The ability to perform magic appears to be related to certain bloodlines in the CoH universe. Try looking up 'Mu' on the wiki. This doesn't mean all magic users come from the Muvians, but there is the suggestion that if you can perform actual magic (as opposed to wielding a magic sword or whatever) then it goes back in your family for generations.
The main magic using humans in the world are the Circle of Thorns and the Mu. You also have your demons and such. There's the Banished Pantheon, but they are an almost forgotten bunch who appear from nowhere and vanish again without ever really resolving what their point is.
There's a few weirdoes with the Fae (I prefer that spelling). The Daoine Shide, Irish High Fae, are now those weird hairy beasts in Croatoa. However, the Fae also seem to be responsible for the Supernatural Events that happen from time to time. So they're a bit odd.
Croatoa has a lot of mythological, Otherworld stuff going on. Well worth the research.
Beyond that, we make it up. 
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Looking through the Croatoa lore was wicked helpful! Thank you!
So hey.
Playing the game as a magic-origin hero/villain/undecided, you may make use of several single-origin enhancements under the names of Joule, Grey and Hermes. In the lore description of these three, it is stated that all three are 'magical dimensional entities.' Each has a distinct portfolio - Joule is the dimensional entity of Technology, Grey is of Exploration and Insight, and Hermes is Travel.
It is my basic understanding that magic is derived from the spill-over power given off by such entities. They radiate power, alot of which spills over into our world to be harnessed. Ley lines are points in our physical universe where the dimensional barrier is particularly in-tune with such entities, allowing for their power to more easily pass into our world, and of course nexi are the focal meeting points of multiple ley lines.
This is all elaboration after consulting with other forum-goers, but most if not all of this conclusion is either backed by or at least plausible through lore - I would advise checking the Circle of Thorns and Oranbega lore, the 'in-game timeline' lore, and the lore for Joule, Grey and Hermes.
That being said, welcome to the forums, and welcome to the RP forum. We have been expecting you. 
It can be a mixed bag - RPers use of Lore that is. Lots of people fudge Lore, and more than a few make up their own, sometimes completely unaware of the official Lore and what it may contradict.
Also, there are several inconsistencies in the game cannon, particularly in regards to magic. Some inconsistencies might merely be perceptual, while others are most probably redactions, revisions and changes from our Devs.
The first and foremost piece of magic Lore I encountered was one of the bits on the Official site which seems to have vanished in the past year or so. A 'Paragon Times' piece on the official CoH site that featured an in-depth look at Azuria and MAGI. Copies of this can still be found elsewhere.
http://www.cityoflore.com/wiki/Paragon_Times/20050615
http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Paragon_Times/20050615
That piece however was prior to the introduction of Croatoa and the Rogue Isles, and the storylines of both touch quite a lot on Magic, and the Mu legacy. However, the backstory of Hequat, Ermeeth, Lughbu, and Teilekku have remained in general.
You'll find deeper detail in most plots and stories relating to Oranbega.
http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Oranbega
One of the perhaps perceptual contradictions is over timelines. Originally cannon on the official site made it clear that it was Cole and Richter that restarted the whole age of Heroes and Supers in discovering the Well of the Furies. This tended to heavily suggest that there were no heroes before that point, except back in pre-history, before it was closed off.
However, game cannon also has Lady Grey as a hero who is older than Statesman, and a lot of magical artifacts of all sorts retaining power through the ages between the ancient times and the opening of the Well. Plus we have Nemesis who was active in the American Civil War, and the whole issue with the Fae backstories.
There is certainly plenty of room to argue and assume that magic was the one major super-power available throughout the ages, merely secretive and largely forgotten.
Hope that all helps a little.
http://www.savecoh.com/
*pipes in, remembering one thing!*
The Rikti don't like Magic very much. That's what I remember, the following is my interpretation of it: They either stopped believing in gods, and so magic dissipated, or they destroyed their gods. I'm always confused on that point.
The developments in the RWZ, with the introduction of the Rikti Magus and Hro'Drhtz (spelling?) came about as the Rikti are trying to rediscover magic to counteract their weakness to it.
*half-remembers something else*
Darrin Wade is a servant of Rularuu (who was banished by the Midnight Squad and other mystics to the Shadow Shards).
*leaps away*
Quote:
The Rikti have no native magical bloodlines. Considering that the Primal bloodlines go back to very distant pre-history, we may never know why the Rikti never developed these talents. It's not so much that they don't like magic as much as they can't do it and have no understanding of it.|
Originally Posted by Arctic_Princess
The Rikti don't like Magic very much. That's what I remember, the following is my interpretation of it: They either stopped believing in gods, and so magic dissipated, or they destroyed their gods. I'm always confused on that point.
|
Quote:
| The developments in the RWZ, with the introduction of the Rikti Magus and Hro'Drhtz (spelling?) came about as the Rikti are trying to rediscover magic to counteract their weakness to it. |
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
If I remember correctly, the Rikti are also the reason why the Circle of Thorns has (comparatively) recently reared it's ugly head. The Rikti infiltrated tunnels underneath Paragon City which happened to be part of Orenbega. The Circle pushed them out and followed them to the surface. Hence the reason why the Circle doesn't seem to be a problem over in Praetoria - no Rikti war, no Rikti to make them leave their tunnels.
"Don't go away mad, just go away..." The best line Clint never said.
#406785 - Assisting the PPD
Quote:
More specifically, before the Rikti accidentally stumbled upon Oranbega, nobody knew how to get inside other than the Circle of Thorns. The lore suggests that this is the result of a very large, very powerful form of magical veiling or shielding that hides Oranbega from discovery attempts. For some reason, this is thought to have been dispelled once the Rikti broke through it.
|
Originally Posted by _Fea_
If I remember correctly, the Rikti are also the reason why the Circle of Thorns has (comparatively) recently reared it's ugly head. The Rikti infiltrated tunnels underneath Paragon City which happened to be part of Orenbega. The Circle pushed them out and followed them to the surface. Hence the reason why the Circle doesn't seem to be a problem over in Praetoria - no Rikti war, no Rikti to make them leave their tunnels.
|
It's been a while since I looked back on here, and I see I have a lot of reading to do! Thank you everyone for being so helpful. I guess they weren't kidding when they said CoH was one of the nicest online multi-player games.
(Using the page navigations for forums it said you can discuss Lore under 'For Fun!', in which forum *exactly* I'm not sure... Hopefully this is the right place.)
Hello World of Paragon! I'm new to the forums, though I've been on the game for only a few months. I have a character now, who's origin is magic and would be obsessed with all things magi, mystic, supernatural and fea (fay?) related. In real life, I know my fair share on these things, but I need to figure out how it's different for the world of Paragon.
I'm surfing the main website, then Paragon wiki and even bringing some information. Hopefully I can get some information straight from the community, learn what people generally reefer to when roleplaying?
((And example of why I'm asking. I saw one girl talking about Pandora's box as *we* know it. Having unlocked the evil into the world, but on the paragon wiki it's explained much differently. I don't have to be treating Paragon lore like I would in the real world.))