Magician

So, this pokemon witch concept is a little bit of a pet project, and something i've been working on for almost a decade now. While it's primarily been just me and a few close friends building in this little sandbox... honestly?I personally find it a whole lot more enjoyable to just throw it to the wolves throw open the gates to the sandbox. It's much more fun playing with others, and i enjoy seeing what others do with the settings i've build - so i wish to promote collaborative, open source participation!'Open species' is the term i am familiar with, regarding species concepts like these... even though this is less a species, and more a unique take on the setting. But! The specifics of those don't matter. What does matter, is that while this 'pokemon witch' idea is my creation, as it's creator i am officially stating that i wish for it to be available for anyone interested to dabble with this mess themselves.

Wanna play in this sandbox with us? Like what you see and wanna apply it to your own pokemon lore?

Congrats have a shovel and a blank sheet! Your City Now.

Yeah, it's my lore, but who cares? If you like what you see, just take it and run. No permission by me is needed to use any part of this conceptual au.

What I will ask of you, is that if you're playing with it heavily as-is? Out of the box and without running off in your own direction to make your own sandcastles in this sandbox? Then please, if you can, credit me - or anyone else who may have contributed to your version of the lore - accordingly.

◓ WHAT IS THIS ENTIRE THING?
This is a ‘what-if’ involving a possible pokemon evolution for the human race.
AKA: it explores the concept that humans ARE pokemon - and are able to evolve like them, too, stemming from the fact that there’s actual humans with supernatural abilities in the pokemon world, and the fact that there’s lore tidbits in the series about how both Pokemon and Humans may have a common ancestor. This AU takes that concept and runs away with it.

◓ COMPATIBILITY
This AU is compatible with any perspective of the Pokemon setting that acknowledges or references the magical or folkloric attributes pokemon, while also being of the mind that people with special abilities aren’t particularly common. Though I mainly reference actual historical timelines with how I'm building this, there is a lot of wiggle room to fit in with other folk’s ideas of how the pokemon world might work, and things can be easily tweaked to fit with custom histories and settings. One man’s magic is another man’s science, after all!

◓ ARE YOU SURE THIS ISN'T A PRIVATE/CLOSED GROUP? ARE THERE REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN?
This is not a group, there are no requirements to play with this idea! The concept originally got started due to a Pokemon OC of mine, and a few friends took to the lore and decided to theory craft with me.So I’ve opened it up for ANYONE to mess with. Quite literally, I mean anyone. You like the idea? Wanna mess with or add onto it? Congrats, have a blank sheet, your city now.

◓ SO ANYONE CAN JOIN THIS OR ADD ONTO IT?
Yep! While this AU is entirely my concept and creation, I’ve basically decided to let anyone mess with the concept or borrow bits and pieces if you really like something, and anyone can add or tweak or do whatever else you want with it.Don’t feel pressured to create your own OCs or anything, of course. If you did, i'd be tickled pink - but overall i'm just plain happy know that folks like the concept, and enjoy seeing them have fun with the building blocks i've left out.

◓ SO WHAT ACTUALLY IS A WITCH?
Witch, mage, sorcerer - many names for the same folkloric archetype in the end - a person with mystical, magical abilities who can help or hinder the protagonist depending on their role in the story. Different names from different cultures for the same thing.I personally use the terms interchangeably, as they’re technically referring to the same type of character archetype, and are thus the same type of being in this project. As far as Pokemon itself goes, these kinds of humans already exists in the setting itself. Thus, the broader blanket of the concepts covers any human with a special ability - aura users, psychics, etc. They can all be considered a witch - or considered to have the potential to evolve into one.However, it is a learned move, so to speak - while psychics and aura users were born with the 'egg move' so to speak, the rest of humanity is perfectly capable of achieving it through good old elbow grease.

◓ THESE EVOLVED HUMANS - ARE THEY STILL HUMAN? OR ARE THEY POKEMON?
Both! Mages are a borderline existence between humanity and everything else, so they’re an uncanny existence with a foot in both doors - one with humanity, and one with pokemon. They look like humans at face value, but their biology beyond implies otherwise. Whether or not they’re going to be classified as one or the other - or neither - is entirely up to you!Enjoy your moral ambiguity.

◓ IS THE MAGIC FEATURED BASED IN REALITY?
This witch concept is based purely off of the folklore, fairy tale, rumor, and history of european witchcraft, but it is not exclusive to it specifically. Of course, just because I am am a folklore nerd and thus distinctly going a folklore and fairytale route, that doesn’t mean you can’t run a Hollywood witch, or implement modern witchcraft. Feel free to just run with it - it's your city as much as it is mine!However, to serve as some sort of boundary of limitation, then consider this to be your hard limit: anything that a witch can do should be on par with anything a standard, non-legendary Pokemon can do. Very, very few individuals achieve power outright on par with legends, but those that do are considered with just as much awe as the legends themselves by the rest of the community.

Magicians are best considered a lost Evolution of the human race. Yes, Evolution - like the change between forms of Pokemon.

These evolved humans take energy from the world around them into their bodies, and convert it into a variety of effects depending on the individual’s talent and whim. As these effects mirror the capabilities of many known pokemon, they are best considered the human equivalent of a pokemon. Such a notion may offend mages themselves, but it is still not a wrong assumption.

So where does that leave humans themselves?

Well, Psychics and other humans with abilities are actually their pre-evolution! Or rather, humans who are most equipped and likely to potentially evolve, if the right circumstances are met per the individual. These individuals have essentially been born with an 'egg move' that allows them to meet the criteria for evolution quicker than those who have to learn those abilities the heard way.

But the ability to become a full-blown mage is not limited to just those who are born with innate abilities. Any human can evolve into a Magician, so long as the motivation is there and the right conditions are met. It all depends on their individual aptitude and what typing they hold the most affinity towards.

All in all, all individuals who hold a special ability not seen among the greater populace are considered a witch, in both the bulk of human society and popular media - and in the eyes and opinions of their evolved counterparts. They are magic-using humans. What makes them a Magician, is whether or not they've crossed over that line which Evolution has drawn, and become something more than human.

Witches always have a Pokemon type (usually two) associated with them, and always have an Ability. Most commonly they gain a variant of Flash Fire or Water Absorb, which matches one of the witch's types, though they also have been known to have Regenerator, Magic Bounce, Magic Guard, Healer, or Magician. They are not limited to these abilities in the least, these are just the ones which have been recorded in a higher quantity.

EVOLUTION.

Evolution is a natural occurrence for humans walking down the magician’s evolutionary route, and is triggered by environmental stress and their body’s growing tolerance levels towards magical energy. The evolution into a magician, when monitored and expected, is a generally painless affair. When rushed or unexpected, it is painful and can be life threatening without intervention.Among humans who have psychic or similar abilities, when they evolve into a mage their talents often match or compliment their original abilities. Whether evolved Mages will Psychics and other humans with similar abilities as fellow Mages is generally a case-by-case basis.

Evolution can be a dangerous process for unsuspecting humans. If they walk into it unprepared or unintentionally, the high amounts of energy being brought into the body can potentially harm them, rather than help evolve them. Humans experiencing this who resist evolution, or incite it prematurely, can wind up injured or dead due to the shock from the intense flow of power.

FURTHER EVOLUTIONS?

Magicians have two known variations of their final, Undead (ghost-typed) evolution - one spectral (standard ghost), and one physical (lich). The former variant is much more common. Evolution is triggered upon the mage’s death, and while humans are equally capable of possibly manifesting as a ghost, it’s all but guaranteed for a magician. They will become a ghost after death, and precautions have to be prepared if one is trying to kill them. Generally, the aim is to trap their soul in some shape or form to prevent it from running amok. The only downside to this new form are the new rules and limitations of being a spectral being.

Magicians who seek to keep some degree of physical presence in the mortal realm and evade those pesky rules and limitations after death, will aim to become a Lich - a difficult process which is easily botched up. There’s a reason not many of them are seen. Ones who do manage to pull it off, though, are magical powerhouses not bound to the normal limitations of mortal bodies.

NO LONGER HUMAN.

An evolved mage is biologically different than their pre-evolutions. Although they look nigh indistinguishable from their human counterparts, a magician’s bodily structure is quite different. Unlike Psychics and Aura users, who despite their abilities are confined by the human body’s capabilities and limitations… a Mage’s body has evolved to absorb, store, circulate energy, and in some cases generate its own. It acts and operates much differently.

Their body is much more receptive to high amounts of energy, and is able to resonate and amplify them to even greater effect, or store this energy for later use. The human body, in comparison, has much less Special Defense, nor does it have the ability to handle foreign energy in similarly large quantities.  Co-existing with the leylines is meant literally - they’ve essentially handed their bodies over to the whim of the magic they control, allowing it to mold their bodies to maximize their potential with it. Where humans would need food, water, and sleep to stay alive and energized, the magic warping a mage’s body has eliminated those needs and automatically upkeep the body without further outside assistance.

This does not mean that mages do not eat or sleep period - they just have a much lower need for them, as they are no longer what their bodies primarily require to live. Many will still eat and sleep simply to supplement their normal mana intake.

A mage is entirely dependent on their inherent connection to the leylines to live - if they somehow get cut off from the source of mana powering their bodies, they will die. Not immediately, but like a phone left off a charger, should they be disconnected they will only persist so long as they have energy stored up to fuel their bodies. Essentially, they’ve evolved to become portable, rechargeable batteries and conductors of raw energy, having developed magical circuitry within their bodies to allow them to more intricately co-exist with their ‘magical’ energy source.

USING THEIR CONNECTION TO THE LEYLINES.

A mage doesn't just passively absorb power, and then have it just sit there doing nothing. When it comes to actively or passively absorbing energy, they can only absorb raw, unaligned energy, or energy which matches their Type - they are unable to absorb a type of energy which their body is not affiliated with. Those that try will often feel ill from the aftermath.

When it comes to using this stored power, or cycling it through their bodies from their environment to channel a 'spell' (aka: a pokemon move, or other fantastical ability that is typically associated as only being able to be performed by such creatures), then each mage’s raw energy, if they generate it in a visible way, takes on a distinctive color hue! This hue depends on the individual and their type, but may defy expectations. IE: a fire mage’s raw magic may have a light red, orange, or blue hue to it - or any color associated with the heat spectrum.

While being considered 'legends' or 'myths' by humanity itself, a mage is truthfully only as powerful as the fellow pokemon they share their world with - some are perhaps more powerful than others, just as some pokemon are more powerful than their peers by virtue or species or training. But they are not deities, nor are they miracle-workers, like true Legendary pokemon. Infact, they almost never reach the power of Legends. Such incidents are incredibly rare. Mages who do reach such lengths are considered legendary even among their own ranks, just like the tier of power they've emulated.

Mages operate off an unknown energy source that they themselves call ‘magic’, or ‘mana’, in the world. This energy runs in the world’s ley lines and powers the surrounding universe at large, keeping the cycles of life, renewal, and change active and turning. It’s essentially what makes the world ‘tick’, and as evident by natural phenomena, will turn into other types of energies or effects depending on what it’s introduced to.

The truth of the matter is that this energy is HIGHLY likely a power source related to, if not out-right, Life Energy.

This makes mages very similar in existence to AZ, the king who got cursed with life energy to live for 3000 years - except for mages, this is no accident. They did this to themselves very much on purpose - and they've taken it a step further.

For mages, who have learned how to tap into this energy properly, when introduced to their purpose and intent, it will manifest as what’s commonly considered ‘magic’. Thought, logic, and emotion turn pure energy from an imagined, hypothetical outcome into actual reality. AKA: This energy lets them essentially bend the fabric of reality to their whim - in minor ways, they do have limitations. They are Pokemon, not gods.

To what extent and creativity their abilities can reach is unknown, and generally dependent on the individual, but in general if there is a pokemon out there that can perform a specific feat, there is at least one witch who can learn how to do the same.In general, the elemental which an individual witch shows affinity for matches their biological typing - a grass-typed witch will show prowess with grass-typed Moves and supernatural abilities, and be weak to elements that are effective against grass-typed pokemon, no different than a pokemon of the same type.

Most magicians have a very specific magical skill set that they show innate talent for. This skill set varies per individual - a magician who excels in conjuring fire will generally have trouble conjuring illusions, and so forth, as the result is out of their area of expertise. This talent does not necessarily have to align with any known Pokemon type. Just because a witch is grass-typed doesn’t mean it can’t manifest fire or water, or make illusions or charm objects or people.

Their type does manifest in a way that compliments what they’re best at and hold talent for, but their magical potential tends to lie beyond mere type affinities. (IE: Bridgette’s talent for transformation doesn’t lend itself to any one particular Type, but both dark and fairy can qualify for it.)

Typings common in mages vary depending on era and their living environment. Certain typings were more common in the past yet a bit rarer now, primarily due to overall lack of desire among modern psychics to explore their capabilities further. (Or lack of knowledge entirely about the possibility). But they are experiencing a come-back, now that psychic abilities aren’t scrutinized as hard and are starting to become more accepted in society.

PSYCHIC AND FIGHTING

Among the various types seen in Pokemon, the two most prominent types seen universally across the ages are Psychic and (surprisingly) Fighting. These two types represent Psychic humans and Aura-using humans respectively. Both of these types innately pull from within their own bodies, rather than primarily pulling from the world around them, and are the two most vocal in the modern era - hence their more common appearance in comparison to the other types.

GHOST AND DARK

Other types commonly seen regardless of era are Ghost and Dark - those who draw power with death, and those who deal with emotion. Both of these types are often found in Hex Maniacs, as both types tend to pull power from the macabre or darker aspects of life.

FAIRY

Fairy is another semi-common type, though it's appearance is spotty in more recent eras. Witchcraft has a long lingermingled with the fae - the fairy type - and though a long-standing type which completed the quintet with the four above typings, many of it's old Mage lineages were wiped out with the witch hunts that spread across much of Kalos and similar regions in ages past. However, individuals with it's typing do crop up from time to time in the modern era, often in individuals who retain no known magical lineages. It is unknown if they are remnants of former lineages lost to time, or if they are entirely new ones being born, due to dealings with the fae.

NORMAL, STEEL, AND OTHER TYPES

Normal type witches are.... rare. Typically the typing is a Primary type - commonly seen among their Human pre-evolutions, and thus winds up replaced by whichever Primary type the individual taps into as a Leyline. Those who retain such a type even after evolving are baffling but not unheard of, and often operate as jacks-of-all-trades, not bound to any one particular leyline.

Finally, Steel is a more recently seen Typing. A very rare one, often seen primarily as a secondary typing in the past, it has become slightly more commonplace in the modern era, thanks to industrialization and the ever-evolving creations of man. As it is not an element born of nature, this Leyline is foreign to the old Mage society. Those with this typing are almost entirely modern mages unconnected to the old guard and old ways, raised in the midst of human society - their abilities tuned into the Leyline born of human civilization's heartbeat.

The other types, including but not limited to Grass, Water, Fire, Ground, Electric, and Flying also commonly seen - however they are not typically see as primary types. More often than not, they are seen as secondary types accompanying one of the five mentioned above - typically being a manifestation of the individual's abilities, rather than where their powers are sourced within the world around them. Yet even still, it's not unheard of for individuals to retain a Primary typing of one of these types - not much is known about how having one of these types as a Primary type affects the mage or their abilities, and as such, occurrences of this are of interest to the Mage community of a whole.

LONG-LIVED, NOT IMMORTAL

Of observed individuals who have undergone the evolution process, many have survived to be multiple centuries in age - if not millennia. No mage thus far has been known to die naturally of old age. They are, however, able to be killed and have the same fragility as any other regular human, if not even more-so.

Those who evolve typically age slower than humans - drastically so - and often appear physically younger than their actual chronological age due to this. Physically young does not mean they are mentally young - a 50 year old witch might physically look no older than 20 or 30, and a 200 year old witch for some reason might look no older than 10.

This is because evolution can happen at different points in an individual's lifespan - it is not set to occur in a specific age bracket. The conditions for evolution are completely separate of how old the human is at the time the conditions are met - meaning that those who evolve are often stuck at the physical age bracket they were in at the time the evolution occurred. There is no set standard, rhyme, or reason to exactly what age bracket is most likely to have evolution occur, as different factors play into and affect this dissonance.

Of course, do note that true to legends surrounding them, many mages are vain creatures. It is not unusual for them to go out of their way to find a way to permanently change or modify their physical appearance to better suit their desires. Many who are no longer youthful will go out of their way to achieve a young appearance, out of pure desire or fear of losing it in the first place. And just as commonly (often those who live in areas where their lack of aging may be noticed), if they look too young for their actual age, they might find ways to make themselves appear the age that they should be by human standards - if not overshooting it entirely, to look like an old crone.

Ultimately, this means that the physical parameters and limits of the human body is nothing more than a play thing to someone who has evolved and thus gone beyond human limitations. Attempting to figure out the age of a witch by physical appearance alone is ill advised.

HEALING & DURABILITY.

They do have a superior ability to heal - when injured, as long as they retain that connection to the leylines, their bodies will automatically shift gears and start repairing the damage. This makes them a lot more hardy than their human cousins, and they are able to bounce back from most injuries that could severely cripple a normal human. To the point where they’re notorious for being hard to kill - they WILL recover, in due time, if left unattended.

Their rate of healing is slightly faster than a normal human, but not to an alarming degree - if a human is in a hospital healing for two weeks, it’ll generally take them a week and a half instead. However, injuries made by elements they’re weak to are prone to healing incorrectly without proper medical aid and may need special attention or care.

Essentially, they have high Special Attack and Defense against elements they aren’t weak to, but will crumple like paper against elements they are. Physical-wise, they’re Squishy Mages, and are fairly low in the Attack and Defense department.

EYES.

A mage’s eyes are their most telling indicator that they’ve walked a separate branch from the rest of humanity. The pupils glow white with mana, rather than appear black like a regular human’s pupil. No light or a dulled light in the pupil is evident of ill health. The iris can come in any color seen on the human spectrum, and may glow softly in low-light conditions, or when large amounts of mana are being used.And, finally, unlike their human pre-evolutions, a mage’s eyes display ‘eye shine’ and will reflect direct light, not unlike most pokemon.

COLOR.

Despite common superstition, hair and eye color have absolutely no bearing on whether or not an individual is human, a magician, or something else. Someone with blonde hair is equally as likely as someone with blue hair to learn how to become a magician, and the vast majority of witches surviving from the Hunting era are in fact those with common hair or eye color. Fact of the matter is, many who lost their lives due to having unusual coloration were not magicians at all.

SHAPESHIFTER TELLS.

Not all witches are shapeshifters, so not all witches have a tell. But witches who do have an ability to shapeshift will always have a tell. Fangs, claws, and thick/shaggy/wild hair are all common indicators. The size and structure of fangs, however, show that they are for display and intimidation, rather than predation or hunting. These fangs are often affectionately called ‘fairy fangs’ among their own kind, as are very common among fairy-typed individuals. The appearance of an individual’s tell depends on the form they take, and usually reveals what they turn into, but they don't always correlate.

HIERARCHICAL.

Ranking in mage society is dependent on age, experience, and family status. The oldest, most senior member of a family is their ‘elder’ and is essentially that family’s spokesperson for the community at large. The actual age of this individual does not matter - they just have to be the most senior member of the family or group at hand in order to be heard properly by the community at large.In a miscellaneous group of witches who ran across each other in a chance meeting, the oldest one present will be considered the 'elder' and thus the 'leader', with further hierarchy following accordingly. However, there are other mages at large who are likely older, and should that group meet up with another compromised of older figures, they'll be expected to fall in line accordingly.

HUMAN MAGES?

Despite what some media may say, mages have no problem with their unvolved counterparts! At least, ones that have taken an interest in magic. As mage births are few and far between, all individuals with an interest in obtaining or exploring special abilities are highly coveted, and many established families would jump at the chance to bolster their numbers.

FLIGHT & BROOMS.

Broom-riding is a stereotype, and not all mages are able to fly. Most mages who do fly are ones who travel frequently.

FAVORS.

Never owe a mage a favor, and if a favor is owed, never leave it unpaid. Mages put a lot of stake on their ability to hold favors over others, and will drag you through the mud over it, but likewise will never leave one unpaid - they’re honorable, and will see that their debts are repaid in full.

OTHER CREATURES

While Werewolves and Vampires are both entities that mages are known to become, they are not true evolutions. Vampirism is a disease that can affect both humans and magicians alike, and is considered incurable for both if not treated within a set timeframe. If the condition cannot be prevented, the individual is henceforth considered a vampire. As the entity is thus Undead and has an insatiable desire to prey on the living, it should therefore be dealt with appropriately. Societies of vampires are known to exist, but do not often associate heavily with mage communities, as mages can be desirable prey to them.Lycanthropy on the other hand, while also a condition, is not nearly as dangerous and can be cured. This condition is either a boon or a curse, depending on the eye of the beholder. As it does not change the properties of the original body, and acts more akin to a Ditto’s copycat abilities but with a specific, set form, it is not considered an evolution.

Due to the high amount of energy that runs through a mage’s body, they generally are not capable of having their own biological children. It is not impossible for them to have their own children, but it is a rare occurrence - generally once a century for parents actively trying to create a family. The source of their trouble is the sheer destructive force that magic actually is. With how much power is contained within an Evolved mother’s body, it simply is not a welcoming environment to the safe development of new life.

On the off-chance a birth is successfully achieved to a Mage mother, the child will almost always biologically be a Mage themself - skipping their base Human stage entirely. This is due to the child evolving in the womb, a necessity in order to survive the hostile amounts of energy in their mother’s body.

If offspring being born of mages is a rare affair, then a regular human being born to them is even rarer. It's not completely impossible - most often the result of Mage fathers who pair with Human mothers, but not impossible.Overall, the Inheritance structure looks as follows:

• Human Mother + Human Father = Human
  
• Human Mother + Mage Father = 50/50 Human or Mage
  
• Mage Mother + Human Father = Mage
  
• Mage Mother + Mage Father = Mage

Because their numbers are low and not easily replenished naturally, this means that most mages are not against abducting children who show magical promise, and raise them as their own in hopes that they’ll evolve to become mages themselves.... hence the reputation that Witches have in lore as kidnappers.

A witch’s familiar is an entity which they have pacted to share their abilities with - the familiar assists and protects them, shares their life force and innate power, in exchange for feeding off a portion of the witch’s power. It is a parasocial relationship with mutually benefits both parties, granting each abilities they could not achieve on their own.As pokemon are spirits through technicality, albeit physical ones, any Pokemon may be pacted with to be a Familiar. Most familiars are (or were) normal Pokemon.As familiars are infact pokemon, they can be caught in pokeballs as a precaution to prevent theft as with any pokemon - but as long as they are within a pokeball they are not able to assist their mage. As such, most familiars will refuse to go within a pokeball.Once a mage has found a pokemon it desires to be it's familiar, the familiar's life energy is shared and enhanced by the mage's own energy - boosting it's abilities accordingly, and even granting particularily clever ones a way to access new abilities entirely.

LIFESPAN.

If the familiar is pacted to a fully evolved witch, their master’s magic will extend the familiar’s lifespan accordingly, to match their master’s lifespan. This does not mean it cannot die - it is simply long-lived, like it’s master. During the witch hunting time, many familiars were hunted alongside their mages - so it’s unusual to see one alive if their master no longer is.However, on rare occasions, a familiar which has fed off it’s master’s magic long enough may become permanently long-lived, as a byproduct of exposure. This will remain true even if their pact with their mage is broken. However, they will only be able to access any familiar-based abilities as long as they are pacted with a witch and have access to them as a source of power. Those that do will often seek out another master from which to feed from.

ABILITIES.

Many familiars simply act as protectors or helpers, and are simply a bit sturdier than normal pokemon. But it is also very common for them to have an additional quirk or ability - usually, their connection to their mage (and their mage essentially being a walking battery pack of energy), means they can do things like take on human forms.Most unusual abilities that they develop are completely mundane or utility in nature, and have no additional combat use. For instance, object pokemon are a category of familiars known as Agathion - which means it’s a spirit which hides in or takes the form of an inanimate object, and has the ability to switch between object, animal, and human form.In addition to this ability, the natural abilities of that pokemon are typically enhanced. For instance, a Klefki - a trickster fae that collects keys and bypasses locks, most likely will gain the ability to become a skeleton key towards any physical lock it encounters.

COMMUNICATION.

All familiars are connected to their mages as long as their pact exists, they can communicate with each other within a short-ranged vicinity. This is for both their own safety, and the safety of their mages. As such, it’s rare to see a familiar that is not accompanying it’s mage.Additionally, many familiars are also granted some form of human speech.