Magic of Gaia

Arcane Magic  

Much as the science of nuclear fission is a hard science to us on Earth, the science of aether or mana (the terms are interchangeable) is a hard science to Gaians.  Aether is defined as the condensed essence of the current of probability, potential energy and consciousness that runs through all things.  It is thought that the very nature of the planet Gaia herself strengthens the aether/mana and ley lines, due to Her significant position in the heavens.  In all their forms, magical theory and practice attempts to harness, shape, direct and control the flow of mana.  By speaking aloud certain phrases and syllables, gesturing in particular ways, and drawing aether through their bodies and/or physical components, a wizard can create consistent, repeatable phenomena in localized areas of choice.  There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of magical methods espoused by the many wizards of Gaia, and more now than ever since the Convergence wiped out much of the “old boys’ network” of elder wizards. 

Much like writing, painting, sculpting, poetry, or other creative work, wizardry is a personal art, though there are many existing academic methods to study and draw upon to build one’s own style.  Because of the madness wrought by the Convergence, and the fact that magic can still be dangerously unpredictable in certain areas, individual wizards are occasionally looked upon with suspicion and mistrust, even though magic infuses the Planet’s entire being. 

                Sorcerous magic, that which springs from within according to the caster’s will and inner focus, is thought to be a phenomenon which particularly manifests in those whose blood has mingled with the blood of dragons, in either the recent or distant past.  Descendents of dragon-humanoid unions more frequently manifest sorcerous abilities than others.  The magic of warlocks is looked upon with a degree of suspicion due to that class’ association with dark powers, but warlocks who behave themselves are tolerated in society.

Magical Artifice

For many years, Gaian adventurers and prospectors have searched some of the most remote reaches of the Planet for source crystals – the valuable growths of translucent colored stone which power the magical creations of artificers.  Some artificers believe the crystals are condensed probability energy, and that their magical infusions and creative inventions are actually tapping into the very imagination of the Planet itself to manifest their power; in effect, they imagining reality into existence in the most tangible way they know how.

                Regardless of the philosophical debate surrounding the nature and origins of source crystals, what is known for certain is that magical effects can be bound into the crystals and used to power all manner of magical/technological creations – from clockwork effigies and homunculi to sending stones for rapid communication across distances, to fire elemental powered stoves and ovens, continual flame lanterns, and evercold wagons for transporting fresh meats and other perishables on long overland journeys.  The intersection of magic and technology through magical artifice was also used to devastating effect in the Harbinger War, as the crystal-powered constructs and war machines introduced by Lord Shaur spread to other nations and multiplied the death and suffering caused by the war many times over.  The Taliraen Peace Accords at the end of the war banned the use of these technologies, but it is impossible to know how many schematics and prototypes of forbidden artifice were stolen or lost when the Iron City of Chenrol fell.

                The artificers of Gaia come from all walks of life and espouse a wide variety of personal philosophies; some are highly trained in technical colleges and academies and others claim divine inspiration pushes them to create wondrous and imaginative items from whatever spare parts they might be able to scrounge from junk piles.  Like other arcane or divine powers, magical artifice may be used to affect great good or great evil in the world, or simply for the benefit of the individual artificer and his companions.

Divine Magic

Divine spell casters’ ability to cast spells exists because there is an actual sentient being of immense power sharing this plane of existence with them, and lending them a tiny shard of its divine essence.  One’s strength of belief and faith in a deity’s divine cause allows him or her to hold this wellspring of divine essence within, and shape it into magic spells.  If for any reason one abandons a faith, the ability to cast divine spells from the associated deity is lost.  Acting consistently outside of a deity’s alignment range will also result in a loss of divine spell casting ability.

The deities of Gaia have been quite interventionist in their activities regarding the affairs of mortals throughout known history. Now that the rumors of the gods taking on aspects of living flesh since the Convergence have been proven true in at least a few cases, this trend towards interventionism seems to have strengthened even more.  The mystery of why the deities took on flesh forms is one of the great quandaries of the post-Convergence era, and has yet to be fully explored.

Psionics

Though psionics have long existed on Gaia, the science of psionic manifestation has only been studied openly among the vernal races for about the last 1,200 years.  As such, there are significantly less psions, psychic warriors, wilders and other psionic manifesters than there are arcane or divine spell casters.  Those with the ability to channel psionic energy are often misunderstood, or simply assumed to be using some variant form of arcane or divine magic, but the psionics know better – they are tapping into the infinite metaphorical plane of the mind. 

For the purposes of rules adjudication, Gaia’s Dream uses the standard Psionics – Magic Transparancy system, as described on pg. 55 of the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Common Folks' Logic

Whether divine or arcane, magic is commonly accepted as a fact of life even by those without magical ability themselves. Because magic is known to be a deadly force when brought to bear, and also because various magical effects have been harnessed for technological and industrial purposes through artifice, it is alternately thought of as a boon or a curse, depending on one’s own definition of a given situation.  As such, individual and society opinion on the nature of magic varies from region to region, so one should never assume much.  As one might expect, the people of various regions of the world look with favor and disfavor upon different religions, and a traveling cleric should be cognizant of local opinion on his faith before openly displaying his trappings or proselytizing.