Magic

Source: Word of Dair (Drew Mierzejewski, Warda Discord, Spoilers Channel, Jan 8, 2018)
Magic is the lifeblood of Warda. The land itself is saturated with it and it forwards the engine of everyday life for countless individuals. There are and will always be two kinds of magic. One is Raw Magic. This is magic in its natural state, chaotic and unpredictable, a product of the randomness of existence and the chaos of the spheres. It is powerful, it is deadly and it is beautiful. But if you take that magic and harness it, you are gifted with the second type of magic, Tamed Magic. This magic is not as powerful as Raw magic, but it is more maniable and diverse. Just as light is transformed into a rainbow via a prism, so too is raw magic stratified and harnessed into tamed magic via filtration. Because of its versatile and diverse nature, Tamed Magic is the magic that is used most often in Ammingrad. Below you will find the most common uses of Tamed Magic

Elemental Magic
Elemental: Elemental Magic is perhaps the most common form of magic in the Dairswyn. This type of magic is tied to the 4 elemental fey races and as such there is an entirely separate form of filtration that goes into its distillment. Once it is distilled, the magical elemental energies are released into the air and fey who can access it via blood (elemental fey) or via mechanica (such as a hot box or a water strike) Fire - Originating from the Ifriti, fire magic is the creation and manipulation of heat, fire and friction. There are some scholars who say that it’s origin is emotional rather than physical. This topic is still hotly debated. Often a combat magic, Fire is inherently destructive and as such its application is severely monitored and modulated via mechanica. Those that can use it intuitively however are often licensed to use it. Fire magic is seen a great deal in weapons such as strikes but also in smelting factories and other businesses, such as the heating of water for steam power. Fire can be used in healing as a method of whisking away heat from burns and it can also be used as propulsion but the stress on both fey and machine are too great for prolonged usage.

Water
Originating from the Naiadi, water magic is the manipulation of water. The exact size and scope of that manipulation is directly proportional to the person’s innate magical power. Some Naiadi can only manipulate a cup of water, while others can hold back the flow of a canal. Naiadi and the mechanics that utilizes water magic are often used to shape water and direct flows. It is also used for the purification and conservation of water since water magic can not create water from nothing. The use of water magic was at one time nearly entirely for propulsion and the generation of power but as power production has changed so too has the use of water magic. Today it is far more destructive and combative. A fey can change the density of the water, its pressure and even its heat. Ice magic is a subset of water magic but it is incredibly difficult and only prodigies of water magic are capable of doing it extensively.

Earth
Originating from Sylvani, earth magic is the manipulation of plant and earth matter such as stone, sand and metal. The rudimentary form of Earth magic comes in the form of growing plants to suit the needs of the user. Sylvani and the mechanica that uses earth magic are able to shape wood into any shape they wish, grow plants spontaneously and manipulate other plants to assist them, even long dead one like wood made into a fence. Higher level magic is required to manipulate earth materials such as stone and then then the shaping of stone is difficult. Earth magic has long been used in defense and in the helping to sustain life via food and shelter. This tradition has continued but has expanded to construction, industrial farming, mining and textiles. Much of this mundane work is utilized by mechanica run by humans or halfgenes thus Earth magic today is more used for art and study and in order to make life more convenient for the Sylvani that use it.

Air
Originating with the Janni, air magic is the manipulation of air currents, gases and air particulates including those that cause smells. Beside using air magic as personal propulsion, Janni have the unique ability to solidify air for a short period of time. While this is not technically flying, Janni seem to be able to skip through the air, although most Janni would call this “falling with sophistication”. Air Magic mechanica has a great deal to do with the propulsion of skyships and the weather station islands above Ammingrad and in the circulation of air in Amminheim. Much of Air magic is also the basis of Weather Magic and as such man Janni go on to work in weather magic. There is also a great deal of air magic used in the purification of the air and in the creation of scents for commercial use. Martially, Air Magic can be put to deadly use in mobility and in air force. There are some more forbidden techniques that even take the air from a fey’s lungs or even expand the gases in a fey’s body to deadly effect.

Weather
Weather magic is created by the mixing of all the elemental magics and is extremely dangerous and difficult. For some reason still yet unknown to scholars, the mixing of magics allows the user to use all magics even if they are not born to it. Thus a Ifriti can make a rain storm by utilizing water and air magics with a base of fire magic (thus a warm tropical rain). This mixing of magic's in small doses seems to facilitate the use of them but too much of one or not enough of another will result in a failed spell which can be catastrophic. Weather magic is a good example of what can be accomplished by mixing magics and stands a testament that there is always more to be discovered. Weather magic also leads into the formation of atmospheres and the terraforming of planets but such techniques are at a Seelie level of difficulty and most high fey are not capable of it.

Mechanica
All magic takes its toll and no magical effect is every cost free. If “magic” is the vehicle by which a “spell” is made, then the life force of the wielder is the fuel. Usually, with minor spells this is replenished with rest and food, but with higher magical effects, the toll can be at the cost of one’s life. As such, large scale magics, such as weather and construction and even defense (see the Dome) would take countless lives of fey to create and maintain. This was seen as an unacceptable risk and for generations, higher functions of magic were seen as theory only. However, thanks to the ingenuity and imagination of humans, such high functions of magic were able to be placed upon machines and draw upon alternative forms of energy. These machines, dubbed MECHANICA, have been what has caused Ammingrad to boom in the last millenia or so. With mechanica, ships are made to fly, water is drawn for every home and luxury has become a state of life that every fey enjoys.

Gravitational Magic
Gravitational magic is a zero-sum discipline. To take away gravity means you must increase it elsewhere. This form of magic is one innately used by Fairies although the use of it on them personally is impossible. In fact the manipulation of the gravity of organic matter is, as it stands today, also impossible. As such a Fairy cannot alter their personal gravity but they can lessen (levitation spells) or increase the gravity of objects and place a gravity point in fixed space. Why this is is a matter of scholarly debate but either way, the gravitational magics involved are quite tricky and often times dangerous. Most Fairies are content to using their magic sparingly to lighten small object. A more advanced technique would be to change the center of an object gravity to the ceiling or floor or wall. The utility of this is however limited as a fairy can not make their own gravity center change nor that of other beings, only inanimate objects.

Force
Force magic is the term given to the push and pull of the universe. This utilitarian form of magic is one that all fey can tap into and as such a fey can pull or push an object or person in a given direction. This term is also given to a magical item created out of light and force. The most common use of this is a force bolt from a strike. The spell creates a single point of force, colors it and then shoots it. The resulting impact can damage much like being hit with a blunt object. Force magic is often used by Fairies in conjunction with their gravitation magic to move weightless objects towards them or away from them. Force magic can also be used to manipulate something from farther away although finite movements takes a great deal of control and magical knowhow.

Sense
The ability to detect magical effects or the use of magic is a age old practice and one that is prevalent in all fey. To a fey it is as easy as breathing and most young fey are capable of the practice. In fact it it usually the first magical effect a fey can produce. Sense magic extends also to subsets of the senses, the most notable being the four High Fey Senses, Touch (Sylvani), Taste (Naiadi), Smell (Janni), Sound (Ifriti). High Fey are acutely aware of their racial proclivity to one of these senses and with the use of subtle, innate magic, are able to sense beyond what lower fey are capable of. Sense magic is also found in gobbins and brownies as a sort of “life sense” in which they are able to detect sentient life in a given area (the size depending on the strength and training of its user). Pixies, perhaps have their own sense magic, scholar are in debate about what sense but the general consensus seems to be that it is more than likely a time sense. Further study is acknowledged. Fairy magical sense is not as readily apparent as high fey and there are few scholars who have given a definite opinion on the matter, but to ask a Fairy is for them to establish a distinct understanding of form and substance, of which most Fairies take their innate awareness of for granted.

Binding
Binding magical effects are the sole prerogative of gobbins. Though their magic is often called “Soulbinding” or “Blood magic” the actual scientific understanding of Binding magic has little to do with mythical mysteries that these words invoke. Instead, Binding is a magic of meaning and words. A gobbin, using their blood, the blood of others or a designated liquid consecrated for the purpose, will make the will and words of others and form them into a physical manifestation, often a tattoo. These manifestations are often contracts but can be any bargain or promise between the sentient consciousness of one party to the sentient consciousness of another. However, the rules for such magic are complex and varied as the nature of sentience and free will are also. Binding is universally subjected to the Law of Consent and no group or individual may partake in a Binding without the consent of the binded party. This is old magic and perhaps was more varied in ancient days, but manifests in the Dairswyn through gobbins and their works. A minor subset of Binding effects is that of a gobbin binding blood to itself within the host. This gives the subject in question a unprecedented control over their own body. The process is dangerous and often fails. As such it is usually illegal but special dispensation from House Trake can be requested and given.

Healing
It seems unfair that brownies are the sole fey race that has access to healing magic, but for whatever reason, this is the reality and as such, 2 of 5 brownies are doctors. Healing magic is the ability to speed up the natural healing process of the body and can go as far as to regrow limbs (even if the limb is not as strong as the original one) and bring people back from the edge of death. To properly put into effect, healing magic takes great skill and knowledge of the anatomy of the subject. Too much here and not enough there or even spending too much time healing can lead to unseen side effects such as tumors or organs that fail. A brownie doctor is constantly trying to walk the tightrope of proper healing. It has only recently come to the attention of brownies that there are rudimentary mechanica that can induce minor healing. These mechanica are incredibly crude however and often fail. The best and safest bet for healing comes from seeing and consulting a actual Brownie doctor of medicine

Combat
Like all science, all magic has its destructive nature. Nearly all of magic can in some way be weaponized and most of it has been at some time. While the ethics of this approach to magic is hotly debated, the progress of fey kind can not stop those that would turn a simple fire effect into a weapon to defend or destroy.

Emotional
The ability to tap into, understand, and possibly manipulate the emotions of fey and humans is a learned skill. Most fey are capable of doing it, but Ifriti are known to be natural adept at the practice. These practitioners, called Bloodragers or Minders, usually are employed by important families to advise on important meetings and gatherings to discern the emotions of others and perhaps smooth over high tensions or inflame passions. The process however is not undetectable and most fey’s emotions are hard to effect. Humans on the other hand have literally no defense against emotional manipulation. Some fey families are known to manipulate it’s human workers which is illegal but often times Wardens and Arcanica Guild judges will impose light sentences or warnings for such offenses. For those that are not employed by organizations or families, the private sector is often looking for practitioners of this magic art to help in mental and emotional issues as councilors and guides.

Soul
Soul Magic, TRUE soul magic and not Binding magic, deals with the very life energy of all living creatures. It is the ability to speak to the soul of living things and converse with it. The most widely known version of this is Sylvani treespeaking, in which a Sylvani will reach out to a plant’s soul and request it to change in some fashion. Not as wide known and just as functional is fairy and brownie bestians or Beast Talkers. These fey manifest the magical effect to speak to animals, avian, terrestrial and aquatic and understand them magically. They are usually found in animal centric vocations such as breeders and animal keepers. Other high fey have been known to be found as bestians but Fairy and brownies are the most prevalent. There is much speculation around other types of soul magical effects in other high fey, such as Ifriti Flamespeakers, Janni Windspeakers and Naiadi Wavespeakers. No conclusive tests have been made and most are seen as charlatans. The other well known form of Soul magical effects comes from the actual transportation of souls from a physical body to temporary receptacle, usually a gemstone but other non animate objects have been used in the past. The use of this method is highly regulated by the Arcana Guild and very strict stipulations have been placed on the housing of a sentient soul. This technique is usually done as a way to preserve knowledge until such time as the knowledge can be transferred. While some might see soul stones, as they are called, as a way to cheat death, the truth is that the condition is not one to be wished. The subject is deprived of all senses and, if not cared for and eventually released, will go insane.

Illusion
Illusion magic effects deal with the bending of light and sound to create images that appear real but are in fact not. Much of Illusions in the Dairswyn are seen as dishonest and therefore is not a subject of much study among magical scholars and practitioners. What illusions are utilized are often in advertisements, entertainment or record keeping. But these are always terribly expensive and costly to the maker both physically and socially. There are some illusion magical effects that are illegal. The most prominent of these is a glamour, in which a fey, using either natural means or a mechanica, will use an illusion to cover their appearance and look like someone else or even a different race. Such magics are incredibly illegal and are prosecuted with extreme prejudice

Chronological Magics
Time magic is the most dangerous and the least understood of the magical effects. As such, it is only upon the speculations of others that we must depend. The ancient treatise on time manipulations are incredible complex and ludicrous. No mechanica has been able to replicate the desired effects and much of the techniques are too dangerous for mortal fey to attempt. Those that have attempted them, died screaming. It is imperative that these magics are left to our betters.

Transfiguration
A subset of general magic, Transfiguration is sometimes call Crafting magic. It is with this magic that raw stone can be transformed into a wall, or a raw tree turned into planks. The exact nature of the transfiguration comes from much study of the subject and a great deal of magical energy. As such, a great deal of mechanica factories have been created in the past few hundred years in order to turn raw materials into goods. Transfiguration at higher levels of power and understanding can even change the forms of objects, such as changing a liter of water into a half liter of wine. This method of changing one substance to another is possible but very difficult and only the most advanced and experienced Transfigurers can do it. There is an exact science to this art and much mathematical knowledge and mental understanding of the target are needed to be successful.

Nullification
Of all types of magical effects, nullification is perhaps the most misunderstood. This magic deals with the lessening effect brought on by trying to nullify the magic of fey. This is incredibly dangerous, as a fey whose magic is nullified completely will begin a process called Withering, and will eventually die. It is a death sentence that promises a slow and agonizing end. For many years nullification was outlawed in the Dairswyn but in recent centuries and the advent of mechanica, nullification has come into use in a official capacity for the Dair and his court in order to quell uprisings and keep unsavory sections of the fey community in check. Only an elite force of fey are allowed to use the technique and even then many “soggers” ,as they are called, fall victim to Withering Sickness or even Full Witherings. See Also Guilds/MartialGuilds/Department of Magical Suppression and Security

Illegal Uses of Magic
Black Market magic

Soulstones

Glamours/Disguise spells

Other Notes:
A clarification on Janni “flight”: While the term is loosely used for Janni Flight schools, the techniques are not specifically so. The three general techniques that encompass “flight” specific to Janni are cloud riding, wind walking and high velocity gliding.

Wind Walking: a technique in which a Janni solidifies a space of air (the size of the air is usually no bigger than 3 Sq feet per Janni). This allows the Janni to appear to levitate while they are in fact standing on solid air. (See the first Kev Chase through Amminheim). Air walking is subset of the Janni ability to solidify smell.

Cloud Riding: a very difficult and advanced technique in which a cloud is solidified and then a Janni rides that cloud like a sled. The cloud is dissipating constantly while being rode and will eventually evaporate completely. Also note that it takes very subtle and advanced manipulation to do this technique effectively as it requires an angle to achieve velocity and forward momentum (aka it’s a sled not a airplane)

High Velocity Gliding: while not magic per se this technique is perhaps the very first learned by young Janni. It involves how to fall safely and use innate air manipulations and gusts to glide for as long as possible. This allows Janni to appear to fly but to really just “fall with style”