Grand Arcanum

The **Grand Arcanum,** otherwise better known by its contemporary name of the **Arcane Arts** are the various fields of study and practice of magic in Hephestia according to Eastern tradition. The different arts are the subject of academic and scholarly review by arcanists and mages, both in theory and practice, and constitute the known boundaries and empirical lexicon of the arcane.

Someone who is educated in the Grand Arcanum philosophy is called an arcanist.

## The Arcane Arts

### Natural Arts (Elementalism)

The Natural Arts classify feats of magic that alter the physical world and environment. This was archaically described as *elemental magic*, erroneously thought to be commanding the four Classical Elements of fire, water, earth, and air. In fact, the magic more accurately affects aspects of the inorganic world, particularly the movement, molecular structure, and temperature of material objects.

#### Essential Arts / Flowing Arts (Aeromancy)

> *Main article:* Aeromancy
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Manipulating the aether in the atmosphere (aer), directing flow and strength of wind.

#### Substantial Arts (Geomancy)

> *Main article:* Geomancy
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Manipulating the aether in solid metals, minerals, and earth, changing the structure and breadth of the environment.

#### Viscous Arts (Hydromancy)

> *Main article:* Hydromancy
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Manipulating the aether in fluids, directing the shape and flow of liquids.

#### Combustive Arts (Pyromancy)

> *Main article:* Pyromancy
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Altering the heat content in materials to various degrees, from tepid to burning.

#### Luminous Arts (Electromancy)

> *Main article:* Electromancy
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Manipulating the electrical currents in the surrounding environment to generate or distort light. More complex expressions can build entropy to affect electric and magnetic fields.

#### Dynamic Arts (Telekinesis)

> *Main article:* Telekinesis
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* gravity & density control
* levitation
* telekinesis
* force: push/pull
* locomotion (constructs, golems)

### Vital Arts / Living Arts (Anthropomancy)

» short blurb about animus and 2nd & 3rd estates

» magic working on organic tissue and other animi

#### Psychic Arts (Psionics)

> *Main article:* Psionics
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The Psychic Arts are concerned with the influence of the psyche.

#### Restorative Arts (Necromancy)

> *Main article:* Necromancy
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Manipulating cell growth to replace dead tissue.

#### Supplemental Arts (Enhancement & Affliction)

> *Main article:* Enhancement and Affliction
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* triggering chemical payload drops: serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, etc.
* buffs & debuffs
* debilitating (hexes) / affliction
* Curse – contagious spells; the directive is designed to "infect" other mana. *Accursed* are people afflicted with a curse and avoided.

#### Transformative Arts (Transfiguration)

> *Main articles:* Transfiguration
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* augments

### Countering Arts (Abjuration)

> *Main article:* Abjuration
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Manipulating the mana of another spellcaster to redirect, drain, or nullify their abilities.

## Disputed Arts

* **The Temporal Arts** (Clairvoyance) – altering space-time to modify or view past or future events.
* **The Vanishing Arts** (Teleportation) – altering space-time to rapidly transit across two distant points.
* **The Resurrecting Arts** (Resurrection) – theoretical concept pertaining to the Restorative Arts which involves the wholesome revitalization of the deceased.
* **The Rejuvenating Arts** (Rejuvenation) – theoretical concept pertaining to the Restorative Arts which reverses the aging or decaying of cells, effectively restoring or reversing one's youth.

## Debunked Arts

* **The Freezing Arts** (Cryomancy) – creating ice from thin air. Years of eclectically mixed experimentation yielded the knowledge that temperature control is a subset of pyromantic logic.
* **The Morphing Arts** (Metamorphosis) – more commonly called *shapeshifting*, the ability to change the physical form at will.
* **The Dark Arts** (Sorcery) – thought to be the magic of demons; later clarified to be magic expressed through a higher frequency mana.

## See also

* Discipline
* Sublime Gates
* Three Estates of the Universe
* Spellcasting