1. Journals

A study of the spellcasting traditions

Case study on the natures of magic

"There is that which can be learned

That which is bestowed 

and that which is inherent" - Iljador Kur Bînvîse

 

Objective with this study

When one sits down to ponder the wonders of magic, one can swiftly be overwhelmed. How is it that these powers manifest in the hands of mortal men? How are some aspects of magic so intangible and others a clear manifestation of physical matter being manipulated.

I have gathered some first hand testimonies of different magic users in Kaldashia through interviews, and edited them for easy reading.

Out of the 763 subjects interviewed 272 were arcane casters, 120 Divine, 231 Occult and 140 wild magic users.

 

Arcane Tradition choice quotes

"Magic of the Arcane is a neverending road of acquiring knowledge. We are not born with it, we are not blessed with it, we learn it. Hard work and constant practice. It is like learning an instrument, if the instrument could set people on fire"

"The only responsible way to use magic, is from what we understand, the other so called traditions of magic are nothing but wonderkind who stumbled into something they can not control, it is dangerous and should be outlawed."

 

Occult Tradition choice quotes

"Sometimes i just get so angry, its like... this one time, i got so angry at Tommy, he had taken my favorite stick you know... So i imagined how it would be like to see him fall form a tree, into a firepit.. And then... Well... Wait, these interviews are confidential right?... Good good. I still have the smell of his searing flesh in my mind... It is. Lovely"

"Magic is easy, i don't get what the fuss it all about, i was just layin' on me favorite log roight? And i tink to meself, what if that apple just came 'ere, roight into my 'and you see? And then ai just (man does wierd gestures and lets out a fart), and its ere! Easy!" 

 

Wild Tradition choice quotes

"To know the will of Nature, we must be in tune with it. All matter comes from the earth, from which it will return, by knowing the will of nature, we simply accelerate these processes. I have seen life come and go, either by nature, or by my hand"

"The earth mother is mysterious, but not incomprehensible. Least not to those who see the path, and walk it"

"Magic and life and intertwined, why is my power to call lightning from a blue sky, any more mysterious than a weed growing up from a brick road. Nature finds a way, i am one of these ways"

 

Divine Tradition choice quotes

"To know the will of god, is to let her speak through you, surrender to her, and she will grant you power."

"The power to help and harm are beautifully intertwined, but one must walk the path carefully, or be dammed"

"Every ounce of my life i surrender, my god bestows me with 10 times that amount of power to do his will. There is no understanding, only obedience" 

 

...

 

Summary

As we can see from the interviews, every tradition seems to draw on different aspects to gain their power, not one seems to manifest in the same way.

Occult magic seems to manifest because the wielder is a natural or constructed conduit of mana, they forcefully draw the essence of their surroundings into them. Their thoughts and emotions are so powerful that they can will them to manifest as spells. 

Arcane magic is rational, it is learned.  These spells are cast by carefully manipulating our surroundings. We learn to speak the arcane words of power and channel the active mana around us.

Divine casters seem to surrender aspects of their character to some external power they call gods. These in turn imbue the willing participant with clerical magics. Using detect magic while these things happen seem to defy everything we know of magic. It is the only case where the mana is not taken from the surroundings.

Wild casters seem to have a lot in common with the occult, but where the occult casters seem to forcefully draw mana from their surroundings (be that consciously or not) the wild casters develop a deep bond with the land, and it seems to have a conscious decision to lend them the power they need. Facinating