Magic
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Understanding magic is to understand the universe. But to understand the universe, you must first understand magic's place in it. It is not possible to perceive magic. It has no color, odor, or tactile sensation. This is not to say that we don't have a perception of magic that is tangible. Spells bind magic to the user's will in such a way that it takes on a physical form. But raw, untouched magic is beyond our comprehension. Wild magic is magic in its purest form, and no one can explain how or why it works. I urge you, dear reader, to ask a dragon how it knows it can fly or to explain to a non-mage how you can feel magic in yourself and the world around you. The simple answer is that we simply know. Dear reader, before you slam this book shut, attempt to curse me for having made you read through this entire chapter only to give a less than satisfactory answer, and yell at your master for assigning such nonsensical and disappointing reading, allow me a few more sentences to ease your frustrations. Though we cannot define magic in its purest form, it is possible to study magic in use. The study of magic is for gaining an understanding of how we and the world around us use magic. And it comes in many forms with even more possible applications. In your journey, you will encounter a vast range of unique styles of magic. My hope in writing these books is to give you the tools to categorize and explain the varieties of magic that you encounter through life.
Forms of Magic
Arcane Magic
It is common for mages to take their arcane powers for granted. Many of us have had the sense for as long as we can remember. We define arcane magic as the manipulation of universal magic. It is an inherent ability that can never truly be taken away from a mage. Even in the most oppressive societies I've encountered, true mages always retain the ability to sense magic though they can't harness its power. Arcane mages use a focus to channel their magic much like light passed through a prism divides into many colors. Each color can be seen as the equivalent to a school of magic, and each mage is best attuned to one of those paths. Spells are performed through incantation. In the broadest sense of the word, an incantation is either a verbal or somatic instruction designed to help the mage focus their energies and bend magic to their will. In most practices, it is verbal. The incantation may be a word or phrase, and the exact phrases may vary across cultures. All races are capable of being born with magical abilities, and there is some speculation that each race is more likely to share an affinity with the magic of their Creator. It's unclear exactly how this plays out, and more research would need to be done to verify these claims.
Divine Magic
Divine magic is granted as a boon from a god. Only the pious can receive that boon, and in many temples, the high priest/ess is expected to receive divine powers to ascend to that title. The monastic orders are somewhat harder to generalize, but in most orders, any fully fledged monk can use magic. The threshold is seemingly lower, but it is important to remember that monastics dedicate their entire lives to a single deity, and many take up a life of asceticism. Their piety is undoubted. Notable exceptions to this are demigods who, while gifted with magic, cannot bestow it upon mortals, and Speakers, those born with a connection to a deity but not inherently magical ability. Many people mistakenly compare a mage's affinity to a deity's domain. This is grossly incorrect. A divine practitioner is limited only to the deity's domain. Those spells may not fall neatly into the arcane schools, but a mage is capable of branching out to other schools through dedication. A divine practitioner who attempts a spell counter to the deity's domain faces not only spell failure but the deity revoking magic entirely. Out of respect, a mage should not try to tempt a divine practitioner to perform spells outside of their domain. Mage apprentices may do this with alarming regularity to each other, but divine magic comes from a deity, not innate talent. Moving on, the strength of divine spells is tied to the deity's own power and the practitioner's piety. Worship, prayers, sacrifices, and living according to faith tenets is vital for a practitioner to demonstrate piety. They devote themselves to their deity, though it's a mindset I don't fully grasp. To me, it looks and sounds like fanaticism. Though, as I look over at my cat and consider how much I do to keep her happy, perhaps I do understand it. She demands attention, regular affirmations that I will sacrifice my own sanity for her sake, food, and all for the occasional present of a dead bird or rat. Alas, my cat cannot grant me further magical abilities.
Wild Magic
I have always viewed the classification of wild magic as the antithesis to civilized magic with great irony and amusement. Without wild magic, we wouldn't have potions or any magical fauna which so enriches our world. It is far better to regard wild magic as magic that's not dependent on spellcasting. Your ability to feel magic is the most intuitive example of wild magic. You didn't cast a spell or need a focus to do it. It is as instinctual and normal as breathing. And if you are like many mages who rely on a crystal as a focus, then that is another example of how necessary wild magic is to us. Wild magic is hard to understand because we are so accustomed to seeing it. It wasn't until I sat down to write this book that I really thought about why gryphons could fly. They simply do, and few people question it. It is also important to remember that not everything uses magic either. Eagles fly and fish swim without magic. But a hippocampus can only survive because it has wild magic. Likewise, I doubt you question why magic crystals exist. I believe the elves possess the best interpretation of wild magic. To them, it is primordial magic. It exists because Valtena exists, and Valtena comes from the primordials.
Spells
Arcane Spellcasting
Yes, who wasn't eagerly awaiting to read this chapter and find out the secrets to becoming a master mage through spellcasting? I hope you have more self-control than my apprentices and read the chapter on spell theory before skipping ahead, but if you didn't, here's a brief summary. Ideally, you'd go back and read the chapter like you're supposed to. Spells allow mages to alter magic to their will and produce predictable results. The focus aids with channeling magic, your vigor dictates the strength and complexity of the spells you can cast, and the incantation is the command for magic to do something specific.
Focus
Though not often thought about, focus symbols deserve special attention. They are immensely personal, and there is no one way to choose one nor is any focus symbol better than another. They are, at their core, a way for mages to channel magic into physical manifestation. The chosen object need not be magical in nature, and I met one mage who used an acorn as a focus. Her explanation, when I asked, was that it fell from the sky and hit her on the head. Some masters advise against degradable objects, but my experience has been that it doesn't matter. Even apprentice mages will subject the focus to enough magic that it won't disintegrate. What is worth bearing in mind is that mages only have one, at most two focus symbols in a lifetime. I don't recommend picking something that you'll feel silly holding and waving about in ten or twenty years' time. Yes, choosing a focus is personal. Being old and still carrying a stuffed toy looks ridiculous.
Grimoire
A mage's grimoire is the ultimate reference guide. It is not a spellbook. Well, it is, but it shouldn't be used as a place to jot down every spell you want to try or think you know. You will also have to write your own grimoire. By hand. Not typed. You'll remember things better when you write them down. Ideally, you should rarely need to consult your grimoire. To be an effective spellcaster, you can't stop every time to look spells up. Perhaps this seems silly to an apprentice who only knows a handful of spells. However, a more experienced mage may know over a hundred spells, and my grimoire consists of several fat tomes. At best, they should be used as an aid when you can't remember something and have time to look it up. I am well aware that many mages would disagree with my views, but I do not believe that grimoires should contain any spells you don't know or haven't practiced. Rather gratefully, saying the incantation isn't enough to cast a spell. Could you imagine how difficult it would be to teach if masters couldn't utter a spell incantation without it happening? You must concentrate on what the spell does and how it manifests. If you have never seen a spell performed, then you don't know how to focus on it. As for spells you're not confident with, you will end up wasting a lot of time looking it up, trying to remember how it manifests, and properly saying the incantation. Also, bloating your grimoire with spells you can't readily use will only make it harder to find the ones you do know. As a brief note, it is possible to create new spells. Master mages can develop an intuition for how a spell will manifest based on the incantation, but that level of creativity is not for apprentices. I will discuss the theory behind spell creation in a later volume.
Divine Spellcasting
For anyone who wasn't blessed with the ability to perform magic, there is always the route of the priesthood. This is by no means a criticism of those who choose that path. There are many highly skilled and powerful priests who can put even stellar mages to shame. Their spells are cast through prayers and supplication. Prayer Book isn't an equivalent to a grimoire because every page in a grimoire should be filled with spells and not idle doodles, but a prayer book may include prayers which serve no magical purpose whatsoever. The common peasant has a prayer book and nothing remarkable comes from it. Divine symbols may be utilized, but unlike a mage who can only channel magic through a focus, the divine practitioner is the focus for the chosen deity and may cast freely. You may think that the longer prayers are less convenient than the short incantations many mages uses, and you would be sorely mistaken. I've stood shoulder to shoulder with a priest facing down a terrible ogre, and the priest spoke as fast as any auctioneer with perfect clarity.
Death
It is widely known that magic can't bring back the dead. Not properly, by any standard. The things made with necromancy don't count as alive by magical standards, though it can fool the unknowing. Bringing things properly back to life with a unified soul, mind, and body, is not possible with magic. Except that it is. Divine magic is the only way to resurrect the dead. The Monks of Ril are unique in that their piety allows them to petition Ril for a soul. The exact ritual is unknown to me, and they carefully guard their secrets. However, the monks are very careful with who they bring back. The spell is taxing on them, and the common notion is that it takes a month for them to recover enough to perform the ritual again. Bear in mind that only the Monks of Ril can bring back the dead. The priests are only able to perform final rites.
Holy Symbols
All too often I hear holy symbols called the "arcane focus of priests". While they serve a similar function as a focal point for magic, there are key distinctions between the two. First, an arcane focus is made of natural magical materials while a holy symbol is magical because it is deemed holy. Second, an arcane focus is necessary for mages to cast magic, but a holy symbol is an amplifier. Many holy symbols come in the form of relics. They are important to the deity who makes the items magical even if they were quite ordinary before. It's well recorded that entire skeletons can become holy, and there is one instance in which the holy grapes a monk ate were purified and made holy and completely inedible. Where an arcane focus might deteriorate from lack of use, a holy symbol will never deteriorate so long as the deity in question still exists.
Magic Schools
Abjuration
A lay definition of abjuration magic focuses on the aspect of banishment often as the opposite of summoning or to contrast it with conjuration. This fails to acknowledge the proactive side of abjuration with regards to wards and protection spells. Abjurers work closely with illusionists to safeguard locations by creating magical barriers. Their magic can protect allies and maintain harmony between the things of this world and those beyond.
Conjuration
To create something from nothing is the pinnacle of what magic can accomplish. It takes lifetimes to fully master all the intricacies of conjuration, and for the creative or invention minded mage, it is the perfect way to express one's individuality. They're limited to non sentient objects, and any attempts to conjure something living only results in a hollow physical husk in imitation of what's alive.
Divination
The gift of a diviner is to see the future. The curse is knowing what to do with that knowledge. Of all the arcane arts, divination is the least understood. The threads of Fate are complex, and our life is set before us. Their glimpses are like seeing a flash of light on the horizon. Brief and either a warning or comfort of what's to come.
Elemental
Elemental magic is easily the most salient form of arcane magic as well as the most common. It's known as the preferred school in most militaries, though I believe that it overstates the reality of most elemental mages. It embodies control over the natural world, and many mages find that they ascribe most strongly to one of the sub-schools. Some mages may find that their talents overlap into multiple sub-schools, though I find the best mages to be the ones who can specialize.
Enchantment
The Enchanter influences the mind. Unlike the illusionist, they alter the mind directly and can take control of another person's thoughts and actions. It is a difficult school of magic to practice, and many enchanters struggle to earn the trust of those around them. Lose not hope, a righteous enchanter can still use his or her abilities for good.
Illusion
Of all the schools of magic, illusion magic is the most often ridiculed. Illusionists change the perception of reality. The senses play tricks on all of us, and the illusionist takes advantage of all of them. A quick sleight of hand may be able to fool some people, and in fact, some non mages claim to be illusionists. But the real ones are capable of far more than cheap tricks.
Necromancy
Of all the schools of magic, necromancy is the only school that is closely associated with the divine. The ability to bridge the gap between life and death is a unique and powerful ability. It deals with the connection between soul and body and in some ways, being able to create a new type of life.
Summoning
Summoning is the act of pulling a target, whether that be animate, inanimate, or spirit, from one location to another. The thing must already exist in order to be summoned. They have the fewest number of spells to learn of all the schools. They often use summoning circles to control certain variables, and those circles are significantly more stable for repeated use than reciting spells.
Transmutation
Also known as alternation or transformation, transmutation magic turns one object into something else. It is one of the more widely studied schools of magic. Transmutation is about changing the form or properties of objects or beings. It does not, however, alter the state of mind of sentient creatures. To remember that distinction, I tell my apprentices that a transmuter can turn a person into a newt, but an enchanter can make a person believe they are a newt.
Other Magical Disciplines
Alchemy
Alchemy is the thorn in any thaumatologist's side. It isn't spellcasting magic, but it's less natural than wild magic. And perhaps, it's the best argument for why the whole idea of magic schools is rubbish. Alchemy is the manipulation of magical flora and fauna to create potions. Herbalism, by contrast, utilizes nonmagical properties of flora and fauna to make tinctures and salves. It is very common among non-mages to group herbalists and alchemists together, but they serve different roles. That is not to say that there isn't any overlap. Alchemy doesn't require spellcasting, so herbalists without the gift can dabble in it, and there are several notable alchemists who were drawn to herbalism. But please, don't confuse them. Your local alchemist might just throw a stink potion at you for calling them an herbalist. I do not speak from experience. Due to alchemy's peculiar place outside the schools, many mages regard it as a lesser magical art. But where would we be without them? They are the reason we have potions. And before you run to your grimoire and tell me that there's an equivalent spell, think about this. If you are a conjurer who needs to breathe underwater, trying to learn the elemental spell for breathing underwater is a massive undertaking. And if you need to use it now or even tomorrow, then give up. A potion lets you bypass that. Swallow the potion, and now you can breathe underwater until the effects wear off. That is one of the milder potions, by the way. If you haven't tried it, it tastes like saltwater. The potion for detecting undead tastes like rotten brains and feces. In a more abstract way of describing things, potions allow mages to dip into magic outside of their chosen specialty. If you also have the sense not to drink the whole thing in one go, a potion will also last longer than a scroll. Therefore, I implore you (with as much emphasis as is possible through writing), dear reader, say thank you to your local alchemist. Let them know how much you appreciate everything they do.
Imbuement
One of the most common questions I receive pertains to imbuing objects with magic. There are three accepted methods. The first is simply to etch a spell onto an ordinary object. This only works for the weakest and simplest spells, though its application is extremely useful and varied. The second method is to etch spells onto magical materials. This allows for more powerful spells, but it still has the limitation of being able to hold a single spell. The most powerful items are imbued with magic to their core. Forcing enough magic through an object as with focuses creates a powerful item unique to the wielder. Other items are crafted with spells woven into the magical material from the first cut. A magic sword, for instance, ought to be created from magical metals, and then at every step of the forging process, the mage must weave in more spells for the desired effects.
Rituals
Truthfully, dear reader, I wasn't sure where to include ritual magic. It differs from other forms of magic in that it pools the strength of multiple mages in order to cast one complex spell. At least, that's how it's used in the arcane sense. Divine practitioners use rituals to communicate with their deity. It may be a group endeavor, but it is equally likely to be a single priest or monk performing the act. The only unifying aspect is that ritual magic relies on physical magical components to work. It also takes time, but that varies both between rituals and the number of people present. I'll go into some of the more common ritual spells later, but I would advise against attempting them without proper preparation. Such as finishing the rest of this book and then coming back with all your friends to test new magic. Most mages, understandably, don't bother with rituals. It is frustrating to try and hunt down all the required materials if they're not common, and alchemists aren't often keen to part with rare materials. This is where divine practitioners get an advantage. Their materials tend to be related to the deity's domain, so those are readily available to them. Also, ritual spellcasting is similar to meditation or contemplative prayer. In short, they're already used to the focused mindset required to see a six or twelve-hour long spell to completion. I'm not making these numbers up. Even a simple ritual spell with all your fellow apprentices will take at least ninety minutes.
Vigor
Vigor is a person's mental strength and capacity to cast magic. There is no way to calculate it from a numerical standpoint. The metrics that exist rely on the idea that the spellcaster has an affinity towards the spell. For an elementalist, creating a snowball requires very little vigor. However, an abjurer would find that same spell rather difficult due to a lack of elemental affinity. While it is difficult to determine how much vigor someone has, there are ways to improve it. Dedicated practice with challenging spells builds up vigor despite the inevitable feeling of fatigue the next day. Studying also improves vigor. In this sense, studying it the conscious effort to understand new material. It's not passively reading. If you are studying my books as I laid out earlier, then your vigor has increased. You must challenge yourself mentally and continue to increase the difficulty of the tasks laid out before you. It is also the responsibility of your master to create puzzles for you to solve. My master made me learn a new instrument and language as part of my mental training. But what's the point? Spells innately require vigor. Mentally, you must juggle channeling magic, the spell's manifestation, and incantation at the same time and be able to hold it with perfect clarity while the spell is performed. This is a simple task in a training room with no other distractions, but it is far harder in the real world. Adventurers are incredibly vigorous because they must be able to cast spells while under attack and keep the positions and actions of their companions in mind. In many instances, mages must work when lives are at risk. You must be aware of your surroundings, but that cannot affect your ability to manifest and recall a range of spells.
Limitations
It's an inevitable fact of teaching that apprentices will overexert themselves. They always attempt spells that are too difficult despite any and all warnings to the contrary. I know that no matter what I say on the matter, you too, dear reader, will overexert yourself if you haven't already. Attempting to perform a spell that's too vigorous for you will result in the spell's failure and a decline in your own health. Severe migraines, photosensitivity, and lethargy are all common symptoms. In particularly severe cases, you may pass out, and I've carried many apprentices back to their chambers to rest and reflect on their behavior. A mage that's overexerted themself will often be unable to perform any magic for a few days. Feeling magic isn't the problem. It's the crippling headaches and nausea that accompany trying to focus on simple spellcasting. It may take upwards of a week to fully recover, but that ultimately comes down to the individual. I encourage my apprentices to spend their time doing leisurely activities. It provides some distraction to the discomfort. If they begin to feel ill or frustrated, then it is better to take a break and do something else. It's sound advice for anyone who has used a lot of vigor. Learning new spells is mentally strenuous, so it is mandatory for all apprentices to spend some time relaxing and recovering so that they may be ready for the next day's challenges.
Magic Range
Ask ten masters what the maximum range of a spell is, and you'll get twelve different answers. It is a difficult question to answer, and most mages figure out their limits through trial and error. Children often push their abilities to the limit and have little control over it. This can result in a spell with a much greater effective range than might be expected. It is not any indicator of what they can achieve as adults. That is dependent on a whole host of factors which will be covered in detail. Arcane magic can not affect the entire world or even the continent. The nation Elhos believes that a mage caused the formation of the mountains that surround the country. This story has never been confirmed, and it is far more likely that the mage was a Speaker or demi-god of a powerful deity. Accounts of cities being affected by magic is almost always the work of several mages. I say almost because it is possible that long after I am dead, there will be a mage who can do things I never imagined. Until that time, most mages can affect the area of a village not including all the surrounding fields. Many spells, particularly offensive ones, require visual contact with the target. Opponents who duck behind cover can still be targeted unless they decide to move and you don't know where to. The concentration of magic in targeted spells also reduces the effective range. A general rule is that the range is as far as the mage can throw a javelin. Dear reader, should you find yourself against an army, beware of artillery. They can fire shot a distance many times your range, and they are often buried or hidden from view even at closer range. For those of you who pursue and academic life, this is of little concern. Magic is an integral part of our world, but we must not see ourselves as better than technology.
Vaylamon Scale
I mention this reluctantly as the Vaylamon Scale is one of the most inaccurate measures of vigor. Alas, it is popular among thaumatologists and masters as a way to quantify curriculums and spells. In brief, the Scale assigns a numeric value between 0 and 12 to each spell. It is a marker of difficulty with a 0 rating being easily achievable with little to no training. By contrast, a 12 rating is difficult for even master mages, and casting one is regarded as quite an achievement. Where this falls apart is that assigning ratings to spells relies on self reported data from mages with an affinity for a particular school. As one can imagine, students are not the most accurate when reporting how easy or difficult they find one spell or another, and there is considerable variation in raw talent. The scale is useless for anyone dabbling in other magic schools.
Inheritance
To date, there is no way to determine who will be born with magical talent. While there are some relevant factors such as the presence of mages in family history, it is not as clear as that. Many of the world's mages come from no magical background at all, and among adventurers, a great number are self-taught. I have poured over many registers from universities and academies, though the accuracy of their data varies. It is reasonable, however, to assume that most mages have some kind of magical background through an ancestor. The prominent magical families produce incredibly powerful mages, but many of them are too arrogant to put forth the required effort to truly master magic. The greater minority of mages come from no discernable magical background, and I find that they make for the most pleasant and enthusiastic students.
Magic Bloodlines
Knowing that most mages were not born into magical families, what can be said for those elite few pedigrees that consolidate magical ability in their lineages? Firstly, one must recognize that this is an attribute of magic. It is neither a curse nor a gift. That it can be passed down through generations ensures the existence of arcane mages, and some of the oldest families have storied pasts about how magic came to enter the line. In this same notion, I find it abhorrent that many people criticize those without magic as lesser beings. Magical aptitude can skip generations, and I will continue to press that some of my best students lacked overt magical parentage. Secondly, I must refute the notion that magical aptitude can be improved through selective pairings. It reduces mages to tamed animals, and for as many examples that prove greater aptitude by marrying for it, I can quote twice as many against it.
Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
Table of Contents
About the Books
On Thaumatology is a series of nine books detailing nearly every aspect of arcane and divine magic that's known. The first four volumes are part of the standard curriculum for any aspiring mage, and the remaining volumes outline spells for each of the arcane schools. The books are highly regarded by modern scholars, though at the time of publication, Kieran's contemporaries refuted the work as blasphemy and inaccurate. They fell into obscurity until twenty years after Kieran's death when they were rediscovered and republished. Among magical circles, the books are widely available.Additional Reading
Arcane MagicDivine Magic
Wild Magic
Chaos Magic
Abjuration
Conjuration
Divination
Elemental
Enchantment
Illusion
Necromancy
Summoning
Transmutation
Alchemy
Imbuement
Arcane Focus
Grimoire
Holy Symbol
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