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Of all subjects in [[Aloria]], one of the least understood is that of magic. Magic is a blanket term for the use of planar essences to deny, shape, or reinforce the reality of Aloria, causing unnatural things to happen. Magic was initially pioneered by the [[Seraph]], who are thought to have been the most powerful mages in all of Alorian history. Devastatingly, the Seraph meddled too much with the fabrics of the universe, and invited the first of several [[Void Invasions]]; when demonic extra-planar forces invaded Aloria through portals from the [[Void]]. Magic itself is incredibly difficult to find, and even more perilous to learn and master. Many cultures and civilizations have an incredibly negative viewpoint towards magic and mages in general due to their association with planar essences, and the risk they pose to themselves--and others--from demonic possession. For those willing to accept all of the risks associated, magic is an amazing and spectacular, if not unnatural, tool that can change the tide of any event in history: for better, or worse.
==Introduction==
Magic is the act of changing the laws of physics, reality, and matter in the world of Aloria by drawing upon other dimensions to break the rules of said world. Magic has a different meaning in nearly all societies, with many Heritages split between loving Magic and hating it. This page explains the logic behind Magic in Aloria. The recommended reading portion is at the top, with an optional section called Expanded Lore at the bottom. However, before tackling what is on the page, you may look for one of the sub-topics of Magic, which are linked below.


==Mages and Magicians==
<gallery mode="packed" widths="80px" heights="150px">
There exists two types of Magic users in Aloria, the Mages and the Magicians. Magicians are far more common, they are the Parlor Magic users that one might encounter on the battlefield or on the side of the street doing simple tricks. Magicians are taught Magic users who have spent years honing a particular skill, but don’t have the ability to call upon other planar essence to create Magic out of nothing. Mages on the other hand are natural born casters of Magic who don’t need reagents to cast their spells. Mages are born with a so called Magespark, a random malformation of their soul that causes them to be able to tap directly from the essences of other planar dimensions. Mages often develop their magical skills naturally at a young age, and continue to refine and specialize their spells over the span of years, but do so entirely independently of any mentor or teacher, and can do so without the need for resources or proverbial casting crutches used by the Magicians. Mages might also exhibit magical mutations while Magicians can continue to blend in with the mundane population (mundanes is a term used to define the non-Magic using population of the world). To play a Mage, you need to have access to a Special Permission granted on the Application thread [https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/revised-special-permission-applications.74988/ here]. To play a Magician, you need an Approved Character Application, but you do not require a Special Permission.
File:Magicschoolse.png|link=Magic Schools|[[Magic Schools]] covers Spell usage.
File:Demonss.png|link=Demonology|[[Demonology]] covers Demon lore.
File:Demonso.png|link=Demon|[[Playing Demon]] covers playable Demons.
File:Arkensslo.png|link=Arken|[[Arken]] covers god-like Demons.
File:Arkenborns.png|link=Arkenborn|[[Arkenborn]] covers playable Demi-Demons.
File:Curssesd.png|link=Curses|[[Curses]] covers how to use Curses.
File:Artifactuss.png|link=Artifacts|[[Artifacts]] covers magical Artifacts.
File:Alariggaens.png|link=Aelrrigan Order|[[Aelrrigan Order]] covers the Mage-Police.
File:Occultlaw.png|link=Occult Law|[[Occult Law]] covers Magic State law.
File:Dukesumons.png|link=Veilwalking|[[Veilwalking]] covers extra Lore.
</gallery>
'''Note:''' Demonology, Demons, and Curses are still under development.
=Quick Start=
This section will discuss how to tackle this page as quickly as possible to get into Roleplay as soon as possible. This page can be read in connection with, or without the [[Proficiency]] page, as the choices here are mostly aesthetic and do not reflect in Combat Roleplay (which requires Proficiencies).  
* '''Step 1''' Read the [[Magic#Dimensions|Dimensions]] section and decide on 1 or multiple dimensional alignments for your Character.
* '''Step 2''' Read the [[Magic#Learning|Learning]] section and decide what type of Origin and Training your Mage Character has.
* '''Step 3''' Read the [[Magic#Regalia|Regalia]] section so you have a general expectation of what Magic Roleplay is like.
* '''Step 4''' Read the [[Magic#Magic_Schools|Magic Schools]] section and select some Schools for your Character.
* '''Step 5''' Remember this information, or write it on your Character Sheet. You are now finished, but you can read the Expanded Lore for more information!
The Expanded Lore section is overwhelmingly long, and we understand if it feels intimidating. If you want to tackle it eventually but need an indicator of which sections are the most important, we recommend [[Magic#Arcane_Harmony|Arcane Harmony]], [[Magic#Magic_Costs|Magic Costs]], [[Magic#Risks_of_Magic|Risks of Magic]], which are most likely to come up in Roleplay. The other sections are roughly ordered in how likely you are to run into them in conversations, but you can just feign ignorance on those topics.  
==Dimensions==
Aloria is protected by an imperceivable barrier called the Veil that separates it from the other dimensions. Magic users learn to grasp this Veil and breach it to draw energy from the other dimensions, which is then used as fuel to create Magic in Aloria. You can align with more than one realm, but we recommend sticking to one or two alignments. While all Mages can breach the Veil in the same way, each Dimension exists somewhere else in the ether. To be "Aligned" means to know how to find them beyond the Veil, connect to them, and draw power from them. This page mostly contains an abbreviated analysis of the Realms that allows you to make a decision. If you want a more in-depth analysis, see the [[Magic Realms]] Page.  


==Spells and Skills==
<gallery mode="packed-overlay" widths="180px" heights="200px">
* Mages are all unique, meaning they all have a uniquely specialized form of Magic where none of the spells are the same as those of any other Mage. It is possible that Magicians have lesser powerful spells that have been derived from the spells of a Mage, but generally speaking each Mage behaves differently. These Magics are defined in a so called Spellbook Document that is attached to a Character Application and is provided by Lore Staff. This information is not part of any Proficiency, that is to say, one can only learn about a Mage and their spells by witnessing them or by hearing of them unless specified otherwise.
File:Voidplane.png|''The Abyss''
* Magicians sacrifice Proficiency Points to buy spells. Each spell may have a varying cost, for example utility spells are relatively cheap because they take less years to master, while combat usable spells tend to take half a decade to master. Magicians rely heavily on reagents and resources for their casting, as such, in-roleplay casting is often limited to what a player is allowed to carry on themselves. These limitations are defined on a spell by spell basis, as not all of them require the same kind of expendable reagents.  
File:Existplane.png|''The Eidolon''
* Both Mages (as a whole) and Magician spells (on an individual level) are categorized between Direct and Indirect spells, and Physical and Mind spells. Direct spells are spells that are cast from point A and target to point B. They always follow a linear path and have a clear goal. Indirect spells are cast from point A and might affect point B, but may also not. Indirect spells are usually area of effect spells or certain ambient effects. Physical spells are spells that can be seen and touched (by manner of speaking, it is not recommended to touch a fire spell) while Mind spells occur only in the minds of those affected, meaning that those who weren’t the target or didn't see the spell occur experience no effects. These definitions are important to consider, because some abilities native to Silven/Sihndar/Vampires etc. are immune to specific spells or react differently to for example Direct versus Indirect spells.  
File:Fairyplane.png|''The Anima''
* Mages can cast as often as they want / is permitted within their Spellbook Document. Any spell limitations are written on said document, and if they are absent, then there are none. Magicians are limited to the quantity of resources they have on them (which in itself is capped by rules on this document). Additionally, Mages can cast Magic as long as their hands are free, while Magicians need a specific item called the Phade Gauntlet (which is actually a glove). A Phade Gauntlet can be taken off and put back on again, but Magicians cannot cast Parlor Magic without such a glove on their hand. The glove can be made of any soft (such as leather, cloth or silk) material, or be of any pattern or color. What makes it special is the Phade Crystal embedded on the back (which may also be of a wide range of colors and patterns since they vary a lot), with so called ley lines of stone thread embroidered, fanning out from the Phade Crystal to the tips of the fingers. These gloves are relatively inexpensive to make and the resources are easy to find, but the production is a time consuming thing. Furthermore, Magician Characters may never carry more than 2 of them on their person at any point in time for balance reasons.
File:Malefiplane.png|''The Hollow''
* Since Mages receive their own Spellbook, this page will not reference their magics in any way. The remainder of the page will contain information about Magician spells. Mage characters are allowed to have Parlor Magic spells (which normally belong to Magicians) but beware that they still require a Phade Gauntlet to cast them, and that they also still cost Proficiency points which may eat away from the Proficiency points spent on Magic in their Spellbook Document.
File:Changeplane.png|''The Vortex''
File:Ordainplain.png|''The Eternum''
File:Knowingplane.png|''The Dictat''
File:Silentplane.png|''The Silence''
</gallery>
* '''The Abyss''' is a realm of darkness, hedonism, and unrestrained freedom, where shadows and eternal red twilight seduce and overwhelm, hosting powerful Demons that seek to impose both liberation and corruption. It is opposed to the Eidolon and allied with the Vortex.  
* '''The Eidolon''' is a realm of perfect angelic tranquility and geometric divine order, where harmony is achieved through strict dogma and harsh repression of deviancy, emphasizing stability and tradition and creating balance. It is opposed to the Abyss and allied with the Eternum.  
* '''The Anima''' is a realm of abundant life and beauty filled with all manner of mystical critters and magical beasts, where immortal Fae wage endless wars of trickery and deceit, conscripting mortals to fight for their amusement. It is opposed to the Hollow and allied with the Dictat.  
* '''The Hollow''' is a necropolis realm of death and finality, where tranquility exists alongside suffering and Demons either consume souls out of hatred of the living or guide mortals to peaceful ends in pity for their pain. It is opposed to the Anima and allied with the Silence.  
* '''The Vortex''' is a realm of relentless change and defiance where chaos reigns and landscapes shift with every blink. Above all, it is a realm in defiance of fate, that nobody is beyond saving, beyond changing, or beyond redemption. It is opposed to the Eternum and allied to the Abyss.
* '''The Eternum''' is a realm of eternal stability and fixed destiny where unchanging beauty and the comfort of the familiar defy decay, yet bring the oppressive weight of immutability. Here, fate is dogmatically followed and obeyed. It is opposed to the Vortex and allied to the Eidolon.  
* '''The Dictat''' is a realm of boundless knowledge and learning--an infinite library that stores every thought--from insights to drivel. Its Demons compulsively seek information and force it on anyone who mistakenly listens. It is opposed to the Silence, and allied with the Anima.
* '''The Silence''' is a realm of absolute emptiness where knowledge and ideas are erased, and Demons destroy thoughts and histories to ensure nothing remains. Its hunger is both the gift of forgetting and the grief of unknown losses. It is opposed to the Dictat and allied to the Hollow.
Alignment does not dictate the types of Magic you can learn. Healing Magic, for example, is not unique to the realm of life. Alignment is chosen for ideological reasons, and while the colors and themes are just guidelines, we recommend gravitating toward them for cohesive character design.


==Magician Spells==
==Learning==
===Cleansing Spell===
Magic can be learned several ways. While it is possible to learn different Dimensions or Schools of Magic at various points in one’s life, a Mage only first learns to connect with the Veil once, which is called their Mage Origin. Mage Origins are split into the following:
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Birth Origin''' refers to a Mage who was aligned to any realm from birth and manifested from an early age.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Teaching Origin''' refers to a Mage who was aligned by being taught by a mentor or book.
* '''Cost:''' 2 Proficiency Points
* '''Blessing Origin''' refers to a Mage who was aligned as a gift or pact with a Demon, God, or another entity.
* '''Summary:''' Use a reagent to thoroughly clean a person or object
* '''Curse Origin''' refers to a Mage who first aligned as a result of a Curse from a Demon or object (never a person).
* '''Detailed:''' The Cleansing Spell can be used to thoroughly clean a person or object(s) from close range. In order to cast this spell, the Magician must possess a dried mixture of Witch Hazel, Fireweed and Sea Salt in a finely crushed form in a satchel called Meylaan Dust. When activating this spell, the Magician must recite the Meylaan incantation (which takes several seconds) after which they may toss a handful or a pinch (depending on how much cleaning is required) Of the dust onto a person or object. As long as the person or object was hit with the dust, the dust rapidly reacts on impact, giving a light blue glow as it attaches itself to any grime, soot, grease, dust, dirt or otherwise unclean blemishes, and removes them from the person to simply fall on the ground. After several seconds of cleaning, the dust dissipates. There is no rule limit to the amount of Meylaan Dust that can be carried around (but the individual ingredients do lose their other properties when this product is made, so they can no longer be extracted or re-used for alchemy).  
This choice relates to how a backstory pans out. E.g., children born with Magic in anti-Magic societies have a harsh childhood, while they have it easy in Magic societies. If you would like more detail about what societies and what cultures or religions are pro or anti-Magic, see the [[Societies and Magic]] page, but this is not required reading as it just goes in-depth about the individual societal attitudes which is only relevant for Character backstories once you feel comfortable expanding. No Origin makes a Mage better at casting Magic. Every Mage must be taught, as even Birth Origin Mages are amateurs despite their born inclination. On a closing note, Blessing Origin can also include what is commonly known in D&D as a Paladin design, a Holy Warrior granted Magic with a particular purpose, and a failure condition that can cause them to become fallen. For more information on this, refer to the [[Holy Warriors]] Page which contains Magic Alignment and information concerning the various types of Holy Warriors spread across the Religions.  


===Guiding Light Spell===
After you decide on your character's Mage Origin, consider how your Character became better at using Magic and practiced. This is called Mage Training. 
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
* '''Mentor Training''' refers to a Mage who was taught Magic by a singular or multiple Mage mentors.
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Book Training''' refers to a Mage who is largely self-taught, learning theory and techniques from books.
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''Trial Training''' refers to a Mage who used a process of dangerous trial and error over any official education.
* '''Summary:''' Cast an orb of light attached to the Magician’s hand to light the way
* '''School Training''' refers to a Mage who attended a prestigious Magical school or academy for learning.
* '''Detailed:''' The Guiding Light Spell can be used to illuminate a room-sized area or provide a comfortable reading light. When activating this spell, the Magician must recite the Aveyle incantation (which takes several seconds) after which they snap their fingers on the hand which has the Phade Gauntlet. Then, as if pinching their hand, a sphere of light appears relative to their pinch gesture on their hand, which will follow their hand around as they move it. This light can be as large as a fist, illuminating an entire room, or as small as the tip of a finger, illuminating only a few pages of a book. While this spell is active, the Magician cannot cast another spell until they remove the Guiding Light, which can be done by breaking the pinching gesture made with their fingers. No reagents are used for this spell.
* '''Divine Training''' refers to a Mage who has their knowledge granted to them by a god of their faith.
* '''Demonic Training''' refers to a Mage who learned Magic from a Demon or can only use it because of a possession.
You can learn different Schools of Magic with different Training at any stage in life. Generally, when someone asks “How did you learn Magic?” you should only have to reply broadly which of the above applies. See [[List_of_Magic_Schools|Magic Academies]] for a list of in-lore places of learning.


===Whistling Pencil Spell===
==Regalia==
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
Regalia, the place where most Roleplay takes place, has a constantly shifting attitude towards Magic. The story goes that Regalia is an Empire with a large Magic-using population, but with non-Mage rulers who are either afraid of or disgusted with Magic. Mages have contributed to saving the Regalian Empire numerous times from catastrophe, but are also immediately blamed for these events. Magic usage is also rife in the criminal underground, leading to a stilted view of how Magic could be used. Progressive forces always try to integrate Magic more into society but are stymied by conservatives who fight to keep Magic hidden. Magic is generally tolerated as long as the Mage casts responsibly and not in public or on the street without the necessary legal reprieve, for example, by being a Knight or having another form of legal exception to the law.  
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Enchant a pencil to write what is being said in close proximity
* '''Detailed:''' The Whistling Pencil Spell can be used to enchant a pencil, graphite, charcoal or brush, to record ongoing conversations or things that are being said without a hand controlling it. In order to activate this spell, the Magician must recite the Tehfil incantation (which takes a few seconds) after which they must hold a pencil with their Phade Gauntlet hand, and squeeze in it. The spell activates after mere seconds, when the pencil starts glowing with a gentle orange hue, and will float in the air until guided to the nearest writing surface (which can be paper or cloth, but also wood). From where it stands, the pencil will record everything that is being said for exactly 10 minutes in a 30 foot radius around it as long as it is said at conversational audio level, after which it will expire and the pencil will break apart and fade away into dust. This spell can be cast 3 times a day, and the pencils are used up as reagents. The pencil can be moved from one place to another while floating and writing, but will cease to write while it is being moved around, until it once again finds an undisturbed surface to write on.


===Mending Spell===
While the law is generally merciful and gentle, opinions on the ground can radically differ from person to person. There are radicals in society who want to hurt Mages for what they are despite the law protecting Mages and prohibiting their abuse. Some Demons seek to feed off Mages or possess them, while some anti-Magic radicals want to outright kill Mages. Mages are also often easy scapegoats for noble schemes, making the day-to-day living of a Mage a careful balancing act between living free and living with restraints to now draw too much attention. Your Mage Character will generally be liked by the majority population but may be randomly attacked by anti-Mage radicals or Demonic forces, while occasionally having to fend off the ignorant arm of the law that over-punishes and misunderstands Magic. For more information on the law, see [[Occult Law]] which details what a Mage can and cannot do in Regalia.
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Repair broken objects with reagents
* '''Detailed:''' The Mending Spell can be used to repair broken or cracked objects as long as the Magician has the raw ingredient available to themselves. For example, a sword that has cracked or a plank that is broken can be repaired as long as they have pure iron ingots or ore, or bark in their other hand. In order to cast this spell, the Magician must invoke the Tharqan incantation, which must continually be spoken for the duration of the mending. They must hold their Phade Gauntlet up to the broken or damaged item (or hold it in their hand) and hold the raw resource used to create or shape the item in their other hand. This resource is then used up to mend any break or cracks in the object they are fixing. These fixes will always remain visible because the spell’s repair is imperfect and leaves behind an imperfect seam or weld. It is also important that the exact composition is used. For example, brass cannot be repaired with just copper or tin, and not at all with iron. Somewhat related materials can be used however, for example, a walking stick can be repaired with either wood, bark, or twigs, but not leaves or soft plant matter. This spell does not work on living things or even plants, and the whole process takes about a minute depending on the size of the damage. As a ground rule, this spell can repair things about the size of the Magician's arm, but no larger. A Sword can be merged back together if it has been splintered, but a bridge cannot be put back together after it has collapsed.  


===Kindling Spell===
==Magic Schools==
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
Magic Schools have grouped ideologies and casting styles with pre-defined Spells that allow Mages to easily access the type of Magic they want to use. Magic Schools are universally available across the world, though some societies and cultures have a stronger cultural connection to specific Schools. The Magic Schools Page contains a list of all available and unavailable Schools that you can use, including easy-to-reference Mechanics that define how to use Magic outside of Combat Roleplay. The [[Magic Schools]] page contains all the relevant information but does not need to be tackled with the Proficiency system as the two do not interact. Limitations to the number of Schools and some thematic overlap can be found there.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Set fire to flammable objects around the caster
* '''Detailed:''' The Kindling Spell can be used to cause small fires to erupt around the caster, useful mid-getaway, or to generally cause havoc, or simply to light a candle or fireplace from a distance. To cast the Kindling Spell, the Magician pulls out a few Fireweed Seeds and crushes them in their Phade Gauntlet hand while speaking the Firaga incantation (which takes a few seconds), after which the dust will spread in the air with a red glow. The Magician can then choose to either funnel this dust to a single object (for example a candle or a fireplace) or to use a chaotic spread. If sent to a single object, it will cause a reliable burn to start on said object that can sustain itself. If sent with a chaotic spread, the dust will fly in all directions and latch onto flammable materials at will. This will, for example, cause dry wood to start singing, hair to start smoking, clothes to combust, or oils and alcohols to burst into flames. These fires are often not self sustaining, and can easily be put out with a blanket or a few stomps with feet, but will grow out of control if left unattended. Because Fireweed Seeds are hard to come by, a Magician may only carry a two-time use quantity on them, per day.  


===Tethering Spell===
=Expanded Lore=
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
This section is not necessary to read to use Magic in Roleplay. However, it contains a lot of technical information on how Magic works, its moral implications, and the place of Magic in Aloria. As such, to avoid some confusion in roleplay, it can still be a good read but can comfortably be delayed until later, as many of the problems that arise from Magic do not present themselves early on for new Characters.  
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
==The Veil==
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
The Veil is an imperceivable barrier that separates the dimensions and realms from Aloria and even each other. The best way to think of the Veil is to picture a shell around the planet of Aloria itself that has cracks in it through which Magic breaks into Aloria. The Veil was once whole (meaning it was impossible to peer through to the other Dimensions), but due to the hubris of the Seraph Civilization, it was damaged, which, in turn, caused the Void Invasions to take place where legions of Abyss Demons tried to purge all life from Aloria. The Veil is currently largely intact but is still damaged from all events in history.
* '''Summary:''' Use a rope to create a trap or binding
* '''Detailed:''' The Tethering Spell can be used for a variety of things, but is also practically a one-time cast because of its heavy reagent usage. A Magician who learns this spell usually carries a rolled up 20 to 30 feet rope around their shoulder that they can then use for their spell at will, but using the spell on this rope will cause it to become immune to any future Tethering Spells. In order to cast this spell, the Magician must recite the Valta incantation (which takes a few seconds) and then use their Phade Gauntlet to brush the rope to cause it to come alive. Then, they whip out their hand and envision their instruction to the rope, after which it will quickly perform their command. The rope can lash out to a foe and quickly entangle itself to their feet, binding them together. The rope can also attach two points together, for example a person and a pillar, to stop someone from falling off a balcony. It can also be used to attach to two points at ground level, creating a tripping wire of sorts. The rope should be thick enough to hold their weight of a person, so it can be used for a variety of things, but can only be used once (since a person carrying multiple thick long ropes on their person is silly).  


===Lustre Spell===
Mages use what their inner awareness can perceive through these cracks, to navigate through this otherwise imperceivable barrier. It stands to reason that should one day the Veil be completely healed, all Magic would be disabled in the world. Scholars, however, posit that this is, at best, a pipeline dream of purists and cannot conceivably happen until all traffic across the Veil ends simultaneously. Demons and Mages simply have no interest in breaking the connection, and it remains open for debate whether this is even possible as some gods and Arken exist both within their respective dimensions and Aloria at the same time with a tether of Magic. To many Alorians living their day-to-day lives, the Veil is largely irrelevant and never spoken of.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 2 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Enchant clothing for aesthetic beauty
* '''Detailed:''' The Lustre spell can be used to give clothing unnatural yet beautiful properties. Ruby Flower and Brightmoss mixed together create Lustre dust, which must be sprinkled on the fabric while speaking the Lustria incantation, the whole process taking a few minutes. After the spell has taken hold, the piece of clothing will reflect light with a diamond-like sparkle, and flow as if to defy gravity or being under water, for several days. Lustre dust only works on fabrics, but can also be used on flags, banners, carpets, and even cloth linings of sofas if need be. It simply does nothing on any other material, while not affecting the Phade Gauntlet in any way even if the dust should be sprinkled on it.  


===Callia’s Grace Spell===
==Elderlaw==
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
Elderlaw, simply put, was the Magic before Magic, a form of doing magical things with energies native to Aloria that are understood to be indistinguishable from Magic in the modern era, but Draconists like to hand-wring it was somehow 'different' in the past. Elderlaw is the power of Dragons, a tool that shapes reality in the universe, but also creates the world of Aloria as it is known. The last civilization of mortals that had Elderlaw was the Seraph. After they damaged the Veil in their hunger for more Magic, the Dragons destroyed all knowledge of Elderlaw to prevent it from falling into the hands of mortals. It is still possible to learn Elderlaw but only through direct Dragon guidance, and they will generally have no reason to do so. This can always be discussed when encountering Dragon DM NPCs or during Divinium Summonings.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 5 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Call forth a magical shield to deflect incoming attacks
* '''Detailed:''' Callia’s Grace Spell can be used to cast a very short window shield that can deflect incoming attacks. Because of its short duration (merely a few seconds) it is not very useful in actual long term combat, but saved up in an emergency situation to recover from a poorly timed attack or an incoming projectile. In order to cast Callia’s Grace, the Magician calls out for Callia’s Grace (which is a simple yell of just the word Callia) after which they hold out their Phade Gauntlet in the direction they want to shield. A magical shield with Altalar wards appears in front of their hand, deflecting any incoming attacks, physical projectiles and melee weapons (but not non-physical magic) for the next two seconds, after which the shield shatters like glass and fades away. This spell requires no reagents, but can at most be cast two times safely in the same 48 hour period. If it is cast a third time, it will still work, but immediately after breaking, the Phade Gauntlet will shatter and be unusable.


===Saying Dust Spell===
The closest a normal person can get to Elderlaw is by using Unicores from the [[Ley Point Buy]] category, through which they produce Unicores that are capable of interfacing with Dragon Sites. Dragon Sites are locations of great Elderlaw power built by Dragons thousands upon thousands of years ago to aid them in the Immortal War when they still waged war on Demons. These sites border somewhere between magical and technological, like magical radar installations or archives where Leystone constructs work as programmed by Dragons in their absence. By interfacing with these Dragon Sites, Unicores can draw on Elderlaw Magic that is indirectly powered by the Dragons, often without them knowing. Many Draconists consider this their birthright by faith but also consider it blasphemy if non-Draconists end up using Leytech and Unicores because it is all part of their belief system.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Use dust to create perfectly accurate images on surfaces
* '''Detailed:''' The Saying Dust Spell can be used to create images that are perfect reflections of what the Magician can imagine, or what the Magician has seen. Images that are created can only be as accurate as the Magician can imagine them, but will always be perfect re-creations of the real thing if they’ve seen it with their own eyes. This spell is cast by invoking the Yterro incantation for as long as tracing the Phade Gauntlet on a surface is necessary. That’s to say, the bigger the image they are trying to project, the more the Gauntlet needs to be traced along the surface. An image can be as small as the swipe of a hand (but it will be very unclear) or as large as an entire wall that may take several minutes to brush over. When the hand touch process is complete, the Magician takes a few steps back, taking a generous hand full of any dust-like material (actual dust or sand, any other reagent material, as long as the grain is very fine) and throws it in a cloud on the surface they cast the spell on. As this dust settles and falls to the ground, it will leave behind lines and light surfaces of the image the Magician was trying to project on the wall. This isn’t always completely flawless in terms of crispness, but specific enough to allow faces to be recognized or places to be identified.  


===Rest-speak Spell===
Dragon Sites are interconnected with so-called Leylines. Leylines are an imperceivable Elderlaw Magic highway that connects both Dragons and Dragon Sites across the world. While Aloria knows many gods (including Dragons, who are also gods), gods are not omniscient or omnipotent. More often than not, are gods (and Dragons subsequently) limited by what they can see. For conventional gods, this is more intangible, as they have some awareness projected by their followers, but Dragons are extremely limited in what they can see and hear wherever they are. The Leylines, however, extend their awareness across the planet, but it should still not be thought of as infallible because the system creates a crude awareness, not an in-depth knowledge of local events. The Leylines are completely inaccessible to Mages, though sometimes Demons break into them, which is problematic since it grants Demons the ability to extend their influence far and wide and corrupt the network from within, which has further serious ecological consequences.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 5 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Use incense to communicate over long distances
* '''Detailed:''' The Rest-speak Spell is a unique spell among the Magician spells in that it requires two people to be cast, who both also need a common reagent (it can be cast with a Magician and non Magician or two Magicians). In order to cast this spell, two people (including the Magician, the Magician casting must always be one of the two people creating the reagent) must weave a braid of plant leaves together, about 6 inches long and tied off at each end with a small piece of rope. In order for this braid to be made, only one of the two individuals needs to know the Rest-speak Spell, and speak the incantation during braiding. Then when complete, it must be cut in half with scissors, after which each of the two individuals takes one half with them. If either of the two individuals throws this half braid into a fire, it will cause the fire to extinguish, leaving behind a very small smouldering green hue, and lots of incense smoke will be produced to fill the void of the flame. If the other person performs the same action in a different location, the incense of the fire will project an image of the other person in the shape of the incense smoke, and allow direct communication between the two with their voice audible, but only their own (even if others are in the room). If you are distance communicating in roleplay, you must (as the receiver of messages sent in PM) emote out those exact messages from the smoke apparition if other players are in audible range. If a person has activated the spell, but the other has not yet, their half of the braid will start to gently vibrate, indicating that the spell has been activated by the other half. In order to cancel out the spell on either side, the person must say “Speak well, rest easy”, after which the original flame will reappear and the incense will disappear. This can be said by either person on either end to sever the connection on both sides, but the spell can effectively be held up indefinitely as long as those words are not said. That being said, the two individuals won’t appear to nor hear each other unless they stand in front of the cauldron or fireplace upon which they cast the spell.  


===Battle Grace Spell===
==Arcane Harmony==
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
Arcane Harmony is the concept of magical strength through harmonizing realms or alignments. A Mage who aligned with opposing or many realms, for example, has reduced Arcane Harmony because their soul becomes conflicted by the many facets of the realms they are connected to. A Mage with low Arcane Harmony can draw upon less magical energy from beyond the Veil and thus cast weaker spells. This does not affect Combat Roleplay Abilities or Stats, it is purely a mechanical approach for how strong Magic should be in more general Roleplay, which we allow Players to moderate themselves. When it comes to determining Arcane Harmony, the following rules apply to determine a Character's harmony:
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* Arcane Harmony is at a perfect 100% as long as a maximum of 2 realms are aligned, and neither realm is of opposing alignment.  
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* Arcane Harmony is reduced by 10% for every additional dimension that is aligned beyond 2, with a maximum reduction of 60%.
* '''Summary:''' Use a battle stance to call forth a particle effect on the caster
* Arcane Harmony is reduced by 10% for every opposing pair that is aligned, with a maximum reduction of 40%.  
* '''Detailed:''' The Battle Grace Spell can be used to cause a Magician fighter to become more terrifying (though it can also be used outside of combat). Casting this spell can be done by invoking the Ashira incantation (which takes a few seconds) and then either crossing arms or weapons/a weapon and a shield/a weapon and an arm (some form of x shape must be made with the body and objects held). After this gesture is made, their body (or clothes/armor) will start releasing a smoke, as if they themselves are extremely hot and releasing a gentle incense-like smoke from all over their body. This smoke can be of any color and even have multiple colors or hues depending on the wishes of the Magician. It does not obstruct the vision of the Magician themselves (they can see through it fine) though others seeing the smoke might get distracted by the erratic movements of the smoke that do not exactly follow the movements of the Magician (since the smoke is much lighter, incense-like and is more susceptible to the movements of air than the body). This effect dissipates after about half an hour, or if the Magician simply wishes it gone. The smoke leaves no residue behind, nor does it use any reagents, or block casting further spells.
* Arcane Harmony can reach 0%, at which a Mage is no longer able to Cast Magic. You should avoid reaching 0%.


===Obstructing Spell===
Note that an Arcane Harmony of 80-90% is still acceptable. As a ground rule, we want to discourage the over-tuning of multiple dimensions and too many opposing pairs. There are circumstances where someone with opposing realms can have a compelling character design, however, so try not to take 100% as an absolute necessity because you may be inadvertently green-housing yourself from interesting character concepts.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Use light telekinesis to control objects in path of movement
* '''Detailed:''' The Obstructing Spell is very simple, yet very useful. It can be cast once per day and blocks any further spell from being cast while it is active on the Phade Gauntlet. In order to cast this spell, the Magician must invoke the Obvantar incantation (which takes several seconds and can be done while on the run). After invoking this spell, touching any furniture or object with this gauntlet will cause said object(s) to shove into the path of the Magician's path that they have already traveled. For example, if they run past a chair, and tap the chair, the chair will then shove to where the Magician was a mere second or two ago when they tapped the object. The force of this shove is often not enough to destroy any objects (unless they are exceedingly fragile) and if the Magician does not move while touching objects with this spell, it will cause the objects to shove into them instead. This spell is useful for creating obstacles in the direct path towards the Magician, meaning that any person pursuing will have to slow down by either going around or over the objects, with a risk of falling.  


===Element Branding Spell===
==Magic Costs==
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
Magic always costs something. Because Magic is inherently against the natural state of reality and the world of Aloria, there is always an impact of Magic on the world, usually not a good one. Elderlaw enforces reality as it was intended and while Magic can suspend or alter that state of reality, Elderlaw will always attempt to correct its reality and snap back like an elastic band would if stretched too far. For Mages, this comes down to mitigating the damage as much as possible, but complete negation is never possible. For them, the question is whether they want to be responsible with their magic usage through proper Venting and discipline, or careless for the sake of personal convenience or indifference. Venting describes the general process of off-loading the cost of Magic onto activities or objects to reduce the damage to the world. Magic is only as immoral as the caster wants it to be. Each Venting process has its moral implications described below.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
====Reagent Venting====
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
Reagent Venting is the act of using reagents or other casting agents to reduce the amount of Magic required, thus reducing the amount of strain on reality. For example, if you were to shoot a fireball spell from nothing, you would first need to suspend the reality law of matter for the spark, then the temperature for heat, and then inertia for movement. A Mage can use a flame spark reagent, such as a small pouch of spark stones, to ignite which removes the need to magically create matter from nothing and also allows the Mage to throw that bag-turned-to-flame, thus also removing the need to suspend the law of inertia. Reagents can be used to reduce the difficulty of a spell, thus reducing its impact, which is seen as a moral benefit.
* '''Summary:''' Create an elemental power on a weapon
====Magestone Venting====
* '''Detailed:''' The Element Branding Spell can be used to cast an elemental charge onto a weapon. This spell can be cast by the Magician reciting the Ilthar incantation, and striking their Phade Gauntlet across the length of a weapon’s blade/tip. This process takes several seconds, but will immediately after take effect based on a dice roll. Roll a /dice 1 4 to determine the outcome. Rolling 1 will result in the weapon catching fire that will burn anyone (except the Magician) when they touch it. Rolling 2 will result in the weapon freezing with a jagged edge, causing any attacks that land on flesh to cause very nasty jagged wounds that create a large amount of life-threatening bleeding. Rolling 3 will result in the weapon glowing white and experiencing less air resistance and feel lighter thus allowing more long-term wielding. Rolling 4 will result in a dead enchant of earth, causing the weapon to crack into hard knobby clay and lose its cutting effect, but suddenly become a heavy blunt weapon. The effects (besides the last one) last for about 10 minutes after which they disappear, the last one reverting back to the normal weapon when the effect is over. This spell can only be used once a day and does not contain any reagent usage.    
Magestone Venting is the act of storing Magic corruption in so-called Magestone, handheld tablets that can contain magical corruption. For every spell a Mage uses, some corruption builds up in their body. Small amounts are generally not a problem, but the more corruption that accumulates, the more dangerous it is to a Mage's health. Corruption can effortlessly be transferred to Magestone where it is securely trapped. Magestone, in turn, can be stored somewhere and will slowly--over the span of years--break down the corruption inside until it becomes inert. In Regalia, several Magestone storage services exist where couriers pick up Magestone tablets from Mages and deliver them to Arcane Vaults guarded by Aelrrigans.


===Element Shot Spell===
Magestone Venting has downsides, however, which is that Magestone by its nature attracts Demons. Demons are attracted to Magic usage, but Magestone has such concentrated magic corruption that Magestone is an almost irresistible delicacy. Arcane Vaults are routinely attacked by Demons who try to break in and consume the Magestone because any Magestone empowers a Demon and makes their Magic more powerful against Elderlaw. Furthermore, there are Demon summoners--and Possessed Mages--who go out of their way to try and steal or make Magestones to feed to their Bound Demons to increase their power. As such, Magestone Venting, while most commonly done and seen as morally good, is somewhat dangerous.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Create an elemental attack with natural forces
* '''Detailed:'''  The Element Shot Spell can be used to create magical projectiles to shoot at an enemy. This spell can be cast by the Magician reciting the Pathay incantation, which takes at least ten seconds (meaning they should do so from a safe location and not mid-combat). When cast, do /dice 1 4 to determine the effect. Rolling 1 results in small balls of fire appearing around a target person, and rapidly expanding to “poof” bursts of fire around them. These flames are not strong enough to ignite anything, but can cause painful burns and obstruct vision. Rolling 2 results in small icicles forming in air around the Magician, and firing at a person of their choice (Roll another /dice 0 3, 0 meaning they miss, 1 meaning they graze the target with minimal cutting damage, 2 meaning they cause bruise damage, 3 meaning some of them pierce the skin and impale the person). Rolling 3 results in a static shock affecting a targeted person to causes them to be unable to move for several seconds. Rolling 4 results in a number of smaller pebbles raising from the ground and shooting at a target person in rapid succession, not large enough to do harm, but annoying enough to act as a distraction and making them want to shield themselves from a constant hail of small stones.


{{Accreditation
It is theoretically possible to Vent Magic into more mundane objects such as jewelry made of Magestone or a staff with a large Magestone gem. The problem with these techniques of Venting is that they cause long term problems to the health of the Mage. Corruption accumulation is best Vented all at once and then gotten rid of. Havinga necklace, for example, in which a Mage can Vent may provide an easy on-the-road solution to Venting, but without immediately discarding the necklace afterwards, it is equivalent to walking around with an irradiated piece of jewelry around one's neck. Furthermore, the benefit of Magestone being sent away means that Demons are not directly attracted to the Mage who made them but are directed elsewhere. By having a necklace on, Demons will hone in on the wearer. These venting techniques are not disallowed but are clarified to have downsides.
|Artists = MonMarty
 
|Writers = MonMarty
====Burdened Venting====
|Processors = WaterDruppel
Burdened Venting is the act of using some immaterial substance or resource of Aloria to off-balance the cost and corruption of Magic. For smaller spells, one should consider using the life essence of an animal or plant to prevent the buildup of corruption, but for larger spells this involves exchanging Divinium, Artifactsparks, or otherwise to substantiate the cost. Burdened Venting prevents any corruption buildup, and thus the need to use reagents or Magestone Venting, but taking life essence from animals, plants, or people is considered immoral. Mages can use Burdened Venting on themselves in a pinch, shaving several years off their own lifespan to empower their Magic or to prevent any corruption from taking place. It is also possible to sacrifice limbs or other body parts, but it should be understood that this is a zero sum game; eventually a Mage has nothing left to sacrifice and will die.
}}
====Ejection Venting====
[[category:Magic]] [[category:Spells]]
Ejection Venting is the act of ejecting all corruption into the atmosphere or environment the moment it forms, making it the most careless and immoral form of Venting. Corruption can take various forms, from outright making people sick with Magical ailments, killing them, or corrupting the environment, for example, by turning plants and animals into rabid monsters. Ejection Venting is often done by criminals or terrorists who pay no mind causing collateral damage.
====Venting in Roleplay====
When it comes to the practicality of roleplaying out Venting, it is assumed most Mages Vent their reality damage off-screen. In other words, you can roleplay one of the above techniques if you want to, but nobody will be policing the correct amount of Venting, or policing how many Magestone tablets are being stored where. When it concerns much larger spells, however, like moving parts of mountains or crushing whole buildings, we ask that you do not defer the reality damage and only use such a spell when a Lore Staff DM is present (for example, during an Event) to moderate the reality effects these spells cause. This is because their effects are usually immediate and the small methods for Venting the reality damage are not available. Abilities, Mechanics and so on are all classified as small Magic usage. Massive spells that have an impact on the world are big Magic usage.
 
==Risks of Magic==
Magic is always a dangerous act even without the inherent buildup of corruption. Changing the laws of physics in the best of cases can have barely constrained outcomes, but for inexperienced Mages can have catastrophic consequences. Magic usage itself has some risks described below.
====Magic Overload====
Each Mage has a so-called Overload threshold, the point at which their body, mind, or both can no longer handle the amount of Magic they are channeling through it. Whether due to skill, teaching, biology, or mere distraction, Mages constantly have to prevent themselves from reaching this limit because Magic Overload is lethal in 95% of the cases. Magic Overload can be reached through constant casting without Venting, or being pushed beyond physical or mental limits in desperation or carelessness. When a Mage enters Overload, they are unable to close their connection to the Veil and continue to cast Magic involuntarily until they either explode from raw Magic or are possessed by a Demon from another realm. In the case of possession, the Mage's soul is immediately and irretrievably destroyed. Magic Overload can be prevented from the outside by having another Mage shut off the connection to the Veil when an Overloading Mage has crossed the threshold but only before their death or possession, leaving both mentally and physically exhausted.
====Magic Corruption====
Magic Corruption occurs when uncontrolled Magic energies leak and cause things--or the body of the mage themselves--to change outside of reality damage. In normal cases, Mages draw energy from the Veil and expend all of it to cast a spell, but sometimes a Mage will draw more Magic and then be careless to use up that energy or send it back. In such cases, that energy has to go somewhere and it will attach to the nearest living thing, or an inanimate object if it cannot find anything living. The most common occurrence of this is magical mutations, resulting in non-aesthetic cancers and flesh growths that are painful. An unfortunate pet in the area of errant Magic might be mutated to some horrible creature, while inanimate objects may become Cursed or toxic to be around. Magic energy that has nowhere to go will become corrosive, damaging, and corrupting in nature.
====Magic Possession====
Possession by Demons is generally dangerous outside of Magic Overload, and one of the first things Mages learn when they study Magic is how to guard their mind from being taken over by a Demon. Even Bound Demons have a hunger to assume the body of a mortal as a skin suit through which to experience Aloria naturally, a process which is bad for the host. Demons are always looking for Mages who aren’t careful what they are pulling from the Veil. This is why most Mages say that they have “one eye on the Magic, one eye on hunger looking back” - to illustrate that part of their focus is making sure that what energy they are drawing on doesn’t have a Demon attached to it. Demons will constantly prod at Mages to try and break into their mind even when they are not casting Magic. Most Mages protect themselves with wards and spells that reasonably keep them safe so they can enjoy life without worrying too much, but untrained Mages are at exceptionally high risk for possession because they never learn how to deal with this threat effectively, and are less skilled at weaving the protections necessary for themselves.
 
==Magic Detection==
What is magical and what is not magical isn't always as easily determined in the world of Aloria. To complicate things further, Mages can hide certain aspects of their magic, or create self-obfuscating Curses or Spells on objects that make their magical nature not easily detectable. This section will discuss the visibility of Magic and what tools Mages (and anti-Mages) have available to hide or detect Magic. The rules and other things to do with Magic detection or hiding Magic are described below.
* All Mages can be detected by other Mages, and even some technological devices can detect Mages. However, this does not mean detection is immediate. For a Mage to be detected, another Mage (or technician) must activate their magic detection, and Magic detection only works in touch range.
* Active spellcasting can never be hidden, even from non-Mages or people who have never seen Magic before. Any Point Buy Abilities, Mechanics, or Attack Emotes using Magic of any kind are immediately telegraphed, even if their explicit spell effects cannot be told.
* Mages who are shapeshifted or disguised can suppress their Magic. While they are suppressing their magic, however, they are unable to use any Magic, either Magic inclined Point Buy Abilities, Mechanics, or Attack Emotes that derive from a Magic Proficiency Stat.
* Cursed Items generally hide their own magic, meaning a Mage (or technician) cannot detect their curse until it has activated. Some Cursed objects will reveal their own nature on purpose, and Artifacts can never be hidden. Some DM Characters may also detect Cursed objects.
* Magic Sight is an aesthetic form of Magic detection that allows each Mage to have a customized personalized silhouette with colors and lights to identify their Magic. This can only be used to identify a Character past disguises or shapeshifting with consent.
* When a Mage or piece of technology has detected the Magic inside an object or person, they are generally able to distinguish from which realm or dimension it is aligned and whether it is a mortal, object, or Demon, though sometimes Demons can tamper with the effects.
One might observe that with these rules in place, it is difficult for a Mage to cheat at a game of dice. Rather than the simple method of hiding a spell under the table (which is not possible), Mages should think harder about how to apply their magic in a hidden manner. A spell cast on a rolling dice before the game has started, for example, to cause it to land on the desired number is more effective than casting Magic at the dice rolling table.
 
==Curse Magic==
Magic has a form of time-delayed or condition-activated spells generally referred to as Curses. Curses are generally part of the Magic School but a more unique application of them that is usually seen as immoral. There are very few applications that would warrant a time or condition-delayed spell, so more often than not is this form of application used to spring traps on the unsuspecting or create a long-lasting negative effect on someone who has wronged a Mage. Because of the more complex techniques involving the casting of Curses, Curses are also not as simple to remove as other temporary or immediate Spell effects which can often even be removed by the mundane with the necessary anti-Magic items or tools. Because Curse Magic is so different from regular Magic, it is offloaded onto its own [[Curses]] Page.
 
==Archmages==
The concept of Archmages is largely lost to time due to the reduction of Magic in the world. An Archmage is a Mage who is so powerful they can destroy whole mountain ranges or flood whole valleys with Magic using only their minds, without it immediately Magic Overloading them. Archmages are so immensely powerful that they reach the approximation of Gods, but there are no active Archmages in the modern world. When the Cataclysm happened, Magic received such a shock in the world that it took centuries to recover even a portion of the amount of Magic present in the world. The reality is that less than a tenth of the amount of Magic that was present during the time of the Allorn Empire remains so Magic simply is not as prolific as needed to birth Archmages. That being said, some people who were Archmages many centuries ago are still alive in the modern era, albeit with their Magic reduced or completely lost. Archmages are almost universally reviled when regarded historically, as they destroyed much of the political stability of the Allorn Empire during the Mage Wars era, and are a prelude to a Mage seizure of power as no mundane people can stand in their way.
 
==Magic Prevalence==
Despite the common usage of Magic among the player base of MassiveCraft, Magic in the world of Aloria is actually pretty rare. It is estimated that for every 1000 people, only 20 of them are Mages. And of those 20, 19 of them are taught through some later-in-life training, while only 1 in every 20 Mages has a Birth Origin. In short, 1 in every 1000 people is a born Mage. On top of these numbers, the rate of Mages who reach adulthood is estimated between 40-60% of this number due to the effects of war, famine, violence, purists, and Demonic possessions in a pre-modern world. The world is dangerous for Mages, and being a Mage tends to shorten life expectancy because of these dangerous outside forces.
 
Magic has a more prevalent foreground in the public zeitgeist because a hundred Anglian peasants tilling their fields won't draw as much attention as a single Elf casting fireballs in the street. Magic always has an over-inflated presence in public discourse, despite its relative rarity. We do not impose limitations on the number of Magical Characters among the player base, however, because Magic is a great equalizer that helps characters tackle conventional structures of oppression and change the status quo for the better, and everyone should be allowed to do that. The numbers used in this section are reflective of the Regalian Empire, and the direct roleplay world players experience. Other places, like the Allorn Empire, or other Elf-like societies, have much higher degrees of Magic usage, almost as close as 50%, but they are not relevant for the immediate world that Regalians exist in. There are also places like the Ashal Isles with 0 Mages in them, but these places are equally not relevant to day-to-day roleplay.
 
==Magic Studies==
Magic as a field of research is notably not exclusive to Mages only. There are, in fact, far more Magic scholars and academics in the world than there are Mages, just mundane intellectuals trying to grapple with and study the concept of Magic and its effects on the world. Arcanology is generally a popular field of study because non-Magic using scholars are popular among non-Magic using rulers and politicians. Mages have a reputation for downplaying the dangers of Magic and overplaying their usefulness to statecraft. Regalia frequently allows Mages to self-dictate laws through for example appointing a Mage to Arcane Minister who determines the strictness of the law on Magic. This practice has, however, been criticized among purists and anti-Magic people as wolves deciding how many sheep they are allowed to eat, in a society comprised of sheep and wolves. The conclusion is if your character is not a Mage, that does not exclude them from knowing about Magic. Any aspect of Magic can be learned and understood both in the context of its application, and effects on the world, by someone who is not a Mage or magically inclined.
 
==Mutations and Bodymodding==
One of the common points of contention about Magic is its habit of corrupting, and thus causing mutations. Corruption is unequivocally a bad thing, and mutations never cause a person to derive positive benefits from having Magic wreak havoc on their body. Because of the habit of Magic corrupting reality, mutations caused by Magic corruption are almost always cancerous or necrotizing flesh or tissue that breaks down the body. Magical corruption damaging the body is painful but is generally reversible, ironically, with further use of safely practiced Magic. Body-modding is distinct from corruption-caused mutations, in that body-modding is the safe modification of the body to have different features than naturally possible. Think of the creation of horns, tails, feathers, or hair, changing colors, causing tattoos to move or change shape, etc. Players are free to use Magic to body-mod their character to any desired appearance.
 
Eye color changes are a very common feature among Mages, Afflicted, and those with Affinities. Any of these can have Bodymodded eyes of any color, orientation, or composition. Godborn for example commonly inherit the eye colors of their parents, or some kind of coloring and appearance that imitates their God-parent's theme, but Players have free choice in this. Similarly, purple irises are commonly a hallmark of Dragons and Dragon-minded people, but the Archon (Dragon warriors) can just as well have white glowing eyes or green irises with gold-yellow flecks in them. For example, eye colors are usually visual guidelines for those who lack ideas at first value, but Players are encouraged to be creative.

Latest revision as of 18:05, 14 April 2025

Introduction

Magic is the act of changing the laws of physics, reality, and matter in the world of Aloria by drawing upon other dimensions to break the rules of said world. Magic has a different meaning in nearly all societies, with many Heritages split between loving Magic and hating it. This page explains the logic behind Magic in Aloria. The recommended reading portion is at the top, with an optional section called Expanded Lore at the bottom. However, before tackling what is on the page, you may look for one of the sub-topics of Magic, which are linked below.

Note: Demonology, Demons, and Curses are still under development.

Quick Start

This section will discuss how to tackle this page as quickly as possible to get into Roleplay as soon as possible. This page can be read in connection with, or without the Proficiency page, as the choices here are mostly aesthetic and do not reflect in Combat Roleplay (which requires Proficiencies).

  • Step 1 Read the Dimensions section and decide on 1 or multiple dimensional alignments for your Character.
  • Step 2 Read the Learning section and decide what type of Origin and Training your Mage Character has.
  • Step 3 Read the Regalia section so you have a general expectation of what Magic Roleplay is like.
  • Step 4 Read the Magic Schools section and select some Schools for your Character.
  • Step 5 Remember this information, or write it on your Character Sheet. You are now finished, but you can read the Expanded Lore for more information!

The Expanded Lore section is overwhelmingly long, and we understand if it feels intimidating. If you want to tackle it eventually but need an indicator of which sections are the most important, we recommend Arcane Harmony, Magic Costs, Risks of Magic, which are most likely to come up in Roleplay. The other sections are roughly ordered in how likely you are to run into them in conversations, but you can just feign ignorance on those topics.

Dimensions

Aloria is protected by an imperceivable barrier called the Veil that separates it from the other dimensions. Magic users learn to grasp this Veil and breach it to draw energy from the other dimensions, which is then used as fuel to create Magic in Aloria. You can align with more than one realm, but we recommend sticking to one or two alignments. While all Mages can breach the Veil in the same way, each Dimension exists somewhere else in the ether. To be "Aligned" means to know how to find them beyond the Veil, connect to them, and draw power from them. This page mostly contains an abbreviated analysis of the Realms that allows you to make a decision. If you want a more in-depth analysis, see the Magic Realms Page.

  • The Abyss is a realm of darkness, hedonism, and unrestrained freedom, where shadows and eternal red twilight seduce and overwhelm, hosting powerful Demons that seek to impose both liberation and corruption. It is opposed to the Eidolon and allied with the Vortex.
  • The Eidolon is a realm of perfect angelic tranquility and geometric divine order, where harmony is achieved through strict dogma and harsh repression of deviancy, emphasizing stability and tradition and creating balance. It is opposed to the Abyss and allied with the Eternum.
  • The Anima is a realm of abundant life and beauty filled with all manner of mystical critters and magical beasts, where immortal Fae wage endless wars of trickery and deceit, conscripting mortals to fight for their amusement. It is opposed to the Hollow and allied with the Dictat.
  • The Hollow is a necropolis realm of death and finality, where tranquility exists alongside suffering and Demons either consume souls out of hatred of the living or guide mortals to peaceful ends in pity for their pain. It is opposed to the Anima and allied with the Silence.
  • The Vortex is a realm of relentless change and defiance where chaos reigns and landscapes shift with every blink. Above all, it is a realm in defiance of fate, that nobody is beyond saving, beyond changing, or beyond redemption. It is opposed to the Eternum and allied to the Abyss.
  • The Eternum is a realm of eternal stability and fixed destiny where unchanging beauty and the comfort of the familiar defy decay, yet bring the oppressive weight of immutability. Here, fate is dogmatically followed and obeyed. It is opposed to the Vortex and allied to the Eidolon.
  • The Dictat is a realm of boundless knowledge and learning--an infinite library that stores every thought--from insights to drivel. Its Demons compulsively seek information and force it on anyone who mistakenly listens. It is opposed to the Silence, and allied with the Anima.
  • The Silence is a realm of absolute emptiness where knowledge and ideas are erased, and Demons destroy thoughts and histories to ensure nothing remains. Its hunger is both the gift of forgetting and the grief of unknown losses. It is opposed to the Dictat and allied to the Hollow.

Alignment does not dictate the types of Magic you can learn. Healing Magic, for example, is not unique to the realm of life. Alignment is chosen for ideological reasons, and while the colors and themes are just guidelines, we recommend gravitating toward them for cohesive character design.

Learning

Magic can be learned several ways. While it is possible to learn different Dimensions or Schools of Magic at various points in one’s life, a Mage only first learns to connect with the Veil once, which is called their Mage Origin. Mage Origins are split into the following:

  • Birth Origin refers to a Mage who was aligned to any realm from birth and manifested from an early age.
  • Teaching Origin refers to a Mage who was aligned by being taught by a mentor or book.
  • Blessing Origin refers to a Mage who was aligned as a gift or pact with a Demon, God, or another entity.
  • Curse Origin refers to a Mage who first aligned as a result of a Curse from a Demon or object (never a person).

This choice relates to how a backstory pans out. E.g., children born with Magic in anti-Magic societies have a harsh childhood, while they have it easy in Magic societies. If you would like more detail about what societies and what cultures or religions are pro or anti-Magic, see the Societies and Magic page, but this is not required reading as it just goes in-depth about the individual societal attitudes which is only relevant for Character backstories once you feel comfortable expanding. No Origin makes a Mage better at casting Magic. Every Mage must be taught, as even Birth Origin Mages are amateurs despite their born inclination. On a closing note, Blessing Origin can also include what is commonly known in D&D as a Paladin design, a Holy Warrior granted Magic with a particular purpose, and a failure condition that can cause them to become fallen. For more information on this, refer to the Holy Warriors Page which contains Magic Alignment and information concerning the various types of Holy Warriors spread across the Religions.

After you decide on your character's Mage Origin, consider how your Character became better at using Magic and practiced. This is called Mage Training.

  • Mentor Training refers to a Mage who was taught Magic by a singular or multiple Mage mentors.
  • Book Training refers to a Mage who is largely self-taught, learning theory and techniques from books.
  • Trial Training refers to a Mage who used a process of dangerous trial and error over any official education.
  • School Training refers to a Mage who attended a prestigious Magical school or academy for learning.
  • Divine Training refers to a Mage who has their knowledge granted to them by a god of their faith.
  • Demonic Training refers to a Mage who learned Magic from a Demon or can only use it because of a possession.

You can learn different Schools of Magic with different Training at any stage in life. Generally, when someone asks “How did you learn Magic?” you should only have to reply broadly which of the above applies. See Magic Academies for a list of in-lore places of learning.

Regalia

Regalia, the place where most Roleplay takes place, has a constantly shifting attitude towards Magic. The story goes that Regalia is an Empire with a large Magic-using population, but with non-Mage rulers who are either afraid of or disgusted with Magic. Mages have contributed to saving the Regalian Empire numerous times from catastrophe, but are also immediately blamed for these events. Magic usage is also rife in the criminal underground, leading to a stilted view of how Magic could be used. Progressive forces always try to integrate Magic more into society but are stymied by conservatives who fight to keep Magic hidden. Magic is generally tolerated as long as the Mage casts responsibly and not in public or on the street without the necessary legal reprieve, for example, by being a Knight or having another form of legal exception to the law.

While the law is generally merciful and gentle, opinions on the ground can radically differ from person to person. There are radicals in society who want to hurt Mages for what they are despite the law protecting Mages and prohibiting their abuse. Some Demons seek to feed off Mages or possess them, while some anti-Magic radicals want to outright kill Mages. Mages are also often easy scapegoats for noble schemes, making the day-to-day living of a Mage a careful balancing act between living free and living with restraints to now draw too much attention. Your Mage Character will generally be liked by the majority population but may be randomly attacked by anti-Mage radicals or Demonic forces, while occasionally having to fend off the ignorant arm of the law that over-punishes and misunderstands Magic. For more information on the law, see Occult Law which details what a Mage can and cannot do in Regalia.

Magic Schools

Magic Schools have grouped ideologies and casting styles with pre-defined Spells that allow Mages to easily access the type of Magic they want to use. Magic Schools are universally available across the world, though some societies and cultures have a stronger cultural connection to specific Schools. The Magic Schools Page contains a list of all available and unavailable Schools that you can use, including easy-to-reference Mechanics that define how to use Magic outside of Combat Roleplay. The Magic Schools page contains all the relevant information but does not need to be tackled with the Proficiency system as the two do not interact. Limitations to the number of Schools and some thematic overlap can be found there.

Expanded Lore

This section is not necessary to read to use Magic in Roleplay. However, it contains a lot of technical information on how Magic works, its moral implications, and the place of Magic in Aloria. As such, to avoid some confusion in roleplay, it can still be a good read but can comfortably be delayed until later, as many of the problems that arise from Magic do not present themselves early on for new Characters.

The Veil

The Veil is an imperceivable barrier that separates the dimensions and realms from Aloria and even each other. The best way to think of the Veil is to picture a shell around the planet of Aloria itself that has cracks in it through which Magic breaks into Aloria. The Veil was once whole (meaning it was impossible to peer through to the other Dimensions), but due to the hubris of the Seraph Civilization, it was damaged, which, in turn, caused the Void Invasions to take place where legions of Abyss Demons tried to purge all life from Aloria. The Veil is currently largely intact but is still damaged from all events in history.

Mages use what their inner awareness can perceive through these cracks, to navigate through this otherwise imperceivable barrier. It stands to reason that should one day the Veil be completely healed, all Magic would be disabled in the world. Scholars, however, posit that this is, at best, a pipeline dream of purists and cannot conceivably happen until all traffic across the Veil ends simultaneously. Demons and Mages simply have no interest in breaking the connection, and it remains open for debate whether this is even possible as some gods and Arken exist both within their respective dimensions and Aloria at the same time with a tether of Magic. To many Alorians living their day-to-day lives, the Veil is largely irrelevant and never spoken of.

Elderlaw

Elderlaw, simply put, was the Magic before Magic, a form of doing magical things with energies native to Aloria that are understood to be indistinguishable from Magic in the modern era, but Draconists like to hand-wring it was somehow 'different' in the past. Elderlaw is the power of Dragons, a tool that shapes reality in the universe, but also creates the world of Aloria as it is known. The last civilization of mortals that had Elderlaw was the Seraph. After they damaged the Veil in their hunger for more Magic, the Dragons destroyed all knowledge of Elderlaw to prevent it from falling into the hands of mortals. It is still possible to learn Elderlaw but only through direct Dragon guidance, and they will generally have no reason to do so. This can always be discussed when encountering Dragon DM NPCs or during Divinium Summonings.

The closest a normal person can get to Elderlaw is by using Unicores from the Ley Point Buy category, through which they produce Unicores that are capable of interfacing with Dragon Sites. Dragon Sites are locations of great Elderlaw power built by Dragons thousands upon thousands of years ago to aid them in the Immortal War when they still waged war on Demons. These sites border somewhere between magical and technological, like magical radar installations or archives where Leystone constructs work as programmed by Dragons in their absence. By interfacing with these Dragon Sites, Unicores can draw on Elderlaw Magic that is indirectly powered by the Dragons, often without them knowing. Many Draconists consider this their birthright by faith but also consider it blasphemy if non-Draconists end up using Leytech and Unicores because it is all part of their belief system.

Dragon Sites are interconnected with so-called Leylines. Leylines are an imperceivable Elderlaw Magic highway that connects both Dragons and Dragon Sites across the world. While Aloria knows many gods (including Dragons, who are also gods), gods are not omniscient or omnipotent. More often than not, are gods (and Dragons subsequently) limited by what they can see. For conventional gods, this is more intangible, as they have some awareness projected by their followers, but Dragons are extremely limited in what they can see and hear wherever they are. The Leylines, however, extend their awareness across the planet, but it should still not be thought of as infallible because the system creates a crude awareness, not an in-depth knowledge of local events. The Leylines are completely inaccessible to Mages, though sometimes Demons break into them, which is problematic since it grants Demons the ability to extend their influence far and wide and corrupt the network from within, which has further serious ecological consequences.

Arcane Harmony

Arcane Harmony is the concept of magical strength through harmonizing realms or alignments. A Mage who aligned with opposing or many realms, for example, has reduced Arcane Harmony because their soul becomes conflicted by the many facets of the realms they are connected to. A Mage with low Arcane Harmony can draw upon less magical energy from beyond the Veil and thus cast weaker spells. This does not affect Combat Roleplay Abilities or Stats, it is purely a mechanical approach for how strong Magic should be in more general Roleplay, which we allow Players to moderate themselves. When it comes to determining Arcane Harmony, the following rules apply to determine a Character's harmony:

  • Arcane Harmony is at a perfect 100% as long as a maximum of 2 realms are aligned, and neither realm is of opposing alignment.
  • Arcane Harmony is reduced by 10% for every additional dimension that is aligned beyond 2, with a maximum reduction of 60%.
  • Arcane Harmony is reduced by 10% for every opposing pair that is aligned, with a maximum reduction of 40%.
  • Arcane Harmony can reach 0%, at which a Mage is no longer able to Cast Magic. You should avoid reaching 0%.

Note that an Arcane Harmony of 80-90% is still acceptable. As a ground rule, we want to discourage the over-tuning of multiple dimensions and too many opposing pairs. There are circumstances where someone with opposing realms can have a compelling character design, however, so try not to take 100% as an absolute necessity because you may be inadvertently green-housing yourself from interesting character concepts.

Magic Costs

Magic always costs something. Because Magic is inherently against the natural state of reality and the world of Aloria, there is always an impact of Magic on the world, usually not a good one. Elderlaw enforces reality as it was intended and while Magic can suspend or alter that state of reality, Elderlaw will always attempt to correct its reality and snap back like an elastic band would if stretched too far. For Mages, this comes down to mitigating the damage as much as possible, but complete negation is never possible. For them, the question is whether they want to be responsible with their magic usage through proper Venting and discipline, or careless for the sake of personal convenience or indifference. Venting describes the general process of off-loading the cost of Magic onto activities or objects to reduce the damage to the world. Magic is only as immoral as the caster wants it to be. Each Venting process has its moral implications described below.

Reagent Venting

Reagent Venting is the act of using reagents or other casting agents to reduce the amount of Magic required, thus reducing the amount of strain on reality. For example, if you were to shoot a fireball spell from nothing, you would first need to suspend the reality law of matter for the spark, then the temperature for heat, and then inertia for movement. A Mage can use a flame spark reagent, such as a small pouch of spark stones, to ignite which removes the need to magically create matter from nothing and also allows the Mage to throw that bag-turned-to-flame, thus also removing the need to suspend the law of inertia. Reagents can be used to reduce the difficulty of a spell, thus reducing its impact, which is seen as a moral benefit.

Magestone Venting

Magestone Venting is the act of storing Magic corruption in so-called Magestone, handheld tablets that can contain magical corruption. For every spell a Mage uses, some corruption builds up in their body. Small amounts are generally not a problem, but the more corruption that accumulates, the more dangerous it is to a Mage's health. Corruption can effortlessly be transferred to Magestone where it is securely trapped. Magestone, in turn, can be stored somewhere and will slowly--over the span of years--break down the corruption inside until it becomes inert. In Regalia, several Magestone storage services exist where couriers pick up Magestone tablets from Mages and deliver them to Arcane Vaults guarded by Aelrrigans.

Magestone Venting has downsides, however, which is that Magestone by its nature attracts Demons. Demons are attracted to Magic usage, but Magestone has such concentrated magic corruption that Magestone is an almost irresistible delicacy. Arcane Vaults are routinely attacked by Demons who try to break in and consume the Magestone because any Magestone empowers a Demon and makes their Magic more powerful against Elderlaw. Furthermore, there are Demon summoners--and Possessed Mages--who go out of their way to try and steal or make Magestones to feed to their Bound Demons to increase their power. As such, Magestone Venting, while most commonly done and seen as morally good, is somewhat dangerous.

It is theoretically possible to Vent Magic into more mundane objects such as jewelry made of Magestone or a staff with a large Magestone gem. The problem with these techniques of Venting is that they cause long term problems to the health of the Mage. Corruption accumulation is best Vented all at once and then gotten rid of. Havinga necklace, for example, in which a Mage can Vent may provide an easy on-the-road solution to Venting, but without immediately discarding the necklace afterwards, it is equivalent to walking around with an irradiated piece of jewelry around one's neck. Furthermore, the benefit of Magestone being sent away means that Demons are not directly attracted to the Mage who made them but are directed elsewhere. By having a necklace on, Demons will hone in on the wearer. These venting techniques are not disallowed but are clarified to have downsides.

Burdened Venting

Burdened Venting is the act of using some immaterial substance or resource of Aloria to off-balance the cost and corruption of Magic. For smaller spells, one should consider using the life essence of an animal or plant to prevent the buildup of corruption, but for larger spells this involves exchanging Divinium, Artifactsparks, or otherwise to substantiate the cost. Burdened Venting prevents any corruption buildup, and thus the need to use reagents or Magestone Venting, but taking life essence from animals, plants, or people is considered immoral. Mages can use Burdened Venting on themselves in a pinch, shaving several years off their own lifespan to empower their Magic or to prevent any corruption from taking place. It is also possible to sacrifice limbs or other body parts, but it should be understood that this is a zero sum game; eventually a Mage has nothing left to sacrifice and will die.

Ejection Venting

Ejection Venting is the act of ejecting all corruption into the atmosphere or environment the moment it forms, making it the most careless and immoral form of Venting. Corruption can take various forms, from outright making people sick with Magical ailments, killing them, or corrupting the environment, for example, by turning plants and animals into rabid monsters. Ejection Venting is often done by criminals or terrorists who pay no mind causing collateral damage.

Venting in Roleplay

When it comes to the practicality of roleplaying out Venting, it is assumed most Mages Vent their reality damage off-screen. In other words, you can roleplay one of the above techniques if you want to, but nobody will be policing the correct amount of Venting, or policing how many Magestone tablets are being stored where. When it concerns much larger spells, however, like moving parts of mountains or crushing whole buildings, we ask that you do not defer the reality damage and only use such a spell when a Lore Staff DM is present (for example, during an Event) to moderate the reality effects these spells cause. This is because their effects are usually immediate and the small methods for Venting the reality damage are not available. Abilities, Mechanics and so on are all classified as small Magic usage. Massive spells that have an impact on the world are big Magic usage.

Risks of Magic

Magic is always a dangerous act even without the inherent buildup of corruption. Changing the laws of physics in the best of cases can have barely constrained outcomes, but for inexperienced Mages can have catastrophic consequences. Magic usage itself has some risks described below.

Magic Overload

Each Mage has a so-called Overload threshold, the point at which their body, mind, or both can no longer handle the amount of Magic they are channeling through it. Whether due to skill, teaching, biology, or mere distraction, Mages constantly have to prevent themselves from reaching this limit because Magic Overload is lethal in 95% of the cases. Magic Overload can be reached through constant casting without Venting, or being pushed beyond physical or mental limits in desperation or carelessness. When a Mage enters Overload, they are unable to close their connection to the Veil and continue to cast Magic involuntarily until they either explode from raw Magic or are possessed by a Demon from another realm. In the case of possession, the Mage's soul is immediately and irretrievably destroyed. Magic Overload can be prevented from the outside by having another Mage shut off the connection to the Veil when an Overloading Mage has crossed the threshold but only before their death or possession, leaving both mentally and physically exhausted.

Magic Corruption

Magic Corruption occurs when uncontrolled Magic energies leak and cause things--or the body of the mage themselves--to change outside of reality damage. In normal cases, Mages draw energy from the Veil and expend all of it to cast a spell, but sometimes a Mage will draw more Magic and then be careless to use up that energy or send it back. In such cases, that energy has to go somewhere and it will attach to the nearest living thing, or an inanimate object if it cannot find anything living. The most common occurrence of this is magical mutations, resulting in non-aesthetic cancers and flesh growths that are painful. An unfortunate pet in the area of errant Magic might be mutated to some horrible creature, while inanimate objects may become Cursed or toxic to be around. Magic energy that has nowhere to go will become corrosive, damaging, and corrupting in nature.

Magic Possession

Possession by Demons is generally dangerous outside of Magic Overload, and one of the first things Mages learn when they study Magic is how to guard their mind from being taken over by a Demon. Even Bound Demons have a hunger to assume the body of a mortal as a skin suit through which to experience Aloria naturally, a process which is bad for the host. Demons are always looking for Mages who aren’t careful what they are pulling from the Veil. This is why most Mages say that they have “one eye on the Magic, one eye on hunger looking back” - to illustrate that part of their focus is making sure that what energy they are drawing on doesn’t have a Demon attached to it. Demons will constantly prod at Mages to try and break into their mind even when they are not casting Magic. Most Mages protect themselves with wards and spells that reasonably keep them safe so they can enjoy life without worrying too much, but untrained Mages are at exceptionally high risk for possession because they never learn how to deal with this threat effectively, and are less skilled at weaving the protections necessary for themselves.

Magic Detection

What is magical and what is not magical isn't always as easily determined in the world of Aloria. To complicate things further, Mages can hide certain aspects of their magic, or create self-obfuscating Curses or Spells on objects that make their magical nature not easily detectable. This section will discuss the visibility of Magic and what tools Mages (and anti-Mages) have available to hide or detect Magic. The rules and other things to do with Magic detection or hiding Magic are described below.

  • All Mages can be detected by other Mages, and even some technological devices can detect Mages. However, this does not mean detection is immediate. For a Mage to be detected, another Mage (or technician) must activate their magic detection, and Magic detection only works in touch range.
  • Active spellcasting can never be hidden, even from non-Mages or people who have never seen Magic before. Any Point Buy Abilities, Mechanics, or Attack Emotes using Magic of any kind are immediately telegraphed, even if their explicit spell effects cannot be told.
  • Mages who are shapeshifted or disguised can suppress their Magic. While they are suppressing their magic, however, they are unable to use any Magic, either Magic inclined Point Buy Abilities, Mechanics, or Attack Emotes that derive from a Magic Proficiency Stat.
  • Cursed Items generally hide their own magic, meaning a Mage (or technician) cannot detect their curse until it has activated. Some Cursed objects will reveal their own nature on purpose, and Artifacts can never be hidden. Some DM Characters may also detect Cursed objects.
  • Magic Sight is an aesthetic form of Magic detection that allows each Mage to have a customized personalized silhouette with colors and lights to identify their Magic. This can only be used to identify a Character past disguises or shapeshifting with consent.
  • When a Mage or piece of technology has detected the Magic inside an object or person, they are generally able to distinguish from which realm or dimension it is aligned and whether it is a mortal, object, or Demon, though sometimes Demons can tamper with the effects.

One might observe that with these rules in place, it is difficult for a Mage to cheat at a game of dice. Rather than the simple method of hiding a spell under the table (which is not possible), Mages should think harder about how to apply their magic in a hidden manner. A spell cast on a rolling dice before the game has started, for example, to cause it to land on the desired number is more effective than casting Magic at the dice rolling table.

Curse Magic

Magic has a form of time-delayed or condition-activated spells generally referred to as Curses. Curses are generally part of the Magic School but a more unique application of them that is usually seen as immoral. There are very few applications that would warrant a time or condition-delayed spell, so more often than not is this form of application used to spring traps on the unsuspecting or create a long-lasting negative effect on someone who has wronged a Mage. Because of the more complex techniques involving the casting of Curses, Curses are also not as simple to remove as other temporary or immediate Spell effects which can often even be removed by the mundane with the necessary anti-Magic items or tools. Because Curse Magic is so different from regular Magic, it is offloaded onto its own Curses Page.

Archmages

The concept of Archmages is largely lost to time due to the reduction of Magic in the world. An Archmage is a Mage who is so powerful they can destroy whole mountain ranges or flood whole valleys with Magic using only their minds, without it immediately Magic Overloading them. Archmages are so immensely powerful that they reach the approximation of Gods, but there are no active Archmages in the modern world. When the Cataclysm happened, Magic received such a shock in the world that it took centuries to recover even a portion of the amount of Magic present in the world. The reality is that less than a tenth of the amount of Magic that was present during the time of the Allorn Empire remains so Magic simply is not as prolific as needed to birth Archmages. That being said, some people who were Archmages many centuries ago are still alive in the modern era, albeit with their Magic reduced or completely lost. Archmages are almost universally reviled when regarded historically, as they destroyed much of the political stability of the Allorn Empire during the Mage Wars era, and are a prelude to a Mage seizure of power as no mundane people can stand in their way.

Magic Prevalence

Despite the common usage of Magic among the player base of MassiveCraft, Magic in the world of Aloria is actually pretty rare. It is estimated that for every 1000 people, only 20 of them are Mages. And of those 20, 19 of them are taught through some later-in-life training, while only 1 in every 20 Mages has a Birth Origin. In short, 1 in every 1000 people is a born Mage. On top of these numbers, the rate of Mages who reach adulthood is estimated between 40-60% of this number due to the effects of war, famine, violence, purists, and Demonic possessions in a pre-modern world. The world is dangerous for Mages, and being a Mage tends to shorten life expectancy because of these dangerous outside forces.

Magic has a more prevalent foreground in the public zeitgeist because a hundred Anglian peasants tilling their fields won't draw as much attention as a single Elf casting fireballs in the street. Magic always has an over-inflated presence in public discourse, despite its relative rarity. We do not impose limitations on the number of Magical Characters among the player base, however, because Magic is a great equalizer that helps characters tackle conventional structures of oppression and change the status quo for the better, and everyone should be allowed to do that. The numbers used in this section are reflective of the Regalian Empire, and the direct roleplay world players experience. Other places, like the Allorn Empire, or other Elf-like societies, have much higher degrees of Magic usage, almost as close as 50%, but they are not relevant for the immediate world that Regalians exist in. There are also places like the Ashal Isles with 0 Mages in them, but these places are equally not relevant to day-to-day roleplay.

Magic Studies

Magic as a field of research is notably not exclusive to Mages only. There are, in fact, far more Magic scholars and academics in the world than there are Mages, just mundane intellectuals trying to grapple with and study the concept of Magic and its effects on the world. Arcanology is generally a popular field of study because non-Magic using scholars are popular among non-Magic using rulers and politicians. Mages have a reputation for downplaying the dangers of Magic and overplaying their usefulness to statecraft. Regalia frequently allows Mages to self-dictate laws through for example appointing a Mage to Arcane Minister who determines the strictness of the law on Magic. This practice has, however, been criticized among purists and anti-Magic people as wolves deciding how many sheep they are allowed to eat, in a society comprised of sheep and wolves. The conclusion is if your character is not a Mage, that does not exclude them from knowing about Magic. Any aspect of Magic can be learned and understood both in the context of its application, and effects on the world, by someone who is not a Mage or magically inclined.

Mutations and Bodymodding

One of the common points of contention about Magic is its habit of corrupting, and thus causing mutations. Corruption is unequivocally a bad thing, and mutations never cause a person to derive positive benefits from having Magic wreak havoc on their body. Because of the habit of Magic corrupting reality, mutations caused by Magic corruption are almost always cancerous or necrotizing flesh or tissue that breaks down the body. Magical corruption damaging the body is painful but is generally reversible, ironically, with further use of safely practiced Magic. Body-modding is distinct from corruption-caused mutations, in that body-modding is the safe modification of the body to have different features than naturally possible. Think of the creation of horns, tails, feathers, or hair, changing colors, causing tattoos to move or change shape, etc. Players are free to use Magic to body-mod their character to any desired appearance.

Eye color changes are a very common feature among Mages, Afflicted, and those with Affinities. Any of these can have Bodymodded eyes of any color, orientation, or composition. Godborn for example commonly inherit the eye colors of their parents, or some kind of coloring and appearance that imitates their God-parent's theme, but Players have free choice in this. Similarly, purple irises are commonly a hallmark of Dragons and Dragon-minded people, but the Archon (Dragon warriors) can just as well have white glowing eyes or green irises with gold-yellow flecks in them. For example, eye colors are usually visual guidelines for those who lack ideas at first value, but Players are encouraged to be creative.