Asheri Rising

Keiru Emerald
Treatise on Magic By Rublicant Al’Teyr
(Or Terra Magic Vs. Ki Magic)

Power Source:

Magic on Aeterna works in several different ways. First of all, let us look at the two main types of magic, and how the power is harnessed by will-workers within Aeterna. There is Terra magic, which channels power from the planet, in a form of energy that we call mana. This is the only major drawback of Terra magic. Hence the recent outlaw of Terra magic. Then there is Ki magic, which draws its power from the spirit of the user, more or less drawing power through the user from the Spiritual realm. Thus, the main difference in the power source of the different types of magic is which world it is drawn from. Terra magic draws from our world, from our lands and waters and even from ourselves, whereas Ki magic draws from another realm, far removed from our everyday lives.

Terra Magic:

Terra magic is able to be learned by any living being, so long as they have the will to learn and the will to manipulate reality. This includes animals and other demihuman races. Wielders of Terra Magic were referred to as Mages until its use was outlawed in Asheri. Terra magic was outlawed because the Great war had consumed so much of the world’s mana that plants were having a hard time growing, the water tasted strange and the planet almost seemed to look tired. Now after fifty years, the world is once again fresh and renewed, and yet, Terra magic remains illegal. There are still those whom practition the Terran arts, but they do so in secret and in constant hiding from the authorities of Asheri. Terra magic is not illegal in Gran Adageros.

Terra magic is grouped into eight different types that were defined as spheres. Each sphere was associated with all of the other spheres in a circle, as shown below.


The types of Magic are as follows, starting at the top of the circle and returning to it once again: Holy, Air, Spirit, Fire, Shadow, Earth, Body, Water, and of course at the top, Holy. The power levels of Terra magic is defined by which sphere you decide to study as your primary. Each primary has a pair of secondary spheres, and a pair of tertiary spheres. However, one that used a sphere was only able to really harness his primary, his two secondary spheres, and one of his tertiary spheres, chosen at the beginning of his training. A table shall be provided for your convenience. It will be listed as follows: Primary Sphere, Secondary Spheres, Choice of Tertiary Sphere.

Holy, Air and Water, Spirit or Body
Air, Holy and Spirit, Fire or Water
Spirit, Air and Fire, Holy or Shadow
Fire, Spirit and Shadow, Air or Earth
Shadow, Fire and Earth, Spirit or Body
Earth, Shadow and Body, Fire or Water
Body, Earth and Water, Holy or Shadow
Water, Body and Holy, Air or Earth

A mage was given a title based on his primary sphere. These were as follows: Lightbringer, Waverunner, Shadowseeker, Flamedancer, Earthbreaker, Summoner, Lifeweaver, and Skyrider.

The power levels are hard to define, but for a simplistic explanation, a tertiary sphere may be used to perceive the element and it associated sub-elements as well as create minor effects within the domain of the sphere. A secondary sphere can create larger effects that a tertiary sphere, either spanning a weaker effect over a large area, or creating a strong effect over a small area. Primary spheres may be used to create powerful and large effects, however these can be extremely dangerous, even lethal to their weavers.

Terra Magic is cast through a process called weaving, which is described as a two step procedure: drawing mana from the earth, and then manipulating it into a pattern that is either made up on the fly, in the case of situational magic, or into a specific pattern, as used in Lunari and Elven high magic.

Ki Magic:

Ki magic is able to be used by any sentient being. This pertains to only humans and demihumans. Ki magic is grouped into four elemental configurations, called Concentrations. Of these, there is Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. The element that a wielder of Ki magic may use is represented by a rune upon the left hand of the person, called a Dedicated. Ki magic is granted by powers of the spiritual plain, during a test that can be taken within several locations across Aeterna. Some feel that it is the creator that grants people the ability to use Ki magic, but many others, especially among old Terra magic mages and philosophers, believe otherwise.

Titles are not given to Dedicated, however in Gran Adageros, all dedicated are required to register themselves with associations called Guilds. These guilds serve as a regulation of all magic wielding persons within the new world. There is no regulation of Dedicated within Asheri.

There are also no defined power levels within Ki magic. What it seems, speaking in terms of Terra magic, is that when a person becomes dedicated to an element, they receive a broader version of the same elemental sphere of Terra magic as a primary sphere. They may wield that as they will, but a Ki magic user has much less versatility than a Terra magic wielder. However, because the power of Ki magic is drawn from another realm, this seems to be the only option for young adventurers wanting to wield the power of our ancestors.

Ki magic is cast through a process called Conducing. By opening up their spirit, a dedicated allows themselves to become a gate, or conduit, for power from the spiritual realm. The power itself is then manipulated just as with Terra magic, either forcing the drawn power into situational magic, or high magic.

Linking and Symphonies:

Mages and Dedicated have long known how to combine their power to create great effects. In Terra magic, this is called linking, and the linked group is called an Asheron, the leader of the group, who weaves the effect, is called the Templar. In Ki magic this process is also called linking, but the linked group is called a Symphony, the Conducer of the group is called the Conductor. It is unknown is Dedicated and Mages can link together and assist each other in an effect.

Artifacts:

Savils are objects that allow one to either draw, in the case of Terra magic, or conduct, in the case of Ki magic, more energy from the respective realms than a mage or dedicated would normally be able to use. An example: An unassisted mage is to a mage with a savil as a wine bottle is to a wine bottle with the neck completely cut off. This shows that a Savil allows a mage or dedicated to draw upon a great deal more power than he or she
could unaided. Savils are attuned to a specific sphere or concentration. Savils are rare, but can be found with a good deal of looking, especially on the black market or within the homes of wealthy magic users. Savils are illegal to possess or use under current Nylinus laws.

Savillions are much like Savils, but a mage using a Savillion to a mage using a Savil is much akin to a mage using a Savil to an unaided mage. Like Savils, Savillions are attuned to a specific sphere or concentration. However, they are much rarer than Savils, and of course, are illegal to possess or use in Asheri.

Savilars are items enchanted to perform a specific task, such as a ring that creates a flame or a gauntlet that increases a wearers strength. These items were common in the Lunis region before the current laws went into effect, and some of these devices, such as the Lunari Postal Savilar, are still allowed to function. There is a small list of legal to possess and use Savilars that is updated monthly by the Nylinus council. All Savilars not on this list are Illegal to possess and use.

The Great Stones of power were to a Savillion, as a Savillion is to a Savil, however, they have all been once again lost, after the Great War. Some seem to think that they might be hidden within the Shadowspawn ridden Black Tower within the center of Lake Asheri, but none dare go too close to that forsaken place. There were eight stones of power, one for each sphere of Terra magic.

Conclusion:

Which is better? You decide. My personal opinion states that Terra magic, because of its versatility, is a better choice, if firmly on the basis of practicality. However, because of current laws, one might not want to risk going to the effort of finding an illegal teacher and paying the exuberant fees that they might charge. Ki magic is an alternative, but within Ki magic, a large degree of versatility is lost, but seeing as it is legal, it is a viableoption. Which is better? As I said, You decide.

Lord Dedicated Rublicant Al'Teyr M.D.

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Keiru Silver

Lord Doctor Al'Teyr, if I may?

Thank you.

It has been recently brought to my attention that some of you are debating magic, and I thought it would not be obtrusive to invite myself, having extensive knowledge on the subject.

Ki magic comes from another realm, and it has since been forgotten the link between it and our own. Perhaps they draw power from us as we do them. They probably call it electicity or something equally strange; I can imagine them using it to power devices with buttons and lights and other things that would make a grown Balanian cry with joy.

But before getting too far removed from my point, I would like to say that although we have no knowledge of this realm, that it is indeed important to the use of Ki magic. However, in defense of my chosen type of magic, I say that should I wish, I could find a savil or other artifact that would allow me to use Terra magic. Or perhaps I could break into the Museum and read the books there and learn it as was the custom. I don't think the guards would take kindly to my intrusion, however.

But quite frankly, I am quite opposed to Terra magic. I imagine that you would argue that not knowing your victim makes the reasons for using Ki magic convenient. But we have no evidence that this other world is detrimented by our use of it's power. I believe that there is no harm done. If indeed they link to our world, and take a form of energy we have yet to harness, what harm is done us? I say to you that we have seen the harm done by taking magic from our own world.

Well, friends, the hour grows late, and I must be off. Perhaps I will return later.

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Rublicant Al'Teyr

If I may ask, what character's point of view does this come from, Keiru Silver??

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Keiru Silver

None, just a way to have other views presented.

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Kaori Aurora

Well what I'm interested is, whether in Ki or in Terra, if you were to say use the magic water, do you actually summon it, like from the ground, or do you create it?

And is it possible to combine both the use of Ki and Terra magic? Like after getting Dedicated, is it possible to find a teacher in the arts of Terra magic and weave Terra magic into Ki magic, so that the versatility of Terra magic could be combined into Ki...?

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