Excerpt from a lecture by the Ros̆-As̆ību Yarhu III of the Imperial Guard
The phenomenon of magic is a subject too vast to be comprehensively categorized or described. Its manifestations vary dramatically from race to race and are further diversified by the individual’s personal deity. Still, most scholars agree that there are at least three core magic systems.
The first of these systems is by far the most widespread and common. Indeed, its presence extends to every known living being, with the result that it is often simply called “the System.” By those of a more scholastic inclination, it is frequently referred to incorrectly as the essence system. While essence is the most common source of mana, it is only one of many mana types, the most famous of which also include stamina and gilding. Thus a more accurate name for the System would be the mana system.
The exact nature of its workings is still only dimly understood. Ancient sources are conspicuously silent on the topic, which leads many to speculate that the system did not always exist. Today, however, it represents the vast majority of all magic cast. It is the system that enlivens every being, managing their stats, guiding their classes, and providing their repertoire of spells. And it is the system alone, among all the other magic types, that does not come with serious risks or penalties.
The mana it uses to fuel itself is drawn from the body, and while it may run dry for a time, it is an endlessly renewable source until the death of the individual. Of course, it is also fundamentally limited. Mages can only easily use the spells they are provided, and they are restricted to the amount of mana their body can restore. But for most, the mana system represents the highest pinnacle they can hope to achieve.
The second system is soul magic. This is the magic that compelled the great mages and the shining heroes of the past to their dizzy heights. Fundamentally, using soul magic is to grasp the power of the gods themselves, to seize upon the spark of creation residing within each of us and meld the world to your will. Uneducated mages often refer to this system as unstructured magic, and seize it when they stand on the brink of death. The ability to use soul magic, even if only in the smallest of ways, is what truly differentiates a mage from those that simply use the System.
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But there are few that can truly draw upon its power these days. Perhaps those in the past simply did not know - or perhaps they did not care - but soul magic draws upon the power of the Progenitor, upon the very fires of creation. And, just as the Progenitor exhausted himself in the act of creation, so too is soul magic non-renewable. Each time it is used, the magic not only eats away at the soul of the individual but also at the shared storehouse of each race - each one gifted a portion of the Progenitor’s power by the deity that created them. Thus, as the world grows old, the power of soul magic has greatly dwindled. Few are still born with strong enough souls to wield its might like those of old, and the few that are must take great care, lest they further deplete what little is left for our descendants. Soul magic is now reduced to magic of the last resort, only to be invoked when there are no other options left.
The third system of magic is also the most mysterious, as it defies many of the rules as we know them. Runic magic is a complex, ritualized art that relies on exacting runes and carefully crafted potions and powders. The power it offers approaches at times the glory of soul magic, but the source of that power is not understood. While many rituals require some of the essence provided by the System as an ingredient in the ritual, they also clearly draw on unknown power sources. No agreement on the nature of this power has ever been reached, although it is my personal belief that runic magic may be stealing energy from universes beyond our own.
Unfortunately, runic magic has not been able to fill the void left by the loss of soul magic. Very few individuals are ever able to tap into its power, and no pattern has ever been observable amongst those who ascend to become runic mages. While their contributions to the empire are appreciated, the numbers of runic mages are simply too small to stem the tide against the Zalancthians.
Many more pages could be written on rare magic systems within and without the Empire, or of the many systems only known through the pages of history. But these three are the only systems an average mage is likely to encounter, and it is these that students of the Imperial Guard should be most diligent in studying.