The Magic of Mystere

In the beginning, Sol and Luna existed as separate but equal forces. Over time, their influences intertwined and produced Terra, the World. We live in the creation of Sol and Luna, and we draw our powers from one of these sources of power.

— Archon, on a lecture about magic

Magic in Mystere is a powerful tool that only the well trained, or gifted, can use. In ancient times, the civilizations of Sol, Luna, and Celestia were able to take the magical energies from Sol, Luna, and Terra and create wondrous machines, items, and puzzles that even the greatest scholars of the modern era could only dream of. How your magic works, on a fundamental level, is very different based on where you draw it from. On a fundamental level, the same spell that someone drawing power from Sol would cast is very different from one someone drawing power from Luna would cast, and this is evident in both how the spell looks and the effect it has on the user.

Sol

The greatest Sol mages in ancient times were the mighty Forge Guardians, and the Sol Guardians. The Forge Guardians guarded the ancient Sol Forge, and were blacksmiths who wielded magic and metal as if they were one. The most powerful magical artifacts we have today were created by these mythical legends, creatures the Dwarves could only dream of matching. The Sol Guardians were people who became Sol Touched and through constant practice, ascended. They became something more than Sol Touched, and wielded the power of Sol as if molding clay.

— Archon, giving a lecture on the ancient Sol society and their magic

Sol is most easily recognizable as a light in the sky during the day, a portal for magical energy to flood into Terra from. It brings light, warmth, fire, destruction, life, and many other things. A person drawing power from Sol can feel this chaotic turmoil of Sol's power, and with the strength of their will can forge it into something spectacular. Drawing power from Sol requires a lot more focus than drawing from either Luna or Terra, as Sol is the most chaotic of the three. Given its contradictory nature, it comes as no surprise. Sol magic is often accompanied by bright orange and yellow light, and sometimes a blast of heat and the smell of a fire. Few people choose to draw their magic from Sol, as they fear the chaotic nature of it. The power of Sol does not diminish when Luna comes into the sky, however on the Day of Luna, Sol magic cannot be tapped into.

Those damned Luna raiders, they knew we'd be unprepared. We knew it too! We knew what would happen on the Day of Luna, and yet we didn't ready the defenses, we didn't man the turrets, we didn't even grab the spare weapons and armor. Now, after it all is said and done, there's 30 of us alive and all of our research is gone.

— Krasus' Journals, the most complete collection of writings from the Sol civilization

Luna

In ancient times, the Luna mages were the most valued mages in the world. They could conjure water, bring life to dead places, and were oftentimes good in bed! But, few of these mages ever became as powerful as the Forge Guardians or Sol Guardians from the Sol civilization. The only Luna mage we know that is as powerful as them is a woman simply known as "The Terror". It is said that she was Luna touched, and that being Luna touched granted one nigh-impossible abilities, whether this is true or not is still a mystery.

— Archon, giving a lecture on the ancient Luna society and their magic

Luna is recognizable as a calm light in the night sky, granting travelers a guide to navigate by, and releasing magical energies into Terra. Luna is the calmest of the three, bringing with it nourishment, cooling, life, water, and many other things to calm Sol's chaos. Luna mages can just let the energy of Luna flow through them to change the world as they see fit, and because of this ease they oftentimes tend to be lazier and weaker than a Sol mage in terms of magical casting. Given how calm it is, Luna is the most used for magical casting of the three. Luna magic is often accompanied by a soft silver glow and sometimes the sound of the tide, or the scent of a Moon Flower. Luna magic does not weaken while Sol is in the sky, however; on the Scorching Day, Luna magic is impossible.

Aye the Scorching Day came and went. The Sol mages were prancin' around, makin' fun of us Luna mages. They can laugh all they want, they'll know the pain of not bein' able to use magics when the Day of Night comes around.

— A Luna mage, complaining to Archon after the Scorching Day

Terra

And of course the last one, as I'm sure all of you know, is Terra. The ancient civilization of Celestia tapped into the wonders of this energy, alas they assumed it was a combination of Sol and Luna. Which, while this is not incorrect, it is not entirely correct either. Terra is it's own energy entirely/. Much like how the plants and animals of Terra are unique to it, so too is its energy. The ancient civilization of Celestia was far more advanced than either Luna or Sol, however; this was done with help from both Luna and Sol. Great Terra casters were few and far between, as this energy is possibly the hardest to fully master. The only ones who truly did were the mighty Druids, and their secrets died with them.

— Archon, giving a lecture about the ancient Celestia civilization and their magic

Terra brings with it something truly unique, it by itself does not contribute anything, however it attracts the energies of Sol and Luna to it, and as they intermingle magic is created. People who draw from Terra have the most difficulty casting their magic, as they have to control both Sol and Luna magic at the same time, and channel it through Terra to create the effect. More people choose to channel magic through Terra than Sol, but due to the effort required it is a far smaller number than Luna. Terra mages tend to be the strongest of the three magically, as the concentration required to maintain Terra magic is immense. Terra magic is often accompanied by soft green lights, and sometimes one can smell the Emerald Jungles or the Endless Deserts of Terra. Terra magic is also unique because it is always accessible, unless Terra itself is destroyed it is impossible to stop a Terra mage from accessing their magic.

I am perfectly in tune with the world around me, not even the mighty Terror can disconnect me from my magic. Alas, I am on my last legs, and I do not know if I can survive much longer. Nestrya, if you are reading this, I am truly sorry my love. I tried to fight her, but she is simply too powerful. Please forgive me, for all that I have done.

— The Druid's Letter, a magically preserved letter sent to a Druid's lover in ancient times

I would just like to thank everyone who read the article and made it this far, you are greatly appreciated! ~Sseth

A typical representation of Sol that can be found in both ancient ruins and modern art pieces.(placeholder image) [luna image goes here] A typical representation of Luna that can be found in both ancient ruins and modern art pieces.

Some Notes

Creatures can be touched by one of the three energies, and have have far greater access to it than even the mightiest Archmages. This is called being either Sol Touched or Luna Touched. It is believed that ancient Druids were Terra touched, but no mention of the term Terra Touched can be found in any ancient texts. Being touched by one of the three energies allows you easier control over it, and it can exemplify your power over it, while also sometimes extending your life or making you younger. It is theoretically possible to be both Sol Touched and Luna Touched, though no recorded evidence has ever been found suggesting it has been done.