Magic
ancient energy of the universe
Introduction
Magic is an ambient arcane power, one present in the world since the dawn of time. It manifests itself as mana, a form of raw energy produced by Yggdrasil, the great tree which grows in Vanaheim. Though mana is normally invisible as it moves through the environment, high concentrations can be seen by the human eye. In fact, it emanates from Yggdrasil in such quantities that it forms a river in the sky. Called the mana stream, this flow of magical energy stretches far and wide, spanning the globe before eventually returning to the giant tree.
Mana is the substance of magic, the material form that can be manipulated by living beings. All magical spells rely on its use. According to legend, the first to use mana were the fairies, as they are said to be born from its primordial energies. Later came the ancient mages, humans who had learned the art of magic on their own and become skilled in its use. They passed their knowledge on to others, and eventually mana became an integral part of everyday life.
Magic Through the Ages
At one time, nearly all people could use magic, although most did so at a pedestrian level. Spells could be used for anything from catching fish to speeding the drying process of laundry, and their many uses made life easier for mankind. Of course, magic brought devastation as a well. Mana could also be used in combat, and warrior-mages became a common sight on the battlefield. In fact, the BLANK War was fought exclusively by mages. On the more positive side, magic found a place in the church due to its miraculous abilities, which were viewed as a blessing from God. It was largely thanks to this adoption of magic that the religion of the Thulians spread to Vanaheim and beyond.
In these times, magic was relatively simple to use. Mana saturated the air, and it could easily be channeled and bent to one’s will. In order to manipulate its energy, one only had to know the right incantation and the proper gestures needed to direct the spell – and, of course, they had to believe in the power of mana. More skilled users could perform magic by only thinking, but this ability belonged mostly to the archmages. The incantations were spoken in the language that both fairies and humans once shared, and though it is still used by magic-users today, its use outside spells (And church writings) has become obsolete. It is now referred to as the “arcane tongue” or, more often by the church, the “ancient tongue.”
Magic in Today's World
Over the ages, magic has been used less and less, due in part to the relentless march of technology. Humans have developed machines that can fulfill many of the needs that were once met by magic. And as science has progressed, the presence of mana in the world has diminished. Whether the two events are directly correlated is unknown, but many – especially the fairies – believe that the mana has begun to disappear because people have neglected Yggdrasil and lost their faith in magic. Others maintain that it is a natural occurrence, that mana levels fluctuate and have done so throughout history. No one can be sure where the truth lies.
Among mortals, the humans and the utukku, magic has nearly become a lost art. Magic-users are something of a rarity, and there are no true “mages” left. The most powerful users are referred to as “wizards,” and there are so few of them that they have a kind of celebrity status. Because of the difficulty of higher-level spells, many wizards specialize in a certain type of magic. There are pyromancers, geomancers, and all manner of other ‘mancers. In fact, technomancy has developed in recent centuries, which is ironic considering the gradual decline of the mana stream and the growing reign of technology.
Recently, the damage that Yggdrasil received in the BLANK War seems to have caused a further dip in the concentration of mana. It is unknown whether or not the tree will fully recover, but it seems to already be regrowing. The world's hope is that it will continue to thrive, for without the great tree, mana would surely vanish forever.
