"It is one thing to know of magic, it is another thing to be a Mage. Magic is born from the notion that the fact of our world being governed by laws of physics, which keep us trapped on an isolated rock, are limited; incomplete. A mage transforms that notion into something tangible, hopefully without blowing themselves up in the process."
Mages are humans that are born with the ability to perform arcane magic. Individual names for mages differ from culture to culture, even city to city or individual; some call themselves wizards, others use the term sorcerer or arcanist.
Whatever the name, these individuals can sense magic potential in the world around them and use it to rewrite reality around them.
History
Mages are believed to have existed almost as long as humanity itself. It is thought the first mages came into existence as the result of the touch of magical creatures in one's bloodline or perhaps it was the result of children born under an auspicious sign or omen. Others believe that the first Mages were the children of ancient black magic practitioners who could not naturally work magic but were exposed either to otherworldly energies or artifacts.
Unlike witches, who were generally respected or revered in many lands, Mages were generally feared by those around them. It was thought that they had made pacts with the Devil, or maybe they were demons themselves. Many throughout Europe and the Middle East were killed. Even in regions where witches were revered, mages inspired fear and violence. In India, they were considered unclean and in Japan, Mages were considered enemies of the public enemies; many samurai were tasked with hunting down and killing mages in many famous stories.
Throughout history, there have been several very powerful, important individuals who were mages. The most famous of these was Merlyn, the court wizard of King Arthur. Merlyn served as both adviser to the crown and a powerful ally to the throne. Arthur, on several occasions, attested the success of his rule to Merlyn's wisdom. At the same time, Morganna Le Fey, the scorned lover of King Arthur, rose to power, a terrifying mage in her own right. Merlyn and Morganna were enemies for years, until Merlyn banished Morganna to an alternate Plane of Reality, where she would be sealed for all time.
During World War II, mages fought on both sides of the war. Several notable and high ranking members of the Nazi supernatural division were mages. Mages also fought for the allies, notably on the secret team known as Spooky Squad.
In the modern day, mages have become darker, fighting to stay alive and warping reality however they have to in order to make that happen.
Habitat
Mages are basically human, and thus can be found anywhere in the world that supports human life. However, powerful mages are capable of magically creating biomes or enchanted dwellings, or otherwise use magic to exist in environments a human would normally be incapable of living, such as underwater.
Some mages have taken to living outside of reality in the first place, creating palaces of crystal in the Astral Plane or dwelling with spirits in necropolises located within the Ethereal Plane. These mages use arcane magic in order to maintain their presence in such alien environs.
Diet
Mages are capable of eating anything a human can eat. However, they are also capable of ingesting certain magical foods, drinks and gels that would kill a human.
Breeding
Magical ability is an inherited trait passed from parent to child. There is no guarantee that possessing a magical gene will make a child a mage, but it's likely. Two magical parents make the possibility of a magical child even more likely. All children born with at least one magical parent have the gene. Even if the gene never activates and magic never manifests in an individual, it's possible that their descendants might one day awaken as mages.
Nature & Psychology
Mages have a longer life expectancy than mortal humans; the average lifespan by the current day is about 150 years old. The oldest mage on record reached the age of about 800 years old.
Psychology
Mages, being at the command of such vast power, tend to be cocky and dangerous; they lean toward taking unnecessary risks. Many are arrogant and have a great disdain for nonmagical humans. Mages control the fundamental forces of the universe as well as the threads that comprise individual thought, emotion and perception. This can cause some mages to develop a god complex.
The Nature of Magic
Magic is a dangerous, invisible, all-powerful force that many humans and creatures come into contact with. Magic entails forces or phenomena that somehow transcend the natural laws that govern the world by directly manipulating unknown energies that bend the fabric of reality to create the desired effect. Magic works without any discernible physical cause and often without any rational explanation.
Unlike science, which is dependent on the physical nature of the universe, magic is metaphysical and driven by other metaphysical sources, such as vigor, courage or evil. But like science, there is a certain logic to magic, as logic is the universal truth and answer.
For more on Arcane Magic, see here.
Mage Circles
On occasion, likeminded mages come together to form an organization in the pursuit of particular goals, such as power or knowledge. These orders function like pseudo-governments and most have dozens of members, though smaller Orders certainly exist. Membership in an Circle is by no means required in the magical world, but membership does afford certain perks in the right circles, such as resources or protection in numbers.
For the purposes of survival, it is a largely agreed-upon law among magekind that they keep their abilities a secret from Sleepers. This is done both to "preserve magical culture and traditions" but also to make sure no more Inquisitions or Witch Hunts are carried out. The rules of the mundane world are equally respected.
Just a a few of the known Mage Circles in the world of Shadowfell are:
- The Hellfire Club - Richmond, VA
- The Order of Merlyn - London, UK
Characteristics
Appearance
Powers & Abilities
- Alchemy: Mages are capable of brewing and concocting magical potions far beyond what any human is capable.
- Magical Implements: Mages can utilize certain magical implements, such as a wand, a staff, a crystal orb or some other tool to strengthen their abilities. Such implements allow them to use magic even in spite of certain methods of magic suppression.
- Magical Sensitivity: Mages can innately detect magic in both its natural state and worked forms. It's a natural ability in every mage. This power manifests differently for every mage.
- Spellcasting: A mage can bend the energy that binds the universe together to create magical effects. The act of doing so is known as casting a spell.
- Supernatural Sight: Mages can see representations of magic in the physical world. They see the world for what it truly is: weird, eldritch, and terrifying.
Weaknesses
Mages are humans and thus are subject to all of the same vulnerabilities and weaknesses of human beings. They also possess a number of supernatural weaknesses:
- Iron: A hard and strong magnetic metal that is able to repress the supernatural power of a mage. If pressed against the back of their neck, it forces the mage's eyes to glow.
- Magic: Mages are, of course, vulnerable to magic of all kinds.
- Meadowsweet: This herb functions as a magical suppressant. Touching this herb to a mage will cause their magic to go awry and tricking a mage into ingesting it (or otherwise getting it into their system, such as through darts) can remove their ability to cast spells for hours or even up to a day.
- Witch Hazel: This herb functions as a minor magical protection.
- Witchcatcher: A magical binding device that dampens magical power when worn. Usually a collar, though handcuff-versions do exist.
