Hidden Knowledge

"To broach the secrets of this world is no task of ease, and though the cult may claim access to such mysteries, the reality of this is a lie. For my mind, there are none who can truly posses the hidden knowledge, though we would be fools not to try."

— Lusteides the Mad

Hidden knowledge, alternatively known as dark knowledge or magic, is the ability of a select few individuals to wield power over the world in mysterious ways. Typically involving elemental or primal forces little understood, it has been a point of fascination for both the students of the School of Philosophy and the magi of the Cult of Sargos, of which many of the latter claim to wield. Ichor, bees and other like concepts are said to be related to magic.

Appearance

In its practice and usage, hidden knowledge takes many forms. One of the oldest supposed instances of magic belonged to the native Aradin peoples, specifically tribes around the Meleatte River, who apparently could control its waters and shape them accordingly for the purposes of sailing, agriculture and as a weapon. The mythical Water Lords were thought to have perfect mastery over the Meleatte.
In a similar manner, the Deathguard of the Necropolis once were rumored to have the ability to control the Meleatte Desert's sands, originating from their study of the Sand Shapes, which they would use to drag trespassers into dunes and suffocate them, summon sandstorms and move quickly from one location to another. It is thought, however, that this capability has been lost as a result of their decline over hundreds of years. Ouros, the pirate lord who held sway over the Western Sea for time, was seen to control the very ocean itself which he used to speed his vessels and sink rival ships. Other possessors of hidden knowledge may have been able to summon and move fire, control animals or manipulate shadows.

Properties

The exact nature of magic is a mystery and many different explanations exist as to its function. The Cult of Sargos suppose that it derives from connection to the sun god Sargos, which magi claim to have, and that this communication grants mortal men a portion of the power of the gods. The School of Philosophy, in its fervent discussion of the topic, typically suggests a more ambiguous reality. Hidden knowledge, it is supposed, is merely an understanding of the world and the way it works that is typically beyond most people. Practitioners of magic, rare as they are, indeed often claim that the use of their powers is no different in function and feeling than moving a limb. In any case, the precise mechanics are unknown. In learning hidden knowledge, students will often attempt to understand a force of nature in a more complex, spiritual manner and from that derive magical abilities.

Type

Metaphysical, Elemental