Excerpt from 'A primer on the Thaumaturgical Elements' by Archwizard Morain
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The Thaumaturgical Elements, colloquially known as just Elements, are a type of manacule which, when manipulated by the awakened, can be used to create elemental magics.
PROPERTIES:
The Thaumic Elements refer not to any specific type of element but more to a type of manacule which can appear in a variety of forms. As they are just a type of manacule, they are, like manacules, very sensitive to willpower and produce a type of energy upon stimulation. This energy is called elemental energy.
CLASSIFICATIONS:
The elements are categorized into four different types:
1. Standard Elements
2. Deviant Elements
3. Compound Elements
4. Arcane Elements
STANDARD ELEMENTS:
Sometimes referred to as Basic Elements, these are the most fundamental of the Thaumic Elements, constituting the building blocks of elemental magic. There are seven Basic Elements:
* Fire
* Water
* Earth
* Air
* Light
* Dark
* Force
It has long been debated whether the Force element should be one of the Basic Elements, as it is quite different from the rest. All Basic Elements outside of Force require an awakened individual to have an affinity for them to be manipulated. Force, however, not only does not require an affinity but also seems to be the "default" element for lack of a better term. Force can be used by any awakened and even some quasi-awakened individuals, as it is the natural expression of an awakened’s personal mana if no elemental convergence occurs before external manifestation. It also does not commonly appear naturally outside of magical phenomena like mana storms, unlike the other six Basic Elements.
Despite being called Basic, the Standard Elements are rather complex as they do not simply manipulate their natural phenomena as their names suggest. For example, the Fire element does not simply allow for the manipulation of fire but also heat, though it seems to work better as the temperature increases. Its efficiency steadily drops off to about 10 degrees Celsius, at which point the Water element is more effective. This principle applies to all other Standard Elements except Force.
* Fire: Manipulates fire and heat (10 degrees Celsius and above).
* Water: Manipulates water and cold (10 degrees Celsius and below).
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* Earth: Manipulates earth, including all forms of rock, sand, and soil.
* Air: Manipulates air and gases.
Light and Dark are the two least understood of the Basic Elements, as they do not simply manipulate light and darkness but also exhibit several metaphysical properties and interact strangely with other elements.
* Light: Manipulates photons and somehow encourages and manipulates the growth of life on a cellular level. This gives it an important role in medical magic and Alchemic fields. However, the mechanisms behind these effects are not well understood.
* Dark: By far the least understood of the basic elements, Dark manipulates darkness, which is puzzling since darkness is merely the absence of light. Additionally, it can destroy life on a cellular level, making it the most dangerous Basic Element. Its most puzzling property however is its tendency to disrupt other magical elements and formations. When introduced without the use of willpower, Dark causes magical formations to collapse.
THESE PROPERTIES, THOUGH POORLY UNDERSTOOD, MAKE DARK AND LIGHT ARGUABLY THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THAUMIC ELEMENTS.
COMPOUND ELEMENTS:
Also known as Combo Elements, these result from the combination of any Standard Elements. To clarify, Compound Elements are not actual compounds but rather the result of two different elements being used simultaneously to create a certain elemental effect. For example, the Lava/Magma element is a combination of the Fire and Earth elements.
DEVIANT ELEMENTS:
Deviant Elements are subtypes of the Basic Elements that are sufficiently different to form their own subtype of elemental manacule. It is important to note that Deviant Elements are actual different elements composed of different manacules, unlike Compound Elements. Awakened individuals can have an affinity purely for the deviant offshoot of a Basic Element. For example, someone may have an affinity specifically for the Ice element without any affinity for the Water element. However, Deviant Elements can also be learned manually with time and practice if the individual has the required Basic Element. For instance, someone with an affinity for Water can learn the Ice element with practice and vice versa. Deviant Elements include but are not limited to:
* Fire: Plasma
* Water: Ice, Mist
* Earth: Gem, Crystal, Metal
* Air: Lightning, Sound
* Dark: Shadow
ARCANE ELEMENTS:
Arcane Elements are by far the least understood type of element. They do not occur naturally except in very specific locations or situations. They also interact strangely with the laws of physics and often work in both metaphysical and physical ways. Arcane Elements can be both Compound and Deviant or neither and may even represent completely new elements. Below is a non-comprehensive list of the most significant and common Arcane Elements:
* Solar Flame
* Phoenix Fire
* Soul Fire
* Hell Fire
* Life
* Soul Shadow
* Dragon Flame
* Black Ice
* Void Wind
* Void Lightning
* Black Light
* Corruption