Magic

Across the Ages of Ransera the presence of magic has always been felt. It is a force that has been used for both good and ill. With it, mortals have forged mighty empires and through it those same empires have been brought to ruin. To some, magic is a curse. To others, it is the only true path to power. Regardless of opinion, the truth remains simple: magic is ever present in every corner of Ransera and it always will be.

Magic is the broad term for describing any paranormal effect, no matter the source of its cause. The world of Ransera is best described as a high-magic world. While only a small minority of people tend to wield magic, the vast majority of the population have seen it used or are in some way affected by creations of magic. It is not uncommon for the simple farmer to have a trinket or two that is capable of rendering some very minor magical effect upon the world. Magic users in Ransera have always tended to gravitate toward an elitist mentality. It is no small feat to become a practitioner of magic and is not for the hobbyist as nearly every form of magic takes considerable study and practice to master. Magic grants power but that power comes with a price.

Overview

To the average person, there is no distinction between the different kinds of magic that exist in the world. Any practitioner of magic is viewed as a mage, regardless of the source of their powers. The truth of the matter is that “magic” is in fact a culmination of countless schools and disciplines that fall into a few different spheres.

All magic is fueled by aether. In its formless state, aether is the essence of potential. It contains within it the possibility to become all ideas. Aether is in everything but on the Material Plane it exists with the highest degree of purity in the souls of the sentient beings who walk it. A person has far more aether than a mundane animal, an animal has more than an insect, an insect has more than a rock and so forth. Aether is what gives anything and everything the core of its identity, substance, sentience and willpower. It tells the story of precisely the thing it resides in. No two things are exactly the same with regard to their aether and when studied long enough, the differences can be found. Aether is neither created nor destroyed.

Rune of Magic

Runes are abound across cultures. Most of them are mundane and without any power to do anything but convey information in the form of writing. A Rune of Magic however, is a symbol imbued with power over aether. Whether that is aether drawn from the Self or aether drawn from the World, these symbols are the means by which most magic in Ransera is achieved. They have two different classifications.

Cardinal Rune

A Cardinal Rune is a rune that has dominion over very broad and often nebulous concepts. It is through these Cardinal Runes of Magic that the various Personal Disciplines of Magic are derived. More often than not, Cardinal Runes were first gifted to mortals from either a Dragon God or a Mistlord. The discovery of new Cardinal Runes is exceedingly rare and has far reaching consequences. The appearance of a Cardinal Rune is always unique to the individual. They are not something spoken, merely understood. Imbuing something with the power to manipulate the concept over which the Cardinal Rune presides requires that it be inscribed upon that which is to receive it. This can be done physically; tattooing a Rune upon a mage, drawing it in ink, inscribing it directly into the flesh by physical engraving... whatever the case, the symbol itself is magic. Upon completion of the drawing, the Rune will be permanently instilled upon the skin and flesh of the mage in question, perfectly formed regardless of the artistic skill of the inscriber. A wizard can only inscribe a Cardinal Rune that they themselves possess.

Regardless of method, instilling a sentient being with a Cardinal Rune of Magic will induce what is called Threshold Sickness. For mortals, who have sentience and willpower, this is a debilitating series of experiences that wrack the body. For those that survive the experience, and most do not, the soul weaves the Cardinal Rune into the very fabric of the individual’s being thus enabling them to perform magic.

Imbuing an object that lacks sentience and willpower with a Cardinal Rune of Magic is an invitation for disaster. Without willpower and thus the ability to focus and control the effects, the powers bestowed by the Cardinal Rune will rampage out of control. While there are methods to avert this catastrophe it is something that only very powerful and extremely well prepared wizards ever attempt. When successful however, wondrous and often weird things can be achieved.

Pictograph

The only difference between a mundane symbol from a mortal language and a pictograph is its ability to be imbued with the power to affect aether, and therefore be magical. The only prerequisite to empowering pictographs is that one possess the ability to awaken the symbols to the presence of aether in some way. If one possesses a Cardinal Rune of Magic, merely touching the symbols and willing a sliver of one's own aether to brush over them can achieve this. For those without a Cardinal Rune of Magic, utilizing dragonshard tools or concoctions is often the method by which this is achieved. This primes the symbols to affect aether in the manner that the wizard directs. Pictographs do not inherently possess aether, they merely possess the power to affect it. The basic study and utilization of Pictography is referred to as Scrivening. Once this prerequisite is met, any wizard can formulate their own grimoire of pictographs and are thus capable of practicing the theories behind World Magic.

Personal Magic

Personal Magic is that which is sustained by using aether from the Self. Drawing upon their own aether, the wizard transforms a piece of their own essence in order to generate a supernatural effect. The parameters for doing so are dependent upon the Cardinal Rune of Magic the wizard in question is utilizing in order to perform this feat in the first place. There are no universal spells or incantations in order to perform the various techniques in the disciplines of personal magic. The effects are achieved purely through an exertion of willpower and while gestures and incantations are indeed helpful to most, they are not required.

Personal magic carries with it great rewards but also great risks. Every time a wizard produces an effect through the use of their magic in this way, they are essentially chipping away at their own souls in order to achieve it. While the soul will recover and repair itself given time, the greater and more powerful the effect, the steeper the cost of achieving it, the more the soul is affected by the effort. Push oneself too much and too far and it will lead to overstepping. Depending on the circumstance, overstepping can be largely harmless ranging from headaches to muscle cramps to downright gruesome and fatal.

The various types of Personal Magic are referred to as Disciplines, as the wizard is required to exert their own willpower over the powers in play and thus require a disciplined mind.

Personal Magic is one of the major spheres of magic found in Ransera. It refers to those disciplines whose power is derived through the use of the wizard’s own aether as opposed to the aether borrowed through the use of tools or rituals. Some personal magics are more widespread than others but the unifying concept behind them is that the wizard themselves is the source of their own power. They rise and fall of their own merit, for better or worse.

Common Traits

While the powers conferred by the personal disciplines vary greatly and some have special conditions associated with them, they all follow a few general traits.

Initiation

Every practitioner of Personal Magic bears a Cardinal Rune of Magic for the discipline that they practice. Each discipline has its own unique Cardinal Rune that can only be conferred upon an initiate by one who already possesses it. Generally speaking, the ability to inscribe a Cardinal Rune of Magic safely comes as one achieves Journeyman status in the magic, though there are exceptions.

Threshold Sickness

Rune mages are tampering with powers that they were not naturally born with. Awakening oneself to the ability to do things they were not made to do exacts a toll upon the body and soul. This price is called threshold sickness. Exactly what the sickness entails varies from person to person but it is a harrowing experience that typically lasts a few days. Many do not survive it. Those that do are forever changed by it. Threshold sickness occurs every time an individual receives a new Cardinal Rune. The number of mages willing to undergo such an experience more than a few times in their lifetime is very small. It is because of threshold sickness that mages almost never receive more than one Cardinal Rune at a time. Typically the inscription process of multiple runes is spread out over the course of several months if not years.

Exertion

In order to perform a feat of magic utilizing a personal discipline, some level of concentration is required. At first, this concentration is considerable. As mastery and experience with the magic grows, this lessens. The use of gestures and incantations as foci is commonplace as they serve as mediums through which willpower is funneled. They are not required but can train the mind to enter the state necessary to cast spells.

Strain

Magic does not come easy. The practitioners of personal magic are exerting their willpower in order to rewrite a piece of themselves and then manifest it into existence in the physical world. This takes time, it takes power, and its takes control. Fatigue, the ability to concentrate, and the magnitude of the effect all play into the success of the spell. The more of these facets that are put under duress, the more difficult it is to achieve the desired result. This can and will lead to poorly executed spells that often will backfire on the caster.

Overstepping

Overstepping is the consequence of casting personal magic beyond the limits of one’s abilities. It is the result of overexerting the mage’s mind, body and soul. Its effects vary depending on the discipline through which one has overstepped. The length of time it lasts is dependent upon how far one has overstepped. Generally speaking, most effects are mild and serve as deterrents to further spellcasting. They will dissipate if the wizard is given enough time to rest and recuperate. Only the most severe forms of overstepping have lasting effects ranging from odd to horrific. As a rule, the effects of overstepping are always negative in some way.

Every person is unique. Not every character experiences the same situation, the same way. Across the various pages detailing the disciplines of personal magic there are examples of the varying stages of Overstepping. These are not absolutes and each character should be carefully considered before overstepping is assigned by a reviewer or a moderator. An Elementalist who uses their magic to sculpt the earth artistically or to assist in archaeological endeavors may find themselves immensely stressed when presented with a life or death combat situation. Whereas an Elementalist trained as a battlemage would likely be well equipped to excel in the same situation vices being an excavator where their lack of knowledge could be more of a detriment than helpful. Consider also the Elementalist who is an herbalist and apothecary. They use their magic to assist in gardening and have knowledge of neither archaeology or combat. Fundamentally, the three possess the same magic but their methods of applying it are vastly different.

Moderators and reviewers are advised to be judicious when considering the context of magic use. What may be difficult for one character may not necessarily be difficult for another.

Quirks

Wizards are, by their very nature, people that draw attention to themselves when performing their craft. Wizards who make use of personal magic are often impossible to mistake. Every mage who receives a Cardinal Rune of Magic is forever branded by that Rune. It becomes a mark that is tattooed upon the flesh in the place wherever it is inscribed. While their colors and appearance vary across the spectrum, it is impossible to mistake them for mundane symbols as even staring at them evokes feelings and sometimes sensations somehow related to their sphere of influence. In terms of appearance, Cardinal Runes tend to begin simple but gradually expand to become elaborate patterns as the wizard grows more powerful.

It is as this power grows that wizards acquire what are universally referred to as Quirks. These are residual effects brought about through the prolonged use of their magic over time. These effects are so profound that the Cardinal Rune has somehow produced a fundamental change to the very soul of the mage that manifests in a way related to the rune’s sphere of influence. Every practitioner of Personal Magic acquires a Quirk for every level of mastery they advance to beyond Novice.

A mage gains one Quirk at Apprentice, one at Journeyman, one at Expert and two at Master for every Rune of Magic they progress to these stages.

World Magic

World Magic is the magic of crafting and lore. It requires a considerable amount of skill, creativity and often technical expertise in order to perform. While no two wizards of world magic practice in exactly the same way, there are universal theories and techniques that all of them prescribe to. On a fundamental level, World Magic utilizes the aether inherent in the tools used to achieve its effects. However, as every school of World Magic utilizes the art of Pictography it is necessary for every practitioner of World Magic to be able to awaken their pictographs to the presence of aether in some way. As stated previously, this can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The common practice is to use dragonshard tools.

Despite World Magic not carrying the same risks as Personal Magic, there are still risks. While the wizard is not utilizing their own aether, the aether in the objects they are practicing with must be carefully redirected and applied to various tasks. Done improperly or carelessly, the tools can backfire with varying degrees of severity depending on the task. Additionally, World Magic often requires the use of materials that are not commonplace. Some of these materials are acquired from places that are inherently dangerous and others must be drawn from living beings, sometimes unwillingly.

The various types of World Magic are referred to as Schools as they tend to be viewed as psuedosciences with more formal and structured approaches to their use.

Wild Magic

Wild Magic is magic that exists independent of focused intent or purpose as understood by Personal or World magics. These occurrences are found in nature across the world with varying degrees of frequency. Examples of Wild Magic include Dragonshards, Dread Mists and the Aetherborn Beasts.

Perspectives on Magic

 Importantly, this section tends to focus on the mages who have progressed notably into magic, or those who identify with being a mage. This is not meant to encompass all mages, or all cultures, but moreso to illustrate how more visible mages are perceived and perceive themselves. 

There is no sweeping or overarching sentiment on magic throughout the world of Ransera. Typically, opinions on magic tend to be divided by religion, nationality, race and even the particular region or area one resides in within a greater national footprint. Some areas or peoples are strongly inclined towards intolerance and fear of magic, while others may view it as a blessing or a boon. The point of this section of the article is not to provide a blanket, definitive view of how magic is perceived on Ransera, but to describe the framework from which most views eventually vary and grow.

Magic is, regardless of one's culture, typically viewed as mysterious or enigmatic; responsible for much of the world's profound ideas and the crux of most of the world's history. With the Gods of Ransera mostly absent, magic has proven to be vastly transformative to the world and remains a major aspect of global discourse, such as the balance of power between nations. Many national governments and their civilians tend to view magic as a weapon or tool provided to protect them from the dangers of the world, with mages existing as individuals chosen by fate to serve their nation and protect their interests.

Many others view magic as unnecessarily dangerous, with the degenerative risks to culture and stability too much to accept. Some still view it as dangerous, but overall more beneficial than it is not; they will be quick to find interest in a mage, privy to asking them of their many curiosities, but will be just as quick to dismiss a mage as a rogue or anarchist if they appear to diverge from the public good. Magic is in many nations a political issue, and perceptions of it are often in flux based on ongoing or recent events. For this reason there tends to be some presence of magic globally, even in nations that have outlawed it, as these laws tend to change based on need. It is undeniable to the people of Ransera that mages are incredibly useful, and that they often provide benefits that no others can. Of course, this has considerably shaped mages' conceptions of their own purpose, and role.

Mages And Themselves

Mages are known to be somewhat eccentric in comparison to the people around them, often having more divergent opinions and viewpoints that tend to rest considerably outside of the norm of their peers. They are also known for being open individuals, who tend to find little meaning in arbitrary divisions, particularly because magic itself is so diverse. For this reason, they are favored for often being somewhat more adaptable than others, more well-traveled.

Of course, there are other less jubilant behaviors that frequently appear in magi. Mages can often be arrogant individuals. They also tend to carry an austere air to them, a sort of elitism that permeates their demeanor and their treatment of others. There is no doubt that this has shaped their global perception over time, and while not all mages possess these characteristics, enough do that it is a commonly held stereotype. Mages tend to congregate among other mages. They often view the unitiated as generally mundane individuals, to the point where "mundane" has even evolved into a slur.

Due to the nature of magic - with the survival of an initiation appearing to be based on fate - mages and the common populous tend to believe they were somehow "chosen" to become sorcerers. This feeling of a higher purpose can act to motivate mages, and they tend to be heavily involved in their respective communities, often contributing to them a great deal. But coming with this perception is frequently a form of hubris that can consume many arcanists in time, and often early on. While experienced mages - and generally those that survive the longest - tend to be cautious and often make their decisions based on risk, young or inexperienced mages often find themselves mesmerized by their own power. This often leads them into attempting more and more initiations, as well as making decisions prone to plunging them into the depths of overstepping.

Many mages, unfortunately, do leverage their power on the mundane. In some settings they are essentially allowed this privilege as a right; they are viewed as necessary, and therefore free to pursue their desires. This is especially common in societies of low technological development. Skilled mages tend to be something of celebrities among their communities, often holding nicknames, titles and reputations based on the things they have done for the benefit of their community. As a result of this, the common mortal reaction to power and influence often plays a role in their behaviors, and the less beholden to the people a mage tends to be, the more these behaviors tend to come out.

Of course, that is not to say that all mages are rotten, or that all mages are viewed in such a way. Many mages are also paragons to their community; their actions can bring a sense of safety and prosperity to their peers unmatched by any others. Mages also often play a role in politics as a result of their power, and almost universally hold some involvement with the military of their respective nation.

National Differences

This is a general, brief over-view of the perceptions on magic in every nation. It is not an end-all statement; within these nations, opinions can vary based on region. The best resource to use when looking to discover the perception on magic in a particular country or city is to read the lore of that place.

The Gelerian Imperium: Magic is outlawed in the Imperium for most citizens. However, there are a select few that are allowed to practice it with government authorization, and these are typically servants of the primary Houses of the Imperium. This is largely a hypocrisy, and is a reason for some discontent with reigning nobility. In general, the vast majority of the Imperium's population views magic as a corrupting influence that always manages to rot the fabric of society and bring about calamity.

Their citations go as far back as the First Age, when Ascended mages known as the Light-Touched sacrificed their followers by the thousands to achieve faux divinity. They cite the fall of Silor, where hubristic Ald'norai attempted to use magic to acquire immortality, only to face the wrath of the Gods, overseeing their Empire's collapse; an Empire built on the brutality of magic in the first place. They cite the Clockwork Empire which used magic to conquer and repress, only to then use it to nearly destroy the world.

The Imperium views its disposition against magic as a form of compassion and rationalism. Magic is viewed as a corruption of the soul, and burning mages is seen as a mercy, exorcising them of the rot that has seeped into them like a parasite. It is the Imperium's belief that most mages lose control over their mind upon acquiring a Cardinal Rune. Their is no rationality to their actions; only megalomania, one that must be stopped at all costs.

To this end, the Imperium funds mage-hunting organizations all over the continent, as well as research into anti-magic.

Daravin: Daravin, or the Daravinic Empire, is the world's only magocracy and therefore has among the most unique views on magic in the world. In Daravin, magic is viewed as an expression of one's spiritual purity and their closeness to Ulen, who is their God. For this reason, only the most 'pure' - mages, and especially powerful mages - are allowed to rule, with the unitiated often considered impure beings fraught with limitations and sin.

Nearly fifteen percent of Daravin's population is composed of mages, which is an extraordinarily high ratio as compared to other nations. The cost of this is obvious and grim: around twenty to twenty five percent of every generation is lost to initiations, having a very real effect on the Empire's many communities. Sadly, these deaths are often viewed as God's will playing out, the impure being refused his gift. Many of these dead are not even given burial rites, discarded into piles outside of their locale. They are not publicly mourned.

The existence of Daravin is often seen as very negative on the global view of mages: many use Daravin's example as a precautionary tale as to what may happen if magic is allowed to proliferate unimpeded. It is used as an argument to disallow mages from government and politics, as most scholars claim that Daravin was made a magocracy simply by mages taking advantage of the post-Sundering power vacuum to impose their will.

Lorien: Lorien outlaws magic just as the Gelerian Imperium does, but not due to the same level of fear. Instead, Lorien views magic as a threat to the established political and social order, and only allows one specific group within society - the Pact - to learn and utilize it. Lorien's views on magic tend to be suspicious if not verging on paranoid, though many anti-Kindred elements of society are increasingly looking to it as a method toward liberation. Unfortunately, mages in Lorien are hunted with exceptional efficiency, making all mages but Artificers extremely rare in the country. Artifice is different in that all Lustrians are allowed to learn it, as it is necessary to produce Hollows, the backbone of Lorien's economy, military and infrastructure.

Sil-Elaine: Magic is banned in Sil-Elaine, except for among Dranoch. Dranoch may use magic fairly freely, and are even allowed to learn and practice Blood Magic. Sil-Elaine is, in fact, the only nation on Ransera that allows the utilization of Blood Magic among the public. However, as noted earlier, only Dranoch are allowed to be mages in the realm and all others are fed on upon discovery. The way the government justifies this is by anti-Sundering propaganda, as the Sundering - caused by magic - has evidently left an irreparable stain on Elainian society, forcing the Siltori into abject conditions.

In the areas of Sil-Elaine held by revolutionaries, magic is increasingly common. Sigilic Pyromancy is widely considered a tool of God - Wraedan - to liberate the Siltori, and is revered as a divine gift for this reason. Mages in Sil-Elaine, among most Siltori, are viewed as warriors of the revolution, liberators of the people. For this reason, its uncontrolled growth continues in areas no longer controlled by the governing authorities.

Atinaw: In Atinaw, perspectives on magic are highly varied and tend to be considered somewhat 'neutral', with many shades fluctuating between fear and admiration. The one commonality between most Atinorin in their views of magic is that it should serve the interests of the people, and the Clan. For this reason, many Atinorin mages serve in the military or advising the political class, or in industries that can effectively utilize their talents. Atinaw's highest nobility - the Finla - are also known for their prestigious mage-advisers, who are envied and feared by many in court. Raellon is, among all of the Clandoms, particularly fond of magic... which it views as a necessary tool in defense against the Imperium.

Auris: Magic holds many mixed notions in Auris; it is seen as a connection to the past, a gift of the divine, a key to understanding and mastering the world and the tool used by the nation's many myths, monarchs and heroes long gone. However, it is also viewed for what it often is: a tool sought after by those with ambition, who often wield it unchecked, who sometimes begin to believe themselves beholden to no moral principles. Magic was the root of Ald'norai greatness, and also their downfall. While the Hytori retained magic even in the aftermath of Silor's collapse, they did so with the reservation that it should never be used to defy the limitations set by the Gods, or as a tool to dominate and subject others or the natural world.

For this reason, while magic is allowed in Auris, it is also somewhat limited. Rarely does Auris ever tolerate the existence of an Ascended mage. They don't tolerate Aldir summoners, who they view as traitors to the Elven Gods, and potentially even a corrupting threat upon the vulnerable Lachrann. Prototypal-Liches and Strigoi are patently outlawed, their existence punishable by death. Necromancy in general is somewhat feared, as while it possesses incredible healing capabilities, it was a Hytori Necromancer that created the Dusk Elves and who engineered the prototypal-Lich, bringing ruin to their civilization and effectively causing the Elven schism. It is not, however, strictly illegal. Instead, Necromancers tend to be audited by the government, with agents sent to examine their studies and activities, sometimes without their knowledge.

Radenor: Mages in Radenor are viewed as a threat, and one that must be monitored and kept in service of the crown. They are forced to either join a government-run institution known as the Guild, or be exiled from the Kingdom. Mages tend to face a level of weariness and bigotry throughout the Kingdom, though they are often commended by the noble class, which tends to favor their integration. For this reason, Radenor's mages are known for being posh and particularly entwined in political affairs, though they would be appalled at any comparison with the Entente.

Roleplaying Magic

• Magic is common enough to be seen by most in their lifetime, however it is not something that is commonly understood. Possessing magic is not the norm, and the character's surroundings will likely react to it with a variety of awe, confusion and fear, particularly as one develops in their art.

• Magic carries with it great risks and unless utterly insane, sorcerers are a cautious bunch. It takes a keen mind to command magic, lest one be consumed by it. The risk of threshold sickness is always high when learning new abilities, and an overly confident mage can quickly exhaust their resources.

• Consider carefully where your character’s magic came from. Who gave it to them? Why did they give it to them? What was your character taught?

• The various authorities of the world, while generally open to the services of sorcerers, tend to keep a very close eye on them. No government wants to be usurped by those with paranormal abilities that pose a threat to law and order, however loose. They will take steps to discourage the abuse of magic. If you are looking to cause trouble and you are not careful, you will quickly be made an example to dissuade others.

• Don’t assume your character knows everything about magic because it is explained in the lore pages. These pages are comprehensive to serve as reference material but the vast majority of the population know next to nothing about how magic works. Unless your character is an experienced sorcerer, they likely know very little as well. Even most sorcerers are knowledgeable only in that which they practice.

• Quirks can change the mage - and being a mage can change one's perception by society. Be aware that the deeper your character goes into the arcane, the more their personality and lifestyle - as well as society's treatment of them - will be altered.

• Do not assume that a sorcerer will be eager to teach your character magic. Most prospective students die during initiation. That is a heavy weight to carry on the soul. Even if the prospective student survives, it takes a considerable amount of time and energy to teach them. The taking on of any student is a large investment with only the slim hope of success. It is not done lightly or frivolously.