magic overview 
the magical community is vast and exists of incantors (magic users), magical species, magical beings, and magical places. what is magic? a flow of energy capable of being used to either cast spells or complete specialized acts not capable by the mundane. incantors have their magical ability due to an element in their blood, which also makes them capable of seeing the true forms of other magical species and beings along with places protected by magical wards.

there is always a cost to magic, an ebb and flow that exists to create balance. for everything gained, something else wanes, and trying to disrupt the balance of magic can cause have dire consequences.

warbling is an effect of casting magic. if mundane are near, the warble (or excess magic) can allow them to temporarily see things they wouldn't otherwise be able to, which is why the consulate has such strict laws of how magic is cast. after all, warble is how they were first detected by the venator. the gemstones in a incantor's stele help to counteract this from happening, but some warble is inevitable - especially with more powerful spells.

battle magic is the means by which incantors defend themselves from magic, other magical, species, and even the venators. knives and firearms may exist, but so does the magic to protect against them.


 runes and spellcasting 
runes are symbols that are drawn in the air with a stele that will cast the spell associated with that rune. they can also be drawn on objects or material items to enchant or empower them with special abilities depending on the rune used.

once learned, incantors have the ability to remember how to draw all the runes they've seen - though this doesn't mean they've mastered the ability to cast them. an incantor may be able to draw a rune, but the power needed to bring it to life is a skill learned through practice and mastering intent.

once drawn, an incantor focuses their magical energy on casting the spell to life. once completed (either with fruition or fail) the glowing rune fades. magic is not limitless and the more poweful the spell, the more time an incantor may need to recharge.


 astrology and magic 
when an incantor was born plays a part in their magic, specifically when their magic is most powerful or at it's weakest along with what elements they're drawn to, and different pieces of their stele. as with anything, there are always some outliers, and every piece of your character's astrological sign may not fit them precisely.

an incantor's magic is at their strongest when the sun is in the sign of the birth and at their weakest six months later when the sun is in the opposite sign. during their sun sign's height, an incantor's magical power increases and they're able to cast more complex runes. the downside to this enhanced power is it being too much and the spell backfiring, causing the opposite intended effect and a warble that temporarily exposes the magic to nearby mundane.

manipulating the natural elements is possible through runescribing and comes easier to some incantors than others, especially the element connected to their astrological sign. Aries: March 21 - April 19
natural element: Fire
gemstones associated: Diamond or Clear Quartz
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: September 23 - October 22

Taurus: April 20 - May 20
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Emerald or Chrysoprase
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: October 23 - November 21

Gemini: May 21 - June 20
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Pearl or Moonstone
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: November 22 - December 21

Cancer: June 21 - July 22
natural element: Water
gemstones associated: Ruby or Carnelian
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: December 22 - January 19

Leo: July 23 - August 22
natural element: Fire
gemstones associated: Peridot or Spinel
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: January 20 - February 18

Virgo: August 23 - September 22
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: February 19 - March 20

Libra: September 23 - October 22
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Opal or Pink Tourmaline
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: March 21 - April 19

Scorpio: October 23 - November 21
natural element: Water
gemstones associated: Topaz or Citrine
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: April 20 - May 20

Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21
natural element: Fire
gemstones associated: Tanzanite or Blue Topaz
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: May 21 - June 20

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Ruby or Black Onyx
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: June 21 - July 22

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18
natural element: Earth
gemstones associated: Garnet or Moss Agate
stele material: steel, crystal, wood, gold, stone, or silver
weakest during: July 23 - August 22

Pisces: February 19 - March 20
natural element: Water
gemstones associated: Amethyst or Jade
stele material: tungsten, wood, brass, bone, gold, or stone
weakest during: August 23 - September 22


 steles 
a stele (pronounced stell-eh) is a tool used to cast magic. each stele is unique in it's makeup, shape, size and works best with the owner it was created for. the core can be made from: steel, crystal, wood, gold, silver, tungsten, brass, bone, or stone. from there the shape, style and adornments are unique to each user, though usually oblong in shape and reminiscent of a wand or staff, the styles have changed through the ages.

depending on the needs of the user the stele might be modified as they age, going from a traditional oblong to a cane instead. other incantors may have a ring, bracelet, orb, or other items they use. all steles include a crystal that glows when drawing runes and a spell is being cast.

as magical energy is powerful and hard to control in it's natural state, a stele must be used in order to runescribe or cast any kind of magic. it is the most poweful tool an incantor has and, thusly, considered an extension of themselves.

steles are created by incantors called rhoncus who take great pride in this skill. it is considered an honor to do so and they spend many years honing their craft, becoming respected members of their communities. creating a new stele can take anywhere from weeks to months depending on the complexity, runes involved, and time between steps. this is generally something passed down by generations and includes many years of apprentiship before they create on their own.

examples of ornate steles:
 


 other abilities and magical elements 
below is a list of magical abilities incantors can possess. when an incantor possess a secondary magical ability, their casting skills are generally less proficient as other incantors. as with all magic there is a give and take that exists. if there is something unqiue to your character's culture that you do not see below, please run it by us here and we are happy to discuss adding it in.

familiars are spirits that have chosen the form of an animal to be a companion to an incantor. they are considered a beloved part of the family and kept as pets or companions, enhancing their incantor's power. familiars choose their own name and are so connected to their incantor they can sense each other's emotions. when an incantor dies, so does their familiar, the spirit being released back into the astral plane.
shapeshifter
the ability to transform oneself into an animal and back again at will. most incantors with this ability have two or three animals they transform into best, with other attempts locking them "in-between" animal and human form. it is the most common ability, but takes several years of practice to master.

seers / clairvoyants
those with the ability to recieve prophecies about the future or percieve events of the future with their inner eye. this can be done through a number of ways whether it be random waves, through supernatural contact, in their dreams, using enchanted items, and many other ways unique to each seer/clairvoyant. some prophecies and visions never come true, or they are so vague they may have several meanings. having this ability is exhausting and power draining, which can lead many to feel it is more of a curse than a blessing.

astral projection
the ability to project ones consciousness inspirit form out into the world with the ability to go through walls and other matter. learning to control this power takes years to master and, even then, a person can become lost on the astral plane cursed to wander forever if they are not careful. those with this ability are strictly regulated by the consulate due to the invasive nature of this power.

empath
found in younger incantors, those with this ability have a stronger sense of the emotions of others and have the ability to tell when they're lying. this ability fades with age, becoming less and less reliable the older an incantor gets.

telepathy
one of the rarist abilities an incantor can have, those with the ability of telepathy to not need the "sortem" rune to comb through someone's memories and thoughts. it takes a tremendous amount of skill and power. when "sortem" is done incorrectly, it can cause both the practicer and user to go mad. when a telepath combs through someone's mind they can become lost or trapped outside of their own mind. when done correctly, it is an incredibly powerful tool.

warg
unlike shapeshifts, a warg is able to enter the mind of animals to percieve the world through their senses and can control their actions. in some cases a warg can do this with a person as well, but there are less than a dozen instances in history of this occuring.

spectralis
the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, spirits, and other spectral beings. some spectralis are able to communicate with the spirit realm as well, but that is rare and takes a tremendous amount of skill and magical power.


 magical species 
the below magical species are not considered incantors or part of their world, but rather exist in the overall magical world. some can practice magic, while others are able to see the magical world due to their blood and have other abilities.

it is not common for incantors to pair and start families with these species, but it has happened and there are pros and cons to the children produced from these relationships. their cultures are rich, they have their own governments or hierarchies, and many have had trials or tribulations with incantors over the years.

though more rare, some incantors are half or quarter blooded in other magical species. there are pros and cons to this, so please see more below. these lineages will have caps, so see here for available slots. some incantors may be afflicted with vampyrism or lycanthropy, these also have caps so see below for more information and also the caps here.

the department for interspecies magical affairs is dedicated to acting as a liason with each of these groups, trying to maintain respect and a cooperative working relationship. this is not an exhaustive list and will be built on as the game develops.
dragons
prideful, intelligent, and tricky are three ways to describe dragons. though once massive in side, through the years dragons have become smaller in stature and now generally range from the size of a polar bear to an elephant. they usually live in caves or in the sewer with their hoardes gold. they usually live alone, rather than with their kind, and have the ability to influence one's attraction to luck. bargaining with a dragon can be dangerous, they're notorious for fine print and there is always a price to their help.

goblins
troublesome is the best word to describe goblins who live, breathe, and revel in chaos. it's quite literally their lifeline as they feed on the feeling from it. they can influence thoughts of mundanes and do so with glee, slithering around playing the devil on their shoulder then feeding off the chaos that ensues. they generally travel in packs of three, never staying in one place for too long once they've had thei fill. they are small, less than two feet tall, with pointed ears and are usually a shade of light blue-green.

centaurs
they live together in what are known as tribes deep in forests away from mundanes and incantors, both of which they don't enjoy interacting with. they are stubborn, loyal to their families, intelligent, and have a rich culture that few are privy to seeing. centaur/incantor relations are rocky due to a recent hunting accident that resulted in the death of an elder centaur. the department for interspecies magical affairs is trying to improve the relationship, but there is a deep distrust.

merpeople
they have beautiful voices and the power to influence others with their song, most often found in coastal towns living in closely knit communities. merpeople love to trade and make deals, they are collectors and appreciate the treasure found in undersea wreckage. in their mundane form they are beautiful, appearing just as anyone else, but are beastly in their merform with pitch black eyes, long pointy teeth, and poisonous scales. they are able to swim extremely fast and breathe under water, which they must revisit every twenty-four hours or they'll dry out and die.

giants
much like dragons, giants have decreased in stature of the years as a means of preservation. for the most part they have integrated into the incantor community with full grown giants being around 9ft tall. they are the species most likely to pair with an incantor, their offspring still being incredibly tall. they are a gentle species who value knowledge and history, they can most often be found involved in the pursuit of learning or as keepers of the past.


 magical beings 
aside from the magical beings able to communicate with incantors, there are other beings either incapable of doing so or their animalistic side is so prevelant they are not considered beings the consulate practices interspecies community relations with. this is not an exhaustive list and will be built on as the game develops.
vampyrs
these are not your sexy edward cullen neck biters. vampyrs are shadowy beings that turn corporeal in order to feed on their victim before dissapearing back into the night. they are only active for five days at a time before going dormant into hiberation until they need to feed the following year. in corporeal form they are charasmatic, but quick to anger and brash. their bite is lethal to mundanes, but to magical users infects them with vampyrism. when infected incantors are more sensitive to the sunlight, burning easily and needed sunglasses, and need iron rich foods to survive. they also are prone to sleeping issues, desiring to be night owls instead. the plus to being part vampyr is heightened speed and magnestism of others, the extent of that varying from magic user to magic user.

enchanted rabbits
before modern technology, enchanted rabbits were one way incantors communicated with each other. only capable of brief statements, an enchanted rabbit could drop from a portal unexpectedly and begin speaking a few words. at the time it was practical, but alarming for most encantors. today this method of communication is rarely used, mostly by upper generation incantors or in the case of technology paranoia.

werewolves
unlike traditional shape-shifters, werewolves are mundanes infected with lycanthropy who are permenantely stuck in a wolf form that has fused with their mundane form. unable to speak and acting on their animalistic impules, werewolves can run on four legs and walk on two feet. they have claws coming from their hands and feet, are traditionally dark in color, furry, but with the midsection of a human. they are most dangerous to incantors during the full moon. magical users bitten by a werewolf become afflicted during the full moon, trapped in their wolf form and able to spread lycanthropy until morning. the transformation is incredibly painful. the plus to being part were is heightened senses and strength, the extent of that varying from magic user to magic user.

phoenix
though incredibly rare, phoenix are considered a sign of rebirth and that change is coming. to see one is revered as an honor, with supersticious incantors hurrying to their local clairvoyant for possible answers, and to kill one will get you five years in duskmere prison.

owls and ravens
much like enchanted rabbits, owls and ravens were used to communicate prior to cell phones and the internet. though mostly out of practice, some incantor families who still practice some of the older ways continue to use birds as a means of delivering messages.

basilisks
large dark green/black serpents with wings, though they cannot fly. their slanted eyes are red or yellow and they can turn you to stone with their stare. they are rarely found in the wild and are used to guard the incantor prison duskmere.


 portal magic 
though some incantors can drive, opt in for uber, love the train, or take an airplane, their preferred method of travel is by using the portal rune. so long as an incantor has seen (whether in person or a picture), been to, or has been described their destination they can portal there. though there is a learning curve, it is one of the easier runes for young incantors to learn.

one important factor is a clear mind when picturing the destination, because if not it's possible to wind up in a different location than intended. fluctuations in magic and intercepting runes can also alter the course of a portal either by altering the destination or catching a magic user in what's known as fluxing. it doesn't typically last long, spitting the user back out of the portal plane, but is incredibly painful and can have lingering effects on someone's magic.