✦ Spellcasting ✦

✦ Introduction ✦

More info about magic and evocation can be found here.

Evocation is any magical process (i.e., any instance in which magic is used to create, destroy, or change something) facilitated by a sentient being. Spellcasting is a form of evocation which requires the use of deific magic, nova. Nova is inert magic which does not carry an inherent function and can thereby be pushed into a spell. Deities are beings of pure nova while intalli carry a limit store of nova within their pulsars; no other creatures* carry spellcasting ability.

Spellcasting requires a direct push of intention from the mind into the pulsar. This cerebral push transforms a set amount of nova within the pulsar into the desired spell. There are a vast number of methods which can be used to facilitate a spell, including but not limited to internal visualization, physical gesture, verbal incantations, and material consumption. Any of these methods may be combined or used in tandem.

• Spells can be cast immediately or left to charge. The longer a spell charges, the more power and nova it expends. If a charged spells is not cast within a specific period of time, they can fizzle out or explode violently. Spells can be dismissed at any point before casting but may require redirection to avoid a violent discharge.
• Spells must be cast through the body or through gesture. Magic naturally follows the path of least resistance. Spells are most often cast through the hands, mouth, or other limbs. Assistive tools such as staffs or wands can allow for far greater dexterity, charge, and aim.

While there is no fundamental limit to what an intalli can cast, spellcasting is an ever developing and ever changing art. With every moment, new spells are formed, old spells are refined, and thousands of variations die out. The more powerful or efficient a spell is, the more difficult it is to will. Only with dedicated study and training will an intalli be able to harness new spells.

✦ Spellcasters ✦

Any intalli can cast spells. However, the term spellcaster refers specifically to those dedicated to the study of magic. Every culture in the Selvan carries its own unique guidelines and expectations regarding spellcasting. Some are stricter or lighter than others.

However, the strictest land of all is Sulparae, the land of mages.

Mage Rule

Mages are a concept exclusive to the Sulparan continent. They are a class of elite, highly trained individuals responsible for the maintenance of magic and spellcasting within Sulparae. They are the only intalli deemed worthy of deific privilege. Thus, mages are the only intalli permitted to cast sacral spells; spells deemed too dangerous or powerful for layman.

Those who do not practice spellcasting are known as insipids; insipids make up the large majority of the population. The act of learning, using, or teaching sacral spells is outlawed for the insipid, with all those who engage in such blaspheme known as unholy pariahs. The hunting and execution of pariah are among the most important tasks that a mage carries. For insipid, a mage's word is law, and mages may only be reined in by other mages.

Apprentices

Mages in training are known as apprentices. Apprentices are typically trained by a sole mentor; A mentor may very rarely train more than one apprentice at a time.

• Between the age of six to ten years old, children are evaluated by mages to gauge their potential. Those which display strong pulsars or an affinity for spellcasting are then further tested by prospective mentors.
• While apprenticeship is considered voluntary, parents or guardians may often find themselves coerced or even directly threatened into giving up their children. It is very rare for an adept child to not be apprenticed.
• Children may be apprenticed between eight to twelve years old with little wiggle room depending on the region. After thirteen, intalli can definitively no longer be apprenticed; they are deemed adults and can be hunted and executed like any other pariah.
• Once their training begins, apprentices are brought to live with or directly adjacent to their mentors. While not unlawful, apprentices are highly encouraged to cut all ties with their guardians. It is rare for an apprentice to be permitted any form of bond with an insipid.

Legally, an apprentice is still considered as an insipid until graduation. Their immunity from pariah law is reliant on their training. An apprentice who deliberately refuses training or mentorship for an extended period of time, even after repeated action from their mentor and other mages, may be stripped of their immunity. While former apprentices may be able to reintegrate as insipids, the majority are deemed to carry too much sacred knowledge; thus, they may be persecuted as pariah.

Mentors are wholly responsible for the education and welfare of their apprentices. Apprentices are taught an array of basic spells before specializing in the same niche as their mentor. Apprentices are also carefully taught the intricacies of mage culture and duty. Respect and reputation rules above all else for mages; the faults of an apprentice will weigh upon their mentor as well.

Apprentices will build upon their pulsars and spellcasting for several years, often graduating between the age of 20 to 25. When a mentor deems their apprentice ready (Often gauged through a final assessment or trial), they will undergo a formal graduation ceremony. During their rites, they will be asked to take on a Mage's Oath. Many variations of this oath exist throughout Sulparae, but near all swear them to their new role and responsibility as a harbinger of the gods.

One northern variation of a Mage's Oath is recorded below:

"Upon the stars, I lay my soul and scars for heavenly keep. In mourn of mauhn I show what could have been. Death will follow upon my blade in the face of sin. If I may falter and fall know my flesh will sleep."

Once they have made their sacred oath, their mentor will burn a white, four pointed star into their flesh. This star is known as the Mark of a Mage and is located on either the head or neck. This is an extremely painful process. Once the mark has been added, it cannot be removed unless the area is magically damaged by a stronger mage.

Duty

A mage may not prioritize anything above their duty. The service of a mage lasts until their final breath. All mages serve as harbingers of the deities, spreading their good word and executing their judgement. Despite this, rarely are all mages dedicated to a path of death. Mages may be scholars, archivists, religious figures, political leaders, or arbiters of common law. It is highly common for mages to take on immense power in local or national governances, with some communities ruled entirely by mages.

• Mages are permitted to take on partners and to have children, although the vast majority of mages will only engage with other mages. The children of mages are oft forced into the path of a mage from birth, regardless of their actual magical ability. Mages may interact with or befriend insipids without consequence, but rarely actually do so.
• The majority of mage law is rather lax. Mages are not permitted to dishonor the gods, abuse their power for personal gain, or harm insipids. The punishment for lower crimes such as these may include anything from shunning to public torture, often aiming to damage a mage's reputation rather than anything else. However, the majority of such crimes are oft ignored, especially in mages with higher power or social influence. The murder of another mage has highly variable outcomes depending on the exact circumstance.
• Higher crimes are almost always punished through execution. Mages which abandon their duty, commit heinous sin, or aid insipids toward the path of pariahhood may too be stripped of their title and maligned as a pariah themself. Former mages are treated with even more vitriol and disgust than the average pariah and are often tortured before execution.

Northern mages are notoriously far stricter in their rule and duty than the south, with Suiran and Reinao considered the holiest of mage territory. Mendaal has extremely variable mage ideals, growing more lenient the further south one goes. Osylk is the only Sulparan land which has not seen established mage rule.

Culture

Mage culture has immensely strict social rules and standards. Respect and reputation rule over all else, with any step outside of the standard deemed foul. One must hold themself with confidence but without overwhelming ego. One must show respect and veneration towards older and stronger casters. If your prestige is insulted, one must take action to avenge yourself immediately.

One of the most infamous and common methods of maintaining one's status is through a mage duel. Two mages, one or both offended by the other, may engage in arranged combat to maintain their honor. A call to duel is not to be taken lightly. Refusal to engage in a duel, no matter how ridiculous the reasoning, is considered social suicide. Most often, duels will occur in public with the presence of at least two other mages. A third party is often brought upon to ensure proper procedure. The dueling mages will formally agree to specific conditions needed to win or lose the duel.

The brutality of these battles ranges heavily. Some battles may be a simple flaunt of power, considered won once blood is drawn. However, the majority are far more violent. Opposing mages will typically fight until one party is incapacitated or surrenders, often only after severe injuries have been incurred in one or both opponents. Occasionally, these duels are ruled as fights to the death. Regardless of a duel's win conditions, the victor will frequently experience a strong boost in status following the battle.

✦ Spell Taxonomy ✦

There are three main categories of spellcasting used on the mainland: Environ, Viscera, and Psyche. These categories split spells into important groups for teaching and organization. Although, immense discourse over the categorization of certain spells or the entire categorization system in general is highly common. Unlike Sulparae and Sulashee, Kuuandra is notable in having little to no spell categorization across the region.

Environ

Environ is the most basal and largest category of spellcasting. Any non-living thing that can be manipulated, changed, or created falls under Environ. Considered the wastebasket of spell categories, Environ encompasses hundreds of thousands of spells that otherwise may have little to no relation to each other. Thus, Environ is often split into two subcategories: The tangible and the intangible.

• Tangible Environ is best known for encompassing elemental magic such as fire, wind, water, and stone. But Tangible Environ may also include the control or creation of just about any substance that tangibly exists within the world.
• Intangible Environ is a far vaguer and difficult category. Any spells that break the laws of physics or forms something which is considered non-physical is often categorized as Intangible Environ. This is a rather divisive category for the majority of spellcasters, owing to the immense variety for any one "type" of spell.
• Spells which create a magical shield may occur through various methods, including but not limited to the solidification of pure magic, light, or the air itself. Each of these spells would be typically categorized as intangible by scholars, yet two of them use tangible and pre-existing aspects of the world.

As a general rule, Environ spells are the easiest to learn due to the basal nature of its targets. Mana provides very little resistance when manipulated or altered, allowing for easy casting. It's not uncommon for an intalli to force-cast an Environs spell from sheer will, often facilitated by a burst of intense emotion and or magic within the caster (Although, such miraculous spells are often inefficient and highly draining)

While basic Environ spells are easy to grasp, the real difficulty comes with strengthening them. An ember is easy to summon, a campfire harder, and a wildfire near impossible without relentless study. The magic and control required for Environs rises with the size of the spell needed. While an intalli with an unfathomably powerful pulsar may be able to unleash a storm of fire, they may be hard-pressed to keep it from burning down their whole village. Elemental Environs casters are often stereotyped as having strong magic but without the technique to control it.

Viscera

Any spell which manipulates, alters, or creates a living being falls under Viscera. Unlike mana, life in all its forms has an innate resistance to spellcasting. The pre-existing systems within flora and the corpora of fauna will always attempt to maintain its current, consistent state. Thus, Viscera is an inherently harder art to grasp than Environ.

• Viscera specialists will often begin with the manipulation, growth, and creation of plants and fungi before moving on to sentient (and even sapient) creatures. The stronger and more complex the magic within a being, the more difficult it will be to influence their body.
• Growth is the easiest form of Viscera spellcasting. Rather than seeking to change the magic, growth spells only intend to expedite the pre-existing processes. While far easier for the spellcaster, growth spells requires immense energy and strain from more complex targets.
• Healing magic is rarely worth the trouble it brings. Depending on the variation of the spell, immense medical knowledge and precision is needed from the caster. Meanwhile, an unfathomable amount of energy, magic, and stress is needed on the part of the target. For a healing spell, all of the energy and magic which would have been used to heal a wound over time is suddenly required all at once. This can and will cause excruciating pain, exhaustion, and strain on the body which may only exacerbate the condition of the injured or ill party.
• Plants are about as easy to manipulate as they are to grow. Turning a sapling into a full grown tree is about as difficult as it would be to correct its lean. However, permanent manipulation will often require longterm spells, as a plant will always attempt to return to its original path.
• In sentient beings, manipulation is an entirely different story. Controlling the movements of another creature without being in their mind is extremely difficult. The intricacies of movement in a body other than your own is challenging to replicate, with fine motor skills practically impossible. Additionally, attempting to manipulate the movements of a conscious creature will result in an endless battle with their own natural movements, even if they're willing.

The creation of life is beyond the capabilities of most Viscera casters. While easier, the botanical knowledge and effort needed to create plantlife is far more inefficient than simply expediting the growth of a plant from a seed. Furthermore, the replication of a living, breathing, and moving creature is an arduous task. The most minute aspects of their anatomy must be studied, with the smallest missing details easily leading to the immediate death of any creature after birth. Even then, the replication of a creature's brain, behavior, and corpora is its own joke. The vast majority of spellborn creatures are either tiny and basal or malformed and demented.

Psyche

The most valuable and dangerous of all magic, spells which alter the mind of a sentient being belong to Psyche. The mind is a deeply fickle, poorly understood concept. There's little in the way of knowledge on the mechanisms behind intelligence and consciousness, even with comprehension of the pulsar as the soul.

The easiest Psyche spells break a mind irreparably. It's relatively simple to reach into someone's mind and destroy it completely, but its far harder not to kill them. The biggest factor in Psyche spells is precision. Longterm damage is easy and death is easier. Psyche specialists will seek to affect the smallest parts first before attempting to dive any deeper.

Unintelligent sentient creatures are easier to influence, more drawn to basal instincts than to thought or consideration. But, reach your hand into the mind of an intalli, and you will find it biting you. The sheer presence of a pulsar is a threat to all Psyche spells. A pulsar will react violently and swiftly to any attempts to manipulate it. Every Psyche specialist has their own unique methods of getting past these barriers.

No matter the strength or power behind it, all Psyche spells require longterm and intense training. Each individual spell is rare, unique, and almost impossible to learn by one's self. Small influences are simpler, further than that and advanced expertise is needed. Complete control of the mind is unheard of, but not out of the realm of reality.

Sapient life cannot be created in a way that matters.