Magic

## Origins of Magic

The origins of magic are heavily debated by the scholarly masses of the world. There are two widely accepted theories, the *Excipient* and *Auxillium* theories.

### *The Excipient Theory*

This theory is based on the belief that there is a gradual seeping of magical energy into the world that stems from the imprisonment of the Marun. Those that choose this theory believe that shortly after the imprisonment of the Marun, their own immense magical abilities began to seep through the barriers of Infernum and into the earth above them. Over time this magic found its way into mankind and the other creatures of this world, prior to this magic was only found in creatures that were created by Honua, The Valun, and The Marun. This theory is used to explain how magic has grown more powerful over the ages with the first known users being able to do little more then levitate small objects while modern users are incredibly powerful if trained.

### *The Auxillium Theory*

This theory believes that magic was given to man by Honua itself. After seeing the helplessness of mortal beings in the face of higher beings such as deities, demons, and angels, Honua allowed magic to flow into mankind and since the use of magic by man has caused it to soak into the very environment they inhabit.

## Magic Users

### **Magic Users and The Risks of Magic**

Users of magic are not as rare as they once were, but it is still a highly valued skill because while many people have some magical ability, adept and master level users are still fairly uncommon. Achieving a high level of magical ability requires a long period of study along with a high level of mental fortitude as well as physical endurance. Magic works on the concept of commutationem, which says that every use of magic requires an output of the users' physical energy. Because of this concept magic users are encouraged to be as efficient with their abilities as possible, mainly because excessive use can lead to long-term fatigue and even death in extreme cases. Fortunately, magic works similarly to a muscle wherein regular practice and adequate recovery will lead to more efficient use and thusly the ability to perform greater magics without being immediately exhausted. There are other branch-specific risks for magic as well, for example in Transfiguratione magic if the user is not adequately familiar with the object they wish to transform, then the botched transformation will be stuck in a state of transition which will continually drain the user until the object is returned to its original state.

### ***Magical Guilds and Organizations***

There are several organizations dedicated to the study and advancement of magical abilities, most are small and localized in nature. There are two major organizations that are recognized globally, *The Manus Alba* and *The Nigrum Manus.*

#### **The Manus Alba**

The Manus Alba is a sort of guild that represents magic users from four of the five branches of magic. It has a presence in most countries around the world and is one of the most powerful organizations in Fanua. The Manus Alba provides spell casters and ritualists for the Fanua Army and has an advisor in the crown court. At the head of the Manus Alba are the five Digitos, the digitos are the ones who oversee guild operations and there is one in the five most powerful countries.

* **Fanua -** *Master Archust*
* **Maximo -** *Master Juliay*
* **Clypeus -** *Master Fiore*
* **Hastam -** *Master Brunn*
* **Umbra -** *Master Goriot*

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#### **The** **Nigrum Manus**

The Nigrum Manus is in many ways the alternative to The Manus Alba. It represents practitioners of the *Sanguis* branch of magic and its subclasses. They do not have nearly as many restrictions on their users and seek only to advance their magical studies. There are rumors that some of its members are worshippers of Vevesi in hopes that it will spare them when it awakens one day, this is unconfirmed though. Instead of the digitos of The Manus Alba, the Nigrum Alba has the Santificavit, a loose group of seven Sanguis practitioners that act as the guiding hand for users of dark magics.

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## Types of Magic

There are five main branches of magic in the world, each with its own abilities and subclasses.

#### **Exitium**

* Destructive magic, its users are the most commonly found in the armies of the world. It is easiest to learn and expert users are essentially armies unto themselves.
	+ *Ignis*
		- These are users of fire magic, these are the most common users of Exitium due to the ease of use and relatively short learning curve. Advanced users can create fiend fire that will not be quenched by anything other than magic.
	+ *Praemium*
		- These magic users specialize in explosions, this makes praemium a natural extension of Ignis magic. An advanced praemium user could lay an entire field with magical mines that could wipe out entire armies.
	+ *Aqua*
		- This is the more zen branch of Exitium magic. Unlike Ignis and Praemium which only requires strong emotion and determination, Aqua users must maintain a very calm and flexible state while using magic in order to be effective.
	+ *Elementum*
		- The most powerful form of Exitium, it takes decades to fully master. Users are able to manipulate the earth itself along with the forces that act upon it such as storms, earthquakes, tornados, etc.

#### **Restitution**

* Healing magic, the users of this magic are commonly found in the employ of militaries around the world and are integral in maintaining a fighting force. The downside of this particular magic is that excessive use will take a heavy toll on the user and so priority must be given to the most grievously injured.

#### **Sanguis**

* Dark magics involving the use of blood and flesh, sanguis users are prohibited from joining The Manus Alba and have their own order called Nigrum Manus. They pay a great price for their immense power, primarily the perversion of the soul which eventually turns them into a creature called a revenant.
	+ *Necromancy*
		- Deals in the reanimation of the dead, dangerous because it deals in malevolent souls that can easily overwhelm an inexperienced user.
	+ *Ossium*
		- Uses animal and human bones in rituals that augment the user in powerful ways, also has application in divination.
	+ *Inanis*
		- The rarest form of magic. Inanis users tap into The Inter, a realm that is home to strange creatures that exist beyond Honua. These creatures are highly unpredictable and only the strongest magic users can control them with any sort of effectiveness.

#### **Deceptionem**

* The creation of illusions and the manipulation of other facets of reality. Users of deceptionem are able to change their targets view of reality, not reality itself, but the way it is percieved.
	+ *Chronius*
		- The manipulation of time, very difficult and can have disastrous consequences in done incorrectly. The practice is prohibited unless under the direct supervision of The Manus Alba.
	+ *Suadere*
		- The manipulation of the targets mind through powerful suggestions fueled by magical energy. Can be very effective, but can also easily lead too unintended consequences if instructions are not explicit.

#### **Transfiguratione**

* This is the most stringent branch of magic as it requires the user to be very familiar with both the object to be transfigured, as well as the object that it is to become.
	+ *Animagion*
		- Magic that allows the user to transform their own appearance into that of a chosen animal. Greater familiarity with the animal allows for longer periods of transformation.