Abilities

## Affinity

An individual's affinity to magic describes what kind of magic they can do and the power of their magic.

# Old info

## Spellcasting

Spellcasting, also known as learned, language, or runic magi, is based on the use of language to shape the spell and energy to fuel it. As the spellcasting has been studied, additional optional methods such as catalysts and runes have been added to the knowledge of spellcasting to generate better spells.

### Illegal Magic

As spellcasting allows almost anything as long as the right words are used, there are some kinds of spells with horrific consequences, either due to the spell itself or incorrect spellcasting. Furthermore, since many of these spells are restricted, there are no known functioning spells that would allow for the wanted spell to be cast in the first place.

#### Impossible Spells

Effects of spells that cannot happen no matter what wording is used.

* Matter made from nothing
* Physical time travel or altering timelines
* Physically travelling through the multiverse
* Travelling to the afterlife or seeing the dead
* Teleportation
* Life creation

#### Illegal spells

Spells that are possible with the right wording but slight errors lead to major negative consequences.

* Necromancy- considered unethical, especially due to the fact that memories cannot easily be restored
* Death- for obvious reasons
* Memory restoration, mind manipulation, anything else to do with the brain- the mind is complex, and will likely mess up the target's mind
* Control over another being- ethical reasons

#### Difficult spells

Rare spells that only level five license holders are legally allowed to use.

* Portals
* Gravity manipulation
* Weather manipulation

### How to get Spellcasting

In the world of Project: Jiiqua, although all sapient being possess the ability to use learned magic, spellcasting has been legally restricted to license holders due to the safety risks associated with untrained spellcasters. Licenses have levels, each higher level allowing the spellcaster access to more difficult and potentially dangerous spells, and some allow an individual to be involved in the creation and updating of new spells. Getting the license requires the individual to show a good knowledge of the spells they will be working with as well as a strong sense of responsibility and safety. Higher levels also require a reason, such as being associated with a job, and cannot be gained by a hobbyist spellcaster.

In the ARPG, members can earn a license for their character by drawing or writing the character into the following quests. Remember that all quests require a rough background and 75% of the character to be shown or a minimum of 800 words!

#### Level one: Apprentice

At this stage, characters can use basic spells with very little risk. The feats possible do not often exceed that of a Tier 2 ability (see below for abilities)

* Complete any one of the following prompts:
	+ Draw or write your character studying spellcasting
	+ Draw or write your character practicing their spellcasting under supervision (requires a character with a spellcasting license of Level 2 or above, includes the spellcasting NPC)

#### Level two: Intermediate

At this stage, characters can use more complicated spells that may pose a mild risk if used incorrectly. These feats do not often exceed that of a Tier 3 ability.

* Complete any of the two following prompts:
	+ Draw or write your character studying spellcasting
	+ Draw or write your character practicing their spellcasting
	+ Draw or write your character practicing their spellcasting under supervision (requires a character with a spellcasting license of Level 3 or above, includes the spellcasting NPC)

#### Level three: Advanced

At this stage, characters can use complicated and powerful spells that have a serious risk of danger. The possibilities do not often exceed that of a Tier 5, and the character must have a magic related profession.

#### Level four: Professional

At this stage, characters can use most known spells and has demonstrated enough knowledge of language to aid in the development of new spells.

#### Level five: Master

At this stage, character can use nearly every known spell, including difficult spells.

* The character requires a backstory on why and how they were able to gain mastery over spellcasting. If it is complex enough and matches with the lore, your character will be approved to have a level five license.
	+ Note: this means that it is possible for your character to not get the license even after completing the prompt.

### Spellcasting NPC

Spellcasting NPC- can be used in any of the quests that require supervision! Needs to be present by at least 15% (his head counts).

Using spells illegally (aka without a license) or illegal spells is allowed but ONLY if there is enough backstory to support the character's use of spellcasting illegally. The character's backstory must be approved to use magic illegally in any submissions, canon or not.

## Abilities

Many individuals naturally posses the ability to exert their will without the use of language to shape the command.  The amount of energy also often naturally matches the command, making it much less likely for unintended consequences.  But unlike spellcasting, where all individuals have the same ability to learn the magic, most are limited to one element varying between individuals, commonly at a very weak level.  It is very rare to have a strong and precise control over one aspect of the world, and even rarer to have control over multiple. This phenomenon is called an individual's ability, also known as inherited or natural magic.  The limited variety in what one can control has been sorted into one of five Focuses and the power level has been divided into five Tiers.

### Focus

The focus describes what the individual is able to control, ranging from matter to temperature to space or time itself. Furthermore, a focus can be divided into subcategories to further specify what the individual can accomplish. Individuals often only have one category within a focus, although it is possible to have multiple categories or even focuses.

### Tiers

Although use of abilities can be strengthened with practice and training, the level of power describes what the individual can do with their focus- a higher tier means that they naturally require less energy to use their ability, opening up many more possibilities with what the individual can do. The higher tier also gives them more sensitivity to their focus, allowing for more precise use of the ability as well as being able to detect the focus of their ability. The tiers classify a range of power levels, dividing the spectrum into five tiers. Tier 1 grants the ability to control the focus at a basic level, and at tier 3 the individual gains the ability of detection. At tier 5, [redacted]. Tier 2 and 4 are defined by the power and feats the individual may achieve.

Abilities are still bound by the rules of the universe, so it is easier to use an ability on some substances rather than others- it is much easier to set a piece of wood on fire rather than a container of helium. And of course, abilities only affect what is already there, they cannot bring mass into existence.

Abilities do not have much effect on the individual's spellcasting ability, but can affect the end result if using their ability simultaneously with the spell.

### Laeksai

Focus: Thermal

Categories: Heating and cooling

Includes:

* Heating/ cooling objects (temperature + quantity of object heated/ cooled depends on tier and substance)
* Creating fire (sustainability of the flame and ease of setting object on fire depends on tier and substance)
* Accelerating reactions
* Sensing heat differences, changes in temperature Tier ones can usually only heat/ cool small quantities of matter, usually those with low heat capacities.

Tier ones can usually only heat/ cool small quantities of matter, usually those with low heat capacities.

### Tyetro

Focus: Matter

Categories: Movement and warping

Includes:

* Moving objects (amount moved depends on tier)
* Stretching and compressing objects, twisting objects into shapes (precision and ability depends on tier)
* Detecting matter, detecting movement, detecting stretching, detecting compression

Tier ones can usually only move gases and non polar liquids such as oils.  Category differentiation does not matter until tier 2.

### Faeya

Focus: electricity

Categories: electricity, electromagnetic fields

Includes:

* Manipulating electricity
* Manipulating electromagnetic fields
* Detecting potential difference, electroreception

Tier ones can usually only affect minor electric fields.

### Naetiiri

Focus: space and time

Categories: space, gravity, time

Includes:

* Strengthening or weakening gravity
* Creation of temporary portals
* Ghost time travel (can stop, go back, or go forward to any of the time branches, but unable to interact with anything)

Tier ones can usually only use these abilities to a very minor and almost negligible degree.

### Niikorai

All of the above at maximum possible (or close to it) potential. Requires a special item. (not available yet)

### How to get Abilities

In the world of Project: Jiiqua, abilities are genetic, meaning that they are passed from parents to the child. The most common and lower tier will most likely be passed down, though there is a chance for the rarer ability or higher tier to be inherited. Even rarer is the chance for a child to inherit multiple Focuses if both parents each have a different Focus.

In the ARPG, abilities can be added onto the character like traits, but higher tiers don’t follow normal trait rules- although lower tiers can be added for free or using trait cards, higher tiers and rarer abilities require items.

Shards are used to give a character a higher ability tier during character creation or adding a tier to a pre-made character. For example, a character can be given a tier 3 Laeksai ability while they are being created or a pre-existing tier 1 Tyetro can be boosted to tier 3 using 2 shards.

 shard can be used to give a character an additional category under a focus they already have, either during character creation or to a pre-made character. The new focus category's tier defaults to the tier the focus already has.

shards are used to add a focus to a character, either during character creation or pre-made. Using the shard always defaults to giving the character one tier in the ability type, and the shard is needed to give them a higher level.