Ichor is the term used for magic in this world. It is present in every living creature, fauna and flora, and comes in several forms. It's most potent, original form, is Arcane. This magic is considered the parent element to all lower elements, but it's usage is banned throughout almost all of Arcadia for several reasons.
The forms of magic that are used are Arcane's children forms. Categorised into four main elements; Ignis, Terra, Neross and Aer. These are essentially fire, earth, ice, and air. Then the two derivative elements, Astra and Raequa which are electric and water, respectively.
Each symbol is to be represented in its correct orientation, but each is designed so no matter what orientation it's viewed on, it's still easily distinguishable - this is so these symbols can be used on clothing, for instance, and still remain readable. Though Ichor is present in all living organisms on Gia, the only creatures able to harness it's power are the sentient races. Learning magic is like learning a type of martial art; it requires years of dedicated training, and many spend their entire lifetimes studying it.
There is then one final 'element', and that is Umbra,
Umbra is a 'broken' or half-formed element seen only in mono elementals, and only occurs under a specific and rare set of conditions.
Most commonly, Ichor and it's six elemental categories are used via aether crystals/sparks, but a select few clades can be born with an affinity to one of the six elements. These two types have been catagorised as mono and omni elementals, or linked and unlinked,
LINKED / MONO ELEMENTALSHave a strong link to magic and are able to naturally use it in some way - they will be born with an 'affinity' to a particular element, which also affects their appearance. Mono elementals are also able to reach the highest level of elemental mastery, and that is merging. They are however locked to the element they have an affinity to, and cannot use any of the other elements unless they try and perform an elemental shift - which is very dangerous and very illegal.
UNLINKED / OMNI ELEMENTALSDescribe those who cannot harness magic naturally and don't have any affinity to a certain element. They cannot merge like mono elementals can, and have to harness their magic through crystals, called aether sparks, attaching it to things like staffs or wrist cuffs. Some particularly... dedicated individuals have had these crystals surgically inserted into their hands. Omni elementals can however, use any of the six elements and are not locked to a single one. Omni elementals are kind of the jack of all trades type but master of none.
The terms 'linked' and 'unlinked' are used by most in Arcadia because that is what the ruling class, specifically Anerc Katafygio, refers to them as. The other terms, which the ruling class does not officially recognise, are mono and omni elementals. The terms mono and omni are more frequently used in the outlands, along with the symbol for omni,
mono elementals do not have a symbol, as their symbol will just be one of the six elements. Mono and omni elements are also not (normally) on an individual basis- certain races will either be mono or omni, and you only get some deviation from that with hybrids, elemental corruption, and sometimes random chance.
omni elementals are usually placed as the lower class. The leading idea, perpetuated by Anerc, is that he stronger your link the 'closer to purity' you are.
The element of abstract, the element nobody has ever been recorded to have an affinity to, but everybody can wield, mono or omni (though only through an outside source). Arcane is the most dangerous, unpredictable, and powerful element known to Arcadia. The usage and study of Arcane is strictly prohibited across almost every region and district, and an individual being found using it faces severe consequences. It is a crime of the highest order, considered treason, especially under Anerc Katafygio.
Due to these laws however, little is known about how Arcane actually works. It is the element known for powers such as time manipulation, healing, mind reading, seeing into the past or glimpses into the future, levitation, gravity manipulation, teleportation, creating illusions both visual and auditory, and reality warping. Some even say that by using Arcane, an individual could even stop or reverse the process of aging, essentially rendering them immortal.
Arcane’s usage being forbidden is for a few reasons, and the most obvious being how incredibly powerful and dangerous it is. People are scared of its capabilities and what destruction they can cause, but beyond that, Arcane is also dangerous for the user. Despite only being able to be harnessed through aether crystals, there has been no single recorded individual using Arcane that did not become horribly corrupted shortly after. Arcane is a very potent magic and can easily destroy the body and mind of the individual using it. Those corrupted by Arcane have never been able to come back from it, and the effects have shown far worse than those corrupted by the other elements. The user's body often rips apart, fragmenting between physical reality and something beyond.
The biggest reason Arcane has been outlawed, however, is that it is believed to be the cause of The Pale. The leading narrative from what fragments were left behind is that the civilisations before them used Arcane liberally, through the use of machines. Their world was powered by Arcane magic, and their inventions were like nothing ever seen - but they also created weapons with this magic, and fought brutal wars. The abuse of Arcane magic eventually caused reality to collapse in on itself, and thus, The Pale was born.
Arcane is an element perceived by many as something the world was never meant to have. It is believed to be the parent element of all magic on Gia, or even the universe - a divine form. It is Ichor in it's most pure form, too potent for the use of mortal bodies. Arcane is mostly a magic lost to time, and it's a magic the nations of Arcadia agree to remain, lost.
There are six main elements; Ignis, Terra, Neross, Aer, Astra, and Raequa. These are essentially fire, earth, ice, air, electric, and water, respectively. Each element, if the user has an affinity to it, or in other words is a mono elemental, will affect the physical appearance of the user in different ways. Most notably, colour. Omni elementals, not being born with an affinity, aren't physically or otherwise affected by any element.
Ignis is the element of heat, passion, and light, with heavy associations to the the sun, rebirth, and life. It's the beating heart of Gia, but left unchecked can also be its undoing. A fire left alone can easily become a natural one and continue burning, and an experienced Ignis wielder could burn entire cities to the ground if they so wanted. Unlike the other elements, Ignis is stronger when paired with intense emotion, especially anger. In some ways this can be used to great advantage, but it also discourages control, and an unpredictable element is a dangerous one. Due to the potential damage this element can cause, those using Ignis, especially those with an affinity to it, have a unique pressure to keep their element under control. Often as part of training with Ignis, the wielder must learn to control their own emotions and impulsivity.
Ignis also also believed to be one of the first elements, coming from beyond Gia, while others believe it was the first form of Gia. Either way, Ignis is commonly thought to be the first element beside Neross.
Neross is the element of stillness, tranquility, and darkness. It is the opposing element to Ignis, and individuals who wield this element are often associated with being unfeeling and cunning. This element also has heavy association with the night, the two moons, and even death. It is commonly thought to be the first element alongside Ignis, it's origin either being the moons themselves or from space.
Wielders of Neross can create ice claws or weapons, even armour, and they can use sub-zero mist that freezes anything it touches on impact. Ice created however does not persist for long if the environment it’s created in isn’t cold enough - after an individual stops channelling magic into it, it will likely just melt. Neross users have also been known to be able to slow down their own metabolism as well.
The element of earth. Individuals with this element can sometimes be thought of as stubborn or bone-headed, but it also has associations with strength, power, and stability, considering it's source is thought to be the planet itself. Terra is believed to be the physical state of Gia, something formed from Ignis and Neross.
Terra's abilities come from manipulating already existing minerals, as their power is essentially manipulating the earth itself. The manipulation of crystals, metals, and even sand. Terra users can alter the ground beneath them, create something similar to earthquakes, destroying rock with a single hit, and even use minerals to form an armour. Generally Terra users are associated with taking a more defensive stance, rather than offensive. Due to their earth altering abilities, Terra users are also great for Terra-forming, though, granted, even the most experienced users cannot alter massive areas in one go… it is still easier than doing it manually.
Aer is the element of change and movement. This element is often viewed as having a graceful nature, but also deadly and mysterious, as it's not really something you can see. It is also the natural opposite to Terra, but is what allows Terra to exist. Aer is commonly believed to be the invisible magic that holds Gia together, and an elemental child of Ignis and Neross.
Aer includes things like wind manipulation, air pressure control, and sound manipulation. Aer users who possess wings are able to manipulate wind currents around them, giving themselves incredible speed boosts, aiding in agility and in general manoeuvrability, and allowing them to fly for much longer distances without needing to rest. Non-winged Aer users cannot fly using these abilities, but greatly aid in jumping and air time during that process. Being able to manipulate air pressure and density, Aer users are also able to fly at much greater altitudes without negative affect, and very experienced users can even create breathable air pockets underwater. Aer users are also known to be able to create whirlwinds or even tornadoes. They are experts in cloud and weather manipulation - making them leaders in weather control.
Astra is the element of energy, or more specifically; electricity, lightning, and plasma. In some ways it is quite similar to Ignis, as like Ignis, Astra is also an element of heat and it can also be extremely unpredictable, but Astra is particularly so. Its erratic and unpredictable nature is what Astra is most known for - besides having common associations with speed, hyperactivity, and recklessness. In some religions, Astra is thought to be born from a great war, and it is commonly believed to be a derivative element of Ignis and Aer.
Astra users have a particularly serious pressure to gain control of their element, and when practising it's often done so in a very controlled environment - as electricity has a habit of connecting to unintended targets. Despite its heat though, Astra is actually quite difficult to set things alight with. Astra can cause damage through burning, but its main power is its shock. Astra can paralyse and it can also strike at incredible force and speed. Just like how electricity normally works, it travels through organic matter, burning the body and potentially stopping the heart. Experienced Astra users can direct where electricity goes in organic material, allowing them to avoid or go directly to the heart of their victim. This however demands more concentration and a very close proximity to their target. Astra users are of course much more powerful during storms, particularly if the user has wings, and they fly into one- they can really use the electricity in the air to their advantage. Like Aer, Astra users are also proficient in areas like weather control, though mostly they are used when something gets out of control, like minimising the effects of a storm and redirecting it.
Raequa is the element of water and life. In some religion it is believed to have been born from a collision between Ignis and Neross, where it was then housed by Gia itself, leading to life. Raequa is generally thought of as the last element out of the six that formed. It has associations with tranquillity, growth, and flexibility - though this element also has a dark side. Raequa's set of skills also includes blood manipulation, as 90% of blood is made of water. This can lead to some frightful abilities, though most of the time it’s used as a method of healing. Generally, using blood manipulation for anything other than healing is heavily looked down upon in most of Arcadia, and it's often viewed as a type of dark, or Arcane magic.
Raequa can be very useful in bodies of water, as the wielder can manipulate the water around them to give them boosts in speed while swimming. It can also be used for such things like water walking, being able to manipulate the pressure of water and even being able to hold one's breath for longer underwater. Raequa users can also give themselves 'jump boosts' out of water - propelling themselves using jets of water. Raequa users may be also helpful in weather manipulation.
Umbra is not really an element as much as it is a 'half formed' attempt at one of the existing ones, an incomplete magic. Nobody can have an affinity to it naturally and omni elementals cannot use it, the only way a being can have an 'affinity' to Umbra is either from an unsuccessful attempt at elemental shifting (if the individual does not die, which in most cases they do), issues during a mono elementals prenatal development, early birth or hatching, or one or both of the individuals parents being corrupted - but it's still not a given. Umbra is quite rare as it calls for a very specific set of conditions. Some try to do it on purpose, to themselves… or others, which is illegal in every region of Arcadia. Though, even if a person may have transformed their element into Umbra, or be born with it, it's also not uncommon for the individual to then be killed by it later due to it's unstable nature.
If Umbra does settle within a users body though and reaches a stable state, they gain access to a rather unique form of magic. Umbra can be very unpredictable and hard to control, often having a 'mind of its own' which makes it difficult to learn. The abilities Umbra encompasses are shadow based and mix into the realm of shapeshifting - someone with Umbra can transform parts of their bodies to shadow. They can use these shadow abilities to create extra limbs or appendages, which can take any shape or size they want (within reason).
The state of this shadow can be controlled, and a more experienced user will be able to increase the shadow's density and allow it to interact with physical beings and objects as well. Umbra users can also shift their entire bodies to shadow and pass through objects or beings that way, even using it as a form of teleportation, shifting into a shadowy stream and zipping through areas. This shadow has an asphyxiating quality as well, especially depending on the density.
Individuals with Umbra are usually met with fear and resentment from others, and they very often face ostracization. Umbra is viewed as something of a curse, something broken, or a perversion of the natural elements. Individuals with this 'element' are believed to be a source of bad luck, or a bad omen, particularly due to religion describing Umbra elementals as having lost connection with whatever god they believe exists. Some believe that Umbra elementals are essentially zombies or ghosts, beings who have died and the only thing keeping them alive is this rogue magic. Some even go as far to think that Umbra also perverts the mind, and compels it to do 'evil' - there have been cases in the past where Umbra elementals were killed in such hysteria. Individuals who possess Umbra are sometimes referred to as 'half-souls', 'wraiths', or 'husks' - and all of these terms are used as insults.
The main 'colour' associated with this element is black. Those who possess Umbra are any dark hue, sometimes just grey. An Umbra elementals’ most striking trait however is their eyes. Their sclera is black, and their iris white. Those born with Umbra will possess all these traits, but those who become Umbra elementals after birth will see their scales/fur/skin/hair change colour over time. If the transition however is sudden and violent, these colours may shift within minutes.
Elemental affinities among mono elementals are hereditary. Two 'pure' Terra elementals for example will always only have Terra elemental children. If the parents are of two different elements, it's a 50/50 chance what their children may end up with. This is assuming a 'pure' lineage though. If one or both of the parents have some other element in their recent bloodline, there is a chance that their child may be born with an element different to their parents. Whatever a pure bloodline means though is relative. It's almost impossible to know if an individuals lineage is truly pure reaching back to the first magically born, so 'purity' is determined by recent lineage. After roughly ten generations of breeding within the same element, a surprise elemental child becomes almost impossible, and this is when a bloodline is deemed 'pure'.
It's the mainlanders who care a lot about these pure bloodlines. They believe the closer one is to Ichor, the closer they are to divinity, so it is no surprise that the rulers of Anerc Katafygio all belong to families of the same affinity. Arranged marriage is particularly common among high society for this reason.
Families of many different affinities end up having 'surprise' elemental children very often. This is common among serpents, who don't believe elementally 'pure' bloodlines pertain to any kind of stronger magical capability or sign of divinity. They beleive in the opposite, that these elemental categories were meant to exist together, and that is what makes them stronger.
There is no real evidence to prove one way or the other. All of this is based on religious belief.
All the mono races of Arcadia excluding Kirins are egg-laying. During incubation is when the element of the hatchling will start to properly manifest, determining (with a mix of their parents genetics), their appearance, and in turn, the eggs appearance as well. Incubation periods are different for every race, but by the half-way mark the eggs should be showing signs of elemental influence through markings and colour. If they turn up early this is considered a sign of good fortune, and perhaps a very magically powerful hatchling - if late, or not at all, it could mean several different, often unfortunate things.
An egg that gains its colours late or has a weak/dull appearance is the most common if anything were to go wrong during elemental development. This rarely means harm to the hatchling inside, and may just indicate a weaker natural magic capability and likely discovering their affinity late.
An egg that never gains it's colours likely means the hatchling will be born an omni elemental, with no affinity at all. This again means no harm to the hatchling, unless you count outside forces. Among dragons and seraphs especially, a hatchling born omni elemental is considered bad luck and indicative of weak magical blood-lines. It is unfortunately common among clans particularly to discard of these eggs, to hide this so their families don't get a bad reputation, usually by giving them away anonymously. They will leave them at the door of orphanages, or very unusually by abandoning them in the wild and letting them die. Both of these acts are illegal, so that's why clans will do it in secret, but they get away with it most often even if done sloppily. Clans run Anerc Katafygio, so many will simply turn a blind eye unless it conveniences them.
An egg that turns dark grey/black means the hatchling likely became an Umbra elemental. With dragon eggs this can sometimes be hard to spot because they are naturally dark grey, and this can cause some paranoia among dragons before an egg starts showing its elemental colours. Other than that, attitudes are similar with this as with omni elementals, but it more associations with having a cursed or sick lineage than having a weak one.
Affinity development in Kirins is a lot more complicated. The period that elemental magic manifests is during pregnancy, so one can never really know the outcome until birth. Unfortunately for Kirin, this also means a more exhausting pregnancy as the magic bond takes place. This causes magical 'surges' within the gravid Kirins body, resulting in headaches, nausea, and general weakness. They may also gain stronger elemental capabilities for short periods. These symptoms are considered a good sign though, as this means the bond is working. If these symptoms aren't present it's often assumed something is wrong.
An elemental shift is when a mono elemental attempts to change the element they were born with to another one. For example, someone with an affinity to Ignis trying to switch to Terra. Doing this is very risky - and it's also illegal. If the shift is interrupted, doesn't get completed properly, or just doesn't work, it can either kill the individual, corrupt them, or break their magical bond, leaving them with the element of Umbra. Some try to perform shifts and intentionally break them in attempts to change their element to Umbra.
Merged individuals cannot attempt an elemental shift at all, as the link between magic and body in a merged individual is much stronger. Therefor, breaking their link with their magic would instantly stop their heart, and kill them.
These are just the colours typically seen on mono elementals according to their affinity. Not super strict, besides the eye colour. Mono elementals are also never truly grey. They always have a slight colour tint.
Ignis elementals are commonly coloured in oranges, yellows, pinks and reds. They are brightly coloured and saturated. Ignis elementals can also have hints of blue and purple, but always in tandem with warmer colours. They are warm and bright. Iris colours range in oranges.
Neross elementals are usually coloured in light-ish blues (excluding teal), off-whites (usually a blue-ish tint), and dark blue-grey. They're generally more desaturated, and can sometimes have highly contrasting dark and light colours (dark grey-blue on off-white for example). Neross elementals can also sometimes have light shades of purple and pink. Iris colours range in light blues.
Terra elementals are usually coloured in shades of green, yellow and brown. Some of these colours can be grey-ish, but never all of them. Sometimes pinks or purples can be present as an accent colour. Iris colours range in greens.
Aer elementals are usually coloured in light or grey-ish white purples, tan browns (usually as a secondary or accent colour), and light blues (including teal). Aer elementals are generally very pale in colour. Iris colours range in yellows.
Astra elementals are usually coloured in dark purples, pinks, and blues with often high contrasting and bright accent or secondary colours (within reason), usually purple, white or yellow. They're like the intense dark version of Aer elementals. Iris colours range in purples.
Raequa elementals have a very wild range of colours compared to the others. While usually coloured in many shades of blue, they can also have greens, purples, pinks, yellows, oranges, and reds. Iris colours range in blues and on more rare occasions, reds. Raequa is the only element that can have two different iris colours. Red is commonly thought to be a separate element, or a variant; which is a blood element. This of course is completely untrue, but it has caused many to view Raequa elementals with red eyes as cursed or evil. It's commonly called a 'blood iris'.
Corruption is the unfortunate result of a merging or elemental shift gone wrong. Instead of merging with an element, or separating from it in favour of a different one, the element begins to take over the user's body and mind, which can have devastating effects.
There are varying severities and effects, but the user's element essentially becomes unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous to use. If the user continues to wield their element or push harder, the corruption will continue and even sometimes lead to death or the complete loss of mind. Some may also lose large portions of their memory. In very rare cases, an individual may even 'break' their elemental affinity and end up with Umbra.
Corrupted ones can be saved and returned to a stable state, though the damage done cannot be undone, and usage of the element that corrupted them cannot be wielded anymore - rendering the user essentially elementless. There is also, however, a point of no return, where a user has gone beyond saving.
As stated previously however, omni elementals cannot merge, and therefore run no risk of becoming corrupted. Also because they don't channel magic through their own bodies, but instead through a secondary source, which creates a bit of a safety barrier. The usage of Arcane, however, can indeed corrupt both mono and omni elementals.
Dark magic is the term for omni elementals (unlinked) that use magic. There’s nothing dark, evil, or unnatural about it; it’s just a term the ruling class use to demonise the usage of magic by omni elementals. They use the justification that omni elementals have to use an outside source in order to channel their magic - deeming it unnatural and therefore bad.
This outside source being a type of crystal, commonly called an aether spark, or just spark. Either by having it on a staff made of a material that conducts elemental magic, or in types of arm cuffs, as long as the spark has a connection to the body somehow, it can be harnessed through that - therefore allowing an omni elemental to use magic and practise it like a mono elemental would. These crystals are easy to find and can be farmed. They are clear in colour, and when being used to harness energy they will softly glow in the colour of whatever element the holder is using.
All this being said, yes, a mono elemental can harness magic like this as well (though are still limited to their element). The benefit of doing this rather than using it directly through their own body, is that they run no risk of becoming corrupted, and those who have been corrupted can use magic this way safely, and some do - despite the stigma and sometimes legality.
An individual's elemental mastery can be placed on a scale, more or less. This scale represents the level of control, variety, and power one may have over an element. Scaling up doesn't mean the individual acquires new abilities or powers, it's just representative of how in tune with their element they are - elemental mastery is basically an art, not everybody in Arcadia can wield magic - including mono elementals. This scale isn't always accurate however, as commonly an individual may be skilled in only one aspect of their element, especially without proper training. Self training causes this most often, and so these individuals cannot accurately be placed on this scale and they will likely fall between several classes.
CLASS 0: UNDISCOVEREDThe individual is yet to use magic, meaning if they're a mono elemental, also yet to discover their affinity. Though it's often easy to tell what element an individual has an affinity to just by looking at them (colours, physical attributes) and from their lineage.
CLASS 1: DISCOVEREDThe individual has used their element for the first time, but is yet to learn how to control it. It presents itself as sporadic and unpredictable. Mono elementals often discover it before the age of 10, as they don't need any outside source to harness it and it can happen even if they don't intend to.
CLASS 2: CONTROLLEDThe individual is able to perform basic moves as they intend to and when they intend to, but what they can do is still rather basic. Most mono elementals, especially in the mainlands, are expected to reach this level of elemental mastery. It will usually take at least a few years of practice and some training to reach this level. Most stop here.
CLASS 3: EXPERIENCEDThis is when an individual begins to perform, maintain, and control abilities beyond basic wielding.
CLASS 4: MASTERThe individual’s element is as strong as it can be without merging, they can manipulate it in new and inventive ways without losing control. It’s the last level before attempting a merge, though many stay at this level for the risk of corruption when merging. Despite the class title, an individual of this level cannot teach elemental mastery without relevant training. Teaching magic is much different from learning it.
MERGED (mono only)The individual has successfully merged their body and soul with their element, making it as potent and strong as it possibly can be, they are the living embodiment of their element. Individuals who have reached this level are seen as almost divine, as if they were chosen to be able to merge for some higher purpose. It can take decades to reach this level, and it is quite rare.
OMNIVIDE (omni only)An individual who has mastered more than just one single element, and can use them together. Becoming an omnivide is incredibly difficult on its own, but especially so now given that in much of Arcadia, omni elementals practicing magic is illegal. Usually omnivides only ever master two elements, but omnivides that somehow manage to master four or more elements are often referred to as gaining 'truesight'. Like merging is considered something of divine order, mastering more than three elements, especially if it's the main four ones (Ignis, Terra, Aer and Neross), gains individuals a similar god-like status.