On the Nature of Mana and Magic

On the Nature of Mana and Magic
Magister Paxia T’Myra
Keynote Address, Gods Road Symposium on Magic
Magic in the Reconstruction Series, 534 Sela

The following notes are transcribed from the symposium address delivered by Magister T’Myra, Cleric of T’Zyri and High Mage of Myrim’lyr College, in the year 534 Sela.

Honored colleagues, it is a true pleasure to join you during this return to the annual Symposium on Magic at Gods Road. As a representative of Myrim’lyr College, the oldest institution of higher learning in Circadia, I hope this address can move all of us towards a progressive future dictated by our noble history. Additionally, as a lifetime follower of my lady T’Zyri, Keeper of Secrets, I feel especially honored to present such information in her name. Without further ado…

Magic has long been a subject of interest among both the Devout and the layfolk. Indeed, entire careers have been dedicated to understanding the Blessing bestowed upon us and its reverberation in our Mortal world.

While the Blood War remains a staunch tragedy in the minds of even the most stalwart, we cannot deny that in Hyrnedhna’s carnage, we learned much about Magic. However, it is easy to fixate on the immediate. In light of current political tensions, I wish to instead turn back to basics.

Since T’Myrim and Zyr’Zane graced Mortal soil, some form of Magic has existed among all worshippers. Indeed, the Age of Worship, when our various cultures came together in pursuit of the Old Gods, we learned quickly that those faithful among us can channel the Magical essence of this world. And, of course, when the first Pantheon of Faeris’lyr came to be, such Magic and the rise of the Devout coincided–as we now well know, to be Devout is to be a vessel of the Gods’ tremendous power. Mortals have never before seen the power provided by our current divine Pantheon.

Such matters, as you well know, are matters for historians. They are well documented in the Cloisters’ archives for any past-minded person to scour. However, I am no historian. I am a Mage.

And, so, back to basics.

Devotion. Attributes. Mana. Magic.

The combination that binds the Devout in service to all of Circadia and the Gods. Our gift, Blessing, and burden.

As a High Mage, I remind you of the best accepted theory on magic. The theory of Divine Mana Channeling.

As all Mages know, the world is infused with various forces: we understand them as the Four Corporeal Elements and the Ethereal Gift. Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Caliber.

To be more descriptive: the stability and strength of Earth, the ever-rushing flow of Air, the sudden surges of Water, the Fire that can erupt at any moment, and the Caliber of your spirit. These elements are aligned with the world around us– capitalizing on that alignment through our faith is how greatness happens.

Enter Mana, the stuff of the Circadian landscape. The unseen carriers of such elemental power that exist beyond most Mortal perception. Even the most talented of Mages have yet to ethically distill Mana into its discreet parts for more than a few moments. Nevertheless, we know it is there.

Beyond this, we know we, the Devout, are able to channel Mana through our Devotion as manifested Attributes.

Prismatic Theory states that the role of the Pantheon is for the Gods to collect Mana and distribute it among their chosen Devout. The collection of an enormous pool of Mana manifests as a single Attribute–the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Caliber that represents our Divine power. We know that when we expend an attribute, it is eventually refreshed by the Divine power of our patron God or Gods. Such is the well-established relationship between Devotion, Attributes, and Mana.

To my first year undergraduates, I explain the process thusly.

Mana is the nearly intangible stuff that infuses Circadia; we can only see it in heavily controlled or awesome spaces, but research concludes it is unrefined elemental power. Our Pantheon Gods can collect huge amounts of this Mana and channel it into their Devout. This manifests as the Attributes we feel within ourselves. In other words, the Gods make the multitude of magical essence around us into something we can use. Small bits collected and made material within us.

As any Mage knows, as Devout Mages our Gods give us the power to channel raw Mana into spells. Since we cannot see the Mana, but we know it is there, it becomes our duty to reverse engineer our Magic–we master the tangible spell to corral the intangible Mana.

I study such things daily, and, still, such a reality captures me in wonder.

It bears reminding: as far as we know, the Devout are the only confirmed individuals with Attributes. Those who have walked or fallen from Devotion report they lose the sense of power and can no longer feel or use their Attributes. Lifelong layfolk report no manifestation of Attributes within them, even when they are experts in the study of Magic itself.

So, seemingly, that’s how Magic works. But it does not answer the question, what is Mana?

We still don’t know. I find that, as a scholar nearing retirement, a delightful opportunity for this generation of rising Mages.

In this era of massive change, we have new variables that expand our horizons.

To return to the Blood War.

Magister Rubius Rakes II’s study on magical re-entry suggested the veracity of many longheld theories. A lay follower of Nepheris, Magister Rakes was given permission to enter the battlefields as a neutral party during the Blood War. His sole task was to observe and record seeming changes in Magical manifestation. Of course, when a God was on the field, the Devout were more powerful, finding themselves gifted with temporary Attributes and even new abilities.

But something more troubling arose. The reality of death that bore the fruit of the Rubius Law: Mana seems momentarily perceptible, by Mortals, during times of great death.

In the Battle of Beasts, when Hyrnedhna and Beodhen took the field with their forces, over 3000 Mortals, including Hyrnedhnai, perished. All survivors, including Magister Rakes, witnessed thousands of multicolored orbs floating around the field. In a well told tale, Beodhen won this battle because he was able to quickly seize the power of many of these orbs and channel them into his Clerics. The Clerics restored to life roughly 300 of his mightiest Paladins, and they took the field. Hyrnedhna retreated.

More troubling still is the earlier death of Mynair. Magister Rakes, having witnessed the Battle of Beasts, looked for the survivors who had withstood Hyrnedhna’s raid on the coast. High Priestess Myr’naianesa, chosen of Mynair and now Mortal Consort to and High Priestess of Nepheris, reports that when Mynair fell, the Tides swelled with millions of blue orbs. Such orbs fell upon the Mynaira before disappearing. While neither High Priestess Myr’naianesa or Magister Rakes can truly confirm it, it seems that the death of a God resulted in an exponential version of the phenomenon witnessed at the Battle of Beasts.

And what do we make of all this? Our theorem remains seemingly true but perhaps comparatively insignificant when we muse at that still unknown.

To conclude, I pose a perhaps strange direction: interdisciplinary studies.

Those who have studied witchcraft and even those who have observed Magicians have long waited in the shadows of academic halls. This seems unfair: to understand Heresy, one must study Heretics. These scholars, our proper colleagues, have risked life and limbs to observe the doings of Heretics. Yet we cast them aside.

As a Devout of T’Zyri, I suggest we welcome our colleagues made outcast by our own outdated academic cultures. It seems intellectually lazy to resist the knowledge of other students of the world.

And so.

As High Mage of Myrim’lyr College, I hearby establish the first ever accredited Department for the Social Study of Heretical and Abyssal Magic, hosted by Myrim’lyr College. The esteemed Magister Devon Rakes, lay follower of Nepheris, has agreed to sign on as the first Chair of the Department.

I propose this with T’Zyri’s Blessing.

Thank you.

Death at Zealot

Would that I had died only once. I think my life might have been swifter, but also much easier.
– Cyriaque, Follower of Nepheris and High Priest of Verine

Would that I might die a thousand times more. Each time is better than the last.
– Mona Albright, Follower of Beodhen and Worship Leader of Gu’labir

Mechanics of Death at Zealot

At Zealot, Death is an extraordinary event that helps shape the relationship between the Devout and their Gods. In this section, please find how Death works at Zealot. (The complete rulebook will be updated with this information at its next release.)

There are several ways to die in Zealot. The most common is when you are reduced to 0 Vitality and do not receive any sort of Healing skill.

You also die if you receive a “Death” attack or receive a killing blow (the verbal call “Mandate Death 1, 2, 3, Death” or a variation therein). Occasionally, there will be plots or roleplay interactions that may carry the risk of Death.

Once you have died, you take the Lasting Effect “Death.” As it is a Lasting Effect it cannot be rested off and must be removed (most commonly through a “Cure Death” effect).

Once you are Dead, you may stay as a corpse for up to 5 minutes. If you are not revived with a Cure Death ability, you must turn to Spirit. You may also choose to turn to a Spirit before the 5 minutes has passed.

Once you are a Spirit, you should return to the nearest Shrine as if you are pulled to it. Sometimes Shrines will be clarified within encounter spaces, but there will always be a Shrine in central PC areas. You may move to these Shrines freely. If, while you are walking as a Spirit, someone uses a skill “to Spirit” you should interact with it as is appropriate. For instance, if you are hit with an “Anguish to Spirit,” you must take the effect. You should not stay as a Spirit for more than 5 minutes and should roleplay a consistent pull to the nearest Shrine.

Once at a Shrine, you should focus for 1 minute. You may then call “Cure Death to Self and Purge Spirit.” You immediately gain the Permanent Trait, “Fated.” If you found a Shrine during an encounter, you may return to the encounter; it will be as though you have taken a Short Rest. If you had to leave the encounter to find a Shrine, you may not return to the Encounter, though it will be as if you have taken a Short Rest.

The Fated Trait
While you have the trait “Fated” all of your attributes are reduced by 1. Your Vitality is also reduced by 1. Additionally, you take 1 extra damage from any attack with an Ethereal Carrier Trait.

Within 24 hours of receiving the Fated Trait, you should seek the Deck of Fate and Book of Deeds. These prop items will always be located in a PC common space that will be clarified at game opening. Instructions for engaging will be tagged on the prop items.

If you received the Fated Trait and did not remove it within 24 hours, you should inform staff in your PEL. Every time you receive the Fated Trait on top of an unremoved Fated Trait, your Vitality and every Attribute go down another 1 point to a minimum of 1 point. (You cannot be reduced to 0.) If you have received the Fated Trait multiple times, there will be specifications within the Book of Deeds and the Deck of Fate. If you do not reconcile the Fated Trait in 24 hours, inform staff.

(The only exception to the 24 hour rule is an Out of Game one. If you were not able to access the Deck of Fate or Book of Deeds for out-of-game reasons–such as leaving game early or receiving the Trait at the end of game–your 24 hours starts at the beginning of the next event you attend.)

Some Notes on the Fated Trait
First and foremost, while Zealot is a difficult game in terms of challenge, it is not a punitive game. We want our PCs to enjoy their time, and we want you to explore various aspects of the world.

The Fated Trait, the Book of Deeds, and the Deck of Fate are major plot elements. Out of game, you should expect to die at Zealot and should see it as an opportunity for plot. In game, your character can have whatever perspective that is fun for you and appropriate to your character. However, don’t get discouraged if you have the Fated trait. It’s a chance to explore a part of the world.

Below are the in-game explanations for Death and the associated props. These are things your character might know in-game and may not be completely correct. You can choose to know any amount of this as is appropriate to your character.

Death, Fate, the Book, and the Deck

For as long as anyone can remember, Death has been a strange thing in Circadia. For the vast majority of citizenry, Death is quite mundane, if frightening: most people live out a life of normal age (generally in the range of 70-100 years), fall ill, and/or fall unlucky, and then die. Once dead, there is no resurrection unless the fallen are attended by a very powerful Devout healer.

However, for some, resurrection is (almost) always possible. The Devout, due to their special connection to the Gods, are able to draw upon the Book of Deeds and the Deck of Fate in order to restore themselves to life after what should have been certain death.

The Book of Deeds and the Deck of Fate have been supplied to Mortals since the reign of Zyr’Zane and T’Myrim, more than a thousand years ago. Initially, the Old Gods, when they first alighted to Circadia, provided the two items to Mortals. Zyr’Zane, presenting the Book of Deeds, instructed that Mortals write into it the Deeds which most honestly represent their Devotion. T’Myrim, offering the Deck of Fate, suggested that, by drawing upon the Deck, the Mortals enter into a sustained relationship with the Gods.

Over time, and as the formal Pantheon was established, the Book and Deck became inherently tied to the Devout’s ability to return from certain Death. The histories of this trajectory are unknown. What is known, however, is the general function of the artifacts.

Devout who have called upon the Book and Deck mostly agree upon the following experience, though some have reported strange occurrences deviating from the norm:

Into the Book, those who have become Fated scribe a single deed that represents their Devotion to a God, Gods, or the Pantheon itself. This is an offering to show that they are worthy, in the context of their Devotion, of return. After this, they then draw a card from the Deck of Fate–this card shows them the God that has agreed to resurrect them. After this, they feel their Fated nature fall off of them, as if a great burden has been lifted.

Of course, the relationship between the Gods and Mortals is rarely simple. The Deck represents the Gods who actively offer power to Mortals–currently, there are 22 cards in total, representing the dual aspects of the various Gods. All Gods, in returning Mortals to life, offer either a Blessing or a Favor. To receive a Blessing is to be looked upon kindly; to receive a Favor is to be held in often contemptuous debt by the God offering it. While such things can be reconciled, the Deck of Fate is nevertheless an artifact that causes many Devout trepidation.

There is a story, for instance, of a small city swept by famine after a failed harvest. The Devout who were lucky enough to return from the Death that claimed their kin found themselves frequently drawing the Blessing of Nepheris and the Favor of Kasamei. They decided to offer their services to the Gods: they thanked Nepheris heartily and, as a city, committed themselves to assembling a granary from which the starving citizenry could freely draw. As soon as the granary was erected, the Devout found it full of hearty grain and, moreover, attended by a vigilant black cat (a sign of good luck for followers of Nepheris). So too did the Devout make an offering to Kasamei–they built a Shrine to the Goddess that, specifically, served as a memorial for those departed in the famine. The small city found that, within a few months, the remaining sufferers passed peacefully, and prosperity returned.

Another story is not so pleasant. There was an outpost of Devout who were engaged in battle against Abyssal Corruption. Frequently falling to the Abyssal spawn, they called upon the Deck, in short order, 36 times. Of the 36 times, 26 times Verine’s Favor was drawn. Consumed by the fighting, The Devout thought nothing of it and ignored the minority who wanted to make an offering to the Jealous God. When no such offering was made, the outpost of Devout fell strangely and suddenly ill–the few who survived remain to tell the tale. They warn that the power and patience of the Gods are distributed among the entirety of Circadia. It is wise, when the Gods offer their Blessing or Favor, to assume gratitude and service.

Currently, the Book and Deck are housed at the God Road Shrine. They are available for use by all Devout.

The aspects of the Gods, and their appearance in the Deck, is below.

The Deck of Fate

Beodhen
Ambition (Blessing)/ Arrogance (Favor)

Nepheris
Charity (Blessing)/ Greed (Favor)

Steramestei
Inspiration (Blessing)/ Indifference (Favor)

Kasamei
Compassion (Blessing)/ Indiscretion (Favor)

T’Zyri
Genius (Blessing)/ Deception (Favor)

T’Rer
Honesty (Blessing)/ Tyranny (Favor)

Hyrnedhna
Strength (Blessing)/ Destruction (Favor)

Mynair
Beauty (Blessing)/ Devastation (Favor)

Verine
Loyalty (Blessing)/Treachery (Favor)

Opix
Transformation (Blessing)/ Collapse (Favor)

Gu’labir
Abundance (Blessing)/ Desperation (Favor)

The Cloisters, The First Excursion

A collection on the recounting of the first descent into the Abyss.

From the Reconstruction Archive, 534 Sela

Documented by Magister Tyrus, The Archive

Today, “The Abyss” and all that that terrible expanse entails are commonplace in our daily conversation. Most of us have known at least one person lost to the creatures of The Abyss. Some of us have even personally encountered The Corruption that periodically crawls up from the Abyssal Scars. It is hard to believe that, ten short years ago, that nightmarish place was something most of us considered as we might consider a long dormant volcano: dangerous, certainly, but not a cataclysm one will know in their lifetime.

Indeed, prior to The Blood War, the Abyss was known only by its Scars. Measuring anywhere from twenty feet to a mile long, these jagged fissures in the earth–smelling of bile and smoke–have been a long threatening presence in Circadia. However, before the Blood War, they were understood only as dangerous geographical features which, if stepped into, almost certainly spelled out death. Of course, now we know that these Scars are not mere wounds but the only known entry points into the Abyssal landscape–a world both below us and outside of even the Gods’ purview.

The Rakes’s Decree

It is commonly accepted that the Scars widened and deepened during the Blood War. We know further that, since the Scars have expanded, the forces we call the Corruption have grown in number and frequency.

Prior to the Blood War, only very enterprising individuals ventured into the Abyss, few of them rarely returning. However, the increased presence of The Corruption, and the evergrowing threat of the Scars, neccesitated some sort of action. Odipos Rakes, while he was still High Priest of Nepheris, arranged for the first excursion party to The Abyss. Since this decree, accompanied excursions by elite Devout have become more common, and the Rakes family has ordered the mapping of the Abyss.

While the extant records are many, below is one of the most celebrated. While not the most detailed of accounts, it is, afterall, the first record of an encounter in the Abyss.

The First Descent, A Personal Account

The initial descent felt as if it took us four, perhaps five hours.

Slowly, and unable to use the abilities of our Gods, we lowered ourselves into the steaming trenches of the deep Abyss. In the utter darkness, we could see little but flickering lights rising from some unfathomable base. Squelching, shuddering sounds sometimes rippled up from the depths, but we mostly descended in the naked silence, accompanied by only our own labored breath.

The smell of the place remains difficult to describe. At times it was noxious, like bursts of acid or poisoned smog;other times it was fetid like spoiled meat or rotting grains. Very rarely, though equally powerfully, the smell was pleasantly floral, like a sundrenched meadow perfumed with heady citrus. This combination of scents, always in flux, often turned the stomachs of my comrades, and we frequently paused for bouts of horrific nausea.

When we finally alighted at the first depth, we found some solid footing. We call it the first depth, as its where we took our initial marker. It was as far down as we went, as I will later explain. While we stood on the terrain, our eyes adjusted to the peculiar dark. This was surprising in and of itself–we had assumed and prepared for a world cast in complete shadow. However, the Abyss throws off a slowly pulsing light which created enough by which to see. Fastening our rope to our entry marker, we continued.

There was little of much excitement to see, at least at first. While our cartographer was pleased to finally traverse the landscape, we had expected a bit more action. Considering that the Corruption erupts from the Scars in droves, we had anticipated a skirmish or two. Under normal circumstances, I might have been disappointed. However, my stomach still in knots from the descent, I proceeded on with some cautious ease.

And, indeed, the landscape itself held our interest. It was as though we were traversing the tunnels of some subterranean cave. This was, of course, easy enough to accept given our descent. However, the terrain was like no terrestrial cave system we had ever visited. Rather than being of rock or earth, the Abyss was slimy and fleshy to the touch–it was almost like raw, bloody offal coated in a film of mucus or blood. It was hard to keep our footing, and we frequently slid into one another. In one instance, one of our Paladins lost their balance and touched their hand to a slippery wall. The wall pulsed a bright purple and hummed angrily, jolting the Paladin with a painful shock that sent them reeling. However, when our Cleric tripped into a wall further down the way, she was nearly absorbed by the wall itself, and it took our eight hands worth of strength to recover her. When she emerged, she was covered in a silvery, glittering liquid. The liquid, which she described as midly tingling, quickly sloughed off her, no marks remaining.

In this strange landscape, we walked for roughly an hour, growing more disoriented with each step. We took frequent pauses as the very atmosphere around us drained us of energy and motivation. Frequently, our comrades were confused and claimed to see things others could not. Though we had brought rations to strengthen ourselves, none of us could bring ourselves to pause and eat. It felt too unsafe.

Finally, I stopped and commanded we ought turn back. Though the cartographer protested lightly, we agreed that we were growing increasingly weary and confused.

It was then we heard the sound.

In the darkness, it emanated forth like a skittering rodent might cry out from a dark alley.

We paused, readying ourselves for an attack.

The sound came forth once more, this time clearer. Perhaps it was my own confusion but, at first blush, I thought it sounded familiar. Very strangely, the sound reminded me of an adult woman attempting to masquerade her voice as that of a young girl–singsong, but unsettlingly, inappropriately so. The voice being made seemed too small for the throat in which it originated. Perhaps this is why the noise sounded like shrill giggling and, perhaps, captivated by the noise, this is why we did not simply run.

When the thing poured itself forth from the dark, we had no time but to stagger back. Like the Corruption we had seen in Circadia, the thing was adjacent to a human being while also starkly monstrous. In this instance, the creature seemed to be little more than an amorphous, flowing pile of whitish, malleable flesh. As it billowed forth, it emitted the strange giggling peal; we caught glimpses of a toe or a finger or a tooth, but such glimpses were lost quickly as the shifting flesh reshaped itself into a less and less distinctive pile of features.

Extending what might have been a limb, the creature paused and, if it is anything like a sentient beast, regarded us. At that moment, the creature came into sharper relief.

Long, greasy strands of brown hair sprouted from what might have been its face. Two holes that might have been a nose gasped air, with great effort, in and out. A pinkish, crooked gash let slop forth an indelible tongue.

“Is it,” our Cleric whispered, “human?”

At this sound, the creature turned towards the Cleric; the Cleric, of course, stood a few inches behind me. I felt myself weaken as I became caught in the creature’s gaze.

And this is what captured my horror most. That creature’s eyes. Bulging out from the creature’s pale, shifting flesh, the dozen or so eyes appeared nearly human. By that I mean, I could see whites and pupils and a shape that was round. But, set against the mottled white skin, the eyes protruded from the creature’s body like yellowed boils. These eyes looked beset by irritation or disease, and they moved ceaselessly. I felt, sickeningly, that if you reached out to poke one, it might burst immediately, gooey and formless like a broken egg yolk. Bulging out from the creature’s flesh, the eyes roved and searched until, suddenly, their direction aligned. With a singular, piercing scream, the creature, now looking entirely at me, lunged.

In good truth and faith: I have no recollection of what happened after that moment and my return to the surface. I know that I was knocked unconscious by the creature’s forceful blows, and I know my comrades must have carried me up the ascent. When I awoke, I awoke in my hospital bed. And my comrades who survived… well, whatever happened down there has cast upon them a permanent silence, as well as a deep loathing of the light. To date, they show no signs of recovery.

At least my brother and father have their first map.

Pilar Rakes, Paladin of Beodhen

Glossary

The Abyss-A place seemingly both under and outside of Circadia, the Abyss is a largely unknown landscape of unparalleld danger.

The Corruption-The strange creatures that originate in the Abyss, The Corruption enter Circadia from Scars and attack individuals they encounter mercilessly; The Corruption have no singular appearance, but are instead unnatural forms horrific to behold.

Curious what the Corruption might look like? Check out some inspiration on our Pinterest board.

The First Descent-A famous excursion into the Abyss that ended in tragedy. While its leader, Pilar Rakes, survived the encounter with his health, the other party members–Adona Lionhardt, Petula Myrcelle, Willis Harks, Genuine Fanton, and Stephan Hayes–emerged totally and irrevocably changed and harmed.

Odipos Rakes-The former High Priest of Nepheris, Odipos was the individual who arranged for the first formal descent into the Abyss

Pilar Rakes– A highly respected Paladin of Beodhen who led the first descent into the Abyss; Pilar still leads occassional excursions

The Scars-Sometimes called Abyssal Scars, these strange fissures in the ground lead into the Abyss. These are the only known entries into The Abyss. The Scars grew in number and size during the Blood War, though they have always existed.

The Rakes Family-A family of wealthy nobles, most Devout among the Rakes are followers of Beodhen and/or Nepheris; the Rakes family is connected with the Abyss. Odipos Rakes, the current patriarch, ordered the first excursion, and his eldest son, Pilar, led it. Odipos’s younger son, Devon, is one of the most esteemed cartographers in all of Circadia and maintains maps of the charted Abyssal landscape.

The Cloisters, On Dangers New and Old

An account written in retrospective consideration of Witches.

From the Reconstruction Archive, 533 Sela

Documented by Magister Tyrus, The Archive

As we slowly move ourselves from the long-cast shadow of the Blood War, we enter a time of introspection on our place as Mortals and Devout. Prior to the Blood War, our generation had not experienced such widespread violence nor constant danger. We, of course, know of the Great Wars of the past, where both Mortal and God alike fell, sometimes at one another’s hands. But it is quite a different matter when one experiences a War directly rather than from a dusty sheaf of parchment. The Falling of a God is not something most Mortals see in a lifetime, let alone the Falling of several.

Violence was the currency of the Blood War. But the violence of the Gods and their followers was relegated to (mostly) agreed upon places far outside the largest centers of habitation. While those living at any and all Godscross sites were ordered to evacuate, many found their hometowns and cities largely untouched by the physical warfare. (Interrupted trade routes and supplies notwithstanding.)

Incidental violence, however, was quite a different matter. Indeed, the Blood War provided ample chance for opportunists to make themselves known. Chief among these are the Witches which remain perplexing to even the most astute of scholars.

The Witches at Blackbird Hill

Obviously, witches have been in the world as long as any other type of Mortal. Despite their long term habitation, however, comparatively little is known about them–little outside, of course, their application of “magic.”

Witchcraft remains hotly contested. Leading theorists continue to posit it as a siphon, wherein witches siphon divine magic that has manifested in the Mortal Realm. This process significantly weakens magic, but, through unknown communal processes, witches are able to amplify their gathered power.

Superficially, there seems to be little wrong with this. As historian of Circadian magic Aljera Rodrasma once wrote, “on the surface, witchcraft seems no different than the work of opportunistic scavengers feasting on an available corpse.” However, at both the processual level and the personal one, witchcraft seems, at best, dangerous and, at worst, immoral.

Various theorists of witchcraft and other magics generally see witchcraft as a corrupting magic. Arcanical ethicist Colm Vaspid claimed, in his seminal text The Environmental Ethics of Witchcraft, “it is not simply that Witches are diligent scavengers. While some may operate within this limited scope, greater witchcraft is inherently corrupting. Witches pull from the very fabric of the land and use its threads to stitch their own forms of magic. You may ask, how is this any different than divine magic? Systematic study of areas devastated by witchcraft indicate their withering and general declining environmental health. This is not a coincidence.”

Beyond the (debated) environmental effects of witchcraft, witches themselves have a predisposition towards violence. For reasons still unknown, large incidences of death often attract Witches who seemingly siphon expelled arcanical energy from the land. In ancient history, this gave Witches the moniker “carrion birds,” as they would descend upon sites of massive death.

This was particularly apparent during the Blood War. One group of Witches, called The Witches at Blackbird Hill, became notorious for their continual appearance during the Blood War. After a great battle, they would arrive. They are documented as an unusual site: a hoard of a dozen of so witches, wearing white gowns and flower garlands, armed with bronze sickles. They would float across the battle field, seemingly “harvesting” the air as they, laughing and singing, claimed to draw forth the very souls of the dead.

While this may be unseemly, to all but the most vigilant follower of Kasamei it is questionable if it is immoral (assuming their claims of reaping are even true). However, a known and significant contingent of Witches create violence and death to harvest their own powers: rather than waiting to scavenge a place of touch by death, they instead commit heinous crimes in the name of attaining power. The Hyrnedhnai, Mynaira, and Toto have been particularly victimized by such atrocious strategies.

All of this aside, a Witch on their own is no great threat to even a newly minted Devout. Their power is weakened through its process necessitated dilution. However, Dagna Lionhardt has warned against underestimating Witches. In a statement before the High Council, the Paladin stated, “A Devout is like a Lion, and a Witch is like a hyena. On their own, they are easily torn asunder by the lion. But, as their numbers mount, the lion must consider its nearest escape.”

But what of newer dangers?

These are themes explored in the following accounts:

The Strange Pursuits of Rodney McQuinn

An account of Magicians and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The First Excursion

An account of the first descent into the Abyss.

Glossary:

The Blood War– The upheaval in the pantheon started with Hyrnedhna’s murder of Mynair, resulting in the fall of T’rer, and the ascension of Behoden and T’zyri.

Dagna Lionhardt– A well-respected Paladin of Beodhen who has long fought against Witches

Kasamei– A celestial goddess associated with the natural cycle of life and death

Lionhardt– A longstanding Great Family in service to Beodhen.

Witches– magic users who seemingly channel magic by siphoning it from the landscape; the specific nature of their powers is unclear

The Cloisters, An Account of Changes in Faith

Some are busy worshipping the Gods. We are busy writing about them.
– Magister Pyrvain, The Cloisters at T’Gyr

The Cloisters at T’Gyr

The world of Circadia is an old one, and the histories span thousands of years of interaction between the Mortals and the Gods. Luckily, an order of archivists, The Magisters, has committed to assembling important accounts in The Cloisters at T’gyr. While often imperfect and frequently biased, these accounts are the most comprehensive histories of Circadia.

In Zealot, much of the in-game information, particularly teasers and background lore, will come in the form of these accounts. All players should assume ready access to these history books but should know that the writers may have had their own biases in the writing of the accounts.

An account of how Myr’naianesa of na’Malriel became the High Priestess of Nepheris. Mention of the Red Spring family.

From the Reconstruction Archive, 532 Sela

Documented by Magister Tyrus, The Cloisters at T’gyr.

As is known, the Blood War shifted Mortal and Godly allegiances considerably, though much of this shifting was done under the consequences of the war itself. Afterall, pressure from victorious forces hardly aligns with genuine disavowal of a long-held faith and much more closely parallels the necessities of failure. The reorganization of The Pantheon, of course, expedited declarations of “new” faith, and even Fallen Gods generally understood the defection of followers.

Nonetheless, there were Devout who genuinely found new faith during and after the Blood War. These accounts are held as testament to the Power of the Devout and, in matters of faith, the helplessness of Gods.

One account involves the controversial Red Spring family.

Hyrnedhna’s Red Spring

Prior to the Blood War, the Red Spring clan were ardent followers of Hyrnedhna. Oral traditions generally claim they had followed the Goddess since her ascension some 200 years ago. Indeed, the historical Red Spring matriarch, Deirdre Red Spring of Connath, is said to be the first Devout of Hyrnedhna who grew claws and antlers, marking her considerable place in the Goddess’s esteem.

While not all Devout of Hyrnedhna have been warlike, certainly, the Red Spring clan set the gold standard for warriors of the Goddess. Nearly every Red Spring (of note) has been a Paladin, and, during early skirmishes with The Corruption of the Abyss, they were among the most fearsome.

All to say, it was unsurprising that, on the advent of The Blood War, they mounted mighty force in support of Hyrnedhna. When the Goddess raised up arms against Mynair, they were certainly among the number making move against the Sea Maiden and her creatures. While it is unknown if they were present for the slaughter of Mynair, it is certain they were on the regular field of battle. And, indeed, when Beodhen declared singular war against Hyrnedhna, they marched at her side. Most impressive given that some of the Red Spring were but mere teenagers during the Blood War.

However, the Red Spring clan underwent a true change of Faith during the war. The specific event precipitating this is unclear, however it coincided with the incidental Mortal casualties caused by Hyrnedhna’s campaign. While Beodhen, then the Prince of Beasts, may not have spared too much thought for such losses (it cannot truly be said), the protection of his (self-proclaimed neutral) loyalists–Nepheris, Kasamei, and Steramestei–offered protection to those civilians in contested territories. Seeing the casual bloodshed caused by Hyrnedhna, who has only ever allied herself with the natural world, the Red Spring family in its entirety denounced the Goddess and defected to Beodhen’s side.

The Red Springs’ Choice & Hrynedhna’s Wrath

While this defection came as a surprise to many engulfed in the heat of the violence, those aware of the Red Spring leaders were sympathetic: the Red Springs had long served as the intermediaries between Hyrnedhna and the common folk. Their role, historically, had been to empathize with Mortals and, as Hyrnedhna’s Devout, ask the Goddess to consider how her actions might impact them. This was especially important when Hyrnedhna’s creatures–the Hyrnedhnai–threatened the livelihood of Mortals.

As the Blood War raged, Hyrnedhna spared the defectors no mercy: of the thirty or so Red Spring family members involved in the war, at least a dozen were killed by Hyrnedhna personally. However, the Red Springs fought ferociously for Beodhen and were the key combatants in a number of decisive battles. When the war ended and Beodhen emerged victorious, he offered the Red Spring family his highest Blessing and immediately welcomed them into his Court.

The Red Springs remain powerful today, and it is widely supposed that Vanya Red Spring, a daughter of the patriarch Alexei, would have been promoted as Beodhen’s High Priestess and Mortal Consort, but her ascension was blocked by the Lionhardt family in favor of their own (and decidedly platonic) line.

Such is a story of genuine change of Faith catalyzed by the Blood War and, more specifically, the actions of a God failing the Devotion of a Mortal. In this case, the change resulted in considerable new power given to Beodhen by Mortal Devout.

The case of Myr’naianesa, High Priestess of Nepheris and Mynair, is a bit stranger.

Myr’naianesa, Beloved of Mynair

Myrna, as she is commonly called, is a well-known and well-regarded lifetime follower of Mynair. In fact, prior to the goddess’s death, Mynair, the Sea Goddess, favored no Mortal more than she did Myrna–Myrna’s formal name, Myr’naianesa, is an old Circadian name, bestowed to her by Mynair, that means “beloved of the seas.” While Mynair lived, Myrna served as her constant companion, and it is said that she was told secrets kept from even Beodhen himself.

For this reason, after Mynair was slain, it was assumed that Myrna would announce her allegiance to Beodhen. As Mynair’s attendant, Myrna had long been a presence in Beodhen’s court and was roundly liked by followers of Mynair, Beodhen, and their allies. After Mynair’s death, and during the war itself, Myrna went into hiding with many of the surviving Mynaira. Myrna was not even present when Kasamei presented Mynair’s corpse to Beodhen. It is unknown what Myrna did during the war, but generally assumed that she was secreting away precious artifacts Mynair had left behind.

However, when the Blood War ended Myrna was invited warmly to Beodhen’s hall. A lavish but solemn feast was held in Mynair’s memory, and Myrna and some ranking Mynaira were the guests of honor. At this point, Beodhen had already claimed and offered Blessing to most Mynair Devout and Mynaira. They had, in turn, thankfully accepted his Blessing. Towards the end of the formal toasts, Beodhen made a grand announcement: he asked Myrna, as the former High Priestess of Mynair, to accept his Blessing and join him as High Priestess of Beodhen. He assured her that, as High Priestess of Beodhen, he would allow her to serve as High Priestess of Mynair simultaneously–a ranking High Priestess of a former God was something no Pantheon leader had ever formally condoned, and the offer marked Beodhen as more ecumenical than his predecessors. Most of the banquet guests looked on eagerly and applauded Beodhen.

One guest, Beodhen’s brother, the God Nepheris, maintained a neutral expression. Nepheris had in fact suggested the match to his brother: Myrna as High Priestess, allowed to serve both the Pantheon and a Fallen God, would set a precedent that might cool the tempers of Devout whose Gods had been displaced during the Blood War. Set on the romantic backdrop of Beodhen and Mynair’s relationship, it seemed, Nepheris mused, ideal.

Myr’naianesa’s Startling Reply

Myrna, however, shocked the feast’s attendees. Politely, she refused the Blessing of Beodhen: she stated that, even if Beodhen’s wartime passions were true, she doubted the integrity of his ascension to the head of the Pantheon. It is said that even mild-mannered Kasamei gasped (while Steramestei laughed), as Myrna explained that her Devotion would always be primarily to Mynair and the Mortals Mynair so loved.

As Beodhen started to fly into a rage, Myrna then turned to the Prince of Contracts and publicly committed herself to Nepheris. She announced that, while she would maintain her Devotion to Mynair, she would commit herself to a God on the Pantheon as, she concluded, all those still worshiping a Fallen God ought do. It is hard to tell if Nepheris was surprised or merely pleased, but he immediately designated Myrna as his High Priestess (simultaneously, and generously, retiring the ancient Odipos Rakes). Even Steramestei and Verine, enjoying the show, were speechless.

Of course, Nepheris and High Priestess Myr’naianesa set an important precedent for worship in the Reconstruction: their union is one that has certainly normalized not only worship of Fallen Gods (though it remains mild heresy) but also the political power of High Priests of these Gods. Even Beodhen, who has remained adversarial towards Myrna and her public embarrassment of him, begrudgingly admits that they are to credit with the post-war conversion of many Devout.

Along with the defection of the Red Spring family, Myrna’s story remains a significant bit of Blood War history. It has, of course, inspired many artists, and there are more images and poems of Myrna than any other current High Priest. While romantics claim her action was done out of a long hidden love for the God Nepheris, shrewder Devout suspect that her allegiance was hewn from a standing scheme concocted with Nepheris–the impetus behind such a strategy remains a mystery.

Myr’naianesa’s exact role in Nepheris’s life is now subject to much speculation, but, when he alights, she lives in residence with him, and they have been openly affectionate with one another. She has taken no Mortal companions.

Glossary:

Alexei Red Spring– Patriarch of the Red Spring family, Alexei died during the Blood War, by Hyrnedhna’s hand.

Beodhen– the King of Beasts who deposed the former King of the Gods, T’rer, and defeated Hyrnedhna during The Blood War.

The Blood War– The major war of the current age. The Blood War resulted in the upheaval of The Pantheon: Hyrnedhna’s murder of Mynair resulted in the start of the War and the eventual ascension of Behoden and T’zyri.

Deirdre Red Spring of Connath– The first Matriarch of the Red Springs, Deirdre is a near legendary figure who popularized worship of Hyrnedhna. Connath, her birth place, maintains a memorial to her.

The Fallen Gods– Gods who once were on The Pantheon and, for whatever reason, were removed from it. There are many Fallen Gods, but very few are still recognized by worshippers. Currently, only Hyrnedhna, Mynair, Gu’labir, Opix, Verine, and T’rer are recognized Fallen Gods.

High Priest– A God’s most stalwart advisor and leader of their Mortal assembly of Devout and layfolk alike. There is only one High Priest per God.

Hyrnedhna– Wild Goddess of Nature’s untamed aspects. A Fallen God.

Hyrnedhnai– Hyrnedhna’s creatures and beastfolk that blur the boundaries of human and non-human. They live outside of Mortal civilization.

Lionhardt– A longstanding Great Family in service to Beodhen.

Mortal Consort– Closest ally to a God, oftentimes a lover or lefthand chosen from the ranks of Mortals. A Mortal Consort may or may not be a High Priest.

Mynair– The Goddess of the Waters, slain by Hyrnedhna in a bloody campaign that ravaged Circadia.

Myr’naianesa– the High Priestess of Mynair that now also serves as Nepheris’s High Priestess after she spurned Beodhen.

Nepheris- The God of Contracts, bound to facilitate both the Pantheon and the Mortal World, brother to Beodhen and nephew of Verine.

The Pantheon– The ranking Gods whom Mortals worship, The Pantheon controls Divine Power. The structure of the Pantheon shifts every few hundred years or so.

Red Spring– A longstanding family of Devout formerly in service to Hyrnedhna, now among the foremost followers of Beodhen.

Vanya Red Spring– High ranking Devout of Beodhen and daughter of the Red Spring Patriarch, Alexei.