The Crux of Waking: A Mortal's Guide to Ascendency

Scholarly debate over majia and its origins has raged for longer than modern society has existed, but this discussion appears that it will not be slowing into future times. According to Seer Grantham, wars will be fought over theology once again in the future; for now, we enjoy a tentative peace between the various peoples of Terosia.

The basic understanding of majia is that it is an energy. It has been identified to exist within and all around everything in this world, binding everything together while simultaneously shaping it. Majia is, pure and simple, chaos. Without it, the world would never have emerged from the Sempiternal Mists, and without it we would eventually become blanketed by uniformity. Majia lends chaos to the world, and some have the ability to harness that chaos and direct it accordingly.

However, chaos such as Majia is not completely unchained. It follows its own rules, which prevent it from running rampant. These rules, we believe, may be dictated by Time itself – in the absence of time, growth and erosion can occur seemingly instantly, so the presence of Time serves to slow the actions of chaos. The natural laws of Majia have been observed for eons, diligently studied by everyone with an interest and noted down in academic records. Not all of us enjoy reading lengthy academic papers, however, so I have compiled the results of close to twenty thousand years of research into this single volume, for you the novice to understand.

Majia follows a set of natural laws that dictate how it can be used by us, the people. These differ to the local laws and customs surrounding Majia and its use in that they cannot be broken by any known means. Nine Laws have been identified, and it is doubtful that more will be discovered. Interestingly, these are listed in reverse, with the Ninth Law listed as first and the Laws becoming progressively more important, potent, or overarching as the list continues.

It should be noted that while this list provides an overview, aspiring majs are encouraged to properly study the nine Natural Laws for themselves, as there is far more nuance than what can be explained here, relevant to the various Talents, Persuasions, and even intentions of a maj.

Ninth Law of Majia: The Law of The Gift

That which is given can also be taken away – that is to say, a being born with a Majia connection can have that connection severed at any time, whether by another caster, an artifact, Mystic, or by Majia itself. Since the Lost Ages, majs who abuse their connection have lost it through no other discernible means, so it must be assumed that Majia itself can withdraw from a person.

Eighth Law of Majia: The Law of Rising

He who accrues power must observe the limitations, or be consumed. This Law differentiates to the Ninth Law in that power accumulation is not considered abuse of one’s connection, but limitations will always exist for those with a Majia connection. Attempting to exceed the limitations can result in the Majia being turned back inwards and dissolving the physical form, or causing a massive release of Majia that can devastate an area.

Seventh Law of Majia: The Law of Balance

For every action, there is an opposite. By its very nature, Majia is in a constant state of movement. Nothing about Majia is intended to last forever, and powerful Binds need to be involved to prevent a spell being undone. Of course, even the strongest Binds can be undone by something as simple as performing the invocation or motions in reverse.

Sixth Law of Majia: The Law of Growth

Where Majia touches nature, it will remain. The two are inherently bound together, and Nature is the only instance where Majia does not require binding to continue its effects. Studies have shown that even when a maj uses a temporary spell to accelerate plant growth for, say, a farm or garden, even after they end the spell the earth-based Majia will continue to provide for Nature and fuel its growth. Similarly, where Majia is used to clear vegetation, that clearing will continue.

Fifth Law of Majia: The Law of Returns

All that is done by Majia will be undone. While the Eighth Law speaks of Majia becoming unbound over time, the Fifth Law refers to more immediate reversals that occur without interference. Enchantments wear off, potions become less potent, scrolls and inscriptions erode or decay faster than usual. Most majian objects are renewed frequently for this reason, with potions being the only exception.

Fourth Law of Majia: The Law of Consciousness

He who intends to use Majia must dedicate his whole self to the outcome. Majia cannot be used by accident; there is a level of intent required for any spell to be cast, and the caster must fixate on both intent and the desired outcome in order to achieve it. All Majia takes a toll on the caster, but most failed spells do not have any effect.

Third Law of Majia: The Law of Nature

Defying Nature using Majia only lasts so long as the spell is bound. Similar to the Fifth Law, Majia can only be used to alter an object or person whilesoever the caster is focused on maintaining that spell. If a caster were to turn a stone to water, the water would immediately become stone again once the caster was no longer focused, provided they had not adequately prepared for such reversal and worked it into the spell.

Second Law of Majia: The Law of Constants

The amount of Majia within the world is limited and unchanging. Majia cannot be created nor destroyed, only passed from one thing to another. If the environment is full of Majian growth and nature, the amount of Majia that persons can channel or utilise overall becomes lessened. Similarly, if society is full of many powerful majs, Majia’s natural influence is lessened.

First Law of Majia: The Law of Equivalent Exchange

For every casting, an equivalent exchange should be offered. If the exchange is suitable, the Majia will hold. This Law overrides all other previous laws, and is the main cause of death for many young or experimental majs. The most common example of this is the exchange of life – a maj can keep a dying person alive as long as they remain focused, or they can Bind that person’s life to something else such as a crystal or stone, however a Binding can be undone if a maj performs the casting in reverse, or the Bound item becomes damaged. The First Law subverts this by offering another option – if a person’s life is taken in order to spare another, the spared life will be sustained.

When utilising Majia, it is important to keep these Laws in mind. Attempting to defy most of them can result in the Ninth Law being exacted, and the experimenting maj might find themselves suddenly unable to cast a spell. Furthermore, as chaos itself, Majia has an unusual way of exacting revenge even after stripping someone of their connection – many former majs tend to find themselves struggling with incredibly poor fortune and suffering. It is wise to observe the Laws of Majia, so as to avoid becoming another cautionary tale.