Mage

The world around me hums with energy. With a life that few know how to tap into. I can feel it, even see it sometimes. On my whim I harness that energy, focus it, manipulate it. I can both create and destroy. I am a mage.

Mage Origins

Like with most origins of supernatural beings, the history of mages has faded into myths and legends. Their true origins are convoluted and misremembered but many still believe that it was a union between a Fae creature and humans that started magical bloodlines that began with Merlin.

While the myth of the union is true, Merlin was not the first mage nor was he particularly powerful as the stories indicate. Fae creatures were well known for seducing humans when they roamed the world freely which resulted in many children that were in tune with magic like their fae parents.  Once born, mage parents passed their abilities on to their children like any other gene, meaning any born mage has a fae in their lineage somewhere.

Gifted mages cannot pass their abilities down as they do not have the gene required to do so. They can, however, pass the powers from parent to child.

What is a mage?

A mage is a magic wielder born with a special attunement to the energies around us. Each mage describes how they harness their abilities differently but overall it is the manipulation or understanding of energies/magic that drives what a mage can do. (Click here for more information on Magic)

Mages have been known by many names throughout their lifetime but in general they prefer to be called mages.

How to become a mage

Everyone is a low level mage that can learn to harness magical energies. However, those that truly call themselves mages are born or gifted their abilities. Those that learn abilities through time or being taught can call themselves a mage but will never have anywhere near the power of a born or gifted mage.

Born

When you are born a mage your powers can manifest at any time up until puberty. If they do not manifest by then then you are not a mage. Manifestation of powers can start as early as a few months old depending on how strong the magical bond of your parents is. The magical bond is based on how many mages are in your bloodline. The more mage (or supernatural) relatives you have the likelier you will be a pretty strong magic using mage.

Gifted

If you're not born a mage then you can have powers bestowed to you through a transference. A transference is when a mage transfers their powers from themselves to someone they wish to give their abilities. This transference is a 1 to 1 ratio so whatever the powers the original mage had will be what the new mage has, the original mage will now have no connection to magic any longer.

Transferences can only happen between a mage and a non-magical human. This also means that once a mage becomes gifted, that they cannot have another transference.

Transferences are rare as they strip the mage of the power they were born with and can lead to a deep depression and often death. Transferences are more likely to happen when a mage is dying unexpectedly.

Arcane Schools

Each mage has a power or a set of powers that fall under an arcane school as detailed below. Mages can only attune to one arcane school and have 1-5 associated (meaning similar in nature) powers within that school.

Life

Life mages are in tune with living beings and nature. While called life mages, they do not have to heal, they can drain life, and kill people and plants. Life mages can also manipulate life to change its base level "code" so to speak. They can make a rose plant grow without thorns or change your eye color permanently. Life mages can manipulate any kind of "living" thing.

Most common types of life mages: Healers, Gardeners (growing specialized plants for either helping or harming), Animal tamers/carers

Death

Death mages are in tune with death and things that are dead. While called death mages, they cannot kill live things but they can bring things back to life. If working in tandem with a life mage its possible to resurrect someone depending on how long they've been dead for. Death mages can manipulate any kind of "dead" thing.

Most common types of death mages: Mediums, necromancers, reapers (able to tell when someone will die), vampire crowd control

Elemental

Elemental mages are in tune with an element. Whichever element the mage is in tune with is the only element they can work with. So a mage in tune with fire will not be able to also be in tune with earth. Depending on the element that the mage has an affinity with will depend on how it can be used and manipulated.

Elemental Affinity: Earth - Possible powers are, minor earthquakes, levitating rocks, magnetism, precious stone creation,  geomancy (high level earth/rock manipulation)

Elemental Affinity: Fire - Possible powers are intensifying fires, warming items to intense heats, creating fire

Elemental Affinity: Water - Possible powers are freezing water, lifting water, throwing water, accumulating water in the air, slowing water

Elemental Affinity: Air - Possible powers are gusting winds, levitation, dust devil creation, wind direction change

Elemental Affinity: Electricity - Possible powers are electrical absorption, electrical charging, static shock, tasing, electromagnetic pulse

Elemental Affinity: Physical - Possible powers are telekinesis

Emotional

Emotional mages are in tune with things that are otherwise not seen or touched. Many consider these mages to be soul mages as they touch on the innermost

Most common emotional powers: Telepathy, empath, mind reading

Special RP note: This type of mage is the most difficult to RP as it easily crosses over into metagaming or knowing things that your character may not otherwise know, or should not know. When playing a mage of this type be sure to communicate heavily with the players you are RPing with to know what you should be able to interpret and what you can't. If you don't, there is no promise that the person will play with you further.

Cosmic (Not available)

Cosmic mages are the rarest form of mage and some of the strongest overall mages. Cosmic mages have at least 2 of the above arcane schools (if not all of them) along with the ability to manipulate something to do with space or time.

Potential cosmic powers: Teleportation, slowing down time, speeding up time, crossing through realms without doors

Hierarchy

Mages are primarily solo creatures but they do have a community for infractions or misuse of power. This community is meant to protect mages from persecution. This hierarchy works in tandem with hunters when mages get out of hand.

Supreme Council - This consists of 3 cosmic mages that oversee all mages worldwide, they are not normally called on unless there is a critical emergency.

High Council - This consists of 5 mages that oversee a country. These mages are called on when there is a crisis that the Council locally cannot handle.

Council - This consists of 5-8 mages that oversee a region within a country. For example, in the US it would be a state council. These mages are called on with the court council need help and normally where escalation stops.

Court Council - This consists of about 3-5 mages that work locally with mages. Most disputes are settled at this level. Depending on the area it could be a county that they oversee or just a city. These mages watch over the day to day issues with mages.

At this time all council is played by staff members. If your character wants to bring something up they please purchase a plot point from the gem shop.