Lore and History: Explanation of the Magic System

Types of Magic

There are three major disciplines studied by magicians in Midland:

Greening: Plant Magic. This is the magic the player character studied at The University. Greening can grow and manipulate existing plant life, to the extent that living plant matter may be used to build structures or function as weapons. This magic can also improve crop yields and develop new plant variants.

Fielding: Energy magic. Fielding involves the manipulation of raw magical energy. It can create energy blasts to attack enemies in battle, as well as form defensive magical barriers. Fielding also covers the study, creation, and maintenance of magical items, and machines that run using magical energy.

Shaping: Shapeshifting magic. Shaping is used by its practitioners to transform their own bodies. Alterations may be purely cosmetic, but Shaping is more often used to perform feats of strength, or to transform the magician's body into a weapon.

Magicians are generally discouraged from studying too extensively outside of their chosen discipline, and combining magical disciplines to create unique hybrid enchantments is strictly forbidden.

The Source of Magic

Magic is performed by drawing power from ley lines, concentrated areas of magical energy that flow through the sky like rivers. This magic is accessed via a wrist bracer worn by the magician.

Bracers are licensed by the Magicians Order, and allow a magician to bypass the protective wards placed around the ley lines. In this way, the Order controls access to the lines, and the power contained therein.

Ambient Magic

In addition to the ley lines, there is also ambient magic, which is much less concentrated and powerful. Ambient magic is used by some to perform small enchantments, but in a very limited capacity compared to those performed by licensed magicians.

For example, a gardener may use ambient magic for a small increase in plant yield, but not to make plants grow and mature instantaneously, like a Green Magician might.

The most powerful effects using purely ambient magic are said to be those achieved by SolGuard Healers. Their exact methods, however, are closely guarded secrets.