#cycle magic

Magic suffuses the world and all things in it. Sometimes that elemental energy comes to rest in items, as we discussed last. Occasionally, those magical nodes are not metal or crystal, but living, thinking beings. There are more masters of magic in the world than just mortals.

I speak, of course, of the Natural Masters, also known as the Beasts of the Cycle. Creatures of tremendous skill that wield one of the five elements as intuitively as a wolf wields its fangs or a bear its claws.

All are intelligent, in their own fashion, and are often sought for their wisdom and ability… or as a means to test one’s own skill in the same art.

The Green – Dagfolk

(art by Dinwardo on twitter)

Celdos reveal, your grace.

It has come to my attention that there have been… gaps in your study. As the Grand Sage, it is my duty to see these filled.

Today, we will start with the wheel which defines the world. The Cycle, through which all we know and are flows.

Shall we begin?

Celdos reveal, your grace.

Magic fills our world and consequently teems with magicians. Yet vast gulfs of power and skill separate these practitioners from one another. Each journey down the path of mastery is unique, but some patterns emerge.

Wise men of the past identified four ranks. Each subsequent rank is a magnitude more powerful than the one that preceded it. Even the elemental counters are secondary to a gulf in ranks. There is no universal or formal method of determining rank – all peoples of the continent have their own rites of passage to ascend higher.

The first rank is the Novice. Nearly all those who wield magic are novices. The peasant who learns a single spell of an element to make the field's labor less onerous is a novice, as is the fresh-faced apprentice.

The novice knows little of the Cycle Wheel, or the nature of the elements, and is ignorant of their deeper mysteries. They grasp power and channel it without conscious understanding of what they do.

The second rank is the Expert. Once a novice has dedicated themselves to an element and honed their craft, they may rise to the rank of expert.

These are the tradesmen of magic. If one seeks the services of a mage in exchange for coin, then this is the rank one would likely find. They form the bulk of what one can rightly call a ‘mage.’ The Expert is the highest one can rise without gaining spiritual understanding of their element.

The third rank is the Master. Practice is not enough to transcend the rank of expert; revelation is needed. This is often done by study – either of the gods or of another people’s approach to the element. This allows one to glimpse hidden truths about the element.

They act as advisors to high nobility. Often, they are the leaders of temples and orders like the Caravans. A fully realized Temple Knight is a master of their sworn god’s element, in addition to their martial skill. There are always too few masters, and their service is highly sought after.

The final rank is the Grandmaster. There is no set path to this rank – each is unique to the one who finds it. Nothing less than enlightenment can elevate a master to a grandmaster.

There are rarely more than a handful of grandmasters for each element on the continent at any one time. At least one is always find in the elvish lands, but beyond their borders they are vanishingly rare. Though there are some roles that are always understood to be filled by a grandmaster.

The High Priest of the Sun and Moon, who claims lordship over the Cathedral of Dawn Resplendent, has always been a grandmaster of Body for as long as the Temple of Luman has endured.

The Sapa Kwaycha, monarch of the Kwaychan elves, is required by their laws to be their greatest grandmaster of Mind. Their wisdom and foresight guides their entire people, and the Pactlands as well.

Celdos guide you.

Celdos reveal, your grace.

In an age before the first of Men stepped through the long closed Gates into this world, the elves had lived and ruled and prospered. Just as humanity is split among many nations and tribes, so too were the elvish people.

Many of these peoples were lost in the Grey Doom that preceded mankind’s arrival. But five of the great nations remain in some form or another. Each centers one of the Cycle elements as keystone of their culture. In this way, they have become the nigh undisputed masters of that element.

The five nations are as follows: Kwaycha, the Mind elves; Tereshi, the Spirit elves; Magoean, the Body elves; Ulkan, the Grey elves; and Denosa, the Green elves.

The Kwaycha

The Mountain Elves, the Mind Elves, the Farseeing Elves – can be found in the northern mountain tops, in cities carved from the living stone slopes. The greatest of these is Huaca, the golden city of sunrise. Rope bridges cross the gaps of the treacherous heights, traversed by swift runners. In distant markets, they are known for their teas and the soft furs of their llamas.

Long have they been counted as the friends of the Hydrisian people, the wisdom to the Northman’s might. The greatest of their Mind mages is known as the Sapa Kwaycha, a figure renown for their wisdom both in the Pactlands and beyond.

The Tereshi

The Tower Elves, the High Elves, the Spirit Elves – dwell in mighty city-states surrounding Tortoise Lake. The twelve greatest of these cities lead the rest in an ancient federation known as the Dodecopolis. A cultured land of wine and olives, storied and proud.

More than any other elven nation, the Tereshi are skilled metalworkers, their soldiers covered in elegant suits of plate and scale. Spirit magic protections allow them to manipulate the searing metal in ways unheard of by lesser smiths. Combined with their talents for masonry, their competition with the dwarven people has been long and unending.

The Magoean

The Swamp Elves, the Enduring Elves, the Body Elves – live in the vast swamp lands that bear their name. There, they find the eternal balance between life and death which hones their skill in their magic. And death often seeks them – their cursed kin of the Ageless Court have long sought to subjugate them, but the Magoean are forever beyond their reach.

The Magoean dwell in large tribes hidden away in higher ground and drier spots of the great Swamp. Their arts in medicine are nearly unmatched, save for Luman’s temple, and even they make pilgrimages to the tribes to further their craft. Aside from this, the Magoean are content to adhere to their ways and do not seek the outside world.

The Ulkan

The Jungle Elves, the Lost Elves, the Grey Elves – once made their homes in vast cities perched upon jungle rivers and lakes. But the Grey Doom, born by their desperation, hit them the hardest. They taught their arts to those that found them, then folded space to hide their remaining civilization.

Occasionally, the Ulkan reappear to trade or speak with those that still dwell in the mundane world. Islands that shimmer into existence, cities that appear in reflections. But always they return to their hidden realm, safe and distant from those that would steal their secrets.

The Denosa

The Forest Elves, the Elves of the Longhouse, the Green Elves – who live in many towns and villages deep within their woodlands. They are bound together in a loose confederacy of tribes. At Old Woman Town, their elders and wise women meet in a grand council to decide the course that the Confederacy will take.

The Denosa are famed for their archery and skill at woodcraft, but most of all their weaving. It is said that their long-ago ancestors learned the art at the foot of the Spider God. If it is true, then it explains also their affinity for the giant spiders that share the forest with them. Alone of the peoples of the continent, they have learned how to consistently harvest and spin the webbing into the finest golden silk, prized across the continent for its beauty and wondrous properties.

Remember, your grace. The elves are an ancient people in a world that has long been dangerous. It is the height of foolishness to underestimate them.

Celdos guide you.

In the Denosan Confederacy, there is but one true city: Old Woman Town, where the wise matriarchs of the tribes meet to discuss the affairs of the Confederacy. There, the different strengths of the tribes have gathered to raise many awe inspiring landmarks that stun visitors to the city.

The Tree of Peace. The Lodge of the Many. But the one that stands out the most from the others is the Great Granary. It alone bears the mark of hands other than Denosa upon it, a fact all the more apparent as being the only stonework in the entire city.

It is a towering thing, rivaling even the ancient trees of the forests. The white stone mirrors the light of the day, glowing radiant pinks and white during the dawn, then fading to reds and purples at dusk. Its highest floors are instead made from wood, covered in bark and clay in the Denosan fashion.

Eight earthen mounds radiate from the base of the structure, with wood and bark halls built upon them. These are deep cellars and drying racks, places where the march of seasons has no place.

In the Silver Age, when the threat of orcs waxed strong and only the bond between Denosa and the nascent Magnian Empire prevented ruin. With the greatest blessings of Lumanoxite priests and the ensorcellments of their Grey mages, they crafted the truest gift that the Empire could think to give to the Denosan Confederacy: prosperity and a safeguard for their descendants.

The Great Granary bears powerful enchantments. It is blessed by the hand of Luman and Nox – nothing placed within it will suffer from rot or spoil. Within its stores lay fruit that has sat for centuries, as fresh as the day it was picked.

And it is in good company, for the Grey weighs heavily upon the stones. Many more tunnels and rooms populate its interior than even its great size would suggest. None can say for sure what its true capacity is. Centuries of wise planning and caution of a bountiful land has tested its upper bounds, but has yet to reach it.

In addition, the Granary itself evokes prosperity unbidden. Game birds are often drawn to it, making their nests within reach of its windows. Fruit bearing vines wind along its length, granting their boon even during the harshest of winters.

The Great Granary was built in the name of friendship and love between peoples, a promise of protection in even the darkest hour. Though the fellowship between Magnian and Denosan has waned since that age, the warmth of its kindness remains through the Granary.

More food is added to the stores every year. Corn, squash, beans. Fish, beaver, deer. Raw and cooked, stacked higher and higher. A tradition now ancient to the Confederacy. It is a mark of pride, to ensure plenty for those that will follow.

Celdos reveal, your grace.

The will of the gods is seen to by their mortal servants, but not all the servants of the gods toil in temples. Indeed, some never stop in their travels. It should come as no surprise that Celdos’ faithful devote their lives to the road.

Known as the Celdorite Caravans, they are well known across the continent and beyond for their wanderings often take them to its distant corners. It is commonly believed that their travels are aimless, but in fact they plan their routes out quite carefully, with a single Caravan making circuitous routes across swathes of the continent.

They acquire goods and supplies as they move, though how they do so changes between Caravans. Fortune telling, circus performances, flea markets, acting troupes, musical shows, or even simply labor. As they pass through many lands, there is no one people that looks much at all like the Caravaneers, though they often favor many layers of flowing garb dyed in a myriad of hues.

The Caravans bring a spark of joy or at least intrigue wherever they go. They gather (and are quick to share) news and rumors, drawing both peasantry and nobility to their shrouded wagons. It is not uncommon for some to become so infatuated with the Caravans that they leave their old lives behind to join them.

As devotees of Celdos, their ranks hold many Mind mages. This is often used to enhance their performances, but also makes them a valuable source of knowledge. In many areas, the most powerful Mind mages will be found in the Caravans. Indeed, the Temple Knights of Celdos can often be found riding along with the wanderers.

Though, of course, in the dark days of the Empire’s fall they often had to make use of that Mind skill to evade desperate mobs searching for scapegoats.

Regardless, the Caravans remain a thread that ties distant places together. Not only through their traveling, but through the stories they tell about the places they have been.

Celdos guide you.

Celdos reveal, your grace.

The gods act in many ways. Rarely do they act directly.

Much more often, rather than shows of direct power, they rely upon the actions of their trusted servants and the day-to-day works of the faithful. For most purposes, this is sufficient.

But the world is seldom peaceful. Evil creeps into the hearts of men and dark powers toil against life itself. At times, a strong sword arm and a will of iron are needed to see the will of the Trine through.

For this, there are the Temple Knights.

Officially founded during the reign of Evander the Resolute, last of the Four Good Emperors, they are the militant arm of the Temples. Each of the Trine has their own force of Temple Knights. Neither Elak nor Dagwos have knights sworn to their service.

They all share a handful of duties – protecting holy sites, defending the priesthood, and championing the faithful. Beyond this, each order is focused on widely differing tasks as befits the deity that they are sworn to serve. Certain sects may arise with the orders focusing upon one specific duty above the others; most Temple Knights, however, can be seen as ‘generalists.’

First are the Temple Knights of Lumanox – the Hospitallers. Once the most numerous of the orders, they suffered greatly at the hands of Empress Soleil. Their primary monastery in Dulinor was destroyed by the Empress, along with a large share of their full members.

Celdos reveal, your grace.

We move from known lore to the realm of philosophers and theory. For now we speak of the nature of existence and how it impacts the mortal realm.

All reality can be split into three aspects.

(art by @ohsweetsweetie)

The Mortal Realm, also known as the Prime Material or the Crucible, is the gleaming star in the center. It is here that all that you know of has ever transpired. Very rarely, mortals might slip the bonds of the Prime Material in great quests to the other aspects. But this is the stuff of legend, almost never seen by any alive.

Below is the World Bones. The Eternal Green. The Primordial Lands. The Realms of the Elemental Lords. Here, the reality we know is propped up by the constant flow and merging of the foundational elements: Air, Water, Fire, and Earth. We will speak of the World Bones later.

Above is the Cosmic Infinity. The Endless Grey. The Echoing Chamber. The Unknown Country. This is where the actions and deeds of mortals find new life and flesh of their own. These new beings form realms of similar substance. Good and evil. Law and chaos. And a host of other concepts besides.

The Cosmic Infinity is vast beyond all comprehension. Beings great and small are born by the deeds of mortal kind, and one event might spawn a host of Grey spirits.

For example. Imagine a thief enters the home of a freeman. The freeman’s wife sees the thief and knows chilling fear. The thief attacks and the freeman kills him to defend his family.

What is born from this? A spirit of chaos from the theft. A demon of fear. Another of murder. An angel of love, another of protection, and another of vengeful justice. And last of all, a spirit born of the peasant’s dread, knowing their home is no safe harbor.

Perhaps none of those spirits are mighty – at least to start with. They might grow in strength as the ages pass, but the core of their being is determined by the action that gave birth to them. In this way each is unique and is indelibly influenced by the actors that made it, though sages will often lump them into larger groupings.

These spirits are greater and lesser in strength, ranging all the way to the gods themselves, who embody entire concepts by themselves. For the Trine, a lifetime dedicated to these concepts, incredible magical skill as mortals, and the acquiring of a divine spark elevated them to godhood.

What connects the mortal life to the Cosmic Infinity is the Spirit or Soul. It is the spark of life by which creatures are animate. It is tethered to the mortal body by life force. When a creature dies, the life force enriches the world and releases the spirit to the Cosmic Infinity.

The spirit reaches a mid ground between the Mortal Realm and the Cosmic Infinity known as the Realm of Souls. There, they visit the Grandmother Nox and are judged by Cassan. Beyond this, almost nothing is known of the afterlife, though many cultures have many different thoughts on the matter.

And here our lesson ends.

Celdos guide you