Humans are not magical beings like the demons that now roam the surface or monsters that roamed it always. However over years they have devised ways for humans to harness and control the essence known as magic leading to three different schools of magic based on methods of evocation. Still, magic is not overtly common throughout the realm and many are concerned by it or find it unholy. The three evocation methods are Alchemy, Wizards, and Sorcery.
Sorcerers
The evocation of magic using runes. Runes are a set of lines drawn into a specific pattern and shape, many runes are known and recorded by still new ones can be uncovered and created. Once a rune is drawn it must be activated by sprinkling a source of magic onto the pattern, this causes the rune to activate and casts the spell. Sorcerers work in many different ways, some using scrolls with runes carefully drawn and maintained on them, some mark the ground with runes to set traps, and others may even use their body to hold the runes.
Wizards
The evocation of magic using incantations and stones. Certain stones are found to hold magic, and it has been found that chanting specific passages will cause these stones to cast spells for the user. Wizards obtain these stones and memorize incantations, the stones often stored on the top of staves or in pendants. Wizards are probably the least common type of magic as it requires intense memorization and to come in possession of a stone.
Alchemists[/size]
The evocation of magic using harvested materials. Humans may lack magic but by controlling the parts of deceased ones who did control it they can evoke it. Alchemists use the parts of slain monsters and demons to create tools or concoctions for their use that mimic the effect on the once living beast. While many Alchemists know how create tools and concoctions many also simply purchase or trade for the tools and take up the title of Alchemist.
[font=gothic]Demons are the residents of the underworld known as Nifhelm, and for whatever reason some roam to the surface. They have no interest in peace with humans as they desire blood to sustain themselves, seeing humans the same as cattle. Still they are just as intelligent as humans and seem to have developed personalities that affect the way they act, making them unpredictable and dangerous. Unlike humans who do not show that extreme of visual differences many demons look as if they barely share a race. Also unlike humans, demons are inherently magical beings, all seem to capable of the possession pact but some do not seem to know of it, the amount not knowing of it has decreased significantly of late.
Species and Titles
All recorded and recollected demons are bipedal distorted versions of some sort of surface creature. This leads to the species of demons have very simple human derived names in the form of ___man. For example a demon that resembles a bipedal fish would be called by humans, a fishman, or one that resembles a bull, a bullman. This simple nomenclature is useful to The Wards when speaking to normal citizens. Demons have been known to resemble odd things such as stone, dolls, bones, or certain fauna. Demons being intelligent also have names they give themselves, according to people who survive interactions with demons they do not refer to it as a name. A demons name is referred to as their title, a self-identification to differentiate themselves from others of the same species.
Magic and Possesion
Demons being inherently magical beings do not learn spells, and therefore any magic one member of a species has all will have the same magical potential. Demons magic can be varying from simple super human strength, regeneration, and/or flight or more dazzling magics like fireballs, time manipulation, or lasers. Whatever the species power most demons are able to perform the possession pact, a simple exchange between two partners that if both are willing fuses them. In this way pacts can only be done by a clever demon and not overly common, the person must not know it is a demon offering or otherwise be desperate/insane enough to not overly care if it helps them.
Once possessed a human and demon 'share' the mind, the demon having overall power. The two can talk to each other silently in the mind, but usually only one is in control of the body at a time due to confusion otherwise. The demon being the one in control can fully take over the body and mind at will and if they please the human may be in a comatose state the entire possession. Many demons let the human go about their daily life and take full control when they are hungry, never communicating with the human otherwise and just observing so they may even forget they are possessed. Others communicate with the human constantly and may even allow them to be in control most of the time, working alongside the mind.
Alongside sharing minds the body of the human is distorted, for the rest of their lives they are part demon. This makes them inherently magical unlike most humans, gaining the abilities of their demons. The magic of the demon is often distorted in a human vestige; a porcupine demon who usually always has quills would be distorted on a human into giving them the ability to magically generate quills. Of course they may also gain a simple magic like immense strength. Possession is ended by drawing a certain rune onto the body of the possessed, expelling the demon from the body into its original form but leaving the human altered.
A possessed human does not exude the mind corroding effect of a demon.
Threat Level
A simple system used by The Wards to quickly judge how careful they should approach a problem. A Threat Level is assigned to each known species; however it may be heightened if the demon shows itself to be exceptionally clever or strong. The power of a demon determines how strong their mind corrosion is, as such any threat above and including Moderate is dealt with by Wards if it can be. The decided levels are; Minimal, Minor, Low, Moderate, Great, and Extreme.
Minimal threats can be taken on by one man, they are rather rare and their weakness is so astounding. Minor threats can be taken on by a trained combatant, they are also rather rare. Low threats can be taken on by a single Ward or a small group of trained fighters, a group is recommended for normal humans as otherwise the fight may go on long enough to damage their minds; this is the most common form of demon. Moderate threats are taken on by a small group of Wards or a brave platoon of warriors. Great threats are to be taken seriously by a platoon of Wards and fatalities are expected, by far the least common form of demon. Extreme threats cover no species, it is an empty category just in case, an extreme demon would pose threat similar to that of a dragon.
The surface was far from a safe place before demons started coming from Nifhelm. Monsters of varying shapes and sizes roam the land, a monster being the term for an animal with inherent magic. As such with animals, monsters range from rather docile and playful (cats and sprites) to threats to local regions (panthers and griffons). There are a large number of monsters that work in ecosystems like any other animal, their magic often being simple like flight whilst ignoring weight as with the aforementioned griffon. It is not uncommon for a monster to be out of place in an ecosystem and threaten the local areas stability, these are usually great and extreme threats, but for the most part these monsters seem to stay hidden away in caves or on mountains. Some monsters are even able to be tamed, but most are not and are more often hunted or raised for materials.
Materials
Most important to the friendly neighborhood Alchemist the materials from monsters also fuel a good amount of everyday commodities. Simply put, as monsters are inherently magical their bodies are a source of magic, and even when severing their body parts with a bit of nasty tinkering it can work in the post mortem. Ever burning flames have been created with the guts of salamanders to light city streets at night and to keep stoves hot, the Everflame is probably the hottest commodity on the market. There are many other convenient little things made by Alchemists for everyday use, but these are the simple things they can mass produce.
The materials harvested from monsters, horns, guts, eyes, whatever all have magic in them. Many Alchemists experiment with tossing them together, putting them on everyday objects. Alchemy can be a tiring trade but it has endless opportunities. Any tool made by an Alchemist can of course be used by anyone taught what activates it, Alchemists like to make tools just for them, especially if the materials are from a tough monster.
Threat Level
Before demons came along monsters were thought about more as the constant threat, unlike demon hunting you do not need to be part of an exclusive possession club to hunt them. As such there are a number of guilds and independent folk who call themselves monster hunters, after all materials are worth a good penny. How would a person know what they could take on without a handy guide! The threat levels are the same; Minimal, Minor, Low, Moderate, Great, and Extreme.
Minimal is equivalent to a pest, like rabbits eating your carrots. Minor is like a small threat you could probably handle, an angry cat or aggressive porcupine. Low are threats to the untrained, similar to a wolf. Moderate are like big game, you either need heavy weaponry and strength or a group, like a lion or an elephant. Great threats are taken on alone by the suicidal; no animal is equivalent so let’s say a Chimera is an example of a Great level. Extreme monsters are threats to townships and nations and are also extremely rare, dragons are the most fabled extreme threat and all pray that one never appears in their lifetime.
