Magic

The use of magic uses up the body’s resources. Magic users tend to eat a lot to replenish these resources.

There are races on Keverynn that depend on magic for their well-being. Dragons, wyvern, Ryuutenshi, and the Chume’taly all use it on a regular basis simply by existing.

In the case of dragons, it’s used to aid in changing shape and in their breath weapons and the special skills associated with each color type. Wyvern utilize it to produce the toxins for which they are well known. Blacks use it to facilitate shape shifting and reds are capable of actually manipulating fields of magic. Ryuutenshi require it to fly. Chume’taly would not be able to assume a full feline or a full human shape without its existence.

All peoples of Keverynn have the innate potential to use magic. Spells as we know them do not exist to the average person. Written spells in books exist only for the highest of magics. Among these spells is the one used to aid the Ryuutenshi in finding a successor for their Queen. Nearly all of these books are kept within the halls of the Sisterhood of Sword and Sorcery, though some are also kept by the Ryuutenshi Tower Masters and it is rumored that the Darkriders also possess a few.

The magic that is taught is simply manipulating the fields of magical energy that surround the user as well as the user’s personal energies. All magic can be classified into four basic elemental categories: earth, fire, air, water. There are some that fit more than one elemental type but those ones are higher up on the scale of difficulty.

Healing, for example, is primarily classed under earth, but it can be used by any element with varying degrees of success. Earth elements make the most effective healers but some waters are nearly as powerful. Regarding air and fire it really depends on the individual.

Students are tested to see which element they will be more able to use. Some are more easily identified than others. These tests deal with a large number of factors including personality, family, background, and race. Most users can only tap into the element in which they have an affinity for.

When a user is manipulating their personal power, it often comes out as a physical manifestation of their element. An air type, for example, if angered can lash out with a whip-like blast of wind.

Manipulating outside energies, a user can do things such as calm the weather, bring rain to a dry field, help plants grow, and burn fields to replenish the soil. There are countless applications for it and not all are beneficial. Like all tools, it can be used for harm. Hurricanes, torching houses, earth quakes, and flash fires are negative applications of the same power.

The offensive use of magic isn’t as common. This is simply due to the fact that most schools have taboos against using magic to fight someone who can’t defend themselves against magical attacks or even against people who have little to no knowledge of magic and its uses. The combat form is reserved for duels between magic users and, on rare occasions, it has been sanctioned for use in war.

The main problem with magic is that it’s a female dominated art. Men are capable of practicing but it doesn’t come to them as easily and they are mostly weaker than the female of the same experience level. There are two schools that men can attain real power in, power that isn’t just base elemental power: the Four Winds school and the Sisterhood of Sword and Sorcery which, despite it’s name, does accept men into its ranks.