Embedded Files
─────────────────────
THE WHEEL OF MAGIC: FOUNDATIONS OF THE ARCANE
─────────────────────
The Arcanum Collective unveiled the Wheel of Magic in 1835 AA. Despite its significance, this groundbreaking framework remained largely unknown outside the circles of magic scholars and academicians, at least in the handful of years that followed.
The Arcanum Collective has continued to refine and expand the framework over time. Now that they consider it reliable, they have begun sharing it beyond academic circles.
Although the framework has gained traction among magic users, awareness of the Wheel of Magic among the common folk has spread far more slowly. But magic scholars believe it will one day be as widely known as the gods themselves.
─────────────────────
The Five Circles
The Wheel of Magic is divided into concentric circles, each representing a tier of magical power. The circles grow more powerful as you move toward the center.
The further a magic user advances along the path of magic, the deeper into the Wheel they can reach.
The First Circle: Circle of Foundation
The outermost Circle is known as the Circle of Foundation. It represents a magic user’s control over the Physical and Spiritual aspects of magic.
It is so named because to cast any magic at all, the magic user must have at least an adequate foundation in one of these aspects.
Therefore, anyone who wields any magic at all, even the weakest of magic users, has access to this Circle.
The Second Circle: Circle of Elements
This Circle represents the magic user’s mastery over the eight different base elements: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Electricity, Plant, Life, Force.
The Circle of Elements can be further divided into two concentric circles.
The outer Circle is known as the Minor Circle of Elements. For many Wilders who can cast only a single minor spell, this is the highest tier they can access.
Those who can access the Major Circle of Elements have more mastery over the elements and can cast more powerful spells, often to devastating effect.
Scholar’s Note: Sub-elemental magic requires the fusion of at least two of the eight base elements. For example, Ice magic requires the fusion of both Water and Wind magic.
The Third Circle: Circle of Ascendance
Access to the Circle of Ascendance marks a notable leap in magical ability.
While magic from the First and Second Circle grants the magic user the ability to affect the world through external forces, those who can access the Third Circle—and beyond—can wield magic that affects change internally, typically leading to self-transformation and personal empowerment—magic that brings about changes to the magic user’s Emotions, Body, Mind, or Soul.
As an example, a magic user who wields Earth magic and can only access the First and Second Circles could call forth a Shield of Stone to protect themselves from an enemy’s attack.
Against the same attack, another magic user who also wields Earth but who can access the Third Circle could cast a Stoneskin spell over themselves, turning their flesh hard as stone.
The Fourth Circle: Circle of Duality
Access to the Fourth Circle requires an understanding of the nature of duality as a harmonious whole—exemplified by the interplay of interdependent opposites that defines the natural world.
Much of the Circle of Duality’s more esoteric concepts and the names for the Circle’s halves, were drawn from classical Amerannean philosophy.
Yang. This half represents activity, warmth, dryness, light, positivity.
Yin. This half represents passivity, cold, wetness, darkness, negativity.
Some unfamiliar with classical Amerannean philosophy might refer to Yang as Light, and Yin as Darkness, but this is an oversimplification.
Likewise, labeling Yang as Good and Yin as Evil is also incorrect. Neither are inherently good or bad—they are simply interdependent opposites that define one another.
The Fifth Circle: Circle of Aethal
The innermost Circle. The Fifth Circle. Known as the Circle of Aethal.
This Circle has long proven challenging for the Arcanum Collective to integrate into the framework. Chiefly because so little is known about the true nature of Aethal or the way it works.
Aethal is… hard to define.
Magic users who have drawn upon Aethal have remarked that it feels akin to being submerged in a rough torrent of ice-cold “liquid emptiness” that resists all attempts to control it. Some have even described it as being “plunged into a raging river of void.”
To wield Aethal, to get it to do what you want it to do, requires reaching out to powerful “eddies” within the river. These “eddies” are also referred to as “pockets” within the Aethal.
Plunging into Aethal and then reaching out to the correct pocket is a formidable challenge for even the most accomplished magic users. It demands an extraordinary degree of finesse, precision, and control. Those capable of accessing the Circle of Aethal must reach out to these pockets and attune themselves to the pockets’ unique resonance in order to produce magical effects that cannot be achieved with the magics of the other Circles.
But there is precious little in the way of knowledge when it comes to what these pockets are, how many exist within Aethal, or even whether a pocket can exist within another pocket.
Until the Arcanum Collective, other scholars of magic, or even magic users themselves, uncover more about Aethal and these pockets, the Wheel of Magic’s innermost Circle will continue remaining a mystery to even those who can access it.
─────────────────────
"LESSER CIRCLES" VS "GREATER CIRCLES"
─────────────────────
Because the Circles grow more powerful as one moves toward the center of the Wheel, some have labelled the outer circles as the “Lesser Circles” and those closer to the center as the “Greater Circles”.
However, these terms can be somewhat misleading. The magics of the “Lesser Circles” are versatile and widely used, forming the foundation of many spells. While the magics from the “Greater Circles” are undeniably more powerful, they also tend to be more specialized in their applications.
─────────────────────
SPELLCASTING: ACCESSING THE CIRCLES
─────────────────────
When a magic user casts a spell, they will need to access the Circles on the Wheel—exactly which ones depends on the spell.
Example 1: Using Fire magic to heat up food
The magic user uses Fire magic to warm up their meal.
[First Circle] Draw upon the Physical half of the Circle of Foundation
[Second Circle] Draw upon the Fire element from the Minor Circle of Elements
Example 2: Casting Shield of Stone
The magic user conjures a stone shield to block an enemy’s attack.
[First Circle] Draw upon the Physical half of the Circle of Foundation
[Second Circle] Draw upon the Earth element from both the Minor and Major Circle of Elements
Example 3: Casting Stoneskin on self
The magic user turns their flesh as hard as stone.
[First Circle] Draw upon the Physical half of the Circle of Foundation
[Second Circle] Draw upon the Earth element from both the Minor and Major Circle of Elements
[Third Circle] Draw upon the Body quadrant of the Circle of Ascendance
Example 4: Casting Shatter-Proof Living Ice Form on self
The magic user transforms herself into organic ice, and can reconstitute her body should she be on the receiving end of a blow powerful enough to shatter her ice form.
[First Circle] Draw upon the Physical half of the Circle of Foundation
[Second Circle] Draw upon both the Water and Wind elements from the Minor and Major Circle of Elements to wield Ice magic, a sub-elemental magic
[Third Circle] Draw upon the Body quadrant of the Circle of Ascendance
[Fourth Circle] Draw upon the Yin half of the Circle of Duality
[Fifth Circle] Draw upon the Circle of Aethal, reaching out for a “pocket” that significantly increases the force that holds all the elements of the magic user’s body together
─────────────────────
GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT
─────────────────────
To successfully cast a spell, a magic user must achieve a state of “balance” between all the Circles they draw upon. Getting the balance right is no small feat.
The more Circles a magic user needs to access for a spell, the harder it is to get the balance just right. It’s relatively easy to get that balance right when using Fire magic to warm up a leftover meal, but it is physically and mentally taxing to achieve the balance required for the Living Ice Form spell, which requires accessing all five Circles on the Wheel.
Magic users typically refer to achieving this state of “balance” as “getting the balance right” or “achieving balance”.
To add yet another level of complexity, the Wheel of Magic turns. The Wheel as a whole turns, but so do the individual Circles, with each Circle turning at a different speed. The Circles turn progressively faster the closer they are to the center. This means the Fifth Circle turns the fastest, which might also explain why Aethal is more difficult to draw upon and wield.
So, for an Ice mage who has cast the Living Ice Form spell on herself, not only must she get the balance between all five Circles just right, her spell cannot last for long, since all the Circles are turning, and at different speeds. Eventually, balance is lost, and the spell ends.
Trying to hold onto that balance while the Wheel and its Circles turn can lead to extreme physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion.
Pushing too far may even lead to lasting damage. Or death.
─────────────────────
PATTERN: SPELLS
─────────────────────
All spells cast a pattern upon the Wheel. This pattern represents the magic from each Circle that the magic user must draw upon when casting the spell.
Since different spells draw upon different types of magic, the pattern each spell casts upon the Wheel will vary.
─────────────────────
PATTERN: MAGIC USERS
─────────────────────
Each magic user also casts a pattern on The Wheel.
A magic user’s pattern represents the entirety of the magic they are capable of casting. If a magic user can only cast a single spell, then their personal pattern will match the pattern of that spell exactly. If the magic user can cast multiple spells, their personal pattern will encompass all the different patterns cast by those spells.
Therefore, a magic user’s pattern is like a “total signature” of their entire magical repertoire. Asking a magic user what pattern they cast on the Wheel is akin to asking them how powerful they are. If a magic user grows stronger in their magical powers, the pattern they cast on the Wheel expands as well.
The Arcanum Collective have identified six broad patterns that magic users might cast on the Wheel.
These archetypes aren’t strict classifications. They’re simplified references, meant to help scholars and academicians compare overall power and versatility at a glance. They’re not intended to be official labels to box magic users in. They’re academic tools, not absolute truths.
Specks
Specks are magic users who can cast only a single minor spell—one spell that makes up their entire magical repertoire. In most cases, it’s a spell useful for everyday living, but lacking the power for combat. This is reflected on the Wheel, where Specks only have access up to the Minor Circle of Elements and can only draw upon one base element.
Specks are the most common category of magic users. Many Wilders are Specks, and remain Specks across their lifetimes.
Example of a Speck: Uncle Lem, who can cast just one minor spell, a warming spell, which he uses to warm up his meals or make mulled wine in winter.
Drops
Drops are magic users who are able to cast one strong spell, along with perhaps two or three minor ones. Their strongest spell is usually one suited for combat. Like Specks, most Drops can only draw upon one base element. But unlike Specks, Drops have access up to the Major Circle of Elements, which they typically draw upon when casting their strongest spell.
Drops are the second most common category of magic users, after Specks. If they never progress further along the path of magic, Drops tend to become very proficient at using their strongest spell.
Example of a Drop: The bandit mage found roaming the wilderness, far from the iron reach of the law. Often the sole magic user in a bandit group, their strongest spell—like say, a fireball—serves as a valuable tool for whatever nefarious schemes the crew cooks up.
Waves
Waves are magic users who can cast multiple strong spells. Although they only have access up to the Major Circle of Elements, they have full or near-full control over at least one base element. Waves who are strong in two base elements are very rare, but not completely unheard of.
If they never progress further along the path of magic, Waves often go on to achieve mastery or near-mastery over their base element.
Example of a Wave: Leader Haman, retired ex-leader of the Draconian Order, who now spends most of his time tending to his garden on the outskirts of Pompon Village. Leader Haman is capable of unleashing multiple fireballs at once, and he also has a very powerful spell that sends multiple orbs of fire plummeting to the ground, bursting into fiery flames upon impact.
Needles
Needles are so called because the pattern they cast on the Wheel resembles a needle—they can access a thin, narrow band of magic on each Circle, which tapers off sharply at the highest tier.
That makes them highly specialized magic users. They may have access to higher-level magic, but their magical arsenal is limited. In this way, they’re similar to Specks. While Specks know just one minor spell, Needles know a more powerful one, and maybe one or two variations of it, but that’s the extent of their magical toolkit.
Example of a Needle: Head Scholar Tyshia in Aldor City. Tyshia can cast Healing magic upon both herself and others. She can vary both the strength of the spell, and—if she’s not healing herself—the distance she needs to be from the one she heals. But not much beyond that. This makes her incredibly useful when treating the wounded, but not as much when trying to clear a dungeon full of Robblins.
Branches
The pattern that Branches cast on the Wheel resembles a tree branch. They can access a broader band of magic on the outer Circles, but their access to the inner Circles tapers off into multiple, narrower bands.
This means that while Branches tend to have a more specialized magical arsenal, they can also wield multiple types of magic across both the inner and outer Circles—making them much more versatile than Needles. Typically, this translates to Branches being more powerful than Needles.
Example of a Branch: The Summoner Razielle, or Raz, as she is more commonly known. Raz carries a deck of Summoning Cards, which serves as an arcane focus for her magic. When she channels her magic into the deck of Cards, she can summon the spirits of heroes from the past—or Guardians, as she calls them. Her magic weaves corporeal shells these spirits can house themselves in for the duration of the spell. And because they have physical forms, her Guardians can dish out physical, tangible damage.
Raz can also channel her magic into bolts to blast her foes—giving her an alternative means of attack and ensuring she’s not completely reliant on her Guardians for protection.
Cloaks
Cloaks are among the strongest magic users. The pattern they cast on the Wheel resembles a cloak, with a flowing body that spreads across broad areas on multiple Circles. Cloaks almost always have access to Aethal—the part of the pattern that falls on the Circle of Aethal is the “hood” of the “cloak”.
Given their access to multiple types of magic, Cloaks have magical arsenals that are both powerful and versatile. It should go without saying that Cloaks are few and far between.
Example of a Cloak: A young man by the name of Ivo, who took part in the Fourth King’s League, which started in 1830 AA. Wielding mastery over Ice and Lightning magic, he made easy work of the prestigious tournament. But for some unknown reason, after defeating the equally powerful Lazuli—a former Grand Priestess of the Goddess Eolin who had until then lived for 400 years thanks to her dark magic—Ivo suddenly sailed off into the Halcyome, never to be seen or heard from again.
─────────────────────
DAWN & DUSK
─────────────────────
It has been observed—not just by the Arcanum Collective, but also by the Aldor Scholars, and their counterparts in Helix and Ameranne—that there are years where more magic users walk the land. Whichever path of magic they tread, the number of magic users swells. Magic flourishes across the lands. Spellcasting comes easier. Magic is strong, dependable, and concordant.
In other years, the number of magic users dwindles. Casting spells becomes trickier—“getting the balance right“ or “achieving balance” becomes a challenge. Spells are more likely to trigger unexpected, sometimes chaotic, effects. Magic is capricious, unruly, and wild.
The Arcanum Collective believes these changes are caused by the turning of the Wheel of Magic. As the Wheel turns, it carries our world through two different “phases” or “states”.
When magic blooms and flourishes—when there are more magic users, especially more powerful ones—the Wheel is in its Dawn phase.
When magic grows stubborn and chaotic, when spellcasting becomes unreliable, when there are fewer magic users overall—especially those wielding the greater magics—we are in the Dusk phase.
No one knows why these phases occur. Perhaps, just like the weather, they are simply part of nature—a seasonal aspect of magic.
But, unlike with the seasons, there is no set time between Dawn and Dusk phases. According to the Arcanum Collective’s historical records, a phase might last anywhere from a handful of years to several decades.
Right now, the Arcanum Collective believes we are in a Dawn phase, which began sometime around the turn of the current century.
Perhaps in time, the Arcanum Collective—or someone else—will figure out a way to predict the beginnings and ends of these phases. For now, the only telltale sign of Prism moving into a Dusk phase would be if magic in the world suddenly started going awry.
Page updated
Report abuse