The Pentanthera Organization was formed around 300 years ago by a man known only as Ralakan. He was a brilliant scientist and sorcerer, and he had been a major researcher in a facility conducting experiments involving blending magic and technology. But after a series of events where he was wronged, discredited, betrayed, and eventually cast out, he formed the Organization to pursue his goals on his terms. He created a set of beliefs he called The Ideals, and began working to spread them across the Spiral. Nowadays the Organization has grown enormous and in some ways cult-like - there are many devoted members who follow the ideals religiously. They have taken multiple worlds on the edges of the Spiral, and are slowly moving inward. They call this movement the Idealization, and Pentanthera views it as spreading their beliefs in order to create an ideal world. Pentanthera is known for superior technology and powerful magic, as well as ruthlessness and cunning. Ralakan himself has never been seen outside of the Pentanthera Compound for more than a century, but his daughter Sinthea is second in command, and has been spotted in several corners of the Spiral, following some sort of mysterious agenda to further the Pentanthera Organization's goals.

Alright,I suppose I could add some definitions there:

Sangromancy is the magical art and science of using the atavistic force of passion,the innate power of life force energy,found flowing in the blood or other substances within one's circulatory system(bugs have hemolymph in the place of blood) to produce change within the world in accordance with the will of the operator.


I'll just add a couple of these things:

Events:

The Battle of the Passage of the Spirits:Tension between the political superpowers of the Spiral within the Polarian War led them to commit atrocities within the other worlds of the Spiral,including the mysterious city of Shadowmoor,renown for its great Cathedral which honored all of the Spirits of the Spiral.When the Powers unleashed the Siege of Shadowmoor,the city was surrounded.The Powers of the Spiral came,pillaging and desecrating the Cathedral,smashing the altars,destroying the idols,and such.The Spirits,enraged at this sacrilege,plunged the Cathedral into the Spirit World,where it remains to this day.

I'm uncertain as to where to classify this but:

The Rite of the Sacred Fire

This is a ritual that was performed by the High Priestesses of the Old Way in Avalon,to any who personally offended them or the ways of magic.A mandrake root's screams can kill.A brew is made with a wide of herbs and the mandrake is bathed in it.The blasphemer is locked in a tower,with these muddy mandrakes.The effects of them,cause hallucinations in everyone in a room,hallucinations that invoke their darkest secrets and most forbidden fears and scar them.The person is kept there for four months,and their screams can be heard six leagues away.When the process of mentally scarring them to its fullest degree is done,the High Priestess offers bread,with her own blood within it,and words of comfort.When that happens,loyalty to her is the only loyalty the victim will have.The person is gone,and they are a slave to the will of the Priestess.

Items

Hungry Grass
Hungry Grass is a patch of grass,that was cursed through several necromantic fairy spells.Anyone who walked across it was doomed with unsatiable hunger.Best not get into how exactly it is made namely because it involves starving phantoms and cursing grass,but the result is a patch of grass in a slightly darker color,with it's...gruesome effects.It's secrets are not widely known outside the Unseelie Court.

Hand of Glory
A Hand of Glory is a rather dark piece of work..Best not go into detail about how it's made because it requires a severed hand, but the finished product either holds a candle or or the fingers are lit as candles (The latter being more powerful). The light of the candle can cause whomever sees it to become paralyzed and rendered speechless,open locked doors,and pierce through supernatural darkness and Shadow. However, there are several old ways that can avert this dark artifact, but they are both nowadays considered old wive's tales (though Darkmoorans beg to differ).

The Remedy of Fortune(note,this comes from Anne Radcliffe,and I)

This is a very powerful music book,with spells meant to influence the mind.It comes in two books,a theory book and a music book.One has to know the theoritical side to use the spells inside it.The author who wrote the theory book looked at it merely with historic interest,not knowing it's true power.Ondine Semprina,self styled magus,found the theory book in the Marleybonean black market,and later,under the employement of Count Cesare Tori,got her hands on the music book.Omar,came across it in Dona Graziella's house and before the ball,it was stolen.Ondine played a confusion spell at the ball,and got caught in the end by the witch hunter Matthew Hopkins...

Seal of Salamon

Before the Kroks came to Krokotopia,it was ruled by the Manders,who lived in harmony.One such Mander King was named Salamon.He was incredibly famous for his wealth and wisdom,one item of brass was his ring,his seal,known as the seal of Salamon.It could bind spirits,in Salamon's case 72 seraphs,demons and genies(but really,any spirit can be bound),allow it's user to speak to animals,and perform various miracles.(from making it rain bread to invisibility)It's current whereabouts are unknown.One tale speaks of a demonic king throwing it into a fish.another says they are in the legendary Temple of Salamon,which is considered a more or less mythic place.And this kind of power can cause real problems in the wrong hands...


Magics

Pathworking

When one has mastered some of the most necessary practices in magic(Spirit Travel,Summoning,Spellcasting,and Scrying) there is a method by which limitations in learning are bypassed.This art is called Pathworking.It is a forgotten art,but it bypasses most limitation and pathworking from dabbling,through initation to mastery is an ancient artform,building real momentum throughout the form of magic.The Pathworker then is capable of assuming a form devoted to said magic,with which he may better be aligned to the currents of the Path.

Artifice Magic

Artifact Magic, or Artifice, is the ability of imbuing and manipulating inanimate objects to create a variety of unique results. Though having it's roots in Alchemy, it branches from the mad fusion of science and Magic to create a more stable, complex art that sacrifices infinite change and renewal for beauteous creations and more permanent results.

Theatre Magics

These are a collection of mesmerizing collection of spells and abilities that can do a variety of things like fluidly move puppets without the need of strings, create living and static illusions, and even warp reality and breath life to the inanimate. On the stage it is a dazzling wonder to behold, but if one needs to defend themselves, what was at first pretty illusions become confusing and frightening images and dancing marionettes grow to giant bruisers. It feeds off of the confusion and the emotions of it's Audience and if you believe it to be real, it might become so. And if you don't them, the smart practitioner throws in the real thing whether you believe in it or not, causing more confusion.

Places:

Isle of the Apples

In the days of the Old Ways,the Isle of the Apples was considered a center for magical workings,the very heart of the High Priests and Priestesses of the Old Ways.It was an Island,located off of the mainland of Avalon,shrouded in the mist and magically hidden.These Priests and Priestesses,at least most of them,were chosen from birth,and raised under the ranks,tested,taught magics of various origins.For th first seven years,they were taught manners,and the basics of living in society.In the next seven years,they were taught of the nature of magical creatures,magical items,and different plants.On the last seven years they were taught some modern Wizard Magic,Avalonian Druid Magic,Fayrie Magics and the Old Ways,that juggle Life and Death in their hands.Then,they were tested,and those that made it through were at the high position.Those that did not,went out to use their powers in other ways.King Artorius's father desecrated the Isle of the Apples,and left it deprived of it's magics.Since then,very few have even dared venture there,but Anna,with the help of her sister Mirabelle,earned it's high ranks right after being evicted from Avalon,and was forced to leave it too.It's Ways are still shrouded in mystery,waiting to be restored...

The Well of Spirits


The place the Well resides in the Duat is Between the 7th and 8th Hours of Night, absorbing both the chaotic battles between the battle against Aphosis and the glowing isle of Sokar, the Underworld Hawk. The world itself is in a shifting twilight, sometimes pitch lack or with rays of light painting the world around it. The ground is a labyrinth if great masses of of earth floating in space at shifting heights, causing it to be very mobile and ever-shifting, though not that hard to traverse They are rather small in nature and usually hold abandoned huts, strange foliage, and ancient landmarks dotting this and that. Some of The Lords reside in much larger places, each a ghostly memory of an ancient place in Krok.The world is a shadowy collection of memories that were lost to the waters of time. It houses that which is destroyed by petty mortal quarrels and replenishes them to their former glory, although shadows of what they once were. the concept of the design of the worlds came from a beautiful part of the Karahnan Barraks, were mostly maunders resided in and where small chunks of land float with wooden bridges in a space devoid of light save for torches. The world is like that, except the land masses come in much larger sizes, the chains and paths from one island to another are huge, and there are lights coating like tiny suns, each being the interest of memories of the living in the memories that the Well holds. Also, the design captured the idea of shattered dreams and memories strung together on order to keep them alive. That it the beauty and purpose of the Well of Spirits.It is ruled by the ascended first krok king of Krokotopia called the Scorpion Narmer,Scorpion Lord,or Scorpion King,as he assumed the form of a scorpion,and those who have greatly contributed to the Well,were picked by the King himself and made Lords of the Well,Eight of them in total.

Cold Iron - Metal

Cold Iron is a special, extremely rare type of iron, only found in small quantities, deep beneath the earth. It is distinguished from normal iron by being darker in color and slightly denser in mass.The name comes from the fact that, for an unknown reason, it has a melting point that is much lower than traditional iron, allowing it to be so-called "cold-forged."

Cold Iron is as poison to unnatural creatures. The most obvious of these are fey, who are even more susceptible to this than normal iron - the mere presence of Cold Iron causes nausea and fatigue to fey. In addition, many demons are harmed by this baleful metal, and certain creatures who have developed an ability to enter a near-supernatural blood-frenzy in battle do not gain a resistance against weapons made of this, as they do other weapons.

This metal is most commonly used to create weapons, as armor and trinkets made of Cold Iron tend to be less useful than simle iron outside of situations relating to creatures weak against it. However, there is a drawback. Cold Iron resists enchantments placed upon it, due to the nature of the metal. So most Cold Iron weapons are either completely mundane, or else only have the most simple enchantments on them, as stronger enchantments become increasingly more difficult to place upon it. (Note that this only applies to permanent enchantments, as temporary enchantments do not inherently change the weapon's structure, and can be added on without worry.)

Group:

The Court of Miracles
The Court of Miracles is a loose-knit organization who's members range from rogues, ruffians, gypsies, wizards, nobles, hermits, and supernatural beings to name a few. Though many people are secretly protected by them and several hold sanctuary within their ranks, those who are considered true members of this organization are the Court's Truands, the miracle workers who are it's driving force. These Truands each possess a unique niche where their talents are put to use by those who call to them. Whenever someone asks for a Miracle, it is the job of the Truands to perform these feats and assure their end of the deal is met. From these deals, the Court holds a subtle influence over many affairs of the Spiral, though rarely are they used as a collective whole.

Beginning in Polaris as a collection of criminals and beggars, the introduction of true Miracles slowly brought certain individuals together and with their efforts they slowly created a Court that overshadowed the lesser courts and lasted long after the streets were cleaned up by the Law. Soon, they held sway through all the classes and walks of life in Polaris, accepting offers from those who asked and sometimes taking a little of this or that during their escapades. Eventually, the Court began to branch into other worlds, where they filled a somewhat similar role, yet they also grew identities. Each Court began to have a unique tone and feel to them, the Valencian Court organized almost like a double-dealing carnival of Mischief while Marleybone's Court of Shadows became interracially tied with political intrigues and criminal activity, becoming part black market and part secret society. Nowadays, they work in a somewhat discordant concert with each other, relying on each other to survive, but having little else to do with each other.

However, things have begun to change. Both the Valencian and Shadowmoor Courts were wiped out in the Polarian War and are trying to recover. Meanwhile, Courts have begun to be sown in other potential worlds like Skull Island and Mooshu, all the while trying to figure out their place in the grand web of the Courts. And now that the Fallen Cities have begun to rear their head, certain eyes have turned their gaze to the potential in those twisted city states. Nevertheless, if someone is in need of an almost impossible task, the Court is still ready to perform Miracles to those willing to pay and, more importantly, ask.

INDIVDUALS:

Santa Claus is an old wizard,a thaumaturge,and a supernatural being in his own right.Santa Claus is ancient,as he was born in the First World,so many long years ago.He was left as a baby in a mystical forest,and was nearly eaten by a lioness,before he was saved by the Master Woodsman of the Spiral,a supernatural guardian of woods and forests.He provided the baby with food and water,and left him where others may find him.When the woodsman told his exploits to the Fairy Queen Mab,Necile,one of her courtesans,decided that she would go and see the baby.Upon beholding the mortal child,Necile instantly made the decision that she would take him in and raise him,something that was forbidden to fairies,safe for their royalty(who could take changelings as they pleased).She kept the baby hidden,until Mab found her,and saw pity on her,and the woodsman reluctantly agreed to let her keep the child.

Santa Claus was,thus,raised in the Forest of Burzee,by the fay within it,until he was too old to be kept within it,and had to leave.Santa traveled across the First World with the woodsman.They saw many children,who the woodsman has a special sympathy towards,and then and there,Santa Claus vowed to forever do what he can to please the little ones.He made his settlement in the Laughing Valley,and in his small hut,he lived a happy life,with no care.He had food,he had friends,everything about his life was as merry as can be.At some point,he found a child nearly frozen to death,and saved him,after which he made a toy for him from wood;the first toy the Spiral would ever see,in fact.

Santa Claus took up a full-time hobby of making toys for children and gathered an incredible group of followers.He created his own system of magic,that mingled ancient arts and sciences like Artifice,Winter Magic,and Thaumaturgy,into a set of spells that tapped into the Yuletide spirit,and funneled the joy of it into a specific kind of magic.It is at this time,that he made many enemies,malevolent creatures that benefited from fear,or disobedience in children,among other things.However,the fairies waged war on these evil spirits,and drove them back,into a completely different place.

He eventually decided to make Yule,or Christmas Eve,his night,in which he would deliver his gifts to all the children of the world,who's faith in him drove every spell of his magic.He also found a wife,at some point,though the two never had any children of their own(at least,according to most sources,the Clauses are a mysterious bunch).So,he's been delivering gifts to all the children of the world,for years,until finally,Death came for Claus.

However,the Council of the Immortals deemed him a very important figure and granted him immortality.Thus,he will continue to do his thing for the rest of time.

He embraced it wholeheartedly,

The Binding of Reapers

Reapers act as default psychopomps,and are better known as Angels of Death,and they serve the Nameless God,and due to ties with the Church of Shadowmoor,act as the psychopomps for most people who do not belong to any specific spiritual system,or are Templars or followers of light.They do not have any power over who dies,and when,but only manifest when a person dies,and only do so for certain people,and those who have no other psychopomp.

Nevertheless,if one were to bind them,which is to say,set themselves up to ritually be the Reaper's master,then the person would have an immediate ability to determine who lives,and who dies.This gives them the ability to trade a life for a life,by binding the reaper and commanding them to take a life,in order to heal someone of an otherwise incurable illness,or perform a miracle of the likes.The moment the ill are healed,the victims to be traded die.

Though the ritual uses Coptic crosses,it is not related to Lumacy in any way,and is in fact a very dark form of magic.The ritual is highly complex and dangerous,and involves making an altar,black in color,with skulls on each end of it,blood,chicken feet,and several Coptic crosses,and one huge black one at its center,and black candles scattered everywhere.

The necromancer would also have to wear such a Coptic cross around their neck.The cross is indeed a symbol of light,which is used to draw the angelic creature,and lure it,whereas it is then corrupted,to completely block out all of Raion's influence,at which point the skulls would be called to associate the angel of death alone,the blood acts as the gateway through which it would come,the chicken feet as that which is used to coerce it,and the cross now becomes the lamp through which the Reaper would bound,and commanded.

The ritual is delicate.A misstep or problem could set the Reaper free.And since the Reapers obey the Nameless God,Death,the natural order of things,etc. they would not be pleased with the exchanges of life.Nevertheless,even when infuriated,the Reapers still don't have the free will to claim the necromancer's life,but they will begin to loathe the person,and will do everything in their power to assure that they do get the person to die.

The earliest binders were ancient Monquistans.A Shadowmancer found the ritual in a book known as the Malitome,and then taught it to several ecclesiastics,who practiced some of the darkest magics.The clerics,then used it to kill sinners and heal people,claiming it was in honor of the Supreme Primate,even though the specific rite was an offense to the entity in question.

From then on,it had been kept hidden in archives,kept clandestine in specific bloodlines,and used by only a handful of people every century.

The Moodha
While the word ''Moodha'' means ''the enlightened one'',and many different people occupy the title of a Moodha,we will all recognize the figure that we identify as the Moodha.The Cowtama Moodha is a sage,who's teachings are the basis of Moodhism.The Moodha was born a prince,in Mooshu,sometime when it was first founded.His mother dreamt that she met an elephant in her dreams,and had a child several months later.A prophecy foretold that if this prince stayed within the confines of the palace for all his life,he would become a great king,but should he escape,he would become a great sage,and the family will lose the kingdom.

So his father kept him locked within the palace,and with their immense wealth,they gave the child everything,decadence in every degree,because his every desire would be satisfied.Despite this,and his father's attempts to hide the fact that suffering even existed in the world,the Moodha felt that there was more to the world,and so snuck out several times.On these trips he encountered an old man,a sick man,and a corpse.Seeing the nature and existence of suffering in the world,the Moodha vowed to rid himself of the cycle.

He escaped the palace ,and spent much time traveling,before becoming an ascetic and meditating,beneath a tree,for several months.At the end of it,he achieved enlightenement and earned the title of ''Moodha'',before he decided to travel all over Mooshu,and the Spiral,to spread his teachings,Moodhism,the basis of which was that suffering stemmed from attachment and from desire,and that by embracing various virtues,and paths,one may be rid of such temptations.

After death,the Moodha became an ascendant master.

Magjistare Order (Groups)

A top secret group of Witchhunters, led by a missing person known simply as the Zombie, or Alduin the Horror. The Magjistare Order has reapers, dragons, undead, and living residing both in the Void and Templar Order. Their true purpose (Whether it be destroying magical beings, artifacts, etc) is unknown. This order is infamous for it's habit of making certain wizards dead, certain pirates missing. The Magjistare Order is more powerful than the wizards, more brutal than the pirates and unafraid of discerning the elements of the unknown.

The Graveyard (Places)

The place where all living go after death, if not in the years of their second life or afterlife. The graveyard is filled with more dead than one can imagine. It looks like a sort of parallel Spiral, where everything is darkness. There is only one way to enter it and presumable no way to exit. That is, meddling with the mysteries of the unknown pieces of teleportation, transportation, shadow magic, warp magic, etc. Basically, the graveyard is the void between planes and dimensions. There is currently only one living thing in the Graveyard, who I will not get into.

Fury's Box (Relics)
This artifact is bigger on the inside, as it should be. The anger of a billion billion souls resides in this chest. It's location is presumably unknown, but the members of the Magjistare Order might be willing to impart on a few of their secrets. It is a simple object with a few designs. It looks as if it can be handheld, but it's only possible to do so by the angriest thing in that time.

The Black (Places)

This is the home of a being from before, during, and after time. It's creator, Zeit, is also the maker of time. In fact, he is time. This world or plane is unique in that it was developed from the ruins of the Dead Reality, Spiral 1, or the encursed world.

Forge of Hurt (Places)

Using the forge of destruction creates something that is pain forged, which if used that item can cause massive physical sufferings stemming from the part of the body that uses the pain forged item.

Scorpion Pieces (Relics; I'm not sure how these would look)

The armor in this set allows one to create quicksand out of dirt, gravel, sand, etc as well as allowing one to teleport through sand, if Sand magic is not known to the wearer. The weapons, (A mace, warhammer, knife, bow.) would poison a being with a toxin lethal to most creatures. They also strike much faster than other weapons of their type.

Sand Magic (Magics)

This allows one to travel great distances through the use and knowledge of the element of sand, as well as creating objects, golems, etc with sand. An expert of sand magic would have the ability to slay their physical form, using sand for an unlimited time.

Boots of Dominance (Relics)

This pair of shoes allows one to walk on water, jump off mountains harmlessly, and walk on magma harmlessly.

Dragonfire - Substance

Dragonfire is, as the name suggests, the flames a dragon can produce with their breath. While this can also occasionally refer to other draconic breaths, it is primarily used to refer to actual dragon's fire. Dragonfire is recognized as one of the most dangerous, volatile, and destructive substances that exists. In fact, Dragonfire has certain special properties - the main one being that it can overcome resistance and even immunity to fire. However, it's only a partial overpowering, and how much the fire can overcome depends on the strength of the dragon who produced it.

In addition, other dragons are far more resistant to this than other creatures. Oftentimes, the two dragons in question must have a wide difference in power in order for these effects to even apply to the weaker. And Fire Titans are completely immune to this, as they are both the source of all Pyromancy and the forerunners of dragonkind.

Soul Gazing

Soul Gazing is an ancient power,that comes naturally to some and can be learned by others.It's origin is unknown,though,it is believed to come from the First World itself.It is employed by vampires,and healers alike,for seduction and teaching alike.Dragons in particular,tend to be some of the most natural soul gazers.It brings an incredible charisma to the Soul Gazer,and an immense advantage.

Soul Gazing is a magical skill that enables the soul gazer to look deep into the eyes of an individual,preferrably a mortal bound by attachment,and have their whole lives be unraveled piece by piece before the soul gazer.This directly lets the Soul Gazer literally see their soul,and their spirit,the eternal part of the immaterial subtle bodies,and the transient personality shackled by attachment.

It exposes the individual,as eyes are the windows to the soul,and unravels some of their deepest fears and secrets,if the soul gazer looks long enough and skillfully enough.It can be used to reach out into the deepest pits of the individual,where there is only blackness and channel that dark and atavistic evil,causing the person to be either consumed in their own darkness,or become really ill.

The soul gazer may easily do this with his own self,pushing his inner pestilence into the heart of the individual,and the sanguimancer may even drain the person dry,feeding not on the guck that the person is naturally radiating off,but on the pure quintessence of the individual.

Nevertheless,while soul gazing,the soul gazer remains exposed.His own soul and life is an open book for anyone else,even a non-soul gazer,his mind can be invaded,and his body can be torn down and destroyed with no negative consequences.He is left vulnerable,in every way.

Spirit Travel

Words like OBE and Astral Projection float around a lot as synonyms.But they do not refer to the same things.OBEs are seldom conscious ones,whereas Spirit Travel is most definitively conscious.Astral Projection refers to projecting one's spirit(rarely soul!),and the accompanying subtle bodies out of one's physical body,and projecting solely onto the astral plane.

Astral Projection is limited to the Astral Plane.Mental Projection is limited to the Mental Plane.Shadow Projection is limited to the Shadow Realm,et cetera.The unification of all these different methods is Spirit Travel.By sinking into a trance,and separating the magical and mundane,the wanderer structures before him,a spiritual vessel,and simply pours his consciousness into it.

Where the mind goes,the Self follows,and the entire chain of subtle bodies assumes the newly formed spiritual body there,and the person is free to wander,both not restricted by space nor time.Indeed,a single step can move you leagues,and a single minute can be days.

It is possible to take this beyond the point of being a purely spiritual experience,of course,and physically journey to places such as the Shadow Realm,although that is slightly more advanced.

The Cup of Life

The Cup cannot be destroyed,in any way,ever.Its magic is unbound by time or space,and it probably one of the most holy relics of the Old Way,blessed after years and years of clerics,druids,wizards,and hermits.Its true origins are a mystery.Some speculate it was made by Grandmother Raven,in the first world.Some speculate that like so many great Avalonian items,it was made by none other than the Dagda himself.And some attribute it to the druids.Whatever the case,the Cup of Life has been a holy relic among the druids and the Old Way for a long time.

The magic of the Old Way is versatile,perhaps the most versatile of magics since it can be tapped for a wide array of purposes,but also takes the longest to master.Perhaps the most volatile and powerful aspect of this magic,is that which is bound by the Cup,power over the very balance of life and death.The Cup represents the birthplace of creation,and the rising agony of destruction.It represents the cauldron that spews both forth and melts both down.

Drinking from the Cup has healing powers that are beyond wondrous,and can literally bring someone back from the brink of death,or even after they've been dead,though,this is limited to the first day after they die.It can also produce children,in those who otherwise would not have them.The children that come forth are blessed and healthy.All mortals have entire courts of spirits looking over them(even the most mundane people!),but these kids have the entire Old Way watching over them.

To create life,however,the Cup must kill.Sometimes,the Cup lets you choose who it will claim,other times it takes the life of someone around you,with no warning.The only criterion is that the person who is being healed or born,must be able to trace the existence of the person who is killed.The killing process is called ''Spilling from the Cup''.

The final great ability of the Cup was one employed by a great warthog warlord,from Grizzleheim a long time ago.He had gathered some of the finest soldiers of the Spiral,and set out to conquer the world.His soldiers,fiercely loyal to him,each shed a drop of their blood into the Cup.The Cup was placed upon a pedestal,and the enchantements,that remain secret to most were cast.The army became invulnerable and immortal,at the price of the fact that they were tainted,barbarous,and profane.

They caused unimaginable carnage,yet each soldier died when the Cup was spilled.The Cup made its way to the druids of Grizzleheim,was taken back to Avalon by the High Priestesses during the Myrrur escapade,and now lies in the possession of Noble Felix Yellowfish,given to him by Anna the Fay,the High Priestess of the Old Way,who feared the relic might get into the wrong hands.

The Old Way

The Old Way,also known as the Old Religion, refers to a large plethora of ancient magics,originating in Avalon.The Old Way mingles Druid magic,Fay magic,Earth Magic,Life Magic,with Elemental Magic,Balance Magic,as well as Necromancy,Sangromancy,and a whole array of bizarre things,creating a uniquely versatile,but absurdly complex form of magic.

Many describe it,as a sister school to the school of Balance,albeit,the Old Way is not considered a school,technically.At the heart of it,lies a strong belief in Balance,and the followers of the Old Way are forbidden to practice Shadow Magic,and Light Magic.At the heart of this belief in the innate sanctity of all things and in the balance of all things,is the balance between life and death.

The magic of the Old Way tends to be a lot harder to master,as well,because of the way it operates.When a spell is cast,thoughts are pushed into the world to materialize.If something keeps them on higher planes for too long,though,those spells may develop into thoughtforms themselves.The Old Way tends to ''thicken'' a lot faster,and thus,its spells tend to be made into autonomous spiritual entities faster,and then disassembled.

You know how the classical golem scenario has a golem made,and then disassembled?Imagine the golem is a two-year-old,and you have the Old Religion's magic to kill it.

Moving on.

The magic of the Old Way is known for good ties to Hecate,as well.Along with strong ties to Hecate,they adore the Dagda,Ceridwen,and psychopomps like the Cailleach.Because of its diversity,there are few set clergies,however,the highest are three oracles,known as the Disir.Below them,are six priests,and nine priestesses,and below them those who didn't make it through the training and act as lesser entities.This includes the Blood Guards of the High Priestesses,who serve her with her life.

While volatile,and hard,the Old Way is incredibly useful,and powerful.

Thoughtforms/Egregores/Tulpas

Tulpas are "magic formations generated by a powerful concentration of thought."Among the Moodhist monks,it is a powerful siddhi,that brings tulpas into real physical materialization,but they can exist as ghosts in pretty much any World.They start out as imaginary friends,concepts,or hallucinations made by the mad,but the more concentration and belief in them is applied,the more real the collective group consciousness becomes,until it becomes as real as a lesser spirit and eventually,as real as the Immortals.

The egregore's symbiotic relationship with its group is undeniable,because fueling the thoughtform gives it all of its power.Because stories tend to change,if the tulpa was made by more than one person,and the story changes,it will too.That's why it's so hard to kill.Egregores will often be immune to most anti-spirit means of attack,as they are not spirits per say,and as soon as you discover their weaknesses,it may change.

Egregores are made on a near-constant base,and can be made into golems,if given vessels.

Siddhis

A siddhi is a supernatural power,that comes from a period of deep meditation,received from a greater part of the self and released onto the mystic.The path of the Vamachara,is a path that yields many siddhis.The thing that differentiates siddhis from most powers is that the root of a siddhi,is within everyone.Anyone can learn any siddhi,but they take lots of time to truly apply as second nature,and even more time to master.

The 8 most powerful secrets,the 8 most powerful siddhis,which few know,and no one has mastered are as follows:

Aṇimā: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom

In this siddhi,the ideal is to be able to shrink your size to the smallest unit that is possible,the atom at this point.No one has accomplished this,but many shrink their size to insectioid lengths.

Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size

In this siddhi,the ideal is to be able to expand one's body and occupy the entirety of creation.None have mastered this siddhi,however,many are able to sink into the All,and become one with everything via Source,and bring that awareness of everything back to their day-to-day life.Of course,their reach is limited to their aura,which only increases after repetition.


Garima: becoming infinitely heavy

In this siddhi,the ideal is to become infinitely heavy.Once again,no one has ever done this,though there are those who are as heavy as mountains.

Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires

In this siddhi,the ideal is to be able to achieve anything.It is not omnipotence,though,but refers to the idea of developing a single-minded focus,and an insane amount of determination,that may lead one to the ability to make anything happen,by attaining the focus that only a small amount of creatures can comprehend.

Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all place

In this siddhi,the ideal is to be able to teleport anywhere.Once again,no one has ever done this,though many have been able to conquer many kinds of magical enchantements that prevent teleportation,and gone in and out of places they normally shouldn't be able to,as well as not tiring themselves while teleporting,unlike most who find long distance teleportation a strain,a difference between magic and mysticism,powers and siddhis.

Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship

The ideal in this siddhi,is to be able to inspire intense admiration,respect or fear,and having achieved this,a title that all will honor and respect,or at the very least be impressed by.No one has achieved this,as they would be world-famous,but some have been known by all for wisdom and power,and greatness.

Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all

THe ideal in this siddhi,is to be able to control anyone or anything.This would be the powerful kind of thing most magicians are aimning for,hence why it is a common goal for the Vamachara.No one has achieved this,but many have come close,in their commanding of nature.

There are many other siddhis,like being able to instantly jump out of body,tolerance for immense heat or cold,to replicate or project images of oneself,to walk on water,to sink into solid ground,to touch the sun and moon with one hand,to make oneself completely insivible,invincibility,the ability to see various spirits,recollection of past lives and many many more.

Siddhis are sometimes known as rddhis,and are hard to learn and impossible to master,but they present ideals to be strived for.They are also the powers gained by the mystic as he ascends,and/or brings those things back with them here.

Ceridwen

Ceridwen is an ancient Avalonian sorceress,who had recently become a goddess in her own right,through true mastery of magic,and mysticism.She was a mother,with a daughter,the fairest of the land,Creirwy,and with a son,the most hideous,Morfran.She felt sorry for her son,knowing that in this time not being physically attractive would call much issues,and she sought to make him wise to compensate.

She sought out ways of brewing a potion for this and found it,in a place named Dinas Emrys.When she returned,she made the potion and left two people to care for it.The potion needed to be tended for for a year and one day.Gwion Bach,the innocent young boy,and Morda,the blind old man,were charged with the work.Gwion would stir the cauldron for that one year,whereas Morda would tend the fire,and make sure that it didn't burn out.

The first three drops of the brew granted wisdom,mastery over magic and science,and philosophy,etc.Beyond that,it is all poisonous.It's a fatal potion.When Morda fell asleep,Gwion spilled three drops on his finger,and feeling its heat,instincitely put it in his mouth.He then gained the power,to see,and to know.

Feeling Ceridwen would be really angry,he resolved to flee.When Ceridwen came back,the sorceress was beyond angry,her lips curled in rage,feeling as though Gwion had betrayed her and her only son,and decided to hunt him down.She went after Gwion,and when Gwion saw her approaching,he turned into a hare with his newfound magical powers.

Ceridwen was not fooled,and turned into a greyhound,and went after him,deciding she would devour the hare.He became a salmon,and jumped into the water,hoping the current would take him away from his angry mistress.She was not fooled,and turned into an otter,and chased after the salmon.When she caught it,though,the salmon turned into a wren,and ran into the skies.She followed,in the form of a hawk,until the wren turned into a seed.

THe seed mingled among a whole palette of seeds that had been laid on the floor,and she could never find which one.So,Ceridwen turned into great black hen,and ate each seed.Having eaten Gwion as the seed,she had hoped that that was done with.However,nine moons later,she would give birth to a child.

She resolved to kill the child,knowing all too well that it was Gwion reincarnating.But,when she saw the child,she couldn't,for she was a mother,before anything else.Instead,she abandonned the babe,and he would grow up to be Taliesin,one of the greatest bards of the land.

Ardetha

The word ardetha is a very foreign term to most,because there are so few of them in existence.An ardetha,is a vampire,who became a vampire willingly,ritualistically,and without the voluntary help of another vampire.The individual would hunt down a vampire and subdue it with light magic,at which point,they would drink the creature's blood,and commit utter blasphemy against the same entity that they used to subdue the fiend.Some macabre ritualism after even that,the person would simply kill themselves,and wait to be buried.They would rise from the grave,as an ardetha.

Very little is known about the ritual in question,but by that time,their soul and spirit would be so heavily intertwined that they would become one,all black and corrupt,unlike with most vampires that lose their soul,and are spirit alone.It truly is one of the most sordid magical actions,especially since vampirism can be accomplished with the consent and help of a vampire,though the ardetha's path seems more rewarding,because they've done all the work themselves.

The Ardetha has several qualities the ordinary vampire does not.Most vampires have weak skin,and are not fond of the sun,but they will not burn under it.Being in daylight does prevent most vampires from using their skills,but not the Ardetha.To compensate,the Ardetha does,truly burn up in sunlight,whereas most vampires are simply slightly uncomfortable in direct sunlight,and incapable of using their powers.For the Ardetha,the sun is truly fatal.

However,they are also much harder to kill,with a stake through the heart or a quick beheading,neither of which would work,unless blessed by Raion.And they also exhibit an increased abiltiy to see and to know,things hidden and unknowable.But is the price of such a transformation really worth it?

Isle of the Gjahtarit- (Places) The founding of the Magjistare Order occured here and this is where their main base of operations is held. The Old World is bursting with life, tropical jungles, and hot sand on the beaches. It's very similar to the Amazon jungles, Sahara Desert, and Indian plazas and palaces. It's extremely hot in some places, but likewise, cold in other parts. At the center of the island rests a millenia old temple, built as a tunnel under the island and into the water and magma around it.

Cernunnos

Cernunnos is an Immortal from Avalon,though he also has a degree of power in Albion,because while Marleybone and Avalon aren't close,and rarely interact,they do have the same source,and thus the same currnts of energy pervading their lands,Cernunnos being an entity who inhabits both.

Cernunnos is known in Albion as Herne the Hunter,and dwells in its forests.He manifests as a deer,with great antlers on his head.His attire consists of leaves,and twigs,for he is one with nature.He is the essence and the mouthpiece of the Earth.He can bring one into connection with the Earth,allowing you to align yourself with the Earth.

He can teach all forms of Theurgy,and how to speak with animals,for he speaks the language of all Earth-bound beasts,and all obey his sacred laws.He is also the supreme hunter,and can teach one to become a great hunter,too.He knows all the secrets of herbology,and can show one how to attain even a laser focus.

He considers all nature sacred,and considers it sacrilege to pollute it.Those who do invoke his ire.

Draugr

The Draugr are half-matter spirits that come from Grizzleheim.The draugr look like misshapen horrors.Thought they vary,based on the person who died,many of them have been pushed past healing.Their skulls lie exposed,with orange orbs glowing from their eyes.They have sparse and sharp teeth.Their skin is dark-blue,and black,with a gaping hole between their heart and stomach,where there sometimes lies an open pit,but more often,there are shadowy tendrils.THey speak in eerie and creepy voices.Their hands have sharp,knife-like claws,and they are supernaturally fast.

Their names when derived,mean ''again-walker''.They can move through walls,fly,and run at superb speeds,as well as having amazing senses,even for undead.They can change their sizes at will,and have superhuman strength.There is a distinction between sea-draugr,and land-draugr,they all carry an odour of death and decay,and they are ruled by a king,but besides that,they are a very anarchic and inconsistent bunch.

Some devour the flesh of mortals,some don't.Some drink the blood of mortals,some don't.Some drive animals feeding around their graves insane,some don't.Some practice magic,and can control the weather,shapeshift and see into the future,some don't.

Many who rise as Draugr do so because of an impious life,or because a necromancer summoned them,or because the king of the draugr(known as Duh Scare),or because someone died envious,jealous or greedy,or was driven insane prior to dying.This trait of jealousy,envy and greed is universal among the draugr,as they envy the living,and will attack them viciously.

Their graves are frequently decorated,sometimes with spoils of war.They also bring disease wherever they walk,and carry a gloomy aura.They can be dispelled with light.

Grigori angels- (people/ creatures)

Grigori angels are a transmundane phenomenon. They existed during the beginning of the shattered first world as the guardians and watchers of whatever lived and died. However, they went corrupt when mankind discovered Khaos, the Grigori Angels began to feed on the souls of humans and anthropomorphic creatures, both good and bad. Each Grigori has a sword with their own name scribbled in enochian, the local language of heaven. They are a more powerful and cunning race than the normal and much more common Seraph angel. The Grigori were hunted almost to extinction, but some of them went into hiding, taking human names, bodies, and identities. There are potentially still hundreds left, instead of the hundreds of thousands there were at one time.

Curse of the thousand seas- (Magic)
Someone with this curse will have pieces of an ocean on them. Like Maccus, Hadras, Bootstrap Bill Turner Davy Jones, imaginary Jack Sparrow, etc from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and POTC: At world's end.

Liquid Fire (Substance) This is like poison, but the effects are only known if it has been ingested or if one attempts to swim in Liquid fire, which would result in a dramatic catastrophe, either for the person who tries to swim in the water, or the water, itself, depending on the power level of the person swimming.

Sehelrus

A sehelrus is a unique piece of magical technology,used by many serious wizards,especially necromancers and others who work with darker energies and things that could easily kill them.A sehelrus can be physical and non-physical.The physical one has a non-physical backbone,whereas the physical item acts as a vessel and nothing more.The non-physical sehelrus is easier to make,but harder to activate,and easier to undo.In contrast,the physical one is harder to undo,since the vessel has to be destroyed,but takes longer to make.

A sehelrus is an energetic hazmat suit of sorts.It covers the caster's physical and non-physical bodies(though not the aura!) in a small bubble.It is usually airtight about what it will let out(the caster's personal will and energy) and what it won't let in(Death essence,or other harmful energy).The sehelrus was invented by Halston Balestrom,who pioneered several such magical devices.A sehelrus is made by taking the energy that is present around the person,and molding it into a thick bubble of elastic energy,and covering the body in it,until the energy fades into invisibility.

To make it physical,the energy needs to be flowing,and then the ''bumps'' that manifest during that have to be dragged into one clump of magical energy,and connected to the sigil.The sehelrus sigil,should be carved on a piece of iron,in red.When the sigil is opened,the sehelrus is activate.When the sigil is closed,the sehelrus is closed.

The sehelrus will not protect the caster from other people's curses,or anything similar.It will only protect you from the harmful energies you are working with.Finally,a sehelrus,like most pieces of technology,magical or mundane,can be broken.

Enochian- (Magic/ spells) This is the language of the heavens. Writing something in Enochian on a box that one doesn't want disturbed, or a building can keep out or keep in, any angel or any demon, regardless of their status in the heavens or in the Underworld.

The Fallen Cities

The phenomenon of the Fallen Cities is an ancient and rare occurrence. No one knows what the First City was like before it Fell, but since the Shattering of the First World, a place periodically is torn out of the fabric of the Spiral and left in the Limbo between different realities. There seems to be no method to this occurrence, since there is no set time before a Fall, no way they seem to match save for the fact that they vanish cataclysmically, or even how each one runs. They do, however, share some similar traits:

-Death Shuns the Fallen Cities: One of the mysteries about the Cities is that the laws of Life and Death are permanently rewritten. Death seems to be an extremely rare occurrence and some say that he either refuses to step foot within them or that he isn't allowed to. Nevertheless, the denizens of these cities never seem to die, well, permanently, each City following a unique set of Laws. For example, Shadowmoor retains it's old traditions, the more experienced and powerful people transcending into spectral and ghostly forms known as the Deathless. On the other hand, those who live in Tenebrous are revived lot too long after "death", but suffer losses to their powers, their strength, and sometimes their memories, as the City is a hoarder of this currency.
-The Cities have Something to Sell: Though there may be some dissonance between the City of Brass and Mécanisme, both, along with the others, have a market for a certain commodity. The Brass City is a place of indulgence and where one can make pacts and deals with potent entities, where forbidden and dangerous Magic can be learned, and plays an important part of the Soul Trade along with Tenebrous and the Fallen City. While this happens, the Filigree City is where lost ambitions and failed attempt pool, giving the city the tools to become the most Industrious of the Fallen Cities as well as it's taste for creating luxury goods and astounding feats of Alchemy and Clockwork.
-The Worlds of the Spiral have Forsaken them: Though there may be rivalries amidst the markets and commodities between the Cities, they all share a certain resentment for their plight in... wherever they are. The Spiral as a whole seems to forget each city that Falls, the only exemptions being Shadowmoor since it hasn't severed ties to the Spiral as much as the others and the City of Brass which is told of in tales and legends from Krokotopia and Mirage. The Cities resent this abandonment on varying levelly in intensity, usually pertaining to the events surrounding their Fall. Some say that a day may come where the Cities begin to ravage the Worlds, but though their Presence can be invoked and their Aid pleaded, they have mostly grown content with their current situation.
-Those Who Live Beyond the Spiral Flock to the Cities: Since the Fallen Cities are more or less crossroads between different Realities, those who would normally have no way to the Spiral have been known to flock towards these City States. As such, the abnormal and the supernatural are everyday occurrences within the Cities, each one hosting a different variety. For example, Shadowmoor has always been a haven for the Spirits and Immortals while the City of Brass has been graced by the Djinn and several demons (since it's the city closest to the Hells and the Plane of Fire, the Brass City has one of the largest percentage of demonic inhabitants, despite the fact that there is a devout faith within the city that abhors them). Lovecraftian horrors come and go in Tenebrous, possessed automatons are created in Méchanisme, the list can go on.
-They May be Severed, but They Are Not Isolated: Despite their detachment from the Spiral, this doesn't mean that the Fallen Cities have no business within the Spiral Proper. On the contrary, they are infamous for their machinations and subversion into the affairs of the Spiral. It's denizens habitually live in the Spiral for swaths of time, certain powerful organizations and cults have a base of operations in a City (usually Tenebrous), the Demons and Djinn of the Brass City never refuse a deal to amuse themselves with, the Back Sun Cartels and the Cabbage Mafia (yes, really) hold a silent grip over the Underworld of several Powers, and the trademark of Méchanisme always seems to find's it's way on many mechanical parts and mystical trinkets.
n fact, Since the resurrection of Shadowmoor Cathedral, some moves have been made from Special Branch and the Holy Monquisition that seem to herald a certain Sibyl's prediction of a silent and subtle game-like war between the Imperial Powers, certain City Sates Above, and the Fallen Cities. It's surroundings are vague, but it seems that the this Game is being fought by assassins and spies for the secrets and information that the Cities covet and hoard.
-Finally, Something Seems to hold sway over the Cities: Yet another mystery of the Cities is who or what has been collecting these forsaken places. Several have noticed that there is something or someone who is responsible for severing these cities form the Spiral and have both predicted and prepared for each new City. Why else would there be churches built as Shadowmoor was pillaged and burned? Who were the ones who's pact saved Tenebrous from destruction by dragging down and placing it between life, death, and the Void? Who are those whom the Sultan of Brass calls the Archons? What are their motives? According to the Masters of the First City, they are the Pantheon of the Fallen Cities who shame against each other and simply jump between realities for their amusement. Simplification of a strange family of entities or a cover-up for a darker truth, that all depends on who you ask and who even believes in them.

The exact way that the cities fell is hard to say.I will talk now,on the individual cities,starting with the most recent,and most famous:Shadowmoor.

Shadowmoor AKA The City of the Deathless,fell during the Polarian War,making it the most recent city to fall.The city itself had always been on the line between the Spirit World,and the Material World,although,never fully.It's exact location is unknown.Many place it in Darkmoor.Some POlaris,and others say it moved around the Spiral,throughout the year following the solstice.

The city was known for it's magnificent veneration of every single spirit in the Spiral,be they dark or light.Most of these are Greater Spirits and Immortals,gods of every empire.St Lucio,First Bishop of Shadowmoor,founded the Shrine of the Nameless God,in honor of the Spiral's Creator,and the grand structure that is the City of Shadowmoor grew around it.

The city happens to be where the Court of Miracles started,and it took up around 20% of it's landmass.There were hills where the wealthy lived(like Rosemartyr's),speakeasy-like caffees in the Ghost Light Districts,and a mighty cemetery where the bodies of the Deathless would reside and do their bit.

The Cathedral of Shadowmoor,for it's honoring of all spirits,received a few gifts from their mysterious patron.THe Shadow Sun and Requiem Bell are the most famous of these.The Shadow Sun,is the safety net of the city,the enveloping black sun that devours Shadowmoor and keeps evil from it.And it is not to be angered.

When the Great Powers of the Spiral came to Shadowmoor in the Polarian War,in the Siege of the Passage of the Spirit,they desecrated it's Cathedral.They stole relics,burned altars,and took the Cathedral down.The Spirits,enraged at this,commanded the Shadow Sun to silently take it's envelope,and throw the city into the veil.

As it smashed into the fabric of reality,it rested between the Material and Spirit World,becoming one of the hallow Fallen Cities.The Requiem Bell is an unusual relic given to the city by St Nicosquiddus,the Fifth Bishop of Shadowmoor,who received it in a vision.

The Bell tolls,as it does ringing the Veil away,and bringing the dead back to life.This animation is not mere necromancy,as they come back as tangible,but immaterial,ghosts,that have much more power,and influence over the worlds than ghosts ever could,retain their memories,and are improved in many ways.

Their cadavres lay in the enormous cemetery that should never be desecrated and the bodies may be animated by necromancers to perform various services.Such is not the concern of these ghosts,known as the Deathless.The City is run by the Court of Miracles,the Court of the Shadow Sun,and a ghostly council of leaders called the Obzedat.

With the restoration of the Church of Shadowmoor,the city had been blended back into reality to a degree,and it's ultimate fate is the formation of the Mirrored Veil...but that would be telling....