Magic (Shard Ne'Vaal Supplement)

Magic is a pervasive and familiar force, cliche to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. But exactly how it comes about and its interactions with the material is what makes a setting's magic unique. As is probably already obvious in this setting, the nature of magic changed from the Gorge, particularly in the divine category, which is nearly all depleted.

Old World Magic

In the Old World, most of the planet was whole and the forces that filled it to the brim allowed for ample usage of powers like magic. In fact, magic makes up most of these forces. It is believed that since the creation of the world in the Eden Period, there is magic instilled in everything, from rocks, to air, and in living things itself. Magic is thus the manipulation of this innate power within everything. Combined with sentience, one's own magic could act upon and control the essence of another.

The strongest powers known still reside with the gods, and are on a different level than normal magics. These require prayers and rites to beseech as favors from deities for a mortal to utilize. And there is no guarantee the fickle divinity will always oblige. Mortal magic is more readily accessible through study and scientific studies to understand it. Once harnessed, one could replicate smaller versions of divine effects and even imbue it into objects. For those who don't find the side of studies riveting, they may instead look towards extant energies in the natural world, which they can subvert and control through their own inner essence.

Divine Magic

Divine magic is channeled by clerics, paladins, avengers, and all the divine classes. This source of power differs from primal and arcane in its source, primarily. Divine magic cannot be attained normally through simple study or bloodline, requiring the direct blessing of knowledge of its usage from a higher power. Not all followers of deities will be granted the privilege of these powers. While there are some counter-theories about the necessity of a deity's endowment and faith to keep these powers, most mainstream arcanists and theologians more or less agree that a connection with a god-like force is needed to use divine power, whether by unnaturally powerful faith or prayer. After the fall of several deities in the Gorge and its aftermath, these connections are hard to make and faith is difficult to hold, resulting in a complete severance of this power source in Shard Ne'Vaal.

Arcane Magic

The arcane is a blanket term for sorcery, wizardry, inspiration, artifice, and general magecrafting. Unlike divine and primal powers, the arcane is closest to what we might consider "science," as it has more grounded rules and the other two power sources. Extensive studies into this yield that arcane energy is the manipulation of the innate power in something while using one's own innate power as a pilot control. The slight differences in method define the classes:

• Sorcerers are usually born with a powerful innate tendency of arcane power (a glut, that allows them to easily manipulate energies to external to themselves from even a young age. People who become sorcerers are extremely rare, and often have to go through an arduous trial to obtain something that permanently integrates into their body and changes their own blood and flesh. A common fabled method is devouring the soul or heart of a powerful magic creature, like a dragon.
• Wizards, swordmages, and artificers
• Warlocks
• Bards

Magic Schools

• Enchantment
• Evocation
• Illusion
• Transmutation

Magic Effect Keywords

• Conjuration
• Summoning

Magic in Shard Ne'Vaal

Nethermancy (Shadow Magic)

Flavored as Void magic, the shadow power source has less to do directly with death and more with the nil and negativity that floods the world following the Gorge. It is believed the essence of Graghk's destruction seeps into the world daily, circling about and making life difficult. The only player class that this applies to is the assassin. Void energy suffuses itself into individuals and makes them Voidtouched. These people often inevitably suffer wide changes to their personality, becoming dour-faced and obsessed with destroying things, much like Graghk's endless hunger.

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