An Introduction to the Ways of Magic

The Definition and Origin of Magic

To understand magic we must first look at its exact definition.

Magic - The practice of using certain energies and powers whose nature is beyond the scope of technologically oriented science.

The Origin of Magical Power

"Where does all power truly originate? In the long run, from the sun, of course. Here, too, is the indirect birthplace of all mystical might. Control of the source means total control. To be a star means the very laws of nature are yours to amend as you wish. You see, stars are not inert celestial bodies. They are highly intelligent, aware, and powerful." -Apalla, a humanoid form of a star.

"I can't make something out of nothing. Magic is basically a study of forces. Once one knows how to channel these forces, though, the results can be quite striking." –Belasco DiMera Giovanni

Magical power is the life blood of a magician (and of a magical item or creature, for that matter). In this grimoire we will see how magical power is divided into three different types: personal, universal, and dimensional. But all magic power is built on common ground. That of reshaping existing power found in yourself, your universe, or in another dimension, to a form that you desire.

What is important to magicians is the reference to the ultimate power coming from the sun, which is our own star. This may explain why the forces of light, usually referred to as the forces of order, good, or "white", hold sway over the forces of darkness, usually referred to as forces of chaos, evil, or "black".

Types of Magic Users

Not all wielders of magic are casters of spells. We can divide the wielders of mystical energies into three basic categories...

Magically Enhanced beings are those who have touched some magical item or been influenced by some mighty magical being or spell in the past and now have abilities and/or powers that are permanently enhanced. Increased Strength and Endurance, improved eyesight or movement, are all typical examples of magically enhanced abilities and characteristics.

Magical Items possessed by beings create another kind of magic-wielder. The source of magical items is usually a powerful magical being or god who grants the item to the wielder or the item is found in a ruin, in an ancient temple, hidden away by its previous user, etc. Note that many of the beings who have magical items also have developed their natural abilities, such as Fighting, acrobatics, and the like.

Spell Casters are the most complicated classification. These are beings who wield magic themselves. It sometimes manifests itself as an innate power, but usually is used by means of spells and incantations. From now on we will refer to them as magicians, mystics or sorcerers.

The being's suitability as a spell caster depends primarily on what type of magician or magician he is. A suitability requirement for beings that have stumbled upon a magical item or have been enhanced magically usually consists of dumb luck, and sometimes a stout heart, pure nature, etc. Suitability requirements for spell casters are far more stringent.

Most spell casters have had to undergo intense training. The other has an innate ability to use magic, but they must still learn how to control and use their powers. The only way for a spell caster to increase his abilities is to study long and hard under a master who understands the mysterious ways of magic. A master will, however, teach from a certain school of magic.

I have noted two distinct types of spell casters in my travels.  The first and most common is the ‘Arcane’ spell caster, which is the typical type discussed throughout this tome.  The second type I call ‘Divine’ spell casters, as they draw their spell power directly from a Deity or Pantheon. I know less about the later, but I feel it bears mentioning so that you will understand the other ways magic may be manipulated.

The Path to Take...

Most mystics, magicians and sorcerers follow a specific school of magic. Magic schools are divided into three general types:

- magic for the establishment of order in the dimensions (usually referred to as 'white' or 'good' magic);

- magic for the breakdown of order that results in chaos in the dimensions (usually referred to as 'chaotic', 'evil', or 'black' magic;

- magic that neither strives for chaos or for order, but remains neutral in its existence (usually referred to as 'neutral' or 'gray' magic).

Each magic school is more complicated than the definitions above. Each school includes concepts of nature and the magician's place in it, guidelines on what entities to entreat if dimensional magic is being used, and goals to strive for. Furthermore, despite the general tendency of each school ('white', 'gray', 'black') each school contains sorcerers who violate the principles of the school.  

Such renegade spell casters usually become outcasts from their original schools, but a wise sorcerer should always beware of them. The major schools of magic are listed below.

Magic for Chaos

This is a forbidden or dangerous type of magical school whose goal is to promote chaos, which will lead to an evil tyranny. One of the primary subschools of "chaotic" magic is one that follows the little-known archaic rituals and beliefs based on the existence of the Elder Gods.

This type of magic is much more powerful in certain settings (such as ancient temples to the unknown gods) and with the use of 'chaotic' magic artifacts. The vulnerability of 'chaotic' magic is that it tends to attract 'white' magicians or creatures who wish to negate it.

Druidic Magic

This school practices Celtic earth magic, it draws strength from the powers of nature.

I have encountered it in many other realms as well, primarily practiced by elves, or those allied with them. Who invented it is a mystery lost to the eons. 

It is particularly powerful in natural Earth settings, but has a special vulnerability to iron or steel. It is a 'neutral' magic school.

Voodoo Magic

This is a school derived from the Loa, the spirit-gods of voodoo, a faith originated and practiced in Haiti. The magician is most likely a houngan, or voodoo priest.

Voodoo magic is particularly effective in its homeland and in locations of the dead. It has no special vulnerabilities and is considered a 'white' magic, but can be perverted into a 'chaotic' magic.

Faerie Magic

This school is based on the practices of the faerie, an ancient race of beings with supernatural powers who originated in an extradimensional world that borders upon Britain and Ireland on Earth.

Again, I have encountered many of these creatures in other realms, and have even heard rumor of a Plane of Faerie.

This magic school is similar to the Druidic school, except that a sorcerer in this school most likely possesses faerie blood. This makes him extremely powerful when wielding an ancient faerie artifact or in Britain or Ireland, but extremely vulnerable to iron or steel.

Atlantean Magic

This school was established eons ago in the ancient Earth civilization of Atlantis. Little is known about the school, except that Dakimh the Enchanter, last disciple of the Atlantean sorceress Zhered-Na, practices it and is now the mentor of Jennifer Kale.

Atlantean magic seems to be a 'white' magic, that which draws upon the powers of order. Therefore, it can be very powerful if used in conjunction with 'white' magical artifacts or against 'chaotic' magic. Vulnerability would exist in the fact that chaotic magical creatures would be constantly trying to find and neutralize a wielder of 'white' magic.

It is interesting to note that in my travels to the returned continent of Atlantis on an alternate earth, this magic was not present.  Only a small fragment was preserved and is now practiced by the Splugorth who inhabit the continent there.  A magic centered around the construction of Pyramids and their use in the harnessing of Ley Lines.  I have yet to investigate other worlds to see if they too contain Ley Lines that this magic could be used on.  It is believed by the Splugorth that the Atlanteans erred in their use of the Pyramids and opened a large Rift (see also Dimensional Aperture) which caused the legendary sinking of Atlantis.  This is purely speculation on my part, as neither I nor the Splugorth were present during the event.

Scientific Magic

This is a school that has no particular philosophy or ethical background. Magic is regarded not as a way of life, but rather as a tactic used to attain one's goal.

Followers of this school are seldom spell casters themselves, but rather combine elements of magic with obscure or highly advanced forms of science to create effects that seem magical. In this school, the distinction between science and magic is never clear; either or both could be used to produce a single effect. Alchemy is the best example of a semi-magical science.

On the future earth that I encountered the Splugorth a place we will call Rifts: Earth for the purposes of this volume. There were other forms of Scientific Magic practiced.  I am unfamiliar with the workings of either but I will attempt to explain both here…

• Techno-Wizardry… This unique combination of high technology and magical invention goes beyond even the most impressive works of a Gnome Artificer.  Through the application of magical incantations to a technological device it gained magical properties that allowed it to perform in ways that contradict the laws of physics.
• Bio-Wizardry… The Splugorth have mastered the art of magically grafting living creatures.  Allowing magical properties to be bestowed upon the recipient.  This form of magic includes the use of some parasites and symbiotes, as well as outright polymorphic transformations through the use of powerful spells.  They have gone so far as to create what can only be called a Bioborg, a cyborg like creature made entirely of living tissue.

Divine Magic (Special Realm or Pantheon)

The magical teachings and spells come from the history of a Special Realm or Pantheon (such as Asgard or Olympus). This type of magic would come with the use of items or spells developed by this pantheon or realm, and when at certain locations (Greece for the Olympian pantheon, etc.)

This kind of magic would be greatly reduced when performed in locations that exist to destroy the specific pantheon or realm.

Practitioners of Clerical Magic are primary devout priests of a particular Pantheon or Deity.  However, some are simply individuals blessed by the prescribed Divine Source, and wield these powers naturally.  In most cases Divine Casters are not limited by the ungainly treatise that makes it difficult for Arcane Casters to cast spells while in heavy armor.  However there are exceptions to this rule, as with all rules it seems.

It is also good to note for new students that in many realms divine magic is the only source of healing magic as well.  While in others, as the ones I have studied thankfully, any ‘Arcane’ caster can manage at least a small spell of healing.  I will add that in all realms it seems that ’Divine’ casters have an easier time of it, especially when it comes to true resurrection.  A feat I have yet to attempt myself due to the terrific karmic costs is accrues.

Nature Magic

This important school of magic is sometimes splintered off into more specialized and defined schools, such as the Druidic and Faerie schools.

The belief surrounding all nature schools is that all of nature is sacred and is bound together as one. Therefore it is magic given towards order, though some of its splinter schools tend towards neutral magic in a belief that nature should be balanced between order and chaos.

The wielders of this kind of magic are having greater effect upon and communication with nature, especially animals. Their powers include controlling elements, animal control, and so forth. But they also include drawing the attention of chaotic creatures and characters who desire to destroy nature and the Earth.

Magic for Order

This is the school is the most powerful 'white' school of magic, striving for order and good by practicing an ascetic, disciplined approach that has its foundations deeply rooted in Oriental philosophy and magic.

I say Oriental Philosophy as on my world that is the culture most associated with this belief system, however on other worlds Magic for Order exists in many cultures, one must remember in the vastness of the Multiverses, anything is possible.

Eclectic Magic

This is an unorganized school of magic, that is, it follows no one school of philosophy but is a hodge-podge of "get-as-get-can" magic. It is considered neutral magic.

Many of those who 'dabble' in magic usually wind up with this type of magic. A spell learned here, an enchantment discovered there, makes up the whole of their philosophy.

Though I am no dabbler many other masters have defined my own arts as Eclectic.  I have studied many forms of magic and learned many spells from the different schools.  It is not that I refuse to be hindered by a school, only the circumstance of my life that has caused this.  I will let you make up your own mind if my lack of structure makes me less adept, or more versatile.

Other Schools

I have encountered hundreds of others ‘schools’ of magic in my travels.  Most of which fall under the above categories I have explained.  I will however continue to update these pages with my findings in order to more completely educate my students.

Magician Ranks

As I have stated many times before defining magic into specific names and titles is quite difficult.  As you will come to know in my pages on Dimensional and Planar travel, there are an infinite number of possibilities out there.

That said I have included below a basic breakdown of Magical Ranks.  These will usually have equivalent counterparts in other realms, and these are the ones used by all my students as well as those of the other orders here in the Tower of Wayrath.

The following steps show the various degrees of magic wielder rank or status.

Novice

A beginning magician. He is spending most of his time with his master. He can study tomes and scrolls and even perform magic found therein, but spells that he has read in a tome or on a scroll must be studied each time he uses them -- he cannot yet commit them to memory.

Novices are usually ignored by the more powerful dimensional entities. A novice using a Dimensional Entreaty spell uses his magic as normal; the entity entreated usually will not be affronted by the entreaty or take action. The dimensional entity feels that it is an investment in the future, but the character is currently beneath his total consideration. A novice can, however, provoke a hostile reaction from extra-dimensional entities by abusing their power using it in ways the entity would not normally approve of.

Disciple

This magician has a bit more experience. He assists the master in some of his rituals, but is spending more time adventuring than a novice. He may learn new spells from his master's written works.

Disciples, like novices, are usually ignored by the more powerful dimensional entities. A disciple using a Dimensional Entreaty spell uses his magic as normal; the entity entreated usually will not be affronted by the entreaty or take action. The dimensional entity feels that it is an investment in the future, but the character is currently beneath his total consideration.

A disciple can, however, provoke a hostile reaction from extra-dimensional entities by abusing their power using it in ways the entity would not normally approve of.

Adept

This magician spends more time adventuring than he spends with his master, though he is still at his master's beck and call. His studying of the writings of the ancient arts gleans him more information than if he were a novice or disciple.

This is the lowest rank at which a sorcerer could normally gain special attention from dimensional beings.

Master (Archmage)

When reaching the master status the magician spends very little time with his master, but much of it in contemplation, study, and adventuring. If he qualifies, he may find a student of his own to teach. His studying of the writings of the ancient arts gleans him more information than any other source.

Masters and their Role

"Many times I have sat thus and read my master's writings. And each time I am filled with greater awe of the Ancient One's sensitivity and knowledge. There is much even a master of the ancient arts can acquire from the Learned One's teachings." – Belasco DiMera Giovanni

This observation adds further definition to how a spell is controlled.

If a spell were to be directly manipulated by the being, it is because the being has had an accident which physically altered him to control that spell, or the being is a mutant and was born with the ability to control that spell. Magic is different. It is the knowledge of how to tap into that spell and manipulate it.

The importance of a master for a magician cannot be overstated. It is the best and often only way he can progress in his knowledge of magic use. This includes learning new spells.

Some magicians (especially those of the Eclectic school) learn a trick or two through the studying of tomes, but to gain skill in magic he must be taught by a master.