Magic

Magic is a very important force in Gaera. It can be used, like any other tool, for both creation and destruction. Magic is governed by its own set of rules. In Gaera, magic is considered to be an area of scientific study. It is not unheard of for mages to spend their entire lives studying magic, the subtleties of magic, and various related concepts.

Magic Overview

Magic is defined as the power to reshape reality through force of will. It is not governed by traditional physics, but that does not mean that magic is lawless. It simply means that magic has its own set of rules.

The basic premise is that all magic stems from a place called the astral plane. The astral plane exists concurrently with the material plane and overlaps it without taking up any physical space. Additionally, the astral plane is functionally an infinite resevoir of energy; in apparent disobedience with the second law of thermodynamics, the astral plane continues to produce energy without any end. This energy remains in its original form, commonly referred to as "mana," without obeyance of typical entropic principles. Mana is highly malleable under the right conditions, and it can be converted into other types of energy. Alternately, the astral plane can be used as a gateway to other planes, allowing the caster to siphon off and reshape very specific types of energy, such as heat from the elemental plane of fire. Therefore, the key to magic is drawing mana from the overlapping astral surroundings and bending it to the caster's will.

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. Raw astral energy is nearly but not wholly identical to energies it has been distorted into; it still holds enough of the qualities of astral energy to be detectable by a mage that wishes to seek it out. In nearly all other qualities, however, it is indistinguishable from the type of energy into which it has been reshaped. This means that a mage can tell when fire is magical and when it has been created by purely mundane means simply by scanning the surrounding area for evidence of astral energy that has been altered by a spell. However, astral sight (being astral in nature) can not be used to detect the pure natural forms of magical energy located within associated planes. For example, a person located on the Plane of Fire could astral scan just as effectively as on Gaera without their vision being flooded with astral energy, as the natural Fire energies would be undetectable.

The distortion of astral energy is a one-way process. Energy which is transmuted does not spontaneously revert to astral energy at a later time. This is another mechanism by which the recent casting of large-scale spells can be identified; a spellcaster can detect 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.

As previously mentioned, the astral plane is a near-limitless supply of energy. However, extremely large-scale, inefficient, and ongoing processes can consume small sections of the astral for periods of time as they are converted into other forms of energy that will not spontaneously revert to their original form. 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.

If this seems overly complicated, consider astral energy as a kind of clay. It has the potential to take any shape if properly molded, but it requires a true artist to produce anything aesthetically pleasing. In this example, an artist can also produce as much clay as he desires simply by focusing on doing so, and there will always be more clay unless the artist creates a clay sculpture the size of North America. In this event, there will be no way for other artists to produce clay for a short period of time, but there will eventually be clay again because the clay is infinitely and continually reproducing itself.

Planes

The concept of planes is covered in its own separate article.

The Aura

The aura is a concept that pervades magic. For years, scholars have attempted to understand the function and purpose of the aura; eventually, the following model and explanation was developed, and it has stood the test of time.

All living creatures have a spirit, and as such, they project an aura. Objects animated by magic, including corpses animated by death magic (more commonly called undead), have a pseudo-spirit that has been artificially created from astral energy. They, too, have an aura.

The function of the aura is to protect the spirit from astral energy. Unlike the physical body, the spirit is sensitive to the flow of mana in an area, and it can be easily dispersed by arcane currents. If a spirit is dispersed, its owner is functionally dead; the spirit finds itself drawn to an outer plane inhabited by the deceased, most commonly the plane of life or the realm of a deity, where it begins an afterlife. It could be said that the aura is a protective shell, but a more effective metaphor is that the aura is like the membrane of a living cell. Like a cell membrane, the aura holds in the contents that define life. If a cell's membrane is punctured, the cellular contents escape, ending the life of the cell--so it is also with the aura and the spirit.

The second reason for the membrane analogy is that the aura can be reshaped by force of will. Just as an amoeba extends pseudopods to move about and influence its environment, the aura can create tendrils or pockets that move or encapsulate astral energy. Once within the grasp of the aura, further force of will can reshape mana into other forms. This is a draining task, and mages with naturally stronger auras or a more refined technique can perform it more frequently without becoming exhausted. The exhaustion felt by a mage that has expended his arcane reserves is not simply physical fatigue; his aura is weakened from the continued manipulation, and his very spirit aches as it strains to resist its hazardous surroundings. A mage that continues to cast spells beyond his limit risks his very life for this reason.

Destroying another creature's aura is generally only possible with astral magic. In the case of living beings, the creature suffers a rapid and painful death as their spirit is torn asunder by astral currents. Animated creatures simply lose their animating force, returning them to their former state.

Because the aura exists on the astral plane and the astral plane is a gateway to all other planes, some auras resonate particularly well with specific planar domains. This affinity for a specific plane, such as the plane of fire, can explain a mage's advanced innate proficiency with a certain school of magic or a creature's vulnerability to certain types of energy.

Magical objects have auras, but they do not have spirits. The aura is merely a result of their enchantment, which causes them to project onto the astral plane.

A sufficently apt mage is capable of concentrating to shift his vision from normal vision to the astral spectrum. While using astral sight, a mage can see auras, allowing him to detect magical items, roughly determine the magical aptitude of other creatures, and scan the area for other disturbances on the astral. Certain types of magical items, especially animated objects, might conceal their auras unless the mage is very good or very thorough in his inspection. Astral sight cannot clearly penetrate most solid objects, but it can sometimes allow a mage to be vaguely aware of an sufficiently strong aura. For example, while a mage using astral sight cannot see a living creature on the other side of a stone wall just because it projects an aura, he might be able to detect the presence of a powerful artifact inside a treasure chest before it is even opened.

Mana Poisoning

A mage that has exerted his aura too greatly and weakened its boundaries against the mana flow is said to have contracted "mana poisoning." This name is somewhat erroneous; the problems that result are not due to the body's consumption of mana, but instead by the aura's inability to keep wayward mana from disrupting the spirit.

If a creature's aura is weakened without being totally destroyed, the symptoms usually appear long before a creature dies as a result of spiritual dispersion. Mages that cast too many spells or people damaged by astral magic often display very similar types of wounds, some of which seem to be completely spontaneous and without cause. Unexplained bruises or discoloration of the skin is a common sign of astral damage, especially loss of pigmentation of skin tissues or hair. Nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, tremors, and general feelings of fatigue can also result. These symptoms are sometimes called "apprentice's disease" because of a tendency for newly trained wizards to overexert themselves and become ill as a result.

Complications

Chaos and Dream magic GO HERE

Schools of Magic

Just as artists have preferred media for their creations, mages have preferred means of shaping astral energy. These are referred to as "schools." Each school represents a different type of magic.

• Elemental Schools involve the creation and manipulation of the six elements. These include:
  • Fire
  • Water (includes ice)
  • Earth
  • Air (includes lightning and electricity)
  • Holy
  • Shadow

Fire and water are opposing schools, as are earth and air. Holy and shadow also oppose one another. Creatures native to one element (such as dragons or elementals) are highly vulnerable to energies of the opposing element. The elemental schools are considered the simplest type of magic.

• Astral magic manpulates raw, unchanged astral energy.

Astral magic cannot generally deal physical damage to objects on the material plane. It can only damage the auras of living creatures or animated objects (which have artificial auras bound to them). A person killed with astral magic will have few if any physical marks that suggest violence. Astral damage is instead characterized by unnatural-looking bruises and discoloration of the skin; these are symptoms of the degredation of the aura and the soul.

• Illusion magic creates images and sensations that do not have any physical form.
• Conjuration magic creates physical objects such as food, tools, or weapons. Summoning magic is conjuration magic used to create or call living creatures.
• Enchanting magic alters existing matter.
• Benediction magic is generally defensive in nature. It blesses objects or creatures and strengthens them in some way. It is often related to holy magic.
• Malediction magic is generally offensive in nature. It curses objects or creatures and weakens them. It is often related to shadow magic.
• Time magic is concerned with time-based divinations or altering the flow of time itself.
• Space magic alters physical forces such as gravity or friction.
• Energy magic is a non-discrete school that creates kinetic energy without an elemental affiliation.

The Language of Magic

Magic, like any real-world science, uses a lot of specialized terminology. Educated wizards know how to describe arcane phenomena in very specific terms, but to the uninitiated, the vocabulary of magic sounds like utter gibberish.

This is intended to be a partial glossary of magical terms as they are used by mages. In other contexts, some of these words may have different definitions. If a word has another meaning in a different context and is very common, most mages will preface the word with "astral," "arcane," or some similar adjective.

Animated

Adjective. Given artificial "life" by magical means.

Arcane

Adjective. Having to do with magic.

Archmage

Noun. Also archmagus, plural archmagi. The title for a graduate of a magical academy.

Artifact

Noun. A powerful magical object that cannot be easily replicated.

Astral

Adjective. Referrs to the plane where mana is located and associated objects.

Aura

Noun. A barrier projected by the spirit that shields it from astral energy.

Berserker

Noun. Describes a mage that loses control of himself when casting spells.

Burn

Noun or verb. As a noun, it refers to damage to the physical body from overexertion of the aura. It can also refer to continual damage to the aura from a spell that injures the aura over time. As a verb, it refers to the action of deliberately pushing one's self beyond the limit to cast spells even if it will cause the caster physical harm.

Cast

Verb. To create an effect by manipulating mana.

Conjurer

Noun. Sometimes a generic term for a mage, but more frequently a term for a mage that specializes in the schools of summoning or conjuration.

Current

Noun. Refers to the "direction" of the energy flow in the astral plane. Strong currents often indicate powerful auras or powerful spells in the process of being cast.

Ether

Noun. A term for the space between planes that contains the astral plane.

Ethereal

Adjective. Describes objects and creatures that can live or exist in the ether. It is often applied, as a misnomer, to creatures that can freely travel between the astral and the material planes.

Glow

Noun. Mage slang for the effect an aura produces when using astral sight. Auras generally appear as glowing bodies of light when viewed in this manner.

Imprint

Noun. Refers to the unique signature that each creature's aura has. It can also refer to the signature left behind by a particular caster's spells.

Jolt

Verb. To damage a creature by attacking its aura.

Mana

Noun. The raw energy that populates the astral plane.

Mage

Noun. Any spellcaster, no matter what schools they specialize in. Spellcasters may have self-styled titles or use different names for themselves.

Thaum

Noun. A unit used to quantitatively measure the amount of mana used to create an effect. Can be prefixed to indicate large or small amounts.

Rip

Verb. To kill a creature by totally obliterating its aura.

Scry

Verb. To use magic to attempt to perceive events beyond the range of normal senses, or to use magic to locate a person or object.

Spike

Noun. Either a very sudden, strong distortion in the mana current or an incredibly strong aura that displaces large amounts of astral energy.

Wave

Noun. A distortion in the "currents" of mana on the astral. Waves are created by spells and displacement by powerful auras of creatures or artifacts. Used interchangeably with astral shift, astral ripple, astral distortion or any number of similar terms, particularly metaphorical vocabulary that equates the astral plane's mana flow to water.

Concepts to Include Stuff

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.
• Chaos magic is a magic that possesses many similarities to astral; the key difference is, however, that a) it is unprompted malleable and b) it is bidirectionally malleable
  • Figure out a meta-explanation for why this is: perhaps Plane of Chaos serves similar functions to Astral dimensionally? Then in what ways does it differ to bring about the above facts?
• The astral plane scanned by those in "reality" or in other planes also adjacent to the astral is in fact merely the dimensional projection of the multidimensional plane most adjacent to that segment of the multiverse
• Portals are the result of formed astral tunnel frameworks constructed through the dimensional structure of the astral and impinging on two (and theoretically more) locations in specific areas of the astral corresponding to specific points in the 3rd-dimensional projections.
  • It is most efficient to create two locations in the same dimensionality; thus intradimensional transportation spells are much less energy-intensive than interdimensional
  • When the portal is "closed", this means the tunnel framework is temporarily collapsed, though the local endpoint is still existant
  • When opened through whatever method, this results in a sudden expansion of the tunnel framework, leading to a small shockwave through the astral; the more distant the two endpoints (spacially, dimensionally, and in rare cases temporarily), the more forceful the shockwave due to the size of the tunnel framework
• Certain powerful ongoing activated spell effects cause the transformation of nearby astral into forms similar to their own structure when activated; portals "emitting" spacial magic are the most well-known cause of this effect.
  • The emission is actually the following process:
    1. A certain quantity of energy "adjacent" to the physical location of the portal is transformed into spacial-associated energy
    2. The astral tunnel framework undergoes a sudden expansion in the area corresponding to this physical location
    3. This expansion results in a small-level astral shockwave distributing the transformed energies throughout the astral plane
• Question: other planes and subrealities seem to have base energies. What is it about certain reality-esque planes (Reality itself and the Hell dimensions, for example) that cause them to not be filled with these energies?
  • Theory: Reality itself is in fact the further projection of the astral plane, and other reality-esque planes are further projections of their local astral. All planes have such and nomenclature varies whether or not the entirety of astral and projection is the plane or merely the inhabitable projection. This explains why travelers to the plane of Fire don't see a plane filled with energies corresponding to fire spells, but rather a plane literally filled with fire; the fire is the projection of the energies which fill the base-level plane.
  • This further explains why there are so few recordings of those planes associated with more nonphysical concepts; the Plane of Space, the Plane of Benediction, etc. These planes either have no associated reality-esque third-dimensional projection and thus travel to them would be impossible by inhabitants of such realities, or they do possess such projections but the magic which fills the plane has no specific third-dimensional projection, thus meaning the plane is entirely empty
    • Latter theory doesn't make much sense on the surface; if the energies have no third-dimensional projection, then how can they be used in spellcraft? More than likely it is the former, unless an explanation can be presented.
• It is slight overlap between planes of magic that lead to similar qualities between various elements.
  • Examples:
    • Summoning and Spacial magics are both capable of opening portals
    • Benediction and Holy magics, as well as Malediction and Shadow magics, are tightly intertwined
• The "Plane" of Dreams (this is something of a misnomer, as it is not a plane in the traditional sense), is in fact merely the border area separating the astral plane from the so-called "Far Realm". The astral possesses some overlap with this border zone, however, and the impinging of this zone on the astral brings about energies similar to those held by true planes, leading to the school known as "dream magic".
• Gestures are often used in spellcasting, since the aura is attached to the body, and shaping the aura by moving your body is easier than shaping the aura itself.

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.

See Also

• Gunnir Academy