#crafting magic

The difference between Light and Dark magic is one oft explored, but rarely set to paper. It is now time for that to change.

The simplest explanation is that Light magic is that of healing. This is not incorrect, but it is wildly incomplete. Light magic is indeed for healing, but mages who practice Light-magic are also adept at shielding, protections, and often are more capable at dealing in raw magic from Leylines and nodes than their Darker counterparts.

In addition, the natural magics are almost exclusively the realm of Light-Path mages. That is to say, thread magic, forge magic, green magic, and the like. The art of creating is widely, correctly, considered to be the realm of Light-Path mages.

This Path does have a number of notable exclusions. Most importantly, it is very rare for a Light-Path mage to be adept at combat spells. While some Light-Path spells can be altered for combat purposes, they remain distinctly different from true battle magic and are significantly weaker, per the magical energy spent to cast it.

(Personal note: there are several Light Mages in history who have made a talent of turning their power to both combat and healing, but they are rare. Usually, this feat is managed by spending significantly more power- overcasting if you will- in order to raise the power of their spells to damaging levels. Even so, they remain significantly more capable in the truest forms of their magic.)

The one exception to this is when they battle creatures born of Darkness, such as ghouls, demons, vampires, and their ilk. These creatures are inherently weak to spells that lend themselves to a Light Mage’s particular skills.

Healing can be hit-or-miss for most Light-mages. While it is a frequent specialty, it is not a universal one, and not all Light-mages are in fact even capable of healing. As I mentioned above, it is not uncommon to find Light Mages crafting in the forge, the stillroom, or the gardens.

There is, of course, the standing difficulty for all healers is that they cannot heal themselves unless it is truly life-or-death. There seems to be an instinctual block that saves their healing magic for others, and not for themselves. Healers in particular are largely unable to use their magic on living beings, although there have been rare exceptions.

(Personal note: The White Witch is the most famous of these, but as a Sun Elf, it is difficult to tell how much of her ability is inherent to her race, and how much is magical expertise. Regardless, she is possibly the most accomplished Light-Path mage currently living.)

Dark-Path mages are not, as many would assume, Dark in personality. Indeed, I would suggest that the name itself is highly misleading. As with Light-Path magic, Dark-Path magic is no more Light or Dark than the use in itself.

That said, the most common, and indeed most applicable, use of Dark-Path magic is in battle. It lends itself to combat extremely well, and is most commonly seen in mages who employ their skills as such.

While they are not as powerful as Light-Path mages, on the whole, Dark Mages tend to have more options open to them than their counterparts. No Path is closed to them, excepting only healing.

Battle magic is more powerful per energy spent on it. Attack spells come easily to Dark Mages, even though they are frequently less able to access the natural power. Where a Light Mage might be handling leyline power just out of apprenticeship, a Dark Mage would mostly be into their Mastery before being able to survive the flood of raw power associated with Leylines and nodes.

(Side note: there is a significant leaning between races. Elves, most especially Sun Elves, have a significantly higher instance of Light magic than humans. Orcs and goblins have a significantly higher instance of Dark magic than humans. Within humans themselves, there is some variance dependent upon the leyline activity near their place of birth, but it is unreliable, and largely unstudied.)

Dark magic does have the notable downfall of being uniquely vulnerable to true Dark magic. That is, to say, blood magic. Light-Path mages are entirely unable to use blood magic as it is direct anathema to their power. There have been no recorded instances of a Light-Path mage using blood magic, throughout our long-written history.

Young, powerful, Dark-Path mages are very often targeted by more powerful mages who are able to use the magic in their blood to fuel spells they could not cast alone.

(Personal note: The Mage of Black Fire is known to be one of the few who escaped such a situation, and has provided a rare treatise on the things he survived while under his Mistress’s control. After reading it, I admit to some amazement that he survived with his mind intact.)

As such, there is some distrust among Dark-Path mages. They are all aware of how slippery that slope can be, and police their own cautiously.

That said, even with the power difference between them, Dark-Path mages are most highly in demand. A mage with a healthy spellbook of combat magic will rarely go hungry and Master mages in battle magic will find their way to fame and fortune with relative ease, provided they are willing to go to war for their ruler.

In conclusion, I believe that there is a great deal more to explore within the magics of our world. We have only scratched the surface of the knowledge yet to discover.

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Worldbuilding Essays

Blood Magic

Elf Forest

Green Magic

Forge Magic

Thread Magic

Dragons

Light and Dark Magic

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Forge magic is a fairly common gift. Frequently seen in small amounts in village smiths, of course much greater in master-smiths who work with the Guilds.

Forge magic is related- although not the same as- jewel-magic. Both use fire and metal, however Forgers only rarely handle softer metals, and Jewel-mages rarely handle the harder ones.

Also there is the power of folding the metal, of beating it into a form that must be strong and functional. Some Forgers do work on things other than blades- such as doors, certain types of siege weaponry- and in rare cases they are even willing to turn heir power to the nails used in ship-building and carpentry.

Legend has it that Craig Castle was build using mage-nails and shaped stone. Certainly the tradition has always been to use them any time the castle needed repairs. This tends to lend the castle a certain aura of magic even when the defenses are not raised.

Weapons made by Forgers are certainly of higher quality. Magic in their smelting, forging, and finishing makes them impressive on the battlefield.

As with thread-magics, weapons can be enchanted during the making, or after, making them versatile and powerful.

Forgers interestingly, are not often fighters. Though dangerous with a hammer in hand, and more so in their Forge, their magics are not suited to battle.

They can call heat to weapons and armor, melt most things, and sometimes throw fire (though not often). That said, those abilities, while useful, serve their Crown better making the weapons for others to wield.

Containing a Forger is easier than a thread-mage, simply because they are less able to access their power.

On one hand I know I'm struggling when I need to reorganize and re-sort my beads because they were Wrong.

Thread magic is traditionally women's' magic. The most basic of it- tying knots in thread- are among the first things a young sorceress is taught when her gift or magic is discovered.

Some men have been able o use this form of magic- often master-weavers who work their spells into their cloth. Frequently however, it is a women's gift, much as forge-magic comes more easily to many men.

Though considered a 'low magic' by many, thread magic can be a very effective tool- particularly since by its' nature it is easy to conceal.

Many thread-mages often spin their own thread and yarn, dye it themselves, and use it to craft.

There are whispers that some very talented mages have been able to knot spells into lace that are every bit as powerful and intricate as the lace itself. Indeed, cloth woven for the purpose could be made to hide the wearer, or armor them. It could even be made to hold the spells of other mages later.

What begins with the wool(or other substance) is the straightening of the wild fibers into a usable hank.

One spell, widely known but rarely spoken of, is one that calms both the one who is carding the wool, and all of those around her as the smoothing of the fibers translates to the smoothing of tempers. It is frequently used by mothers.

Hedge-witches have even been known to tie knots in a strand of hair- when they lacked anything else.

Indeed, it is very difficult to take away all of the tools of a thread-mage without shaving off every scrap of hair on her body, taking her clothes, and throwing her into a pristine, empty, stone cell.

Even wood and cobwebs offer opportunities no thread-mage would pass up in desperate straights.

More dangerous still is the talent most thread-mages have for unmaking. the act of unraveling yarn, or deconstructing a bit of cloth can translate easily to the crumbling of a wall or the breaking of a friendship. With a little creativity, a thread-mage can turn her power to nearly anything. Storms, as we know, are drawn to spin- much like a spindle.

Relationships are woven together, and it is easy to forget how very little we use every day that does not have some sort of fiber worked into it.

Thread-mages are limited only by their personal power and their creativity.

Indeed, this 'low' form of magic is discounted all too easily- to the peril of the any great-mage who thinks a simple hedge-witch to be easy prey.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipkt7ap1bNA)