(1) The Basics of Magic

All over the island is an energy named "magic potential". It is the existence of magic that does not yet have a form or type.
For Dragons' Cove, this magic-potential is very literally everywhere and without it, it is completely impossible to cast any spells of any kind.
The source of all magic-potential is said to be sealed deep within the island itself in a fathomless place, and a small portion of this magic potential sits on the top of island where it is used continually by the inhabitants of Dragons' Cove.



- Magic is made from magic-potential. Once the casting is over, all the magic is said to revert to magic-potential.
- Neither magic nor magic-potential are "destroyed" or "created", only contained or modified.
- As the magical potential of an area increases, so does the power of the magic.
- When magic potential is used in the area of influence of a balancing stone, it becomes controlled magic.
- When magic potential is used outside the area of influence of a balancing stone, it becomes free magic (this is the default.)

It is recommended that if you are interested in learning about a race as a whole, that you refer to this races thread.

How are they different? Innately magical races are defined as any races where the members naturally exist containing magic potential in their bodies. This magic potential is continually used to create magic that helps keep them alive (often in addition to food and water if applicable.) They have a far greater likelihood of utilising magic effectively than adapted races. However, most innately magical races will have a natural type-preference to their magic, making it hard for them to learn to use magic in other types and sometimes impossible. For example, elemental demons are born with a type (fire, water, earth etc) and are completely incapable of using magic beyond this type. Whenever the magic-potential or magic being expressed in an area changes, these races can "feel" it, and so they are influenced greatly by the nature of their magical surroundings for better or worse. The greater the dependency of a race on their innate magic (high arcane dragons for example, such as card dragons), the more sensitive they are to changes in magic/magic potential around them. Very few innately magical races can survive with zero magic-potential in their environment. Furthermore, whenever the situation of magic does not favour a particular race (too much/too little magic potential, unfriendly type of magic, wrong form of magic etc), their members in that area of effect are substantially weakened. Adapted races are the inverse; members of these races are not born containing any magic potential. As such, it takes these races longer to learn to use any type of magic, however, they are not limited in the number of magic types they can learn. The process of learning for these races is likely to be a lot slower unless other factors lend a hand. They are impervious to changes in the magic potential of an environment, but they will still be affected by actual magic.
Innate Races: Demons: Have an excellent use of the magic type they command and it is no wonder, given that demons are made through a surge in one of the basic magics on the island resulting in transformation of a human. Demons can only ever use one type of magic, and it will be one of the basic types (fire, water, earth, wind or lightning) depending on whichever was surging at the time. It is very common for demons to over-use their magical abilities though and have it end up devouring them from the inside out, leading to a greatly premature death. Demons will prefer the area of their respective balancing stones and are very sensitive to unfavourable conditions. Elves: This race does not tend toward one magic type or another by nature, but individuals do have their magical preferences. The restrictions on their magical ability are mostly imposed by their duty and culture than any real limits in their body. For innately magical creatures, elves have an average proficiency in magic. Centaurs: Although innately magical, it is said that centaurs are amongst the least effective at using their in born talents of all races. This is perhaps the only race whereby ordinary humans can quite significantly outpace them without much effort. Centaurs do not tend toward any specific type of magic. Dragons: By far the most diverse of races in magic, dragons can range from similarly inept with magic to centaurs, to some of the greatest of all mages in existence. What type preference and aptitude a dragon has is dependent upon its breed. This can be seen in the dragon index under the magic type & arcane columns. A few dragons have two innate magic types they will tend toward, though these are very rare. Furthermore, there is an "undefined" magic type that the Guardian dragons use, said to be a distortion of neutral and fire magics, though little else is known beyond these speculations. Golems: Avians: Although avians are innately magical, it does not tend to outwardly express much at all. Still, as expected, avians do have a greater capacity to use their magic than the adapted races. Many avians are born with a tie to wind magic that is hard to work around if they try to learn other types of magic. Just as many it seems show no type preference at all. It is believed that the reason for their lower-key expression of magic is because much of their magic is spent granting them the ability to fly.
Adapted Races: Humans:  Although lacking any innate magic, humans show a great interest in learning it. This is shown in the construction of Dragons' Cove grand Northern Academy, the presence of Nusfar (an originally all human settlement in the north west with a large culture based on magic) and to top it off, even the Arch Magician himself was a human, though, many do doubt this claim. Even in spite of their natural lack of inclination to magic, humans can achieve great feats through great lengths of practice and research into the magical arts. Most humans however will never learn much magic at all, let alone awe others with it. It should be noted that those with even sufficient talent to attend the academy are, in reality, really very rare in proportion to other 'regular' humans. Goblins: Other/Animals: This group represents all other creatures on dragons cove. Dogs, cats, horses, bird etc. Such creatures are never able to use magic, though magic can be used upon them.