Elements

Elements are a part of Nasuverse cosmology and play an important role in Thaumaturgical theory.

They are Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Void (Ether), or Water, Fire, Earth, Wood and Metal, depending on Thaumaturgical teaching. The set of Elements that, according to the teachings of Magecraft schools, are the basic substances that shapes the world. Fire is called normal and Wind is said to be noble, for example.

Elemental Affinity
A magus normally has the capacity to manipulate at least one of the Elements. However, there are cases of those who can manipulate Elements that are completely different from any of the ones specified above. Within the Mage’s Association, individuals like these tend to either very selective houses or not be part of the Association at all. Cases of magus who possesses more than one Elemental Affinity, and even affinity to Compound Elements, are also known. Usually said individuals try to master spells that make use of more than one Element at the same time (ex: “liquid manipulation” through the use of Water and Wind Elements). Those capable of manipulating all the five Elements receive the title of Average One and are very valued by the Mage’s Association. Methods to change one’s Elemental Affinity exist, but they are very painful and dangerous.

Known Elemental Affinity by characters:


 * Aozaki clan: Wind
 * Barthomeloi clan: Wind
 * Cornellius Alba: Fire
 * Emiya Kiritsugu: Fire and Earth
 * Forte: Wind
 * Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi: Wind and Water
 * Matou clan: Water
 * Matou Sakura: Water and Imaginary Numbers
 * Michael Roa Valdamjong: Lightning
 * Tohsaka Rin: All five
 * Tohsaka Tokiomi: Fire

Fire
Spell of the Fire element are related to consumption, heat, entropy, fuels, energy transfer and thermodynamics. Known sub-elements: Heat

Earth
Earth element spells relate to grounding, cultivation of energy and energy embedding. Known sub-elements: Metal, Jewels.

Water
Related to flows, forms, cycles, combinations and manipulations. Known sub-elements: Ice.

Wind
Deals with air, kinetic forces, static energy, free energy and directed movement. Known sub-elements: Lightning.

Ether
エーテル

The Fifth Imaginary Element according to the teachings of the Mage’s Association, it combines itself with any of the other four Elements in order to actualize the mysteries of Thaumaturgy. Although amorphous and incapable of materializing by its own power, it is what allows shapeless bodies to take a material form. Before the advent of Kurokiri Satsuki’s theory on the United Language, it was believed that the reason why mankind was capable of performing powerful mysteries during the Age of Gods was because the positioning of the others celestial bodies in relation to Earth made the world rich with Ether. Purest, raw form of Grain, its domains are among the lines of composition, dissolution, modification, separation, unification, spiritual bodies, conceptual weapons and others. Known sub-elements: Life, Holy and Eastern Divinations.

Ether Clump
エーテル塊

Also known as Liquid Clay. Under normal circumstances Ether can only be materialized after combining itself with one of the other Elements. In some cases however, mainly when there is some sort of failure from the part of the magus, it will take the physical shape of a clay-like substance. Other than serving as a conductor of prana, it is completely useless. Whatever the shape it is given by a magus, if left inactive for long enough (i.e. without prana running through it) it will eventually return to its original clay-like form. Known uses include True Assassin’s Zabaniya, the first suitcase puppet of Aozaki Touko, Cornellius Alba’s slimes familiars and the main component forming Leysritt’s body. Somewhat related to the First Magic.

Grain
ジン - Gin

Space dust. The general term given to the toxic particles overflowing in the Earth of Overcount 1999, after the world lost its capacities to sustain life. Also called “ether” because even though poisonous, it promoted the surface of mutated life forms: the A-Rays, Liners and the Ether Liners.

The rate of energy transfer within the Grain-rich atmosphere is astonishing. A factor that resulted into the arise of a new method of combat that would not be possible in the old world. In a battle between A-Rays capable of absorbing Grain and Ether Liners wielding Knight Arms made of crystallized Grain, the power of conventional weapons is rendered useless.

Supposedly, Grain is the base component of all heavenly bodies. Therefore, the closer is the connection between a life form and its mother planet the greater will be the amount of Ether in their bodies. The greatest example of this would be the Aristoteles, the supreme existence of each respective’s planets and true avatars of their will.

Its antithesis is the Black Barrel, which destroys Grain and anything containing Grain on contact.

Fifth True Theoretical Element
第五真説要素

The natural enemy of the Fifth Imaginary Element (Ether), the Conceptual Weapon Longinus (Black Barrel) was made out of this unnamed substance.

Devil
第六架空要素 - Sixth Imaginary Element.

A force that materializes in response to the desires of humans. Similarly to how it happens to higher-level spirits, its form is based on human images. Also a fundamental element similar to Ether that is responsible for the actualization of wishes, concepts and other phenomena. Its domains are materialization of wishes, summonings, possessions, agonist disorder and spiritual mediums. The retina of Rider’s mystic eyes are made out of this.

Shadow
虚数

Imaginary Numbers. A sub-element of the Sixth Imaginary Element, as well as Matou Sakura’s unique Elemental Affinity and Sorcery Trait. A power highly effective against spiritual beings, but not so potent against those whose body is not made out of Ether. When the Matou clan restraining spells are used along with this, it is possible to imprison and skewer the target into a separate dimensional composed entirely of shadows. Furthermore, when Angra Mainyu power is imbued on Sakura she is able to use this ability even against normal humans.