September 17, 2016 October 8, 2018
Understanding The Lore Of The Life School
As we wander around the spiral launching spells and defeating monsters, one may quickly lose touch of the lore. There is simply so much to do in order to be successful: crafting, gardening, pet training etc. We become lost in the mechanics of how to play the game and forget to check the lore of the spiral. This is unfortunate since Wizard 101 has a rich history and lore. This thread will examine the workings of Life magic as it fits into the lore of Wizard101. Note- All information comes from the Wizard 101 main site, the history books throughout the Spiral and the Life school specific quests. All extrapolation present is based on the information given and is my interpretation of the information gathered.
Special Thanks to Talon StarGlen for additional commentary and insight!
The Creation Lore of Life Magic
Life magic is a Spiritual school. Like the other Spiritual schools, it was not an original magic but came from the primary magic of the elemental schools. According to the main site, Life magic lies between Fire and Storm. This suggests that these were the 2 magics the original Theurgists chose to derive life magic from.
This derivation is visible in Life’s spells. It has Healing over Time spells (counterpart to Fire’s Damage over Time spells). It can also easily disable Damage over Time spells via triage. Its heals are very potent (drawing from the power of Storm magic). In addition, it also has accuracy buffs, which generally is something only present in the Storm and Balance schools. Actually heals are so potent that pip for pip most are stronger than any comparable attack spells (notable exceptions include the bolts and unicorn). In fact after Celestia, Fire, Storm and Life are expressed as components of Sun Magic. As such, they boost on each other. (Fire gets a boost on Life, Life gets a boost on Storm, Storm gets a boost on Fire)
The Source of Life Magic
Life magic is an internally sourced magic. Unlike the magics of Fire, Ice, and Storm which are derived from outside influences, the magic of Life draws from the aspects of the caster. Specifically, Life magic’s strength is derived from the body. This suggests that the stronger the Body the more magical potential the individual theurgist has. This fits with the theme of being alive, because Life is most fervently expressed in a living, breathing body. This may also explain why Sylvia Drake was powerless against her illness. Illnesses weaken the body and Sylvia’s was sudden and severe. As her Body got weaker, her Life magic (which derives it’s source from the strength of the Body) would weaken right along with her. This explains why one of the best Life professors was powerless to save herself.
Spirit, Body or Both?
Despite being reportedly powered from the body, it seems that Life magic could be derived from the Spirit of the Theurgist. As pointed out on the main website’s page: Life is Spirit. As commentor Talon Starglen puts it: A body without a spirit is devoid of Life. It is Life magic that creates the spirit which in turn brings life to the body. You don’t see a body without a spirit alive. Instead, you do see a spirit without a body being very much alive. Whether this derivation is in addition to its sourcing from the body or if the main website is simply incorrect is up for discussion. Join the discussion in the comments below!
How Life Magic Works
Life Magic works via the working of Songs. Life wizards sing to work their magic. The Songs they sing are an echo of the original Song of Creation and allow them to create new Life where previously there was none. These songs are used to channel spirits into vessels (such as the songs that summon the pixies, fairies, and satyrs), Call upon powerful Earth Spirits(such as Gnomes!) or even call upon the aid of powerful Life creatures(such as the Forest Lords and Spinysaurs). Life wizards utilize the power of music to great effect and it is by the power of song that they are able to channel the energies need to create and preserve life. So if you tripped the theurgist walking down the hallway and she starts humming…run.
The Goals of Life Magic and how it affects the Spiral
The Goal of Life Magic is summed up in its motto: “As we have been created, so we must create.” Life Magic and the creatures that serve it are committed to protecting Life and allowing it to flourish throughout the spiral. They counter threats to Life(such as the Plague Oni in Mooshu) and protect those who seek to spread life(such as gardeners) Life magic impacts the spiral by spreading order and removing chaos. The spread of order likely refers to entropy or the tendency for things to devolve to the lowest energy state. Life wizards directly counteract entropy and perpetuate the spread of order. This means that Life wizards play an extremely important role in the Spiral and are responsible for making sure the universe does not fall into decay.
