Magic Theory 101 (book)/Contents

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Magic Theory 101

By Soonuh

** Editor's Note: The following is a text written by someone with near-to-no understanding of the Great Work, however, the broader magical theory bears use to those new in our studies just as much as it would anyone else. **

Introduction

Magic is a science. Through generations of understanding, creating, and guiding, we have developed a tool to create spectacular, and sometimes deadly, effects. However, It is not a supernatural phenomenon. Those who categorize magic users as supernatural beings are simply uneducated.

The act of creating something utilizing a source unseen may look awe-inspiring, however, it has significant limitations and can be quite dangerous. Generalizing these hard working magic users as users of unexplainable works is insulting. This takes away from the amount of work involved in learning the magical arts. Supernatural events are specifically classified as those which involve interactions with powers not of our natural world, not with mana.

Magic is the act of converting the mana streams that exist throughout the world into spell energy, then using this energy to create change.

Most guilds use magic, with each concentrating in a different direction. While they may cast spells differently, they all have similarities. Every magician uses mana to cast spells by forming spell patterns. These spell patterns are taught guild to guild. Each guild and their respected leaders often focus on a certain field of magic. A few examples are warrior mages who control the elements, bards that use music and sound, and paladins that utilize holy magic.

Of note, most Barbarians hate the use of magic. Perhaps it is because they feel magicians too frequently take use of an outside source for assistance, thus making magic users as a whole a bit less independent. As a magic user, be mindful and avoid unnecessary conversations about magic with barbarians. While the topic may not turn sour, is it something that they usually have no interest in either way.

Mana

Mana is what magicians use to cast any type of magic spell. It exists all throughout the world as a form of energy. This energy flows at many different frequencies, each categorized by their apparent applications. The main realms consist of Holy, Life, Elemental, and Lunar. These are the four main frequencies of mana mortals have been able to attune to. While there are other known frequencies, such as divine and gravity, these are categorized as building blocks of reality, and have yet to be successfully manipulated, despite multiple attempts.

** Editor's Note: We obviously know better, as our own complex attunements disprove such simple-minded assertions. **

In order to access the flowing mana, the individual must go through a process called "attunement". This process allows the aspiring magic user to "see" mana by tuning the individual into a specific frequency, usually through the assistance of another magician. Once they complete the process of attunement, their minds and nervous systems gain the ability to interact with that frequency of mana. This usually defines the type of magic that individual will practice.

Think of this as a new muscle. The individual must work diligently to learn to control and strengthen this new ability. Manipulating mana streams is strenuous on both mind and body.

Harnessing Mana

One method magicians have developed to make this easier is called "harnessing". By gathering the necessary mana streams over time, instead of all at once, the caster will find themselves a lot less exhausted after casting a powerful spell. However, harnessing mana can be dangerous if held for too long. Casters should quickly use any mana they harness. Additionally, harnessing mana too quickly or too much can cause exhaustion, which can lead to death on the battlefield.

Practicing this skill will improve the amount of mana streams the individual can access without causing injury or exhaustion. If the user wants to use ten mana streams to cast a spell, they would be wise to prepare the spell with five, then harness an additional five. This is much less tiring than trying to harness all ten at once. The more the magic user practices, the better they get. Eventually, the magician will be able to turn the most basic spell into a deadly force.

When the magic user goes to prepare a spell, the action is completely mental. The caster is simply gathering the materials necessary to cast the spell. Then, additional mana is fed into the action by harnessing more streams. Once a spell is cast, the mana streams return to their natural state and disperse back into the area. As long as it doesn't backfire, the caster successfully creates the desired spell. Whether or not they get the desired result depends on the amount of mana fed into the spell and the target's natural magic resistance. Casters should be cautious as to how much mana is harnessed in any given spell. If a spell backfires, it could harm their nervous system, or even worse, kill them.

Types of Spells

Magic spells are categorized as Augmentation, Warding, Debilitation, Targeted Magic, or Utility types. Each type benefits the caster in different ways. Practicing each type will improve the caster's success with other spells of the same variety. It is wise for a young magician to quickly learn one of each type of spell. This way they can begin training each field of magic as soon as possible.

Confounds

Confounds are another tool in most magicians' arsenals. These confounds are non-magical feats used to assist in advanced spell creation. For example, a cleric or paladin takes use of a supernatural connection to the gods to assist in their craft, a warrior mage aligns with the elemental type they wish to evoke, and a moon mage uses interpretation of astrological events and their connection to the Plane of Probability to create successful teleportation. These practices are what define guilds. Even with the use of sorcery, a warrior mage will find it very difficult to create successful teleportation, due to their inability to comprehend the geometric formula needed to appear in a different location. Spells that use confounds are usually classified as signature spells, meaning that regardless of effort, only the originating guild can cast them.

Cambrinth

Cambrinth is a mineral with a very unique characteristic that allows mana streams to be stored within it via charging it with mana streams. The larger the cambrinth piece, the more mana can be stored inside. When the mana streams are needed, the mage needs only to invoke the cambrinth piece, and cast a spell. The mana stored inside the cambrinth will assist in the spell's casting, without straining the caster. This is a very useful tool for advanced magicians to cast spells that require truly large amounts of mana. Starting out, every novice magician should search for a small piece of cambrinth with which to study this concept, such as a ring or shard. Most often you will find this material crafted into jewelry, weapons, or other decorative pieces. You should use caution, however, because once the cambrinth is charged with a mana type, it must go through a process to cleanse it of all mana before it can be safely charged with any other kind of mana frequency. Without this cleansing, charging, for example, lunar mana into a cambrinth piece previously charged with elemental mana can cause an explosion that not only will destroy the item that housed the cambrinth, but may cause injury to those nearby.

Sorcery

Sorcery is, perhaps, the most infamous form of spellcasting, and is unstable by nature. It includes magic that by design utilizes multiple frequencies of mana at once, known as High Sorcery, as well as the process by which a mage attuned to one frequency of mana can attempt to cast a spell pattern that calls for another frequency of mana, known as Low Sorcery.

Low Sorcery

Practicing Low Sorcery, which is often sometimes called "simple sorcery", "sorcerous casting" or "sorcery with a little s", is very dangerous, as the spellcaster is attempting to force their native mana frequency into a spell pattern not designed for such. This can result in what is called "sorcerous backlash", a reaction that can result in everything from loss of the attempted sorcerer's ability to manipulate the mana streams for a period of time, to explosions of their limbs, or even total incineration of their body. Starting out, a magician should pick up a runestone or spell scroll and practice simple sorcery, or casting simple spells from other guilds.

High Sorcery

Combining mana frequencies to create much more dangerous and impactful effects is the practice of High Sorcery, which is also sometimes known as "Sorcery with a capital s". High Sorcery includes all such spell patterns that require a mixture of frequencies in order to be cast at all. The Blackfire magic of warrior mages past is one such example, as is Teleological Sorcery amongst the moon mages. Use of High Sorcery can also result in sorcerous backlash, though it is theorized that the scale of such backlash may well be able to extend far beyond what might occur to its caster, and potentially damage the fabric of nature itself.

True Sorcerers

There are rumors of magicians who have somehow been gifted with the ability to attune to multiple frequencies at once. Such mages would be free from the risk of backlash, because they could see, feel, and fully manipulate all relevant mana streams. While the existence of such magicians is considered at least hypothetically possible by some, no individual has ever come forward to claim their ability to do this. Should such ever come to pass, these people would be labeled as True Sorcerers, free from the limitations of all other magicians.

Necromancy

** Editor's Note: What followed here was an outsider's attempt to describe how our studies and attunement fit into their understanding of High Sorcery. I've excised it as anyone reading this is intimately aware of much more accurate information than that in the original text. For completion's sake, however, I have added my own brief explanation. **

Necromancy, as our art is often called by outsiders or the Perverse, is a type of High Sorcery, in that all spells of this type require a blending of Life mana with either the frequency of Lunar mana or that of Elemental mana within the design of their patterns. Our attunement is thusly quite complex, and results in us seeing and manipulating what we loosely term as Arcane mana, but is in truth merely a representation of the inherent blending of frequencies that our Work requires. We do not suffer the potential of sorcerous backlash for the casting of our own spell patterns, though, unlike the hypothesized True Sorcerer, we do still have such a chance should we attempt Low Sorcery to cast a spell pattern created with the use of only one mana frequency in mind.

Closing Note

Magic is a sword. Once it's given, it's up to the user to decide how they use it. Magicians are always discovering new ways to use mana and creating new spells to pass down. No path of advancement is incorrect. It's a tool used to create advancement. Some paths chosen by mortals are indeed rejected by the gods, some are ignored, and some are even praised. Don't practice a forbidden art or follow a god if you are not ready to face the consequences. Be cautious of your choices, but remember, making enemies without benefit is unwise. Making enemies by gaining something of high importance, however, might just be worth it.