Glossary:Magic

Magic

The-Powers-That-Be

 So let's talk about magic. We can dicker on the exact rules, if you like. There are all sorts of Grimoires and Cryptonomicons. I've got an AD&D manual somewhere. At the core, though...magic is taking a thought and making it real. Taking a lie and making it the truth. Telling a story to the universe so utterly, cosmically perfect that for a single, shining moment...the world believes a man can fly. 

—Loki

Magic (also known as sorcery) is the practice of utilizing certain energies and extra-dimensional forces to manipulate the natural world. Magic and science are two sides of a spectrum, and they are fundamental aspects of reality. The abstract entity responsible for magic is The-Powers-That-Be.

Mages have different level of power, determined by two factors: mystic potential (the inborn amount of spiritual energy that every living being have) and training. No matter how much spiritual energy living being have, to access it they have to learn and perform specific techniques, spells and phrases. Some mutants possess science-based genetic mutations that allows them to manipulate mystic energies without any training; for example, Wiccan, Meggan Puceanu and Tarot. The strongest mage often bears the title of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Magic first emerged in the Fifth Cosmos, the fifth iteration of existence that far predates the current Multiverse, the Seventh/Eighth Cosmos. It is said that chaos magic is the oldest form of magic in existence. According to Agatha Harkness, magic can exist on any planet where there is life.

According to the Eventuality, there are two dominant philosophies of magic: white magic and black magic, which generally form heroes and villains, respectively, but not always and there is no inherent moral superiority between them. He also suggests that they may be reflections of entities from far beyond and below, respectively.

Forms of Magic

The effects the magic can achieve are very different, but the energy it uses originates from one of the four distinct sources, also known as forms or paths of magic. The three forms of magic were discovered on Earth by Agamotto the All Seeing, the first Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, when he was looking for his mother the Elder Goddess Oshtur. He recorded these Three Paths to Enlightenment in his Book of the Vishanti. The fourth form of magic, the Necromancy, was created by Elder God Chthon.

Apart from being used directly, magic can be also concentrated and forged into Magical Items imbued with power, such as the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak. These are often created by powerful sorcerers and extradimensional entities and vary in function and power.

Egocentric Magic

Agamotto first studied his own mind and memories, looking for any hints Oshtur could have given him during their time together. He wasn't able to find anything, but it allowed him to clearly see his own remarkable inner power and discover the First Form of Magic, Arcanum Ego or Egocentric Magic (from the Greek: ego, "self"), the magic derived from tapping into sorcerer's own spiritual energy. The journey of finding one's own inner spiritual power became known as the First Path of Power or the Lapis Path. The effect of the Egocentric Magic seems similar to psychic in nature, but it taps into spiritual energy, not the psychic or mental energies. This magic allows to use Astral Projection, Hypnosis, Mind Control and Telepathy.

The Amulet of Agamotto the Eye of Power, is powered by egocentric magic.

Ecocentric Magic

Not being able to find any clues about Oshtur's whereabouts in his mind, Agamotto then went to look for her all around the Earth. He travelled for many years and eventually inadvertently returned back to the place he started from. It inspired him to realize the illusory nature of time and space and discover the Second Form of Magic, Arcanum Eco or Ecocentric Magic (from the Greek: oikos, "household"). This magic allows the sorcerer to connect their own life force to the ambient mystic energies of the surrounding environment and manipulate them. On Earth the magic energies flows through chartable courses, the "ley lines" or "lung-mei" (dragon paths). Many places have greater mystic energies due to being placed along the ley lines or intersections of two ley lines, for example churches, temples, Stonehenge and Glastonbury Tor.

By using the Ecocentric Magic the mage can form blasts of mystic energy, known as Bolts of Bedevilment, create Force Fields and Illusions. More experienced mages can use this form of magic to manipulate the four classic elements, Air, Earth, Fire and Water, or even conjure small items, although they normally not very stable and quickly disperse.

Since the sorcerers had to first finish the First Path and control the Egocentric Magic, before they can get access to the Ecocentric Magic, it became known as the Second Path of Power or the Emerald Road.

Weaver Magic is a special form of Ecocentric Magic, it taps neither into personal energy of mage or ambient energy of environment, but into the energy of another beings.

The Orb of Agamotto is powered by ecocentric magic.

Exocentric Magic

Since he wasn't able to find Oshtur anywhere on the Earth, Agamotto then went into space. With the help of the first and second Eyes he tirelessly looked everywhere for his mother, but still couldn't find her. He eventually gave up and stopped looking for her and thus inadvertently stepped on the Third Path of Power, the Golden Way. It allowed him to create the Eye of Agamotto and with it he travelled through various dimensions, finished the Third Path and discovered the Third Form of Magic, Arcanum Exo or Exocentric Magic (from the Greek: exo, "outside"). This form of magic allows the sorcerer to draw upon the forces from other dimensions, communicate and appeal for assistance to powerful beings that inhabit them. Such beings, known as Mystic Principalities (for example, Cyttorak, Ikonn, Raggadorr, Watoomb, etc.)

The Exocentric Magic is considered to be the most advanced and powerful form of magic, but in order to use the help of the Mystic Principalities the mage had to learn and perform complex incantations (which often includes the name of the Principality whose help the mage is seeking) and master subtle gestures. The weaker the mage and the stronger the Principality, the more complex the ritual should be to call for their power. Since this magic relies on the power of the Principalities it can fail if they refuse to help, but normally they do provide their help when called, because the mere act of being asked for help gives the Principalities power, so some of them even encourage mages to invoke their names to get more power. The stronger the mage, the more power from them the Principality gains. Some malevolent Principalities, for example, Chthon and Satannish provides vast amount of power, but instead of power they demand mage's soul in exchange. Some mages form long-standing agreements with specific Principality and are able to get an agreed amount of power from them without complex incantations by just using pre-established word or gesture.

Hermes Trismegistus later discovered and formulated additional principles of Exocentric Magic. To increase the chances of getting help from the Principalities the mage should invoke them at the sites connected to this specific Principality. If such place doesn't exist or can't be accessed for some reason, the mage can create their own temple by gathering the artifacts related to the Principality and invoking them in the presence of these objects. The lists of sacred places and artifacts associated with each Principality, known as correspondences, are very valuable to mages.

Necromancy

The fourth form of magic, the Forbidden Path, is better known as the Necromancy (from the Greek: nekromanteia, from nekros "dead body" and manteia "divination, oracle"). It was created by the Elder God Chthon as a source of power to oppose his brother Set. Chthon performed countless experiments on living beings to study the release of death energy. In the process he combined humans, animals and demons and created several new species, including the N'Garai, Ape Lords, Man-Bats of Ur-Xanarrh, Harpies, Goblins, Nightgaunts and the Wolf-Men of Valusia.

Chthon recorded the necromantic spells he created in the Darkhold. Necromancy draws power from potent energy generated by the termination of life, for example, human sacrifice. It is able to provide quick and powerful effects, but due to its cost the Necromancy is forbidden in most mystic communities and is only used by some twisted mages greedy for power regardless the cost. The use of the Necromancy and spells from the Darkhold caused many devastating events in the history. 20,000 years ago Varnae used one such spell that transformed him into the very first vampire. Another spell was used by Sagbata in the 17th century to create the first zombie. And in 18th century a spell inflicted the spirit of Chthon's Wolf-Men of Valusia upon Gregor Russoff and his descendants, creating the Werewolves.

Schools and Groups of Magic

• Animal
• Atlantean
• Blood Magic
• Catastrophe
• Chaos Magic
• Chi Energy
• Chthonic
• Chronomancy
• Druidic
• Eclectic
• Elemental
• Faerie
• Mys-Tech
• Pantheonic
  • Runic
  • Seidr
• Teknomagik
• Sorcery
• Technomancy
• The Winding Way
• Voodoo
• Witchcraft

Types of Magic

A full list of Types of Magic can be found here.