Aha, there you are. I was told that human travelers were visiting the realm today. Citrine and I were beginning to get worried. Welcome, newcomers. I am Arwen Wendlegard, Chief Animalogist of the realm and one of the senior founders of the MRCGA. My colleague, Thurchard, asked me to tell you about the transference process of magic.
Well it is no short explanation, mind you. Are you up for the challenge? Allow me to enlighten you on how transferring magic works here in the realm. Who knows, you might even receive a bit of magic yourself one day, if you're lucky that is.
Arwen Wendlegard
Chief Animalogist & Vice Chair of Operations at MRGCA
Citrine
Magic is an entity in and of itself. It cannot be lost, it cannot die, or in any way be “done away with”. All magical creatures are born with a standard amount of magic. The more they train, learn, hone and refine their skills, the stronger their magic becomes. The stronger one's magic is, the greater the feats that can be accomplished.
During the course of a creature’s life, their magic may undergo a variety of stages; it grows, changes and evolves along with the creature’s development.
When a host dies, its magic must be transferred to another host within 48 hours. If another sentient host does not assume the magic, it will be subsequently absorbed into the environment.
Though this may sound inconsequential, it is actually highly problematic. This is because the magic soaking into the environment causes a portal to form at the site of absorption, creating an unauthorized point of entry into the realm. Nothing boils Thurchard's blood more than when this happens. These hidden entry points are often referred to as “back doors” into the realm, and are entirely a nuisance for the MRGCA.
It is a common practice for magical creatures to imbue magic into inanimate objects. In that way, they can create unique devices that aid in making everyday life easier within the realm. This practice is not uncommon and is even taught in schools.
However, every now and then, a few unscrupulous persons may decide to reassign displaced magic into inanimate objects with the intention of using it to perform criminal acts. Examples of these objects include things such as: anti-curse mark bracelets, omen stones, or the creation of “rails”, which are illegal transportation devices to travel undetected to and from other realms.
Take for instance the Carysham clock pictured here. It goes down in history as one of our most troublesome back doors, being that it eluded us for nearly a century.
The mage who enchanted it, Carysham Van Culliver, cleverly designed it so that the back door magic only activated when the clock struck twelve. This feature rendered it completely undetectable to our operatives, since we failed to realize it had to be investigated only at that particular time.
When at last we discovered that significant detail, the mage had already managed to cause a great deal of damage within the realm, the likes of which MRGCA is still working to resolve to this day.
MAGIC TO NON-MAGIC
GIFTING
A non-magic (or common) person can obtain magic in two ways: by gifting, or gleaning. For a common person, "gifting" means that someone who has the power to wield magic can share the magic with them, thereby making them able to wield it. Doing this requires the receiver's body to be transformed into an MCV, or magic-capable vessel. The muscles interweave more tightly in order to house the additional power, the bones become more dense, and the blood and tissue are also transformed. In essence, the person is no longer human, but can now be categorized as a magical creature. The receiver's lifespan is also now extended with the newly acquired magic. Though the rewards are great, the receiving process can be painful for some.
Gifting also has a major drawback for the giver. Magical creature’s life spans are tied to their magic. If their magic is siphoned, gifted, dispersed or removed in any form, it will shorten the creature's lifespan in proportion to how much was taken. In some cases it can even cause other serious complications as well. Any creature who decides to gift some of their magic must be aware of this and prepared to accept any consequences that may arise.
A non-magic person cannot force, bribe or coerce a magical person to gift them with magic. In order for the transfer to work, it must be entirely voluntary from the gifter. The transfer will not work if there is any nervousness, resistance or reluctance on the part of the gifter. Once the non-magic person receives the shared magic, they will now have the capability to simply use it; it does not mean they are automatically given any skill. At this point it is up to them to practice and learn how to use the magic for themselves.
GIFTING MAGIC TO MAGIC
In certain instances where it may be warranted, magical creatures can transfer their magic to other magical creatures. However, they can only transfer a small portion of it, since doing this will severely shorten their own lifespan or cause detrimental consequences if too much is removed.
The most common reason for this is when magical creatures want to transfer some of their natural abilities to a creature of a different element. For example, a mermaid can gift some of their magic to another creature in order to allow that creature to be able to breathe underwater as they do. After the gifting process is over, the creature receiving the aquatic magic will be able to keep and use the ability permanently.
But be mindful: the transference process is not to be confused with simulation, which is similar but does not shorten the creature's lifespan. The process of simulation does not qualify as a full transference of magic, since its effects are only intended to be temporary.
SIMULATION
The process of simulation is another type of transference, however, the effects of this process are temporary. A magical creature may temporarily share their natural abilities with another being by integrating their lifeblood with the receiving host.
Though the specifications of using this capability differs from creature to creature, for some, the process is very painful and is thus only used in dire circumstances. Simulation is intended to be used only for a temporary period of time, and can cause serious complications if used for too long or if used too frequently.
TRANSFERENCE OF MAGIC FROM A LIVING TO A NON-LIVING HOST
In times past, the division of ethereal magic contained a number of regents skilled in this category.
Members of a family often came together and relinquished small portions of their lifespans in order to transfer it collectively to a relative who had fallen ill, or whom they felt had passed away prematurely.
Unfortunately, now that this division of magic has been terminated by the dragon sages, this option is no longer a possibility for any residents of the realm.