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| How magic works in this forum | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 3 2013, 02:08 PM (249 Views) | |
| Felix Mort | Feb 3 2013, 02:08 PM Post #1 |
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Headmaster
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Nature Magic is a supernatural force that can alter the fabric of reality at fundamental levels, but with its limits. the origin of magic is unknown, Killing humans with magic, transforming others, Mind Reading, Mind Control, Necromancy, Time Travel and Summoning (or even seeking knowledge about) Eldritch Abominations) is addictive. So anyone who does any of that, even if for a good reason, is likely to do it again, more frivolously, or to do another one of them Using magic to use magic you need a handful of things 1: the energy, 2 the will, 3 the belief 1: the energy: magic needs energy to be used, this energy comes from one of two places Personal Energies - The mental and spiritual powers that mystics and sorcerers develop for themselves (psionics, chi, chakra, mana, life force, magic stuff etc.). this energy recharge with relaxing, and sleeping, eating, having fun, making love, and stuff in that nature Ambient Magical Energy of the Universe - Magicians can tap this power for many effects, unlike the personal energies this wont run dry that easily but can be more tiring to use as you have to channel energy from around you, it is also a nearly lost art since wizards of the past banned this knowledge to make themselves look better. 2: the will: once you have the energy you need to use your will to shape and add the wanted effect in to the energy, be it conjure up a bird, turn a rat yellow, fly, kill someone, open a door or turning someone's lungs in to fire, this is where spells and wand movement come in to play, a true magic user dont need wands, dont need spells, all they need is their will to shape the effect, "There aren't any magical words, really. The words just hold the magic. They give it a shape and a form, they make it useful, describe the images within." 3: the belief: one of the most telling factor of someone, this is what makes some able to use dark magic and some unable to use it, this is why the unforgivable curses is unforgivable, and this is why wandlore is the way it is, the wand makers simply think the wands are like they have been told, and this belief is poured in to the wand while it is being made, any foci really, this belief that it should be one way is ingrained in to the foci,fused with the magic, resulting in the semi-sentience the foci often have, and results in their personality "Magic wasn't something you needed God, a god, or gods to help you with, but a lot of people felt differently than I did. Even some wizards of the Council held deep religious convictions, and felt that they were bound intricately to their magic. Of course, if they believed it, it was as good as true. Magic is closely interwoven with a wizard's confidence. Some would say that it is bound up with a wizard's faith, and it would mean practically the same thing. You have to believe in the magic for it to work—not just that it will happen, but that it should happen. That's what makes people like Grevane so dangerous. Magic is essentially a force of creation, of life. Grevane's necromancy made a mockery of life, even as he used it to destroy. Besides being murderous and extremely icky, there was something utterly profane about using magic to create a rotting semblance of a human life. My stomach turned a little, just thinking about what it might be like to work a spell like that. And Grevane believed in it." or “What are we doing again?” Murphy asked. “Setting up a spell,” I said. “With Play-Doh.” “Yes.” She gave me a level look. I shook out the can that still had most of the original material in it, and showed it to her. “The little pieces I’ve been leaving around are part of this piece. See?” “Not yet,” she said. “They used to be one piece. Even when they’re separated, they still have a thaumaturgical connection to the original,” I told her. “It means that I'll be able to use the big piece to reach out and connect to the little pieces.” “That’s what you meant by a web?” “Yes. I’ll be able to…” I twisted up my face, searching for the words to explain. “I can extend energy out to all the smaller pieces. I’ll set it up so that if one of the little pieces picks up on a disturbance of the energies, I’ll be able to feel it through the larger piece.” “Like… seismographs, sort of,” Murphy said. “Yeah,” I said. “And we use blue Play-Doh. Blue for defense.” She arched a brow at me. “Does the color really matter?” “Yes,” I said, then thought about it for a second. “Well, probably no. But yes, for me.” “Huh?” “A lot of the use of magic is all tied up with your emotions. With what you believe is real. When I was younger, I learned a lot of stuff, like the role of colors in the casting of spells. Green for fertility and prosperity, red for passion and energy, white for purity, black for vengeance, and so on. It could be that the color doesn’t matter at all—but if I expect the spell to work because of the color used, then that color is important. If I don’t believe in it, the spell won’t ever get off the ground.” “Like Dumbo’s magic feather?” Murphy asked. “It was his confidence that was really important?” “Yes,” I said. “The feather was just a symbol—but it was an important symbol.” I gestured with the can. “So I use blue, because I don’t have to do too much introspection, and I don’t introduce new doubts in a crisis situation. And because it was cheap at Wal-Mart.” Murphy laughed. “Wal-Mart, huh?” “Wizarding doesn’t pay much,” I said. “You’d be surprised how much stuff I get from Wal-Mart.” For a person's ability to perform magic to be useful, a good deal of training is required to acquire the correct discipline(will and belief added with brain washing of dont know better). When 'wild', typically with young and untrained children, it will still manifest itself subconsciously in moments of strong apprehension, fear or anger. A powerful or intelligent wizard or witch can direct this force in less random ways, e.g. Tom Riddle, Lily Evans, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, and possibly Ariana Dumbledore. It should be noted that, whilst the ability to perform magic almost always reveals itself by age 11, there are some individuals who remain mundane until quite late in life when - in quite desperate circumstances - they suddenly reveal their magical capacity. However, such "late-bloomers" are rare, possibly more so than squibs(squibs do have magic, it is just all in their hidden potential and that knowledge is more or less lost) Almost all human magic is done with the use of a supporting tool or focus, typically a wand.(casting a spell without a foci is like trying to carve a butter sculpture with your bare hands; possible, but difficult.) One can do unfocused and uncontrolled magic without a wand. A few advanced wizards could perform directed magic without a wand. A wizard or witch is only at their best when using their own wand(belief that limits most magical folk, they think they are at their best, so they are at their best). When using another's wand , one's spells are not as strong as they normally would be, due to the laws of Wandlore(aka the belief made by wand makers and spread to the masses). The limits of magic There is always a Price. Always. Always check the price-tag. It will be paid, one way or another. The price can range from something as insignificant as the magical energy required to activate your magic, or something devastating, like your own life. Magic Immunity will foil your plans. Magic often drains a person's stamina or mana; naturally, stronger magic puts a much greater strain. Without the knowledge or proper skill, the intended use of a spell can create unpredictable or potentially dangerous results. Users are unable to use spells that are beyond their imagination. Using magic takes concentration and focus. Regardless of how powerful a witch or wizard is, they are by no means without limits. For example, true love is almost impossible to create magically, though Amortentia, a love potion, can create a powerful sense of infatuation. The following are some of the limits of magical abilities: Rule of Conjuration: While it is possible to conjure things out of thin air, it is far more tricky to create something that fits an exact specification rather than a general one; moreover, any objects so conjured tend not to last. Rule Against Resurrection: It is also impossible to resurrect the dead. Corpses can be transformed into obedient Inferi on a living wizard's command, though they are little more than zombies with no soul or will of their own. It is also possible via the rare Priori Incantatem effect to converse with ghost-like "shadows" of magically murdered people. The Resurrection Stone also allows one to talk to the dead, but those brought back by the Stone are not corporeal, nor do they wish to be disturbed from their peaceful rest. The result of such a summoning is usually detrimental to the summoner. Rule Against Immortality: Likewise, it is impossible to make oneself immortal unless one makes use of a mystical object of great power to sustain life (such as the Philosopher's Stone created by Nicolas Flamel or a Horcrux, the latter having been used by Lord Voldemort and Herpo the Foul). Legend holds that if one were to possess the three Deathly Hallows, these tools would enable the possessor to become the "master of death". However, being a true "master of death" means being willing to accept that death is inevitable. Becoming a ghost is also an option for wizards and witches; however, it is said that it is "a pale imitation of life". Whether or not ghosts are truly sentient beings possessed of an independent existence is unclear; Snape states that a ghost is merely "the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth". Magic and emotion A witch or wizard's emotional state can affect their inherent abilities. For example, Nymphadora Tonks temporarily lost her power as a Metamorphmagus after suffering severe emotional turmoil and sadness over her grief for the death of Sirius Black, and when Remus Lupin would not return her affections. In effect, the form of her Patronus changed to reflect her love for him. The form of her Patronus changed to reflect her depression. In 1995, when Mad-Eye called her by her first name, her hair temporarily turned red. Wizardkind are also weakened when in the presence of Dementors for prolonged periods, as said creatures attack their prey psychlogically by making them recall their worst memories, leaving the victims physically vulnerable. As related to Harry by Dumbledore during Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore's private lessons, Merope Gaunt only demonstrated any magical ability when removed from her father's oppression, but then seemed to lose it again when her husband abandoned her. Many other examples of emotion-influenced magic appear throughout the series, with Ariana Dumbledore (Dumbledore's sister) being emotionally scarred at a young age and then her magic turned volatile and uncontrolled. In addition, Harry magically inflated his Aunt Marge wandlessly and non-verbally, out of sheer anger when she disrespected his parents by calling his father a drunk. Several magical spells involve the use of emotion when casting them. The Patronus Charm, for example, requires the caster to concentrate on a happy memory(the happy memory acts as the energy). Force of will under extenuating circumstances also helps in casting spells, and affects the force with which they are cast. An example of this is when Harry is able to conjure a corporeal Patronus when Sirius Black is in danger of being administered the Dementor's Kiss. Another example of magic and emotions is when Ron Weasley caused it to snow above him with his wand when he felt guilt over breaking up with Lavender Brown without using any worded spells. Magic and death The phenomenon of Death is studied in detail in a room (called the Death Chamber) of the Department of Mysteries containing an enigmatic veil. Sirius Black falls through this veil after he is hit with a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange, and dies; i.e. the veil represents the boundary between the living and dead worlds. There are a few magical techniques that have been used to extend life. The Philosopher's Stone can be used to prepare a potion that postpones death for the rest of eternity, so long as the potion is drunk on a regular basis. Voldemort has availed himself of other methods, being one of the few wizards ever to use Horcruxes in his long sought attempt to "conquer death", and is believed to be the only one to use multiple Horcruxes. In addition, the drinking of Unicorn Blood will keep a person alive even if death is imminent, but at the terrible price of being cursed forever. Being magical can contribute to one's longevity, as there are several characters in the series who are quite long-lived (such as Albus Dumbledore, Bathilda Bagshot, and Griselda Marchbanks, who was an invigilator during Albus Dumbledore's O.W.L examinations). This can mainly be attributed to the speed and effectiveness of magical healing, such as spells that can mend bones instantly, potions that can completely regrow them, further potions that can cure many sicknesses and ailments including the Common Cold, spells for instantaneous, scarless healing, and transportation to hospitals being a matter of a few seconds and a side-along apparator or a handful of Floo powder. It is revealed by Nearly Headless Nick in the fifth book that all witches and wizards have the choice of becoming ghosts when they pass away. The alternative is "passing on". Nick says that he became a ghost because he was foolish, "afraid of death". All Hogwarts headmasters appear in a portrait when they die, allowing consultation by future generations. Dumbledore says that there is no spell that can truly bring the dead back to life, however several cases of dead people becoming half-alive are known. Because of a connection between Harry and Voldemort's wands (Priori Incantatem), images of Voldemort's recent victims appear and help Harry escape. According to Harry, they seemed too solid to be ghosts. While wizards can linger as ghosts or animate dead bodies as Inferius servants, no magic is capable of bringing a dead person back to full and true life. The closest possible is the Resurrection Stone. Spellcasting Spells are the every-purpose tools of a wizard or witch; short bursts of magic used to accomplish single specialised tasks such as opening locks or creating fire. Typically casting requires an incantation, most often in a modified form of Latin, and gesturing with a wand(belief, and training that tells you that dog latin means it, tells you that you say that word and move your wand like that and the spell will happen, it is just a different Foci). However, these seem to be aids to the will only; wands are in most cases required(beleif and a focusing help), but there are indications that sufficiently advanced witches and wizards can perform spells without them(those free from the beliefs or those so strong they can use their will better then most). Spells can also be cast non-verbally(think the focus not say it), but with a wand. This technique is taught in the sixth year of study at Hogwarts and requires the caster to concentrate on the incantation. Some spells (e.g. Levicorpus) are apparently designed to be used non-verbally. While most magic shown in the books requires the caster to use their voice, some do not (and this may depend on the witch or wizard). Dumbledore has been known to do impressive feats of magic without speaking, such as conjuring enough squashy purple sleeping bags to accommodate the entire student population or during his duel with Voldemort in the Atrium. It is evidently also possible to use a wand without holding it. Harry himself performs Lumos to light his wand when it is lying on the ground somewhere near him(he believes the magic he is using is meant to light up the tip of his wand, but if he knew better he would be able to move the light using his mind). Additionally, Animagi and Metamorphagi do not need wands to undergo their transformations. Spells are divided into rough categories, such as "charm", "curse", "hexes", or "jinxes". Although offensive and potentially dangerous curses exist in number, three are considered usable only for great evil, which earns them the special classification of "Unforgivable Curses"(truth behind the unforgivable curses is the belief of them, you cant do it if you dont believe they should work). Creativity in Spellcasting When a magician was limited in his/her vocabulary, they could make up for the weakness by bending the will of the spell, or find a way to make it work with what you have. Spell creativity was the art of wording spells in such a way to accomplish the will of the magician. It was an essential skill for spellcasters, especially those who had a limited schooling. It is one of the limitations to magic along with raw energy reserves and magic skills. Uses A master of spell creativity could do incredible things with a limited vocabulary, and accomplish things entirely unrelated to the effect they were trying to have on the world around them. Deathcurse a death curse is a magic person's best spell, and his/her last spell, it is done right before you die, and drains all your magical power in to one single awe inspiring spell, it dont really need that much focus since the share power of it results in a chain reaction, you want your death curse to be fire, well a bit of fire pluss alot of magical fuel and force, some who has a slower death or time to set up their curse can make complex death curses, others can only do quick and dirty ones Learning magic these are the main ways of learning magic in this forum: school: like hogwarts, a person goes to school, learns the basics, is brainwashed to think magic is not as free as it really is, this is the path most take apprenticeships: pre, post or instead of school, where you have a one to one learn magic, acts mostly as a school books: books can teach magic Geniuses In much the same way that people have varying talents for art, science, or music, practitioners have varying aptitudes for different aspects of magic. What is easy for one may be difficult for another. and in the same way there are those that is seen as geniuses in magic. The Unknown For most magic's nature is unknown, how someone can make a spell, and then years later someone can pick up a book, read how to do the spell, but not what it does, but both times it has the same result, but for those that collected knowledge, stored it, most of the unknown of magic is known, most of the unknown comes from simple belief, or genus loci that recalls the spell having been done before and takes over the will part of spells and the caster dont know about it and thinks they did it. Second Origin Second origin is the nickname given to a back up reserve of magic, it acts like a flood gate, keeping your "hidden potential" sealed away, in truth this is a mechanism meant to limit your powers, and make it so you dont use up all your magic and end up dead, those with sealed 2nd origins dont risk death from over use of magic, those with them open on the other hand gets a huge boost in raw magical power, both in the how many spells they can use, how much personal energy they have and how much magical resistance they have, but they run the risk of dying from using all their magic up at once Why muggles believe magic is not real best example that can be given is from the dresden files: "All right," I told Butters. "There are two things you have to accept if you want to understand what's going on." "Hit me." "First the tough one. Magic is real." I could feel him looking at me for a moment. "What do you mean by that?" "There's an entire world that exists alongside the everyday life of mankind. There are powers, nations, monsters, wars, feuds, alliances— everything. Wizards are a part of it. So are a lot of other things you've heard about in stories, and even more you've never heard of." "What kind of things?" "Vampires. Werewolves. Faeries. Demons. Monsters. It's all real." "Heh," Butters said. "Heh, heh. You're joking. Right?" "No joke. Come on, Butters. You know that there are weird things out there. You've seen the evidence of them." He pushed a shaking hand through his hair. "Well, yes. Some. But, Harry, you're talking about something else entirely here. I mean, if you want to tell me that people have the ability to sense and affect their environment in ways we don't really understand yet, I can accept that. Maybe you call it magic, and someone else calls it ESP, and someone else calls it the Force, but it's not a new idea. Maybe there are people whose genetic makeup makes them better able to employ these abilities. Maybe it even does things like make them reproduce their DNA more clearly than other people so that they can live for a very long time. But that is not the same thing as saying that there's an army of weird monsters living right under our noses and we don't even notice them." "What about those corpses you analyzed?" I said. "Humanoid but definitely not human." "Well," Butters said defensively, "it's a big universe. I think it's sort of arrogant to assume that we're the only thinking beings in it." "Those corpses were the bodies of vampires of the Red Court, and you don't want to meet a living one. There were a lot of them in town at one point. There aren't so many now, but there are plenty more where they came from. They're only one flavor of vampire. And vampires are only one flavor of supernatural predator. It's a jungle out there, Butters, and people aren't anywhere near the top of the food chain." Butters shook his head. "And you're telling me that nobody knows about it?" "Oh, lots of people know about it," I said. "But the ones who are in the know don't go around talking about it all that much." "Why not?" "Because they don't want to get locked up in a loony bin for three months for observation, for starters." "Oh," Butters said, flushing. "Yeah. I guess I can see that. What about regular people who see things? Like sightings and close encounters and stuff?" I blew out a breath. "That's the second thing you have to understand. People don't want to accept a reality that frightening. Some of them open their eyes and get involved—like Murphy did. But most of them don't want anything to do with the supernatural. So they leave it behind and don't talk about it. Don't think about it. They don't want it to be real, and they work really hard to convince themselves that it isn't." "No," Butters said. "I'm sorry. I just don't buy that." "You don't need to buy it," I said. "It's true. As a race, we're an enormous bunch of idiots. We're more than capable of ignoring facts if the conclusions they lead to make us too uncomfortable. Or afraid." "Wait a minute. You're saying that a whole world, multiple civilizations of scientific study and advancement and theory and application, all based around the notion of observing the universe and studying its laws is… what? In error about dismissing magic as superstition?" "Not just in error," I said. "Dead wrong. Because the truth is something that people are afraid to face. They're terrified to admit that it's a big universe and we're not." He sipped coffee and shook his head. "I don't know." "Come on, Butters," I said. "Look at history. How long did the scholarly institutions of civilization consider Earth to be the center of the universe? And when people came out with facts to prove that it wasn't, there were riots in the streets. No one wanted to believe that we all lived on an unremarkable little speck of rock in a quiet backwater of one unremarkable galaxy. The world was supposed to be flat, too, until people proved that it wasn't by sailing all the way around it. No one believed in germs until years and years after someone actually saw one. Biologists scoffed at tales of wild beast-men living in the mountains of Africa, despite eyewitness testimony to the contrary, and pronounced them an utter fantasy—right up until someone plopped a dead mountain gorilla down on their dissecting table." He chewed on his lip and watched the streetlights. "Time after time, history demonstrates that when people don't want to believe something, they have enormous skills of ignoring it altogether." "You're saying that the entire human race is in denial," he said. "Most of the time," I replied. "It's not a bad thing. It's just who we are. But the weird stuff doesn't care about that—it keeps on happening. Every family's got a ghost story in it. Most people I've talked to have had something happen to them that was impossible to explain. But that doesn't mean they go around talking about it afterward, because everyone knows that those kinds of things aren't real. If you start saying that they are, you get the weird looks and jackets with extra-long sleeves." "For everyone," he said, voice still skeptical. "Every time. They just keep quiet and try to forget it." "Tell you what, Butters. Let's drive down to CPD and you can tell them how you were just attacked by a necromancer and four zombies. How they nearly outran a speeding car and murdered a security guard who then got up and threw your desk across the room." I paused for a moment to let the silence stretch. "What do you think they'd do?" "I don't know," he said. He bowed his head. "Unnatural things happen all the time," I said. "But no one talks about it. At least, not openly. The preternatural world is everywhere. It just doesn't advertise." "You do," Butters said. "But not many people take me seriously. For the most part even the ones who accept my help just pay the bill, then walk out determined to ignore my existence and get back to their normal life." "How could someone do that?" Butters asked. "Because it's terrifying," I said. "Think about it. You find out about monsters that make the creatures in the horror movies look like the Muppets, and that there's not a damned thing you can do to protect yourself from them. You find out about horrible things that happen— things you would be happier not knowing. So rather than live with the fear, you get away from the situation. After a while you can convince yourself that you must have just imagined it. Or maybe exaggerated it in the remembering. You rationalize whatever you can, forget whatever you can't, and get back to your life." I glanced down at my gloved hand and said, "It's not their fault, man. I don't blame them." "Maybe," he said. "But I don't see how things that hunt and kill human beings could be there among us without our knowing." "How big was your graduating class in high school?" Butters blinked. "What?" "Just answer me." "Uh, about eight hundred." "All right," I said. "Last year in the U.S. alone more than nine hundred thousand people were reported missing and not found." "Are you serious?" "Yeah," I said. "You can check with the FBI. That's out of about three hundred million, total population. That breaks down to about one person in three hundred and twenty-five vanishing. Every year. It's been almost twenty years since you graduated? So that would mean that between forty and fifty people in your class are gone. Just gone. No one knows where they are." Butters shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "So?" I arched an eyebrow at him. "So they're missing. Where did they go?" "Well. They're missing. If they're missing, then nobody knows." "Exactly," I said. He didn't say anything back. I let the silence stretch for a minute, just to make the point. Then I started up again. "Maybe it's a coincidence, but it's almost the same loss ratio experienced by herd animals on the African savannah to large predators." Butters drew his knees up to his chest, huddling further under the blanket. "Really?" "Yeah," I said. "Nobody talks about this kind of thing. But all those people are still gone. Maybe a lot of them just cut their ties and left their old lives behind. Maybe some were in accidents of some kind, with the body never found. The point is, people don't know . But because it's an extremely scary thing to think about, and because it's a lot easier to just get back to their lives they tend to dismiss it. Ignore it. It's easier." Butters shook his head. "It just sounds so insane. I mean, they'd believe it if they saw it. If someone went on television and—" "Did what?" I asked. "Bent spoons? Maybe made the Statue of Liberty disappear? Turned a lady into a white tiger? Hell, I've done magic on television, and everyone not screaming that it was a hoax was complaining that the special effects looked cheap." "You mean that clip that WGN news was showing a few years back? With you and Murphy and the big dog and that insane guy with a club?" "It wasn't a dog," I said, and shivered a little myself at the memory. "It was a loup-garou. Kind of a superwerewolf. I killed him with a spell and a silver amulet, right on the screen." "Yeah. Everyone was talking about it for a couple of days, but I heard that they found out it was a fake or something." "No. Someone disappeared the tape." "Oh." I stopped at a light and stared at Butters for a second. "When you saw that tape, did you believe it?" "No." "Why not?" He took a breath. "Well, because the picture quality wasn't very good. I mean, it was really dark—" "Where most scary supernatural stuff tends to happen," I said. "And the picture was all jumpy—" "The woman with the camera was terrified. Also pretty common." Butters made a frustrated sound. "And there was an awful lot of static on the tape, which made it look like someone had messed with it." "Sort of like someone messed with almost all of my X-rays?" I shook my head, smiling. "And there's one more reason you didn't believe it, man. It's okay; you can say it." He sighed. "There's no such things as monsters." "Bingo," I said, and got the car moving again. "Look, Butters. You are your own ideal example. You've seen things you can't explain away. You've suffered for trying to tell people that you have seen them. For God's sake, twenty minutes ago you got attacked by the walking dead. And you're still arguing with me about whether or not magic is real." Trivia magic in this forum is a mix between the magic of the dresden files and magic of the potterverse, with the idea of how it is made comming from the dresden files (energy, will and belief) and examples coming from the potterverse, for the most part if you are familier with the potterverse you are fmailier with how magic works in this world, all due to a age old conspiracy myth
Edited by Cross Odinson, Feb 4 2013, 01:55 PM.
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| Felix Mort | Feb 3 2013, 08:12 PM Post #2 |
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Headmaster
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house threshold Homes are places of special magic qualities, which are surrounded by and separated from the outside by a threshold. Its most prominent effect is its barrier-like quality to magic, making crossing the threshold impossible or inconveniencing to magic and magical beings unless invited in. threshold is a magical barrier around a home; it acts like an invisible and intangible field of energy surrounding it and keeps out unwanted magical forces. Crossing a threshold may be impossible or come with great effort or at a cost for some beings unless invited in. Every home is surrounded by a threshold, although there are great variations in strength, and not every living space qualifies as a home. The existence and strength of a threshold depends on the way it is inhabited. Places that feel like a home to its inhabitants, that are connected to emotions and have a history, are stronger than those that are simply a place to live, which are "just a house". Familiy homes are generally stronger than single households. Old and longtime dwellings, ancestral homes, places with a history of their own are usually very strong, whereas short-term or rented living spaces are weaker. Places that are not homes, like public buildings, hotel rooms, offices, and so forth, as a rule do not have a threshold, possibly barring some exceptions. The magic qualities of a home and its threshold exist only around homes of mortals (possibly only humans). Dwellings of other beings do not induce the existence of a threshold. Crossing a threshold Crossing a threshold is a meaningful action, in which both the magic barrier and the crossing person influence the situation. If invited into the home by its owner or an inhabitant, the invited person or being can pass into the home completely unaffected.Trying to cross a threshold uninvited has repercussions, or may not be possible at all. Crossing a threshold uninvited leaves much of the crossing being's magic behind.Humans, as a non-magical creature, can cross thresholds without invitation or harm. Normal humans possessing no magic as a rule can and do pass thresholds without noticing or being affected; although they themselves can and do influence it, as lots of strangers entering a home can weaken the threshold (at least temporarily, and possibly only when uninvited). Human wizards are able to cross a threshold uninvited, although forcing themselves through the barrier leaves much of their magic and power behind, severely weakening their magic while inside the home. If wizards are invited in, they can pass without loss of or other influence on their magic. Supernatural and magic creatures are much more affected and inconvenienced by a threshold, due to being comprised of and bound to a greater extend by magic and its rules. Forcing themselves through a threshold would not only result in the loss of their 'outer' magical powers while in the home, but often actively endanger their life. Thus many magical creatures are often incapable of crossing a threshold, due to being kept out completely by the barrier, or due to unwillingness to endanger themselves to this extend. Even if a creature tries to or can force itself through a (possibly weaker) threshold, it usually still takes a lot of effort. All this results in many, if not most magical creatures being unable to cross a threshold unless invited in. Among them are for example vampires. Harry Dresden's apartment does not have a strong threshold, as it is rented and a bachelor single household. Karrin Murphy's house has a strong threshold, as the house has been a home for a century and to generations of her familiy. Dresden has described the feeling of a threshold as a kind of tension, when crossing uninvited as something tugging at him and having to "push" through, feeling a resistance, and experiencing a tingling sensation. Blood Magic Spilling of blood is a potent force in the working of magic. It may be a token sacrifice, but it may also be the loss of life that fuels the spell. Expect mages who practice Blood Magic to be portrayed as evil, or at least dark grey. Some blood may be indicated to be more powerful than others. Common types are human blood, the blood of royalty, the blood of a special line, a child's blood, or virgin's blood. Sometimes only a single person's blood has power, and any other blood is powerless. True Name A True name is a word that has a deep connection to someone, in Thaumaturgy a true name is as powerful as blood, hair, flesh or a voodoo doll, a true name is not your birth name Ley Lines A ley line are natural streams of magic running all over the world, often connecting places with outstanding magic and supernatural energies. Ley lines are made up of various kinds of energy; whatever kinds are more prominent in the line affects its properties. There are, for example, ley lines with defensive, disruptive, or restorative energy. They can be tapped into by magic users to draw power from them. Using a ley line is the most powerful means of employing magic known to mortal wizards. Some might be more stable which means that it is better to use when a stable flow of energy is needed. Others might have destructive energies, which means it is better to use in battle. The island Demonreach has a ley line that has certain malevolent properties. This makes people who go near the island unconsioulsy vear away. Thaumaturgy Thaumaturgy is the process of creating magical links between objects or people. Magic flows through one object and is attached to the other. Thaumaturgy is employed in various ways. The most well-known example is the voodoo doll, which is a doll magically connected to a person. Most thaumaturgy requires something to connect the object being used to the greater object, such as blood, hair or nail clippings, etc. It has been used to: keep a loup-garou from biting or slashing; trace items to other items ('finder spell'); and even track enemies Sanctum Invocation A Sanctum Invocation is a ritual spell that binds a wizard to an area of land that has some sort of sentient or sapient properties, known as a genius loci. Most commonly the bond gives power to the wizard but it is known to give other abilities like intellectus if the Genius Loci in question has great age or power. The abilities granted by the bond are unable to have an effect outside the area they control. It is theoretically possible to have such an effect but highly unlikely considering that one with intellectus confined to its territory is considered extremely unusual. Veil A veil is a magical form of concealment which renders the affected either invisible or otherwise unnoticed by most of the magically unaware. Veils can range from simple feelings of aversion to looking in a direction, to a lack of conscious recognition of someone's presence, to a complete state of invisibility and denial of the existence of the physical space in which the veil stands. Veils can be seen through with the Wizard's Sight and perhaps some varieties of sentient magical creatures. For the creation of good veils the creator has to have a good fine control of magic, and has to be calm and still. Being under a veil also always reduces the veiled person's ability to see or perceive the world outside the veil. Ward A ward is a defense set up by a magic user. There are a variety of different ones. From killing to detection to stopping hostile magic. Wards are weak without a threshold. It is possible though to make a strong ward if there is a strong enough power source like a ley line., a ward can be bounded to a house treshold and make it stronger and longer lasting
Edited by Cross Odinson, Feb 4 2013, 02:08 PM.
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