guide:magic [Wandering Star Role Play]

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====== Magic ======
In the universe presented within WS, magic exists as a fundamental force present within the universe along side basic atomic forces, gravity, and electromagnetic forces.  

This force has been observed to be impacted by certain bands of delta wave brain activity in a variety of ways among the known species in the setting. Through this influence, an individual utilizing magic is capable of influencing the other fundamental forces of the universe.((Loosely analogous to gravity influencing EM, etc))

The methods and results of interactions with this fundamental force differ between cultures, however, there are core traits observable between all users.

  * Requires an investment of time both to perform and improve.
  * Requires practice and adherence to a set of rules, often unique to the practitioner's culture, however, universal for their 'style' of application.
  * Only individuals of a biological species with an evolutionary line stretching back to single celled organisms are capable of interacting with magical forces. Robots and synthetic species are incapable of producing magical effects.
    * After conception, during initial cell division of the zygote((or nucleus in asexual species)), a connection is established between the organism and magic, this connection improves as the organism develops to maturity, the repeated cellular biological process tying the force more closely to the organism and forming the basis of what is observed, and referred to as the [[guide:magic:soul|'analog soul.']]
    * The development of the organism creates a template within their structure attuned to their specific [[guide:magic:soul|'soul']] in the event that an individual is cloned((only via 'slow' [[guide:cloning|cloning]] processes)), a duplicate of this 'soul' is imprinted upon the clone allowing the clone to interact with magical forces in a loosely 1:1 manner when compared to the original. Effectively functioning as a 'signature' for the individual. This process however typically fails to restore the development of a magic user's capabilities fully and requires a period of re-training to restore what has been lost.
    * Alternatively some magical practices allow the creation of what is commonly known as a "phylactery" which allows for an individual to bind their 'soul' to a magical item preventing its loss upon death. Through this, an individual may safeguard their soul upon death for either religious purposes, or to allow for a restoration of their soul to a corporeal form provided adequate steps have been taken prior to death.
  * Some schools of magical practice are capable of imbuing objects, or creating objects with magical properties. Though this is universally an activity that requires a large investment of time and resources.

===== Casting =====

The application of magic requires a threefold investment of effort or focus, energy, and time. To this end a magic user intending to create a particular magical effect must ensure that they can meet all three requirements without interruption or disruption from outside entities to accomplish their given goal.

The first requirement is often referred to as effort or focus which requires the magic user to invest their will and attention toward achieving a magical effect. 

The second is an investment of energy, this energy is typically drawn from the caster's own soul, or spirit((or what ever you want to call it)) that is typically the force that fuels the magical event, or triggers it. Some practices of magic are able to mitigate this through the use of a focus, ritual, or group allowing for a magic user to achieve effects with minimal personal investment.

The third is an investment of time, most magical feats take several seconds if not minutes to achieve, and those that are able to be cast rapidly require much practice on the part of the caster. 

==== Examples ====

In the following, the example used shall be the traditional ‘Hat Trick’ as a baseline for how different types of magic would be used to perform the trick, as an examination of magic mechanics, along with a scale of 1 to 10 rating guides on three points: effort/focus required, amount of ‘energy’ invested, and time to accomplish.


**Illusionist** - Produces a previously mesmerized critter from a small compartment within the hat.

  * Effort/Focus: 1
  * Energy Investment: 1
  * Time to Accomplish: 1

**Charmer/Enchanter/Enchantress** - Manipulates a critter to remain docile within the hat until commanded to emerge. This is carried out through incantation designed to modify the will of the critter.

  * Effort/Focus: 3
  * Energy Investment: 2
  * Time to Accomplish: 2

**Witch** - Through preparation of the hat in advance, a charm has been placed upon the hat to place any animal within the hat into a sleep state, this charm was placed by beseeching the will of a sleep-deity. It should be noted the hat would also incorporate some seemingly decorative features required for the charm to be in effect, and would also have enough potency to put the wearer of the hat to sleep as well.

  * Effort/Focus: 5
  * Energy Investment: 4
  * Time to Accomplish: 8


**Trickster** - By manipulating the existing magic within a string of probability, and weaving additional magic in place, the trickster effectively alters the probability of a critter being within the hat from 0 to 1. This effectively changes the ‘reality’ within the hat, to one conforming to the trickster’s will.

  * Effort/Focus: 10
  * Energy Investment: 10 (Cont to next page)
  * Time to Accomplish: 1

**Conjurer** - Through an act of will and channeling of magical energies, life is created within the hat. Air becomes water, water becomes blood, blood becomes flesh, flesh becomes bone, and a fresh new living breathing critter is then pulled from the hat.

  * Effort/Focus: 10
  * Energy Investment: 8
  * Time to Accomplish: 4

**Wizard/Mage** - By linking physical quantum-string points through the creation of a ‘bridge’ via magic, a tunnel can be created between two points. When performed by a wizard/mage, point A is established as the bottom of the hat, point B is established as some poor critter’s nest or hole, perhaps even cage, which the caster can then reach through and pull the critter from.

  * Effort/Focus: 10
  * Energy Investment: 8
  * Time to Accomplish: 3

**Elementalist** - Through manipulation of the physical elements of nature, the elementalist wills water and air of a creature into stone, places the creature into the hat, then later returns the stone to the state of water and air.

  * Effort/Focus: 6
  * Energy Investment: 5
  * Time to Accomplish: 3

**Animist** - Using a crafted facsimile in place of a creature the animist places them into the hat. Later with an effort of will they animate the analogue creature giving life temporarily to the inanimate effigy.

  * Effort/Focus: 7
  * Energy Investment: 3
  * Time to Accomplish: 8

==== Over use ====

Over use of magic typically impacts a magic user by fraying and depleting the mage's soul, which in minor cases can cause unease or malaise. Extreme cases can cause a magic user's soul to dissipate, killing the mage even if their body is otherwise physically healthy.

===== Loci Magic =====

A magical loci is an area of space that is infused with an abundance of magical energy by simple virtue of existing. These naturally occurring magically infused areas in stellar, and by extension, geographical locations are exceedingly rare. These 'nodes' of magical power when found are observed to bleed into the surrounding area imbuing any materials, life, and rarely even the local fabric of space with special properties which are often coveted by magic practitioners and merchants alike.

These locations are noteworthy as typically areas of high magical concentration are owed to the life that has flourished and existed in an area slowly radiating and imbuing the surroundings with magic over time. The most common examples being ancient forest and jungles((though many other types exist)) whose dense biospheres contribute to a cascading increase of magical density eventually warping and changing the local flora and fauna.

While the effects of such magical locations on materials and life can be replicated with effort, natural instances often possess unexpected compositions and natures providing effects in ways, or combinations that are atypical to the vast majority of spellcasters and as such are coveted as points of inspiration as much as sources of physical materials.

===== Faith =====

In some cultures, particularly strongly religious ones, the lines between faith and magic blur, resulting in a self-perpetuating global magical effect where in the beliefs of the faith manifest as a continuous magical effect fed by the faith of adherents. It is notable that like many other forms of magic, adherence to the rules of the faith is key to receiving the benefits of the effects with those who are more pious and true to the faith receiving the greatest, and most numerous benefits.

===== The Science of Magic =====

Magic while reliably observable as a universal, fundamental force akin to atomic strong force or gravity, it has long vexed scientists across the universe simply due to its inherent unpredictability. Though it can be observed that many of its functions and behaviors are self-consistent in function, it is often the case that even similar effects may function in contradictory manners when compared to other applications of magic as applied by different practices, or less commonly between individual practitioners.

Despite the near infinite variation of its application and function, there are some universal constants that have been observed:

To harness and control magic, a natural source must be used. While the exact reasoning for this is poorly understood it is widely agreed that early on in the evolutionary cycle early cellular life happened upon the right combination of traits to allow for magic to be tapped and manipulated in a method loosely analogous to the harnessing of electromagnetic radiation in photosynthesis. Over the generations as species developed some species became carriers for the network of cells that formed the basis of what is widely recognized as the soul or spirit.

Magical effects are strengthened by repetition. This is often observed to be analogous to exercising a muscle, in that repeated focused use of magic strengthens the caster's capabilities to harness and use magic, while also improving the proficiency with the specific application. Also analogously to physical training, overuse can cause injury, or death in the caster, as such caution is often advised.



====== OOC Notes ======

Magic's a complicated thing. In this universe, it exists as an entity entirely separate from [[guide:psionics|Psionics]]. It's incredibly versatile, but there are some basics to adhere to when writing magic.

  - Magic requires an analog soul - so machine intelligences and synthetic beings can't access it, having digital souls. Digital or Quantum-state souls lack the ability to sync to a magic waveform. There are "gaps", which lead to any attempt fizzling out (Think of the difference between digital and analog recorded audio). 
  - Clones and gene-bred individuals, depending on the method of cloning and development might be able to use magic relying upon whether or not they were grown in a manner that parallels natural conception and development.
  - There is no such thing as time-travel magic. Slowing down and speeding up things may be possible with enough training, but no jumping back or forwards in time. Stasis does not count as time travel.
  - The stronger a caster's belief in magic, the more adept at they are at casting more powerful things. If this were an RPG, it would be akin to having a higher INT/WIS, giving you access to more powerful abilities. 
  - Unfortunately, this also means that more adept casters are more susceptible to other people's magics. Like an incremental floodgate, water can flow both ways.
  - Every mage has a tell. Casting happens in their own way, but they must indicate it. It could be a word, it could be a gesture.
  - Each caster has their own flair when it comes to spells. One caster's spells may have flame-like flares coming off of their castings, another's may ring like bells when spelled. Or it might let off a scent of cinnamon. Essentially, no two casters need to look the same when casting the same spell.

==== Etiquette ====

One of the most important aspects when it comes to writing magic is getting your GM's OK. Any magical abilities, spells, effects, rituals, etc. need to be cleared with you GM prior to use in character. To this end any specialized spells, abilities, or items must be written up, attached to your character's page, and indicated clearly to your GM before they may be implemented.

Further, the preparation, activation, and application of all magic must be explicitly written in your posts. If your character prepares certain spells or items before a section of a story, they must all be included in your post even if they are passive or contingency effects. This is expressly to prevent the sudden appearance of magical effects or abilities without any explanation which only serves to frustrate GMs and other players.

In the extremely unlikely event that there is a plausible reason for a magical ability, or action to be performed secretly for whatever reason and can't be addressed in the descriptive text of a post, the player must discuss the circumstances and application with their GM and come to an agreement before implementation IC.

===== Additional Reading =====

  * Magic schools/styles - index of styles of magic within the setting.
  * Magic spells
  * Magic items
    * Magic potions
    * Magic scrolls
    * General magic consumables
    * Magic materials
    * Magic armors
    * Magic weapons
    * ???

===== OOC Notes for additon? =====

  * I did also have an “aura” system in place for some of my characters. . . not like a “GAIN +5 TO ALL ALLIES” type of aura, but more of a sort of passive deal to a caster. One was a magic ward, reducing the effects of magics cast on them. Another was an analytic aura, able to scan magics around them and feed their caster information.