Greed - The First Sin

Volume 1

The Dark Magician's modern guide to magic.

Volume 1

Affinities:

An affinity is, in its simplest form, a way of communicating with the world's natural elements using one's soul. Everyone is born with one of four affinities, fire, water, earth, and air ordered from the most common to least common. It is possible for people to perform magic of other elements, like electricity and metal, although that is a rare talent, and requires tremendous amounts of discipline and time. A person with an earth affinity cannot learn how to do fire magic, but they may learn how to manipulate other elements outside of the main four. Affinities are also highly dependent on genetics, you are very likely to take after your biological father's affinity.

Magic:

Magic is not limited to these four core elements. Certain magicians and mages study their entire lives to be able to control, to a small degree, other elements, such as electricity, metal, and other potentially useful sub-elements. Sub-elements include, but are not limited to plants, blood, smoke, and magma.

Mutation:

A mutation is a somewhat uncommon occurrence that alters the way the soul communicates with a specified element. It can result in very good magical breakthroughs namely abilities useful in modern medicine, construction, or the military. Within mutations are certain subsets, of more common mutations. For example, many mutant fire affinities can pinpoint what temperature a certain object is just by outstretching their hand and concentrating, without direct contact needed.

Fire:

Flame affinities are the most common, making up about 55% of the population. People with flame affinities generally have the highest combat prowess out of everyone else. Flame affinities are also the most common out of the other three affinities. However, this type of magic is ill-suited for anything outside of a battlefield, because of its extremely volatile nature. There is limitless potential with mutations for this specific element, whether you can communicate with souls, control heat conduction, or in rare occurrences [See: Fathom in Volume 2.], control the molecular structure of a given object.

Water:

Water affinities are common as well, consisting of a good 25% of all people. They are very multi-purpose and necessary for modern medicine, as the magic of controlled water naturally mends any organic substance, resulting in enhanced healing. Although I myself do not understand much about this, it's a fascinating and undoubtedly useful subject. Mutations with water can result in being able to control saltwater, being able to detect the flow of water (A very common mutation), or in rare occurrences, being able to detect flow in water compounds such as blood (A very uncommon mutation), detecting its movement through the human body. Many revolutionary doctors have saved lives by understanding what moves through the given sample of blood.

Earth:

Around 15% of the world's people have an earth affinity. This affinity, although not very multi-purposed, is generally used for two different areas. Construction, for obvious reasons, and healing as well. Earth magically binds, preserving something in a state as long as the magic is active. Doctors can hold a patient, preserving that person's body until the surgery is done, or for other very useful purposes. Mutations include, but are not limited to, being able to preserve something without contact, moving anything earth-related without direct contact, or, in the more uncommon occurrences, being able to manipulate, or "communicate with" plant matter. As this has happened very few times in history, it is unknown if that extends towards animals as well.

Air:

The rarest affinity, only consisting of 5% of the world. Due to their small numbers, not many are born, and they usually die when they are born for unknown causes. Additionally, the vast majority of air wielders that make it to adulthood are mutants, and air has the highest mutation percentage out of any other affinity. Nearly 95% of all users have some sort of mutation, so naturally, over time this has resulted in many different variants of mutations. From being able to control smoke and other gases, to feeling airflow, to sensing weather changes days before they happen.

Void:

Legends tell of void affinities, although this is now seen as impossible, simply because of the way the soul communicates with the world, and how void magic smothers the flame of the soul. Although no one can wield this invisible force, it's still a danger. Like any other element, some elementals come from it, even though it should not be possible. Any void elemental is in a constant state of death, as its soul draws power from the void, but is also being put out by it simultaneously, resulting in a very powerful, very angry, and very hard-to-kill creature that will always find equilibrium between death and life. There are two ways to kill these creatures consistently. Using a blackspawn is the first method, as the elementals are, for unknown reasons, highly vulnerable to the magical attacks of blackspawn. The second, much more common way, is to gather four powerful mages of each affinity and to have them attack it simultaneously.

Elementals:

When a person, usually children, summon a lot of power without controlling it properly, it can result in attracting an elemental from an unknown plane of existence. Somewhat intelligent creatures, elementals are not to be trifled with. They feed off of their element and must be attacked by their opposing affinity. If done properly, they are easy to dispel. If you ever encounter an elemental made with void, electrical, or metal magic, you must flee, because these are elements that are not commonly wielded by humans, and must need a professional to dispel them. Elementals generally take the form of an existing animal, common examples are wolves, cats of any sort, reptiles, or birds. However, the more notorious ones are able to manifest themselves into anything they want, resulting in small dragons, or large serpents. Elementals cannot be killed, simply weakened, and sent back to their plane of existence where they must gather enough strength to manifest themselves once more.

Blackspawn:

These are people born with affinities without the ability to use them. Making up a small, incalculable percentage, they are looked down upon by the public, for reasons I do not agree with [See: Fathom in Volume 2.]. Being a blackspawn does not change the person's personality, it simply implies they cannot use their magic unless under one condition. They must die. The prior belief is that they must be close to death, but upon further study, they do indeed die, and come back to life, with magical powers far exceeding the average person.

Binate Affinity:

A very rare occurrence, where the body is meant to communicate with one element, but the soul speaks with another. This results in a very dangerous and unpredictable life for the person wielding this curse. In simplicity, from what modern scientists and I understand, this is caused when the body is meant and protected from, a certain element, yet the soul exceeds in controlling another element. This results in being able to use two types of magic, but not to their fullest potential. One may cause harm to your body but have excellent raw power, and the other may be completely safe to use, but will lack many uses, or may "act up" [See: Remnant in Volume 2.].