[Technology and Magic] Magic

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Czernobog
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[Technology and Magic] Magic

Post by Czernobog »

MAGIC

Magic has many forms and even more names, but all are alike in one facet. They manipulate the universe, bending but not outright breaking the laws of physics. For example, consider a fireball. The energy needed to create it cannot come from nowhere. Instead, it comes from the basic cosmic energy that created and drives the universe, and when the effect of the spell ends, the energy used to create it is drawn back to that same infinite pool of energy.

Manipulating this energy requires incredibly strong willpower and self-control, so focuses, such as wands and staves are used to lessen the effort on the user. These focuses of magical energy can be anything - swords, staves, wands, even words and inscriptions. It is even harder to define what a spell must do mentally, so the caster often speaks words (which can be in any language), imposes his intent on those words, and then releases the magical energy. Rituals are merely more reliable ways to cast spells, often taking a long time to cast, but the energy used often has highly focused results and will probably do its job more reliably than an on the spot spell.

There are many ways that magical energy can be used or gathered - for instance sacrifices, which are used in some highly illegal rituals, are used to release magical energy from the sacrifice's body. Enchantments are merely creating a lasting spell, using inscriptions on the enchanted object to define the magic's purpose.

To perform magic, one requires the Gift, which often erupts spontaneously during puberty, often in times of fear or stress, though later eruptions can happen. After this, most people are sent to magical academies to be trained, unless they live in one of the few places worldwide where magicians are still persecuted. About 10% of the world's population is known to have the Gift, and it seems to be inheritable.

A common misconception of outsiders is that 'schools' of magic exist, and rigidly define the skills of a mage. That is not true. There are merely a nigh-infinite multitude of ways, most still undiscovered, to harness and wield magical energies, ranging from Astromancy to Necromancy and Technomancy, although these are not rigidly defined as such and fade into each other at the edges, although there are several major disciplines to which most mages belong to (although these disciplines do not rigidly define the skills of a mage).

Gods are not known to exist, although the Egyptian Theocracy claims that its gods provide the power of the mages, a thing most of the other powers are sceptical about. There are several magical disciplines, of which the most important and general are listed here:

Thaumaturgy is magic involving the manipulation of matter and energy to cause effects, such as pyromancy, hydromancy, terramancy and aeromancy, the most commonly known uses of Theurgy, although more esoteric effects can be created, such as luxmancy and ferromancy, to name two of the more obscure uses knowledge in this discipline can be put to.

Necrourgy is magic revolving around the creation and control of undead and supernatural creatures. It is not objectively wrong in itself, but many religions see it as morally wrong (for obvious reasons) and necromancy is illegal in most parts of the modern world. Two places where it is common are Stygius and Transylvania.

Abjuration is magic revolving around the summoning of the extra-dimensional beings known as Daemons. Said beings are not evil, but are often bound by the summoner, who is in essence mind-controlling a sentient being. This makes most Abjuration at least morally wrong, and there is always the risk of them rebelling, as (in)famously happened in the Caribbean in 1759. Abjuration also includes mind-magic of any type, from curing of mental illnesses to telepathy and outright mind control.

Technourgy is the blending of magic with technology and science. Most technomancy would include Difference Engines (particularly sentient ones), Men of Iron, flying-machines, steam-cannons, golems and air-battleships. Technomancy is a relatively new discipline of magic, and is often looked down upon by older mages.

Biourgy is the manipulation of living beings, mutating and changing them. It is now illegal in most countries, although not in the Grand Duchy of Transylvania and the Domination of Stygius.

Magic's first well-known appearance in the world was the Event, but rumours and legends of wizards and heroes have been known the world over, and it is thought that some of these were actual mages whose exploits became legend. After the Event, such things became common - the first sign that something had changed.
Last edited by Czernobog on Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:19 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Dakarne
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Re: [Magic] Magic

Post by Dakarne »

Mild note; 'mancy' refers more accurately to divination, and to 'abjure' means to 'banish' or to 'halt'. Theurgy refers to the summoning of creatures, not manipulation of the elements, and a better term would be thaumaturgy or evocation, both referring to making something happen on at least a linguistic level. Other than your mild linguistic problems, this is very bland. It reads more like something you'd make up for a roleplaying game than for a 'verse, and it's one of the most commonly-seen mistakes while making a fictional magic system, and it's one I've fallen prey to myself.
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'For the moment, mortal, they find the thought of killing me more desirable than that of killing you.'
'And what are their chances?'
'The answer to that is evident in how long they've been hesitating, wouldn't you think, mortal?'

-Anomander Rake and Ganoes Paran in Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
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