Leeching
From Mizahar Lore
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{{Infobox Magic | {{Infobox Magic | ||
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|availability = Throughout Mizahar | |availability = Throughout Mizahar | ||
|learned = Users, books | |learned = Users, books | ||
| - | |concept = | + | |concept = Acquiring [[Djed]] from external sources for use in spellcasting |
| - | |uses = | + | |uses = Letting the user cast more magic than otherwise possible |
| - | |risks = | + | |risks = Short- and long-term poisoining, physical and mental disorder, frailty |
}} | }} | ||
| - | '''Leeching''' is a discipline of [[personal magic]] that focuses on | + | '''Leeching''' is a discipline of [[personal magic]] that focuses on rapidly acquiring [[Djed]] for use in other personal magic. If he can replenish his Djed, a Leecher can cast more magic than a regular wizard before yielding to [[overgiving]]. Leeching can absorb Djed from mostly anything: the environment, living creatures, and especially fellow wizards. At high levels, they can even absorb other personal magic cast in the area to replenish themselves. However, Leeching has a terrible price that made it a restricted form of [[magic]] before the [[Valterrian]]: the Djed gained in this unnatural way is hardly pure or refined. It is, in fact, toxic to the user. Every time the Leecher employs his powers, he is willingly poisoning himself. |
| + | |||
| + | ==History== | ||
| + | Leeching has always been considered a dark form of magic, even though it is really no more amoral than any other personal magic. Perhaps, what gives it such a gloomy reputation is the fact that it damages both the user and his target. What is certain is that Leeching was discovered shortly after the invention of writing, though rudimentary forms might be even more ancient. In [[Alahea]], it took a special government license to practice Leeching (just like [[Summoning]]), fearing the long-term poisoning effects. In [[Suvan]], on the other hand, Leeching was common among battle wizards, who were taught to use it on their dying comrades in battle to make them useful until the end. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==How it works== | ||
| + | Creatures absorb Djed, the essence of the mortal world giving form and identity to everything that is real, naturally through food and drink. A part of that Djed can be spent doing personal magic, but spending more than this amount can lead to overgiving, a state in which the organism is deprived of its very building blocks. It is quite natural that some wizards would seek a way around the system, no matter the cost. Leeching does exactly this; it replaces the lost Djed with a hastily gathered surrogate coming from another source. This Djed is alien to the body, and not particularly good for spellcasting, either, but Leechers know that every little bit helps. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Leeching is the polar opposite of [[Reimancy]], and the two are the hardest disciplines to mix; while Reimancy is about expelling one's essence from the body, Leeching is about driving it into the body. This is accomplished through physical contact; Djed enters the body through the skin or any opening available. The requirement for touch cannot be avoided; the user needs to make contact with the thing he wants to draw from. He has to focus on consuming the target, inducing its energies to flow into him. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The amount of Djed acquired in this way depends on the source. One can draw Djed from a rock, but the net gain would be laughable. Leeching in general has two modes of operation: an unfocused one, in which the Leecher keeps his whole body open and absorbs from the environment, and a focused one, which steals from a specific source that is being touched. Unfocused mode is by far the slower of the two, unless there is a sizeable amount of magical energies in the area. When this is not the case, it will provide a modest boost that is only noticeable after a period of time. Focused mode is much faster, and definitely more intense as well, if the source has enough Djed to donate. The source is typically a live creature or an item charged with any form of magic, which they suck dry eventually. It also damages the Leecher much faster. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In general, master Leechers are physically very frail. Practitioners are of a sickly disposition that only gets worse as one's rank increases. Even counter-measures such as [[Healing]] cannot bring them back to health because their condition is not anomalous; it is the normal default state for them, their very essence. If they do not have a stable body, such as the [[Nuit]], they burn through their bodies at appalling speeds, never synchronizing well with any of them. They become entirely dependent on their lengthened magical abilities for defense. | ||
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| + | WIP | ||
| - | + | ==Initiation== | |
| + | Initiation into Leeching is the most brutal among the known forms of personal magic. The prospective user is quite simply sucked dry of any amount of usable Djed, almost to the point of death. Given the amount to be absorbed, initiation can easily last hours, which the wizard will usually remember as among the worst of his life. | ||
Revision as of 19:48, 4 January 2010
| Personal magic | |
 | |
| Full name | Leeching |
|---|---|
| Availability | Throughout Mizahar |
| Learned from | Users, books |
| Key concept | Acquiring Djed from external sources for use in spellcasting |
| Uses | Letting the user cast more magic than otherwise possible |
| Risks | Short- and long-term poisoining, physical and mental disorder, frailty |
Leeching is a discipline of personal magic that focuses on rapidly acquiring Djed for use in other personal magic. If he can replenish his Djed, a Leecher can cast more magic than a regular wizard before yielding to overgiving. Leeching can absorb Djed from mostly anything: the environment, living creatures, and especially fellow wizards. At high levels, they can even absorb other personal magic cast in the area to replenish themselves. However, Leeching has a terrible price that made it a restricted form of magic before the Valterrian: the Djed gained in this unnatural way is hardly pure or refined. It is, in fact, toxic to the user. Every time the Leecher employs his powers, he is willingly poisoning himself.
History
Leeching has always been considered a dark form of magic, even though it is really no more amoral than any other personal magic. Perhaps, what gives it such a gloomy reputation is the fact that it damages both the user and his target. What is certain is that Leeching was discovered shortly after the invention of writing, though rudimentary forms might be even more ancient. In Alahea, it took a special government license to practice Leeching (just like Summoning), fearing the long-term poisoning effects. In Suvan, on the other hand, Leeching was common among battle wizards, who were taught to use it on their dying comrades in battle to make them useful until the end.
How it works
Creatures absorb Djed, the essence of the mortal world giving form and identity to everything that is real, naturally through food and drink. A part of that Djed can be spent doing personal magic, but spending more than this amount can lead to overgiving, a state in which the organism is deprived of its very building blocks. It is quite natural that some wizards would seek a way around the system, no matter the cost. Leeching does exactly this; it replaces the lost Djed with a hastily gathered surrogate coming from another source. This Djed is alien to the body, and not particularly good for spellcasting, either, but Leechers know that every little bit helps.
Leeching is the polar opposite of Reimancy, and the two are the hardest disciplines to mix; while Reimancy is about expelling one's essence from the body, Leeching is about driving it into the body. This is accomplished through physical contact; Djed enters the body through the skin or any opening available. The requirement for touch cannot be avoided; the user needs to make contact with the thing he wants to draw from. He has to focus on consuming the target, inducing its energies to flow into him.
The amount of Djed acquired in this way depends on the source. One can draw Djed from a rock, but the net gain would be laughable. Leeching in general has two modes of operation: an unfocused one, in which the Leecher keeps his whole body open and absorbs from the environment, and a focused one, which steals from a specific source that is being touched. Unfocused mode is by far the slower of the two, unless there is a sizeable amount of magical energies in the area. When this is not the case, it will provide a modest boost that is only noticeable after a period of time. Focused mode is much faster, and definitely more intense as well, if the source has enough Djed to donate. The source is typically a live creature or an item charged with any form of magic, which they suck dry eventually. It also damages the Leecher much faster.
In general, master Leechers are physically very frail. Practitioners are of a sickly disposition that only gets worse as one's rank increases. Even counter-measures such as Healing cannot bring them back to health because their condition is not anomalous; it is the normal default state for them, their very essence. If they do not have a stable body, such as the Nuit, they burn through their bodies at appalling speeds, never synchronizing well with any of them. They become entirely dependent on their lengthened magical abilities for defense.
WIP
Initiation
Initiation into Leeching is the most brutal among the known forms of personal magic. The prospective user is quite simply sucked dry of any amount of usable Djed, almost to the point of death. Given the amount to be absorbed, initiation can easily last hours, which the wizard will usually remember as among the worst of his life.