Animus

*Animus* is mind magic - controlling other's psyche. *Animus* depends on your psyche and is the element of duality.

* **Complex** - Kaph drain is moderate.
* **Corrupting** - Mages can destroy other's psyche, and possibly their own

Symbol - Brain

## Background

In 114M, magic was being tested on mental patients in a remote "mental ward". *Umbra* (specifically, *Umbra* *Mutantur*) was primarily being used to attempt to "cure" patients of their disorders. Dr. Fallus was the leader of this project, with his goal to be the first man to cure schizophrenia through magic--or through any means possible. One of his patients, Ayumari Tsikanna, was a Nakhorai of Justice and Deceit. She was diagnosed with Schizophrenia and was favored by Fallus because of her race. Ayumari was experimented on by Fallus for 3 months.

On the third month, Fallus attempted to cast *Umbra* *Mutantur* again on Ayumari, but Ayumari somehow interfered with the kaph output of *Mutantur*, and ended up casting *Animus* *Furor* on Fallus successfully. She possessed Fallus, fought with security, and escaped the facility. She headed for Tenesai, Neiro--which took three days by foot; and tried to find where she was taken. She found the location, but learned that her family was killed by Fallus. When she learned this, she collapsed from grief, and passed out. Ayumari awoke in her own body, hungry. She was isolated by the doctors, and she was very angry at all she learned; she was given food and left to sleep by herself, distant from everyone.

The next morning, the guard she befriended during her 3 months of incarceration came by to give her breakfast. When the guard reached in to give her the food, she startled him by grasping his arm instead of the food tray. She apologized and thanked him, and he left. What the guard did not know was that Ayumari used *Animus* *Praefectus* on him. Once it was nighttime, she cast *Somniat* on him through the link she established from *Praefectus*; this made Ayumari collapse, but since it was night, security believed she was sleeping.

In the guard's dream, Ayumari showed him what Fallus did to her family, and she convinced him to help her start a rebellion and free all the patients. Upon awakening, she was released by the guard, and both of them released all the other patients. They were met with some resistance from security, and Ayumari tried to use *Furor* on a guard, but failed and collapsed. However, all the other patients helped them and fought against the guards. After a while, all the patients left the facility alongside the guard who was carrying Ayumari. When she awoke, she was in the guard's home, where she was nursed back to health.

Following the reports of numerous people with hospital gowns sighted walking together, local police forces questioned the group. They seemed to be speaking nonsense, but all were professing of a Nakhorai that could control minds. This sparked some concern, so the police called the SWANs for further investigation. The SWANs already were aware of the facility, but they did not hear of an insurrection. Upon further investigation, the leader was identified to be Ayumari and the guard--Haurus Konni, a Nakhoraima of Justice. The duo were found in Haurus' home in Phoenicia, Ailos; and were questioned.

Ayumari was interviewed about her newfound abilities; the interview of which can be found here.

## Overview

*Animus* is an element derived from *Umbra*. *Animus* controls the mind's psyche--the mind, consciousness, and sub-consciousness. This element allows users to fully possess others and affect their emotions, senses, and general autonomy.

### Behavior

*Animus*'s power strives from the user's own psyche and mental health. Generally, the more healthier you are mentally, the better you will be able to resist/use *Animus*; *Animus* is unique among elements in how the trait it relies on is proportional to both it's strength and weakness.

Environment can affect *Animus*'s power concentration; particularly environments that can induce/reduce mental strain within a subject.

#### Emotions

Emotions are also a factor regarding *Animus*'s strength; power becomes stronger depending on the strength of the emotion; stimulant, strong emotions like hatred, obsession, excitement, or pride will strengthen *Animus*, but strong, depressant emotions like sorrow, grief, horror, shame, or worthlessness can significantly weaken *Animus*.
Overall, *Animus* is fully dependent on two things: the mage's psyche and the target's psyche. All of these strengths and weaknesses will affect *Animus*.

##### Affect from Caster

*Animus*'s strength relies on the strong emotions within the casting mage, it is directly proportional--such that these emotions will directly affect the strength of the cast. For example, if the mage is confident or excited, the cast will be strengthened; contrarily, the cast will be weakened if the mage is in a state of sorrow or grief.

##### Affect from target

*Animus*'s strength also relies on the target's emotions, however this is inversely proportional--depressive emotions will make the cast stronger, and stimulant emotions will make the cast weaker. For example, if the target is ashamed, the cast will be stronger; conversely, if the target is proud, the cast will be weaker. This flag is what makes *Animus* unique among elements; it does not rely solely on the mage, but also relies on the target. This makes for some unique scenarios; one such scenario had to do with a cult leader failing to cast *Animus* on a haughty hero.

##### Affect from both

Both affects from caster and target sum up to the resultant power of the cast. If both the caster and target were experiencing the same emotion at the same strength, casting would fail because both emotions cancel out. It is important to note that everybody is different concerning their emotional response, so it's not very likely this could happen. However, it can happen when both parties are experiencing emotions of the same strength.

### Combat

*Animus* is not particularly useful in combat since in a fight, both parties feel strong emotions that would likely repel *Animus*. However usage of *Animus* in combat is somewhat rare, mages will often combine this element with psychological warfare tactics to compensate for such strong emotions.

#### Post psychological-warfare

Once a target's psyche is broken--meaning they no longer feel those strong feelings that would repel *Animus*--*Animus* becomes a very powerful tool.

* *Animus* *Terminus* in particular is very strong, in which the mage can disrupt strength and magic output
* *Animus* *Furor* has a higher chance of success with a broken target

#### Against other elements

* *Fulgur* can cancel *Furor*, *Praefectus*, and *Somniat*
* *Providentia* can detect if a being is under *Furor*
* *Anti* can cancel *Praefectus* and *Terminus*

*Animus* can prevent other classes from being cast similar to how *Umbra* *Mutantur* does so.

### Symbolism

The *Animus* symbol is a brain. Colors that represent *Animus* are generally purple.

### Civilian use

*Animus* is used in the medical field to treat various psychological conditions.

## Skills

### Furor - Possession

Allows mages to take full control over another being's body. Must be of the same species; such that humans cannot control animals, nor can animals control humans; the being also must be sapient.

```
**Targeting** - Requires a target to control.

```

```
**Intensive** - Uses all of the mage's kaph, will make the mage collapse.

```

Using this skill **will** make the mage collapse, regardless of success or not. This skill allows mages to essentially "possess" another being, giving up their physical body. The only way for a third party to undo this is to render the vessel--the possessed body--unconscious. However, the caster will return to their own body automatically once the vessel sleeps, lest the caster renews the possession.

If the cast succeeded strongly, the mage's vessel will be empty, and prone to any harm or possession--by any entity. It is important that prior to casting *Furor*, the mage's body should be in a resting position (such as siting or lying down) and safe from harm. The mage's vessel can be empty as long as the body can go without food and water--typically a week or so--which can be nullified by usage of IV tubes.

The target is still present during the caster's control; however, they are absent from control over their body. The target will still be aware of all that is going on around them, and will be able to see, sense, and remember everything the caster also does.

However, if the cast succeeded, but was weak, the mage will have limited control over the vessel; the mage could also have mostly full control over the vessel, but they will not have subconscious control; meaning that subconscious activity that is normally present within the target will also be present with the mage. The target is also in more control depending on how weak the cast was. If the cast was too weak, the caster will simply collapse from kaph drainage and the target will be unaffected.

One interesting quirk with *Furor* is that, as long as it has succeeded, you have full control over the mage, meaning you have access to their kaph reserve, but not your original. While this can be a great thing if the target has a greater kaph reserve, it can be a glass cannon--that is, if the target has a lower kaph reserve, you will *only* have access to their kaph reserve.

### Praefectus - Overseeing

Create a kaph link that allows for targeted casts to disregard distance. Suggest subconscious actions and thoughts, to an extant.

```
**Targeting** - Requires a being

```

```
**Intensive** - Drains kaph over time, the more kaph there is to use, the stronger the control is.

```

The mage is able to create a link between them and the target that allows for the mage's targeted casts to disregard distance (as long as it is the same target). The link must be established from a physical touch.

Allows a mage to interfere with the subconscious of a target. This includes fabricating voices, thoughts, urges, and actions; all of these are on the subconscious level, meaning that they are highly suggestive to the target. Voices can be anyone's voice, as long as the mage as heard it and can replicate it mentally. Thoughts and urges are unlimited and can be anything the mage can think of. Actions can be anything biologically possible.

However, keep in mind, that targets can override subconscious suggestions. All suggestions are as powerful as the cast was; the less kaph that is available, the less powerful the cast will also be.

### Terminus - Limiting

Limit power over others using the mind.

```
**Targeting** - Requires a being

```

```
**Intensive** - Initial kaph drain is large and stays with the target.

```

Allows a mage to limit the power of another being, this can be physical, mental, or magical power, but it cannot be willpower. There are a couple ways to undo this skill:

1. The mage undoing *Terminus*
2. The target using their willpower to break free
3. *Anti*

This skill can prevent beings from using magic or physical strength; limiting the mind fully renders beings unconscious, but partially limiting the mind can result in symptoms similar to that of a concussion: headache; trouble with thinking, memory, or concentration; nausea; blurry vision; sleep disturbances; or mood changes.

If the victim has enough willpower, they can overcome *Terminus* and return to normal. Alternatively, *Anti* can be used to return, mitigate, amplify, or even steal the kaph being used to limit the victim.

### Recordatio - Memory

Modify the memories of a being.

```
**Targeting** - Requires a being

```

```
**Intensive** - Initial kaph drain is tremendous.

```

Allows a mage to modify memories--that is, altering; destroying; and creating. This also allows mages to modify the properties of memories, including recall speed and bound emotions & reactions.

This skill is very powerful since memory is a crucial aspect of the mind; changing memories can impact one's beliefs, outlook on life, and their general psyche. However, the kaph drain is tremendous, and this skill requires that the mage know the exact memories they want to change--which can be found using the next skill: *Somniat*

### Somniat - Entering the Mind

Enter the mind of a target through dreaming.

```
**Targeting** - Requires a being

```

```
**Intensive** - Drains full kaph reserve

```

Allows the mage to enter the mind of a target. This transports the mage into the mental realm of the target, where the mage is essentially in a "dream", of which is in the target's mind. The target does not need to be asleep for the mage to remain in the target's mental realm; in fact, the target themselves can experience the same dream the mage sees, and even see and interact with mage themselves within it. However, the mage will not be subject to the effects of being unlucid within a dream--they are aware of themselves, their surroundings, their senses, and everything else they experience within the dream. Unlike the target, however, the mage cannot control the dream directly; lest the mage uses suggestion to "guide" the target into dreaming whatever the mage wishes. The mage is able to leave at any time by forcing themselves to wake up, or someone wakes them up manually.

If a mage is inside the target's mental realm whilst the target is awake, the dream will shape itself into whatever the target is thinking at the moment. The target can also interact with the mage by concentrating; conversely, the mage cannot initially interact with the target.

If the target dies, the mage is stuck in the mental realm until total brain death; meaning the mage has limited time until they die too; if this was initial cause of death, the mage will have no time and will die immediately. A few mental conditions can affect the mental realm and/or the mage in interesting ways:

* Concussion - will disorient the mage according to the target's concussion
* Loss of Consciousness - will initially disorient the mage, but everything will be darker and the target will be transported into the mental realm
* Emotions - emotions affect the content and overall atmosphere of the dream in a predictable way
* Mental disorders - targets with mental disorders tend to have more imperceptible dreams--thus, the mental realm is often times more absurd
	+ Bipolar disorder - content oftentimes switches mood suddenly
	+ ADHD - attention is fragile; content tends not to focus entirely on one subject
	+ OCD - attention is overly observant; details within a dream are very easy to perceive
	+ Schizophrenia - broken content; details are absurd and incomprehensible, often times scary

More studies on mental realms within patients with mental disorders can be found here.

## Elemental Imprinting

*Animus* is properly imprinted on the left temple.

## Passive Abilities

### Positive

* **Animus** - Control the psyche
* **Mood** - Stronger, stimulant emotions release more kaph

### Negative

* **Animus** - Power is controlled by targets
* **Mood** - Strong, depressant emotions release less kaph

## Known Users

* Ayumari Tsikanna, a prisoner who started a revolt against an inhumane scientist
* Dreamwalker, a hero

## Trivia

* *Animus* is one of the most powerful elements alongside *Anti* and possibly *Vis*
* *Animus* is one of the elements, alongside *Anti*, *Umbra*, and *Aquae* that can take away a mage's ability to cast