NOVA - Magic

      To understand magic, you must first understand NOVA.  At the beginning of time, a great ball of energy known as NOVA floated in the void of space.  Immortal beings called Avon circled the energy, the first star, which they called mother, father, and all words for creator.  The Avon were content to live with the NOVA, but soon, they wondered if they could not make it better.  They removed small pieces from the great creator and threw this energy into the heavens where it twinkled beautifully as stars.  The Avon crafted these stars into constellations, taking more and more energy to perfect their craft.  After a time, the Avon despaired to see that the NOVA was shrinking and weakening.  Without hesitation they abandoned the decoration of the cosmos and went to protect their beloved parent.  Many Avon gave up their lives willingly to become an enormous shell around the NOVA, shielding it with the very same energy that had given them life; each one shaped the shell with their own design, forming hills, mountains, valleys, and canyons.  Over the millennia, the Avon guarded their personal star.
      About the year -9000, the Tree of Life sprang from the NOVA’s shell, frightening the Avon.  From this tree, mana flowed onto the world and began to circle it.  This new energy, a byproduct of life granted by the NOVA, in turn brought life to the world.  Plants and animals, wind and water, and humans came from the mana.  With energy came change, and soon the entire world danced to the great rhythm of life.  
      Though the Tree of Life was burned in The War of Ashes long ago, mana still permeates the world today, giving energy to all living things.



NOVA = pure energy, the force of energy at the center of all existence, a great ball of energy in the center of the earth, can be accessed by drilling deep down into the ground, of limited quantity though it is still vast, regaled as a creator by the Avon, barely understood by humans, given to humans by the Avon and this led to the Old World Golden Age, can be broken off into cores and shards to power people or devices, sheer amount of power can be addicting and corrupting, dangerous if allowed to leak from containment in cores

Mana = a byproduct of NOVA as residual energy waves float up through the shell and onto the earth, some areas have higher concentration than others and this magnifies the effects, is attracted to itself and especially to NOVA so it does not float into space, some living things have a high affinity toward it through evolution and are noticeably affected by it (wolves that breathe fire, etc), naturally swirls around all humans and Avon, can be manipulated by humans and Avon to do specific things, a living creature can only harness a limited amount at once, provides more energy to plants because they can store more, all living things are connected by the mana web, cannot be created or destroyed though it is not known where it goes when it has been used, used mana is invisible but still present as dark mana which sinks downward toward NOVA

Magic = any manipulation of mana by a living thing to do something other than provide energy, can be performed at least minimally by all humans, can be performed fully by all Avon, split into four main categories with specific affinities, those gifted in its use are called “magi” or “mage,” amplified by the presence of NOVA



Primal = use of the elements through physical endeavor, every single person can use it but most are not powerful (light a match with a snap, etc), common among monsters, skill naturally emerges as a child

- Fire = launches from body, not heat alone, includes liquid flame
- Water = pulled as on an invisible hook, tied to body motions, doesn’t need source
- Wind = driven by body like a fan, motion perpetuates it
- Earth = stone, dirt, sand, inorganic, cannot be made to float with this alone
- Lightning = singular bolts or continuous current, always touches body
- Ice = not just water, can be done over a distance, closer to heat manipulation

Spiritual = use of the mind and mana web, only accessible by those with a strong will, must prove willpower through meditation or refusal to surrender to death, allows minor mind reading akin to passive understanding, telepathic communication with other users over long distances

- Healing = restore damage, empower others
- Nature = summon and control plants, make plants grow
- Beast Will = empower self, ethereal projection (weapons, armor, animal forms, etc)
- Bonding = learn about others, shoulder burden of others (scan, transfer damage, etc)

Cosmic = use of pure mana and imitation of NOVA, natural use limited to those with Avon blood or a rare gift at birth, use can be forced by utilizing a NOVA core, requires restraint to control without losing oneself to the intoxicating power, those corrupted have an insatiable thirst for power and are driven mad

- Hard Light = shielding, appears as a hexagon or group of them, very tough, slow moving
- Distortion = bend the laws of the universe, alter gravity and time
- Illumination = beyond mere light, no weapons, see anything, (show the path, blind, etc)
- Metal = manipulate minerals, fine tuning, crafting, also magnetism

Necrotic = use of dark mana, only those who know how to access it through study or training can, absolutely impossible to accidentally learn, must pass a significant power barrier to control the heftier energy, using it is forbidden since it was used by the enemy in The War of Ashes

- Entropy = saps some resource from target, can give to caster (health, mana, strength, etc)
- Illusion = projection of something that isn’t real (copies, invisibility, etc)
- Domination = affects the perception of a person’s mind (sleep, control, etc)
- Abomination = summoning, create monsters from dark mana