Magical System and Peoples of the Third Kingdom
The Third Kingdom is home to a number of magical people and creatures. The basic principles of magic apply to all, but each has its own limitations and abilities. Some terms are the result of bias and discrimination, both within the magical world and the general population. The terms used for each type of magical person can help identify their powers, limitations, and can say something about their background and approach to magic.
A Sorcerer (male) and a Sorceress (female) have a natural magical power that will generally reveal itself to the person very early on, usually before the age of ten. These men and women are considered the more powerful of the magical folk since their powers flow more freely. Even though their powers present themselves naturally, without effort, they must work at improving their skills. While both men and women have the same abilities, Sorcerers are generally considered to be more powerful. This is simply because the average man is physically stronger than the average female. Since using magic drains your physical strength, the stronger the person is physically, the more magic they can wield without waiting for their body to recover.
A Wizard (male) or Wizardess (female) must work to expose their magical powers. Their powers do not present themselves and can remain untapped for an entire lifetime. With constant practice and education, it is possible for a Wizard or Wizardess to equal or nearly equal the powers of a Sorcerer. As it can take more effort for a Wizard to use magic, it can also be more draining on them physically. (It is important to remember that if a magical person attempts to invoke a charm, spell or enchantment that requires more physical strength than they have, the magic will not work and the magical person can suffer great physical discomfort, disfigurement and even death.)
A Witch (female) is a person who must work to achieve their magical powers. The powers of some females are greatly limited; some believe this to be biological, a 'magical ailment' that only affects certain women. In order to achieve any true level of magical ability, these women must attach themselves to dark magic. They are easily distinguished from a Wizardess or Sorceress by their limited skill set and their use of dark charms and spells. This 'ailment' is not limited to any specific race, or species and its actual cause is unknown.
A Warlock (male) is the son of a witch. While this person may attain the powers equal to a wizard or sorcerer, they will never be accepted as an equal in the magical community. They will always be seen as a lower class of magic folk. Many have tried to hide their lineage, but any physical contact with another magical person will reveal their true identity. This oppression has left many Warlocks resentful, and they often turn to the dark arts to help increase their powers.
Necromancer is a very rare magical ability that allows a magical person, male or female, to draw energy from those around them. They can draw physical energy from other wizards, non-magical people, or from animals, especially livestock such as horses or oxen that have great physical strength. By drawing the strength of others, the person can cast spells more often and of greater complexity without the fear of draining their own physical strength and making themselves helpless and vulnerable, or even harming themselves. This is a very rare ability and is even seen as mythical by many.
An Enchanter is a non-magical person who still possesses the ability to use magical or enchanted items. Their powers and abilities are limited to the strength of the item they are using. An enchanter does not drain their own physical strength when casting a spell or charm; all of the energy is taken from the item.
An alchemist is a term for a magical person who uses their powers strictly for financial gain. The most famous spell, considered impossible by most, is the ability to turn a lesser metal, such as iron, tin or copper, into pure gold. It is believed by many that Flueric was the only magical person to ever perfect this spell. If he was able to perfect the spell, Flueric took the secret to his grave.
Chronomancer – a magical person who can control time, speed it up, slow it down, or pause it entirely. How long they can pause time for is limited by their magical powers. This is considered one of the rarest magical skills.
Note - While magical folk can hide their powers from non-magical folk, whenever two magical people physically touch, they will reveal themselves to one another. They will not sense detail, but they will be able to gauge the others' powers and, to some degree, their abilities. A physical touch will also reveal if the two people are related through their magical lineage. - While a casual bump in a crowded market might alert a person to the presence of another magical soul nearby, a more deliberate contact, such as a handshake or a hug, is required to truly gauge their power level and magical lineage.
In order to control, focus and aim their magic, a magical person will generally use a conductor. This is generally in the form of a wand but can also be a ring, pendant, staff, or walking stick. In very rare instances, Wizards have used a sword or dagger, but natural elements such as wood or gemstones are far more reliable and allow for greater control. The size of the instrument is generally not an issue; it is a matter of personal preference. In some cultures, they use strictly rings, which can be enhanced by wearing multiple rings or with the addition of bracelets.
Magical Terms;
Spell – a general term for a magical act
Charm – Changes the properties or behaviors of an item
without altering its physical appearance.
Enchantment – Signifies a long-term change
Potion – A brewed or concocted item meant to be consumed,
usually a liquid.
Jinx – Rather minor spell, short-term, practical joke
Hex – Slightly more serious, longer-lasting, reversible
Curse – Meant to be long-term, quite often painful or
unpleasant
The ‘Key’ to a charm of spell – While very few can see it,
every spell, charm or enchantment has a key. The more complex the spell, the
harder it is to find the Key. If you are able to locate the Key you can then
escape or even control the spell, potion, charm or enchantment. – Think of it
as a mathematical formula. The more complex the magic, the more complex the
math/formula.
