Magic in Galactus

"Reach out your hands, class, and close your eyes. Stretch your minds out through your veins, down your arms, and into the very tips of your fingers. Now, I want you to try to feel for a leyline. It's an indescribable sensation, but quite distinct. When you have found it, clasp your hand around it."

Leylines

Stretched across the entirety of Galactus is a vast network of invisible, virtually undetectable magic lines known as leylines. Experienced magic users, however, can learn how to locate these leylines and tap into their power.

Patterns

Where leylines cross, one can usually find a large concentration of magical creatures. Because a crossing results in stronger magic by magic users, one can typically find a town or city that has established itself at such an intersection. The most potent crossing known to civilization is without a doubt in Rosewick, where the goddess of magic herself is said to have blessed the city and pulled the leylines even closer to one another. Other crossings occur deep in the wilderness, over the ocean, or atop the tallest peaks and most active volcanoes. Major leylines tend to run alongside major landmarks such as rivers or mountain ranges, and whether the leylines or the landmark came first is still unknown. Smaller leylines form a tight net over the rest of the world.

Effects

Leylines, when properly tapped, can increase the power of a magic user. It is never an easy task, but an experienced user can feel the presence of leylines and use them to the user's advantage. In the wild, fey have a natural ability to use the magic of leylines and have been known to congregate at crossings deep in the forest. These crossings, however, also attract unsavory creatures like hags or beholders. In recent centuries, the frequency of monsters appearing at crossings has increased significantly. It is unknown why this has occurred, but some adventurers tell stories of the very fabric of reality opening before them, only to spit out an aberration or several and seal itself back up.

Leylines in Folklore

In popular history, magic was created by the goddess Althea as she formed the world. Althea pressed her hand into the ground on Altheria, and dug a well from which the magic sprung. As the magic flowed out, the glowing form of Iva took shape, and the goddess was born from the pure magic of the world. In order to share this magic with the world at large, Iva formed it into thread, the leylines, and wove it across Galactus for all to use.

Because of Iva's origin as a child of magic, she has an innate and powerful ability to move and manipulate leylines as she pleases. The city of Rosewick was blessed with this ability, as Iva brought many leylines together into the largest known crossing in the world. Iva has also used this ability in battle, especially in the Shadow War of the Creation Era, during which Iva moved dozens of leylines away from the battlefield until the warriors could no longer use magic to fight and had to surrender.

Some folk have an unusually strong ability to find and use leylines. They are said to be Iva-blessed and typically use this ability to become paladins or clerics of Iva.

---

Magic Domains

There are several distinct domains or disciplines of magic, each of which deals with a different type of magic and its effects. Generally, magic users are only able to tap into one or two magic domains, but more dedicated magic users - especially those with natural abilities - can learn to tap into additional domains, usually by attending a school of magic somewhere.

Many deities are tied closely with a magic domain, which is known as the deity's divine domain. Those who follow the guidance of a particular deity may find their abilities enhanced in their chosen deity's divine domain, or may gain magical abilities where before they had none.

Life Magic

Life magic in Galactus deals with living and growing things, particularly plants. It is the divine domain of the deities Ceria, Vitalis, and Vytos. Magic in the life domain can be used to grow plants and make them flower or seed. It can call animals and minor magical creatures to the user, willing to interact with them in ways that they naturally might not - for example, one can call a naturally aggressive predator and fear no bodily harm. Life magic can also be used to heal, but is extremely draining. Likewise, one with enough power and components can even bring back the recently deceased, but not without great cost. Life magic works in balance with death magic - taking from one to give to the other results in an equal and opposite cost.

Life magicians are most powerful when already surrounded by nature - they can better draw from the life around them to use for their own means.

Death Magic

The counterpart to life magic, death magic deals with - as the name suggests - death and undeath. It is the divine domain of the deities Termin and Ydos. Magic in the death domain can be used to create undead creatures or bring false life to constructs and create homunculi. One can also use this magic to impose one's will upon the undead or those given false life. Death magic can of course be used to bring death or harm upon others, but this is not without cost. However, where life magic drains its energy from one's surroundings, death magic drains from one's own self. This can be offset, however, but only through sacrifice of another. This has led death magic to become regarded as immoral or dirty magic. Death magic works in balance with life magic, and taking life through death magic results in a counterbalance of life magic somewhere else, often in the form of magical monsters that are birthed from ley line crossings.

Death magicians are most powerful in places of death such as graveyards, further contributing to their bad reputation.

Storm Magic

Storm magic, as its name indicates, deals with weather, the sky, and storms. It is the divine domain of the deity Xonnir. Magic in the storm domain can be used to summon gusts of wind, thunderheads, and even snow. Use of this magic can even allow one to fly by manipulating air currents to cushion and carry oneself. It is also the magic of electricity, which can be temporarily harnessed to bring a devastating edge to a weapon or a crackling shield. Many storm magicians can find employment on ships as beacons of good weather, in battle, or even in agricultural areas, bringing rain even in the worst of droughts. Although death and life magic are the only domains associated with a direct cost, powerful displays of storm magic, like any magic, can be physically draining, Additionally, storm magicians must be very careful when dealing with lightning, as even the strongest magic users have a weak grip at best on this force of nature.

Strom magicians find their control of electricity most powerful in storms, but can use their magic adeptly in any weather so long as they have access to the sky.

Water Magic

Water magic is an often overlooked domain, as it generally does not have such striking effects as other domains. It deals mainly with the control and use of water and of creatures that dwell in the water. It is the divine domain of the deity Pyara. Water magic favors those with a natural grace and flexibility, those who are fluid like the water that they guide. Water magic can be used to manipulate water into different shapes and for different uses. It is able to control the phase of water as well, and powerful water magicians can deal a lot of damage by freezing the air in one's lungs if they so choose. Water magicians can call fish to their nets or create drinkable water from only the moisture in the air. Water magic makes it possible for one to breathe underwater or move in water as though it were air, particularly useful for magic users wishing to work on the ocean. Water magicians often find employment on fishing boats or explore the darkest depths of the ocean in search of new discoveries.

Water magicians are most powerful where they have access to large amounts of water, particularly the ocean, although they can use any moisture available to them.

Stone Magic

The domain of stone magic concerns the control and manipulation of a wide variety of stones, metals, and minerals that originate below the surface of Galactus. It is the divine domain of the deity Xitos. Magic in the stone domain can be used to call specific substances from below to the surface. It can also be used to shape the ground itself into any shape imaginable, or turn something solid to something loose and unstable, or the reverse. The use of stone magic is often found in mining settings, and most especially by dwarves, who as the patron race of Xitos are particularly adept at this domain. It requires great physical strength and will to move and manipulate an immobile element like stone. Often, the most talented stonecarvers and metalworkers are stone magicians, as their abilities help bring their ideas to life.

Stone magicians are most powerful in areas with great amounts of rock and stone, such as in mountains, but can use their magic anywhere that they have a solid connection to the ground or to a usable material.

Moon Magic

The domain of moon magic deals with the mind, whether creating illusions, changing one's memory, or healing mental wounds. It is the divine domain of the deity Metsli. Moon magic can be used to create illusions by changing how the target perceives and experiences what is currently happening. As the counterpart to sun magic, moon magic also deals with healing, but its healing is that of the mind, not the body. It can assuage fears, calm emotions, and cure insanity. Moon magic is also associated with cold and ice, and moon magicians are able to freeze substances and create bolts of ice for use as magical weapons. The moon magic domain is also closely associated with water magic, given its freezing abilities.

Moon magicians are strongest at night, especially under the light of a full moon or in winter, although most moon spells can be used at any time.

Sun Magic

Sun magic concerns the body, both in changing and healing it. It is the divine domain of the deity Elena. Sun magicians are often healers, as sun magic can be used to heal wounds and cure sickness. Unlike life magic, which also encompasses healing, sun magic is far less draining and also cannot bring the dead back to life, though it can seal the wounds of those who have passed. Some users of sun magic also use their magic to cast spells that change the body of the target. This can be something like reversing or speeding the process of aging, or changing the target from one thing to another - polymorphing - although such spells have a higher cost. Sun magic is associated with heat and flame, and sun magicians can cast fire spells. No matter how skilled a sun magician is, however, fire is a force that should not be trifled with and can be difficult to bring under control.

Sun magicians are strongest during the day, especially during the summer cycles, but can use most magic at any time.

Knowledge Magic

Knowledge magic is the magic of divination. It is the divine domain of the deities Iva and the Jackdaw Lord. Knowledge magicians can use their magic to determine, to a limited extent, what happens in the future, whether near or far. Of course, the uncertain nature of time means that such divination may not continue to be accurate. Knowledge magic can also be used to read another's mind or identify the true nature of an object. Knowledge magicians often work in research fields or take up the role of an oracle or fortune teller in some places. This domain can also be used to communicate with others regardless of language or intelligence barriers - some knowledge magicians can even communicate with plants or animals.

Knowledge magic only fluctuates in strength based on the presence and strength of nearby ley lines, which is normal for all domains of magic.

War Magic

War magic, as its name indicates, deals with war, and more specifically the tools of war - weapons and shields. It is the civine domain of the deity Yena. War magicians are skilled in the art of combat, and their magic reflects this. It can be used to reinforce shields or create magical armor to protect oneself or others. It can also be used to create weapons out of magic or strengthen the weapons one already has. One can even use war magic to bolster the spirits of allies and hinder one's enemies. War magicians are found on most battlefields, whether in the thick of combat or in command, working on strategy and morale.

Like knowledge magicians, war magicians do not experience fluctuations in the strength of their magic besides those that all magic users experience.

Star Magic

Star magic is a mostly extinct domain, dealing with time and emotions. It is the divine domain of the deity Althea, and has not been used since the time of the Vanishing. Those who could use star magic were able to have a much better grasp on branching timelines while using divination magic. They were able to see exactly what would happen based on each of countless decisions, although only the most skilled star magicians were able to map these choices out with nearly infallible accuracy. Star magic could also be used to stop, speed, or even reverse the flow of time within a magic user's sphere of influence, although this type of magic was very draining and could not be sustained for very long. It was also used to change and soothe a target's emotions, similarly to moon magic but limited only to emotions rather than holistic mental healing.

It is said that star magicians were most powerful under the light of the stars, but like other celestial magicians could use most powers at any time.

Dark Magic

Dark magic is considered the most evil magic of the magic domains, as it is the divine domain of the Dark deities Iartus and Tixan. Dark magic is primarily used to cause harm. It can be used to cast curses on a target or drain the target's life energy to be given to the magic user. Taking enough life force form another can even extend the duration of one's own life, although it is said to be a cursed life after such an act. Although each spell has a direct cost, dark magicians, like death magicians, can use others to pay that cost. Dark magic can also be used to control the minds of others, directing the target to do the caster's bidding, no matter the consequences of such actions. Those being controlled can even be forced to end their own lives, a method which has caused the destruction of many a throne.

Dark magicians are only dependent on ley lines for their strength, like any other magic user.