Introduction
Magic manifests in many forms, and there are countless interpretations of what this entails.
Scholars and students of magic can be found everywhere, even in places where magic is seen as taboo or forbidden. In fact, this is more the rule than the exception.
In the Ordolite Empire, which spans numerous worlds, magic is more of a problem than a solution, while cities like Härsaggon outright ban its direct use.
However, magic is not absent from people’s lives. For the Kanaöni, not only is there a powerful magical affinity flowing through their people, but they are also regularly exposed to the powerful forces of creation. The Ünimi, creatures capable of invoking magic at will and naturally, can cause invasions and ravage cities if they cross their migratory paths.
This is why there are trades and practices that allow for “controlled” magic use. Enchanted weapons and armor, shields that deflect spells, jewelry capable of giving superhuman strength to the weakest, scrawniest individual.
This is where our Types of Magic come into play.
The Primary Types
The approach we take to talk about magic, history, and other events in Harbinger of the Ancestors is based on the beliefs spread throughout the world of Khäria, particularly in the territories of the Actubrian Protectorate.
The entire world-building of Harbinger of the Ancestors is seen through the eyes of a Khäria native, especially since the protagonists of the story live in this world.
In this case, it fits perfectly, as Khäria is considered the “world of magic,” due to its strong presence of summoners, ünimi, a great ethnographic variety, and an excess of magical natural disasters.
Regarding Types of Magic, there is a conception of Primary Types and Secondary Types, which we’ll see later on, but the Primary Types are further categorized into Original and Second-Generation Types.
Original Types of Magic
Countless times, people have philosophized about the creation of the universe, and in Harbinger of the Ancestors, this is no different. The belief that Creation was carried out by a cosmic and superior being called Oüne is quite widespread throughout Khäria, though there are also those who believe in the Ancestors as the forerunners and architects of the universe and its events.
In other faiths, these beliefs converge: Oüne created the universe and then separated its essence to give birth to the Ancestors. The freedom of worship is important in the Actubrian Protectorate, so you will not be judged if you choose one belief or the other.
One common point is the existence of the Ethereals, beings who belong to planes of existence parallel to the material plane and who influence creation directly and indirectly depending on each case.
The Original Types of Magic are associated with the Ancestors and the Ethereals. In this sense, we find the original types present at the universe’s origin:
- Elemental Magic, tied to the Ancestors and the division into eight elements: fire, earth, water, air, metal, light, shadows, and energy.
- Arcane Magic, pure and pristine magic, linked to the Ethereal Enären. Much can be said about this type of magic, the plane of magic, and the Enären Network.
- Nature Magic, connected to the Ethereal Türma. It’s been theorized that the material plane is essentially the world where Türma exists by default.
- Dream Magic, associated with the Ethereal Larënni and its Domains of Larënni, the dream world.
- Spiritual Magic, tied to the Ethereal Eshïra. Some consider that the world of Eshïra is the afterlife, although it’s hard to know for sure.
- Chaos and Order Magic, a type of magic related to what would be physicochemical reactions. Some scholars theorize that Chaos and Order are merely facets or avatars of Türma.
Second Generation
After the original Ethereals and Ancestors came other entities. The universe is not static but dynamic and even plastic, malleable, and moldable.
I could go on for hours about all the stories regarding the origin of Nightmares, but for now, let’s just focus on the fact that it exists as a Type of Magic. Just like the chaos-order dichotomy, one could say there’s a dreams-nightmares duality. Let’s bookmark that for further exploration later on.
There are two types of magic derived from elemental magic, and despite the similarities to the original version, they are easily recognizable: dark magic and resplendent magic.
The belief is that some Ancestors were tempted by power, greed, and other negative feelings, giving rise to shadowy beings. In this conflict, two Ancestors changed their essence and became Ethereals:
- Ända, of Light, transformed into what is known as Resplendence, a type of magic that seeks the total absence of shadows and complete control over creation.
- Mürne, of Shadows, transformed into Darkness, a type of magic that seeks to devour creation and plunge it into total darkness.
Mürne won this war by creating Dark Magic, a replica of Arcane Magic but corrupt and vile. Of course, you’ve probably guessed it by now: there are those who believe that Dark Magic is the natural antithesis of Enären, representing the Duality of the Universe.