Magical Philosophy
Between the different magical phases, the worldviews of their adherents can change drastically. Influenced both by the constraints and nature of each phase and their own personal experiences, mages tend to be quite ideological. They are involved in an elaborate universal game between the gods of each element and their personal choices will affect which god’s will is brought into the world of Nyra.
Although we explain below what the dominant philosophies and goals of each element are, it should be said that there are a variety of different perspectives in each. No phase is good or evil. All phases contain multitudes within their followers. What is listed below should be seen as a description of the dominant perspectives, not an exhaustive contribution.
Order
God: One
Order is the domain of rules, of utility, of efficiency, and law. Where there is order, predictability reigns and fluctuation is seen as the result of a poorly constrained system, circumscribed too loosely to benefit the greater good. This view represents the will of One, handed down through the ranks of Orderists who populate most societies on Nyra and who carry out his will unflinchingly. One is a god of laws, sometimes even when those laws are cruel and he views the existence of magic as an unfortunate liability in the management of physical reality. Where magic can be quelled, One is pleased. Where leadership and structure are made supreme, One is present.
But there are those who do not see this view as orderly. Other Order mages believe that egalitarianism, equality, and dignity lead to the most orderly society and that chaos is begotten from suffering and desperation. These Order mages will therefore find themselves at odds with the orthodox Orderist in some occasions, especially where the tyrant rules.
Solid
God: Dagathan
In the realm of solid, stability, tradition, ecology, and steadfastness reign supreme. Solid is slow to change over even great eons, valuing foundational rules and eternal harmonies which can never be subverted. Solid therefore worships tradition and maintenance of ancient things. But Dagathan offers little guidance to his followers, sometimes called Dagathan the Silent. Even those who are very in tune with his will, often find themselves translating arcane symbols and flashes of insight to discover his desires.
Whereas some solid mages are druidic in nature, focusing upon the development and sustainability of harmonious ecologies, others are primitivists who are anti-modernist, seeking to bring down existing hierarchies and destroy all technology. Some solid mages simply seek a return to some perceived cultural or societal default which they view as having been ideal. In absence of direct guidance from their god, solid mages must decide their own free association among themselves.
Liquid
God: Kralma
Liquid is a phase representing flexibility, change, ingenuity, and charm. The adherents of this aspect cannot conceive of establishing a perfectly stable world, instead viewing all society and all social bounds as the establishment of temporary and appropriate walls to a container. Liquid does not pride itself upon disruption nor conformity. Instead, most liquid users would pride themselves on the ability to change their methods and approaches to assume a more useful practice within each society.
Liquid is not bound to behave in any particular fashion and will adapt to any circumstance it is given. If violence and disruption are necessary, liquid can adjust. Kralma prides himself and his direct followers upon their ability to adapt to change and adversity and does not harbor the complaints of those who wish to see change end for their own comfort. Kralma relishes the opportunity to improve and thrive within new circumstances and so do most of his followers.
Gas
God: Telimure
Gas is the domain of knowledge, expansion, assimilation, and intelligence. Its god, Telimure, is very vocal and very active in the lives of the Ventusari, often granting the wishes of his adherents should they match with his desires. He does not worry himself on the changes in society, nor whether they proceed to the benefit of any part of the phase spectrum (including his own). Telimure and his followers seek to know more and to obsessively compile every piece of wisdom that can be gathered. They view their phase as so unassailable and all-present that lowly devotion to a social cause is often a sign of biasing and therefore a possible signal that the knowledge they have gained is corrupted somehow.
This being said, other Ventusari view the acquisition of knowledge as a boon for social good and seek to drive it toward those ends. Although Telimure may view these Ventusari as missing the point, he does not shun them, but instead uses their drive to compile what is needed. After all, Telimure flourishes where knowledge is spread and ignorance is banished. The many followers of Telimure are all seen as worthy in his eyes so long as their life goal is to learn and to spread the all-present eminence of their phase.
Plasma
God: Xeret
Plasma can often be seen as the most dangerous phase to the common people of Nyra, representing rapid change, abrupt responsiveness, and brutality. Xeret is a difficult god to translate at times, his will changing with the environment and his allegiances often switching depending on who has the upper hand. And, although this phase often favors dominance, it is also the phase of revolution. Many of the most ardent and magnanimous heroes have been favored by Xeret, but so have many of the most despicable raiders and mercenary kings.
This phase has seen much philosophical turmoil and societal revulsion throughout different stages of history. Although today the Way of the New Flame dominates within the existing Infernai communities, focused upon the nurturing and life-sustaining aspects of the plasma phase, long ago there was the Way of the Old Flame, which emphasized destruction and all consuming transformation. These Old Flame advocates are part of the reason why mages are seen with so much disdain by the common people of Nyra, having long ago been magical terrorists that sought to turn the world to ashes. Today, however, the Old Flame is a minority, although one that is still present.
Chaos
God: THE
Chaos is an element which defies prediction and structure. Where rules may be inserted to explain its philosophy, those rules will inevitably be turned aside. THE is hardly even a conscious entity, almost impossible to understand to those who relish their sanity. By following his emanated will, many Noxai are driven completely mad, not for the disruption of their ethical code (although this may sometimes be the case), but instead for the constant violation of any rhyme or reason to the machinations they carry out.
But, because chaos typically lies within the rejection of staid modes of organization, it is also the element of the irrational such as art, beauty, love, and passion. Where these aspects reign, often chaos can be found. Noxai can be found which support any and all rationalizations for their own internal philosophies and can often have views which would seem to align with any of the other elements, including its very opposite of order. THE’s will is nothing else than to banish predictability and if the philosophies of his followers are predictable, then he will cease to be chaos.