Manipulation was commonly used before the ancients gained their affinities. They used it to manipulate, to some extent the elements around them. However, at this point, pure mana manipulation is a forgotten art. With generations of ancients having their mana ever changed by what element they gained affinity for, being able to use pure mana, unchanged by any element, is nigh impossible.

However, nigh impossible doesn’t mean purely impossible. With enough practice, it can be done. In fact, mana manipulation, with the lasting bits of instability of the planes, is incredibly dangerous. Mana manipulation can be used to disrupt the ties used to keep the Gates in one place. And, given the fact that many people are tied to the Gates and the Planes by their affinities, this can prove dangerous.

Any knowledge on the subject tends to be extremely heavily guarded, and most people, even the strongest of mages, are not aware of its existence. Very few places in the world have access to even the knowledge that it exists, and any further knowledge would be held typically by grand libraries, in the most restricted sections.

Mana Manipulation

Runic: The origin of magic

After the Ancients had successfully pinned the Gates onto a singular area, they would soon come to discover that the Gates themselves had engravings running along its frame. It was a language. To think there was an established civilization long before them, or perhaps it was left here for them to discover. But each Gate was unique to one another, and the writing was the same. It took decades of looking through old tomes to translate the language into the art we know today as Runic.

By using the Runic language, whether it may be announced vocally or transcribed onto a physical item, people were able to conjure magic. In the eyes of the masses, Runic magic is the most versatile way to achieve the conjuration of magic while avoiding an adverse backlash. It is considered safe, as one could simply review the Runic language for any oversights or simply not cast the spell that could result in a misfire. And for that reason this would be the art that is open to the public to wield. As well as aid those that are magically inept to gain the proper stepping stones they’d need to handle magic effectively.

When it comes to embedding a certain item with the capability to conjure magic, one must ensure to receive an Enchantment. In order to do so, one must visit their local Enchanter, if one does have one in town, and get it appraised there. Usually for a fee, of course. It is believed that if one wishes for better results, it is recommended that one should inscribe a valued possession. Though this is usually questioned upon, as some believe that enchanted items are a disposable medium and one should have a replacement or back up when the item inevitably breaks.

Runic magic has certain capabilities that do not require elemental use, as there have been written spells of these non elemental practices. There are Runic spells that are capable of rendering someone unable to conjure magic, fortifying walls to be able to increase its durability against attacks, or manifest physical wards based on detection or entrapment. However, anything beyond elemental use is hidden among the general public, and as such is guarded knowledge.

Runic magic can also grant the possibility of the user to be able to conjure elements outside of one’s own Elemental Range. As the conjuration methods are obtained through transcription, as that is the main component to Runic magic. However, without a proper elemental affinity, the caster might find it near impossible to bring forth the element that the Runic language is assigned to. It is not unheard of though, just very uncommon.

Elemental Range

When referring to one’s own or another’s Elemental Range, it is dependent on which of the two out of the ten elements a person is either born with or have obtained later in their life. And whether they have the capabilities to conjure one or two elements, gaining an understanding of the element one currently has is of the utmost importance than trying to learn outside of one’s own Elemental Range. For example; a pureblooded water user must comprehend the essence and continuity of water magic before diverging off the path and possibly obtaining the capability of conjuring its neighboring elements, that being ice or clay magic. That being said, water’s Elemental Range is both clay and ice.

It only gets a little complicated when it comes to dual element users. As of current recorded history there has not been a single person that has been able to conjure a third element without the assistance of Runic magic, and even then a person with those capabilities is once in a blue moon. Regardless, when it comes to dual users, their potential with Elemental Range expands over a wide range, although spread thin. For example, a water and earth user would have a better comprehension of the conjurations of clay, as clay is the composition of both water and earth. They might also be able to understand the conjuration methods of ice and magma, although to a lesser degree. It is good to pull wisdom from one’s own neighboring elements.

Arcane: Infusing one’s own soul

In modern times, people have discovered a more convenient method to bring forth magic without the use of the Runic language, this method would be recognized as Arcane. After several generations and exposure to the elemental Gate’s range, some people have been born being able to cast magic through their own bodies. More specifically, it is like the element itself has formed a sort of connection with said person. Through popular belief, it is said that their mana or even their soul has adapted to that certain element, thus allowing the person to cast freely through their own will.

This form of magical means becomes a rather personal aspect in their life, as one cannot escape the use of a catalyst, only in this case that it takes more a figurative form. The catalyst will tie itself to the emotion that the user most resonates with, or be able to recall easily through whatever means. However, because the element has become so tied to who they are as a person, those of the Arcane have found it more difficult to diverge upon other paths of magic in comparison to those of the Runic use. As it would be basically changing a part of themselves with something that they do not understand.

It is not impossible for one to become an arcane user late in their life. As life is very much all about self-discovery. Something significant in their life must occur that causes them to be truly at peace with themselves or face an extremely stressful scenario and still remain as unmoving as a mountain. However if one should stray away from their own beliefs and morals too far, they could run the risk of losing access to that certain element. Maybe even for the rest of their life. This is the great risk that comes with being an Arcane user. Though the loss or gain of Arcane use has yet to be recorded properly, so it is something of a rare case.

Anomalies: Diverging from elements

Whether it be through Runic or Arcane means, there is a sort of madman’s theory going around among scholars of being able to conjure a third element regardless of being attuned to an element by blood or location of birth. The theory goes something along the lines of this; should someone have an affinity for water and wind, one being from blood and the other dependent on which Gate they were born within the range of, should that magical user be able to understand the means of conjuring the certain element that are composed of those two elements? That being ice, the elemental mixture of air and water. As well as vice versa; that being an ice user being able to understand the possibility of acquiring the ability to utilize water and wind since they already wield the dual composition of water and wind. Being able to learn outside and inside of one’s own Elemental Range? This would be what the theorizers would consider as a possible Anomaly.

But this begs the question of another, if an Anomaly should occur when one understands the element to its roots, would it be possible to wield elements from outside of one’s own elemental range. Such as a lightning user being able to wield earth magic should that be what they resonate with the most or somehow have a deeper understanding of it? Or perhaps even through a more unconventional means? However, this is a more baseless theory than the original one, as neither theory has been proven yet. To the rest of the world, this theory is nothing but a bunch of nonsensical lunacy uttered by some crazy old bearded bats.

As of currently, those still studying this theory have either gone into hiding or lost their minds completely chasing this pipe dream. The rest of the wizards that may have had a hand in it before have returned to their normal lives, sworn to never touch upon it again, as it is something that has consumed their lives to a point where they gave up everything to pursue something that was never within their reach. There is a possibility in ruins long forgotten, that some could still find notes and studies of experiments that were conducted in the name of this theory.

Light and Dark Affinities

The origin of elemental dark and light are an anomaly in its own right, as the Ancients in the past and people in this present day have searched high and low across the world for both of its elemental Gate, but to no avail. And yet, people are born into this world with these unique elements without any sort of explanation. Many believe that those that are born of light are said to be of pure heart, and chosen by the gods to be their candle in their darkest of times. While those born with dark magic are said to be an incarnation of evil itself, and no matter how much they try to fight their prophecy, it’ll eventually catch up to them. This is all but speculation, however, those with these elemental affinities tend to follow this routine. It might be because of external reasons though.

Magical Backlash

When it comes to magic and anatomy having to coexist, a multitude of repercussions and ailments that will affect the body directly as mana and person are one. A Magical Backlash is a very broad medical term as it can come in many forms, and is not exclusively affected by one’s own mana, as it can also directly affect one’s own spellcasting. And each affliction has their own unique symptoms and treatments one must endure. In informal terms, Magical Backlash is simply called “backlash”.

Mana Poisoning: This is caused when the body is flooded with an excess amount of mana and will unnaturally flow inside the body and will make the user sick. This is to be considered a severe Magical Backlash, as mana should naturally flow into one’s own mana pool directly, and having it flow freely within the body will have some adverse effects.

Symptoms: Being afflicted with Mana Poisoning will run the risk of enduring its painful and potentially immobilizing experience, as it is common to feel pain and tightness throughout the body, accompanied by a dizzy feeling once the excess mana flow reaches the brain, and is often intense enough to require the afflicted to remain seated. Throbbing headaches are often reported as well.
Treatment: Mana Poisoning is a rather difficult backlash to treat, as the means to do so requires the afflicted to spend the next few days allowing their body to naturally expel the excess mana overtime, and depending on their constitution they may spend those days either staggering or bedridden.

Mana Exhaustion: The most common form of Magical Backlash. This is caused when one has nearly or completely expelled all the mana within their mana pool. Without sufficient mana, spells will immediately fail, and any continued attempts to do so will run the risk of making the symptoms worse.

Symptoms: Like the name suggests, the most recognizable symptom when afflicted with Mana Exhaustion is an overwhelming feeling of fatigue and shortness of breath. This could cause a state of hyperventilation as the body tries to compensate for the lack of air in the lungs, and if it continues, this could potentially cause someone to faint.
Treatment: Mana Exhaustion is fairly easy to treat, as simply taking it easy for the day and refraining from spellcasting to not interrupt the body’s natural mana recovery should remedy the symptoms. Consumption of anything that would grant aid in mana recovery should also work wonders for those who are undergoing Mana Exhaustion.

Elemental Imbalance: This is to be considered one of the most severe and rare cases of Magical Backlash that one can experience. With magic being so personally tied to one’s own emotions, anything that could cause a severe shift in their mentality or morals will effectively cause someone to lose access to their element(s) entirely.

Symptoms: The most obvious, yet alarming, symptom one will experience during the process of Elemental Imbalance is a gradually weakening of their element(s). Before completely diminishing from their control, they will experience lightheadedness and blurry vision before ultimately collapsing, allowing the Elemental Imbalance to finally set in.
Treatment: There is next to nothing that could be done for the afflicted, as this is more of a mental war. One must come to terms with themselves that their mindset and morals are shifting, or revert back to the person they were before. This is no easy task, as the initial reason for this imbalance must be paramount and substantial.