Magic

The Fundamental Principles of Magic

As summarised and outlined by Arcanist Eredevor Perdot of the Celestine Conservatoire

Magic Energy

Magic is a naturally occurring, incorporeal form of un-scultped, un-directed, raw energy, potential, and possibility that can be utilised as a resource by magic users.

Throughout Theos, magic collects in fonts; invisible, intangible reservoirs of varying sizes and depths. These fonts are spread throughout the world, with denser or sparser concentrations in some places than others. The location of fonts is often associated with a significant geographical landmark or formation, but it should be noted that it is understood that the Font is responsible for this formation, not the other way around.

Fonts are connected in a vast, contiguous network by leylines. Leylines (also invisible and intangible) are streams of this same raw energy, flowing between fonts and maintaining an equilibrium between them. The intersection of multiple leylines is called a nexus, and usually occurs within a font. Leylines can vary in width and rate of flow, both from each other and within their own particular instance.

Magic users of various kinds can tap into the available energies in their location to perform the act of magic (a.k.a. casting, spells, spellwork, spellcrafting, weaving, et al). Magic users can draw this energy directly from a font, via a leyline, or even from the latent energy that gathers in small amounts in between and around a font, nexus, or leyline.

The maximum potential of whatever magical act a magic user is performing is dependant on the energy available to them:

• Drawing from latent energy is relatively limited. Factors such as proximity to an active magic source, the physical and metaphysical natures of the location, and what other potential draws on the energy may be present are all variables to be considered.
• Drawing on a leyline is substantial and potentially self-replenishing, but ultimately variable based on proximity to a font and the bandwidth of the leyline. A broader stream will replenish at a greater rate, so it becomes a matter of balance between that and the magic being expended by the magic user. Drawing on leylines in the presence of a nexus naturally increases the available energy and bandwidth.
• Drawing from a font ensures a vast maximum potential in just about all conceivable cases, and is also self-replenishing. However, it is still technically variable depending on the scope of the particular font in question, and the self-replenishment is dependant on the number and bandwidth of leylines connected to the font.

The ability of and the degree to which the magic user can utilise the potential energy available is dependant on a great number of other factors, most of which are contingent on the individual's abilities, understanding, training, and situation.

Note: Sources of magic energy are finite and depletable. While they are eventually replenished as part of the great magical network's eternal balance, it is possible for the well to run dry. The depletion of leylines and latent collections are generally inconsequential beyond the immediate, but fonts are often the source of magic for many unapparent effects across a potentially very wide area, and the depletion of one may have various and sundry unknown consequences.

Magic Users

Not just anyone can become a magic user, regardless of their circumstance. The ability to interact with magic on any substantive level is dependant on an individual being born with an innate potential to do so. It is not, so far as has been ascertained, something that can be otherwise instilled or educated. Even those select few people of Theos that are born with the innate potential for unlocking magic's secrets are in no way aware of it, or capable of simply doing so, but in fact require either some catalytic event (most commonly a traumatic experience, natural phenomenon, or self-determined awakening), or in-depth instruction and training in order to do so.

With all that being said, the following is also true, statistically speaking:

• While it is not guaranteed, progeny of magic users are more likely to be born with magic potential.
• Elves are significantly more predisposed to being born with magic potential than other mortal species.
• There are far, far fewer individuals born with magic potential in the present day than there were at the height of the Luisant Empire.

There are many different kinds of magic users in Theos, though regardless of kind they are still very rare. The differences between them are generally between how they conduct magic and how they perceive it.

In conducting magic, they may differ in how they access or interact with the energy, how they channel or shape it, and/or how they unleash or manifest it.

In perceiving or understanding magic, they may not realise or recognise that they are even doing, may be aware of it but have little control or understanding of it, or be some degree of knowledgable and/or intentional in how they are using it.

They may also have different understandings of what they are doing, or what magic even is; such as a force of nature, an arcane manipulation of elements, a channelling of the divine, etc.

Types of magic user include:

• Balmer
• Cumadair
• Wizard

Applications of Magic

The applications and uses for magic are far too broad to be summarised. The potential of magic is theoretically limitless and unrestrained, and is only inhibited by our own understanding, imagination, access, and physical nature.

It should be noted that these same aspects of magic that make it so varied, potent, and wondrous to explore, also make it incredibly dangerous, volatile, and unpredictable. This is especially true in the hands of the untrained or unknowledgeable, but even still for the most experienced and capable magic users.

Miracles

The previous summary is of the concept of magic, which has been in past times referred to as "arcane magic" to differentiate it from other supposed forms. It is the currently accepted understanding that all previously defined forms of magic are in fact just different interpretations of the same concept, and thus are now all referred to as magic. The one exception to this is the concept of what is now defined as miracles.

Miracles, the “magic” of divine beings, while perceived and historically identified as a similar effect by most, and still often broadly referred to as “magic”, is a fundamentally different act, and should not be conflated on any true or technical level with the modern day definition of magic.

Miracles do not draw from the network of fonts and leylines, and are not formed from the same energy, but are instead manifestations of divine will.

Historically, only the gods and their entrusted divine servants were capable of miracles. With the events that led to the founding of The Order of the Ancient Heart, the deity Gwenaël - The Ancient Heart instilled their followers with a fragment of this same ability, enabling them to manifest Gwenaël's divine will for themselves in the ways outlined by their tenets in the form of miracles.