Divine Magic

CobaltDM - January 11, 2023

"...When one dedicates himself to Mestonia in this way, the radiant power of the Wise Mother fills his veins and he becomes able to banish the shadow as she does. He becomes like the Aasimar, whose very eyes speak of her glory. As he grows in his service to her, so too does her gifts to him. It is a bond, you see? Sacred and holy... It is truly marvelous what we can become capable of by the grace of the Eleven." - High Priest Daneth Matrakk to his followers in Legea, 38th of Skotadi, 1248 AC

Magic is said to be Divine when the power to manifest such effects is granted by the patron god the caster is devoted to. These effects are often called Blessings by the casters, although much of Ardrenya Ceramire's language from her Encyclopedia Arcanum has been adopted to describe Divine Magic as well. Thus, the terms "Spell" and "School" are often used in reference to categories and applications of Divine Magic.

The Gift of Magic

Decades after the teachings of Makeiro began spreading across Mytkora, Mestonia granted visions to her Aasimar children, teaching them how to reach within and channel the divine energy that flowed through them. She taught them that, in exchange for their worship and good deeds, she would grant them the strength of the sun. When the other gods saw the reverence Mestonia was given, they became envious and began granting similar gifts to mortals across the world. While their limited power kept Divine Magic from growing as widespread as the Arcane or Primal variants, by the 600s AC, there were divine casters using the gifts of all twelve deities. Indeed, with the brief appearance of the Elder Church even Yparxis had influence on the Material Plane. Over time these spellcasters began to organize and a new global, elite caste formed in Mytkora.

Churches, Orders, and Organizations

Below is an incomplete list (see author's notes at the bottom of this page) of the most powerful and influential organizations, past and present, in which divine casters make up the leadership or a majority of the members.

• Twin Moons, dedicated to Tassah and Didymos. Presently in power in Nassa.
• The Order of the Watchful Eye, dedicated to Idros. Disbanded after defeating the Elder Church during the Underbirth.
• The Elder Church, dedicated to Yparxis. Destroyed during the Underbirth.
• The Night Temple, dedicated to Didymos. Active but disorganized.
• The Temple of Benevolent Light, dedicated to Mestonia. Active and influential in Isatis and Atheles.
• The Church of the Mist, dedicated to Pesata. Active with unknown influence.
• The Order of Ephynes, dedicated to the Lord Commander of the Blood Dungeons of Thanakeno. Allegedly active.
• The Children of Wrath, dedicated to Tassah. Active and growing in power.

The High Priests

From the growing population of divine casters in the 6th and 7th centuries AC came powerful individuals known as High Priests. What began as a single, mortal representatives of each of the Eleven's wishes quickly grew into an expansive council of over fifty individuals. This aristocratic collection of self-importance chose O'thessalia as their location for an annual meeting to discuss the status of their respective churches and to urge governments to make allowances for organized religion in Mytkora. Over the course of two centuries, however, these meetings became almost daily and full of unimportant bickering and political posturing. For years, this nigh untouchable group of extremely powerful clerics and paladins did little to support the greater good, instead choosing to further their own interests and standing. As their followings grew, so too did their power. They used this influence mercilessly, at times blatantly intimidating the government leaders of Mytkora. No nation felt the effects of this tactic as much as Isatis, which over time became a theocratic collection of states.

The Silence

Eventually, the council came crashing down when The Silence set in. Nearly all clerics lost their spellcasting abilities overnight, and thus lost their greatest strength. Government leaders were relieved to no longer be forced to cave to the wishes of the magically adept. In Isatis, a surge of political moves backed by the public's whiplash and loss of faith led to the collapse of many churches across the continent. It wasn't until many years later when the first Remnant of Itherea was uncovered that the High Priests began to reclaim their power. Now, although only a shadow of their former glory, the religious leaders of Isatis and Atheles are taking great strides to once again seize control.

Types of Divine Casters

There are two kinds of Divine spellcasters. While both get their power from the gods, one is more direct than the other. The specifics of these classes are detailed below.

• Clerics - The simpler of the two to understand, Clerics gain their power via direct favor from the deity they worship. In many cases, their power correlates directly with the strength of their devotion. Perhaps the most versatile of all casters, Clerics can express expertise in any School of magic. The exact benefits they receive from their patron deity often reflect that god's domain.
• Paladins - Paladins are rare in Mytkora, likely due to the nature of their abilities. They are considerably weaker than Clerics at casting basic spells because their abilities do not come directly from the gods. Rather, they swear to an order, an oath, or to a creed that has previously been blessed by a particular god. Much like how Primal magic draws on the residual magic left in the Woads, Paladins draw on the Divine power of these blessings and grow stronger as their dedication to these vows deepens.