A Foray into the Realm of Valanthian Magic
By Field Researcher, Scholar Kruk of Boldragoth University.

Air Magic differs from other magics in that, above all else, it requires intelligence to use properly. Volkain, when he created the restrictions and guidelines, decided that he would not want a group of people to be grunting, throwing rocks, performing base maneuvers as adequately accomplished with a rock or a bow. Volkain felt he had something over his brother, Dio, and that was his wit. With this in mind, he forsook the physical, obvious means of damage or manipulation, in favor of a willing cooperation with the air that he controlled. Then he realized that the optimistic view his children were intelligent was somewhat foolish and gave them the gift of lightning.

Air magic comes from the most easily accessible thing in the world, the air around. While fire requires as much as a sunny day, and water needs a river, Air Magic just asks that you have enough air to breathe. Where the Air Mage takes this air, however, relies on a mindset, which is far different from any other element. In almost all situations, electric magic derives from the interior element of a person, save when a storm is present.

Air magic is best separated into a few groups. First is Air Manipulation, which revolves around the motion of air. A powerful gust can send an individual 10 feet in the air, or conversely the complete motionless of air makes for a nigh-impenetrable wall. Following is Electric Magic, which focuses on lightning, somewhat, but usually on a smaller scale. And finally, the favorite of many powerful magi, Weather, an immensely powerful force that is only attempted by a few daring, and often stupid souls. We begin our search into these with the Offensive capabilities.

Offensive Magic

Air isn't often considered when you think of massive assaults on enemies, and that probably is not the point, however Air, when used properly, and intelligently works just as well as any exploding fireball.

Air Manipulation, best used offensively, is in large gusts of wind, a proper air mage can send winds flying at enemies that flatten hoards at a time; they redirect arrows, and have a habit of flinging people in full plate armor toward deep lakes. Also capable of sending people flying up into the air to crash down, though not nearly as proficient at this technique as the more focused Psychic Element. No, Air's offensive magic lies predominantly with...

Lightning. The highly reactive, incredibly quick, and outright scary magic wielded only by an Air Mage. Air Mages have been known to cook people in full steel armor with well placed blasts, a basic and simple magic, that is very similar to the fireball, in that all you can do is make it bigger, and more powerful. Lightning magic comes from, at most times, inside a person. However if a storm cloud is properly placed it is just as likely, if somewhat more difficult, to call lightning down from above, which in turn is much more powerful. Depending on the skill of a mage a bolt of lightning can technically be called out of a clear blue sky, but few are able to do it past dark grey clouds.

Storms, finally, are a very difficult beast to control. With some combination of the talent of manipulating air, and that of the reactive force of lightning, clouds may be combined, condensed, and eventually transform into violent maelstroms. The problem lying here is that while technically good for offense, particularly with a mage who is any good at redirecting lightning, it takes an extremely long time to create something such as this. One mage, by the name of Hazzer Shiphs, I found, who went through Deisach on foot, gathering clouds as he went to follow him in an unbelievably large storm which hovered behind him, until he reached the town of Tergata and attempted a one man war on it. An arrow, ironically, shot him, before he had let go a single raindrop, but the potential still lies.

Defensive Magic

Walls, all elements have some form of wall. Earth has actual ones, Fire has ones that immolate those who touch them, Air however, has the invisible wall. A wall created by the condensing and stopping of air in a certain place. Usable to stop, trap, or on occasion, confuse those against you. Magi have created two feet air walls to trip charging cavalry, and huge fifty foot ones that arrows seem to just bounce off of. Depending on the mage's relationship with air, and how well they understand how it works, the easier it is to make this wall.

Air also has the small area of electric walls, which, while usually interspersed with air walls, add a bit of a punch, which one finds obvious.

Much of Air magic that can be used offensively can just as easily be used defensively. Bursts of air and lightning, which keep enemies away from you. The line between what is best used in one area or another is so vague it is difficult to understand.

Practical Magic

Storms, while often thought might be good for bringing in rain or shade, or similar things are not, by any means, practical. A tornado shoving through your town is not good, regardless of how long it has been since the last one.

In practicality, Air may be used as a quick replacement for small psychic telekinesis, moving objects by the air around them, rather than the item itself.

In short addition to this utilization comes one of the favorite points of Air Magic. Flight. Flight is achieved by compressing the air around part of a person's body and decompressing it on the other side, thus shooting a person forward by means of simple pressure release. Flying people have this long-standing habit of being so far above people that they aren't seen until they start shooting arrows. One of the reasons Winglies were so hated.

It is this mechanism of flight that makes most airships run, at least in part.

Somewhat related to this, many sailors use air magic to keep their ships constantly on the move, pirate ships have been well known to carry an air mage for ramming capabilities.

Air mages live their life thinking they've the best element. They fly, high above the rest of the world, casting down lightning as though they were some sort of vengeful god. Which tends to make them arrogant and snide. More than one has been shot by some hunter thinking they were a crow, ironically.