About Magic

Magic is the art that purports to control or forecast natural events, effects or forces by invoking the supernatural or the unnatural. In many ways, gravity, light and the other "forces" we take for granted quantify in one way or another as magic. In the world of Thrael, magic is the power that literally drives our reality.

The set of rules that makes up the Magic of Thrael is known as the "Weave," and it is ever changing. Based on what is known as "consensual reality," the basic laws of the "Weave" state that such rudiments of nature such as "What goes up, must come down" literally exist because the inhabitants of the world believe in them, forcing them to be. Therefore even the law of gravity is a component of the Weave, since magic does not accept the scientific reason for gravity, but rather the consensual reason. Therefore the forces around us are magical insofar as they are expected to work, not because of the reasons they do work.

At the same time, localized changes to our reality, be they spells, prayers, or other effects, are also known as magic. By harnessing the power of essence, which is the essential energy that permeates life, temporary changes can be made in the Weave, creating magical effects. By the very nature of the Weave and, therefore, of consensual reality, no magical effect is permanent; some are just imbued with a significant amount of essence to forestall changes for many, many years.

Magic is divided into three spheres: Arcane, Astral, and Vedic. These spheres are furthermore divided up into a series of circles or lists of magical spells and effects. The Mage, Dael the young, devised this method of codifying magic from the writings of the weave-touched Lady Pendre, the author of the definitive magic books of the realms, and penned in Kenzian the Syllables of Magic by which these spells may be invoked.

Of the classes of professions, those that practice Arcane magic are known as Mages, professions that utilize Astral magic are known as Spiritualists, and Vedic magic users are known simply as Vedics. Various professions exist under these class headings, and some Spiritualist or Warrior class professions do make use of Arcane or Vedic magic. But the class points to the focus of the profession.