Basic Information

in Folia

Aesthetic Rules

Technology

Folia is a setting that does not possess a remotely similar understanding of the world to ours, because it follows different rules. Assume that natural laws work differently in this world, and do not rely on your modern understanding of the world. In this world, pigs may fly, coating yourself with oil in a rainstorm might send you to the cloudtops, and heating water might make it turn into lava. The highest form of technology this world possesses is that of simple mechanical engineering, such as wheels, pulleys, crossbows, and clockwork. There is no understanding of internal combustion, chemistry, biology, electricity, or anything similar. Alchemy and Astronomy do exist, but they are different from their real-world counterparts.

Magic

Magic in Folia does not follow any known central system. Though some magi will rely on magic flowing from a single source, every instance of magic, every spell, are unique secrets that must be understood on their own in order to be applied. Worldwide understanding of these secrets is very low, despite their being many instances of magic in the natural world. Magi tend to take their secrets to their graves, not wishing for the work that they did to discover it to be taken and used against them by someone else. For these reasons, magical items are rare, and the best sources of arcane knowledge are usually conversations with souls of dead mages, and the records left behind by those who died prematurely.

Stigma of the Magi

It is known by all who interact with magic that some users of its secrets are treated differently from others. Typically, there are three categories of Magi in the collective minds of the world’s people. These categories are as follows, presented in no particular order.

• First, The Innate. These are those to whom magic is not a thing to be discovered or a blessing from outside of themselves, but is instead a fundamental part of themselves. This includes magical creatures, sorcerers, some warriors, and similar. These creatures are often viewed with wonder more than anything else, and are judged by their merits and how well they handle the responsibility put on them.
• Second, The Blessed. These are those who are not magical themselves, but wield the power of something greater than themselves with its blessing. This includes angelic or elemental creatures, clerics, druids and their ilk, and paladins. Having the approval of a being of deific power is usually enough to guarantee the approval of all that trust that being, and the respect of those who fear it.
• Third, The Pretenders. These are those who gain power by dedicating themselves to exploiting all the magical secrets that others possess. This includes most spellcasters, be they bards, warlocks, artificers, or the worst among them, wizards. It is common knowledge that it is Pretenders who corrupt and become corrupted by magicks that are not their own. No True Magi (as they call themselves) first pursues power without reason, but for most, it inevitably becomes the reason. For this reason, they are looked upon with suspicion and fear, most of all by other True Magi.