Magic

Magic is a complex system which affects nearly everything in Placeholder.

## Mechanics

There are two known sources of magic: Gods and the Sun. Currently, gods are sealed off from the world of Placeholder, so the sun is more commonly used in day-to-day spells. Humans do not naturally have a way to use magic; instead, it's used in a branch of science known as Alchemy, which takes magic in all forms to utilize for real-life applications and theoretical calculations. Magic is very easily transformed into other forms of energy, and generally in very stable forms.

### Sun Magic

The sun has a constant output of magic that may fluctuate from day to day but is otherwise consistantly effecting the world. Magic from the sun is also reflected from the moon, which changes its properties in strange and unpredictable ways. The oceans are considered resevoirs of magic, with the only exception being the Iron oceans.

Plants are the most powerful source of sun-energy, as a specific kind of plant can take sun-energy and turn it into various forms of magic, which it uses in various ways such as self-defense or propagation. You can find plants that light up brightly, that combust into flames, that force the wind to blow in a certain way, that float into the air against gravity, that freeze the air around it leaving a thin coat of frost around its leaves, etc.

Herbavoires sometimes have lesser magic, which is usually channeled through eating plants. Some animals have developed ways to take in sun-magic; herbavoires often also take magic and transform it into energy for their bodies in various ways. Carnavoires rarely have magic, since it's a waste of time to transmute into a usable form to hunt and there's too little to use offensively.

The tides are a source of moon-energy and have stored a lot of it; fish and other sea creatures very commonly have magic to use; you'll also find predators using magic in the ocean since they can siphon it from the seawater. Bugs also commonly have magic, and use it in various ways. (catepillars, for example, generally have a lot of magic which is then expelled in their butterfly forms)

### God Magic

Rarely, you can convert normal energy from food and stuff into magic, but this takes a lot of effort from most animals and it's way easier to get it in the form of plants or bugs. Godlike beings have perfected this process using the energy of other creatures and turning it into magical energy, which can be redistributed or used offensively as a weapon. Prayers and faith are the main way this is done. Godlike beings don't currently exist on the plane of Placeholder, since a war sealed it off from them.

### Human Usage

Currently humans have no way of directly accessing magic; instead, magic is taken from plants and sealife to power items. Noria has the most advances in magical technologies, but they are illegal in most other countries.

Magicians used to be able to take magic from godlike beings and channel it, but they don't exist on this plane anymore. Curses are generally incurable magical maladies that affect different people in different ways. Some can be passed down through generations, while others may fade away over time.

## History

> Main article: The years of fire
>
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The years of fire occured because of the conflict between the pocket dimension that was never given a name and the Homeworld. Godlike beings created the Placeholder dimension as a testing ground for their experiments, but left it forgotten for hundred of years. When they found it again, the world had created its own cultures and identity. Conflict arose, and the two sides quickly fell into war. As a result, Placeholder was sealed away from the sight of the godlike beings, and magic was a topic of debate among politicians and scholars.

Many fear the usage of magic, and curses and remnants from the war still affected peoples lives to this day.