In brief, three basic kinds of supernatural powers have been identified in the Virasana Empire: Psionics, Theurgy and Magic. Their use of energy and the physical and mental demands they seem to have on their users are distinct, but all three range in power from trivial to world-shaking. While psionics and theurgy are well known, magic is a relatively recent addition to the group.
History[]
In all recorded history, there is evidence of supernatural activities by humans. Real scientific research, on the other hand, has only been conducted for the last 250 years, either under the tutelage of House Grebenstein or sponsored by the Psions Guild.
While priests have been welcomed cautiously in most human history, Psions have been met with superstition and fear. Especially the priests of Temple Jansahar are adored by the general population. Many of the old superstitions remain wide-spread and most psions prefer to have little contact with the mundane population.
The Psions Guild and the Paramag faculties of the University of Malicorn and the University of Isfahan have recently made great progress in understanding and demystifying supernatural abilities and are working hard on gathering further knowledge.
Terms[]
As the names and expressions for anything concerning the supernatural are deeply coloured by history and culture all over the Empire, a handful of ‘neutral’ terms have been defined. Depending on cultural background and education, almost every citizen of the empire will use different names even if they denote the same general concepts.
- caster - the person with supernatural abilities (the priest, psychic, sorcerer, shaman, ...)
- effect - one supernatural thing they does (the fireball, the spell, his power, …)
- energy - what the caster uses to create the effect (mana, chi, grace, concentration, …)
- expression - how the caster works their effects - both in terms of theme (fire manipulation, ice manipulation, healing, etc.) and style (hurling flames from his fingertips, raining fire from heaven, turning non-flammable substances flammable)
- paradigm - what the caster believes to be right and possible, having a great impact on their expression (what they can do and how it looks) and especially their weaknesses (what they can’t do)
Distinction by use of Energy[]
The most important distinction of supernatural abilities is the one between Miracles (or more correctly Theurgy) and Psionics. Despite the ancient debate about the philosophical differences between them (ie god-given vs self-empowerment), the measurable, scientific distinction is in the way these two schools use energy for their effects. While psionics tap and deplete a reservoir of energy within the caster, the energy for theurgic effects comes from an outside source with the caster only acting as a conduit.
Magic, on the other hand, has long been dismissed as either some expression of pagan theurgy or some oddly complicated personal expression of psionics. But with the recent increase of paranormal research, magic has emerged as a rare but fully viable third way of bending the rules. Once again apart from the philosophical discussions, magic is defined as the use of passive ambient energy, shaped into effects by the actions of the caster.
Blood Magic and Demonism come from different, probably external sources, and are considered in their proper articles.
Characteristics of Casters[]
If talking in very broad strokes, there are indeed unifying and dividing character traits among the three paths. This is only noticeable among the more powerful members of each group, and cliché in many ways, but a workable simplification none the less.
Psions and Mages tend to be very self-aware and self-reliant. Psions especially tend to be rather self-confident as well. None of these traits is easily combined with the necessary 'selflessness' and belief and trust in the power and assistance from another, metaphysical being that is apparently prerequisite for becoming a theurge.
Also, Psions tend to be more passionate and impulsive, whereas mages tend to be more analytical and patient.
Occurency[]
Theurgy and psionics have been recorded from all sentient races, with occasional cultural biases towards one or the other. Humans show theurgy about as often as any other race. The percentage of psychics among humanity was already significantly high historically, but over the last few generations a another increase in the number of psions and their overoall powerlevel has been observed. Magic in humans is extremely rare, but still significantly more numerous than in any other known race except souled demons.
N'Ptalini show a significantly lower number of supernaturally gifted members, but the percentage between the three paths is roughly similar with a slight bias for theurgy.
Supernatural powers among Felids are extremely rare.
Despite the lesser frequency, the distribution curve of powerlevels among gifted N'Ptalini and Felids seems to be identical to that of Humans.
Current estimates assume that one human in a million will have the potential to be a psychic or theurge, while about one in 10 million will potentially be a mage. If that potential is realized depends on many factors, presumably most talented humans never awaken their supernatural potential.
Ambient Mana[]
While it is agreed-upon scientific opinion that mages use ambient mana to shape their effect, there is very little consensus on what this ambient energy actually is. There are, though, a handful of facts that the various schools agree upon:
- There is always some of it present, there is no place that has none, nor could one be created so far.
- It is not homogeneous, there are places with more and places with less energy.
- It is not constant, the mana level waxes and wanes over time on any given place.
- Ambient energy is not random, but chaotic, apparently dispersed in a pattern that is shaped by many overlapping influences.
- Some but not all of these influences have already been identified. For example, ambient energy is always stronger at the border or in the middle of things / places / seasons. A high density of lifeforms comes with a high level of ambient mana.
Apart from this, very little is known so far, mostly due to the fact that practitioners of magic are so few, and of those only a minute fraction is willing to work scientifically to further explore the basics of their craft - like Master Tresilian of the University of Isfahan.
Group effects[]
Theurgists can easily combine their efforts, and often will. Though usually one priest is the designated focus of the effect, the result will be one effect with the combined strength of all participants. Also, the strength of the effect seems to grow slightly over-proportional to the number of participants in a ritual.
Psions cannot, per se, create group effects. They can, though, stack individual effects on each other, thus greatly increasing their versatility. Also, most psions find it relatively easy to learn how to support others with their internal energy. So while it will always be one single psion casting any given effect, he could draw on the combined energy of any given number of psions. This kind of support structure also enables the psions’ guild to tackle a significant part of the empire’s transport sector.
Mages are not known to work any effects together, but those few who have given interviews on the subject suppose it should be possible as long as the paradigms of the co-working mages match. Given the highly individualized and specialized nature of mages, this propably has just never happened before. Notable in this context, though, is the fact that mages will occasionally employ mundane aides, whose inherently mundane actions through planning and instruction by the mage will become part of the actual ritual.