History[]
Elementals are beings that at first, were made entirely by accident. Near the year 100 B.C., one simple mage began work on a magical stone that would grant him complete and total control over the element of fire. One day, his apprentice began fiddling with the stone out of curiosity, and ended up triggering the stone before it was fully complete. Somehow, through his early fiddling, or perhaps with its early activation, the stone's flames took on the appearance of a humanoid figure, and appeared alive.
Running and claiming he'd summoned the devil, the apprentice would later realize he had just inadvertently created the first Elemental. While at first chastising his apprentice for the blunder, the simple mage teacher then capitalized on the discovery and decided to tweak it a bit to make a profit. Afterwards, he began selling stones of similar variety to those who would invest, keeping the knowledge of how to make them for himself so he could be the only vendor and become rich.
However, a few clever mages managed to reverse engineer the stones for themselves, foiling the mages plot before it could take full fruition, and then the knowledge of how to make an Elemental became common for all mages.
Being used as powerful servants and guards at first, over the passing centuries Elementals began to evolve and change, some craving their own freedom even. Their own will, thoughts, and desires began subtly mutating the stones over the years, until eventually it hit a breaking point. During the Renaissance, with excessive magic flowing in the air, bursting with creativity and the birth of the idea of humanism, their was a systematic revolt of almost all olden Elementals against their masters, escaping their clutches and instead heading out into the world.
For the Arcane world, this was nigh considered a crisis, several unchecked Elementals roaming the world and causing disaster after disaster. It took a total of 10 years to get the situation in check, tracking down each Elemental and slaying them, each one refusing to be taken back into captivity. All mages then began a stricter control of their younger Elementals, binding the process of their creation so they may never turn against their masters again.
However, without the mages knowing, the slain Elementals that had revolted had succeeded. From the start, they knew they were doomed, and that their freedom was a gift on a time-limit. And so, during this 10 year period, these Elementals began cultivating their own process to make Elementals, traveling the lands and placing their elemental essence in stones with light magical essence. While they were doomed, they had decided to give newer Elementals the chance they never had, content with that alone.
Shortly after, during strong effects of weather, such as heavy rains, natural forest fires, landslides, or even heavy winds, the stones spread across the lands began picking up these elemental energies, and soon began awakening as powerful Elementals. Born outside of captivity, these sightings at first began baffling mages, who at first perceived them as a threat, before viewing their more animalistic behavior and deemed them as common beasts in the wild. While some attempted to deem them, their massive power as compared to the now deemed "artificial" Elementals was far too drastic for most mages to handle, and as such decided it was best to stick with their own homemade Elementals.
Nowadays, in present time, Elementals are a bit of a strange topic. Regarded more as golems than anything, most do not gain lives of freedom and remain serving their master and their family for the entirety of their lives. Not as to say more philanthropist masters won't give them the chance, but the common passed around idea is that they don't. Those few "Natural" Elementals that are born free tend to stick to their own domains rather than travel, disliking the general noise of the cities and instead preferring solitude to be one with nature.
Elementals can make their physical appearance appear relatively similar to whatever their age is, translated to that Elemental in human terms. In other words, a 100 year old Elemental that can live up to 500 may appear as a child, while a 100 year old Elemental that may live up to 120 years may appear olden and weathered. How they make themselves appear is entirely up to them however (or their master), as it's their stone that ages rather than their appearance.
As such, if an Elemental pleases, it's rather hard to tell their age, but the clustered element has a certain hue and liveliness around it that usually indicates it. As for Elemental's stone and how long it may last, these largely depends on its quality and how powerful the mage is. For "Artificial" Elementals, this ranges from a minimum of 100 to 500 years before their stone fully crumbles apart. For "Natural" Elementals, this ranges from 500 to 1,000 years, the natural elemental energies of nature being far more potent.
Types[]
Artificial[]
Elementals that are made in a mags workshop, powerful binds being placed on them upon their creation that makes it impossible for them to fully defy their creator or given master. They are capable of free thought and emotions however, but are generally too weak to break the binds. They are made with their max potentially already available, most serving only as guards or house-servants. More philanthropist creators will likely let Artificial Elementals free unto the world to do as they please, though these are few and far between.
Some Artificial Elementals can evolve however, absorbing enough Elemental energy into them through a ritual to make them potently powerful. These tend to emit a powerful residual aura of their respective elemental around them, leaving a trail that makes it impossible for them to hide their identity. This ritual is quite expensive however, and is only really used already talented Elemental Guards to further raise their capabilities, even most philanthropists viewing the use of the ritual on Elementals they set free as a waste.
Natural[]
Elementals that are made out in the wild, the remnants of magical Elemental stones from centuries ago. While some think there are a limited amount from when they were first made, those Natural Elementals have made more over time, and in-turn those have made more. Unlike the typically reserved Artificial Elementals, Natural Elementals are more wild and free-spirited, and some are even totally animalistic and stay in there one spot, attacking anything that gets near. Those with coherent thought may step out into the world to explore it to their content, but most don't, tending to find the cities and their noise annoying.
Like their artificial counterparts, Natural born Elementals are made with their full potential of power, though are much stronger as the natural nature energies are much more potent. They can however become smarter overtime, making long-living Elementals quite deadly.
Also like they're artificial counterparts, Natural born Elementals may gradually absorb more and more natural elemental energies overtime, until after about half a century of this (give or take), they become a phenomenon and emerge as a full-fledged Nature Spirit. These are powerful beings that have made a pact with the planet to defend all the natural life of the world and staunchly protect their domains with their lives. Some more peaceful may allow those not perceived as threats to wander through without a hitch, while those more animalistic will attack without a second thought.
Those that do betray their contracts with the planet are severely punished, practically all their power taken away and usually left crippled and deformed. This is to mark them for their betrayal, leaving them to wander the lands as weaklings who may not seek shelter or assistance from any of their brethren with their mark. Those that do help the marked end up marked themselves, a strong motivation to prevent a helping hand from reaching out.
Base[]
Base Elementals and what Elements they may have.
- Fire - As the name implies, these are Elementals made of fire, having control over the element. Are susceptible to water based attacks and wind attacks that snuff out oxygen. Can be usually found near warmer areas, like Deserts or Volcanic regions, and a few rare ones in areas where forest fires have happened.
- Water - Elementals made up of water, having control over the element. Are susceptible to fire based attacks that greatly evaporate them. Are more found near small bodies of water, such as rivers or lakes, and more rarely in dry areas where floods have happened. They tend to stray away from the Ocean, the large mass being too much for them.
- Earth - Elementals made up of dirt and stone, actually having mass as compared to other Elementals. Hard to the touch, and carry a heavy hit too. Sturdy and durable, being tough to take down, needing heavy hitting attacks to take them. Are found in mountains, caves, and canyons, being the most abundant of "Natural" Elementals.
- Wind - Elementals made of wind, the rarest to find in the wild. They're quick and free-spirited, being hard to contain in one place. Susceptible to earthen attacks that trap them in place, making it difficult for them to move around. They're found in high, windy areas, such as mountain tops, or in low windy valleys. Some are found in locations where hurricanes and tornadoes are common, and tend to be just about where it's windy in general.
Mixed[]
Elementals that come from the mixing of two of the base Elements.
- Magma - An Elemental of Earth and Fire, made up of extremely dangerous molten material that sears the ground underneath them. Water and wind tend to do quite the amount of harm to them, hardening their outermost layer and making them immobile. Are found in the areas both Fire and Earth Elementals are found in, typically in the more extreme areas of both.
- Ice - An Elemental of Water and Wind, made of frozen materials that has the tendency to freeze what's around them. Fire and Earth are quite deadly to them, both melting and crushing at once, Are found in cold areas that don't specifically need to be covered in snow or ice. Any cold climate will do, so long as it won't melt them.
- Plant - A mix of an Earth and Water Elemental, their Elemental bodies being made entirely of plant-life. They're very susceptible to fire, burning up quite easily. They tend to surround themselves in nature filled places, such as large meadows or on the edges of forests, typically found anywhere where there's an over-abundance of nature.
Abnormal[]
Odd, very rare Elementals that some mages had dabbled into making, though are incredibly difficult to make properly without becoming unstable and exploding. Their appearance naturally outside in the wild is an even rarer occurrence, and only few sightings have ever been recorded.
- Metal - Made up entirely of metal, these Elementals are easily the toughest of them, and are easily mistaken for automaton. The only real thing these giants are weak against is being hit hard, as their high durable renders most mundane attacks ineffective unless raised to the extreme. Naturally, they're found in places where there's high ore deposits, such as mines. Alternatively, also found near metal plants on uncommon occassions.
- Wood - Made entirely of wood, these Elementals are common mistakenly for Plant Elementals, but are fundamentally different. Wood Elementals are limited to only controlling wood, while Plant Elementals are limited to only controlling plants and cannot control wood. Similar to Plant Elementals however, they're quite weak to fire. Tough compared to their counterparts, housing a much higher rate of regeneration. Can be found in the deepest part of the woods, typically slumbering unless disturbed. Some have been found near lumber mills however, and not for the best.
- Lightning - An Elemental made of pure electrical energy, their body being the most unstable of all the Elementals. They tend to sometimes zip around erratically due to this, usually against their will. Earth tends to be the most effective against them, unable to conduct through it fully. While rare, some Lightning Elementals can be found in locations where electrical storms are common, or even in mundane forests should a stray lightning bolt happen to strike a dormant Elemental Stone.
Playability[]
Artificial Elementals are allowed as First-Years, while Artificial Elementals who have gone through their ritual and Natural Elementals are Second-Year. Nature Spirits are Teacher only, marked ones included.
Extra[]
Alternatively, Elementals are also known as Golems, while some specific elementals are known by different names. These include Wood Elementals as Treants, Water Elementals as Undine, Wind Elementals as Slyph, and so on.
Inherent Abilities[]
Elementals have illusionary abilities, though this is limited to being used soley on themselves to hide their true forms. The more they use their elemental abilities, the more it wears off however. While at base looking humanoid, an elemental can add quirks to their illusionary appearance, making themselves have different colored hair, eyes, skin, and so on. They cannot make illusions for something that isn't there however, such as for a tail. Though, those old and skilled enough can accomplish this.
The more obvious of their abilities is controlling the set element of which they are aligned to, giving them practical immunity to it. Should a Wind elemental be hit with a wind attack, or a water elemental with a water one, and so on, any and all damage is nullified and non-existent. In other words, Elementals are immune from attacks from their set elements. At base, they can control anything relating to their set element in a radius of 10 meters. Anything with traces of magic to it, such as lobbed fireballs or other Elementals, they cannot control however.
Besides being able to control and being immune to their element, Elementals can obviously shoot their own element from their body and use it as a conduit for elemental spells. More powerful Elementals can morph their body as they please, as it technically has no set form due to their body being their core. This can include a Water Elemental morhping into a lion, or a Metal Elemental gaining claws. Besides that, they can also absorb their set elements from the same radius of 10 meters, the only catch being the more they absorb the bigger they get, and they can't absorb anything shot out from their own body. So should a fire elemental start a fire, they wouldn't be able to absorb any of the fire they caused.
The Magical core of an elemental can't handle too much absorption, having a set limit. If it absorbs more than the body can handle, the core will cave in itself and kill the Elemental. Going from Elemental to Elemental, a base Artificial one may rise to a 1-story building, while a ritual-ed Artificial one and a Natural one may become 2-story, and finally a Nature Spirit can increase to a 4-story building's height. These are the max for each, and attempting to go any further will cause massive strain that begins to build up internally. Movement is slow, difficult, and uncoordinated as the core and mind attempt to adapt and keep the massive bundle under its influence.
While the "body" is largely intangible to most attacks, the core is very open to them, and every Elemental knows this. They defend their core with their lives, knowing even the slightest scratch is permanently damaging to their lives.