Chapter 45: Chapter 44: The thing that creeps at midnight

Darkness.

Of the many elemental attributes present in the world, darkness is by far the most controversial.

The core elemental attribute behind all types of magic is the attribute ‘Arcane’. Arcane is pure, unadulterated magic, untouched by any element or spice.

Below that, it diverges into several fundamental core elements. For example -

Holy : Air : Fire : Nature : Ice : Water : Dark

These are simply some of the roots of the elemental tree.

A single step deeper and they diverge fully into a mass of incomprehensible complexity. For example, between the prongs of ‘Nature’, ‘Water’ and ‘Dark’ lies the ‘Poison’ attribute. Between ‘Air’ and ‘Fire’ lies ‘Lightning’.

While some attributes are favored amongst our people for their utility, pragmatism, or even showmanship, others are favored for different reasons. ‘Holy’ is the one that we of the faith are the most proud of. We devote our entire lives to learning of this strange remnant of the gods.

On the far end of this collection lies the other attribute, ‘Dark’.

To say that this is an undesirable feature of the world is an understatement. People who are unlucky enough to have been born with an affinity to ‘Dark’, or to any of its sub-attributes, such as ‘Ash’ or ‘Poison’, are rightfully scorned by polite society.

Lower socioeconomic class adventurers often do not have a problem with working with dark-attributed people and in fact, tend to find these unlucky souls very useful for their unusual ability to fight and aid in their dirty work.

But do not expect to see that same necromancer, who helped a party fight through a dungeon an hour before, invited to their table at the guild afterwards.

The worst offenders to our societal tastes are, however, the witches.

Their world-breaking misuse of the elements is a malignancy present within the system of attributes.

— They must be removed.