Magic 101

Can't believe I haven't blogged this before.  The following is a guide on how magic works in the world of Verdan.  This article covers the basics and is all you need to know to prep you for the first six books.  There is more to magic than this, so yes, Magic 201 will be offered.  Most likely there will be an advanced 301 course a little later.  Enjoy.

Magic...in short it represents just about everything that defies the known laws of science.  But that doesn't mean it is not governed by its own set of rules.  So here goes....

Magic originates from a mystic energy field that permeates all known space.  It exists throughout the universe.  If it helps, think of it like the "force" in Star Wars.  In that mythical universe the jedi draw upon the force to execute several different effects from mind control to telekinesis.  Maybe they are simply wizards and they are casting magic spells.  Magic in Verdan is not disimilar.

In Verdan, wizards are creatures born with the ability to sense the mystic energy field and with training they are able to draw upon it, shape it and use it for a variety of effects, called spells.  In The Fourth Age, Celecia tries to explain magic to Dakoran in following passage.

Dak wondered if it was magic which kept him entranced when Celecia spoke.  He wanted to hear more.  “What about men?  Before we met Hyurtu, you and your father were the only two humans I knew that could use magic.”

“My father says that with man it’s rare.  He says probably only a dozen or so people are born in each generation with the ability to use magical energy.  And some of those never know they have the ability.”

“Does it run in families?  I mean you and your father and his brother all use magic.”

“Not always, but my father says it does sometimes.”

“What about the chanting and hand gestures you use.  How do they work?”  Dak wondered if he was asking too many questions.

“Well, just being able to sense and use mystical energy is not enough.  You have to train your mind on how to make the mystical energy do what you want.  The chanting and the hand gestures are a way to keep your entire body focused on the outcome.”

She could see she was losing Dak a little with this explanation and decided to try a different approach.  “I think it’s probably a little like you and the way you practice swordfighting.  Why do you keep practicing similar moves over and over again?”

Dak gave the question some thought and responded.  “So in a real fight my body knows what to do without me having to think about it.”  Dak thought maybe he was starting to get it.

“Exactly.  I use the chants and gestures to train my body so that when I need to use the spell I instinctively know how to manipulate the energy to do what I want.  And just like when you practice, it can tire me out.”

In the above passage Celecia refers to the ability to use magic as being rare in humans.  Consider the major races of Verdan.  Dragons are creatures forged from mystic energy.  They are unaware of its existence and are incabable of casting spells, yet their breath draws upon mystic energy to transform the air they breathe into something else, whether it be fire, icy cold, an acidic liquid or any number of other forms.  They can also naturally sense the presence of each other, most likely as a result of disturbances in the mystic energy field, yet they still do not understand it's nature.

The light-hearted elves have a much higher propensity for sensing mystic energy.  Many of their kind are able to use it to cast the most basic spells.  Their kings and queens can draw upon the energy for powerful effect.  But it is even more rare for an elf to master the mystic arts.  Manipulating this energy requires intense focus.  Elven minds are naturally more active.  They are generally quick witted and react instinctively to the world around them.  While subtle, it is more difficult for them to maintain the focus necessary for more powerful spells.

And thus the most powerful wizards are human.  As Celecia indicated, it can run in families which provides a hint that genetics may play a role in determining mystic ability.  But it is likely a recessive trait that can be found in many bloodlines.  Regardless, those with the abilty to manipulate mystic energy do not just automatically become wizards.  Many may have the ability and never fully realize it.

As explained in the Verdan Chronicles, powerful wizards can sense this ability in others.  Obviously, Arakon, Terek and Wrasmer have that abilty.  It is usually closer to puberty before the ability can be adequately harnessed, but that is not a hard fast rule.  It is implied that Celecia began her training at a much younger age, also indicating that there is something special about her.

What about those not discovered by another wizard?  Well, they may sense the world a little bit differently than others, but never come to understand it is because of magic.  They can live a normal life and die never really knowing what might have been.  In some highly stressful situations it has been reported that individuals can exhibit extraordinary feats.  It is very possible that an adrenaline surge or even a subconcious burst of energy could temporarily cause an individual to harness mystic energy.  Sometimes they are able to instinctively recreate the effect and sometimes they are never able to recapture the moment.

But as explained by Celecia, the traditional route of a wizard is to be discovered by another practitioner and trained as an apprentice.  Casting spells requires intense concentration and will tire out a wizard mentally.  Practice makes spellcasting easier and over time the use of the same spell over and over will require less mental effort.  Hand gestures and chants are a way of using muscle and mental memory to make spells easier.  As a wizard becomes increasingly powerful and experienced, they can abandon chants and gestures altogether.  Although, habits can sometimes be hard to break.

So let's summarize the rules of magic learned in this beginner's course.

1. Magic originates from a mystic energy field present throughout the known universe.
2. Dragons are forged from mystic energy and their breath naturally transforms air into fire, cold, or other effects at their whim.  Yet dragons cannot cast magic spells.
3. Most elves are naturally more sensitive to mystic energy, but they generally lack the ability to focus which deprives them of the most powerful spells.
4. In humans, the ability to cast spells is likely a recessive genetic trait.  Few humans have the ability and some of those will never realize they had it.
5. The abilty to use magic can be sensed by powerful wizards or it may manifest itself during stressful situations.
6. Casting spells requires intense concentration and is mentally fatiguing.
7. Hand gestures and specific chants can make casting spells easier, but are not required to use magic.

As indicated earlier, I will cover more topics in Magic 201.  Those topics will include the creation and use of mystical artifacts, the effects of khanite and emotions on magic, different types of magic and other residual effects of mystic energy.  The topics to be covered in Magic 301 will remain secret for now as they would "spoil" too much of what is yet to come.  But trust me, the secrets are worth the wait.