Magic in Calabria

Magic refers, in the broadest terms, to the ability to alter the universe or control some of its essential powers in some fashion. In Calabria, magic has a long and venerated history, and many religions have been built around or with certain magical schools, to the point that it is arguable that most magical schools began as religious organizations.

Common Magical Schools
Though "common" is largely a comparative term (Elementalism is everywhere, while Thaumaturgy is known only to those with a sincere scholarly interest in magic,) some magical schools are generally agreed upon as having a relatively easy means of acquisition to the average spellcaster. Below are a list of 'common' magical schools in general (but not definitive) order of prevalence, and thus familiarity to the average populace.

Elementalism
Arguably the most well-known of Calabria's magical schools, Elementalism is the practice of manipulating the physical energies of the world. Rather than being one singular art, Elementalism divides into four elements, each with its own associated colors and materials: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. In the present day, the largest institution that provides the means to learn Elemental magic is the Dunwasser College in Triskellian, who published the principal text associated with Elementalism, Dunwasser's Primer on Elementalism, or simply On Elementalism.

The ultimate origins of Elementalism are not spoken of, but there are implications that the earliest forms of the craft in Calabria may have originated from the early Avoirdupois faith of Heliodromency. Practitioners of Heliodromency studied the elements as part of the last four steps of their initiation; beginning by learning Earth Magic, then Water, Air, and finally ending at Fire Magic, which Heliodromencers regarded as the most 'holy' of the elements.

It can be presumed (though never confirmed) that Elementalism lost its religious ties when S'allumer replaced Heliodromency as the predominant region of Avoirdupois, eventually being picked up by common wizards, and ultimately falling into the hands of the Dunwasser Academy, which remains the largest proponent of Elementalism to the current date-- although the Avoirdupois city of Porteur-du-Soleil still maintains an Elementalist school, which also functions as one of the only openly-practicing places of Heliodromency in Calabria.

The practice of Elementalism is one more grounded in reality than most other magical schools-- its usage involves the study and understanding of both the nature and properties of the elements being used, as well as an invocation of their 'true names', which are never directly stated. Each Element is predisposed to a certain physical trait: Air derives best from those who are swift, delicate, and have a good sense of range. Earth is predisposed towards those who are themselves physically strong. Water seems to work best under those with great intellect, while Fire behaves best in the care of someone with great willpower or bravado. In addition, it is common wisdom that Species whose natural survival involves the frequent navigation or usage of certain elements will have a natural predisposition towards them (i.e. seaborne mammals such as Otters make good Water Mages, and animals whose anatomies are predisposed to burrowing such as Badgers will do well with Earth Magic, while flying animals such as avians might be better with Air Magic.)

In conjuring pure elements, Elementalism allows a very specific range of effect. Earth Mages are capable of creating dirt and rock of unspecified (presumably average) quality. Rock is specifcally said to be more complicated to compose, while metal is specifically said to be beyond its scope.

Water Magic can be used to conjure, as a base unit, 1-2 liters of pure water. More skilled water mages can even recreate low-quality alcohol, oil and other mundane liquids. However, high-quality refined liquids are too complex for simple conjuration.

Air and Fire magic are considered more humble in their scope. Air Magic can only create as much as a half-pace bubble of pure, clean air, while Fire Magic is capable of conjuring fire or an igniting spark, such as that for a firearm. Even an apprentice's conjured fire is hot enough to cause pain.

Though Elementalism is thought of as being four, a fifth element, seen as a union of the four, exists as a secret art kept closely by the wizards of Dunwasser. Referred to as the Quintessence, this fifth union of Elementalism is more colloquially called Star Magic, and true to its implication it possesses great power and destructive potential. Due to the fact that mastering Star Magic requires one to be a Master of all four elements, Star Mages represent only the absolute most gifted, well-rounded, and talented-- in other words, the best of the best-- Elementalist wizards in the world.

Elemental powers may at times manifest in places of pure magic as Elementals, of which there are four: for Earth Magic, there are the Melancholy Gnomes, appearing akin to great muscled stone lizards. Water Magic has the Phlegmatic Undine, a distinctly fishlike creature. Air Magic's Elementals are the Choleric Sylphs, which heavily resemble the avian Species. Finally, there are the Sanguine Salamanders, flame-wreathed lizardlike entities that embody Fire Magic.

Though a recorded encounter of one does not exist, a fifth Elemental representing Star Magic exists in concept. Uncertain of its features or disposition save for its association with starlight and its tremendous power, this theoretical fifth Elemental is referred to as a Paragon.

The garb for each type of Elementalist varies based upon their chosen branch:

Earth Elementalists prefer simple brown robes, and wands made from rowan wood. Their chosen Talisman is a Hematite Necklace. Earth Mages rely upon an odd particular design to its magic staves; as the material of the rod itself does not matter. Rather, what gives a staff its proving for Earth Magic is lining it with gold: gilding the staff.

Water Elementalists dress themselves in blue, and prefer alder wood in their wands, substantiated by alder's traditional association with water and its natural resilience in exposure to the same. Their Talisman is a Beryl Necklace. Unlike the odd choices of other staves, Water Magic prefers the simple and unadorned fashion of pure silver to best conduct its power.

Air Elementalists dress in yellows, and prefer oak as their wand base. One possibility for the use of oak is its predisposition towards attracting (and surviving) lightning, which some forms of Air Magic manifests as. They also use as their Talisman a Sapphire Charm. The rods of Air Wizards are made from the mysteriously lightweight metal 'alumen'-- aluminium, which is a rare and new metal in this setting.

Fire Elementalists, understandably, prefer red, and their wands are always made of hawthorne wood, which is said even by Lutarists to be the most ken to fire. Their Talisman of choice is an Obsidian Charm. Their rods are made of steel that has been melted and poured thrice for maximum heat resistance, a process which designates the metal as treble-best steel.

Mages who use the Quintessence dress in a fashion all their own. Obsessive over their association with the stars, they tend to sew stars and constellations into their robes, carry around a Dioptra as a staff, and use an Astrolabe as their Talisman. The wand-wood associated with this school is Myrtle.

White Magic
Often associated with S'allumer, White Magic, or Holy Magic deals heavily in the arts of protection and healing as well as banishing the Undead and Unholy. Though heavily affiliated with the Church of S'allumer, some scholars do not consider them synonymous; as not only do not all priests of S'allumer practice White Magic, but there are some factions of the church (such as Athanasia) that even believe that White Magic predates S'allumer by centuries. The Penitent orthodoxy commands the majority of Holy mages, as the principal text is The Testaments of Helloise, an adjusted version of the full Le Temoin text, transcribed by the Church of Penitence.

Scholars of religion and magic such as the Athanasians posit that the true origin of White Magic can be traced before recorded history, perhaps in the time of the Autarchs. According to theories based upon a certain body of evidence, a group of wizards existed at an uncertain period of time centuries ago, who were called Athanasians, either by themselves or others. Record of their craft bears similarities to the practice of White Magic, but is described as being infinitely more miraculous; being able to raise the morale of whole cities with their mere presence, immunizing one against aging and disease, and even restore whole bodies from mere bones and ash. Their ultimate fate remains unknown (most other branches of S'allumer dispute the very claim of their existence), but a theory of the modern Athanasians is that Helloise might have in some way been a secret keeper of their ancient arts, lending to her miraculous power.

Though like most common magic, White Magic is one of the 'powers from within', its discipline also draws in part from the concept of the Light-of-All-Creation, which priests view their own souls as fractions of. The Testaments of Helloise states that, "It was discovered that if one is pure in thought and action one might un-do the harm done of others and thus set things right where once they were wrong". It can be inferred that shortly after Helloise's holy martyrdom, priests learned the nature of and the means to recreate the power of the Healing Light by simple exposure, as immediately after her death, proper White Mages immediately began appearing through history.

There are considered to be two 'paths' of White Magic. The Left-Hand Path is the one primarily dedicated to healing and protection, while the Right-Hand Path, under the justification of protecting the Church against dark forces, wields Holy Magic as a weapon. By all technicality, a practitioner of White Magic can learn both, but as a matter of principle, most clerics preferentially adhere to one or the other.

The preferred garb of a typical cleric is a white-dyed robe. It's associated wand-wood is acacia, and its talisman is the Flourite Octohedron, the same symbol of the s'Allumer faith. Rods intended to conduct White Magic are often hewn from pure electrum-- a silver-gold alloy, often called 'white gold', which is viewed in the s'Allumer faith as representative of the union of Heaven and Earth. Only Left-Hand practitioners carry such staves; Right-Hand paladins prefer the usage of a Calendar Sword, which due to its unique forging as a Holy catalyst, is fit for conducting Right-Hand spells into just like a rod or wand.

Necromancy
Also known as Black Magic, Necromancy is an Unholy-aligned school of magic that focuses on using magic to inflict curses and illness, as well as, in the more advanced stages, raising and manipulating the Undead. The principal text on Necromancy is Ye Book of Black Magick by Frater Perphredo.

The exact history of Necromancy is shrouded in mystery, but there is much evidence to indicate the practice is hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years old. Various possible points of origin include the continents of Avami, or Akoma, or even the Autarchs. Necromancy has little presence in the proper history of Calabria due to how reviled as a concept it is, and it is impossible to tell how recent or prevalent their existence has been.

The earliest event in Calabria that could possibly correspond to anything resembling a point in history where Necromancy ever became more widespread than normal was in the year 393 of the S'allumer calendar, when House Marteau of the Avoirdupois was excommunicated and exiled, many of them resurfaced as a major power of the Eteignoirs, an anti-S'allumer organization. With a major boost to their numbers, all occult doctrines saw a boost in presence, including Necromancy. Necromancy is not per se synonymous with the Eteignoirs, but it has remained true in history that the practice of Necromancy has always grown from any rise in occult activity. It is said that in recent history, perhaps with the arrival of Lady Amalsand Jakoba, the presence of occult activity, and thus Necromancy, has increased to a degree.

Necromancy remains banned for its sinister and unpredictable nature in Calabria, and the Church of S'allumer's stance on punishment for open usage of Necromancy is torture. However, some more benign organizations, such as the Black Angels of Akoma, practice necromancy solely to familiarize themselves with the arts of those they frequently confront. Their presence was, until recently, just barely tolerated in Calabria, with the exiled Amalsand Jakoba being the one to at last covertly drive them away from most cities.

Necromancy is distinct from most other magical schools. While other types of magic draw upon the power of the soul and the self in some fashion, referred to as the 'power from within', Necromancy is a 'power from without', meaning that Necromancy relies in very few ways to the caster's own internal power. Instead, Necromancy's power derives largely from the ill will of restless spirits, and as such their will largely dictates the effects of the spell. Not infrequently, a simple spell cast can be many magnitudes stronger than intended-- and that much less controllable. Spell effects can range from simple visitations by dark spirits, to possessions, and even the arising of uncontrolled Undead from nearby corpses.

Much of this risk derives from the fact that the realm of the restless dead is, in effect, being called upon by a Necromancer, and thus the power of their spells are fueled by the vendettas and unfinished business of restless souls. The phrase "taping a dam to get a drink of water" is often invoked to describe the process, as well as to illustrate the inherent risk. Despite this, Necromancy is much sought-after by occultists, for while it does possess risks, the rewards of its potent magical power are often enough to offset it in the eyes of its practitioners.

To little surprise, practitioners of Necromancy find themselves well-suited to black-dyed garments. In further defiance of S'allumer, they prefer the mocking symbol of the Nonagram, generally hewn from bone. Dogwood is the wood of choice for Unholy Magic, while brass is its preferred metal.

Green and Purple Magic
Also called Cognoscenti or Psychic Magic, Green and Purple Magic is concerned, according to its own words, with "understanding of the true nature of the soul". In practice, Green and Purple Magic commands powers over thought and feeling, allowing everything from psychic communication to the inducing of hallucinated blindness and panic. The principal text on Green and Purple Magic has no known name or author, but it is distinguished by its purple cover, and its attached green bookmark.

The origins of Green and Purple magic remain shrouded in mystery. Some believe that the Almaghnatisia of Akoma may be the progenitors of the Cognoscenti, as they also use the same colors; but others argue that if magic is truly universal, that the evidence could also indicate that the Almaghnatisia may be contemporaries of the Cognoscenti rather than ancestors. Similarly, the Cognoscenti have no unified order or place of study in Calabria; for all intents and purposes, all students of Green and Purple magic learn their craft independently of one another and represent no particular front greater than a shared interest in the magical school. Individuals are often given the tools to become Cognoscenti under mysterious conditions, perhaps given the necessary tools by other Cognoscenti in total secrecy.

Psychic Magic possesses a unique elemental manifestation in the world: that of the Shade, a ghost-like apparition that is often created from the collective superstitions of individuals over a course of time, or direct conjuration by Green and Purple Mages. The speech that Shades speak is incomprehensible to any who would hear it but the Cognoscenti who are familiar with the energy it exudes. Being incorporeal, Shades can only be damaged by either magic or attacks from natural features of the body. Unlike other incorporeals such as Phantoms or Elementals, Shades have no true 'will' of their own; instead, they are bound to the archetypes that formed out of the minds of those that they rose from. Shades are forced to adhere to that character without exception, and any situation that forces them to act outside of their proscribed character often drives them mad-- and violent.

The divide between Green Magic and Purple Magic is not always clear and distinct. As the Cognoscenti understand the definitions, practitioners of the Green path are called Sorcerers, and characterize the Green path as being the passive one, using their powers to probe minds and learn secrets. Purple mages are called Spellbinders, and use their powers to more actively control and manipulate minds to act on their command.

Sorcerers and Spellbinders wear robes appropriate to their respective path. They both, however, have all other trappings in common: Olive wood as their wand make, a Tourmaline Headband as their Talisman of choice, and their staff, which is hollow on the inside save for a measure of quicksilver (referred to as elemental mercury in the common day) inside to weight it at the bottom for walking while allowing its weight to add to the overall momentum of the rod when swinging it as a weapon.

Thaumaturgy
Known less commonly as Theurgic Magic or even more obscurely Meta Magic, Thaumaturgy is a highly advanced, and very subtle magical study, delving into the intricacies of the connections between things in the world, referred to as Synecdoche, as well as the supposed inner workings of magic itself. As such, it is seen as an excellent school to invoke when combating magic itself, though it offers fewer benefits against physical attacks.

Thaumaturgy is, as far as we know, the brainchild of Kyndranigar the Shadow-Magus, a mysterious wizard who wrote the school's principle text, entitled Thaumaturgoria. It was his goal to understand the true nature of the cosmos, and by extension to afford some control over it. The time in which he lived, as well as any details of his life or appearance, are unknown. Some believe he may be contemporary, while others believe he was one of the many ancient Autarchs of a previous age. Similarly, the exact age of Thaumaturgy itself is unknown.

Being a specialist school whose study requires a great deal of intellect and magical knowledge, it is more suited for those who are already wizards of some kind more than any other group. It may be inferred that due to its secretive nature and high demand in terms of intellectual capacity, Thaumaturgy is a school only spoken of in wizarding circles, and is thus completely unknown to the public, at least unable to be identified as Thaumaturgy specifically. Deriving purely from Supernatural experience, Thaumaturgy offers little potential to those who are not themselves extremely familiar with the world beyond the mundane.

Thaumaturges favor unassuming grey clothing, as well as a staff made of cypress-- the only magical staff not to rely upon a metal for its conducting, for reasons unknown. A different wood, namely hazel, is preferred for their wands, possibly because of the wood's application as a divining rod. As their talisman, Thaumaturges carry around a Lodestone; a naturally-magnetized piece of the mineral magnetite.

Uncommon Magical Schools
Some schools of magic are considered to be obscure for one reason or another. In some cases, they are closely-guarded by the order or school they belong to. In other cases, the means to learn them are simply rare or require a specific skillset.

Blessed Magic
''The following entry describes Blessed Magic in broad terms. For specific breakdowns of the spiritual paths and powers, please see Blessed Paths.''

It is often noted that there are those in the world who have a natural connection with the world of spirits in some way. These people tend to have a Second Sight, and an inherent kinship with beings of the natural world, like plants and animals, while also being that much more vulnerable to magic in turn. In Lutarism and various other old faiths, these individuals are referred to as the Blessed.

The reason this magical discipline is considered uncommon is because while technically a magical school, Blessed Magic is not seen as something you can learn in books: to possess the makings, one needs to either simply be born with the gift or, much more rarely, develop it as a result of some great insight or exposure. A hidden benefit to this, however, is that Blessed Magic requires no trappings or schooling to develop.

Though not exclusively, Blessed powers have a heavy and long history with that of Lutarism, whose Mystes and protectors cultivate the power in secret through the worship of their nature goddess Lutara. The Lutarist discipline recognizes a total of thirteen different 'paths', based on thirteen plants: Alder, Ash, Birch, Elderberry, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Ivy, Oak, Reed, Rowan, Vine, and Willow. These are based on the thirteen plants of the Doloreaux lunar calendar-- though there is indication that other spirits exist to be called upon for those with the proper association and insight. Each of the 13 Lutarist paths represent particular spirits that are called upon by the Blessed to perform a task. This action, called an Invocation, is in effect the Blessed individual requesting a favor of the spirits of the world, to in some way bend the rules for them. Blessed Magic can be used to either selfish and selfless ends, and the spirits that answer calls out of good or evil will tend to follow their same respective alignments.

By the Lutarist discipline, there are seven conditions that produce what is seen as the ideal environment for an invocation: Because Blessed Magic is considered a 'power from without', it carries the same risk as Necromancy where Unholy powers are concerned, which in this case manifests as attacks and other actions made out of ill will. The unwelcome aftereffects of an Unholy spell backfiring can occur, though the spirits of nature add additional bad effects that can occur, ranging from tragic or fumbled misinterpretations of the Invocation, to in worse cases mass food rot and the destruction of the nearby landscape.
 * 1) The Blessed is alone.
 * 2) The site of the Invocation is quiet and conducive to concentration.
 * 3) The Blessed is capable of speech.
 * 4) The Blessed is capable of making gestures.
 * 5) The site of the Invocation is considered 'close to nature', containing no trace of modernism, invention or science, however primitive.
 * 6) The Blessed has part of the appropriate tree or plant on their person.
 * 7) The month of the year by the Doloreaux calendar is of the same name as the Path being called upon.

Druidic Magic
In the lands of the Phelan, the Druids, and thus their magic, hold heavy sway over the people and culture of the land. Their discipline, Druid Magic, deals in the reading of omens tied to the living, as well as interacting with the spirits of the living in some way. In addition, their close ties with the spiritual world have afforded them mastery over powers that are used freely by natively Supernatural beings, such as mastery over glamours and supernatural fires. Rather than adhering to one particular school of associated magic, Druids pull from a wide range of magical origins: some of their spells are Elemental, some Unholy, and a slim few even have ties to Theurgic magic.

Druid Magic is difficult to master for several reasons. For one, it is closely guarded by the Druids of Phelan, who are slow to trust outsiders, meaning that barring special circumstances, non-Phelan individuals (especially those without Second Sight) have little hope of ever becoming a Druid. The other roadblock to Druidism comes in the fact that no books are kept of the discipline. Druids argue that writing is insufficient to describe the subtleties of their arts, and thus one must be directly tutored in how it works by someone who already knows. Moreover, this means that the only way to have this discipline taught to you is in the Phelan tongue of Berla Feini, leaving no less than three major road blocks for the average Calabrian. How many of these road blocks are set in place out of necessity and how many only exist to restrict knowledge of Druidism to those with ties to Phelan's specific coven of Druids is unknown.

Druids prefer odd speckled vestments over one distinct color, as a possible expression of the composite nature of their school. Their wands are preferred to be made from apple-wood, and their staves are made from the wood of the sloe (otherwise known as blackthorn) plant. Its associated talisman is a golden torc-- a piece of jewelry defined as a stiff neck ring.

Sacerdotal Magic
Sacerdotal Magic, whose spells are also referred to as Charisms, was created by Penitent priests of S'allumer as a result of a concern with the powers of White Magic failing to appropriately reflect the more spiritual message of the faith. While White Magic did well to alleviate the pains of the world, as with Helloise, as well as reflect on the beneficent nature of S'allumer, some priests felt that White Magic did not adequately address the purity of soul as per Penitent teachings. Desiring to discover holy-aligned spells that reflected the Penitent desire to divorce oneself from the mundane world and focus instead on the higher plane of the Light of Creation, eight spells were developed as the foundation of Sacerdotal Magic, based on the eight virtues of S'allumer: Generosity, Humility, Kindness, Love, Penance, Self-Control, Temperance, and Zeal.

Charisms are more difficult to learn than the average magical school for a number of reasons. For one, the Church of S'allumer requires that a priest study and internalize the eight Virtues of S'allumer as an Acolyte. Once they have done so, they must pay an Indulgence to request the right to learn even one Sacerdotal Spell from their branch of S'allumer-- including those branches, such as the Monophysites, which are seen as heresies. The typical indulgences for the branches of S'allumer are as follows: In addition to these customs, Sacerdotal spells are also very spiritually demanding: more than just a representation of faith, the eight Prayer spells cannot be invoked by anyone possessing the opposing Flaw: Greed, Pride, Wrath, Envy, Single-Mindedness, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth, respectively. As these prayers are considered a prerequisite to learning the higher Charisms, it demands that, as the spells' makers intended, the caster be spiritually pure in the eyes of the S'allumer faith.
 * Penitence & Palingenesie: Apprenticeship in a church for 4+ years.
 * Athanasia: A 5000+ word essay on an obscure topic involving nature, magic, and the universe.
 * Ardentines & Passeralites: Duty as a squire to a senior Ardentine/Passeralle, who must sign a letter of recommendation.
 * Guerisseur: Apprenticeship in a hospital for 4+ years.
 * Haimorrous: 64 lashes across the back.
 * Hyperdulia: A testimonial that one has visited eight known shrines of veneration.
 * Orchomency: A sizable donation of money or goods to the order.
 * Monopysisme: A signed confession to join the order, witnessed by two other Monophysites.

Each sect of S'allumer focuses on a particular group of Sacerdotal spells that best suit their faith. Some of these spells overlap, while others are unique and particular to that faith. For instance, Sacerdotal disciplines of the Ardentine and Passeralle Orders focus heavily on spells suited for paladins, while Penitent Charisms are dedicated to charity and defense of the people. Perhaps of greatest interest are three particular spells, practiced by the Athanasians and Monophysites: Purgation, Purification, and Illumination, which seem to be especially designed to hone the soul into a proper vessel for the Light as a magical force. Athanasians believe that a fourth stage, which they call "Unification" exists, even theorizing that this is the exact state of being Helloise herself had mastered and utilized. Monophysites do not believe in the existence of a fourth state, as their faith dictates that no mortal is capable of progressing past such a point.

As Sacerdotal Magic is considered a finely-honed branch of White Magic, it uses many of the same tools, though in many cases no tools or particular garb are required whatsoever, as many of the effects of Charisms are internal, rather than external.

Apostate Magic
While the Black Magic of Necromancy predated S'allumer (though not necessarily White Magic overall), Apostate Magic was created specifically for heretics who desired to defy or outright combat the faith of S'allumer.

Though S'allumer had plenty of opponents in the Avoirdupois demesne, many point to the month of Strawberry in the year 51 Après le Miracle, when Etienne, then King of the Avoirdupois and at war with the Rinaldi, called a truce, abdicated his title as King in deference to Rinaldi authority, and formally converted to S'allumer. There are many who viewed this conversion as a betrayal of their culture; both in the Heliodromes who denied the legitimacy of S'allumer, and in those who would come to view S'allumer as the strong arm of a sovereign nation who had wrested control of their titles and forced them under Rinaldi rule. In opposition to this, many followers of the old faith and disgruntled nobles organized into a group collectively known as the Apostasy, and began circulating a particular manner of Black Magic created with the sole purpose of subverting the order of the Church of S'allumer.

What little is known about this organization is that it is singularly dedicated to concealing its numbers, and utterly ruthless when faced with traitors within their ranks. The secretive nature of the Apostasy is precisely what makes Apostate Magic so difficult to get ahold of, beyond its already proscribed nature.

Some would argue that Apostate Magic goes far beyond merely being Black Magic, but that it was rather specifically created to be an inversion of White Magic; a school of dark spells that plays best upon hatred, vice, deception and paranoia, and actively corrupts souls with the very things that S'allumer seeks to purge. As with Sacerdotal Magic, specialized equipment is not necessary for this school, as many of its spells occur in whispers and secret gestures.

Atavism
There is some debate as to whether or not Atavism technically qualifies as a magical school, though some count it as such a discipline due to the fact that its usage grants its practitioners access to powers that are considered among those who have witnessed them to be wholly unnatural.