Magic

Written by Drackzahn

Term Definition

Magic is the absurdity of simply ignoring physical laws.

Magic, or magical abilities is a broad term for all kinds of effects a person, item, or environment can cause in the world. Cultures around the world have many terms for such happenings or abilities. Some call them wonders, others spell casting or witchcraft. It does not matter if the defiance of nature comes from an ancient spell that was cast or by a magical being, which simply sees magic as one of their natural abilities, all of it is magic. Depending on where you grew up, you may see magic as something unnatural, or as something that simply exists and is part of your world.

Sources

To use a magical ability, it is required to have a source of energy for it. When a magical ability is used, some of the energy is taken and used to defy the laws of physics of the universe. In the end, all sources of magic are from outside the material plane and come from the Pink Mist, often referred to as the dimension of souls or the void between the universes of the multiverse. Most gifted people, able to use a kind of magic, are able to store certain amounts of their energy in their bodies or souls, depending on the source. A single person is not bound to only use a single source of energy. It is often the case that you use multiple sources, depending on which one is more plentiful at that moment.

Soul

The oldest and most natural form of energy for magic is soul energy. It comes directly from your own Soul or can be taken from the souls of others. Beings like Balloon Foxes and many Gods are able to take the soul energy of others to use them for their own abilities. Soul energy regenerates without outside factors, but the exact speed and the maximum amount that a person can store depends on their soul. Soul energy can only be used by beings with a soul, which means that most magic in the environment, like floating rocks, can never take the magic required to defy physics from a soul. The most powerful users of soul energy are per definition these beings that have ascended to Godhood.

Pink Mist

The chaotic energies of the pink mist are more powerful than simple soul energy, yet also harder to handle. They slowly enter the material plane through fissures and infuse whole areas or even planets with their energies. People who can use these chaotic energies are called Pink Mist Infused. Differently from soul energies, the energies of the pink mist do not come directly from your own soul, but from the environment you are in. Depending on the area, the inflow of energy can differ heavily. While it can be impressive near fissures of pink mist, or on planets that are naturally heavily infused by the chaotic energies, it can also be near zero. Pink mist energies are especially strong during Pink Mist Storms and can be sucked from Pinkerid. Most users of pink mist energy can also use soul energy. This is caused by the fact that pink mist energy is in reality rouge ancient soul energy from the War in Heaven, which means that your own soul energy can be activated by being infused with pink mist.

Expressions

The exact form in which magic materializes depends on many factors. The most prominent is a cultural one, as using magic is a strong mental task that depends heavily on the subconscious of e being. That means that, depending on how you personally see magic or feel your own magic, it can materialize in exactly that form. Some may call this to bind the energies to your will, or may say that to pray with strong faith can trigger the magic, yet in the end it depends on your own deep mind. Magic that affects the environment is different and does not only take in one single person but often the population of a whole area and their beliefs on how magic materializes and works. Magic is chaos, and to use magic is to bend the chaos and form it to your will. The kind of expression that your magic takes can't be simply changed by thinking about it. It is a deeper belief that can hardly be touched by the conscious mind.

Spells

One of the most prominent forms of magic is spells. To say certain, ancient words, are often seen as a trigger to activate magic. This method is especially spread on Bardor. Words have power, the core belief that triggers magic with spells. If a magic user deeply believes that, when using ancient words they can alter reality, then magic works for them in exactly that way. These spells can have many effects on the world, from a simple fireball to a reality-changing transformation. Chanting words is not the only form of spell-casting thought. It may also include movements or being without any words and only movements. In the end, it is the belief in the words and moves that gives the magic reality. Believing strongly that a certain chain of words or the movement of the body in a certain pattern creates magic, can activate the energies. Spells without any words and only movements may also be seen as simple rituals.

Rituals

Ancient rituals have long traditions in many cultures and are the source of myths and power. These rituals can be to infuse an elixir with energy, create a potion, or it may be to curse someone by performing certain actions against that person. But it can also be way more simple things, like to strong belief that when you take three sips of water in quick succession and then spin around four times, you can cure an illness. In the end, the ritual is the trigger to activate your magical energies and alter the world around you.

Body-Focused

The most widespread expression of magic is the body-focused one. Many cultures call these natural abilities, while others may call them the ingrained magic of a being. In the end, it is magic that is directly linked to a person's body instead of their actions. It is the most spread form, as most magical animals or monsters are only able to use this form of magic expression. Examples for species who uses it are Rubber Genies, Bottle Genies, Balloon Foxes, Sirens Succubi, Urban-Elves or the Spo Mushroom. The form that this form of magic can take is plentiful. It may be hypnotic eyes, unnatural strength, or a psionic field you generate.

Wonder

Together with the first Gods came their wonders. To pray to a god with strong faith can be a form of magical expression. In this case, often it is the energy from the god that manifests in magic instead of your own. As most gods are powerful beings, these wonders are often equally powerful. It may be to summon holy beasts from your god, or the prayer to cure wounds with the help of them. The form of magic depends strongly on the domains of the god.

History

During the golden age of the Angel Empire and before that, there was no magic in the world. The energies of the souls only existed in the soul realm and had no influence on the material plane. This changed with the War in Heaven, more precisely, with the Dimension Bombs that were used during the final phase of the war. The creation of the Pink Mist and the first Pink Mist Storms brought the chaotic energies into the material world and with it, the first magic. At the start, the Angel, who was one of the only lifeforms during these days, had very little time to study the new events as they were busy with the cleanup of their civil war. It was Gaia who used the first magic, unknown what it was and believing that it was simply part of her new powers as a goddess.
During the coming centuries, pink mist influenced all cultures and all lifeforms in the multiverse, some more and some less. Planets with strong pink mist infusion have a longer and more natural relationship with magic. One such planet is Bardor, where magic is seen as nothing special and simple something natural. Other planets did not have this connection to the pink mist, like Earth. On Earth, the only contact with magic was during the pink mist storms. After them, the energies slowly faded out and with the death of those, who were able to use soul energy due to their contact with pink mist, it ended. Only in 2017, with the beginning of the third pink mist storm, a new wave of magic come over Earth and surprised the population heavily with mutations and new possibilities beyond former imagination borders.