ÄRM Types and Magic Stones

ÄRMs:

ÄRMs are magical artifacts created in the Kingdom of Caldea used by almost all for a variety of purposes, but since the 1st Marchen war, their weaponry efficiency in warfare matters was introduced, and from then forth it's been popularized. These items take the form of ordinary accessories such as rings, charms, and other small trinkets until used by someone who has any magical potency which then take their normal form.

There are different types of ÄRMs in the world ranging from ones that can summon behemoths to weapons, controlling elements and simple farm use. To activate stronger ÄRMs however one needs to develop their Magical Energy or else the ÄRM will simply backfire and consequently drain the user without activation. To truly master different types of ÄRMs however one usually has to specifically train themselves in the type of Magic Energy that ÄRM requires.

While some ÄRMs can be bought at stores throughout MÄR-Heaven there are others that cannot be found by normal means as many have been hidden throughout MÄR since the 1st Marchen War.

Most ÄRMs vary in abilities and can be separated into groups based on those abilities such as:

Simple ÄRMs: Little more than simple tools when active.
Holy ÄRMs: They possess the power to heal and undo curses inflicted by Darkness ÄRMs as well as protect the user.
Weapon ÄRMs: Are used as weapons in battle, stronger Weapon ÄRMs tend to have multiple abilities and variations.
Darkness ÄRMs: Powerful artifacts typically used to curse people or inflict heavy damage to someone at a cost to the user.
Dimension ÄRMs: A unique brand of ÄRMs, they create 'training gates' in which time goes by much slower for others to strengthen their magic energy.
Guardian ÄRMs: These ÄRMs can summon a monster or a 'guardian' of some sort to protect the owner of the ÄRM.
Nature ÄRMs: These ÄRMs can be used for task varying from controlling elements, or enhancing a body's physical performance.
Ghost ÄRMs: They attach to the user's body and allows the user to use his or her body as a living weapon.
Unique ÄRMs: Specially crafted and often very rare ÄRM that cannot be separated into any specific category.

Magic Stones:

An ÄRM can almost always be "upgraded" with magic stones. They contain the abilities of other ÄRMs as well as magical power to boost any ÄRM's abilities. These small crystal spheres are often rare and hard to come by, usually in possession by people of high esteem or the people of Caldea, very few can be found normally if at all in MÄR-Heaven.

Simple ÄRMs:

As per their namesake, Simple ÄRMs do nothing more than the most remedial of tasks such as becoming tools or in some cases shelters. They drain little from the user but in the most desperate of situations they can be used as weapons or distractions to escape from attackers by using them as a means of travel or very short distance teleportation.

Holy ÄRMs:

Holy ÄRMs are used primarily to combat the abilities of Darkness ÄRMs and their curses and heal the user or protect them more so than any other type of ÄRM. That is not to say though there are no offensive Holy ÄRMs but they are stretched few and far between. Holy ÄRMs usually cost the user their magic energy with each use of their abilities rather than once each time it is activated such as a Weapon or Simple ÄRM. Depending on the level of the ÄRM and the abilities the user some Holy ÄRMs can be said to cure anything and break the most powerful of curses.

Weapon ÄRMs:

ÄRMs with the ability to take various forms of weapons to be used in battle at the user’s command. Weapon ÄRMs are unique in that they usually cost very little to actually be used but higher level ÄRMs are very difficult to wield efficiently and a great deal of them can become pointless. These weapons however are incredibly sturdy and unlike normal weapons don’t chip or break under normal combat unless broken by other ÄRMs. The more powerful the Weapon ÄRM the more abilities and forms it can take as well. As such, weapons are very common place on the battlefield due to their variability and low maintenance.

Darkness ÄRMs:

These ÄRM are often wild cards and difficult to keep up with in terms of what each and everyone can do. These ÄRMs often have the most powerful effects with which are difficult to stop or even fight against as they inflict some kind of curse against the foe or even death. The drawback to these ÄRMs is that with each use the wielder is often afflicted with some kind of punishment though this is not always the case.

Dimension ÄRMs:

Dimension ÄRMs are unique in that they are not use for conventional uses or even combat but create small 'pocket' dimensions where activated. Time in these pocket dimensions passes much faster than in the real world and as such they make the ideal place to train one's Magic Energy. Dimension ÄRMs will be divulged into much further in their own separate section.

Guardian ÄRMs:

Considered the most powerful ÄRMs and rightly so, these have no specific magical wavelength and so is the only ÄRM type that can be used by anyone once fully developed to it's utmost potential. The abilities and attributes of all Guardians summoned by these vary between each one.

Unlike most ÄRMs where they only drain one of their magical energy after it's use, Guardian ÄRMs continue to draw energy from the summoner with each turn and summoning multiple Guardians quickly drains the user as well as divides their concentration, as such, summoning even more than one guardian is usually advised against. When a Guardian is summoned, the one who has summoned the guardian is also trapped in place, unable to move until the ÄRM is called back or destroyed.

The availability of such ÄRMs are few and far between, having either been hidden away or in possession of much more high ranking individuals.

Nature ÄRMs:

One of the more versatile categories of ÄRMs, these vary in abilities and actual uses such as controlling elements to affecting the user's body. Not only can the user control and create different nature elements, they can use the terrain and pre-existing weather conditions to their advantage. What's more, Nature ÄRMs can also form weapons and other types of variations or be used to give the user behemoth-like strength, an indestructible body and other such things.

While some of these ÄRM drain the user per use, others tend to slowly drain them based upon their abilities. What's more, if the user is in an unfavorable terrain or if the weather conditions negatively impact the element in use, the user's ÄRMs will become much more difficult to maintain it's integrity and strength.

Ghost ÄRMs:

Similar to Weapon ÄRMs, Ghost ÄRMs are used as weapons in battle, the main difference however being that the ÄRM becomes permanently asphyxiated to the user's body. This allows for faster use of them and effective in surprising an enemy when hidden underneath clothing or armor. What's more, the abilities of Ghost ÄRMs are much more powerful than that of any ordinary Weapon ÄRM. The cost of a Ghost ÄRM however is steep, permanently lowering the user's Magical Energy until it is removed with a Holy ÄRM or destroyed though using no magical energy in the repeated use of the ÄRM's abilities.