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gridloreTwo more of these to go, then I start compiling!
To understand the quasi-faith that is known as Porozumění( insight, or understanding) in the Wizards' Tongue, one must understand the event that created the universe.
Prior to Time and Creation, all there was was Umma. Religious texts tend to simply refer to Umma as "that which came before the Gods, and from which the Gods sprang" but researchers of the Velké Tajemství (Great Mysteries) describe Umma in far more complex terms. Umma was a being, both sapient and unaware. All-knowing but an idiot. Infinite in a timeless space. It was a perfect balance between Law and Chaos, meaning such concepts couldn't exist. Then something caused Umma to shatter. The largest pieces became the Planes of Existence. Elemental Law and Chaos became the first two gods, and other shards became less powerful but still significant entities like the primal dragons. Umma's spirit or energy continued to exist, as did it's consciousness. As the Gods fought, came together, forged the worlds of the Material Plane, seeded them with life, Umma watched and infused everything with energy. It is unknown how deliberate this was.
That energy is known as Mana, and is the very stuff of magic. Sorcerers and other instinctive magic users never think about how they channel their energies. To them it as simple as drawing breath and walking. But when those born with the Talent but lacking a sorcerous bloodline began creating formulaic spells, the study of Mana and its source began in earnest. The work of early mages has been built on, and most wizards spend at least part of their career in deep study of this philosophy.
It is important to note that (sane) mages do not worship Umma. Umma does not provide divine magic, has no clerics, and is not a reliable deity. Most wizards will offer prayers to the three major deities as is appropriate for their culture. Porozumění is a scholarly pursuit, an attempt to fathom the underlying "source code" of the multiverse.
What Porozumění is is essentialy Jewish Mysticism. Way too complex a subject to go into here, but this excellent link to an old Different Worlds article will explain the basics. The Kaballah is a fascinating subject, and worthy of reading up on in detail.
One last thing. While Umma is considered to be almost mindless and impossibly removed from contact, some powerful wizards have sworn that they have been contacted by Umma, usually in dreams.. and that Umma sang to them.
As always, let me know what you think.
To understand the quasi-faith that is known as Porozumění( insight, or understanding) in the Wizards' Tongue, one must understand the event that created the universe.
Prior to Time and Creation, all there was was Umma. Religious texts tend to simply refer to Umma as "that which came before the Gods, and from which the Gods sprang" but researchers of the Velké Tajemství (Great Mysteries) describe Umma in far more complex terms. Umma was a being, both sapient and unaware. All-knowing but an idiot. Infinite in a timeless space. It was a perfect balance between Law and Chaos, meaning such concepts couldn't exist. Then something caused Umma to shatter. The largest pieces became the Planes of Existence. Elemental Law and Chaos became the first two gods, and other shards became less powerful but still significant entities like the primal dragons. Umma's spirit or energy continued to exist, as did it's consciousness. As the Gods fought, came together, forged the worlds of the Material Plane, seeded them with life, Umma watched and infused everything with energy. It is unknown how deliberate this was.
That energy is known as Mana, and is the very stuff of magic. Sorcerers and other instinctive magic users never think about how they channel their energies. To them it as simple as drawing breath and walking. But when those born with the Talent but lacking a sorcerous bloodline began creating formulaic spells, the study of Mana and its source began in earnest. The work of early mages has been built on, and most wizards spend at least part of their career in deep study of this philosophy.
It is important to note that (sane) mages do not worship Umma. Umma does not provide divine magic, has no clerics, and is not a reliable deity. Most wizards will offer prayers to the three major deities as is appropriate for their culture. Porozumění is a scholarly pursuit, an attempt to fathom the underlying "source code" of the multiverse.
What Porozumění is is essentialy Jewish Mysticism. Way too complex a subject to go into here, but this excellent link to an old Different Worlds article will explain the basics. The Kaballah is a fascinating subject, and worthy of reading up on in detail.
One last thing. While Umma is considered to be almost mindless and impossibly removed from contact, some powerful wizards have sworn that they have been contacted by Umma, usually in dreams.. and that Umma sang to them.
As always, let me know what you think.
