Mystic Arts

The Mystic Arts are the primary form of magic in the Far Lands universe. To acquire it, one must enter a state of attunement to one of the various divisions of "mancy". After being attuned, a mage can gradually learn to exert their will upon a certain facet of reality by expending energy known as Vitor. For a more in-depth and complex look at the inner workings of mancy, see *Magic Theory.* For information on conjuring vitor, see *The Conjuring and Channeling of Magic*.

## Attunement/Vitae

Attunement, also known as Vitae, is the process in which, through rigorous mental and physical training, a person can begin to ‘tune’ themselves to reality, and exact their will upon it. It is the fundamental process for a non-mage to become a mage. It does not happen immediately. Due to its nature, it cannot be done by anyone under the age of 18, as they do not yet require the maturity to become a mage. People looking to become a mage often will have an easier time gaining their magic when in areas that are very conducive to their type of magic, ie it's easier to attune to pyromancy near a volcano. After attuning to a certain part of reality, you are permanently a practitioner of that type of magic, and that type only. However, one thing to note is that if you do not practice your mancy enough, or exert enough vitor, you will begin to lose control of your mancy until you eventually lose it all together.

## Vitor

Vitor is the resource that all mages pull on to cast their spells. Although there is no corporeal form of vitor, it is the energy and power that you use in order to exert your will on reality. As a mage learns to exert their will better, and understand their element better, their vitor pool will grow exponentially until the point of archmancy. The total vitor pool of the mage is determined by their intelligence, willpower, mental health, and physical health. Using magic consistently will decay your physical health, pulling away from things such as your body fat, or your muscle. Healthy diets are a requirement for using magic, to compensate for the loss of mass. It is of note that mancy mancers, especially before times of much casting, eat very sugary and carbohydrate filled meals. Another item of note, is that armor heavily restricts the flow of vitor, as does distractions away from what you’re exerting your will on. Vitor users are only capable of wearing a 20 layered gambeson or boiled leather armor and being able to cast. Things such as Tlamac wood, metal, stone, bone, or other would restrict the vitor user from casting. Vitor flow is not immediately restricted by non-mancer materials. It takes constant and close contact with non-mancer materials in order for conjuration to be restricted. This makes tactics like encasing a mancer in rock or wood ineffective unless they are covered for about half an hour at a time. Vitor restriction also applies to armor that is formed purely of magic, such as hardlight and ice. Overtime, the longer the non-mancer material is over the mancer, the more it will be restricted until about the thirty-minute mark.

## Magical Progression

In the Mystic Arts, there six stepping stones to becoming the strongest a regular being can be. These stepping stones are fluid, meaning there is a gray area in between, rather than immediately jumping from one to the other. The ones requiring approval will be highlighted. These are set to serve as a guideline for properly roleplaying a mancer character, though an Intermediate level does not require approval. Anything beyond intermediates does require approval however. **Do not use the fluid area to say your character is "practically" an Archmage, Expert, etc.**

* **Beginners** are the mages who have just joined in their magical journey. Their vitor pools are extremely small, and their skill is almost nothing. A beginner pyromancer could create a flame the size of a thimble, to a golf-ball sized fireball.
* **Novices** are a decent step above beginner. The “novice” stage of magic is often referred to as the most difficult, as to pass it requires a lot of studying and constant meditation. A novice pyromancer could create a flame the size of a lit torch, and cast a fireball the size of a baseball.
* **Intermediates***†* are the middle ground of magic. They are where the curve of power begins to start taking a sharper turn up, and you are able to exert more on reality. An intermediate pyromancer could create a fireball the size of a bowling ball, and in the later stages shoot flames directly from their palms.
* **Experts***††* are well, becoming experts at their magic. Experts are often the select group of choice for becoming battlemages, as they are not totally and completely incapable of fighting hand-to-hand, along with their magic. An expert mage may be able to conjure a fireball the size of an average beach ball, and shoot fire from both hands at the same time, for a limited period.
* **Masters***†††* are the mages who have come to their stopping point of magical progression before reaching the Archmage Trials. They are masters at their craft, and are often seen teaching younger mages from this point forward. A master pyromage could cast several fireballs at once, or a large hell wall.
* **Archmages***†††* are the final step of a mage, where they have passed the “Archmage Trials.” The archmage trials are a set of meditational obstacles in which the mage has to overcome using their willpower and knowledge. With each successful meditation, they grow deeper and deeper in power, until they cannot progress further, and they are deemed an Archmage. For example, an arch pyromancer would be capable of casting fire that could melt low-grade steel, or of raining fire from the sky.

#### ***Footnotes***

*†* You cannot use the fluid approach to mancy as a means to say, “I’m close enough to expert that it's pretty much the same.” You cannot progress past the point of intermediate without approval. There must be at the very minimum one month in between each progression.

*††* Requires one moderator’s approval, with suitable lore and reasoning as to why you should be trusted with an expert, and why the character should be one. Explain how the character has developed to become an expert. This does not include, “I studied a bunch.”

*†††* Requires an application to be made in google docs, and voted on by the staff team.

## Divisions of Mancy

The following is a list of the schools of mancy as well as their contents. ***Note that mancies underlined in bold and italic are either restricted or unplayable.***

### **School of Gaia**

As suggested by its name, the Gaia School of Magic follows the hard and natural formations of the world. Following recent studies by the Academy of Magic, it has been redefined to only include the manipulation of terrain. Mancers of this category often find uses in archaeology, terraforming, farming, and mining. On top of being one of the most common schools of magic, it is also one of the most physical forms.

* Terramancy
	+ (Petrifomancy)

### **School of Motus**

On the other end of the spectrum from the school of Gaia, the school of Motus pursues all things water, and its various forms. Those involved tend to stick to the coasts, working in fishing or supporting Terramancy in creating rivers or bringing water to a dry land. Often considered the lesser school in comparison to the Gaia School, many misunderstand and - as a result - underestimate Motus as a valid school of magic.

* Hydromancy
	+ (Aquamancy)
* Cryomancy

### **School of Calor**

The third of the ‘core elemental’ mancies, the Calor school follows fire and light, and the heat-based forms of magic therein. The mancy is considered highly destructive and has often been tied to figures who have caused great harm, but the school of Calor is the most delicate and skill based mancy of all of the elemental four.

* Pyromancy
	+ ***(Expulsomancy)***
* Electromancy

* Luxomancy
	+ (Fractiamancy)

### **School of Caelum**

The smallest school of magic in terms of diversity, the Caelum school pursues the manipulation of air, wind, gasses, and the waves that traverse on them. Despite the seemingly dull use, the Aero school also has one of the most uniquely suited abilities - flight. The manipulation of air and gas allows for one to control the invisible world around them, and many fail to realize just how powerful that can be.

* Aeromancy
	+ (Sonomancy)

### **School of Corporis**

Corporis is a school muddied by a sense of taboo; it's potential for greatness is certain, yet its propensity for unnatural machinations is as well. The manipulation of organic material in its many forms, it has all the necessary components to be wielded with good intent. It's sour reputation is derived from primarily its classes use against the living and dead from which they may contort bodies to service or warp the very being of others- though it may equally mend wounds or raise fields. (Corporis mancers do not need a submancy to create golems. Here is the clarification: Golems of Corporis)

* Herbomancy
* Carnomancy
* Necromancy
	+ ***(Soulmancy)***

### **School of Animo**

Due to the powers contained within, the Animo school is rarely taught. When it is, though, it is done for good purpose: The safety of the realm itself. Those who train in the Chrono school are often outcasts, beings of intense power, and sometimes even immortals who - in legend - work as agents of the Gods themselves.

* ***Chronomancy***
* ***Spatiomancy***
* Psychomancy
	+ (Faunamancy)