Astropathy

Astropathy is the magical practice of navigating and manipulating space via the Astral Plane, or Immaterium, for the purposes of interrealm travel, short or long range teleportation, telekinesis, and other means of rapid magical transportation.

The primary Element associated with Astropathy is Fire, as its powerful and volatile energies are most suited for the forceful distortions in space Astropaths cause. Air is also commonly used as a power source to fuel Astropathy, as it is well fitted to help mages detect changes in space and expand their awareness. Earth, conversely, is often drawn upon to stabilize a portal, and prevent teleportation to and from a location, while Water can be used to affect more subtle changes, such as manipulation of momentum and the like.

## Telekinesis

Telekinesis is the simplest and most practical applications of Astropathy, and many mages who delve into the field learn to employ solely this ability. In essence, telekinesis is the ability to manipulate nearby forces, allowing for levitation, gravitational distortions, and the manipulation of momentum.

More basic applications of telekinetic powers can allow for one to move objects about with their minds, augment and concentrate the force of a blow, or deliver a shockwave to knock down a foe. Advanced telekinesis can allow for hovering flight, the erection of force barriers, or the crushing or splitting of objects.

## Apportation

The practice of Apportation is a form of teleportation that centers around short range spatial distortions, wherein objects are shifted brief distances through the Astral Plane to reappear somewhere nearby. Apportation is commonly employed in combat or for shaking pursuers. It can be employed to shift an arrow aimed at a mage so that it instead strikes an enemy, or send that same enemy fifty feet into the air to allow them to plummet to their death.

As one might expect, the more substantial and numerous the objects being Apported, and the larger the distance they are meant to travel, the more difficult an Apportation becomes. Novice mages might be able to Apport a scroll or book a few feet, while a Master would be capable of sending a large group of people several miles away.

Apportation also produces very faint energy signatures, which are very difficult for other mages to detect unless they are in extremely close proximity. For this reason, Apportation is the ideal method for stealthy teleportation.

## Portals

Portals are a more advanced teleportation method, wherein one employs their Astropathic abilities to open a tear in space and into the Immaterium, which entities and objects can pass through in order to cross vast distances. Portals are incredibly powerful, magically speaking, requiring an Expert mage to produce them.

Portals can also be used offensively. Rather than simply opening a portal which entities and objects can pass through, a skilled mage can cause the portal to pull things into it by applying telekinetic principles, in the case of physical objects, or psychic and conjuration abilities to send Aetherial beings to destinations of their choice.

### Appearance

A portal typically appears as a large mass of seething, crackling energy, radiating light and emitting a loud vibration for the duration of their activation. Upon first being opened, a portal emits a thunderously loud noise and bright flash of light, a phenomenon known commonly as a "portal thunder". In order to remain open, a portal must be supplied with a constant flow of magic.
When travelling between the two ends of a portal, however brief that time may be, one is typically bombarded by sound and light. As a result, those unused to portal travelling often experience nausea and vertigo when they come out the other side.

### Creation

Longstanding portals are often constructed within a magical nexus, where mystical mechanisms are put in place to automatically draw in power to fuel a portal when it is activated. These locations are typically known as Astral Gateways, systems of which are often linked to facilitate travel between locations.
In addition to networks of Gateways being connected together, many Gateways are also linked with objects which allow those to possess them to create portals which join to a Gateway. Such items are known as Gate Links. Artifacts which directly control the operation of a Gateway, allowing for it to be activated, deactivated, or the location it opens to changed, are known as Gatekeys.

Creating one's own portals typically requires a ritual wherein one forms a teleportation circle, which is typically composed of candles or a ring of flame, as well as mystical markings inscribed on the ground. After the circle is created, a portal can be opened, after which it is maintained until the magic of the circle is depleted. Only a true Master mage can conjure a portal without a teleportation circle, and such a portal's duration is based on how much power they imbued into keeping it open.

### Misc

Compared to Apportation, portal use is extremely easy to detect, as an opened portal is like a blazing beacon to an Astropath.

It is also possible for magic users to forcibly take control over a portal made by another being, and either seal it shut or alter its destination.

## Astropathic Shielding

Astropathic Shielding is a form of warding magic, and an important tool for any Astropath, as it enables them to stabilize the space in a certain location. Firstly, this can enable a magic user to prevent teleportation to and from a warded zone, usually by creating a system of arcane runes. Most of the time, Shields are designed to be activated and deactivated, so as to allow the magic user who erected them to teleport if they need too.
Generally speaking, wards against teleportation are easier to produce than the actual act of teleporting itself.