A Quick Overview

  There are three separate, but interlinked Schools of Magic in the world of Scales of Sanguine. They are commonly called: Sorcery, Wizardry, and Divinity.

  Each school of magic draws on the same resource, Vitae, by different methods. These methods often bring the practitioners of one school into direct conflict with those of another school. Each school has its pros and cons, resulting in no singular school gaining the upper hand in the long term.

  The Basics of Magic

  Magic, as with many fantasy settings, is a catch-all term used to describe phenomena which ‘normal’ people cannot create. People within the setting of Scales will describe both genuine supernatural phenomena and insufficiently understood technology as ‘magic’. The difference between the two, is that supernatural phenomena hold some level of Vitae, whereas technology uses purely natural means to produce similar effects.

  Perhaps unfortunately for people in Sanguine’s world, the line between where the supernatural starts and technology ends is ‘fuzzy’. This is due to the capricious nature of Vitae.

  Vitae, also referred to as lifesblood, is both a composite of the Three States of Being and an independent source of energy. It is laced through every object, living being, and soul within the setting. How it affects what it interacts with is highly contextual to each instance and individual circumstances. Consequently, people within the setting believe that magic is inherently chaotic and has its own ‘will’.

  The truth, as with many things in Sanguine’s world, is complicated.

  The Basics of Existence

  The Three States of Being is the broadly accepted model of existence within the world of Scales. The three states are: Substance, Spirit, and Soul. Alliterative names aside, it is commonly accepted that the world operates on the ‘Rule of Threes’ and most theories about the nature of the world reflect that.

  Substance is used to describe all physical matter and phenomena. Everything that can be observed through purely scientific means falls under this category. If it can be reliably measured, quantified, or sensed, then it qualifies. This includes both mundane materials such as: the base elements (water, air, fire, earth), flesh, and plants; as well as more esoteric existences such as: energy, gravity, and time.

  Spirit describes the animating force that drives physical substance to independent action. The nature of ‘independent action’ is a hotly debated topic within circles of magical study due to the inherent difficulty in measuring its presence. Animals and people both have ‘spirit’ that allows them to have desires and act upon them. Arguments primarily arise when discussing whether things such as plants have their own desire and goals. Even more obscure entities such as elementals, enchanted objects, and the undead only complicate these debates.

  Soul is the least understood but most contentious state of being. While it is evident that the mortal races such as humans, dwarves, and elves all possess souls, their exact function remains mysterious. All that is known is that the Soul is in some way responsible for the difference between sapience and sentience. Interfering with or delving too deeply into the nature of souls is considered Heresy. Those who ignore these warnings are frequently the target of a Divine Edict, which invariably results in their death.

  The Schools of Magic

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  Sorcery is the use of Vitae through mental visualization, commonly based in powerful emotion.

  Unlike the other Schools, Sorcery can only be used by those born with innate Talent. While great effort has been taken to try and create artificial Sorcerers, every attempt has ended in failure. You are either born with Talent, or you aren’t. Some Sorcerers attempt to create ‘bloodlines’ by marrying those who also have magical Talent, but the results are dubious at best.

  Every Sorcerer is born with both a ‘minimum’ and a ‘maximum’ Talent. The ‘minimum’ is the amount of magic that a Sorcerer can use at will without any side effects, comparable to autonomic breathing. The ‘maximum’ is the highest possible amount of magic that a Sorcerer can use without dying or losing control.

  Sorcerers will commonly seek to train their minimum Talent and increase how close it can approach their maximum. This training can follow many different methodologies and can include but is not limited to: monasticism, shamanism, and ‘common’ sorcery. Unlike the minimum, every Sorcerer’s maximum is set at birth and cannot be increased by mortal means. Crossing the maximum is possible, but invariably results in the Sorcerer losing their life and causing a catastrophic backlash to the surrounding area.

  The Consequences of this backlash has led to Sorcerers being feared by many common folk in Sanguine’s world.

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  Wizardry is the mathematical and linguistic study of magic. Wizards seek to bind 'wild' magic (e.g. Vitae) to the mortal races’ purposes and designs.

  Wizardry is practised through intense study, trial and error, and the ‘cooperation’ of many Wizards over a long period of time. It can be learned by anyone, though only the truly insane or dedicated can claim to fully master it. While some Wizards do possess innate magical talent, it is kept as a closely guarded secret. This is due to how Wizards acquire and expend magic.

  Those who do not have innate magic talent cast their spells by burning external fuel sources. This can be in the form of reagents such as: rare herbs, the bones of powerful monsters, magically attuned crystals, or other supernatural items. By binding these items in painstakingly transcribed Runes, cooking them with Alchemy, or speaking the correct Words, Wizards can produce a wide range of magical effects.

  Practising Wizardry is inherently exploitative. Young Wizards quickly learn to view all supernatural phenomena around them as possible fuel for their craft. Anyone and anything that can be stolen, should be. ‘Cooperation’ between Wizards is better described as an ever growing pyramid scheme, where more ‘Senior’ Wizards attempt to exploit those beneath them for their own gain.

  An adage amongst common folk is “Any good Wizard’s staff can double as a crowbar.”

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  Divinity is little understood by most mortals. It is both highly feared and revered.

  Priests keep their secrets even closer to their chest than wizards. What is known, is that in times of great need a Priest can call on something greater than themselves to perform feats that both Sorcery and Wizardry cannot replicate. These are broadly called 'Miracles'. (Examples being: raising the dead, purifying unnatural diseases, and changing the weather on a continental scale.)

  While not common, the most frequent interaction that mortals will have with Divinity is when a Divine Edict is issued. Mortals that are born with specific physical traits such as golden irises will be marked as ‘Oracles’. When a Divine Edict is issued, the nearest Oracle will be tasked with communicating the Edict to those who need to heed it. The Consequences of not communicating an Edict properly, or to the wrong recipient, can be especially dire.

  Mortal bodies are not compatible with Divine energy. Both Priests performing Miracles and Oracles delivering Edicts suffer greatly even if they succeed. Both mental and physical trauma are common. As such, those ‘blessed’ with Divine power are closely guarded, both for their safety and the safety of those around them.

  Consequences

  Consequences loosely describes the ‘unintended’ results of using magic.

  This can both describe a ‘butterfly effect’ where simple actions using magic can grow far beyond its intended outcome, and a ‘monkey’s paw’ outcome where the direct results are twisted beyond the user’s intention. All users of magic become aware of Consequences at some point in their career, either through a teacher or personal suffering.

  While Wizards can blame a misplaced rune or mispronounced word for the Consequences of a failed spell, the reality is that every School of Magic is cursed with it. All enchantments fail eventually. Every intention becomes twisted with time. The will of the Divine is ever changing.

  The most common Consequence of using magic is the death of the user. Beyond that, those who wield magic invariably end up as deeply unhappy and lonely people. Misfortune plagues their daily lives. Despite this, the lure of magic is too strong for most people to resist.