Overview of Magic

Soul material flows ambiently throughout all three realms, but it is inaccessible to the uninitiated. Those who can obtain access to large quantities of soul material gain the power to magically manipulate the world to their will. However, the powers of magic wielders differ based on the source of soul material. There are six categories of people who can achieve these results: Wildmages, Schoolmages, Wretches, Invokers, Ardents, and Devouts.

Spell Categories

• Augmentation spells are aimed at enhancing one's own abilities.
• Cthonic Warding spells are aimed at warding off Cthonians and the undead.
• Curse spells are aimed at bringing misfortune to their targets.
• Detection spells are aimed at perceiving otherwise unseen things.
• Elemental Damage spells use raw elemental forces to inflict damage. The six categories of elemental damage are sunlight, moonlight, fire, water, air (including lightning), and earth.
• Exorcism spells are aimed and purifying and banishing Cthonic taint.
• Healing spells are aimed at restoring the health and wellness of their targets.
• Illusion spells are aimed at creating false appearances to their targets.
• Mental Influence spells are aimed at affecting a person's mental state.
• Protection spells involve warding off physical and magical attacks.
• Soul Binding spells involve infusing physical things with soul material.
• Summoning spells temporarily phase in monsters from Cthonic or Ksylic spheres to help the caster.
• Transmutation spells manipulate physical substances.
• Utility spells are a catch-all category for non-combat spells that don't cleanly fit in other categories.

Magic Wielder Types

The below list of Magic Wielder Types includes a listing of what Spell Categories the Magic Wielder Type generally has access to. These are not absolute rules, but guidelines that instruct the tone of each category.

• Always means the wielder type unequivocally has access to this kind of magic.
• Sometimes means the wielder type may have access to variants of this magic which align thematically with the type.
• Rarely means the wielder typically does not have access to this kind of magic.

Wildmage

Wildmages passively absorb high amounts of soul material from their surroundings, then unleash their built-up soul material in a burst.

• Always: Elemental Damage, Illusion, Mental Influence, Utility
• Sometimes: Curse, Detection, Protection, Augmentation, Transmutation
• Rarely: Cthonic Warding, Healing, Exorcism, Soul Binding, Summoning

Schoolmage

Schoolmages in Conliah are educated by the Academy of Knowledge to understand the physical laws of Ksylia. This enables Schoolmages to cast spells by accessing the ambient soul material that flows through Ksylia. Low-level spells like elemental projectiles and defensive wards are commonplace, but knowledge of even these basic spells implies years of dedicated study at an Academy of Knowledge university. High-level spells like flight, teleportation, and weather manipulation are legendary powers not known to the Academy of Knowledge but learnable through re-discovery of ancient tomes.

Conlian Schoolmage spells are written in the Classical language. A single spell is so complicated that it may require several thick volumes just to convey one spell, when written in long-form Classical. Instead, each Schoolmage carries a personal spellbook which is written in Arcane Shorthand. This is a personalized script which is much denser than long-form Classical, and is illegible to anyone other than the owner of the spellbook.

Schoolmage spells require a great deal of precision to cast, and the experience is so mentally taxing that the spell is forgotten once performed. Consequently, Schoolmages must frequently re-read their personal notes when fully rested in order to continue casting the same spell.

Lodumpis has its own Schoolmages, who are present in the ranks of the Uzvu Confederation. Their power source draws on identical principles to Conlian Schoolmages, but their tomes are presently incomprehensible.

• Always: Detection, Elemental Damage, Illusion, Mental Influence, Soul Binding, Protection, Transmutation, Utility
• Sometimes: Curse, Healing, Augmentation, Summoning
• Rarely: Cthonic Warding, Exorcism

Wretch

Wretches are individuals directly touched by Cthonia, without having a deliberate pact with a specific Archon. As a result, Wretches have lingering Cthonic energy coursing through their bodies which they can use to cast powerful spells. Casting spells as a Wretch is forbidden in Conliah, but it is considered a legitimate form of magic in Lodumpis.

• Always: Curse, Elemental Damage, Mental Influence
• Sometimes: Detection, Illusion, Augmentation, Soul Binding, Summoning, Utility
• Rarely: Cthonic Warding, Healing, Exorcism, Protection, Transmutation

Invoker

Invokers are members of Cthonic cults who have directly communed with the Archon to receive their power. They continue to receive the blessing of the Archon through obedience, enabling them to channel the Archon's power into magical spells.

Archons are generally chatty and generous with bestowing initial gifts. There is a unique ritual required to solicit each particular Archon. Archons do not speak any mortal language, and the first gift the solicitor must consent to is the acquisition of the Archon's Cthonic cult language. Whenever a mortal communes with an Archon, the mortal may communicate through speaking aloud or internally, and the Archon replies in the mind of the mortal.

• Always: Curse, Mental Influence, Soul Binding, Summoning
• Sometimes: Detection, Elemental Damage, Illusion, Protection, Augmentation, Utility
• Rarely: Cthonic Warding, Healing, Exorcism, Transmutation

Ardent

Ardents are philosophers who have obtained enlightenment, flooding their bodies with blue soul material. They may channel this blue soul material into magical spells, as long as they remain in their elevated state.

• Always: Detection, Healing, Exorcism, Protection, Utility
• Sometimes: Cthonic Warding, Illusion, Augmentation, Transmutation
• Rarely: Curse, Elemental Damage, Mental Influence, Soul Binding, Summoning

Devout

Most Devouts are members of the Imperial Cult who obey the will of a specific Agathos. Through their obedience to the Agathos, they apparently receive a divine blessing which grants magical powers. The specific powers Devouts wield vary based on the specific Agathos they serve.

The relationship between the obedience of Devouts and the blessings they receive is complex. Devouts can behave in ways which appear misaligned with the will of their deities, or use their magical powers in a way that defies religious orthodoxy. As a result there are certain spells which Devouts hypothetically have access to, but which are considered unacceptable by the Imperial Cult authorities. Examples of such spells are reviving a recently deceased person, or speaking to the soul of a recently deceased person. However, a Devout cannot recklessly act in a self-serving way in the long term or carelessly shirk religious rites without cause. Such actions, when persistent, are outward manifestations of a loss of faith which eventually strips Devouts of their powers.

Cloud Devouts are cloud worshippers in the ranks of the Uzvu Confederation, who apparently draw power from the clouds. However, despite the ostensible difference in source, they function similarly to Imperial Cult Devouts.

Advanced Devouts of both the Imperial Cult and cloud worship have the ability to commune with their deity. They do so by giving a silent or spoken prayer in any language they can speak, but the deity only replies by silently impressing one or two concepts on their mind in the same manner as High Tongue is heard.

• Always: Cthonic Warding, Detection, Healing, Exorcism, Protection
• Sometimes: Elemental Damage, Mental Influence, Augmentation, Transmutation, Utility
• Rarely: Curse, Illusion, Soul Binding, Summoning

Soul Color

The term "color" in reference to soul material is not literal, but refers to the magically detectable differences in signature based on where the soul material originated from. The color names are ancient conventions which have carried into the present, but it is only a feeling within the one probing magically infused substance. Remarkably, the soul color terminology was already used in exactly the same way in Lodumpis at the time contact was made with Conliah. Soul color applies to both ambient soul material and discrete souls, but not all colors exist in both forms.

• Green Souls: In the absence of other magical influences, mortals who are sentient have pure green souls. The Imperial Cult holds that green souls transmigrate to Asteria upon death. Ambient green soul material does not exist whatsoever.
• Yellow Souls: Wildmages and Schoolmages have green souls, but also have a noticeable aura of concentrated yellow soul material. Animals besides the sentient mortal races have discrete yellow souls. Yellow souls certainly do not transmigrate, and their souls dissipate into Ksylia upon death. Ambient yellow soul material flows throughout Ksylia.
• Blue Souls: Devouts and Ardents have green souls, but also emit faint traces of blue soul material. The Imperial Cult claims the Agathoi have discrete blue souls, and are immortal. The Imperial Cult also claims ambient blue soul material flows throughout Asteria.
• Red Souls: Wretches and Invokers have green souls, but also emit faint traces of red soul material. Cthonians have discrete red souls, and red soul material flows throughout Cthonia. Upon death, Cthonian bodies disintegrate into dust. Their red souls return to their respective sphere of Cthonia, where their physical forms slowly reconstitute. If the specific Cthonian has mortal-like intelligence, it retains all of its memories upon reconstitution.

Soul Binding & Enchanting

Artifacts, locations, and other physical things may be infused with soul material. The effects of this infusion differ based on the nature of the soul material used and the techniques involved. The below list is not exhaustive, but provides an overview of common forms of soul infusion. Note the frequent use of the term "jar" as a non-living material which is used to house a soul. It can refer to a literal jar, but also frequently refers to other kinds of objects like gems and ornamental boxes. The term jar is used in the same manner in the Artificial Monsters and Undead sections of the sourcebook.

• Yellow Soul Bound Artifacts: Requires a living creature. The most common way to enchant artifacts with powerful magical properties is through the sacrifice of a living thing. The Imperial Cult does not forbid the use of animals for this purpose. The process typically involves killing an animal and trapping its soul in a jar, which is affixed to the artifact the enchanter seeks to enhance.
• Green Soul Bound Artifacts: Requires a living creature. Much more powerful enchantments are possible through the use of a green soul, instead of a yellow one. However, the transmigration cycle is sacred to the Imperial Cult, and using green souls for enchanting is strictly forbidden. The act of binding a green soul is considered an offense punishable by death, equal in gravity to Archon worship. By the same process as enchanting with yellow souls, a sentient mortal must typically be killed and the mortal's soul must be trapped in a jar. The Magellian Empire knew of how to harvest a green soul without killing the body, by immediately replacing it with a yellow soul. Either way, the jar then enhances the artifact the enchanter seeks to enhance. Furthermore, the artifact itself obtains the sentience of the green soul, although it may or may not be able to communicate with its wielder. Even if the ritual initially appears free of Cthonic corruption, souls bound in such a manner will inevitably become corrupted by the Archon Igedeng and take on Cthonic influence.
• Yellow Soul Bound Locations: Requires a living creature. A location may be enchanted with various magical properties. Again, the animal is killed and its soul is trapped in a jar. The jar is affixed to the physical location the enchanter seeks to imbue with a magical property.
• Blue Enchanted Artifacts & Locations: Does not require a living creature. Ardents and Devouts can imbue blue soul material into a physical object or location, granting it the power to repel Cthonians. This is a very difficult process for all mediums except silver, which readily absorbs blue soul material. The use of a jar is not required, and instead the silver directly absorbs blue soul material.
• Red Enchanted Artifacts & Location: Does not require a living creature. Various forces of Cthonia can imbue red soul material into a physical object or location, granting it destructive and corrupting powers. The use of a jar is not required, and instead the medium directly absorbs red soul material.
• Artifical Constructs and Undead: The nature of artifical constructs varies greatly based on their soul origin. These are elaborated upon in much greater detail in the Monsters section (see Artificial Monsters and Undead sections). The Magellian Empire experimented on the binding of green souls in various ways now considered heretical by the Imperial Cult, but the art was lost to time. In theory, the Imperial Cult also seeks to destroy these constructs to free their green souls, but it's a secondary concern as compared to eliminating Cthonic threats.