Spellcraft and Witchcraft

Magic is an intrinsic part of Elodia and harnessning this power can be done by spellcraft and witchcraft. No matter what means of casting, three rules always applies to the casting and using of magic.  

The Three Rules of Magic

First, magic requires Time
Second, magic requires Intent
Third, magic requires Emotion   These rules are universal with regards to magic and no spell or ritual can be done without following these rules. The first rule is Time and refers to the effort of repetition of acts and words across hours or even days, the more times a spell is repeated or done, the more powerful it becomes. The second is the Intent the caster puts into the spell or ritual, and magic cannot function without it, there must be something guiding the magic for it to be focussed into effect. And the last is emotion, which is tied into the intent of the spell as well. Emotion guides the fallout and effect of the spell, where Intent guides the direction, emotion guides the effect. Anything worthwhile takes time, and no thing takes more time than magic, and when done enough times, the effect becomes permanent. Magic use is the change of the natural world, and convincing the world to change is hard work (time, intent, emotion), but convinced enough times to become something, the world will listen and stay changed and transformed. Then when a spell is performed enough times, a ritual is repeated thousands of times, the effect at last becomes permanent.   This is how magic works, or it was. Until mages changed the rules.  

Mages and Witches

Since the rules changed for the mages, witches has been seen as dangerous and the old ways of magic has nearly been forgotten. The Rule of Three is never spoken of and only witches still follow the ancient teachings and laws of nature. Mages see witchcraft as dangerous, as it is, and has introduced a new era of magic, which is controled and precisely calculated to achive the exact effect in an instant of casting magic.
Since the rise of mages with witchcraft being viewed as dangerous, witches became outlaws, and in some nations even hunted to near extinction. The old ways of magic is dying, but a new magic with new rules have taken form.  

Mages and Spellcraft

The new (now hundreds of years old) ways of magic is called Spellcraft and is what mages practise. By combining a string of words with precise handmotions mages bypass the rules of time, intent and emotion and gain immidiate effect of their magic.
However, with new magic comes new rules.  

Rules of Spellcraft

First, spellcraft requires Words
Second, spellcraft requires Gestures
Third, spellcraft requires Augments   The first of these rules is Words, and regards the verbal production of a spell, but dispite what the rule suggests, not any words will do. For spellcraft to work the words must be spoken in a specific language, which has come to be knowm as Elodi (the language of the world), the words matter and if spoken incorrectly the spell will not work. The second rule, that of Gestures, regards the handmotions required to cast a spell and further guides the spell, making the effect as controled as possible. The third rule, Augments, requires physical components - or ingredients - which are 'eaten' by the spell, giving the spell energy and making the effect more substantial and powerful.
Despite all of these are viewed as fundamental rules of spellcraft, only the first one matters with the initial creation of a spell, and both the second and third rule can be omitted. Only the words matter as far as making an effect happen, the two following rules only specifies and condences the spellwork to be as efficient as possible.
To this point, understanding Elodi also helps guide the wanted effect, however, simply speaking words in Elodi will have a magical effect - even without understanding the language. Because of this, the teachings of Elodi is very restricted, and tomes with the language guarded and only students of Spellcraft are allowed to speak words of Elodi, but are not taught the language it self. Mages learns phrases and words linked to specific spells as not to become proficient speakers of magic, and lessen the possibility of spreading the teachings of Elodi, keeping it under juristiction and controle of Mages.  

Regulations of Spellcraft

As mages has risen to power and aim to regulate the usage of magic, those in power have passed in to law extensive rules about magic. These of course varies from nation to nation, but all agree on the first five rules, as prescribed by The First Council of Mages, which have come to be known as The Taboos of Magic, or simply The Five Taboos.  

1. Taboo of the Body (magic must never directly target a persons body or mind, this includes (but is not limited to) transformation, degeneration, healing)


2. Taboo of Life (magic must never be imployed to either create or reanimate life (it goes poorly for the caster and the target))


3. Taboo of Binding (binding a creature to service, either by force or given consent is prohibited)


4. Taboo of the Mind (magic must never be used to affect the mind of another, this includes (but is not limited to) mind control, memory modification, mind reading, telepathy, dream walking)


5. Taboo of Silence (magic must be spoken in the language of the world to ensure safe control)

  If any mage (or witch) is found to have broken any one of the taboos they have said to betray very magic itself and as such is not just an enemy of their given nation, but an enemy to nature. They will be charged for Treason against Spellcraft and if found guilty executed (in some nation, the only crime that can result in exucution is breaking one of the five taboos).
A witch who find themselves captured will be prosecuted in the same manner, and as witches don't use Elodi and are known to be experts of transformation magic, a witch has never been found not guilty at the accusation of breaking the taboos of spellcraft.  

Witches and Witchcraft

Unlike mages, witches still follow the old rules and traditions regarding casting magic. This is one of the reasons why witches - if ever found by a mage - rarily win in combat, as their magic is slow and cannot compete with the rapidness of which a mage can cast their spells.
Despite the slowness of witchcraft there is a power within their spells, which spellcraft cannot achieve. Witches dedicate time and focus to every task they undertake, and each time they repeat that task, they take effort to repeat it with the same care and focus as the first time, and every time they put a little more magic to the task, and the thousands time, or tenthousands time, a potent and powerful spell will have become permanent.
Witches spells do not have specific words, gestures or augments required - besides those the witch themselves decide to give value and space in their casting. Instead they make mundane actions, such as brewing tea, tending the garden, sweeping the floor, into magical actions. Putting time and effort into the care of the mundane and their tea might heal the sick child, their garden might grow apples that poisen those who wronged them, and their home could curse those who wish ill intent on their home and give safety to those who need it. Or whatever else the witch put their intent and emotion towards. However, though witches do have some control regarding the effect of their witchcraft, they do not have as precise control as mages might. A with puts their intent and emotion towards magic and the magic creates an effect that might aid the given intent and emotion.
If a witch wishes to protect their house, they will put time into caring of the house (keeping it clean, warm and tidy), and put in whatever emotion they have regarding the want of a protected home, and the magic can take different forms to see their intent fulfilled. Their house could become difficult, if not impossible, to search for or find, or it might move on it's own accord, it might put those who wishes the witch harm to sleep if they ever enter the home - or anything else to keep it protected. A witches magic is powerful, but difficult to study and understand. Even witches just accept that magic does what it does and they can only guide it's flow, not decide it's destination.
They guide magic and trusts the rules to aid them and themselves in being skilled enough to precisely convey and hold in intent and emotion what they need.   Though curses, healing and mysterious spell work is very much part of a witches reputation, they are most known for their work with tranformation magic - especially as this is the first taboo established the the mages. And with good reason.
As mentioned, magic, performed enough times, becomes permanent, and this applies to transformation magic as well. Witches in effort to heighten their abilities - and due to their often closeness with nature and animals - choose to transform parts of their bodies to that of an animals. These augmentations usually extend to the senses such as sight, hearing and smelling - though some might also prioritise speed, fighting, or roaring. And there have been witches who wished to change their physical appearence based on an aethetic vision.
Most of these transformations are done only momentarily, in instances when a witch needed better sight, or tried to hear something in the distance. But done enough times, these transformations would become permanent, which is the reason witches prefer to change only parts of their bodies to that of an animal, as they too are aware of the stories of witches who got stuck as an animal. They do not wish to become an animal permanently, but having an eagles eyes, and foxes ears - and maybe even a wolfs teeth - are another thing entirely, and most witches welcome the permanent transformation and might even work towards it.
But tranforming is not an easy task, for to tranform to something - or just parts of something - a witch must understand exactly how that thing works. They must understand the physical build of that animals bodypart, as well as undestand how the animals brain works to process the input which that sense provide. As this is the case, most witches specifies their understandment and transformation to one maybe two animals, and usually animals of the same genus.   The other taboo witches are known for breaking is the taboo of binding. A witch is more often than not seen with their familiar, and animal companion which they have bound to themselves through witchcraft. This bond is always consensual, and if it wasn't the witchcraft could not work on the animal. A witch and their familiar become bonded and will gain access to each others experiences and senses, but should harm come to one of them, the other would experience the same. The bond can only ever be broken through death.
A witch and their familiar are closer than words can explain, their essence and beings have been mixed with magic, and they are each other and themselves at the same time. Should one of them pass the other would lose a part of themselves, and it is not uncommen to see the one left behind die not less than one year after the others passing.  

Taboos of Witchcraft

Witches are not institutionalised as mages are, and there is no council of witches, and the last coven was destroyed hundreds of years ago, and no effort has been made to make a new one. But despite having no council or coven to declare rules or witch laws, witches have codes and taboos of their own.
The witches only have three taboos, and they view then as their rules of life:  

1. The Taboo of Elodi


2. The Taboo of Negligence


3. The Taboo of the Void

  The first dictates that a witch must never speak the words of Elodi to cast a spell or do magic, as it goes against their beliefs in magic: that the most imortant things takes time, and Elodi removes time from casting. They believe that to speak Elodi is to break magic, and to break magic is to break the world, and they are dedicated to work with and for the world, not against it. Magic knows no shortcuts, so they wont take them either. The second, taboo og negligence, is a direct contrast to what they know as the second rule of magic: intent, and with time and intent, care. If they do not care and have no intent magic becomes lifeless. Lastly, the taboo of the void is the act of magic without feeling, and magic should never be emotionless, as that would leave the magic without guidance.
The last two taboos in themselves are near impossible to break, but in combination with the first, a witch is on their way break all three taboos. Making them, in any other witches eyes, no longer a witch, but a mage, and as such, not deserving of witches protection or support. Witches do not hunt mages, as mages are known to do of witches, but they have no fondness for them either, and most witches curses have been made with a mage in mind.
If a witch is ever found out to have broken the taboos they are cursed with the name of mage and all other witches will know to show them no kindness, shelter or comfort. And should a witch decide to show any mage kindness, they risk being named a mage in assosiation, if any other witch were ever to find out what they had done.   There are few witches left in the world, and they live in solitude for the most part, rarily searching out other witches. They wait for the mages to fall and for witches to live freely without fear again, but they also make no effort to reach that goal. Witches, despite all their patience, care and devotion to their magic and tasks, view themselves as observers of the world, and helpers of the people, but they do not engage with politics or the shifting of times. They observe and learn and live, but do not engange.