The Gift

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The Gift is the mortal connection to the Astral Plane. Gifted humans use the powerful ability to cast spells. The Gift is very rare, only passed through bloodlines. Impure bloodlines eventually lose the Gift over a few generations.

Since the Era of Birth, when the Gift was introduced to Aevonhold by the First Mortals, it is now rarely seen within the realm of Aevonhold, with only about a hundredth of the population having it.

Theories of Origin[edit | edit source]

Granthelian[edit | edit source]

Due to the essence found in Aevonhold's very own ground and the stars similar to the those of the Astral Plane in the skies of Aevonhold, Granthelians believe that the Arcane came from the sky itself.

Deurlen[edit | edit source]

As many Deurlen people have no affinity to the Arcane, many of the simple folk believe the Arcane was given to the people of the realm by The Divines, great beings of power worshiped by all Deurlen.

Magic Classes[edit | edit source]

Those who study magic refer to the differing types of casting as follows:

Astral[edit | edit source]

The most pure form of magic. Astral mages tap directly into the Arcane Energy that permeates the realm in order to cast spells. Also commonly known as Arcane Magic.

Faith[edit | edit source]

Those who use Faith Magic employ the use of Arcane energy to alter the life force of mortals. Faith magic requires the ritual worship of specific Arcane Beings, known to many people in Aevonhold as Gods.

Elemental[edit | edit source]

Those who use Elemental Magic alter the Arcane energy that naturally resides within physical elements that make up Aevonhold. Elemental magic is easier to learn than Astral or Faith, and many mages use Elemental magic in tandem with other magic classes.

Primal[edit | edit source]

Regarded as the oldest form of magic in Aevonhold, Primal Magic consists of magical practices developed before the advent of the First Era, far before any historical records were kept on such subjects. Much is unknown of these practices, either lost to time or willfully forgotten.

Downsides[edit | edit source]

Due to the immense mental toll and years of study learning magic takes, many mages do not have other professions or skills. Where others would spend time training their bodies, mages instead stay indoors. As such, non-mages are typically much more physically gifted.

Due to the fact that those with the Gift are inherently attached to the Astral Plane, they’re more likely to be afflicted with Arcane diseases and possessions from spirits. Magical effects, such as hexes or curses, are twice as powerful on a Gifted individual.

Mages, due to not being entirely of the same build as non-Gifted, have a much harder time conceiving children, with some being entirely infertile. While still possible in most cases, many mages simply give up on the thought of having children due to the low probability. Those with the Gift who do not delve into magical study and training can also have issues as well, though this is not as common.