Adventuring Tip #2: Click on the red subclass button under each race summary to see their available subclasses!
OVERVIEW.
A BASIC RUNDOWN...
CREATION
LINK MENU
In Book of Magic, character creation is basically streamlined into three parts:
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Playable Race
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Subclass
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Magic Attunement
Playable Race refers to choosing one of the five main races available to make player characters - Aethyreal, Animalis, Clockheart, Eidolon, and Human. Each race acquires its own attribute bonus, but you don’t need to worry about attributes until after you join the group!
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Each playable race also has a certain type of subclass you can choose, to organize the characters within those races into different subcategories that each offer some unique design elements. The subclasses for each are as follows:
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Aethyreal âž½ Element
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Animalis âž½ Animal
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Clockheart âž½ Artefact
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Human âž½ Job
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Eidolon âž½ Choir
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Magic Attunement is your character’s unique, specific individual magical ability. Attunements must have a name and a description. You are free to come up with whatever manner of attunement you like for your character, but each race and subclass may have different requirements for attunements. See the ‘Magic’ section for more details. In BoM, attunements are quite free-reign and designed to give you an opportunity to design whatever suits you. Be sure to stay away from the attunements outlined as ‘off-limits’ in the magic section, but otherwise go nuts!
The last part of character creation will likely be deciding where your character is from and how they made it to Arcania. See the ‘ATLAS’ section for info on each of the continents/regions within Alterra and decide where your character might hail from. Your character can either be born in Arcania or in their race’s home kingdom!
APPLICATION.
A GUIDE TO THE SPECIFICS...
Any character you submit to the group requires a full visual reference image supplied on the character card template. This should be a full-body, full color image of your character, wearing whatever outfit or design you would consider their ‘main’ appearance. If you have another image of that character you’ve made previously for another group or something likewise, you can use it for their card as long as their appearance fits the setting of Book of Magic.
Appearance requirements for BoM are pretty lax! Almost anything you could imagine working in a fantasy setting will be acceptable here - feel free to go as simple or as fancy as you want, and mix different styles and fashion eras. For example; in Alterra, someone dressed like they’re from Game of Thrones would be just as normal as someone dressed like they’re from Final Fantasy. Overall, it should just be at least mostly fantasy-like. Extra points if you work in significant elements from their race or subclass.
This all being said, please don’t submit any excessively revealing, racy, or nsfw designs. Cover up the important parts, please!
VISUALS
WRITTEN
P R O F I L E
NAME: Your character’s full name. They don’t need to have a surname if you don’t know/can’t think of one.
AGE: Your character MAY NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be below the age 18. All races reach maturity around age 20, but Human and Animalis lifespans max out around 100. Clockhearts have a maximum lifespan of 75. Aethyreal reach a maximum age of 300, and Eidolon reach a maximum age of 500. Aethyreal and Eidolon do not physically age at the same rate as the other races, but they do age mentally over their long lifespans. They typically appear at a maximum of physically 30 throughout their entire lives. The average age for adventurers ranges from as young as 20 to as old as 50. Keep in mind that a 50-year-old Aethyreal would probably act more similarly to a 50-year-old Human.
PRONOUNS: In the world of Alterra, most races other than perhaps Humanity don’t make a significant distinction on the basis of genders. (After all, many races are also capable of shifting into completely different body forms, and as such they usually form identities based on much different criteria than Humanity uses.) Feel free to denote your character’s gender as well if you like, though.
HEIGHT: I ask that you go ahead and note this down in case it’s needed for art reference later!
RACE: One of the five great races - Humanity, Animalis, Aethyreal, Eidolon, or Clockheart.
SUBCLASS: Each race comes with a specific subset of subclasses. You can fill this out as detailed or basic as you like, ex: Breathless Doll, Terrene Cat, or simply ‘Apocryphal’, or ‘Artisan’.
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M A G I C
MAGIC NAME: This can be as simple as you like, but for organizational purposes please note down something.
WAND: Item your character requires to cast their magic. Every race requires a wand; this can be simply an object of importance to them or a particular weapon they’re adept with. Any manner of item will do as long as it’s something a person could reasonably carry around with them on an adventure.
DESCRIPTION: Describe how your character’s magic works and what it does. Try not to make it too overpowered, but these characters should be at least somewhat accomplished adventurers so there’s no need to have them starting at a beginner level unless you want to. That said, your character will gain levels over the course of events, so room to grow may be beneficial. Feel free to make their abilities very specific or very eclectic.
B I O
PERSONALITY: 500 words or less. No need to get too descriptive or complex. You can fill out this section with as much as you like, but at the minimum a few (5 or so) bullet points and a summary are all that’s expected.
HISTORY: 500 words or less. At least a brief summary of their circumstances or biography up until the start of the story. Feel free to mention where they’re from and any significant events. Go ahead and leave this section locked if you want, but it must be provided to the admin at least upon checking. Further, no need to make this a creative writing assignment - go ahead and describe it plainly if you like. If you submit too long of a history section, I will ask you to cut it down.
MISCELLANEOUS: Optional. Additional info, likes/dislikes, moodboards, playlists, anything not covered previously, whatever you like.
C H A R A C T E R S U B M I S S I O N S
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When you’ve completed putting together your app, please submit your character via Google Form link!
You can compile all the information for their profile however you prefer (DeviantArt submission, Google Sheet, Docs, etc!)
races
choose any race to view their subclasses.
HUMAN.
The race of people who once inhabited Earth, now belonging to Arcania. Humanity in Book of Magic works almost exactly the same as humanity in the real world, bound to all the usual physical capabilities as normal humans save for the ability to use magic. All humans born in the world of Alterra are capable of wielding at least some magic, but only a fraction of them ever attain the level of control and power necessary to be known as a magician.
In order to channel their magic, humans must acquire a source from which their magic flows, typically deriving from one of nine possible Job archetypes. In order to use magic, humans must be aided by the use of a wand, a specific object that allows them to cast spells. There are many domains of magic that humans follow or study in order to channel their powers, but every Job requires a wand alike.
Humans in Alterra appear almost just the same as humans did on Earth, but they enjoy the added benefit of ambient magic flowing throughout the realm that allows them a much more colorful range of features than Earthling humans once had. It isn’t uncommon for Humans to have a different variety of fantastically-colored hair, eyes, and tattoos.
AETHYREAL.
Aethyreal are a long-lived elven race who are born attuned to nature, each deriving from one of seven natural elements. They appear mostly similar to the other four races, however it is more common for them to have long, pointed ears, taller than average heights, differently colored and styled hair and other characteristics. Second only to Eidolon, Aethyreal live extensively long lifespans, usually up to ages of about 300 years. Like the other races, it typically takes about 20 years for an Aethyreal to reach physical maturity, and following that they will age subtly over time. Aethyreal colloquially refer to themselves as an “elven” race, due to their innate connection to the mana flowing throughout Alterra.
Each element of Aethyreal tends to live their childhood and adolescence in their home region within Jewelia, and many more still stay isolated away from the other races. While there are many Aethyreal who enjoy spending their long years adventuring and discovering the world, many Aethyreal back home prefer not to associate themselves with the other races, whether from not wanting to form attachments to their short-lived counterparts or due to the common cultural “superiority” they tend to feel over others. Each Aethyreal element has a specific difference in appearance from the other elements, and draws their magic power from the element they are born with. Each Aethyreal is born as only one subtype, regardless of whether their parents were two different types.
ANIMALIS.
The Animalis are a hybrid race of humanoids and animals, people closely connected with the magical realm and currently those holding the largest home empire of all the five great races. Animalis closely resemble humans, but they also have additional features similar to those of certain animals. Each Animalis is born with two body forms, and each are equally regarded as normal as one another: a bestial form wherein they are able to easily and naturally assume the shape of a certain animal, and a humanoid form wherein they appear with tertiary features of their animal forms, such as tails, ears, feet, eyes, or other physical characteristics. Animalis may have a wide variety of appearances, with the only major requirement of humanoid form being a bipedal, upright body.
Animalis are unique in that they are born with an innate grasp of magic, and whereas some humans are born without the level of magical power necessary to reach magician status, every Animalis is inherently capable of channeling enough power to perform magic effectively. Though Animalis are unable to speak in bestial form, they are inherently capable of utilizing a language in addition to Alterran Common that is known as Feral, allowing them to communicate seamlessly with other Animalis. Every Animalis is born with the innate ability to shapeshift to and from humanoid and bestial form at will. Both body forms are regarded as equally legitimate forms to them, and Animalis are uniquely able to differentiate regular animals from fellow Animalis. Animalis can be based on both real-life animals as well as mythical animals. However, an Animalis can only possess the characteristics of one real-life or mythical animal; i.e. you cannot make up your own animal.
CLOCKHEART.
The Clockhearts are not born; rather, they are constructed by other Clockhearts or awakened from inanimate object forms. In addition to a humanoid body, Clockhearts are able to assume their past inanimate forms as well, and project a voice or reflection in their materials as a form of communication.
Despite their inorganic hearts, Clockhearts are not immortal and not inhumane. Depending on the quality of build materials, a clockwork heart may last longer or shorter periods of time, reflecting the durability of its magical materials. Hearts constructed of fine materials such as jewels, fine glass or fabrics, and noble metals typically enjoy the longest lifespans, whereas hearts made of scrap parts, tarnished metals, or natural materials may not live as long. A clockwork heart also responds to environmental stressors, therefore Clockhearts who have experienced great struggle or trauma suffer dramatically reduced life expectancy. Though they may be composed of materials other than vital organics, this is never to contend that a lack of flesh constitutes a lack of humanity. Clockhearts emote, feel, learn, grow, and change just as any race does.
A Clockheart can have an inorganic or organic body, or even a mix of both. Clockhearts with completely inorganic bodies do not require food, drink, or respiration to survive, however they are similarly unable to change much physically, unlike organic-bodied Clockhearts. Curiously, however, all Clockhearts do require sleep to live, and experience dreams exactly as any other race might.
EIDOLON.
The existence of the Eidolon once gave rise to Earth mythos of ‘angels’, ‘demons’, and ‘spirits’. The Eidolon are a very long-lived people, commonly living to ages of a little under 500 years old. They are also hardily built, able to endure most wounds and diseases with far greater recovery than other races. As such, it takes them many years to mature and they tend to experience life on a far different time scale than humans do. Most Eidolon reach physical maturity around age 20 similarly to other races, then continue to age throughout their lives only subtly.
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Uniquely, Eidolon can be created biologically or through resurrection. Anyone who has lived, either on Earth or in Alterra, may rarely be granted renewed life through rebirth as an Eidolon. However, while these people will reawaken at the age of their expiry, they will lose any and all memories associated with their former lives forever. Still, although there is no way for a resurrected Eidolon to regain their past memories, they may retain things such as habits, speech patterns, preferences, and desires.
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In antiquity, each of the three kingdoms warred against each other until eventually reaching a tense armistice and eventual peace. Though to this day relations between each kingdom are often strenuous and tested by political skirmishes, they exist at peace with one another… for now.
magic
the 'attunement' subsection is recommended; others optional.
ATTUNEMENT.
All people within Alterra are born with the ability to use magic, but not all of them are powerful enough or adept enough to be considered a magician. Magicians are people who have developed their skill with magic enough to discover their unique Attunement. All people require a wand to cast magic, which may be any item significantly important to them or a weapon of some kind. Weapons that double as wands may be enchanted to this effect.
An ‘Adventurer’ is a person who has signed, vowed, or pledged their services to a Guild, of which there are numerous. They are an officially recognized social and job class, whose main employer is their guild (although they are allowed to hold other jobs besides Adventuring as well). All player-characters in Book of Magic are official Adventurers.
Every person born in Alterra has an innate Attunement, which is an inherent ability tied to them as an individual. The effects of each attunement are unique, and there’s no one right or wrong way for an attunement to work. Some are simple while others are complex, and some lend aid to their magician while others come with many downsides. They can be expansive in nature, or very specific. Each person’s attunement is unique, and while similar spells can be taught, no one can perfectly imitate the attunement of another.
Rules on designing your character’s Attunement are fairly lax. Think of this as a place to put your ‘whatever you like’ special character power. It can be as simple as just ‘fire magic’ or complex enough to have a number of different elements - just make sure there’s a specific theme or through-line to all of it.
However, there are a number of magics that Attunements cannot center around!
Please do not submit any magic abilities for player characters that:
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can manipulate spacetime; chronokinesis, teleportation, portals, and anything within this vein.
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can manipulate other people’s emotions to a significant degree; amokinesis, mind control, etc.
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communicate with gods/goddesses/celestials/significantly higher powers
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manipulate broad metaphysical concepts; fate, souls, luck, wishes, reality, chance
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are anything that boils down to ‘zap zap kill magic beam’
MALEDICTION.
Witchcraft is the main driving force for all the common enemies in Book of Magic. It is pure evil because it feeds on the souls of others, destroying them forever.
The five sapient races can also practice witchcraft, in which case they are called a Witch. This is done by sacrificing their soul along with a piece of their body in a dark witching ritual. Over time, a person who has become a Witch will succumb to a magical disease called the witchbane, slowly growing more and more monstrous until they eventually likewise decay into a monster called a Nightmare. Many people fear that should the Nightmares regain too much power, another catastrophic event will befall Alterra.
The benefits of witchcraft are manifold, despite its drawbacks. A practitioner of witchcraft will firstly gain immense magical power, and become easily and handily capable of performing whatever magics they desire. No matter how unique the attunement, a Witch can steal another’s magic with ease merely by witnessing it. Second, Witches attract boundless good fortune, wealth, fame, and glowing physical health. Though their fates are an irreversible descent into chaos and despair, their last years of life will be as if good fortune itself smiled upon them. Third, witchcraft can fulfill almost any desires of the heart; the one thing it cannot do is return a dead person to life. This power comes at a grim price: from the moment one becomes a Witch, they will be infected with witchbane. Death can save them from the fate of descending into Nightmare, but nothing can return their soul. Souls of Witches are destroyed forever.
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Members are welcome to have their characters choose to use Witchcraft, but only a small amount will be allowed at one time and must be approved by the admin first (to allow for plot planning!). Further, characters using Witchcraft WILL be obligated to chomp it after 6 months OOC. (You've been warned!)
ENEMIES.
Monsters are common-type enemies who are soulless, mindless embodiments of ‘corrupted’ Alterran magic (so your character doesn’t have to feel bad about slaying them, js) whereas Nightmares are manifestations of pure witchcraft and evil.
In the world of Alterra, monsters are hunted for their ‘loot’, which can be a variety of different things depending on what materials or concepts they are manifested from. For example, a ‘greed monster’ may drop ‘loot’ in the form of gold, coins, or valuable gems upon their dissolution. Likewise, a ‘lion monster’ may yield loot in the sense that its pelt, claws, teeth, or other valuable parts may be collected from it after it’s been slain. Monsters supply a large majority of the popular products used by people in Alterra (meat, hide, furs, etc.) while it is typically easier to raise livestock for secondary products (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.). (Of course, many people still raise livestock for meat and leathers as well because not everyone is an Adventurer or capable of hiring them/living in a city big enough to hire them.)
All monsters are further classified by Guilds to have certain levels, which defines how difficult they might be to slay. Lower level monsters, like slimes, are easier to slay than higher level monsters, like dragons.
Nightmares are rarer enemy type creatures who are classified into the highest, most dangerous level. Despite their threat level, it is nearly impossible for anyone to track when and where they will show up. As such, every Adventurer must accept the risk of facing one at any time during a quest or mission. The Great Rift is thought to be the birthplace of many Nightmares, and so quests undertaken in its depths are regarded as significantly dangerous.
SOULBOND.
A soulbond is a special form of thaumaturgic harmonics that can exist between two or more magicians. It requires a deep and stable resonance between the souls of each magician involved, and it can change or respond to shifts in that connection. A person can have both one soulbond with one person or many soulbonds with many people, depending on their interpersonal versatility and ability to achieve deep understandings of others. Some people may be unable to maintain more than one, and others may be capable of soulbonding with almost anyone.
Soulbonded persons acquire a sense for the physical status of one another, gain extra magical ability, and are able to combine their attunements into another, to form a whole new alternate attunement usable when performing magic simultaneously. Each fusion of partnerships creates new combinations, and therefore new soulbond attunements.
While two people can choose to work together as each other’s soulbonds, they cannot always decide when and how they would like to maintain the relationship. A soulbond requires consistent teamwork to be maintained, and they can break at any time should the people within the bond fail to maintain their cooperation.
A person can have a soulbond that is platonic, romantic, hateful, cooperative, peaceful, or otherwise. The only real requisite for a soulbond is that one achieves a level of cooperative partnership with the other person(s). If the relationship between two or more soulbonded people becomes tumultuous or unstable in some way (for example, if the people in the soulbond are unhappy with each other) then the magic of the soulbond will become unstable likewise. Trying to cast or control spells together may become painful, dangerous, or downright impossible if the soulbond is unstable.