The Akh

(this magic is a mixture based off of Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, and the ancient Egyptian concept of the soul) The magic itself is called "Akh", using the Egyptian word for "magically effective one". Akh users are known as Akhwielders. It is a type of magic that originated in the eastern desert country Undem.

General

 * Three of every five citizens possess an Akh of their own, and of those three, only one person has a small chance of acquiring a second Akh as they get older
 * Royalty seems to have a higher chance of acquiring two Akh, occasionally even at birth
 * Akh are not always seen by other people, so the wielders are oftentimes said to have some sort of preternatural powers

The Akh
The Akh themselves are mysterious and curious beings.
 * Some take the form of an animal, while others take the form of pharaohs long since deceased
 * There is no solid physical manifestation of the Akh, just a sort of misty apparition
 * Each Akh has a name, though they do not (normally) have personalities of their own, or a sense of self
 * It has been shown - in extremely rare cases - that an Akh can have some semblance of a personality if they are extremely closely bonded to their master

Akh Elements
There are five Akh elements:
 * Earth (also Metal and Wood) represents Ib (or Heart)
 * Fire represents Ba (or Soul)
 * Air represents Sheut (or Shadow)
 * Water (also Ice) represents Ren (or Name)
 * Electricity represents Ka (or Vital Spark)

Each element falls into one of two categories: Body or Mind

Akh of the Body

 * Akh of the Body (or physically-based) are Fire and Earth (and by extension Metal and Wood)
 * These Akh are based more upon one's physical strength than anything
 * Require great physical stamina and endurance

Akh of the Mind
Akhwielders who are gifted enough to possess two Akh normally have two Akh of the Body, or two Akh of the Mind, and only rarely is there a case where an Akhwielder has one from each set.
 * Akh of the Mind (or mental/intelligence-based) are Water (and by extension Ice), Air, and Electricity
 * These Akh are based more upon one's mental strength and their intelligence than anything
 * Require more mental strength and endurance
 * Normally these people are those of royalty, though this is not always the case

Akh Misuse
The misuse of an Akh can result in heavy - and sometimes fatal - consequences. "Misuse" and "evil" are two different things; there are those who use their Akh for evil and suffer no repercussions. "Misuse" is to describe the overworking of the Akh, utilizing its powers beyond its limits. Each Akh has its own consequence, and said consequence varies depending on the element.

Earth
Misuse of an Earth Akh (also Metal and Wood) can eventually damage one's heart (Ib)
 * Damage of one's heart will eventually rob one of their emotions, independent thought, and their will
 * Victims are still living beings, but they have no purpose in life, nor any will to do anything; they are basically husks of who they previously were

Air
Misuse of an Air Akh can eventually damage one's shadow (Sheut)
 * Those who damage their shadow do so literally; over time their shadow will fade until it is completely gone
 * When this happens, the Akhwielder effectively becomes a phantom, a shadow of who they were
 * They are not living in the strict sense of the word, but they are still existing
 * They cannot eat, drink, sleep, speak to others, be heard by others; they can still think, walk, experience a small amount of pain (generally attributed to hunger and thirst), and feel emotions
 * In short, the Akhwielder becomes their shadow

Water
Misuse of a Water Akh (also Ice) can eventually damage one's name (Ren)
 * Misuse of this Akh can result in death
 * Those who damage their name gradually lose their place in the world
 * More and more people will begin to forget they exist
 * Once they are forgotten completely (a rare case, as the more the Akh is misused, the more the person is forgotten), the Akhwielder himself will die

Electric
Misuse of an Electric Akh can eventually damage one's vital spark (Ka)
 * Misuse of this Akh can result in death
 * In minor cases, the Akhwielder will lose all taste for any kind of food or drink
 * This can eventually lead to death, as the Akhwielder may no longer have any desire to eat or drink
 * In major cases, the Akhwielder will grow more sickly, more frail, until their bones are brittle enough to be snapped with little to no pressure, and the simplest of colds can kill them

Fire
Misuse of a Fire Akh can eventually damage one's soul (Ba)
 * [placeholder text]

Physical Akh

 * Fire - raw power/defense (moderate)
 * Earth - raw power/defense/building
 * Wood - building
 * Metal - defense

Mental Akh

 * Electricity - speed/power (minimal)
 * Air - flight/stealth
 * Ice - defense/healing
 * Water - healing

Physical Akh Combinations (max. 2 Akh)

 * Wood (building)
 * Metal (defense)
 * Wood/Metal (building/defense)
 * Earth (raw power/building/defense)
 * Fire (raw power)
 * Fire/Wood (raw power/building)
 * Fire/Metal (raw power/defense)
 * Fire/Earth (raw powerx2/building/defense)

Mental Akh Combinations (max. 2 Akh)

 * Water (healing)
 * Ice (defense/healing)
 * Air (flight/stealth)
 * Water/Air (healing/flight/stealth)
 * Electricity (speed/power)
 * Water/Electricity (healing/speed/power)
 * Ice/Air (defense/healing/flight/stealth)
 * Electricity/Air (speed/power/flight/stealth)
 * Electricity/Ice (speed/power/defense/healing)

Mixed Akh Combinations (max. 2 Akh)

 * Wood/Water (building/healing)
 * Wood/Air (building/flight/stealth)
 * Wood/Ice (building/healing/defense)
 * Metal/Water (defense/healing)
 * Fire/Water (raw power/healing)
 * Earth/Water (raw power/building/defense/healing)
 * Wood/Electricity (building/speed/power)
 * Fire/Air (raw power/flight/stealth)
 * Metal/Air (defense/flight/stealth)
 * Metal/Ice (defensex2/healing)
 * Earth/Ice (raw power/building/defensex2/healing)
 * Earth/Electricity (raw power/building/defense/speed/power)
 * Earth/Air (raw power/building/defense/flight/stealth)
 * Metal/Electricity (defense/speed/power)
 * Fire/Ice (raw power/healing/defense)
 * Fire/Electricity (raw power/speed/power)

Nushim {placeholder} El-Amin
(---; {placeholder}; the truthful)
 * Undemi Pharaoh (Queen)
 * Aged ---
 * Eldest of 3 siblings
 * 1st Akh:
 * {placeholder-name}{placeholder-gender}
 * Fire (raw power)
 * Acquired at birth
 * 2nd Akh:
 * {placeholder-name}{placeholder-gender}
 * Air (flight/stealth)
 * Acquired at age 18

Ikram {placeholder} El-Amin
(honor; {placeholder}; the truthful)
 * Swordsman/mercenary  (????) 
 * Aged ---
 * Middle of 3 siblings
 * 1st Akh:
 * {placeholder-name}{placeholder-gender}
 * Air (flight/stealth)
 * Acquired at birth
 * 2nd Akh:
 * {placeholder-name}{placeholder-gender}
 * Lightning (speed/minimal power)
 * Acquired at age 15

Safiya {placeholder} El-Amin
(---; {placeholder}; the truthful)
 * Healer
 * Aged ---
 * Youngest of 3 siblings
 * Bahadur's mother
 * Akh:
 * {placeholder-name}{placeholder-gender}
 * Water (healing)
 * Acquired at birth

Chenzira Akil Naeem
(born on a journey; intelligent; benevolent)
 * Undemi Prince
 * Aged 24
 * Undemi father and Undemi mother
 * 1st Akh:
 * Maat ( ♀) 
 * Electricity (speed/power)
 * Acquired at birth
 * 2nd Akh:
 * Lapis ( ♀) 
 * Ice (healing/defense)
 * Acquired at age 10

Bahadur Strahan El-Amin
(hero, warrior, brave; minstrel; the truthful)
 * Chenzira's personal Knight
 * Aged 40
 * Altean father, Undemi mother
 * 1st Akh:
 * Amen ('♂) 
 * Fire (raw power)
 * Acquired at birth
 * 2nd Akh:


 * Sekhemib (♂)
 * Metal (defense)
 * Acquired at age 24