Lithaelexy

The Controversial Magic of Magnetics

Lithaelexy is the magical school centered on the manipulation of the Magnetic Magical Fields. It is the only magical school which does not require the use of a focus or the expenditure of Imperium (excluding the school of Electromagnetism which requires an additional understanding of Electromancy). Rune Magic is also not required, outside of Electromagnetism, as proper grounding of the materials to be used provides the complete alterations and preparations needed for successful casting of Lithaelexy spellwork.
For this reason it remains the only magical school accessible to those suffering from Unattunable Disorder. Lithaelexy's usefulness spans countless industries including navigation, medical procedures, refinement of certain metals, and manufacturing, allowing for a large selection of possible career choices for practixioners. Lithaelexy has also proven invaluable in the defense industry, although here Electromagnetism is required due to its capabilities of adaptation and its higher strengths with smaller equipment requirements.

Utility

Lithaelexy teaches the manipulation of the Magnetic Magical Fields, positioning specialized equipment to attract or repell affected materials as desired. Lithaelexic spellwork has proven useful in a wide variety of fields including navigation, medical treatments, manufacturing, and defense.

Magnetization

Required before any further studies of Lithaelexy, the school of Magnetization teaches which materials are susceptible to the magics of Lithaelexy. Advanced study also teaches how to ground those materials used to manipulate the Magnetic Magical Fields, and even magnetize the more reluctant materials, in order to produce the desired results. A full understanding of Magnetization is required for the successful application of Lithaelexy spellwork, not to mention the maintenance of all Lithaelexy equipment. Many schools require the construction of a simple lithaelexic compass as a final project to display mastery of this topic.

Magnetism

The most basic manifestation of the magnetic fields, the Lithaelexy school of Magnetism focuses on the basics of magnetic attraction between objects. Lithaelexers skilled in Magnetism can use their arts to draw susceptible materials towards their spellwork.
Advanced training in Magnetism also includes methods on identifying the flows of the magnetic fields through shavings of Lithaelexic materials, and the strengths of those fields through use of a Lithaelexometer.

Levitation and Shielding

More advanced use of Lithaelexy allows for the caster to harness the repellent powers of their craft as their own variation on Levitation or Shielding spellwork. Careful positioning of Lithaelexy equipment can manipulate the local fields sufficiently to repel susceptible materials, charged magical particles and related spells, or even living creatures with sufficient water or Lithaelexic material content.

Electromagnetism

The only school of Lithaelexy requiring the use of Imperium in addition to the careful placement of equipment, Electromagnetism allows the caster to modulate the strength and their manipulation of the magnetic fields, or even turn off their effects without relocating the equipment. This is done through the use of Electromancy, typically with the addition of Tyrellium coils and wires carefully arranged throughout their equipment. Electromagnetism allows for the use of smaller equipment to produce the same effects, and permits the caster to apply and control the desired effects and strengths on demand without repositioning the equipment, leaving this school as the preferred method of Lithaelexy for large scale operations.

Classification Controversy

Unlike the other magics of Fillimet, Lithaelexy does not appear to follow the Three Laws of Magic, leading many scholars to argue it is not a magic at all. These scholars claim the science should be renamed to Magnetism, and removed from magical studies, citing the exceptions posed by Lithaelexy on each of the three laws:

1. The First Law declares "The power of a spell is in direct proportion to the training, magical aptitude, and passion for its success of the caster," but in the case of Lithaelexy only the caster's training, equipment, and subsequent application of these lessons holds any impact on the effectiveness of the spells.
2. The Second Law decrees "Each creature has a limited supply of magical power at any given time, called Imperium, limiting the quantity or strength of spells cast," but Imperium has no effect on pure Lithaelexy and casters are only limited by their own physical stamina and available equipment.
3. The Third Law, "Magic permanently changes the creatures repeatedly exposed to it," is also weaker in Lithaelexy applications, as many materials are completely immune and others are only temporarily affected regardless of their exposure. Lithaelexy does magnetize some materials, most often metals, but these can still be demagnetized and so the effects are far from permanent.

Others insist that because Lithaelexy involves manipulating Magical Fields, in this case those of magnetism, the technology must be magic and civilization simply has not unlocked all of its secrets. Under this school of thought, Lithaelexy's immunity to Antimagic spells is of little concern, as Lithaelexy is clearly a powerful school of magic and therefore able to quickly overwhelm or otherwise avoid antimagic's defenses against it. For these reasons Lithaelexy is still classified as a Divine Magic, as it must have a divine origin since it cannot yet be understood or overwhelmed by the mortal population.

Parent Technologies

• Divine Magic
• Electromancy
• Shielding Magic

Children Technologies

• Cryogenics

Access & Availability

In many ways Lithaelexy serves as the most accessible of all the magics, with its basic spells available to all regardless of their level of access to Imperium. Even those afflicted with Unattunable Disorder may become proficient at basic Lithaelexy, with few limits on the strength of their spellwork aside from their own capabilities at learning its tenets and applying its effects. The spells remain permanent as long as the equipment powering them remains in place, with no Rune Magic required.
In other ways Lithaelexy is recognized as the most difficult magic to cast, due to its firm equipment requirements. Lithaelexers must obtain, prepare, and position their equipment in a precise manner in order to activate its effects. Larger spell effects require bigger, more powerful equipment, and therefore Lithaelexy remains the most expensive of all magics when cast at a large scale.
Electrolithaelexy, also known as Electromagnetic Lithaelexy, does not retain these same requirements. Smaller equipment can be used as the application of Electromancy helps amplify the spells' effects. This branch of Lithaelexy sacrifices permanence for power, requiring magical proficiency and channeled Electromancy to maintain the Lithaelexy itself. Unlike basic Lithaelexy, Electrolithaelexy can be cast with the assistance of runes.

Complexity

Unlike other magics Lithaelexy requires the use of equipment in specific ways to cast their spells. This equipment is not consumed by the spellwork, but once set and activated the behavior of the spell is entirely dependent upon the equipment rather than the caster because the spell itself will alter the local magnetic fields. The spell will also apply its effects to everything within its Magical Field, although again unlike most magics the manifestation of those effects is dependent upon its positioning within the generated field.
Lithaelexers must therefore plan ahead when casting complex spells, while also accounting for any anticipated equipment disruptions, as their options are limited once the spell is in use. Electromancy provides the sole exception to this rule, as the electronic power of the lightning-based Elemental Magic is capable of altering the magnetic fields of many Lithaelexy spells.

Related Items

• compass
• Lithaelexometer
• Shields of Malay