Thaumathea

Thaumathea is the branch of Oramathea pertaining to vision and vision augmentation. Practitioners of Thaumathea literally view the universe in a whole new light, adjusting their visuals and enhancing their sense of sight for a more refined understanding of the view before their eyes.
Thaumathea is a class of Endoarcana, the spells powered solely by the caster and their Imperium.

Utility

Thaumathea is divided into two major subclasses: Enhanced Spectroscopy, which enhances what the caster can already see, and Augmented Spectroscopy, which allows the caster to add additional capabilities to their vision. The best Thaumathea mages are able to combine visuals from both major subclasses.
The magic has proven useful across a variety of situations, circumstances, and professions ranging from healers' medical examinations to artists' inspiration to the reconnaissance of advanced scouts and bodyguards.

Enhanced Spectroscopy

While Enhanced Spectroscopy will always improve the vision of the caster, the full impact of these spells depends upon the non-enhanced vision capabilities of the casting individual. These can also be successfully combined with any of the Augmented Vision spectrums.
Blind individuals - whether the status is considered permanent or merely temporary - are also able to use these spells as a result, although in these cases they must include a spectrum of Augmented Vision, and will require more Imperium to channel. Those experiencing colorblindness are also able to counter the effects in a similar manner. Casting Enhanced Macroscopy along the visible spectrum mimics standard sight, regardless of the original sight capabilities of the caster.

Enhanced Macroscopy

Enhanced Macroscopy improves the caster's own visuals, altering the visual focus and coloration of what they can already see unaided. This also allows for the adjustment of vision based upon the available radiant flux, permitting the caster to see well in both dark and exceedingly bright conditions, provided their environment permits access to at least some quantity of light.
Experts in Thaumathea can even learn to adjust their vision almost immediately based upon outside influences, preventing temporary or permanent vision loss due to events within their visual spectrum, but most mages will experience a slight delay. Caution is therefore still advised if a rapid increase in available light is anticipated.

Microscopy

Microscopy spells allow the caster to magnify nearby objects, including details smaller than what can be observed unaided, in exchange for a reduced field of vision. This ability has proven popular in professions ranging from researchers, to health professionals, and even craftsmen.

Telescopy

The inverse of Microscopy, Telescopy instead magnifies far away objects. As with Microscopy, the caster's field of vision will decrease as the magnification increases. This skill is commonly used by battle mages, advanced scouts, researchers, astronomers, artists, and photographers, among others.

Focus

Enhanced Spectroscopy can also be used to enhance the caster's visual focus, a particularly useful skill for those otherwise relegated to glasses, but also convenient when coupled with any other Thaumathea spell, due to the brain's own required adjustments to interpret unfamiliar information. Thaumathea mages often discover their eyes fail to focus the same way when viewing the world in unfamiliar spectrums or levels of detail, and Focus spells allow for fine tuning.

Augmented Spectroscopy

With Augmented Spectroscopy, a Thaumathea mage can add an additional electromagnetic spectrum to their current vision, further augmenting what they can currently see. Particularly skilled experts have occasionally been known to layer two Augmented spectrums with their vision, although this is rare due to the concentration levels required to maintain the channel of the spell. Augscopes can circumvent this limit, relying on Runework to cast the spells themselves.
Mages cannot lose their sense of sight due to events experienced only through augmented vision, although if overloaded with wavelength input all Thaumathea spells will be interrupted and will need to be recast. Thaumathea-based Technoarcana using an overlay rather than Telepathy, on the other hand, can cause injury to the viewer's eyes unless the necessary precautions are added to the overlay screen.
Augmented Spectroscopy spells are fully compatible with Enhanced Spectroscopy spells, allowing the caster to adjust the level of details they are able to observe..
The available spectrums are listed below:

Gamma

Gamma vision reveals the powers of the stars. While not useful for most purposes it has become popular among those who study the night skies of Fillimet or the sky rocks which sometimes rain to the ground.

X-Ray

Permitting the caster to see through solid objects, X-Ray Vision is most often found among Healers or those working in security.

Ultraviolet

One of the less common uses of Augmented Spectroscopy, Ultraviolet vision allows the caster to view wavelengths slightly higher than the standard visual spectrum. It has found use in some covert organizations for passing messages due to the ways certain substances react under ultraviolet radiation. Many afflicted with vampirism have also learned to use ultraviolet vision to help avoid vitamin D toxicity while in daylight.

Visual Spectrum

The visual spectrum is defined as the electromagnetic wavelengths available to all Sophont Species. This Augmentation finds frequent uses among those who are unable to view the visual spectrum due to genetics, blindness, or localized obstruction.

Infrared

The infrared spectrum allows the caster to view heat transfer, which has been found particularly useful in construction, firefighting, tracking, or night conditions.

Applications

While channeled Thaumathea spells can only be applied to the self, or shared across an active Telepathy spell, Runework has allowed the use of Thaumathea spells within everyday objects.
Enhanced Spectroscopy, sometimes coupled with Augmented Spectroscopy filters, have allowed for the construction of high-strength microscopes and telescopes. Telepathically-attuned macroscopes have offered a more adaptable alternative to mechanical glasses, while augscopes have found common use within the militaries of Vazdimet to enhance the vision of their battle mages and other ground forces, particularly at night.
Photography allows the storage of these visuals for later viewing.

Parent Technologies

• Oramathea

Complexity

While the spells themselves are fairly straightforward, a mage must learn how to process the enhanced visuals. To some, this comes naturally. For others, extensive mental exercises are required initially, to prevent eyestrain headaches.
Many students in training spend as much time viewing Photography of Augmented vision as they do casting the spells themselves, in an effort to calibrate their mental interpretations.

Related Items

• augscope

Further Reading