After the cataclysm the four elemental crystals started pouring large quantities of Mana into the land. This created the advanced elements; corrupt forms of elements that should not naturally exist in a balanced Eldorath.
Each element has one Advanced form. When one advanced from a basic magic to an advanced magic, they lose their previous element.
-
Water > Ice
-
Earth > Life
-
Fire > Lightning
-
Air > Vortex
Tells
Tells are the telltale signs of an Advanced Mage. They are aesthetic, and mental representations of ones progression into the sickness. Internal tells exist too, for those paying close attention to the afflicted mage. Tells begin at the hands, and overtime spread across the body. It is up to the player how they want the tells to spread, appear and progress on their character aesthetically. Tells are freeform and are meant to be a type of expression.
Redlines
The appearance Tell’s take on is freeform and can show up on the mage’s body, as the player pleases.
Tell’s themself cannot harm another player.
The colour of the tell may take on the colour of the mage’s Aura.
Vortex Tells
Vortex tells are characterized around physical traits rather than internalized ones. Most notably, fluid patterns reminiscent of tattoos or ink that manifest on their skin anywhere on the body. Where the cluster of ‘ink’ ends, small wisps branch out. Everchanging and reactive to any sort of emotional outburst.
Vortex mages often suffer brief periods of dissociation, staring blankly for moments before snapping back into focus. By the time one has advanced, the Vortex Mage cannot be heard breathing anymore. As their tells advance, they suffer from endurance loss unable to maintain breath in their lungs.
-
Core 1: Mages Dominant Hand (Or one of their hands if ambidextrous)
-
Core 2: Mages Lungs
Early Signs: Air
As the air mage summons wind, their control over their body begins to slip. Their form starts to waver. Suddenly, they find themselves displaced three (3) blocks in front of where they started!
Late Signs: Air
As the air mage attempts to summon wind, they feel unusual. The area around them is suddenly devoid of any sound. Their movements are sluggish, their head fuzzy. The mage may attempt to hold this bubble devoid of substance for 30 seconds. Afterwards, they will be incapable of mentally continuing without passing out. The mage’s fingers look like they had been dipped in a cup of ink, though they do not yet move with the fluidity and quantity they eventually will. Afterwards, they find themselves mana-depleted for 1 day.
From now on, the air mage will find themselves short of breath and struggle to breath, as if their lungs are no longer capable of taking in the same amount of air as they once did.
Whenever the mage casts air spells, the visible streams become discordant and jittery. The air is sometimes silent.
Progression into Vortex
The air mage will begin to feel volatile, their body shifting in what feels like a lagging reality. It is extremely disorienting and threatens to split apart their entire being. If they let it, their mana channels will rearrange evenly, distributing throughout the mage’s body. However, they will move horizontally, partially “clipping” out of the mage’s body in a form of dissociation between the mana channels and the mage. Their tells will settle into their permanent state as their magic shifts into the Vortex.
Life Tells
Life tells are characterized by being the most grim out of the four, yet the most subtle too. Over a period of prolonged usage, the caster will begin to notice small patches of tissue slowly wasting away. It only ever appears along their forearms and hands, occurring as clumps focused in one area rather than being spread out. Cleanliness is a must.
Overgrown Tells
Some individuals may instead experience an abundance of flora growing over their form instead of decay. This is an alternative type of life tell known as Overgrown tells.
The primary tell for life mages is internalized struggle and conflict. They do not get a mental illness because they are a life mage, but being able to both save a person and kill them with even the smallest shift in their thought is a lot of weight to put on anybodies shoulders.
-
Core 1: Pelvic Floor
-
Core 2: Just below rib cage
First Signs: Terra
As the terra mage summons some vines, a few of them, once healthy and vibrant, shrivel up. Signs of rot shoot up across their form.
Second Signs: Terra
As the Terra mage summons a bundle of vines, they find it begins to immediately shrivel up and die, rot covering its entire form. And then come back to life. And die. And revive. If the terra mage focuses, they may be able to maintain one of these two forms for 30 seconds, quelling the chaos. As they do, small patches of necrosis begin to form on their hands. Afterwards, they find themselves mana-depleted for 1 day.
From now on, the Terra mage begins to feel a deep sense of melancholy. Similar to an existential crisis as their outlook on life begins to be put into a new perspective.
Whenever the mage casts life spells, patches of rot coats their summoned vines.
Progression into Life
The terra mage will begin to feel deathly ill, akin to a plague being brought upon them. They will want to gag and heave. If they allow themself to do so, their mana channels will wrap around their heart and lungs, spreading out across them like wings to protect the mages vital organs. Their tells will settle into their permanent state as their magic shifts into Life.
Ice Tells
Ice tells are characterized for being external in how it is perceived. Rigid, numbing, and emanating a cold around it as if the hands were made of ice themselves. This is further observed through the fingernails as they turn to ice. Patches and streaks of the skin are red and irritated as if exposed to frost with scattered fractures of ice protruding from the skin along the forearm like thorns. Where the skin might have been frostbitten on others, it is instead a soft shade of blue that is comparable to that of blue ice. In some cases, these patches of skin may have a soft layer of frost over them as well.
Further details can be seen when one touches objects or surfaces where prolonged exposure to the touch of one with these tells often leaves a lingering layer of frost as well as making it cold to the touch. Water can typically be frozen over as well, when exposed for a short period of time, but it will return to a liquid state after a few moments.
-
Core: Spine
-
Core: Feet
First Signs: Water
As the water mage summons water, a cold breeze brushes past their fingers. Here and there, balls of ice fall to the ground like hail.
Second Signs: Water
As the water mage attempts to summon water, solid ice begins to crack, forming the abstract structure that water formed. The mage may attempt to hold the water like this by concentrating on this newfound state of matter. As they do so, small shards of ice will snap and crack out of their arm. The ice will suddenly rupture back into water after 30 seconds. One or two shards of ice will protrude from the mage’s forearm. Though they cannot leave frost upon surfaces, it looks basic compared to what it will be after advancement. Afterwards, they find themselves mana-depleted for 1 day.
From now on, the water mage begins to feel like they have a constant cold sweat. When they breath, a fog leaves their mouth like that of a frosty cold morn.
Whenever the mage casts water spells, small droplets of ice fall from the mages hands.
Progression into Ice
The ice mage will begin to feel frigid, a layer of frost coating their arms. Their breath is visible against the warm air. The cold will make them want to crawl up and accept their fate. If they do so, their mana channels will rearrange into a more solid form around where core muscle groups are found. Their tells will settle into their permanent state as their magic shifts into Ice.
Lightning Tells
Lightning tells are identifiable by golden scars that streak in sharp bolt-like patterns or veins all along the skin. This is arguably one of the most physically reactive tells out of the rest of them as these deep wounds bore a subtle glow that emanates from them when feelings/tensions are high. The hair on their body has a tendency to frizz up, and most of the time it causes static electricity.
Lightning mages experience a loss of sight, that can be mitigated with tools such as glasses. They often lose the ability to see detail at a distance. Their fine motor skills suffer, becoming jerky, rigid motions.
Lightning mages become erratic and unpredictable. They are often the least in touch with their feelings of any advanced mage, one moment calm. Bursting with heightened emotional in another. They feel all of their emotions with intensity, rarely experiencing managed feeling.
-
Core 1: Chest
-
Core 2: Eyes
First Signs: Fire
As the fire mage summons flame, a gentle shock akin to touching a statically charged person will jolt the mage! For a brief moment, a slight crackle of energy will bounce between the mage’s fingertips.
Second Signs: Fire
Pain shoots up the mage’s arm as the fire mage summons flame. Fire rupture outward, surrounded by crackling electric energy. If the mage focuses here and channels their mana into this newfound energy, the fire will dissipate, but they may maintain the lightning crackling around their arm for 30 seconds. Afterwards, it will fade out, leaving the mage’s Mana depleted for 1 day. Scars akin to having been struck by lightning run across the mage’s arm where the energy had been maintained, though they do not yet glow.
From now on, the fire mage begins to struggle seeing fine detail. They begin to view distant objects as a blur, and their fine motor skills begin to wane. Each movement sudden and jerky.
Whenever the mage casts fire spells, slight jolts of crackling energy spark out from their hand.
Progression into Lightning
The fire mage will begin to feel the crackling energy trying to burst forth. It is painful, begging them to allow it to run its course. If they let it, their mana channels will rearrange into a chaotic spool of tangled wires around their chest. Their tells will settle into their permanent state as their magic shifts into lightning.
