Magic

"An inexperienced wizard, such as I myself once was, sees magic as a system—a secret set of instructions for rebuilding reality as you see fit. And it's true that even the most rudimentary uses of magic involve learning its language: how to say the right words, make the right gestures, and pull upon the threads of the skeins of arcane, divine, and primal energy that flow invisibly all around us.

Yet the true master knows the system to be false. The patterns we see in various forms of energy, the languages we learn to speak to manipulate them, the differences between one phenomenon and another, even the division between what is magic and what is mundane—all are false. Perhaps only the gods can fully grasp this concept, but the truth is that all things' are part of the same continuum. Why else would magic of so many types accomplish much the same end, and why else are so many things—from old gloves to living beings to entire planes—able to be created and imbued with magic?

The true pity is that even upon recognizing that we are imprisoned by our faulty understanding of magic, none of us can escape it. We are like babes that for the first time realize a world exists outside our crib. Even if we had the wherewithal to explore beyond our boundaries, we could not conceive of the dangers that await us."—Mordenkainen, on the nature of magic

In the context of the World of Greyhawk™ (and Dungeons & Dragons) magic is the manipulation of mystical energy which exist in the world (in the form of ley lines (see below) and using those energies to produce effects of one's own choosing. The methods for accessing magic can vary and there are enormous differences in the effects accessible by different individuals. Many people have different perceptions of what magic is and how it is accessed. Its substance or form is considered anthropomorphic by some with physical manifestations of magic itself, while there are others who believe there are entities who represent or sponsor magic and its teachings.

In some places, magic is commonly practiced in many or all of its forms, while in others, some magic (or all) is forbidden or seen as taboo. Some cultures practice some forms of magic and not others. (see below)

Historically, magic is not always present in Greyhawk. In the late tenth century (c.963 to 998 CY) when Pluffet Smedger published his Glossography, "magic is not a lost art, but, apparently, a fading one" when the Epoch of Magic was coming to an end. From historical information, sages and scholars additionally know there were once magical practices which produced more potent magical effects than are possible by even the most powerful contemporary wizards. (E.g., Suel Mages of Power, and Baklunish sorcerers.)

In later (possible) timelines, like Greyhawk 2000 set in 2000 CY, magic once again exists in Greyhawk. This leads many to believe magic in the World of Greyhawk is either regularly cyclical in some fashion or ebbs and swells as would a tide bringing low and high tides of magic.

Types of magic

There are many different spellcasting traditions in the World of Greyhawk™. The most standard distinction amongst them is between divine magic and arcane magic. In early editions, these are sometimes referred to as clerical or magic-user spells.

Within these distinctions, there are particular ways in which magic is used, and traditional spellcasting groups have formed around them, some of which are practiced specifically by the core classes for player characters.

Arcane

• Artificing—casters manifest their magical abilities through mundane objects, making inventions, and using tools to access their spellcasting. (Early versions of this class were straight-class wizards akin to specialists.)
• Bardic—the use of sound to create magic through music. Some advanced practitioners of this type of magic who use sound to access the very creative forces of the universe.
• Sorcery—spontaneous magic which does not require the use of spellbooks or memorization to access forces of magic. The power to access magic comes from within—a caster's own force of personality or sometimes from a bloodline they've inherited. Sorcerous magic often does not manifest at birth and becomes evident in puberty or during times of personal crisis.
• Warlockry—a type of magic with which someone can either be born or which is derived from being granted by a powerful entity who grants the abilities ("invocations") after making a pact with the recipient.
• Wizardry—the most traditional form of spellcasting. Rote memorization of spells stores an "energy pattern" in the mind of the caster, later requiring a relatively short method of hand gestures, materials, or words to cause the desired magical effect. The process of casting uses up the stored magical energy from the caster's mind and the spell must be re-memorized.

Divine

• Clerical—access to magic, granted by deities or other very powerful outer planar beings.

Paladins also use clerical magic.

• Druidry—the practice of magic as granted by deities of nature, or by the force of nature itself.

Rangers also use druidic magic.

Other magical traditions

Some of these traditions have been described variously in different editions, with some being "Prestige Classes" or "Subclasses" or "Arcane Traditions"

• Arcane Archery—a type of martial combat blended with arcane spellcasting most commonly practiced by elves, which communicates spells cast through a bow and arrow, affecting the arrows' targets.
• Bladesinging—a specific tradition of mixing magical arts and martial combat with dance, taught predominantly in elven nations. When this tradition of magic is performed, the caster's blade makes melodic sounds. By custom, it is only taught to those of elven heritage who are from Celene.
• Chronomancy—the practice of magic specifically relating to time or time-travel.
• Pact magic—Binders who use seals to bind "vestiges" to themselves using special rituals and symbols ("soul binding"), gaining magical abilities in the bargain. Some vestiges include: Acererak, Dahlver-Nar, the Green Lady, Kas and Azazel.
• Thaumaturgy—
• Theurgy—
• Warmage—casters trained specifically in the arts of magic relevant in military application. Notably, the Order of the Fire Hawk trained at Tarth Moorda.
• Wild magic
• Witchcraft—in some editions, witchcraft is a separate practice from other spellcasting, or a subtype of another class.

Magic-adjacent practices

Alchemy

a practice which many commoners believe to be actual magic, from the bizarre and amazing results it can achieve. Alchemy does not actually tap into leylines or magic of any kind, though it requires intense training, and many wizards are also alchemists.

Fortunetelling

Some people practice fortunetelling without it being a Divination art. Not all are honest, and some may be tricksters or grifters.

Prestidigitation

The art of slight-of-hand, not the spell.

Psionics

The art of using the power of one's mind to create spell-like effects.

Science and Technology

In Saga of Old City, Doctor Prosper defined technology as "the counterpart of magic within the dimension of probability and works in inverse proportion to it.” There are known elements of science in the Flanaess, though they are rare—the crashed spaceship from Expedition to the Barrier Peaks or the "City of the Gods", for example. Magic replaces some kinds of technology, but generally mudane technology like mills and plows are common. However, advanced metalcraft like clocks, cable wires, metalwork of ores with a high melting point, or advanced alloys are unknown. In some campaigns, clockwork inventions may be known.

Ley lines

Magic pervades the very fabric of reality in the World of Greyhawk™—magic is everywhere all at once. The substance of magic is described variously and "casters have varied ways of naming and visualizing this interface." (e.g. the "Weave" in other settings). In Greyhawk, however, the substance of magic comes in the form of ley lines also called force lines—invisible conduits of magical power or force which intersect across the world in courses sometimes as big as a river or as small as a single thread. It is unclear where they come from or how they're formed. As "ley line" is not expressly defined in game terms, they may be either concentrations of magic which emanate magical power or are the concentrated source of magic itself. In either case, it is clear magical power emanates from them. The closer a caster is to a ley line, their magic is powerfully affected. In contrast, however, there are some areas which are dead magic areas, anti-magic areas, or even wild magic areas. There are also spells which can temporarily create areas which mimic these effects.

These powerful, natural flows of energy affect the casting of magic in numerous ways. Some ley lines affect certain types of magic when in close proximity to the ley line, making spells cast more effective, last longer, affect various schools of magic, or even permeating the minds of spellcasters making them able to cast more spells than they are otherwise able.

Ley lines have a few known, defined traits:

• Each type of ley line is distinguishable from others by the school of magic it effects, and individual ley lines can shift from one type of magic to another, much like shifting through a spectrum of light, though this occurs over centuries.
• Ley lines crisscross the world and may converge. In those places, magic is very strong and places of import are built there. The Star Cairns are one example.
• Ley lines can move over time, much like a river.
• In places where ley lines exist, the invisible forces can sometimes cause manifestations in the physical world. These can include strange magical substances being created from nothing, or for creatures living nearby to be altered in unusual ways, e.g.: wildlife growing to startling proportions. Though it is not specifically stated that the Fortress of Unknown Depths is on a ley line, it may be this is how oerthblood is formed, as it shares descriptive similarities to the "foaming stone" formed from a ley line in the adventure, The Star Cairns .

Deities of magic

While there are some deities who sponsor magic, there are few whose portfolio is magic itself. Boccob is known for being one of those few. Wee Jas and Corellon Larethian, for example, are patrons of magic, but it is not their primary Portfolio. They each have other primary areas of interest or concern. Zagyg is a patron of magic, but is often associated with his mortal life and being extraordinarily capricious, at best. While he does give access to the Magic Domain for clerics, it's not especially part of his Portfolio.

The following are articles on this wiki about individual deities concerned in some way with magic:

Annam

Baba Yaga

Baravar Cloakshadow

Boccob

Corellon Larethian

Deep Sashelas

Emmantiensien

Great Mother

Ilsensine

Kanchelsis

Laduguer

Mellifleur

Murlynd

Queen of Air and Darkness

Titania

Vecna

Wee Jas

Zagyg

Schools of magic

There are eight traditional "schools" of magic. Notably, ley lines of each type have been observed.

"Academies of magic group spells into eight categories called schools of magic. Scholars, particularly wizards, apply these categories to all spells, believing that all magic functions in essentially the same way, whether it derives from rigorous study or is bestowed by a deity."

"The study of wizardry is ancient, stretching back to the earliest mortal discoveries of magic. ...with various traditions dedicated to its complex study.
The most common arcane traditions in the multiverse revolve around the schools of magic. Wizards through the ages have cataloged thousands of spells, grouping them into eight categories called schools... In some places, these traditions are literally schools; a wizard might study at the School of Illusion while another studies across town at the School of Enchantment. In other institutions, the schools are more like academic departments, with rival faculties competing for students and funding. Even wizards who train apprentices in the solitude of their own towers use the division of magic into schools as a learning device, since the spells of each school require mastery of different techniques."

Abjuration

These spells are protective in nature, though some of them have aggressive uses. They create magical barriers, negate harmful effects, harm trespassers, or banish creatures to other planes of existence.

Conjuration

Involves the transportation of objects and creatures from one location to another. Some spells summon creatures or objects to the caster’s side, whereas others allow the caster to teleport to another location. Some conjurations create objects or effects out of nothing.

Divination

Divinations reveal information, whether in the form of secrets long forgotten, glimpses of the future, the locations of hidden things, the truth behind illusions, or visions of distant people or places.

Enchantment

These charms affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. Such spells can make enemies see the caster as a friend, force creatures to take a course of action, or even control another creature like a puppet.

Evocation

Spells of this school manipulate magical energy to produce a desired effect. Some call up blasts of fire or lightning. Others channel positive energy to heal wounds.

Illusion

Illusions deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, to miss things that are there, to hear phantom noises, or to remember things that never happened. Some illusions create phantom images that any creature can see, but the most insidious illusions plant an image directly in the mind of a creature.

Necromancy

Necromantic spells manipulate the energies of life and death. Such spells can grant an extra reserve of life force, drain the life energy from another creature, create the undead, or even bring the dead back to life. Creating the undead through the use of necromancy spells such as animate dead is not a good act, and only evil casters use such spells frequently.

Transmutation

Transmutations change the properties of a creature, object, or environment. They might turn an enemy into a harmless creature, bolster the strength of an ally, make an object move at the caster’s command, or enhance a creature’s innate healing abilities to rapidly recover from injury.

Social aspects

"In the world of Greyhawk, as in most D&D worlds, magic is widespread but still wondrous and sometimes frightening. People everywhere know about magic, and most people see evidence of it at some point in their lives. Magic permeates the cosmos and moves through the ancient possessions of legendary heroes, the mysterious ruins of fallen empires, those touched by the gods, creatures born with supernatural power, and individuals who study the secrets of the multiverse. Histories and fireside tales are filled with the exploits of those who wield magic.

What normal folk know of magic depends on where they live and whether they know people who practice magic. Citizens of an isolated hamlet might not have seen true magic used for generations except the strange powers of the old hermit living in the nearby woods, which they regard with suspicion and mention only in whispers.

By contrast, magic is common enough in the Free City of Greyhawk that the Guild of Wizardry teaches magic and sells spellcasting services. Extensive codes of law govern the use and abuse of magic. The law treats magical coercion as a major crime, and punishes the public use of magic in situations that could harm people or property."

Cultural

The perception of magic in various cultures is widely different, the world over. These are only some examples of the way magic is seen by various peoples and nations.

• Rhennee—there are no known practitioners of divine magic amongst the Rhenfolk, and they disdain gods of all stripes, and do not practice divine magic in any form.
  • Vetha—Rhennee, "Wise women" who act as spellcasters, advisors, and more to Rhennee ship captains or group leaders.
• Elves—magic is considered a very worthy art amongst most elven societies, and they practice arcane magic, specifically wizardry, almost exclusively.
  • Amongst elves of Ravilla, sorcery was outlawed for generations, because it was believed to have been the source of the breach of the Abyss into the Material Plane, bringing the Demon War.
• Dwarves—traditionally, dwarves are distrustful of arcane magic, and only practice divine magic.
• Keoland—the Silent Ones believe magic should not be shared with those who are not specifically trained in its moral use.
• Flanaess—"Psionicists are by no means common, but most people are at least aware of the existence of psionics and often consider it to be just another mystical pursuit, little different from magic."

Customs

There are many customs related to magic throughout the vast number of nations of the Flanaess. While so many diverse and myriad customs exist it would be impossible to list them all, there are a rare few which stand out as being universal. Amongst these are:

• The naming of spells by those who invent or popularize them. These are most commonly seen "out of character" in the Player's Handbook as spells which have proper names associated with them, most commonly names of Members of the Circle of Eight. These spell names are also used "in character".

• A related custom is the names which wizards (and other arcane casters) commonly choose to use.

"Regardless of background, most wizards are identified by a single name: Mordenkainen or Bigby are examples. Generally, the higher a mage’s eminence, the more likely this is, though there are extremely powerful mages with multiple names, like Jallarzi Sallavarian and Warnes Starcoat."

In fact, most wizards avoid anything grandiloquent or lengthy altogether. Other notable examples include Allustan, Khellek, Melf, Philidor, Iquander, and Evard.

• A fairly obscure custom is the attire of magic-users, specifically wizards. While robes are also common amongst traditionally academic wizards, it is not defining of them, specifically. A wizard's hat, however, is noteworthy.

"...pointed at the top like the hat of an old and eccentric wizard."—the High Tower Inn (G4)

Not all wizards wear tall, pointed hats, but it's common enough that someone wearing such a hat might be presumed to be a wizard. It's a custom that's been around for many years. So much so, that there's an inn in the Free City which uses the phrase as its name— the Wizard's Hat Inn (R4).

• The traditions of the Celestial Imperium include a different concept of the Elements—there being five instead of four—fire, water, air, wood, and metal.

"...there are five elements and five imperial Dragons that are born and dwell within them, visiting the world conglomerate only when they so choose—or are summoned..... Golden is the color of the Fire Dragon, green that of Water, while blue is certainly of Air. The imperial Dragon of silvery hue is of Metal, and the one of violet shade is associated with Wood."

Magical Organizations

As previously mentioned, there are institutions of learning throughout the Flanaess which are devoted to studying magic itself in various forms. See also

• Arcane Order
• Circle of Eight
• College of Divinations—Ountsy
• College of Sages and Sorcery—Nellix, Duchy of Urnst. Group of loosely associated individuals who provide magical instruction
• College of Sorcery—Hesuel Ilshar
• Conclave Arcanum—Dyvers
• Council of Wizards—Winetha
• Eldritch Lords—Rel Deven
• Guild of Wizardry (Wizards' Guild)—Free City of Greyhawk
• Royal University—Rel Mord—loosely connected to the Temple of Delleb. It contains many archives, libraries and resources, and is home to many members of the Sagacious Society.
• Sagacious Society—Nyrond, elitist group of sages, scholars, and a few others whose goals are the preservation of Nyrond as a bastion of learning, culture, and scholarship.
• Seekers of the Arcane
• Silent Ones—Keoland, dedicated to uncovering and safeguarding ancient secrets of magic and arcane history. Magic should be possessed by those who will not be tempted to abuse it.
• Society of Magi—Free City of Greyhawk
• Society of the Serpent
• Sorcerer's Nexus—Rel Astra
• Sorcerous Union—Radigast City
• University of Magical Arts—Free City of Greyhawk
• Wizardholme of Urnst—Leukish

Magical organizations in Living Greyhawk

In addition to those listed above (from official sources) the following organizations (sometimes called "Meta-Rogs") are found in various local regions and meta-regions, available for PCs to join and participate in:

• Academy of Wizardry and Sorcery—Ratikhill, Ratik
• Arcanist Guild—The Pale
• Arcane Sanctum—Zeif, universal bastion of arcane knowledge, strongly tied to Al'Akbar.
• Arcanists' Society—Shield Lands
• Archons—Ket, highly organized and highly esteemed guild of wizards.
• Brotherhood of Sorcery—Ket, loose affiliation of sorcerers
• College of the Arcane—Veluna
• College of the Arts of Sefmur—Tusmit
• College of High Magic—Yeomanry, Loftwick; rare university mages, training is usually done individually as master/apprentice.
• Court Magicians—Ratik, act as diviners, advisors, curse-breakers, and possibly even entertainers for nobles
• Dwoemercrafter's Guild—Dyvers, association of wizards.
• Fellowship of Scattered Stars—
• Fort Hendricks and Scorn—Bandit Kingdoms, military group known for elven wizards and fighter-wizards.
• Greater Gnomish Union of Apothecaries, Alchemists, Abjurationists, and Astrologers (AAAA or Quadruple A)—gnomes and other "small folk" spellcasters.
• Guildsmen of the High Art—Highfolk, small arcane spellcasters' guild founded for pooling the magical talents and resources of the wizards to help defend against Iuz.
• Hellstone Tower—Bandit Kingdoms, an arcane "merchant house"
• Mage Council—Furyondy
• National Academy of Wizardry (NAW)—Keoland,
• Obsidian Enclave—County of Urnst,
• Olsamman—Glorvardum, mandatory membership
• Riverwalk Society—Verbobonc, bards (and some sorcerers) who teach the art of magical song
• Sage Keep—Naerie (Idee), followers of Boccob at an observatory/library; research and advanced elemental magic.
• Sea Mages—Keoland, work with the royal navies and mercantile companies to ensure Gradsul’s security and free access to trade through the Azure Sea.
• Sorcerer's Guild—Dyvers
• Transcendent Convocation of the Wielders of Wind and Wave (The Aerie)—Onnwal/Iron League, famed group of air elementalists and weather mages. Renowned for their powerful skills.
• Warmages of Killdeer—Onnwal, combine the excellence in martial arms and use of magic in war. Found exclusively in the service of the Great House of Coriell. "Spellsword" and "Havoc mage" prestige classes.
• Wizards' Guild—official guilds found in Rel Mord, Onnwal, and others.
• Wrinkle Academy—Verbobonc, premier academy for wizardly instruction.
• Zashassar—Ekbir, may be the oldest continuously surviving magical society in the whole of the Flanaess.

Early editions

In early editions of the game, particularly original D&D, Basic D&D, and Advanced D&D (first edition) individual class levels were given titles. Some of those titles later became classes in their own right (wizard, sorcerer, warlock), while others became subclasses, and still others became "specialist wizards" in a school of magic (e.g.—Illusionist, Necromancer, Enchanter, Conjurer, Evoker). More specifically—from the earliest days of the setting, there were no wizards, sorcerers, or warlocks in Greyhawk (or in the game, at all) except by their level title (i.e., they were all "magic-users"), and these terms were used in-world. (E.g.—Mordenkainen called a "wizard", Rary called a "Medium"). The titles for each can be seen on the table below.

Wizard

After being a level-title in first edition, "Wizard" became a "group" of classes in second edtion comprising both "mages" and "specialists". Later, in third edition, the moniker "mage" was dropped and "wizard" became the name of the base class, and specializing simply became an option any wizard could choose.

Sorcerer

After being a level-title in first edition, "Sorcerer" first became a class in its own right in the third edition Player's Handbook. It denotes a distinction in arcane spellcasters who cast "spontaneously" and do not need to study spellbooks or use the "Vancian" magic notable in wizards. They know and cast a limited variety of spells compared to wizards, but can cast them more frequently than a wizard. They have remained in each edition since.

Warlock

"Warlock" continued from the original edition and first edition's level-titles into second edition with a "class kit" (like a subclass or prestige class) in the Complete Wizard's Handbook (1990). Later in second edition, in Player's Option: Spells & Magic (1996), warlocks use an entirely separate set of spellcasting rules (spell point system), where they don't study spells. Rather, "gifts" or "supernatural boons" are granted to them, and they are "wizards who rely on patrons [perilous entities of extraplanar origin] for magical power". Warlocks became a separate class in third edition. Warlocks are also in fourth edition and were first in the Player's Handbook in 2008 and are in the fifth edition Player's Handbook (2014 and 2024).

Witch

After being a level-title in first edition, "Witch" is a "class kit" in second edition (like a subclass or prestige class) in the Complete Wizard's Handbook (1990). Like warlocks, witches are present using a variant spell system in Player's Option: Spells & Magic (1996). Witch is a "variant spellcaster" with its own spell list in the third edition Dungeon Master's Guide (2000) based on the sorcerer. A new witch subclass for wizards was introduced in fourth edition, in Heroes of the Feywild (2011). The term is used literarily in fifth edition, but there is no class or subclass called "Witch".

Titles for Casters by Level

Original D&D/Supplement I: Greyhawk Level Magic-user Cleric 1 Medium Acolyte 2 Seer Adept 3 Conjurer Village Priest 4 Theurgist Vicar 5 Thaumaturgist Curate 6 Magician Bishop 7 Enchanter Lama 8 Warlock Patriarch 9 Sorcerer Patriarch, 9th level 10 Necromancer Patriarch, 10th level 11 Wizard Patriarch , 11th level 12 Wizard, 12th level Patriarch, 12th level 13 Wizard, 13th level Patriarch, 13th level 14 Wizard, 14th level Patriarch, 14th level

Basic D&D (Expert rules) Level Magic-user Cleric 1 Medium Acolyte 2 Seer Adept 3 Conjurer Priest (Priestess) 4 Magician Vicar 5 Enchanter (Enchantress) Curate 6 Warlock (Witch) Elder 7 Sorcerer (Sorceress) Bishop 8 Necromancer Lama 9 Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch 10 10th level Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch 11 11th level Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch 12 12th level Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch 13 13th level Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch 14 14th level Wizard Matriarch/Patriarch

First edition AD&D Level Magic User Illusionist Cleric 1 Prestidigitator Prestidigitator Acolyte 2 Evoker Minor Trickster Adept 3 Conjurer Trickster Priest 4 Theurgist Cabalist Curate 5 Thaumaturgist Visionist 6 Magician Phantasmist Canon 7 Enchanter Apparitionist Lama 8 Warlock Spellbinder Patriarch 9 Sorcerer Illusionist High Priest 10 Necromancer " " 11 Wizard " " 12 Wizard " 13 Wizard 14 Wizard 15 Wizard 16 Mage 17 " 18 Arch-Mage

References

Bibliography

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• Baker, Richard. Player's Option: Spells & Magic. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996. Item code TSR2163.
• Brown, Anne. Player's Guide. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998. Item code TSR9578.
• Cordell, Bruce R. and Skip William. Tome and Blood. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001. Item code 11845.
• Cook, David "Zeb". Player's Handbook. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989. Item code TSR2101.
• Mearls, Mike and Jeremy Crawford. Player's Handbook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2014. Item code A9217.
• Moldvay, Tom. Expert Set. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981. Item code TSR1012
• Reynolds, Sean. The Star Cairns. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998. Item code TSR9579.