Terra

Through Terra, a Galsterei may manipulate the Aether in minerals or metal in order to perform myriad earthen miracles. Terra requires a Minor Merit to pursue.

Terra

History

Galdr, and by extension Terra, is one of the most ancient forms of Arcana; it has existed since before even the fae and predates the Metaphor of Geomena over which it holds governance. As such, its true origins have been lost to the sands of time. Like the other elemental Arcana, practitioners of Terra can be found within any society that allows or puts value unto the arcane arts and many that don’t. It has proven invaluable to the development of architecture, agriculture, mining operations, art and so on the world over.

Acquisition

Mark of Terra.

Like all forms of Galdr, Terra is spread from one sorcerer unto another. Unfortunately, only about half of initiates survive.

In order to begin, the mark of Terra is inscribed into the tissue (be it skin, muscle or bone) using the initiator's aether and then bodily fluids of the donor - most often blood - are offered to the initiate, forcing the student to undergo their spiritual trial forthwith.

This process involves erratic changes influenced by the initiating sorcerer. They will first experience minor tremors which will then rapidly expand into an oscillation between seizures and petrification. Their joints may lock up, they may convulse, their tissues may convert into any of their initiator's bound materials, and so on. This is, perhaps implicitly, a notably painful experience, but provided nothing too vital is petrified, the initiate will level out and their symptoms will wane into moderate Mageburn over the course of a few hours. Rarely, the initiation might last up to a day.

Mageburn Symptoms

• Lesser: Mild Limb Tremors, Moderate Muscle Aches/Pain, Mild Muscle Stiffness, Lethargy
• Moderate: Locking of Joints, Muscle Stiffness, Major Muscles Aches/Pain, Exhaustion
• Greater: Limb Petrification, Fusion of Joints, Loss of Control Over Terrassimilation
• Stoneweaver's Sorrow: Full-body petrification in which the mage retains all of their awareness.

Note: Petrification in this context refers to that part of the body becoming entirely composed of one or more of the Terrari's bound materials and then being rendered fully inert.

Spells

Like all Galdr, Terra uses the Metaphor of Aether to cast.

Geosense

Undergoing Terra’s initiation process infuses in one a unique, innate sensory ability that applies to minerals and metals. A Terrari will be able to identify such materials at a glance provided they have some prior knowledge of the substance, and they are also able to perceive an array of additional information through touch.

Geosense is Aetherically efficient, meaning the Aether cost is lower than usual.

Lithomancy

The manipulation of minerals– Lithomancy– is the medium through which a Terrari may weave stone, gemstones, sand and so forth. They may do such things as constructing elaborate structures, breaking boulders down into dust, causing powerful tremors in the earth and much more.

Metallurgy

Lithomancy’s sister skill, Metallurgy, is similar in principle, only that the mage may manipulate metals in place of minerals. Like Lithomancy, the only limitations on what one may do with Metallurgy are the mage’s spellcasting skills and their creativity. Harder metals resist control and manipulation.

Liquifying metal at expert costs about a fourth more Aether than wielding it as normal.

Terrassimilation

The process of Terrassimilation is consuming minerals or metals in order to bind with them. A Terrari gains harder teeth and a more enduring digestive tract upon the magic’s acquisition, allowing them to partake in this process with little to no risk of injury. Many also acquire a craving for the minerals to which they are bound.

Binding with a mineral or metal allows the Terrari to grow the material in question from their bodies and manipulate it at a higher efficiency than they otherwise would.

Stoneweaver’s Embrace

Over time, a Terrari may infuse their body with the materials they’ve bound themselves to. They will be able to shift parts of, and eventually the entirety of, their bodies into such materials and back however they so wish.

Note: the word “material” in this article refers specifically to minerals (stone, gemstones, etc) and metals.

Additionally, Strickened artifacts and other magically crafted items cannot be manipulated by a Terrari unless they have ascended, and even then, equivalent items are still immune. 

Tiers of Mastery

Novice

New to the magic, a novice is just scratching the surface of Terra's abilities by getting used to Geosense, binding to their first material and learning the basics of stoneweaving.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, a novice can tell in broad strokes what a material is primarily composed of should they have prior knowledge of it.
  • They may get a more precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
• Lithomancy:
  • Just starting out, a Terrari may only manipulate small amounts of stone at once, roughly equivalent to a few fistfuls. A mage may break off more comfortable amounts of stone from large sources.
• Metallurgy:
  • A novice Terrari may manipulate metal as hard as copper
  • A novice Terrari may manipulate metal in volume equal to about ⅔ the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
• Terrassimilation:
  • As a novice, a Terrari may bind to 1 material.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • Early on, only minor changes and growths, such as the shifting of patches of skin, may be performed.
  • Though minor, these changes take significant effort for the mage to impart unto themselves.

Apprentice

Growing more comfortable with their abilities, the apprentice's spellcasting is a modicum more fluid than before, but they are still quite weak.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, an apprentice can tell in broad strokes what a material is primarily composed of should they have prior knowledge of it.
  • They may get a more precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
  • An apprentice gains the ability to detect the presence of magic infused into a material by touch, though they cannot tell what the magic does.
• Lithomancy:
  • At apprentice, the mage is capable of manipulating about the equivalent of a large dog in terms of volume of stone.
• Metallurgy:
  • An apprentice Terrari may manipulate metal as hard as iron.
  • An apprentice Terrari may manipulate metal in volume equal to about ⅔ the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
• Terrassimilation:
  • As an apprentice, a Terrari may bind to up to 3 materials.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • They may make slightly more advanced shifts to their anatomy, such as solidifying their fists into natural weapons, growing spikes or horns, etc.
  • Though minor, these changes take significant effort for the mage to impart unto themselves.

Journeyman

Having developed a solid foundation, the journeyman Terrari wields their spells with reasonable ease.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, a journeyman can tell in broad strokes what a material is primarily composed of should they have prior knowledge of it.
  • They may get a more precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
  • They possess the ability to detect the presence of magic infused into a material by touch, and at journeyman, they glean minor information about any that happens to be present.

Other magics may ward against this perception.

• Lithomancy:
  • As a journeyman, the mage is capable of manipulating about the equivalent of a brown bear in terms of stone volume.
• Metallurgy:
  • An apprentice Terrari may manipulate metal as hard as steel.
  • A journeyman Terrari may manipulate metal in volume equal to about ⅔ the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
• Terrassimilation:
  • As a journeyman, a Terrari may bind to up to 5 materials.
  • At this point, they may create bound minerals or metals at a volume equal to ⅓ of the total amount they're able to wield per cast of the spell.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • They may make more drastic changes, such as shifting the equivalent of entire limbs over to bound materials.
  • The speed at which they may shift their bodies is still far from fast, though the process is quite a bit quicker than at apprentice or as a novice.

Expert

An expert Terrari has truly become an adept spellcaster and are not to be trifled with.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, an expert can precisely identify a material provided they’ve prior knowledge of it.
  • They may gain a precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
  • They possess the ability to detect the presence of magic infused into a material by touch.

Other magics may ward against this perception.

• Lithomancy:
  • As an expert, the mage is capable of manipulating about the equivalent of an elephant in terms of stone volume.
  • They can infuse the properties of other personal magics in their possession at expert or greater into the stone they weave.
• Metallurgy:
  • An expert Terrari may manipulate metal as hard as 1.25x steel.
  • An expert Terrari may manipulate metal in volume equal to the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
  • An expert gains the ability to wield metal in solid form or liquify it at will.
  • They can infuse the properties of other personal magics in their possession at expert or greater into the metals they wield.
• Terrassimilation:
  • As an expert, a Terrari may bind to up to 7 materials.
  • They may create bound minerals or metals at a volume equal to ⅓ of the total amount they're able to wield per cast of the spell.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • They may shift their bodies with ease and swiftness, and they can transform up to ⅔ of their body into mineral or metal once.

Master

Wielding Terra with consummate skill, they are mages that are both awe and fear inspiring with their abilities. They are a force of nature unto themselves.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, a master can precisely identify a material provided they’ve prior knowledge of it.
  • They may gain a precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
  • They possess the ability to detect the presence of magic infused into a material by touch, and as a master, will gain insight into the relevant Metaphor provided they have studied Mysticism or have experience with that Metaphor's use through personal magic.

Other magics may ward against these perceptions.

• Lithomancy:
  • As a master, the mage is capable of manipulating about the equivalent of an adult dragon in terms of stone volume.
  • They can infuse the properties of any other personal magics in their possession into the stone they weave.
• Metallurgy:
  • A master Terrari may manipulate metal as hard as 1.5x steel.
  • A master Terrari may manipulate metal in volume equal to the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
  • Metal may be wielded in solid form or liquified at will.
  • They can infuse the properties of any other personal magics in their possession into the metals they wield.
• Terrassimilation:
  • As a master, a Terrari may bind to up to 12 materials.
  • They may create bound minerals or metals at a volume equal to ⅓ of the total amount they're able to wield per cast of the spell.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • The master can shift their entire body into bound materials at the blink of an eye.

Apotheosi

The Apotheosi of Terra, or the Litharchs, are living embodiments of mountains, of earth. Their skill is often only surpassed by their creativity when it comes to wielding their bound elements and weaving their spells together.

• Geosense:
  • At a glance, a Litharch can precisely identify a material provided they’ve prior knowledge of it.
  • They may gain a precise perception of the material’s composition simply by touching it.
  • They possess the ability to detect the presence of magic infused into a material by touch, and as a Litharch, they will form an innate understanding of its purpose.
  • They can feel an impression of hollows, caves, and fault lines within ten miles of them - unless these locales are warded against this perception. By narrowing their senses, they can perceive buried objects and disturbances, such as the compression of soil from those who have walked upon it.
  • They possess the ability to detect the presence of magic within an inorganic material by looking at it, but they can only approximate its relative potency, and perhaps its related Metaphor if they are a Mystic.
  • They may perceive how long ago an inorganic object was made, and how many times it has been handled. By consequence, they might use Mysticism to garner impressions about the people who have handled it.

Other magics may ward against these perceptions.

• Lithomancy:
  • As a Litharch, they are capable of manipulating about the equivalent of an elder dragon in terms of stone volume.
  • They can infuse the properties of any other personal magics in their possession into the stone they weave.
• Metallurgy:
  • A Litharch may manipulate metal as hard as 2x steel.
  • A Litharch may manipulate metal in volume equal to the amount of stone they are capable of wielding.
  • Metal may be wielded in solid form or liquified at will.
  • They can infuse the properties of other personal magics in their possession into the metals they wield.
• Terrassimilation:
  • A Litharch may bind to up to 24 materials.
  • They may create bound minerals or metals at a volume equal to ½ of the total amount they're able to wield per cast of the spell.
• Stoneweaver’s Embrace:
  • Like masters, they can shift their entire body into bound materials at the blink of an eye.
  • They may also grow themselves in terms of volume in stone or metal, able to increase their size to that of an adult dragon.

Contrivances

To craft with Terra, one must find and work alongside a Terrari or acquire the Arcana themselves. Galdr, having stemmed from Aether itself, does not provide materials from the Galsterei, but rather, the Galsterei infuses the crafts with their Aether and thus their intent. Otherwise, Contrivances may be crafted from the Galsterei's Sundered Alkahest directly.

Some examples of crafts a Terrari might assist with include:

• Charms or other items that obfuscate Geosense to protect against the detection of arcane vaults; in this case, mastery would affect the surface area of provided protection rather than potency, with even novice’s materials obscuring the senses. Such things are also used by Stonekin to set traps for and ward away nosy Terrari.
• Alchemical potions and poultices that provide temporary versions of the sorcerer's innate protection against the harmful effects of certain metals and minerals they may be bound to; duration of effect scales with mastery.
• Alchemical “grenades” that may be offensively used to petrify foes; this effect can only be extracted from materials made by Ascendants.
• Experts and higher can create materials infused with other personal magics they might possess, making such materials wildly diverse in utility.

“Watching the Terrari work from the window of my shop when they expanded the market square was a delight. The efficiency and quality of their work was only matched by the strength and elegance of their movements as each new building was erected. I was almost sad to see them go, though they were, admittedly, a distraction.” - A Cityborn Alchemist

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