Imaginary Technique

"Harmony in thought births symphony in action."

Created and Written by Khali A. Crawford

Effect

Imaginary Techniques (ITs) is the process of using Magical Energy with Kháos Magic to achieve some imaginary result, forcing the Mage's imagination into existence, hence it's name. They do not exist, and as such behave unpredictably with queer attributes.

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Magic in this setting is fundamentally the amalgamation of two primary forces: Mana and Natural Energy, representing Yin and Yang respectively, which converge to create a new entity. Mana, often associated with the fifth dimension, constitutes the raw magical energy. When beings from lower dimensions harness Mana through their Mana Cells, it naturally intertwines with Natural Energy, a ubiquitous but typically inert form of energy emitted by all beings. This fusion dilutes the Mana, allowing mortal beings to wield it in a refined form known as Magical Energy or simply Magic. The nature of Magic is characterized by order, logic, and adherence to the principles defined by the practitioner's Dharma. It operates within systematic frameworks, following established processes and methodologies to achieve desired outcomes. In essence, Magic can be conceptualized as the combination of Magical Energy with order resulting in specific effects, echoing the structured nature of existence.

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Khaos Magic is the inverse of this, as it is essentially a black box where its inner workings remain inscrutable, yielding random and unpredictable outcomes. This form of magic embodies entropy, seeking to dismantle the fabric of reality and revert all creation to the primordial crucible from which it emerged. By nature, Khaos cannot be controlled because it is the antithesis of control itself. t stands as a defiance against reason, causality, and established norms, representing an antithesis to order—a cardinal sin in magic.

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How an individual's magic is conducted is unique to them, how they move their magical energy through their body, how they cast spells, how they maintain their arts, etc., all of it is unique to the Mage themselves. The system methods and logic of magic itself are set in stone but act more like a toolbox, and how a Mage uses the tools is their style or their Signature. When dealing with Khaos, the Black Box, where nothing is known, a Mage can impose their Signature onto the Black Box, to tell it how it will behave, to give that which was formless structure and form. When this is done, the capabilities of the mage are increased beyond measure now Khaos will bend and contort reality to support the logic that was given to it. A technique pulled from the imagination.

Side/Secondary Effects

• Mental Strain: Casting complex ITs could exert a significant mental toll on the Mage, leading to fatigue, headaches, or even temporary memory loss. This could be particularly pronounced for Mages who attempt to imagine techniques beyond their current capabilities or who push themselves too hard.
• Reality Distortion: ITs may inadvertently distort the fabric of reality in unpredictable ways, causing temporary disruptions such as warped space, altered perceptions, or localized time anomalies. These distortions could have unintended consequences for both the Mage and their surroundings.
• Magical Feedback: A botched IT could result in a backlash of magical energy, causing the Mage to suffer from magical feedback such as burns, internal injuries, or temporary loss of magical abilities. This feedback could also affect nearby individuals or objects, leading to collateral damage or unintended consequences.
• Reality Erosion: Repeated use of ITs could gradually erode the boundary between imagination and reality, blurring the line between the two and leading to confusion, disorientation, or existential crises for the Mage. This erosion could also affect the stability of the surrounding environment, causing reality to warp or fragment unpredictably.
• Existential Consequences: Casting particularly powerful or reality-altering ITs could have existential consequences for the Mage, causing them to question their existence, identity, or purpose. This could lead to existential crises or philosophical dilemmas that challenge the Mage's sense of self and place in the universe.

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Applied Restriction

ITs are spells and techniques pulled from the mind and seemingly are infinite in terms of potential, but are limited by the Signature of the Mage who imposed order onto them. A Mage's IT is derived from Khaos amplifying their Magic to new heights and adding functionality to it, but if a Mage cannot imagine themselves doing a thing, then their IT cannot either.

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Magic is a very systemic power system, those who have a predisposition to insanity and madness will make for poor Mages. Inversely, Khaos is disorder and entropy, those who can reason and think in structured lines will rarely wield Khaos Magic. It takes a certain type of person, not too crazy but not too orderly, to learn Magic and Khaos, and then, and only then, could such a person even attempt to master an Imaginary Technique.