The Web

(come up with names for some of the religious, spiritual, or study-based groups at bottom of page)

"Problem is, once you get a taste of that power, it's hard to let it go. We probably lost as many to that ache as we did the storms and beasts."

Journal from early AB time period, Scriptorium Soiram historical archives

The Web is a term used to describe the ever-present current of magic enveloping and influencing Ostelliach. A connection to The Web is required in order to use magic of any sort, regardless of school or type of caster; in the time since The Breaking, this connection is forged through a personalized ritual known as Godcrafting.

Study of The Web

Scholars of the Scriptorium Soiram have dedicated centuries of study both before and after The Breaking to understanding the flow, source, and connection to The Web. Certain schools of study have emerged from these efforts, including:

• Artifice imbuement, understanding the art of creating a connection with The Web to inanimate objects (magically attuned items, constructs etc.). Smiths and crafters tend to fall into this school.

• Godcrafting logistics, seeking to understand more of why and how Godcrafting works, including why only some people are able to successfullly complete a Godcrafting and understanding the nebulous criteria of what makes a Godcrafting ritual work. Spiritual/religious sorts gravitate toward this school.

• Entropic magic, the understanding of the wild magic that flows through the land causing chaos (especially after The Breaking) and how to harness, stem, or banish it. Sorcerers, evocation devotees, and arcane rogues all keep an eye on the findings of this school.

• The Breaking, simply understanding how and why the event occured; understanding the rebuilding of the temples falls under this umbrella, seeking to understand how and why this shift of intent worked and if it can be harnessed further. This school draws a lot of historians, but also many architects and crafters with a focus on buildings.

• Floral and faunal arcana, understanding why and how some plants, animals, and fungi are able to tap into or have natural ties to The Web, such as creatures that cast spells, plants that have magical properties etc. Biologists of all stripes naturally are curious about this field, but so are healers.

Precious little is understood about The Web despite these schools, including where it came from, who or what created it, much of how it influences Ostelliach, and most pressingly for many (including the mundane/non-magical folk who are wary of its presence) whether it is a positve or negative force overall.

Worshipping The Web

In the time since The Breaking, there are different levels of reverence and fear that have arisen around The Web, including some who follow it in a religious or spiritual context (or at the very least elevate it beyond an apathetic law of the world). As with any religion, there are different flavors of this worship with different focuses and goals. Some of these include:

• Those who see The Web as a person/entity; some see it as benevolent, others harsh and wrathful, with both viewpoints leading to sects that cause harm in the name of pacifying/placating it (such as human sacrifice or ritualistic self-mutilation).

• Those who see The Web as a force to be conquered/destroyed/severed; these tend to be anti-arcana viewpoints that either eschew magic entirely or use it only as a means to an end of magic entirely. Cults and organization of this opinion tend to be watched closely by magic practicioners such as (name of magic police squad here)

• Those who dream of controlling The Web or tapping further into it; people who see The Web in this way include scholars or rogue mages, and it is from this train of thought that many a ritual (of varying levels of danger and a same null level of success) have come, as well as the people who continue attempting additional Godcraftings to gain more power (something thus far proven to be impossible). This school of thought also tends to host people who study to improve Godcrafting instructions and make them more accessible, with some aiming to create a world where everyone can be Godcrafted. (Whether this is a philanthropic focus of equality and peace, lust for power, or simply academic curiosity depends on the person.)

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane