Freina’s question was reasonable, and Jigano gave a solemn nod of thanks for her bringing it up. ”As far as I know, the only schools of magic that completely oppose each other are Healing and Life Drain. Fire and Water can be used by the same person, as can Earth and Air. The more elements you combine with Creation magic, the more variety of things you can make, as well,” he explained.
Chuy had the difficult task of trying to take notes while also appeasing a fluffy distraction in the form of Isuma, and the bard grinned at the man, but the question gave him a moment’s pause to think about how it must look to a newly-arrived Outlander. ”The Old Gods as a whole frown on magic,” he said at last. ”As far as we know, the capacity for it arose spontaneously in humans in the past, and is unrelated to them entirely. It sounds as though it was largely ignored in humans until the Voice came along. Since that war, the gods have taken it as a threat to be wary of. The Voice had also ignored magic-users, apparently because something in their magic made them resistant to becoming Ascended, but recently she seems to have found a way around that.” Rex and Neron came to mind, a dangerous precedent in both cases, but he raised a questioning brow at Freina to see if she - as a Natural - had anything to add on the known history.
”I mentioned Creation magic earlier,” he picked up again, settling back into his role. ”It has an opposite type as well, in Disintegration magic. The magic of destruction is limited to man-made objects rather than natural ones, unless combined with an element – Earth, for stone, or Water for ice, for instance.” He nodded to Freina, who had brought up the topic of combining magics. ”At first it can only destroy smaller objects or damage larger ones within five feet, but it can eventually be used to explode solid objects, and at its strongest it can turn such things to dust.”
His solemn expression lightened a bit as he moved on to the next lesson. ”Telekinesis can also be used in a similar matter, to break apart objects both natural and man-made, but it can also be used to simply lift and move objects. Light and small objects at first, as you might guess, but by the time its range increases you can use it to lift a table, or multiple smaller objects. When mastered it can even be strong enough to move a human being.”
Jigano chuckled a bit as he continued. ”Combined with Illusion magic, it can make for some very convincing images. On its own, Illusion magic toys with the senses. It can create phantom sounds as well as minor images, though they’re rough at first, more effects than true projections. As one progresses in it, the illusions become more complex and larger, and include multiple effects – sound and sight, but also scent and temperature. Unlike other magic, illusions are limited to within five feet of the caster until the magic is mastered, at which point they can be expanded to thirty feet and become nearly impossible to see through.”
His smile softened as he hitched his hip onto the front desk, a memory of someone dear to him flickering warmly through his eyes. He turned an amused gaze on Chulane, suspecting the man would appreciate the second to last topic. ”The last common magic is Summoning – the creation of animals that are almost indistinguishable from real ones, but which lack any true spark of life. They last while the summoner concentrates on them, and only act under the summoner’s commands. They lack personalities, memory, or even a sense of pain, and they cannot be consumed for meat or used for leather, for as soon as the summoner ceases concentrating they vanish. They are something like a very convincing illusion with a temporary physical form, limited to the shapes of animals. At first a summoner can only maintain a single small animal, but as they grow in power they can either manage a medium sized creature, or two smaller ones at the same time. The trend continues when mastered, to summon one large, two medium, or three small creatures – all of the same type. Though, also when mastered, the types of animals summoned can also include those which are mythical or extremely rare, such as dragons or unicorns.”
Chuy had the difficult task of trying to take notes while also appeasing a fluffy distraction in the form of Isuma, and the bard grinned at the man, but the question gave him a moment’s pause to think about how it must look to a newly-arrived Outlander. ”The Old Gods as a whole frown on magic,” he said at last. ”As far as we know, the capacity for it arose spontaneously in humans in the past, and is unrelated to them entirely. It sounds as though it was largely ignored in humans until the Voice came along. Since that war, the gods have taken it as a threat to be wary of. The Voice had also ignored magic-users, apparently because something in their magic made them resistant to becoming Ascended, but recently she seems to have found a way around that.” Rex and Neron came to mind, a dangerous precedent in both cases, but he raised a questioning brow at Freina to see if she - as a Natural - had anything to add on the known history.
”I mentioned Creation magic earlier,” he picked up again, settling back into his role. ”It has an opposite type as well, in Disintegration magic. The magic of destruction is limited to man-made objects rather than natural ones, unless combined with an element – Earth, for stone, or Water for ice, for instance.” He nodded to Freina, who had brought up the topic of combining magics. ”At first it can only destroy smaller objects or damage larger ones within five feet, but it can eventually be used to explode solid objects, and at its strongest it can turn such things to dust.”
His solemn expression lightened a bit as he moved on to the next lesson. ”Telekinesis can also be used in a similar matter, to break apart objects both natural and man-made, but it can also be used to simply lift and move objects. Light and small objects at first, as you might guess, but by the time its range increases you can use it to lift a table, or multiple smaller objects. When mastered it can even be strong enough to move a human being.”
Jigano chuckled a bit as he continued. ”Combined with Illusion magic, it can make for some very convincing images. On its own, Illusion magic toys with the senses. It can create phantom sounds as well as minor images, though they’re rough at first, more effects than true projections. As one progresses in it, the illusions become more complex and larger, and include multiple effects – sound and sight, but also scent and temperature. Unlike other magic, illusions are limited to within five feet of the caster until the magic is mastered, at which point they can be expanded to thirty feet and become nearly impossible to see through.”
His smile softened as he hitched his hip onto the front desk, a memory of someone dear to him flickering warmly through his eyes. He turned an amused gaze on Chulane, suspecting the man would appreciate the second to last topic. ”The last common magic is Summoning – the creation of animals that are almost indistinguishable from real ones, but which lack any true spark of life. They last while the summoner concentrates on them, and only act under the summoner’s commands. They lack personalities, memory, or even a sense of pain, and they cannot be consumed for meat or used for leather, for as soon as the summoner ceases concentrating they vanish. They are something like a very convincing illusion with a temporary physical form, limited to the shapes of animals. At first a summoner can only maintain a single small animal, but as they grow in power they can either manage a medium sized creature, or two smaller ones at the same time. The trend continues when mastered, to summon one large, two medium, or three small creatures – all of the same type. Though, also when mastered, the types of animals summoned can also include those which are mythical or extremely rare, such as dragons or unicorns.”
