Raw Magic

The primal form of magic and the instigator for the development of advanced life. It passes through the land at random, changing the environment and the life that lives within it. In its permutation, it resembles weather: unpredictable, and different from one place to the next, both in frequency and effect. Though it is not visible, its presence can be felt by any sapient being, and if they are willing, they can channel its power to their own ends. Doing so comes at great risk: there is always a chance when using raw magic of an unforeseen side effect, which can be benevolent, benign, or harmful, even catastrophic. Additionally, raw magic leaves traces within a user's body which, though not usually significant within one's lifetime, can cause mutations in one's offspring. Because of these risks, raw magic has been replaced by arcane magic in most civilized areas; however, Goblins use it freely and simply accept the repercussions, while Dragons have evolved to mitigate the negative consequences. Fairies also use it to their own ends, though their means are more complex.  

Spellwells

Raw magic emanates from sources called spellwells or lodestones: objects resembling ordinary stones or broken pieces of rock, except that they produce an "imaginary" light: this does not illuminate its surroundings, but is visible to all intelligent creatures. They can be of any size, with proportionate output of magical power. This power does not deplete over time, and does not seem to originate from the stones themselves. At one time, these littered the countryside, but their value was so great that they were constantly warred over and all were eventually destroyed, or hidden so deeply away that they are not seen since. Numerous spellwells remain deep underground, continuing to emit magic which drifts upward through stone faults and caves.   No one is quite sure what happens to a spellwell's magic when it is destroyed. Many hold that the flow of energy entirely ceases, and that destroying too many spellwells may disrupt the presence of all magic throughout the world, to devastating effect. Proponents of this view would protect spellwells even when they are currently being used for evil purposes. Others believe that the energy channeled by spellwells is diffused throughout the world when they are destroyed, and that destroying all of a given type will render it permanently accessible to everyone. Without a clear answer on this issue, people are understandably reluctant to experiment; yet, spellwells are almost inevitably destroyed some time after their finding, in order to keep them out of rival hands.  

Magic Swells

Raw magic usually appears on the surface in concentrated amounts and rolls invisibly across the landscape before dissipating. Though they cannot be seen, these swells are easy to detect, and have the significant effect of allowing and enhancing magic. Swells occasionally transform flora and fauna as they pass by, in accordance with their particular element, and living things in the vicinity of these swells often beget offspring with magical properties. Any sapient being can harness a swell to its own ends: if they are trained in magic, they can enhance the power of any spells they know that match the element of the swell. Even if they are not trained, they can attempt to produce magical effects, with a great degree of potential error. Either way, if the being is not a Dragon, they have a significant risk of the spell going awry, and they have a small chance of permanently changing their genetic makeup, causing their offspring to gain strange traits.  

Magic Storms

Through unknown means, powerful concentrations of raw magic sometimes form in the upper atmosphere. These storms roil across the sky, but rarely reach the land. When they do, they tend to wreak havoc on the landscape, transforming the ground and any living thing upon it not able to escape. This can occur anywhere in the world, but is so rare that it is seldom planned for. By contrast, encountering magic storms in the sky is a much more common problem, and has proven the bane of numerous historical attempts to develop aerial travel. Dragons are immune to these storms, and thus tend to ignore them.  

Taxonomy

There are several fundamental types of raw magic, each with its particular effects and uses. These are organized into basic types, each with several subtypes:  

Fey Magic

The most widely seen form of raw magic, as it influences living creatures, including sapient ones. While once a regular part of life, occurrences of Fey mutations have dwindled in rate since the beginnings of civilization. This is believed to stem from the simple fact that most Fey spellwells are on or near the surface, and these have been gradually destroyed as various groups of people gravitated toward and eventually destroyed them. The increasingly limited supply has proved somewhat distressful to Fairies, who find their ideal dwelling places harder to find.

Dire Magic

The magic of physical strength and size. Dire creatures are very common, especially predators and large prey animals, such as deer and cattle (not to even speak about whales). Their bodies become significantly larger and proportionately stronger, and do not suffer from the structural integrity problems their size should logically cause. They may also undergo some slight change in coloration, but they are otherwise unaffected, particularly in their mental capacity.

Glamour

The power of illusion. A favorite resource of Fairies, especially Pixies, who are fond of making anything look more interesting and valuable, especially money, food or themselves. These illusions are always temporary, and unlike some similar forms of magic, only affect perception rather than causing a real change in the subject. Because its primary use is to fool people, it is at least distrusted, if not actively forbidden.

Charm Magic

The manipulation of a target's emotions or mental capabilities. Another resource favored by Fairies, and denounced wherever its influence can be proven. It is often used in combination with song or dance, or words of encouragement, as it magnifies the effectiveness of these techniques in enticing and controlling another. Charming creatures are somewhat rare in the wild, but are occasionally seen.

Transmorphic Magic

This affects a creature's morphic resonance, its instinctive magical awareness of its own biometric nature. Creatures influenced by transmorphic magic gain the attributes of another type of creature, usually on a random basis. This has resulted in the existence of such perplexing creatures as gryphons, pegases, cockatrices, etc. The magic is used by Puki, who take the entire form of a chosen animal, and the Therians, who are born with an animal attribute and have limited control of it.

Elemental Magic

Magic which replicates or enhances the raw forces of nature, seen in places where such extremes occur. Sought by the greedy for its sheer power, usually as a weapon, it has been the instigator of conflicts throughout the ages.

Fire

The uses for a thinking being are obvious. Non-sapient creatures gain random fiery attributes, such as fire breath or a burning touch.

Frost

The reduction of temperatures specifically, regardless of whether actual frozen water is involved. A favorite of arctic creatures, as it allows them to live comfortably.

Storm

Manipulation of electricity. Again, the implications are easy to imagine.

Alchemical Magic

Magic involving alteration of an object's chemical structure. This is an incredibly delicate and complex form of magic. Indeed, while alchemy has been independently developed as an arcane form of magic, it can seldom reproduce the kinds of effects seen in creatures touched by alchemic raw magic.

Transformation

The change from one material to another. The difficulty of the change is proportionate to its severity: making gold from lead is considerably easier than making it from tin, and monumentally easier than making it from flesh. Despite this, creatures with metallic or otherwise biologically impossible bodies appear in the wilds from time to time.

Awakening

An awakened material gains new and beneficial properties based on those of its default, mundane state. Awakened metals are sometimes found underground and are highly desired by mining cultures, especially Dwarves. Creatures that gain these awakened traits are highly valuable, but also extremely dangerous. The following awakened materials have been discovered:

• Adamantium
• Animargentum
• Dragonium 
• Ehranite 
• Elixere
• Magnacalcum 
• Orichalcum
• Ruacuprum
• Verargentum

Necrotic Magic

The magic of death, and those that vainly try to defy it. Humans, being among the shortest-lived of Lineages, are particularly susceptible to necrotic influence, as they cling to any hope of a prolonged existence, but animals with necrotic mutations are common as well.

Revenant

Revenant creatures maintain their bodily existence, usually at the cost of mental faculties. Their bodies, no longer fueled by merely physiological processes, are considerably harder to dispatch.

Spectral

Spectral creatures are incorporeal, which presents both benefits and problems. They retain their mental faculties, but may become so consumed by their reason for resisting death that they lose focus on their values and principles.

Vampiric

Vampiric creatures draw on the life force of others. When stated, they seem as hale as if they were alive, and with age, may gain additional powers. But if their hunger is allowed to grow, it will make them increasingly desperate and reckless in their behavior.

Infernal

Infernal magic is not native to Ormais. It came with the demons during the Conflagration. With a concentration born of terror, the allied peoples of Ormais studied its nature and learned a few of its properties.
Infernal magic cannot be destroyed or diminished by any known means. It resides within an infernal creature, which gains power and ferocity by its presence. Demons attempt to siphon some portion of their infernal power into an object or creature. If they succeed, the subject becomes infected and will corrode, in the case of objects, or become demonic itself, in the case of creatures. People infected with infernal power lose their morals and reason and fight along with the demons, while the new power within them makes them fierce and deadly to their former allies. In this way, the demonic ranks grow in number.
However, if a demonic creature perishes, its infernal power does not disperse, but instead returns to the nearest demonic creature, bolstering its power. This factor means that no matter what transpires, demonic forces technically never get weaker, even if they are reduced greatly in numbers.
Because the Conflagration was successfully defeated, infernal magic is today extremely rare, and is carefully sealed away when discovered.