Civic Mages

Civic Mages are humans with Q manipulation abilities (this was once called excess soul) and they are subdivided into 3 types based on 2 factors: amount of Q controlled and time of that control.
* Siphon: Siphons are low volume sustained casters. Can pin small amounts of Q for longer periods of time. Used for wards and sustained casting. Most common type of Civic Mage. They are used for delicate time-released workings, that link either a now-matter quintessence or a now-energy quintessence to a stable object in reality.
* Sluice: Sluices are usually medium volume sporadic casters. Sluices are used for necessary everyday instantaneous needs. Can act in the present with medium amounts of quintessence for medium amounts of time, usually no longer than sunset or sunrise. Sluices can usually do several casts in a row if well trained. Considered the most practical Civic Mage. Spells last for the length of a day or a night, usually, as quintessence is sunlight reactive.
* Surge: Surges are high volume single blast casters who have no ability to anchor in time or place. They can handle large amounts of Q very briefly, and are thus usually used in weaponry. This kind of sudden casting is usually dangerous, and rare. Surges are prone to being volatile and violent, and they usually opt for energy blasts. Mostly military applications. Considered the least practical.
Category:San Andreas Shifters