lux-arcana

[lux-arcana]

Magic - An Overview

In the world of Lux Arcana, magic is an inherent component of matter - a basic force in the universe like gravity, magnetism, or electricity. People have learned how to access this force to make wondrous things happen through the arcane. Certain items and materials have more magical potential than others, and are thus highly valued for this ability, though the magical energy can be depleted by overuse - causing the object to become easier to damage or break. The process to replenish this magical energy varies from material to material.

Knowing how to differentiate what items have been spent and what items have not is a basic skill in mastering both magical disciplines, though the skill is more broadly useful with Arcana Res than Arcana Vita. Both styles ultimately pull from the same source, but scholars in the field feel as though neither is accessing the full potential of magic as a tool. Nobody has discovered another way to use magic, and neither style is more powerful than the other.

No matter which of the two magical disciplines you practice, it takes hard work and effort to improve. Natural talent can be a factor, but at the end of the day practice is paramount.

Arcana Res

With the right training, almost anyone can learn how to be a Resmage. However, Arcana Res is the style of magic that has the steepest initial learning curve because it has the most rigid rules for casting successfully. An unsuccessful casting can be anywhere from a minor inconvenience to life-threateningly dangerous depending on the magnitude of what the Resmage was trying to accomplish. A beginner will likely not have a good grasp on what is and is not an enormous undertaking, which is why rigorous study and apprenticeship is important. Along with that, Arcana Res cannot do the same things that Arcana Vita can and vise versa.

Arcana Res requires an external source of magic and either written or spoken symbols, the language of which doesn't really matter as long as the caster knows their meaning. Many eccentric Resmages have made their own words or writing specifically for magic, however, most just stick with their native tongue or an officially agreed upon system. You can often tell what school a Resmage comes from by how they cast.

Casting with Arcana Res is the most effective when working with nonliving material. Depending on region, some Resmages favor rare minerals, water, metals, cloth, or other such materials for casting. It's most useful for transportation, architecture, and material manufacture.

Arcana Vita

To become a Vitamage, one must first be naturally attuned to Arcana Vita. Without that natural intuition, becoming a Vitamage is both an uphill battle, and incredibly dangerous. It is vital for a Vitamage to have a good idea of their own limits. While most Vitamages have an easy time with the basics, gaining skills beyond simple spells does not have a clear, well-defined path.

Arcana Vita often draws on the Vitamage's own magical energy, especially for new Vitamages. Just like inanimate objects, a living being's magical energy can be depleted. If too much of the living being's energy is depleted, it can get sick and die. Vitamage training mostly focuses on increasing the user's ability to retain magical energy and knowing what their limits are.

Casting with Arcana Vita is most useful with living things, quite often starting with the Vitamage themself. Arcana Vita is most used for healing, body modifications, and food and livestock care.

As a mage gets further into their chosen type of magic, the lines between the two tend to blur. A Resmage can learn how to draw from their own power if they're sufficiently skilled, and a Vitamage can learn to draw from external sources.

Drawing the magical energy out of a living, unwilling participant is incredibly difficult, but if done right it can be used to kill. Study into this method of magic is widely considered taboo.

Terminology (Stellubric)

Arcana Res (ɑ:ɹkˈɑ:nə ɹɛz) - A way to access the magic inherent to nonliving things that requires rigorous study to learn.

Resmage (ɹɛzˌmˈeɪdʒ) - A practitioner of Arcana Res.

Arcana Vita (ɑ:ɹkˈɑ:nə ˈvitə) - A way to access the magic inherent to living beings that some people are in tune with naturally.

Vitamage (ˈvitəˌmˈeɪdʒ) - A practitioner of Arcana Vita.