Lore ideas

[sammyp03]

In my campaign setting, there is an ancient power granted to a select few individuals through out time know as alphas. This power lets PC's cast high magic (anything over 3rd level spells) as well as augmenting their abilities. I already know how I will do this power from a game mechanics stand point, but If you guys could give me some ideas on what to call this power and how it came to be would be greatly appreciated.

[Ghost Nappa]

The Alphorce (Alpha-Force).

Truly I am a genius across generations.

[hawklost]

Is this your way of limiting the power of the world to no higher than effectively 5th level without some kind of Mark of Power?

Just trying to get a better sense of your world structure to give an interesting lore to it.

[mr_odd]

Lei'azuran. A power gifted to only a select few throughout the history of the realm. Some believe they are chosen, others believe it's just pure luck. Bards and historians of old age claim that this power is linked to the creation of the dragons, but who would believe that?

[Shining Wrath]

Sounds like alphas are Chosen, by gods or other powers.
Or alphas inherit, and its a bloodline thing.

The alphas are Chosen because magic power is the only thing standing between the evil hordes and the end of civilization - think about it, how many powerful evil monster races are there? What keeps the combined weight of gnolls + hobgoblins + ogres + evil giants + trolls + orcs + sahuagin from overwhelming the civilized races?

Magic. Magic is the equalizer, allowing smart or wise to beat big.

The alphas are the bulwarks of civilization against evil.

[sammyp03]

Is this your way of limiting the power of the world to no higher than effectively 5th level without some kind of Mark of Power?

Just trying to get a better sense of your world structure to give an interesting lore to it.

Yes. its so that some random joe cant go to a wizards school and disintegrate people.

[Wrenn]

A religious spin could be that when these chosen few are born they are visited by an avatar of a deity who blesses them with this power.

A more supernatural/superstitious spin could be that the child is 'born with the caul' or born during a certain astrological event such as a rare comet or, if your world has more than one moon, a rare multi-lunar eclipse that only happens every 100 years or so.

You could make it biological in nature. Perhaps these chosen are descended from a deity/powerful entity and the power of the blood only exerts itself every few generations.

As far as names there are the old tropes The Chosen, The Touched, etc. Once you have a source chosen the name will follow.