Elementalism

Elementalism is the use of elemental magic by a covenanter. The "four great elementals": ignis, undines, sylphs, and gnomes are manifestations of the power of nature, and as such, hold power over the natural forces of fire, water, air, and earth. On their own, elementals can exert only passive effects on the environment, but by associating themselves with a mortal covenanter, they become a duo capable of powerful magical spells. There are various organizations in the Monster Girl Encyclopedia world which hold differing views on the nature and purpose of elemental magic.

Elementals and covenanters

 * Refer to: World Guide 2, Elemental Handbook and Early settings info (elementals) and MGE-1, Elementals

"Pure" elementals - those not touched by mamono mana - are born ex terra when an area of land is rich in a particular element, and are absent where that element is absent, e.g. "A gnome would be born in places such as forests with rich soil and plant life, or caves rich with ore... Gnome wouldn't exist in barren wastelands with polluted soil". They are incorporeal, metaphysical beings and cannot take physical form beyond something like a flickering flame or ball of water; nor can they exert themselves in ways that "are not in accordance with nature such as powerful attack magic". If elementals wish to interact more directly with the world, they must form a "covenant" with a trusted human, through whom they can exert their magic in more varied ways. Although forming a covenant is rare enough, there's nothing in theory stopping an elementalist from binding to more than one elemental, and at least one person has become a covenanter four times over.

Only the four great elementals form "pure" versions from natural mana. Demi-elementals, like the dryad or yuki-onna, do not form covenants, and are born when nature-magic at less than the critical mass to form a great elemental instead combines with mamono mana to produce a monster. Conversely, the "pure" elementals as described above are not monsters as they have no mamono mana within them; aside from a romantic streak, they're not sex-crazy, and couldn't do it even if they wanted to as they have no physical body. For this reason they are not condemned by the Order but rather respected as useful weapons of warfare to combat the monster menace, and covenanters are hired as mercenaries by anti-monster states.

However, "pure" elementals can become monsters by being showered with mamono mana. This gives them a monster's sexual, feminine body and the associated sky-high lust. For such "demonic elementals", their power over the natural world increases as it is augmented with the monster's magic, and their covenants with mortals become overtly sexual in nature. As their contamination with mamono mana increases, the land which they are linked to will begin to turn into a Demon Realm. Eventually, elementals become "dark elementals", which are "elementals that have succumbed to demonic taint and been completely absorbed by swollen mamono mana". The laws of nature in lands under their aegis become completely bent to mortal ends: water automatically disinfects itself, volcanism swerves to avoid villages, etc. Also, on a personal level the elementals themselves become fertile and can bear daughters, which in turn increases the fecundity of nature in the region.

Elementalist Organizations
While many covenanters just walk the earth as mercenary mages, blasting foes with nature-magic, there are two (or three, depending on how you look at it) organisations where they might be found in higher numbers. The Elementalist Association, based in Polove, is part social club, part terraforming project and described by Saphirette Spherica as:

The Association is avowedly pro-monster, which means it has a hostile relationship with the naturalist faction of the elemental faith (see below) and obviously the Order. Indeed, with the Order this hostility is frequently open hostility between them and the Association as its "land enrichment" projects face "frequent rebellions from within and without'" .

The Elemental Faith is a religion which reveres elementals as Gods. "They believe that humans are a part of nature and should live in harmony with nature that is granted by the elementals". They revere covenanters, though they dislike the Order's use of them for involving elementals in warfare. Since the succubus Demon Lord took power, the faith has split into two implacably opposed factions around the subject of demonic elementals. The pro-monster faction believes that, because monsterized elementals are more powerful and increase the bounty of nature - even if it is in the form of prisoner fruits and lamentation mushrooms - then they are to be celebrated, embraced, and dicked. The anti-monster faction believes that mamono mana corruption is just that: corruption, and that the warping of nature caused by dark elementals is a perverse instantiation of their potential.

The pro-monster side of the elemental faith has a particular fondness for trolls, which they believe to be connected to gnomes and earth magic. Unmarried men who follow the religion sometimes seek out trolls as wives.