Primal magic

This article covers the magical tradition associated with druids, elementals, and fey. For magic's primal form also known as "primal magic", see wild magic.

Lini, druid, fights a drider with primal magic and the help of her animal companion Droogami.

A leaf leshy, in many ways an embodiment of primal magic.

Primal magic is one of four traditions of magic, along with divine, occult and arcane magic, that manifests in the form of spells and spell-like effects. Primal magic is linked to nature and instinct. It is an instinctual connection to and faith in the world, the cycle of day and night, the turning of the seasons, and the natural selection of predator and prey drive the primal tradition.

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Associations

Primal magic is fundamental to most fey beings, and some fey creatures will barter primal magic powers as abilities in exchange for mundane or esoteric details or abilities from the recipient, such as their ability to see the moon or a part of their name.

Primal magic is also strongly associated with most gnomes, especially those who live in the First World and Feychild gnomes.

It is also related to elemental abilities, such as the ability of certain dwarves to emanate with elemental energies.

On Golarion

Dance is incorporated in magical studies at the Magaambya.

In cities, attitude towards primal magic is similar to the way people view arcane magic—it is simply another way to manipulate the forces of the world, that only just so happens to be constrained by nature. However, those living closer to the wilds, in villages or as tribes, understand that nature cannot be commanded, and primal spellcasters must ask, not demand.

The Green Faith is strongly associated with primal magic, as are most druids, fey, and clerics of natural deities.

It is a component of some Erutaki magic, such as tupilaq fetishes, and of Mualijae and wildborn magic.

Instructors at the Magaambya teach primal magic, and especially novel methods of combining it with arcane magic in the form of halcyon magic. Primal magic is also deployed by Magaambyan Rain-Scribes and Tempest-Sun mages.

Users of primal magic are welcomed as intermediaries between humans and fey in the Fangwood.

Practitioners

The power of nature can be wielded by druids, some sorcerers, some witches and some summoners. Druids gain their spells from their connection to and deep understanding of nature, sorcerers are born with a natural ability to manipulate the wilds, witches receive their powers from their patrons, and summoners through the link with their eidolon.

Druids are especially restricted by their magic, as they have to follow an anathema specific to their order to stay connected to nature.

Applications

Certain primal magic rituals produce leshies who can grow to innately wield it.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.