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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.
Magic is the act of changing the laws of physics, reality, and sometimes time, in the world of [[Aloria]] by drawing on essences from another realm, the Gods, or [[Dragon]]s, to change the way things work. Magic means a great many things for different people, some [[Elves]] might consider it part of their very being, while some [[Ailor]] consider it something alien or superstitious, while some [[Sihndar]] consider it evil itself. This Page explains Dimensional Alignment, and Magical Morality as well as the logic behind Magic in the Alorian universe. If you are reading this Page to decide on [[Proficiencies]] and [[Proficiency#Point Buy|Point Buy Packs]], only reading Dimensional Alignment and Morality of Magic is required. We put them at the top for your convenience.
==Morality of Magic==
Magic as a concept has been used throughout the ages to do great acts of charity and perform great feats of evil. By far and large, like a sword or an axe, Magic has been used as an extension of power by those who wielded it, which is why so many Religions and Cultures are so against Magic. Magic in itself is not evil, but it is mostly alien to the world of Aloria, which is why some organizations exist just to purge Magic (and their users) from the world, or just because they fear what they do not have themselves. Furthermore, Magic itself has a built-in enticement to be corrupt. The way Magic is cast is classified between Radiant (weaker, safe for the world) and Sinistral (stronger, damages the world). Each Mage must make an active choice with each spell, to protect the world and opt for the weaker outcome, or to damage and corrupt the world itself for a quick boost of power. Due to these built-in themes of the lure of power that corrupts, most societies on Aloria have turned against Magic. Regalia is classified as a repressive state, meaning they have restrictive laws to the usage of Magic, and treat Mages like second-class citizens in some situations. Some Mages campaign to help contain the "incorrect" usage of Magic, others hide their abilities, while others embrace the dark arts and try to establish Mage rule. Magic has no set moral definition and always depends on the intentions and actions of the user. Just keep in mind that some Characters just do not care and want to annihilate all Magic for undebatable reasons. Finally, regardless of all the moral underpinnings of Magic, Mages are always carry the risk of limit-breaking or becoming possessed by a Spirit that feeds off their Magic. Casting Magic, even Radiant, is not without risks, and a Mage who uses Magic too rapidly without conserving their focus and energy, can overload and lose control of their own Magic, causing them to randomly cast dangerous and harmful Magic in all directions. This has the added danger, of attracting Demons and entities from other realms, who wish to feed off the Mage's Magic, invading their mind and body if they are unable to resist, and becoming possessed. When choosing to play a Mage, you should consider all these concepts. Even if your Character cannot convince a purist that they have good intentions and properly protect themselves from the dangers of Magic, at least it allows you to understand your own Character's moral implications in the world.
==Dimensional Alignment==
All Magic requires some kind of fuel. In order to affect the laws of reality (which Magic essentially is), it must use some kind of disruptive force to rewrite them. Magic is powered by so-called Essence, which just means magical energy from some place. In the case of Void, Exist, and Ordial Alignments, this means Magical Essence from the Void, Exist and Bintaar respective dimensions. The only Magical Essence that is native to Aloria, is God Essence, which is given to mortals by the Gods themselves. Any Character can learn to use the Essences of any number of Alignments. That is to say, a Character can connect to the Void and Exist at the same time, and draw Essences from them to cast Magic. Only one Alignment can be used per spell, but each Mage must consciously choose which Alignment to use for each spell, and that choice may have implications based on Dimensional Morality. Furthermore, God Magic is a bit unique, in that it is a gift directly given from the Gods, which means it can also be taken away. When choosing to play a Mage, you should choose at least one Alignment, but can choose multiple. You can also learn new Alignments later in Roleplay, so we always recommend you choose only a single Alignment first.
===Dimensional Morality===
Dimensional Morality is a bit more nuanced yet than the Morality of Magic as a whole, because it is hyper-specific to each Character and their circumstances. To create an example, A priest of the Estelley Religion uses God Magic to heal and cure the sick and wounded in her Temple. The Estelley Religion is both positively inclined to Exist and God Magic, but in this case, she only uses God Magic. One day, her Temple is ransacked by mercenaries, and she is stricken with so much grief and vengeance, that she seeks out a necromancer to learn Ordial Alignment and cast Death-Magic to get her revenge. She now has two Alignments, but in doing so has spiritually betrayed her Gods and her fellow Estelley worshipers, who see Ordial Magic as a vile thing, yet she needed that extra power because God Magic alone wasn't capable of getting the revenge she wanted. Alignment morality here is very subjective to the eyes of the beholder, the priestess did not break some moral absolute truth, but there is a lot to hold her in contempt for. Yet, at the same time, Ordial necromancers might now consider her one of their own, and embrace her in their community. Some Dimensional Alignments carry more stigma than others, and reactions may vary strongly from society to society, and religion to religion. The safest option to choose, is to stick with only God Magic from the beginning, to gain a better understanding of the nuances of Dimension Morality while Roleplaying, and then change or add an Alignment later.
===God Magic Exceptions===
God Magic is a bit unique in terms of fuel for Magic, because it is the only Essence from Aloria itself, and the only Essence consciously granted by the Gods. God Magic while readily accessible to all faith believers in theory, is considered a much more "goody-two-shoes" and weaker form of Magic than other forms of Extraplanar Magic. While the Abilities are the same in Combat Roleplay (they have to be for fairness reasons), in-lore, God Magic is often looked down upon by those who seek power through Magic or invest their research time in Magic as a whole. Extraplanar Magic, in lore, is always stronger than God Magic, which is why so many Mages opt for the social stigma of being Extraplanar Dimension Aligned Mages.
* God Magic is exclusive only to those who believe in a [[Religion]]. Atheists and Afflicted (who are unable to truly believe in Religion), are denied access to God Magic.
* Nobody is born with God Magic, it is only ever taught. In order to play a Mage who was born with Magic, one would have to play an Extraplanar Dimension Aligned Mage.
* Gods can take God Magic away from Mortals. A God Magic user who violates the divine laws of their religion, or uses God Magic callously in ways that offends their religion, may get cut off.  
* Heretics are unable to use God Magic. Religions have a strict set of rules that define their followers. Combining Religions or personal interpretations are not possible.
* Gods do not look kindly on those who side-step into other Alignments. An occasional Void spell isn't bad, but repeatedly using Extraplanar Magic instead of God Magic, will invite divine punishment.
* Gods do not look kindly on the use of Sinistral variants of their Magic (except for Evolism). While a few Sinistral uses won't draw attention, will invite divine punishment.
* God Magic, while Alorian native, can be just as harmful and destructive as Void, Exist, or Ordial Magic, when used as Sinistral, or when used to commit to murder, torture, or other act of evil.
* Estelley as a Religion, considers Exist Magic a form of God Magic (even if it is not). Fornoss considers Void Magic God Magic in a similar manner, while Evolism equates all forms of Magic to God Magic.
* Draconism followers call their God Magic Dragon Magic, though it is identical. Additionally, Archon gain (Dragon) God Magic, even if they are not Draconism followers, due to how Archon work.
===Dimensional Themes===
Each Dimension has specific Themes assigned to them that tend to bleed into the styling choices of their users, or the aesthetics of their Spell casting. Each Dimension is outlined below.
* '''God Magic''' manifests in holy aesthetics, usually seen as golden or white (with the exception being Dragon God Magic, being purple and gray). Themes and aesthetics are very dependent on the Religion which has granted God Magic so there is no real definitive set of traits that can be ascribed to it. God Magic is generally positively received by nearly all Religions and societies, except societies which are specifically against Magic usage, such as the Qadir and to a lesser degree the Eronidas, Urlan, and Allar.
* '''Void Magic''' manifests as seductive and corrupting aesthetics, usually seen as red, black, and copper. The Void represents nothingness, an empty dark void without any physicality, without any sense, and without end. Frequent visual themes include chaos, seduction, shadows and blood, dark secrets, and hidden hedonistic desires. Void is considered the quintessential evil force of corruption in nearly all societies and religions, except Fornoss faithful who see it as their Gods power, and Kathar who grow up with Void Magic.
* '''Exist Magic''' manifests as orderly and natural aesthetics, usually seen as white, blue, and silver. The Exist represents everything, a filled reality with every sense active at once, consciousness in all places all at once. Frequent visual themes include marble, plant-matter, statues, nature, the ordained and organized, symmetry, and perfection. Exist Magic is the most tolerated of all forms of Extraplanar Magic (Magic not from this world), though is still heavily mistrusted outside of Elven Religions and Societies.
* '''Ordial Magic''' manifests as necrotic and vile aesthetics, usually seen as black, brass, and green. The Ordial represents a world of Death, where the living are not tolerated and the faithless dead live as shades. Frequent visual themes include bones, the undead, spirits, death and rot, and the deep dark unknown which hides horrors yet unseen. Ordial Magic is generally disliked in nearly every Religion and society, except those that worship the Evolist Gods, the Cultist Gods, and the Death Isldar and Eronidas.  


==Mages and Magicians==
==Magic in Regalia==
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.
Magic in Regalia (the place where most Roleplay occurs) has always had a very dubious reputation, and many Mages have gotten used to what they call “The Magical Pendulum”. The idea is that Regalia never quite settles permanently on its stance on Magic, and frequently changes direction from a more progressive understanding to a more repressive one. This is largely due to the nature of the Empire, where the whims and needs of individual political actors influence how the Imperial Court reacts to the existence of Magic overall. To be Magical is not considered a crime, but to use Magic in public without the necessary legal documentation or approval is. Many things related to Magic are outlawed, like Death Magic or Necromancy (the act of meddling with corpses or causing death with Magic). Still, Magic has found its way into various sectors of authority, with Magic being commonly used in the State Metropolitan (the guard) and even in the Emperor’s circle. Whether a Magic user succeeds in Regalia is usually related to their connections and their social caste as well as how they use their Magic, as opposed to what type of Mage they are.


==Spells and Skills==
==How a Mage is Made==
* 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.
Magic can be acquired in three ways. The first manner is to be born with it, those who are born with Magic are called Mageborn. The second manner is to learn it from another Mage, those who learn are called Magewise. The last manner is to have Magic given by a higher entity, those who have Magic given to them are called Magegiven. There is no inherent superiority in any of these categories, there are Mages who were born that were known to be less skillful than Mages who were taught, or those who were given Magic by a higher entity. Learning, or being able to use Magic, often comes down to the individual imagination or mental compatibility of the Mage, and so some Mages eventually reach a glass ceiling that they are unable to reach beyond due to a lack of imagination, while others soar much further. In history, some Mages have been known to be exceptionally skilled beyond all mortal comprehension, such as the Allorn Empress Vinnalea, who could destroy whole mountains with a faint gesture. These Mages are called Archmages, and how they manifest is not well understood. Finally, it is important that for Mageborn, Magic can be inherited. While being born a child of a Mage is not a guarantee, it does increase chances. This particularly led to mage breeding programs in the [[Allorn Empire]] before its collapse, with prestigious families planning magical pairings ahead of time to ensure Mageborn status in their children. It is supposed that for every 5,000 born individuals, one is Mageborn, though the actual number is probably higher since this estimation is based on an extrapolation of the reported Mageborn in the [[Regalian Empire]], and many parents hide the magical status of their child due to the repressive laws.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.


==Magician Spells==
==Allorn Magic Theories==
===Cleansing Spell===
Much of the known theories in lore are inherited from the Allorn Empire. Regardless of the individual opinions of the victims or survivors of the Allorn Empire, it progressed Magical research to such a degree that most modern theories and understanding of Magic is based on their work. Allorn Magical Theory can usually be split up into various subcategories, each covering a specific aspect of Magic that can be used in Roleplay for conversations between Mages, or how Mages should consider each other in relation to Magic.
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
===Limit Breaking and Spirit Invasion===
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
One of the biggest dangers to Mages (outside of the unrelated matter of Purists who hate Magic), is the concept of Limit-Breaking and related or unrelated Spirit Invasion. Limit Breaking occurs when a Mage has lost focus or energy while trying to cast Magic, causing them to lose control over their own Magic and their body to start casting Magic unpredictably on its own. This can include random spells being cast, or just really harmful Magic leaking out of them that acts like radiation to other people giving them Magic Sickness. A Mage that is Limit-breaking cannot stop unless an outside force either knocks them out, shoots them with Puretek, or uses Aelrrigan techniques to temporarily sever their connection allowing them to calm down, though these solutions are not always available, and so most Limit-breaking Mages eventually explode, or worse, become possessed. Entities from other Dimensions known as Spirits, always look for hosts in Aloria, but while in the other Dimension, they cannot "see" things in Aloria, except for Magic. When a Mage is Limit-Breaking, they become like a bright bonfire lit against the night sky, and Spirits from all over rush to try and break into the Mage's mind. Chances are while Limit-Breaking that the Mage is already unable to protect their mind while panicking or harming themselves with their own Magic, and becomes instantly possessed by a Spirit that breaks in from another Dimension, which is generally very bad. It does stop the Limit-Breaking (As the Spirit can control the flow of Magic) but essentially kills the Mage in the process as their personality is replaced by that of the Spirit (or in some cases, enslaved). A possession of this kind can be reversed, but the damage can rarely ever be undone, meaning most Mages who have become Spirit Invaded, are put out of their misery. Spirits and Demons, due to their direction connection to the Planes, and usual lack of a body, cannot Limit Break. There is a general misconception that Arkenborn are immune to Limit-Breaking. This is born from the idea that they are able to cast Magic freely of their own parent's Alignment, but it does not grant them protection against other forms of Magic at all. Mages promote the use of hand gestures, spoken spells, casting conduits (like staves, wands, and tomes) to improve focus. This is why it is very rare to see Mages who do not gesture their Magic at all, which is considered extremely dangerous and playing with fire within the Mage-Community.
* '''Cost:''' 2 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Use a reagent to thoroughly clean a person or object
* '''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).  


===Guiding Light Spell===
===Magical Tiers===
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
Allorn Mages were obsessed with the classification of Mages, so they could categorize some Mages as superior to others and identify which Mages were suitable as rulers and which were suitable as workers. This Magical Tier system is anything but absolute, it has flaws, but it is still used in the common era to gain a rough understanding of how strong a Mage is in comparison to others on a somewhat flexible scale. The scale goes as follows, note that Tier Eight to Ten are considered "God-Tiers", as this is the level at which a Mage becomes indistinguishable from a God. Magic derived from the Proficiency System or Abilities usually caps off at Tier Five, because no Ability or Heritage Mechanic allows for the creation of permanent matter (like Artifacts). Some Custom Kits may form exceptions to this.
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''The First Tier''' belongs to Mages who are only able to affect themselves (think enchanting their own body or soul).  
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''The Second Tier''' belongs to Mages who can affect external things by touch (think changing the shape of metal with touch).
* '''Summary:''' Cast an orb of light attached to the Magician’s hand to light the way
* '''The Third Tier''' belongs to Mages who can project things away from them (think shooting a fireball).  
* '''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.
* '''The Fourth Tier''' belongs to Mages who can affect external things remotely (think blinding someone from a distance).
 
* '''The Fifth Tier''' belongs to Mages who can create immaterial entities (think casting illusions that are almost real).
===Whistling Pencil Spell===
* '''The Sixth Tier''' belongs to Mages who can create permanent matter (think creating lasting furniture and walls from nothing).
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
* '''The Seventh Tier''' belongs to Mages who can bend reality itself (think removing gravity, changing light to dark).
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''The Eight Tier''' belongs to Mages who can control Life (think non-necromantic resurrection, becoming truly immortal).
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''The Ninth Tier''' belongs to Mages who can bend the world (think creating/crushing mountains on a whim, sinking whole cities).
* '''Summary:''' Enchant a pencil to write what is being said in close proximity
* '''The Tenth Tier''' belongs to Mages who can end reality itself (a theorized, but seemingly unattainable rank even for Gods).
* '''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.
==Magical Mechanics==
 
This section includes mostly OOC explanations of how Magic in Massivecraft's world functions, so that players can roleplay it out with an understanding of how it is supposed to work. Experienced Mages, Scholars, and those who hunt Mages/Demons may understand some of the following IC, but we advise that players never give their characters full knowledge of what is listed below. Please note that the explanations below may not always be something your Character can do, because of fairness or System Rules.
===Mending Spell===
===Cursing===
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
Cursing requires the usage of [[Advanced Roleplay Mechanics]]. Curses, Hexes, and Charms are a form of "delayed magic," meaning when a Mage casts a fireball spell, it is considered "instant" magic, where as soon as they cast the spell there is an explosion of fire. Delayed Magic delays the activation of a spell until a certain condition or time is met, and then activates. A curse, then, is a delayed spell with a long term effect on a person depending on what they do. For example, cursing someone so that the next time they try to drink a glass of water, they spontaneously combust. There are two kinds of Curses:
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Limited Curses:''' The Curse only effects one singular person, until it times out, or until they die, wherein the curse ends.
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* '''Unlimited Curses:''' The Curse effects one person, but can be passed on to any number of people, via touch, or another mechanic, and can even pass on to the cursed person's children.
* '''Summary:''' Repair broken objects with reagents
Only Gods, Spirit Sovereigns, Dragons, Arken, and beings of those levels can apply Unlimited Curses, most Mages (including Player Characters) can only ever apply Limited Curses onto people. There is a loophole to this, when it applies to lesser Spirits, wherein if a Spirit possesses someone they can act as an Unlimited Curse, meaning for as long as they're possessing them, it applies, and they can pass this "curse" on via their possession. For both kinds of Curses, a Curse will remain for as long as it was meant to, or until the cursed person dies. The Mage who does the Cursing does not have to be alive for their Curse to persist, even killing someone immediately after they curse you will not remove the curse. However, only skilled mages can create long-lasting curses. The vast majority of Mages can only cast Curses that last for a few months, but even this is plenty enough time to ruin's someone's life or kill them. The limit of Curse application is based on Magic Investment, but only for Planar Magic (Void/Exist/Ordial), God Magic is not potent enough to Curse others:
* '''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.  
* '''2 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 1 Hour Curses.
 
* '''3 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 1 Day Curses.
===Kindling Spell===
* '''4 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 1 Week Curses.
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
* '''5 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 1 Year Curses.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''6 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 5 Years Curses.
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''7 Points in Magic:''' Maximum 10 Years Curses.
* '''Summary:''' Set fire to flammable objects around the caster
* '''8 Points in Magic:''' Maximum target's whole Lifespan Curses.
* '''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.
It is functionally "easy" for a Mage to curse someone, usually only requiring them to be in close proximity to cast the spell, which is almost always Hidden. Curses are, however, very potent forms of Magic, so a Mage who over-uses them is often much more liable to Limit Break. A Mage can also cast a curse into an object, which will pass it onto the next person who picks it up, even long after the Mage dies. What a Curse can actually do is also nearly unlimited, as magic is mostly unlimited, but it is always limited to using the cursed person as a conduit. For example, you cannot curse someone to instantly kill anyone within 5 ft of them, but you could curse someone to severely burn the skin of any person they touch. Curses like these can only work once, or be perpetual. While it would be too cumbersome to write out a fully exhaustive list of what a Curse could be, below is a set of guidelines and rules on what Curses cannot do, or cannot be. These limitations are a mixture of IC (not possible with magic) or OOC (an unfair/unfun mechanic), and can generally be rationalized In-Character as Mages not being strong enough or experienced enough to apply these kinds of curses, the general limitations of cursing magic, or being a severe societal taboo that the character will not break:
 
* Curses cannot fully Shapeshift, Disguise, or radically transform someone to the point of being unrecognizable.
===Tethering Spell===
* Curses cannot do what the Spirit Duke Curses can do, listed on the [[Spirit]] page. Treat that section like a "ceiling."
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* Curses cannot influence or alter the Soul, as this is generally reserved for higher powers or Soul Magic, which has its own limits.
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* Curses cannot be overly specific, for example you can curse someone to always tell the truth when they speak, but you cannot curse them to only tell the truth when asked a question by a specific person.
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* Curses cannot have too many complicated conditions or pre-requisites, they should generally only have one general trigger, and either be active in perpetuity or only activate when that trigger is met.
* '''Summary:''' Use a rope to create a trap or binding
* Curses can alter the cursed person's perception, but not alter other people's perception of the cursed person. A good rule of thumb is a Curse should only effect or apply to the Cursed person, or something they directly touch.
* '''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).  
* Curses cannot work as "boons," and cannot be applied in reverse. For example, you can curse someone to be weaker, but you can never "curse" them to be stronger. A good rule of thumb is a Curse should always be a bad thing for whoever it is applied to.
 
* Curses cannot permanently alter someone, and should always be reverted when removed. Any secondary negative side effects are not removed, for example cursing someone to stab a friend, the stab wound would not be reverted.
===Lustre Spell===
It is difficult to defend oneself from the application of Curses, because they are so secretive, and because they are usually applied with potent magic. There is an exception to this, however, which is the presence of Gods and Religion. Very pious, faithful worshippers will often have their souls protected against weaker Curses, or Curses that are cast without any "agreement" or pre-requisite. For example, a good Unionist might have resistance against a weak Demon or Mage casting a Curse on them just by looking at them, but would not be protected if they accepted a gift from them or invited them into their home. This resistance takes the form of delaying the Curse, meaning the Unionist would still be cursed, but instead of the curse activating and doing what it meant to, it may take the form of some kind of scar or marking, giving the Unionist some time to try and stop it or have it removed before it takes effect. There are other kinds of Resistances to Curses that exist, such as for things like Archon, but there are rarely, if ever, outright immunities to curses. Even if someone themselves is resistant to a Curse, the people around them likely aren't, and the same goes for their possible children. An example list of types of peoples who may have resistances (of varying levels) to curses: [[Archon]], [[Sihndar]], [[Narim]], [[Bralona]], [[Urlan]], [[Sihai]], [[Songaskian]], [[Godborn]], [[Arkenborn]], [[Afflictions]]. Removing Curses is a more complicated matter, as many Curses cannot be removed prematurely at all, at least by means accessible to Mortals. The list of ways to "remove" a Curse are, as follows (depending on the kind of curse it is):
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Waiting it Out:''' Some Curses cannot be removed early, except by God-tier beings, and in order to get rid of it, especially if it is a shorter Curse, the person suffering it just has to wait for the Curse to end. This is especially common for "one time" Curses, where the victim just has to mitigate the harm of whatever the Curse does, and then they're free of it.  
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Priestly Absorption:''' Any Priest of a Religion can, if someone of the same Religion is cursed, self-sacrifice by absorbing a Curse from that worshipper. The worshipper is spared, but the Priest suffers the full Curse in their stead. If a Priest has absorbed 3 Curses, and keeps all 3 Curses at the same time (of consequence, not low-impact or short timer Curses) the priest automatically generates 1 Divinium Token (which is usually used to then ask to have the Curses removed).
* '''Cost:''' 2 Proficiency Points
* '''Dispelling the Curse:''' Dispelling a Curse is only available to Mages who are more experienced than the Mage that cast the Curse in the first Place (greater or equal Magic Investment), which undoes the magic of the Curse and instantly ends it. However, if the Player of the Cursed Character wants to remain Cursed for longer, they can decline this working.  
* '''Summary:''' Enchant clothing for aesthetic beauty
* '''Divine Intervention:''' Beings like Gods, Arken, Dragons, etc are all generally capable of removing any kind of Curse. If a character spends Divinium to summon a God, they are guaranteed to remove a Curse, if asked. If a God is asked without spending Divinium, they may not always agree. Other Event Entities (Arken, Powerful Demons, etc) may also be capable of removing Curses on request, but will almost always ask for something in return.
* '''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===
* '''Category:''' Indirect Physical
* '''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===
* '''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===
* '''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===
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Scares Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 3 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Use a battle stance to call forth a particle effect on the caster
* '''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.
 
===Obstructing Spell===
* '''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===
* '''Category:''' Direct Physical
* '''Orc:''' Does not scare Orcs
* '''Cost:''' 4 Proficiency Points
* '''Summary:''' Create an elemental power on a weapon
* '''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.     
 
===Element Shot Spell===
* '''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.
 
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[[category:Magic]] [[category:Spells]]

Latest revision as of 22:34, 15 March 2024

Magic is the act of changing the laws of physics, reality, and sometimes time, in the world of Aloria by drawing on essences from another realm, the Gods, or Dragons, to change the way things work. Magic means a great many things for different people, some Elves might consider it part of their very being, while some Ailor consider it something alien or superstitious, while some Sihndar consider it evil itself. This Page explains Dimensional Alignment, and Magical Morality as well as the logic behind Magic in the Alorian universe. If you are reading this Page to decide on Proficiencies and Point Buy Packs, only reading Dimensional Alignment and Morality of Magic is required. We put them at the top for your convenience.

Morality of Magic

Magic as a concept has been used throughout the ages to do great acts of charity and perform great feats of evil. By far and large, like a sword or an axe, Magic has been used as an extension of power by those who wielded it, which is why so many Religions and Cultures are so against Magic. Magic in itself is not evil, but it is mostly alien to the world of Aloria, which is why some organizations exist just to purge Magic (and their users) from the world, or just because they fear what they do not have themselves. Furthermore, Magic itself has a built-in enticement to be corrupt. The way Magic is cast is classified between Radiant (weaker, safe for the world) and Sinistral (stronger, damages the world). Each Mage must make an active choice with each spell, to protect the world and opt for the weaker outcome, or to damage and corrupt the world itself for a quick boost of power. Due to these built-in themes of the lure of power that corrupts, most societies on Aloria have turned against Magic. Regalia is classified as a repressive state, meaning they have restrictive laws to the usage of Magic, and treat Mages like second-class citizens in some situations. Some Mages campaign to help contain the "incorrect" usage of Magic, others hide their abilities, while others embrace the dark arts and try to establish Mage rule. Magic has no set moral definition and always depends on the intentions and actions of the user. Just keep in mind that some Characters just do not care and want to annihilate all Magic for undebatable reasons. Finally, regardless of all the moral underpinnings of Magic, Mages are always carry the risk of limit-breaking or becoming possessed by a Spirit that feeds off their Magic. Casting Magic, even Radiant, is not without risks, and a Mage who uses Magic too rapidly without conserving their focus and energy, can overload and lose control of their own Magic, causing them to randomly cast dangerous and harmful Magic in all directions. This has the added danger, of attracting Demons and entities from other realms, who wish to feed off the Mage's Magic, invading their mind and body if they are unable to resist, and becoming possessed. When choosing to play a Mage, you should consider all these concepts. Even if your Character cannot convince a purist that they have good intentions and properly protect themselves from the dangers of Magic, at least it allows you to understand your own Character's moral implications in the world.

Dimensional Alignment

All Magic requires some kind of fuel. In order to affect the laws of reality (which Magic essentially is), it must use some kind of disruptive force to rewrite them. Magic is powered by so-called Essence, which just means magical energy from some place. In the case of Void, Exist, and Ordial Alignments, this means Magical Essence from the Void, Exist and Bintaar respective dimensions. The only Magical Essence that is native to Aloria, is God Essence, which is given to mortals by the Gods themselves. Any Character can learn to use the Essences of any number of Alignments. That is to say, a Character can connect to the Void and Exist at the same time, and draw Essences from them to cast Magic. Only one Alignment can be used per spell, but each Mage must consciously choose which Alignment to use for each spell, and that choice may have implications based on Dimensional Morality. Furthermore, God Magic is a bit unique, in that it is a gift directly given from the Gods, which means it can also be taken away. When choosing to play a Mage, you should choose at least one Alignment, but can choose multiple. You can also learn new Alignments later in Roleplay, so we always recommend you choose only a single Alignment first.

Dimensional Morality

Dimensional Morality is a bit more nuanced yet than the Morality of Magic as a whole, because it is hyper-specific to each Character and their circumstances. To create an example, A priest of the Estelley Religion uses God Magic to heal and cure the sick and wounded in her Temple. The Estelley Religion is both positively inclined to Exist and God Magic, but in this case, she only uses God Magic. One day, her Temple is ransacked by mercenaries, and she is stricken with so much grief and vengeance, that she seeks out a necromancer to learn Ordial Alignment and cast Death-Magic to get her revenge. She now has two Alignments, but in doing so has spiritually betrayed her Gods and her fellow Estelley worshipers, who see Ordial Magic as a vile thing, yet she needed that extra power because God Magic alone wasn't capable of getting the revenge she wanted. Alignment morality here is very subjective to the eyes of the beholder, the priestess did not break some moral absolute truth, but there is a lot to hold her in contempt for. Yet, at the same time, Ordial necromancers might now consider her one of their own, and embrace her in their community. Some Dimensional Alignments carry more stigma than others, and reactions may vary strongly from society to society, and religion to religion. The safest option to choose, is to stick with only God Magic from the beginning, to gain a better understanding of the nuances of Dimension Morality while Roleplaying, and then change or add an Alignment later.

God Magic Exceptions

God Magic is a bit unique in terms of fuel for Magic, because it is the only Essence from Aloria itself, and the only Essence consciously granted by the Gods. God Magic while readily accessible to all faith believers in theory, is considered a much more "goody-two-shoes" and weaker form of Magic than other forms of Extraplanar Magic. While the Abilities are the same in Combat Roleplay (they have to be for fairness reasons), in-lore, God Magic is often looked down upon by those who seek power through Magic or invest their research time in Magic as a whole. Extraplanar Magic, in lore, is always stronger than God Magic, which is why so many Mages opt for the social stigma of being Extraplanar Dimension Aligned Mages.

  • God Magic is exclusive only to those who believe in a Religion. Atheists and Afflicted (who are unable to truly believe in Religion), are denied access to God Magic.
  • Nobody is born with God Magic, it is only ever taught. In order to play a Mage who was born with Magic, one would have to play an Extraplanar Dimension Aligned Mage.
  • Gods can take God Magic away from Mortals. A God Magic user who violates the divine laws of their religion, or uses God Magic callously in ways that offends their religion, may get cut off.
  • Heretics are unable to use God Magic. Religions have a strict set of rules that define their followers. Combining Religions or personal interpretations are not possible.
  • Gods do not look kindly on those who side-step into other Alignments. An occasional Void spell isn't bad, but repeatedly using Extraplanar Magic instead of God Magic, will invite divine punishment.
  • Gods do not look kindly on the use of Sinistral variants of their Magic (except for Evolism). While a few Sinistral uses won't draw attention, will invite divine punishment.
  • God Magic, while Alorian native, can be just as harmful and destructive as Void, Exist, or Ordial Magic, when used as Sinistral, or when used to commit to murder, torture, or other act of evil.
  • Estelley as a Religion, considers Exist Magic a form of God Magic (even if it is not). Fornoss considers Void Magic God Magic in a similar manner, while Evolism equates all forms of Magic to God Magic.
  • Draconism followers call their God Magic Dragon Magic, though it is identical. Additionally, Archon gain (Dragon) God Magic, even if they are not Draconism followers, due to how Archon work.

Dimensional Themes

Each Dimension has specific Themes assigned to them that tend to bleed into the styling choices of their users, or the aesthetics of their Spell casting. Each Dimension is outlined below.

  • God Magic manifests in holy aesthetics, usually seen as golden or white (with the exception being Dragon God Magic, being purple and gray). Themes and aesthetics are very dependent on the Religion which has granted God Magic so there is no real definitive set of traits that can be ascribed to it. God Magic is generally positively received by nearly all Religions and societies, except societies which are specifically against Magic usage, such as the Qadir and to a lesser degree the Eronidas, Urlan, and Allar.
  • Void Magic manifests as seductive and corrupting aesthetics, usually seen as red, black, and copper. The Void represents nothingness, an empty dark void without any physicality, without any sense, and without end. Frequent visual themes include chaos, seduction, shadows and blood, dark secrets, and hidden hedonistic desires. Void is considered the quintessential evil force of corruption in nearly all societies and religions, except Fornoss faithful who see it as their Gods power, and Kathar who grow up with Void Magic.
  • Exist Magic manifests as orderly and natural aesthetics, usually seen as white, blue, and silver. The Exist represents everything, a filled reality with every sense active at once, consciousness in all places all at once. Frequent visual themes include marble, plant-matter, statues, nature, the ordained and organized, symmetry, and perfection. Exist Magic is the most tolerated of all forms of Extraplanar Magic (Magic not from this world), though is still heavily mistrusted outside of Elven Religions and Societies.
  • Ordial Magic manifests as necrotic and vile aesthetics, usually seen as black, brass, and green. The Ordial represents a world of Death, where the living are not tolerated and the faithless dead live as shades. Frequent visual themes include bones, the undead, spirits, death and rot, and the deep dark unknown which hides horrors yet unseen. Ordial Magic is generally disliked in nearly every Religion and society, except those that worship the Evolist Gods, the Cultist Gods, and the Death Isldar and Eronidas.

Magic in Regalia

Magic in Regalia (the place where most Roleplay occurs) has always had a very dubious reputation, and many Mages have gotten used to what they call “The Magical Pendulum”. The idea is that Regalia never quite settles permanently on its stance on Magic, and frequently changes direction from a more progressive understanding to a more repressive one. This is largely due to the nature of the Empire, where the whims and needs of individual political actors influence how the Imperial Court reacts to the existence of Magic overall. To be Magical is not considered a crime, but to use Magic in public without the necessary legal documentation or approval is. Many things related to Magic are outlawed, like Death Magic or Necromancy (the act of meddling with corpses or causing death with Magic). Still, Magic has found its way into various sectors of authority, with Magic being commonly used in the State Metropolitan (the guard) and even in the Emperor’s circle. Whether a Magic user succeeds in Regalia is usually related to their connections and their social caste as well as how they use their Magic, as opposed to what type of Mage they are.

How a Mage is Made

Magic can be acquired in three ways. The first manner is to be born with it, those who are born with Magic are called Mageborn. The second manner is to learn it from another Mage, those who learn are called Magewise. The last manner is to have Magic given by a higher entity, those who have Magic given to them are called Magegiven. There is no inherent superiority in any of these categories, there are Mages who were born that were known to be less skillful than Mages who were taught, or those who were given Magic by a higher entity. Learning, or being able to use Magic, often comes down to the individual imagination or mental compatibility of the Mage, and so some Mages eventually reach a glass ceiling that they are unable to reach beyond due to a lack of imagination, while others soar much further. In history, some Mages have been known to be exceptionally skilled beyond all mortal comprehension, such as the Allorn Empress Vinnalea, who could destroy whole mountains with a faint gesture. These Mages are called Archmages, and how they manifest is not well understood. Finally, it is important that for Mageborn, Magic can be inherited. While being born a child of a Mage is not a guarantee, it does increase chances. This particularly led to mage breeding programs in the Allorn Empire before its collapse, with prestigious families planning magical pairings ahead of time to ensure Mageborn status in their children. It is supposed that for every 5,000 born individuals, one is Mageborn, though the actual number is probably higher since this estimation is based on an extrapolation of the reported Mageborn in the Regalian Empire, and many parents hide the magical status of their child due to the repressive laws.

Allorn Magic Theories

Much of the known theories in lore are inherited from the Allorn Empire. Regardless of the individual opinions of the victims or survivors of the Allorn Empire, it progressed Magical research to such a degree that most modern theories and understanding of Magic is based on their work. Allorn Magical Theory can usually be split up into various subcategories, each covering a specific aspect of Magic that can be used in Roleplay for conversations between Mages, or how Mages should consider each other in relation to Magic.

Limit Breaking and Spirit Invasion

One of the biggest dangers to Mages (outside of the unrelated matter of Purists who hate Magic), is the concept of Limit-Breaking and related or unrelated Spirit Invasion. Limit Breaking occurs when a Mage has lost focus or energy while trying to cast Magic, causing them to lose control over their own Magic and their body to start casting Magic unpredictably on its own. This can include random spells being cast, or just really harmful Magic leaking out of them that acts like radiation to other people giving them Magic Sickness. A Mage that is Limit-breaking cannot stop unless an outside force either knocks them out, shoots them with Puretek, or uses Aelrrigan techniques to temporarily sever their connection allowing them to calm down, though these solutions are not always available, and so most Limit-breaking Mages eventually explode, or worse, become possessed. Entities from other Dimensions known as Spirits, always look for hosts in Aloria, but while in the other Dimension, they cannot "see" things in Aloria, except for Magic. When a Mage is Limit-Breaking, they become like a bright bonfire lit against the night sky, and Spirits from all over rush to try and break into the Mage's mind. Chances are while Limit-Breaking that the Mage is already unable to protect their mind while panicking or harming themselves with their own Magic, and becomes instantly possessed by a Spirit that breaks in from another Dimension, which is generally very bad. It does stop the Limit-Breaking (As the Spirit can control the flow of Magic) but essentially kills the Mage in the process as their personality is replaced by that of the Spirit (or in some cases, enslaved). A possession of this kind can be reversed, but the damage can rarely ever be undone, meaning most Mages who have become Spirit Invaded, are put out of their misery. Spirits and Demons, due to their direction connection to the Planes, and usual lack of a body, cannot Limit Break. There is a general misconception that Arkenborn are immune to Limit-Breaking. This is born from the idea that they are able to cast Magic freely of their own parent's Alignment, but it does not grant them protection against other forms of Magic at all. Mages promote the use of hand gestures, spoken spells, casting conduits (like staves, wands, and tomes) to improve focus. This is why it is very rare to see Mages who do not gesture their Magic at all, which is considered extremely dangerous and playing with fire within the Mage-Community.

Magical Tiers

Allorn Mages were obsessed with the classification of Mages, so they could categorize some Mages as superior to others and identify which Mages were suitable as rulers and which were suitable as workers. This Magical Tier system is anything but absolute, it has flaws, but it is still used in the common era to gain a rough understanding of how strong a Mage is in comparison to others on a somewhat flexible scale. The scale goes as follows, note that Tier Eight to Ten are considered "God-Tiers", as this is the level at which a Mage becomes indistinguishable from a God. Magic derived from the Proficiency System or Abilities usually caps off at Tier Five, because no Ability or Heritage Mechanic allows for the creation of permanent matter (like Artifacts). Some Custom Kits may form exceptions to this.

  • The First Tier belongs to Mages who are only able to affect themselves (think enchanting their own body or soul).
  • The Second Tier belongs to Mages who can affect external things by touch (think changing the shape of metal with touch).
  • The Third Tier belongs to Mages who can project things away from them (think shooting a fireball).
  • The Fourth Tier belongs to Mages who can affect external things remotely (think blinding someone from a distance).
  • The Fifth Tier belongs to Mages who can create immaterial entities (think casting illusions that are almost real).
  • The Sixth Tier belongs to Mages who can create permanent matter (think creating lasting furniture and walls from nothing).
  • The Seventh Tier belongs to Mages who can bend reality itself (think removing gravity, changing light to dark).
  • The Eight Tier belongs to Mages who can control Life (think non-necromantic resurrection, becoming truly immortal).
  • The Ninth Tier belongs to Mages who can bend the world (think creating/crushing mountains on a whim, sinking whole cities).
  • The Tenth Tier belongs to Mages who can end reality itself (a theorized, but seemingly unattainable rank even for Gods).

Magical Mechanics

This section includes mostly OOC explanations of how Magic in Massivecraft's world functions, so that players can roleplay it out with an understanding of how it is supposed to work. Experienced Mages, Scholars, and those who hunt Mages/Demons may understand some of the following IC, but we advise that players never give their characters full knowledge of what is listed below. Please note that the explanations below may not always be something your Character can do, because of fairness or System Rules.

Cursing

Cursing requires the usage of Advanced Roleplay Mechanics. Curses, Hexes, and Charms are a form of "delayed magic," meaning when a Mage casts a fireball spell, it is considered "instant" magic, where as soon as they cast the spell there is an explosion of fire. Delayed Magic delays the activation of a spell until a certain condition or time is met, and then activates. A curse, then, is a delayed spell with a long term effect on a person depending on what they do. For example, cursing someone so that the next time they try to drink a glass of water, they spontaneously combust. There are two kinds of Curses:

  • Limited Curses: The Curse only effects one singular person, until it times out, or until they die, wherein the curse ends.
  • Unlimited Curses: The Curse effects one person, but can be passed on to any number of people, via touch, or another mechanic, and can even pass on to the cursed person's children.

Only Gods, Spirit Sovereigns, Dragons, Arken, and beings of those levels can apply Unlimited Curses, most Mages (including Player Characters) can only ever apply Limited Curses onto people. There is a loophole to this, when it applies to lesser Spirits, wherein if a Spirit possesses someone they can act as an Unlimited Curse, meaning for as long as they're possessing them, it applies, and they can pass this "curse" on via their possession. For both kinds of Curses, a Curse will remain for as long as it was meant to, or until the cursed person dies. The Mage who does the Cursing does not have to be alive for their Curse to persist, even killing someone immediately after they curse you will not remove the curse. However, only skilled mages can create long-lasting curses. The vast majority of Mages can only cast Curses that last for a few months, but even this is plenty enough time to ruin's someone's life or kill them. The limit of Curse application is based on Magic Investment, but only for Planar Magic (Void/Exist/Ordial), God Magic is not potent enough to Curse others:

  • 2 Points in Magic: Maximum 1 Hour Curses.
  • 3 Points in Magic: Maximum 1 Day Curses.
  • 4 Points in Magic: Maximum 1 Week Curses.
  • 5 Points in Magic: Maximum 1 Year Curses.
  • 6 Points in Magic: Maximum 5 Years Curses.
  • 7 Points in Magic: Maximum 10 Years Curses.
  • 8 Points in Magic: Maximum target's whole Lifespan Curses.

It is functionally "easy" for a Mage to curse someone, usually only requiring them to be in close proximity to cast the spell, which is almost always Hidden. Curses are, however, very potent forms of Magic, so a Mage who over-uses them is often much more liable to Limit Break. A Mage can also cast a curse into an object, which will pass it onto the next person who picks it up, even long after the Mage dies. What a Curse can actually do is also nearly unlimited, as magic is mostly unlimited, but it is always limited to using the cursed person as a conduit. For example, you cannot curse someone to instantly kill anyone within 5 ft of them, but you could curse someone to severely burn the skin of any person they touch. Curses like these can only work once, or be perpetual. While it would be too cumbersome to write out a fully exhaustive list of what a Curse could be, below is a set of guidelines and rules on what Curses cannot do, or cannot be. These limitations are a mixture of IC (not possible with magic) or OOC (an unfair/unfun mechanic), and can generally be rationalized In-Character as Mages not being strong enough or experienced enough to apply these kinds of curses, the general limitations of cursing magic, or being a severe societal taboo that the character will not break:

  • Curses cannot fully Shapeshift, Disguise, or radically transform someone to the point of being unrecognizable.
  • Curses cannot do what the Spirit Duke Curses can do, listed on the Spirit page. Treat that section like a "ceiling."
  • Curses cannot influence or alter the Soul, as this is generally reserved for higher powers or Soul Magic, which has its own limits.
  • Curses cannot be overly specific, for example you can curse someone to always tell the truth when they speak, but you cannot curse them to only tell the truth when asked a question by a specific person.
  • Curses cannot have too many complicated conditions or pre-requisites, they should generally only have one general trigger, and either be active in perpetuity or only activate when that trigger is met.
  • Curses can alter the cursed person's perception, but not alter other people's perception of the cursed person. A good rule of thumb is a Curse should only effect or apply to the Cursed person, or something they directly touch.
  • Curses cannot work as "boons," and cannot be applied in reverse. For example, you can curse someone to be weaker, but you can never "curse" them to be stronger. A good rule of thumb is a Curse should always be a bad thing for whoever it is applied to.
  • Curses cannot permanently alter someone, and should always be reverted when removed. Any secondary negative side effects are not removed, for example cursing someone to stab a friend, the stab wound would not be reverted.

It is difficult to defend oneself from the application of Curses, because they are so secretive, and because they are usually applied with potent magic. There is an exception to this, however, which is the presence of Gods and Religion. Very pious, faithful worshippers will often have their souls protected against weaker Curses, or Curses that are cast without any "agreement" or pre-requisite. For example, a good Unionist might have resistance against a weak Demon or Mage casting a Curse on them just by looking at them, but would not be protected if they accepted a gift from them or invited them into their home. This resistance takes the form of delaying the Curse, meaning the Unionist would still be cursed, but instead of the curse activating and doing what it meant to, it may take the form of some kind of scar or marking, giving the Unionist some time to try and stop it or have it removed before it takes effect. There are other kinds of Resistances to Curses that exist, such as for things like Archon, but there are rarely, if ever, outright immunities to curses. Even if someone themselves is resistant to a Curse, the people around them likely aren't, and the same goes for their possible children. An example list of types of peoples who may have resistances (of varying levels) to curses: Archon, Sihndar, Narim, Bralona, Urlan, Sihai, Songaskian, Godborn, Arkenborn, Afflictions. Removing Curses is a more complicated matter, as many Curses cannot be removed prematurely at all, at least by means accessible to Mortals. The list of ways to "remove" a Curse are, as follows (depending on the kind of curse it is):

  • Waiting it Out: Some Curses cannot be removed early, except by God-tier beings, and in order to get rid of it, especially if it is a shorter Curse, the person suffering it just has to wait for the Curse to end. This is especially common for "one time" Curses, where the victim just has to mitigate the harm of whatever the Curse does, and then they're free of it.
  • Priestly Absorption: Any Priest of a Religion can, if someone of the same Religion is cursed, self-sacrifice by absorbing a Curse from that worshipper. The worshipper is spared, but the Priest suffers the full Curse in their stead. If a Priest has absorbed 3 Curses, and keeps all 3 Curses at the same time (of consequence, not low-impact or short timer Curses) the priest automatically generates 1 Divinium Token (which is usually used to then ask to have the Curses removed).
  • Dispelling the Curse: Dispelling a Curse is only available to Mages who are more experienced than the Mage that cast the Curse in the first Place (greater or equal Magic Investment), which undoes the magic of the Curse and instantly ends it. However, if the Player of the Cursed Character wants to remain Cursed for longer, they can decline this working.
  • Divine Intervention: Beings like Gods, Arken, Dragons, etc are all generally capable of removing any kind of Curse. If a character spends Divinium to summon a God, they are guaranteed to remove a Curse, if asked. If a God is asked without spending Divinium, they may not always agree. Other Event Entities (Arken, Powerful Demons, etc) may also be capable of removing Curses on request, but will almost always ask for something in return.