Magic of Fillimet

Magic forms the foundation of Fillimet, its influence permeating into every facet of life from the most grandiose and complex spells of protective Cleansing Magic and Draconic Book Preservation to the simplest applications of refrigeration and Necromantic communication. In many ways the lives of Fillimet's citizens are defined by their relationship with the arcane magical fields that flow across the landscape, lending their energies to those capable of harnessing their possibilities.  

Living with Magic

With magic permeating every aspect of life on Fillimet, those already Attuned to the arcane maintain a notable advantage. The Naturally Attuned are able to cast magic from the moment they learn their first spell, with no special requirements to attune themselves to the magical fields underlying the magic networks of Fillimet. The Naturally Unattuned require a Focus, and are limited in their magical powers until they build up their endurance and capabilities through practice, but are able to lead successful magical careers provided they are willing the put in the effort.  

Names for Casters

Those capable of harnessing the powers of the magical fields are known by many names, most commonly as casters, mages, or magic users. Other terms depend upon the culture of the speaker.   A wizard in some locales is viewed as an expert who stands out in their field, someone who invested a great deal of time and effort in mastering their chosen expertise. Other cultures consider the term wizard an insult, to mean an eccentric magic caster, often a loner and usually considered at least a little crazy.   The term Sorcerer in modern day Fillimet is typically reserved as a title, particularly among Battle Mage regiments or as a recognition for outstanding achievement in certain Magic-based organizations. Older texts, however, seem to use the term interchangeably with mage.  

Magic as Technology

Throughout most of Fillimet magic is synonymous with technology, as most of the best modern day comforts and conveniences incorporate magic-enhanced techniques into their manufacturing processes or Rune Magic into their basic functions. The discovery of Dynapothix runes, allowing for the storage and replacement of arcane energies to power runes, has further accelerated this trend.   Not everyone wishes to rely upon magic for all their needs, of course. Some, such as the members of the Order of Abstention, believe magic is a blight upon the world and to be avoided at all costs. Others, such as the Fillimet Magical Archives, recognize the inherent risks due to the Third Law of Magic and seek to pioneer non-magical technologies in an effort to limit their magical use to essentials only.   Due to the vast collection of arcane knowledge already discovered, coupled with the efforts of groups such as the Goldaming Family in pushing the limits and boundaries of the arcane sciences, any technologies seeking to avoid magic likely require a great deal of research to approach their magic-enhanced competition.  

Mages and Education

Most citizens of Fillimet rely upon magic in some form or another. Many of these are simple spells passed down through generations of family or apprenticeships, such as a Biomicrokinesis spell to stimulate the yeast when baking bread, or a Metalmancy spell taught to strengthen the nails under a Metalsmith's hammer. While these are all accepted as magic they are also a simple fact of everyday life, and knowing a few spells does not designate an individual as a mage any more than learning the alphabet makes one a Master Librarian.   A true mage typically requires years of study and practice, either as an apprenticed mage or in a university setting. Sometimes this training will remain focused on a single end goal throughout the student's full education, as is the case when studying to become a Healer or a Battle Mage. Other times a student will select their preferred area of expertise within the available branches of magic, honing in on their desired profession or specialization as they learn more.   Rarely a caster may be able to claim they are self-taught, combining on the job training with book learning and expertise picked up from coworkers and fellow professionals. This is more common in the more dangerous professions, such as the Ghost Hunters. Here the most successful learn to absorb what knowledge they can from their fellows, and some even obtain more formal apprenticeships, but all who succeed agree that knowledge is survival.