A magus (plural magi) is a user of Thaumaturgy—any art, discipline, or practice that involving the expression of mental, ousic, energy. In fewer words, magi use magic. They have become an indispensable feature in society as potent sources of energy. With many abilities impossible for technology to replicate, users of Thaumaturgy are essential for modern civilization. The most obvious use for magi, warfare, is also the oldest. Whether they were strong enough to single-handedly wage wars or were common foot soldiers, magi have been involved in every interplanetary conflict.
Magocracy, or rule by magi, represents the first form of government in many societies. Magi's immense magical abilities make ruling non-Magi populations comparatively easy. It takes thousands of years for governments to move beyond magocracy. With so much state power came a great amount of religious influence as well. Most major religions emphasize Thaumaturgy and its practitioners.
Most magi use Classical Thaumaturgy, interfacing with the Lux Aeterna to create energy. High-intensity light, or even LASERs, are popular applications. Users of the more ancient Invocative Thaumaturgy are called Paladins and can channel physical energy into thaumic energy, essentially absorbing it. Magi who specialize in Harmonic Thaumaturgy convene with Spirits, while users of Esoteric Thaumaturgy prefer accessing Cosmoria's Planes. There is infinitely more variation than these schools, however. Every species, and even every culture within species, offers a unique perspective on Thaumaturgy.
History
Modern Thaumaturgy emerged independently across dozens of societies. Before any civilization existed, however, magi still existed. Before even multicellular life, Azurade created the first users of Thaumaturgy, the Cerulean Kings. They practiced an art similar to modern Esoteric Thaumaturgy.
Following these ancient beings were the first civilizations. The Lareas Alliance was the first society to learn advanced Thaumaturgy. With the ability to harness the power of spirits, they created numerous megastructures, most notably Eos and Aubade. Despite being hundreds of thousands of years old, both remain mysterious feats of technology still unattainable. In this civilization, a "magus" was just another job. Anyone can contact spirits if they know how; the difficulty lies in motivating them.
For millennia years, few magi inhabited the universe. Invocative Thaumaturgy emerged on Eos in 1,570 BCE. The Naidaran species continually gained and lost the art with the birth of a "Hero." These individuals, naturally inclined to use Invocative Thaumaturgy, often lead campaigns into hostile territory. Director C'Tealkalich was the last Hero; he taught his abilities to those around him. He eventually founded the first Magocracy, the Cosmic Commonwealth of Magi. The Cosmic Commonwealth gave way to the Oberherr League, a long-lasting civilization founded by ultra-powerful immortal magi.
The Thaumic Revolution began with the emergence of Zaphenim, a spirit of immense power. Unlike most spirits, who aimlessly float about, Zaphenim was actively involved in galactic politics. He founded the First Aeternal Society and discovered Classical Thaumaturgy. This new form marked the beginning of a new era by fundamentally changing the nature of magi. Zaphenim led over one million magi to conquer nearly all of Aylathiya. The Second Aeternal Society thrived in much the same place, using the Luxscions as its soldiers.
For over ten thousand years, Sedrua, the Quintet Payotari Association, and the Triumvirate Civilization dominated Aylathiya. These powerful nations, ruled by immortal magi called Overlords, contributed most to the understanding of modern thaumaturgy. The War of the Ancients was the largest war in history for both sides to use Magi. Both Jezebel's War and Aylathiya's Ignominy were aftershocks of this devastating conflict.
Magi Demographics
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Magi in Everyday Life
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Magi in Warfare
For civilizations without large magus populations, warfare is a matter of out-producing the enemy. The side that can produce more spacecraft and coordinate them will win. These wars can take centuries and can cost billions of lives. Magi reduce the length of conflicts by a matter of ten but can often make them even more deadly. As the large navies clash on slow-moving fronts, magi can work behind enemy lines. The most deadly wars in history, such as the War of the Ancients, War of the Final Transition, or Aylathiya's Ignominy, involved enough magi to become much like a conventional war. Instead of conventional soldiers, magi fought in planet-spanning battles over decades. Even Florathel, a region distrustful of magi in general, employed them to great effect in the War of Saiheran Succession.
Most modern militaries fund both conventional and magus units. No matter the strength of the magus, titanic spacecraft will be able to project more force. Magi are much more useful in operations that require surgical precision. When a planet needs to be captured intact, magi are ideal. When a planet needs neutralizing, fleets of spacecraft can deliver far more firepower far more quickly. The average fusion reactor, too large to be equipped to anything but the largest ships, will always be more energy dense than the average magi.
Notable Magi
- Spirits - The Spirits are a species from the Lux Aeterna. Despite their low numbers, they are incredibly skilled Magi and effectively immortal. They have swayed the course of history for untold eons, particularly in places like Aylathiya.
- Zaphenim - Zaphenim is the most famous spirit, being the oldest and strongest of the legendary Angels. He is ancient even by the standards of the Spirits, coming into existence one hundred thousand years ago.
- Sachitel - Sachitel is the second Angel to emerge, coming into existence about ten thousand years after Zaphenim. She is notable for the creation of the Hedonist Worlds and being the first Icon of Sinister.
- Rinayo -
- Isayo - TBA
- Mother Okho - Ohko was the ruler of Ohko's Civilization, a loose collection of settlements across Eos. While not nearly as politically influential, Ohko would later come to rule Eos once more, inheriting the largest empire in Aylathiya's history, the Greater Martial Consilium.
- Sydiah - Sydiah was the founder of Sedrua and its state religion of Aeternalism. She is arguably one of the most influential angels, especially in modern politics and religion.
- Sydiah's Architects - Sydiah's Architects are a series of art pieces created by Sydiah. At first, only meant to be aesthetically pleasing, they quickly became elaborate enough to mimic life. They are almost all intelligent.
- Vurilia Jutopati - Vurilia Jutopati is a highly influential politician that has been continually active for nearly 50,000 years. This immortal and ancient statesman is a formidable foe both in politics and in battle.
- Itrian Yutira - TBA
- Drizuna Jutopati - TBA
- Thonde Yutira - TBA
- Silverstar - Silverstar is the mysterious being worshipped in the Theocracy of Silverstar. The worship of Him dates back millennia before His nation's formation, starting in Aylathiya before the Triumvirate Civilization culled his followers. After Moonmoon guided the survivors to Azurullya, the Cult of Silverstar was founded, becoming the sole ruling body in the newly-founded Theocracy.
- Moonmoon - Moonmoon is the leader of the Theocracy of Silverstar and is perhaps the oldest living human in the universe. Born on Aegyn hundreds of thousands of years ago, Moonmoon has taken it upon himself to spread the will of Silverstar across the cosmos. He has come into conflict with Sydiah in recent years.
- Aylathiya's Traveler - TBA
- Kara Delfor - TBA
- Faye Vaughn - Faye Vaughn was a notable Anomalist, a scientist considered with unknown unknowns. She founded the Occult Galaxy Project after learning most forms of Thaumaturgy. While obscure in modern cultures, her name remains widely revered amongst occultists and anomalists across Aylathiya.
- Eve of Mizraim - Eve was a powerful Human Magi from Eos who greatly aided Ohko while she ruled it. Eve is responsible for the Ekrosian Guardians and played a large role in Aylathiya's Ignominy.