Magic

Magic is the ability to draw power, or mana, from the Fade that allows the wielder to manipulate the world around them. Matter in the Fade is far more malleable than it is in our world. Beings who live on the other side of the Veil can use their will to change the area around them, so mages are essentially pulling energy from the Fade into our world to make our world more like the Fade. In doing so, they are able to manipulate matter as they will. Magic takes various forms, which are often separated into categories by the Circles. Their four Schools of Magic consist of two pairs of opposites: Primal and Spirit, and Creation and Entropy. There are many more specialized types, the Nature magic used by Dalish Keepers, for example, but those four cover most of the basic applications. Magic can be used for any number of things, both positive and negative, from the simple conjuring of destructive forces like fire and ice to creating invisible shields, or from healing wounds and fighting diseases to injecting paralyzing fear into another person’s mind. Like any weapon, it is only as dangerous as the hand that wields it, but there are inherent risks to using magic that your average stabby sword-swinger doesn’t have to worry about. Since magic requires tapping into the Fade, it naturally attracts the attention of the denizens of that realm, namely demons. Because those demons want to cross to our world, possession, which turns a mage into a dangerous monster called an Abomination, is a constant threat for a spellcaster. This is why they are typically trained rigorously in the use of their gift, and feared by those who cannot use or do not understand magic. Though its uses are vast and versatile, there is a limit to how much power a mage can exert. There are also ways to raise those limits, such as the consumption of lyrium. Unfortunately, there are also darker ways of attaining more power. Blood magic uses consumed life force to power spells. While it is not an inherently evil thing and can be used responsibly, the practice carries a well-deserved stigma. Stopping at just using some of your own blood or that of a willing individual takes greater willpower than a vast majority are able to call upon. Blood begets more blood, and the road of using unwilling sacrifices to accomplish great feats, including summoning and binding demons, is an exceedingly tempting one for many. Fortunately, a majority have judged that not starting down that road is the simplest way to avoid walking it, and blood magic is strictly forbidden in most places. Tevinter is the only place where it is still accepted, though they are far more discreet about it than they used to be. Also worth noting is the type of magic used by the darkspawn. They draw power from their own taint, resulting in what is known as Blight magic, which has nothing to do with the Fade. One of the reasons Corypheus was a dire threat was his ability to combine traditional Fade magic and Blight magic, granting him immense power. No matter the type, magic in any form is an inherently dangerous thing, and while the Circles might not have been the best solution, training and learning respect for magical power are key to the safety of both the mage and anyone around them. However it is used or viewed, magic is an undeniable part of our world, and its power has influenced our history and will certainly shape our future.