Magic Arcanum

agic and technology do not mix, at the most basic level. Magic works by bending physical law, allowing an effect to occur that would otherwise be impossible. For example, when a spellcaster produces a lightning bolt, he is causing (through an act of will) electrons to flow from one spot to another, despite the fact that the electric potential of the destination may be equal or higher than the source. This is in clear violation of physical law, but the caster has temporarily suppressed that law in their local environment. Thus, magic is a way to tell the universe "Do what I want!" It is very powerful but very personal.

Technology is the exact opposite. Technology relies on physical law to operate, and the use of a technological item or skill serves to reinforce the physical law on which it operates. When a technologist shoots a gun, he is relying on the chemical properties of the gunpowder to create a controlled explosion in the gun's chamber and propel the bullet forward. By using this gun repeatedly, he is actually strengthening those chemical properties, making them harder to subvert through magic.

Therefore, magic and technology oppose each other. Magic is constantly bending or suppressing physical law, while technology is reinforcing those same laws. Obviously, both cannot succeed when directed at the same physical law. Hence, there is conflict.

Magic is broken down into 16 colleges, with each college defining the type of subject matter that its spells can effect. So the Mental college contains spells that affect the mind, the Divination spells bring information to the caster, and Meta spells affect other spells. Within each college, there are five spells of varying difficulty to master, for a total of 80 spells within the game. The full list of colleges described as follows:

• Conveyance - Deals with motion and transportation.
• Divination - Concerns itself with the gathering of knowledge through magical means.
• Air - Holds the spells that manipulate the first elemental material, that of air and wind.
• Earth - Holds the spells that manipulate the second elemental material, that of earth and stone.
• Fire - Holds the spells that manipulate the third elemental material, that of fire and heat.
• Water - Holds the spells that manipulate the fourth elemental material, that of water and ice.
• Force - Contains spells that manipulate and direct pure energy.
• Mental - Contains spells that influence and control the minds of their targets.
• Meta - Contains spells that affect other spells.
• Morph - Contains spells that change the substance of the target.
• Nature - Contains spells that control plants, animals, and natural forces.
• Black Necromantic - Contains spells that negatively affect the life force of a creature.
• White Necromantic - Contains spells that positively affect the life force of a creature.
• Phantasm - Contains spells that concern the control of light and illusion.
• Summoning - Contains spells that concern the summoning of creatures of progressive power.
• Temporal - Concerns spells that control the flow of time.