Long ago, Wild Magic came into the world.
Within moments, the world and everything in it descended into chaos, warped beyond recognition. As the Wild Magic swept over the world, each thing within it shifted, swapping its place with another like thing – building for building, tree for tree, being for being. Beings were strewn across the world, appearing in strange places together with beings they did not know. Even the selfsame words of written and spoken language became muddled, such that no two beings in all the world spoke with the same tongue.
The Wild Magic seeped deeper into the cracks of space and time, and the laws of existence came unraveled, no longer to be trusted. Millions, perhaps billions, perished as the old world of the Time Before collapsed around them. For an age, the beings of the world lived in hardship and struggled to rebuild a society on sinking sand.
In this time, Natural Magic emerged.
Each of the Six Races of Beings, through exposure to the Wild Magic, became imbued with a Natural Magic known as Powers.
Cobolds bear the Power of Warding through craftsmanship. With this Power, anything a cobold creates with their own hands will be imbubed with a strong protection from wear and tear and deterioration over time.
Cobolds are shorter and stockier than the other races, and they tend to have broad shoulders, thick arms and legs, and large hands and feet. They have a long, thick tail, typically around the same length as their arms. They are steady and balanced, well capable of performing even the most precise of tasks without shaking or falling. Male cobolds tend to have tufts of hair at the tips of their tails, but they are otherwise no hairier than an arm or a leg.
Wights bear tells in their wight form that indicate their animal form, such as bestial eyes, fangs, claws, and hair or other markings that match the color of their animal fur. Wights in their bestial forms are commonly known as "in fur", and in their wight forms are known as "in skin".
Jinns bear the Power of Concealment through a connection to fire. With this Power, a jinn can conceal themself at will from any form of sensory and magical detection except touch.
Jinns have entirely white eyes with no distinguishable iris or pupil, and their bodies are surrounded by a heat haze as at the edges of a flame, yet they feel no hotter to the touch than other races. A jinn typically feels more comfortable while undetectable and must concentrate to reveal themself.
Sprites bear the Power of Divination through a connection to nature. With this power, a sprite can listen to an aspect of the natural world to learn of events that have passed nearby. Each sprites may listen to only one natural aspect – such as wind, trees, water, soil, or stone – and a sprite takes their aspect from their birth-giving parent.
Adult sprites each bear horns or antlers of a prey mammal, and they have chromatic-colored hair – blue, green, red, and so on. They are born hornless, and 'earning' their horns is commonly considered a rite of passage into young adulthood.
Elves bear the Power of Restoration through song. With this power, an elf can make inanimate objects become as they were when newly made and speed along the healing and rejuvenation processes in living things. Elves have naturally perfect pitch and a strong affinity for artistic performance.
Elves are taller and slimmer than the other races and have long ears and metallic-colored hair – copper, brass, gold, iron, and so on.
The Six Races are all capable of having children with one another, and the birth-giving parent always passes their race on to their offspring.
The First Monks learned to guide the Wild Magic.
Through force of will, they created a modicum of safety, consistency, and stability for the remnants of the races of beings. Through the Ritual of Resonance, these Monks discovered Resonant Magic. This feat of Natural Magic catalyzes a harmonious interaction between Wild Magic and the souls of beings as they celebrate the Ritual, which pacifies the Wild Magic. Where Magic and the soul intersect, the two intertwine and crystalize, and a magical gem condenses.
The months of the year1 are each associated with one of the Twelve Colors of Resonant Magic, and the days of the week2 with the Six Primary Colors. While there is no guaranteed method to predict the color of a being's magic, some believe that the date and day of their birth can affect if not predict it, and some others hold a belief that like the being, Magic itself has moods, passions, virtues, and vices – and that Magic Resonates with each being where their virtues and vices most closely align with Magic at the moment of Resonance. Others believe that both are true – that a being's birth can predict their personality, which then in turn can predict the color of their magic.
However the Resonant interaction determines the color of the condensing gem, that color in turn determines the schools of Magic within which the being can work. Where beings live together, and the Ritual is conducted on a regular basis, the Wild Magic becomes entirely placid and creates the Halcyon Magic.
There are three magnitudes of Resonance, which determine the breadth of the being's access to magic. The first magnitude results in a small gem that grants a single cantrip, a simple – though sometimes still quite powerful – spell. The being may cast this cantrip without additional spell components, which are required to cast spells at higher magnitudes. These small gems are typically set into rings, which the being commonly wears at all times.
The second magnitude results in a mid-sized gem that grants the being access to one of the two schools of magic associated with its color and a fairy familiar. This familiar takes on its own consciousness, born of the deeper intersection of Magic and the being's soul. Each fairy's shape is similar to that of its master, and they have wings reminiscent of those of winged animals. Beings with magic of the second magnitude are known as Mages or Wizards. To cast spells from their Resonant school requires a Mage to perform certain actions or create certain works, which provide direction to Magic. The color of the Mage's gem determines the method by which they may harness magic. These mid-sized gems are typically set into a wand, staff, or some other tool.
The third magnitude results in a large gem that grants the being access to both schools of magic associated with its color and a dragon familiar, similar to a mage's fairy. Dragons have gem-like scales over most of their bodies. They have the head and ears of an elk and the horns of an impala. Their manes are a cross of a horse's and a lion's. Their shoulders and hips are saurian, they have long, ferret-like body, their legs are deer-like, and they have claws like crows. They have fur like that of their manes on the backs of their legs and at the tips of their tails. Their wings are those of a flying fox. Dragons can change their size at will, becoming large enough to carry their masters and small enough to ride on their shoulders. Beings with magic of the third magnitude are known as Knights. They cast magic in the same way a Mage of the same color does, and their large gems are typically set into a ceremonial sword.
Dragon Knights form a fighting force that gathers and flies into the air to combat the Darkness, a supernatural occurrence that began with the advent of the Halcyon Magic. Its appearance is irregular and unpredictable. The sky dims, blocking out the sun, and blobs of pure darkness fall. Dragonfire is the only thing that can destroy this Darkness. Anything the Darkness touches disappears forever. It bores holes through larger structures like houses and other buildings, but smaller objects and living things disappear entirely.
Red Magic is associated with the virtues of Courage – heart, perseverance, and tenacity – and with the vices of Hubris – vainglory, recklessness, and impudence.
Orange Magic is Invocation and Warding harnessed through the written word – a complex system of ideographs combined together to express poetic meanings in beautiful patterns. These spells combine a bold series of instructions with masterfully crafted persuasion. An Orange caster changes the world with a pen or stylus. They can turn back the tide of time as easily as an enemy onslaught.
Orange Magic is associated with the virtues of Loyalty – steadfastness, trustworthiness, and integrity – and with the vices of Bigotry – stubbornness, hatred, and fanaticism.
Yellow Magic is associated with the virtues of Love – passion, kindness, and fellowship – and with the vices of Wrath – rage, fury, and possessiveness.
Chartreuse Magic is Conjuration and Transfiguration harnessed through the braiding of leather, the weaving of wool, the carving of bone. A Chartreuse caster weaves thoughts through fiber into fact and etches change through bone to body.
Chartreuse Magic is associated with the virtues of Joy – levity, humor, and cheer – and with the vices of Gluttony – wastefulness, overindulgence, and avarice.
Green Magic is Transfiguration and Enchantment harnessed through forming bonds with living animals. A Green caster grants boons, lays curses, and changes form and function, through their connection to the very pulse of life. Whatever the caster can teach the animal mind to understand, they can do.
Green Magic is associated with the virtues of Mercy – forgiveness, forbearance, and gentleness – and with the vices of Folly – gullibility, imprudence, and naivete.
Turquoise Magic is Enchantment and Concealment harnessed through concoctions of meat, bile, and blood. A Turquoise caster roasts meals and brews potions to bolster and bog down, to cloak and chicane.
Turquoise Magic is associated with the virtues of Grace – dignity, poise, and elegance – and with the vices of Guile – treachery, deceit, and fraud.
Cyan Magic is Concealment and Revelation harnessed through fire and light. A Cyan caster illuminates the hidden with a candle, bends sight with a prism, binds images in mirrors, and creates illusions with pyrotechnic flash.
Cyan Magic is associated with the virtues of Wit – adroitness, cleverness, and ingenuity – and with the vices of Envy – covetousness, rivalry, and bitterness.
Azure Magic is Revelation and Divination harnessed through glass and ash. An Azure caster gazes through the window to the future, sifts through the sands of time, magnifies the truth with a lens, and unmasks the hidden with the remnants of fire.
Azure Magic is associated with the virtues of Wisdom – prudence, discernment, and insight – and with the vices of Pride – arrogance, condescension, and conceit.
Blue Magic is Divination and Purification harnessed through connecting to the natural world. A Blue Mage draws out corruption with the pull of crystal and wood, sees the truth reflected in still water, and listens to the word of the wind.
Blue Magic is associated with the virtues of Peace – serenity, harmony, and composure – and with the vices of Sloth – indolence, apathy, and negligence.
Purple Magic is Purification and Restoration harnessed with the tones and rhythms of instruments and drums. A Purple Mage washes away injuries with flourish of a flute. With the boom of a drum, they draw out sickness and poison.
Purple Magic is associated with the virtues of Charity – compassion, benevolence, and generosity – and with the vices of Contempt – scorn, disdain, and haughtiness.
Magenta Magic is Restoration and Destruction harnessed with song and verse. A Magenta caster sings paeans of healing and chants dirges of death. Their cantos spell weal or woe, reverse the ravages of time and trauma, or speed them along to their finale.
Magenta Magic is associated with the virtues of Justice – truth, right, and order – and with the vices of Brutality – cruelty, ruthlessness, and tyranny.
Fuchsia Magic is Destruction and Evocation harnessed with dance, expressive motion, and sign. A Fuchsia caster throws fire and breaks bone with the sweep and sign of a hand. With the kick of a leg, they hurl blasts of sound and crumble stone.
Fuchsia Magic resonates with the virtues of Diligence – mindfulness, earnestness, and zeal – and with the vices of Bias – prejudice, favoritism, and obsession.
Evocation is the Magic of calling for bursts of energy of all sorts – electromagnetic, kinetic, chemical, and so forth.
Invocation is the Magic of control – ordering objects and creatures to obey and perform discrete actions.
Warding is the Magic of protection – guarding places, people, and objects from immediate or specific harm, intrusion, and weathering.
Conjury is the Magic of calling forth physical objects and connections between physical places.
Transfiguration – or Transmutation – is the magic of changing one physical thing into another.
Enchantment is the magic of programming physical things to behave a certain way in a certain situation.
Concealment is the magic of making one object appear to be another, to make illusions, and to make objects and knowledge undetectable.
Revelation is the magic of laying bare the hidden, finding lost things, and discovering buried truths.
Divination is the magic of seeing distant people, places, times, and events.
Purification is the magic of banishing the unwanted and removing the detrimental.
Restoration is the magic of renewing old and broken things and healing injuries.
Destruction is the magic of unmaking, breaking apart, and dissolving both physical things and magic.
In the Halcyon World of the Eterenal Moment, the beings speak a new language born of a thousand years of shifts and changes in the tongues that emerged from the chaos of the Wild Magic. This language is influenced by two primary language groups – the Southern tongue, and the Northern tongue. By convention, the Southern tongue is represented with words of Latin origin, and the Northern tongue is represented with with words of Germanic origin.
The Days of the Week are named for the Six Primary Colors of Magic: Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, and Magenta. In the Southern tongue, the days of the week have a common or vulgar name and a formal name. The vulgar name is used in speech and informal communications, and the formal name is – as the name suggests – used in formal communications. In the Northern tongue, they have new name and an old name. Only the new name is in everyday use. In the following chart, the names are listed in that order.
DirubisDies Rubri Roadsday *raudas dag |
DiflavisDies Flavi Yewsday *yelwis dag |
DivirdisDies Viridis Grungesday *grōnijas dag |
DiquarisDies Aquarum Skewsday *skiwis dag |
DicaelisDies Caerulei Blouseday *blewas dag |
DirosisDies Rosei Blominsday *blominiz dag |
The Months of the Year are named for the traditional virtues associated with each of the Twelve Colors of Magic: Courage, Loyalty, Love, Joy, Mercy, Grace, Wit, Wisdom, Peace, Charity, Justice, and Diligence. Each month is 30 days long.
There are five festival days during the year: New Year's Day, which is considered the first day of spring, the Vernal Equinox (Easter), the Aestal Solstice (Midsummer), the Autumnal Equinox (Harvest), and the Hibernal Equinox (Midwinter). Every fourth year, a sixth festival – the Veiled Feast is held on the first day of fall. These days are independent of any month or week. In the Gregorian calendar, the equinoxes and solstices traditionally begin their respective seasons; however, in the Halcyon calendar, these days occur at their midpoints.
The festivals are often associated with one of the Six Races, and by extension, with one of the Six Primary Colors. While every festival brings feasting and fellowship, each also has its own traditions.
Cordumber
|
New Year's Day
04 Feb |
01 05 Feb |
02 06 Feb |
03 07 Feb |
04 08 Feb |
05 09 Feb |
06 10 Feb |
|
07 11 Feb |
08 12 Feb |
09 13 Feb |
10 14 Feb |
11 15 Feb |
12 16 Feb |
||
13 17 Feb |
14 18 Feb |
15 19 Feb |
16 20 Feb |
17 21 Feb |
18 22 Feb |
||
19 23 Feb |
20 24 Feb |
21 25 Feb |
22 26 Feb |
23 27 Feb |
24 28 Feb |
||
25 01 Mar |
26 02 Mar |
27 03 Mar |
28 04 Mar |
29 05 Mar |
30 06 Mar |
01 07 Mar |
02 08 Mar |
03 09 Mar |
04 10 Mar |
05 11 Mar |
06 12 Mar |
||
07 13 Mar |
08 14 Mar |
09 15 Mar |
10 16 Mar |
11 17 Mar |
12 18 Mar | ||
13 19 Mar |
Vernal Equinox
20 Mar |
14 21 Mar |
15 22 Mar |
16 23 Mar |
17 24 Mar |
18 25 Mar |
|
19 26 Mar |
20 27 Mar |
21 28 Mar |
22 29 Mar |
23 30 Mar |
24 31 Mar |
||
25 01 Apr |
26 02 Apr |
27 03 Apr |
28 04 Apr |
29 05 Apr |
30 06 Apr |
01 07 Apr |
02 08 Apr |
03 09 Apr |
04 10 Apr |
05 11 Apr |
06 12 Apr |
||
07 13 Apr |
08 14 Apr |
09 15 Apr |
10 16 Apr |
11 17 Apr |
12 18 Apr |
||
13 19 Apr |
14 20 Apr |
15 21 Apr |
16 22 Apr |
17 23 Apr |
18 24 Apr |
||
19 25 Apr |
20 26 Apr |
21 27 Apr |
22 28 Apr |
23 29 Apr |
24 30 Apr |
||
25 01 May |
26 02 May |
27 03 May |
28 04 May |
29 05 May |
30 06 May |
01 07 May |
02 08 May |
03 09 May |
04 10 May |
05 11 May |
06 12 May |
||
07 13 May |
08 14 May |
09 15 May |
10 16 May |
11 17 May |
12 18 May | ||
13 19 May |
14 20 May |
15 21 May |
16 22 May |
17 23 May |
18 24 May |
||
19 25 May |
20 26 May |
21 27 May |
22 28 May |
23 29 May |
24 30 May |
||
25 31 May |
26 01 Jun |
27 02 Jun |
28 03 Jun |
29 04 Jun |
30 05 Jun |
01 06 Jun |
02 07 Jun |
03 08 Jun |
04 09 Jun |
05 10 Jun |
06 11 Jun |
||
07 12 Jun |
08 13 Jun |
09 14 Jun |
10 15 Jun |
11 16 Jun |
12 17 Jun |
||
13 18 Jun |
14 19 Jun |
15 20 Jun |
Aestal Solstice
21 Jun |
16 22 Jun |
17 23 Jun |
18 24 Jun |
|
19 25 Jun |
20 26 Jun |
21 27 Jun |
22 28 Jun |
23 29 Jun |
24 30 Jun |
||
25 01 Jul |
26 02 Jul |
27 03 Jul |
28 04 Jul |
29 05 Jul |
30 06 Jul |
01 07 Jul |
02 08 Jul |
03 09 Jul |
04 10 Jul |
05 11 Jul |
06 12 Jul |
||
07 13 Jul |
08 14 Jul |
09 15 Jul |
10 16 Jul |
11 17 Jul |
12 18 Jul | ||
13 19 Jul |
14 20 Jul |
15 21 Jul |
16 22 Jul |
17 23 Jul |
18 24 Jul |
||
19 25 Jul |
20 26 Jul |
21 27 Jul |
22 28 Jul |
23 29 Jul |
24 30 Jul |
||
25 31 Jul |
26 01 Aug |
27 02 Aug |
28 03 Aug |
Veiled Feast
29 Feb |
29 04 Aug |
30 05 Aug |
01 06 Aug |
02 07 Aug |
03 08 Aug |
04 09 Aug |
05 10 Aug |
06 11 Aug |
||
07 12 Aug |
08 13 Aug |
09 14 Aug |
10 15 Aug |
11 16 Aug |
12 17 Aug |
||
13 18 Aug |
14 19 Aug |
15 20 Aug |
16 21 Aug |
17 22 Aug |
18 23 Aug |
||
19 24 Aug |
20 25 Aug |
21 26 Aug |
22 27 Aug |
23 28 Aug |
24 29 Aug |
||
25 30 Aug |
26 31 Aug |
27 01 Sep |
28 02 Sep |
29 03 Sep |
30 04 Sep |
01 05 Sep |
02 06 Sep |
03 07 Sep |
04 08 Sep |
05 09 Sep |
06 10 Sep |
||
07 11 Sep |
08 12 Sep |
09 13 Sep |
10 14 Sep |
11 15 Sep |
12 16 Sep | ||
13 17 Sep |
14 18 Sep |
15 19 Sep |
16 20 Sep |
Autumnal Equinox
21 Sep |
17 22 Sep |
18 23 Sep |
|
19 24 Sep |
20 25 Sep |
21 26 Sep |
22 27 Sep |
23 28 Sep |
24 29 Sep |
||
25 30 Sep |
26 01 Oct |
27 02 Oct |
28 03 Oct |
29 04 Oct |
30 05 Oct |
01 06 Oct |
02 07 Oct |
03 08 Oct |
04 09 Oct |
05 10 Oct |
06 11 Oct |
||
07 12 Oct |
08 13 Oct |
09 14 Oct |
10 15 Oct |
11 16 Oct |
12 17 Oct |
||
13 18 Oct |
14 19 Oct |
15 20 Oct |
16 21 Oct |
17 22 Oct |
18 23 Oct |
||
19 24 Oct |
20 25 Oct |
21 26 Oct |
22 27 Oct |
23 28 Oct |
24 29 Oct |
||
25 30 Oct |
26 31 Oct |
27 01 Nov |
28 02 Nov |
29 03 Nov |
30 04 Nov |
01 05 Nov |
02 06 Nov |
03 07 Nov |
04 08 Nov |
05 09 Nov |
06 10 Nov |
||
07 11 Nov |
08 12 Nov |
09 13 Nov |
10 14 Nov |
11 15 Nov |
12 16 May | ||
13 17 Nov |
14 18 Nov |
15 19 Nov |
16 20 Nov |
17 21 Nov |
18 22 Nov |
||
19 23 Nov |
20 24 Nov |
21 25 Nov |
22 26 Nov |
23 27 Nov |
24 28 Nov |
||
25 29 Nov |
26 30 Nov |
27 01 Dec |
28 02 Dec |
29 03 Dec |
30 04 Dec |
01 05 Dec |
02 06 Dec |
03 07 Dec |
04 08 Dec |
05 09 Dec |
06 10 Dec |
||
07 11 Dec |
08 12 Dec |
09 13 Dec |
10 14 Dec |
11 15 Dec |
12 16 Dec |
||
13 17 Dec |
14 18 Dec |
15 19 Dec |
16 20 Dec |
Hibernal Solstice
21 Dec |
17 22 Dec |
18 23 Dec |
|
19 24 Dec |
20 25 Dec |
21 26 Dec |
22 27 Dec |
23 28 Dec |
24 29 Dec |
||
25 30 Dec |
26 31 Dec |
27 01 Jan |
28 02 Jan |
29 03 Jan |
30 04 Jan |
01 05 Jan |
02 06 Jan |
03 07 Jan |
04 08 Jan |
05 09 Jan |
06 10 Jan |
||
07 11 Jan |
08 12 Jan |
09 13 Jan |
10 14 Jan |
11 15 Jan |
12 16 Jan | ||
13 17 Jan |
14 18 Jan |
15 19 Jan |
16 20 Jan |
17 21 Jan |
18 22 Jan |
||
19 23 Jan |
20 24 Jan |
21 25 Jan |
22 26 Jan |
23 27 Jan |
24 28 Jan |
||
25 29 Jan |
26 30 Jan |
27 31 Feb |
28 01 Feb |
29 02 Feb |
30 03 Feb |