Magic

Magic is a term referring to both the substance of existence (also sometimes called essence, ether, or lifeforce) as well as the ability for living creatures to manipulate that substance to their will.

Magic as a Substance

Living beings can utilize magic similar to the way a sunflower utilizes light for photosynthesis. Unfortunately, the human mind does not seem to bear the same natural atunement to the trajectory of magic that the flower has for the sun.

Similar to debates about whether light is a particle or a wave, scholars continue to debate about what, exactly, magic is. Also similar to light, it is neither living nor tangible, but moves about on its own. Magic seems to exist in all places, and can potentially be changed from one type to another. Scholars sometimes compare this to changing the frequency of an electromagnetic wave. Though scholars know that humans and other living beings have the ability to affect magic, it is unclear if other things, such as the movement of the planet, may also affect it. It is clear, however, that if magic is affected too greatly, it can result in catastrophe, such as during The Rift of 1920.

Manipulating Magic

Magic can be shaped, just like wood, metal, or stone. This is why so many seemingly small, normal acts of life, like making dinner, can be acts of magic

by Aditya Saxena

Manipulating magic (also known as working magic, casting magic, and spell casting) is done primarily through intent. Though all magic workers describe using magic differently, the uniting description is that they willed the change to happen. While some people have natural gifts to manipulate magic (often known as mages, witches, or wizards--see side bar) there are numerous methods to assist those who do not have an innate gift or otherwise struggle to manipulate magic. Most often, this is done by channeling magic through objects designed for this purpose, such as wands, staffs, coins, and even gemstones. In other instances, a work of magic can be fully contained within an item, such as a drawing, and can be turned on and off with a "switch," such as a word or gesture. In these cases, the person using the switch does not require an understanding of magic as the working is self-contained. Many magical workings are done through the act of crafting, such as The Singing Tapestry of Alaj. The creators of such works explain that the act of shaping natural objects can be done simultaneously with shaping magic.

In-born Magic

Like any skill, the ability to manipulate magic can be learned by anyone, though some are born with a natural talent and others are not. Those who are born with these gifts are generally born the with the ability to manipulate magic in particular forms. For example, someone may be born with the ability to manipulate fire at will. Scholars believe that though magic is essentially the same substance, it moves differently in different forms. Therefore, a person who can manipulate fire, has an understanding of the movement of magic within fire. Those who manipulate magic, especially those who have an in-born gift, as said to "have magic for" the form of magic which they manipulate. Therefore, in the above example, the person would have magic for fire. It seems that magic can, but does not always affect DNA. Non-human sentient species such as sprites, elves, and dragons, all bear resemblance to humans as well as an in-born ability to manipulate magic, which are passed down to offspring, even in inter-species marriage. In some cases, human families also pass down in-born magical gifts, such as the famous Letterman family, known for generations of people who have magic for light. In most cases, however, humans do not seem to pass down in-born abilities to manipulate certain forms or magic. More often, when a parent and child both have in-born abilities for magic, these will be for completely different forms. A woman with an in-born ability to manipulate stone, for example, might give birth to a child with an inborn ability to manipulate electricity. In these situations, however, the child will usually begin to manipulate magic around the same age that the parent did.

Control of Magic

It is also evident that the ability to manipulate magic is connected to the health of the body, and this is more true for those with in-born gifts than those without. Anything from poor health to intoxication to lack of sleep can influence a person's ability to work magic. Strong emotions have also been known to affect a persons ability to manipulate magic, leading some to suggest that control of the physical body, and therefore one's personal magic is connected to the control of other magic. In some cases, ordinary foods have even been known to cause changes in a person's ability to work magic, similar to an allergy. Interestingly, these things appear to make magic easier to work, but they also create a lack of precision. Therefore some people will purposely consume intoxicants in controlled amounts when attempting something new. This raises the risk of the magical working going awry, however, and many magically induced deaths occur each year for such reasons.

by Lacie Slezak

Magi-Tech

by Ahma

Magic is used for a variety of purposes, from theatrical special effects to lighting homes. One of the most common uses for magic is transport stations, which allow people to be transported from one location to another. Innovators such as Simon Farrow of Farrow Industries, known for his advancement in language-translation technology, have led to the coining of the term magi-tech. Though the term is relatively new, the combining of magical and scientific technology goes back centuries to the Old Kingdom of Alaj, which had to compete with the magical Nefrale to the east and the technological Linakra to the west. Until the last century, Alaj led Nideon in magi-technological innovation.

Type

Metaphysical

Mage, Witch or Wizard?

Much like magic itself, our terminology is evasive and ever-shifting.

There are many terms for people who have the ability to manipulate magic, the most common being mage, witch, and wizard. Generally, these are all synonyms, though some cultures and languages differentiate based on factors such as whether or not a gift is in-born or how old a person was when they started manipulating magic.

by A

Magic Lords

The Magic Lords, more commonly known as the Calistian gods, are figures from The Death Witch (and Other Stories). They are commonly believed to be personifications of different forms of magic and an early explanation for why some people had in-born gifts and others did not.