Alchemic magic is any object or device that stores, channels, and/or casts magic. These objects are products of a creation magus (Alchemist), commonly called magic items. Alchemic magic is usable by anyone, with or without magic ability.
Many everyday items are enhanced with magic. Magically enhanced armor, weapons, trinkets, jewelry, and focus are examples of this type of alchemic magic. A focus doesn't store or cast magic but acts like a funnel for magic and magic manipulation. Other alchemic magic items may consistently hold a magic spell until the energy powering the item is depleted or the item is broken. Stronger items may require attunement to be used.
Attuning is binding an alchemic item to someone’s velanil. Anyone can have an alchemic device attuned to them by a Creation, Mystic, or Sage magus.
Alchemic items cannot break by typical means. Esoteric and divine magics cannot alter or manipulate them from their current state. Therefore, many countries use alchemic magic for their military. Most nations have their gear parts, armor, and weaponry forged by one or more forge masters, or Undine blessed, and then convert the weapons and armor to an alchemic item by creation magus.
Not all alchemic items are the same and typically bear a signature from their creator. Any magus can detect an alchemist's signature, but only an alchemist can decipher another alchemist’s work. However, an alchemist could spend their lifetime unraveling another Alchemist’s work, especially for any complex or ancient alchemic magic. They might understand its magic type, its general ability, and the power the item possesses. The stronger the item’s power the more difficult it can be to discern its properties and use or ability.
Many have died underestimating the power of alchemic magic. There is real value in alchemic items, especially ones crafted by renowned Alchemists and ancient alchemic magic. While not all alchemic magic is rare, these items still are costly. An alchemic item may be a family heirloom for generations, even if it has simple magical properties. Those with more complex spell abilities are even more valuable and rare amongst the common populace. Ancient alchemic magic, items that predate the War of Daishevar, are exceedingly rare and highly sought after. Alchemists are always looking for these ancient pieces, as they give them clues about past civilizations and their magic. It may also bring innovations to the realm, which could benefit… or ruin. Either way, they can fetch a hefty payout to the sellers, and so many try to hunt down ancient alchemic artifacts.
Magite & Focus
Magite is a rare magic stone found throughout the realms that is the byproduct of magical energies left behind in Calamia’s creation. Some say magite is the raw essence of creation, others say that it is the veins of Calamia itself. It is a crystalline gem that can vary from clear to milky or smoky, in a swirling mix of colors, fire, and brilliance, but always with a consistent iridescent sheen on its surface and a swirling sparkle of energy within - each stone or vein like a tiny contained galaxy. In its unrefined form it has a soft luminescence, in its refined form it may or may not glow depending on its use. The only magus that can manipulate magite is creation and crystal magus.
Creation and crystal magus can refine magite, but only magite that is raw from Calamia itself. Magite is unusable and unalterable when it is the remnants of the magi-burned magus.
Refined magite has one of two uses - it becomes a focus or it becomes a magite vessel to store energy. Creation magus can make items using magite, which changes the item’s properties. Crystal magus can create focus and some magic items with magite.
A focus does not create or change one’s magic but is a tool to aid magus in magic casting. It helps magus cast their magic more efficiently and optimizes spell-casting speed. All educated magus use a focus as an additional step to help the magus cast spells, as it is one of the easiest ways to fortify their bridge to their velanil. This focus could be anything and just about any size, from a piece of magite in a sword hilt to jewelry, an orb, a staff, or a wand. The refined magite used in a focus must be a minimum of 4 cm x 4 cm and be at least 2 cm in thickness to be used as a focus. The size of the focus beyond this does not change its purpose, as all focus acts the same regardless of their size. To use a focus, the magus must touch it to their bare skin, and maintain contact with the item while casting spells. To extend this, a magus can attune their velanil to a focus. While attunement to a focus is unnecessary, there are magus who attune their energy to a focus as it grants an additional fortification to their velanil bridge and allows them to use the focus so long as it is within a specific range of them instead of having to have it touch their skin. It also bonds the focus to them only, making it unusable by anyone else unless it is re-attuned.
Many magite stones used for focus use their standard crystalline shape or are shaped into cabochons, cubes, rods, or orbs. Magite stone is complex and volatile to work within its raw state. Rarely will you see refined magite that is cut and looks like dazzling gemstones, which are exceedingly expensive.
Working large pieces of magite is extremely difficult and takes the skill of more than one crystal magus. Because of this, using large pieces for focus is unheard of and unnecessary, as larger pieces do not make a focus better or more efficient. However, larger pieces can store more magical energy, and so these vessels are often reserved for magic item creation.
Attuning
Attuning is where an individual has a magic item bonded to their velanil. Some magic items may not need attunement depending on what they do and their rarity, but any magic item that casts a spell requires it. Attuning is done with a drop of blood on the magic item’s insignia. Attuning does nothing else otherwise, it is simply like having a key to a locked door. The magic item doesn’t use the person’s velanil to cast spells or give them any benefit other than allowing them to use the item's ability. This could be for just wearing it and having its benefits, to using it to cast a spell, or create an effect, etc. Magic items can only have one attunement at a time. Any magus can remove attunement, but it is a process that takes time, and the magus has to be in contact with the user and their magic item.
