Magic

### Relevant Titles

Mage, wizard, sorcerer, animus, necromancer, healer, psion, bard, druid, artificer

## Common Knowledge

Magic is a powerful, mysterious, and dangerous force that has always existed. Magic enables innumerable wondrous feats, from summoning flames in the palm of one’s hand to healing broken bones. Many have studied magic throughout history, and just as many have been consumed by its study or lost their lives to its power. There are a number of centers of magical study around the world, be them a single wizard educating their apprentices or a college of magical adepts honing their skills. Even though most people can’t read or cast magic, it’s usually easy to tell if someone is casting a magic spell.

## Affected Regions

There are no known regions in Temporis not affected in some way by magic. Magic can be performed nearly anywhere, albeit to varying degrees of success, even on other planes of existence. It is worth noting that the further beyond the worldline one travels, the weaker magic’s potency becomes.

## System and Usage

### Magic Language

All magic is performed and communicated through a single language, known simply as “magic language”. To the layperson’s eye, magic language appears as a shifting jumble of nonsense characters, symbols whose shape changes every second. Trained practitioners of magic can perceive the true form of magic language, and can translate it into speech.

Magic language, though primarily a written codex, can be spoken in order to cast spells, break magic seals, and conduct rituals. Even though reading magic language is an ordeal onto itself, just about anyone can identify when magic language is being spoken. Coincidentally, magic language always sounds like the common tongue (or the most common language of the area), but it is always recognizable as magic.

### Learning Magic

Given sufficient time and practice, any literate person can learn to use magic. Some people are born with a natural predilection towards being able to cast, either because they grasp the concept more quickly or because the pool of magical energy from which they draw is larger. No mortal is born knowing how to cast magic, however.

### Rituals

The oldest and most traditional kind of magic is ritual magic. A ritual is a ceremony that aims to create a magical effect, in exchange for some cost paid by the ritual-caster (usually called the conductor). A ritual can involve any number of things, including lit candles, objects of symbolic importance, magic words, physical and emotional sacrifices, chalk symbols, or even dancing. Rituals always have a goal, formally known as an intent, which they seek to achieve through the casting of the ritual. In order to formalize the intent of a ritual, at least one or two days must be spent thinking about it. Rituals without a concrete intent very often result in catastrophe.

### Combat Magic

The faster and more common form of magic, the form that an average person might see a wayward mage throwing around, is combat magic. Combat magic, or spells, consists of incredibly fast rituals that have been practiced, refined, and perfected to the point of redundancy. In order to cast a spell, a magic-user must expend some quantity of an internal pool of magic energy that resides within them, called mana. Most living creatures possess some quantity of mana, some may possess more than others, and some may lack the ability to store mana at all. Once expended, mana takes as long as a full day to recharge. It is worth noting that many casters can train themselves to gain a greater access to mana.

Many combat spells also require a focus, a physical object that meets a spells component cost. Unlike physical materials in most rituals, a focus (usually) is not consumed by the act of casting a spell. Foci vary by school of magic (as described below), but generally wands are Celestial foci, animals or plants called totems are Elemental foci, crystals are Phantasmal foci, and runes are Soul foci.

### Natural Leylines and the Worldline

Scattered across Temporis, there are many naturally-emerging magical barriers which dispel magic attempting to cross them. Living beings crossing them have any temporary magic affecting them, like enchantments, dispelled, and undead beings are killed. Though this effect can be replicated by magic, through a spell called Leyline, nothing can dispel these natural walls. These lines, then, are called natural leylines.

Between 50 and 100 miles off the coasts of Orelisle, a long string of natural Leylines contains Orelisle. Since this prevents most teleportation across them, these Leylines are collectively referred to as the Worldline.

### Schools of Magic

In order to categorize the different spells, rituals, and magical effects that have appeared over countless generations, most scholars divide magic into four groups, called schools.

Elemental magic conjures or modifies the four elements of the world: water, earth, fire, and air. Elemental magic is also strongly attuned to the natural world, allowing its practitioners to converse with plants and animals, transform their bodies into birds and bears, and even bend nature to their whim to pass treacherous obstacles.

Phantasmal magic sways or influences the minds of living creatures. Phantasmal magic  allows practitioners to tap into deep wells of physical power, discern the truth of speech, create illusory sights, sounds, and smells, and even override a creature’s will. This last power sometimes makes people uncomfortable around Phantasmal magic-users.

Soul magic modifies, restores, or harms a creature’s body or soul. Soul magic can be used to heal wounds, stave off death, resurrect the dead, or converse with the souls of the recently passed. Soul magic can also be used to draw blood from afar, cut a soul away from its body, conjure or raise undead servants, or kill creatures instantly. These last abilities sometimes make people uncomfortable around Soul magic-users.

Celestial magic modifies, creates, or transports any matter that exists. Celestial magic can bind a blade to its holder and imbue both with magical power, move objects from afar, create small marks on surfaces, detonate bursts of energy, secure something from being moved or used, and even teleport creatures anywhere in the world.

### Tiers of Magic

Further organizing magic beyond the four schools, most scholars categorize combat magic spells by the rough amount of mana they take in order to cast. In modern times (e.g. 10,020), it is understood that magic has four tiers, from Tier 0 (spells that can be cast ad infinitum with no mana cost) to Tier 3 (spells that require a great deal of mana, and exert the user to the point that they cannot be used again without a period of rest).

There have been attempts to categorize rituals by tier as well, but the semi-freeform nature of rituals makes the creation of a unified system of measuring their cost and effect very challenging.

### Magical Corruption

If a mortal creature is exposed to magic in its purest form, i.e. on the plane where that magic resides beyond the boundaries where mortals are supposed to tread, then the concentration of magical energies put them at risk of becoming corrupted by that plane’s school of magic. Such corruption may grant benefits, such as being able to cast spells using only the power of thought, but will make the afflicted incapable of blocking the effects of that schools’ spells when cast upon them. Magical corruption can be cured by a sufficiently powerful ritual.

## Related Groups and People

* People who study magic generally take a title affiliated with the school of magic they study most.
	+ People who study magic of the Celestial school are called wizards, but in ancient times some people called them sorcerers.
	+ People who study magic of the Phantasmal school are called psions, but until very recently most people called them bards.
	+ People who study magic of the Elemental school are called druids.
	+ People who study magic of the Soul school are called animi (animus in the singular), but very often people just call them healers much to their chagrin.
* Some people, called artificers, use magic rituals or similar processes to imbue items with magical powers. Artificing is a complicated process, and often involves knowledge of more than one school.
* Monstrous beings from other planes have strong ties to specific schools of magic.
	+ Reapers, spectral shades who carry recently-departed souls to the afterlife, have strong ties to Soul magic.
		- Ghosts, Zombies, and other types of undead also have strong connections to Soul magic.
	+ Fae, mischievous sprites who enjoy toying with mortals for their own amusement, have strong ties to Phantasmal magic.
		- This applies doubly for Archfae, and halfly for Pixies.
	+ Spirits and Elementals, entities who are mostly made from or composed entirely of a single element, have strong ties to Elemental magic (especially Elemental magic of their “element”).
		- Lesser Spirits have ties to Elemental magic too, but typically not as much as their Greater Spirit counterparts.
		- Ents and Dryads, floral creatures with deep roots in nature, also have strong connections to Elemental magic.
	+ Dragons, enormous winged reptiles who sometimes demand tribute from nearby mortals, have strong ties to Celestial magic.
		- Celestial Dragons, the much stronger counterpart to Mundane Dragons, have a far stronger connection to Celestial magic.

## Importance

Magic has fundamentally altered the histories of nearly every country on Temporis. Barring those outside the worldline, even those who actively choose not to engage with magic (be it the casting or study thereof, or the various magical forces that influence the world) still possess an awareness of its existence. Some use it for oppression of the masses, some for the benefit of their fellow mortals, some dedicate their lives to its study, and others to its annihilation.

Below are some examples of ways magic has shaped the world.

* K’Vesten is a totalitarian state run by a cabal of evil wizards. Its rulers gained and maintain power through magic.
* Hidden cities, like N’Ras, Envaluci, and the entire nation of Cathais, use magic to conceal and protect themselves.
* Magical barriers, such as those around Agartha, Tholos, and Xaoc’s Castle, can further deter assault and maintain power structures therein.
* Certain powerful instruments of war, such as those crafted and perfected by Talios, Zondros, and Marza, are powered by magic.
* Undead beings, whose very existence is perpetuated by magic, have at various times harassed the nations of the world (such as Amerale, Galkador, Penskruingman).
* The forest of Binturia is annually assailed by magically-enhanced seasons. In the summer a wild inferno eviscerates its idyllic greens, and in the winter unrelenting blizzards encase it in frost. Though the forest itself always survives, the creatures that dwell within are never so lucky.
* The ruined country of Lesion is infamous for the Rift, a magical pinhole into the void beyond. Its presence makes casting near it difficult and dangerous, as well as allowing dangerous Void Beasts and Abominations entry onto Temporis.

## Social and Cultural Impact

Magic has affected nearly every country on Temporis, becoming another tool in the arsenal of many. For some, such as the denizens of urban centers where its study flourishes, magic improves quality of life and ensures luxury for all. For others, like necromancers and conquerors, magic is a terrifyingly effective way to spread bloodshed and carnage, destruction and death, or undeath in some cases.

Magic is such a widespread phenomenon that each culture and society often has a different way of interacting with it, ranging in intensity from orienting their society around the proliferation and study of magic to attempting to excise and snuff information about it whenever possible. Many prudent rulers may keep an expert on magic on hand as an advisor magical matters.

## Founding and History

### Origin

When reality was created, its architect created many beings like itself. Some of those beings, known later as Elder Gods or Elder Goddesses, formed planes of their own to affect and alter as they saw fit. The Elder Goddess of Protection created the Elemental Plane; the Elder God of Madness created the Phantasmal Plane; the Elder God of Knowledge created the Celestial Plane; and their creator, the Elder God of Life, created the Soul Plane.

The forces that created these planes, an energy which radiates from the very existence of these Elder Gods, flows into the Material Plane through a point of connection in its deepest darkest corner. That point is a massive pit known as the Conduit, which can only be accessed by traversing the treacherous Underforest miles below Binturia. The Conduit has been protected since the fall of the Binturian Kingdom, as the ever-sleeping Beast Below rests upon the Conduit.

### Changes in Magic

Throughout time, magic has changed seemingly at random. Some spells become uncastable, other spells become available, sometimes the incantations change, sometimes their effects change, and so on. Some of these changes have been documented, while others have not.

In the ancient past, magic was substantially easier to cast. Pionus children as young as nine years could wield terrifying powers that would take a modern mage years to master. This ease of casting partially contributed to the rapid rise of the Old Binturian Kingdom.

It should be noted that recently, especially within the last ten years, changes in magic have become more frequent.

## Further Information

* Binturia
* Celestial Dragon
* The Conduit
* Dragon
* Elder Gods
* Elemental
* Elu
* Fae
* Ghost
* Reaper
* Spirit
* Underforest