MAGIKS AND THEIR MAKINGS
Compiled by Trysantix Falcaster
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Known as the Great Weave, the essence of magiks in the etherium is often thought to be the spirit of the ancient great goddess Mystra, but other scholars dispute this point. Casters have varied ways of naming and visualizing this interface. Often spoken of as a weave or quilt, Mortals make use of this fabric of magiks to manipulate their world. They draw power from this weave, which exists in the very planar air, and can be drawn upon like a faucet or siphon, to direct the power into tangible energy or even matter.
It is a type of interface, allowing the will of a caster to harness power beyond what Mortals are born with. Whenever a magik effect is created, the threads of the Weave intertwine, twist, and fold to make the effect possible. There are places where the Weave may be overused, or torn, and this gives way to Wild Magic. Unpredictable and fierce, this magik energy can manifest in several different undesirable ways, including casting awry, summoning of beastly abominations, the raising of the dead or the overgrowth of natural twisted into the unnatural. It is the pride of any well-to-do sorcerer to repair these pockets or tears in the Great Weave, to restore balance to the fabric as a whole.
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Before a caster can use a spell, they must have the spell firmly fixed in mind, or must have access to the spell in a device that transmits the magiks for them. It is very difficult to cast a spell perfectly, and many years of practice must be spent to attain new knowledge or fields of magikal study. A great deal of time must be spent in preparation each day, clearing the mind and readying the body for the physical strain that accessing the Weave causes. Manipulating the fabric of magik and channeling its energy into even a simple spell is physically and mentally taxing.
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Certain times, somatic or material components must be harvested and prepared ahead of time, that aid in the connection process. Most magiks require the chanting of mystic words. The words themselves aren’t the source of the spell’s power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magik in motion. A forceful gesticulation or an intricate set of gestures may also be used.
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A spell is a discrete magical effect, a single shaping of the magikal energies that suffuse the multiverse into a specific, limited expression. In casting a spell, a caster carefully plucks at the invisible strands of raw magic suffusing Terra, pins them in place in a particular pattern, sets them vibrating in a specific way, and then releases them to unleash the desired effect—in most cases, all in the span of seconds.
Spells can be versatile tools, weapons, or even protective wards. They can cause destruction or undo it, impose or remove conditions of the mind or body, or even restore life essence. Uncounted thousands of spells have been created over the course of the multiverse’s history, and many of them are long forgotten. Some might yet lie recorded in hidden places.
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Academies of magiks exist to study the various types of spells that exist in the multiverse, and are grouped into seven types. Scholars, particularly wizards, apply these categories to all spells, believing that all magic functions in essentially the same way, whether it derives from rigorous study or is bestowed by a deity.
1. Abjuration spells are protective in nature, though some of them have aggressive uses. They create magikal barriers, negate harmful effects, harm trespassers, or banish creatures to other planes of existence.
2. Conjuration spells involve the transportation of objects and creatures from one location to another. Some spells summon creatures or objects to the caster, whereas others allow the caster to teleport to another location. It may also be used to create objects or effects out of the Weave from nothing that exists currently.
3. Divination spells reveal information, whether in the form of secrets long forgotten, glimpses of the future, the locations of hidden things, the truth behind illusions, or visions of distant people or places.
4. Enchantment spells affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. Such spells can make enemies see the caster as a friend, force creatures to take a course of action, or even control another creature like a puppet.
5. Evocation spells manipulate magical energy to produce a desired effect. Some call up blasts of fire or lightning. Others channel positive energy to heal wounds.
6. Illusion spells deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, to miss things that are there, to hear phantom noises, or to remember things that never happened. Some illusions create phantom images that any creature can see, but the most insidious illusions plant an image directly in the mind of a creature.
7. Transmutation spells change the properties of a creature, object, or even a caster's environment. They might turn an enemy into a harmless creature, bolster the strength an ally, make an object move at the caster’s command, or even enhance a creature's innate healing abilities to rapidly recover from injury.
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