Each of the below gifts are discussed in more detail in their own chapters later in this book; the below is intended only as a basic reference for new students. Chapter forty also discusses in more depth the importance of the foundational gifts of society as defined by Rupin Heldorn, those being Fabrication, Growth, and Planar (first order) as well as Transmutation, Comprehension, and Alchemy (second order).
Options are presented throughout this work with their most common names within the Endless Empire at the time of this writing, despite their somewhat inconsistent naming convention. Gifts are listed in the standard order as seen in a Duminere - for other classifications and names see chapter three.
Some common synergies are mentioned below and more are discussed in chapter thirty-nine, but Rem Gloven's revolutionary text Complimentary Interactions of Gifts should be consulted for a deeper discussion if a copy can be obtained, as I consider it to be outside the scope of this work.
HEX 1 FACET 1: Fabrication - Allows for the creation of ephemeral matter, as well as the strengthening and solidifying of ephemeral matter. With enough mana this can result in the conversion of ephemeral matter into permanent physical matter. By itself this ability cannot create alchemical materials, and the creation of highly reactive matter can be both difficult and dangerous.
HEX 1 FACET 2: Negation - Facilitates or increases the decay of matter and energy. This works best on pure energy and is therefore frequently used to defend against magical attacks based on heat, light, or electricity. It can also degrade ephemeral matter quickly and can even break down physical matter, although this process is generally slower and more mana intensive that simply destroying or removing it in other ways. When combined with other gifts it can allow the negation of associated forces, typically Mana for a general anti-magic effect.
HEX 1 FACET 3: Transmutation - Allows the user to change matter into other forms. Most often used to remove impurities from metal or water, it can also allow for the molding and shaping of normally solid materials as well as the total conversion of one material into another. Without Fabrication or Affinity, users typically require a sample of the new material as a seed.
HEX 1 FACET 4: Growth - Encourages the growth of living things. This is most often used as a means of rapid crop growth, but is also useful as a way to heal injuries. It is typically not able to deal with natural defects or many toxins and may struggle with certain illnesses, but can in most cases heal injuries that would never recover without the aid of magic such as damage to the spine. Growth can be powered by life-attuned mana from its target, making it very cost efficient. For more discussion of synergies see Healing below.
HEX 1 FACET 5: Enhancement - Allows the alteration of living things. This is easiest when applied to the user's own body, but can be applied to willing or mindless targets as well. Use on unwilling targets is possible but extremely difficult and reverts quickly. Even when used on willing humanoids or monsters the changes will not be permanent by default, as the body will always try to revert to match its internal concept of self. This can be overcome with repeated applications or by use in conjunction with certain Spirit and Thought abilities.
HEX 1 FACET 6: Refinement (6th Facet Requirements of Transmutation and Probability) - Facilitates the strengthening, combining, and repair of materials. Without Refinement even talented Transmuters can have a difficult time making non-homogeneous materials. Refinement can be used to improve, repair, or potentially sabotage materials even when the user has a limited understanding of what would need to be done, due to the probability aspect and its inherent link to the Common Local Understanding.
HEX 2 FACET 1: Spatial - Manipulates distance and direction. This gift is somewhat uncommon, as many of its applications can be achieved by other more versatile gifts, but has several unique benefits including the ability to teleport short distances even if the intervening space is obstructed. When paired with Focus its range and power are greatly multiplied. It can also be used to bend space in other ways, such as creating a room with doors on opposite sides that nonetheless lead into each other.
HEX 2 FACET 2: Temporal - Manipulates the flow of time. While this gift has limited versatility, the benefits of increasing or decreasing time around the user are substantial in many situations. With enough dedication to development the user can eventually create an area where time is going so slowly as to be considered completely still. This gift is often paired with Perception to allow senses to function into the past or (to a limited extent) the future, and can be useful to synchronize the passage of time across planes that otherwise experience them differently.
HEX 2 FACET 3: Probability - Allows the creation of an ongoing effect that increases or decreases the likelihood of a specific event. More than any other gift this links to the Common Local Understanding and other intelligent forces behind the functioning of reality, which means that the user does not need to specify or understand exactly how such odds would best be changed. This does mean that unintended side effects are possible. This ability is considered invaluable for the creation of many devices or alchemical compounds that otherwise have a high likelihood of failure, and is frequently used when navigating certain planes. It has synergy with a number of other gifts including Spatial or Focus for range, and Temporal for increased accuracy and effectiveness.
HEX 2 FACET 4: Gravity - Creates or negates gravitational pull. Sponsored users tend to apply this gift to construction and repair of buildings, but it is also used in transportation and warfare. Where Force is generally applied to a specific target, Gravity affects larger areas without needing to combine it with Focus. For the same reason its precision is limited, but with development can generally be applied to areas as small as a single person.
HEX 2 FACET 5: Planar - Planar manipulation acts by thinning or aligning the barriers between planes. This is primarily done towards one of two ends - crossing over into another plane, or allowing the rules of reality from one plane to impose on another. While the variety of effects this can create are impressive, properly warded cities prevent the use of most planar magic except in designated areas. Generally this gift is valued for its roles in transportation, access to resources, and waste management. A more detailed breakdown of uses by plane can be found in the corresponding chapter.
HEX 2 FACET 6: Summoning (6th Facet Requirements of Planar and Spirit) - Allows the user to directly pull known spirits from other planes to their location. This is a far more efficient and reliable process than anything that has been documented without the aid of the Summoning gift, and removes the need to either sustain spirits when not in use or take time to travel to other planes repeatedly to obtain new ones.
HEX 3 FACET 1: Thought - Grants a number of potential abilities related to thoughts and memories. Generally this requires direct contact with the target, unless combined with Focus. Most commonly used to view memories, detect lies, or even compel targets to speak only the truth. Due to the nature of the mind, its power can be enhanced with Spirit or Planar gifts depending on the intended use. This can also be used to defend against mental attacks from those using Thought or Influence gifts, or to a lesser extent physical entry to the user's domain in Ematse.
HEX 3 FACET 2: Influence - Applies feelings or ideas to others nearby. This can be used to manipulate emotions, cause confusion, induce euphoria, or other similar effects. With development or in combination with Thought the ideas transmitted can be more complex. While there are therapeutic and recreational uses, thieves have been known to use Influence to avert attention by transmitting the feeling that there is nothing of interest happening and con artists have artificially created a feeling of trust; due to this, an increasing number of cities and individuals have been warding against this type of gift.
HEX 3 FACET 3: Perception - Allows the enhancement of senses, including the incorporation of other gifts into existing senses. Rarely taken as a solitary gift, as it has limited uses by itself. The most powerful and sought after trackers combine Perception with Affinity and one of Focus, Spatial, Temporal, Planar, or Thought in order to perceive and follow targets. Without Affinity the same effect can be achieved, but may have far more restrictions. Many gifts allow for a certain amount of perception of the things that they control, such as mana or gravity, but this gift can make that understanding far more intuitive and precise as well as allowing the user to perceive these aspects even when generated or controlled by others.
HEX 3 FACET 4: Spirit - Grants the user the ability to interact with ethereal beings including the attendant spirits of humans. With the right development this can be used to heal certain mental afflictions, especially those caused by damage to the Mind or Soul as opposed to those originating in the physical brain. Other users acquire useful spirits from other planes, though this is best done when combined with Binding so that they can passively draw on the user's mana for easier maintenance. Those with the Spirit gift are also called on to calm ghosts and escort them to Necropolis.
HEX 3 FACET 5: Life - Allows the creation and manipulation of Life mana. While there are many ways to alter the alignment of mana, those with the Life gift can do so quickly and efficiently. Regardless of other development, this increases the natural generation of life mana by the user's core resulting in slightly increased healing. The Life gift can also be used to heal living things in a way very similar to the Growth gift, albeit with more limitations and less direct control as the healing is directed subconsciously by the target. More unique is the ability to flood objects with Life mana to grant them a degree of animation; while this works best with organic materials, especially formerly sentient bodies, with enough mana and development it can grant a semblance of life to even stone or metal. This includes a degree of flexibility that is normally impossible without Transmutation. The ability of these constructs to understand and follow directions is limited without either Thought or a combination of Spirit and Binding - the latter used to tie a spirit into the construct. Because of this, Life is rarely if ever taken as a standalone gift.
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HEX 3 FACET 6: Command (6th Facet Requirements of Binding and Influence) - Allows the user to issue orders that others find difficult or impossible to refuse, and create binding magical contracts. Orders given to unwilling creatures are significantly easier to resist - while some question the utility of giving orders to willing subjects, it can be invaluable in combat situations where subjects may be willing but afraid or confused. With the right development this also allows commands to be given to creatures that do not understand the language the user speaks, including animals and spirits. Binding contracts are vital to the proper functioning of society, allowing criminals to be restricted without fully removing their freedom and forming agreements with other heads of state or merchants without needing to fully trust them. Unlike commands, there is thankfully no known method of forcing a contract against someone's will or understanding.
HEX 4 FACET 1: Affinity - Creates additional artificial nodes for gift development. While a full discussion of nodes and their role in gift development is outside the scope of this work, a basic primer is included in the chapter for this gift. Nodes must be focused on a concept recognized by the Common Local Understanding, and generally increase in development potential as they narrow in scope. Thus, focusing an Affinity on metal will not allow as much developmental potential as an Affinity with copper, iron, etc. As with the other facets on the top half of hex 4, this gift is not considered usable on its own.
HEX 4 FACET 2: Focus - Allows greater flexibility and range for other gifts. This can result in targeting other creatures at range with abilities that would typically require physical contact, extremely fine control of gifts in small areas including those that may require specialized lenses or Perception to even see, or expansion of gifts to a large area that would normally effect only a single target. As with the other facets on the top half of hex 4, this gift is not considered usable on its own.
HEX 4 FACET 3: Binding - Allows the user to sustain otherwise instant effects, or cause effects that would otherwise need ongoing attention to be sustained automatically. This gift can attach effects to creatures or objects, with further development increasing the rate of passive mana absorption or allowing more mana to be fed into the binding initially, thereby extending its duration. In conjunction with other skills, this can be made permanent as part of crafting an enchanted item. As with the other facets on the top half of hex 4, this gift is not considered usable on its own, although technically it can be used to bind the effects of others under certain circumstances.
HEX 4 FACET 4: Mana - Enhances the user's sense of mana, and allows direct manipulation of it. This is used to rapidly collect and absorb mana from the ambient flow, crystalized mana, capacitors, or even willing creatures. In addition, this can be reversed to charge capacitors and magic items or lend mana to others directly. Alignment of mana can be detected, although changing the alignment of mana may not be possible without the Alchemy gift (see discussion in the corresponding chapters).
HEX 4 FACET 5: Comprehension - Often thought of purely in terms of learning the language of magic, this gift can apply to greater understanding of language in general including advanced mathematical formulas, ciphers, or other structured systems. That being said its main benefit is full understanding of the language of magic, both in its spellcasting form and rune form. This allows the user to understand and use structured magic more intuitively, and even write spellcasting formulas in a way that convey their full scope to others. While older and more dangerous "wild" forms of magical languages can be understood with the right development of this gift, Dumines block the use of these languages which would prevent this from being used for anything other than research.
HEX 4 FACET 6: Vibration (6th Facet Requirements of Focus and Velocity) - Creates and controls very small scale linear movements of all matter in a given area, including air. While this can be used to some extent with only Focus and Velocity, the decreased demands on attention and development granted by Vibration permits the user to perform feats not otherwise practical. This gift can create and amplify sounds, find resonant frequencies of materials in order to destroy them, and increase or decrease heat much like those with the Radiance gift.
HEX 5 FACET 1: Charge - Creates energy fields that can be used to generate lightning or attract some metals. A popular choice for combat purposes, this gift provides both defensive and offensive capabilities. Electrical attacks are easily scaled from a minor nuisance or warning up to catastrophic damage. Concentrated use of these fields can in some cases create an ongoing "magnetic" effect even once all mana is removed, and recent study of these materials have led to those with Refinement being able to reproduce the effect. While these fields interact best with metals, they can have other interesting uses that are discussed more in in the corresponding chapter.
HEX 5 FACET 2: Radiance - Creates or moves light and heat. The manipulation and creation appears to be the primary ability and therefore is the simplest to develop, with heat as a byproduct and the reduction or movement of heat taking more effort. This gift is often used to bent or separate light into different colors, and can be used by an experienced wielder to make an area entirely invisible by bending light around it. With the proper development this ability can be triggered inside objects, and has proven invaluable for careful triggering of certain chemical reactions in certain industries. While most of its simpler utilitarian applications (general lighting, cooking, etc.) are better left to inexpensive and easily produced runic devices, there are always needs for careful and controlled use of these skills.
HEX 5 FACET 3: Substance - Infuses real or ephemeral matter with the same facsimile of density used by ephemeral matter. This can cause items to become heavier, more buoyant, or incredibly hard. Theoretically it can also make objects more fragile, but in practice this only works on ephemeral matter. Useful for defense and offense in similar ways to Force, and utility in similar ways to Gravity, this differs primarily in its target as (unless paired with Focus) it always applies to a distinct physical object rather than an area or point in space.
HEX 5 FACET 4: Velocity - Allows the manipulation of the speed op an object, both in magnitude and direction. Despite the more obvious risks implied by careless use of other gifts, Velocity is known to cause the highest number of injuries and accidental deaths with new practitioners as the innate protection against moving faster than the physical body can safely withstand are subtle and easy to override. Thus many users focus development on inanimate objects, in order to launch or deflect projectiles. This gift can also, in a similar way to focused application of Substance, lend extra impact to tools or weapons. For those that carefully develop this gift to use on their own movements, it can lead to incredible feats of athleticism and allow users to safely fall from almost any height.
HEX 5 FACET 5: Force - Creates invisible and temporary physical barriers at range, primarily useful as a defensive measure. Some degree of movement can be imparted on these magical structures, allowing them to be used as blunt weapons. Force synergizes greatly with other gifts in ways that are all technically possible with Force alone but not easily developed; Focus allows for dexterous manipulation of objects, Substance greatly increases the strength of the barriers, and Velocity can increase the movement in order to deal enormous damage in combat.
HEX 5 FACET 6: Ablation (6th Facet Requirements of Fabrication and Radiance) - Considered to be of limited use outside of warfare, this gift allows the creation of highly energetic matter that can cause massive destruction and is difficult to guard against. Where Radiance can create heat, Ablation creates actual flames by generating fuel simultaneously - something that is extremely difficult to do without this gift even for those with both Radiance and Fabrication - and a portion of the energy created can cause these burning particles to be launched in a stream. Velocity-based protection charms are designed to act on single targets such as arrows, and Negation-based charms are designed to weaken pure energy. Unless the protections are extremely powerful, both types will be immediately overwhelmed by an Ablation attack. Development of this ability can change the properties of the matter created to increase its temperature, cause it to stick to surfaces, or impart more kinetic energy.
HEX 6 FACET 1: Healing (6th Hex Requirements of either Growth or Enhancement, and Life) - The only gift with a variable requirement, the Healing gift enhances either Growth or Enhancement to allow for much more powerful and comprehensive healing. Depending on the specific development path that is pursued the user can accomplish almost any feat that broadly falls under the category of healing. This gift has also been used to guide the development of new life, leading to the creation of most modern food sources.
HEX 6 FACET 2: Alchemy (6th Hex Requirements of Transmutation and Mana) - Allows the infusion of mana into materials, typically to create alchemical metals and potions. Mana crystals can be molded and liquefied with this gift, and mana alignment can be adjusted with the proper development. This gift is required for the creation of currency and more durable and powerful magical devices.
HEX 6 FACET 3: Containment (6th Hex Requirements of Spatial and Force) - Creates easily sustained pockets of space, useful for storage and imprisonment. While this can be accomplished with Spatial manipulation only, the Containment gift drastically increases the stability and lowers the cost. This allows the user to develop in other ways that far exceed what would be practical without it.
HEX 6 FACET 4: Illusion (6th Hex Requirements of Radiance and Influence) - Combines the creation of light with a projection of an idea. The most important effects of this are the ability to ensure the light is perceived as a perfect representation of whatever is intended independent of its actual artistic quality, and the drastic extension of the range for Influence, as it impacts any intelligent creature that can clearly view the created light even at a distance. Primarily used for entertainment, but has utility applications discussed more in its chapter.
HEX 6 FACET 5: Unknown (6th Hex Requirements of Probability, Temporal, and Binding) - While this gift cannot be selected due to requiring three others, it is possible to cause it to illuminate as an option. The most accepted theory is that it deals with Fate or Destiny as a force, which is known to be possible via wild magic and famously wielded to great effect by Poicelria at the start of the 7th age. This and other theories are discussed in the corresponding chapter.
HEX 6 FACET 6: Unknown (6th Hex / 6th Facet Requirements unknown) - Unlike the 5th facet above, no combination of gifts causes this facet to illuminate. As such, there can be no useful speculation on the specific domain of this gift although the corresponding chapter does discuss some theories about why it cannot be selected.