Magic is a force of Nature. Like gravity or inertia, it is bound by physical laws as are all aspects of the universe. Since the dawn of time, the races have been aware of magic. Some cultures worship magic, others fear it. It is given many names in many different places in Taranche: chi, tao, essence, akasa, a hundred other appellations. In the Young Kingdoms, the wizards call it "The Art", while the Sorcerers refer to their power as "The Gift".  Priests are content in the knowledge that the magic they use is a gift from their god.

No matter how it is named, only one thing matters... magic is real. To those who master it, magic is as vast and complex as any pursuit of science. While a single spell may be mastered, the bewildering array of forces that shape the universe are limitless and unfathomable to mortal man. Even the greatest mages grasp only a fragment of the whole. Even the wisest sorcerer can conceive a mere shadow of the truth.

Fortunately for mortals, this is enough to wield magic and to influence their world with it. While no man can truly master magic, individual spells can be learned and rendered predictably. Magic, much like science and the other forces of the universe, follow predictable laws. Laws which can be measured, analyzed and deciphered. These laws can then be expressed in the language of arcane mathematics. Thus, magic can be controlled. Spells can be understood, written down and passed on. In this way is magic a part of the civilized world and so has it shaped history.

Manna and Magic

The base stuff of magic, the raw power, is called manna by the Gods.  Manna is the basic building block of the universe, and the source of all life and energy.  The Gods themselves are beings of pure manna; the power they gain from the faith of their worshippers and feed upon is a form of manna.  When the Gods created the world, they formed it out of manna, and when a God causes a miracle to occur, he does so by ordering manna to his whims.  Manna is what makes existence itself possible.

The source of the manna is the Gods themselves.  Bluntly put, manna is a waste product created whenever the Gods manipulate reality.  Thus, manna is generated by certain special phenomena caused directly or indirectly by one of the Gods.  Lightning strikes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, the full moon, a night of no moon, sex, birth, and death (especially ceremonial death) all create manna.

When a spellcaster creates a magical effect, he is unknowingly imitating the gods by forcing manna to do his bidding.  Of course, no mortal is even aware of the existence of manna.  To a mortal spellcaster, the methods used to create a magic effect are much more important than the magic itself.  For clerics, magical effects happen through the power, symbols, and rituals of their faith.  Wizards use arcane and mysterious rituals and formulae to create magic.  Bards create magic through the power of their songs.  Lastly, sorcerers create magic through sheer force of will and innate talent.

Defining Magic Spells

Magic spells have very broad Special Effects (SFX).  In addition to any specific SFX that a particular spell might have (such as electricity for a Lightning Bolt spell or fire for a Flamebolt spell, all spells also automatically have the additional SFX of "Magic", plus either "Arcane" or "Divine".  Arcane Magic is additionally divided up into the type of magic of the spell (Alchemy, Battle Magic, Body Magic, Divination, Enchantments, Mind Magic, Name Magic, Necromancy, Protection Magic, Rune Magic, and Transfiguration).  These mandatory SFX cannot be altered by any means, including Variable Special Effects.  An Arcane Magic Necromancy spell is always Magic, always Arcane, and always in Necromancy.

All Magic Frameworks must take the modifier All Spells Must Use Charges (+/-0).  By default Fuel, Recoverable, and Boostable Charges are not allowed, although in some cases they might be allowed if appropriate. .

Many spells use "material components" during their casting; however it is generally assumed that a spellcaster has access to most components at all times except in unusual circumstances. The exception are material components made of valuable or exotic materials.  To model this, the Focus limitation should be taken only on those spells which require truly unique components. 

In general in this type of spellcasting, the skill necessary is in the learning of spells; once learned spells typically work dependably. Thus Activation, Requires a Skill Roll, and No Conscious Control should be avoided if at all possible. Some exceptions may occur where there is a random chance of failure, the exact outcome of a spell is not under the caster's control, or some randomness is involved.

Legendary Magic

The sad truth is this: manna has been used at a much faster rate than it has been created.  Times long ago were much more magical than the age of the Young Kingdoms.  Legends of the long-lost elves speak of mighty sorcerers able to move mountains and shift the course of rivers at a whim.  Such tales also speak of a time when dragons ruled the world in horrifying numbers.  And there are stories of mortal-crafted objects of magical power that could challenge the very Gods themselves.

In modern Taranche, no wizard has the power to alter the world in such a way.  The elves are but a memory, dragons are few and far between, and while most spellcasters know how to cook up a potion or inscribe a spell onto a scroll, crafting truly awesome objects of power has become something of a lost art.

This is not to say that the power of the spellcasters is diminished.  A wizard is still a powerful and fearful thing.  But the time of legendary magic has passed; with it went the time that dragons filled the sky, that elves created towers of ivory and glass, and wizards shook the very foundations of reality.