Wards

Wards are magical symbols whose origins are lost to history. Long thought to be the stuff of superstition, their power was rediscovered when, after an absence of thousands of years, the demon corelings returned to plague the surface of the world.

By themselves, wards have no power. Demons, However, are infused with core magic, and wards siphon a portion of that magic away, repurposing the energy. The most common wards are defensive in nature, but a handful of wards that can achieve other effects are known, and in theory, it is possible to create a ward for any desired effect. Recently mankind has discovered offensive wards which can actually harm Demons, who are otherwise immune to hand weapons and can quickly recover from almost any injury.

Defensive Wards
Defensive wards draw magic from demons to form a barrier (forbiddance) through which the demons cannot pass. Wards are strongest when used against a specific Demon type to which they are assigned, and are most commonly used in conjuction with other wards in circles of protection. When a circle activates all demon flesh is forcibly banished from its line.

Some types of demon-specific Defensive Wards include:  Clay Demon Ward Field Demon Ward Flame Demon Ward Lightning Demon Ward Mimic Demon Ward Mind Demon Ward Rock Demon Ward Sand Demon Ward Snow Demon Ward Swamp Demon Ward Water Demon Ward Wind Demon Ward Wood Demon Ward 

Other types of Defensive Wards include:
 * Unsight Ward

Offensive Wards
Combat wards siphon magic from a Demon, weakening its armor at the point of contact, and redirects that magic as offensive force. This force can manifest in many different ways.

Some types of Offensive Wards include:
 * Bludgeoning/Impact Ward
 * Confusion Ward
 * Cutting Ward
 * Palm Ward
 * Piercing Ward
 * Pressure Ward

Other Wards
Many recorded Wards have no known use, their purpose lost to antiquity because testing requires bringing them in contact with a demon, volunteers to conduct the research are understandably scarce.