Magic on Sorneith: Manifestation & Domains
This is part four of my overview of Sorneith's magic and how it functions. Because it's so large, I've decided to split it into parts -- this post will cover the ways magical energy can manifest and be manipulated.
✦ The Mechanics of Magic
Magic is known to have a wide variety of visual manifestations and effects. The actual, physical nature of magic is largely tied to its element in how it is represented, its abilities, and the manner in which it is used. Magic is also utilized in many different ways and through many different means. For species such as dragons, it can be manifested directly from their bodies in the form of auras, bolts, and other elemental manifestations – this can be instinctual, or it may involve the use of ritualistic elements such as chanting.
Some spells may make use of the caster’s life force in order to bestow some manner of life upon their creation. Notably, this life force seems different in some way to traditional magical energy, being treated more like a soul-essence. The only known example of this magic being used resulted in the death of its casters.
Staves, tomes, and even natural materials can also be used as foci to channel magic. It is also possible to instill objects with enchantments – the most well known of these methods being scrolls. Scrolls are parchment that has been imbued with magical properties that are released by reading the inscription upon them and may be used regardless of one’s innate magical talent. For many of these external apparatus, particular materials may be required in their construction.
✦ Elemental Domains
Each of the eleven elements has its own domain of magic – that is, the abilities and scope of what a mage can do is determined by their elemental alignment. Whilst there exists neutral magic that all dragons can use, the majority seems to be elemental in nature.
EARTH
Earth magic manifests as geomancy and the ability to manipulate related materials. It grants a supernatural ability to work with the thick hides of Sorneith’s beasts, as well as petrify living things. Earth dragons are also known to possess notably thick hides and scales of their own – it's possible that much like those they work with, that they are capable of manipulating the strength and rigidity of their own bodies.
FIRE
Fire dragons are capable of breathing fire and can manipulate flames in all its forms. Advanced forms of this ability can allow them to shape and control explosions during the window of their ignition. They have been documented emitting an ambient smoke; though it's unclear whether this is a result of fire-breathing or merely a physiological trait.
WATER
Water magic is largely related to divination, though hydromancy is also common. All water dragons can breathe underwater via magic, and are unique alongside Wind dragons in this regard. They are also capable of extending this ability to others.
WIND
Wind dragons perform aeromancy, which allows them to fly regardless of whether or not they should be physically capable of doing so. Like Water dragons, they can also breathe underwater; though they achieve this by manipulating the air itself to avoid drowning.
LIGHTNING
Lightning dragons manipulate energy. Though this is often referred to as “generating,” Sorneith presumably follows the law of conservation, which means in reality it is much more likely that they are simply gathering energy that naturally exists around them. They can channel this energy to be used to power things such as machinery and equipment.
ICE
Ice magic allows for the spontaneous creation and control of ice. Whilst this allows for what one might expect, this ice is seemingly capable of freezing living things solid without killing them. Ice mages are known to sometimes use a magical foci known as a glitterfreeze ice-trolabe. The control over their element seems especially thorough, as they are capable of manipulating the cellular bonds of freshly-fallen snowflakes in order to change the patterns of crystallization.
SHADOW
Shadow magic allows one to conceal themselves and others using manifested darkness. This seems to be literal – both the Shadowbinder and shadow primal dragons ooze liquid shadow that absorbs all light, and the coliseum ability Shroud summons a mist to hide within. Other known abilities of Shadow dragons include utilizing pure, dark energy, as well as blinding. This affinity for shadow seems to be in some part subconscious, as Shadow dragons also tend to have abnormally large shadows.
LIGHT
Light is fairly self-explanatory. The most commonly noted use of Light magic is in creating temporary magelights to illuminate areas or blind opponents. While these lights usually hang in place or follow their caster, it’s possible to encapsulate them to allow for transport and repositioning. Much like Shadow dragons, Light dragons also seem to show a subconscious affinity for their element – their magic often manifests as natural bioluminescence.
NATURE
Nature, despite its name, is exclusively attuned to flora and their magic can only affect plants and plant matter. This includes a variety of plant-borne substances such as poisons and acids, of which they are capable of creating. They can manipulate the flora around them to their will, and can seemingly control the growth of plants in both positive and negative ways.
PLAGUE
Plague magic relates to decay, rot, and disease. Their affinity towards disease allows them a natural immunity to several types of venom and makes them especially hardy. Because of this, they often harbor these diseases within their bodies and utilize them by expunging bile or exhaling noxious gas. These bodily secretions are so potent that they are capable of burning away organic matter such as plant life in a matter of minutes. It is also known that Plague dragons can tip their claws such that their melee attacks carry risk of infection, though the exact mechanics are unclear. It’s possible that they utilize something similar to how real-life komodo dragons were thought to carry septic bacteria in their saliva.
ARCANE
Arcane is the most abstract of the elements, dealing largely with cosmology and physics. It is capable of very precise manipulations that other elements are not, and is known to be the most difficult type of magic to learn and use. Arcane mages can reverse gravity in their vicinity and intensify the effects of other elements. The most powerful might be able to time travel several seconds or teleport several dozen feet, but feats of this level require such an intense concentration and amount of energy that a dragon would exhaust themselves. Interestingly, these high-level abilities are referred to as alterations, implying that Arcane magic works by altering the fabric of reality itself.
