Magic

The term "magic" covers a wide variety of energy manipulations and practices, typically referring to the use of energy to manipulate ones reality, be it physical, mental, or spiritual. Many different forms of magic are practiced in and out of Xideu to varying degrees.

## Common Magic

"Common magic", also known to humans as natural magic, general energy manipulation, manifestation, or cultivation, refers to the use of one's own innate energy to manipulate their reality. This is the most common, and most accepted practice among human culture, and the type of magic that is taught in magic schools across the Empire.

### Methods of Magic

There are several ways to manipulate one's own energy.

#### Glyph magic

Glyph magic is the use of certain symbols, usually drawn or manifested within a circle, to cast spells.

#### Weaves

Weaves refer to the use of pulling "strings" of energy together with the intent of their use. This is the method of magic most commonly taught in schools within the Newton Estate.

#### Incantations

Incantations are the use of spoken or internal language to manifest.

#### Natural Catalysts

Natural catalysts cover the use of various physical items, such as crystals and herbs, or specifically enchanted items, to channel energy through. Most witchcraft, which is common in less populated areas, uses this tactic. Though it is often far less effective, someone who is trained in other ways of magic can spin this method to its full extent.

## Deity Magic

h

Sigils

### Non-conscious VS Conscious Corruption

Corruption will move on its own without a consciousness, responding to various stimuli in the area. however it possesses no actual thought, even if it is able to at times speak and manipulate you.  Conscious corruption is very similar, and the corrupted body can often act on its own as well or become non conscious and react off emotional energy as well, however conscious corruption still holds thoughts.  The extent of the consciousness can vary, some do not feel emotions, some are unable to feel any emotion aside from a few, and are very one-track minded in nature.  Conscious corrupted beings can leave non conscious corrupted residue and start corruption problems whether they want to or not.  Anything below at least 80% consciousness is considered non-conscious corruption.  (Examples:  Felix is a conscious being, Terra’s spirits, while able to speak at times and enjoy torment, are not conscious.)

The scale of consciousness, roughly, goes as follows-

* 0%- will respond to basic stimuli and seek out energy and other corruption. unable to process more than one task, i.e if it is seeking out energy, it will not be able to respond to any threat or attempt to avoid it.  while it will respond to bad and good stimuli, it is unable to actually register any difference, only responding on reflex.  unable to process any senses except for energy, and has no memory, simply living moment to moment.

* 10%- will respond to more situations, but still lacks proper consciousness to do much. unable to process more than one task most of the time.

* 20%- barely grasping the difference between good and bad stimuli, but requires repeated interaction with the stimuli to register.  may barely be able to process hearing

* 30%: may be able to speak, able to foggily recognize between good and bad stimuli. able to process hearing, may have a slight sense of memory.

* 40%: able to foggily handle more than one task, though reaction time is delayed.  more clearly able to understand good vs bad stimuli, may develop simple sight, able to process hearing. processes basic emotions, though does not differentiate them from any other stimuli. able to remember very recent situations.

* 50%- similar to an animal, and is able to speak more often, understands good vs bad stimuli well, consciously able to recognize people (most easily through their energy), has still simple, but better sight and can hear better. may consciously recognize words, though not well. able to remember vague details.

* 60%- improvements to hearing sight, and may develop weak senses of other categories. can recognize words and simple meanings, able to better make choices and runs less on autopilot and reflex.  can process emotions and understand the vague basics of what they are.

* 70%- processes more complex emotions, though does not fully understand them or the world yet.  processes basic speech, can handle multiple small tasks.  somewhat better memory

* 80-90%- Is able to think, speak, and interact with others, though there may be some complications.

* 100%- Fully conscious and capable of thoughts like a “”normal”” living person.

> *(Examples: Felix is 100% conscious, Terra’s spirits range from 30% to 40%, sometimes 50%)*
>
>

disclaimer: this is not a strict guideline, and some things may not develop in corrupted beings, such as certain emotions and senses, even if they are past where they should have developed.

### Behaviour and Being

Corruption consistently seeks out energy to devour, and favours spiritual energy over other corruption.  However, if there is nothing else to consume, it will devour other corruption.  Unless it has strong enough driving emotion to sustain itself, or a supply of energy to consume, corrupted beings with no physical form will fade until they are weak, 0% conscious entities.  They may die in that state, be absorbed, or never come back if it's left too long.  Corruption that has formed a large enough group or hivemind will not fade and requires no sustenance to survive.  After gaining sustenance and recovering from the wisp-like state they can enter, they still may need time to properly be themself again, slowly increasing in consciousness.

Corruption may slip into states called ‘dormant,’ where it has little to no effect on those who come in contact with it.  Dormant corruption is non conscious corruption that has calmed, yet remains in large enough hive minds that it does not disperse.  Too much negative emotion or stimuli can cause it to react and become active again.  Dormant corruption may also be caused by corruption that is being suppressed by something else.

Corruption naturally seeks out other corruption, and even small stray wisps can become a problem if they all bind together.  This corruption may, at most, become roughly 30% conscious but nothing more.  Hivemind corruption at large rates can be noisy, dangerous, and extremely violent, searching for anything to pull into their group.  The less conscious a corrupted being is, the more it seeks out other corruption to bind with, while more conscious beings may prefer to stay solo.  Low levels of 0% consciousness corruption can form from too much negative emotional energy.  If the emotional energy becomes too abundant and frequent, it may reach at least 30%, though such a thing takes years and years of festering.

Corruption latches onto stimuli and situations it has experienced through its existence, and can jumble them inside it’s ‘mind’.  These memories leave marks of reflex on old corruption or corruption that has simply experienced a lot that is strong enough to leave said mark, or lived in an area where it was frequent enough to dent.  If someone is corrupted by this energy, the memories and dents will come out scattered and leave different effects on the receiver in the form of features from other living things, or manifested emotions leaving a physical mark.

### Effects on Other Creatures

Contact with malicious corruption leaves the receiver feeling heavy, burned, tingling, and uncomfortable to varying degrees, as well as physical cuts and tears in the skin, scars, and features. Breathing may become more difficult. Large amounts of contact with focused, malicious corruption can be extremely painful, and can cause someone to completely shut down.  Contact with focused corruption in too large quantities for too long will kill the receiver.  Corruption with no intent to do harm, usually will not affect the user in any great way aside from feeling strange or different in the air.  Dormant corruption in large quantities may still cause small uncomfortable sensations and difficulty breathing.  Physical effects vary depending on what memory the corruption holds and the severity.

Scarring from corruption (not to be confused with corrupted features) may ache slightly again in contact with more corruption.

Corrupted features are scattered and make no sense, and can hinder the receivers movement and cause the body to feel uncomfortable.  Corruption can affect your emotions at times, either removing or changing them to varying degrees.

### Usage

The use of corruption in the place of internal energy is nothing less than taboo

### Notable Corruption Users

* Envy
* Felix Saunders
* James Din