Arcane magic
Arcane magic is the mental aspect to magic. It is mainly used by mortals known as arcanists. It is not really compatible with other aspects of magic as it mainly works in a ritualistic way but its methods can be applied to Faith and other ritualistic kinds. Its existence is well-known and most arcanists are famous but there isn't a lot of them.
Origine
This aspect of magic was discovered and scientifically researched by Vìssna, God of Knowledge, in an effort to understand magic as a whole. It can be considered as a natural power whose intensity and existence depend on nothing except itself. Magic with passive force can be considered as an inexhaustible torrent whose current cannot be controlled but from which channels can be dug to draw on this magic. The width of the canals would symbolize the power necessary to accomplish the goal for which the canals were dug.
Source
Arcane magic takes its energy directly from the magic permeating the user's surroundings. The latter can harness this energy thanks to ley lines, rituals and calculations. It means they use an inert, natural and external source since the environment doesn't actively produce magic but can naturally store it.
This source is however of variable power according to time and location, containing some magic which can either be hard to make use of, when there is too little for a spell, or be hard to control, when there is too much. It can still be wielded seemingly infinitely as the source is substantial and most users physically can't take too much magic from it at a time.
Connections
The connections mainly used are considered a mix of sympathetic and complementary.
Sympathetic links connect individuals, objects and/or places thanks to common points, membership to a whole or a symbolic link. These links can be used as analogical symbols during rituals or spell casting. For example, to cast a spell on someone, the user can employ a doll, a part of the receiver and/or an object belonging to them to symbolize the person; to communicate with someone, they can use the link that unites two pieces of the same mirror; to cast a fireball, they need a piece of coal as a focus point.
Sympathetic links can also be formed through attraction: the desired result can be invoked by creating the illusion of the accomplished outcome. For example: to set fire to a house, the user will create a model of said house and set it on fire during his ritual. This also works with drawings or writings.
As the name suggests, complementary links connect beings, objects and/or places which complement each other. They can be seen as the beam that connects the two sides of a scale. Break it and the plateaus collapse, unbalance it and the harmony is broken. These connections can link opposites, such as shadow and light, Good and Evil, etc..., but also more abstract concepts belonging to a whole such as the elements, the planets, etc... Usually, these links are left alone since they create balance between the parties and they are quite fragile and delicate. Breaking these connections or changing them can have dramatic consequences.
Planes of existence
This kind of magic is mainly used on Earth but, if an arcanist became an elevated deity, his source would change. The energy would be taken from the plane of existence he is currently on while keeping in mind that Earth can't bear too much magic. If he lives in Caelestis, his surroundings are still his source but the rules and calculations will be different from the ones he used on Earth.
Talent
The magic talent to use arcane magic is acquired but it requires a high intelligence, which is mainly innate. The only method to obtain it is simply to study and practice for a long time. This talent can be lost if the knowledge acquired is forgotten or not used, the same way someone forgets a language after not practicing for a while. In this case, it is often progressive and it won't have too much impact on the user. They will be able to regain it by learning and practicing again and it might even be quicker the second time. However, if the talent is lost suddenly, the user and the one (or the thing) who broke the complementary link between user and magic will receive a severe backlash, through mental and physical injuries that can be permanent. As a side note, a mental injury will make the user unable to practice magic again and will prevent them from using their intelligence.
User types
Arcanists use an external source and arcane magic is ritualistic which means they are methodical users. They are mortals who need long years of study to master their magic. Apprenticeship alongside a mentor or in a school is essential to their training. Their practice is based on solid knowledge and long and sometimes tedious preparations. They generally need a point of focus (wand, staff, etc.) to cast their spells. Their magic is often powerful and their fields of application almost limitless. However, the more powerful the spell, the more preparation it requires (components, incantations, accumulation of magical energy, complex gestures, etc...). Moreover, the amount of magic they can use at a time is limited by their surroundings.
Whether or not they are free to practice magic, they will always group together to create schools (clandestine or not) in order to disseminate knowledge. Their groups will always be hierarchical and organized. They are rather calm and thoughtful and will always prefer discussion to action, at least initially. However, when isolated from their peers, they tend to withdraw and live as hermits in order to carry out their research without being disturbed.
Awakening
For arcanists, the awakening is progressive. During the pre-awakening phase, the user studies and practices without being able to cast a spell, not without help, until they can do it alone. It's a conscious, painless process apart from the hard work provided to get results; the arcanist only notices he has new skills and he feels the changes taking place in him through physical perceptions (tingling body parts, current-like feelings, impression something awakens within him, etc...), mental perceptions (strange sensations when in contact with another user, perception of magic flow, impression something awakens within him, etc...) and emotional ones (joy, fear, drunk on the new power, etc...).
Apprenticeship
Arcanists have multiple ways to learn and master their craft. They can be self-taught but it is not usual. Their learning is then done through practice and personal experimentation while being very attentive to their feelings and the perceptions of their sensations and their environment. Although a mentor is not essential for self-taught learning, they are not banned either. A master would allow the apprentice to learn faster and perhaps more. The teacher-student pair is way more common and can be included in a school (or academy) or a clan. Magic schools can be found on all continents, whether they are clandestine or official, and each one of them have their own functioning.
As for clans, sometimes called family, they are less common than schools but more than self-taught learning. In this case, the knowledge is transmitted within a family. It involves preserving know-how and/or secrets that are passed down from generation to generation, like cooking recipes or old remedies. The informations transmitted in this context often has a specific purpose and is not taught outside the family or clan circle. This knowledge is also the gathering of wisdom from an entire lineage; it is ancestral knowledge.
Nota Bene: As a reminder, a clan is a group of families with a common origin or a common ancestor, whether real or legendary.
If the student is taken under the wing of their family member in particular and the knowledge transmitted belongs to the master and not their family, then it's a teacher-student situation. Ditto if the family or clan isn't composed of arcanists. In some cases, the teaching within a family can also be seen as an equivalent to home schooling without necessity for transmission of ancestral and secret knowledge.
The less common ways to learn the craft are either through covens or compagnionnage. A coven is a small group of users (around 30 people max) committed to each other. They are often good friends or even heart family. They gather to teach and practice together as a group a specific king of magic. Their is a pyramid hierarchy: the more knowledgable members are at the top while the most recent recruits are at the bottom. However, in general, they look out for each other with a lot of goodwill no matter their level. Likewise, the knowledge is often shared between all members. Unlike the family, the wisdom is not ancestral but specific to that group and it grows alongside the different members progess. To enter a coven, the student must be sponsored and/or pass an initiation rite. Covens can also be called circle or group.
At last, compagnonnage comes down to learning the craft through travels. After completing basic training with a fist Companion, the apprentice travels from town to town to learn from several masters, each with his own specialty. This learning journey is strewn with challenges to overcome in order to pass the learning levels, just like exams. Since compagnonnage is based on a network across an entire country, or even continent for the biggest ones, it is common to find Companion houses to accommodate traveling Companions and apprentices, just like a guild. This way, the Companion always find a place to stay and eat. During the different stages of his journey, the apprentice can also be hired temporarily, and earn money, in their master's company.
To become a full-fledged Companion, the student must create a masterpiece that demonstrates mastery of the craft. They are also judged on their moral qualities since compagnonnage is also a state of mind and way of living. It means adhering to essential values such as:
- the craft is learned and practiced with passion and awareness,
- travel is a way to train as a professional, but also as a person,
- the teachings are mutual through contact with elders, exchange between apprentices and transmission to younger people,
- solidarity unties the Companions, together they are stronger and help each other,
- work is not an end in itself but a means to flourish and open up to others,
- loyalty to one's commitments makes the Companion someone upright and reliable, someone honorable,
- they should know how to question and challenge themselves in order to move forward better and help others,
- they should think for themselves,
- searching for excellence.
The main difference between a compagnonnage and a coven is the network: a coven is isolated and only has one headquarters while a corporation can have several headquarters in several cities and belongs to a network of several corporations. In addition, members of different covens do not mix, while those of corporations do.
Families and disciplines
All families and all disciplines are available to arcanists.
Components
Components are the elements that magic users need to practice it. To use arcane magic, the mental, linguistic and material components are the most important. The mental component gathers all the psychological, cognitive and emotional skills necessary to successfully use magic while material components are all the necessary objects, ingredients or creatures for spell casting. Linguistic components are all the specific languages and alphabets used in spells. However, some rituals also require gestural and vocal components.
Products
According to the specialty of the user, arcane magic can be used to create amulets, artifacts, egregores, elixirs, ointments, philters, potions, sigils, spells, magic circles, talismans, etc... However, most arcanists only study magic to try and understand the universe they are in, these products are a means to an end or accidents, not the purpose itself.
Nota Bene: An egregore is an accumulation of magic. If it reaches a high concentration level, it can develop a counciousness and/or personality. This accumulation may be voluntary or not, natural or not. An egregore can form when several magic users work together in the same ritual and mix their magical energies. In the case of natural egregores, they are created by fluctuations in magic levels. Not to be confused with a homonculus: an egregore is made of pure energy while a homonculus is a being with a body.
Limits
Acane magic can be rare or not according to the location considered. For example, it is common in areas around magic schools but very rare in countries forbidding this magic. It is also difficult to use because of the amount of control the user has to have over it, the long and hard learning experience and the complexity of the calculations needed to perform the rituals. Also, the components can often be hard to get and/or expensive. The price to use arcane magic is often high but not necessarily: the energy, components and knowledge needed vary greatly according to the spell or ritual performed. However, if things go wrong, the physical, mental, social and legal repercussions are often severe and permanent.
Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
Elf
Fae
Human
Smallfolk
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