Dark Magic

A shared symbol among practitioners of illegal magic is that of a 12-petalblack Jasmine flower. The shape of each petal tells which branch of magic, and position of the petal tells experience in that type.  A closed bud is one who is completely inexperienced.

**Behind the Symbol**

The vast majority of practitioners, not all though, feel that all magic should be explored and further developed regardless of the modern day labels of "illegal" and "legal".

The jasmine symbolizes appreciation and unaltered.

The color black was selected because it represents equality for when one's combine all the colors, that is the resulting color.

## Blood Magic

Follows the concept of  “True Name” principle in magic.  Blood magic can be used to set wards and to make individuals more susceptible to other types of magics; mind-to-mind link communication is possible, or scrying on a specific individual quickly and accurately.  It is more of a booster or a hinder rather than its own stand-alone field.  Increased skill indicates a better understanding of how to weave blood magic into other types of spells, and grants additional bonuses to spell-casts if you have blood samples to work with.

Note that some magic is impossible to target without the use of blood magic.  Blood Magic will provide a distance link with which to target a spell.

## Forbidden Arts

Sacrificial magic to summon spirits (not demons) or to convert spirit energy into a battery that can be used.  It can forcefully bind a spirit to serve commands, or to even simply power an artifact or maintain a spell.

## Maleficium

Illegal sorcery that focuses on curses and hexes that are out to cause severe harm or kill others. These spells vary from torturous to simply killing curses, and this branch studies the application of other branches of magic in regards to these goals.  When one thinks of “illegal magic,” Maleficium is a common first thought.

## Necromancy

The art of raising the dead as zombies or ghouls.  However, it does not permit anyone to speak to the dead (no magic permits that).  Vampire studies fall into this branch.  Easier to accomplish the more muscle is left, but skeletons are possible. Roughly large human size is the limitation for a given single caster.

## Oneirology (Dreamwalking)

Dream manipulation, walking into another's dreams.  Considered illegal arts due to creation of nightmares and access to another individual ’s thoughts and subconscious, or providing suggestions that the target thinks is their subconscious rather than an invasion.  Dreamwalking is all about manipulation of the subconscious, and is useful in situations where a person’s conscious defense is too strong to break past.  Some malicious creatures are attracted to dreamwalkers, either to aid them or to mess with them simply to sow chaos and more nightmares.

Spirit guides may appear to protect a dreamer: they often are in the form of that person’s specific totem, else a bat, penguin, dragonfly, bear, seal, lizard, swan, or wolf; all are loosely connected to dreams in their own way.  If the walker is not intending harm on the target, a walker may ask these totem spirits for aid if they have appropriate skill in spirit arts.

## Opoketem

The illegal side of Artifice.

* Blood magic = artifact that targets a specific individual
* Ya sang = artifact that is designed to kill or manipulate
* Maleficium = artifact that is causes harm to an undefined target
* Forbidden arts = powering an artifact

## Seducteve

Magic involving the art of forced emotions.  Whether love, rage, sadness, panic, or any other raw emotion.  It is the extreme end of Enchantment, and labelled ‘illegal’ due to its extremity.

## Riftcraft

The art of transporting to different planes or opening/closing portals (“illegal” because it destabilizes the planes as well as opening up entries of inter-dimensional attack).  Part of riftcraft is knowing how to stabilize and ward them, so this branch heavily relies on both knowledge of basic summoning, and abjuration.

To learn more, please see: Riftcraft

## Shadowers

Working with malicious creatures or malevolent spirits (or possessions) of the shadow realm.  Shades, etc.

* Identification
* Binding control
* Summoning

## Telepology

Reading one’s mind, telepathy up to actual mind control.  Requires eye contact to initiate and establish a link.  Distance will limit it as the natural currents of magic disrupt the sending.

Masters at it don’t require eye contact if they know the mind they are reaching to.

## Venificum/Ya Sang

Art of poisoning and venom: identifying, collecting, brewing/distilling, ‘safely’ using, and counteracting the effects.  Some may be natural, and others may be created through alchemical processes and spell-casting to imbue properties or alter the components during creation.  This is a subbranch of alchemy.

* Poisons: ingested
* Venom: injected
* Healing and antidotes
* Manipulation/mind-altering, insanity, etc