Eldritch Guidance

“The effectiveness of enhancement magic is determined by two factors. Ya ability to cast that magic, and ya own physical ability ya enhancing.

“Enhancement magic acts as a multiplier, capable of doubling or tripling ya strength. However, if ya not inherently strong, its benefits are limited. If ya too weak, ya need to channel more aether for any significant increase in strength. The general rule is: the more aether ya invest in enhancement magic, the greater the boost to ya physical abilities.

“Keep in mind, ya should never use enhancement magic beyond ya limit. That limit is determined by physical health and aether control. When ya use enhancement magic on ya self, some of that aether bleeds out into ya muscle. A little bit of aether in your muscle is no big deal, but if ya got too much it can rip em apart. That’s why aether control is important. It limits how much of that aether bleeds out into ya muscle. And, ya health determines how much aether can stay in ya muscle before it starts tearing it apart.

“Also, depending what element ya use with your enhancement magic, it can add additional effects. The most useful elements in combat for enhancement magic are Fire, Wind, Vito. Wind makes people light and able to move faster, while fire gives ya the best explosive increase in strength. Vito removes fatigue and can slowly heal the user, allowing ya to keep on fighting.

“Of course ya can use any element with enhancing magic, but those three are the best in lots of combat situations. The only exception to that rule is never use Necros with enhancement magic. Necros will actually cause the enhancement magic to behave opposite to what it is supposed to do and make ya weaker. It’s actually more effective to use Necros enhancement on an enemy than ya self.”

—“Combat Magic 101” by Warren Delk

Alan was standing outside in the center of a training area. He was in the middle of practicing fusion magic, trying to combine wind and vito to create lightning. The surrounding air crackled with energy as he carefully channeled his aether. He was determined to create this new pseudo-element and control it. Sweat formed on his brow from effort, as he waved his hands around with precision, leaving a trail of wispy energy as he did so.

He then brought his hands close together, focusing intently. In the space between his palms, that wispy bluish energy that resembled smoke began to gather and compress into a single point. It floated there, slowly accumulating more aether, until arcs of blue electricity started to leap from it into the air. Sweat dripped from Alan's face as he concentrated.

The wispy energy gradually began to solidify, on the verge of transforming into a ball of lightning. Suddenly, some of the arcs of electricity coming off it turned a yellowish-orange. The ball of energy, no longer stable, started to move erratically between his hands, slowly expanding in size and threatening to break free.