Casters

Casting on Lume

Magic, to borrow an imprecise term, on Lume has a pseudo-scientific origin, and is primarily performed by individuals known as Casters. The trained Caster focuses their will to the task of modifying the elemental or genetic structure of their target. All Casting ability is measured by the time and study invested in the Caster's particular Order. There is no individual, predefined destiny, nor omnipotent god-given talent. All of Lume's Folk inhabitants posses the inherent ability to to force their will upon this cellular energy, coined Anima. This ability lies dormant in all Folk, and can be learned by the humblest of their number. Only in particular cases do some gain any casting advantage by birthright. One such example is the forest-dwelling culture of Druids; their connection to the botanical Creepers lends them a vantage in controlling flora. This can be attributed to their millennia-old proximity to, and cultural focus on, the forests of Lume. The same has been noted of Dunefolk and Sand-casting, among others.

Casters are not rare; every town and village boasts a couple in residence, or otherwise living nearby. A studious folk, they like their space. Many Folk even Cast in their everyday lives, and do not notice doing so. A lifelong gardener might Will their plants to be richer and healthier, if they're devoted enough to their craft. Equally, a sailor or fisherfolk may influence the tides, albeit imperceptibly, after years spent on the water. This instinctive casting is unconscious, and therefore limited. Casters, as all Orders of magic-users are collectively referred to, tap into a living genetic code, the Anima, neglected by the Forerunners and Dead Gods in ages past. These beings restructured matter on the Continent endlessly for millennia, and down the eons these elements became more malleable. By the Current Era, the Folk living on Lume are so intimately linked with their surroundings, having at one time or another shared in its genetic material, that the trained adept can tap this link, and bend it to their will. Despite the technological prowess and accumulated knowledge of the Deunama, they required elaborate contraptions to perform their genetic marvels; whereas the Folk of Lume are themselves intrinsically connected to Anima, at one with their surroundings in a way their predecessors were not able to be. Or chose not to be.

The other Free Races, the Manidae, Frost Giants, Gardeners and Slenders cannot boast this same trait. The Giants are Deunama-kin, and share their limitations, while the other Races were created much earlier than neo-sapien Folk, and do not share so strong a genetic link to their surroundings. The arcane history behind this relationship is not widely known to the inhabitants of Lume; among mortals this knowledge extends only to the Necromae- an elite, clandestine order of Necromancers - and a handful of learned Druids and Slenders. The Dead Gods found it troubling that servants could wield such privilege, and craved it for their own. Folk enjoy a modest grasp of the relationship between themselves and their surroundings; most cultures preferring to coin it simply "magic", and go about their day.

If the ruthless Deumana reappeared on Lume, they would resume their efforts to splice this ability unto themselves; rendering them colossal, neigh-invulnerable, and endowed with the ability to rearrange matter with a thought. In essence, they would transcend to godhood; Lume, perhaps even existence itself, would be irrevocably changed. Against this, the Slenders and Frost Giants have deliberated over the cycles, contrary to the misled yearnings of the Necromae, and other followers of the Deumana.

Due to the concentration involved, Casters may use conduits to guide Anima. Common items of focus are Runes or Sygaldry, Dactylology (hand motions), and Recitation, though amongst Casters the staff is generally credited as providing greatest focus, particularly if crafted by the user themselves.

The Orders of Casters on Lume

Necromancy

The branch of Casting used to heal the sick or injured, it also serves to reanimate dead tissue; made possible by Anima transfer between beings (animate or inanimate). Requiring a deep understanding of anatomy, this craft demands strenuous study of the biology of both host and recipient; every aspect of their body's intricate, interrelated workings. Anima is essentially transferred between beings, repairing damaged tissue in the target, at the cost of the host. The Caster must therefore understand intrinsically where the Anima is to be directed. A seasoned Caster may even resort to tapping their own Anima; a risky business indeed. The more damaged the tissue of the target, the more severe is the effect on the host. Though the symptoms are not exactly replicated in the host, it nonetheless exacts a drain proportionate to the target's wound. For example, a Caster could transfer the Anima of a mouse to a small, near-dead bird, healing the bird rapidly, but likely killing the mouse. If the bird were only ill, or the injury not fatal, only a fraction of the mouse's Anima would be required, and the mammal, though temporarily weakened, would not die. A skilled Necrocaster may soften this diminishing by using several hosts, spreading the negative effects thinly. Were the bird to be deceased - the flesh necrotic - the best result that can be achieved is Undeath. In Undeath, the Anima transferred takes the physical place of perished organs or tissue. The afore-mentioned dead bird would become re-animated under the guidance of the Caster, and the remaining tissue would eventually rot, until only the animated skeleton remained. Let us take the mouse-to-bird example; in order to re-animate the dead bird as Undead, the living mouse must be drained until death; this becomes harder the more sophisticated the anatomy of target. The Anima required for larger beings requires a sacrifice of similar size, or quantity equal, to the host. To prevent death to hosts would, hypothetically mind you, require many hosts to draw Anima from, willed by a particularly strong Caster, and may still result in injury or death. One of the many reasons why such Casters won't be winning any popularity contests. Necromancy is generally considered the most sophisticated Order of Casting, requiring Cycles to learn, and boasting few masters. Due to the ill-effects involved, practitioners do not let the commonfolk know the intricacies of the Anima exchange, often living remote and solitary lives, while in close proximity to wildlife. Sought after and respected for their healing abilities, they are nonetheless avoided by most Folk, which we're given to understand suits their profession just fine.

Creatures Undead from cycles past and present still populate the landscape of Lands of Lume. They are beings of indescribable shape and motivation. Most are fragmented remnants, sad leftovers of ill-advised experiments by Necrocasters long-dead, their Anima withered to echoes; they survive by absorbing the Anima of the living they can overwhelm. Those of titanic size may merge with their surroundings, gaining sentience and total independence from their creators, such as in the case of Bog Fiends.

Undead animal Familiars are iconic for Necrocasters, though reanimating humanoid corpses is widely discouraged, even by their peers. The result is a rotting, witless servant; annuled only by dismemberment, or when all Anima is drained. The re-animation of a human Caster is feared and despised above all, as they retain their intellect and skill in Casting, and could manifest into a Liche (an Undead Caster able to create and control other Undead). See The Liche Liege.

Notable Necromancers on Lands of Lume include: Mestat, Tendris, Drethen, The Liche Liege, and the Necromae.

Witchcraft

Witches and Warlocks (gender irrelevant) deal in the manipulation of the Anima in others, alongside a generalised skillset. They may dabble in many Orders, or focus on only a couple. They are jacks-of-all-trades, and masters of none, though can nonetheless be powerful and unpredictable in their own right. Out of necessity, many have a medicinal or Necromancy background, and lean towards casting curses, cures, and the such. Unlike the other Caster classes, Witchcraft is not generally passed on from master to apprentice, but developed on an individual basis by outcasts of other Orders. Consequently, this Order is the most varied, with no two casters alike. To illustrate, witches with Druid origins have greater control over Flora, while those influenced by Illusionists have skill with glamour, and any with Elemental training have power over said element, etc. This lack of hierarchy and social structure makes them the least capable of cooperation amongst all the Orders. Not unlike herding wild gromks. The majority are hermits, preferring their own company, and that of local wildlife. Exceptions do exist; a Witch or Warlock may choose to take in an orphan or neglected child who shows promise, if that child can put up with the abrasive and oft prickly personality of their mentor. And the smell. There is no official ranking or designation among their number, and the title Warlock or Witch is entirely dependent on the Caster's preference. Conduits are as varied as their users, and familiars are common.

Ranks of this Order include: Granny Moss, and to a much lesser degree Nali and Drethen.

Illusionists

A rag-tag lot utilising hallucinations, coercion, glamour and charms, Illusionists represent the most abundant, but arguably least scholarly, of their kin. They provide the backbone of Lume's festivities, often filling roles as musicians, traveling acts, performers and entertainers. Novices are generally trained by an older member of the family, troupe or community, and these skills are put to practical use very early in their training. Thus, they have little formal education, but are able to practice the most freely of any of the Orders, often from a young age. They can be beguilingly powerful, and require a strong inner Anima to draw upon. The misleading nature of their craft has given them a reputation as thieves and opportunists, though proven cause for this is lacking. It is more likely they gained their rascally reputate due to their nomadic nature, villgers naturally tending towards prejudice towards outsiders. Tampering with the senses of others does them no favours either; this being their preferred basis for Casting. Their ability is based on misleading the senses, be it sight, smell, touch, sound, thought, or all of the aforementioned. They can also alter fellow Caster's perceptions of Anima. The more practiced of this Order can manipulate the senses of entire crowds, and are highly sought after as public entertainers. Among their number are those that specialize in combining Illusion with Elemental, generating creative results; the towering construct of a fire-breathing dragon, for example, whose flaming breath, at least, is very much real.

Practitioners include Brayd, the Jester, the False Priest, and some of the traveling minstrels Drethen & Co meet.

Rumours circulate among Casters that deep into the lands of the Dunefolk, exists a peoples whose powerful Illusionists are raised from birth as skilled assassins, able to conceal themselves in broad daylight, publicly executing their victim without anyone being the wiser.

Druidic

Druids are both an Order and a culture that live close to nature, and consider themselves guardians of the Flora and Fauna around their communities. They are a guarded, conservative folk, and novice Druids are only ever chosen from their children. Despite common opinion, they do not control all flora, nor are they at one with nature. The real power held by their kin, long since forgotten by all but the eldest of their community, is their connection with the Creepers.

Shape-shifters are said to exist among them. What little is known suggests the connection between Druid and fauna is a very personal experience, and is both challenging and dangerous. Proficient Casters may attain more than a single form, and a rare few have utilised Creepers to alter their mass when shifted.

Once a prosperous people, at the time of writing Druidic civilisation has become stagnant and close-minded. The communities dwindle with each new generation; Druids are having few children, and many leave to join the more progressive Folk. Steeped in ritual and lore, Druids have fallen behind the times, and are waning by Drethen & Co.'s era.

Druidism is intuitive to neo-sapien nature, requiring a passive, almost submissive outlook, and great respect for life and Anima. Instrumental in the aftermath of the The Liche Liege, Druids faced off against Necromancer Shock Troops, consisting of handpicked Casters, in the Dead War.

Elementalists

The Order of the elements. Water, fire, earth, lightning, and many more; the natural, creative and destructive forces. They are a diversified class, often overlapping into other specialisations. Casters who dedicate themselves to a singular element are rare, and often misguided. For one to properly influence the elements, they must consider how those forces affect and rely on each other. For example, to create something as rudimentary as a flaming torch, the Caster need todo more than simply ignite a fire. They may need to remove moisture from the branch to allow it to catch, or block wind to allow the fire to rise, or change the branch's mineral structure to create an ignition. They may also need to balance the strength of ignition against the density of wood, to prevent scorching off their eyebrows on a particularly combustible twig. One would then need to keep these elements in balance as the Caster continues to use the torch; easier said than done in unfriendly terrain, or when chased by ravenous unipedes. This makes Elementalism a dangerous class to master. Handfuls reach a high level of proficiency, as few mortals live long enough to do so. Accidental implosion is hard to come back form. A master Elementalist is feared by all Casters, even those within the Order. Such a one would require more than one lifetime to achieve - perhaps possible as a Liche - and would command monstrous power.

The Druid culture is said to have once been ruled by a council of Elemental Masters, leveraging a balance of force and nature-worship to guide their people. After a time the rituals and lessons lost their meaning, the mastery waned, and the Druids of Drethen's era are only a shadow of what they once were, with little or no Elementalism left to their Order.

Sand Casters

A specialised and localised branch of Elementalism found only amongst the Dunefolk. These Casters hold sway over nanotech-organisms in the vast sand dunes, which serve to weld sand particles together in different forms. Effectively, the deserts of Lume are gigantic, creative sandboxes, able to be plied into countless forms, and were once used by the Deumana for rapid prototyping. Mastery requires long exposure to - and practice with - these dunes; as such, Sand Casters are almost exclusively found within the Dunefolk. They can generate buildings with glass windows fused to the walls, in whimsical shapes that defy standard engineering. Understandably, they are sought after as master builders, able to create forms not possible by mundane means. In battle, they surround themselves in whirling trails of abrasive sand, skinning any organism that comes in contact with their barrier. Weapons are typically of obsidian glass, and much of their tools and other objects are similarly constructed. Water does not penetrate this bond, and adept Casters can use the soil and rock around them when away from their dunes. A formidable Order of Casters, and one which this writer would give much to be able to study, in cooler settings, with a chilled drink.

The Penance of Casters

As noted, Casters must give up much to persue their chosen interest.

• A long, practical training period; ten years minimum, 25+ for Masters.
• Daunting solitude; many burn out or become impossibly eccentric, and all are somewhat socially inept.
• Intense academic requirement; many tomes must be memorised just to grasp the basics.
• Detachment from reality. Long spans of time spent communicating with matter, deciphering and analysing codes within ones' mind. This leads all Casters to form an air of detachment to other people; hygiene, personal grooming and relationships are often left by the wayside. There is a very real risk of becoming trapped within the realm of the mind. Returning from this state has never been documented, and afflicts at least one in a dozen Casters, mostly when approaching old age. In certain communities this is considered a noble way for an elderly Caster to end their life. The Lyceum offers sanctuary for such wizened figures, and are best equipped to manage their whimsicalities.
• The physical toll. A user's body can fall apart if restructured too frequently, the cells increasingly lending themselves to fragmentation. Most common among Necromancers, Illusionists, Witches, and others that frequently call on their own Anima, or draw from their own matter. Warning signs differ, but increased difficulty in returning to one's original form, or restoring its Anima, are the most obvious. At this point, the only recourse for prevention is foregoing all Casting (or nearly all, especially anything that resembled the liable spell). Many Casters would more gladly give up breathing.

Why Casters Do Not Rule

Casters are famously anti-social, characteristically un-charismatic, fiercely independent, nearly incapable of designating tasks (not trusting in others to fulfill them), and apathetic towards others. Folk leaders have in the past (and present) been Casters, but the aforementioned character flaws prevent them amassing significant power. Exceptions are rumored, though documentation is lacking. See Liche Liege.