Foundations of Magic on Derkomai
Magic on Derkomai is a manifestation of emotion. Certain individuals are able to channel and focus their emotions in such a way as to affect reality in ways that would seem to defy the normal laws of nature. Channeling and focusing emotions to affect reality in unnatural ways requires the ability both to understand the natural laws of the universe and to sense the underlying fabric of space and time far beyond what normal, mundane people are able. Only both highly intelligent and highly passionate people have that combination of abilities, and such individuals are quite rare. In addition, manipulating reality in a controlled way requires obsessive practice and study. Few people, even those with the required intelligence and passion, are able to devote themselves to studying and understanding the rituals that allow focusing and channeling the powerful emotions that allow reality to be unnaturally altered without disastrous results. Those people with the intelligence, passion, and obsession required are known as wizards, witches, warlocks, sorcerers, and some other appellations, depending on their abilities and how they usually manipulate reality. On Derkomai, the general term that is used for all such people is "Magus."
The rituals, often called "spells," that are used to channel and focus the emotions of a magus to alter reality in specific ways often require 1) particular items to be gathered and combined in exact proportions and particular ways, and 2) actions to be performed in exact forms and sequences. This requires that the magus memorize in detail all of the requirements of the ritual and practice the ritual movements over and over until the form of every movement is perfect. Failure to follow the rituals of the spell exactly can result in disaster for the magus or those nearby, even their death.
Because the requirements of the rituals are so rigorous, and the consequences of failure to perform them properly so dire, most magi study under a master for some time before attempting to perform the rituals on their own. An apprentice magi is called a Seer for his or her ability to sense and understand the fabric of space-time. A seer's ability to bend reality depends on how far his or her studies of the rituals has progressed. It is uncommon to encounter a seer, as they are usually secluded, studying and practicing spells. Occasionally, however, seers are commanded by their masters to leave their seclusion to gather reagents needed to execute a spell ritual.
Each magus differs in his or her ability to alter reality in different ways, and each magus has access to different books and scrolls describing the many, many spell rituals that are known to allow manipulating reality in specific, precise ways. This has led to different "schools" of magic being practiced by the magi: thaumaturgy for magi that can manipulate photons and the kinetic energy of molecules (heat and cold), necromancy for magi that can directly manipulate life force, conjuration for magi that can manipulate the location of objects in space-time, divination for magi that can "see" objects, individuals, and events across space-time, enchantment and illusion for magi that can manipulate the mental state of people and animals. There are other less common schools besides these.
Very talented, but untrained, individuals have been known to be able to powerfully manipulate reality in situations of great duress or very heightened emotion, like extreme fear, rage, anguish, grief, or even love. The release of those powerful emotions by individuals closely attuned to the fabric of space-time can result in an "explosion" of energy around that individual, leaving those nearby stunned, injured, or even dead.
Certain items can be constructed in such a way and infused with magical powers so as to improve an individual's ability to channel and focus their emotions to alter reality. Such an item, when created and carried by a magus, is called an Omphalos. Most omphali, in the hands of a "normal" person, can allow one to bend reality in limited ways, though much less so than what a magus is able to do. An omphalos allows the magus to quickly perform some spells without requiring complex rituals or rare and expensive reagents. A magus' omphalos is invaluable to the magus. Stealing or destorying the omphalos of a magus will make whomever did so the eternal enemy of that magus and is likely to be a fatal mistake.
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