The Thrice-Three Principles

Magic is, simply put, manipulation of the stuff of Fate. As such, only individuals marked and picked out by Fate to be Legends can learn to manipulate its esoteric energies. Whether all Legends or merely a select few are capable of performing magic is unclear, but it is clear that many legends are either unable to do so or unaware of their talent for the magical arts.

The magical theorists and theologians of the Church and of contemporary scholarship adhere to a system for dividing reality, Fate and Magic into nine interconnected principles, known as the Thrice-Three Principles. These Principles were expounded upon in detail by the Prophet, and are the framework around which contemporary magic theory is built. Occidan Legends that have magical abilities are automatically affiliated with one of these nine principles, which is an important part of their nature, magical style and personality. Beyond the nine divisions, the Principles are also placed in groups of three, known as Great Principles or the Triads. Each of the Triads is a group of three Principles connected conceptually to one another. Each of the Triads is more rarefied and abstract than the last, progressing from the material and observable world on to matters of the nature of life, death and the soul and on from there to abstracts related to the purpose that drives the other principles, concerned with why rather than what.

Practitioners of the Art generally focus on one of the Principles, though they can learn some magical skills pertaining to other Principles as well. See the chapter on Magic [page xx] for more details on the mechanics of magic use.

The First Great Principle – Manus, The Triad of the Hand

Manus is the triad of those principles that deal most closely with the material, observable world and the ability of thinking beings to perceive and interact with it

Mind

The Enchanters - Mind is the principle of perception, worldly awareness, factual knowledge and thought. The human mind's messy tangle of contradictions, emotions and motivations is the playground of the Mind magician. Enchanters can cloud and manipulate the minds and senses of others as well as bestow clarity and insight and heightened awareness. Discerning the motives and desires of others is the stock in trade of Legends of the Mind - together with their impressive ability to even take complete mental control of others, Mind magicians inevitably swim in murky ethical waters. Many take a cavalier attitude to others' rights and privacy. They tend to be dispassionate and emotionally remote - their abilities lay people bare so thoroughly and intimately that most Enchanters seek a degree of distance from others. At their best, these Legends are perceptive, insightful and intelligent, using their powers to gain knowledge and influence others for good as investigators, counselors, lawyers, scholars and the like, and at their worst they are mental rapists stealing secrets or charlatans living within layers of lies, illusion and manipulation.

Forces

The Elementalists - This is the Principle associated with the dynamic and inconstant natural elements. Fire, wind, electricity, waves and other natural forces are under the purview of Forces. Forces-wielders tend to be mercurial and passionate individuals, full of boundless energy. At one moment, they can be diffuse and distracted or even serene but at the next they can be terrifyingly focused on a very specific task - or simply terrifying. Subtlety is often lost on Elementalists, who tend to be direct, blunt and straightforward. Given that the weather itself can be theirs to command, scions of Forces can command a healthy dose of respect and fear from common people, and out of all magicians are perhaps the most readily recognized as miracle-workers. At their best, Elementalists are kindly yet fierce warriors, experimenters, stargazers and outright adventurers - at their worst, they are reavers, pyromaniacs, capricious warlords and stormcallers.

Substance

The Alchemists - Substance is the Principle of the physical, observable and tangible realm. Stone, earth and the trappings of mortal beings are under this purview, as is pretty much anything that is concrete and established. Legends of Substance tend to be "down to earth" to pardon a pun. They're practical, sensible, rational and patient... but once riled, their fury is that of an avalanche. They also tend to be very crafty and handy yet with a strong materialistic and self-serving streak. A lot of the better scions of Substance end up becoming great artificers, engineers, natural-philosophers and the like while many of the worst are greedy merchants, counterfeiters or demented arms inventors.

The Second Great Principle – Anima, The Triad of the Soul

Anima is the collective gathering of three Principles that are more rarefied in concept than Manus, being those three principles most concerned with the soul itself, whether in life, in death or in transition from one state of being to another or from one plane of existence to another.

Horizons

The Psychopomps or Evokers - The Principle of Horizons has a lot to do with the interactions between different layers of reality and liminal points within the material and conceptual as well. The barriers and accesses between the Material Realm and the Otherworlds are complex and the relationship between the various realms impacts the health of each intimately. The transition from one place, one dimension or one state to another are tied up in this Principle, which is greatly interested in bringing what is here and taking it there, or in taking what is already there and bringing it here and especially inthe transition in between, that ambiguous state where what was has not yet become what will be. Limits on understanding and even the sense of an object or person's identity blur in these spaces... and therein is the power of the Horizon. The seeking of new knowledge for the sake of novelty also falls within this purview. Horizon-walkers tend to be restless and curious, always driven with a compelling wanderlust, yearning to see the next sunrise, the next hilltop or the other side of the next doorway. While both scions of Horizons and Concord are adept at travel and movement related magics, they do so from a different conceptual underpinning, and often to different ends; Horizon-walkers are much more interested in dimensional travel, portals, swift movement and summoning. At their best, Evokers are explorers, trailblazers or theorists. At their worst, Evokers are pirates, demonologists and brutal robbers.

Life

The Lifeshapers - Life the nurturing Principle of birthing, of springtime, of green growing things and of youth as well as the blood-spattered and heaving Principle of hunger, predation and sex. Growth, physical development and survival epitomize the Principle and its adherents. Lifeshapers are emotional beings who feel deeply and fully, savoring the smells, tastes and sensations of the world about them. Plants and the beasts of the field alike are subject to their will, and they can draw upon a connection with all that lives. Healing the wounded and ill comes easily to the experienced Lifeshaper, but the enterprising Legends soon discover that this is merely the beginning of their command over the flesh. They can mold, twist and warp life into new and original forms, or even from one species into another entirely. At their best, Lifeshapers are healers, midwives, protectors of the wild places and beastfriends. At their worst, these Legends are hedonistic sensualists, vengeful woods-furies or deranged fleshcrafters leaving a trail of leathery gibbering things in their wake.

Death

The Necromancers - People die; things fall apart; the center cannot hold. Death is the principle of autumn, night, entropy, disease, dissolution and of course death itself. This influence over destruction also confers some power to influence the destroyed - sites of ruin, corpses and even the departed spirits of the dead are subject to the Necromancer's will. Especially powerful necromancers dare to actually step across the veil of mortality to walk in the world of the dead and stand face to face with legions of shades that inhabit that place. More than any other Legends, the power of Death's scions fuels the nightmares and dark imaginings of common people. Magicians affiliated with Death tend to be somber, thoughtful and stoic though often with a certain morbid sense of humor. One thing that might surprise others is that Necromancers are frequently very gentle and compassionate souls. Less surprisingly, others are deeply callous and bitter. At their best, Necromancers are mourners, physicians, mediums and merciful angels of death while at their worst they are serial killers, plague-sowers, vivisectionists and graverobbers surrounded by a horde of rotting slaves.

The Third Great Principle – Telos, The Triad of Judgment

Telos is the collection of three Principles considered the highest and most refined in nature, being less tied up in natural or spiritual phenomena and more tied up within the nature of truth, enlightenment and even the cosmic nature of right and wrong, of good and evil. Where the other six priciples are concerned largely with the questions of "what, where and how," the three Principles of Telos are much more connected to the "why."

Vision

The Seers or Visionaries – Vision is the Principle of higher awareness and greater purpose, taking the other Principles as the building blocks of a better world. Knowledge of the hand of Fate on future, past and far places is used as part of the process of seeking the wisdom to exercise judgment. Without Vision, the world perishes, for the untrammeled energy of Opposition and the purposeless direction of Concord cannot be properly balanced unless there is a balance between them. Vision is the Principle of perspective, intuition and, paradoxically, logic. Visionaries are deeply attuned to their surroundings and the flow and rhythms to be found therein, and have a knack for understanding chance and probability. At their best, scions of Vision are wise men, statesmen and forward-thinking geniuses. At their worst, Visionaries are lost in the mechanisms of Fate and become manipulative gamesters toying with others as mere pawns in a vast game that only the Legends themselves can see.

Concord

The Concordians – This is the principle of oneness, connection not only between persons but locations. This is the Principle of order and structure in both society and magic, pushing back the raw chaos that is the beginning of things and putting it into order. Without Concord, there can be no cooperation or direction. Concord is the principle of coming together, combination and cohesion, the bringing of disparate things together and of the connections between things. Persuasion, negotiation, travel and anything that brings one thing into contact with another.  Concordians are noted for their mastery of spatial magics - they are as interested in unity of space as they are in social unity and so are able to perform feats like bilocation, teleportation and the folding of space. At their best, scions of Concord are mediators, enablers, organizers, promoters of virtuous society and advocates. At their worst, they are reactionaries, cynical manipulators and tyrants. (Space / Connection / Unity)

Opposition

The Contraries or Discordians – Opposition is the principle of reactions between people, substances and purposes, of physical and societal barriers, and of raw unformed chaos. Accordingly, this principle represents the powerful, primordial Source and motive energy that impels to action and ambition, and is largely considered the Principle most connected to raw, pure magic. Without Opposition, there can be no power and vigor. Opposition is the principle of strife, of struggle and of the pain of a new idea. Innovation and creativity are tightly linked with this Principle.  At their best, scions of Opposition are philosophers, questioners, artists, innovators and crusaders. At their worst they are contrarians, nihilists and blood-soaked rebels. They are always dynamic, forceful beings and catalysts of change. (Change / Barriers / Conflict)

Magicians in Occida

Magic is a known and accepted part of life in Occida, and its practitioners tend to be viewed with a mixture of awe, reverence and dread. They are noteworthy individuals, rare and potent - while any large city will likely have several spellcasters in residence, it cannot be said that every town or hamlet would do so. Many player characters will be magically endowed, though hardly all shall be - the magical characters are more directly aware of the flow and impact of Fate around them, but they have no more Fate points or Aspects than would any other Legend and in fact they have to devote one of their Aspects to the possession of magical talents. Magicains are considered to be sages, miracle-workers and very dangerous individual to cross. It is no accident that most Occidan magic-workers are recruited into the ranks and employ of the Church, for the Church offers them a measure of protection from accusations of witchcraft as well as access to resources and tutors to help them hone their esoteric Arts. Independent sorcerers tend to end up as advisors to powerful men, prominent scholars or tradespeople (artificers or alchemists, for example), as hermits or as itinerant sages.

Contemporary magical scholarship recognizes a formal system of nomenclature for ranks of attainment in the Arts. At the lowest rung are Novices who have just begun their studies but not yet attained any appreciable skill or control, then Initiates who have made the first tentative steps into control of the mysteries and generally been formally recognized for the same. Above the Initiate is the Disciple, an intermediate stage where the magician is known to be able to function independently but is sometimes considered best left under supervision. Next is the Adept, a truly independent and accomplished magic-worker that is viewed as something like a journeyman. Last and highest is the rank of Master, which is reserved for the revered and feared sages that have attained the highest degree of proficiency in the Art.

Witchcraft

"Witchcraft" is a handy and vague term that is bandied about with regards to black magic and its practitioners. What precisely comprises black magic is a matter of some dispute and confusion. The most common and accepted definition of witchcraft is magic that is used by sorcerers that are in league with maleficent spiritual forces like devils or the Lords of Winter. Given the view that occidans and the Church traditionally hold of the gods worshipped by heathen peoples, this is generally considered to include magicians subscribing to any non-sentierian religious persuasion and even to heterodox sentierians as well. Interestingly, the term is usually not applied to magic-wielding practitioners of Hassam, though the distinction is a fine one since they are widely considered the enemy regardless of whether or not they happen to be witches. Another thing that tends to be regarded as witchcraft is the use of magic to afflict and torment other people, to work curses or similarly "dark" practices like the animation of corpses to act as servants or footsoldiers. Sometimes, use of magic for selfish or cruel ends is tarred with the same brush.

Charges of witchcraft are sometimes invoked against known magicans (or even non-magicians) simply out of spite, to eliminate or discredit a rival or for purely political ends. This can be particularly effective in cases where the accused is already unpopular or part of some marginalized group. Witchcraft is a charge that most civil bodies consider a capital offense. The specific form of execution for convicted witches varies by jurisdiction with either hanging, burning at the stake or stoning being typical. Though the Episcopal witch-hunters do not themselves have the authority to levy judgment or to perform judicial execution, they do however have the ability to detain (usually in cooperation with local authorities) and bring those that they accuse before Church (Inquisitorial) courts for excommunication as well as civil courts which do indeed have the authority to put witches to death. This is not to say that witch-hunters do not at times kill witches, but when they do so it is usually out of self-defense or expediency in cases where the witch in question is too dangerous or otherwise problematic to bring in alive.

The Archons and the Principles

There are, at any time, precisely nine living beings that were born with a symbiotic link to nine great monuments that act as foci for energies relating to the Thrice-Three Principles. Those nine monuments, towering statues known as the Colossi, are collectively tied to the health and well being of the world itself. These beings are chosen at birth, which happens at the very moment that their predecessor dies. Each has an instinctive grasp for their respective Principle and is always gifted with the ability to work magic as well as insight into the nature of the world and their own Principle. These magicians are known as Archons. Archons that serve for any extensive period of time invariably quickly reach the status of master magicians in their own right, though at times they are rank novices when their destiny is discovered. They traditionally have made up a council that oversees the weal of the nations round about and acts as advisors and mediators for the powers that be. Their power has been far-reaching and entrenched. Collectively, they are known as the Council of Archons.