Magic:
~Various extra tidbits on my magic lore, found
here.
The Veil:
The Veil is a space between every known realm and separates them from one another. A majority of magic in all universes is located here. All energy, magic, and matter from all universes flow through the Veil eventually, spontaneously entering and leaving for seemingly no reason. This realm is chaotic but is far more malleable than Sornieth and a majority of other realms. Because of the amount of magic and the Veil's characteristic changeability, Spirits can often be found here. Mages may also utilize the Veil for acquiring magic or matter for spellcasting.
The Barrier forces between the Universes and the Veil generally prevent complex patterns from passing between realms, but with sufficient force, a hole may be punched into and out of the Veil. This can occur when a very large amount of magic is concentrated in one place, if special magic is used, or if something on the other side is powerful enough to force its way through. The Barrier forces may become weakened in areas where many spirits congregate or where a lot of magic is used. The areas nearer to the Elemental deities are also weaker, especially around the eldest four.
Spirits may pass through the Veil themselves, as it is easier to enter than to leave, or they may also be guided with the help of a Ferryman. A ferryman is a variety of Spirit that may move between the Veil and other Universes at will and usually carry other spirits with them. The Veil must be traversed before entrance into another universe is possible, but this process is usually simultaneous, as the Veil occupies the same space as all other Universes. Interrupting a transfer may trap one in the Veil, sometimes leaving part of the body or soul behind. Travel through the Veil is almost always done astrally, leaving the body where one starts. Bringing a body through physically is far more difficult as a passage must be ripped into space. This may release large amounts of potentially dangerous matter, energy, and magic into the environment as well as spirits.
The Veil has a very strange set of laws regarding it. Pieces of various natural laws from across the Multiverse mash together in the Veil to make something new and ever-changing. The perception of the Veil is different for everyone due to this. What is generally agreed upon is the warped space and gravity in the Veil as well as the erratic nature of time while within it. Time becomes non-linear and may flow in several directions at once at different speeds and sometimes not at all. This has led some explorers to arrive back in their body at strange times, hours or days different then what they had expected.
The Veil continues to fascinate mages and spiritualists even after millennia of exploration due to its nature never being the same twice. Whenever something in the Veil is quantified or defined, it seems to change, as if one may not know what something is and what it will be at the same time. This has led to the theories regarding uncertainty to arise involving the Veil.
Spirits:
Spirits are beings of magic, generally only of magic. They may take physical forms with enough power or if inhabiting something in Sornieth. Spirits themselves are ethereal, however, and have very little physical effect on the world in most cases. Spirits come in as many forms as dragons or other forms of life as well. Spirits often inhabit other, less unchanging, realms of reality than Sornieth. They may inhabit the Veil, Nethers, Aethers, or any one of infinite other universes and are usually more able to travel between them then can physical beings. Though usually split between demons and spirits, the two are actually one with more complexity than most consider.
Spirits are organized manifestations of magic. They can form naturally where magic comes together and reacts or they may be formed within living things and persist after biological function ceases. Spirits may also be created through magical or mechanical means. The dead are usually those of strong magical ability, typically dragons. Spirits that form naturally are usually more powerful than the dead, but not always. Artificial spirits are, for lack of better words, more symmetrical than even natural spirits, so they can be even more powerful than them. Spirits of the dead are often called ghosts and though some believe them to be visages of those that once lived, they usually lose most of their memory and self. Exceptionally strong memories or emotions can persist into death. This is especially prevalent with the vengeful dead, but their original purpose is often lost, leading to blind anger towards anything and everything. Natural spirits can act similarly when they manifest as something specific such as a powerful emotion. Spirits, either dead or naturally occurring, can be either malicious, benevolent, or somewhere in between, just like their living counterparts. Spirits of a negative nature are generally labeled as demons and positive, simply spirits. There is a grey space, however, as negative and positive can be highly subjective. A demon can be of Pride if it is akin to narcissism or megalomania, but it may be a spirit if it is pride in one's work or pride in another. A spirit of Love can be a Demon of lust or can be twisted into envy. Anger can be for an injustice or for revenge. The dead are more commonly demons than naturally occurring spirits, but both can be demonic.
Spirits are usually only semi-existent on Sornieth, barely being able to interact at all with their environment. Weak spirits are sometimes called wisps and are often little more than orbs of light sometimes taking the semblance of a living thing. They are rarely intelligent beyond animal cunning, but they are usually rarely malicious. They are typically neutral but may attempt to help those they come across, even if it may not be the best way to go about it. Powerful spirits can exert more force on the world. As can spirits in places where magic is a lot more concentrated, especially where the Veil is close to the surface. They may be able to push through, affecting Sornieth for anything from curiosity to greed to panic. Mages may utilize the power of spirits to fuel spells or to create enchantments, but by pulling spirits through the Veil, it weakens it. Too many spirits pressing against the Veil or through enough force, a tear can be made in the fabric of space. This can allow spirits to enter Sornieth without expending the power to move through the barrier forces that normally keep them at bay. This can cause great panic in spirits, causing them to lash out or possess something to preserve themselves. Demons often act far more aggressively and seek to possess living things when they can. A powerful spirit can construct or conjure their own body as well. Typically, a spirit's self image is terribly twisted, so those that can either see a spirit's true face or through a spirit's created form may find themselves in the presence of a twisted, monstrous being. Even benevolent spirits have difficulty with this, but they may attempt to imitate something else, with varying success. Demons typically produce more grotesque bodies, sometimes on purpose.
Just as spirits are also grouped as demons based on their intent and what they may represent, there are several common varieties of spirits that have reoccurred throughout studies and experiments. Spirits can sometimes have functions that they perform ritually such as Ferrymen, also known as Reapers and/or Valkyries. Ferrymen carry spirits from Sornieth into other realms where they can continue to "live" if they wish. This is more likely to result in spirits successfully surviving longer periods of time. This is typically considered a valuable process by those privy to the details. Reapers and Valkyrie are generally two names for the same thing, but the perceived difference is typically when they appear and what they appear as.
Reapers usually show up at the time of death of living things, carrying the soul with them through the Veil. They typically appear foreboding, but that is more perception than anything. Many believe Reapers actually kill their quarry, but most just wait for them to die. The sooner they do, the more likely their soul is intact. Some do perform euthanasia though. Some Reapers do in fact take the souls for themselves to bolster their own ability though. An interesting thing to note is that Reapers cannot actually determine for certainty whether something will die, just that it probably will. This is why most Reapers wait. Reapers have a high number of the dead in their ranks compared to the Valkyries as well.
Valkyries are generally naturally formed Spirits and are generally brighter than Reapers. Valkyries rarely take the souls of the living, and they focus on stray spirits that wander Sornieth or the spirits of the Dead that were not collected by Reapers. They are typically considered less demonic than Reapers because they are not connected to the moment of death like their gloomier counterparts. Valkyries are usually less monstrous in appearance as well, but they do often wear masks, so it is hard to tell sometimes.
Spirits are usually simple creatures, unable of sapience. The more magic a spirit is composed of, and the more organized it is, the more intelligent it becomes. Spirits of especially powerful ideas and thoughts can usually gather more magic faster because they are more powerful and smarter right from the start. They tend to be emotions a lot of times as well as ideals. Whether they are demons or not depends on the opinion of the thing they embody. Because demon-like spirits are more commonly attributed to negative events, they are the best known. Generally considered the most powerful spirits are those of Pride because Pride can have so many forms and can be exceptionally powerful while alive compared to some other emotions. It can be both good and very bad depending on who has it and what it is of. Typically, Demons of Pride are the best known. Love is considered another powerful spirit due to how consuming it can be. Both incalculable good and bad can come from strong love, so demons can also come from varieties of Love. Due to the romanticism of Love, however, it is typically seen as the most powerful of benevolent spirits.
Spirits can also be formed from ideas rather than emotions. These ideas can be heavily influenced by their emotions as well as vice versa. Truth is often a powerful spirit because of the pressure many place on it, but the common question is "Whose truth?" Truth's subjectiveness gives it many facets. Those who believe in absolute truth can be blinded by it. Those who believe in unknowable truth can see everything. Spirits of truth can be especially manipulative when exposed to a group and surprisingly, they make exceptional liars. Spirits of Justice are another split group. Justice can be vengeance or it can be to fight for others selflessly to name a few.
Spirits that are created artificially can be very powerful, but their pattern is fragile. They need a physical object to exist at all as well as extra inputs of magic from an external source, but they are more capable of making their own physical form than either the Dead or Natural spirits. The focus that holds an artificial spirit can be anything that can contain their power without degradation. Metal and stone are the most common due to their longevity, but other materials suffice as well. An artificial spirit can be an enchantment or a separate being with free will. Enchantments formed from either artificial or natural spirits can become very angry and/or bitter over time, and they may become demonic in nature. This may make them more powerful, but it may also allow them to break their bondage to wreak havoc. Artificial spirits are unique in that they often embody physical forces a lot more often than other spirits or the dead. Such things include fire, ice, and strength. Their abilities tend to be more physically based as well, meaning to effect the physical world specifically. This may render them weaker in other worlds.
Spirits from all walks of life usually come from outside Sornieth, however. They can often be found in the Veil, but the more powerful ones tend to prefer slightly less inhospitable realms. Nethers, or Underworlds, are a common place for spirits to congregate. They are often where Ferrymen carry spirits. Many Underworlds are split into what are similar to Lordships, where a powerful spirit controls a swath of area where their magic bends the nature of the realm to their will. These Lords, as they are called, compete with each other to gain more spirits to fuel their power and expansion. Some are cruel, others are ambivalent, and yet others are quite generous and caring to their charges. These lords are sometimes ruled by even higher spirits, from whom they receive greater protection but to whom they must also serve. They may be either Princes or Kings depending on the world. Some mages may also make deals with these lords for magic, sometimes at their own peril. Underworlds are dangerous places, what with exotic magic and matter, competing spirits, and strange rules. Usually, Underworlds are only experienced metaphysically, but physically entering an Underworld is not impossible, merely implausible. The food in such a world is typically toxic though.
Aethers are another form of realm alongside Underworlds/Nethers. They are typically pictured as preferable over Underworlds. They are often more surreal and dreamy compared to the more solid appearing Underworlds. That is mostly because the Lords and Princes bring order to the chaos. This isn't as common in Aethers, so perception is highly distorted. Most Aethers lack lords like the Underworlds and the two feud heavily over both Aesthetic, political, and idealogical issues. What is the same is that most Aethers are controlled by High spirits, with a lot of power being held by a Queen. Queen does not necessarily mean female, however, as spirits do not typically have a sex, but they may be male, female, or anything they please gender-wise.
Spirits can be very powerful, but without some passage into Sornieth, they have very little effect on it. The magic from spirits that do usually fall apart eventually is recycled through the Veil and may end up in Sornieth once more. A spirit that is disorganized may not be able to come back together as well, returning their magic to the environment, essentially dying. So, while spirits are powerful and naturally occurring, they are still mortal, if not a little less so.
Mountain Cracking/Buckling:
Developed primarily in Dragonhome's mountains, Mountain Cracking, or Buckling, is the use of naturally flowing Earth magic within the ground to split or upheave large masses of rock. Typically, this is done to access sources of pre-discovered ore or stone. One Buckle may produce a valuable mine for years until the crevice is cleared of worthwhile material. It has become less common as of late as discoveries of destroyed tombs within them have brought great controversy. Buckling also causes instability in the ground, amplifying and accelerating the rate of Earthquakes over time. In some cases, however, buckling has been used to relieve pressure within the ground, to suppress earthquakes before they happen.
Though originally common in Dragonhome, if sufficient Earth magic is focused elsewhere, say in another elemental region, a similar, though weaker, Buckle may be formed. This has also been adapted to function in the Starfall Isle, using Arcane magic to fracture the normally granite-strong crystal of the Reaches, opening the mountains for mining or for prepping the crystal for transport towards the Observatory or for export. Whether similar adaptations can be made with other elements is currently under review.
Beastclan Magic:
Magic is as natural for dragons as flying, but just as not all dragons can fly, not all beings are as gifted with magic as others. While magic comes naturally to dragonkind, not all races are blessed with the favour of god-like beings. Beastclans are also capable of utilizing magic, but their magic is far weaker and less complex compared to dragons. Simplicity does not mean worthless though. It still suits beastclans well in many ways from healing to combat. Beastclansmen are not as attuned to the world of magic as dragons and cannot connect to it on the same level. Most beastclan mages take decades to develop even minor magical skill. Most never do at all. While a Beastclansmen may develop magic on their own, one with some fragment of Shade within them may grow far more powerful than average as the wisp draws magic into the host. The mind of the host is not as resistant to the effects as dragons though and may begin to deteriorate as time goes on, which is only accelerated by the Shade within them.
Colour of Magic:
The Four colours of magic are used predominantly by the Beastclans, mostly the Centauri. While elemental magic does emit light of varying intensities and wavelengths: Red for Plague, Yellow for Light, Fuschia for Arcane, these are literal chromatic emissions from the magical energy. The Four colours are representations of intention and perception. Black through white are the two extremes representing intention from malice to benevolence. Orange and blue are representations of effect, either corruptive or purifying; harmful and beneficial. These are spiritual guides for the Beastclans to help aid in their understanding of magic.
White magic is typically attributed to morning sun, the soul, and vibrant life. It is often seen as a beneficial force, magic that aids and helps those it is used on and by. White magic is magic that is meant to help in some way. A rule of white magic, however, is that what is good comes with a cost. This cost is not paid by dragonkind due to their innate connection to magic, but Beastclans do not have the luxury of being resistant to their own magic channeling. Helping others harms the body of the caster.
Black magic signifies night, the Shade, and rotten death. It is often seen as a negative force. Black magic is generally used to harm and kill, to destroy rather than to build. Black magic can be used for good, however, and may be used to harm in an attempt to protect. Just like white magic, black magic has a cost, but it is more of the spirit than of the body. Those who are not in the right mind to use Black Magic may be scarred by what is done with it. Harming others harms oneself, an eye for an eye, but the damage to the spirit blinds even the mind.
Blue magic is typically seen as a purifying or building force. It represents water in most cases. It often accompanies white magic. But just as water can make life as well as drown it, blue magic can damage life extensively, especially if overused. Cancers and mishealed wounds can be unintended consequences of blue magic.
Orange magic is typically seen as a corrupting or destructive force. It often represents fire in most cases. It usually accompanies black magic. Just as blue magic has a twist, Orange magic, as fire, can immolate life as well as feed the soil or cook food. Orange magic may be used to harm the form, but it can also be used to harm what harms the body. Overuse can break the anatomy of life, but small doses can be used to burn disease from tissues or to undo the incorrect healing of blue magic.
Avatars:
An Avatar, contrary to popular belief, is not the progeny of one of the gods. They are just exceptionally powerful elemental dragons. There tends to only ever be one per generation per element, but sometimes there are more or fewer. Plague rarely ever has Avatars, but elements such as Arcane often have several at once. Avatars are typically untouchable when it comes to their own element and its strengths but are even weaker than usual against their elemental antagonists. While most dragons may use at least two elements, their own and another at greatly diminished power, Avatars have never had that same ability. They have mastery over their own element without effort, however.
