Before the Chaos War magic on Krynn came from the gods directly and indirectly.

Divine Magic

Clerics prayed to the gods and in turn were granted miracles to bless and heal the devoted (or curse them in the case of the evil gods.)

During this era clerics were organised into the Holy Order of the Stars with each deity of the pantheon served by devoted priests and priestesses.

Goods of Good

• Paladine: God of Good Dragons, leader of the Gods of Good. Creator of elves.
• Mishakal: Goddess of Healing, wife of Paladine.
• Branchala: God of inspiration and creativity.
• Kiri-Jolith: God of justice and honour
• Majere: God of discipline and reflection.
• Habbakuk: God of animals, exploration and sailors.
• Solinari: God of the Silver (or White) Moon, one of the gods of magic.

Gods of Neutrality

• Gilean: God of the book and knowledge, leader of the Gods of Neutrality. Creator of humans.
• Chislev: Goddess of nature and beasts.
• Reorx: God of crafting and creation. Patron god of the dwarves, gnomes and kender.
• Shinare: Goddess of trade and diplomacy. Patron of merchants.
• Sirrion: God of passion, creativity and transformation.
• Zivilyn: God of wisdom.
• Lunitari: Goddess of the Red Moon, one of the gods of magic.

Gods of Evil

• Takhisis: Goddess of Evil Dragons, leader of the Gods of Evil. Creator of the Ogres.
• Sargonnas: God of vengeance, Takhisis' consort. Patron of the minotaurs.
• Chemosh: God of entropy and the undead.
• Morrigan: God of disease and madness.
• Hiddukel: God of lies and greed.
• Zeboim: Goddess of strife and the sea. Patron of sailors.
• Nuitari: God of the Black Moon, one of the gods of magic.

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Arcane Magic

Wizards also drew their power from the gods, though in a very different way. Arcane magic was studied and memorised rather than deriving from prayer and devotion. This magic was linked with and overseen by three gods of magic - Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari, each identified with one of the three moons of Krynn. The waxing and waning of the moons influenced the strength of each wizard's spells.

The wizards had a more complicated relationship with their patrons in that while they honoured them they acquired knowledge by their own experimentation and study. Nevertheless all wizards knew that on some level even their spells depended on the gods.

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Thirty one years ago at the end of the Chaos War the gods were forced to depart Krynn as part of their pact with Chaos to prevent him destroying the world. With their departure the three moons vanished from the skies replaced by a single pale one. Wizards found their spells from the most powerful magic to the lowliest cantrip failed to function at all while clerics found their prayers remained unanswered.

It would take time but eventually new magic would be discovered - though it was quite unlike the old.

Mysticism, the Power of the Heart

Mysticism is the magic of life itself, strengthened by an individual's heart and soul. Mysticism is the ambient form of divine magic, requiring faith in one's self. Mysticism only affects living things or the spirits of the departed.

Many people believe that mysticism was one last gift from the departing gods of Krynn. Certainly many of its abilities seem close to the miracles worked by clerics in previous ages and the woman who discovered mysticism was Goldmoon a Hero of the Lance and devout follower of Mishakal the goddess of healing. Many mystics remain devoted followers of the gods. Still the Power of the Heart does not seem to require honouring the gods or even believing in them for that matter. Other mystics look elsewhere, finding their faith in themselves or others or in great causes.

Goldmoon taught at the Citadel of Light that the Power of the Heart was divided into categories known as "spheres." The spheres are as follows:

Animism (animals and plants manipulation), Alteration (living matter manipulation), Channeling (magic that enhances the physical characteristics of beings), Healing (healing magic), Meditation (magic that enhances the mental characteristics of beings), Necromancy (corporeal undead manipulation), Sensitivity (understanding of creatures‘ auras) and Spiritualism (incorporeal undead and spirits manipulation).

ARCANE BACKGROUND (Mysticism)

• Arcane Skill Faith (Spirit)
• Starting Powers: 3
• Power Points: 10
• Available Powers: Arcane Protection (N), Banish (V), Barrier (S), Beast Friend (N), Blind (N), Boost/Lower Trait (N), Confusion (N), Darksight (N), Detect/Conceal Arcana (N), Disguise (S), Dispel (S), Empathy (N), Farsight (S), Fear (N), Growth/Shrink (S), Healing (N), Mind Link (N), Mind Reading (N), Mind Wipe (V), Protection (N), Puppet (V), Relief (N), Shape Change (N), Slumber (S), Speak Language (N), Warrior’s Gift (S), Zombie (V).

Sorcery, the Innate Magic of the World

Sorcery (also known as "wild magic", or "primal sorcery") is the ambient arcane magic of the world. Sorcery is characterized by the manipulation of the natural creative and elemental energies used in creating the world. Sorcery only affect non-living things.

In contrast to mysticism which is powered by faith and self-belief sorcery is a magic that is studied and mastered through learning and intellect.

The power of sorcery was discovered in the year 403 AC (20 SC) when a mysterious figure known as the Shadow Sorcerer came out of the Desolation with strange magical powers, which she taught to Palin Majere. Majere would go on to found the Academy of Sorcery near the town of Solace.

The power of sorcery is in actuality the oldest form of magic. With the passing of the Greygem, the power of Primal Sorcery was boosted to levels that mortals could use. Following that, the power faded until after the Chaos War, when the power of Chaos infused the world, bringing sorcery to levels usable by mortals once again.

The Academy of Sorcery characterises the various schools of sorcery as follows:

Aeromancy (air and wind manipulation), Cryomancy (cold and ice manipulation), Divination (knowledge of past, present and future, projection of one‘s mind through time and space), Electromancy (lightning, electricity and magnetism manipulation), Enchantment/Enhancement (imbuing objects with arcane power, improving them or giving them new abilities), Geomancy (earth and stone manipulation), Hydromancy (water and liquid manipulation), Pyromancy (fire and heat manipulation), Spectramancy (light and color manipulation), Summoning (space manipulation) and Transmutation (non-living matter manipulation).

ARCANE BACKGROUND (Sorcery)

• Arcane Skill Spellcasting (Smarts)
• Starting Powers: 3
• Power Points: 10
• Available Powers: Arcane Protection (N), Barrier (S), Blast (S), Bolt (N), Burrow (N), Burst (N), Confusion (N), Damage Field (S), Deflection (N), Disguise (S), Dispel (S), Divination (H), Elemental Manipulation (N), Entangle (N), Enviromental Protection (N), Fly (V), Havoc (N), Illusion (N), Invisibility (S), Light/Darkness (N), Object Reading (S), Puppet (V), Relief (N), Sloth/Speed (S), Sound/Silence (N), Telekinisis (S), Teleport (S).

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:24, Thu 11 May 2023.