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--- magic [2007/01/16 11:02] – jims
+++ magic [2025/08/17 12:09] (current) – jims
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-[[start|Back to start page]]
+====== Magic ======
-====== Overview of Magic ======
+//Note: This article discusses magic independent of game terms.  Nothing here should
+be taken to contradict or override the game rules!//
-==== I-B) MAGIC ====
+//Common Knowledge//:
-The four basic methods to invoke magical effects are known as Spell, Rune,
+Some believe that magic is a natural force that has existed since the creation of the universe.
-Voice, and Psionic magic.  Each is different, yet all four use the same
+Others believe it was a gift bestowed by the gods when the mortal species were created.
-enigmatic matter/energy form known as mana.  Mana is created and required by all
-forms of life and is in constant motion with the surrounding world.  For the
-purposes of this document, the term "Spell" refers to a magical effect which
-relies on a supply of extra-planar energy to function.  This is, by far, the
-most plentiful and simplest form of magic.
-When the gods first established the [[twenty worlds]], they had to ensure the
+Regardless, it is a force that allows people to perform amazing acts -- both for the betterment
-level of mana in each of the worlds would be sufficient to allow for magical
+and detriment of those around them.
-invocations of some sort.  On the prime world, a [[wall|"wall around the
-world"]] was constructed to concentrate the mana in one relatively small region.
+There are two distinct groups of magic: Divine and Arcane.  The former involves the spellcaster
-This thousand-foot tall "waterfall" brings mana from the outside world into the
+"asking" some divine entity to bless them with a magical effect, while the latter has the
-prime world.  The effect is to decrease the overall mana level outside the wall,
+caster invoking the magical effect themselves.
-yet make the inner world very rich in magic of all types.  (See [[cosmology|I-A
-Cosmology]]). Since mana is very difficult to manipulate, wizards over the
+//Expert Knowledge//:
-millennia have developed forms of magic that use as little of this potent energy
-as possible.
+The difference between arcane and divine spells is probably cosmetic.  Some scholars believe
+that while divine spells include a plea to some divine creature, that plea is for show and
+the actual magical effect is brought forth in the same manner as an arcane spell.
+The counter-argument is that divine spellcasters often do not study arcane principles
+before mastering their spellcasting abilities.
+While Spell magic is the most common form, there are three other less common ways to
+invoke magic -- known as Rune, Voice, and Psionic magic.  Each of the four is different,
+yet all use the same enigmatic matter/energy form known as [[mana]].  Mana is created
+and required by all forms of life and is in constant motion with the surrounding world.
+Since mana is very difficult to manipulate directly, wizards over the millennia have
+developed "shorthand" methods that use as little of this potent energy as possible.
+The most common mechanism is to use a "pinch" of mana to open a portal to the
+elemental world and then siphon in elemental energy to produce the desired effect.
+//Hidden Knowledge//:
+Due to the relatively low levels of mana on the [[prime world]], a
+[[wall|"wall around the world"]] exists to concentrate the mana in a relatively
+small region.  Whether the gods built this wall or it predates them is a matter
+of considerable theological debate.
+The prevailing theory about the wall's function is that it brings mana from the
+outside world into the "central" disk.  The effect is to decrease the overall mana
+level outside the wall, yet make the inner world very rich in magic of all types.
+(See [[Cosmos]]).
+----
 A brief overview of the types of magic follows:
-==== 1) Spell Magic ====
+==== Spell Magic ====
 By a simple mind exercise (reminiscent of psionic magic), a weakening between
-the plane the user is on and the energy planes is accomplished.  Energy is then
+the plane the user is on and the energy planes is accomplished.  This is called
-siphoned from those planes, through the users body, and then (via the gestures,
+the "trigger spell" and is the first skill taught to apprentice magicians.  It
-incantations, and materials), into the desired effect.
+is perhaps the most difficult skill to grasp and is quite possibly the cause of
+most spell failures.  Compared to mana, using elemental energy is trivial.
+Once triggered, the siphoned energy is then channeled through the caster's body,
+and via gestures, incantations, and materials, into the desired effect.
 The limitations are obvious:  First of all, since the invocation involves
 extra-planar activity, there exists the possibility of attracting attention from
-not only other-worldly beings, but also of spell-users on the plane of origin.
+not only otherworldly beings, but also of spell-users on the plane of origin.
-Secondly, since the users body is the focus for the energy, damage could result
+Secondly, since the user's body is the focus for the energy, damage could result
-from over-use.  (However, since the energy is only siphoned via the mental
+from overuse.  However, since the energy is only siphoned via the mental
 triggering effect, it is quite easy for an out-of-control user to abort the
-invocation at any time).
+invocation at any time.
-The main advantage to spell magic is simplicity.  Since only a small amount of
+The main advantage of spell magic is simplicity.  Since only a small amount of
-mana is needed to invoke the cross-planar siphoning, it is a significantly
+[[mana]] is needed to invoke the cross-planar siphoning, it is a significantly
 easier skill to learn than Rune, Voice, and Psionic magic.  While an intelligent
 person can learn basic spell magic over the course of a few years, most cannot
 fathom Rune, Voice, or Psionic magic -- ever!
-==== 2a) Rune Magic ====
+==== Rune Magic ====
 By aligning material in a certain way (depending on the material and the desired
-effect), the desired mana flow is channeled through the material to invoke an
+effect), the mana flow is channeled through the material to invoke said effect.
-effect.  The necessary requirements on the materials and structure cause for a
+The requirements on the materials and structure create a certain frailty to this
-certain frailty to this type of magic, however the separation from the human
+type of magic.  However, the separation from the human conductor allows for much
-conductor concept allows for much more powerful invocations to be accomplished.
+more powerful invocations to be accomplished.
 All magic items are based (to at least a minor degree) on Rune magic in that
-they must be aligned in such a way so as to hold an enchantment. Thus, a spell-
+their materials must be aligned in such a way as to naturally invoke an enchantment.
-magic sword actually has a rune-magic invocation which allows the spell to
+Thus, a spell-magic sword has a rune-magic invocation that allows the spell to
 remain in effect indefinitely.  Also, alchemical enchantments such as potions
 are a limited form of rune magic.
-==== 2b) Voice Magic ====
+==== Voice Magic ====
-Voice magic (in its simplest terms) is a specific version of Rune magic.  By
+Voice magic (in its simplest terms) is a variant of Rune magic.  By
 vibrating (aligning) the air in a specific manner, magical effects are invoked.
-The most common of these invocations are offensive in nature and generally
+The most common invocations are offensive in nature and generally
-involve hitting a target with a concentrated blast of air or some other
+involve hitting a target with a concentrated blast of energy.
-material.  Voice magic is slightly easier than Rune magic, but is limited to
+Voice magic is slightly easier than Rune magic, but is limited to
 quick, non-complex invocations.  Voice magic is also the only known magic to
-occasionally be invoked by nature.  Certain times, for example, the wind will
+occasionally be invoked by nature.  At certain times, for example, the wind will
-howl through mountains making such a sound as to invoke a magical effect.
+howl through mountains, making such a sound as to invoke a magical effect.
 Usually, these natural magics take the form of enormous visual displays similar
 to the Aurora Borealis on Earth.
-==== 2c) Psionic Magic ====
+==== Psionic Magic ====
 This is another specific version of Rune magic in that the magical effects are
-invoked when the brain is structured in a certain way and a triggering thought
+invoked when the brain is structured in a certain way, and a triggering thought
 process is done.  However, this magic is also unique in that the body and mind
 are used as a gateway for the energies.  Unlike spell magic, though, this energy
-is not siphoned off of another plane, but instead comes from mana.  Thus,
+is not siphoned off of another plane, but instead comes from [[mana]].  Thus,
 psionic magic is a combination of Rune and Spell magic, where pure mana is
 funneled through the user instead of siphoned energy.
-The limitations are clear.  Mana is very powerful and control can easily be
+The limitations are clear.  [[Mana]] is very powerful, and control can easily be
 lost.  Unlike spell magic, though, there is no trigger effect to control the
 energy.  If an invocation goes astray, the user could be severely damaged.
 Combat using psionic magic is also very specific.  Offensive maneuvers using
 this style are almost exclusively based on overloading the sensitive patterns
-within another psionics mind.  Thus, a non-psionic faces little threat from a
+within another psionicist's mind.  Thus, a non-psionic faces less of a threat from a
 psionic attack.  [A terrestrial analogy would be electricity: A small electric
 current can do tremendous damage to electronic devices such as computers, while
 that same amount can do no damage at all to a non-electronic device, such as a
-person.  However, a large current can easily damage a person.]
+person.]
-==== 3) Common invocations ====
+==== Common invocations ====
-Detect Magic -- This invocation simply detects weak spots between the user's
+**Detect Magic** -- This invocation simply detects weak spots between the user's
 plane and the energy planes.  It registers the intensity of the energy being
 siphoned, as well as showing the form of that energy in this plane.  This latter
@@ Line 104: / Line 134: @@
 planes is dependent on their proximity to the energy planes.
-Dispel Magic -- This invocation patches over weak spots between the energy
+**Dispel Magic** -- This invocation patches over weak spots between the energy
 planes and the local area.  Since it stops the flow of energy, it disrupts
 spells likewise.  Note that this invocation has no effect whatsoever on the mana
@@ Line 110: / Line 140: @@
 spell-invocations have built-in safeguards where another trigger effect is
 automatically started when the siphoned energy stops.  Thus, the spell is only
-inactive for a short period of time.
+inactive for a short time.
-Identify -- This invocation is essentially a fine-tuned detect magic.  It allows
+**Identify** -- This invocation is essentially a fine-tuned detect magic.  It allows
 experienced wizards to examine in detail the exact specifications of siphoned
-energies.  It has no effect on mana-based magic.
+energies.  It does not affect mana-based magic.
-Detect Mana -- This invocation registers the level of mana in an area.  Note
+**Detect Mana** -- This invocation registers the level of mana in an area.  Note
 that when used on a spell-magic invocation, it may register an identical level
 for widely different power levels since mana is used only as a trigger.
-Dispel Mana -- This complex (and extremely difficult) invocation removes all
+**Dispel Mana** -- This complex (and extremely difficult) invocation removes all
 mana from an area.  The most common method is to use up the mana very quickly
-(such as with a infinite progression power siphon).  This will cause the entire
+(such as with an infinite progression power siphon).  This will cause the entire
 area to be devoid of mana for a few moments (until replenished by the flow).
-During the mana-crisis on Earth after the gods fled, this drain was of a
+During the mana crisis on Earth after the gods fled, this drain was permanent
-permanent nature and so was not used unless absolutely necessary.  Note also
+and so was not used unless absolutely necessary.  Note also
-that spell-magic uses only a minor trigger effect and once it is in effect, the
+that spell-magic uses only a minor trigger effect, and once it is in effect the
 siphoned energy keeps the spell active.  Thus, if the mana is removed, spell
 magics already active will be unaffected, though new spells cannot be cast until
 the mana is replenished.
-Magic Suppression -- This invocation constricts the flow of siphoned energy to
+**Magic Suppression** -- This invocation constricts the flow of siphoned energy to
 an area.  Thus, most spell-based magic will fail to work in that area.  Even the
 "protected" types of magic with re-triggering will fail to work because the area
@@ Line 137: / Line 167: @@
 for spell-users, but presents no threat to mana-users (such as psionics).
-[[Underdark]] Magic Items -- The dark elves are quite fluent with rune magic and
+**[[Underdark]] Magic Items** -- The dark elves are quite fluent with rune magic and
 use it frequently to construct their "magical" daggers, swords, and cloaks.
 These items, being based on Rune magic, do not register on a detect magic and
 cannot be dispelled.  It is rumored that some Drow know Voice magic as well.
 Since sunlight has a decaying effect on the materials used, these items cannot
-be exposed to sunlight or else the delicate alignment is ruined and the magic
+be exposed to sunlight, or else the delicate alignment is ruined and the magic
 will not be invoked.
-==== 4) The Mana Flow ====
+==== The Mana Flow ====
-By using too much mana too quickly, the mana in an area can be depleted.  Most
+By using too much [[mana]] too quickly, the mana in an area can be depleted.  Most
-of the time, the mana is restored to an area from the mana flow while the
+of the time, the mana is restored to an area from the [[mana flow]] while the
 invocation is active.  However, occasionally, very powerful mana-wizards have
 generated enormous invocations that have depleted the mana in an area for
-several seconds or minutes.  (Persistent rumors exist about wizards who brought
+several seconds or minutes.  Persistent rumors exist about wizards who brought
-forth such a great magic that the area's mana was depleted for over a week.
+forth such great magic that the area's mana was depleted for over a week.
-These tales, however, are dismissed by learned mana-masters).
+These tales, however, are dismissed by learned mana-masters.
-The mana flow is simply the flow of mana from one place to another.  What is
+The mana flow is simply the flow of [[mana]] from one place to another.  What is
 unusual about it, though, is that it follows specific patterns based on terrain.
 Weather causes some variation, though this is usually negligible.  The end
 result is a web-like pattern of mana intensity all over the globe.  Where the
 lines of the web cross, the mana is rich.  Between the lines, the mana is
-weaker.  With very few exceptions, there is no place on the prime world where
+weaker.  With very few exceptions, there is no place in the prime world where
-the mana is too weak to cast a spell-magic trigger.  Thus, spells works without
+the mana is too weak to cast a spell-magic trigger.  Thus, spells work without
-variation worldwide.  Mana-based magic, though, is sensitive to this flow and
+variation worldwide.  Mana-based magic, though, is sensitive to this flow, and
 some powerful invocations may not work in the shallow "troughs" of this web.
-==== 5) Current State ====
+==== State of Magic after III:1108 ====
 Outside the physical plane of existence is, among other things, a dimension
-called [[Cosmology#Elemental|"The Elemental World"]]. This is not a planet as we
+called [[Cosmos#Elemental|"The Elemental World"]]. This is not a planet as we
-know the it, but instead an enormous storehouse for the six elements: the four
+know it, but is instead an enormous storehouse for the six elements: the four
 physical elements (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water) and the two spiritual elements
 (Positive and Negative, also called Good and Evil).  Underlying these six
-elements is a special mixture of all which is called Shadow.  Next to the
+elements is a special mixture of all, which is called Shadow.  (Not to be confused
-spiritual elements, the physical elements are rather insignificant, so when
+with the Shadowfell).
-combined they do not assert themselves as do positive and negative energy.
-During his battle with the Godslayer, Lord Ozzie powered himself up by siphoning
-off energies from the positive and negative planes -- an ability given to him by
-the Shadowlord. However, to rise to the level of the Godslayer, Ozzie had to
-drain an enormous amount of energy very quickly. This left a void on the
-elemental world into which Shadow was able to move. It is now believed that The
-Shadowlord planned for this scenario all along. It is not known, however, how he
-knew that Lord Ozzie would come to need that much power.
-Back on the "prime world", the elemental energies played a key role in the
+Next to the spiritual elements, the physical elements are rather insignificant, so
-nature of magic.  The energies are the power behind almost all magic known to
+when combined, they do not assert themselves as do positive and negative energy.
-wizards.  Another power source, called mana, exists, but is much harder to
+During his battle with the [[Godslayer]], [[Ozzie|Lord Ozzie]] powered himself up
-manipulate.  In order to use elemental energy, though, a magician must tap into
+by siphoning off energies from the positive and negative planes -- an ability given
-a small amount of mana to draw in the required amount of energy.  This is called
+to him by the [[Shadowlord]].  However, to rise to the level of the Godslayer, Ozzie
-the "trigger spell" and is the first skill taught to apprentice magicians.  It
+had to drain an enormous amount of energy very quickly.  This left a void in the
-is perhaps the most difficult skill to grasp and is quite probably the cause of
+elemental world into which Shadow was able to move. It is now believed that the
-most spell failures.  Compared to mana, using elemental energy is trivial.
+Shadowlord planned for this scenario all along.
-Almost all magic, therefore, is based on the following two-step process: 1) Use
-mana as the trigger spell to draw in a certain amount of a certain type of
-elemental energy and 2) Manipulate that energy to produce the desired effect.
-The problem seemed to arise when the elements were replaced by shadow. Suddenly,
+Since elemental energies are a key component in spell magic, the Shadowlord's takeover
-when a wizard needed two parts fire and one part water, he got three parts
+had a profound effect on the use of spells worldwide.  While the exact mechanism of
-shadow!  Even though every ounce of energy would still be available, it would
+this effect is still debated, it seemed to arise because the elements were replaced by shadow.
-not produce the desired effect.  However, within a month of Shadow's takeover of
+Suddenly, when a wizard needed two parts fire and one part water, he got three parts
-the Elements, energies summoned from the elemental world returned to their
+shadow!  Even though every ounce of energy was still available, it did not produce the
-normal state.  Instead of three parts shadow in the above example, the wizard
+desired effect.
-would get two parts fire and one part water.
-However, this did not seem to solve the problem and wizards around the world
+In late March 1109, the
-continued to struggle with their spells.  In late March, 1109, the
 [[council|Council of Wizards]] convened for the first time since the change and
 discussed what had happened.  While no real understanding of the change was
 agreed upon, an edict was issued which stated (in part) that "The magic change
 appears permanent and that all spellcasters should learn a new Trigger Spell".
-However, since no details of this new Trigger spell were not supplied, the
+However, since no details of this new Trigger spell were supplied, the
 membership has been left to fend for themselves.
@@ Line 218: / Line 235: @@
 before, but they no longer do what they did!
-Mana itself remains unaffected by the Shadowlord's takeover and so any magic
+[[Mana]] itself remains unaffected by the [[Shadowlord]]'s takeover and so any magic
-that used mana exclusively is just as potent as it was before January, 1108.
+that used mana exclusively is just as potent as it was before January 1108.
 Psionic powers and certain artifacts are the best examples of this situation.
-[[start|Back to start page]]