Laa
Star
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2013
NOTE: This is a private thread for myself and TinyThings, so, ya know, don't post anything in it.
Post index
Magic system
Magic in this world comes from the soul. Everything in the world has a soul, from the seas to the rocks, from plant to mankind itself. Mana ebbs and flows from the soul at a slow, steady pace, being both consumed and produced as is needed. Some souls consume more than they produce, some produce more than they consume, creating an ecosystem reliant on mana.
Emotion and the soul
The soul, however, is not in a steady state. Especially the souls of more complex creatures experience all manners of emotions, causing them to produce mana with a specific flavor to it, and at an increased pace than normal. These flavors correspond to the essence of the emotion; 'sadness' broadly corresponds to a desire for internal change (be it "to accept loss" or a desire to right wrongs), which connects to the element of water, which flows as is needed, forever changing.
Shivers
Intense emotions cause the phenomenon known as "shiver", wherein the soul is no longer able to consume and contain the mana it produces, causing it to spill out into the world. The exact effects varies depending on the emotions involved. For water, for example, it might make the air moist, create a light fog or perhaps even some local form of rain. Extreme shivers can cause harm. For water, this might include a wave bursting out at high speeds from the affected person, pushing everyone around them away.
Spellweaving
While the pure elemental mana has some power on their own, it's possible to weave mana into various spells in order to use the element's essential portion and/or manipulate how the elemental force interacts with the world. Spellweaving can be done in various ways, including using will, magic runes or hand signs.
Emotional control
In order to cast spells of emotions that you're not currently experiencing, you need to be able to emulate that emotion within yourself to a degree that you start to actually feel it. It's a sort of acting, except you truly have to feel the emotion you're acting in order for it to work. This is easiest to do with emotions you experience often or emotions coming from strong memories; if you tend to be slightly angry at all time, it won't be difficult to think about something that makes you angry. Emulating an emotion that you're not naturally experiencing usually doesn't result in anything powerful enough to cause a shiver, with some exceptions.
The elements
This is a list of the known elements.
Fire. Element of external change, which relates to anger.
Water. Element of reflective change, which relates to guilt and sadness.
Air. Element of discovery and recklessness, which relates curiosity and playfulness.
Stone. Element of steadfastness and certainty.
Nature. Element of meaning and happiness.
Electricity. Element of hyper-awareness, including paranoia and anxiety.
Energy. Element of existence and instincts, particularly lust.
Ice. Element of ambition and perfectionism.
Cross-use
All mana can be used for all purposes; water mana can be used for fire magic. However, the rate of use is extremely inefficient. So, you can use a water shiver to create a small lick of fire, although doing so takes a long incantation, a lot of focus and almost all of the shiver. The only element that's an exception to this is the element of Energy. It's the 'jack of all trades' of elements, usually about a third as efficient but in exchange giving it an immense versatility. This versatility is what makes Energy a very desirable type of mana for creatures who consume mana to survive.
Emotional purge
A unique and highly complicated fire/ice spell has been developed by 'the powers that be' which can sever someone's connection to one's emotions to some extent; enough so that shivers can't happen. This is considered highly unethical as it leaves the purged individual somewhat detached from their emotions, not truly capable of living life as it was intended.
Depression, existential dread and mana [Wither]
The only emotions that aren't on the list are the ones related to hopelessness. Unlike other emotions, these emotions actually drain mana, leaving the individual incapable of casting spells until some other emotion gains in strength over the vast sea of despair.
Strength of spells
The simplicity and cost of spells are the two baseline factors that influence how powerful a spell is. The cost and complexity of a spell is what is required to make the spell effective. Added complexity, if done correctly, can add more effects to the spell or make it more powerful. Added mana, if allowed by the spell's weave, will increase the spell's power.
Overview of the elements
Post index
- Magic system (You're here!)
- Species
- Characters - TinyThings
- Characters - Laa
- Hugo's estate
Magic system
Magic in this world comes from the soul. Everything in the world has a soul, from the seas to the rocks, from plant to mankind itself. Mana ebbs and flows from the soul at a slow, steady pace, being both consumed and produced as is needed. Some souls consume more than they produce, some produce more than they consume, creating an ecosystem reliant on mana.
Emotion and the soul
The soul, however, is not in a steady state. Especially the souls of more complex creatures experience all manners of emotions, causing them to produce mana with a specific flavor to it, and at an increased pace than normal. These flavors correspond to the essence of the emotion; 'sadness' broadly corresponds to a desire for internal change (be it "to accept loss" or a desire to right wrongs), which connects to the element of water, which flows as is needed, forever changing.
Shivers
Intense emotions cause the phenomenon known as "shiver", wherein the soul is no longer able to consume and contain the mana it produces, causing it to spill out into the world. The exact effects varies depending on the emotions involved. For water, for example, it might make the air moist, create a light fog or perhaps even some local form of rain. Extreme shivers can cause harm. For water, this might include a wave bursting out at high speeds from the affected person, pushing everyone around them away.
Spellweaving
While the pure elemental mana has some power on their own, it's possible to weave mana into various spells in order to use the element's essential portion and/or manipulate how the elemental force interacts with the world. Spellweaving can be done in various ways, including using will, magic runes or hand signs.
Emotional control
In order to cast spells of emotions that you're not currently experiencing, you need to be able to emulate that emotion within yourself to a degree that you start to actually feel it. It's a sort of acting, except you truly have to feel the emotion you're acting in order for it to work. This is easiest to do with emotions you experience often or emotions coming from strong memories; if you tend to be slightly angry at all time, it won't be difficult to think about something that makes you angry. Emulating an emotion that you're not naturally experiencing usually doesn't result in anything powerful enough to cause a shiver, with some exceptions.
The elements
This is a list of the known elements.
Fire. Element of external change, which relates to anger.
Water. Element of reflective change, which relates to guilt and sadness.
Air. Element of discovery and recklessness, which relates curiosity and playfulness.
Stone. Element of steadfastness and certainty.
Nature. Element of meaning and happiness.
Electricity. Element of hyper-awareness, including paranoia and anxiety.
Energy. Element of existence and instincts, particularly lust.
Ice. Element of ambition and perfectionism.
Cross-use
All mana can be used for all purposes; water mana can be used for fire magic. However, the rate of use is extremely inefficient. So, you can use a water shiver to create a small lick of fire, although doing so takes a long incantation, a lot of focus and almost all of the shiver. The only element that's an exception to this is the element of Energy. It's the 'jack of all trades' of elements, usually about a third as efficient but in exchange giving it an immense versatility. This versatility is what makes Energy a very desirable type of mana for creatures who consume mana to survive.
Emotional purge
A unique and highly complicated fire/ice spell has been developed by 'the powers that be' which can sever someone's connection to one's emotions to some extent; enough so that shivers can't happen. This is considered highly unethical as it leaves the purged individual somewhat detached from their emotions, not truly capable of living life as it was intended.
Depression, existential dread and mana [Wither]
The only emotions that aren't on the list are the ones related to hopelessness. Unlike other emotions, these emotions actually drain mana, leaving the individual incapable of casting spells until some other emotion gains in strength over the vast sea of despair.
Strength of spells
The simplicity and cost of spells are the two baseline factors that influence how powerful a spell is. The cost and complexity of a spell is what is required to make the spell effective. Added complexity, if done correctly, can add more effects to the spell or make it more powerful. Added mana, if allowed by the spell's weave, will increase the spell's power.
Overview of the elements
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Fire is the element of external change, often tied up to anger of various sorts. The pure mana is fire, which is a destructive and chaotic form of mana, often a symbol of the impatience of which the person wants change to occur. A fire shiver can raise temperatures a bit, create a crackling sound akin to that of a fireplace as well as summon small shimmering fire 'particles'. A more extreme shiver will, in all likelihood, result in a fiery explosion, extremely dangerous to anyone nearby.
Fire spells tend to either manipulate one's surroundings or set things on fire. This includes telekinesis spells, fire blasts and, at high levels of spellcasting, stoking one or the other emotion in another person.
Basic incantation: "Let fire burn" - Focuses mana as desired, but adds no extra effects.
Expression of intent: "Fire pains the victim" - Increases efficiency of spells if the intent is correctly stated.
Expression of anger: "Fire burns the damned traitor!" - The more pure and honest the expression of anger, the larger the anger shiver is, the more one roars the incantation from the tip of one's lungs, the lower the cost of the spell. At times, pure expressions of anger can also bypass some of the complexity of a spell, such as 'inflict pain' being capable of being cast with a pure incantation without runes if one's ire is running particularly high. Usually, besides having to mention 'fire' at some point, one also has to name the target of one's ire and their sins as one perceives them. Curse words are allowed. An unconvincing expression of anger will result in wasted mana if not fling the spell back in your own face, as if fire is angered at your whimpers.
Elemental spells:
Lick of fire - Minor complexity - Low cost - A small spray or flicker of fire. Useful for lighting fireplaces.
Flamethrower - Minor complexity - High cost - An ongoing spray of fire.
Flame blast - Minor complexity - High cost - A small explosion of fire.
Torchlight - Moderate complexity - High cost - Creates a small floating ball of fire, which can be used for illumination or melee combat.
Spellweaver spells:
Force push/pull - Low complexity - Varying cost - Pushes/pulls things from afar.
Telekinesis - Moderate complexity - Varying cost - Manipulates objects from a distance.
Inflict pain - Moderate complexity - Moderate cost - Inflicts a brief, burning pain on a target, without any physical ramifications.
Stoke emotion - Extremely high complexity - Varying (at least high) - Allows the caster to stoke one emotion in the target -
Water is the element of internal change, often tied up to guilt, sadness, regret or any emotions demanding a change in one's psyche. Pure water mana comes in the form of water, moldable and changeable depending on the whims of whichever ocean floor or riverbed it may flow through. A water shiver can make the air moist, create a light fog or perhaps even create some local form of rain. A more extreme shiver can include a wave bursting out at high speeds from the affected person, pushing everyone around them away.
Water spells tend to manipulate oneself or use the element of water. This includes self-healing spells, the pure water bursts may be encoded to change as it strikes something, allowing it to evade or even consume other spells, a highly complex spell could even allow the caster to change their own emotional state by force, however, they may only change it into a "subjectively desirable emotion".
Basic incantation: "Let water flow"
Elemental spells:
Flow of water - Low complexity, low cost - Allows the caster to create temporary water, which can be used in techniques (such as distractions) or to put out flames.
Slippery skin - Low complexity, moderate cost - Allows the caster the coat their skin an a layer of water, making them a lot more slippery.
Pressure shot - Moderate complexity, varying cost - Allows the caster to spew out water at a high enough pressure to feel like a paintball shot, a punch or the like, depending on how much mana is put into the spell.
Own blood to water - High complexity, moderate cost - Allows the caster to turn their blood into water and eject it as they do so, at a rate of 1 liter of blood being turned into 3 liters of water. (Why would one do this? Well, water created in other ways is temporary, and hence won't sate thirst. Taking the permanence of blood and twisting it into water allows the water to remain in this world.)
Spellweaver spells:
Adapt physique - Moderate complexity, high cost - Allows the caster to slowly restore themselves or use mana to keep themselves alive in the face of lethal injury.
Adapted mind - High complexity, moderate cost - Allows the spellcaster's mind to temporarily adapt to anything affecting their body or their mind, including alcohol, aphrodisiacs, pain, confusion spells, stoked emotions, etc. Doesn't work against natural or desired emotions (so you can't repress your own emotions, only adapt away from foreign influences)
Adapted emotions - High complexity, high cost - Allows the spellcaster to forcefully change their own mood, although only to one that their moral part of their mind would desire. ("I'm supposed to be angry" "I'm supposed to be determined", etc. In other words: This spell does not help one repress emotions, instead, it sort of helps express them)
Adapting spell - Extremely high complexity, low cost - Allows the caster to code a spell into another spell. -
Air is the element of discovery and reckless adventure, living in thrills and moments of enlightenment. It's pure mana is air, which is among the least destructive forms of mana, often more preoccupied with seeing new expanses than ruining people's lives. An air shiver is like a gentle, fresh breeze, a swirl of excitement at one's feet. An extreme air shiver is, well, a burst of air. Harmless, unless you have fragile expensive equipment in front of you as it occurs, which isn't too unlikely given it's the element of discovery.
Air spells tend to either help you explore, play around or, well, blow air in people's faces. Air spells are some of the most versatile and chaotic spells around, usually uncontrollably tailoring themselves to the situation. In free fall? Well, air wants to give you a glide spell. Want to prank someone? Air is on your side. Want to escape a fight? Air blows dust in your opponents eyes. As an element, it's almost like a spirit or a person onto itself, lending into the role of continuous discovery; it does, however, have a bias towards its user being ultimately safe, although throwing in some monkey wrenches before that won't kill you, so... Beware, air user.
Unlike other elements, air doesn't allow for runes; they're not quite playful enough. Instead, it solely relies on incantations or intent. Once a spell is cast, whatever it may be, the element will 'request' some amount of mana. If given, the unknown spell is cast. If more is given, some added effect may be achieved. If less is given, well, it's a roll of the die.
Basic incantation: "Let air play" - Basic is boring though, so air's basic incantation works significantly worse than most other basic incantations.
Intent-filled incantations: As long as 'air' is mentioned in the sentence along with the intent, air will know to listen. "Come on air, let's fly!", for gliding, for example. "Blessed be air, for it makes me a tease" for pranks. Air may choose to listen or it may choose to do something completely different from what your intent was.
Asking for trouble: One can make purposefully vague chants in order to tempt fate. "As air chooses, my adrenaline runs high", for example, indicates that air should do "something that makes the caster's adrenaline run high'. Creates more intricate, complicated effects, even though it's almost completely outside the control of the caster.
Casting strong air spells usually relies on getting to know this 'muse'-like creature that is the element of air, getting to know its whims and how to channel intents, as well as when not to. The muse for each person is unique, so one can't share tips easily, which means it's the most frustrating element for academics to study. Which is, to an extent, the point.
Some basic Elemental air spells can still be cast more 'forcefully', meaning with intent and without incantations. This primarily includes blowing air in various ways, with varied density. -
Stone is the element of steadfastness, often tied up to a great sense of certainty, dedication, determination or other similarly stubborn emotions. Unlike other styles of mana, Stone doesn't create something out of nothing, it instead connects and feeds the stones and materials that exist in your surroundings, including metals such as iron. Stone only works for pay, and that pay is in the form of 'stone mana'. A stone shiver causes metals and stones to levitate. An extreme stone shiver can cause the ground itself to burst out into every direction, including the stones of a castle, making it potentially capable of collapsing buildings and walls and plausibly killing people in the process.
Stone spells tend to help you stand your ground or manipulate stones and metals. This includes self-fortification spells, disarming enemies of metal weaponry or in the case of a highly complicated spell, one could delay death itself.
Basic incantation: "Let stone decide" -
Nature is the element of meaning and life, often tied up to happiness, love, gratitude and a sense of purpose. The pure mana forms various nameless flowers and branches, usually without any soul to it; so they vanish after a small while. A nature shiver creates small flowers, leaves, ants and the like. An extreme shiver can cause a full tree to grow out of nothing, which isn't practical if you're standing inside, and, it can cause harm plants are known to be able to grow through even the toughest of concrete.
Nature spells tend to be a creating or restorative force. This includes healing spells, creation of vines under your control or trees usable for shelter or, in the case of a highly complicated spell, one might be able to create a soul, giving permanence to your creations.
Basic incantation: "Let nature grow" -
Electricity is the element of hyper-awareness, often tied up to overthinking, rumination, paranoia and at times anxiety. The pure mana consists of electric sparks. An electric shiver creates a tension in the air, making it feel spiky and tense, or, it might create more literal jolts. Extreme electricity shivers can be highly dangerous, not because they have one large jolt that can kill someone off or anything like that, but because they tend to last a lot longer than other shivers due to the ruminating nature of the element. This means that the person experiencing the shiver effectively cuts themselves off from help, which can be extremely dangerous if they for any reason need it.
Electricity spells tend to create electric jolts, or, aid in figuring out answers to your paranoia. This includes a 'detection' spell which can detect nearby presences, nightvision, weak hyper-accurate jolts of electricity to use in offense or, in the case of a highly complicated spell, one might be able to detect malice aimed at oneself in a nearby person.
Basic incantation: "Let lightning strike" -
Energy is the element of existence and instinct, primarily tied up to lust. The pure mana is just that; pure mana, invisibly blobbing about. It can knock things over, but it's usually harmless. A shiver creates pure mana which begins to invisibly drip from a persons skin. An extreme shiver creates large gelatinous wave, which passes through people easily enough but may gently knock down household vases and cause things to float for a few seconds only to plop back down.
Energy can, at 'a third' efficiency, fuel simple spells of all the elements. Energy is also the most 'nutritious' mana for consumption. -
Ice is the element of ambition, tied up to perfectionism, focus, disgust and a desire to work. The pure mana comes in the form of decreased temperatures and ice. A shiver creates can create a decrease in temperatures, a light blue shimmer or geometrically perfect snow. An extreme shiver extends outwards from the person in some geometrically pleasing form, the mana itself seeking some level of perfection; it can be dangerous around other people, as the ice may partially encase them in an attempt to complete its geometric yearnings. It's not unheard of that literal ice sculptures can appear out of nowhere during a powerful ice shiver.
Ice spells tend to 'perfect' or 'purify' something, or freeze it, preferably in a way that's beautiful or awe inspiring. There aren't a lot of simple ice spells, except basic elemental spells that creates ice. Beyond that, there's more complex ice elemental spells which allows you to fire ice arrows at people, create ice skin defenses and the like. Beyond that, we have complex spellweaving, which can allow an ice use to purify chemicals, sharpen a sense for a short period of time, cure wounds or restore something broken to a less broken state.
Basic incantation: "Let ice form"
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