Universal Prime

You can feel it in the air...

Those who practice magic do not have an inherent sense of it nor do they have some automated process that allows magic to simply happen when called upon or desired. There are many examples of magic in fiction that discuss the general idea of how one practices magic, but rarely go into detail on how the practitioner feels when they practice Magic. What are the sensations involved and the physical reactions to it? What about the psychological?

We are talking about the physical manifestation of something that defies and completely disregards the laws of the universe here in the real world. Regardless of how magic is performed or what details are present in that process, they are going to be physical sensations that come from it. Expedition Demeter holds true to that idea and it all centers around Arcane Priming.
There are biological responses that one can experience when they use or are exposed to Arcane energy, no matter how big or small that amount of energy is. Any environment that has Arcane energy within it is considered primed. Priming is the only way one can learn to harness and manipulate Arcane Energy for the purpose of achieving magical effects.

Priming and magic

A reasonable argument could be made regarding priming and the use of magic. Magic would be considerably more difficult if not completely impossible to perform without it. Depending on the kind of magic user you are, priming is the only way you can sense and use the Arcane Energies required.

Druids would be particularly helpless without it, as they literally pull the energy from the world around them to cast their spells. When practitioners learn how to perform Magic, they first have to learn the correct stage of priming to do so. (stage 3 - see below)

Once they learn this stage they begin to practice Attunement which allows them to connect to that energy, stabilizing it, and then priming the energy for use. It is the priming of the energy that led to the naming of the condition. Arcane energy cannot simply be taken and used. It must be anchored and grounded to the physical plane in order to manifest.

Depending on the nature of the magic one is using this can come in the form of a hot or cold flash throughout the entire body as the energy moves through it. This will also see the hairs standing on end and goosebumps appearing all over the body, along with a tingling sensation in the legs and arms.

When grounded the energy is stable and only then can it actually be used which is why you don't have a lot of catastrophic failure when casting spells. In fact, once a spell reaches the point where the energy has been grounded the spell is guaranteed to be successfully cast. There is a minimal risk of catastrophic failure and there is nothing that guarantees the spell is going to hit the target.

History

The concept of priming first appeared during the height of the Alfen Empire. They noticed that when metaphysical energies were present, it caused a reaction within their physical bodies. They continued to study the phenomenon but it wouldn't be until millennia after the empire fell that any true progress would be made.

Arcanists in Estoya discovered that there were ways to develop a more acute sensitivity to these Energies, and as a result, a more acute reaction to those Energies. These developments were made possible by the Universal Maladies that plague the world. Since then the study of The Arcane has advanced in leaps and bounds at an alarming rate. It is the secret of priming that allowed Estoya to become the most advanced nation when it comes to the practice and study of magic and science.

Due to the advancements made, curiosity within potential investors as well as the common people grew, incentivising funding to further grow this understanding, as well as to further profit from that understanding through the various products that can be created as a result.

Stages and Effects of Priming

Stage 1:

The first stage of priming is considered the base stage and all living things have it. It is a natural inclination to avoid the area. They experience extreme defensive behavior in the presence of Arcane energy. It is never clear why one is experiencing this unless they are aware of what priming is. Apart from this, there are no other reactions for stage 1.

Stage 2:

While all living things are born with Stage 1, some are born with Stage 2 or develop stage 2 at some point during their lives. Stage 2 can also be learned and taught fairly easily. Stage 2 is the first onset of physiological reactions to Arcane energy. The psychological effects of stage 1 remain but are compounded with hair standing on end and the feel of the charge against their skin. This allows individuals with Stage 2 to isolate the relative position of energy and makes it easier to isolate its source. With stage 2, one can determine just how dangerous the situation is. Arcane energy is most dangerous when it has no obvious source. This indicates that the energy is present within the environment and if it mirrors the containment threshold that binds it to the metaphysical plane, it can tear through and bleed into the physical plane in a rapid and often explosive fashion.

Stage 3:

There has never been a case of someone born with a third stage of priming. The only cases of it are those who can practice Magic. Stage 3 is developed when one learns Attunement. While anyone can attune to an Arcane object, the Attunement practiced by magic users when they cast spells is much deeper. It is a direct connection to the Arcane energies that they are using, and acts as a ground for the energy that stabilizes it when it manifests in the physical world. The majority of people in the world who practice magic are in stage 3.

Fun Fact: Natural Selection

Arcane priming is in arcane reaction, meaning a reaction that comes from the interaction between metaphysical and physical subjects. This reaction is a biological one that's almost all species have developed over time. These traits are developed along the evolutionary timeline of each species. The Arcane is a dangerous and unstable thing when not under control. While most people who use it do not suffer many ill effects, the presence of energy in a given area is not always benign. Arcane energy in the world can be dangerous and, over the course of time, the ability to sense it became essential for survival.

As the universal maladies grew and expanded, covering significantly more area than they did initially, people in the world became even more sensitive to the arcane. The maladies are not magical but they are arcane and it stands to reason that this increase sensitivity in all living things in the world is a defensive response to the threat on the part of the body. Is this connection to the universal nowadays that leads many to believe that the present day state of Priming could easily be considered a malady in and of itself.

Stage 4:

Stage 4 is rare as it is rarely sought by those who possessed stage 3. Stage 4 is the highest stage and requires considerable training to reach it. It can be reached on accident as well through dangerous, nearly fatal, exposure to Arcane energy. Stage 4 includes the reactions one can experience In previous stages but also include goosebumps and heightened senses. The closer one is to the source of the Arcane energy the more sensitive they become.

Initially, they will rapidly develop irritation of the skin which appears red and highly sensitive to touch. They can also experience swelling, lethargy, or panic attacks when they are directly exposed to raw energy in an environment. They have a natural resistance to Magic and are capable of casting their own spells and even getting injured by other spells without having to worry about these severe reactions.

They also gain and uncanny ability to see Arcane energy in their environment. They can perceive the energy as it radiates from enchanted items, or as it pushes against the walls of reality. This allows them to not only feel the energies, but it also allows them to see that energy and immediately identify it. The Judges of Law and Merit are required to train to stage four, as stage 4 is often seen as a requirement for Arcana Castigo.

Stage 5:

Stage 5 is the final stage of priming in is usually considered something to be avoided, for obvious reasons. A good analogy would be to call it a magical radiation sickness. Stage 5 is widely considered an arcane allergy. Direct exposure the magic of any kind can cause a series of negative reactions. These reactions can range from mild to life-threatening depending on the severity of exposure as well as the resistance of the individual who is exposed.

One does not enter Stage 5, they are born with it or reach Stage 5 due to near-death experiences with Arcane energy. The only people who are unable to reach this stage are those who are already at stage 3 or 4, whose bodies have become acclimated to Arcane energy in such a way that it prevents this allergic response from occurring.

Furthermore, it is possible to drop two stage 4 from Stage 5 provided one goes through extensive therapeutic sessions with a mage. These therapeutic sessions can be incredibly uncomfortable if not downright painful depending on how rigorous the therapy is.

At its most severe, someone exposed who has stage 5 can go into anaphylactic shock, which almost always leads to death. Less severe reactions include most of what is discussed in the previous stages, but also includes a necrotic reaction in the skin, migraines, nausea as well as stomach cramps, and the list goes on.