Magic

Magic is the general term used for the supernatural forces that seem to obey the will of certain practitioners and defy the laws of physics. While the general public does not believe in the existence of magic or the occult, it does have a definite effect on the universe. People who use magic, called magicians, study spells or are granted powers and are able to wield them to varying degrees of effectiveness. The sources of magic are varied, but generally break down into four categories.

• Personal Magic: The magician draws on his own physical or spiritual energies to power his spell. This method gives the magician total control over the magic, but drains his strength more that either of the other methods.
• External Magic: Magic appears as an ambient force in the universe. The magician can tap this force, often called “mana,” to produce many effects both minor and major. These spells usually cost little of the magician's own energy, but they are unreliable in alien settings. Other dimensions may have different mana levels from the magician's home, which either weakens External spells or makes them super-powerful and uncontrollable.
• Bestowed Magic: There are several pantheons of powerful extra-dimensional entities. When called, these godlike beings bestow power on magicians who work for their goals. The power can be general aid or may increase a spell's strength. However, a request for aid carries risks. Entities usually supply the power requested, no questions asked; but the more often a magician receives aid, the more he/she comes under the entity's potential control. Many times the entity expects a favor from the magician for the many favors he has been granted.
• Focus Magic: Objects can contain or harness magical energy. Their sources are the three given above, but practically, they work in different ways and have different effects.

Of the sources of magic listed above, Personal and focus Magic appear to be the easiest to learn, but Personal offers the lowest power levels, and Focus is chancy. Powerful External Magic is the mark of an accomplished sorcerer, if not necessarily a master. Bestowed Magic indicates that the magician has earned special attention, but tells little about his level of skill.
It should also be noted that a sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic and that many items or powers that seem mystic in origin are actually a form of highly developed technology. It may also be possible that these powers or items may be some type of magic-technology hybrid, which many consider to be impossible.