A Brief Glance into the Magic of Andriath
By Field Researcher, Scholar Kruk of Boldragoth University.

The magic of Andriath, the water continent, can be best described as artistic in nature. While other magics focus around the end result it seems that the Water Elemental prefer to focus on the means to the end. Spells often contain elaborate motions, and magical residue that sparkles divinely. The spells themselves are often more showy than necessary, causing fountains to erupt and small puffy clouds to form. The majority of proper water magic is very aesthetic.

Water magic originates in water sources near the caster of the spell, snow, fjords, buckets of water, or simply draws its power from the air around. Water is constantly hidden in the air, what we think of as humidity is a very useful, and sometimes necessary, tool for Water magi. It is for this reason why Water magi stay away from Ercus, the fire continent, as a rule, there being few bodies of water and an extremely low amount of water in the air, leaving the Water mage with only the inner magic and matter in themselves to perform any spells.

As all magic in Fou Lu, Water magic may be separated into three forms, offensive magic, defensive magic, and practical magic. Certain summons of the water area dodge these categories, of course, however summoning is typically separated as a form of magic from traditional elemental, much like Necromancy and Animism.

Offensive Magic

The first type of water magic we discuss will be offensive water magic. Though traditionally thought of as weak in this field, after much research I discovered that water magic is, indeed, just as potent in this field as any other element. A key factor of water magic is the forms it easily arrives in, while in fire magic you are forced to use the flame, in water magic the solid, liquid, and gaseous forms may all be used. The offensive magic mainly focuses on the former two.

Ice, when frozen to the right temperature, works just as well as any metal to throw in blade form, even causing holes in solid houses, and undoubtedly on solid attackers. A few magi even practice with icy weaponry, counting on their own magic to keep the blade under freezing, while still keeping their hands properly warmed.

Water, though less specific, can easily cause widespread damage. Where in Earth magic a mage may throw a rock that could be dodged, a Water mage may very well throw a wave of water that will constantly push an enemy back, and as a bonus, nonlethally in most situation. The power of water is very subtle in most situations, as the old saying goes, a little rain never hurt anyone, but a lot can kill you. Water magic illustrates this wonderfully, with the ability of some magi to flood entire houses, or saturate the ground to make buildings and walls collapse. Formidable indeed.

Defensive Magic

The defensive properties of Water magic focus predominantly on gaseous and solid forms of water.

Gas, though relatively intangible, and obviously not dense enough to cause any real damage, is an excellent diversionary tool for purposes of escape. A cloud of mist settled can easily be dense enough to cause visibility to decrease where one could scarcely see their own hand stretched out in front of them. Obviously this may cause difficulties for the spell caster as well, however the surprise of this often gives him more edge. Gas may also be used, as the hottest form water, to temporarily blind opponents if sent in a more direct stream, though no Water mage has ever gotten it hot enough to do anything very destructive.

Ice, as a solid, is one of the most useful defensive mechanisms in all Fou Lu, often as hard as any Earth elemental's rock wall, and far easier to summon up. An ice wall can be as big as a house, and usually symmetrical enough to stay very structurally stable, until it begins to melt. A mage may coat his arms in Ice to block attacks, numbing his arms to cold if adept enough. Ice is an instantly malleable solid, the same ice sword can be melted and changed into an ice shield within a few seconds, making the magic very versatile, and not very taxing.

Practical Magic

The final property of Water magic, practical, lies in using magic for simple day-to-day tasks, or simply to get things done, that otherwise couldn't.

Cloud manipulation is quite practical, allowing for widespread watering of plants, or filling rivers, any such thing. There is a fine line in the area of storms split between the Air and Water elements, being made of Water, though placed in the Air. The separation lies in these elements themselves, however. A cloud is made up of water, and may pour down water, or hold it in longer at the discretion of a Water mage only. Areas of cloud movement, electricity, and most functions surrounding a storm take place in the bracket of a Valanthian Mage.

A water mage may manipulate an existing cloud to gather more water, or even create one on their own, however to control so much water is very difficult, and almost never attempted by lower skilled magi. A good Water mage may cause almost any cloud to drop water wherever the mage so desires, they may also adjust the temperature of the water of the cloud, making it rise and fall with varying heat, and altering the product of the cloud, from rain, to snow, to hail.

Other practical magics lie in simple things, using one's summoning of ice to keep food or drinks cold so as to not spoil, watering flowers with a finger, getting water in the desert, etc.