This is my proposed FAQ for Celandran Magic. It incorporates text from 
the original webpages, with additions based on concepts developed within 
the list. In final form, I'm thinking the questions should all be at the 
top of the page with internal links down to the answers.

The current organization & numbering of the questions should not be 
considered final, nor do I consider the list to be complete at this time.

Andrew

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Q1. What is Magic?

A1. Magic is the manipulation of Spirit, Substance, or both through 
Non-Inherent Authority.

Q2. What is Spirit?

A2. Spirit is the energies and essences of the Dreaming, the spiritual 
world.

Spirit is an abstract, ethereal reality, almost a virtual world, the 
realm of will, thought, and awareness. It has no true aspect, but its 
representation changes with the perceptions of the viewer, and the 
nature of the thing being viewed. Thus, if you were to look upon a demon 
in the dream-world, you would see a representation of its true nature. 
Everything in the spirit realm is symbolic; Wisdom and Intuition are the 
keys to seeing truly. Perception and Logic can lead one to false 
understanding, grounded as they are in the tangible world of Substance. 
While the spirit realm may be perceived in a physical way, it has no 
true physical reality, and a given spiritual reality may have multiple, 
equally valid physical manifestations. The underlying Truth does not 
change, but different aspects may be considered.

Q3. What is Substance?

A3. Substance is the energies and materials of Celandra, the material 
world.

Substance is the physical reality. It derives its nature from the world 
of spirit, and is the stage upon which eternal drama is played out. The 
key aspect of Substance is its physical manifestation; it does not 
change arbitrarily, as does perception in the spirit world. Because of 
this, it is a limited and finite medium which is predictable and 
understandable. Spirit has these same qualities, but they apply to the 
higher abstract truths rather than their representation.

Q4. What is Authority?

A4. Authority is the power to manipulate Spirit and Substance. It is the 
right to exercise your will. It may be inherent or non-inherent. It can 
also be understood as being the natural laws which control the 
interaction of Spirit and Substance. All Authority ultimately comes from 
the Creator.

Q5. What's the difference between Inherent and Non-Inherent Authority?

A5. Objects and beings possess Inherent Authority as part of their 
nature: the Authority of a rock to exist, the Authority of a fish to 
breathe water, etc. Non-Inherent Authority is either granted by a Being, 
or earned through study, and as mentioned in A1, is often called magic.

Q6. How can I acquire magic?

A6. The first way is to be granted Authority over what you wish to 
manipulate by a Dreaming Being who has Authority over it. We call these 
Beings "gods", "angels", or "demons". Often, to be granted Authority by 
a Being, you must perform special rituals, or adhere to a specific code 
of behavior or morality. However, the grantor may revoke the grant at 
any time. This kind of Magic is often called Authority Magic, even 
though that's an inaccurate term.

You can also earn Authority over Spirit and Substance by in-depth study 
of some aspect of one or the other: Knowledge is Power and Power is 
Authority. The more you learn, the greater your power. This kind of 
Magic is often called Material Essence Magic, although at its core it is 
based on Authority.

Both styles have their strengths and weaknesses.

Q7. Can you tell me more about Authority Magic?

A7. In the realm of spirit, Authority is the right to exercise one's 
will. It can do anything, but you must obtain it somewhere. The Creator 
has an unlimited Authority, and can revoke everybody else's right to use 
it. Godlike beings have a certain (very large) Authority from the 
Creator. The amount of Authority decreases as one moves down the 
authority chain to less powerful beings. Men have only enough authority 
to control their physical bodies and manipulate substance.

As the creator has delegated Authority to his creatures, so may his 
creatures in turn delegate Authority to others by an act of Will. A 
creature may only delegate such Authority as it may possess; if a 
creature has no Authority over fire, for example, it cannot delegate 
that Authority. Authority assumes a relationship between the grantor and 
the grantee, and there is an implicit consent. Certain beings may 
specify ways in which one can access their authority, such as invoking a 
name or performing some ritual. It is entirely up to a given being 
whether he allows this, but it is certain he will notice if someone 
makes use of his personal authority. Once authority is granted, no 
further consent or communication is required; the grantee may freely use 
the grantor's authority and act in his name, even without his knowledge. 
Of course, it is not good to tarnish the name of one more powerful than 
yourself! The grantor may at any time terminate the agreement, unless 
there is a binding "contract." Such things are beyond the scope of this 
essay...

The Authorities thus granted can be arbitrarily complex, so long as they 
fall within the power of the grantor. For example, a shaman has traded 
with a Spirit of Fire a temporary Authority over Fire, with the 
restriction that it expires when the original fire is gone. The shaman 
then lights his warrior's arrows with the fire and orders the fire 
destroy and kill everything outlandish, but leave everything else safe, 
in the village they are about to attack. The warriors shoot the arrows, 
and the fire starts to consume all buildings, tools, etc. which are 
"outlandish" (subjective meaning given by the shaman). The fire leaves 
everything else in place. Soon, the original fire burns out, the compact 
is at end, and then the fire starts to spread to everything else, too, 
according to its own nature.

You can gain authority over something, but you have to get it from 
someone. Usually that "someone" wants something in return, and puts all 
sorts of restrictions on how you can use it. Furthermore, that someone 
will always keep an eye on you, since you are now its representative and 
throwing around its power. And it can revoke authority at the drop of a 
hat. So while authority can be a short road to immense power, it is a 
road fraught with peril and intrigue. Authority is all about politics, 
and nothing about knowledge.

Q8. Can you tell me more about Material Essence Magic?

A8. Essence is an almost scientific study of the workings of the 
material world. It is very predictable, and you don't have to ask 
anybody's permission to use it. It takes a long time to gain mastery, 
and is more limited in scope than direct authority, but offers autonomy 
and reliability.

To an extent essence magic doesn't require much true understanding, but 
being able to go through the motions won't do you much good in calculus, 
as most problems are not simple "plug in the numbers" type things. And 
it is MUCH easier to pledge one's soul to the Lord of Darkness in return 
for limitless power, than to study for ten years to learn how to create 
and control fire. A good analogy might be:

    1. Plugging in the numbers in an equation is equivalent to hitting 
someone over the head with a rock.
    2. Understanding calculus is equivalent to inventing a spell to 
adjust body chemistry in such a way as as to induce Sleep (though they 
may resist it anyway).
    3. Authority is more like going to the professor and convicing him 
to do the problem for you... smile

Essence has no meaning in the spirit realm, since that place has no 
physical reality, and it outside the realm of Substance. Essence cannot 
affect the spirit aspect, though in the spirit realm one could 
conceivably create new types of Origins (or even whole "worlds") as an 
act of will, assuming that one's will is sufficient for the task. The 
only governing law in spirit is Will (and the Authority to exercise it).

Q9. Can I use Authority Magic and Material Essence Magic at the same 
time? Can I have multiple sources of Authority Magic?

A9. Yes and yes. Since Authority may be derived down multiple branches 
of the tree, it is possible for a wizard to invoke authority from two or 
more sources. Similarly, different wizards are likely to obtain their 
authority through different masters. Each master (and each wizard) has a 
unique will, and these may often conflict. What this means is that each 
sentient being is in effect an Origin with its own unique sphere of 
influence; a wizard may himself be an Origin for a lesser wizard or 
pupil. Even a lowly peasant may be an Origin for whatever authority he 
possesses.

All physical things have a measure of authority in the physical realm 
(even if only to exist). Sentient beings have authority in the spiritual 
realm (to freely act). Supernatural beings may or may not have authority 
in the physical realm; those that do have varying Dominions (ie. some 
can control energy, others can control organics).

Many wizards do practice both authority and essence. Most folks are 
religious, and invoking the name of a god is usually good for at least a 
minor favor; a truly devout servant may even be able to heal or 
pronounce a curse. But far different is the infernal sorcerer who 
studies forbidden writings and makes pacts with demonic beings, in a 
quest for great power. Such persons often rise to frightening heights or 
power before they are destroyed by their own folly.

Q10. Are there any limits on the Authority I can earn or be granted?

A10. Yes, there are four areas where there are restrictions on granting 
Authority: Time, the Mind, the creation of Magical Items, and dragons.

Q11. What are the restrictions on Time?

A11. Only the Creator may grant Authority over Time, and the only known 
entity which has been granted such Authority is the Oracle of Talishara 
in Yora'Tirmar, which can, within limits, predict the Future.

For every other Being, the true seeing of future and past is impossible, 
as is time travel. Limited forms of precognition and past-reading are 
possible, however. Precognition works by taking consciously and 
subconsciously perceived data and rapidly calculating the most probable 
outcome of the circumstances. Past-reading works by detecting and 
interpreting the magical resonances important events impose on their 
surroundings and the items involved.

While there are magics which haste or slow their targets, or put their 
targets into stasis, these magics do not affect Time; rather, they 
affect their target's perception or biological response to the passage 
of Time.

Q12. What are the restrictions on the Mind?

A12. No one may have Authority over another's Mind without that other 
person's express, uncoerced consent. Each new attempt to affect the Mind 
of another person requires a renewed grant of Authority. Some persons or 
beings cannot give such consent, and in those cases, their minds may 
only be observed, not altered. To put it another way, you can use magic 
to try to charm or persuade an unwilling target, but you cannot compel them.

It is not clear whether this was always a law of nature, or whether it 
came into existence after the Sinari War and the Freeing of the Eerith. 
As a practical matter, it makes long-range telepathy, magical mind 
control, and unwilling demonic possession.

Short-range telepathy, where both parties are in the same room and can 
see each other, is allowed, because in that situation, both parties can 
grant express consent to the other, and both are in a position to revoke 
that consent at will.

Willing demonic possession, as in the case of the Shadowspawn, is 
permitted because the demon's continuous presence in the Mind of the 
possessee is considered a single, continuous attempt at mind alteration.

Illusions are permitted, because they do not affect the Mind directly; 
rather, they alter the sense-perceptions being sent to the Mind.

Q13. What are the restrictions on creating Magical Items?

A13. Because Celandra is so Substantive, enchantments, especially those 
that rely on Authority granted from Beings in the Dreaming, slowly fade 
over time, with enchantments of greater complexity fading faster than 
simpler enchantments. 'Permanent' magical lighting requires renewal 
every five or six centuries, while magical security systems--depending 
on complexity--require renewal anywhere from once a year to as often as 
every three to four weeks.

There are a few exceptions, but these are all Artifacts tied to an 
active god or goddess.

Q14. What are the restrictions on Dragons?

A14. The dragons are creatures of Pure Substance. The only being who has 
Authority over a dragon, other than the Creator, is the dragon itself. 
This makes them impossible to affect with Authority Magic without their 
freely-granted consent, and nearly impossible to affect with Material 
Essence Magic.

Interestingly, the Eerith, who are creatures of Pure Spirit (although, 
like a hermit crab, they may borrow a "shell" of Substance), cannot see, 
hear, or otherwise perceive dragons at all, although they can see the 
effects of a dragon's presence and deduce its existence.. It may be 
safely assumed that dragons in turn cannot see, hear, or otherwise 
perceive the Eerith.

Q15. Are magic-users in Celandra like magic-users in D&D?

Q15. No. Clerics in Celandra are similar to D&D Clerics, but in 
Celandra, clerics are tightly limited in their magic by their god's 
portfolio. Also, while they may be restricted in the complexity & power 
of their effects by their "level", there is no set limit on spells cast 
per day; the cleric's physical endurance and wisdom determine how often 
he or she can channel the power of his or her deity. In Celandra, Druids 
and Clerics are essentially interchangeable in their spell-casting powers.

In Celandra, the terms wizard and sorceror are largely interchangable, 
with sorceror or mage being the prefered terms in most of Qaiyore. 
Spellcasting ability is based on intelligence, knowledge and physical 
endurance: Material Essence Spellcasting is fatiguing, although the loss 
is small enough to normally be recovered in minutes, provided the 
sorceror has time to catch his or her breath. Generally, a Celandran 
wizard or sorceror is more physically capable in combat than his D&D 
counterpart, and some, such as the Mirrish Warmage Coteries, are as 
powerful in physical combat as they are in magecraft.

Q16. Does every society approve of Magic?

A16. No. Mir, Burcancy, and Torphan are all societies where mages are 
common and accepted. Sedonia controls its magic-users through the 
Sedonian Church, and its people are largely only comfortable with magic 
as practiced by the priests and priestesses. Kaeir and the other 
societies where Millat Shanari is the dominant religion see generally 
see magic, particularly Authority Magic, as a violation of the Creator's 
ordering of the Universe, although the question of what sort of magic 
might be allowed has split the Millat into two major and several minor 
factions.

Bards are mostly non-magical, although a few have powers in their song. 
Rangers are non-magical, and paladins do not really exist, although one 
might argue that the Rohain of the Exquaestio might qualify as such.
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