Limits of Magic
The Limit of the Divine
Hermetic Magic does not appear to affect the divine. Magi are not sure of why this is so, and many suspect it to relate to why there are no Gods of Magic. Magic attempting to affect a God, or it's direct, active workings, simply fails. Agents of the Divine, angels, saints and the much rarer Avatars, are often resistant to magic, although only the Gods themselves, and their personal works, are immune.
The Limit of Essential Nature
Any magic which violates a thing’s essential nature must be maintained, and when power is no longer supplied the thing returns to its natural state. Thus, Muto magic must always be maintained, while the effects of Rego magic persist after the spell expires. A thing’s essential nature cannot itself be changed. While Hermetic magic can completely change the way a thing appears, it cannot affect what that thing is.
A thing’s essential nature varies depending on what it is. All human beings are essentially human; mortal creatures with reason, senses, and the ability to move and reproduce. The basic shape of the human body is also part of the essential nature, but this does not imply one universal 'human shape' as the essential nature of all humanity - instead, each person has an essential shape of their own, which is the shape they would have if nothing external affected them. For most people, this is just what they look like, but someone who had been severely scarred, or lost a limb, or suffered some other major trauma which permanently marked them would not have those aspects as part of their essential nature. By contrast, a person born with a missing limb, or something of that sort, would have that as part of their essential nature. This means that Hermetic magic can be used to heal injury, but not birth defects - those require some other form of magic, or the intervention of the Divine.
Some people have other factors in their essential natures. For example, some people are essentially blind, whereas others are blind merely as a result of some event. As a rule, any disability or advantage purchased as a Virtue or Flaw at character creation is part of the character’s essential nature, while those acquired later are not.
The Lesser Limits
The Limit of Aging
Hermetic magic cannot halt or reverse natural aging, although it can slow it down and mitigate its effects. This means that Hermetic magic cannot remove Decrepitude. Most magi think this derives from the Limit of Essential Nature. However, some magi have found ways around this, such as undeath.The Limit of Arcane Connections
Hermetic magic cannot affect an unsensed target without an Arcane Connection. This is widely believed to be a flaw in Hermetic theory, as Intellego magic is much less tightly bound by this limit than other kinds. Intellego can determine whether, for example, there are any people behind a wall the magus can see, but Perdo Corpus magic cannot affect those people until the magus is aware of them.The Limit of Creation
Hermetic magic is incapable of creating anything permanently without raw vis. This limit affects all uses of Creo magic. However, as Creo magic does not violate the essential nature of its target, Creo magic that does use raw vis does not need to be maintained. Theorists are divided on whether this derives from the Limit of the Divine or the Limit of Essential Nature. A few think it is a flaw in Hermetic theory.The Limit Of Energy
Hermetic magic cannot restore one’s physical energy (Fatigue levels), nor can it restore Confidence (see page 19). Most magi think that this is a flaw in Hermetic theory.The Limit Of The Infernal
Intellego magic is almost completely useless against the Infernal, because it reveals only what the demons want you believe, whether that is true or not.
The source of this limit is fiercely debated. Optimists think it is a limit in Hermetic theory. Pessimists think it is derived from the Limit of the Divine. Moderates think it is derived from the Limit of Essential Nature, in that deception is the nature of demons, so that if you use Intellego on them you only detect their deceptions. Heretical magi point out that, thanks to this limit, there is no way to tell the difference between a God and a very powerful demon.
The Limit Of The Lunar Sphere
This limit is unchanged.The Limit Of The Soul
Hermetic magic cannot create an immortal soul, and so may not create true human life nor restore the dead to life. Most magi think this derives from the Limit of the Divine, although a significant number think that Hermetic magic’s inability to raise the dead reflects nothing more than a flaw in the theory.
Animals have no immortal souls, and so may be created. Magical creatures and faeries are generally believed not to have immortal souls, and there are spells that appear to create them, but some magi believe that such spells really summon existing beings. Angels and demons are nothing but immortal souls.
The Limit of Time
Hermetic magic is incapable of altering the passage of time. It cannot affect anything in the past, and can only affect the future by making changes in the present. This limit also means that Hermetic magic cannot scry on the past or future. Most magi think this derives from the Limit of Essential Nature, although some claim its descent from the Limit of the Divine.The Limit of True Feeling
A few humans have a love, friendship or faith that Hermetic magic cannot affect in any way. (In game terms, this is indicated by a Virtue or Flaw.) Magi agree that this must derive from one of the two fundamental Limits, because most emotions can be affected by magic, but they disagree as to which one.The Limit of Vis
Hermetic magic cannot change the Art to which raw vis is attuned. Most magi think that this is a result of the Limit of Essential Nature.The Limit of Warping
Prolonged exposure to active magic or high auras usually causes changes, generally referred to as warping. Hermetic magic is completely unable to affect these changes once they have happened. Wizard’s Twilight (see page 88) is one manifestation of warping, experienced by Hermetic magi.
Many magi would like to believe that this derives from the Limit of the Divine, as that would make magic a manifestation of Divine power. About as many believe that it is derived from the Limit of Essential Nature.
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