We’ve had some inquiries into the nature of anti-magic, and it’s an interesting question which can also explain Skärva’s instability while in jail. So I sat down with magic expert Victor and here’s what he had to say!

In ancient Idenau, a metallic element was discovered which has profound effects on magic-users and spells. Like gold or silver, it can be mined from deposits in nature; however, it is even rarer than either of those elements. It has been called various things throughout the ages, the most common being simply “anti-magic.”

Anti-magic has the effect of attracting, absorbing and then dispelling magic in the area. Casting a spell while in the presence of anti-magic can be compared to trying to blow up a balloon with a hole in it. No matter the spellcaster’s efforts, the magic drains before anything can be accomplished.

Because spirits are essentially made of magic, prolonged exposure to anti-magic can have psychological consequences, especially to those with strong spirits who are particularly sensitive to magic in the world around them. For this reason, the use of anti-magic has long been considered cruel and inhumane. In the past century, the royal family ordered most anti-magic throughout the kingdom to be destroyed through physical processes, and it is now exceedingly hard to come by.

These days, underfeeding or strong protection spells are usually employed in an attempt to keep prisoners from using magic, but some old prisons can still be found to have special cells designed with anti-magic in the walls and bars. Older police forces can even have some anti-magic cuffs, which concentrate a small amount of anti-magic at the point of most magical output – the hands.

cuffs(An illustration from a dated police handbook.)