Chrono

Chrono is the raw, visible essence of magic, most commonly associated with arcane magic, though all forms of magic will go back to Chrono in some way. For the most part, Chrono is only visible in the presence of other components that turn magic into visible effects, like spell incantations or persistent enchantments. In some environments especially rich with magic, Chrono might take a tangible form, usually something comparable to a gas. It is otherwise an invisible force and well of power that can be called upon.
Arcane magic manipulates Chrono in its pure state, either drawing from surrounding environmental magic or magic within another nearby source, usually the caster or a similar conduit. Though divine magic uses Chrono, it is effectively filtered through the source of the magic, which is typically a god or another form of belief in a higher power. As such, the properties of divine Chrono vary from arcane Chrono; for example, excess exposure to Chrono can cause a reaction known as arcane-addling, even if the individual did not actually cast any arcane spells. On the other hand, the equivalents in divine magic, faith-forfeit and parasite-pledged, only occur in someone who attempts to cast a divine spell that they cannot adequately control.
==Chrono Spectrum==
Modern magic theory has assigned different schools of magic based on the type of Chrono that these spells use. Each type of Chrono has a corresponding color in the chromatic spectrum, with red Chrono being the most generally raw and destructive and violet Chrono being the most mild and least likely to cause direct influences on surrounding creatures. For the most part, this applies to arcane magic, which tends to be stricter on what type of school a spell must belong to. Divine magic is often less concerned with the school of magic that a spell comes from with a few notable exceptions in necromancy.
===Evocation (Red)===
The most powerful yet also volatile form of Chrono, red Chrono is associated with evocation. For the most part, evocation is destructive in nature; it relies on using the great strength of red Chrono to accomplish the impossible and twist it into a form for a specific goal. Though all magic to some degree can be seen as creating something from nothing, evocation is most associated with truly turning nothing but Chrono into a specific effect that tends to have only one specific use. As such, the pure might of evocation is most commonly limited to destructive purposes, and other schools of magic dominate more rounded spells that may have many different applications.
===Transmutation (Orange)===
Transmutation is the school of magic that alters existing subjects into something else, such as altering their size, granting a physical feature that was not already present, or even changing their form entirely. The volatility of orange Chrono means that transmutation is generally not left to its own devices, as it can produce unintended effects if not monitored by specialists. Machines, though they may greatly benefit from transmutation, are consequently not run with transmutation spells for this reason, though they might be altered during the manufacturing process to simplify creation and to cut down on the cost of raw materials.
===Conjuration (Yellow)===
As its name suggests, conjuration places things into existence, though, unlike evocation, it does not truly create something out of nothing, nor does it truly alter living creatures as transmutation does. Conjuration instead transplants effects, creatures, or objects from other planes of existence. A healing spell that is conjured transports positive energy to the subject; a calling spell that summons a creature displaces it from its original plane and places it in the caller's own; and so on. It is also possible to use conjuration to move the caster or another nearby subject somewhere else, though these applications are difficult except for the most advanced of spellcasters.
===Enchantment (Green)===
Enchantment concerns itself with altering the minds and emotions of other creatures; of all forms of arcane magic other than necromancy, enchantment typically sees the most scrutiny from law enforcement for its relative subtlety and potential for abuse. It is easy to regulate more obvious forms of magic where any type of destruction, even non-magical, would be forbidden. On the other hand, enchantment can occupy a more difficult legal position for its immediate effects and seeming similarity to conventional forms of persuasion. Generally speaking, a subject must consent for enchantment to be legal, or the enchantment effect must be used to avert harm, such as compelling an intruder to peacefully leave.
===Illusion (Blue)===
The effects of blue Chrono generally take the form of deceiving the senses, often with creating auditory or visual effects that do not exist except in the minds of whoever experiences the illusion. Like enchantment, illusion spells may be difficult to regulate, especially if the illusion is subtle and does not cause harm. The most commonly legal form of illusion is the use of glamers to alter the appearance of something else; so long as the glamer is on a consenting subject and does not cause societal disruption, such as taking the form of a well-known public figure, illusion magic is generally legal in this manner. Illusions are also a common sight in entertainment, making grand spectacles with no other lasting effect.
===Abjuration (Indigo)===
For the most part, abjuration is focused on wards and protective effects. Abjured Chrono is common in fortresses and on spaceships to protect from both natural forces of destruction in the environment and mortal enemies. Even soldiers that cannot cast spells will typically be outfitted with shields of Chronous energy to protect them from anything from other types of magic to bullets and explosions. The value of indigo Chrono in warfare is such that many medals or other awards for bravely protecting another person in combat are of the same hue as abjuration spells.
===Divination (Violet)===
Divination is concerned with viewing things that are not present or gaining insight into the future or past. Scrying, the art of viewing a subject remotely, is the most well-known form of divination, but the relative low power of divination Chrono means that its users are also a common sight in densely populated areas where magic is allowed, as even excess use of divination is unlikely to cause any lingering problems in the environment or any nearby machines. Some may even hide their spellcasting abilities and pretend that their foresight comes from a less understood supernatural force or their own intuition.
===Necromancy (White)===
Necromancy is different from the other schools of magic in its general reliance on negative energy even in arcane form. Where other spells can create something out of Chrono, necromancy often is contingent on the presence of life to have an effect. It is generally considered closest to divine magic, though it is poorly studied in Ealdremen due to galactic bans on it. Even the most minor forms of necromancy are prohibited outside of a few countries such as Risstone, which in turn tend to face international scrutiny and struggle to have a seat in galactic politics.
==Black Chrono==
Black Chrono is extraordinarily rare throughout Ealdremen. It is associated with time and is essentially a composite of every other type of Chrono, much like how black is a combination of all colors. The name Chrono originates from time itself, and black Chrono is the purest form of all magic as a result. Each type of Chrono save for necromancy, which is inherently opposed to time magic, might be considered part of this sort of magic. Though some may specialize in spells that can give the appearance of slowing down or accelerating time, these are not considered proper forms of time magic and instead alter an existing creature to make it behave as if time is altered.
Proper time magic entails seven components: creation of a new timeline (evocation), altering existing creatures along the flow of time (transmutation), transporting into a different timeline (conjuration), blurring the memories of other timelines (enchantment), visions of future timelines (illusion), protection from the flow of time (abjuration), and foresight of the future (divination). Necromancy can be considered opposed to time magic not only for its lack of place in the creation of black Chrono, but in that necromancy is capable of performing similar but incomplete effects of time magic, such as raising the dead or decomposing matter as if greatly aged.
Category:Ealdremen Magic