THEY ARE NOT THE SAME POWER.
Dunamis vs. Magic
In Evynlore, as in our world, the eternal struggle between good and evil, right and wrong, is personified by two mystical forces: dunamis and magic. Many argue they are the same power used under different labels for the sake of piety or intimidation, and it doesn’t matter which label you brand yourself under it only matters what you use the power for, good or evil. This is a deception; exposed by the powers themselves, for what matters isn’t what you do with the power, but where the power’s source is drawn from—who it is drawn from. Their source givers are their core essence. That is why dunamis is strongest when used for good but weak when used for evil, and the same goes for magic but in the vise versa. Yet because on the surface there is ambiguity between them, many fall for the deception and attempt to use both, ignoring the line drawn in the sand which sets them apart from one another, and looking past the adverse effects that when practicing one your ability in the other diminishes. It may seem harmless to cast a sweeping spell, or torchlight in your palm, but don’t ignore the source from which you take, for when something is taken, something must be given and Morrs are the givers of magic. All who partake pay with their souls.
What is dunamis? Dunamis is a manifestation of the Maker's gift to humans, a power to control a little bit of His creation. Dunamis finds its greatest strength when harnessed for noble causes. This supernatural force serves both the greater good and individual well-being. While not inherently designed for combat, it possesses formidable capabilities in self-defense and the protection of the vulnerable. However, it is impossible to use dunamis to take a human life, or cause harm to any creature which breaths whether good or evil.
Conversely, magic originates from the Morrs, the malevolent entities who came to Evynlore from Earth and other worlds and arrogate themselves as gods. Many use the Morr’s magic despite this, willingly ignoring its sinister source, asserting that if they use it for the mundane, or in its weak attempts at doing good, than it is neutral. When one relies on magic, one becomes entangled in the Morrs' influence, gradually surrendering their humanity and will, conscience or unconscious of it happening, as well as the sanctity of the world.
Dunamis & the Five Words of Creation
There are five creation (Crea) words to learn, associated to five runes. These Crea words are the original names of the five spheres that make up the elements of the earth. Each Crea word when spoken is capable of calling forth an element, (which is referred to as “creating” even though its technically teleporting the element to them from somewhere in the world), and when accompanied by a hand movement that element can be manipulated and used for almost any need.
Dunamis has two tiers of power: derived dunamis and direct dunamis.
Derived dunamis can be used by anyone, as where direct dunamis (the strongest dunamis) is only lent by the Maker to those who follow him faithfully. Direct dunamis takes no effort only faith and is the Maker’s spirit actually indwelling the user to wield dunamis for good on the wielder’s behalf. Derived dunamis was sewn into Evynlore during the worlds creation as the Maker’s signature, and can be used by anyone, however it takes both knowledge and stamina to use.
Learn Crea to control the elements
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hyülí [HAI-ool-LYE] The Crea word hyülí controls all molecules belonging to the sky— the atmosphere. You can call upon the wind and all volatile elements. You can also create and control water in its evaporative from, as well as shape clouds or condense the water molecules together to cause them to rain. Just don’t go raining on someone else’s party, it won’t work very well since this is dunamis and isn’t strong when used for bad or selfish reasons.
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ryooth [ri-ooth] The Crea word ryooth controls all things which form under the ground— the lithosphere. With this powerful word you can create minerals, sand, and stone. That’s only scratching the surface. No pun intended.
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áôwa [ay-oh-wah] The Crea word áôwa controls all liquids, including water— the hydrosphere. Among all the useful ways you can use áôwa, the most practical is that you can create clean fresh drinking water with this word by cupping your hands to your mouth. Now it is good to mention when you “create” an element you’re technically speeding along the recycling process that the Maker set up in the world… so you can’t be sure where that water came form… It could’ve been runoff from a grimy roof somewhere in Evynlore but after percolating down into the earth you summoned it into your hands—but hey, it’s guaranteed to be clean since you used Crea to call it to you and create it a-new.
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tèleurêre [tuh-LUR-air] The Crea word tèleurêre controls all things which need the sun to live— the biosphere. It can create anything of the biosphere, given you know the correct hand gesture to combine with the word to form a full sentence of Crea. Try crossing your fingers and saying tèleurêre to make vines. No, don’t make a shadow-puppet of a bunny and say the word. Neither dunamis nor magic can create life or living creatures, only the Maker can. But good try!
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celarium [suh-LAIR-ee-uhm] Celarium is very special. It controls the radial-sphere, which includes the physical and spiritual: All light, fire, electricity, color, visual perception, and the essence of the soul. When it comes to the spiritual aspects of the word, you can only use this word to call upon the light of your own soul, not another’s. This is the Crea word used to call out one’s Elysium Light. The visual starlight held inside one’s soul, which mysteriously is connected to one’s soul in unexplainable ways— similar to how love is connected to the soul and body and yet is an invisible force. Elysium Light is given to humans by the Maker, and is the light which can be projected from the body in a sphere-like-orb, looking like a nebula galaxy, and can be joined with another’s Elysium Light to make a star, but only when speaking a marriage vow to one another. (More on what becomes of the marriage star later and what purpose it serves). The star binds the man and woman in a life-long commitment to one another which should not be broken. A marriage vow is not something to take lightly, pun intended.
Magic & the Three Ways to Acquire It
There are three ways to gain a morr’s blessing (more like a curse) of magic. Magic may be stronger in daily self-serving tasks, and certainly for evil desires, but it has limits and costs. When it heals, it leaves scars. And you cannot create elements with magic; you must have them already on hand, as well as having completed certain requirements to gain the morr’s attention and have charms and spells to enact their powers for your own. The morrs signature in Evynlore is weak since they did not create the world. Thus their power is finite and can be unexpectedly weak when stretched thin; at times even none existent to followers they forget about, thus some paths to acquiring magic assures the user a stronger branch of it. Still, many people choose magic because it can be used for personal gain.
The three ways to acquire magic
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The most common is to study one morr, learning their spells from scrolls, hoping to receive their blessing. A short study of them will lead to weak magic with a high rate of failure when casting spells, but a longer study secures more success rates, and ten years or more assures a consistent current of magic to be sent your way when you cast spells. However, there is still the off chance your god is taking a nap when you need them the most.
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Service can be through worship and/or rituals.
Worship can be as simple as bringing offerings to your chosen morr's shrine once, or as grand as dedicating your entire life to serve in their high places or archives (where scrolls are kept for those seeking script magic). The simpler act will lead to weak magic, (similar to a short study of a morr would), accept by bringing an offering you are assured at least one successful spell. The higher dedication levels of worship promise stronger magic. Dedicating your life to servitude also sets you up to learn advanced magic, so most who at this level of magic have rejected the Maker, dunamis, and His teachings.
Rituals are the second way to intermediate magic and can be as simple as gathering certain items to place, burn, or abandon in certain location or structures in order to curse or enchant something or someone. The ritual can also be advanced, some taking years of preparation. Both give consistent access to the morr's magic but the different levels of the user’s commitment effect the level of power they receive. You won’t be the strongest if you cast a curse by burning someone's shoe, but you're guaranteed the curse will work. However, if you burn one of their shoes every day for ten years, you will be assured the most powerful spell you utter over them is certain to succeed (assuming they are not an Àthêrèan in which cause you waisted your time).
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To achieve mastery magic one must seal their soul to a morr’s fate. Sealing one's soul means dedicating one's life to a morr's cause (and most of the time you won’t know the cause until after you swear to align to it, nor can a mortal know a morr’s eternal fate; especially if they do not believe the Maker’s words of warnring). You promise blindly to do everything the morr wishes, and as long as you keep your oath the morr in return may choose to live inside you (which would be your goal). For a morr can only dwell in one human at a time which means you would be one of the most powerful sorcerer's of your eld whilst they dwell in you. You'll have incredible power, for a Master Sorcerer can directly cast the morr's magic. Those who go this route but the morr chooses not to possess them become priests and priestess's of that morr, which makes them the strongest sorcerers that exist without a morr possessing them. Priests and priestess's are given assurance of magic reliability and advantages over other sorcerers, such as their power will keep working if to many people are drawing from the morr’s pool of power at once, they will keep their priority while the other users find their magic failing.
There is another way to seek vessel alignment and advanced magic without sealing your soul, and that is murdering an unwilling victim in the name of the morr, and bringing the blood to their alter. Those who choose this route of murder to gain mastery magic bare a mark on their skin, the mark of mors (spelled with one ‘r’); a scar which sorcerer’s show off proudly, but regretful murderers, who have turned from their wrenched ways, hide in shame for the rest of their lives.
What is a morr? A morr is a created being-spirit who was made possessing all knowledge of good and evil and originally good and placed to guide the less powerful human race in servitude to the Maker but rebelled. Thus these beings once held great supernatural powers which became corrupted and distorted when they turned evil and declared themselves gods.