Lucardia’s Magic: The Five Pillars of Power

In Lucardia, magic is as old as the land itself, flowing through each faction, each ritual, and every hidden place. But it is largely something of the past, especially after the Great Mage Purge of 650. What remained after that momentous event was just a spark cast from the flame. Before, Sorcerers like Caspia could trap the soldiers of heaven within steel. After, the great guild of magic practitioners couldn’t even create a flame without flint and tinder. But we will get to that in a moment.

Magical power in Lucardia is defined not only by one’s understanding of the arcane but by one’s connection to the elusive fourth dimension known as the Tesseract—a realm separated by our plane of existence by the veil. Those who can access the Tesseract draw from forces that transcend physical constraints, granting them revered and feared abilities. Lucardia’s five magical factions—the Guild of White, the witches, the Order of Thanatos, the Red Clothes, and the Alchemists of Ignis—each approach this dimension with unique philosophies and goals. Together, they shape a world that is both mystical and divided, caught between tradition, spiritual mystery, and the dawn of rational science.

The Guild of White

The Guild of White, once one of Lucardia’s most influential magical orders, was the repository of mystical knowledge, drawing from a blend of elemental, necromantic, and alchemical practices. In an earlier age, Guild members were advisors, healers, and spellcasters for rulers across Lucardia, respected for their wisdom and ability to bridge the physical and mystical realms. However, the Five Kingdoms Period marked a dramatic shift in their fortunes. During the Mage Purge, the warring kingdoms began to view the guilds’ and other practitioners of the craft’s growing influence as a threat, leading to their near destruction. Though the guild survived by retreating to their stout towers at Twrgwyn and concealing what they could, much of their magical knowledge was lost, burnt on pyres a hundred feet high, and it reduced the guild to what they are today- peddlers of tricks.

Now, the Guild of White is diminished, with many of its members working as hired mages. Their spells are simplified, their enchantments weakened, but they retain the versatility of their roots, drawing from a mix of elemental manipulation and minor necromantic spells. Divided between those seeking to restore their lost legacy and those resigned to their role as mages-for-hire, the guild faces an uncertain future as Lucardia leans toward secular power. Yet, they are a testament to resilience in a world that no longer reveres magic as it once did, being the last surviving magical guild.

The Witches

The witches of Lucardia, divided among the Nyth Cigfran, the Caleach, the Forest People, and the Babaroga, believe magic should be rooted in the natural world. The elements and raw materials nature provides shape their craft rather than the arcane and unnatural. They, too, were significantly affected by the great Mage Purge, which pushed the Nyth Cigfran, Caleah, and Babaroga close to extinction. The Sacred Grove protected the Forest People from the brunt of the purge.

The Nyth Cigfran (or Raven’s Nest) is the oldest coven, founded by the great sorceress Naamah, who is responsible for the creation of the Nephilim. The Nyth Cigfran communes with the Great Mother, Asherah, and worships her three daughters, especially Skuld, the goddess of debt. They are often seers who draw on the primal energies of the land and the wisdom of those who came before. Their power is wild and enigmatic, tied closely to prophecy and ritualistic insight. But most importantly, they are interested in the magic of the flesh and strive to create the Morrigan, the phantom queen, who will eradicate the need for men.

The Caleach is the most mysterious of the covens. Residing primarily in the northern wilderness of Lucardia, they keep mainly to themselves unless you trespass on their territory. Their magic is primarily elemental, namely dealing with stillness and cold, and was developed to counter the Nephilim, who despise ice and snow.

The Forest People witches wield gentler magic that is closely aligned with Lucardia’s natural world. They seek to preserve the land’s natural harmony, using their abilities to protect and heal rather than to conquer, but that does not mean they will not defend themselves. They reside in the Sacred Grove and serve as the stewards of Lucardia’s most ancient forest.

The Babaroga practice a more primal, visceral magic focusing on spells, hexes, and potions. The Babaroga are cannibalistic, particularly toward children, and view this as a sacred duty, which has led to their near extinction. They often lurk in secluded areas on the periphery of society, and their most distinguishable feature is their horns.

The Order of Thanatos

The Order of Thanatos practices necromancy not as a tool of control but as a sacred duty to guide and protect the souls of the dead. Their role in Lucardia is unique, as they guide spirits to the afterlife and safeguard the boundary between life and death. Through elaborate rituals and powerful incantations, they tap into the Tesseract to commune with and direct spirits, performing rites that maintain Lucardia’s spiritual balance.

Members of the Order of Thanatos are both respected and feared, as their power over the dead places them at odds with Lucardia’s more life-focused factions. Though some see them as defenders of Lucardia’s spiritual well-being, others view their practices with suspicion, uncomfortable with their proximity to forces beyond the mortal realm.

Their practices are highly ritualized, drawing from ancient knowledge that few outside the Order understand. Their commitment to the sanctity of death grants them a solemn if precarious, role within Lucardia’s mystical hierarchy.

But their knowledge of death can also work toward its avoidance, and they are renowned for healing and repairing broken flesh.

The Red Cloths

The Red Cloths (the Followers of Eosphorus), originally a splinter group from the Order of Thanatos, are driven by a profound and dangerous mission: free Lucifer from imprisonment within the legendary sword, Ljós Leggja. Though the Caspian faith traditionally views the Great Beholding—Lucifer’s binding within the sword—as a victory, the Red Cloths have gained enough influence to introduce a schism in the faith itself. They advocate for a reinterpretation of doctrine, pushing the belief that it is time for Lucifer to be released and worshipped as a path for humanity to take its place in the kingdom of heaven.

The Red Cloths have transformed themselves into a subversive force within the Caspian order through manipulation, illusion, and the more nefarious necromantic rites. Their ultimate goal is freedom from the celestial constraints imposed by the Great Beholding, which they argue is unjust imprisonment rather than holy protection. While they continue to operate under the guise of religious authority, their true loyalty lies in the dark promise of Lucifer’s liberation. This purpose puts them at odds with both the Caspian hierarchy and Lucardia’s existing power structures.

The Alchemists of Ignis

The Alchemists of Ignis represent Lucardia’s gradual transition from mystical reliance to scientific discovery. Unlike the other factions, the Alchemists reject the arcane, favoring a systematic approach that explores the material world. Through experimentation, study, and manipulation of elements, they craft fire powder, chemical compounds, and early scientific tools that produce potent results without reliance on supernatural forces. For the Alchemists, the Tesseract and other mystical dimensions are irrelevant relics; true power lies in the observable, repeatable manipulation of the physical world.

Fire powder has become a symbol of this shift, granting Lucardia a new form of power that doesn’t require mystical aptitude. By creating weapons and tools available to anyone with the knowledge and resources, the Alchemists of Ignis have introduced an era where science challenges magic. Their work signifies a philosophical departure from the old ways, offering an alternative path to influence that reshapes Lucardia’s society and power dynamics.

A Land in Flux: Lucardia’s Balance of Mysticism and Science

Lucardia’s magical system, rooted in the Tesseract, is divided between those seeking to control the arcane, those working in harmony with natural forces, and those embracing scientific progress. The Guild of White clings to remnants of its lost knowledge, the witches preserve Lucardia’s elemental balance, the Order of Thanatos guards the sanctity of death, and the Red Clothes plot to unleash a dark transformation. Meanwhile, the Alchemists of Ignis herald an age where magic may fade, replaced by a rationalism that seeks control through empirical discovery.

As each faction vies for influence, Lucardia stands on the threshold of a new era. Whether the realm will continue to be shaped by ancient, mystical forces or succumb to the calculated ambitions of scientific advancement remains uncertain. The five pillars of Lucardia’s magic stand as both guardians of tradition and harbingers of change, each holding a piece of Lucardia’s fate as the realm’s story unfolds.