Magic

Magic
Magic is the use, manipulation, or inherent systems of a supernatural force that is prevalent throughout most of Talus called mana. Mana can saturate matter and energy overtime, and can be manipulated to emulate, empower, bend, break, or even faithfully duplicate the more natural physical forces of the world. Mana also acts as its own independent entity, and can be distilled into gaseous, liquid, or solid states that can then interact with the physical world. Though mana saturates most of Talus, it seems to follow grand paths across the planet, called leylines. These leylines converge or cross at particular points, prompting various dynamic activity in the land and the entities that dwell within its influence. Lunar influence from both the Lumis and Malus moons also seem to bend overarching mana behavior and affinity, as determined by lycanthropic transformations, the weakening of extraplanar boundaries, and the empowerment - or dampening - of particular fields of arcane influence corresponding to particular lunar cycles and events.

Mana has been used and exploited since the Days of Fury. Part of the legend of that archaic time, in fact, was that mana was so prevalent, that what birds, beasts, and sentiences walked the world were made of the stuff on some level or another. Studies of any surviving texts from the Age of Artifice Arcana refer to the practice of manipulating mana called "magika". More commonly since then, however, mana has been artificially - or at least, intentionally - coalesced into singular entities, often artifacts, called Arcane Conduits. Many of these Conduits are able to draw mana to their locations, acting as leyline anchors, and can direct the flow of mana across the planet.

Fields of Magic
Mana can be manipulated through three major sources, or "fields" of magic. These fields employ mana through different means, even if they can be used to achieve similar spellcraft.

Natural Magic
Natural magical practices bend mana around pre-existing natural constructs or principles. This magic is drawn from within the caster, or the mana of natural materials, and is varied in its form. While druids are the primary practitioners of natural magic, rangers also utilize the magic of the wilderness, and sorcerers draw their magical energy from the mana wells within themselves.

Divine Magic
Divine magic relies on the formulation of spells using spellcraft that has been previously written and established by divine or patronic entities. Divine spells often rely on holy symbols or spell circles that can be mistaken for arcane magic, but the spellcraft itself draws on the formulation and energy of gods or divine entities. Clerics are the primary practitioners of divine magic, though paladins also utilize the magic of the divinities they swear themselves to, and monks draw on the inherent chi instilled in all things.

Arcane Magic
Arcane magic is the most complex and mysterious field of magical practice. It is a field built almost entirely on the study of magic and mana, with spellcraft being formulated through careful trial and error. Most arcane magic relies on complex sigils or incantations to bend mana towards specific purposes. There's no better representation of arcane magic than wizards, though warlocks are granted specific magical abilities through their patrons (who themselves grant those abilities through arcane manipulation), and bards study what has already been discovered to employ arcane magic through music or oration.

Magic As Understood in Meridia
Magic can be a veritable but volatile force in Meridia. The open use of magic in most cities and larger towns is only somewhat unusual. However, it is common knowledge that magic is, to the layman, an unknown force; the demand of dedication to learning the arcane arts, being born innately talented in magic, or - in rare cases - luck, still keeps magic above the heads of simple folk who’d sooner trust their own muscles or brains.

Only a few societies throughout Meridia outright ban magic for some reason or another. However, the obvious applications of magic and its particular demands and lifestyle have constructed a culture of skeptical wariness at best and outright distrust at worst pertaining to it. Magic for show makes for wonderful entertainment among plain folk, but those who either fear magic through lack of understanding, or understand magic and its dangers all too well, know that it can also be used to deceive and do otherwise impossible things. Laws on the practice and use of magic, both publicly and privately, exist. Certain practices of magic - like mind control and necromancy - are outright illegal in most every corner of the nation. Any use of magic used for particular activities (counterfeiting coin, impersonating for personal gain, thievery, manipulation, or other illegal actions) is met with similar - if not worse - lawful repercussions as attempting such actions through non-magical means

Magic ("majyk" to the elves) is the overarching term for any practice regarding the drawing forth or manipulation of mana. Much of Talus' ecosystems and many of its creatures are enriched with mana, though most of it lays inert; this natural environment of mana-heavy ecosystems has led to the proliferation of certain mana-enhanced species - particularly the sentient races. These higher-intelligence creatures were either taught by an extra-planar entity or learned on their own to draw forth mana - either from themselves or the world around them - and then shape it to produce a desired effect.

Most of the races of Talus have devoted at least some energy to better understand magic: for most, as a means of personal gain, either as an individual or for the good of the community; some have tried to approach magic as a study, and have recorded their understandings of magic to share and compound upon. Nevertheless, while certain spells and schools of magical practice have been developed and refined to showcase mortals' concepts of arcane understanding and application, the greater mechanisms of magic remain elusive.

"By Will, Word, and Wand, Magic be done"
Some basic tenets are understood by any apprentice capable of learning the arcane arts: These concepts are captured in the phrase, "By Will, Word, and Wand, Magic be done," an utterance passed down four centuries, though few know its origin.
 * Magic comes from mana, and mana can be found almost everywhere
 * Magic takes many forms, and can be used many ways
 * Magic may require more than mana - items, words, gestures - but it always requires Will.
 * Magic, even a little bit, can do a lot of harm.

Will - the basis of all magic: one must first desire and direct one's consciousness towards that which is not, in order to start to make it so. An initial desire to make a phenomena - in magic's case, normally an impossible one - occur. The complexities of spellwork and manipulation are obviously far more complex than a simple base desire, but the very nature of magic and mana manipulation stems from enacting one's Will - a personal desire - on the cosmic Weave, adjusting fate to your intended outcome. Mana is shown to be a reactive entity, stimulated even by a strong enough emotional cognitive impulse. By imposing one's Will, one opens the floodgates of magic within themselves, and are ready to craft that desire into reality.

Word - the second principle of magic is manifesting the internal desire of one's Will into something external and observable by entities beyond oneself through utterance. Again a great miniaturization of the actual complexities of verbal spellcasting components, the essence of expunging one's own internal Will into Altheris serves as an anchor for the Weave to react around. Whether it be song, specific and complex invocations, or even the precise and directed mental pronunciation of a rehearsed mind, a manifestation of one's Will helps to enact it on reality.

Wand - the third principle is the use of any other reagents that serve as catalysts to enacting one's Will. This is the most ambiguous of the three channelers of magic, as anything beyond one's own internal manifestation of Will is an external entity that is being incorporated towards that singular and personal desire. While the wording of the phrase chooses "Wand", the wording is apparently extremely loose, and refers to not only the handheld magical tool, but also any other reagent or siphon for channeling the manifested Will (mana) - staves, reagents, even somatic gestures are extensions of one's Will and Word.

The Grand Concepts
Mana is both active and reactive, formless and able to express itself in an almost infinite number of ways. It is a quantifiable resource, and is naturally occurring, saturated into many different elements, creatures, and objects.

Grand Magika
The pinnacles of mana-manipulation and understanding of the arcane, the spellwork of Grand Magika can literally be world-rending. Vast, complex matrices of spellcasting and invocations, these spells usually require years of memorization and practice before they can successfully be cast - even then, their toll normally exacts more than simply a massive quantity of mana, requiring prayers, blessings, rare reagents, complex dances or songs, precise somatic gesticulation, or other difficult catalysts.

Wish - one of the most sought-after Grand Magika of them all. The fame of "the Wish" is known by almost every spellcaster as one legend or another - it serves as a holy grail of magical practice for almost every branch, and epitomizes the entire concept of magic itself ("By Word, Wand, and Will, Magic be done.").

The World Spell -

Undo Time -