Magic System

Overview
The source of magic in the world of Luquatra is Aqlumera, which is the primordial essence from which life, light, truth, beauty, art, and magic, originate. It is, in essence, the tangible form of something both elemental and divine/metaphysical, as well as based in the human senses and the beauty of the arts. Appearing as a liquid metal that shines with rainbow-hued light, it can in turn be broken down into the three prime elements, Skywater (Quaire, when in its metaphysical form), Lightfire (Lumen), and Earthblood (T’rasang).

The three major gods, Odar, Lumea, and Keos, each respectively steward one of these elements, and can thus harness their magic; and so do by extension the followers of each god. This elemental magic practiced by the elder gods is also known as Prime Magic, while the magic used by the younger gods is, in turn, a subset of Keos' Earthblood magic and it is known as New Terran Magic.

All the people of Luquatra can access or have some magic, but most tend to carry so little of it that they don’t even know they have it. Similarly, there are those that possess a useful measure of talent but are typically never instructed on how to use that talent, so it mostly lies dormant, sometimes manifesting itself as an innate or artistic gift. Furthermore the strand of magic which one can access and/or manipulate is based on their genetic heritage. This also means that characters with a mixed background may be able to access two or more variations and subcategories of each kind of magic. For instance, those who have two dominant bloodlines and can thus easily access two of the elemental magics are known as dualists. However, since all magic is intrinsically related (as are the artforms through which it is called forth), it is also possible to learn abilities from the other forms of magic outside of one's genetic inheritance. Nonetheless, although possible, it is still very difficult to do, and investing in learning broadly across the forms of magic (even those outside one's bloodline), rather than focusing singularly on the talent(s) one was born in, means they would sacrifice the depth of knowledge and skill needed to be more powerful in said inherited talent(s). This is then the main difference between generalists and specialists; which also means generalist mages are rare and their magic is usually less powerful (though it may be more versatile). Specialist mages are hence more common, and their magic talents tend to be narrow but more impactful.

There is always a cost to using any form of magic, with the specific effect on the caster depending on which kind of element their are calling forth.

Prime Magic


Following its division into the three elements stewarted by each god, the three main branches of Prime Magic are named after the three primary races/bloodlines: Darite, Ilumite, and Terran.

Darite Magic:

 * By manipulating the element of Skywater/Quaire, Odar and his followers invoke magic through the written and the spoken word, in the form of a glyph which represents the true name of a thing.
 * The glyph must be drawn through a tangible medium such as chalk, charcoal, or water, but it could also easily be hidden in the construction/scultping of an object. When the caster calls forth the glyph's magic, the glyph itself is consumed in the process.
 * The process of glyph drawing and speaking also requires a very good memory and a skilled hand.


 * As the glyph is consumed, it also drains the surrounding oxygen and fluids, which means that the caster is affected and left breathless and dehydrated. If the caster isn't careful and they don't have enough available air or water in their surroundings they risk the spell draining their own body as a power source entirely.

The four main Darite Talents are: Stormcaller, Mindwalker, Breathbreaker, and Shieldbearer.

Ilumite Magic:

 * Lumea and her followers channel the element of Lightfire/Lumen through the creation of music and song.
 * Ilumites can access their talent and power through their own exceptional voice or by using well crafted musical instruments. Depending on the quality of their music and its specific composition, the effect that is produced varies accordingly.
 * Compared to Darite magic, Ilumite castings are more "fluid" as they are based on personal intuition, passion, and instinct, rather than on memorized formulae and fixed skillsets.


 * Unlike Darite magic that depletes the caster, Ilumite magic infuses the mage as they become a conduit for raw lumen. If under controll, the caster is only flushed with heat but if they excede their limitations they risk fevers and even being consumed by that inner fire.

The four main Ilumite Talents are, Auramancer, Soulrider, Lightslinger and Bladesinger.

Terran Magic:

 * Keos and his followers manipulate the element of Earthblood/T'rasang, through carefully timed, precise, and/or rhythmical body movements, or through physical craftsmanship.
 * The postures and patterns can range from whole sequences of movements that resemble dance or martial arts, to even simple hand gestures or flicks of one's wrist and fingers. Spell effectivenes, speed, or range, depend on the complexity of those movements. Those same rhythms can be used for forging, constructing aritifacts, carving etc., and thus creating wonderful items infused with power.
 * Having a very strong awareness of one's body, their strength, balance, and control of their movements, is as such essential to Terran magic.
 * Of the three kinds of Prime Magic, Terran talents are perhaps the ones that affect the casting mages more directly, as with each spell, the magic itself impacts the individual on a molecular/cellular level, by altering the composition of earthblood/t'rasang in the caster's body. This may cause bones to soften or harden, blood to thicken or thin, and skin to turn into another material, like a mineral or metal.


 * While the sideffects can be reversed occasionally, with the help of resotrative spells, it is more common for the mage's body to simply adapt to the changes and become a natural hybrid with the materials/medium that the spellcaster has been crafting.

The four main Terran Talents are, Earthshaper, Bloodlord, Artificer, and Inquisitor.

New Terran Magic
As the magic of the five younger gods descended from Keos, New Terran Magic is a subset of the Terran manipulation of earthblood/ t'rasang. Worshippers of the younger gods can thus further manipulate the element by breaking it down into the five subelements stewarded by each younger god.

As with Prime Magic, the different kinds of magic within the New Terran system take their name from the peoples/cultures that worship each god: the Shalgarns, the Orvanes, the Druids, the Yomads, and the Kroserans.

Stewards of What Is:

 * The three gods, Sealgair, Cruithear, and Garadair, effectively reign over the tangible manifestations of earthblood.
 * As the steward of blood specifically, Sealgair became the younger god of all things made of flesh, in other words, animals. The magic practiced by his followers is known as Shalgarn Magic and the three main talents derived from it are Skinchanger, Beastmaster, and Shaman.
 * Cruithear and Garadair became stewards of earth, and in turn the two gods further divided that into power over minerals and plants respectively. Thus creating Orvanish Magic that manipulates minerals, for Cruithear's followers, and Druidic Magic that manipulates plants, for Garadair's followers.
 * Orvanish talents are Stonesmith, Ironborn, and Forgemaster; while Druidic talents are Sower, Speaker, and Treeheart.

Steward of What May Be:

 * Tacharan, the younger god of Death (or Doom), is the steward of metaphysical blood and so reigns over fate/future and death.

Steward of What Is Not:

 * Dorchnok, the younger god of Shadows, is the steward over the metaphysical properties of earth and space, including alternate dimensions ( e.g. the shadow realm).