Magic in Karvaea
Magic in Karvaea is a supernatural phenomenon that allows individuals to perform feats deemed outside the realm of possibility for the physical abilities of their body. In Karvaea, magic is most often divided into two major categories: elemental magic, and spiritual magic. There is a type of neutral magic, but it falls outside of the basic categorization system. Beyond just elemental and spiritual, magic can also be divided into categories of flowing or rigid. The study of magic and its categorization is known as magic theory, and those who study it are known as magicians.
Every body in Karvaea has a single type of magic they can use, called a magical bias. This magical bias is immutable from the moment they enter the world, and persists through death as well as undeath. In cases of multiple entities residing within a single body, the body itself will be restricted to a single magic type. In a similar vein, an entity with multiple bodies will potentially be able to use multiple different kinds of magic. Biases are assigned completely at random, and do not have a genetic component.
There are seven different types of magic that a body can have a magical bias towards. Five of these are elemental magic, and two are spiritual magic. A body cannot have a bias towards neutral magic. In society and the world at large, certain biases tend to be rarer than others. Generally, water magic is the most common magical bias, and miracle magic is the rarest magical bias.
Though every body has an inherent magical bias, not every body is capable of utilizing their magical bias in order to
Elemental magic
Elemental magic is one of two major categories of magic. It is described as the types of magic that relate to the physical parts of the world. Elemental magic biases tend to be a bit more common than spiritual magic biases. Under the umbrella of elemental magic, there are two subcategories known as basic elemental magic, and hybrid elemental magic. Basic elemental magic can be utilized as a base magical bias, but hybrid elemental magic requires two or more bodies utilizing compatible magical biases to create a more complicated type of magic.
Basic |
||
|---|---|---|
 Earth magic |
 Electricity magic |
 Fire magic |
 Water magic |
 Wind magic |
Earth Magic
Earth magic is a type of basic elemental magic. It is also considered a rigid magic. About 15% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards earth magic.
There are two primary abilities related to earth magic:
- Geokinesis
- Crystallokinesis
In addition to its primary uses, earth magic has some application in creating hybrid elemental magic. When combined with fire magic, it can create lava magic. When combined with water magic, it can create nature magic.
Electricity Magic
Electricity magic is a type of basic elemental magic. It is also considered a rigid magic. About 7% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards electricity magic.
There are three primary abilities related to electricity magic:
- Electrokinesis
- Telekinesis
- Rend
Electricity magic is technically not required for any hybrid elemental magic, though when combined with water and wind magic it can help boost the power of storm magic.
Fire Magic
Fire magic is a type of basic elemental magic. It is also considered a flowing magic. About 24% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards fire magic.
There are three primary abilities related to fire magic:
- Pyrokinesis
- Fire resistance
- Hellfire
In addition to its primary uses, fire magic has some application in the creation of hybrid elemental magic. When combined with earth magic, it can create lava magic.
Water Magic
Water magic is a type of basic elemental magic. It is also considered a flowing magic, though some magicians dispute this. About 27% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards water magic. It is the most common magical bias.
There are two primary abilities related to water magic:
- Hydrokinesis
- Magical healing
In colder weather, water magic's hydrokinesis can become cryokinesis.
In addition to its primary uses, water magic has some application in creating hybrid elemental magic. When combined with earth magic, it can create nature magic. When combined with wind and optionally electricity magic, it can create storm magic.
Wind Magic
Wind magic is a type of basic elemental magic. It is also considered a flowing magic. About 20% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards wind magic.
There are three primary abilities related to wind magic:
- Aerokinesis
- Pseudo telekinesis
- Thermokinesis
In addition to its primary uses, wind magic has some application in creating hybrid elemental magic. When combined with water and optionally electricity magic, it can create storm magic.
Hybrid |
|---|
 Lava magic |
Nature magic |
Storm magic |
Lava Magic
Lava magic is a type of hybrid elemental magic. It is also considered a flowing magic. To create lava magic, two or more bodies must utilize their magical biases of earth and fire magic together.
There is one primary ability related to lava magic:
- Magmakinesis
Nature Magic
Nature magic is a type of hybrid elemental magic. It is also considered a rigid magic. To create lava magic, two or more bodies must utilize their magical biases of earth and water magic together.
There are two primary abilities related to nature magic:
- Chlorkinesis
- Necromancy
Storm Magic
Storm magic is a type of hybrid elemental magic. It is also considered a flowing magic. To create storm magic, two or more bodies must utilize their magical biases of wind and water magic together. Optionally, another body may contribute electricity magic to increase storm magic's power.
There is one primary ability related to storm magic:
- Tempestakinesis
Spiritual magic
Spiritual magic is one of two major categories of magic. It is described as the types of magic that relate to the nonphysical parts of the world. Spiritual magic biases tend to bit a bit rarer than elemental magic biases. There are two types of spiritual magic, and both are capable of being held as a magical bias. Because of their rarity, types of magic within spiritual magic are less understood than those in elemental magic.
 Chaos magic |
 Miracle magic |
Chaos Magic
Chaos magic is a type of spiritual magic. It is also considered a flowing magic. About 5% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards chaos magic.
There are four primary abilities related to chaos magic:
- Inceptor flame
- Precognition
- Reality distortion
- Telepathy
In the past, those who preconceived disasters were believed to also be the ones to later cause them with their magic. This led to chaos magic previously being referred to as "disaster magic." Over time, this term has fallen out of use and become something of a pejorative.
Miracle Magic
Miracle magic is a type of spiritual magic. It is also considered a rigid magic. About 2% of bodies in Karvaea have a magical bias towards miracle magic. It is the rarest magical bias.
There are four primary abilities related to miracle magic:
- Hemokinesis
- Magical healing
- Necromancy
- Smite
Due to its rarity and powerful abilities, there is a certain amount of fear around miracle magic, even among modern society in Karvaea. Even when necessary to use, it is applied sparingly and with great weight.
Runes
Runes are a special type of magic in Karvaea that require the writing of physical glyphs to use. They are activated with a simple touch. Rather than "casting" magic with runes, runes are executed. They are considered to be the most accessible form of magic. Bodies that are otherwise unable to cast magic properly are able to execute runes with ease. The study of runes is known as runistry, and those who study it are known as runists.
Though magical biases still apply to runes in that only those with a specific bias can use a rune written for it, there exists a neutral type of magic through runes that any body is capable of using.
 Neutral magic |
Neutral Magic
Neutral magic is a type of magic that does not fit within the binary of elemental and spiritual magic. It is also considered a rigid magic. Neutral magic is only accessible through runes, but can be used by anyone.
There are a number of potential applications for neutral magic including but not limited to:
- Traps
- Object reinforcement
- Gender affirmation
In the past, those who preconceived disasters were believed to also be the ones to later cause them with their magic. This led to chaos magic previously being referred to as "disaster magic." Over time, this term has fallen out of use and become something of a pejorative.