Magic

Mages

Magic has a delicate place in Kothrend. Those who possess magic - or "Gifts," as they're known - must tread carefully, lest they be viewed with suspicion. The histories of the ancient Sorcerer Emperors are replete with tales of mighty, magic-wielding warlords who became corrupted by their power, turning to evil rituals in a search for even greater gifts, eventually leading to catastrophe and ruin. Therefore, the question of whether Gifts are innately evil or whether they simply reveal the evil in one's soul is unclear.
Either Humans or Elfborn may be Gifted. Only one in a hundred people have a Gift.

The Gifts

There are three general categories of magic - three Gifts. It is exceptionally rare for one person to demonstrate a Gift in more than one of the following.

Gift of the Land

The power to affect the four natural elements: earth, fire, air, and water. Those with the Gift of the Land cannot create these things, but may simply affect them, for example by causing a bonfire to blaze out of control, or causing a boulder to teeter off of a cliff. The Gift of the Land is the most common Gift. It is believed to be bestowed by nature itself; a source not of the Gods, but respected and permitted by them.

Gift of the Gods

The power to manipulate the arcane, mystical forces that permeate all. To raise shimmering shields of pure light, to send invisible blasts of force from one's hands. It is considered the most holy Gift, and it isn't uncommon for those with these gifts to become priests or acolytes.

Gift of the Sorcerers

The power to affect minds, through telepathy or psychic suggestion. The Gift of the Sorcerers is almost universally considered evil, and those possessed of it tend to hide that fact, lest they be shunned, banished from their communities, or worse. Its source is believed to be a lingering corruption of Kothrend caused by the wild and sinister experimentations of the ancient Emperors.