Elements
"When all four elements are in balance, in perfect harmony, then life is without flaw. But no mortal creature, great or small, exists in perfect harmony." - from the Teachings of Asklepios
The Elements are the basic components from which all things are formed. The four primary elements are Fire, Earth, Air, and Water - which combine to create Life, which is sometimes considered an element of its own. Keeping these four elements and their related "humors" in balance is considered key to health, a belief called Humorism. All living creatures are born with an Affinity for a particular element, with some people having a stronger affinity than others.
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Humorism
The four basic elements are Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. Life, which some consider an element of its own, is formed by the combination and proper balance of these four elements together. A healer who practices humorism will try to heal a sick person by figuring out which element is out of balance and bringing it back into order. Various methods may be used to restore the balance in a person's body, such as mixing potions from ingredients related to the four elements. Each individual may have a different natural balance, depending on their affinity, so the process of finding the right balance can be a difficult one.
Affinity
Every living thing is born with an affinity for a particular element, or mixture of elements. One's affinity may not be readily apparent, except in the case of those with the gift of magic, whose magic usually first manifests as the element to which they are attuned. But affinity does not just affect magic. It can affect an individual's personality and temperament, environmental preferences, and much more. For instance, individuals of Air affinity tend to be free spirits and slightly whimsical, while those of Fire affinity are often passionate and quick to anger. Someone of Water affinity might prefer a life at sea or near the shore, while avoiding particularly dry environments.
When they find themselves in an environment counter to their elemental affinity, a person might feel unwell and out of sorts - "out of their element," one might say. This applies doubly for magi, who find their spells considerably weaker and more difficult to cast in an environment that contests their affinity. However, not everyone who lives in the desert is of Fire affinity, nor is everyone on the sea of Water affinity - and likewise, not every hotheaded man or woman is Fire affinity.
Some people are more strongly affected by affinity than others. They are sometimes said to have been born on the fringes of the Elemental Wheel, greatly favoring their element over all others and despising their opposite element. According to some philosophers and doctors, such fringe individuals are usually highly abnormal, out of balance with the rest of society (such as a recluse or madman), and some may have poor health conditions as well. Those with a "weaker" affinity are considered more in-balance, normal, and healthy.
In some very rare cases, an individual might be born with an affinity outside of the main four and their intermediate mixtures. These include Light, Shadow, or possibly even Arcane. Such people are considered extremely special, possibly even children of prophecy or of supernatural parentage. They may manifest special magical abilities, even if they are not born with the Gift of magic. Magi born with these affinities are usually even more powerful than most.
The Four Basic Elements
Fire
Fire is the element of heat, warmth, and flame - a necessary building block of life. Fire is associated with the Choleric humor. An individual with Fire affinity is usually passionate, hot-tempered, obsessive, and dominant. They can be argumentative and impatient but excellent leaders, especially in an emergency. They prefer to live in warm, arid environments and work with fire-related professions such as cooking or smithing. Since their opposite affinity is water, they are weak to it, and hate being submerged or traveling at sea. Fire magi are adept at summoning and controlling magical flame but have difficulty with water and ice magic.
Earth
Earth is the element of rocks, dirt, clay, and minerals. It is sometimes also associated with plants, which live in the earth. Earth is associated with the Phlegmatic humor. An individual with Earth affinity is usually calm, content, rational, and diplomatic. They can also be shy, stubborn, fearful of change, and sometimes apathetic. They are adapted to living in rocky landscapes, fields, or even underground, and they tend to enjoy careers working with the land, such as farming and mining. They are weakest when they are away from solid land, such as out at sea or at a high altitude. Earth magi are adept at spells concerning stone and minerals, including poisons and alchemy, but they have difficulty casting air spells, like summoning wind and lightning.
Water
Water is the element of liquids and ice. It is associated with the Melancholic humor. An individual with Water affinity is usually thoughtful, cautious, well-organized, and creative. But they can also be obsessive, overly cautious, prone to moodiness and depression, and frequently discontent. They are adapted to living in humid environments and at sea. They are weakest in dry environments, such as deserts. They enjoy life as sailors and fishermen. Water magi are adept at summoning water or ice but have difficulty with spells of their opposing element: fire.
Air
Air is the element of wind, vapors, storms, and lightning. It is associated with the Sanguine humor. An individual with Air affinity is usually highly sociable, confident, spontaneous, and free-spirited. But they can also be impulsive, flighty, unreliable, and claustrophobic. They are adapted to living in open environments not closed off from the sky, such as open plains, mountaintops, or at sea. They are weakest when cut off from the open air, such as when underground, imprisoned, or underwater. Air magi are adept at summoning wind and lightning, but have difficulty with earth and poison magic.
Intermediate Elements
Many individuals display a mixture of traits from two closely-aligned affinities, causing them to fall somewhere in-between two basic affinities on the wheel of elements. They can be categorized as the following:
Lightning
Lightning falls between Air and Fire. An individual with Lightning affinity walks between those of Air and Fire affinities. They display the free-spirited and temperamental attitudes of both, making them highly volatile. They prefer living in warm, open-air environments. Their opposite affinity is clay.
Magma
Magma falls between Fire and Earth. An individual with Magma affinity walks between those of Fire and Earth affinities. They tend to be calm and quiet most of the time but can erupt with furious passion when provoked. They are adapted to living in warm environments close to land, especially near volcanoes. Their opposite affinity is frost or ice.
Clay
Clay falls between Earth and Water. An individual with Clay affinity walks between those of Water and Earth affinities. They are usually content and calm but can sink into deep moods when made to doubt their beliefs. They are adapted to living in very humid environments and wetlands. Their opposite affinity is lightning.
Ice
Ice falls between Water and Air. An individual with Frost or Ice affinity walks between those of Water and Air affinities. As one might expect, they tend to have very cold personalities and prefer living in cold environments such as the far north and high altitudes. Their opposite affinity is magma.
Other Elements
Light
The element of Light is sometimes called Aether, or High Air - the element of the heavens, where the gods dwell. Often seen as a holy affinity, many saints and heroes are considered to be of Light affinity. They are considered to be brave, selfless, and noble, but also judgmental, self-righteous, and sometimes arrogant. Those rare individuals born to the Light prefer daytime and clear skies, as well as bright fires, and they hate or fear darkness. Light magi can summon beams of intense light and heat, are naturally talented with divine magic, and may find it impossible to use shadow magic.
Shadow
Often viewed as an unholy or even demonic affinity, those with Shadow - also called Darkness or Void - affinity are often shunned and driven into hiding. Just as the Void is closely associated with the darkest depths of the sea, their personality tends to be similar to the Melancholy of Water affinity: thoughtful and creative, but moody and plagued by dark thoughts. They are often antisocial loners who find it difficult to relate to other people. They prefer nighttime, dark places, the color black, and they hate bright light, bright colors, and exposure. Shadow magi can summon pure darkness to blot out the light and are naturally talented in black magic, and they may find it nearly impossible to cast light or divine spells, unless favored by a darker, chthonic deity.
Life and Spirit
Some thinkers refer to Life as an element of its own, created by the proper balance of the four primary elements but then becoming an element beyond any of them. It is unknown if a person could be born with Life affinity (perhaps this would simply be the most well-balanced person ever to live), but "Life Magic" is sometimes used to refer to magic that influences (or even creates or summons) living things. This usually requires coaxing the Spirit of that living thing into aiding the caster, and thus Life Magic and the Life "element" are often conflated with Spirit, which some also consider to be an element. The existence of a Spirit Affinity is sometimes used to explain the Conduit phenomenon. All of this is speculation, however, best left to philosophers and magi.
Arcane
The grouping of Arcana as an Element is also a controversial one. Some ancient tales speak of exceptionally potent magi born with Arcane affinity, the purest and most powerful magic of all, but this has never been observed or studied in recorded history. Exactly how an Arcane affinity would manifest itself in the personality or abilities of an individual remains unknown.
Other
The other types of magic represented on the Wheel of Magic, such as Runic magic, are generally not considered elements. However, the existence of elements beyond those listed here has been speculated, including Wood and Metal, which are favored in the philosophies of the Far East.
