Magic in Alven
Source of Magic
The source of magic in Alven is poorly understood by its people. Many myths hide the truths which have been lost to time. Magic, as a force, is not native to Alven. However, Alven's weak veils to extraplanar influence means that magic has come to the planet and stayed there to be used—or abused—over the millennia.
The Alviars
The main source of magical power in Alven came from the people the Clans call the Ancestors. The veils weakened between Alven and a plane where the natural laws of physics differed. In this world and plane of existence, things could be made out of 'thin air' and physical forces manipulated at will.
The people of Alvia, the Alviars — as they called themselves— arrived in Alven through a series of huge portals that opened up on the planet ten millennia ago. Alvia abides by laws different from those of the Material Plane where Alven is situated. The Alviars had adapted to their world and could draw energy and power from around them through a series of genetic markers. Alviars looked very much like hairless apes, very similar to humans as their ancestors had come from Earth, planes working as communicating vases in the universe.
The Alviars were not particularly advanced in physical sciences but had perfected their own brand of magical disciplines. They were gifted in drawing energies from other planes and being able to see beyond the veils. Their speciality was to infuse the power present in the universe into magical artefacts and mechanical automatons or machines.
As such, the Alviars were considered akin to gods by the non-magical humans who marched through the portals that led to Alven three millennia ago. The Ancestors and their myths merged into the Celtic traditions the humans had brought with them. The Celtic gods, goddesses, and mythical heroes took on magical aspects as humans developed magical traits.
The Alviars' population was not huge and it was not long before the Earthlings mixed with Alviars, some of the children inheriting the 'magical' genes from their parents. A millennia after the Earthlings appeared on Alven, the Alviars suffered a terrible plague. Most purebloods died from the illness, and soon, the Alvian purebloods disappeared; only mixed bloodlines remained.
The Makers and the Threaders
Within the Alvian schools of magic, there were two main philosophical doctrines. One school was dedicated to infusing magic into objects. They were called the Makers. The artefacts they constructed could be everyday objects or more powerful, offensive, defensive ones, such as the Rod of Power (powerods).
The other school was more interested in working with the magical fauna, flora and entities that had colonised Alven following the opening of the portals. They call themselves the Threaders. Much of the magic they made was based on the plants they used for clothes and potions. The Threaders could also bond with animals, and it was said that some could also shapeshift.
Some powerful Alviars could also summon entities or objects from other planes, but these were rare and tended to have their own cult or following being seen as 'superhuman' by their compatriots. These mages were extremely powerful and rare. They tended to be seen by humans as demigods and avatars of deities.
When the Alviars disappeared from Alven, myths and religious practices were built around them. They were celebrated as 'the Ancestors', and many shrines were built in their honour throughout Alven in the third millennium of the clans' history. Their myths became intertwined with the Earthling's myths and religion. The word 'Alven' is derived from 'Alvia', the original land of the Ancestors.
Magic in Alven
The Alviars' magical arts were largely lost after the millennia that followed their extinction. Only some artefacts remain, and little is now known about the Alviars and their schools of magic. However, the Ancestors' mixblood descendants still carry the genes that enable them to perform magical acts—such as using the runes that power the rods.
Still, many artefacts cannot be activated or made without the aliens' lost knowledge. Clan politics also played a role in the dimming of magic in Alven. During the third and at the start of the fourth millennium, the Druids and their families still transmitted much magical knowledge throughout the clanlands. The druids were particularly versed in Threaders' magic.
However, jealous of their influence on the clans, Thane Thingor Gremane created The Arkivon and disbanded the Druids, persecuting those who still clung to the 'outdated' knowledge of the 'Old Faith'. With the disappearance of the Druids, their knowledge and bloodline went underground. The Druidic religion is still present in Alven but hidden and protected by a core of faithful believers.
Other Sources of Magic
Other species in Alven have magical talents, as did the Ancestors. These populations tend to guard their knowledge jealously. Most non-human communities are much smaller than human ones and keep themselves away from the often violent politics of the clans.
Transferring magical knowledge to human communities is, in most cases, forbidden. Clansmen are seen with suspicion due to their 'patchy' history and not to be trusted as a group. For example, The Encrors, The Staynes maintain good relations with their neighbours but are extremely secretive about their magic.
For centuries, the Staynes elders have felt that their magical knowledge and isolation kept expansionist clan chiefs at bay from the Staynes' lands and riches. Nowadays, only certain magic sanctioned by The Sanctuary and the Arkivon are allowed within the clanlands. The magic of the Druids has been banned and clansmen with magic potential are channelled through these two institutions and serve their clans or the country as a whole.
Also see:
Conventional Magic
Rune Wielding
Being a Rune Wielder is the main source of 'acceptable' magic within the clanslands. Rune wielders - mainly for genetic reasons - are to be found among The Clanbearers' families. Clanbearers usually marry within each other or marry powerful mages as a matter of course, furthermore concentrating the magical genes within certain families.
On the other hand, magical talents can pop up in any strata of society, especially in the wealthy merchant class. The powerful dealers and brokers of Alven often marry within clanbearers' families and have strong ties to power. It is the job of a few Circles within the Sanctuary and the Arkivon to educate the masses but, more importantly, to recognise talents when they appear - a few simple tests are all that is needed to show if someone has innate magical abilities.
The Crane Stones
Children with magical talents can make the Crane Stones glow from the age of seven or so. The Crane Stones are very rare - only 20 or so are known to exist in the world. The Crane Stones are made of a metal - dubbed Iron Gold - that has only been found in the Ancetors' ancient sites. Not much is known about its properties, but it reacts to magical flow and can glow when in contact with 'magic.
Every clan in the land possesses at least one of the Stones. Any clansman can ask to 'Try for the Stone'. Many young children are brought yearly to The Clan Seer for that purpose. Children rarely demonstrate any magical abilities, but when they do, they are usually sponsored by their own clan, offered mentors and educators, and later on, will generally sit The Assays - a brilliant opportunity for children from modest families.
With proper training, these same children will grow up to work the Power Rods or perform healing. Healers are usually encouraged to join the Sanctuary rather than the Arkivon. If magic wielders are part of clanbearing families, they often return to run the clans after training. If not, they usually pursue a career within the Arkivon.
Unusual Magical Talents
Other types of magic are not so welcomed and are often hidden from the Arkivon or the Sanctuary. Clanbearers' families have more leeways in sheltering rare non-traditional magical users. Most clans will pass on Dampening Rings as heirlooms. These rings will dampen someone's magical powers and will be offered to powerful families' offspring. The bearer will be expected to wear the Dampener for the rest of their life.
Often, such offspring are pushed towards a life/career in the Sanctuary to establish stability and control over their gifts.
In the countryside, it is even rarer to encounter children with unusual, strong magical talents. When it happens, the family usually seeks the guidance of the nearest Druids. The Druids have, for all intents and purposes, disappeared from the clanlands. However, the Arkivon and the Sanctuary are well aware of an underground network of officiants and believers of the Old Faith and The Old Ways.
Nowadays, both organisations, but particularly the Arkivon, do not hunt down the Druids (as they used to). The Druids and their secret societies are seen as a relic from the past. The Arkivon do not condone the religion but will not expressly repress it either. The Sanctuary is more forceful regarding the 'heretics'. However, the last Druid arrested and sentenced by the Sanctuary Seers was a century ago.
Unusual talents manifest through bonding with animals and even rarer, shapeshifting, and direct manipulation of elemental forces (air, water, etc.). Manipulation of elemental forces is considered extremely dangerous, but happily, it is also extremely rare.
Unbeknown to the Arkivon and the Sanctuary, Druids can teach a gifted young mage how to control elements, bond with animals, and shapeshift.
There is also a community of shapeshifters called the Wulfbrethen of Farden. The shapeshifters live in secretive clans throughout the immense taiga in the north of Farden. The Wulfbrethen have been persecuted and hunted for generations by Clan Ramshead.
Rogue Talents
As can be expected, not all young mages end up choosing a straightforward path. Criminal organisations, including the The Ambulant Men, have quickly realised the advantage of counting mages among their ranks. Some talented youngsters fall through the net and often end up making their way up these criminal organisations.
Other occult societies, known as the The Draoichs, also recruit young mages. Many consider magic wielders the true powers of the world, and they dedicate their time, money, and effort to developing and pursuing what is considered dark and forbidden magic.
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