Magic

Magic refers to various different practices, rituals, and abilities living beings are capable of using to locally manipulate the natural world made possible by combining precise techniques, a belief in one's own abilities intense enough to affect local energy fields, and experience in using one's own magical potential. When it comes to the practical usage of Magic, its manipulation can generally be divided into a number of 'aspects' that each individual who learns how to use Magic is limited to without increasing their own magical potential, consisting of four 'divided aspects' generally associated with the four classical elements of air, earth, fire, and water, alongside one 'uniform aspect' associated with the element of aether. The four divided aspects involve the manipulation of a medium associated with their element via the aforementioned precise techniques (unlike what one may expect, the divided aspects are not 'limited' to that directly associated with their 'element', rather being considerably fluid to include nearly anything which could fall into their bounds). The uniform aspect (Aether) differs from the divided aspects' manipulation of the world by extending one's magic intentions thru local energy fields like a cascade, instead involving the direct manipulation of the local energy fields themselves rather than disturbing them to achieve desired affects, allowing for much wider-reaching rituals not dependent on the divided aspects to occur.

Magic is largely fueled via channeling and influencing two separated energy fields that encompass all lifeforms known as Orgone and Memoria in complementary ways, as Orgone connects the 'physical world' and Memoria connects the 'mental world', thus significant enough belief is capable of disturbing Memoria enough to cause an interaction with the Orgone present within one's body, disturbing the local Orgone in the physical world in a way which can "alter" reality locally, producing the magical affect. The altering of reality thru these interactions is measured via 'Field Interactions (Φ)', with 100𝛪 being the 'background' rate of Orgone and Memoria interactions occurring constantly thanks to biological life being connected to both contradictory energies, while the 'usage of magic' is able to cause Φ-Spikes up to the multiple thousands, which when guided via intense enough belief, precise techniques and discipline to pass thru into reality with enough remaining intensity to channel the disrupted local Orgone to achieve a specific goal, expelling the energy not used to achieve the intentions in a 'counterreaction' known as 'Backfire' (which is also why Magic has limits, many things simply require Φ-Spikes too significant to be generated).

Most types of magic can be performed by a majority of individuals as long as they know how to do it and wield their genetic 'innate potential' (personal orgone concentration). While a vast majority of people's potential is effectively nonexistent (aside from those native to certain 'Spiritual Worlds' with exceptionally immense Orgone concentrations such as Skantos and Doria), their potential can be increased with sacrifice rituals which rid the Orgone tethered to a physical medium, contact with magic (high orgone concentrations) and extensive studies. These exceptions include some types requiring genetic disposition, the usage of specific items or actions, or other methods.

Schools of thought

As mentioned above, preforming magic requires the usage of specific techniques, belief, and study, thus the following is a collection of common 'schools of thought' which combine these three requirements to achieve proven results.

Arcane Magic is a collection of 'traditional' magical practices made possible via the manipulation of the Aether Uniform Aspect, involving various techniques such as intricate spells, rituals, and sigils which may often be difficult to learn especially without pre-disposition, though arguably among the easiest to achieve the necessary potential to achieve. Several other sub-practices make use of specific parts of Arcane practices, such as Black Magic being associated with baneful/taboo spells, L'Anormal resulting from the combination of magic and art, White Magic being associated with benevolent/selfless spells such as healings, blessings, or charms, alongside various other sub-practices.

Arcane-Divided Magic involves the simultaneous usage of the Aether Uniform Aspect and a Divided Aspect to manipulate the natural world like a Divided Aspect practice at a longer less-direct range via the direct manipulation of energy fields, including sub-practices pertaining to spells ranging from weather, nature, and wildlife to incorporating magic in the functions of technologies.

Carnomancy is a practice developed by Crimsonists which utilises the Water Divided Aspect to alter and reshape living matter such as bodies and flesh, either via more Aether-like long-range rituals to summon constructs/entities, or via a more Water-Like short-range approach of reshaping living beings much like grafting clay. Due to Carnomancy being associated with the Crimson Faith, the level of belief involved in religion is sufficient for it to often be among the easiest forms of magic to preform for its adherents.

Elemental Magic is the most common magical practice making use of one of the Divided Aspects to manipulate a specific element, being divided into the 'Divine School' utilising energy sourced from Deities or the 'Hecatian School' common among Lunacians involving the direct manipulation of the four classical elements via martial arts.

Reality Warping* is a unique form of magic which doesn't require the manipulation of either Orgone or Memoria, instead being accessible to those born with an unusually high internal ARS Rating above that of standard reality, allowing them to warp reality around them to varying degrees of severity in whatever ways they wish. While they are incredibly powerful, they can still be defeated by devices such as Reality Anchors or more powerful Reality Warpers.