Blessed Magic

Blessed Magic is a formidable and pure type of magic. Most of the magic is used sparingly and is far more obscure than its dark counterparts. Blessed Magic is focused on cleansing oneself and the world around them, as well as having no detriments on the user, rather strengthening positive qualities that were already there.

## Description

This form of magic can be manifested in several ways depending on the sub-magic used. Holy Magic is an intangible mass of faint multi-colored energy. Light Magic is a highly flexible light, ranging from soft and soothing to harsh and piercing. White Magic is depicted with curves and beauty, as it is appealing and safe, often being seen on articles of clothing or in rituals. The combination of these techniques gives Blessed Magic users a focused and harmonious scope of abilities.

Blessed Magic has a large emphasis on restoration and purification, attempting to correct imbalances in the natural order of the world. It doesn't tamper with its users whatsoever, keeping them in a constant healthy state. Blessed individuals like Paladins mainly use their holy powers to ward off sources of evil, such as the Dark Archipelago. It has a natural advantage against its antithesis, Cursed Magic, since light always eradicates darkness.

## Branches

Blessed Magic has three types of sub-magics that branch off into different categories: Holy, Light, and White magic. There are big differences between the three. Using any of them on their own is easy enough while combining them to achieve greatly advanced blessed magic is far more complex and difficult. The only individuals known to have successfully done this are Empress Hi' Santh and the Angel King.

### Holy Magic

Starting with Holy Magic, it is essentially about maintaining or restoring what is considered "normal" in daily life, more often than not through miraculous means fueled by positive virtues and wellbeing. This can include the preservation of life force, corporeal healing, and even resurrection. Miracle magic is also highly prominent but rare, making Holy the most powerful and mysterious of the three.

### Light Magic

Light Magic utilizes both light as a physical energy and as an abstract force against other magics. Practicing traditional light magic is a path typically taken by those considered to be righteous. Since the beginning of its use, it was used to combat the forces of dark and shadow magic- common and unrelenting threats. It is the most common of the three Holy magics.

### White Magic

White magic is all about the truth and the truth alone. Any use of white magic will only reveal and unveil through powerful detection and revelation. When the moon hosted the faith of Erruzent and many others, for example, white magic was the focus, which gave the moon an all-seeing property and power over evil.

## History

Blessed Magic was originally a byproduct of Starr's creation and existed as the equal and opposite of Cursed Magic. Since the beginning, it was used mainly by the Angles of Haivehn. Prime examples include the Mortal Blessing weapon and light-user Project 15. The Angel Kings mastered all forms of the magic and created paladins with varying shapes and sizes, giving them natural prowess with the magics, particularly light, and spreading them out across Starr. One of these was Pagrenoe Bokila but he was quickly placed in stasis by Gohdumsin and the Martyr Ten.

One of the Voidal Knights, Empress Hi' Santh, was originally empowered by Mother Law. Hi' Santh worked her way to becoming the most skilled user of blessed and miracle magic ever seen, triumphing over Gohdumsin and his evils various times. She also created the Well of Hope and the Coins of Hope as a way to grant extreme miracles to whoever brought them together. She was ultimately sealed away along with the rest of the knights. Some time later in the midst of the Reign of Shadows, Ivory Forthlander used blessed magic in the form of the Sanctuary Armor to combat the oppressive Umbrayan Shadow Empire. He was victorious and his armor would be eventually inherited by warrior Pappen Vafaran.

Much later in the 12th dusk, Pagrenoe was released as Pagranor Boquilak, without his memories and the majority of his power lost. Magic Elf Dario Ingelmus practiced faith and used his belief in the Angels to obtain potent healing abilities. Both individuals became members of the Heralds of Retha, with Pagranor as one of the founders and spread their goodwill throughout the lands, such as when Pagranor's rainbow aura disrupted Oblivion's life-force and restored the people of Retha. Dario was eventually killed, but Pagranor persisted and began growing more and more powerful in the ways of blessed magic. This included protection with the Spellguard Shield, fighting the light-wielding Lichenrath to take its spellbook, and obtaining the all-seeing Cosmodium Star-Guard from the Kin of Law.

Gohdumsin and the rest of the knights returned, making the curse master's curses one of the Herald's greatest obstacles. They sent Maurus Melgoron to search for Sacronax's Rune, a one-time use of boundless white magic. Maurus fought its holy guardian Brione to deem himself worthy and used it to cleanse his teammates. This allowed them to collect the Father Fragments, and among other uses, had their power-granting properties temporarily enhance Pagranor's blessed magic to unbelievable, otherworldly levels that far surpassed the Empress or anyone else, allowing him him to completely eradicate Gohdumsin's body, effortlessly reset Oblivion (UT), and purify the chaos-infected Kin of Life.

In the aftermath of Gohdumsin's schemes, a contingent of Paladins created a Holy Curtain to keep Retha safe from the darkness of the Dark Archipelago. Several angels had also traveled to Senothia, bringing remnants of their ancient magic to the new Nepha, including the Nephilim Armor and Roundshield. During a subsequent period of peace, leviathan warrior Erruzent escaped death through lunar-based white magic. The moon, hosting the faith of many, granted these powers to its followers in the Order of the Moon, such as reaper Eldei, and hosted locations like the Purification Monastery. Empress Hi' Santh also resurfaced after the Starrite Guardians activated her Well of Hope, fulfilling their desire through the Miracle Ship. Hi' Santh's power began to rapidly grow as she spread belief, returning to destroy Xur' Kil as a favor to the Starrites.

## Applications

Blessed Magic entails a focused variety of magical abilities, from seemingly reality-bending miracles and resurrection to basic healing and light usage, all through strong foundations in the ideas of truth and harmony. Blessed magic manipulators uphold themselves to a higher standard than those around them, meaning most uses of the magic are designed with benevolent purposes.

### Holy Magic

* **Life-force preservation-** Holy Magic has a strong connection to the concept of life-force and vitality, especially when it comes to preserving its natural state. At the height of his powers, Pagranor was able to drain all of Oblivion (UT)'s stolen life-force and return it to its rightful place.
	+ **Rainbow Aura-** By empowering himself with Lightchants, Pagranor gained the ability to create a unique rainbow-colored aura, a manifestation of his holy magic. It increased the potency of his healing and automatically protected his life-force from Oblivion.
	+ **Purification-** Pagranor could temporarily use the maximum extent of his abilities to purify objects and beings from impure magic. He purged nearly all Chaos Magic from the infected Kin of Life, restoring the kin's mental and physical capabilities. Hi' Santh was also able to purify Tajan's Forbidden Script.
* **Corporeal Healing-** The most common and popular use of Holy Magic is undoubtedly the power to heal physical bodies. The most basic use involves physical contact with the target, dispelling their injuries and wounds. Multiple extensions of that basic use have been developed by Angels and Paladins alike.
	+ **Healing Aura-** A cleric-based spell used by Dario Ingelmus, it allowed him to generate a radiating aura around his body. The aura healed everyone around him, friends and foes alike, but the range lessened its potency.
	+ **Health Inversion-** The act of damaging yourself at the cost of healing others is a questionable method used by inexperienced healers, including Pagranor in his early days. It can also be used to increase the potency of other healing attacks.
	+ **Healing Tax-** Far more advanced than inversion, it allows the user to automatically heal themselves while healing others, rather than draining their own health, maintaining the user's vitality at all times. It is very difficult to learn.
	+ **Resurrection-** Revival of the fallen happens when blessed magic users realize the greatest potential of powers. It is one of the most supreme arts that any sorcerer can hope to obtain. However, it usually comes at the detriment of temporarily diminished healing.
	+ **Order Domain-** If an ally or teammate were to perish in battle, the healing capabilities of the user would become twice as powerful for the duration of said battle with no exceptions. It was a mysterious technique learnt only by Dario.

* **Positive Emotion Empowerment-** Extremely skilled users of holy magic can theoretically indulge in raw positive emotions such as joy, hope, and love to use them as a source of power. The user would become more powerful and potentially gain new abilities depending on the emotion used.
* **Miracle Magic-** A very illusive and coveted magic. Even the most powerful sorcerers experience trouble in understanding and practicing its seemingly wish-granting powers. The potential is hypothetically limitless, though only a handful have been able to truly tap into its power, one of them being Empress Hi'Santh. It seems to come to only specific individuals or in the form of items; it is the rarest of all blessed magic uses.
	+ **Charm-** This power can influence a person's general opinion about something, and cause them to slightly think otherwise than what they thought before. It is normally very weak and easy to learn by inexperienced spell casters.
	+ **Spell Protection-** The Spellguard Shield is able to unreliably grant small miracles every time it clashes with an attack of magical origin, reducing the damage taken if the miracle activates.
	+ **Manifestation-** By granting wishes, it is possible to manifest powers, items, or outcomes desired by the user or others over an unknown period of time. Many coveted a wish from the Well of Hope: Ogadont for a cure to his curse, Dominus for physical invulnerability, the Order of Blood for the blood moon, Ant King for all humans to become ants, Mazgorr Milrankus for self-perfection, and Revhed Vafaran for power to defeat Erruzent. All were possible, but ultimately it was the Starrite Guardians who had their wish fulfilled and received the Miracle Ship as a result.

### Light Magic

* **Light Projection-** A quintessential aspect of blessed magic as a whole, the power to create and manipulate magical light is the main and most important application of light magic. It is both physical, allowing it to illuminate areas, and magical, allowing it to interact with different magics.
	+ **Damaging Attacks-** Light magic can be used to create a wide variety of damaging attacks. They can damage anyone but are especially powerful against sources of cursed magic. Paladins and other blessed magic users typically rely on other weapons for damage but occasionally resort to their light, a popular example being beams or balls of light magic.
		- **Bi Saw Blade-** Pagranor could create a large spinning light saw that spins closely around him. It healed any allies and damaged any enemies that were in range, automatically distinguishing who were which, but the attack never progressed in strength.
		- **Super Light Beam-** The Lichenrath, and by extension users of its spellbook, could fire a charged and accurate beam of light.
		- **Flash Barrage-** Project 15 was capable of using light magic to create four quick pulses of light that all do the same damage.
		- **Concentrating Ray-** Project 15 was also capable of charging and firing a strong beam of light magic. The longer it charged the more damage it dealt.
	+ **Blinding-** An extension technique from manipulating light, it allows the user to temporarily blind their targets. The attack is usually sure-hit as long as the opponent keeps their eyes open. One of the Lichenrath's spells, blinding light, did exactly that once its incantations were spoken.
		- **Proning Flash-** Pagranor's Mortal Blessing crossbow could utilize light magic in order to flash his opponent with light upon any hit, making his next attack deal additional damage at the cost of some of his own health.
* **Tendril Manifestation-** Theoretically, the physical aspect of light magic at the advanced level could be used to create limited constructs, such as tendrils made of light. These white tendrils could potentially be used to inflict blessings or serve as extra appendages.
* **Light Transformation-** Theoretically, light magic could be used to do the opposite of shadow magic and transform the user into his own aura. The form would grant teleportation, the ability to phase through objects, and flight. It would produce a constant bright light that heals allies and damages enemies.
* **Repulsion of Evil-** An innate property of light magic involves literally repelling evil beings. Those that use cursed magic are naturally weakened by the presence of blessed magic, mainly light. Said curse users develop an instinct to avoid this light, taking them to even darker places, making it easy for Paladins and other sorcerers to protect themselves.

### White Magic

* **Detection-** The first of two common white magic uses, detection is all about awareness of your surroundings and those that may be hidden. It provides knowledge and foresight to the user as most spells involve learning the locations of targets or aggressors.
	+ **Lifeforce Detection-** Theoretically, the user can spread varying amounts of white magic over an area, allowing him to count the amount of life force in a large radius to learn the amount of people and enemies nearby. Not only that, but it could also reveals their health and potential abilities.
	+ **Threat Sense-** Pagranor's Cosmodium Star-Guard utilized white magic check for possible threats. When outside of battle, it could detect traps and nearby enemies. If inside of battle, it would help predict if enemies will regenerate health or if new enemies might appear.
		- **Prophet-Sight-** A more powerful version of threat sense, this ability allowed Pagranor to receive brief, vague visions of threats on Senothia, somewhat knowing what was going on and where. He used this ability to find Levinara and her hideout well beneath the ocean.
	+ **Gazing Awareness-** The Amulet of Proof used minor white magic to detect the gaze of others. While worn, the amulet would glow whenever someone was secretly staring at the user, often allowing him to prepare for unexpected encounters.
* **Revelation-** The second of two common white magic uses, revelation is more direct about making hidden things known, physically or magically, focusing on the truth around the user. It is very useful against cursed magics, which typically tend to make their presence hidden.
	+ **Revealing Light-** Using white magic to "reveal" the targets movement, this Lichenrath-based spell has the unique effect of also holding the target in place, making him unable to dodge the users next attack.
	+ **Spatial Light-** The fourth of the Lichenrath's spells, speaking its incantations allows the user to swiftly spread white magic over a broad area, instantly lighting up everything in it. Pagranor found this spell extremely useful, often using it to brighten dark areas.
	+ **Foe Revelation-** Pagranor's armor could also reveal the location of the nearest hidden enemy or all nearby hidden enemies for a limited time. This bypassed invisibility and other magical means of concealment.
	+ **Ally Revelation-** The Stone of Team-Keeping had a distinct effect that allowed its owner to constantly reveal the locations of all nearby allies. Victor Jack used it to keep watch of the Vampire Trio without ever leaving his room.

* **Curse Nullification-** Very advanced white magics have the potential to outright disrupt and nullify any type of curse. Sacronax's Rune was especially powerful, and instantly dispelled Gohdumsin's infamous universal and spectator curses from the Heralds of Retha at a great distance.
* **Truth Blessing-** Theoretically, a special blessing of truth can be cast. Without realizing, the target would have an inability to lie and would only be able to tell the truth. This allows for harmless interrogations and serves as a reliable way to confirm statements.
* **Aura of Peace-** Hi' Santh, using her status as the goddess of peace, is able to emit a powerful radius of magic that slowly drains her opponents will to fight. This makes it difficult for her targets to fight her, firmly enforcing her peaceful ideals upon the battlefield.
* **Lunar White Magic-** The moon gained immense amounts of White Magic upon hosting the faith of others, including Erruzent, creating the Order of the Moon. It empowered Moon Reapers like Eldei with graceful abilities in order to spread their belief and cleanse cursed magic, even keeping the Nightmare King at bay.
	+ **Lunar Constructs-** Eldei and other reapers could construct items to summon their Lunar Armor and scythe at will. They were great aids in combat and provided protection. Erruzent took it a step further, using the magic to construct new limbs that replace his lost ones while manifesting an illusion of himself, changing his appearance and hiding his magic.
	+ **Pure Vision-** A way of seeing through magical means, the Moon Reaper's vision are filtered by light and dark, showing them what must or must not be purged while ignoring physical requirements for sight.

## Locations

* **Haivehn-** Blessed Magic is not seen in Haivehn as much as it once was. Millenia ago, Mother Law and her blessed magics were sources of worship for the Angels, but are now a mere after-thought, replaced by rapidly advancing technology and a conflicted society. Despite that, it is still used to power some of their barriers and advancements, with the Angel King as one of its primary users.
* **Well of Hope-** Placed in one of Lorisin's islands, Empress Hi' Santh's creation is able to grant an extreme miracle to whoever collects the Coins of Hope and tosses them into the well. It needs thousands of years to recharge after any use. The area itself it normal, but the well allows the Empress to constantly be aware of its surroundings.
* **Purification Monastery-** A holy structure in Retha created by followers of the moon, it held the main purpose of cleansing dark-ridden beings of cursed magics and have them serve as servants for the moon. Eldei was once assigned to protect it.