Magic in the setting of Riptide Manor (and The Relic) does not only require Essence, but also a catalyst or physical component in the form of a Focus.
However, the relationships of these focus materials, and indeed the forms that magic takes and how it is taught and divided, vary greatly between the cultures of the world.
In broad terms, the world can be divided into three "supercultures":
- The people of the cold South, the Forestfolk and Seafarers
- The people of the blinding North, the Desertfolk and City-builders
- The people of the windswept West, the Islandfolk and Nomads
And yet, even between these diverse peoples, one aspect is constant: a symmetry of four.
Below, I will detail one of these cultures of magic, namely the one most relevant to how i want to structure Riptide Manor's spells.
In the South, magic is taught and studied in the form of Colours.
Sidenote: when describing magic foci, i will be using real-world chemical analogues that would likely be unknown to those within the setting. Chemistry as we know it would not exist at the time the story takes place, though some primitive alchemical study may have arisen.
Personally i just think giving them a semi-sensical physical reason is neat so that's why i did it.
Blue magic is the manipulation of Substance, pertaining to movement and pressure and heat. Its focus comes from Chalk, Seashells, Pearls, and Bones: all things naturally high in Calcium.
In Riptide Manor, Blue magic takes the form of Tidal spells, drawing forth the stagnant water that drowns the land, flooding and displacing enemies with powerful waves of force and water.
Gold magic (sometimes called Green magic) is the manipulation of Life, pertaining to healing, growth, and poison. Its focus comes from Wood, Amber, Leather, and Meat: organic compounds high in Carbon, and themselves abundant sources of Essence.
In Riptide Manor, healing will be scarce, but Gold magic will also take the form of Venom spells and equipment, deadly poisons, in addition to ever-important healing items.
Red magic is the manipulation of Energy, pertaining to thunder, metal and senses. Its focus comes from Copper, Iron, Red Clay and certain Precious Stones: conductive metals, pure or not.
In Riptide Manor, Red magic is not quite as pure as i've outlined here, taking the form of Flare spells that cross over between fire and lightning. In fact, Flare magic has more in common with the Fire magic of the Northern deserts.
White magic is the manipulation of Vision, pertaining to farsight, fortunes and light. Its focus comes from Glass, Sand, White Clay and Quartz: all the many and varied forms of Silicon.
In Riptide Manor, White magic will likely not make a strong appearance, though it does share some similarities with the underlying force behind the manor's current state, which i won't go into here. Gotta keep some things up my sleeve!