In the world of Prismaris many heroes and even ordinary people have fantastical powers and abilities. Whether being able to change the way their corneas refract light to shoot laser beams from their eyes, enhanced muscles that can lift and throw a car like a sofa cushion, tapping into the ether particles in space to teleport instantly and more- amazing abilities and incredible powers define a superhero. Most of these powers are so fantastic, they could be mistaken for Magic, but they are not. Magic is a very real, very vital force in Prismaris, and heroic and villainous Magi wage their own battles in their own stories, but the essence of Magic, and the mindset that must be understood to wield it, make those stories very different from typical tales of might and action...
The Planes of Balance:
(Represented here by three balanced circles, the Planes of Light, Material, and Darkness form the Magical cosmos of Prismaris.)
Magic is known to exist in the world of Prismaris, nobody doubts it has power, but it is uncommon, often seen as strange, and few average people practice or understand it. Part of this comes from the fact that those who practice Magic, known as Magi, have their own belief systems and practices that the average person does not easily understand or relate to. Beyond the larger than life heroism of most people's experience of their home world of Prismaris are the twin planes of Light and Darkness, which exist in both opposition and balance, ever equally distant, with the material universe suspended between them.
To say that Light is "good" and Dark is "evil" would be a gross oversimplification- and quite wrong. The Dark power of Decay breaks down fallen leaves to make mulch that feeds new growth- if things died but never decayed new life could not exist. And the Light power of Growth, while cherished where it is wanted, can become an evil when it takes a form such as cancer in a person's body. True Good is only the forces of Light, Matter, and Darkness each acting each in their own turns, as intended. True Evil is only when that natural order is subverted, thwarted, or abused for harmful purposes.
Magic is a unique power that comes not from any one plane, but as a result of their energies in eternal motion cycling and changing, even moving through and becoming part of each other. Creation is the domain of Light, Destruction the Domain of Darkness, and Alteration is the natural Universe which transmutes the energy of the planes above and below it as it passes through.
Fire destroys wood, which creates heat that transmutes into light. Likewise, healing a broken bone destroys caloric energy consumed to create new body tissue and transmute the body itself from a form with a crack in the shin to one where that piece is fused again. So it is that Magic is not a product of one plane, but a result of energy from all three using their pull on one another to rearrange reality and effect change. This is the power of Magic.
This truth is not easy for some to accept, especially when it is a hero's nature to prevent death and destruction anywhere they can, or a villain's to act selfishly without any regard for balance and consequences. Yet for those who follow the path of Magic, it is the most fundamental rule to grasp in order to harness the incredible powers of creation and destruction fully- without being destroyed by them in the process.
(While Magi in Prismaris tend to pursue their art privately most of the time, the most powerful among them are inevitably aware of one another through feeling each other's spells at motion in the universe. Brian Silversmith, aka, Mr. Mystery, is the current leader of the council of Magi, and uses his experience and powers to guide fledgling Magi or thwart villainous ones.)
Magical heroes and villains still seek to use their powers to uphold their own ideals, still clash in dramatic encounters of incredible abilities, but the wisest seek not to move against the eternal tug of war between Light and Dark that allows the Universe to exist, only to move in harmony with its rhythms, each pulling their own side of the rope which holds up their shared reality at its center, for without both sides tugging against one another it would inevitably fall.
Whether Light, Material, or Darkness, the planes are part of the same reality, even though they are normally hidden from each other. Their inhabitants are all mortals, even if they measure their lifespans in centuries or even eons rather than years. A being of one plane is meant for its own plane and not the others, and prolonged time outside of one's own domain can cause lasting changes, the most common of which is becoming adapted to the new reality too strongly to go back. The ancient hero of legend, Gilgameshi, who went to the plane of Light to seek enlightenment and became a Celestial cannot return to the material plane that birthed him and now lives in Vallalljor as a teacher of other Blessed heroes. The Celestial being Lillivae, who fell in love with the Eldritch Horror Lokahaath and went to live in his castle of darkness eventually became a Demon, and cannot return to the plane Light. All truly powerful Magi have visited at least one of the other planes once, briefly, but much prefer traveling through and even creating secret study areas in lesser neutral "pocket dimensions" which form between the planes like bubbles in a rising loaf of bread, where prolonged stays do not risk permanent acclamation.
Although mystical and beyond the material, the planes or Light and Darkness are not the afterlife. Goddesses and Gods, and the greatest of Spirits exist in truth and enlightened completion, far beyond the reach of the split lesser planes. While souls can linger in the lesser planes without ascending and become Ghosts or Wraiths, the Souls of loved ones in the afterlife beyond can only reach out to the living in brief, life-changing moments of caring when it is most needed. The three lesser planes exist largely apart from actual Spirit, which is simply too ascended to reach down into any of the lower planes for longer than mere moments at a time.
The Plane of Light:
(A glittering realm of light, warmth and peace, the Plane of Light inherently inspires wonder in Material Plane visitors- enough so that the Celestials there sometimes have to send them back to their own reality by force for their own good before they stay too long and can't leave again.)
Also known as the High Plane, for it's vibrational energy being on the highest registers, the Plane of Light is a reality beyond the physical from which the powers of creation, life and healing enter the other planes. By their nature, a Celestial being can give at least some measure of healing to any material plane being simply by touch. It is an eternally sunny, warm, and lush paradise where Celestials like Unicorns, Kirin and Angels dwell. The Plane of Light is universally seen as a symbol of goodness- by non-Magi, anyway. Those in the know, who respect balance most, often find the inflexible and demanding nature of Celestials irritating. As determined to spread light across the material plane as their lower plane cousins are to bring about darkness, Celestials are quick to champion material beings to their causes and demand grand heroic and often unreasonable feats from Magi seeking their help or powers. A bargain with a Demon is never a good idea, but it is at least often a one-and-done affair- Celestials who believe they have found a champion in the lower planes are much more likely to assume regular people have nothing better to do than answer their calls for noble crusades every week, and many Blessed Magi heroes soon find themselves questioning whether Celestials are truly enlightened beings... or just the bossiest ones.
Vallhallajor, the Golden Hall:
(Here we see the ancient hero of legend, Gilgameshi, waiting to receive new Blessed heroes into the golden halls of the fabled lodge, Vallhalljor.)
Among the locations in the Plane of Light accessible to a select few chosen material beings the most well known is Vallhallajor, the Golden Hall. A grand lodge, mead hall, temple, and training grounds, the most holy of Blessed heroes speak with hushed awe of a time they were brought to the grounds of Vallhallajor by Celestial emissaries to receive special training or magical healing of mortal wounds from a sacred guide. With feasts of magical delights and drinks that cure any ailment, restore lost youth, and grant powers like permanently increased strength and vitality, even leisure time in the Golden Hall makes one stronger and better than before. The actual judgement of worthiness and training of Blessed heroes in controlling their bestowed powers is overseen by Celestials or heroes of legend who have chosen to stay and become like them. The hero Gilgameshi and his lover Enkido, the Goddess Fraeya's cats, and the Magic Unicorn Queen Verita are all Celestial guides who regularly welcome Blessed heroes into the golden hall to prove their worth, or be rewarded for their sacrifices.
The Material Universe:
(Although not completely suffused with Magic like the other planes, the Material Universe is not bound completely to a single expression of it, either.)
Although the Material Universe needs little explanation to those dwelling in it, the mystical secrets that govern its seemingly ordinary laws of time, space and matter are not so apparent. As the middle plane that serves as a nexus for Light and Darkness, Magic in the Material Plane is weaker than the others- yet much more varied and capable. No healing done outside the plane of Light can be as perfect, no curse outside the plane of Darkness as deadly, yet in the Material universe both can exist side by side, or be wielded by a Magi, as well as many other expressions of Magic like the elements of fire, water, forest, earth, lightning, metal and air, without being bound only to creating or destroying. While many look beyond the ordinary world for Magic, real Magi know that the Material Plane has more potential magic than the other two- as real Magic is about possibility, not power.
The Elements and Elemental Demiplanes:
(The Elemental Demiplanes wind throughout the Material Plane, and allow the powers of the Elements to manifest anywhere within it, even places they seemingly are not present, like a jet of water in the arid desert or fire springing forth from thin air.)
Rather than Light and Darkness, which come from outside, the Material Plane offers its own rainbow of Magic known as the Elements. Fire, Water, Forest, Earth, Lightning, Metal and Air. The Elements came to be when the powers of Light and Dark struck the Material Plane between them an fractured into their component wavelengths- like light striking a prism to form a rainbow. Although it is not remembered by modern society, Prismaris was named by the first council of Magi to honor this fact, and forever declare the world's commitment to diversity of thought, form, and expression. Material Plane Magi are not bound to a single Element- they can harness the awesome powers of all seven plus Light and Darkness. This is why the number 9 is also known as the "number of completion", and is worn as a charm by many Magi.
The "lesser" Elements of the Material Plane also have their own realities within it, known as the Elemental Demiplanes. These are not places normal beings can travel to, like the larger Planes of Light and Darkness, rather they consist entirely of their own Element and no others. The demiplane of fire, for example, is literally nothing but an endless living flame in which Spirits of fire and fire Magi in astral projected trance thought-forms swirl and meld in a great inferno.
Spirits, Ghosts and Wraiths:
(A Ghost is a kind soul who remembers their identity, and acts based upon it. A Wraith remembers only their unhappy feelings... and acts based on them.)
The Souls of once living beings, or beings born from Magic itself who never "lived", can also inhabit the Material Plane and wield Magic. Although rare, a person who dies can remain bound to the material plane for a number of reasons- regret, vengeance, confusion, but also positive ones such as love, in order to watch over and protect others, or to ensure important knowledge is not lost with their passing. It is not entirely unheard of for a longstanding Wizard family to be overseen by the ghost of a powerful ancestor, who will only pass on once a new heir masters the craft so completely they are able to take their place in turn guiding the next generations. In practical terms a Ghost and a Wraith are the same thing, the Soul of a dead person, but a Ghost is a person motivated by kind feelings, who remembers their original identity and appears as an idealized version of it, while a Wraith is consumed by unhappy or vile motivations, tends to forget their old life more and more the longer they remain bound to their misery, and often appears as a twisted version of their old self or as a frightful, demonic entity.
Spirits are those Souls who never "lived". Some are very personable, some are quiet and obscure, and many are simply playful and silly. Some Fairies, guardians of sacred places, beings created by Magic and Elementals are all Spirits. A Spirit is closer to the Souls of the departed in the afterlife than the living, and many of them act on their behalf, delivering warnings, advice, or secrets at key moments in people's lives. A Spirit can ascend to the afterlife when it feels ready to do so, but as with any Soul this is typically a one-way trip, and so many Spirits are centuries or even ages old. There's a lot to see and do before saying "goodbye" when your only time limit is your own interest in hanging around the universe exploring its wonders!
The Plane of Darkness:
(Beings of the Plane of Darkness are not born or even created, they exist as an inverse of that very idea, appearing from nothingness in response to decaying energy from the other planes like the slime created by rotting matter. Their own "death" is not an end, but a new beginning- the decayed energy revitalized and freed to rise again to the higher planes above once more.)
The Plane of Darkness, sometimes called the Lower Plane, because of its heavy, slow vibrations at the bottom of the harmonic register, is the polar opposite of the Plane of Light. It is a nightmare land devoid of light, warmth or growth, where dead sands so dry they desiccate living flesh at a touch form valleys beneath tall peaks of crumbling matter too caught between the essences of stone and rotting flesh to call them either. Beings from the Material Plane, who feel calm and healing from the essence of Light, can only feel equal measures of fear and sickness from the Plane of Darkness where death, decay, rot and more symbolic forms of wasting like madness and disease rein supreme. Eldritch Horrors, Demons, and things without names shamble, hover, shuffle and writhe across the vast darkness in unknowable motions, their minds filled with thoughts of pure death, too maddening and alien to comprehend. These entities can drain life from beings of the Material plane with a touch, and usually see the other planes with a blank disinterest, caring only to feed on the decay which flows into their reality from those above.
Despite this, there are always villains, blind with anger, reckless with desperation, or warped by hate, who seek out the Plane of Darkness and idolize it's essence rather than avoiding it. All beings have darkness in them as well as light, and this is not inherently bad. Magi, who respect the balance of energies that create Magic also respect the Plane of Darkness, but they are usually wise enough to know to avoid the essence of pure death most of the time. Different Magi honor darkness in different ways, such as lighting one black candle for each white one, to maintain balance, or by taking a spiritual day of reflection each month to fast, meditate in the dark, and willingly sacrifice one small gift, such as a piece of candy thrown into a fireplace rather than eaten and enjoyed, so that even loss is welcomed and respected in their lives. This practice is ridiculous to outsiders- but Magi know that the planes balance themselves eventually, and can crush fools beneath them in the process. Honoring darkness occasionally in balance by choice is much preferred to shunning it all year- and being surprised when it arrives to claim its karmic dues.
Eboknuthill, the Black Tower:
(Magical realities are not bound to physical laws of time and space like the material plane is. The other-dimensional prison known as the Eboknuthill, the Black Tower, is not actually a fortress at all- it is a magical crystal created to hold an infinite number of demiplane cells within the ever-shifting faces of its cut and polished surface.)
The most selfless of heroes in the universe might someday be granted a week of special training or healing in the plane of Light's Vallhalljor, but ever in balance, so must the most vile of villains have their own place in the plane of darkness to be subjected to terrible suffering or a draining of life energy that weakens those powers used too often to throw the balance of the planes into jeopardy. Eboknuthill, the Black Tower, is an unholy prison, a nightmare cell, and symbolic burying alive of evildoers so wretched their crimes defy tolerance, even by Demons, or whose powers make them too dangerous to confine in their own reality. Patrolled by Eldritch horrors and existing in a reality where growth and healing are not possible, beings from other planes confined there only continue to weaken and wither away with each passing moment. Created by the Eldritch horror Ebokk ages ago, the black tower cannot be described by those from the material plane because it lacks the essence of light which allows vision entirely- it is an unknowable void that drains life, will, and youth, where time loses meaning and days or decades seem equal. Ebokk, who once warred with the Celestials in its youth, has become a more enlightened (and lazy) being, and is content to have the other planes send their worst convicts to its prison where it can feed on their life energies by mere proximity without effort. Those returned after their sentences rarely wish to cause harm again... they are often traumatized shells of their former selves.
Eboknuthill is accessed by a secret portal controlled by the most heroic practitioners of Magic, including the acting Grand Magi of Prismaris, Mr. Mystery himself. Mr. Mystery has even spoken with Ebokk in its own plane, once, when negotiating the return of a terrible villain before his original sentencing was up so that he could assist in averting a cataclysmic disaster. Whenever a rival sneers at Mr. Mystery's restraint, or calls him weak for pleading for peace rather than conflict, they cannot truly comprehend the potential horror he is trying to spare them from... or the strength he shows in refusing to wish that fate on anyone, no matter how vile their crimes.
Magic and Those Who Practice It:
(Although Magic itself has as many names and traditions as those who seek it, there are five main paths of magical living in Prismaris, represented by the sacred pentagram seen on many magic circles and charms as a sign of solidarity and respect for others of the craft.)
The powers of Magic exist everywhere, though few feel the call to reach out and seek them. Anyone can learn Magic, the same way anyone can decide to start exercising for three hours every day, learn a new language and commit to speaking only it, and go vegan. It's a commitment, an enriching but dedicated study, and a major lifestyle choice that comes with incredible gifts- but also many, many sacrifices. While anyone might dream of a superpower simply being given to them by a lightning strike, scientific chemical or special implant, actual Magic is a craft, a life path, a choice and a commitment. Real Magic is as rare as those whose desire to seek it out is strong enough to actually find it and stick with it are. The rest are merely dabblers with cards and candles playing at party games.
Those who truly accept the Path of the Magi commit themselves to honoring the three planes, and not interfering in their natural flow. This can put a true Magi at odds with a Hero, when a natural disaster or other force of nature is meant to unfold rather than be stopped. A hero can save people from dying in a flood, but does not enjoy learning that someone they know could have stopped the flood altogether... and simply chose not to. That is why few Magi are heroes, and few heroes are Magi- they have no true reason to disagree in principle... but in practice things are rarely so simple. Heroes protect the day-to-day world from many threats, but it is Magi heroes, working largely unseen in the background, who protect the world from Magical threats of their own plane and beyond.
Magic has as many forms, traditions, and names as the countries and schools of though which explore it, and although all are bound to upholding balance, how exactly that is believed to be achieved varies. While many Magi follow a subtle mix of traditions suited to their own personalities and needs, the main paths of magical life in Prismaris come in 5 major categories. These are symbolized by the 5-pointed pentagram, which along with the number 9 is frequently worn as jewelry or tattoos, or inscribed into clothing and tools by Magi as a sign of their craft and show of respect for the other traditions:
The Sorcerers & Sorceresses:
(Sorcerers do not "study" magic, they "feel" it, and inevitably everyone and everything around them will too when their electric joy, burning anger, drowning sorrow or sparkling laughter manifest as literal powers they do not "control" as much as "express".)
Sorcerer(esse)s understand the arcane as a vital, living force, and tap into and wield it's awesome powers by harmonizing their own feelings with the swirling, changing universe around them. A Sorcerer does not believe they control Magic, rather, they feel it, and it reacts to their feelings. Sorcerers at times sense the will of Magic and act on its behalf as well, like a dance between partners, each taking turns leading the sway. A Sorcerer pours their rage into manifested fire, their hope into the tiniest seeds which become mighty trees at a touch, and will just as often find themselves drawn from their homes to a strange city, with no idea why, only following where a feeling is leading them and trusting the Magic they are bonded with to show them what must be found, learned, or changed by their interacting with it. Sorcerers are living manifestations of change- bold, daring, and even reckless to others, but they believe in the Magic they feel, and it in turn guides, teaches, and shields them in ways others simply see as "good timing", "natural talent", or "dumb luck".
The Witches and Wizards:
(Reclining on an enchanted lounge chair, this Wizard studies the spell books inherited from his mother for a magical recipe to solve some minor annoyance that is keeping him from his great work- more study.)
If Sorcerers are the rockstars of Magic, living and breathing it as a passion which flows through their hearts, Witches and Wizards are the scientists of Magic, who study it from a cool distance in books and diagrams, formulas and theories. A Sorcerer wields potentially incredible powers, but is almost never able to recreate the exact same spell in exactly same way twice, as each time the feelings it springs from are subtly different. To a Wizard, this attitude is unprofessional, reckless, and dangerous. Wizards do not channel Magic through themselves, but rather invoke its powers outside of themselves with words, runes, crystals and the like in repeatable recipes that cause magic to manifest in predictable, controlled ways. Wizards most of all enjoy the benefits of comfort Magic can bring, with a reliable spell for almost any need ready at hand in their encyclopedic minds, spell books or grand libraries. Sorcerers have grand adventures and powerful forces at their literal fingertips. Wizards have hot tea, just the way they like it, in a cup that keeps perfect temperature, a floating armchair that hugs them like a cloud, and an enchanted painting that can turn their study room into a beach, forest, or anything they can imagine while they peruse their cookbooks of magical secrets for a recipe to make that darn telephone answer itself and stop interrupting their research.
The Druids:
(A Druid lives close to the natural order of the world, and often forms strong bonds with animal companions and familiars. These creatures are not pets- a Druid rather considers all animals teachers in the ways of nature and non-interference, which evolved beings have largely forgotten.)
A Druid scorns both Sorcerer and Wizard, and tries hard to never use their powers to vent powerful feelings that can risk overwhelming good sense, or to recite small predictable spells to accomplish everyday tasks that could be done by hand alone. If a Sorcerer honors the balance by unbalancing it to keep it active, and a Wizard honors it by studying it to learn it's secrets, a Druid honors it by doing as little to disturb it as possible and leaving it alone most of the time. Tending gardens, caring for animals, and living quietly, many assume Druids have no power at all. Those people do not see the tiny flicker of light that repaired a broken bone only enough to set it and let it heal the rest of the way naturally, or the way a tree's roots lifted just enough to snare and trip a poacher before he could take a shot with his gun in what only seems like an accident. To a Druid, silence is strength, stillness is power, and Magic is the art of keeping the universe at peace with as little interference as possible.
The Channelers:
(This healer and stage magician does not commit to the strict lifestyle or dedication of most Magi- his powers simply come from the magical crystal he found in his youth while working in a diamond mine.)
A Channeler doesn't conjure Magic through emotion, study or by attuning with Nature, rather their power comes from another source, such as a Goddesse, Eldritch Being, enlightened teacher or psychic alien horror. Channelers use this power bestowed upon them in large part according to the source of their power's desires, often trusting or simply not caring whether those intentions are in the interest of balance or not. A Blessed warrior wielding a divine weapon to cleanse the land of invading shadows channels the power of their god, while a Cursed villain with a forbidden symbol tattooed into his palm might invoke his Eldritch master's name to become invisible or pass through solid walls. A source of power doesn't have to be an actual being- a powerful artifact or enormous gemstone imbued with arcane essence are also sources of Magic a person might form a bond with, and using that bond to manifest Magic still makes them a channeler. While Channelers do not study Magic itself, and lack the real powers of those that do, they have the benefit of their powers simply coming to them freely without the committed lifestyles of passion, study, or natural living other Magi cling to at the expense of so many other opportunities and pleasures. Whether Channelers are the most or least "free" of Magi depends entirely upon the source of their powers- and what is expected in return for the gifts bestowed upon them.
Magical Non-Magi:
(Many shapeshifters and changelings, such as Iia here, use limited forms of Magic by instinct, rather than training.)
Some beings that use Magic have no magical training or perhaps even understanding of it at all. In the same way a chameleon is able to change colors, yet can't do something it wasn't born able to do, like breathe fire, some beings, mainly animals but also some birthmarked persons and many Celestials and Eldritch beings never study Magic and simply make use of one or two Magical abilities natural to them. All Dragons are immune to being hurt by the element they embody, such as fire or ice, a Fairy-touched child might be able to mimic the sounds of any animal, and every Celestial being can restore life energy as can any Eldritch being drain life from living creatures merely by touching them- but these abilities are the result of Magic, they are not controlled Magic itself, and do not mean the beings who have them necessarily even understand Magic at all.
Thanks for reading! This is lore from the Superhero World of Prismaris, which you can read an introduction of here. You can also find more articles of lore and amazing characters and stories by me and my many talented friends by searching the tag "Prismaris" in articles and posts! We have a lot of fun together creating tales of wonder and heroism, and I love seeing what people come up with! I welcome new ideas and stories, just be sure to tag your works with "Prismaris" and @mention me so I can see your work right away! My amazing friend @Eiri17 also has a shared universe here, the World of Anima- Beyond Reality, much more suited to "dark" storytelling if that's what motivates you! ^u^