Magic

Being a force that defies conventional science, many consider Magic to be change or entropy in its most pure, distilled form. Its presence varies from planet to planet, system to system, and flows out from the limbs of The Tree of Life in currents much like wind or water. As a result, there can be places that are relatively devoid of its touch, while nearby, a location is brimming with its potential. The form in which magic takes is also as myriad as its possibility with its presence being most often comparable to a type of fundamental particle in space that comes and goes like a tide, yet flows like the wind across planetary surfaces. The form in which magic is perhaps the most valuable however, is the Heartstrone, in which pure magic is condensed and contained within a diamond-like substance or substrate, enabling its use to become consistent and reliable. Still, a being must be attuned to magic in order to use it. Certain species such as the Aos Si are naturally attuned, sometimes from birth. Others become attuned to magic by repeated exposure or a deliberately conducted attuning process. All however, form a Heartstone at the very center of their being.

Perhaps even more importantly, magic almost appears to be alive, and above all, does not enjoy being watched. At least, not too closely. Like all living things though, magic can be coaxed into habit and routine, something the more industrious of magic users have made great use of through the ritual of spell casting. Through trial and error, the following have been noted:

• The rules of thermodynamics remain in effect, with matter and energy being neither created nor destroyed
• Causality remains in effect, with time being potentially slowed down or accelerated at most, but never reversed
• Energy is drawn from the localized abundance of mana, or failing that, converted from sources of heat or electricity at steep inefficiencies
• Strength and Span of effects are directly correlated to Heartstone size of an individual, and that of any supplementing equipment

Magic can be found in a variety of forms, each with their own unique properties, uses and peculiarities. Primordial Magic manifests as strange artifacts and bizarre or even extraordinary warped locales when it concentrates in places excessively. Meanwhile, Innate Magic is the most base form used by individuals, with the magic within their body connecting their thoughts to the magic without their self to alter reality. Invocation Magic has a person's will and intent mentally bound to words of power, allowing them to channel magic filled winds by reciting these words, phrases or even ritualistic paragraphs onwards either physically or mentally, giving much greater consistency and control over magic's reality warping effects. Finally, Composition Magic binds the directing will and intent of the user into written word, allowing for much greater control and consistency at the cost of flexibility.

Also referred to as "First Magic" by many, Primordial Magic is magic as it is within its natural state after pouring forth into the worlds. Diluted in the environment, it is unnoticeable save for the fact that those attuned to magic will feel invigorated by its presence and be able to cast their spells, bending reality so long as there is enough present. Too little, and their magic cannot be cast. Worst still, those that are particularly attuned will suffer without it entirely. People such as the Aos Si, Caelumar or Infernumar will wane without magic, as their lifespans become shorter, and their greatness will fade as they become far more mortal. Returning to an environment with enough magic will remedy this quickly, however, Primordial Magic is best known for what it will do when present in overabundance, saturating environments.

Devices as simple as a compass will occasionally 'glitch', and camera footage will become increasingly filled with static. Even more sophisticated equipment will falter with increasing frequency should protection be inadequate. Worse, the senses can begin coming into question as dark presences briefly flicker into the edges of vision, and hints of voice can be caught in the wind. At its greatest excess, Primordial Magic can chaotically warp and change living beings and the environment, blending and tearing things together and apart to create unspeakable horrors. At the same time however, it can also create amazing wonders otherwise impossible, and give birth to beings that can only be defined as living gods and goddesses.

Those attuned to the ebb and flow of magic can all use it innately, granting this type of magic the label of "Innate Magic". The use of magic at this very basic level involves little more than an individual's connection with magic, and their own thoughts and will. The magic within an individual serves to bridge their minds to magic without, and in this manner, reality is warped to suit their want, need or will. However, its reliability is as strong as an individual's focus, which in many cases is not very strong at all. For this reason, this most innate level of magic is known to be particularly dangerous - a fireball cast in such a manner can suddenly veer off course and towards a friend with a single stray thought, or far worse.

Innate Magic users who are untrained or unaware of being attuned are completely and utterly open and vulnerable to Primal Magic. Should the environment be saturated with it, their very thoughts will begin to manifest as reality. This can happen suddenly, with reality warping events occurring one after another, such as an attractive other's clothing vanishing on a whim, followed by the trophy creature coming to life with a hunger for blood. Alternatively, this can happen slowly and subtly as well, should the Primordial Magic of an area rise like a tide. Such instances can present as the perfect day with everything going right, or monsters coming out in the dark as a person's fears takes hold. Mercifully, this unfettered use of magic coursing through an individual's body can quickly overwhelm the novice and kill them through heart attacks, brain hemorrhages and the like. Lesser recoil and overuse of magic will cause cerebral injuries similar to concussions, resulting in loss of consciousness, short term memory loss, headaches, poor balance, difficulty thinking, nausea and vomiting, blurry vision and emotional disturbances.

The most fortunate however, will simply faint out of exhaustion before they lethally overuse magic.

It was only natural that those with magic flowing through them would seek out a means to exert better control. As a result, Invocation Magic was the next, natural step. Perhaps the most well known and commonly used, it is often independently discovered or shared sooner or later, and becomes the standard by which things are measured and used. With it, magic's power is bound to the user's words, either spoken or unspoken. This provides a more strong, rigid structure around which the magic can be directed, increasing the consistancy and reliability of any spells cast. Though this is a great benefit, it comes at the cost of just how much reality can be changed by magic used in this manner. Its power is reduced, and is generally much more limited in its scope. In order to compensate, a spellcaster can 'overcast' a spell, drawing more quickly from the flow of magic around them and channeling more into the spell itself for greater effect.

Despite its inherent stability though, Invocation Magic can still be problematic. Backlash or recoil from an improperly cast or interrupted spell can still occur, lashing out randomly or even exploding in front of the user. This may be reduced significantly in comparison to Innate Magic, but an explosion is still very problematic. Fortunately, most cases are very survivable, though Overcast spells are a different issue entirely. Not only do overcast spells become more unstable and have an innate chance to miscast, but they can have a variety of much more dangerous, and potentially lethal effects. These can range anywhere from explosions and spells improperly targeting, to the typical effects of recoil such as loss of consciousness or death.

Composition Magic is also known as Composed Magic, as many compare its making to writing song, hymns or verses. It is the next evolutionary step in magic, where the force of change is bound to words that are written down, engraved or otherwise marked, rather than those that are spoken or thought. As a result, the permanence of the magic is as durable as the way the words are written and the supply of magic to keep it going. The written words contain the thoughts and intent of the Composer, giving it a very rigid, consistent structure from which to work. Composed magic is known not only for its longevity, but also stability for this reason. Its tradeoff however, is the comparatively low amount of influence it has on reality. Out of the different types of magic, it is considered the least powerful when attempting to make a singular, large change, but like any written thing, can interlink, creating complex commands and sequences.

Due to its nature, Compositions are most frequently found on various items to assist with casting, or to imbue them with various features, properties, or functions not normally possible. These will go dormant and not function without a supply of magic from an active user or an integrated Heartstone however, but by default, cannot be Overcast due to their rigid nature. Forcing an overcast however, can potentially lead to damage and destruction of the Composition, and as a result, is strongly discouraged. In normal use, there is very little backlash or magical recoil, however these still do occur and are more comparable to various levels of inconvenience than anything destructive.

Despite its low 'power', Composition Magic is considered the pinnacle of the art, as it has tremendous potential depending on the skill and ability of the Composer.

An abstract take, but 'incomprehensible' is a good starting description of it. [...] In Erinun, we don't have a word for 'magic'. 'Lost knowledge' is the closest equivalent. [...] Our myths tell of great Aos Si civilizations, our ancestors, who ordered and reordered nature to their will, divine children of the natural gods, sent to the earth to reshape this planet. But in some nebulous event, we've lost favor with the natural gods. Our old, grand cities crumbled away as we lost our abilities to shape nature. Such abilities do not require armies of machines that you humans use to construct your monuments. They are what you'd consider 'magic'. For us, it was the typical powers of our ancestors, until lost.

[...]

We hope that this pilgrimage will help us rediscover our birthright. For millennia, we've practiced Praui Nimloth, worship of nature, seeking favor from the natural gods once again. Even as we've adopted your technology, we sought it worthwhile to shape them to resemble the natural order, restating our allegiance to Them. Yet... no answers return. Perhaps what lies in that temple, the language of our ancestors, will grant us new insight into rebuilding our relationship.

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- Aithlin Trisqen, Aos Si interpreter for the United Erinun States