Modern Magic (Remix)

The world is basically Earth with magic, set place in the present day. Magic and its existence has been known for thousands of years, however it surges and regresses on cycles that can last from hundreds to thousands of years at a time. The world is currently undergoing a massive magical surge that started around 40 years ago, with new mages being awakened and ancient institutions dedicated to preserving the knowledge of magic being re-enlivened. Accordingly, the world is leaving a magical dark-age and is required to relearn much of what was lost while the magic in the world withered. It is unknown what causes the cycle of magic and many theories exist. The leading theory by magical scholars is star cycles, however this remains speculative. Key Principles of the world: Secretly magical world: Magic and the supernatural are real, but most regular people don't know it and go through life thinking they're in a non-magical world. The players will often start out by having only recently discovered the existence of magic and then be required to explore the nuance of how the world actually works, all the while keeping the secret. Monsters are real: Inhuman things of various kinds are real -- and are usually a threat to the normal people of the world. In these stories. Players may be required to keep these monsters at bay to protect the non-magic users. There are specific kinds of monsters (demons, vampires, ghosts, and so on), but other kinds might be fictional. The human world might be aware of some of those monsters through stories and pop culture (the walking dead, buffy the vampire slayer etc). Magical People: There are intelligent creatures in the world other than humans. There are no traditional fantasy peoples such as elves or dwarves, but vampires, werewolves, dragons and demons are fair-game. They might live in their own secret communities and are usually seen as outsiders and monsters. Some are benevolent and kind to humans, others are dangerous. Some of them can use magic and there are types of magic that they can do better than humans. Magical Creatures: Magical non-sapient creatures such as basilisks, hellhounds and phoenixes exist. It is unclear whether they are naturally occurring or created by magic (likely the answer is both). Some are seen as acceptable pets and companions. Most are rare due to their nature and the fact they are hunted. Often there are legends, rumors and magical materials associated with them. Magical Groups: There are groups of people in the setting who work together towards a purpose that might affect the players. There may be cults, religions that try to suppress or promote magic, colleges and magical governmental departments that keep tabs on useful or dangerous people and objects. There are guilds and unions of mages, demon hunters, and secret societies that keep information locked away. Various types of magic: Magic is vast and incomprehensible. It tends to work when a mage believes it does through their own interpretation of how they've come to learn to cast spells. Acceptable sources of magic include (but are not limited to): Prayers, magic books, runes, alchemy, dances, incantations, songs and rituals. This does not limit where magic may be found or called upon.

Same as modern day earth, however secret societies and magical organizations are ever present. Secret magical locations exist around the world, sheltered either by physical limitations or by magical interference.

The world is predominantly the same as earth in 2026, however secret races and cultures may live beyond the surface of what is known by most people. Vampire societies, changelings masquerading as humans, and all manner of other benevolent, dangerous or fantastical creatures roam the earth in secret.

Magical academies and schools have begun appearing in different nations. Some people believe this is an attempt by governments and magical institutions to train soldiers under the guise of teaching responsible magic (noting that tension between large institutions has been on the rise due to disputes about territories and the scope of authority of magical law enforcement agencies). The natural consequence of magical schooling is that younger mages are learning to control their power which some believe poses a risk to the secrecy of the magical world. Conflict is otherwise rampant in small secluded bodies of the world between warring magical groups, dangerous creatures are hunted in order to keep the magical world secret, and the werewolf/vampire conflict that has been occurring for centuries continues. Large scale conflicts have not occurred in the magical world in some time. Further, all magical societies and governments have agreed to stay out of mundane warfare due to the magical non-intervention treaty of 1683 (though some newly awakened mages question observance to this treaty when most of the institutions responsible for it have collapsed since the last resurgence of magic).

It is undeniable that magic is real, its a force that holds the world together, like electricity or mangetism. it's in every cell and every atom of every living thing. Some devote their lives to studying magic, working towards understanding of it. Broadly, its understood that Magic arises from opposing energetic forces that keep each other balanced, however there is a huge amount unknown about it and that is one of many similes or metaphors that can be used to describe magic. Something like magic - something so intuitive and individual cannot possible have a definitive glossary. The lack of consensus in how mages talk or think about magic is for the best, because someone offering a different approach in how to solve a tricky magical problem can be just what is needed. Magic is in everything. The magical energies fluctuate in intensity and availability. To cast a spell, mages tap into that energy and direct it towards a specific intent. Broadly, casting a spell requires three things: 1. A sufficient quantity of energy; 2. The ability to detect, control and redirect that energy; and 3. Focus on a desired outcome. Some types of spells are different from others, Cantrips and Rituals are examples: Cantrips: A cantrip is a weak spell, something that even a person with little or no talent can do. It is magic so common that everyone knows at least a little. A cantrip is any small magical spell that no complex knowledge is needed for. Mechanically, any spell that costs 1 or less soul is a cantrip and a player is not required to "know" the spell. For example, drying off your hair with a short burst of wind or stirring your coffee with magic are both cantrips. Most small cantrips will not require any use of soul at all, such as clearing dirt off your shoes or levitating a pencil a short distance. Cantrips are generally not powerful enough to directly affect an unwilling creature or damage an unattended object. Rituals: unlike magic that can be performed in a single action, rituals are complex and time intensive and may require multiple participants. Skills, items, and other abilities may ease the task of performing a ritual. Rituals allow a group of mages to work together to achieve a goal with high difficulty that might otherwise be impossible. The more time spent preparing for the ritual and its complexity will make the task easier to perform. Some magic is impossible (or at the very least, hasn't been solved and made public yet). Examples of spells widely considered to be "impossible" are those that bring the dead back to life, those that change the past, and those that create life. For the sake of clarity, magic falls broadly into three categories (noting that there is significant overlap between them at times). Spells: magic cast by a mage with an immediate effect. Alchemy: magical objects or sources that have a single consumable effect before the magic vanishes. Artifacts: magical objects that persist and have an ongoing effect. Of course, these categories blur together (what about a spell that has a lingering effect? or an artifact that has multiple uses before it becomes inert? some would argue such a thing is more akin to alchemy). Despite avoiding categorization on a technical level, mages tend to consider these three categories as separate areas of specialty for a mage.

Other planes exist and can interact with the material world, though it is very difficult for a mage to actively assert control over planar influences. The most common interaction between our plane and another are cracks allowing monsters through. It is unclear what the source or nature of these other planes are and very little is known about them.

While most mages will still trade in conventional currencies like dollars, due to the rarity of magical reagents and artifacts bartering is still very much active in magical communities. Information is also closely guarded and traded as if it were a valuable currency itself. The location of where to collect a rare potion ingredient is much more valuable than the ingredient itself. Spells and how to cast them are also closely guarded secrets. Players may need to barter or trade with other mages in order to learn how to cast a spell. Some mages who are part of institutions or societies may not be permitted to trade the secrets of their institution, however may be persuaded to do so in certain circumstances.

Magical law follows common sense. If something would be illegal by mundane means, its still illegal by magical means. Theft is still theft, murder is still murder, fraud is still fraud, no matter how you do it. Spells and rituals with legal outcomes may require illegal ingredients. If you get pulled over with a human liver and a sample of uranium law, you're probably still going to have some issues with the mundane police. But if you use those items to restore a depleted artifact, and then dispose of them safely and discretely, you're unlikely to face consequences. Some uses of magic are uniquely difficult to prohibit or punish, even if they clearly seem "wrong". Mind control is one such case - where is the line between influence and coercion? These ethical questions are more suited for a community than a courtroom and mages will find themselves with a great many enemies if they blur the line too many times. Magical Governments exist. Some have a more tenuous grasp over their jurisdiction than others. The North-American Magical Association (NAMA) has been splintered and fractured and only has real power over the main metropolitan areas of North America. Meanwhile, the London Magical Society (LMS) is a well-respected and powerful institution that works closely with the UK Government, even having some of its members as members of Parliament. In Australia, each State has a magical academy that awakened teenagers are required to attend. The schools also act a Government by keeping watch on and exerting influence over their alumni and ensuring that no graduates break the rules of magical society. Some parts of the world have smaller faux-government institutions, acting as more of a loose association of same-minded mages who work together to keep the peace and share research. There are even smaller groups that call themselves, sects, covens, societies or groups that share knowledge and work towards shorter term goals. Some societies are secret and knowledge of their means or goals are closely kept. Whereas some other societies openly seek members. Ancient magical families who have preserved their knowledge and magical powers throughout the ages still exist and are vastly powerful. The leaders or members of these houses often have powerful mundane jobs (often acquired through magic manipulation) and are influential enough to pressure larger groups or institutions. Their power comes from not only wealth and power, but due to their knowledge of magical secrets that has preserved through the ages. An example of a society are the mages of the three kingdoms: an ancient group of mages who still wield great power and are seemingly immortal. Born as a result of the war of the Three Kingdoms (where approximately 15% of the global population perished. The MOTTK warn that this the war arose as the result of greedy and dangerous magic use, and promise to intervene in conflict should it be apparent that another tragic of this scale is to occur. The MOTTK otherwise do not have any interest in engaging in the new magical society, believing this current resurgence of magic will be short-lived and uneventful.