Conjuration

The Art of Creation

Conjuration is the art of shaping temporary matter from mana—solid, liquid, or gaseous. It is a common magical method used across many elements.

The nature of conjured matter varies widely between elements and spells. Each conjuration inherits traits from its element, affecting its stability, weight, range, and more.

Stability

Each element has an inherent stability level, ranging from very low to very high. While spell complexity and casting quality can affect the final result, an element’s baseline stability remains the primary factor.

Stability influences both range and maintenance cost: the higher the stability, the longer the effective range and the lower the upkeep. Lower stability shortens range and increases mana drain. In general, conjured matter becomes less stable as it moves farther from its caster.

Degeneration

The process of conjured matter evaporating into background mana is called degeneration. How and when this occurs depends on the element, the situation, and the caster’s strength and attention.

Degeneration often reflects the character of the element: Flux conjurations might dissipate like vapor, while Stone or Metal conjurations may crack, crumble, or dissolve into dust.
Less stable elements might degenerate more violently, especially if left unattended or if the mage loses control over them.

Range

Range defines how far conjured matter can exist from its caster before it begins to degenerate. Low-range matter will decay quickly at even short distances, while high-range conjurations remain intact farther away.

Weight

Though conjured, magical matter still has weight, varying widely by element and spell. Weight affects more than just utility: it determines how strongly a mage remains linked to the conjured object. Heavier conjurations maintain a clearer mental presence, while lighter ones—like those made from Flux—can be difficult to track, especially when out of sight or if the caster is distracted.

Cost

Conjuration involves two distinct mana costs: creation and maintenance.

Creation cost determines how much mana is required to form the object.
Maintenance cost determines how much mana is needed to keep it from degenerating over time.

These two costs are independent. Either or both can be high, but they are rarely both low. It is unusual for maintenance to exceed creation, though the reverse is quite common.