A Foreword from the Editor
I am very delighted to bring to you the following manuscript by Mr. Zwitterion
Quanta, known as Hand of Mystra. For those of you who are interested, he is
a half-elven priest/mage. Through many years of his adventuring life and
months of studies at libraries and laboratories, he has managed to compile
the information that you will read below (and much more). I really hope that
you will like it.
Before proceeding, please remember that Zwi is a highly devoted man with a
deep love to Mystra. You will see many phrases that confirm this. Moreover,
though he does not agree with the beliefs of the faction Athar, I do (and so
does TSR: Powers in AD&D are powerful beings.) However, do not blame Zwi, he
is still a bit "clueless". While he was writing this paper, he could only
tell things he had seen, so for more information and for all comments you can
contact me (Do not scry him). Zwi's research spells are also available. By
the way, he is actually of 12th level and the highest spells he has access
to are of 6th level, on contrary to what he claims in the paper. This is due
to the fact that he may have hidden enemies everywhere and he tries not to be
seen as an easy prey. (It is not easy to be a hero.)
At this point, it is best that I mention some of the house rules we use
(since the world Zwi lives in depends on these):
1 - Creatures cannot roll magic resistance to avoid the protective effects
of a 'Protection From Evil', the target of this spell is the recipient,
but not an attacking creature or so.
2 - No MR is applicable to conjuration/summoning spells that involve a roll
to hit (THAC0 roll in 'Melf's Acid Arrow' for instance). The reason for
this is that a conjuration/summoning spell brings some real material to
the vicinity of the mage and if no magic is involved in targeting, then
there is nothing magical for the recipient creature to resist against.
This is similar to the following: No MR is rolled against the attacks of
a conjured elemental, or against being cut by a blade summoned by the
casting of 'Drawmij's Instant Summons'.
3 - Anti-magic shell is not effective against psionics (though we have not
seen such a situation in our play sessions yet). On the other hand, I
want to mention that TSR has officially stated otherwise. So in our
campaign, Zwi's prediction in chapter "On Psionics" seems appropriate.
Surely, if you don't like these rules you can easily modify the ideas
mentioned in the following pages. Apart from them, everything is fully
compatible with the information supplied in various TSR products. (The
following accessories may be extremely useful to the DM while reading:
Planescape boxed set, FR Adventures and Tome of Magic.)
While playing AD&D (or any other FRP), as a part-time DM and a full-time
player, I find it best to think that I am the psychic energy of the character
and I am the one who holds the character's material form together (see Zwi's
argument on the psychic energies of beings). So this way I can explain why
my character gains more experience when I play him better.
One last thing (to those who know the meaning of the word 'Zwitterion')...
In the "Some Final Notes" part, Zwi proposes the existence of some exotic
material that will contain both positive and negative energies in its
composition. It is most probable that after many years of research on Toril,
this proposition will be found to be true and such materials will be named
after him as zwitterions.
Finally, I would like to dedicate this work to the following people, who
brought me many hours of excitement and enjoy, they deserve my most sincere
positive feelings:
Aybar C. Acar (aka. Prolous the Blooder)
Kerem Cetinel (the best DM I have ever seen)
Murat Gokten (aka. young Nimenar)
Ayhan Gonul (aka. Odysee the scimitar specialist druid)
M. Sinan Gonul (aka. Formentera Alenuath of Evermeet)
Basar Gorur (aka. Stricker the archer & Fundarel & Claudia)
Ufuk Imir (aka. Morbius and his homunculus Decenus)
A. Baran Ozcan (aka. Zeus the Barbarian, Warhammer of Tempus)
Ulas Sozener (aka. Scarter of Waterdeep)
N. Kartal Toker (aka. Lord Termit the Zyrzobian of Soubar)
Kerem Unal (aka. Warlock the warlock)
Thank you for your interest.
Veysi Erkcan Ozcan
December 5, 1998
zwitterion@geocities.com
Proceedings in Modern
MetaPhysics and Alchemy
Abstract: A general view of modern studies in magic and an introduction
to planar lore is given under the light of personal experience and recent
developments in metaphysics and alchemy.
Introduction:
-------------
Art is certainly a part of our daily lives. From a small cantrip to the
casting of high level enchantments we reach to weave everyday. Moreover,
some are also talented in another interesting science: Psionics. And then,
there exists normal natural events that are not of much interest to mages
though I personally believe that this is not a proper point of view. (Use
the art wisely, know when to use it and when not.) Yet, all these are
actually related to each other. They are the parts of a whole.
We know that multiverse is composed of inner planes, prime material and
outer planes; connected by ethereal and astral. There are various dimensions
and each has a different set of interesting metaphysical and physical laws
that govern the forces and material contained within them. In this paper
the main aim is a review of the main points that are common to all of them
and a discussion of the differences.
Fundamentals-Elements and Forces:
---------------------------------
Almost everyone knows that matter - any material - is made up of 4 elements:
Earth, Fire, Air, Water. These are sometimes given other names (like soil
for earth, wind for air etc.) These will be called the basic 4 in this text.
In some places other elements are said to exist but these claims fail to be
true. Any material object is a certain combination of these elements. The
combinations of these elements produce the para-elements as follows:
Smoke : Air and Fire
Magma : Fire and Earth
Ooze : Earth and Water
Ice : Water and Air
The pure forms of the 4 elements and the 4 para-elements are found in the
inner planes named after them. (Those of highest curiosity can utilize
elemental vortices to visit them.)
Apart from the 4 fundamental elements, through recent studies some sages
(and humbly I) have reached that 4 other fundamental entities exist. These
are the 4 energies (or forces). Two of them are already cataloged: Positive
energy and negative energy. The reactions of these two with the 4 elements
are known fairly well; they form the 8 quasi-elements:
Lightning : Air Element and Positive Energy
Radiance : Fire Element and Positive Energy
Mineral : Earth Element and Positive Energy
Steam : Water Element and Positive Energy
Vacuum : Air Element and Negative Energy
Ash : Fire Element and Negative Energy
Dust : Earth Element and Negative Energy
Salt : Water Element and Negative Energy
All these quasi-elements are also found in their most pure forms in the
appropriate inner planes along with the positive and negative energy planes.
Various compositions of definite proportions create the diversity of the
everyday materials. For instance both gold and diamond are minerals, but
their internal composition proportions are different.
Up to this point very little has been said that is new. Nowadays, it is
speculated is that there are two other energies: Psychic and Magic.
Unfortunately most mages and psionicists never consider what powers their
unnatural activities. These two energies are utilized very frequently but
has not been catalogued since it has not been possible to identify their
purest forms; unlike others. It is possible to say that the pure form of
psychic energy forms the outer planes but this is only a guess.
Since these are rather new concepts I would like to explain magic and
psychic energies in better detail. Magic, also known as sorcery or art,
comes from the weave on our planet Toril. On other planes it may have
different origins. It may originate from nodes, or be purely nature-origined.
Nevertheless, I will return to this subject later. The term Psychic energy
comes in the following forms (or is named as so): Psionics, faith, belief.
It is the psychic energy that gives various factions of the outer planes
their special abilities. Faith is the form accessed by powers themselves. It
is well known in the planes that when you believe in something you have a
better chance of succeeding. (Even the phenomenon of Deva Spark may be an
extensive form of psychic energy.) Psychic and magic energies are very
flexible (see next section).
Element & Energy Relationship:
------------------------------
The various para- and quasi-elements have already been mentioned. The
following rules govern the compositions of the elements and forces:
1 - Everyday non-living objects are composed of the 16 elements. For
instance, sea water contains water and mineral elements with trace
amounts of air and earth.
2 - Living material always contains positive energy. If the living thing
has an intelligence, then psychic energy is also present. For example,
a simple human being is a proper combination of the 16 elements and
psychic plus positive energies. When a living being dies, which means
that the positive energy in the being has dropped below some
critical value; first the psychic energy of the being moves to its
proper outer plane (as dictated by its alignment). Then the various
elements leave the body according to their viscosities.
3 - For undead, the positive energy is replaced by negative energy with
magic energy sometimes present. For absent minded zombies, the
composition does not have any psychic or magic energies; however
liches need huge amounts of both to survive. Some undead may seem
to be made up of only psychic and negative energies, however they
still need some material form to affect matter (good examples are
ghosts).
4 - Petitioners are made up of psychic energy. This energy holds some
elements as well (so petitioners have material forms). However,
their elementary forms are not important for them. Unless their
psychic entities are destroyed (which requires godly power), the
material forms are reconstructed.
5 - As for a planar, the material form carries more importance than a
petitioner. Unless destroyed on the planar's home plane, his/her/its
psychic energy can reform the material body much like a petitioner does.
However, a planar destroyed on its home plane can never be recovered.
When compared to a normal prime's, the psychic energy of a planar is much
stronger. It is so organized that it allows the planar to use some innate
powers. (An analogy for this may be automatic spell memorization; that
amount of organized psychic energy automatically binds some magic energy
within a given interval.) (At this point, it is worth mentioning that the
psychic energies of a prime is usually rather mixed up in the sense that
a prime is free to do whatever he likes or not; no strict connection to a
particular belief or idea or behavior is present in primes.)
6 - Normally unbounded magic energy is continuous. However when a spell
memorization is performed by any spellcaster the psychic energies of
the trained mind bind the related energies. When bound, it is known
that 9 (or 10) distinct levels of energies are possible. (I am not
completely sure of this fact, personally for now, I am able to reach
spells that can be classified under 8 different energy levels, however I
admit that there are many more I cannot completely comprehend for now.)
More experienced mages may bind more energies. We know that when a spell
is cast it is wiped from memory - actually the binding psychic energy
has been used and must be recollected. The same argument is directly
applicable to memory loss on being unconscious. Further from spell
memorization, the loss of memory can be defined as the loss of some
psychic energy.
7 - Psychic energy that a prime holds depends on mainly three factors:
The first one is the capacity (or constitution) of the body itself.
The second is the degree of smartness. The last and third is the
internal peace. If a person has a deeper understanding of self (and
others), s/he can develop his psychic abilities.
8 - A training in the science of psionics will enable one to canalize
his/her psychic energy to other forms. Later as the time passes,
the psychic energy spent this way is recollected by the psionicist.
9 - Elements can be sorted according to their reactivities and viscosities
(resistance to flow). Reactivity is a measure of the easiness of the
element to combine within other materials. Fire element is the most
reactive of the basic 4. Then comes air, water and earth in order.
The para-elements show some average reactivity as dictated by their
constituents. The reactivities of the quasi-elements are related to
the nature of their energy constituents. For instance ash, though
related to element of fire, has a very low reactivity. Viscosity is
another important distinguishing property. The least viscous element
out of the basic 4 is clearly air. Then comes fire, water and earth
respectively. Again, the nature of para- and quasi-elements are
directly related to their constituents. It has been previously
mentioned that when a living organism dies the elements leave the
organism according to their viscosities. Indeed, when death occurs
first breathing ceases (air); then the body cools (fire, or more
accurately radiance); the body shrivels (water) and lastly the
remnants return to earth.
10- Energies can be classified according to their flexibilities. It is
known that energy (or at least psychic and magic energies) can
conjure or turn into elements. The flexibility is a measure of the
easiness of this. As for the positive and negative energies, some
sages speculate that these can also turned but have very low
flexibility. Others say that in truth these two are very different
in nature (actually they can negate each other, there are inner
planes related to them etc.). At this point, I will choose to leave
this discussion to another paper. Obviously, magic is more flexible
than psychic energy.
Experimental Observations:
--------------------------
The above theoretical rules have a very broad range of evidence. Actually
the following experiments have led to their development. However due to
their immense number I will classify them.
A - On Schools of Magic
1 - Various abjuration spells actually absorb or deflect concentrated
forms of elements or energies. For instance, a 'Protection From Fire'
spell absorbs concentrated fire (and partially radiance). Similarly,
a 'Protection From Evil' spell deflects concentrated psychic energy,
that is why it is impossible to 'Dominate' someone under the influence
of this spell. Another observation is that this spell protects the
recipient from extra-planar and conjured creatures. This is due to
the fact that planars have a very organized psychic energy. They cannot
make any body contact with the protected (but this doesn't mean that
its sword will not hurt you, unfortunately). Conjured creatures will
be discussed later.
2 - When a conjuration spell is cast, some material is brought to a given
location and shaped according to the caster's will. A perfect example
is 'Conjure Elemental'. With this spell the caster brings together
a certain amount of elemental material (but does not produce it) and
gives it a very little psychic energy (elementals have very low
intelligence indeed). As long as the spell continues the magic holds
the creature under the control of the intense psychic energy that the
caster creates through concentrating. (Actually this psychic energy is
protected against in the case of a 'Protection From Evil'.
In the case of a summoning, which is actually different from a
conjuration, some already existing material is brought forth (consider
'Monster Summoning' for instance. The existence of the creature itself
is completely independent of the spell, the magic does not shape or
change the creature, it simply calls. On the other hand, still the
psychic energy of the caster is there to control the summoned creature.
3 - Phantasms are very related to the psychic energies of the victims.
Actually during a phantasm the psychic energy of the victim is directly
oriented to a weird condition that the sensual inputs from the material
body are avoided. Therefore the perception of the victim will be
errorous. On the other hand, the illusions affect the senses of the
victim, so the perception fails as well. Some more effective spells
contain both illusion and phantasm terms.
4 - Invocations and evocations both use the magical energy directly to
affect matter (or other energies). This interaction is possible due
to the high flexibility of magic (no psionic equivalent exists to this
branch of the art - only much less powerful versions exist). In some
spells the pure form of magical energy is used ('Magic Missile' is a
well known example, the interesting phenomenon of spellfire is a good
example as well). In others, like 'Fireball' or 'Cone of Cold', the
magical energy turns into or emulates (whichever is correct is still
a mystery) other elements and energies. Then the following question
may arise: Why does the casting of a 'Cone of Cold' require more magical
energy than that of a 'Lightning Bolt'? The answer is very easy to give:
The quasi-element of lightning is both more reactive and less viscous
than the para-element of ice.
5 - Another discipline of interest is necromancy. This is the only school
that is directly related to the positive and negative energy planes.
When a priest casts a spell to cure your wounds, the lost positive
energy due to wounding is replaced and the deformation of the material
body is repaired. However, such spells are rather distant to most
wizards since healing is a rather complicated process (it is much more
than a simple evocation or conjuration of positive energy) and priests
are educated for this task (the will of the priest's deity is the
actual source). Apart from healing there are many other uses of
necromantic spells, unfortunately most are based on the negation of
a victim's positive energy with some amount of negative energy. (As
a humble priest of The Most Holy Lady of Mysteries, I do not personally
like such uses - since these usually bring torture to the victim.)
6 - Charm spells directly affect the psychic energies of their victims.
Some only modify, some more powerful ones bind, and even more powerful
ones separate these psychic energies from the material forms to locate
them in crystals etc. Ghosts can possess the material body of a living
organism, much in the same way such powerful charms work.
Enchantments are a different matter. They are only slightly related
to charm spells. Whereas charms work on the psychic energy, enchantments
directly work on enspelling materials. Most enchantments attach or bind
some magic energy to material objects.
7 - Since all energies and elements are in constant interaction with each
other, a careful observation of some may reveal information about the
others. The astrologers try to do this. (Personally I believe that
most astrologers seem to be claiming much more than that is inferable
from the sky.) At this point the high flexibility of magic allows us
to use it as an agent, to be our eyes, hears and more. This branch is
known as the school of divination.
8 - The last of the thaumaturgical schools is the school of alteration.
The spells that belong to this school shape, modify or reconstruct
materials of all sorts and sometimes energies themselves. Moreover
most metamagic spells, those affecting magic energy itself, are
parts of this school. I myself worked on this school very intensively
and magic can even freeze itself in time is used properly. (For
those who are interested in such phenomena, I may later do a
demonstration with the new spell which has been granted to me by The
Most Generous Lady of Sorceries as a result of constant experimentation,
which I humbly named 'Shut Down'.)
B - On Psionics:
There is not much I can tell about this interesting psychic phenomena.
(Though I have been a victim to psionics a few times, I have not been
able to directly and objectively examine it.) However, obviously magic
and psionics are two completely separate phenomena (though they are used
to accomplish similar results) due to the difference of the energies
involved. Though I have not been able to test yet, I believe that
psionics will continue to function inside a dead-magic area or under an
'Anti-Magic Shell'.
C - Dead and Wild Magic Areas; Wild Magic:
As mentioned before there are various sources of magic on different
planes. On outer planes magic is itself originating from the plane. On
Outlands (also known as the plane of concordant opposition) as you
move towards the center of the ring, spells begin to fail. In some
planes various nodes produce the magical energy. On Toril, it is the
Weave that carries the magic energy to the spellcasters. It is tended
and organized by The Most Powerful Lady of Spells. Dead magic areas
are the remnants of the Time of Troubles; these are places where the
Weave does not cover; so spells cannot be cast.
Wild magic areas are results of the Time of Troubles as well. In these
places, the Weave is somewhat deformed and spells cast may go 'wild'
and result in unexpected results. (Fortunately we, the humble priests
of Our Most Wise Lady are not affected in neither dead nor wild
magic areas.)
Wild magic, though said to be developed by the study of wild magic
areas, seem to be only distantly related to them. I have a rather
limited knowledge on this subject and interested readers may find
a few new articles in this subject at the libraries of Candlekeep.
I may simply say that a wild magic spell gathers most of its spell
energy during its casting and is very difficult to control.
D - On Natural Phenomena:
All natural phenomena works according to some laws. These vary a lot
and they are best left to engineers and nature observers. However there
is actually one important concept that I believe deserves mentioning.
This is the concept of entropy. As a matter of fact, all elements and
energies tend to become more free. Disorder is the direction they seem
to prefer. On the other hand, disorder itself has some kind of laws.
There is an order hidden in most chaotic systems. Therefore, though it
is a fundamental concept, entropy is just a tendency. The ordered mind
of a priest, wizard or psionicist is the obvious denial of this tendency.
E - Other Evidence on the Effects of Psychic Energies:
1 - The lost psychic energies stay at the place where they have been lost
(forgotten thoughts for instance). Therefore to remember something, we
usually go and examine the places we have been to, our minds may
re-capture the lost psychic energies. Recently new spells have been
granted to us by Our Most Thoughtful Lady that allows us to reach such
lost energies (One of them is called 'Thought Capture' among priests.)
2 - Through my own research, I have proven that concentration on a given
subjects increases the chance success. I have been able to derive a
spell that I named 'Belief' which allows the recipients to concentrate
their psychic energies to succeed in something.
3 - A spell named 'Solipsism' and its wizardly version named 'Real Illusion'
(which I have researched) are beautiful evidence to the effects of
psychic energies on materials. With these spells the recipients actually
feel the things they force themselves to believe in. It is of importance
that both spells utilize alteration magics (and not any illusions or
phantasms.)
4 - The concept of ownership is a distinct example to the psychic energies
at work. When a creature (something with conscious psychic energy) takes
an item (something without conscious psychic energy) under possession
his/her/its psychic energy somewhat covers that item. So for instance
when a spell is cast to a balor's whip, it won't probably work, since
the psychic energy of this tanar'ri is at work.
Apart from material items, even other-than-psychic energies can be owned.
I have previously mentioned that I have been granted a spell that can
freeze magic in time (some kind of 'Temporal Stasis'). I clearly observed
that owned magic (like a 'Stoneskin' or 'Armor' spell on a person) can
somehow resist stasis condition. This is quite a proof the claim. Another
research spell granted to me, which I call 'Area of Protection' is an
extended version of 'Protection From Evil' with the improvement that it
is extended so it also protects against hand-held weapon attacks as well
- not only bodily contacts. This is only possible since this improved
version protects against the psychic energy that is covering that weapon.
5 - For some creatures, the psychic energies somewhat hold any material
body elements together with so much power that normal elemental or magic
attacks are waived by the creature's body. Only weapons of special
properties (special material of construction - like silver, cold iron
etc. or magical enchantments) can hit such creatures. Moreover the spells
sent at them may be resisted. (Against magic resistant creatures what I
personally recommend is the use of various conjuration/summoning spells
since these call forth actual nonmagical material, so magic resistance
may be waived. A very useful example is the 'Acid Arrow' spell by Melf.)
A special spell named 'Lower Resistance' has a penetrating effect on this
protective psychic energy and is of highest value for plane travelling
mages (since most planars have such protective psychic energies).
6 - On some planes, psychic energies play important roles for survival. On
the astral plane, all movement is through thinking and on Pandemonium,
by conscious thought you create pockets to stay within. (As they say
"Do not sleep berk.")
Some Final Notes:
-----------------
* In various planes magic way work in rather absurd ways, due to the plane's
own elemental and energy composition. The use of spell keys is a must for
planeswalking mages. Further information can be found in various books on
planar magic. (One other comment in this matter: As a priest moves through
the planes, his/her spellcasting ability may be negatively affected.
Moreover magical weapons and armor may become inert at planes far from
their own planes of construction. Both of these phenomena can be explained
with the principles mentioned above.)
* In the introduction, it has been mentioned that the purest forms of various
elements can be found in their respective inner planes. However, the
converse is not always true. Due to millennia of interaction various other
elements have been deposited in pockets in these planes. Such pockets may
be of great use for travelers.
* A remark about 'Protection From Evil' : On a being's home plane this spell
will not function as it does on Toril. For instance a baatezu on Baator
(also known as 'The Nine Hell' by some) will surely not be held at bay.
This is possibly due to the fact that the psychic energy of the creature is
everywhere on his/her/its home plane so a distinct determination of that
creature's own psychic energies is not possible.
* At Sigil I was exposed to the ideas of the Athar faction. What I perceived
is that according to them, Gods are very powerful beings who harness the
psychic energies of their faithful and grant them various abilities in
return. I myself do not agree with this idea. Moreover, you have faith in
something when you believe in that, feel that and think that it is right.
My own faith in Our Most Caring Lady is not a matter of commerce, it is
the purest form of love itself.
* The various material components and the verbal and somatic parts of
spellcasting are the ways of harnessing the magic in a given way. These
sounds and movements and materials initiate various interactions between
magic energy and other elements and energies. The material components are
usually related in some way to the desired effect of a spell, since those
will be the starting point of proper interaction.
* One may claim that the positive energy held by a creature is directly
related to his/her/its psychic energy. As we learn new things and gain
experience, our psychic energies increase. After certain limits are
reached, a new amount of positive energy is collected by our entities.
Actually, much like the magical energy, bound positive (or negative)
energy seems to be kind of discrete.
* Though positive and negative energies are opposites of each other, I
predict that there may be some materials in which both are bound together.
Obviously this is only a proposition but may be in the future it may be
possible to find such materials.
* Some creatures (like certain undead) are adversely affected by sunlight. In
my opinion sunlight is not only of quasi-element radiance but contains fire
element and positive energy as well (even some psychic energy perhaps).
Conclusion:
-----------
In this report, I tried to make an introduction to the recent proceedings in
modern alchemy and metaphysics. It is certain that this subject needs much
longer articles and hours of discussion. I will be delighted to exchange
any ideas and experience (I can be reached at the Tower of Mysteries in
Waterdeep.) I am also willing to exchange spells and even some of my research
spells are free to all interested.
As primes, we are rather lucky. We are somewhat at the center of the
multiverse. (However it is very important to remember that a center is an
infinitesimally small point within a huge circle.) Creatures of the inner
planes are made up of a few (or even only one) elements and the creatures of
the outer planes have very organized and specifically designated psychic
energies. As primes, we are composed of all elements together and we have a
broad range of psychic energies - we are, inside ourselves, very cosmopolite
creatures. Surely this is an advantage beyond measure. We should all be aware
of this blessing and live our lives in a harmony of these elements.
Acknowledgements:
-----------------
I would like to dedicate this paper to my dear friend Lord Termit of Soubar,
ranger extraordinaire, who has a deeper understanding and curiosity in these
matters than most mages.
I would like to thank to Formentera Shadowleaf, my elven friend, for his
patient answering to my never-ending questions about elven magic; to Warlock,
my lost friend who had a very unique way of spellcasting and to Scarter of
Waterdeep for his brilliant ideas and always open library. He is even now
working on these matters himself.
There are also many others who opened their libraries and laboratories to me,
especially Stricker, the archer ultimate, and Morbius, the merchant honest,
both good friends. I would like to thank them as well.
Zeus, the Warhammer of Tempus, my barbarian friend, who showed a wisdom
beyond any and despite all his tribal instincts made many monetary helps in
my research projects, thank you.
Lastly, my special thanks to all colleagues at the Tower of Mysteries and at
the Wizard's Guild in Waterdeep.
May Our Lady Bless You All With Her Holy Spells...
Zwitterion Quanta
Hand of Mystra
1/17/1371 DR
(
geocities.com/erkcan)