Vital Purview

One of the Eight Arcane Purviews, the Vital Purview is wielded by mages to focus their raw magic in order to manipulate organic materials of all kinds. The flesh of animals and the forms of plants both fall under this Purview, as do all manner of diseases and contagions. As such, Awakened who master this purview are able to heal and reshape the bodies of the living, just as they can also rend them apart or create horrific abominations.

## Mechanics

The Vital Purview allows mages to manipulate all forms of living organic matter. Flesh and bone, fungus, viruses, and plants all fall under its sway. However, such matter falls into the Quiscent Purview once it dies, and is steadily drained of its life energies (Commonly known as Vitae). The more simple and small the life form, the faster it is drained of its Vitae. As a result, a dead virus cell falls into the Quiscent Purview faster than a human corpse, for instance. This process is known among most mages as Quietus.

Quietus can be reversed by advanced use of the Animate Purview, wherein one floods the dead matter with vital energies.

Additionally, it should be noted that using the abilities of the Vital Purview is considerably different depending on whether one is practicing on plant or animal life. As such, the more advanced abilities of the Purview must be mastered separately for each. Flesh is the typical term for the matter of animals, while Verdance refers to plants. Plants possess weaker, more docile wills and spirits compared to animals, and as such, are more easily manipulated.

## Levels

### Levels 1-2 (Awoken)

* **Vital Sense (Level 1):** Upon Awakening, a mage gains access to the Vital Sense. This ability allows them to sense vital energy and that which it permeates, making it possible for them to sense their own biological energies and functions, as well as those of others. This enables them to sense and analyze people's health, whether they are sick or injured, as well as locate any sort of oddities within their bodies. More detailed examinations typically require closer proximity and focus, with physical contact greatly aiding any sort of examinations and probing.
* **Alter Flesh (Level 2):**
* **Anatomic Control (Level 2):** This power allows a mage to take full control over the biological systems of themselves or any other advanced living being (though doing so with others requires physical contact). They might regulate a heartbeat, dilate a pupil, or cause a tree to shrivel up its leaves. However, this ability does not allow the Awakened to induce any sort of effect the organism is not naturally capable of on its own. For instance, whilst they might cause bloodclotting and slow the heartrate to tend a wound, they would not be able to cause the organism to heal beyond their ordinary capacity. Additionally, this power cannot affect simple organisms, such as bacteria or viruses. nor can it effect biological action on a small scale.
* **Cellular Control (Level 2):** This ability grants mages the power to manipulate life on the small scale. For instance, they might take control over single celled organisms, causing them to begin mitosis, or alternatively, manipulate cellular processes in more advanced organisms. Such an action might include merging a sperm and egg to create a zygote. Similar to Anatomic Control, this ability cannot force the organism to do anything they are not naturally capable of.

### Levels 3-4 (Attuned)**Healing (Level 3):**

* **Cause/Cure Disease (Level 3):**
* **Force Life (Level 3):**
* **Heal Flesh (Level 3):**
* **Reshape Flesh (Level 3):**
* **Verdance Control (Level 3):**
* **Create Disease (Level 4):**
* **Generate Biomass (Level 4):**
* **Regeneration (Level 4):**

### Levels 5-7 (Resonant)

* **Induce Quietus (Level 5):**
* **Shapeshift (Level 5):**
* **Revivify Verdance (Level 5):**
* **Drain Vitality (Level 6):**
* **Uncanny Plague (Level 6):**
* **Transfiguration (Level 6):**
* **Aqueous Form (Level 7):**
* **Generate Vitality (Level 7):**
* **Revivify Flesh (Level 7):**

### Levels 8-9 (Enlightened)

* **Bestow Shapeshifting (Level 8):**
* **Perfect Immortality (Level 9):**