(no subject)
Here at Fairly Tales the concept of Magic has been kept intentionally vague, particularly in the limits of its practice by those characters who are adept. However, to better allow players to utilize the aspect for plot, here is a basic breakdown of how magic can be accomplished in the FT verse, and to what effect.
BASIC:
Magic can only be practiced by those characters who had some sort of proficiency in the arts from their original Tale; wizards, sorcerers, magicians, witches, fairies, and so forth. Skills cannot be learned by those without this characteristic, nor by mortals. Typically, magical skills have been dulled through the generations of reincarnations, so the level of ability a character is capable of can be chosen by the player. The stronger one identifies with and remembers their Tale, the stronger their magics tend to be.
IC RULES:
Technically magic is forbidden to be practiced without Atheneum authorization, but this is an oft-disregarded rule due to how difficult it is to both supervise and police the entire community. Blind eyes are turned for many small bits of magical practice, though anything that would be considered actively hostile to another Tale, a mortal, or capable of placing the community in danger would draw swift punishment.
POTIONS:
Potions are a basic aspect of a mage's arsenal, and a fun plot tool. a number of potions can be brewed in-game - love potions, elixirs of healing, sleeping potions, and so forth. If you have a potion you'd like to brew, check with a mod to see if it would be possible. Typically potions require very obscure and difficult to procure ingredients, which is an aspect that can be exploited for further plotty goodness. The brewing of potions is the hardest act of magic to detect, as it is a more passive procedure.
HEXES/CURSES:
Hexes and curses are the most strongly discouraged forms of magic, and the most likely to draw some sort of IC consequence. Smaller curses - say, for an acne breakout or a bout of bad luck - are wont to be missed by the powers that be, but anything more significant could receive a public smackdown. Smaller curses are generally easy enough to cast off the cuff, but anything more significant may also require specific timings, conditions, material components, etc.
ENCHANTMENTS:
Forms of beneficial magic are also heavily scrutinized, on account of the large propensity for misuse. A decently talented mage might be able to increase someones strength or good fortune briefly, but it may be draining and have unexpected consequences (an immediate period of fatigue or bad luck immediately thereafter, for example). Enchantments can also be cast on objects or places for a variety of results.
ILLUSIONS:
One of the more complicated forms of magic, the casting of believable illusions requires a history of practice and skill for any level of true success. Distorting an individual's perceptions is highly dangerous, and must be done with extreme caution.
SCRYING:
Scrying is also a very difficult task requiring severe concentration, and most characters in game might only be capable of short-range peeking at best. Anything larger or more specific tends to require magical objects enchanted just for that purpose.
SPELLBOOKS:
The majority of recorded information on magical practices, potions, spells, and so forth, particularly the more complicated and powerful spells that guard the Pentamerone, are written down in a series of tomes stored in the attic of the Atheneum. They can only be viewed by the Head Librarians and their official magical consultant, currently Eleanor Fisher. If anyone wishes to consult the contents, they have to go through Eleanor.