Magic Manipulation

Magic is a form of balance at play, and the caster knows how to hold this balance and manipulate it in such a way that they are able to create wondrous effects by drawing from energy sources and applying them to whatever outcome they desire. The part of this is that all the power they direct must come from somewhere and that whatever is taken must be returned. This can be achieved in a number of ways, as is listed here, and these various styles of manipulating power tend to all lean on one another, as the caster is not limited by them. For instance, a caster may absorb a sword strike, convert it into strength, and bestow that strength upon a combatant ally. Another example is that a caster might take the thermal energy of a nearby fire and manipulate it into by forcing it into a single ray of damaging heat, or they might step into a storm and use the energy of the winds to generate a field of protection against the very storm they are drawing power from to protect their allies from it, or use the powerful current of a river to transport a large distance in the blink of an eye, or finally, they may use their ability to overpower an enemy ability by negating their power using their ability to absorb energy. Below are some examples of how the caster may manipulate energy.

• Absorption – The ability to absorb energy and convert into something else, like physical strength.
• Augmentation – The ability to enhance or weaken someone else’s powers.
• Bestowal – The ability to bestow powers on another or to bring one’s latent powers to life.
• Conversion – Ability to absorb one form of energy and convert it into another form of energy.
• Transportation – The ability to travel through energy conduits
• Manipulation – The ability to direct the flow of energy..
• Generation – Ability to project powerful fields of manipulated energy that often act as shields.
• Negation- The ability to mute the powers of another person.

Regardless, these abilities are reliant on the laws of thermodynamics, and the idea that energy cannot be created or destroyed. As mentioned before that balance must be maintained, and as the caster grows in power and gains new abilities, their ability to absorb and harness energy grows with them, including the amount of finite time a caster can hold onto absorbed energy. Holding absorbed energy for too long is a dangerous and even damaging thing, as the absorbed power seeks purpose beyond the stasis of being held in check, and if held for too long the energy will become unstable, seeping out in chaotic ways and that are more often than not damaging to the caster and anyone else in their vicinity. The same threat remains for a caster that attempts to absorb more than their body and ability can manage, which can lead to calamitous results, and even an explosive and abrupt end for the practitioner themselves. Luckily for the caster, they are always aware of the balance of power they are dealing with, thanks to their ability to sense the energy around them and within them, as this is how they source power for their spells.

• Sensing – The ability to sense or recognize magical powers.
• Sourcing – The ability to draw power from energy sources.

The caster’s ability to sense power is the first thing a prospective caster must learn, and the cornerstone of their abilities. This allows the caster, not only the ability to maintain a fairly constant awareness of the ebb and flow of energy through the world, but the ability to to find wells of power that can be tapped to greater effect. These wells of power can be ley line convergences, untapped elemental sources, or even relics and artifacts of power, enchanted items of the old world that were created using lost arts and forms but whose power remains trapped within the item. There are other, less powerful forms of magic that can be utilized for lesser or smaller effects. These will make up a great deal of the more common and utilitarian uses of a caster's ability, and finally, the most rare and dangerous source of magic is the remnants of the old world methods, found in old tomes and scrolls recovered from ruins and lost places. 

• Ley Line Convergences are entirely situational, and while the caster can follow the flow of power to them if needed, they remain fixed points within the earth. These Convergences, however, are fathomless amounts of energy that twist below the surface of the planet, invisible and undetectable to the uninitiated. It is nearly impossible to deplete one, as they are a tangle of flows of power that move constantly across the planet and are constantly replenished, but they can be dangerous for the novice caster as well, as they can quickly overwhelm a caster if they are not careful, causing them to absorb more than their body and ability can contain and disperse.
• Elemental Sources come in many forms, from burning fires and watery currents, to desert storms and volcanic and seismic activity. These forms of energy are raw and chaotic and are excellent sources of power, as they are readily available and in some cases, can even be created and carried as a portable power source, such as a torch. While nowhere near as powerful as a convergence, they are also much more safe forms of power to draw from, and much more readily available.
• Relics and artifacts of power are by far the much more coveted option for any caster. Magic has shifted a great deal since the Blight fell, changing almost as much as the face of the world itself. The ways of the old world are nearly lost, as are the means by which they commanded arcane power, but one thing they excelled at was the creation of tremendously potent items of power. These items of power, while holding a finite amount of energy before they are destroyed by being drawn from, hold small wells of energy within them, allowing the caster to focus their abilities through them to great effect. This is one of the largest draws of the Hall of Fireflies, where relic hunters trade such things to aspiring casters for large sums.
• Other Forms of Energy are universally available to the creative caster beyond the large pools that may be tapped into. The universe is made up of energy in a multitude of forms and essences, and while utilizing ambient energy offers very little power, pulling the kinetic energy from a physical attack, using light and sound, and even the movement of their own body a caster may achieve many things of a less grandiose nature. A creative caster is a very utilitarian one, which is one of the greatest strengths of those that chose to pursue the paths that make use of it. Basic movement or a traveling song for instance, would be more than enough to produce illumination or generate warmth in colder climates. The results are only bound by the scope of creativity that exists within the caster themselves.
• Old World Magic still exists, but is extremely rare and difficult to utilize. Occasionally a caster will come into possession of an ancient scroll or tome that will contain an inscribed spell or incantation. Using these requires a great deal of study to understand them and focus to utilize them, but once the caster has mastered them, they become a regular part of their repertoire. This is not to say that there is no danger in the utilization of such things, as mages of the old world were devious sorts who did not share power willingly and often protected their secrets with small deviations and pitfalls left in their writings for the unaware. The use of these magics is never a simple matter either, though the results of a mastered spell from the old world is often unmistakable and lasting, most of them requiring ritual and components to achieve.