Magic

Magic in Ladric is a boundless resource limited only by the imagination and skill of the user. Humans, Demons, Beastkin, Elves and Skadi alike are all capable of wielding powerful magics. Magic can be learned through many forms, be it study, pacts with the gods, power transferal, and everything in between. Most common is through item enchantment done via magi.

Demons however, are weak to a certain type of magic referred to as “light”, a reference to its origin from the first flame of humanity, given to man by the Nameless God. Without some essence of Light infusion, anything more than a lesser demon would take an entire squad to kill- assuming they are handicapped or unskilled. This is why magi are so important to humans, as they maintain our ability to protect ourselves against the demonic menace.

## Traditional Schools of Magic

### Abjuration

Abjurations are protective spells.
They create physical or magical barriers, negate magical or physical abilities, harm trespassers, or even banish the subject of the spell to another plane of existence.

### Conjuration

Conjurations bring manifestations of objects, creatures, or some form of energy to you, actually transport creatures from another plane of existence to your plane (calling), transport creatures or objects over great distances (teleportation), or create objects or effects on the spot (creation). Creatures you conjure usually, but not always, obey your commands.

### Divination

Divination spells enable you to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, and to foil deceptive spells.

### Enchantment

Enchantment spells affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior.

### Evocation

Evocation spells manipulate energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal large amounts of damage.

### Illusion

Illusion spells create fictional objects or events that are designed to fool the senses.

### Necromancy

Necromancy spells manipulate the power of death, unlife, and the life force. Spells involving undead creatures make up a large part of this school.

### Transmutation

Transmutation spells change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition.

## Exotic Schools of Magic

### Skadi Magic

The Skadi utilize a form of magic developed by their unique culture over hundreds of years. Being half-beastkin they are capable of "Hunter Sense". When active it causes their animal spirit to manifest into the ears and tails usually seen on full-blooded beastkin as well as enhance physical attributes and, for some, even a change in eye color.

For more directly usable magic abilities the Skadi call upon the spirits of their ancestors who reside in Valhalla's halls. They maintain favor with them via regular offerings and contact (ask your dead grandparents for advice). Due to this, longer bloodlines of Skadi tend to be more powerful than younger Skadi families who won't have as many ancestors to borrow power from.

### Fringe

Considered the art of 'playing god', an extremely rare magic that seems to originate from The Old Stargazer. Rather than conjuring gouts of flame or healing wounds, it instead plays with time, fate, and concepts considered on the fringe of magical theory. It is not so powerful enough to allow time travel or directly reshape history, but even changing the mere angle of a sword sing can turn the tide of a battle.

It is important to note that the user’s powers are subject to the target’s weight in the universe. A random no-name bandit one can make trip and fall on their own sword, or pulverize their soul under the weight of their guilt. Whereas a king, hero, or otherwise important person to the path of the universe can only be heavily inconvenienced.

Fringe Magic has its own schools.

* **Displacement:** The understanding that that position is really the culmination of time and the other forces acting upon it. Allows the alteration of location different than conjuration. Objects moved by displaced as not so much moved but rather changed to have been there in the first place.
* **Fortification:** The understanding of the basic forces that hold things together. Allows the strengthening and weakening of objects on a conceptual level. Even seemingly empty space can be turned into tangible objects.
* **Memetics:** The understanding of the building blocks of society and how perceptions shape the world, as well as the ability to capitalize on this shared conceptual framework. Insert joke about the power of memes here.
* **Nullification:** Understanding of the laws and concepts that control traditional magic allowing one to swiftly analyze and unravel traditional magic.
* **Replication:** The ability to 'speed read' the construction of objects, and to over-write objects and entities with others. Similar to transmutation, but often with more perfected results. Allows advanced effects such as overwriting one creature with another's existence, known as 'Mantling'.