Professor Toffee's Illustrated Guide to Magic / Q&A Thread / Chat Thread

[Toffee]

So this is where I'll be discussing the system of magic used in my upcoming rp thread (to be named later). This is also where all questions pertaining to that thread can be asked and also the place for some OoC chat when it will be finally set-up.


Okay, without further ado, take out your audioscribes kids! It's time for a lecture!


What is Magic?






Magic - at its core - is simply "The rewriting and restructuring of the eidos of a phenomena through a layered latticework of formulae, constructed and powered through manipulation of mana"
Sounds like quite a mouthful doesn't it? But don't be intimidated! As long as you understand the core concepts, you can understand magic, and thus understand the universe!


What is Mana?

(click to show/hide)

Mana is the term used to describe the energy found in all matter. In the late 1800's scientists discovered that within and between the spaces of molecules found in the different states of matter, there was an unidentifiable energy that held the bonds between atoms and molecules together and gave it the energy to maintain its current state. They called this energy "Structural Mana."



Within the spaces and bonds of these objects, Mana exists to provide energy to the bonds and allows for the formation of its structure

Later on, as scholars and scientists were examining the structural mana that made up the atmosphere, they stumbled upon an entirely different form of mana. This mana, unlike structural mana, existed as a high-energy free-roaming particle. Since it did not appear to have any bonds or interactions between regular matter and structural mana, they called this unknown mana, "Free Mana." The researchers at the time had no idea what free mana was for, where it came from or  the explanation as to how the free mana concentration in different areas seemed to fluctuate day by day. It wasn't until 1937 when Krisnov Carter, one of the first magicians, discovered the great tree Yggdrasil, that all these questions finally had answers.


Now since this lecture is only about practical magic, I will not be detailing the mana synthesis processes found in Yggdrasil, the diffusion rate of free mana and what affects it, or the "mana limit" of an area as is determined by geological and topographical patterns. Refer to your Mana Studies professor for any questions about those.


All you need to know is that Yggdrasil, and the numerous saplings found spread throughout the world, provide all the world's supply of free mana. The concentration of free mana is different from place to place, as such, in today's society, places with high concentrations of mana are usually colonized and made into cities and towns.


Moving on, as the discovery of Yggdrasil allowed for further understanding of free mana, it was discovered that free mana and structural mana, once thought to be two different and relatively inert forms of mana, shared a quantum link between its particles. It was this discovery, coupled with the discovery of magic circuits within human, and the creation of magic formulae through magic circles, that true magic was born.


Okay! Now that you have an understanding of what mana is, now comes the important part of this lesson... how to use it!


Now, before we begin the lesson on practical magic, we need to understand a few things about our bodies first.


What are Magic Circuits?




Within every human being exists clusters of specialized nerves and muscles. Normally, these function the same as the surrounding muscles and nerves, however, when activated, these clusters draw in and change free mana from the air into a form of highly concentrated energy. These clusters are called Magic Circuits. Each and every person has Magic Circuitry, however, no two Magic Circuitry is the same. The amount, location and orientation of a person's Magic Circuits is unique to that person, even identical twins may have slight differences between their Magic Circuitry.


How do Magic Circuits affect how we use magic?


On their own? Absolutely nothing. Try it right now. Concentrate on gathering the mana around you, and releasing it from your hand, WITHOUT giving it form. ... Nothing happened right? On their own, Magic Circuits simply serve as a filter for the caster and the free mana around him/her. Only when the filtered free mana is inscribed in a magic formula and given form can it be used. Without it, the energy would simply dissipate into the atmosphere.


What are Magic Formulas and how is it used the create magic?


In order to understand how Magic Formulae work, we first need to understand the concept of "Eidos."


You already know about structural mana, correct? It is what gives form to matter and gives energy to the bonds that hold the different states of matter together. It is, essentially, a blueprint for matter. Now, as with any blueprint, it contains information and data. And as different states of matter exist, so too the information and date for that particular object is different. The blueprint for ice is different from the blueprint of water. The blueprint of saltwater is different from the blueprint of distilled water. It is this blueprint of matter, the foundation to which matter is structured, that we call "Eidos"


Now, how does this pertain to magic you ask? Well, as with any blueprint with information and data, it can be rewritten and restructured. That is the purpose of the Magic Formula. I mentioned that free mana and structural mana shared a strange quantum link, correct? The Magic Formula takes advantage of the link between free mana and structural mana in order to change the Eidos of an object. The Magic Formula, as its name suggests, uses equations  formulas, and quantum theorems in order to forcibly change the Eidos of matter. This requires a lot of data, and I mean a LOT. A single Magic Formula for a simple fireball spell would hold over 50 Terabytes of data. Too much for the human brain to calculate, decode, and use effectively. This is where your Magic Circuits come into play. It is still being researched as to how this happens, but Magic Circuits have the ability to create strings of formulas and inscribe those into a Magic Formula almost instantly. In layman's terms, Magic Circuits have the ability to create macros of different parts of a magic formula.


Try it now. Concentrate and gather the mana around you. Lift your right hand up, and concentrate on giving a form to the mana that is currently being channeled into your Magic Circuits. For now, just think of a "ball." Now, do you see that strange light that is now emanating from your bracelets and coalescing into a point on your hand? That is the Magic Formula given energy and form thanks to your Magic Circuitry. That is the light of over 20 Terabytes of data. Now, concentrate on that "ball" you have in your hand, and try to "launch" it forward, on my signal. Ready... fire! .... Good! Good! Now, did you notice something as you were concentrating on that "ball" and "launching" it? Some people had balls made of fire, some were water, some were ice, and some seemed to be just a clump of wind. And as you "launched" it, some refused to fly, some flew farther than some, while some dropped straight to the ground.


This is because your Magic Circuits created different macros of a Magic Formula, which in turn, created different variations on the Eidos of the object you tried to create.


We all know that Magic Circuits are unique from person to person right? The orientation, quantity, and locations of Magic circuits are always different from person to person. This means that the formulas Magic Circuits can produce differ from person to person as well. When you thought of a "ball" in your hand, you are really thinking of changing the Eidos of the air and dust particles around your hand, to form a "ball." As you concentrate, your magic circuits take in mana from the air, inscribe them into macros of a magic formula and harnesses the quantum link between the structural mana in the air around your hand and the free mana that is now being inscribed into the formula. The formula changes the eidos of the air and dust around your hand to form a ball. Since, the formula differs from person to person, thanks to the magic circuits, the eidos is rewritten differently for each of you. The formula might rewrite the eidos of the dust in the air to "coalesce in a defined space->speed up vibration->increase pressure and heat->ignite" to create a fireball, or maybe the formula had instructions like "decrease temperature->gather water vapor->increase condensation->increase condensation->increase condensation" to create water. And when I asked you to "launch" it, some of you might have rewritten the eidos as "accelerate object ahead->velocity increase after .5 milliseconds" to fire it ahead, while some of you might not have the right magic circuitry to launch it, resulting in a ball in a fixed point in space.


That is what magic is, future magicians. It is not a mysterious phenomena nor is it really magic. It is merely physics applied to the extreme.

[Mr.PowPow]

I see, however even though all magic circuitry is different, the extent of manipulation you have over magic is relatively the same to everyone else? I mean all the students were able to create "balls", which implies that for all of them to create the same basic shape, regardless of what it was made of, there must be a certain similarity when it comes to influence.

[Toffee]

I haven't explained yet that some of the student's WEREN'T able to produce any "balls" at all. There are 3 basic categories of Magic in that world. BURST, RISE, and TRANCE.
In the simplest terms:


BURST refers to magic that affects the world around you.

RISE refers to magic that affects only you.

TRANCE refers to a specialized form of magic that affects the internal physiology of another person.


so the students who haven't produced balls would be under the RISE or TRANCE category.
Now as for the extent of manipulation in terms of the students in the BURST category, the balls of the students also differed in size and shape, some were as big as a baseball, some were no larger than a marble. The Magic Circuits, especially those in the brain, do have the capacity to create other macros other than the ones it was specified for, but it would be significantly harder to create, and would undoubtedly cause some strain.

[Caster no Mae]

would there be possiblity of a mix of the 2 of the 3 as a specific Magi power?

[Toffee]

As a matter of fact yes. Curative Magic is a combination of Both BURST and TRANCE type magic making it very rare, and magicians who have curative magic are highly sought after.

It really depends on the person on what kind of magic they have. A martial artist who uses RISE to strengthen his body to fight may have a hidden trump card of blasting a high-pressure shock wave from his punches. He would still be categorized as a RISE type magician since the majority of his spells center on RISE and he has only that one BURST spell.

[Mr.PowPow]

So far I think I understand, anything else?

[Caster no Mae]

are either Blood or Time Magic Legit?

[Toffee]

So far I think I understand, anything else?

Oh right, about the bracelets I mentioned.

Well, here's the skinny on them:

What are Magical Tools?

As research and understanding about magic grew over the years, people inevitably searched for ways to increase their power or find ways to overcome their weaknesses. One such result from these are the development of tools to assist the caster. One major invention is the aptly called Casting Assistant Device [CAD]. Normally, inscription and formation of a magic formula would take several seconds to finish, depending on the strength of the spell. With the use of CADs however, a spell that would normally take 3 seconds to cast would be reduced to 500 milliseconds or about 0.5 seconds. This is crucial during battles as a few seconds of an opening could mean the difference between life and death. This also helped the BURST magicians fight on par with RISE magicians. When, in the past, most RISE magicians activated a simple strengthening spell or acceleration spell, they would undoubtedly be able to reach to the BURST magician before they even finished inscription of the formula.

Of course, since a person's inscription data and formulae construction are unique, each CAD issued to magicians have to be customized in order to be used effectively. As such, no two CADs are the same.

CADs can come in a variety of shapes and forms, whether it be a staff, a gun, piece of jewelry, a sword, a spear, or even a book. Each CAD can be made to suit the magician's taste and needs.

Another innovation is the emergent use of READs (Readily Encoded and Activated Devices). These devices, unlike CADs which help the formation of a magic formula unique to a caster, already have a magic formula permanently encoded onto them. These allow them to create a set eidos structure set, albeit simpler and in weaker effect than spells cast through a CAD. Some fine examples of these are hand-held hairdryers, flashlights, short range communication devices, and other such paraphernalia. One only needs to supply it with small amount of mana, and it will activate the onboard formula. Though keep in mind that these formulas were artificially created and made from the ground up. It cannot be near as effective in battle as formulas created naturally through Magic Circuits, but for small tasks like heating air or providing light, these work wonderfully well.

are either Blood or Time Magic Legit?

By Blood Magic, do you mean magic that affects your blood like a RISE type magic, or magic that actively sacrifices your blood in order to inscribe a formula?

Either way, they both are plausible but not highly recommended. In the case of RISE magic that affects blood, since Magic Circuits are basically nerves and muscles, which require blood to work properly, changing the composition of the caster's blood may cause some unexpected damage to the user's Magic Circuits. And no magician worth his mana, is willing to do that.

In the case of magic which requires sacrificial blood, ALL magic could theoretically use this. In the case where the spell you are trying to cast has a higher mana recquirement than the surrounding mana can provide, (spells like these are almost always powerful enough to wipe out a city with a level 2 barrier), then the user may opt to draw forth from his own mana reserves, i.e. the structural mana that comprise his own body. By actively decomposing the molecules in his blood, bones, muscles, etc. the mana which supplied the eidos of his body can be run through his magic circuits in order to fulfill the required mana needs. Of course, this will inevitably lead to the caster's death.

There have been cases of TRANCE type magic that require blood sacrifice before they can be used. Though it's still unclear as to why. TRANCE magic is still the most mysterious type of magic as only a handful of people in the world are capable of using it.


As for Time Magic, since magic is the application of formulae to change the eidos of a physical phenomena, anything that breaks the laws of physics, i.e. Time Travel, etc. is impossible. There is a TRANCE type magic that can slow down the electrical activity in the brain, which would give opponents the sensation of time slowing down, but that's as close to "Time" magic as one can achieve with our current understanding of physics and magic.

[BloodcatNS]

As for Time Magic, since magic is the application of formulae to change the eidos of a physical phenomena, anything that breaks the laws of physics, i.e. Time Travel, etc. is impossible. There is a TRANCE type magic that can slow down the electrical activity in the brain, which would give opponents the sensation of time slowing down, but that's as close to "Time" magic as one can achieve with our current understanding of physics and magic.

How about a RISE type magic that affects the perception of time and accelerates the bloodflow and metabolism of a person for him/her to "normally" move in the altered time flow? This of course, would have drawbacks, like a shortening lifespan. The slower the time, the bigger the consequence especially with prolonged use.

Anyway, can mana be condensed and take a tangible form? For example, a formula like this:

Gather mana -> Increase Density

If not, then how about:

Gather air molecules -> Increase Density

I know that the second one works, but how about the first? If pure mana takes a solid form, then what are its properties? Is it acidic or safe to touch?

[Mr.PowPow]

I know that the second one works, but how about the first? If pure mana takes a solid form, then what are its properties? Is it acidic or safe to touch?

Can't help but think about Mako for some reason lol

I'd also like to ask what exactly is the limit of magic? what abilities are a no-no?
I'm sure the possibilities for powers are vast but surely there must be a point where you say "Okay, no you can't do that"

also, slightly off-topic but when can we see this roleplay in action? :p

[Toffee]

As for Time Magic, since magic is the application of formulae to change the eidos of a physical phenomena, anything that breaks the laws of physics, i.e. Time Travel, etc. is impossible. There is a TRANCE type magic that can slow down the electrical activity in the brain, which would give opponents the sensation of time slowing down, but that's as close to "Time" magic as one can achieve with our current understanding of physics and magic.

How about a RISE type magic that affects the perception of time and accelerates the bloodflow and metabolism of a person for him/her to "normally" move in the altered time flow? This of course, would have drawbacks, like a shortening lifespan. The slower the time, the bigger the consequence especially with prolonged use.

Anyway, can mana be condensed and take a tangible form? For example, a formula like this:

Gather mana -> Increase Density

If not, then how about:

Gather air molecules -> Increase Density

I know that the second one works, but how about the first? If pure mana takes a solid form, then what are its properties? Is it acidic or safe to touch?

That is certainly a possibility. By using RISE to accelerate the body's production of adrenaline and further increasing blood flow, the RISE user could experience the sensation of the world around him "slowing down." Of course, if overused, this would undoubtedly cause problems for his heart and brain.

Think of Mana as a type of electron, if that makes it easier to understand. Like an electron, it is virtually weightless so even if you do gather it into a compressed state, it will have no physical property of "pushing" anything, however, it will deliver an electrical like shock if fired to an opponent who is not expecting it. If enough mana is fired, it would temporarily overwhelm an untrained opponent, since his or her Magic Circuits won't be able to handle the sudden increased burst of mana. However, this could also backfire if the opponent is properly trained; he could draw in the mana you fired and use it to counterattack by using that mana to power his own spells. Mana manipulation is also used in some Curative Magic for young magicians who have accidentally overused their Magic Circuits. By channeling small amounts of mana through the patient's magic circuits, the examiner can determine the extent of and location of the damage.

I know that the second one works, but how about the first? If pure mana takes a solid form, then what are its properties? Is it acidic or safe to touch?

Can't help but think about Mako for some reason lol

I'd also like to ask what exactly is the limit of magic? what abilities are a no-no?
I'm sure the possibilities for powers are vast but surely there must be a point where you say "Okay, no you can't do that"

also, slightly off-topic but when can we see this roleplay in action? :p

Basically, anything that defies the laws of physics would not be allowed, or more aptly put, not possible.
Teleportation, Time Travel, Time Manipulation, Gravity Manipulation and any spells of the sort would be impossible.

Though Flight is possible by different methods, such as manipulating the air around you to a denser state, allowing you to "swim" in air; or having a CAD that is constructed to support your weight and able to achieve lift.

"Necromancy" is also not possible. Resurrecting the dead and using them for battle is not possible. Though in a battle, you could use the corpses on the field as a "meat shield" if you must. Of course, it would be abhorred if seen by others, but in a life and death struggle, you wouldn't really care what others will think of you if you die right?

I still haven't worked out an overarching theme for the world though. I was wondering if you could help me with that. Once we can hammer down the details of the world, the governments and the people and such, then we can start this RP.

[Mr.PowPow]

Well I don't know exactly how I can help, are you still going for the merger between my idea and yours? or do we need to discuss something different?

[Caster no Mae]

I was thinking as well as those 2 you said Toffee, but also Manipulating Blood in a similar way as to one would to water, for example use blood packs as a "transportable Weapon" kind of way as an example

[Toffee]

Well I don't know exactly how I can help, are you still going for the merger between my idea and yours? or do we need to discuss something different?

Yeah, I was hoping for a merger of sorts, since DogmaTech has control over a country, I was thinking that there should be an opposing country where Magic is used freely. So, when the RP starts, people have the choice either to go with Magic or with Technology.

I was thinking as well as those 2 you said Toffee, but also Manipulating Blood in a similar way as to one would to water, for example use blood packs as a "transportable Weapon" kind of way as an example

If the blood was in a container outside a human body, then it could theoretically be manipulated like water. Hmm, now that I think about it, there are no restrictions on using the blood inside the bodies of animals. Since animals possess no magic circuits, their bodies don't have the resistance to mana manipulation like humans do. So if you wanted to be a "blood bender", the most effective way for you to fight would be to use the blood of animals. Though this might cause some problems with PETA...

[Caster no Mae]

Understood Doc.~~

however, can I still Use Drained Human Blood, say when its out from for example but not inside the human? for example the reason being Magic Circuit would protect the Human from it?

[Toffee]

Yes, drained human blood in a container outside a human body can be manipulated.

Also, the RP will be set up on Friday, so prepare your characters everyone!

[Toffee]

Okay, maybe not Friday since I have to pick up my mom at the airport, so maybe Friday evening or on Saturday.

[Mr.PowPow]

Okay, maybe not Friday since I have to pick up my mom at the airport, so maybe Friday evening or on Saturday.

well its Monday now :/

[Toffee]

Okay, sorry guys for the delays. It's sunday over here, but since it's christmas eve tomorrow, the RP will be delayed probably till Dec. 28.

Also, Pow, what do you think of co-writing the RP? At least for the part of DogmaTech. I want to incorporate your idea, but I don't wanna just hijack it and use it myself.

[Mr.PowPow]

Sure, I don't mind helping out. I already have a good idea in mind for most of DogmaTech's story. So it should be fine.

and no worries, I wish you a very merry Christmas in advance =3

[Swagmaster]

Magic = Nerdy Physics applied to the extreme to make Pew Pew?

[Toffee]

Magic = Nerdy Physics applied to the extreme to make Pew Pew?

Basically, yes!
I made the magic system this way so that there won't be any OP characters, everyone is balanced, and people can get creative with their character's abilities.

Take for example Caster No Mae's blood magic. It can be countered easily by freezing the blood, evaporating the blood, or (this is more fun) manipulate the magnetic field around yourself or a target so that the iron in the blood will be instantly attracted to it. If you manipulate the magnetic field around your hands, you can "catch" the blood, redirect it, and fire it back against the opponent! And for the blood magic itself, it can counter the magnetic field by simply releasing the iron in the hemoglobins of the blood. And if you use the blood from certain frogs, which possess a special enzyme that acts as an anti-freeze, you can also counter the freezing effects. One can even increase the coagulation of the blood to turn it into a flexible whip like weapon. or by aggregating the iron, create a sturdy shield or sword.

As long as it does not violate the above rules, you can do pretty much anything!

Also, again, sorry for the long delays. I would have started it on the 28, but apparently the stupid stomach flu virus likes our family. (Seriously, more than 2/3 of everyone in the family got sick). Anyways, expect it to start anytime within this week.

[Apokura]

Well cool! Now, to come up with a good idea for a character...

Well, about those CADs. Do they have an specific colour or way of identification (such as, IDK, some kind of glow or emblem) so that they can be identified by simple looks? As in, something that would allow you to differentiate a CAD from a regular object by just looking it at?

Also, do they have to have an specific weight or size? Would these interfere in how the CAD works (i.e smaller CADs accelerating the magic more effectively or something of the sorts)? Could these CADs be from any material? And since no two CADs are the same and you said they require special customization, I suppose one would not be able to use someone else's CAD?

[BloodcatNS]

Is it possible to "conjure" up external "nerves". Not for pain or anything, but for sensing. Like how a cockroach senses movement when there's shift in the wind or how a bat senses by listening.

My idea is to create a passable "barrier" where air would completely suspended. Any kind of distortion to that "barrier" and it would alert the mage to some kind of movement. Is this possible?

[Toffee]

Well cool! Now, to come up with a good idea for a character...

Well, about those CADs. Do they have an specific colour or way of identification (such as, IDK, some kind of glow or emblem) so that they can be identified by simple looks? As in, something that would allow you to differentiate a CAD from a regular object by just looking it at?

Also, do they have to have an specific weight or size? Would these interfere in how the CAD works (i.e smaller CADs accelerating the magic more effectively or something of the sorts)? Could these CADs be from any material? And since no two CADs are the same and you said they require special customization, I suppose one would not be able to use someone else's CAD?

Like I said, all CADs are fully customizable to suit each person's tastes and needs. This can mean you have a flashy and showy CAD you can ride on, or even something as simple and innocuous as a rubber bracelet. Of course, you COULD make the CAD into something inconspicuous, you could even make it look like a rock, but most don't tend to do that for the simple reason of, they might lose it or misplace it! Mages are human after all, if you made a CAD like a rock, you'd have a hard time finding it if you lost on the road now wouldn't you?

The materials used in the CAD, and its relative size and weight will also affect how it performs of course, but this is determined by the needs of the Mage. If a mage wasn't particularly good at high speed formula creation but had enough power, the CAD could be made into a small lightweight object like a gun or bracelet. If a mage was lacking in power, the CAD would need to be larger like a staff, broom, or even a bazooka! There are also CADs that function as weapons themselves.  A mage who specializes in oscillation of molecules would have a CAD like a sword or spear. If the mage focuses on oscillating the blades of the CAD, the molecules would vibrate at such a high frequency that each molecule would act like a high-speed chainsaw. Effectively making a weapon with enough cutting ability to slice through diamonds!

Let's talk about CADs for RISE type magicians since everyone seems to be focused on BURST. RISE magicians, like I said, use magic to increase or change their physiology. As such, their CADs function differently from BURST mages. Their CADs focus instead on amplifying and control of the effects their magic will have on the mage's body. For RISE types that change their skin into steel, or stone, the CAD would aid it by only limiting it to the outer layer of the skin. Thereby reducing the strain on their bodies. For increasing muscle mass and strength, the CAD would direct the flow of mana to each muscle strand, in order to raise the efficiency and power released. Of course, with enough training, a master of RISE would no longer need a CAD, and instead use specialized READs. READs of RISE masters would be weapons inscribed with a set effect. For example, a RISE user with high speed but low power would use a READ that imparts a concussive force with each impact in order to augment their punches and kicks. A RISE swordsman will employ a READ sword that sharpens itself after each slash, or use an oscillation effect like the one above (of course, at a lesser extent and effect).

If two mages share similar enough magic, i.e. two fire mages use each others CADs, they can still perform magic, but it would undoubtedly be less effective than if using their own. Think of it like writing with your non-dominant hand. You CAN do it, but the effect would be sloppy and uncoordinated.

Is it possible to "conjure" up external "nerves". Not for pain or anything, but for sensing. Like how a cockroach senses movement when there's shift in the wind or how a bat senses by listening.

My idea is to create a passable "barrier" where air would completely suspended. Any kind of distortion to that "barrier" and it would alert the mage to some kind of movement. Is this possible?

That would be a combination of both RISE and BURST. By heightening the sensitivity of the nerves using RISE magic, and by manipulating the airflow around you using BURST magic, you can produce the "HyperSense Barrier" you were talking about. Indeed, it would be a very effective form of defense, but the mage would undoubtedly be restricted to counterattacks since controlling both RISE and BURST is a major feat. Also, this mage would probably be both a low RISE and a low BURST wind mage. The mage can increase his strength and speed but not as much as dedicated RISE mages. And can perform wind magic, but not as effectively as dedicated BURST mages. But by combining both magics, the mage has made a wonderfully effective defense and precognition system that makes him incredibly difficult to defeat.