Glossary
Magic,
Magic is the colloquial term for the control of the physical world using its imprint upon the spiritual world. A person or object (a magic-user from here onwards) would be aware of the spiritual realm in various ways (detailed below) because of the way sentience in particular affects a physical imprint. The scope of awareness can vary between users, and it can be enhanced by Links and Relics.
1) Magic for Faeries
It is thought that due to Faeries being constructs of the Angels, they are not wholly in this realm, and continue a life akin to the Angels after death. The strongest magic-users in Neon, they tend to shun human contact unless in great need, or to seek out human magic-users (Mages, see below). Now and again, some faeries will rebel and try to force control upon humanity, but this has not been seen since the First Apollyon War. The scope of fey awareness can vary between ten and several hundred paces.
2) Magic for Humans
Human magic-users are often referred to as Mages, a term of much malice due to its connotations to the Mage Wars of millennia ago. It is thought that the reason humans can use magic is that the Angels, and later Faeries, have bred with them. Yet the awareness would still be impossible without mankind’s sentience. The flurry of thought processes that man has every second has a much stronger imprint upon the spiritual realm, to the point where some individuals become aware of the imprints. However, the scope of the awareness is very weak, tending to affect little more than a pace around them. Only the exceptional, such as "Apollyon" or Yman Olan who rose in Theon during 2207 YA, can exert control overa large area.
A larger number of humans will show no signs of spiritual awareness, but will be able use Links and Relics to become aware. Now and again, there are also reports of humans who can "communicate" with the spiritual realm and claim that they have been told the future. This is popular in Theon, where the prophets will predict the fall of Anahitanism if they do not follow the laws.
3) Magic in Animals
Whilst it is well-known that dragons are magic-users, using their influence to shed their baby-wings and fly unaided, for the most part animals cannot use magic. They do not have the necessary awareness of the physical realm (sentience). Several experiments by faeries to engender a loop into an animal and make them sentient, and thus spiritually aware, usually create instead a Relic which is alive, but no more sentient than before. These stay connected even after death, which suggests there is some affect though. No experiment has been made on humans to force awareness, although the inter-breeding between Faeries and humans could probably go under this heading.
4) Magic in Objects.
Known as Relics, objects that have a Link to the spiritual realm range from the gaudy that will decorate a Lord’s house, to the plain that are used by most faeries. Some can be small enough to fit into a human palm, whilst some can hold entire cities (see the Relic Wall) or cover landscapes (See Fren and the landscape around it).