Elemental Rituals and Practices
Mechanics of Elemental MagicLike all wizards, Elementals require an aid in casting their magic. Most wizards use a wand for this, Necromancers use their blood and Seers use their crystal orbs. Elementals rely on rune stones to cast their magic. A rune stone is a gem with an elemental symbol carved deeply into it. These rune stones are harmless and of no use to other wizards. It is much like casting with a wand that does not spark. Elementals usually can carve elemental runes of all six basic elements, however they will only use the runes of their own element for spellcasting.
In the early stages of elemental training all spells require the useage of runes. Once the rune has been used for a spell its magic fades and it evaporates to dust. Later on in the Elementals' life and after completing a complicated initiation ritual, the Elemental will master new ways to cast elemental magic. During the ritual, a rune is placed inside the Elemental's body which from that point on will be the catalyst of the Elementals' magic. Unlike runes encountered before, it will no longer burn out as its force is replenished by the Elemental's blood inside the body.
Runes are still used by Elementals after completing this ritual, for casting complex incantations. There is only so much magic that can be channeled through the rune in the Elemental's body. Larger incantations will therefore still require additional runes. Attempting such incantations without them will cause extreme exhaustion and can lead to death, if done carelessly.
First AffinityDescribes the first and primary element of aptitude.
Second AffinityElementals can ONLY cast spells of their own element. With entering adulthood some may pick a second element to study slowly learning the spells of a second element. This element should be on the list of friendly elements and under no circumstances the counter of the elemental. Other than that spells are sorted by year in the tables providing information on each element. This other element is often referred to as a Second Affinity. In rare case this may be one of the nine. However special approval is required.
Ancestry/PythiaElemental talent often runs in families and is inherited from one generation to the next. However, typically this only refers to one specific element. It is rare and uncommon for Elementals to marry and have children inside The Elemental Council, especially between Elementals of different affinities. Like the First Affinity, Second Affinities can often be inherited. Elemental couples therefore often "clash" in some way. In the rare cases where a child is born with such clashing traits, it usually does not live for a long time, as the magic is tearing the young Elemental apart from the inside. It is much frowned upon in The Elemental Council to marry an Elemental of a different element and the few of these couples that exist usually choose not to have any children.
The few children that are born with opposing affinities are usually looked after by the councillors, who try their best to make their remaining month, days and years as comfortable as possible. Every once in a while, a child is born that shows equal talent for all six elements. These are typically referred to as Enlighted or as Pythias. It is said that these multifaceted elementals can perceive what is, was and could be all at once. Often the pythias will serve the elemental order making prophecies of relevance during their remaining days. It is rare that they can articulate their thoughts clearly. They often speak in riddles and think in way that nobody could ever follow. It is rare that a pyhtia reaches an age older than twenty years. Pythias, like the outer three elements, are off limits for character creation. They may be NPC-ed on special request.
Elemental DaggersEach elemental will have a dagger with a rune of each on the six elements in the handle. The blade will usually be something valuable such as silver or titan. It will be forged with great care and love for the detail, as those daggers are often custom made for members of the council. The power of dagger depends on the power of the elemental runes put into the handle. Usually the high ranking members of the elemental council will volunteer to make these daggers for their scholars in order to give them a more powerful tool. The dagger is usually used during the iInitializations and is later on used for old necromantic practices known to the elementals.
Special RunesAside from normal elemental rune stones, there is a special kind of rune called personal runes. Those runes are very powerful and usually an elemental only makes very few of them. There are hardly ever more than a handful made during an elementals life time. Personal runes are made by cutting open the wrist and soaking normal runes in the elemental’s own blood. Activated by the necromantic practice, they can do powerful things. Commonly, personal runes are used a protection spell. Once they are touched by a person the elemental wants to protect, it creates a bond between elemental and protectee. Whenever the protectee is in danger and an element is present to witness it will call the elemental. However it is possible to use these runes also to track enemies. Bonds by rune are very painful in the creating, usually cause the one that has to touch it a lot of pain, while the old necromantic magic runs through his blood. Bonds by personal rune can be revoked, but are most commonly left in place until death.
InitializationsThe Initialization is a ritual that is completed by each and every trained elemental. During the ritual, the rune symbol is cut onto a part of the body the scholar may choose, where the cuts will scar to show the elements symbol forever. The cuts are usually placed by the harbinger of the element in question, using the harbinger’s personal dagger. In case of rogue initializations, which are rare, it will be an experienced elemental doing the ritual. During the Initialization, the scholar will receive his own personal dagger, which will the be bound to him by the magic of blood. This enables him to do initializations himself at a later point in time. During the ritual, a rune is placed underneath the cuts inside the body of the elemental. It is this specific runes that gives them the power to cast spells using their bare hands. The magic of the rune does not burn out as it is sustained by the wizards own blood. In the beginning casting spells without runes will be very tiring for the elemental, however it seems the body adapts quickly to the changes in most cases.
What About Weaknesses?Elementals are powerful as they may seem have many weaknesses. They can cast almost no wand magic. Usually they will feel that casting their magic directly reflects on their health. Casting many spells at a time wears them down quickly. In order to restore energy they will need to spend time in their morphed form as much as they can afford to. Elementals usually feel very unwell in an environment that opposes their element. Ice elementals do not cope will with heat, a boot trip is each fire elemental's horror. Stone elementals do not like to fly, and ice elementals are not to be found in caves and narrow corridors. Elementals usually so not respond well to metal, will refuse to wear armor or cheap jewelry. Usually elementals need to have both hands free to cast any kind of magic, however with age comes the ability to do it just with the mind.
MorphingOne of the elemental key abilities is the ability to change shape. While many think this is merely a trick elementals can employ when it is convenient this is not the case. Morphing is an essential part of elemental existence. Once the years if training had been completed and the elemental has learned a sufficent amount of spells and uses them frequently the elemental will need to rest in its elemental state to regain energy and regenerate. Morphing is viewed as a very private, personal thing and is usually not done in the company of others, unless if cannot be helped. The elemental is vulnerable in its morphed state and its senses are impared. Vision, hearing, smell or sound are indistinguishable to the elemental at first. With years and years of practise the elemental may slowly learn how to perceive the outside world in this state.
The ability to morph requires great mental discipline and takes the elemental years of intense traiing to master. It is difficult to keep the mind focused and together during the state of morphing. If control over the state is lost changing back, especially without help may be impossible. Scholars of the council rarely have incidents with morphing, but it is reported that some of the rogue factions encounter losses due to unstable morphs frequently.
Morphing is mostly regeneration and time for introspect self refection and deep, deep meditation. Elementals are caple of sharing this state with other humans, animals or elementals, however a transformation of this kind is difficult for the untrained mind to handle. Thoughts and memories may unvoluntarily be exchanged during such a morph. In order to morph another being it is necessary that the being wants to join state. It is impossible to force a transformation. It is also impossible to hold a transformation should one of the beings invovled feel very uncomfortable. Elementals are most likely to share state with other elementals or perform a merged state between their elements. It is rare that they take anyone else along as morphing can be dangerous for the untrained mind. Strangely, animals are often more open to making this phenomenal experience than non elemental humans.
The Power of the Counter ElementsCounter elementals can do devastating damage to an elemental character. Their spells almost always hit, and the hits cause quite great and painful wounds, that usually will not close for a long time. Counter elementals usually do not get on well, don't speak much of the other kind and try to stay out of each others business. No matter which elemental it is, no one can take more than 2 or 3 counter elementals at a time, usually a one on one will be utterly devastating for both sides. However counters usually will not engage in a fight without a direct order from the council. But one never knows what those rogue are up to.
Ageing?Elementals age at a much slower rate than normal wizards. Especially the ones of the higher ranking elements are known to become more than two hundred years old. Unusual are the elementals of ice, who typically stop to physically age at some point during their life. It is very rare that this point is reached before the elemental is fifty, but it is possible. Other elementals usually do not look quite their years, but age otherwise normally, will eventually become old, fragile and gray. Water and Fire elementals usually rarely live longer than the mentioned two hundred. Elementals usually become that old because during their adult life time they spend as much time as they can in there elemental state, which is kind of out of phase with time and space. Morphed elementals rejuvenate. Adult elementals usually do not even sleep, they only rest at night time in their elemental state.