The Caein Legacy: Magic, Magi, and The Oracle

What’s a fantasy book without magic of some form? The Caein Legacy is no exception, but the way I built the magic system for this series (and the related series The Mage War Chronicles) is different than what I’ve done in the past.

Rather than have a mage capable of learning nearly anything their hearts desire, in this world, each mage is born with a single variety of magic.

The Mark of the Magi and the Mage’s Trials

People capable of using magic are born with the Mark of the Magi. The Mark’s size and coloration may indicate the type of magic they’re capable of—if they choose to learn how to harness it. Not everyone opts to do so, even those from the Southlands where magic is permitted. The path to becoming a mage is dangerous, and almost half of would-be magi perish along the way. (For the aquatic Sevanni people, their process is shorter and more brutal, resulting in an even higher casualty rate—you’ll learn more about them in The Mage War Chronicles.)

The second book in The Caein Legacy, Guardian, focuses on Alexander’s journey to becoming a mage. While his trials are relatively uneventful compared to some, his journey isn’t without danger. Basically, a would-be mage goes through a series of trials at different locations, each carefully spaced through the landscape to ensure a mage doesn’t rush through the process too quickly. Alexander’s journey is unusual in that the threats to his person come from assassins sent by his brother and king of Novania, Colin. There are also inherent dangers in the landscape itself—the Venom-weavers’ Forest, the Ancient Maze, and a threat of bandits.

The Magi of The Caein Legacy

The first one the reader will meet is Alexander Marsden, the main character’s half-brother. He isn’t trained at the beginning of the series, but he bears an unusually large Mark. Alexander later becomes a mage-warrior. His power allows him to increase his speed, strength, and stamina in order to become more effective in battle.

The second important mage is the Oracle. Her ability allows her to see a person’s past—and sometimes the memories she sees haven’t yet occurred. Her visions usually come true, though some of her interpretations are flawed. The Oracle is something of a spiritual guide for magi of all varieties, and holds a role of leadership in the Southlands.

Chela is introduced at the end of Exile. She’s selected by the Oracle as Alexander’s guide as he embarks on his mage trials, and she was chosen due to her ability. She can navigate anywhere, as long as she has a destination in mind. It’s handy in certain situations…

Next is Lydia, who is introduced in book two. She’s a healer. Her ability allows her to boost a person’s natural immune and repair responses for a time in order to help them heal faster. The healing process still takes time—it is not instantaneous.

Then there’s Rynn Gwyllias. She’s a powerful mage with the ability to manipulate ice and snow, but her power came at great cost. Her body became so cold she risks injuring others if she touches them. When she’s encountered in book two, it’s mentioned she has been relatively isolated for eleven  years, unable to give hugs or shake hands. Rynn was one of my favorite characters in the series.

The Oracle

The Southlands has been led by an Oracle every generation for nearly one thousand years by the time The Caein Legacy begins, but that wasn’t always the case. In the distant past, the Southlands followed three mages, known as The Triad, which you’ll learn more about in The Mage War Chronicles.

The first Oracle was nearly destroyed by her power, but with the help of the dragon-magi and a few close friends, she learned how to use her power without it consuming her entirely. Since that time, every new generation has its own Oracle, descended matrilineally from the first.

Due to the nature of their power, the Oracles are held in high regard because they can glimpse snippets of the future. Not every vision comes to pass in the given Oracle’s lifetime, but almost every vision becomes reality at some point.

The main character in the series, Andrew, is not a mage. He grapples with what he calls “mysticism,” and is often skeptical of the Oracle. During book two, he’s surrounded by magi, and he often feels like an outsider—but Andrew isn’t without his own unique abilities. He’s dragon-kind. I’ll be discussing more about his people in a future post.