Mirth & Cooperation: Origins of Magic
Ayun Sovos is a world hatched and nurtured by the gods of life and art, its origins steeped in magic from its inception. From its humble beginnings as a stone set adrift in the nether seas, the world underwent numerous iterations, growing and breaking through its shell over and over as though it was an egg lost in time, before life could truly take hold upon its surface. From this point, the two gods could fully indulge their inspirations in
mirth and cooperation to craft, curate, and populate the biomes we know today, filling them with all manner of marvelous flora and fauna, as well as shaping their beloved children, the denizens of Ayun Sovos!
There are all kinds of marvelous denizens scattered throughout Ayun Sovos! More information about them will become available as
Ebi continues her journey on the Path to Adventure, but in the meantime, get to know denizens like the
Anseni,
Mustaia, and
Khiroph!
This divine collaboration resulted in a world constructed with great care and pure love. Residual magic was generously left behind in all cracks and corners of the world to blossom and flow freely, granting the world's denizens a warm blanket of protection against many mortal hardships. Over time, denizens were able to develop their own connections to the magic of the world, learning its ways, and using it to further their development into modern-day civilization.
Magic Through the Ages
The Age of Superstition
Marked by: Apprehension, Skepticism, Fear of the Unknown
In the times before great kingdoms and civilizations were prevalent throughout Ayun Sovos, magic was a rarity; it was common enough in the world itself, but impossibly rare in the context of magical practice. Early encounters with the magical world formed some of the earliest myths and legends, shaped superstitions, and built entire cultures around the many interpretations and understandings of the world's eccentricities and quirks.
The Age of Exploration
Marked by: Curiosity, Bravery, Observation
As the denizens' familiarity with ambient magic grew, so did their bravery, and so began the first age of exploration. The earliest adventurers of the world set out from their humble civilizations seeking answers to all of their greatest questions, and they started finding them! Interacting with magic directly still felt out of the question during this period, but denizens grew more comfortable observing and studying the strange forces that flowed through their homelands.
The Age of Mysticism
Marked by: Eagerness, Spirituality, Determination
Rather suddenly, denizens of Ayun Sovos stopped shying away from magic and began to pursue it with intent, though they still weren't too sure what exactly that meant or how to achieve magical affinity. Many sought out the gods and their wisdom, others continued in the adventures of their ancestors in search of places where magic flowed most freely. Gone was the fear of the unknown, replaced with curiosity and eagerness to understand a power they lived beside from the beginning of civilization.
The Age of Adventure
Marked by: Excitement, Inspiration, Boldness
First, came one breakthrough. Then, another. Bit by bit, adventurers began to peel back more layers of the magical mystery that their world held, and it only continued to fuel their ever-burning curiosity. Investigations and explorations from the Age of Mysticism began yielding results, and the world started seeing the very first magic users in the world's history. Thus opened up the Age of Adventure — where we are now!
Pursuing a Magical Path
Magic has its allure in how versatile it can be, and how powerful one can become with its mastery! With that in mind, it must be no surprise to hear that many adventurers come to dabble in the whimsical forces this world has to offer sooner or later. Great wizards craft magical wonders from their towers, hedgewitches tend to their community with mystic herblore, and mischievous tricksters pull pranks from the aether... and those are only a few examples of what the denizens of Ayun Sovos like to use magic for!
There is no single way to experience or utilize magic within Ayun Sovos, and not every form of magic can be met with an explanation. Whether the denizens of the world choose to pursue magical paths or not, the world they live in is driven by the forces of Whimsy.
Sovosian magic can be divided into three categories, split up primarily by how they are acquired or practiced by their users.
Law
The manipulation of magic
Some magic is built on structure, with rules that can be studied and taught.
Lawful Magic is harnessed through ancient runic script, incantations honed and perfected, and knowledge inscribed in crumbling tomes.
This magic is established, understood, and consistent. It can be found in schools scattered around the world, and is often an adventurer's first taste of magical practice.
Passion
The manifestation of magic
Some magic is shaped by belief, and molded by intention.
Passionate Magic is developed through lived experience, curated traditions, and connection to the world.
This magic is personal, traditional, and variable. It is a unique journey for every practitioner, and can be guided by those with more experience — but won't be found in schools.
Whimsy
The meandering of magic
Sometimes magic just... happens!
Whimsy is a force of joy and wonder, following the flickering whims of the world itself. Though it isn't a "path" one can pursue, this magic follows every denizen — some more closely than others!
This magic is unpredictable, fun, and playful. It cannot be taught, only discovered, and thrives on exploration and happenstance.
We can do just about anything!
Fonts of Power
Magic isn't limited to any particular regions, but some parts of the world are far more magical than others! This is due to the presence of scattered fonts of power around the world; each one is a nexus of magical energy built up over time as leyline energy clings to something in the area.
The presence of magical creatures and peculiar anomalies is greatly increased, and entire regions may be altered to the point where their climates and environments no longer resemble their near neighbors. If you ever stumble upon a region where the environment feels totally out of place for its geographic location, a font of power may be to blame!
I'm just going to come out and say it. I don't think all of the twelve-foot-tall mushrooms are normal. At least not this time of year.
Or... any time of year, actually.— Befuddled adventurer's quip
Conduits of Magic
Certain natural formations throughout Ayun Sovos innately attract and store magic within them, acting as a collection pool for stray energy flickering from the leylines as they pass through. Magical energies resonate through these structures, amplifying the power and spreading its effects through nearby lands. Conduit formations are said to be critical points of study for further understanding the world's magic.
Divine Domains
Powerful entities need a place to live, too! Divine entities, such as the world's deities, don't always share the same physical space as the world's denizens. They tend to be content in their own lofty realms above, below, or slightly to the left (it's not always as simple as physical directions...), but when they prefer something a little more grounded, it tends to stir up a fair amount of magic in the area.
When a font of power is centered around a divine presence, the effects differ greatly depending on the entity's domains and nature.
On Higher Powers
Faith is plentiful in Ayun Sovos, with deities great and small that watch over their followers, offer various boons, and shape lives every day through wisdom, aid, or even mischief. Faith is a common source of power for Passionate Magic, but not all passionate casters manifest their power through belief in a higher power — some casters achieve incredible things by believing in themselves, their cause, or the folks they surround themselves with.
Manufactured Fonts of Power
While many fonts of power are natural, some are manufactured by denizens of the world. The construction of manufactured fonts of power is a practice common to locations where wizards gather in great number, or where magical studies and investigations reach critical levels, requiring large quantities of power.
Natural fonts of power tend to be long-lasting and evergreen, while manufactured fonts of power are likely to degrade with time. When these man-made fonts of power begin to fail, they tend to fall to ruin at an accelerated rate, and the magic they once gathered dissipates back into the natural flow of the leylines.
Applications of Magic
In many parts of the world, interactions with magic are daily affairs! Some regions have their own unique quirks that make certain forms of magic all but necessary for survival, but some forms of magic are just plain convenient.
Everywhere you go in the world, you'll encounter different forms of magic practice. The ways that denizens across Ayun Sovos use magic in their day-to-day lives can go a long way in informing you about their culture and values. Meeting an adventurer from abroad can shake up your entire magical worldview, just when you thought you knew it all!
It took me months to perfect that spell!
Finally, I don't have to worry about tying my shoes ever again!— Young wizard with new self-lacing shoes
Spellcraft & Scrollwork
Spells are the most common and recognizable forms of magic, in the context of magical practice. You have wizards unleashing powerful attacks, clerics calling divine blessings, and enchanters, well, enchanting! Functionally, spells are individual, intentional uses of magic that achieve some sort of effect, whether that be damage, healing, displacement, empowerment... the list goes on.
Spellcasting
Sorcery! Witchcraft! Silly little visions in a gleaming orb? How about just making stuff levitate, because it's fun? Spellcraft is sought out by many for its utility, potency, and even silliness. Spellcraft covers a wide range of magic uses, from lobbing fireballs to rearranging letters on cryptic notes to make them make sense.
It's quite difficult to learn to cast spells of your own, but it's a goal many young adventurers strive for!
Spellscribing
Not everyone is able to cast spells. Some folks simply don't want to! However, even folks who don't practice magic themselves might make use of magical scrolls, enchanted writs, and other forms of inscribed magic.
Most towns employ a local wizard to provide spellscribe services such as crafting utility spell scrolls for laborers, etching and maintaining protective wards around settlements, and providing enchantments for adventurers. It's a highly lucrative job, but it takes even more mastery than spellcasting.
Alchemy & Brewcraft
Everyone remembers the first potion they ever tasted. If not for the impossible mix of flavors, then for the burst of magic that comes with each sip! From healing potions to flasks of elemental resistance, there's a brew out there for just about anything one could think of. The trouble, sometimes, is just getting your hands on the right ingredients.
Envision a bubbling cauldron, or two, or three! If you fetch the right herbs, soon this you will see!— Picking up a quest at the witches' hut
Lawful Brewing: A Science of its Own
Alchemy is a skill commonly taught in most magical schools for its low barrier-to-entry and high practical use. Simple recipes are often easy to follow and tough to mess up beyond redemption.
At the very least, low-level potions aren't typically the types to blow up when you add an ingredient a few seconds too early in the process, though there are a few notable exceptions.
Passionate Brewing: Feeling the Recipe
Though even Passionate brewing tends to follow many of the standard recipes in brewing, it's almost a staple of the craft to tweak and change those recipes each time you brew them.
As much of Passionate magic is driven by intent, many practitioners are capable of getting away with crafting brews from unconventional ingredients by calling on their lesser-known qualities, traits, or even vibes.
Merrymaking & Entertainment
It can't all be serious all the time, can it? Some magic users hone their craft with one goal in mind: making life more exciting. The life of an entertainer is appealing to many, and magic can bring the calling to a whole new level.
Just wait, friend. You haven't seen anything yet!— Festival-goer's hype
Real Showstoppers
It's not too tough for a magic caster to learn a few party tricks here and there, but it takes some true devotion to the craft to put on a show that inspires awe and leaves observers breathless.
These casters love to be flashy; they may put on grand displays of power, commanding spells with elegance and ease, or they may pour their power into crafting immense and emotional works of magical art — much like the grand finale of the
Festival of Blooms, which lights up the night sky in unimaginable ways!
Accidental Life of the Party
If you recall, it was mentioned that Whimsy tends to follow some folks more than others. This magical affinity operates on its own whims, but it does like to manifest in moments where merrymaking is on the mind!
These casters might not be trying to put on a show when they indulge in a festive moment, but when the vibes are just right, things can get real whimsical! Suddenly, the music tickles the soul more keenly, and the rhinestones of their dress gleam in an otherworldly way. They're dazzling and delighting everywhere they go!
The Quest for Knowledge is Far From Over!
The denizens of Ayun Sovos have come a long way in learning about the magical world since the ancient ages of the distant past, but there's still so much out there to learn — isn't that a wonderful thing?
What might you go out and uncover, when you
take on the mantle of Adventurer?
Moss weaving! I love this article so far. It's so cosy and whimsical (no pun intended).
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