Magical Theory

**Learning**

Learning magic takes time. This depends on the branch of magic, not some total ruling. In order to learn magic, a person or entity must have had their ‘spark’ ignited. This is just a name given to the ability everyone has the potential to possess. A spark can be ignited either by a mage that already has this, or by experiencing great emotional trauma. This must be extremely powerful trauma, that changes one's life entirely such as an entire family being murdered.

While it is possible to learn from only a mentor, it is generally impossible to gain a mastery or expertise from that alone. Reading material is required to progress further, as you get more detailed responses and have multiple sources of information which help memory. Studying is massively important in relation to magic, just as much as having a teacher is. You couldn’t learn without reading, nor without a mentor. This means characters must be at least 13 years of age before starting to learn magic.

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**Stages of Magic**

There are four stages, or ‘Tiers’ A mage will go through on their journey to mastering a magic.
Novice: A mage is just starting out in their art, able to draw forth their magic to create small magical effects (E.g. Lighting a candle with pyromancy)
Proficient: The mage is proficient in their art and can shape their magic into more complex spells (E.g. Throwing a small fireball with pyromancy)
Expert: The mage is now considered an expert in their art and are able to perform even more complex spells (E.g. casting larger fireballs or shaping flame into animated forms of moderate size)
Master: The magic user is now a fully fledged mage and can create grand feats of magic
(E.g. Forming a wall of flames with Pyromancy)

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**Performance**

Magic is incredibly difficult without a catalyst such as a staff, grimoire or wand. The performance of magic depends entirely on the catalyst being used. Without one, spells are usually weak, unfocused and quite ineffective, but possible. At mastery, mages can perform most basic spells perfectly without a catalyst.

Catalysts can be used by multiple people, but their effectiveness towards a new mage degrades with each pass, as when you use a catalyst you leave your mark on it and it begins to learn your own signature. This means if someone were to use a hand-me-down staff that had been in a family through three different generations, it is likely to work ineffectively for the last member to use it, as it has been stained by previous users. Catalysts are much more refined and much stronger when made by the caster themselves, as there is a connection made to it before you even cast with it, which only makes performing spells all the easier.

The size or materials used in a catalyst do not make a catalyst stronger, but they do make it more specified. For example, someone seeking to work with enchantments would find more efficiency with mithril or a magical wood, as they are good conductors of magical energy, which makes enchanting items much easier. This, of course, is not a requirement, it is just more effective for certain branches.
For self-affecting magicks such as teleportation, and very basic magicks, a catalyst is not required, but once again can be made easier for the caster by working with one.
When first performing magic, one has to warm up and get in touch with casting again. This means when someone first starts casting something from a branch of magic, it takes longer for them to cast. This means that while employing combat magic an original spell would require three emotes to start out, and then after that just the one after the original warm up. This restarts for each different branch of magic used. Masters of certain branches can cut this down to two, as it becomes much easier to do. All magic when performing has a visual effect such as glowing at the hands or eyes, or some form of visual attached to the spells.

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**Non-Spell Arts**

Things such as Potioncraft and Herbology are magical arts that provide their own magical energy, and so do not require catalysts at all, nor are they made easier with them as no spells are being cast. This is defined by the branch of magic, but is quite contained ot only a few small areas.

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**Magical Signatures**

Magical signatures are a large part of magic. Everyone has a completely unique magical signature. Families generally have very similar signatures, like DNA, but are not exactly the same. This signature is within everything you do and are. When you bleed, your blood contains that signature, when you spit, that saliva contains your signature. When you go to the toilet- you get the idea. When you cast a spell or perform magic, that signature is left behind for weeks, sometimes years depending on the strength of the spell.. Magical wars can leave magical signatures for thousands of years, polluting nature around the original site.

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**Leylines**

Leylines are magical superconductors that cannot be seen. They run in different patterns through the realms, each realm having a different concentration and pattern. Magical energy is an abundant resource that runs through these conductive lines and out through all living things. Due to this, magic is stronger if only slightly near leylines. Magical energy can be encountered outside of leylines, but in much lower concentration. The magical energy left by Dark Arts users could have a corrupting effect on the environment.