Elemental magic
- This article is about elemental-based magic.. For the creature body type, see Elemental body type.
Elemental Power is the power that exists in everyone and everything of a given world or universe or system of beliefs. A spell user who partakes of the Elemental Sphere taps this power, molds it, and diverts it to spells. Most powerful element-based spells reflect their origin in the natural phenomena.
The following spell circles are purely elemental magic:
Sorcerer Base is a hybrid between elemental and spiritual spheres.
Bard Base spellsongs are a hybrid form of magic between elemental and mental spheres. However, for nearly all current mechanical purposes, it is considered purely elemental.
Theories of Elemental Magic
- The following summary is not considered official documentation.
The Elemental Planes
The most common theory of elemental magic is that there are four prime types of elemental energy, known as Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Certain creation myths describe the world as having been created by sentiences within each type of energy, known as the First Elementals, before they withdrew into their own Prime Elemental Planes[1]. The material world of Elanthia is separated from these elemental planes by a "dimensional veil" that is constantly shifting, allowing a measure of elemental power to seep through.[2] This leaking of power gives birth to the "elemental creatures" in Elanthia, and it allows the working of magic. Elemental magic uses the power from the elemental planes to create (earth), destroy (fire), transmute (water), and alter the flow of time (air)[3].
Flows of Essence
Another understanding of elemental magic is that it works by altering the flows of "essence", which is an invisible fluidic power created by and permeating all living things[4]. This essence flows through the contours of the world in accordance with certain laws of elementalism, gathering in local foci ("earth nodes"). By temporarily changing or imbalancing the flows, the elementalist is able to indirectly produce phenomena in the physical world.
Some elementalists equate the terms "essence" and "mana".
Anti-Essence and the Unlife
Just as life creates essence, Unlife creates a negative "anti-essence" or "anti-mana". Anti-mana is extremely rare in the material world, and would be perceived as a "void" in the flows. The Vvrael are known to wield anti-mana, and they are unaffected by all known forms of Elanthian magic.