Magic and other SHIT

First world: that's us! The cyberpunk future happens here. The end of this era brings some off-world habitation but mostly for research and mining purposes. Corporations and nations compete for stakes. Influences: Blade Runner, cyberpunk novels/movies, Infest the Rats Nest

Second World: grimy pre-FTL sci-fi. Colonies on Mars and the moons of Jupiter. Mining on Venus and the asteroid belt. Limited extra-solar travel, generation ships and cryogenics. Planetary identities start to form. Influences: The Expanse, Firefly, RimWorld.

Third World: shiny 50s-70s sci-fi. FTL invented, but it's still pretty slow. Human culture is tied heavily to planet/moon/ship of birth. Limited contact with extraterrestrials, expansive off-world colonization. Influences: Lost in Space and it's ilk, some early Star Trek, Flash Gordon

Fourth world: Alien empire invades Earth. A couple sci-fi genres happening at once. Humanity fractured between the enslaved solar system, recent Terran colonies cut off from their home system, and old Second World colonies starting to make contact with the greater universe. Influences: XCOM 2, Star Control 2, Homeworld and various other sci-fi strategy games

Fifth World: New Earth Federation. Terran colonies, with aid from alien allies and Earth rebels, overthrow the Aliens ruling Earth and establish a new federation with help from salvaged imperial tech their alien allies. FTL travel is streamlined and in frequent use. Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and gene-modification see their advent here. Influences: XCOM: Chimera Squad, Mass Effect, Battlefield Earth, some other stuff probably

Sixth World: Post-Human Revolution. Humanity exists in myraid forms, alongside numerous other sapient beings such as androids, designer vat-grown life, uplifted animals, mutants and aliens. Many of these peoples are afforded lesser rights than "pure" humans, and tensions worsen until they explode. Alien factions take sides, Earth is devastated and sparsely-populated on the surface. A new civilization forms, lead by AI and psionic beings. Influences: Eclipse Phase, a little 40k, any "AI Revolution" media.

Seventh World: Earth Reconstruction. Feeling either a sense of responsibility or ownership, various off-world factions collaborate to restore Earth's ecosystem. The current ruling classes of Earth splinter due to ideological differences. The surface is rendered habitable again thanks to advanced nanotechnology. This era is the source of the Iron Wind, and likely the era in which the sun was stabilized. Earth is "jointly administrated" by a coalition of sapient beings. Earth becomes a sort of trade hub but is functionally a colony. Influences: Dying Earth, Disco Elysium, some other stuff I'm sure

In some ways, Pact Magic is the simplest form of magic to practice. Many magical beings, from the humble brownie to the powerful elemental lord, are willing to strike bargains will mortals in exchange for favors. However, it is also potentially the most dangerous for its practitioners.

Much like mortals, spirits and other beings will desire an agreement that is their best interests, or at least one that is worth the trouble. Even if you aren't dealing with a particularly malicious or avaricious being, the majority of them do not think of value in the same way you and I might. Seldom will one engage in a simple transaction involving currency, gems or precious metals (there are some exceptions to this rule, pixies love collecting shiny baubles and spirits of Earth may wish for gems or metals to be "returned" to them), so it behooves the hopeful Pact-binder to be educated on the being they hope to bargain with, and to be wise to any deception in the process.

Most minor pacts are short and involve a simple trade. A service or object in exchange for a particular task. Needless to say that the language used in these agreements ought to be as clear and simple as possible (devils and particularly intelligent fey are more complex, and a pact with one of these beings is not recommended for the inexperienced) to avoid any confusion, intentional or no. More long-term agreements may require a steady stream of compensation or complex favors in return. An important note: When forming a pact one should NEVER agree to an unspecified future favor; this is a favored tactic of the fey and such ill-advised bargains are the subject of many a cautionary tale. Permanent or even multi-generational pacts are rather unusual, but I shall briefly touch upon two well-known traditions of pact magic here: the elemental Warlocks of Jabal and the Theurgists of Veid.

The Warlocks of Jabal are comprised of a number of small "schools," usually remotely located and often rather fortified. The internal structures of each school, and their activities at large, vary greatly. According to some of the histories in the area, the Warlocks originate from six founding members, who each struck a powerful bargain with an Elemental Lord. In addition to unknown prices paid by those founders, supposedly one stipulation of the pact was that the Warlocks pass on responsibility (and power) of said pact to a chosen heir. The veracity of this claim is disputed, but it certainly would explain the esoteric nature of these Warlock schools. Also worth mentioning is that, likely in part due to the Warlocks' reputation, "warlock" is a term often used by the layman to describe Diabolists and even other, more benign Pact-Binders.

Theurgists are singular in several ways compared to other Pact-Binders or even other magical practitioners, and I am currently conducting a study regarding their practices and origins in more detail, but for the purposes of this work I will explain the most pertinent details.

A Theurgist is created by way of a ritual that binds a spirit to the body and essence of a subject. The most common targets of this ritual are sorcerers who are unable to control their power (either due to lack of discipline or physical limitation), but there are also records of the ritual being used to reverse a possession or even ameliorate the symptoms of a curse. What sets this process apart, when compared to other Pact Magic, is that its purpose is not to reach greater heights of power, but rather to keep in check another power present in the subject. It still requires consent of both parties, like other Pacts, and the Theurgist does gain access to unique magical talents as a result. Though it has been life-saving in many cases, and has resulted in some of the greatest magical minds of this world, it is a double-edged sword. The spirit and the Theurgist are in constant communication, and as any student of this fine university can attest, sharing a space (much less your mind and body) with another for too long can be a weight upon the soul. However, as few other ways have been found to solve the problems that Theurgy solves, I feel quite assured in saying that most Theurgists would find the benefit outweighs the costs.

Before we begin our lessons on the various Sapient Spiritual Entities inhabiting the Other Realms (known collectively by the shorthand "daemon"), we must dispel a popular notion: that of "Cosmic" or objective morality. Philosophers and religious adherents in many parts of the world subscribe to the idea that Good and Evil are quantifiable concepts which have an objective definition, and perhaps even a physical presence.

No evidence exists to support these claims. Daemons, and even deities, can no more agree on what is "right" or "wrong" than your average mortal can. Its true that certain varieties of daemons tend towards a particular nature, but when their motives are questioned or examined, a very familiar process of justification occurs. Angels usually believe the god they serve is the paragon of truth and benevolence (despite a wide variety of them employing angels as proxies), infernals believe the hearts of mortals are corrupt by nature (and therefore convincing them to give over their souls is a deserving fate), the asura believe that the strong preying upon the weak is the natural order, and so on.

The subject of order or law opposing entropy or chaos is somewhat more complex. There is evidence that supports such forces existing in a more objective fashion, but there is very little to suggest an actual link between, say, entropy of energy and a "chaotic" mindset. Alliances among spirits and gods do exist along such lines, but the same could be said for the concepts of "good" and "evil." Beings that tend towards order have joined forces to excise problems caused by more disruptive daemons, and infernals have been known to conspire with destructive spirits to push mortals further into desperation.

What one should conclude from this, ultimately, is that definitions of moral and ethical concepts like "good" or "evil" lie within the realm of philosophy, no matter who, or what you may be speaking to.

Elves share a common ancestor with the dwarves and the Kuduk, but much like the dwarves, highly unusual circumstances have radically changed the evolutionary path of the elvish people. Uncountable generations ago (literally, since time in the fey realm does not flow at the same rate as our own, nor at a consistent speed), a tribe of their ancestors, known as heumen according to Kuduk oral tradtion (note: double-check spelling and pronunciation with the anthropology department; records are scarce on this subject) became trapped in the lands of the fey.

For those unfamiliar, the fey realm is an uncivilized and chaotic reflection of our own plane, ruled by powerful beings know as Fey Lords, who seem to have absolute control of their domains not only politically, but in a physical sense as well, as they can affect distance, gravity, and even the time and probably of the world around them. If that weren't enough, the Fey Realm is also populated by numerous other dangerous and unpredictable creatures, making survival for mortals a difficult prospect.

But survive they did, and a sizable population were able to find their way back into their home plane, significantly changed by their lives in the Fey Realm. Their time among the timeless granted them extended lifespans, enhanced senses, an unusual sleep cycle, and a limited form of the reality manipulation that Fey Lords perform (see lecture on Spellsinging). Elves are taller and leaner than their cousin peoples, and have sharpened features, giving them a somewhat eerie countenance reminiscent of the denizens of the Fey Realm. They have strong hearing aided by their large, flexible ears, and can see as well in the night as in the day. They are mostly crepuscular, but are often founded taking short naps throughout the day, and neither require their sleep to be overlong or consecutive.

Elves have an insular culture focused first on survival and second on artistic expression. While many aspects of their culture are quite communal, individual accomplishments, both physical and creative, are held in high esteem among the elves. Although as much variation exists as is necessary for each settlement, generally the females of the culture are tasked with hunting, warfare, and politics (such as they are), while the males are more often artisans, spellsingers, and providers of childcare. Child-raising among the elves is mostly communal, but as the women are more often away for days or even weeks on a hunt or territorial dispute, it is mainly the men that handle this business.

Vitamancy is, in short, the magic which affects life energy, or vitae. To elaborate further, Vitamancy manipulates the natural energies and processes of living things, the most well-known being healing magic, but it also includes spells which enhance or diminish the abilities of creatures, those which induce states such as sleep or paralysis, and rarely, directly drain the very life of its target.

Healing magic works, in most cases, by accelerating the body’s natural healing processes. For minor wounds this is an easy process: simply apply the salve or  cast the spell, and (usually after some discomfort), the target will be restored. For more serious injuries, traditional methods must also be applied. Broken bones must be set, gaping wounds sutured, and missing pieces put in their proper places. The energy for the more intensive processes must come from another source, lest the patient be drained of months worth of vitae. The faithful are most efficient at this process, as they receive energy directly from the boundless well of divinity. Alchemists and practitioners of the Craft typically put some of their own energy or that of an external source into their curatives, as a relatively small amount is required for these balms. In desperate circumstances, the vitae of the caster or surrounding organisms may be used, but this is a very dangerous practice, and can result in more harm then what it heals.

The ability to actually drain the life of other beings is typically very difficult, as the vessel is resistant to losing its vital energy. Of course, this practice is frowned upon in many cultures, especially when performed on other people. This darker aspect of Vitamancy is often confused with Necromancy, and indeed any effective necromancer should learn at least the fundamentals of Vitamancy, but it is essentially the same practice as healing, only in reverse.

The Fey-Lords are absolute masters of their own realms, able to manipulate time, space, and causality by playing the very foundation of their plane’s reality like the strings of a harp. In fact, most intelligent fey are able to change the world around them, even in minor ways. Obviously this power is at its height in their home plane (and especially within their individual domains), but even in our world, a Fey-Lord can do with a breath what would take a mortal magician years of practice to accomplish.

The ancestors of the elves spent uncounted generations in the Feylands, observing, serving, and evading its endemic life, from the lowest pixie to the highest Lords of Seasons. In fact, it was the imitation of this talent that allowed their exodus from the Feylands, and the tradition of Spellsinging was born.

To continue the metaphor of the harp, the strings of our world are much thicker and more taut than those of the Feylands, and thus the fundamental aspects of our reality are more resistant to change. However, with enough force of will and the right knowledge, these strings can be plucked. As the name implies, singing is the most common method of manifesting this power, but any technique that employs vibrations can be used. Thus the use of stringed instruments and even drums by many Bards of the lands who practice a modified form of Spellsinging.

Priests, clerics, paladins, shaman, witch doctors, and even the common: many and various are the servants of the divine. With approval from their patron diety, the faithful can call upon the power of the gods to change the world around them. Divine magic is at once the most and least limited of the manifestations. Although it does not follow the rules of it’s arcane or psionic counterparts, being able to create and destroy matter, and reverse even mortal wounds, it is only as powerful as it’s wielders’ conviction and favor in the eyes of their gods.

Divine magic can only be employed in ways that the faithful’s patron approves of. Even a saint or a high priest risks failure or divine retribution if they attempt to use their patron’s power in a way that is contrary to the latter’s wishes.

Divine magic falls broadly into two categories: prayers and miracles (though different belief systems refer to them in different ways). Prayers are minor requests asked of a divine patron, asking for blessings, guidance, and even minor miraculous effects such as light or the ability to get someone’s attention. Theoretically any of the faithful can perform these works with results, provided they are in good standing with their diety, though dedicated servants tend to have more consistent and spectacular outcomes.

Abjuration is a somewhat difficult school to define, but broadly it is the art of redirecting the magical energies of another caster against them. This is not to be confused with the defensive use of evocation, such as walls and shields made of force or the elements. Rather, abjuration is accomplished by identifying the intent of an opposed caster and either negating or turning back on them the effects of the spell.

The most common use of this is of course when in battle with another magic-user, but abjuration is also employed in creating wards against any number of inherently magical creatures, most commonly fey or fiends. Their ilk are practically made of magic, and therefore the precise application of Abjuration along with the proper materials can be used to protect yourself from, stop, or even trap these beings.

Evocation is the magical process of manipulating the natural forces of the universe. These forces include the classical “four elements,” electricity, heat, kinetic energy and gravity.

Evocation itself does not call anything into existence (for magic that does such, see Conjuration), it simply uses existing forces to cause the desired effect. Although it may appear that an evoker creates fire from nothing, or summons a thunderbolt to strike his enemies, he is in reality imitating the same factors that cause such phenomena to occur in nature.

Because of its applications in both offensive and defensive combat, as well as it’s relatively low cost to the caster, evocation is especially popular amongst battlemages and warriors who dabble in the magical arts. It is also very common for sorcerers to specialize in evocation, and it is often an early school taught to fledgling astrologers.