The magic system in this homebrew game is a from a blend of sources and ideas. This page is primarily about the feel and texture of magic in the setting, not so much the raw math of how it gets used. The math is something the players do begrudgingly and only when the DM insists. Below are clickable links for the current sections.
Please note that this page is a work in progress.
Please note that this page is a work in progress.
Amagog and his Boxes
Vladimir Algirdas, reciting “Amagog and his Boxes” to a group of children -
Once upon a time, there were no stars swirling in the sky at night. An old demon named Amagog had taken the world and put it in a box on his shelf, along with other worlds, in other boxes. He would rearrange the boxes, shifting and sorting them in different ways to please himself. Every day he would open the boxes, and the lights in his house would light up the little worlds. Amagog tended these worlds with his many arms, trimming and squishing and adjusting them as he wished. At night, when he closed the boxes, if he really liked the world, he would hang little lamps inside the box. If he truly loved the world, they would get more lamps. Amagog did this every day, as the little worlds grew, always trying to create some perfect arrangement that only he knew.
One day, his cousin Ulut-Ra came to visit him. Ulut-Ra was small, young, and clever, while Amagog was large, old, and a bit dull. Amagog showed his cousin his many worlds, and said,
“Look at how orderly and safe my little worlds are, cousin.”
But Ulut-Ra was bored by this, and began to poke and prod at some of the worlds, saying,
“Wouldn’t it be more exciting if you mixed them up, Amagog? Imagine if you poured this one into that one! That would be much more fun.”
Amagog was shocked, and clutched feverishly at his precious boxes.
“Certainly not!” He said. “That would ruin all my plans! Some of these are almost perfect. I just need a little more time with them.”
But Ulut-Ra’s many eyes were sharper and keener than Amagogs, and he could see the tiny people living in the little worlds, growing and building their little societies, while Amagog could not. Ulut-Ra could see the possibilities that Amagog would miss.
So, that night, Ulut-Ra snuck into Amagog’s room, and used his long, sharp fingers to poke holes in the boxes on the shelf, holes far too small for Amagog to see with his old eyes. He poked and poked, sometimes wildly, sometimes in fun patterns that he liked, and the flickering lights of Amagog’s room poured through these holes onto the worlds inside, lighting up the night sky where once there were only Amagog’s lamps. Ulut-Ra knew what other surprises these holes would bring, and slid out of Amagog’s room in secret, laughing to himself.
Now, when Amagog shuffles and smushes his boxes together on the shelves in his mysterious plan, Ulut-Ra’s holes sometimes line up, and things from one world can reach another, without Amagog knowing. From these other worlds come monsters, demons, spirits, and other harmful things that take root and spread.
But, from one of these worlds came a mysterious force that touched and filled some of the little people living there. This force let them feel and control things on their own world, and let them manipulate them, to create fire, or raise the dead, or read minds, or many other incredible things. The people of the world called this new ability “magic.”
Now, when Ulut-Ra visits his cousin, he can see the wild new things magic is doing in the boxes, while Amagog remains unaware, endlessly adjusting and fussing over his worlds, and Ulut-Ra laughs to himself.
Once upon a time, there were no stars swirling in the sky at night. An old demon named Amagog had taken the world and put it in a box on his shelf, along with other worlds, in other boxes. He would rearrange the boxes, shifting and sorting them in different ways to please himself. Every day he would open the boxes, and the lights in his house would light up the little worlds. Amagog tended these worlds with his many arms, trimming and squishing and adjusting them as he wished. At night, when he closed the boxes, if he really liked the world, he would hang little lamps inside the box. If he truly loved the world, they would get more lamps. Amagog did this every day, as the little worlds grew, always trying to create some perfect arrangement that only he knew.
One day, his cousin Ulut-Ra came to visit him. Ulut-Ra was small, young, and clever, while Amagog was large, old, and a bit dull. Amagog showed his cousin his many worlds, and said,
“Look at how orderly and safe my little worlds are, cousin.”
But Ulut-Ra was bored by this, and began to poke and prod at some of the worlds, saying,
“Wouldn’t it be more exciting if you mixed them up, Amagog? Imagine if you poured this one into that one! That would be much more fun.”
Amagog was shocked, and clutched feverishly at his precious boxes.
“Certainly not!” He said. “That would ruin all my plans! Some of these are almost perfect. I just need a little more time with them.”
But Ulut-Ra’s many eyes were sharper and keener than Amagogs, and he could see the tiny people living in the little worlds, growing and building their little societies, while Amagog could not. Ulut-Ra could see the possibilities that Amagog would miss.
So, that night, Ulut-Ra snuck into Amagog’s room, and used his long, sharp fingers to poke holes in the boxes on the shelf, holes far too small for Amagog to see with his old eyes. He poked and poked, sometimes wildly, sometimes in fun patterns that he liked, and the flickering lights of Amagog’s room poured through these holes onto the worlds inside, lighting up the night sky where once there were only Amagog’s lamps. Ulut-Ra knew what other surprises these holes would bring, and slid out of Amagog’s room in secret, laughing to himself.
Now, when Amagog shuffles and smushes his boxes together on the shelves in his mysterious plan, Ulut-Ra’s holes sometimes line up, and things from one world can reach another, without Amagog knowing. From these other worlds come monsters, demons, spirits, and other harmful things that take root and spread.
But, from one of these worlds came a mysterious force that touched and filled some of the little people living there. This force let them feel and control things on their own world, and let them manipulate them, to create fire, or raise the dead, or read minds, or many other incredible things. The people of the world called this new ability “magic.”
Now, when Ulut-Ra visits his cousin, he can see the wild new things magic is doing in the boxes, while Amagog remains unaware, endlessly adjusting and fussing over his worlds, and Ulut-Ra laughs to himself.
Magic for humans
Magic on Atreus is a heavily studied phenomenon, and poorly understood on an scientific level. Its methods and laws have proven difficult to track or document, as they can vary from user to user. Some scholars claim that a practitioner's belief in their spells is essential to their function, while others suggest there is an underlying principle inherent in all magic that is too complex to currently map. In any case, magic is a highly powerful, often mercurial, elemental force that certain entities can feel and manipulate. This ability is often passed on to children, but heredity is not guaranteed. While practitioners can learn a variety of spells and techniques, each individual has a predisposition towards a certain magical ability, and often focuses on developing that unique personal brand. For example, two mages that specialize in fire magic may vary in preferred application, one throwing discrete projectiles of fire while the other uses a channeled cone of flame. However, practitioners of magic share certain universal traits, despite differing skill levels or inherent talents.
One trait all practitioners share is the method by which spells are cast. All practitioners need to channel magic through themselves, and focus it into a useful form. First, a magical power source is drawn upon: elemental forces of air, fire, earth, or more powerful but dangerous sources, such as blood or life energy, either the practitioners or others, by choice or not. Magic can be stored internally, though the amount varies by person and skill. This force is best channeled through an anchor of some kind, such as a personal totem, wand, or ritual circle. Incorrectly channeled, the spell could run wild, or potentially discharge, killing or maiming the caster. While technically the anchor can be mental only, the risk factors mean that only the most talented or desperate mages attempt it. The spell is then formed in the mind, linked to the stored power by concentrated will of the practitioner. Finally, with the spell firmly in mind and power appropriately gathered, the practitioner releases the spell by a method of their preference, like a word or gesture, This can be likened to firing a bow: A magical arrow knocked, then drawn, then released.
Emotions play heavily into the practice of magic, which creates some of the ambiguity that stymies research. A mage can use their own rage or joy as fuel for powerful spells, although this risks tainting or weakening the spell, depending on the emotions and situation. Joy makes poor fuel for destructive spells, and rage can turn a blessing into a curse. Whether emotional energy is truly tangible or merely a different way to channel raw magic is up for debate.
Faith and belief are also powerful effectors on magic. A practitioner must believe in what they are doing, and believe that their spell will function. Usually, practitioners learn to concentrate their emotions and cement their beliefs as a preface to casting a spell, especially for spells they use often. Items of personal faith can be powerful regardless of the deity behind them.
Practitioners of magic are also known to live longer than average humans, and can heal from injuries that would permanently cripple non-magical humans, although not significantly faster. They cannot regrow limbs, but scars can heal over time, and the average lifespan of a practitioner varies by talent. Truly skilled mages may live for centuries.
However, there are downsides to magical affinity. Practitioners are vulnerable to predation by a variety of supernatural creatures who would feed on their talents, and are more easily affected by strong emotions. They can sense areas where intense emotions have occurred, some to the point of experiencing the emotional history of a place, which can be traumatizing. There are also cultural stigmas in Atreus against magic, particularly in rural areas. Practitioners take risks every time they draw on magic, as well. As previously stated, a lapse in control or focus can backfire and unleash raw magic on or around the caster.
One trait all practitioners share is the method by which spells are cast. All practitioners need to channel magic through themselves, and focus it into a useful form. First, a magical power source is drawn upon: elemental forces of air, fire, earth, or more powerful but dangerous sources, such as blood or life energy, either the practitioners or others, by choice or not. Magic can be stored internally, though the amount varies by person and skill. This force is best channeled through an anchor of some kind, such as a personal totem, wand, or ritual circle. Incorrectly channeled, the spell could run wild, or potentially discharge, killing or maiming the caster. While technically the anchor can be mental only, the risk factors mean that only the most talented or desperate mages attempt it. The spell is then formed in the mind, linked to the stored power by concentrated will of the practitioner. Finally, with the spell firmly in mind and power appropriately gathered, the practitioner releases the spell by a method of their preference, like a word or gesture, This can be likened to firing a bow: A magical arrow knocked, then drawn, then released.
Emotions play heavily into the practice of magic, which creates some of the ambiguity that stymies research. A mage can use their own rage or joy as fuel for powerful spells, although this risks tainting or weakening the spell, depending on the emotions and situation. Joy makes poor fuel for destructive spells, and rage can turn a blessing into a curse. Whether emotional energy is truly tangible or merely a different way to channel raw magic is up for debate.
Faith and belief are also powerful effectors on magic. A practitioner must believe in what they are doing, and believe that their spell will function. Usually, practitioners learn to concentrate their emotions and cement their beliefs as a preface to casting a spell, especially for spells they use often. Items of personal faith can be powerful regardless of the deity behind them.
Practitioners of magic are also known to live longer than average humans, and can heal from injuries that would permanently cripple non-magical humans, although not significantly faster. They cannot regrow limbs, but scars can heal over time, and the average lifespan of a practitioner varies by talent. Truly skilled mages may live for centuries.
However, there are downsides to magical affinity. Practitioners are vulnerable to predation by a variety of supernatural creatures who would feed on their talents, and are more easily affected by strong emotions. They can sense areas where intense emotions have occurred, some to the point of experiencing the emotional history of a place, which can be traumatizing. There are also cultural stigmas in Atreus against magic, particularly in rural areas. Practitioners take risks every time they draw on magic, as well. As previously stated, a lapse in control or focus can backfire and unleash raw magic on or around the caster.
Magic in the world
Magic in Atreus interacts with the world in many unique ways. Magic ebbs and flows with nature, life, and movement. There is magical energy in rock slides and mass migrations, in seasonal changes and wedding parties, in volcanoes and laughter. Magical energy can never be created or destroyed, only altered, redirected or dispersed. When a practitioner draws a quantity of magic into themselves, they transfer the raw magic of the world around them into a more usable form. When truly massive spells are fueled, it can drain areas of magic for days or weeks. This field of magic affects certain elements, such as silver, which burns most monsters, or iron, which hurts and blocks ethereal beings. Bismuth, commonly known as Witchbane, neutralizes magic and is entirely resistant to spells, making it extremely valuable for mage hunters. As well, certain monsters leave psychic residue on magical fields. Magically attuned creatures often emanate emotions, creating ripples in the magical field that highly sensitive individuals can detect, and be affected by. Some spectral monsters even feed directly on magic, especially the magic reservoirs of mages.
Schools of magic
Divination
While magic functions differently for each practitioner, there are overarching methods and schools of magic from which spells are cast. The most formulaic and practical is Divination, which any low-talent practitioner can do to a degree. Divination in it’s most basic form is about information, and using magic to gather it. Divination is highly ritualistic, and involves a lot of material components. Finding a lost pet, for example, involves forming a magical link between the pet and something that belongs to the pet, preferably a physical sample like fur. Divination rituals are time consuming, but only require small amounts of magic. Magical circles are drawn, ritual items are strategically placed, and the practitioners mind is focused on linking items in hand to those far away. Divination can be used to form a very diverse range of spells, but requires a equally diverse range of materials and ritual designs, which makes Divination an academic subject. Practitioners that focus on Divination tend to carry around textbooks full of rituals and bags of components.
Conjuration
Conjuration is the most common, and most visible, form of magic. Practitioners summon up elemental forces like fire or wind for various purposes, and these primal forces flow quickly and easily. Containing those forces and channeling them in a controlled way is the hardest part. Conjuration spells are usually direct, instant, and big, like a blinding fireball, but can be reduced to as small and simple as lighting a candle. Whichever primal force is used; heat, cold, wind, or just raw kinetic force, all it takes is enough focus to draw on it and aim it. All that being said, should the practitioner fail to contain the spell, the chance of it backfiring and injuring themselves or others is high. More than one new practitioner has lost eyebrows or fingers to a miscast fire spell, and a few have lost heads. In combat, Conjuration is the most common weapon, and most practitioners keep a few such spells in their head for this reason, even if it is not their field of expertise. Compared to Divination, it rarely requires materials or rituals to Conjure something, but learning Conjuration is a much more mental exercise, and requires training and application rather than study.
Runes
Runic magic is the oldest form of magic on Atreus, and is mired in folklore and superstition. Village witch doctors and shamans have been carving bone runes for generations, claiming they can protect against evil spirits or increase fertility. Rarely do any of those runes carry any actual magic, but in the hands of a practitioner, runes can temporarily enhance spells of the other two schools, or be carved into weapons and armor to help channel spells. Runes can also be carved into homes as wards or alarms, although getting these spells to last long term is challenging. Learning runic magic is highly academic: Each line must be designed and charged in specific ways, and some materials can hold more charge than others. Metals, for instance, can hold more magic than wood, but are harder to charge. Runes combined with ritual circles are also potent traps - properly charged, a rune can be set to trigger when the ritual circle is broken. Most practitioners keep a working knowledge of a few runes, especially the more destructive ones; even if they don't know how to write them, at least they know which to avoid.
Alchemy
Alchemy combines the natural properties of plants o other materials with magic, enhancing existing effects or creating new ones. While many plants in Atreus have minor healing properties, when combined with magic, those properties can take on miraculous effects. Equally, toxic or irritating plants can become deadly acids and poisons. Advanced alchemy can mix and match plant-based effects to create new properties, like sense enhancing potions or debilitating contact toxins. Other materials, animal or mineral, can also be added to alchemical recipes to create long term, even life changing effects. Students of alchemy require at least some magical talent, but only small amounts of magic are necessary for most potions, and many low level practitioners make a living selling basic remedies. More advanced alchemists can create the complicated potions that lead to major body modification or alternation, but these are rare and secretive. Most practitioners learn the basic recipes that might save their life or someone else's, and have a general understanding of the plants involved.
Glyphs
By description, Glyphs sound the same as runes: symbols designed to contain power or spells, with complex designs that require specific methods to create. However, Glyphs are, in fact, entirely alien compared to any other form of magic on Atreus. They are twisted, glowing shapes cast in silvery-purple that defy logic or understanding. All the previous rules and methods of magic mentioned above do not apply to Glyphs. They can endure for years without fading, exist on any surface, and contain any spell or level of power imaginable. Observing Glyphs for too long is known to cause hallucinations and eventual insanity. Their origins and purpose are unknown, and only a handful of practitioners across all of Atreus are capable of harnessing them. The Varanan Guard has a research division focused around Glyphs, and any newly discovered Glyphs should immediately be reported to the Guard.
The total number of Glyphs in the world is unknown, if there even is a final total, and almost no research on them has been publicized, outside of general warnings. This is, in part, due to the nature of Glyphwriters.
Glyphwriters can draw Glyphs with any or no writing tools, on any surface, and are as chaotic and misunderstood as Glyphs themselves. They are deeply troubled, prone to mania and insomnia, entirely incapable of coherent communication or caring for themselves. People are not born with this affliction, but are seemingly random individuals who are abruptly struck by magical knowledge at some point in their life, and then, equally without explanation, gain the ability to create these powerful magical symbols. A Glyphwriter may go for weeks in catatonic silence, even needing to be force-fed, then burst into action, frantically drawing on any surface, with any implement, creating a new Glyph, as if not writing it was somehow painful. Glyphwriters who experience this are visibly relieved and exhausted after writing a Glyph for long enough, although how many times is enough, only they know. These new Glyphs are dangerous, since an observer would have no way of knowing what the Glyph might do, or which one might already be magically charged. The Glyphwriter can even create more than one new Glyph at a time, making the situation even more dangerous. Plenty of Glyphs are activated by touch or movement, and a Glyphwriters room can quickly become a magical minefield. While those caring for them may profit greatly from the potential knowledge and power Glyphwriters contain, more than one has been blown to bits by their own creations.
As Glyphwriters are a precious commodity to the magical community, conflict often brews around them. Practitioners great and small will fight over them, and wars have been fought for their secrets. Groups that have their own Glyphwriters jealously protect them, fawn over them, and conceal their presence as thoroughly as possible. For example, the Varanan Guard is suspected of having several Glyphwriters in their mountain fortress-city, but they would never confirm this.
Glyphs are primarily fueled by magic, but can store far more magic than expected, and each works better under certain circumstances, like some Glyphs working best when crafted in silver, or when drawn in blood. Getting these specifics from Glyphwriters is rarely an option, and trial and error is risky. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner before using any Glyph.
A note on combined magic
While the major schools of magic are distinct and unique in their methods, there is technically nothing that says they cannot be combined. A fireball can be held in a ritual circle, and Runes can empower some forms of Divination. Any combination is possible with enough magic, will, and concentration.
While magic functions differently for each practitioner, there are overarching methods and schools of magic from which spells are cast. The most formulaic and practical is Divination, which any low-talent practitioner can do to a degree. Divination in it’s most basic form is about information, and using magic to gather it. Divination is highly ritualistic, and involves a lot of material components. Finding a lost pet, for example, involves forming a magical link between the pet and something that belongs to the pet, preferably a physical sample like fur. Divination rituals are time consuming, but only require small amounts of magic. Magical circles are drawn, ritual items are strategically placed, and the practitioners mind is focused on linking items in hand to those far away. Divination can be used to form a very diverse range of spells, but requires a equally diverse range of materials and ritual designs, which makes Divination an academic subject. Practitioners that focus on Divination tend to carry around textbooks full of rituals and bags of components.
Conjuration
Conjuration is the most common, and most visible, form of magic. Practitioners summon up elemental forces like fire or wind for various purposes, and these primal forces flow quickly and easily. Containing those forces and channeling them in a controlled way is the hardest part. Conjuration spells are usually direct, instant, and big, like a blinding fireball, but can be reduced to as small and simple as lighting a candle. Whichever primal force is used; heat, cold, wind, or just raw kinetic force, all it takes is enough focus to draw on it and aim it. All that being said, should the practitioner fail to contain the spell, the chance of it backfiring and injuring themselves or others is high. More than one new practitioner has lost eyebrows or fingers to a miscast fire spell, and a few have lost heads. In combat, Conjuration is the most common weapon, and most practitioners keep a few such spells in their head for this reason, even if it is not their field of expertise. Compared to Divination, it rarely requires materials or rituals to Conjure something, but learning Conjuration is a much more mental exercise, and requires training and application rather than study.
Runes
Runic magic is the oldest form of magic on Atreus, and is mired in folklore and superstition. Village witch doctors and shamans have been carving bone runes for generations, claiming they can protect against evil spirits or increase fertility. Rarely do any of those runes carry any actual magic, but in the hands of a practitioner, runes can temporarily enhance spells of the other two schools, or be carved into weapons and armor to help channel spells. Runes can also be carved into homes as wards or alarms, although getting these spells to last long term is challenging. Learning runic magic is highly academic: Each line must be designed and charged in specific ways, and some materials can hold more charge than others. Metals, for instance, can hold more magic than wood, but are harder to charge. Runes combined with ritual circles are also potent traps - properly charged, a rune can be set to trigger when the ritual circle is broken. Most practitioners keep a working knowledge of a few runes, especially the more destructive ones; even if they don't know how to write them, at least they know which to avoid.
Alchemy
Alchemy combines the natural properties of plants o other materials with magic, enhancing existing effects or creating new ones. While many plants in Atreus have minor healing properties, when combined with magic, those properties can take on miraculous effects. Equally, toxic or irritating plants can become deadly acids and poisons. Advanced alchemy can mix and match plant-based effects to create new properties, like sense enhancing potions or debilitating contact toxins. Other materials, animal or mineral, can also be added to alchemical recipes to create long term, even life changing effects. Students of alchemy require at least some magical talent, but only small amounts of magic are necessary for most potions, and many low level practitioners make a living selling basic remedies. More advanced alchemists can create the complicated potions that lead to major body modification or alternation, but these are rare and secretive. Most practitioners learn the basic recipes that might save their life or someone else's, and have a general understanding of the plants involved.
Glyphs
By description, Glyphs sound the same as runes: symbols designed to contain power or spells, with complex designs that require specific methods to create. However, Glyphs are, in fact, entirely alien compared to any other form of magic on Atreus. They are twisted, glowing shapes cast in silvery-purple that defy logic or understanding. All the previous rules and methods of magic mentioned above do not apply to Glyphs. They can endure for years without fading, exist on any surface, and contain any spell or level of power imaginable. Observing Glyphs for too long is known to cause hallucinations and eventual insanity. Their origins and purpose are unknown, and only a handful of practitioners across all of Atreus are capable of harnessing them. The Varanan Guard has a research division focused around Glyphs, and any newly discovered Glyphs should immediately be reported to the Guard.
The total number of Glyphs in the world is unknown, if there even is a final total, and almost no research on them has been publicized, outside of general warnings. This is, in part, due to the nature of Glyphwriters.
Glyphwriters can draw Glyphs with any or no writing tools, on any surface, and are as chaotic and misunderstood as Glyphs themselves. They are deeply troubled, prone to mania and insomnia, entirely incapable of coherent communication or caring for themselves. People are not born with this affliction, but are seemingly random individuals who are abruptly struck by magical knowledge at some point in their life, and then, equally without explanation, gain the ability to create these powerful magical symbols. A Glyphwriter may go for weeks in catatonic silence, even needing to be force-fed, then burst into action, frantically drawing on any surface, with any implement, creating a new Glyph, as if not writing it was somehow painful. Glyphwriters who experience this are visibly relieved and exhausted after writing a Glyph for long enough, although how many times is enough, only they know. These new Glyphs are dangerous, since an observer would have no way of knowing what the Glyph might do, or which one might already be magically charged. The Glyphwriter can even create more than one new Glyph at a time, making the situation even more dangerous. Plenty of Glyphs are activated by touch or movement, and a Glyphwriters room can quickly become a magical minefield. While those caring for them may profit greatly from the potential knowledge and power Glyphwriters contain, more than one has been blown to bits by their own creations.
As Glyphwriters are a precious commodity to the magical community, conflict often brews around them. Practitioners great and small will fight over them, and wars have been fought for their secrets. Groups that have their own Glyphwriters jealously protect them, fawn over them, and conceal their presence as thoroughly as possible. For example, the Varanan Guard is suspected of having several Glyphwriters in their mountain fortress-city, but they would never confirm this.
Glyphs are primarily fueled by magic, but can store far more magic than expected, and each works better under certain circumstances, like some Glyphs working best when crafted in silver, or when drawn in blood. Getting these specifics from Glyphwriters is rarely an option, and trial and error is risky. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner before using any Glyph.
A note on combined magic
While the major schools of magic are distinct and unique in their methods, there is technically nothing that says they cannot be combined. A fireball can be held in a ritual circle, and Runes can empower some forms of Divination. Any combination is possible with enough magic, will, and concentration.
Tools of Magic
Foci
Any practitioner of magic, regardless of method or intent, use certain items and resources to perform and enhance their spells. Such an item is called a focus, or sometimes a totem, a personal item of significance through which they can channel their magic. The size and shape of the focus or totem is both personal and practical: small, delicate totems like jewelry channel delicate spells more easily, but would struggle with big, powerful magic, while a large, sturdy staff will channel big and powerful spells just fine, and likewise struggle in delicate applications. Either tool works, but each focus has its strengths and weaknesses. Creating a personal totem is a deeply spiritual and personal process, and can take days or weeks to harmonize. New totems are often carved or marked in ways significant to the owner, and the item has to represent something important to the practitioner. To lose or break a totem is a serious loss, since without it, casting any spell is substantially more challenging. Any focusing item contains and controls the flow of magic from the caster, like a faucet, and without it, the caster is the faucet. Raw magic could burst out of the caster uncontrollably, and channeling lightning through yourself rather than through a focus is just a terrible idea. However, foci are not always required; simple, low-power spells are generally safe to channel through the caster, and most practitioners learn the fundamentals of magic long before they develop a totem, and a rare few operate with no unique foci at all.
Disarming a practitioner of their personal totem can be a crippling blow to their magical potential, depending on their attachment to it, and identifying a totem is often the first step in subduing dark mages. However, one of the strange side effects of magic is that totems and their owners have a symbiotic relationship: The longer a totem is used, the more durable, powerful, and linked to the practitioner it becomes. Most practitioners can sense the direction of their totem after only a few days of use, and experts can find theirs across almost any distance. For reference, conventional items like magic rings or devices can be considered foci, and technically, material components of spells are foci as well, although they lack personal connections.
Ritual Circles
All spell magic is drawn from the surrounding environment, set precisely, and released in specific quantity. However, the surrounding environment still contains magic. Without proper precautions, casting spells can be like lighting a lamp in a room filled with flammable gas. The mind is the first and most important precaution, but a ritual circle is the second. A ritual circle is used to build a barrier between the magic of the spell and the magic in the world, preventing imbalances in either direction.
Divination uses circles with almost every spell, as Divination requires precision, and magical ‘background noise’ can scramble a delicate spell. In the same way, a powerful Conjuration spell might be safest to build inside the walls of a circle, to keep excess power from overwhelming the caster before they release the spell. Circles are useful whenever the complexity of the spell starts to climb. Spells that involve a lot of time or material components need to be formed behind circles, both for safety and for the spell to function properly.
Circles can be drawn in any way, even as simply as a finger in the dirt, but are better when made out of something solid, and preferably out of a metal like silver. They usually contain internal designs and patterns to help guide or contain magic as the spell builds. Circles are ‘locked’ by will of the user, but can also can be broken physically. Runic traps are often drawn inside circles by design, and activated by crossing or breaking the threshold of the circle. Ritual circles are a wise safety measure for any spell.
Magical items
Spells of almost any kind can be woven into physical items, contained either by the properties of the material, more permanent ritual circles, or runes. Crafters capable of such work are rare, but magical items tend to last for a long time, even when drained. Magical items work like finished spells, simply add magic from an appropriate source and gain the effect. Through this, a magically weak or under-trained practitioner can appear much more knowledgeable and powerful, although keeping the items charged requires a basic magical understanding. How the items are charged varies, but magical items are like any other foci in their capabilities and limits. Small items may not be able to hold large amounts of magic, and larger items might hold so much as to be dangerous to use.
Magic Materials
Spells of any kind benefit from material components that compliment them, and certain items can greatly reduce spell difficulty or spell 'cost,' in terms of magic. Complex spells may require specific items to function, alongside their cost in magic, but in most cases, it is more about what the item represents than what it physically is: A rock is as good as crystal, if the spell calls for a natural item with weight. In Divination spells, representative items help the caster focus on their goals, like a locator spell that uses items of a similar nature to the target. In Conjuration, magically resonant or charged items can increase a spells power. Some materials have unique properties that may only be beneficial to a specific spell, but most practitioners have a general understanding of common items that are magically useful.
Potions
Unlike complex ritualized spells that affect the world magically, potions, sometimes called elixirs or tinctures, are magically-altered chemical mixtures that create seemingly magical effects through purely physical means. A potion that temporarily allows the user to run faster than normal will alter the actual muscles of their legs, not apply a magical effect. A spell might give you the vision of an owl, but a potion will actually give you owl eyes. Obviously a physical change on that scale is more drastic and has more side effects than a spell, but, once made, a potion can be consumed by anyone, at any time. This brand of Alchemy is a unique profession mastered by very few, but there are some common potions, like basic healing potions, that any practitioner with the appropriate recipe can make. The most advanced potions use a combination of alcohol, natural ingredients, raw magic, and blood. That last ingredient leads many to shy away from this kind of potion use except in desperate need. However, potions are convenient to store and can keep for years if properly contained, and their effects can be equally long lasting. The Varanan Guard, for example, is known to use alchemical concoctions powerful enough to last for decades.
Blood Magic
As a resource for magic, blood deserves special mention. Blood is a magical anomaly, straddling the intangible magic world and the physical world. Fresh blood contains enough power that it is like liquid magic, and brings with it heavy emotional power. Blood taken by violence can fuel truly explosive spells, and blood offered freely is an excellent power source for a defensive Rune. Dark mages have drained people dry to power their spells, and as such, there is a strong cultural aversion to blood magic, even when used for good. Blood is also tricky to use. It loses power once dried, or diluted, and does not contain that much power per drop. And yet, under ideal circumstances, it can be the perfect addition to a tracking Divination spell or a deadly Conjuration attack. Despite the cultural aversion, almost all practitioners will take advantage of blood magic at some point, which only deepens the societal aversion towards those who use magic.
Any practitioner of magic, regardless of method or intent, use certain items and resources to perform and enhance their spells. Such an item is called a focus, or sometimes a totem, a personal item of significance through which they can channel their magic. The size and shape of the focus or totem is both personal and practical: small, delicate totems like jewelry channel delicate spells more easily, but would struggle with big, powerful magic, while a large, sturdy staff will channel big and powerful spells just fine, and likewise struggle in delicate applications. Either tool works, but each focus has its strengths and weaknesses. Creating a personal totem is a deeply spiritual and personal process, and can take days or weeks to harmonize. New totems are often carved or marked in ways significant to the owner, and the item has to represent something important to the practitioner. To lose or break a totem is a serious loss, since without it, casting any spell is substantially more challenging. Any focusing item contains and controls the flow of magic from the caster, like a faucet, and without it, the caster is the faucet. Raw magic could burst out of the caster uncontrollably, and channeling lightning through yourself rather than through a focus is just a terrible idea. However, foci are not always required; simple, low-power spells are generally safe to channel through the caster, and most practitioners learn the fundamentals of magic long before they develop a totem, and a rare few operate with no unique foci at all.
Disarming a practitioner of their personal totem can be a crippling blow to their magical potential, depending on their attachment to it, and identifying a totem is often the first step in subduing dark mages. However, one of the strange side effects of magic is that totems and their owners have a symbiotic relationship: The longer a totem is used, the more durable, powerful, and linked to the practitioner it becomes. Most practitioners can sense the direction of their totem after only a few days of use, and experts can find theirs across almost any distance. For reference, conventional items like magic rings or devices can be considered foci, and technically, material components of spells are foci as well, although they lack personal connections.
Ritual Circles
All spell magic is drawn from the surrounding environment, set precisely, and released in specific quantity. However, the surrounding environment still contains magic. Without proper precautions, casting spells can be like lighting a lamp in a room filled with flammable gas. The mind is the first and most important precaution, but a ritual circle is the second. A ritual circle is used to build a barrier between the magic of the spell and the magic in the world, preventing imbalances in either direction.
Divination uses circles with almost every spell, as Divination requires precision, and magical ‘background noise’ can scramble a delicate spell. In the same way, a powerful Conjuration spell might be safest to build inside the walls of a circle, to keep excess power from overwhelming the caster before they release the spell. Circles are useful whenever the complexity of the spell starts to climb. Spells that involve a lot of time or material components need to be formed behind circles, both for safety and for the spell to function properly.
Circles can be drawn in any way, even as simply as a finger in the dirt, but are better when made out of something solid, and preferably out of a metal like silver. They usually contain internal designs and patterns to help guide or contain magic as the spell builds. Circles are ‘locked’ by will of the user, but can also can be broken physically. Runic traps are often drawn inside circles by design, and activated by crossing or breaking the threshold of the circle. Ritual circles are a wise safety measure for any spell.
Magical items
Spells of almost any kind can be woven into physical items, contained either by the properties of the material, more permanent ritual circles, or runes. Crafters capable of such work are rare, but magical items tend to last for a long time, even when drained. Magical items work like finished spells, simply add magic from an appropriate source and gain the effect. Through this, a magically weak or under-trained practitioner can appear much more knowledgeable and powerful, although keeping the items charged requires a basic magical understanding. How the items are charged varies, but magical items are like any other foci in their capabilities and limits. Small items may not be able to hold large amounts of magic, and larger items might hold so much as to be dangerous to use.
Magic Materials
Spells of any kind benefit from material components that compliment them, and certain items can greatly reduce spell difficulty or spell 'cost,' in terms of magic. Complex spells may require specific items to function, alongside their cost in magic, but in most cases, it is more about what the item represents than what it physically is: A rock is as good as crystal, if the spell calls for a natural item with weight. In Divination spells, representative items help the caster focus on their goals, like a locator spell that uses items of a similar nature to the target. In Conjuration, magically resonant or charged items can increase a spells power. Some materials have unique properties that may only be beneficial to a specific spell, but most practitioners have a general understanding of common items that are magically useful.
Potions
Unlike complex ritualized spells that affect the world magically, potions, sometimes called elixirs or tinctures, are magically-altered chemical mixtures that create seemingly magical effects through purely physical means. A potion that temporarily allows the user to run faster than normal will alter the actual muscles of their legs, not apply a magical effect. A spell might give you the vision of an owl, but a potion will actually give you owl eyes. Obviously a physical change on that scale is more drastic and has more side effects than a spell, but, once made, a potion can be consumed by anyone, at any time. This brand of Alchemy is a unique profession mastered by very few, but there are some common potions, like basic healing potions, that any practitioner with the appropriate recipe can make. The most advanced potions use a combination of alcohol, natural ingredients, raw magic, and blood. That last ingredient leads many to shy away from this kind of potion use except in desperate need. However, potions are convenient to store and can keep for years if properly contained, and their effects can be equally long lasting. The Varanan Guard, for example, is known to use alchemical concoctions powerful enough to last for decades.
Blood Magic
As a resource for magic, blood deserves special mention. Blood is a magical anomaly, straddling the intangible magic world and the physical world. Fresh blood contains enough power that it is like liquid magic, and brings with it heavy emotional power. Blood taken by violence can fuel truly explosive spells, and blood offered freely is an excellent power source for a defensive Rune. Dark mages have drained people dry to power their spells, and as such, there is a strong cultural aversion to blood magic, even when used for good. Blood is also tricky to use. It loses power once dried, or diluted, and does not contain that much power per drop. And yet, under ideal circumstances, it can be the perfect addition to a tracking Divination spell or a deadly Conjuration attack. Despite the cultural aversion, almost all practitioners will take advantage of blood magic at some point, which only deepens the societal aversion towards those who use magic.
Laws of magic
The Kasteris Nomous - Laws of Magic
The first four laws relate to magic used on humans. The temptation to alter minds, to tap into the abundant power of souls, or to transmogrify enemies, are usually among the first things a young practitioner considers. Ideally, the Laws and their enforcers are a deterrent, but ironically, by publicizing the Laws, the Varanan Guard has written a fast track to power for those who set out to do evil.
The Anakrit Order of the Varanan Guard sends out Inquisitors to aggressively hunt dark mages, and has secret methods to track known practitioners. They regularly capture and interrogate practitioners across Atreus and are quick to punish or execute anyone bending or breaking the Laws.
- Thou shalt not invade the mind of a human
- Thou shalt not tamper with the soul of a human
- Thou shalt not use magic to forcibly alter a human
- Thou shalt not raise human dead
- Thou shalt not tamper with Time
- Thou shalt not attempt to breach into new worlds
- Thou shalt not attempt to contact the Elder Gods
The first four laws relate to magic used on humans. The temptation to alter minds, to tap into the abundant power of souls, or to transmogrify enemies, are usually among the first things a young practitioner considers. Ideally, the Laws and their enforcers are a deterrent, but ironically, by publicizing the Laws, the Varanan Guard has written a fast track to power for those who set out to do evil.
The Anakrit Order of the Varanan Guard sends out Inquisitors to aggressively hunt dark mages, and has secret methods to track known practitioners. They regularly capture and interrogate practitioners across Atreus and are quick to punish or execute anyone bending or breaking the Laws.