Overview of Magic of Topulan

Topulan is a land of magic, where many things can not be explained by even the smartest of scholars. Even so, many have harnesed the mystical powers that exist within the world. Most notable of these are the arteficers of the empire, clerics of the temple, and those who have taken the oath of the apothechary. In addition, there are those who are gifted magic through birth or through the world magics, granting them extraordinary magical powers.

 

World magic

The New world of Topulan is in itself magical. Vast areas are cursed, where mortals are unable to enter. Spirits guard old ruins long after their creators from old have perished. Strange beasts stalk the lands, beutiful plants and animals fill the forests and great monuments from the old are slowly covered in dust. Within the night sky, the celestial spirits can be seen in their never ending journey. Some are born with the gifts or curses of the world magic, granting them special abilities beyond those of any mortal. World magic is the cause of all these things - sometimes the world itself wills things to happen.

 

Ancient magics and sorcory

Before the doom, the kingdoms of old wielded terrible magical powers that led to a great war. This war destroyed the old world and the evil energy unleashed created the Durge. While the old world had been destroyed, artefacts of magic power were preserved in countless vaults scattered across the land. During resurfacing, those who remembered the knowladge of the ancients used the esoteric truths to guide the survivors to reclaim the surface. They where those of the sorcorous clans, who could wield the ancient magics unimpeaded. But there where also those which had ancient blood, giving them great power, making them unmatched warriors. In the centuries since, much of the sorcorous knowladge has been lost, and those of ancient blood have become rare.  

Artefacy

In an effort to understand the ancient magics, many have tried recreating the ancient devices. Under the Empire, arteficy had flourished alongside the exploration of the vaults, and a collage had been founded to foster the art. Over the centuries, many magical items have been rediscovered, however, those versed in the art describe the difference between artefacy and sorcory, not to mention ancient magics as a chasm that would take many more centuries to bridge. Even so, the arteficer theory has a fairly detailed theory of magic that enables many to repair and even modify artefacts, giving them access to powerful spells.

 

Spirittalk

In stark difference to the arteficers, the clerics of the Hey Eye temple use spirittalk to use magic through a medium such as a ghost or a spirit. Clerics devote themselves to meditation, veneration and conversation with the spirits. Those well versed in spirittalk can often ask the spirits for aid, and many spirits will comply, granting the cleric special magic. That said, spirits are greatly different, and so differs the knowladge and spells a spirit may grant. In addition, most clerics do not seek magical power and rather seek knowladge from the spirits, and therefore have few if any spells available. As an another obsticle, many spirits require holy tools and specific rituals to commune with, requiring the knowladge of a cleric. Even so, magic wielded by ascended clerics is the greatest in Topulan. The theory of magic as explained by the clerargy proposes that spirits channel the world magic in divine ways, and differs greatly from the theory of artefacy, putting both groups at odds.

 

Apothecaries

Artists of life and death, apothecaries wield the most subtle yet sought after magics. An apothecary studies the life and death through collecting old knowladge, research and arduous trials. Masters of anatomy, apothecaries know a hundred ways one may die, and the best ways to prevent them. The greatest challange the apothecaries have attempted to tackle is finding the cure for lingering death. Over the centuries, the art has become full of different compeating theories, each having it's benefit and drawbacks. What most apothecaries agree on is that the human body is more complex than any theory of magic can hope to explain.

 

Evil magic and Durge

Forbidden magic and deathly to any foolish enough to practice it is the use of the evil magics of Durge. Some charlatans and cults have tried studying the Durge, claiming to control it's evil energy. Yet any foolish enough to believe them are often never heard from again, as lingering death takes them. Many scholars agree that the evil magic of the Durge could be harnessed, as it was done by the ancient kingdoms, however all agree that no mortal alive could hope to do so. While this may be so, those desprete enough might be fooled, as the Durge hides many vaults that may yet have many riches. In addition, cursed objects that have been pulled from the Durge may curse those who keep them with lingering death, making any such expedition a fool's errand.