Each country in the Loyalty Fallen series has its own unique way of practicing magic. Here are the details for Tephraya, the Desert Kingdom. Comment to offer criticism or questions below!

Fundamentals:

• Core Elements: Blood Rubies and Gold
• Characteristics: Ruby magic is red, hard, and intimately linked with blood, varying from healing to causing the Ruby Death. Gold magic is golden, soft, pliable, heavy, and used for architecture and manipulation and weight-based attacks.

Source and Catalyst:

• Gemstones and Metals as Catalysts: Rubies and gold serve as the material basis for magic. Rubies lose their color after use, turning clear. Gold turns to dust after its magical application.
• Mythological Origin: Gold magic is believed to have originated from the golden city in the Desolation Dunes. Ruby magic is seen as a natural distortion, with a negative connotation as an act of heathens.

Usage:

• Combat: Ruby magic is used covertly for assassination and creating shrapnel-like weapons. It’s rarely used due to the scarcity of rubies.
• Healing: Ruby magic’s rare application in healing, including curing the Ruby Death.
• Decoration and Construction: Gold magic is employed to create statues and buildings, showcasing Tephraya’s wealth and artistry.

Practitioners:

• Ruby Magic Users: Known as forbidden practitioners, including assassins serving the crown and the legendary rebel Haim Liberus.
• Gold Magic Users (Dahab): Serve royals and work in architecture, manipulating gold for decorative purposes.

Societal Integration:

• Economy: Gold magic enhances Tephraya’s trade with far kingdoms, especially in art and architecture. Ruby magic, although rare, is sought after for its healing capabilities.
• Class System and Views: Magic, especially ruby magic, is viewed with suspicion and often considered taboo. Practitioners are marginalized or operate in secrecy.

Limitations:

• Resource Scarcity: The rarity of blood rubies severely limits the practice of ruby magic.
• Consequences: Overuse of ruby magic can lead to environmental and personal health risks, including the Ruby Death.

Geographical and Historical Influences:

• War of the Sands: This event showcased the strategic use of magic in warfare, but also reinforced the societal stigma against ruby magic.

Inter-Kingdom Relations:

• Distrust and Desire: Tephraya’s unique magic, especially healing, is coveted by other kingdoms, leading to conflicts. Its disdain for gem-based magic causes tension with Navinor and Iridalys.

Magical Fauna:

• Armored Rowl and Sand Dragon: Unique creatures of Tephraya, with the sand dragon capable of causing the Ruby Death if it consumes rubies. Tephraya’s most common animal is the armored Rowl, which looks like a mixture between an armadillo and a camel. It has long legs like camel legs, but its upper body is armored and it has a small head that looks like an armadillo’s head. It moves like a camel and has a similar temperament. It is the normal transport and pack animal of the country, but it has also been used in wars as a charge animal, since its only weakness is its legs. The other animal is a sand dragon. The sand dragon has armor and a stinging tail like a black scorpion, but also has four legs. Strangely, the sand dragon is constantly vibrating with electricity; its fast burrowing with large claws through rough sand leads to charging up static electricity that can hurt unsuspecting prey.

Defensive and Offensive Capabilities:

• Offensive: Ruby magic for covert assassinations and gold magic for creating heavy weaponry. Defensive uses of gold are inefficient due to its softness.

If you are interested in learning more about the world and characters of my upcoming romantic fantasy novel series, Loyalty Fallen, subscribe and please like this post to support my work!