Magecraft: The Simulacrum

[This trait falls under the Mixed Acquisition Restriction of the Guidelines & Restrictions clause, and must be acquired through roleplay.]

Magecraft Trees	Overburn
Catalysts	Heroic Spirits
Magecraft Stances	Profane Rules

Summary

Magecraft is a developed ability created by the peoples of this world to wield and use what little mana is left. Origin magic was, for millennia, the standard form of magic. Miracles and powers which were used and abused in equal measure by all the races in the world..until one day the Miasma appeared. Without warning, this small violet cloud began to enshroud the world around it, absorbing the elements of life, and leaving nothing but more of itself in its wake.

Aura, Mana, Shakti. Nothing was safe nor sacred as its cloud spread over city after city, landmass after landmass. Draining from the land, mana, and in turn origin magic, slowly began to fail. At some point, the miasma itself evolved, and managed to turn one of their greatest tools, and their greatest defense against them. Those who wielded origin magic began to suffer from corrosion sickness, much like those who were within the cloud for too long. Many lost magi began to appear due to this, and in response, origin magic was banned by the nations of the world to try and prevent the spread.

But it could only do so much. Magic was an essential piece of the world, and many things were lost forever without it, so an alternative had to be found before losses mounted further. Though her name is now lost to time, a breakthrough occurred when a magi managed to discover an old system which used a vastly weaker form of magic called magecraft as a substitute to origin magic. Though it was an extremely dated simulacrum of the miracles they could once perform, it did not cause corrosion sickness.

Magecraft as it is called, is an imitation. It is a system which uses what little mana exists in the world efficiently in order to cast spells, albeit at a vastly weaker level. It required changes in spellcasting, often using materials to substitute raw mana, and had results far less effective than they had hoped. Magecraft, compared to origin magic, is no doubt inferior. But one singular spell can spell the difference between victory..and extinction.

Casting Magecraft

The Focus: The focus in simple terms is a tool. Be it an orb, a lute, a staff, a deck of cards or an amulet. Though it can come in any form without restriction, the basics are the same. It is a focus to cast spells with. It serves no greater purpose by itself then simply being the point at which you channel mana into the form of a spell. They appear normal to the naked eye until they are activated to cast a spell, but are always active when seen with magical sight.

A magecraft user can only have one focus attuned at a time, but is capable of casting cantrips and tier 1 spells with just their body.

Creating Focuses

To create a focus, one must attune themselves by spending some time linking themselves and the mana they wield to their focus. This is done uniquely by each individual, but there are a couple constants. An arcane circle drawn around the focus which channels mana into the focus, and the wielder being within it for a few minutes, committing to an action that is intimate with the focus, (I.E playing a tune with the lute) and finally, casting a spell with the focus which completes the connection.

Preparing Spells & Spell Tiers

Casting spells is different for every magecraft user. While the technique behind it leads to the same result, how people go about them is radically different depending on your focus, your personality, and how the wielder imagines it when they cast it.

Not all spells are on an equal level to one another. Some are more complex and powerful then their lesser cousins, causing discrepancy in the amount of energy needed to cast them. The more intricate the spell, the more energy that must be invested to achieve the desired result.

• Cantrips: The basic foundations of magecraft, these spells range from simple levitation of objects, to magical writings, creating a small lightsource, or something making a small flame in one’s hand. These spells are easy to learn and can be taught even in a limited capacity to those who do not partake in magecraft, but their effects are extremely minor.
• Tier 1: This tier contains spells which are more complex in nature then basic cantrips, and require effort and energy to be able to cast. Useful in a pinch and for general use, they can achieve greater results than cantrips, but lack the complexity and power that higher tier spells can achieve.
• Tier 2: The proverbial backbone of a magecraft user's knowledge, tier 2 spells are potent abilities which range wildly in variety based on the trees of magic that exist, but are capable of both big and small results that pack plenty of punch.
• Tier 3: The real heavy hitters, tier 3 spells are extremely complex and powerful spells that achieve very large and potent results, but in turn require just as much force put into them which they put out. For a single wielder, this is the peak of what they can safely achieve without harming themselves or their focus.
• Tier 4: Spells of this tier are generally ritual spells involving two or more wielders to be done. Spells of this caliber are too intricate for one normal mage, and thus require the power of multiple to achieve the greater result that is desired.
• Tier 5: Tier 5 spells are that which border on origin magic, and cannot be achieved by normal means.

Levels of Knowledge

Initiate: Initiate magecraft users are those who have just begun their journey in magecraft and have only begun to learn the basics of the intricacies of the works of mana. They can only learn tier 1 spells, and are unable to teach anyone else magecraft for as long as they remain at this level. Once they learn their tenth spell, they automatically advance to Scribe, the next level of learning.

• Spells Learned: 1-9
• Signature Spells: 0
• Spell Points:
  • Tier 1: Three Points
  • Tier 2: N/A
  • Tier 3: N/A

Adept: Magecraft users of this level are those who are deeper in their journey in magic and have begun to learn the deeper intricacies of mana and how to wield it into stronger spells. They can only learn tier 2 spells, and are able to teach others magecraft at a slower pace as long as they remain at this level. They can learn up to three signature spells, and once they learn their twentieth spell, they automatically advance to Magister, the final level of learning.

• Spells Learned: 10-19
• Signature Spells: 3
• Spell Points:
  • Tier 1: Four Points
  • Tier 2: Two Points
  • Tier 3: N/A

Magister: Magister magecraft users are those who have begun to master the power of magecraft and have delved deep into the infinite complexity of its uses. They can learn tier 3 spells, and are able to teach others magecraft. They can learn a maximum of thirty spells alongside five signature spells, and have reached the edges of conventional wisdom.

• Maximum Spells: 30
• Signature Spells: 5
• Spell Points:
  • Tier 1: Five Points
  • Tier 2: Four Points
  • Tier 3: Three Points

The Infusion Ritual & Learning Magecraft

Infusion

The Infusion ritual is the phenomenon in which someone is granted the ability to become a magecraft user themselves. This is generally done by Magisters who use an intricate ritual spell which mimics the enlightenment of original magic, though without a leyline or the protections usually offered by the spell used to defend their aurum. In rare cases, two adept level mages can also use the infusion ritual to achieve the same result as a magister. Upon the completion of the ritual, a new magical initiate is created, who begins their journey anew like so many others have before them.