Magic

Callum wielding a Primal Stone and Claudia summoning dark magic

Magic is the mystical supernatural force that exists within the world of The Dragon Prince. It exists everywhere in the lands of Xadia. All magical creatures in Xadia are born connected to one of the six Primal Sources of magic, and as such, have certain powers and abilities based on their respective Primal Source.

Humans are not born with the ability to cast magic, but some can cast spells and control a Primal Source by using a magical artifact such as a Primal Stone. Other humans, rather than directly harnessing the Primal Sources, choose to rely on the magical energy contained within magical creatures, extracting it for the practice of dark magic.

Primal Sources

The Primal Sources are enormous, powerful entities of the natural world: the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. All magic in the world comes from and draws upon the six Primal Sources. Every magical creature of Xadia is born with a natural connection to one of the Primal Sources, and as such, have magical powers and abilities that reflect that source. A rare few creatures, such as dragons and elves, come in six different races for each of the six Primal Sources.

Each Primal Source has a unique nature and therefore so do the spells that a mage can cast by drawing upon different sources; for example, drawing from the magic of the Sky Primal allows a mage to cast wind and thunderstorm spells. Furthermore, while the energy of the Primal Sources is everywhere, it can be stronger or weaker at certain times or under certain circumstances, depending on how readily available the Primal Source is in the surrounding area. For example, in an underground cavern, Earth magic would be stronger, but Moon magic would be weaker as the moonlight cannot reach there. Naturally, there are certain circumstances where each Primal Source is at its strongest. Additionally, each Primal Source has a nexus, a location in the world where the magic of a certain Primal Source is at its purest and most powerful.

Each Primal Source has a myth associated with it, which is told throughout Xadia. There are also different magic gems for each Primal Source.

Arcanum

The connection to a Primal Source is called an arcanum, described by Lujanne as "the secret of the Primal, or its meaning." Each of the six Primal Sources has one. The understanding of that secret becomes a "spark", the smallest flicker of a Primal Source deep inside one's very being, but enough to forge an unbreakable connection with the Primal Source itself, allowing one to access its power and ignite the world with its magic. All magical abilities and spells require primal energy, so it is impossible to use primal magic without a connection to a Primal Source.

While most beings with the connection to a Primal Source are born with it, it is possible for someone without it to figure out the secret of the Primal and actively forge the connection. However, the arcana are known to be incredibly abstract and difficult to understand, not easily put into words; that is why, until Callum figured out the Sky arcanum, humans were said to never have been able to cast primal magic without the aid of a Primal Stone, which provides the holder with primal energy, serving as a kind of substitute for the arcanum. Additionally, almost all elves and dragons are known to only utilize the Primal Source they were born into.

Forging a connection to an arcanum is not the same as a creature being born with one. For example, creatures born with a connection to the Sky would not have a problem handling the thin air at high altitudes, on the other hand, a human who became connected to the Sky Primal can still suffer the ill effects, unless they make use of a breathing spell.

While all magical creatures are connected to a Primal Source, not all of them share the same deep connection with an arcanum, which affects their usage of magic. As such, those who have established a deep connection to their arcanum have the possibility to master it. The Archdragons in particular are said to have the deepest possible connection with their respective arcana, as evidenced by their immense magical power, and are recognized as physical incarnations of the Primal Sources themselves.

The Moon

Moon magic draws on the spirit and energy of the Moon. The Moon is cyclical in its strength, relating directly to the lunar phases. This source is at its strongest during a full moon, and it is weaker during the daytime. Its arcanum is understanding the true nature of the relationship between appearances and reality; that you can only truly know the appearance itself, and that you can never touch the so-called reality that lies beyond the reach of your own perception. The Moon is associated with illusion, manipulation, love, death, charm, reflection, privacy, appearances, depth, duality, and secrets.

Moon magic deals in creating illusions, concealment spells, connections with spirits, and understanding the veil between life and death. Some Moon mages are illusionists, using their powers to befuddle and confuse their enemies' senses. Simple illusion spells can fool the eyes and ears, but more powerful illusions can mimic even taste or touch. Moon mages can also conjure flickers of the past or put restless spirits to rest. Moon mages understand that all shadows are born of light, and to reach for light is to cast a shadow.

Creatures connected to the Moon Primal, such as Moonshadow Elves and Moon Dragons, can be private and secretive, and are keenly aware of the power of appearances. They also have an aptitude for stealth, trickery, and concealment.

The Sky

Sky magic draws on the vast sky, the energy and movement of the winds, and the power of thunderstorms. This source is at its strongest during a storm and at high altitudes, but it is currently unknown when this source is weaker. Its arcanum is understanding that the sky is everywhere and that you take it within you with every breath. As such, the arcanum requires someone to understand that they do not require wings to conquer the Sky arcanum, but that they themselves are the wing carried by the Primal. The Sky is associated with lightness, quickness, agility, cleverness, vision, potential, freedom, perspective, and clarity of vision.

Sky magic is sometimes called "weather magic", though it is more than that. While Sky mages can summon wind, lightning, ice, or shrouding fog, their power is not limited to the weather. It also includes magic that helps one breathe at high altitudes, and a talented Sky mage can magically enhance their movement, allowing bursts of speed and leaps of great length. Even with limited physical training, a Sky mage can learn to perform feats of incredible agility, making them excellent acrobats, dancers, and sometimes thieves. The most powerful among Sky mages can transform their own arms into wings, giving them the ability to fly.

Creatures connected to the Sky Primal, such as Skywing Elves and Sky Dragons, are typically quick and clever and prize the freedom to make their own choices in life.

The Sun

Sun magic draws from the heat and energy of the Sun. This source is at its strongest at high noon, when the sun is at its highest, and it is weaker in the dead of night, but wherever there is light, the Sun Primal can be invoked; even the dim light of a single candle's flame would be enough to call upon it and bring forth its light and warmth. Its arcanum comes with a furious, positive energy, though also manifests through strong emotions like anger, fear, or grief. The Sun is associated with energy, teaching, truth, fury, warmth, honesty, intensity, charisma, leadership, optimism, revealing, and guiding light.

Sun magic has a dual nature: it can conjure spells of light, growth, nurturing, and transformation — or it can call upon fire, heat, and destruction. Sun mages can learn to master light and fire through strength of will, and some of the most powerful can use the light to heal and purify or banish sickness and decay. They project a very positive energy overall and believe it is their mission to bring more light and hope into the world. However, they must maintain diligent control of their emotions and impulses.

Creatures connected to the Sun Primal, such as Sunfire Elves and Sun Dragons, are often intense and charismatic and make natural leaders.

The Earth

Earth magic draws on the power and energy within the land itself, embodying the enduring strength of stone and the vibrant energy of new life. This source is at its strongest deep underground or in the heart of a forest, and it is weaker out at sea, though even pebbles hold a part of this source. Its arcanum is centered around resilience, fortitude, patience, and harmony with nature. The Earth is associated with strength, endurance, healing, stubbornness, growth, deep history, and balance.

Earth magic comes from two major domains: the stone, minerals, crystals, and gems of the land, as well as the flora and fauna of the living world.

Creatures connected to the Earth Primal, such as Earthblood Elves and Earth Dragons, are patient, sometimes stubborn, and care deeply about the history and balance of the natural world. Earth mages can be kind and patient gardeners or wild and feral wanderers.

The Ocean

Ocean magic draws on the depths of the oceans and tides, and its power connects through rivers and lakes that flow back to it. This source is at its strongest during high tide and deep underwater, and also strengthens during rainfall. While deserts and underground caverns do not provide ideal circumstances to cast Ocean magic, only a single drop of water is said to be needed to make use of the source. Its arcanum is understanding that one is not in control, that there are things that can never be controlled, and finding calm amongst constant change, understanding the innate qualities of water—transformation, fluidity, and adaptability. The Ocean is associated with flexibility, transformation, flow, surface-level vs depth, navigation, and awareness.

Ocean magic is capable of conjuring and manipulating water, which also includes the fluids in a creature's body. It can also grant the ability to breathe underwater. It also includes ice spells, which are dynamic and forceful in nature, reaching everywhere and anywhere. It is additionally capable of spells related to marine life, such fish, kelp, and coral.

Creatures connected to the Ocean Primal, such as Tidebound Elves and Ocean Dragons, often forge strong connections to others, and can have hidden depths. Ocean mages can reflect the nature of their home: A Swamp mage and a River mage would look different, though they both connect to the same Primal Source.

The Stars

Star magic draws on the vast and timeless power of the cosmos. It is currently unknown when this source is at its strongest or when it is weaker. Its arcanum is currently unknown, and some human mages have exhausted themselves just trying to express the concept in words. Legends suggest that those with a Star arcanum resonate with the beat of the cosmic heart within the stars, a celestial quality that crosses time and space. The Stars are associated with vision, truth, intelligence, otherworldly, reality-altering, timelessness, mystery, destiny, and wishes.

Star magic, sometimes called "celestial magic" or "cosmic magic", involves the manipulation of space and time, divination, cosmic vision, and seeing into the "beyond". Star mages are extremely rare - only one Star mage may be born in generations. According to Rayla, Star magic might be the most powerful type of magic.

Star magic is little understood, and the study of the Stars is made more difficult by the scarcity of magical creatures connected to them, including Startouch Elves, Star Dragons, and unicorns. The symbol of the Stars can be found in random ancient ruins across Xadia, perhaps hinting at some connection long forgotten. The Stars is the only Primal Source not confirmed to have an Archdragon connected to it.

Dark Magic

Dark magic, also known as the seventh source, is a reviled form of magic that does not directly connect to the Primal Sources. Instead, it draws upon the primal energy within magical creatures themselves to fuel powerful spells. Unlike the six Primal Sources which each have a specific nature, dark magic is more versatile and has many uses. At its most extreme, it was even capable of resurrecting someone from the dead. Dark magic spells are normally cast through incantations in which the mage speaks in reverse. It is considered a cheap, fast, and easy way of casting magic and always requires an act of destruction and consumption to accomplish.

First used by a human mage named Ziard, who was in the possession of the relic staff gifted by Aaravos, one of the "Great Ones", it was used to shield Elarion from famine and its enemies. The ease and potency of dark magic eventually caused human dark mages to hunt and poach magical creatures to harvest their magic energy. Horrified by the practice, the elves and the dragons of Xadia divided the continent and drove all humans to the West, where it continued to be part of human culture.

Forbidden Magic

Forbidden magic is a type of powerful magic similar to dark magic. It is forbidden because it requires the consumption of the blood of still-living beings. It was discovered and practiced by the Order of the Blood Moon, a cult of Moonshadow Elves that thrived during the reign of Luna Tenebris. Those who practice this form of magic receive the title of "blood mage".

The full capabilities of forbidden magic are unclear. Kim'dael displayed the ability to lengthen an sharpen her fingernails into long red claws, teleportation (she could also teleport with a passenger/captive after making them), and she actually disappeared when an arrow struck her, after which said arrow was stopped in midair, surrounded by streams of blood, and then flew back at the shooter. Apart from amplifying their powers, it also grants a much longer longevity.

It is unknown what effects forbidden magic would have on the other five elven races or on humans.

Another form of forbidden magic that allows its wielders to prolong their life indefinitely is the ancient and disturbing practice of self-eating.

Deep Magic

Deep magic, also known as old magic, is a type of ancient, powerful, and mysterious magic that is known by very few. It is a primordial form of magic from which the six Primal Sources differentiated. It is known to be used in magic that can resurrect the dead, thus being tied to intrinsic forces such as life and death, but the price paid for that kind of power is always equivalent, as stated by Aaravos in regards to spells of resurrection, such as "Infantis Sanguine".

Mages

Mages are individuals who can harness and command the force of magic and use it to cast spells. Technically speaking, a mage is defined as anyone who uses magic, even if it is just a single spell. There are two kinds of mages; "primal mages", who draw power from one or more of the six Primal Sources, and "dark mages", who practice dark magic, using the very life and magic siphoned out of magical creatures to power their spells. Mages in Xadia do not differentiate between different titles such as "wizards", "witches", "sorcerers", and "sorceresses". Instead, "mages" is used as a general term.

Primal Mages

With primal mages, the source that the mage draws from determines the type of spells they can cast. Casting a primal magic spell requires primal energy, either from the Primal Source itself or by wielding a magical artifact of some kind, such as a Primal Stones or magic gems, usually mounted into a staff. It also involves drawing a rune in midair and speaking an incantation in Ancient Draconic. Notably, if a mage is mute, then they can use sign language to recite a Draconic incantation instead of triggering the spell verbally. When casting a primal spell, the rune follows the mage and moves with them.

Depending on their primal connection, mages serve different roles. For instance, according to Rayla, Moon mages are illusionists, while Sky mages can be acrobats, dancers, or thieves.

Experienced mages, known as "rune mages", can cast spells without the need for a magical artifact, though not all elves reach this level of skill and have to spend years cultivating a deep connection with their respective arcana, as well as honing their magic, which includes practicing proper casting of runes and Ancient Draconic incantations. This knowledge permits them to not only cast spells, but to channel primal energy to perform magical feats, such as illusions, super strength, or flight, and some mages from a higher level, such as Ibis and Lujanne, are even capable of controlling the elements of their Primal Sources without using runes and incantations.

Those who have achieved the deepest possible connection with a certain arcanum and have mastered their potential as primal mages are referred to as "Archmages". A notable Archmage is Aaravos, a Startouch Elf, due to his ability to cast magic of all six Primal Sources, as well as dark magic. It is currently unclear how he acquired these powers.

Dark Mages

Dark mages are humans who are born without a natural connection to a Primal Source, and are thus unable to access the power of the Primal Sources and therefore cannot use primal magic. They can use it if they are in possession of an artifact that can provide them with primal energy, such as Primal Stones, but they are extremely rare. It is also possible for a human to develop a connection with a Primal Source by figuring out its arcanum. There have been human primal mages in the ancient past, but none besides Callum have been known to exist in the past centuries. They are so exceedingly rare that almost all information about them has been lost.

Since primal magic is basically impossible, many human mages in the Human Kingdoms turned to the easy, but horrendous practice of dark magic. Rather than directly drawing upon the Primal Sources, dark mages absorb the essence from the body parts of magical creatures and use it to unleash dark power. To make up for their lack of a primal connection, some dark mages are known to study magic through books and tomes, spending time in the library learning spells or gathering materials and components needed to perform magic.

Notable Mages

Elven Mages Aaravos (Startouch Elf) Aditi (Sunfire Elf) Akiyu (Tidebound Elf) Finnegrin (Tidebound Elf) Ibis (Skywing Elf) Karim (Sunfire Elf) Kim'dael (Moonshadow Elf) Lujanne (Moonshadow Elf) Lyrennus (Moonshadow Elf) Mukho (Earthblood Elf) Pharos (Sunfire Elf)

Human Mages Callum Claudia Kpp'Ar The Jailer Viren Ziard

Spells

Casting Spells

Main Article: Spells

The act of casting a spell is done by harnessing the energy of a Primal Source, either through a direct connection with the Primal Source via its arcanum or with the energy being provided by a Primal Stone or crushing a magic gem. Another option is to siphon the primal energy out of the body of a magical creature. That energy can then be directed to act in certain way, often through the use of spoken incantations and/or runes of light finger drawn in midair. While the normal Primal spells, which extract power of one source, are typically cast through Ancient Draconic incantations and individual runes, the most advanced and powerful primal spells, which extract power from several primal sources at the same time, utilizes magical circles of intricate design, composed of several runes, whereas dark magic spells are often cast through incantations in which the mage speaks backward.

To cast primal spells, a mage requires a certain amount of primal energy, which, as previously mentioned, becomes stronger or weaker under certain circumstances; for example, some Sky magic spells can only be cast during a storm or at least require a strong breeze. If they have a Primal Stone or magic gem, then they can access the full power of that Primal Source regardless of external circumstances, but if not then their magic is at the mercy of the world around them.

Additionally, runes must be drawn by hand precisely, and the magic itself is sometimes tied to the physical ability of the user, just like "Aspiro" requires a mage to blow air from their lungs, and "Manus. Pluma. Volantus." requires a mage to use their arms to fly.

The casting of dark magic spells is noted as very easy.

Attempting to cast spells with incomplete knowledge can be dangerous. When Callum first attempted to use "Fulminis" he knew the rune, but not the incantation. This resulted in him being unable to complete the spell and his body was surrounded by a hazardous cage of flailing electrical bolts that would normally be launched offensively. He was able to free himself by tossing away his Primal Stone; without it, he had no primal energy to fuel the spell and it shut down. As shown by Aaravos and Callum, the most talented and powerful mages can cast spells without speaking the required incantations.

It usually only takes one mage to cast a spell, but some spells can be so strong or complicated, they need more than one. Additionally, when multiple mages cast the same spell simultaneously, it increases in power.

Known Spells

See: Spells

Magical Artifacts

Main Article: Magical Artifacts

Magical artifacts are often used to harness certain magical properties or abilities and conduct or control various sources of magic or cast spells. Magical artifacts are mysterious and strange, and not much is known about them. They are also diverse in shapes and sizes.

Trivia

• On the Key of Aaravos, the Sky rune is on the opposite side of the cube from the Star rune, the Earth rune is opposite of the Moon rune, and the Sun rune is opposite of the Ocean rune. This may imply that these Primal Sources are each other's opposites.
  • Rayla noted that she had never felt farther from the Moon than she did inside an underground cavern, where Earth Magic is stronger.
  • The main protagonist of the series, Callum, is a Sky mage, while the main antagonist of the series, Aaravos, is a Star mage.
  • The Sun is capable of fire-based magic, while the Ocean is capable of water-based magic.
• Alternatively, as mentioned above, there are certain circumstances where one Primal Source is weaker, but another Primal Source would be stronger in those same circumstances.
  • Ocean magic would not work very well in a desert or a cave, where Earth Magic is strong, while Earth magic would not work very well out at sea, where Ocean magic is strong.
  • Sun magic would not work at night when Moon magic is stronger, while Moon magic would not work during the day when Sun magic is stronger.
  • It has not been explained when the Sky Primal and Star Primal are weaker. However, Sky magic comes from the air and weather events, such as rains and storms, which do not exist out in the void where the stars dwell. Additionally, when Callum was at the top of the Star Scraper to perform the Star-Truth ritual, and he flew up to the stars as close as he could, his mage wings dissipated and he briefly lost consciousness, which could imply that Sky magic is at its weakest in the heavens, where the air is thinnest.
    • This would make the Sky and the Stars the only Primal Sources that remain opposites non-interchangeably.
• When Callum had his fever dream after using dark magic for the first time, he heard his late mother, Sarai tell him that "sometimes you need to focus on the present, take a deep breath, and just be. Sometimes, things can get so complicated, that our minds can't quite sort them out alone, but when you slow down, and let yourself breathe, your spirit and your body can catch up with your mind and help out. To know something truly and deeply, you must know it with your head, hand, and heart. Mind, body, and spirit." When Callum woke up, he understood the Sky arcanum and said that it is not just one simple thing, but all the things, they just had to come together. It is unknown if this advice applies to all the Primal Sources or if it is unique to the Sky Primal.
• The secret of every arcanum known thus far requires one to disregard an innate belief that turned out to be a falsehood. It is always the opposite of how people normally think.