#Magic lore

[ernstiggroteadelaar]

MTG LORE FANS, please tell me about (random) characters from mtg stories you're obsessed with/a fan of/you just think they're neat, i'm trying to find the most fun bits of mtg lore

[dept-of-monster-affairs]

If I were to encounter a fae, how should I address them? I heard you can't tell them your name, acceptany food from them, etc. How much of it is true?

I hope you recovery is going smoothly!

The Fae or Fey are creatures that the Department of Monster Affairs are still studying. DoMA uses the word Fae/Fey as a category term to describe the nature spirits that originated in northern European lands and were exported across the world in stories, during colonization, before the Veil was fully established. Included in this category are pixies, brownies, dryads, kobolds, huldra, gnomes, goblins, and more. Each of these kinds of Fae/Fey has their own way by which you should interact with them. Overall, the number one priority is to treat these creatures and the nature around them with respect.

Given the rules you bring up, you are most likely asking directly about Elves which have been historically refered to as Fae, Fey, Faeries/Fairies, or Fair Folk, and that have different names in various mythologies such the Gaelic Aos Si. Elves are, simply put, nature spirits experiencing humanity. This is why they can sexually reproduce with mortal races and even choose to bind their power to live as a near-mortal. The latter are the Elves that you will run into freely living among humans and other mortal species.

Even when Elves are living among mortals it is important to remember that they are powerful magical creatures, even when their power if bound. They know the rules of magic well and have had centuries to practice. Language is one of the most basic forms of magic which Elves, and most Fae use, so watch what you say to them. But they are also oathbound - if they promise something they will deliver, even if it is in a form you would not desire. So again, watch your words and be careful of double meanings.

Giving your name to an Elf is fine. However, you should never give them your full or true name - this is why European cultures developed the practice of middle names and why so many European names have nickname deminuatives. For example you can tell an Elf your name is John Smith but should not tell them Johnathan Franklin Smith. This practice is not specific to Elves, however, but is true at all times for true names have great magical power - to name something is to have power over it.

When in their natural habitat (typically forests) Elves are nearly immortal, do not age, and have vast amounts of natural magic at their disposal; and they have culture. Due to their magical nature their culture's social norms magical bind them to certain actions. One of the most important parts for Elven culture is hospitality. When you are in their forest, you are in their home. If they accept you as a guest that means they are your host and will act in accordance to the laws of hospitality - but you too must act in accordance to these laws. Therefore, it is recommend you approach them with a gift if you wish to stay in their woods as a sign of respect.

Regarding food, part of the laws of hospitality state that for the host-guest relationship to be official the guest and host must eat together. So, if you want to be the guest of an Elf you should eat their offered food - the problem is that Elven food is so delicious that mortals can become addicted. It is suggested that instead of eating cooked or baked food you only eat raw food and drink water due to this. It will be the best apple you ever have but it won't make your body crave it.

Also, once mortals eat that food they are bound by the same laws of hospitality - they are bound by magic. This means that if you do not follow your host's ideas of etiquette, their customs, they may take offense and you even may break the rules of hospitality. Breaking these rules will lead to dire consequences.

Hopefully, this answer helps with your future engagements with Elves and Fae. Just remember, engagement with such beings in their natural environment is highly discouraged by the Department of Monster Affairs. We do not have any treaties with the Fae Courts that would help you if you become stuck in their lands.

[the-kingshound]

wait couldn’t the hound, in theory, extend their life significantly with their magic? Like with their resiliency and regeneration?

You'd think that, but no. In fact, the opposite happens.

Lore dump

Magic requires energy to be sustained, in the case of battle magic, since it enhances the user and has effect only on them, the energy it requires has to come from the mage. As such, fightings take a lot out of mages, and while they are insanely resistant to damage they often suffer from chronic fatigue and chronic pain after making too much use of their magic.

Magic, not just battle magic, can become stronger if the mage trains. But in the case of battle magic, since it takes so much from the user, it will slowly but surely wear their body down the more they use it. This very often leads to chronic conditions, joint damage/pain (MC's father has to use a cane) that can force the mage to use a wheelchair or to be bedbound (probably what will happen to Adrei in 15-20 years). Ultimately, battle mages tend to have a lower life expectancy due to this.

Slight spoilers for Morgana and her magic

Morgana's magic, contrary to battle magic, works on external elements and as such requires energy from the outside. Her type of magic is sustained by siphoning energy from all that the mage can reach. Plants, animals, even humans.

It doesn't wear down the user, but it can have heavy impacts on their mental stability.

It is said that one of the most powerful mages in existence made an entire forest die in order to summon a storm so powerful it destroyed the enemy's fortress leaving only ruins.

[overgrown-estate]

I watched an hour's worth of Tezzeret lore and found I could relate to his background... until he started killing people.

You know, newer Planeswalkers always seem to have it easy. You don't really see 'walkers with early backgrounds like Tezzeret or Elspeth anymore.

And that's actually why I like those planeswalkers the most. Not everyone has an easy, sheltered, worry-free life. It seems like Magic has become sanitized... until they need someone to be sacrificed.

On the other side of the coin, Tezzeret became extreme, letting his history dictate who he became. Elspeth became a devoted zealot in service to religion and militancy.

How about someone who went through hell and is just trying to get by on an even a keel as possible?

/Rant over. Don't know where I'm going with this anymore.

[igorlevchenko-blog]

A word on Constant Effect Enchantments

We've had occasion before now to reflect how constant Illusion enchantments are detrimental to one's mental health. @theseventhoffrostfall has aptly dubbed it "the dunmer version of lead-based makeup" which also underscores how it became a kind of fashion statement, to cloak oneself in, say, cumulative Chameleon enchantments, in civil setting. The harmful effects of illusion magic ranges from insidious to truly devastating: as is the case with Sanctuary spell, shown to be the main driver of disassociative disorders—conditions that involve experiencing a loss of connection between thoughts, memories, feelings, surroundings, behavior and identity. Under these circumstances, one can imagine how even the lowliest Light spell—if made into a constant effect—would be further exasperating these symptoms.

Here I refer you to my monograph: "On pathology of indirect Light spells", Black Horse Courier Press, Imperial city.

While Reflect and Detect spells (of Mysticism school) may work towards eroding one's circumspection—the ethereality, the ghostliness of Sanctuary is an assault on faculties most fundamental.

So once again I ask you to call upon your local Council-members to vote on banning this magical mal-practice!

[bingken]

magic-related fun facts

here are a few fun facts about magic and magic users on my planet, Kirotar.

terms like "witch" and "wizard" are not gender-specific, and instead used to describe magic users of different skill levels.

a magician: general term for any and all magic users of any skill level or discipline a witch: term for magic users who are self-taught or learned from friends and family, not professionally educated, have a non-scholarly understanding of magic a wizard: term for magic users who are educated professionally, studied magic at least to a basic level, have a scholarly understanding of magic, learned through curriculum a warlock: specialized and skilled magic users with years of dedicated professional study, sought to learn magic in higher levels of education, masters of magic a magus: magical scientists, those who study, research, and experiment with magic as a career; they are often magicians, but not always

2. people from different places have different styles of performing magic, based on the way they were taught, and each one is unique.

people from Safimatet (the east) typically perform magic with movements of the open palms to direct their magic. people from Besilyon (the south) usually perform magic by making different hand signs, with different positions of the fingers. people from Tovapikus (the west) also perform magic by moving their hands, but they use closed fists instead of open palms. people from Ramocesin (the north) regularly preform magic with dance-like motions of the hands, wrists, and fingers all at once. the thing about this is: each of these styles are equivalent! it's different methods of doing the same thing. it can be compared to drawing with a pencil versus drawing with a pen; it looks different, but the product is essentially the same/very similar. also, these things aren't necessary for performing the actual magic, it's more to assist the user. it's like using a ruler; if a person hasn't practiced drawing straight lines on their own, they'd usually use a ruler, because if they don't, then their lines are a little wobbly and imperfect. the ruler just helps them to get it right.

3. some people on Kirotar perform magic as a job. because it's so highly specialized, people will hire experts to use magic they can't use themselves. for example, builders might hire a warlock of motion magic to help them move heavy materials that they either couldn't lift or would have extreme difficultly lifting otherwise.

4. magic is something that scientists theorize about constantly. there is a lot of magic that could be possible, but it would take too much energy or skill to perform, so they can't test if it would actually work. this doesn't stop them from writing out long equations and coming up with complicated hypotheses about it, though. 5. there is a magical code of conduct which is widely accepted across the planet that dictates what kind of magic can legally be performed. depending on the area, breaking this code of conduct can be a very serious offense. one example of a magical crime would be necromancy/using magic to revive a human being.

that's all for now. there was going to be a drawing with this post (as there has been in the others so far) but I haven't had the motivation to doodle as of late, so I'm just going to post this anyway. hope the facts are actually fun

[ohdragonflyohdragonburnthemdown]

The Winx fairy circle

Our girls! I'm gonna have to update this as more info's come along, but here are some basic informations about it.

First of all the tattoos.

They are all based on the same principle. A scale from Bloom (the dominon ritual) that has an image as representation of each fairies magic on it. They are also in the colours representing each fairy. Around it in a pentagram the other five fairies.

I choose the pentagram specifically since it's an interweaving of lines. Symbolizing the way the girls cary and rest on each other. If one is gone they would fall apart and stay alone.

For the lines. I choose the colours that I associate with the girls, same as with the scales. So blue for Blue, although there are hints of yellow in there. Red for Musa, pink for Flora, green for Aisha and violet for Tecna.

Stella got two colours, because I think it's criminal that she is the fairy of the sun and the moon and nobody uses that! So her scale is both yellow/gold and white/silver with the sun and the moon on it and her line in the pentagram is the sky in night and day with the corresponding celestial bodies.

As for the other's lines. The lines represent the magic each girl has, their essence so to say.

So Bloom's is both the flame and the dragon, looking at her friends and looking out for them.

Musa's is a line of notes showing both her love for music and her writing her one songs to show er feelings.

Flora's is a mix of flowers, leaves and vines to represent her ability to adapt and both shelter as fell as to end (Vines in nature do tend to kill other plants)

Tecna's is lighting, since it's electricity in its purest and most powerful form. Technology's heart and blood.

And lastly Aisha who got waves and swirls. Symbolizing both the wild nature of the sea and the tides and streams you do not notices until it's too late.

If their circle were to defined by the rules I set up with the lore around fairy circles, theirs would be a mix of all three main circle forms. A hope circle most of all, because they know each other and appreciate each part of them, they are a family leaning and supporting each other. But they are also a trial and war circle, because…well Army of Decay, the Trix, Darkar, Valtor and now the Marriage and the council. They have been at war for three years and through so many trials.

Also fun fact and a minor spoiler they called their circle "The Hoard", because of the scales and because Bloom once made the mistake of calling them her hoard. Bloom is both embraced and a pissed about it, but deep down she's really touched that they decided to call their circle that. (It's Stella's fault btw. She was the one to call them that first and everyone else loved it and ignored Bloom's protests."

[beatheturtleandearthling]

It’s Here!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64626514/chapters/166003810

Enjoy this little CBS Ghosts fic @umheyitzbellaig and me wrote together!

P.S. It even has original/original magic lore!👀👀

[goffilolo]

Magic attribute categorisation

As much as I find the wide variety of magic attributes on the world of Black Clover to be interesting and full of potential, I feel like it’s being kneecapped to some extent by Tabata’s minimal lore and in some cases lack of more detailed explanations. I could sit here all day discussing it, but the one thing I did want to focus on is the categories of attributes as we know it. We’ve only been introduced to categories of ‘elemental’ attributes and told briefly that other types of magic can be derived/evolve from those. But the longer I sat down to think about it, the more I realised that there’s still far too many attributes that are in no way even closely related to anything remotely elemental and should be in a category of their own.

This realisation was then followed by a kindergarten level mental exercise of being given cards with many different things and told to put them in groups based on similarities. This has led to the following extended attribute categorisation. I did put a few examples for each of the categories to help better illustrate my point, but I didn’t see the need to try and include every attribute we were ever shown.

Here's the list of categories:

Natural attributes - All the basic ‘elemental’ attributes fall into this category, as well as some other types of magic that relate to the natural phenomena.

Examples:

Poison magic

Glass magic

Beast magic

Material/Man-made attributes - These attributes may have initially evolved from natural attributes, but they are characterised by appearing as/being based on man-made objects, often allowing for more ‘complex’ spells. 

Examples:

Key magic

Sword magic

Dice magic

Physical attributes - This category covers all attributes that are derived from the laws of physics and affect the very foundation of how the world works.

Examples:

Spacial magic

Time magic

Gravity magic

Performative attributes - Unlike other types of magic, these aren’t based around a ‘thing’ or a physical force that can be manipulated, but rather an ‘action’ that needs to be performed.

Examples:

Sealing magic

Copy magic

Dance magic

Conceptual attributes - These attributes are unique in that they aren’t based on physical/tangible elements and are often derived from more complex, man-made ideas. They exist because the very concept of them exists within mass consciousness. 

Examples:

Word magic

Dream magic

Curse magic

All of this is just my ideas based on categories that make sense to me. If you don't agree with them that's fine, if you want to use the ideas of these categories in your own stuff that's fine too.

[macabresymphonies]

I appriciate the implications for lore and larger story and all the supplemental stories (please don't get rid of those WOTC) of Thunder Junction, but the fact this is "an empty plane with no living beings before that" makes it feel so forgettable it's actually insane.

I tried to stay positive really, but it's just bunch of returning characters having a cowboy themed party. The events could happen literally anywhere else, Ixalan especially, because there was no inherent faction, history or structure that made it unique to the plane. The Marketable Plushie™ could have been locked in Niv-Mizzet's cabinet for all I care and it would actually make more lore significant, than a random vault desert plane with vaugely native american nomad faction visiting it (you know, it's like native american history, sans most of it's core).

With MKM feeling like "Clue night at Markov Mansion" (to the point actual Clue set came out with it), Caverns of Ixalan not originally being Ixalan, but being "too similar not to not change" (god forbid you have more than one native american set when you have your n-th "vaugely european fantasy" set), I'm afraid it's setting a bad precedent for the future where creativity is stifled by marketability.

"I know you got a plane that suddenly has pissed winged police all over it and crime can no longer fly in demon city, but we can't do two sets on the same plane in such a short time (unless it's scamming you on small packs of course) so the cops and robbers set is instead back on Ravnica, you guys like Ravnica don't you (the sales charts said so)? Look Teysa Karlov is here! Isn't she like your "gagachondra mother boss queen" or whataver you nerds like to say? We're still testing grounds since we lost our last goth girl bait to some "character growth" or whatever back in Strixhaven"

Hoping Blumburrow is good enough to maybe make them reconsider (at least epilogue sets were atrocious enough to make them stop any in the future). It at least looks like it has an original enough story that's not just "Jace is the main character despite not being that well liked".

[parallel-2-anywhere]

An important take

OMENPATH ISEKAI IS DEFO A NEW GENRE OF YA ROMANCE ON MANY WORLDS AFTER THE PHYREXIAN INVASION.

[ernstiggroteadelaar]

is there actually art of Ral Zarek shirtless? just to confirm if he's really an otter yaknow

[askthesorcerersupreme]

I'm aware we spend stamina to use magic and conjure spells, and I'm aware I start to get sleepy when I spend too much. What happens if I conjure spells beyond the limit and my stamina reaches zero?

You die

I’m kidding, for the most part.

It’s not that common to die from hyperextension, but it is very harmful to your health. It also works similarly to heat exhaustion. The more times you do it, the easier it is to get it again, and the worse the effects will be.

@doctorstrangeaskblog

[erosianexile]

Deep in the underground labyrinth, Aera sees a whirlwind in the wood - yet Cyrrus cannot see it. Is it magic, dream or illusion? Perhaps the chaos is visible only to the one who can wield it. 🌪️

- Night Gem, Book One: This Boundary Will Not Bind Us

[overgrown-estate]

Geralf and Gisa; both illustrated by Chris Rahn

Geralf just wants to study the effects of planar travel on magic wielders and Gisa's over here planning on making the Multiverse into Zombieland.