laran

Laran is a term used primarily in fantasy literature. It refers to a life-energy or power source that fuels magical abilities within a fictional world.

In Katharine Kerr’s Deverry series, Laran is the life-force that magic users draw upon to cast spells and perform magical effects. The strength and control of Laran influence a caster’s skill, and its manipulation is intertwined with the series’ broader themes of reincarnation, fate, and moral consequence. The system emphasizes the balance of Laran, the risks of overuse, and the responsibilities that come with power, making it a central element of plot and character development throughout the books.

Beyond Deverry, Laran has occurred as a proper name in real-world contexts, including as a personal name in some cultures. These uses are independent of Kerr’s fiction and are not tied to any single, canonical meaning. As a term, Laran thus exists in both a well-defined fictional framework and more diffuse real-world naming practices, with the former being by far the most prominent reference in popular culture.