In Runera, magic is an inherently dangerous and uncontrollable force that is both rare and mysterious. There are two types of magic: divine magic, also called the "Greater Gift," and arcane magic, commonly referred to as "Chaos." ### The Greater Gift Divine magic has existed in Runera since the Making of the World, and was bestowed upon mortals by the [[gods]] themselves. Despite its Heavenly origins, the Gift is tumultuous and incredibly difficult to control; its vast and unknowable power was not meant for mortal hands, and will quickly tear asunder the undisciplined or untrained. The Gift can also be bestowed upon mortals by the Black Hand of the [[Maloth|Nightfather]], whose fell power is even more ungovernable than that of the Heavens. Only a very rare few are born with the ability to draw the power of the Heavens or Void from beyond the [[Veil]]. Even fewer ever truly master it, with most slowly succumbing to insanity that manifests as crazed babbling and self-mutilation, before they violently destroy themselves (and often others) with their delinquent power. A soul blessed with the Gift must seek out one who can train them to control their abilities, elsewise they will degenerate just as quickly as the other "Children of Prophecy" who can be found writhing madly in the gutters of any major city. ### Chaos Arcane magic first entered the world during the [[Coalescence]], when Balcorion destroyed the [[Mantle]] and the barrier between Runera and the Beyond was abolished. The Black Prince himself was the first wielder of Chaos, using it to field armies of goblinoids and raise his fell stronghold of the Godspire. After the [[Veil]] was formed, children began to be born with the ability to draw Chaos from the Beyond, a talent that if left untended eventually resulted in madness and mutation into hideous [[Urgot|urgot]]. Some of these Chaos-born individuals, however, learned to control their powers and prevent mutation, thus beginning Runera's tradition of mages, magicians, and sorcerers. Chaos is inherently dangerous and destructive, originating from the dark and mysterious Beyond, an unfathomable mire of profane power whose origin and nature remains a great mystery. Some magicians believe that the Beyond is the "sea" that the many worlds of the cosmos drift upon, but others hold that this is too great a simplification. Regardless of its true nature, Chaos is inherently undivine and unbound from the whims of the [[gods]], making it equal parts powerful and perilous. Due to Chaos' anarchic nature, many have resorted to rigid study and rationalization to better control its power. Many magicians pour over countless tomes and enforce strict procedures to master the particulars of their abilities, though this greatly restricts the limits of their magic. Others, however, embrace Chaos' tumultuous nature in search of greater power, though always with severe consequences. ### Laws of Magic Whether magic comes from the Beyond, the Heavens, or the Void, it is united in its connection to the [[Veil]] and its potential for inadvertently creating violent [[Veil Rifts|rifts]] in its fabric. Drawing magic from beyond the [[Veil]] is an incredibly taxing and dangerous process which requires magic users to rip small tears in its fabric to funnel their power through. Sometimes, however, these tears can behave erratically, and will evolve into seething [[Veil Rifts|Veil rifts]]. Malignant powers from the Beyond, the Void, and perhaps even the Heavens, course through the [[Veil]] at all times, and will violently surge through these [[Veil Rifts|rifts]] to cause calamity and corruption. The disastrous effects caused by [[Veil Rifts|Veil rifts]] range from [[Spell List|spells]] growing uncontrollable in their power, to horrid abominations being summoned that wreak havoc upon the mortal world. The first appearance of magical ability in mortals directly coincides with the onset of puberty. It is during these otherwise challenging years that a magically gifted individual first sees sparks of their power, often resulting in unintentional death and destruction. If intervention by a learned individual is not made, they will continue to struggle to control their powers and eventually mentally and physically deteriorate. Young girls, however, and all other women, are able to tolerate magic's unrest with far greater success than boys and men, who are more prone to succumbing to madness, mutation, and calamity. All sexes, however, may be permanently stripped of their magical ability through the removal of the testes or ovaries. The sole exception to this are individuals who deliberately undergo the modification or removal of their gonads for reasons of personal spiritual fulfillment; they are seemingly immune to such magical nullification and can only have their powers stripped through complex spellcraft. Additionally, due to their inherently inferior control over magic, some [[cultures]] choose to eradicate or forcibly castrate any men and non-women who show signs of magical ability during puberty. In addition, the frequent use of magic atrophies the gonads, resulting in infertility for most well-practiced wielders of Chaos or the Gift. It is this often inevitable sterility coupled with the unpredictable heritability of magical talent that makes magical bloodlines exceptionally rare and difficult to cultivate. In fact, most individuals born with magical ability present either a complete lack of previous talent in their genealogy or an ancestor so far-flung that they exact nearly no influence on the present genes. This has led many magicians to theorize that while magical talent may be inherited, it is primarily a spontaneous genealogical phenomenon caused by unknown forces. All magic is magic, regardless of its origin, and while some powers and [[Spell List|spells]] may be unique to Chaos or the Gift, the majority of magical effects can be replicated by either force. While some may attain greater control over spellcraft through practice or prayer, a cold and bitter fact remains: magic is a calamitous power that mortals will never truly master.