Magic

Magic is supernatural action at a distance. It may be employed consciously, for example, through Ötenuei and ritual, or it may be an innate property of a being from birth, known as a variant.

Spells which have positive effects are known as blessings. Negative spells placed upon people are known as hexes; when placed on objects, they are known as curses.

## Ritual Magic

(See a list of all known rituals.)

Ritual magic is the most common form of magic, and perhaps the most versatile. It is rooted in tradition, intuition, and spirituality.

Rituals vary greatly in difficulty, from a simple cooking ritual that can be cast in a few seconds, to the complex task of creating a homunculus which can take months. Any mistakes made during the execution of a ritual, including substitution or mishandling of offerings, can cause undesirable outcomes. For this reason, more complicated rituals are usually only performed by experienced practitioners.

All rituals require that something be given up for an effect to be had. The more extreme the desired outcome, the more expensive the offerings involved. Cheap offerings might include a pinch of salt; a strand of hair; a specific flower. Expensive offerings might include human blood; one's memories; one's soul.

Many rituals also include instructions on how the offerings are to be obtained and handled. For example, a ritual may require the blood of a freshly slit human throat, collected in a silver bowl and allowed to coagulate in pitch dark for one month. More powerful rituals call for more elaborate procedures.

### Enchantments

An offshoot of ritual magic, enchantment is the art of imbuing objects with magical properties. Such objects can be used by anyone, regardless of magical aptitude.

#### Wands

A simple wand consists of a wooden rod inscribed with Ötenuei runes and topped with a crystal. However, they often include additional ornamentation which serve the purpose of increasing the wand's effectiveness.

The crystal that tops the wand stores its charge. When it runs out, the wand cannot be used. Crystals are usually recharged through the simple Ritual of Recharging undertaken by moonlight, but this is not as effective for some wands, which may require their own particular rituals. The number of times a wand can be used before it must be recharged depends on the quality of the crystal, the power of the spell, and the craftsmanship and ornamentation of the wand.

#### Talismans

A talisman is an enchanted object made to be worn that provides its wearer with a benefit. Like wands, they are powered by crystals which need to be recharged. Talismans may provide a passive effect or they may be activated through other means such as a trigger word.

#### Weapons

Enchantments applied to weapons elevate them beyond their material components by giving them supernatural properties. They may benefit the wielder, such as in the case of a near-weightless sword, or they may cause further damage to enemies, such as a dagger that drinks its victims' blood. As with all enchanted objects, they are powered by crystals which need to be recharged.

Enchanted weapons are highly sought after by the warriors of Bastion, and those with the means or expertise may create their own signature weapon as a symbol of their power and legacy.

## Alchemy

(See a list of all known potions.)

Alchemy is the art of creating liquids which can be ingested, sprayed, or thrown to produce magical effects. It represents the intellectual side of magic. It is not unusual for high-level schools to offer classes in alchemy.

Alchemical recipes require a degree of precision which is not usually possible without specialized equipment. It may also produce deadly fumes or unstable byproducts. For these reasons, it is usually conducted in a lab or other area dedicated to such a purpose.

## Variants

(See a list of all known variants.)

Variants are intrinsic magic. They are acquired at birth and may be helpful or debilitating; controllable or involuntary; facts of daily life or so rare that they're never noticed at all. Nearly everyone possesses at least one variant.

It's commonly believed that variants are in some way connected with past lives. Souls are speculated to accumulate variants over time; lifetimes which bring the soul closer to ascension earn positive variants, and those which distance it earn negative ones.