Magic

Magic is the process of temporarily overwriting the eidos of the world. Magic utilizes mana and processes called spells to alter the eidos, which in turn, creates various effects in the target.

## History

Magic is considered to have existed since the beginning of humanity. How humans came to possess the ability to use magic is unknown, but the Scholars of the First Sin believed that magic came to humanity through the so-called First Sin.

## Core Concepts

### Eidos

Eidos is the natural information of an object, regardless of if it is animate or not. It describes the object's various properties and remains generally unchanged throughout life.

Magic works by temporarily imposing information onto the eidos, changing the current properties of the target.

The effects of magic came be reduced through fortification of the eidos. Some creatures have naturally high fortification of their eidos, but some magicians are able to increase the fortification of their eidos using spells. Grimoires are also capable of enhancing the magician's fortification.

### Ether

Ether is the natural energy in the environment. Ether is generated through two methods. The first and less important of the methods is the general upwelling of ether from the Echo. The Echo is saturated with ether, and it is possible for the ether to move upwards to reality on the nearside. Places with close proximity to the Echo have somewhat higher levels of ether, though not high enough to cause any noticeable effects in the surrounding area. It is possible to cause surges in ether upwelling from the Echo due to backlash caused by the failure of complex rituals; this surge is characterized as magic contamination, a dangerous condition that can cause serious health effects in the environment.

The second and more important method of generating ether is movement on the nearside. Places with high levels of movement, such as forests and large rivers, tend to have higher levels of ether compared to the surrounding areas, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, places with little movement tend to have lower levels of ether. The movement does not have to be natural either; networks of telecommunication and traffic have high levels of ether.

### Mana

Mana is the life force of humans. It is created when ether is absorbed into the source and converted into a form that humans can use. Every human possesses mana, which helps promote various biological functions. Although mana is produced throughout the day, the majority is produced during sleep when the body is at rest, and reductions in mana levels can lead to feelings of exhaustion.

Magicians are people who possess higher than normal levels of mana. With proper training, this excess mana allows the magician to temporarily overwrite a target's eidos.

Mana circulates through the body using channels called mana circuits. These circuits are tied to fluids, particularly blood, and are found throughout the body. Although every human has mana circuits, the mana circuits of magicians are both more numerous and more efficient to enable the circulation of higher amounts of mana through the body.

### Source

Every person has a thing called a source. The source generates mana and circulates it throughout the body using mana circuits. The source can be called the soul of the person and exerts a gentle influence on the person's actions and personality.

High levels of ether are capable of causing damage to both the source and the mana circuits. Minor damage can inflict the person with fatigue and minor pain, while more severe damage can cause physical damage including death. Magicians experience a reduced capability for magic when their mana circuits are damaged in addition to the physical effects.

The source has been identified as the potential cause of stories of reincarnation, though there are no proven reports of perfect reincarnation. It is theoretically possible to achieve a perfect reincarnation, but the process is unproven and banned by most magical organizations.

## Types of Magic

Magic can be divided into types based on their uses and requirements.

### Classification

Both spells and rituals are ranked according to their area of effect. A spell or ritual will be able to overpower another of a lower class, though the costs of casting a higher class spell or ritual is accordingly higher. There are some overlaps between the classifications of rituals and spells; a Class E ritual is considered similar in strength to a Class C spell. Spells tend to be geared towards objects whereas rituals tend to affect people, though both rituals and spells are capable of affecting both animate and inanimate targets.

### Spells

A spell is the most basic level of magic that can be performed by a magician.

* Class S
	+ Class S spells are anti-city spells. These spells, though highly complex and costly for a magician to cast, have enough potential power to severely damage or even destroying a small city or large town.
* Class A
	+ A Class A spell is classified as anti-fortress spell. As an anti-fortress spell, these spells are powerful enough to completely destroy a fortified structure and the accompanying garrison. There is a marked difference in power between Class A and Class B spells, and a magician capable of casting a Class A spell reliably and often is a high priority for observation by the government.
* Class B
	+ Class B spells are classified as anti-army. These spells are specialized against army-sized groups of people and areas. While a Class B spell is more powerful than a Class C spell, they must be used more carefully due to the much higher costs of casting a spell of this class.
* Class C
	+ A Class C spell can be described as an anti-group spell, capable of affecting several people at once, though no more than a couple dozen people.
* Class D
	+ Class D spells are anti-unit. A Class D spell can be compared to a gun with unlimited ammo rather than a missile. While missiles are more powerful, a Class D spell is more cost effective and useful for the elimination or enhancement of a single person. The effects of a Class D spell is often limited to inflicting change to a single person; they lack the ability to enhance other actions. These spells tend to be hyper-specialized but can be cast using a generalized focus.
* Class E
	+ Class E spells are the weakest of spells and are classified as self-targeting. These spells are unable to alter the eidos of another being and are used to alter the condition of the user. A Class E spell is often used to enhance a person's physical condition, enabling a reduced sense of pain or enhancing a person's strength or endurance. These spells can also be used on items in extremely close proximity to the user, such as clothes and jewelry.

### Rituals

Rituals are complex, high-level spells that are capable of affecting large areas for a longer time than a standard spell. However the high mana costs and complexity of the ritual requires the cooperation of several magicians in order to complete the ritual.

Rituals are governed by internal rules. The rules of a ritual describe the effects of the ritual and can number in the hundreds for the most complex rituals. Although individual rules tend to be simple, rules also tend to work in groups. Groups of rules amplify the effects of the individual rules and can generate effects of their own through the effects of the rules.

The cost for a ritual's failure can be high. Mutilation is not uncommon, and although death is rare, it is always a possibility, particularly amongst the more complex rituals. Physical damage to the surrounding environment can happen during failure and can become more severe and extensive amongst the more complex rituals. Such effects can last far longer than the intended effects of the ritual itself, such as the effects of the failures in Tokyo (1945) and Marquette (1999), which continue to the modern day.

* Class S
	+ Class S rituals are classified as anti-planet rituals. These top-level rituals have the potential of unleashing enough power to destroy a planet. However, numerous safety precautions stemming from the Akashic Records exist, preventing a Class S ritual from unleashing its full power. Class S rituals have extremely high chances of failure, and the incredibly high costs of activating such a ritual as well as the probability for failure discourages magicians from attempting a Class S ritual.
* Class A
	+ Class A rituals are defined by their potential of affecting an entire nation. The areas of effect of these rituals can cover the area of the largest country, and the costs for these rituals are accordingly extremely high. These spells often require the cooperation of at least 50 magicians and the use of expensive materials. The ritual that caused the Tokyo Incident is believed to be a ritual of this class.
* Class B
	+ Class B rituals are anti-region rituals. Although these rituals are unable to affect an area as large as a country, they can affect areas larger than a city.
* Class C
	+ A Class C ritual is classified as anti-city and anti-fortress due to the ability to affect an area as large as a city. These rituals can be powerful enough to damage or destroy cities and fortified structures. Rituals of this class and above can also take on the property of being anti-populace, targeting the population of an area rather than the physical structures. These rituals are often used in acts of genocide, due to the instant removal of a target population while allowing a desired population to move into the area.
* Class D
	+ Class D rituals are considered anti-army. While many of these rituals are used to destroy large armies, they can be used to enhance the abilities of a larger group than a Class B spell.
* Class E
	+ The weakest rituals, Class E rituals, are anti-group. A ritual of this class is often easy to cast with low chances of failure and low costs, requiring only a couple of people to cast. The scope of these rituals is very limited, often only affecting the area the size of a house or small block.

## Systems of Magic

### American System

The American system of magic is known for its use of focuses and incantations to cast magic. Although the American system is slower due to using incantations rather than the single or double-worded spells of the European system, the American system is far more flexible, able to adjust a spell to a situation. American spells are also able to be cast with a single or double-worded incantation, though this is often at the cost of the efficacy of the spell.

American magicians are also able to use arrays to cast magic. Arrays allow the magician to layer spells on top of each other to create new effects or enhance the effects or duration of a single spell. Arrays are often used on focuses to help catalyze spells, though many arrays are used in magical households to supplement the effects of the house's totem.

### European System

The European system of magic is famous for its use of wands and short, often single or double-worded, spells. European magic is highly standardized, with widespread catalogues of spells translated into the various languages of the continent.

## Magic Items

Magic items are objects that are used to assist in the use of magic. While some magic items are used specifically for the casting of magic, others are simply used to continue spells that have already been activated.

There are two methods of creating magic items: human alteration and emergence from the Echo. The vast majority of magic items are creating through the human alteration of regular items. It is possible to change an ordinary item into a magic item through special spells, but most magic items made through human processes are crafted from scratch for the purpose of being a magic item. The creators of magic items are known as magic craftsmen, and the processes are tightly guarded secrets of a craftsman's family.

The second method of creating a magic item is the natural emergence of a magic item from the Echo. Magic items that are created through this method are often called artifacts, and these items are more powerful than standard magic items. A person or family in possession of an artifact has a high level of prestige, though it can also bring danger to the holder from other magicians seeking to take control of their artifact.

### Focus

A focus is a object that enables a magician to cast spells quickly and easily. Although a focus is most common in America, some magicians in other countries use focuses to help

Many focuses used in the American system are created from various metals and gems and into a number of forms. Rings made of gold and silver are the most common, though necklaces and bangles are also common.

General focuses are easier to make, since they don't require any special materials in order to be created. However they are less capable of assisting in casting higher level spells.

Specialized focuses on the other hand are often expensive and crafted for use by a specific person. These focuses often have expensive materials incorporated into its construction, and often etchings into the materials greatly reduce the costs of casting spells related to the etchings.

### Wand

Wands are magical items used in the European system of magic to cast magic. A wand is made of certain types of wood with a core made of materials from the reverse-side. Wands become bound to an individual magician and are unable to be used by other magicians, even those who are closely related to the original owner.

### Grimoire

The grimoire is the sign of a master magician in the American system of magic. A grimoire is specially crafted by a magician and is tied to that magician's source. The grimoire is used as a compilation of the magician's experience and knowledge, and it matures and grows as the magician continues to learn magic. Grimoires confer a variety of benefits to their magician, and the magician can customize their grimoire to suit their own purposes.

### Mana Stones

Mana stones are crystals that are capable of storing mana. Mana stones are created through a process that crystalizes blood into a stone, and they are often used in magitech to fuel spells.

### Artifacts

Artifacts are naturally occurring magic items that appear to originate from the Echo rather than being created through human methods. Artifacts tend to be more powerful than standard magic items and often work through low-level miracles rather than true magic.

Artifacts are highly sought after items, and the most powerful artifacts can fetch prices in the hundreds of thousands. Both Independent and Guild magical families are known to possess artifacts. Many artifacts are passed down from generation to generation, and possession of a family's artifacts is often considered the sign of the headship of the family. Even holders of artifacts who are not the heads of their families have a high level of prestige.

## Magical Abilities

### Magic Vision

All magicians have the ability to see magic. Magic is naturally invisible, but the magic circuits in a magician's eyes react to the mana being released and enables the magician to view magic.

### Mystic Eyes

Mystic eyes are potentially powerful mutations in a magician's eyes. The high concentration of magic circuits enable the owner to activate abilities that are similar to spells.

## Medical Conditions

Magicians are susceptible to a number of conditions related to their use of magic and possession of excess mana.

### Magic Overextension

Magic overextension is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a magician's overuse of magic and the severe depletion of their mana. As the magician consumes mana to fuel their magic, their mana circuits can start to suffer damage. Biological functions start to fail, starting in the extremities and can cause death if untreated. Most cases of magic overextension is treated through simple rest, but the most severe cases require medical intervention to sustain biological functions until mana levels are restored to normal.