Inherent Magic, Word Magic and Capes.
Inherent Magic Elements
Most mortals inherit an element from their parents--meaning that, in Yume at this time, you can almost always tell a person's magical alignment by their race. Inherent magic is divided between the elements but also between Life and Death's domains. The thirteen elements are Celestial, Dark, Forest, Animal, Time, Thunder, Earth, Rock, Wind, Fire, Water, Music and Spirit.


Fire

This element falls under Life's domain; in other words, it is purely offensive and cannot be used for healing or protection. Magic users of this type, such as Summers, can create fires (which then behave as a normal fire) or sustain magical fires (which cannot be put out without another spell or the exhaustion of the caster.) Extremely powerful Fire users can manipulate Lightning, at much higher magical exhaustion. Spells include Spark (non-magical) and Cinder (magical.)


Earth

This element bridges domains; users, such as Autumns, can cast both offensive and defensive magic. They cannot heal, but they can create shields of earth. Most of the spells are Earth manipulation, the mid-range spells including earth transformation, the hardest being earth creation. Powerful Earth users can manipulate Rock easily (if expensively) because of the close connection of the two elements. Spells include Quake (manipulation,) Ashes (transformation) and Marble (creation.)


Wind

This element bridges domains; users, such as Winters, cannot heal, but they can create shields of wind. Users can create and manipulate air, and also temperature by using air to cool things down. Spells include Raven and Gale.


Healing
 

This element falls under Death's domain; users, such as Springs, can heal, enhance themselves and protect. However, some sleep spells and the spell Mindlock also falls under this domain. In its lesser form, it removes sentience; in its greater form, it removes sentience and controls. It is Healing's most expensive spell, and even a full cape mage can only cast it once. Spells include Greentouch, Greensight, Restore, R.I.P and Mindlock.


Cursed and Holy
 

Never let it be said the Gods don't play favorites--these elements were bequeathed to Life and Death's peoples, although they do not fall under just one or the other. Death's people, the demons, in addition to having the combination Fire-Earth element (with particular spells such as Lava) have Cursed spells. Their opposite (but acting in almost the same way) are Holy spells, given to Life's people, humanity, and then given to everyone else when humans lost their magic. All demons have Cursed magic, but only spirits and the highly spiritual have Holy magic. It is unknown whether Cursed magic can be gained by mortals. There are other race particular spells, but Cursed and Holy are the most well known. Spells include Reanimate, Divine Wind and Clari.
Word Magic
 
Word magic has nothing to do with Inherent magic and, in humans, need not be released. Simply, knowledge = power = word magic. Simple spells may be learned and understood in a relatively short time, but to be proficient in word magic takes around 10 years of hard study. There are only masters and those who know but a few simple spells, with no inbetween. Master word mages are said to have limitless power--that is, except for the limits of their own knowledge and imagination. They can cast spells of any element, as well as spells which mimic race-specific spells. Presumably they cannot compete with the powers of the Personifications, if only because Life or Death would show up and smack them over the head before they'd finished talking. Although some spells may be memorized for quick recital, master word mages usually make up the words as they go--although words which have a meaning in themselves will obviously boost a spell which relies on knowledge. It helps if the words are personal to the mage, and all word mages decide upon their own invocation word, which is usually two syllables long. (It is very important that most word magic happen all at once rather than over time, especially where living things are concerned. Sometimes the sheer build up of magic waiting to be released can have its own side effects.) As for how the word mages put so much power into words that can have no meaning by themselves--who knows?
Capes
 
Capes are traditional wear for mages. In the old days, they facillitated discussion, creation of new spells and perhaps finding someone to increase your power. Now they just increase your chances of getting killed.

Partial Cape - Magic user knows a few small, simple spells.
Half Cape - Magic user knows quite a few small spells or has one killer spell they can manage
Full Cape - Magic user knows all the small spells, the tough spells and can maybe pull off some borderline magic. Highest rank of inherent magic.
Two Capes - Master word mage. This side of omnipotent. (Word mages tend to wear capes more than any other rank, because this keeps just about everyone from bothering them, and because increasing your knowledge is a huge part of being a word mage--which means finding other word mages.)

It should be noted, however, that if Life and Death were to abide by this system, there wouldn't be any fabric left for anyone else.


 

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