The Magical Elements

"Most don't realize it, but the elements one uses does say quite a lot about them." - Surya Agnartka

Written by: jester2b

Cover Art by: Rafael Sewa

Natural Elements

Natural elements are manifestations of natural forces such as electricity or gravity, which magically trained individuals can control with Anika.

Fire

Physical Appearance: Same appearance as natural fire.
A force representative of innovation and destruction, fire is perhaps the most recognizable of the magical elements. Oftentimes fire is used offensively, though creative mages have found other uses for this element, such as spells intended for warmth or light. Alongside Void and Entropy, fire is one of the most commonly synthesized elements, acting as a base of Soul Fire and Wrath elements.

Arc

Physical Appearance: Similar to other forms of electricity found in nature.
The raw, untamed power of storms caught the attention and captured the imagination of many young mages since the earliest days of Nostrinia, when magic was poorly understood by its inhabitants. To this day, the awe of Arc magic still enraptured aspiring mages that dream of mastering the boundless potential of this element. Arc magic is primarily used offensively, although creative mages have found more unique applications of Arc, such as the many magical contraptions and weapons used by the Barbarossan Mages Division. In a similar vein to fire, Arc is relatively easy to synthesize with, an example being Voltaic.

Frost

Physical Appearance: Like that of snow or ice found during winter.
When Autumn departs the world, the cold, deathly chill of winter takes its place. Lush green lands are blanketed in snow and ice, the wildlife hideaway in their burrows or succumb to death's grasp. Like the feral strength of storms and lightning, winter's tyranny was a source of curiosity and ambition for many early mages. Through these mages' efforts, the element of Frost was discovered, paving the way for centuries of innovation and discovery with this element. The application of Frost magic is most commonly offensively; perhaps its more fascinating usage is in construction. In the frigid lands of Enceladus, the Frost Elves often combine snow and ice with other common building materials to create dazzling architecture in the polar icecaps. The properties of Frost make it a fascinating element when used as a base for synthesizing, creating unique elements such as Blood Ice.

Starlight

Physical Appearance: Starlight takes the form of blinding white light.
Since the earliest days of Nostrinia's existence, the sun has shined its light upon the world, freeing it from darkness so that life can exist. Understanding and harnessing sunlight became the goal for many early magical pioneers, the result of discovering the element Starlight. Starlight is sometimes called Light, for it represents all forms of natural light. Much like its counterpart Shadow, Starlight is a relatively stable element that works well with other elements during synthesizing. The capabilities of Starlight include but are not limited to: lighting up dark places, burning or blinding individuals with intense light, and empowering other magical elements, except for Shadow, which is weakened by Starlight..

Kinetic

Physical Appearance: No discernable appearance.
All things follow the fundamental laws of physics, especially gravity and motion. Kinetic magic, on the other hand, is about breaking those rules and controlling them yourself. Many know this element for telekinesis, the act of controlling objects with only magic, but masters in Kinetic magic will show you that is only the beginning. When a mage casts a kinetic spell, they become a dictator of all laws of motion upon their targets, limited only by the user's creativity and ability. The near-limitless potential of kinetic magic makes it one of the most complex magical elements to learn, as mages must learn how to cast a spell with the element and how to maintain focus to make objects fully adhere to their will. Since so few know how to use kinetic magic properly, alongside it tough to combine with other elements in a meaningful way, kinetic remains one of the few elements that remains unused as a base for a synthesized element.

Sanguine

Physical Appearance: This element looks the same as human blood, which travels according to its user's will.
It's common knowledge that most organic creatures require blood to survive, as it allows nutrients and oxygen to be passed through the body and heal wounds. However, blood may also be used as a source of magical power, which comes at a cost. To use Sanguine magic, one must use their blood to power spells instead of using Anika, making this element quite dangerous. However, some believe the sheer power of Sanguine magic outweighs the potentially fatal cost. This unique property of Sanguine magic can be subverted entirely by vampires. Being host to their Syphon connects with blood magic through their soul, allowing them to power Sanguine sorcery with Anika instead. Vampires have mastered the use of Sanguine Magic over the centuries, uncovering the full capabilities of this element and creating terrifying new synthesized elements.

Shadow

Physical Appearance: Similar to that of black smoke or enveloping darkness.
Many cultures across Nostrina associate darkness and shadow with evil and death, perhaps born from the fear of what hides in the dark. It is because of these beliefs that shadow magic is shunned and feared by those unfamiliar with magic. The element of Shadow is representative of the absence of light in the universe and what effects it has on the world, rather than being synonymous with death that many would attach to it. While used in magic, Shadow magic is exceptionally effective in illusions or spells that would make one stealthy by muffling footsteps or granting complete invisibility. However, research has shown that Shadow magic cannot cause physical harm, at least directly like fire would, since darkness isn't directly harmful. Experimentation over the years has demonstrated that shadow is a relatively stable element, causing it to be a popular base in synthesized elements.

Void

Physical Appearance: Amorphic energy with a dark purple colorization that takes the shape of created objects or forms circular structures when used to open portals or conjure creatures or objects.
The element known as Void comes from the space between realms, known as The Void or Metakosmia. Void fits within a niche of magic that is relatively untouched by other elements. It allows mages to use magic to interact with other realms; these forms of interaction come in two forms: conjuration and transportation. Conjuration magic primarily uses Void-powered spells to create a magical bargain with the enigmatic Aeonta, where they would receive the Anika used to power the spell. In contrast, the mage received something in return, often an object or creature bound to the user's will. When done through spell form, the deal is unspoken, with no binding contracts in most cases, making this a safer method of conjuration than other forms, such as rituals or direct communication with the Aeonta. Another use of Void is transportation, which is done through either portals or rifts between two locations or teleportation of one or multiple bodies from one place to another. Its niche capabilities make Void a challenging element to use as a base for synthesizing. Still, through years of trial and error, Void has been combined with other elements to produce remarkable results.

Spiritual Elements

Spiritual elements originate from the soul itself, as these elements tend to represent metaphysical concepts such as natural order or thought. One must open their mind to ideas and possibilities utterly foreign to them to grasp these elements fully.

Dictada

Physical Appearance: Luminous cyan-colored energy that is amorphous, wildly flowing in the direction of the spell it is powering.
The element known as Dictada is sometimes said to be representative of sentience, the ability for a species to rise above the rule of their ecosystem and take control of it. Neelakashan legends say that the element of Dictada was gifted to humanity by the goddess Maasraga, who many scholars believe is the Ossian known as Hydria, who often appears in the dreams of great thinkers and magical masters. In the hands of a master, Dictada can become one of the most potent elements ever to be wielded by mortal beings. Dictada is perfect for magic in which the caster is affecting another living creature's mind, whether that be from direct control of them or forcing the target to act on specific commands and emotions, such as calmness or fear. Most surprisingly, however, is the fact that Dictada can even be used to affect the dead bodies that still have even the smallest amount of their brains intact, perfect for necromancy. Outside of phycological magic, however, Dictada has proven to be useless, leaving the element in a specific niche of magic that other elements can't replicate. Since mages have particular spelling usability, Dictada has next to no uses when synthesizing elements.

Spirit

Physical Appearance: Energy comes in varying shades of blue that vaguely takes different shapes based on its purpose.
Spirit is one of the most widely used magical elements by mages across Nostrina and has somewhat become the symbol of magic to many. Many mages will describe that Spirit is the purest form of magic as this element is untouched magical essence, making a natural element. Others will claim that it is a spiritual element representing the mortal spirit, which includes intellect, emotions, fears, passions, and creativity; as they would argue, magic is another way for mortals to express these traits. For this reason, Spirit is one of the most versatile elements, being effective in a large variety of spells and a stable base for synthesizing other elements.

Earthborn

Physical Appearance: It appears as a plain gray mist before assuming its form into what the user wishes to conjure
Perhaps one of the most versatile elements to have been discovered, Earthborn magic fuels various unique magical techniques. The root of this element is the summoning of aspects of the natural world to obey its user's will. The most common way this is used is to summon plants or stones with magic either offensively or to create structures. A rarer use includes the use of wind, an artform used almost exclusively by the Coltura Tesva, a group of devout worshippers of the Orkina Tesva.

Entropy

Physical Appearance: Amorphous red energy or red lightning.
Many would describe Entropy as the embodiment of destruction for its capabilities in offensive spells. This element is dangerous and often discouraged from being used for its volatility towards users both for the higher risk of spell backfiring on the user and the degradation of the user's mind. Those who are not careful handling Entropy run the risk of Entropic Rot, a condition where the element eat away a mage's mind until their only thought is to bring pain and destruction to the world. It is because of these risks that many magical institutions ban the study of Entropic magic. The only options for learning it are through the Sucherstatt Academy in Luet, The Mage's Division of the Barbarossan military, fringe groups not associated with any institution, or the mages of the Mengha in Nyojuma. Entropy has shown to be only usable in offensive spells throughout history, as using the element for other uses almost always ends with serious bodily harm or death. Entropy's singular purpose makes it relatively easy to synthesize with other elements; however, it is a base for synthesized elements such as Wrath, which only enhances the destructive capabilities of both base elements.

Synthesized Elements

Synthesized elements result from mages combining two or more elements to form something new. These elements cannot be found in the natural world, nor do they represent anything. Only through experimentation and ingenuity, one can discover the new possibilities unlocked by these elements.

Blood Ice

Physical Appearance: Sharp ice made of human blood.
Base Elements: Sanguine and Frost
Popularized by the vampires of Enceladus, this grotesque element uses frozen blood as a weapon. Blood Ice is unique as the wielder can make it on the fly by freezing blood left the body. Freezing another's blood is the safest way to use this element, as only the victim will suffer bodily harm while the user will be safe.

Soul Fire

Physical Appearance: Fire of a light purple color
Base Elements: Spirit and Fire
Soul fire is one of the oldest and most popular synthesized elements. Soul fire doesn't burn as hot as normal fire, but it has much more power behind it thanks to the Spirit it is combined with.

Wrath

Physical Appearance: Much like how many writers use fire as an analogy for anger, Wrath appears as crimson-colored flames that often form around and on the caster when being used.
Base Elements: Entropy and Fire
When you combine fire, the symbol of the natural world's destruction, with Entropy and the Spiritual symbol of destruction, you get what is perhaps one of the most dangerous elements ever to be discovered, Wrath. With Entropy as a base, Wrath is bound to the same rules, only usable in offensive magic. Those seeking to study Wrath will have to search hard for mentors, as even the Sucherstatt College, who famously studies Entropy while others shy away from it, find this element too dangerous to research. Users of Wrath also must be wary of Entropic Rot, which they are at an even greater risk of controlling this element.

Abyssal

Physical Appearance: Black and dark purple energy with a wispy look to it.
Base Elements: Shadow and Spirit
Much superstition surrounds this element, as its dark and foreboding appearance invokes images of evil in the eyes of many. Combining the raw power of spirit with the darkness of Shadow, Abyssal magic is popular with those who enjoy a darker lifestyle.

Voltaic

Physical Appearance: Lightning with a pale white colorization.
Base Elements: Arc and Spirit
As with other elements combined with Spirit, Arc takes on a new look and function. Voltaic spells are much wilder and uncontrollable than ordinary Arc magic, making it a dangerous element for inexperienced mages. Its standout property, however, is its useability in enchanting. Voltaic enchantments are some of the most potent to have ever been discovered, making them popular when creating magical weaponry and staffs.

Necromantic

Physical Appearance: Purple-blue energy that gravitates towards the dead.
Base Elements: Dictada and Void
Necromancy became much more upon the discovery of the Necromantic element, which combines the powers of Dictada and Void. Before the discovery of this element, necromancy was limited to just the control of the recently deceased through the use of Dictada. Controlling the dead is just the tip of the iceberg of the power of this element. Groups dedicated solely to the study of necromancy sprung up in the wake of its discovery.

Astral

Physical Appearance: Energy that looks like the night sky.
Base Elements: Void and Starlight
Those who wield the Astral element are described as controlling the night itself. With this element, the stars themselves will lash out from your fingertips to smite all who oppose you.