The culture and use of magic to the Felinoids of my world

[Justme]

I don't approve of the abuse of magic. It is something that comes from outside the natural world. It is an essence that has mass and energy within the realm it comes from.

In The Undiscovered Country Spock said something quite dramatic when he stated that " Nature abhors a vacuum. " That is as true on this plain of existence as it does on any other of the several material planes. Anything drawn from a place must be exchanged for something of equal mass. Magic is, as I've stated an energy and the more powerful the energy, the more powerful the drain on the essence that needs to be returned. The only essence that living beings upon this world has to offer up is the essence and energy of life itself. This is why incredibly strong magic must be generated with a confined group, lest the entire reservoir of life energy be consumed and the practitioner expires. This has happened many times before and why their are schools where learning is done under the watchful eye of a master of the art.

In my world magic is used seldom and the only practitioner, in my group, is the Feliniod, who dabbles only in the healing arts. She must first evaluate the level of life energy within the person she is trying to heal. Such a thing is important, since the life essence known by her species as Kin (Pronounced KEEN) is attacked in an equal proportion to the wound in the body itself. A small wound is with a mixture of herbs, salves and if necessary, minor healing magic and has little drain on the kin. A more severe wound which needs days, if not weeks to heal needs to be addressed with a more personal route.

This requires the healer to draw magic from the void into the natural world, which sends and equal level of their life essence back into that void. Then the practitioner needs to draw the tainted life essence out of the person they are trying to heal and replace that with the healing magic they now hold inside of them. Once this is done then the practitioner needs to quickly difuse the tainted magic back out of her body and force it into the void. This tainted or wounded life essence has a considerably lower level of mass than the life essence that was used to replace it, so when it is successful placed withing the void, only a small portion of what the practitioner originally placed inside the void will return to her. What this means is that a lone healer can only heal a certain level of wounds or number of wounded. If she over does it she could pass out, go into a coma or in certain events kill herself. There has been known, times which the practitioner and the wounded person have lost their lives together.

It is thought that since life is a form of energy, those living draw their energy from the void, when they are born. The reason that little ones have so much energy is that this energy is freshly drawn from the void and they as living being utilize the portion they originally withdrew, to the ending of their lives. What is left over of this energy, when the person expires is returned to the void.

It is taught that this used essence is of far less mass than was taken out at birth and according to these species, the void being slowly depleted as time goes on and at some time in the future will implode on itself and those still living will have their essence ripped from their bodies as the void collapses. This is why the ideal of sacrifice is so prevalent in their society. This dosen't mean that they take their own lives, but it does mean that they are unmindful of their own selves in battle and they will defend what they hold as valuable to the death. If they are killed defending their or others honor, they will add their life essence back into the void and the younger they are at death, the more massive force returns to the void. To them they are extending the existence of the void, which in their culture benefits all who live on.

This truth is embraced by the entire species of felinoid The character comes from and is a strong part of their culture. This is why these creatures are so aggressive hunters and protectors. What they hold inside of them is a gift and needs to be shared. they just have a very narrow view of those who deserve to share this experience with. They have a deep and abiding sense of honor and to be a friend or an enemy to them it pretty much a lifetime ordeal.

 

[Caliburn]

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this. I confess some of it went right over my head but I think I got the gist of it
A few questions:
1. Are you able to explain how it works in a paragraph or less?
2. What happens to someone when they lose life essence? Do they age?
3. Are there other kinds of magic? Do they draw from different sources of energy?

I don't think about the whole "energy trade-off" thing much and reading this got me thinking so thanks
In fact your post gave me an idea for an alternative way to do 'blood magic'. For instance instead of (or in addition to) having vampires as a race unto themselves, one could have vampirism as an element of blood magic, where the caster sacrifices mana permanently in order to cast spells and must drain mana from others in order to replenish their stock. A bit different from the D&D blood mage because the resource is still mana, not health or constitution (the line between life and mana can be pretty blurry anyway). Sorry if that's off-topic but yeah this energy-exchange concept is cool

 

[Justme]

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this. I confess some of it went right over my head but I think I got the gist of it
A few questions:

Basically it is a system of siphoning energy from one plane of existence to another. The practitioner is the conduit for this energy, when used to heal.

The felioids believe that the body is a shell that exists only on this plain of existence and draws this life essence upon conception from the void. It is as if you introduced an unpressurized glass jar into the room and then opened it up. The only thing is that, what fills the jar is sucked out of a parallel universe. You must understand that this is a tribal culture along the same technological level as the American Indians before the white man came. Their beliefs are primitive, but complex.

I really haven't thought this out, all that much. It simply came to me, while I was writing on another post here. I decided to post it independent of that, because it ended up being too far way from the topic at hand.

1. Are you able to explain how it works in a paragraph or less?

No!

2. What happens to someone when they lose life essence? Do they age?

Life essence is the ignition source that burns the fuel that runs the body. Without this spark you will cease to exist. The younger the person, the brighter the spark.

3. Are there other kinds of magic? Do they draw from different sources of energy?

There are other forms of magic, each having their plain of existence but these are more complex, because they are controlled not by the users body, but by other beings that use the individual practitioner as a pawn. Those practitioners who wish to use this magic must find a being from one of the realms of existence, outside of the natural plain. There are three of these.

(1) The plain of good, named Alura.

(2) The plain of neutrality called Laxia

(3) The plain of Evil called Reduxor

The practitioner and the beings create a bond to further their own desires and the being sends a lifeform that was once called a familiar to be used as a conduit for the magic the practitioner uses.If that lifeform dies in the natural world it automatically returns to the beings side,



In my universe, there are myriads of alternative universes that exist withing the same space and time. They can all be visited by accomplishing certain tasks, and bringing into effect certain substances. This is where the use of mind altering drugs as well as sleeping and eatting deprivation come into effect, only the last two only give one a glimpse into another universe and may just get you noticed by some powerful being that you may not want knowing you are around.

I don't think about the whole "energy trade-off" thing much and reading this got me thinking so thanks
In fact your post gave me an idea for an alternative way to do 'blood magic'. For instance instead of (or in addition to) having vampires as a race unto themselves, one could have vampirism as an element of blood magic, where the caster sacrifices mana permanently in order to cast spells and must drain mana from others in order to replenish their stock. A bit different from the D&D blood mage because the resource is still mana, not health or constitution (the line between life and mana can be pretty blurry anyway). Sorry if that's off-topic but yeah this energy-exchange concept is cool

Have you ever thought of psyichic vampires that drain energy instead of blood.

 

[Caliburn]

The idea of having to enthral yourself to some otherworldly being in order to "use" magic sounds interesting. I assume that means that a being will only agree to work through you if your goals are in alignment? Is there a political or diplomatic aspect to this? What kind of work does it take to convince one of these beings? Am I correct in assuming that the "bond" is for an extended period and not simply limited to a single spell? Can you bond with more than one being at a time? Have you figured out anything more about these "familiars"?

Pardon my twenty questions.


Psychic vampirism was the gist of it, but I think the term I used--"blood magic"--was misleading. Still I like blurring the line between spiritual essence and actual bodily health. One method of draining spiritual essence could be by actually sucking the victim's blood or consuming living or still-warm flesh (like in certain tribal beliefs), though perhaps only sentient beings would provide real nourishment? Shedding one's own blood could be a symbolic way of sacrificing part of your soul.

 

[Aidan of the tavern]

Mass is a bit scientific for my small brain, but I like this system a lot. I really like the idea of magic being dangerous and potentially damaging, something I'm trying to achieve myself. I'm wondering how you see magic being used in your world, you've mentioned healing, but is it effective as a weapon? Due to the nature of the essence exchange does this mean that it has no effect on inanimate physical things, like buildings or stone?

 

[Justme]

The idea of having to enthral yourself to some otherworldly being in order to "use" magic sounds interesting. I assume that means that a being will only agree to work through you if your goals are in alignment? Is there a political or diplomatic aspect to this? What kind of work does it take to convince one of these beings? Am I correct in assuming that the "bond" is for an extended period and not simply limited to a single spell? Can you bond with more than one being at a time? Have you figured out anything more about these "familiars"?

The cost of these schools are quite prohibitive. There are three ways to enter into these temples of leaning. I mean temples, because magic is not just a science of manipulating forces, it's a faith in the divine power. There are two citadels of magic. One one either end of the planet. The one for Good Named Alura-Nova sets directly on the North pole and the one for Evil, Named Reduxor-Desicri sets on the exact South pole. These citadels are enshrouded in magic, so as to remove the effects of the weather around them and make them quite habitable. Neutrality is not represented by an established school. Schooling is done by the higher level devotees that either wonder or set up permanent residence where they chose. If there is any real center for the philosophy it is a roving bands of adherents to migrate unceasingly from town to town, city to city and suport themselves through trade between the population centers of their world. Those that are attracted to their way of life and philisophical leanings are free to join, as long as they are able to pull their own weight and the income of that specific group will allow another mouth to feed. Each of these groups are called Laxia-Pretona and have a third name that designates that particular group from the others. The Felinoids are a splinter group from these and give them leave to winter in their areas every year.


I have not completely thought out any more of this, but to give you a quick answer. I think the those who need an otherworldly being must either become possessed for a time, which is done in an enclosed environment with the willing participant chained fast to and alter in the middle of a Pentagram or magic circle, in order to keep the possessor from completely entering freely into our world. If the possessor deems the possessed person suitable after riffling through their mind, they will allow that person access to a familiar after an oath is taken and the bond established. at the end of the devotees life that otherworldly being has the claim that persons soul, which augments their prestige and power in their perspective realms.

Psychic vampirism was the gist of it, but I think the term I used--"blood magic"--was misleading. Still I like blurring the line between spiritual essence and actual bodily health. One method of draining spiritual essence could be by actually sucking the victim's blood or consuming living or still-warm flesh (like in certain tribal beliefs), though perhaps only sentient beings would provide real nourishment? Shedding one's own blood could be a symbolic way of sacrificing part of your soul.

 

[Justme]

Mass is a bit scientific for my small brain, but I like this system a lot. I really like the idea of magic being dangerous and potentially damaging, something I'm trying to achieve myself. I'm wondering how you see magic being used in your world, you've mentioned healing, but is it effective as a weapon? Due to the nature of the essence exchange does this mean that it has no effect on inanimate physical things, like buildings or stone?

Magic is always dangerous. In it's raw state it is lethal. The practitioner of magic, beyond healing can't perform any magic beyond what his/her body can handle, which is the reason for the familiar. It is a life force from another dimension that acts as the conduit for the higher range spells. It is the familiars essence that is used instead of the practitioners. What the practitioner might not understand is that the life force inside the familiar is streamed from out of the outerworlder's own body.

These outwordlers are far older than these practitioners could even guess at. They've been movers and shakers of the natural world sense the beginning of time itself. They are the beings described almost directly out of the world of Cathulu. They are massive beyond belief and have the capacity to power whole civilizations, sense they themselves absorb the life essence of those they aid, like these practitioners. They have done so forever and the measure of life force within them is incapable.

Their one limit is that they can't enter into the natural world except through possession, for a very short time. They can only stream in their power through a thinly focused being which is the familiar. This familiar are animals that the perspective citadels raise themselves. They are of various kinds. Birds, foxes, dogs, ect. The practitioner has the choice of the form, but may not know that their chosen familiar is killed during the preparation phase and then the out worldly being infuses a portion of his own life essense into the creature, which brings it back to life. As a consequence of this the familiar also spies on the practitioner and can only be destroyed if it is completely vaporized.

Mass has substance that can be measured. It can describe items in many forms, which is why I use that term

 

[Justme]

Magic is nothing more than a stream of energy drawn from it's respective spheres of existence. There are 4 primary spheres, which are Fire, Water, Earth and air. Each with their own elemental creatures and the environment they reside in. It is this environment that supplies the raw material that is used in what is called area effect spells. These include fire balls, fire storms, ice and wind storms, as well as earthquakes and the like. The more basic and smaller area effect spells, like those against a single target are relatively easy to perform. Those, like ice spells are caused by mixing the streams from Water and air. Earthquakes are brought into being through Earth and fire. Fire being used to expand the molecules of the soil resulting in a fast expansion of the earth around it and suddenly the ground below the target area moves.

Then there is the void which contains the essence of all life, no matter what creature is infused by it. This is true for the natural realm of men, elves, Dwarves, animals and the like, as well as the other worldly creatures within their perspective realms.

Scratch the Elves and Dwarves. I think they are overused in fantasy books. There will be more inhabitants withing the natural world, but I think I will concentrate on those in this first book.

 

[Caliburn]

I think the stuff about familiars could be really cool. Do the familiars take after the beings they serve in form/personality? Are they fairly diminutive in size like a typical familiar?

Great opportunity for some interesting supporting characters there in my opinion, assuming they can communicate?

If you feel that Dwarves and Elves are too overused but you still want to include something like them, you could have an effeminate, graceful forest people who aren't Elves and a hardy, masculine mountain people who aren't Dwarves. Symbolically they would still be expressing the same familiar concepts or themes, but they would also feel fresh and exciting

What about the elemental planes? Do they seem overused to you?
I would want to disguise or reinterpret their nature somehow, or at least try not to call attention to the fact that they are just the same-old elemental planes.
Changing the names of each plane is one way of doing so, another method is to change how you refer to them collectively: instead of "elemental planes" give them another name with a similar meaning. For the planes themselves, maybe a plane of elemental fire doesn't have to be simply a plane of pure fire? What other concepts exist that are related to fire? What about earth, water and air? What concepts do each of the elements represent for you and how can those concepts be reinterpreted? How can you inject some of your own personality into the mix?

Maybe its not so important that they be crazy-different though. If you like using the elemental planes in the traditional fashion then there is no reason why you can't use them that way.

 

[Justme]

I think removing the soul of the familiars pretty much stops them from having a personality. They do as they are directed, by the practitioner, but will also give the practitioner information provided by the otherworldly being. As far as their size that is determined by what the practitioner chooses. Note that the familiar can be exchanged for a item, either a wand, staff, amulet, ring, which will be fully capable of providing the services that a familiar would, but most practitioners enjoy the physical protection of the familiar as a body guard. Most inanimate object can't sink their teeth into a thief's neck, if he comes too close.

I think The Wild is a dangerous place and is no place for effeminate beings of any kind. I think that magic is the one thing that sustains the Elven race in any universe and I Ddon't think I will concentrate on magic in the first book. I think I will follow the lead set by The Lord of the Rings and have separate beginnings in separate chapters of the book for all the main charactors, so I can fully set the history that will ultimately bring the group together.

As far as the plains of existence, I think I will find alternate labels for them as well. In fact I already have some ideas on that very thing.

 

[Caliburn]

Oh cool I like that bit about the staves/wands etc.
"Most inanimate objects can't sink their teeth into a thief's neck if he comes too close."
Most you say? So some can? Interesting!

Good luck with the rest

 

[Justme]

Well, I've decided I really need to make the Netherverce, which is what I'm calling the alternate plains of existence as dynamic as the natural world. I feel that they should be just as populated and just as chaotic as the world of men.

I've decided that these otherworld beings are Dukes, duchesses and other assorted nobility withing the realms they are in. That these beings have gathered massive amounts of followers, as those in the natural world, who have called upon and excepted a certain beings aid sacrificed their soul to that being, payable upon that person's death.

After several millenia these creatures have acquired a vast following of souls that many were users of magic, during their former lives. To these the being grants autonomy over the care and handling of the familiars. These are the one's that look out through the eyes of these familiars and control their very actions. They are the ones that allow the familiar to be used by the practitioner. These controllers are tasked to work for the betterment of the being they serve, more than the practitioner and there has been numerous occasions when the darker side has blocked service to the practitioner. Resulting in the early demise and the untimely absorption of the practitioners soul. The lighter side has their own version of the sacrificial lamb, but they are more considerate to the practitioner.

It doesn't exactly matter what the body goes through during the dieing process scene the physical form is cast aside. Practitioners of the darker side, tend to get chewed up a lot more than the others.

 

[Caliburn]

I am intrigued by this idea of Dukes and Duchesses in the Netherverce (verse? Not sure if typo). In my head it gives it this cool Elizabethan England/late-Medieval Europe vibe

 

[Justme]

I am intrigued by this idea of Dukes and Duchesses in the Netherverce (verse? Not sure if typo). In my head it gives it this cool Elizabethan England/late-Medieval Europe vibe

It was a typo. Thank you for that. I am on a break after running all night long and am in need of rest. You inspire me my friend. Thank you for that.

 

[Caliburn]

My pleasure!

 

[Justme]

I'm rethinking the entire workability of my first storyline and expanding it for the use of magic and extra-dimensional politics.

 

[Caliburn]

The concept of distinct realms of good and evil with Dukes and Duchesses and political manoeuvring makes me think of chess!
Both realms could be courtly and regal/elegant in appearance--even Reduxor the evil realm--but Alura the good realm is virtually all white (specifically ivory tone) while Reduxor is mostly black (ebony tone), creating a chess-like vibe without loudly saying "this is a chess metaphor!!!!"

Feel free to use or discard that idea at your leisure