Mostly, within all schools and guilds across Thracia, the very substance of Magick itself is found from within. Certain individuals are born with the power to subtly alter their reality. Others may attain this power through their beliefs or their faith. Magick in Thracia is mostly about the manipulation of True Fae. Fae itself is a tangible, real substance, but is unfelt by the five senses alone. What it does not do is flow into the world from some other dimension or place, but is recognised throughout Erna that it exists in the here and now. Invisible to nearly all, Fae changes the physical laws about it, and doubly so when mental pressure is applied to it.
The Fae (also called the ‘Aether’, and the ‘Fundament’) is drawn in by gravity and manipulated by it in the same way as other objects in the universe. It is then attracted to thoughts - which explains why the cleverest thinkers are also priests or mages. Thus, True Fae is in inherent in all things, and only requires manipulation to bring it fully into being as a tangible substance - the effect produced by this is called ‘magick’. Each school of magick - including the Alchemical Theurgy - specialises in manipulating these magicks in their own way. As can be seen below, True Fae enters Erna in four distinct forms:
Tidal Fae |
Fae from the Moon, attracted to seas, water, mists, clouds and winds | Typically Shadow, Light and Heavens magick |
Solar Fae |
Fae from the Sun, attracted to light, reflections, metals and heat | Typically Light, Shadows and Fire magick |
Earth Fae |
Fae within the ground, attracted to life, growth, and physical exertion | Typically Life, Death and Beasts magick |
Dark Fae |
Fae from deepest earth, attracted to death, decay, darkness, quiet undisturbed areas and emotions | Typically Shadow, Beasts and Death magick |
It should be seen, however, that these four Fae expressions can almost be used for any of the magicks. Each of them is expressed as concepts - and so their meanings are near endless. As such, almost any Art can be used from a single Fae - but the further removed the expression, the more difficult to channel.
Fae itself is inconsistent - it does not remain in these ‘states’ forever, and many more, unidentified types of Fae exist. Earth Fae, for example, can pass to become Dark, or Light Fae and the transition can give rise to new Fae types - in-between types, merged types. Only a Mage can truly ‘see’ the Fae as it is, without a Detect Magick spell or special ‘sight’. As such, many mages describe the Fae in metaphor and simile, unable to truly describe to another without their gift what Fae is truly like.
Tidal Fae is soft, waxy and delicate like spider webs or silk thread. Liable to snap at too much exertion, Tidal Fae is said to glow faintly and mages attuned to it say that it ‘sings’. Tidal Fae rests on the high air currents, and is drawn to mists and deep-set fogs.
Solar Fae blasts down upon the open earth like the glare of the sun itself. Mages attuned to it say that it feels like an intense pressure or heat upon them, burning away ignorance or doubt. Weak only when the sun is hidden (such as heavy cloud cover), Solar Fae exists only where the sun shows - shadows become places where Solar is in a transitory state to become Dark.
Earth Fae seeps in from the ground itself. Slow, like the pulse of a heartbeat, Earth Fae is soft, caressing. However it has been known that around geographical disturbances that the Earth Fae can grow ‘hot’ and violent, temperamental. Mages attuned to this Fae say that it is rather like a pulse and that there exists a ‘background hum’ of all the heartbeats in the world within the Earth Fae currents. Earth Fae itself stays close to the ground, rolling like a river.
Dark Fae slithers, crawls and slides, slippery as eels and cold as coldest ice. Never stationary, mages attuned to this Fae say that it is actually quite beautiful - in the same way that people are fascinated by corpses or decay. Seductive and intoxicating, Dark Fae is said to consistently ‘whisper’ and gathers only in the dark places of the world that the other Fae types cannot reach.
SPELLCASTING
In order to cast a spell the player needs to perform certain actions. These cannot be avoided (unless specified) - and represents the casters waving their arms about and chanting the correct ritual procedure in order to cast the spell - remembering vocals and not slipping up on them is just as important; if a player mumbles or otherwise fumbles their vocals, the spell is not cast and the spellcard is lost. This represents the mage focusing their mind and gathering the power to them - if the vocals are failed then the mage has either gathered too much or too little energy to themselves, or simply lost concentration.
To use and cast Magick see the Magick Section
