Magic is a very personal path. One must carve their own depressive art in the mountain of arcane exploration. With so many schools and spells in the world, there is more than enough room to be a completely unique arcanist, with your own specialties and techniques. Regardless of power or knowledge, to create the masterpiece that is your magical ability, you must first pick your tool. Just as an artist will use a paintbrush, chisel, or even their own bare hands to mold their clay, a spellcaster must pick his preferred medium wisely.
Casting mediums are the tools that we utilize to cast and amplify our spells. There are many different kinds of casting foci. Wands, staffs, tomes, symbols, hands, weapons, and a multitude of others are used to cast through. There are pros and cons to all mediums, but they all serve a purpose, and that purpose is determined by your own specialties and techniques. Whether you use the swift and precise wand, or the powerful staff, it is important to pick the one that is right for you. In this generalized section I will cover the most common of such mediums;
Wands are nimble rods used in one hand. Spells unfitting for wands can be casted in the offhand, or it can be used for a weapon, instead. Their utility is found in their size, making it very quick and accurate. They are an excellent pick for spellslingers who use weaker spells at a high volume. One drawback, however, is that wands are not adept at holding wards, but it can be made up by the mobility it allows, not mentioning the fact that the offhand can be used to cast wards. They are not exclusive to weak spells, but you would choose a different tool if you intended to cast only large and complex spells. Wands can also fall victim to being overloaded, if the caster is not skilled enough to control their mana output, causing the tool to fail or break. If this medium were to be comparable to a weapon, it would be the rapier, flicking around with much panache and speed, finding the smallest weaknesses of their enemy to exploit. It is for these reasons that wands excel in the context of duels, as well.
Staffs are the opposite of wands. The long, bulky, often wooden tool is useful for complex and large spells. The strong structure of staves allow them to be inlaid with gems, materials, and runes that amplify or even store spells. Casters who use staves prefer over-the-top complex spells, as, despite their power, staffs cast much slower than other mediums. They are perfect for collecting mana, speaking an incantation, and releasing it in a single powerful burst.
Hand or body casting is arguably the most flexible medium. While it doesn't have the amplification of a staff, it is much faster, and while it isn't as quick and precise as wands, the spells can be much more powerful. This flexible medium is most effective when used with abilities that are flexible themselves, such as elemental magic. There are many who also increase the power, but also casting time, of their spells through hand sigils and incantations. This method is also useful when using a weapon, as many hand casters are close-midrange fighters anyway. One definite drawback is that the caster must be physically able. The acrobatics and martial arts involved with this method can be strenuous. Regardless of your fitness, you will be channeling all of your mana through your body and must have complete control, else be destroyed by your own power. The vitality in a hand caster is, well, vital.
Tomes or spellbooks can also be fine-tuned as casting mediums. Whether they keep incantations for powerful spells, too complex to memorize, or keep pages of rechargeable scrolls, sealed with components and mana together, to be used at a moments notice, as long as you remember what page it is on. This medium is often preferred by universalists who have a focus on understanding the nature of magic itself, rather than perfecting the use of singular spells or types of spells, although it does see use in specialists, as well. It is incredibly useful to have an entire lexicon of magic at your fingertips at any one moment. Having the instructions and personal notes to a multitude of spells makes spellcasting very easy and makes inflexible spells flexible through having such a variety of them available.
Orbs are also a common foci. Orbs are typically considered a divination focus, aiding in the use of scrying and clairvoyance, but they can also be used otherwise. Orbs hold much power, though it is often mysterious and specific to each one. The use of orbs is derived through the casters ability to coax the hidden power of the orb to the surface. This power can be used in many different ways, but often between two distinct categories; Spells that radiate an effect or attacks that cover large areas, or power that is used to enhance the abilities of the individual directly, whether to give them physical prowess or to improve the power of their spells. It is very rare for an orb to be overwhelmed with mana, and reduces the dangers of one overloading themself. The drawbacks of the use of orbs, however, is that they are imprecise and often unpredictable. It can be said that each orb has a personality of its own, and the effective use only comes from the familiarity and bond with it, though that is true, to a lesser extent, for other mediums as well.
While there are as many possible mediums for casting as there are spellcasters, these are the most commonly used and are a good starting point. Initially, in your studies, you are likely to experiment with various mediums but, depending on what you choose your specialties to be and the style in which you make use of them, one will stand out to you eventually. It may even be a specific tool you find, or is gifted to you, that captures your interest and drives you to master it.
One thing to consider when choosing a focus is the materials that it was made with. Even the type of wood a wand or staff might be constructed with holds meaning and importance. A wand may be infused with a phoenix feather increasing its power and making it more fit for the use of pyromancy. An orb may be made with volcanic rock, emerald, or stained glass. The energies swirling within a specific orb are also to be considered, whether the temperament of the personality or whether it holds dark or light powers. The materials and applications of such materials are numerous and when you commit to your inanimate arcane companion, make sure to do research about its properties.
The one thing that could mean life or death is losing your focus in a precarious situation. Being disarmed in combat would be a terrible end. To prevent such a fate, I will teach you a simple calling spell. I’m sure you are already tired of the rudimentary spells, but I feel that they are fitting when going over the introductory chapters. As I discuss more in-depth subjects, I will have more advanced techniques to teach. For now, I leave you with the ability to retrieve your lost focus.
Marked Call
Enchantment/Transmutation
Components: A writing instrument (ink, knife, magic, et cetera) and the target object
Procedure: There are a few different iterations of this spell, each varying in effectiveness and utility. The simplest of which would be to mark down the sigil “↬”, which facilitates movement, and reciting an incantation; “Thee art marked, thee art claimed, thee art the noble canine companion that worships mine beckon. I bind thee to my call!” Some iterations include changing the sigil to reflect the object’s name, or your own arcane signature. You can also magically name the object, including the name in the last line of the incantation (“I bind thee, Sgigglemax the Pleasant, to my call!”). A name is a powerful thing. After the initial enchantment has been laid, you can retrieve your unattended item by extending your mana out from your palm, and connecting with the sigil, pulling it towards you. You can also call its name, if you did name it. I recommend starting with the simple version, and then altering it as you gain more practice and understanding of the technique. The range of effectiveness varies between the iterations. Shouting its name holds much more power and can retrieve it over longer distances, which is especially useful if you have not the time or ability to seek it out with your mana. Your connection to the object, however, holds the most importance. Your loyalty to the object reflects its loyalty to you. This spell should be a reminder that the objects you rely on are not just tools to be cast aside, but companions that grow as you grow, and even allow you to grow because of it. Your casting medium, you will find, is your best of friends.
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