Greetings, Magic Worker, Wizard, Soothsayer, or whatever you may be. Perhaps you were a powerful wizard where you came from, all but all powerful. Perhaps you were a dabbler, picking up basics of the craft when necessary. Perhaps you knew a single spell, perhaps you knew thousands -- perhaps you were one of the few who could create spells, as well as cast.

Note the use of the word 'were'. For all that has changed; here, you know no more than a child. That is to say, nothing. Worse than nothing, as a matter of fact. Your spells might still work, but not as you anticipated, and definitely not as you desire.

You see, each world has a magic to it's own, and Faerin is no exception. We have been further complicated by the abundance of differing enchantments coming in to the land. To summarize, any magic you may have known will no longer do as it should. Effects will be off, requirements will be off...all in all, you will be best to study the new magic of Faerin before casting.

And Faerin Magic is not disappointing. There are many facets of it, whether through ritual, through incantations, through potions, through magical scrolls, through enchanted items, and through many other aspects. The following requirements seem to be constant for any cast spell, though.

You must have prior knowledge of the spell;
You must have inner reserve great enough to handle the required spell
You must be able to focus your concentration on the spell (Making complicated spells very difficult on the field of battle)

If any objects are required for the spell, as foci or reagents, they must be present as you begin the casting. Most of the more powerful spells require some form of foci, usually forged of gold or some other precious metal. (Their value in magic being what makes them precious, of course)

The types of Magic

-*- Formula Magic -*-

Formula Magic comes in several kinds; some of it is a combination of various herbs, chemicals and what have you (Alchemy, for instance); there's also rituals that when done will create a needed effect. There are also strange devices that -- when everything is placed properly, down to the smallest detail -- can create light, fire strange bolts of energy, and more things that the mundane mind can barely fathom. Various books of formulae, constants, procedures and what not are apparently common in the worlds outside of Faerin, and we, too, have our share.

It is important to note that, along with all other magics, the formulae do not always work properly after coming through into Faerin. My studies and conversations with various world-travelers would seem to indicate that this is not due to the disruption of the Portal, but rather to an underlying change in the constants that Formula Magic bases itself on! This, in itself, explains a lot of the difficulty newcomers have with Faerin magic; for their 'sciences' do not match ours.

For those who wish to learn the magic of Faerin, I would suggest studying Formula Magic as the easiest way. It is both safer and simpler than Source Magic, and can be quite powerful when the proper formulae are learned.

-*- Source Magic -*-

Source magic, while far more complicated than Formula Magic, holds with it the opportunity for more diversity and stronger powers. The disadvantage of it is that is more difficult to learn and to control -- and a miscast spell can vary from draining to devastating to deadly.

To use Source Magic -- as the name implies -- you need an external source upon which your power relies. Then, you need to determine some method of tapping it, or getting it to share its power with you. Your magic is only as reliable as its Source; if the Source is depleted or unable to reach you, then you too will be unable to use magic.

As an example, the Tresidhe Elves live in a semi-symbiosis with their forest, using the Forest's magic as the Source for their power. The closer they are to the forest, then, the more powerful they are. The forest willingly gives it's power to the Elves in exchange for service, but not all Sources are willing. Unwilling Sources are dangerous, as they may turn and it is a constant struggle for power. It is far safer to have a willing (or non-sentient) Source.

For those who had Source Magic from other realms, you will undoubtedly find your magic useless; for you need a Source to activate your magic, and your Source is no longer with you!

I discourage entries into this sort of magic until you have a general mastery of Formula Magic; as the tapping of power is a difficult feat in itself, as in the finding of a Source. As well, while Formula Magic has no repercussions onto mistakes (save for when the wrong formula is stumbled upon, or the attacking beast is not neutralized) Source Magic can have a variety of effects on the caster if something goes wrong. I highly recommend beginners stay away from it.

-*- Enchantments -*-

Some objects -- swords, shields, potions, scrolls, rings, amulets, and other assorted trinkets -- have through some means or reason become enchanted by an outside spell. The type of Magic that did this has been proven irrelevant; the object holds its own magic now, and can be used by anyone. (Excusing, of course, spells that require attributes on the part of the user; these are rare.) Any unknown enchanted item should be brought to the Faerin Library immediately for perusal and identification, and treated with utmost caution; it is no small thing to accidentally summon a hostile Dragon when merely looking for the scroll with directions to your companions house.

These "enchanted objects" are not to be confused with foci, which are objects used in Formula Magic to enhance or empower a magical spell. While some Foci do become enchanted through the Magic, they normally hold no power by themselves, and require a magician to use. (There are, of course, enchanted Foci -- but the two terms are not to be used interchangeably)

-*- Combinatorial Magic -*-

Some of the greatest spells require a combination of the above magic -- an enchanted object, a formula, and a Source, all working together in unison. This can produce an incredible effect; but is very difficult to achieve without destroying yourself in the process, and often uses up the objects in the process.

The greatest examples of this are the spell that protected the Tresidhe Elves from the Great Wizards and the spell that created the Portal in the Faerin Inn. The details of how either was done is a mystery, but from examination of the spells, we can determine that foci were used in both.

For anyone who has mastered both Formula and Source Magic, the art of combining them is a simple next step.

-*- Intrinsic Magic -*-

Some creatures or objects have somehow become Sources of their own power. How this is done is yet to be determined; but those with Intrinsic Magic are normally used as Sources for those who need it. If I am ever able to locate such a being, I will undoubtedly discover more; but until then, I include it only as a matter of interest.

-*- In Conclusion -*-

For those of you who wish to start studying Faerin magic, allow me to make a suggestion; focus your study on a specific area rather than attempting to learn everything at once. Some of the more popular classifications are: Aggressive, Defensive, Healing/Life, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Death.

All in all, this should give you a brief glimpse as to what Faerin's magic is like. If you wish to study further into Faerin's magic (which I recommend) report at the Faerin library and we shall see what we can do. Father Agretanos