Subject: Magic v1.0
From: "David Lawson" <[email-masked]>

Bread upon the waters time...

After years of thought and refinement in game time, I've finally gotten 
around to putting the magical cosmology for my fantasy campaign on paper 
(OK, electrons).  Below is the barebones beginning of the project.  Any 
commentary, questions, suggestions, or plain ol' devil's advocating would
be 
welcome.

About the references: If I refered to a particular book in a given heading, 
I didn't bother to repeat the reference in a subheading within the same 
topic.  Most of you will recognize the White Wolf books Wraith the Oblivion 
and Changeling the Dreaming.  GURPS is parenthetically mentioned in the
case 
of VtM, WtA, and MtA because the information I'm using is also taken from 
the WW 2nd ed books.  Primal Order and Chessboards the Planes of
Possibility 
are excellent books from Wizards of the Coast, covering deites and planes
of 
reality, respectively.  (btw: These two books are likely to go out of print 
or have already done so, since WotC has decided to no longer support their 
role-playing lines.  If you are interested in some well written material 
concerning these topics, go get them while you still can, before they 
disappear forever.  To my knowledge, WotC has not found a home for this 
line like they did for Ars Magica and Everway.)

And now, my take on magic: (flame away, if you dare)

I. Magic
Magic has four distinct categories, each with its own disciplines with
their 
own methods and patterns of thought.  The various disciplines of magic are 
most commonly practiced independently, but can be combined with other 
disciplines for additional effects and advantages.

  A. Channeling
Channeling is the process of manipulating pervasive fields of magical
energy 
by creating a connection, or sympathy, between the caster and the magical 
energy.  This sympathy is typically created by performance of rituals that 
utilize the caster s nervous system as the control interface.  As the
caster 
becomes more experienced with the ritual in question, the ritual requires 
less physical activity to create the interface.
Ref: GURPS Magic

    1. Mana
Mana is what most people think of as magic.  It is an all pervasive energy 
field that is present, in greater or lesser strengths, everywhere in the 
metaverse, and can be channeled by any being with some form of control 
interface.  Possible control interfaces include such things as a 
sufficiently complex nervous system, correctly configured genetic
structure, 
or an artificially induced interface, whether inherently magical in itself 
or technological in nature.

      a. Thaumaturgy
Thaumaturgy is the most common discipline of channeling, using a
combination 
of rote memorization and conceptual understanding as the building blocks
for 
complex rituals called spells.  Practitioners study these spells from 
hierarchically organized colleges, each spell building upon knowledge 
learned from previous spells.  The natural talent for improved learning of 
Thaumaturgical spells in largely genetic in nature.

        i. Wizardry
Wizardry is the most common system of thaumaturgy, practiced almost 
everywhere in the metaverse.  Due to its wide distribution, wizardry has 
been further developed than other forms of thaumaturgy, with more spells 
available to the practitioner than in other thaumaturgical disciplines.
Ref: GURPS Grimoire

        ii. Druidry
As a thaumaturgical discipline, Druidry is a far second in terms of 
widespread use.  The organization of spells into colleges is completely 
different from wizardry, since druidry builds upon an alternative spell 
algorithm.
Ref: GURPS Celtic Myth

      b. Alchemy
Alchemy is the practice of utilizing natural or artificial materials with 
magical properties, whether active or latent, in combination to produce a 
desired magical effect.

      c. Hereditary Channeling
Some races and bloodlines carry the inherent genetic ability to channel
mana 
in certain ways without training.  Usually, this inherited trait is limited 
to a single extraordinary ability, but in rare cases, a wide range of
powers 
manifest.
Ref: GURPS Supers, GURPS Celtic Myth, Changeling the Dreaming

    2. Sanctity
Sanctity is divine magic, empowered by a deity or group of deities, and 
channeled by properly invested followers using rituals called rites.  This 
type of divine magic is common amongst religions with very large 
congregations, since it requires significantly less direct supervision by 
the controlling deity.
Ref: GURPS Religion

      a. Hereditary Divine Favor
Some deities have been known to invest an entire family line.  Individuals 
from that bloodline need not be further invested by any agency in order to 
perform rites for that deity, though additional investment can potentially 
enhance the ability.  The hereditary investiture cannot be revoked by any 
but the deity.

  B. Soul Magic
Soul magic is the power inherent to any being that possesses a soul, the 
animating force of life, or unlife in the case of undead creatures.

    1. Mind Magic
Mind magic is the product of the soul in conjunction with the mind, called 
psionics by some cultures, and includes abilities such as telepathy and 
clairvoyance.  In some populations, mind powers manifest spontaneously 
without training in a certain percentage of a generation.  In others, the 
abiliites may remain latent without training, while some may never be able 
to access these powers.  Souls that linger after death, becoming ghosts, 
retain their mind powers.  These mind powers are typically the only avenue 
of interaction that the ghost has with the world of the living.
Ref: GURPS Psionics, GURPS Voodoo

    2. Life Magic
These are powers available to souls animating living bodies.  Known as chi 
in some cultures, this life force enables the practitioner to exceed 
ordinary limitations of the flesh and perform otherwise impossible feats. 
 Life powers are most often used to enhance the abilities of warriors, but 
there are a number of peaceful applications as well.
Ref: GURPS Martial Arts

    3. Unlife
These are the powers of the unliving that still possess or are animated by
a 
soul, including ghosts, vampires, and others.  The unliving gain access to
a 
variety of powers depending upon the circumstances of their undead state. 
 In most cases, the unliving may not possess powers of both life and
unlife, 
vampires being a notable exception.  It is also possible for the living to 
gain access to the powers of unlife by various means.
Ref: (GURPS) Vampire the Masquerade, GURPS Bloodtypes, GURPS Fantasy Folk, 
Wraith the Oblivion, GURPS Voodoo

  C. Spiritualism
Spiritualism in the practice of using spirits to accomplish magical feats, 
whether by favor or by force.
Ref: GURPS Voodoo, (GURPS) Werewolf the Apocalypse

    1. Supplication
Supplication is the practice of begging favor from spiritual entities to 
perform services.  This generally requires a boon to the spirit in
question, 
unless the spirit is already allied with the supplicant for one reason or 
another.  This is also an alternative option for deities with smaller 
congregations.  While it requires a great deal more attention from the
deity 
than is required by sanctity, it does permit a much greater control over 
their priests and followers.  Some deities with larger congregations
utilize 
spiritualism in conjunction with sanctity to provide greater power to an 
elite few of their worshippers.
Ref: GURPS Religion

    2. Coercion
Coercion is the practice of forcing a spirit to do your bidding against its 
will.  By default, this includes the use of spirits that possess no free 
will.  In most cases, it also includes the creation of spiritual magic 
items, or fetishes, but it is possible that the spirit might willingly bind 
itself to the fetish.

  D. Reality Alteration
Reality alteration is the process of temporarily creating or suspending 
planar constants, the physical laws that govern reality on a particular 
plane of existence.
Ref: Chessboards the Planes of Possibility

    1. Sorcery
Sorcery is a very complex, difficult, and dangerous discipline that 
potentially grants the practitioner great power.  Sorcery divides all 
possible feats of magic into nine realms: Body, Mind, Spirit, Space, Time, 
Chaos, Fire, Earth, and Essence.  These realms are used individually or in 
conjunction to produce a wide array of effects.  Sorcery places the 
practitioner at great risk, as the metaphysical inertia of his planar 
surroundings may recoil, either in direct response to the attempted effect, 
or as the normal planar constants snap back into place when the effect 
ceases.
Ref: (GURPS) Mage the Ascension

    2. Divinity
Divinity is the power of deities.  As such, it is orders of magnitude more 
powerful than any magic that can be wielded by the non-divine, and is not 
quantifiable in mortal terms.  Briefly, localized immediate effects are 
generally childsplay, but global permanent effects are usually only 
accomplished in partnership between the deity and the plane of reality
being 
affected.
Ref: Primal Order