Origins of Magic

In the known world, all magic is fueld by a source that powers it. Whenever the supernatural, arcane energies are tapped, the sorcerer will connect his own life energy with that of a source of magic, channel it through his or her body to manifest the effect desired.

Origin of the Sources

Back in the days before the Veil, arcane energies were abundant and flowing freely through the universe. This allowed the civilisations of old, like the Myou'Jin and the Tul-Dar, to craft the arcane wonders. Remenants of these can still be found today scattered throughout the world. After the Veil was raised by the ancient gods, this flow of energy was staggered, if not halted in some places. During the dark years that followed, while previous greatness trembled, the wizards and wonderworkers searched for new ways to revive their arts.

Spiritual Magic

In the dark age the only way known to retrieve a small amount of magical energy, was to enter a pact with one of the spirits and gods remaining under the Veil. Most of these entities eiter lost a large part of their power, or were driven insane, as they were separated from the cosmic energies, and thus turned into daemons. So, during the dark age, the only sorcerers, who retained power, were those who linked their own souls with the energies of these creatures, who in return usually demanded sacrifices, veneration or specific deeds that fueld them.

Chthonic Magic

Since the dark age, the scholars of the Black Citadel researched to find ways of tapping into other sources, as the toll that the spiritual magic took on the mind of its practitioners was deemed too great. The most promising well of arcane energy at that time was found within the earth itself. Just like a vain of water, magical energy was stored within the earths crust itself. Those wizards, who did not intend to let another entity to anchor itself within their soul, sought out the power of the earth itself. They reache deep into the ground to drain energy to fuel their spells, leaving the earth scarred and barren in return.

Visceral Magic

In another part of the world, on the continent of Al'Mahun, other practitioners, under the tutalge of dark-minded, spiritual entities, learned to understand the mechanics of life forces. They were taught, that within each being arcane energy is to be found, as it ties together blood, flesh, mind and soul. Through their dark gods, they learned to tear this connection apart in bloody rituals, channeling it into their own rituals. These rituals, that drained the inner magic and life force, became the foundation for the raise of the Tlaxcaltecm from animistic tribes to a great civilisation, gouverned by their priesthood, sacrificing creatures in exchance for magical poweress.
The same source of magic was discovered nearly a century later at the continent of Anderon as a circle of mages started to map out the energetic lines within the human body, supported by monks of Lao-Shan, who knew this magic even before the Veil. From Anderon this discipline of magic spread over to Mentralin and Al'Mahun as it became one of the most widely spread sources. Apalled by the perversion of sacrificing the vital energy of others, the monks of Lao-Shan withdrew their collaboration with the Mage Circles of Anderon as well as the Black Citadel and focussed on honing their inner energies.

Veiled Magic

Near the end of the Dark Age, a couple of decades after sorcerers reached down for new energy, their gaze turned upwards, to the Dark Veil itself. Some cunning minds discerned, that, given the Veil itself is made of divine energy, there must be a way to tap into its powers and utilise it. A group of warlocks, equipped with vast knowledge of the spiritual and chthonic magic, gathered in the northern steppes of Mentralin, far away from civilised folks, only inhabited by nomadic, barbarian tribes, and conducted their experiments. By using ancient structures of the Myou'Jin, from the time before the Veil, they succeeded in reaching up to the Dark Veil and ripp magical energy from it.
A great number of the arcanists, who were part of this group, died in the effort, when their magnum opus channeled down an enormous amount of magic and large parts of the land were devasted and the magical structure utilised was shattered. Despite this catastrophic effect they succeeded in finding a way to drain the Veil for casting magic. Their success though came with a price and a boon: On the one hand, the tearing of the Veil returned a natural cycle of day and night, while on the other hand it ripped the Veil apart, thinning it to a point that whatever lies beyond it, could slowly seep into the world once protected.

Celestial Magic

As the Dark Veil was ruptured, celestial entities and energies slowly seeped into the world. The void behind the Dark Veil is the latest source of magic that was cultivated within the first century after the Veil was broken up. Among the first ones who discovered this power were the High Kings of Pharos on the continent of Al'Mahun. As the Veil was ripped apart over Mentralin and veiled magic began to spread, they discovered that the night sky became poplated by more and more stars again. The thinner the Veil got, the more celestial energy was available. The kings of Pharos ordered their people to build pyramids and obelisks to observe and harvest the magic that radiated from the stars and the void beyond.
Soon it became obvious that the darkness beyond the veil was not empty, as celestial beings manifested with the streams of magic harvested. Furthermore, the sorcerer kings learned that not all of these beings were benevolent in nature and some were cryptic abarrations in the service of gods gone mad in their eternal struggle. Eventually, the force of celestial magic was turned into a source of eternal life by the High Kings of Pharos. Now they are neither dead, nor alive. Withering corpses on their dark thrones, ruling from the great pyramid of An-Kah-Pur.