Magic

Concepts to include:

• The astral plane is filled largely with unmodified astral energy
• Magic of specific energies has qualities similar to that of the plane from which it originates
• The astral plane can serve as a gateway to all the various other planes and subrealities; thus, astral energy among all the various types of energy can be easily distorted to serve as energy which can power any type of spell.
  • This energy is nearly but not wholly identical to energies it has been distorted into, in that it still holds enough qualities of astral energy to be detectable at all by an astral scan. In nearly all other qualities, however, it is indistinguishable from the energies it has been formed into.
• The distortion of astral energy is a one-way process; energy which is transmuted does not spontaneously revert to astral energy
  • This is the mechanism by which the recent casting of large spells is identified; the caster detects the presence of a greater-than-expected amount of non-astral energy in the area
  • As these remnants are given off by spellcasting inefficiency, it stands to reason that spells by casters who are more skilled or who are more careful with their spellcasting would be less detectable through this method.
• The astral plane is nearly immeasurable and astral energy is partially self-replicating; thus, it cannot be consumed under almost any concievable situation
  • Extremely large-scale, inefficient, and ongoing processes can consume small sections of the astral for periods of time, but as astral energy possesses a sort of viscosity, this leads merely to areas of dead magic that, through the reproduction of astral energy, regenerate with time.

Original Article

Magic is defined as the power to defy physics through any number of means. However, this does not mean that magic is lawless--magic is in itself governed by its own laws.

For example, an average spellcaster is, through sheer force of will, capable of manipulating the energy and mana flows around him to, say, heat the air directly in front of his palms to the point which causes a fireball (of which the magician can then project through further manipulation).

On the other hand, the average spellcaster is NOT capable of, for example, erecting a tower made out of fluffy bunny plushies three hundred feet tall in the middle of a lake on a mere whim. The amount of energy, and the amount of bending logical physics required, is far, far beyond most mortal's capacity.

Where, then, does all this power come from? The answer turns out to be simplistic, but only if one is merely scratching the surface. If you couldn't make an INT check on a +12 modifier because the subject happens to be Trivia about Swords, then it boils down to the most simplistic level. Magic is a product of the mana flow.

Mana, in some form or another, "flows" all around the planet. A constant, nearly neverending stream of mysterious energy which can be tapped in order to provide a variety of results, from the earlier fireball to the creation of planets and stars. The limitations, then, to spellcasting, involve mana. In order to cast a spell or achieve an effect, a certain amount of mana must be channeled and/or displaced. To light a stick on fire to generate a makeshift torch requires relatively small mana displacement, whereas summoning an object the size of a city bus requires much more effort. This is the reason that most people, and for that matter, most mortal creatures, are incapable of simply waving a hand and conjuring up their own private island resorts. The amount of energy required to channel and displace that quantity of mana is far beyond most spellcasters, not that it isn't possible. However, most of the time, attempting to channel or displace mana requires a draining effort, and trying to achieve too much, or more than one's capacity, is a sure recipe for an early death as a result of either mana poisoning or Astral drain.

The first step is to recognize all creature's aura. Any and all living beings project a representation of themselves onto non-physical planes. Usually, this representation is Astral, though other forms exist. Mortal beings, 99% of the time, project themselves Astrally as well as any other projections. Auras are unique imprints which vary from being to being -- no two creatures have identical Astral projections.

Channeling usually works by drawing mana into the body, and, within the body itself, shaping the mana to produce a desired effect, be it a spear of ice or a glass of water. This process is draining, requiring tremendous manipulation of one's aura in order to pull the outer mana into the body. Mana obeys, in many ways, the principles of diffusion and osmosis. Where mana is most concentrated, it spreads out to fill lesser concentrated areas in order to balance and evenly distribute itself over an area. Since a person's aura naturally displaces mana, it becomes possible to manipulate the aura such that this displacement is reduced or negated, and mana rushes in to fill the empty spaces. The filling is not difficult, but rather, the manipulation of the aura. Attempting to channel too much mana within too short a period of time overloads the body both physically and Astrally, resulting in mana poisoning. Mana poisoning causes the effected persons to become weak, light headed, feel physically ill, and throws off their auras. Other side effects include vomiting, tremors, chills, fevers, and death, all resulting from shock.

Displacement is an easier, but generally less effective, method of achieving a spell effect. Displacement spells usually tend to be area effect, or less directed, as a result of their nature, though directly targeted displacement spells exist. Displacing mana to cause an effect is caused by expanding one's aura to push aside existing mana, shaping it OUTSIDE the body, using only the aura to achieve manipulation. By adjusting the size, shape, and projection of one's aura, it becomes possible to "corral" mana pockets into various spaces, and then shape them. Displacing too much mana at once results in Astral drain, which causes many of the same symptoms as mana poisoning, with a few minor differences. Mysterious bleeding and bruising, sharp, unexplained physical wounds appearing on the skin, loss of hair or skin pigmentation, fatigue, unconsciousness, and even death can result.

Now, how does this explain natural magical aptitude? Some beings have auras which displace larger quantities of mana without effort. Highly apt and naturally proficient magic users either displace large amounts of mana or have auras which are extremely easy to manipulate and shape. Creatures with such innate magical talents may cast spells by accident, unconsciously, and without knowing of their skills. Of course, extremely magically powerful creatures, such as dragons, often project immense auras on multiple planes. A common example of this would be shadow dragons, of which project auras onto both the Astral and Shadow planes, thusly displacing extra mana. Theory states that innate magical affinities are a result of projections which lean slightly one way or another. For example, a magician highly skilled in fire magic might have an aura which forays, at least somewhat, into the Fire plane.

Other types of Magic

Summoning is another common form of magic, of which consists of the physical action of creating any sort of dimensional or planar portal to an alternate existence, or even the same plane of existence, and coaxing through said portal any sort of living or otherwise animated creature. Common summons include lesser gods and goddesses, powerful monsters, or even simple, but sometimes dangerous, pets. Some examples include Ifrit (a beast of flame), Chocobo (as the many which inhabit Gaera itself), and Prismat (a powerful iridescent dragon).

On the aura

An aura is far different from the percieved "soul," a concept in which many religions believe. As prior discussed, the aura serves to determine magical potential, and allows for spellcasting through manipulation. However, there are practical reasons for the existence of one's aura, namely the fact that the aura serves as a defensive mechanism. Without the aura, living things are immediately flooded by the mana stream as a result of osmosis, and rapidly die as a result of mana poisoning.

As a side note, removal of the aura is a very painful process, as the magical anchors to the physical form are not easily broken. However, aura removal is considered a perfectly acceptible method of execution in many locations, and is a common way for some mages to finish off opponents. Removing an aura leaves a permanent signature buried within the remains of the person killed, a kind of trophy marker, thusly making it an unsuitable method of killing in cases which the perpetraitor does not wish to be discovered. However, for show-offs and powerful, vengeful mages, this equates to the physical equivalent of spitting on a corpse.