The Phyrian War Chronicles

The Phyrian War Chronicles follows Orion Tamura, a young sorcerer who lives in the magical city of Port Monica, NY. Orion’s father, a renowned (and sometimes reviled) sorcerer, disappeared fourteen years ago. Orion must contend with his father’s complicated legacy as he follows his footsteps while trying to forge his own path.

Orion’s friends and allies include Max, a sword-fighter and demon-slayer as well as a social activist; Briar, Max’s part-demon girlfriend; Elsa, a warrior from another dimension haunted by her past mistakes; and Julian, a mysterious sorcerer with uncertain loyalties.

The first two books in the series, The Relic Spell and The Warlock Snare, are available now. You can join my newsletter to be the first to find out the title and release date of the third book in the series!

An intricate magic system…

In the world of The Phyrian War Chronicles, magic is fueled by different types of energies that course through the universe. Each type of energy has distinct properties, uses, and origins. In turn, there are different kinds of practitioners who can bend each type of energy to their will, each with their own methods to achieve desired results.

Not only are there sorcerers like Orion, but also evocators, seers, thaumaturges, warlocks, and creatures with innate talent for wielding energy, such as ephemerides.

Energies

Natural energy flows through our dimension and others like it. It resonates with every living natural creature, every non-living object, and every force that originates in our dimension. It’s especially attuned to the foundational elements of our world: minerals such as silicates, which form the majority of the earth’s crust, and various metals including silver.

It manifests itself to those with the second sight in the form of threads of golden light. Nowhere in our dimension is devoid of these threads of energy, but some places are more energetically resonant than others—places like Port Monica, New York, Orion’s hometown.

Demon energy flows through demon dimensions. While natural energy can be found anywhere in this world, demon energy only appears around demons or humans with demon ancestry. To those with the second sight, demon energy looks like red clouds or mist.

The two energies are anathema to each other, meaning that objects, living beings, and places that are attuned to one kind of energy will react negatively, often destructively, to the other.

Sorcerers

Sorcerers are human magic practitioners who can use natural energy to fuel their spells. Like natural energy itself, sorcery is logical, predictable, and stable.

Sorcerous spells are made up of two circles—one for creation and one for manifestation. Inside the creation circle, the sorcerer draws symbols that determine the outcome of the spell. Different shapes have different magical connotations: for example, triangular shapes and sharp angles direct force, square shapes provide stability, and spirals direct intention or energy.

The area inside the manifestation circle is usually where the effects of the spell occur, although sorcerers sometimes place objects that represent something else, such as the map of a city, inside their manifestation circle.

Sorcery is limited by location. Since the sorcerer needs to draw or use a physical circle for their magic to affect a target, and the sorcerer needs to know which symbols to use to achieve a certain effect, sorcery requires a lot of preparation. It’s especially suited to protecting, tracking, physically snaring or trapping, and a few other fun things like creating explosions.

Notable sorcerers in the series include Orion Tamura; his mother, Delfina; his sister, Cass; and the mysterious stranger, Julian.

Seers and Herbalists

Seers and herbalists are humans usually without the more potent power of sorcerers but who are attuned to natural energy in subtler ways.

Seers have a measure of the second sight like sorcerers, but their perception is usually focused on people’s energetic auras. They can often sense people’s emotions, pain, or diseases.

Herbalists are often, but not always, seers as well. Through a combination of knowing the properties of herbs and a low-level, unconscious magical talent, they are able to whip up often miraculous remedies. Sometimes practitioners with these skills are able to use the natural properties of minerals and crystals to achieve similar healing effects as herbalists.

Seers and herbalists tend to be empathetic, peaceful people. However, on rare occasions, they can use their talents to harm others instead of helping them.

A notable seer and herbalist in the series is Natalia, Delfina’s old friend.

Evocators

Evocators are the children of humans and higher demons. They use the demon energy found in their blood or in demons they summon to fuel their spells. Like demon energy itself, evocation is unstable, unpredictable, and emotional. Evocation depends on the evocator’s strength of will and desire, so it’s much more volatile than sorcery.

Evocators usually use evocation marks to determine the outcome of their magical workings, although they can also use evocation without symbols. Because of its liminal, in-between nature, evocation can really only do a handful of things: summon a demon from a demon dimension; ensnare or bind a demon, whether physically or mentally; and redirect energy into an attack.

A notable evocator in the series is Briar, Orion’s best friend Max’s girlfriend, whose grandfather on her mother’s side was a higher demon.

Warlocks

Warlocks are higher demons—demons with a similar level of intelligence as humans—who can use demon energy to fuel their magical workings. They are much rarer than sorcerers or evocators, and no one in Port Monica knows the full extent of their powers. The stories say they can change their shape, bend humans and other demons to their will, and curse their enemies to suffer unspeakable pain.

Unlike other forms of magic, warlock magic is said to twist the user until they become an instrument of the power rather than the other way around. For that reason, warlocks are feared and despised as evil creatures whose only aim is to kill and torture other living beings.

A notable warlock in the series is the titular character of The Warlock Snare.

Thaumaturges

Thaumaturges are humans with the power to mold a third type of energy—that of the Veil that separates dimensions. Because the Veil exists everywhere, in natural dimensions as well as demon dimensions, some say thaumaturges are the most powerful magic users. Here’s a passage from Orion’s research into thaumaturges in The Warlock Snare:

Sorcerers were, in times past, persecuted as witches or believed to be possessed by demons. In contrast, thaumaturges were often perceived as saints or even minor deities, as reality itself seemed to obey their whims without the aid of spells, symbols, or incantations.

Notable thaumaturges in the series include Carwyn Lewis and Mary Elizabeth Johnson, two of Orion’s parents’ former colleagues. No one has seen them in fourteen years.