Greystone Valley is a world where the myths and legends of our world run wild. That means that magic is abundant in this world, with different people wielding different kinds of sorcery. Some people in the valley have even tried studying magic like it’s math or science, gathering together in schools to discuss theories on different spells. These studies tend to be frustrating because magic is an ever-changing art form. While there are many different ways for a person to learn this art in Greystone Valley, these are the three most common forms of magic.

1) Study and practice. Most people don’t have a spark that lets them cast spells effortlessly. They instead have to learn magic through hard work and intense study. These people track down old scrolls and spellbooks and try to memorize the difficult mystic incantations and rituals held inside. Simple spells, like levitating a penny, can take a few weeks to understand. More complex magic, like summoning walls of fire or taking the shape of a dragon, take years upon years to master. This is why so many wizards in Greystone Valley tend to be old and gray, with long white beards and wrinkled skin. The wizard Kay uses his father’s spellbook to cast his magic, although he still has a lot of studying to do.

2) Natural skill. Some creatures are just naturally magical. This is especially true of dragons and fey, who come from the oldest parts of the world and were born when magic was still common. While sorcery comes more easily to these people, they are usually only good at one particular area. For example, a fey woman might have the ability to entrance men with her beautiful voice, but not be able to cast any other spells. Adlin the Dragon Queen has mostly innate magic, although she has also learned other tricks thanks to her very long lifespan.

3) Enchanted objects. Even practicing wizards tend to use some magical objects from time to time to help them. These usually take the form of wands and staves. The items are almost always made out of something that is inherently magical, such as the petrified wood of the oldest tree or a piece of ancient dragon bone. Sometimes, they take the form of ancient weapons that were wielded by great heroes, with the essence of those heroes remaining behind long after their deaths. For those who already know magic, a good enchanted item can help focus spells and improve their strength. For those who don’t know magic, a wand or enchanted sword might still be able to give them the ability to perform a few miracles. Wizards often tend to look down upon untrained people who use magical objects to cast spells, since it is insulting to them that somebody would take such an easy shortcut. They don’t mind trained individuals using a wand to enhance their spells, though.

Magic plays an important role in Greystone Valley. In addition to the presence of several individuals who know a thing or two about sorcery, Sarah also has some strange connection to the magic of the valley, although she doesn’t fully understand where it came from.

Image: Magic, by Larisa Koshkina