The Road to Dragon's Peak [Magic]

Magical Types

Spoiler

There are four types of magic available on Peoem - natural, academic, holy and ley.

Natural magic deals with the elements (of which there are 8), in born abilities (like the sight, the ability to speak to animals, and the like). Witches/wizards/warlocks (hedge as well) and mages generally practice some form of natural magic. Magic is rarely genetic and can pass to anyone.

Academic magic deals with symbols, incantations, charms, wards and the like. Magicians, some mages, and sorcerers prefer this kind of magic. Any form of divination outside of the Sight is academic magic.

Holy Magic comes from a god or goddess, who has the ability to grant their priests/priestesses special powers and abilities. Only a god can turn a normal person into a magic user; all other magic users must be born with their power/abilities. A god can also grant extra powers to someone who already has access to magic. Powers from gods are gained through careful rituals, which are a combination of ley-magic and academic magic. Even a dead god can grant powers; however, such powers are weaker as time goes by.

Ley magic is the magic of high sorcerers, gods, and priests. It can also be used by mages and accomplished witches (although not very well). This magic uses the raw energy of the ley lines which criss-cross the planet. Nodes are those areas where two (or more) ley-lines cross. A nexus is any place where several ley-lines cross and leave behind a sort of ball of energy. Those born above the nexus can draw on its power; the larger the nexus, the stronger the mage.

Magical Ranks

Spoiler

Mages on Peoem are divided based on abilities and power level. Other than warlocks (and sorcerers/gods), any negatively-aligned magic user is simply called a "Dark Mage".

Hedge witch/wizard – can access some small magic, often little more than lighting a candle flame or reading the future in tarot cards. Often healers (herb based), midwives or village wise men/women. (Can live to be 100)

Witch/Wizard – Has nature based magic, elemental (fire magic, light magic, water magic, ect) or plant/animal related. After much practice, they can levitate, predict the future (with crystal balls, tarot cards, and such), lend and borrow magic, light fires, and sometimes cast basic energy spells. (Can live to be 150 or so)

Warlock – a dark witch or wizard, who has stolen magic, or uses magic to serve the dark energies/forces of the world. (Can use dark magic to extend their life, up to 500 or so years)

Magician – gifted with general magic, can do all a witch/wizard can do, but is not connected to a specific energy/element. Spends their time crafting magical artifacts of various potencies. (Often lives to be less than 300 years)

Mage – Strong magic, often gifted with two to four elements/energies/forces, or strange powers, such as spatial/dimensional magic, healing by the laying on of hands, or weather magic (rather than just water, fire/heat, lightning, or wind). Also known for making magical artifacts, such as wind knots, containers that are bigger on the inside, magic mirrors and more. (Can easily live 300-500 years)

Sorcerer/Sorceress – Two magic users fall into this category, although most people are aware of only one of them. The most common sorcerers are those who study magic, rather than practice it. They are also known for summoning circles, highly esoterica magical abilities (curses, mental healing, ect), rather than the more practical magics of mages and witches. While most sorcerers have been gifted with general magic, some have elemental/energy magic, or even hedge witch level magic. Basically, a magic user who studies magic, but rarely casts it, or casts highly academical magics (summoning circles), is a sorcerer, regardless of skill and power. (Lives 300-500 years as well)

High Sorcerer/Sorceress – The less well known group of sorcerers, on the other hand, relies entirely on power and skill. These sorcerers are classified as those who were born over a small magical nexus, who can wield pure magic in various levels of strength. However, as few people know about nexuses (ley nodes), few realize that mages/sorcerers of this ilk are in fact High Sorcerers. (Often lives upward of 1000 years)

Gods/Goddesses – those born over a large nexus, on the other hand, become gods. The knowledge of how to gain power from followers/worshippers, and how to create and gift priests with magic, is inborn in them, and comes to them, like with all magical ability, during puberty. Like all magic users, gods are mortal, although, like other magic users, they live much longer than the average mortal. Gods live an average of 1500 years, although most live to be over 2000 years (many live only to be 800 or so).