Magic (Dawn Of Abel Supplement)
| Dawn Of Abel |
|---|
| Player Info |
| World Reference |
| DM Info |
Magic was created by Llh'than the Machine Serpent. The snake god infused all that is and will be with magic. After a heated discussion however he retreated too far into meditation. He lost himself and his very soul merged with the magic of the universe. Agitated with this surge of energy and with no god to watch over it the magic slowly started to go out of control and became an ever increasing danger to the planes.
This ended when Eribor, Lord of Darkness found Llh'thans husk, siphoned the remains of his essence, locked the snakes body into the plane of Nyxia and chained the rampant magic. This is how Eribor became the steward god and overseer of all magic on Abel and the planes. Eribor then proceeded to organize the magical chaos into nine Paths of Magic that would be subject to rules: The Path of Shadows, The Path of Elements, The Path of Divinity, The Path of Spirits, The Path of Clime, The Path of Planes, The Path of Form, The Path of Undeath and The Path of Binding.
The foundations for these schools of magic had already been created by the other gods but it was through Eribor that they got balanced and anchored into Llh'thans dead body, which was now the core of all magic in the center of Nyxia, the plane of magic and darkness.
The Paths of Magic[edit]
The Path of Shadows[edit]
Shadow magic is Eribor's personal brand of magic, and has been infused into the Umbrans by the God of Darkness. This form of magic relies on the usage and harnessing of shadow and darkness, and is most often performed during the night, though it can also be used during the daytime. Some common usages of this form of magic are moving silently, shadow-walking, and illusion. While Shadow Magic is very versatile, it is also little-understood by non-Umbrans, who are themselves still deeply engaged in the process of understanding it's complex inner-workings. Some Umbran mages whisper about the summoning and creation of living shadows, invisibility and other powerful techniques. As of yet however, these are simply rumors.
The Path of Elements[edit]
Elemental magic is related to the essential creations of the gods and is directly connected to the Elementals. Drawing it's power from the very elements themselves, this form of magic is extremely dangerous and volatile, capable of inflicting immense damage to both the world and mortals at large. Very few mortals can access this power without consequence, and, as a result, repeated usage of such power tends to greatly shorten the lifespan of the user, such that those who abuse the power of the Elementals find themselves at death's door at a young age. While Elemental Magic is often destructive, it does have occasional mundane uses like the lighting of fires, heating of mage towers, and finding water for settlements. Due to the nature of the magic and the price required however, it is rarely if ever used for such purposes.
The Path of Divinity[edit]
Divine magic springs forth from the gods themselves and may be granted to mortals as each individual God or Goddess sees fit. If channeled by a mortal however, it will flow through the core of magic on Nyxia, so as to prevent rampant manipulation of divine powers. While gods may give of this magic unto mortals as they desire, given magic's delicate nature and balance, Eribor takes careful note of how each divinity uses it, and will not hesitate to consult Llh'than's Shadow about whether or not the power is being abused. While Eribor has no jurisdiction to simply shut a God's access to Nyxia off simply because he desires to, he can readily reprimand them for their behavior, and--if the other Gods agree--once given extra power by the other gods and permission from Llh'than's Shadow, Eribor can indeed severe a god's link to magic. This does not affect that god's powers however, simply their ability to imbue mortals with divine magic.
The Path of Spirits[edit]
Spirit magic is channeled through the souls of mortals both dead and alive and is most readily practiced by Shamans. Spirits can and will retain their identities--though the degree depends heavily upon circumstance (a particularly violent death can damage a spirit's ability to hold onto it's consciousness, as can the passing of immense spans of time--so summoners should beware if the purpose of the summons runs counter to the morality, wills, or desire of the spirit being communed with. Spirit Magic is partially limited in scope by the capabilities of the individual being summoned, but it is fully capable of divinations, scryings, and for other informative purposes, as the dead often have ready access to information far beyond the scope of the living. Thus, it is a common practice to summon ancestral spirits to ask an important question or to cleanse dishonor from a family name.
The Path of Clime[edit]
Originally created by Illiaru and teached to his Starchildren, Weather magic allows its user to suptly control climate effects like clouds, winds and storms. Far less volatile then Elemental Magic, the Path of the Clime is a boon to sailors and travelers everywhere and an adept weather wizard can easily make his living as a Ship's Wizard. Many Hedge Mages make use of the Path of the Clime to the benefit of their settlements, where it greatly improves the means of farming and other agricultural efforts. Particularly rich individuals may engage a weather wizard to stormproof their home or to travel with them on a journey to ensure clear skies. This path is also heavily linked to astrological pursuits.
The Path of Planes[edit]
This brand of magic was originally known as Shiftling magic. It was the first form of arcane magic used by mortals (specifically the Shiftlings) and stems from the energies that are set free by interactions between the planes. These same energies created Ejis, Lord of the Nexus--the god who taught the Shiftlings to harness the power in the first place. By harnessing planar energies, the Shiftlings are able to accomplish many unusual things, including travel between Unlocked Planes and varying degrees of teleportation. Many shiftling mages seek to create their own Planes of existence using this Path, though none have as yet succeeded due to the extraordinary amount of power required for such an endeavor. Others believe they might be able to use planar magic to ascend to godhood.
The Path of Form[edit]
Biomancy is connected to all living things and allows the followers of the natural order to harness their own inner power, as well as the power of the truly willing to accomplish great acts of healing and recovery, whether it be the restoration of a lost limb, the healing of a dread disease, or the purification of a defiled forest. Biomancy also enables it's users to interact with plant and animal life in extraordinary ways, including spontaneous growth, the creation of new species, and other miraculous effects. It may also enable it's users to alter their own physiology, though such usage has yet to be seen.
The Path of Undeath[edit]
Necromancy was created by Desaru, Lord of Madness, to enable his followers to control the bodies of the dead. Corpses harnessed by necromantic energies can be used as marionettes, though necromancy can also provide the user a form of Unlife, allowing them to live far beyond their normal lifespan. It may also have other, more harmful effects when used offensively, though such abilities have yet to be seen. Eribor in particular disdains this type of magic, warning of dire consequences as a result of its use, derisively referring to it as The Path of Ruin. Many of Nepenthe's followers also dislike it as it defiles the sanctity of the cycle of life and death.
The Path of Binding[edit]
Created as a check on the other forms of magic, Binding Magic comes from the true knowledge of things and their names. As of yet, only Eribor, the Lord of Shadows and Overseer of Magic seems to have an understanding of this particular form of arcane practice, though he has not spoken of it or revealed the methods necessary to harness it's power.
The Path of Pestilence[edit]
Plaguebearer magic was created by Desaru, God of Pestilence, it enables his followers to inflict harm to others and taint what can be tainted with disease and parasites. This magic is exclusive to the Plaguebearers, a cult to the Desaru, and they are immune to the effects of disease. This is a necessity because the path of the Plaguebearers requires the user to become a carrier for certain disease depending on type of abilities which they wish to use. They infect others with the diseases within their body and if powerful enough they can force the disease to quickly kill or cause illness to their host. Because having too many diseases causes them all the weaken Plaguebearers are capable of swapping their afflictions or reducing them to a single disease but they will always be a carrier to disease.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Campaign Settings → Dawn Of Abel Campaign Setting