Wix

## **Origins of Magic**

The original wix were created after a human sold its soul to a demon in return for power. However, while the original wix were inherently designed for malicious purpose, time and the expansion of the wixen culture has changed this significantly.

Now, demonic intervention is not the only way to become a wix. The first wixen left behind totems, charms, and spell tomes all charged with magic; a human which comes in contact with a significantly powerful spell tomb or otherwise enchanted object can then gain the ability to manipulate magic. The exclusion of demonic intervention is what allowed for "good" wix to rise in population.

Some humans, however, will still make deals with demons to become more powerful; these wix are inherently malevolent beings, capable only of dark magic.

Aside from inorganic acquisition of magic, magic can also be inherited; genetically, it would be considered a dominant trait. A child of a wix will themselves be a wix, without exception. Because of this, wixen families can often trace their magical heritage back thousands of years. However: children born between wix and another, stronger trait will force the magic to yield to make room for the more dominant trait. For example: the children between a demon and a wix will be demons first, their magic surfacing only in the most basic forms.

## Magic

Magic gifts humans with extraordinary abilities, and provides them with a naturally longer lifespan; though not immortal, wixes have been known to live for thousands of years before succumbing to old-age. Having magic in their system allows wixes more physical strength than humans, but their strength still lacks in comparison to the strength of demons, vampires, werewolves, and other magical creatures.

There is only one rule of magic that is impossible to break: “Energy cannot be created or destroyed”. This results in the impossibility of certain magical talents For example: shapeshifting is impossible for wix, as it requires a human body to change in size and composition that is impossible given the original composition of the human.

### **Rules of Magic**

There are four basic rules of magic, following the "Golden Rule". These are rules that, once broken, cannot be fixed. Any wix which breaks these rules will face corruption, turning them into a dark wix incapable of using soul energy.

1. No wix is allowed to use the soul energy of another being.
2. Magic is a tool to protect and create; those who use magic to destroy without bias are misusing their gift.
3. No magic user may force their will unto another being.
4. Manipulation of the mind is forbidden in most circles; however, so long as the intention is pure, the caster will not face corruption.

### Sources of Magic

   Magic is fueled by three types of energy:

* Innate Energy: The natural web of power that is interwoven over the world and connected to both Human and Elemental energy. This is tied heavily with the world's magnetic fields and the gravatational pull of the moon.
* Elemental Energy: The energy found within nature – specifically found within the elements (i.e. fire, water, ect.), but it also goes deeper into the compounds which make up the elements.
* Soul Energy: Power taken from the life force or soul of humans. This is only available to the well-trained, the old, and those without tainted magic.

### Types of Magic

Each branch of energy results in different magical feats, and result in the three main schools of magic: Destruction Magic, Alchemical Magic, and Healing Magic.

* Destruction Magic: Element-based magic which unravels and twists the fabric of reality from the atoms up; this is most clearly seen in the creation of fire, water, and other elements.
* Alchemical Magic: Energy-based magic in which the user creates or transforms something from the energies available to them; this is most often seen in the creation of potions.
* Healing Magic: Soul-based magic in which the human life force and soul is used to perform magical feats; this is most often manifested in the healing of wounds and injuries.

#### Destruction Magic

Destruction magic is so named not because the magic itself is destructive, but because of how the energy is utilized to gain the desired effect. Destruction magic is the breaking down and reconstruction of the world around you to gain the desired effect.

The most common types of destruction magic are teleportation, summoning, and elemental spells.

Teleportation works by deconstructing the object or person and instantaneously reconstructing them in a different spot or location. This power requires that wix know who, where, and when this  relocation will occur. Errors in teleporting living objects are most often fatal, and typically result in the loss of limbs and other extremities.

Summoning using destructive elements works by tearing down and rearranging the walls of space and time to tap into other worlds and pull other creatures to you. Wix typically use this to summon familiars to their aids. Common summoned creatures include phoenix, unicorns, pegasi, wolves, and other large predators. Summoned creatures can also help wix escape from deadly situations.

#### Alchemical Magic

Alchemy is based heavily in the idea of equivalent exchange. Humans used a magic-free equivalent to alchemy in the medieval era, though what they called alchemy was closer to modern-day chemistry. In it's essence alchemy focuses on the transformation, combination, and creation of matter.

Nothing can be created from nothing, of course, and so Alchemists must use a combination of magic and physical offerings in order to achieve their goals.

The four basic types of magic accomplished with alchemy is conjuration, summoning, transmutation, and potion making.

Conjuration is the conjuring of spirits and other entities by using materials in this realm to create these things. Typically conjured beings are atronauchs, elementals, shades, and other non-sentient beings.

Summoning with alchemy achieves the same basic result as summoning with destruction magic, however the means differ. Summoning with alchemy requires the offering of items and objects, often magically charged, to act as an offering for the creature the alchemist wishes to summon.

Transmutation is the transformation of one object into another. Alchemists can turn a metal pole into a ring, wooden beams into tables. However, the law of equivilent exchange is paramount here; lead cannot be turned into gold, and alchemists cannot create something from nothing.

Potions are the most basic form of alchemy that doesn't require a specialization in the subject. Wix trained in potion making can create draughts capable of performing as a magical spell. Potion making requires magic; no human can make a potion without it. The ingredients are added in a similar manner to cooking, however they most often be manipulated and changed magically before they can pull the correct effect.

#### Healing Magic

Healing magic is the only magic which innately uses soul-based magic in which the human life force and soul is used to perform magical feats. This school of magic is exceedingly rare, and very difficult to master, taking one with clean magic to perform the most dangerous and daring of healing techniques.

There are only three branches of magic possible using healing magic: restoration, necromancy, and blood magic.

Restoration is the regeneration and mending of tissue and cells to further along healing. While extremely powerful and capable of many feats, restoration magic cannot revive those already dead, and cannot cure incurable diseases. While it can't cure diseases, it can isolate them as to prolong an individuals life and limit exposure.

Necromancy, despite it's reputation, is not an inherently dark power. Healing wix can use soul energy to reanimate the recently deceased in three ways: through placing part of their personal soul into the body of the deceased, through manipulating innate energy in a deceased body to manipulate the cadaver, and by temporarily capturing another persons soul energy to help inhance the chances of the person surviving otherwise fatal wounds.

Blood magic is another commonly mistaken magic, often seen as dark when it's natural state is neither good nor bad. Blood magic is the manipulation of the energy produced by blood. This is most commonly used to encourage clotting in badly bleeding wounds, to help monitor a patients heart rate, and to help unstable patients remain calm.

### Runes and Sigils

Runes and Sigils are extremely basic magics which primarily use the natural energy of the world to funnel different effects into tangible forms. While similar, with similar effects, the two magics have some very fundamental differences

Runes are ancient symbols from old languages, repurposed and filled with power to represent a different god, word, or idea. These are very basic, and can be used by even the weakest of wix. A runes effect is determined by the meaning of the rune itself, and one rune can be used in different ways to result in multiple effects depending on the way a wix charges the rune with energy.

Sigils are highly individualized created using highly specific lines, shapes, and runes to create more specific and more powerful effects than a simple rune is capable of. This takes more skill and a certain amount of creativity.

### Dark Magic

When the rules of magic are broken, wixes become corrupted - maleficium. Corruption is a slow process in most instances, however, when it comes to unnatural manipulation of soul energy, corruption is almost immediate. Dark wixes are incapable of utilizing soul magic.

Dark magic is highly addictive and deadly; no creature who has fully succumb to dark magic has retained their soul. As dark magic overtakes an individual they become more demon than witch, and when they die their souls are repurposed and turned into low-level demonic entities.

The eleven most common spells found in dark magic are:

* Binding Spells – using oneself to physically bind a being to you; alternately, physically binding two beings together (Alchemy --> Summoning)
* Death Spells – using transmutation to kill someone; i.e: changing an element in ones body to something deadly (Alchemy --> Transmutation)
* Poisons – using the combining of ingredients to create harmful and toxic potions (Alchemy --> Potions)
* Misfortune Spells – used to bring bad luck into the subjects life (Curses and Hexes)
* Hurt Spells – used to physically harm/damage someone (Curses and Hexes)
* Binding Spells – used to unwillingly bind someone's energy to your own (Curses and Hexes)
* Mental Spells – spells used to affect/impact a persons mental state (i.e. cause nightmares, hallucinations) (Curses and Hexes)
* Compulsion Spells – altering a persons thoughts/mind to place them under ones control (Healing --> Blood Magic)
* Immortality Spells – using manipulation of soul energy to make oneself or another immortal (Healing --> Restoration)
* Blood Spells – poisoning or manipulating ones blood in order to kill or hurt someone (Healing --> Blood Magic)
* Dead Manipulation – impartially raising the dead to use passed souls and bodies as tools (Healing --> Necromancy)

## Notable Wix

* Alecto d'Aletto
* Ara Arrant
* Glinda
* Sage Matthews