Magic

## Introduction

Magic is a form of mana manipulation that lets the user bring forth all kinds of powers. In the case of monsters, the majority rely mostly on their core or magic mana glands to supply the mana needed for the spells. On the other hand, sapients mages depend more on manipulating the ambient mana in the air since their bodies don't possess nearly the same ability to draw in and store mana.

## Learning Magic

The first step to learning magic is to master the skills Mana Manipulation (I) and Mana Shaping (II). These give the individual the ability to manipulate mana on a simple level and knowledge of the basic spells forms, such as bolts spells. Afterwards, with Mana Transformation (III) comes the capability of adding attributes to raw, non-attribute mana. With this last skill, the System will unlock the possibility to get magic affinities skills.

When buying a magic affinity skill, the user gains knowledge on the transformation construct used to add that attribute to raw mana and the way to better manipulate said attribute. The use the magic requires these steps:

1. Form the transformation construct of the attribute chosen.
2. Feed raw mana into the construct. Attributed mana will exit the construct.
3. While holding the construct in place, manipulate the attributed mana to form the spell shapes desired.
4. Fire the spell chosen.

With the increasing rank of the skill of magic affinity comes extra knowledge: new constructs and spell shapes designed for the attribute and if the rank is high enough adjust the mana construct to produce a higher form of magic. So far these higher forms of magics unlocked through rank ups have only appeared in the basic element affinity skills and eventually can even replace the affinity in the skill.

The Golgari have 2 schools of thought when it comes to learning magic:
advance as quickly as possible to the higher forms of magic or take time mastering several basic forms of magic. Granin says both have advantages and disadvantages, but he prefered the second one since when in a pinch it's easier to use the weaker magics (simpler construct and easier to manipulate).

The first magics available to mages are the basic elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air. After mastering at least 1 of these (reaching rank III) a mage has several paths to take:

* Master other basic elements (e.g., Fire (I)).
* Continue to rank up the element to unlock more powerful forms (e.g, Water (IV) = Ice (IV)).
* Fuse elements (e.g, Fire (III) + Water (III) = Steam (III)).
* Advance to the rare elements (e.g, Wood (I)).

After the rare elements, the more abstract powers start to appear. They don't have a clear tier to distinguish them because depending on several variables a being is offered different ones. In some cases, the individuals can even skip the rare elements and go straight for the abstract ones, e.g., Anthony.

Depending on the school of magic, the explanation above can change. The only thing all sapients agree is that the basic elements are the entry-level of magic. These basic elements include the 4 basic elements, their advanced forms and their fusions. These fusions can be achieved by fusion of skills or manual melding of the required mana types. However, what comes after the basic elements is not clear: the rare elements, applications of rare elements, dark and light affinities, mind magic, etc. Among the schools of magic, not even the names and tier that the affinities belong is the same, e.g., air can be named wind and decay can either be considered a rare element or not.

### Magic's Effects on the Psyche

Certain type of magic can also have an effect on the users psyche, no better is this demonstrated then by the effects of dimensional magic on a mages mind. As one scholar mentions:

> *"There is an element of madness to every mage who dares to tackle dimensional magic. I'm uncertain if this has to do with the mana required, the convoluted nature of the spells, or the fiendish difficulty, but for whatever reason, dimensional mages are almost universally deranged.*
>
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>  *My friend, the great Magio-Scholar Timus, has a pet theory that the overwhelming stimulation of receiving so much sensory input is the key factor. Tracking vectors across dimensions, feeling out nebulous, invisible boundaries, computing mana waveforms, all while attempting to cast even the most basic spell. It's a lot to take in, a lot to process in a frighteningly short amount of time. She believes that only someone quite disconnected from reality could possibly have a hope of achieving it."*
>
>
>
> -**Excerpt from the private notes of the Magio Scholar Arctus**
>
>

## Magic Glands

These organs are exclusive to monsters and can be a part of the monster at birth or acquired during evolution. The latest is divided into 2 formats: spending evolutionary energy to buy the gland or getting it for free as a perk of the evolution itself.

These glands allow a monster to get access to magic affinities but there are several limitations. One limitation is the price, where the more powerful the affinity is, the more expensive is the gland. Another limitation is the need to have some knowledge about the affinities, i.e., it is impossible to choose a gland with the affinities the monster doesn't know about. This means that in the case of a free gland, the monster can choose the affinity out of all magic affinities that he knows about. The problem with this is that without the skill the usage of this attribute will be handicapped.

With these glands, the monsters don't need to hold a transformation construct with their minds to acquire attributed mana since the mana stored in the gland already has the attribute.

## Parallel Spell Casting

Parallel spell casting is the ability to form several spells at the same time. This can be achieved with multiple brains, Split Thought Skill and/or with the mind construct technique. The latest requires at minimum rank V in Mind Magic Affinity and External Mana Manipulation since Invidia at tier 6 can use it and Anthony at tier 5 cannot (possible to see the rank of the skills in their status). Monsters can use all of them, while sapients don't have the possibility of having multiple brains. According to the Worm cult, having multiple brains is an ineffective way to use parallel magic because of the high cost of forming extra magic capable brains and cheaper alternatives.

This ability to use magic can come in several ways:

* Hold several mana transformation constructs to use several attributes and fire the spells simultaneously.
* Hold several mana transformation constructs to use several attributes and fire the spells alternatively.
* Hold 1 mana transformation construct and shape several spells out of it.

Monsters have an advantage in this area because of the existence of mana glands.

## List of Magic Affinities

Here there's a list of all magic attributes mentioned in the story following this formula: requirements (affinity+ rank) = skill of the more powerful forms of magic. These "=" can represent choices made by the individual (fusions) or can be automatically done by the System (rank ups).

There are different names and tiers for the same affinities depending on the school of magic. This list is done according to the school of magic of the Golgari, which is the one Anthony knows.

Basic elements, advanced forms and their fusions:

* Fire (IV) = Blue Fire (IV)
* Air (IV) = Gas (IV)
* Earth (IV) = Stone (IV)
* Water (IV) = Ice (IV), (?) = Fog (?)

* Fire (III) + Water (III) = Steam (III)
* Fire (III) + Earth (III) = Lava (III)
* Fire (III) + Wind (III) = Ember (III)
* Fire (III) + Air (III) = Combustion (III)
* Earth(III) + Water (III) = Mud (III)
* Earth (III) + Air (III) = Dust (III)
* Water (III) + Air (III) = Sleet (III)
* Blue Fire (V) + Ice (V) + Stone (V) + Gas (V) = Omni-Elemental (V) -> Advanced Omni-Elemental (VI)

Rare elements:

* Decay -> might be moved to abstract powers.
* Metal
* Wood
* Lightning
* Force

Abstract powers, advanced forms and their fusions:

* Light
* Illusion
* Shadow -> Dark
* Curse
* Inspiration
* Death
* Life
* Mineral
* Mud
* Barrier
* Mind
* Healing
* Poison
* Acid
* Heart
* Sound
* Necrotic
* Ash
* Blood -> Bone
* Fate
* Space
* Time
* Entropy
* Chaos
* Gravity
* Creation
* Doom

* Dark + Curse = Horror
* Light + Inspiration = Hope
* Mind + Shadow = Nightmare
* Mind + Curse + Shadow/Dark = (?)

## Trivia

* Domain spells have the aspect of not affecting those that the user considers allies.
* Space magic is one of the most advanced forms of magic known.
* Gravity magic is suspected to be at least at the same tier as space magic.
* Pangera's residents besides reincarnators seem to have a very low understanding of gravity mana/the concept of gravity in general thus showing it as a disciplinary path that has few to no practitioners besides Anthony.
* There are several sources in the story that disagree with the number and type of magic that are part of the rare elements. Some people only consider Wood, Metal and Lightning as rare elements. Others add a 4th magic, Decay or Force magic.
* Since gravity appears to be an unknown concept in Pangera, Anthony might be the first being to have gravity magic.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 520 - A new kind of mayhem
2. ↑ Chapter 239 - The Priest
3. ↑ Chapter 188 - Playing with water
4. ↑ Chapter 233 - Eye of the Beast 4
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chapter 473 - Tiers of magic, delicious meals
6. ↑ Chapter 794 - Mind Your Step
7. ↑ Chapter 987 - Brilliant in More than One Verse
8. ↑ Chapter 457 - Run! To Captivity!
9. ↑ Chapter 458 - Changing Circumstances
10. ↑ Chapter 444 - My Head hurts
11. ↑ Chapter 192 - Battling the marsh
12. ↑ Chapter 894 - Pushy Lizards
13. ↑ Chapter 1021 - The Good Stuff
14. ↑ Chapter 846 - The Reborn City
15. ↑ Chapter 855 - Sarah Meets Her Demons
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Chapter 843 - Nope
17. ↑ Chapter 475 - The Regimen
18. ↑ Chapter 493 - The round that wasn't