The Supernatural

There are three distinct classes of Supernatural Energies in the world. Each is to an extent opposed by the other two, although rare synergies are possible. These three are:

• Magic
• Holy
• Unholy

Magic is the realm of the earth, the occult, the hedge-wizards and mystics, spiritualists and alchemers. Holy energies are inherent in the Anglican Church and - to the Church's dismay - practitioners of other faiths as well. The dark energies of Unholy are the exclusive purview of those who serve Lucifer himself, and are best avoided by all.

[Game Note: Players in Brassy's Men may not start out affiliated with Unholy. They may pursue this path during the course of the game. Both Magic and Holy are available to starting characters.]

Although distinct in their methods of application and effects, the three share some common characteristics:

• Subtlety: No longer do Dragons roam the countryside of Britain, if in fact they ever did. The supernatural of our time is above all things subtle. It is quite possible to deny the existence of the mystical, ascribing its effects to coincidence or perhaps malevolent deception. Most people will live out their lives without ever seeing something which is incontrovertibly from beyond our realm, and most are quite happy that this is the case.
  
• Rarity: Those who practice the harnessing of mystical energies are quite rare. True, the Church counts many clergy among its ranks who can rightly be called holy - but only a rare few have been graced with the gift to directly harness the energies of the heavens known as Holy. Thankfully their evil Unholy counterparts are just as scarce. The practitioners of Magic are a bit more common, although one must be careful to distinguish between true Magicians and the far more common charlatans.
  
• Difficulty: Even among those who have learned to harness the mystic arts, there are few who rise to greatness. The study of mysticism in any form is demanding, requiring sharpness of mind, strength of will, and solidity of purpose. The exception is the Unholy path, upon which one can tread quickly toward both power and destruction.
  
• Irrationality: Mysticism of any sort has proven frustratingly resistant to any scientific attempts to quantify or qualify it. In general, the tools of Science will never serve to make an accurate determination or impact upon things mystical. It seems that Science and Magic are fundamentally incompatible.

There are several concepts common to all supernatural paths:

• Spells (Magic) / Miracles (Holy) / Curses (Unholy): These are the main use of any supernatural power. A person who is skilled in a supernatural path is able to channel those energies to perform feats inaccessible to normal men. The details of how this is done are described under the individual paths below.
  
• Rituals: Rituals are extended rites in which mystical energies are channeled to produce effects greater than those possible from a simpler spell. Rituals are often complex, involving many distinct and precisely chosen elements and multiple people. The details of many rituals have been lost in the sands of time.
  
• Objects: Each of the three traditions can have associated objects charged with the relevant energies. Holy relics are relatively common; Magic and Unholy objects are much rarer. Note that an average person may well have to take the word of the Church as to whether a relic is Holy or not - as with all of the supernatural, there are seldom clear signs.
  
• Creatures: Angels and Devils do, of course, exist. But they have not been seen on Earth for millennia. That is not to say that they, or the creatures of Magic, cannot still watch unseen, lurk in the shadows, or subtly act to control our destinies.