Crescendo of Creation

The Crescendo of Creation, known by many other names, can be found in all things. From the soft trickle of a small creek deep in the woods, the booming laughter of a family seated next to a crackling hearth, the clap of thunder, and even the drumming of feet marching to war. Individually these sounds are but fractions of the Song, single notes in an incomprehensibly vast melody where everything on Ressoria has its own unique part to play. Sometimes notes of a similar nature coalesce together to create Harmonies, also known as domains, that can be tapped into by some to perform magic.   As the scholars and artists of Ressoria have discovered this great melody they have made successful attempts to translate parts of it into something more comprehensible and tangible.  

• Many practioners of arcane and occult magic scrawl flowing texts into books or scrolls and recreate this script through hand gestures, drawing on the magic within the leylines that criss-cross this world. While craftsmen expertly chisel runes and patterns into magnificent works to channel the power into a magical item.
• Bards and other artists access this magic through their expression of the Crescendo in different art forms, not necessarily just music, but through many kinds of art, as art is creation itself.
• Primal casters, such as druids, draw from the natural sounds found throughout the world, such as the chirps of birds, or the sound of leaves rustling; or the natural formation of the Crescendo physically, like the pattern in the bark of a tree, or the ripples on the surface of a pond.
• Champions, clerics and others of formidable faith often pull their strength from different Harmonies directly. However, recently it is whispered that a mortal has become the embodiment of one or more of these Harmonies, and has given a sort of advanced sentience to thse Harmonies that was not present before.

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A Basic Lesson in Magical Theory

The Crescendo of Creation is one half of the foundation of magic in Ressoria, the other half are the ley lines that criss cross the world. From these two foundational elements we can begin to construct the systems of magic that the people and creatures of Ressoria tap into.   To begin, imagine that every sound within the world produces a single musical "note". Marching feet might be one note, the clanging of armor a second note, or laughter during a celebration as a third note. These "notes" are each a small part of the Cresendo and each and every thing that exsists has a one. Now, how do we get spells and magic from these "notes"? Good question. Using complex rituals and research, over time scholars have translated the notes of the Crescendo into not only a written language but also a type of sign language. Using this translated languauge and training, practitioners of magic can draw the power of Ressoria's ley lines into themselves, condense it, and then release it as a spell, with different strings of translated notes producing different spells. This is primarily how Wizards, Druids, Bards, Magus, Kineticist, and Thaumaturges use magic. Although Druids have their own more primal version of this translated language created through their own methods, and Bards often can physically manifest their magic through the artful expression of the Crescendo, usually by hiding the translations within their works of art.

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An Intermediate Lesson in Magical Theory

Now that you understand what a "note" is and how they are used to manifest magic for most spellcasters, we can talk about Harmonies, also known as a domain. A Harmony is a collection of notes that are similar and/or resonate significantly with one another. For example, some of the notes that make up the Harmony of Protection would include the clank of armor, a quiet thanks, and a stalwart cry as well as many other notes. "But wait, couldnt some of these notes be interpreted differently to fit a different Harmony?", why yes they could. The clank of armor can also be easily combined with the striking of a hammer on an anvil to become a part of the Harmony of Creation. All Harmonies are made up of specific notes, however they can share notes between one another, and many Harmonies that are similar do just that, such as Healing, Repose, and Protection. Harmonies are powerful and display a low level of sentience that allows them to bestow that power onto individuals that embody them, and is primarily how Clerics, Champions, Witches, Oracles and Sorcerers gain their ability to cast magic.