Magic

Magic is the foundation of all the planes. It has two forms, raw magic and refined magic. Raw magic is highly dangerous and makes up the areas outside of the planes. It is the raw thread that is bound together to form everything. When this thread is bound together into a weave, it is refined magic. All things are made of refined magic, so another word for refined magic is simple 'existents'.

Raw Magic
Raw magic exists throughout the planes. While raw magic can be dangerous and destructive to existence, the concentration found ambiently is not enough to do significant short term damage. However, this ambient raw magic is theorized to be the reason that mortal races decline with age.

While most raw magic is ambient and everywhere, there are times when raw magic concentrates into different forms. Concentrated raw magic is also known as "Miasma" or "Wild Magic". The greater the concentration of this raw magic, the more powerful it becomes. There have been rumors of conscious Miasma, though such rumors have not been confirmed.

Gaseous Miasma
Most cases of concentrated raw magic are gaseous in nature. This can happen for a variety of reasons, whether natural flow of raw magic, tears in reality, or a mage losing control of their spells. Depending on the nature of the Miasma, it can either dissipate over time or grow more powerful. Tears in reality often become self perpetuating, as the Miasma expands the size of the tear.

Most gaseous Miasma is found during "Wild Magic Storms". This is when Miasma concentrates into clouds above an area, and rains down strange and chaotic magic on the surrounding areas. These can last a few minutes, or a few weeks, depending on the movement of ambient magic. They can appear anywhere, however the most common place for Wild Magic Storms is the Draconic Isle and the Aarakocrus Mountains. In fact, the Endless Storm is a Wild Magic Storm that has existed in one spot above the Aarakocrus Mountains for all of recorded history.

Liquid Miasma
Much less common on its own, liquid Miasma is most often found alongside gaseous Miasma. This is either because they come from the same source, or because a Wild Magic Storm has rained Miasma in a liquid form. However, liquid Miasma can appear on its own as well. This usually happens when a tear in reality happens in what was once water.

When Miasma is in a liquid form, it is a bit more stable than its gaseous form. However, this also means that liquid Miasma takes much longer to dissipate. Liquid Miasma slowly evaporates, becoming ambient raw magic once again. This does mean that, without a source, liquid Miasma will eventually disappear from an area. Most areas with liquid Miasma are sources, however. The center of the Sea of Chaos is likely a huge, ever widening source of Miasma, hence why the Sea of Chaos itself is a sea of Miasma.

Solid Miasma
The rarest form of Miasma, solid Miasma is almost unheard of in nature. Some crystalized Miasma has been created by wizards of the Worldwide Magic Initiative, but only in laboratory conditions. Such Miasma had similar properties to a prism, only instead of light it refracted magic. Refined magic was refracted into many uncontrolled spells and effects. The only other documented cases of solid Miasma involved freezing liquid Miasma. However, it was later discovered the the Miasma was not frozen at all, the air around the Miasma froze instead. So while the Miasma was stuck and could not move, as soon as the air around it warmed the Miasma would be freed once more.

Spiritual Miasma
Spirits, being a type of living magic, can also be raw in nature. This can happen due to environmental factors during birth, causing the soul to refract and become raw. This most often results in the birth of a Soulless, a being that is an empty husk without a Spirit, as the Spirit is destroyed in the refraction process. However, if the refraction happens while the Spirit is in the body, the refracted Spirit will be trapped. This is very similar to Miasma being stuck in frozen air. This results in the creation of a Wild Magic Sorcerer, a person able to refine their own Spirit into spells. Such people are prone to losing control of their magic. However, it is said that an experienced Wild Magic Sorcerer becomes one with their inner chaos, allowing them control over the chaos.

Because of the negative effects that Miasma can have on one's Spirit, many beings of Spiritual form have an innate fear of Miasma. The most common example of this are Dwarf Gems.

Refining Magic
Raw magic must be refined before it is cast. This can come from several sources, with each source classified as a different style of magic. These styles of refined magic are: Divine Magic, Natural Magic, and Arcanic Magic.

Divine Magic
The most common type of magic is Divine Magic. The Divine Beings are all able to refine magic through their own Spirit, which they can then grant to mortals. This magic is the easiest to control, and therefore is the most common for mages. In this arrangement, the caster acts as a focusing point for their god's power, taking in the Divine Magic and shaping it to their will. There are some who do not give the Divine Magic a form, such as the paladins who smite their opponents. Divine Magic is often colored by the Divine Being who created it, allowing different kinds of spells to come easier for their casters.

The Divine Beings themselves use their magic in several ways. The Draconoids' Divine Dragons can change shape, release large amounts of Divine Magic in the form of "breath weapons", use psionic powers, and cast powerful spells. The Great Beasts worshiped by the Beastoids can blend in with their surroundings, create life, and control much of the natural world. The Humanoid Gods have used this Divine Magic to create the Celestial Planes that we see in the night sky, and influence many concepts in Asem. The fey are tied to the essence of reality, and the strongest of them can alter the natural world in strange and alien ways. Daeoids can create binding contracts and control the Spirit of others.