Reality's Bane (OOC/Open)

[The Dark Brotherhood of Deros]

Hey guys, good news. Turns out my fracture was relatively minor, so I don't need a cast or anything, just a sling for a couple weeks. That means I'll be back to posting at (mostly) normal speeds.

WOOO

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

Bad news, everyone! My flight has been delayed, I'll be stuck in Orlando International Airport for nearly 2 hours. And worst of all, the wifi here is crap!

[The Dark Brotherhood of Deros]

Bad news, everyone! My flight has been delayed, I'll be stuck in Orlando International Airport for nearly 2 hours. And worst of all, the wifi here is crap!

Nuuu!

[Naval Monte]

One good news and one bad news, the universe loves to find ways to regain equilibrium.

[Cybraxia]

UPD8

UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8

UPD88888888

HOMESTUCK UPD8

[The States of Balloon]

UPD8

UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8

UPD88888888

HOMESTUCK UPD8

Now now, please remain calm.

HOLY SHIT YES

[Aeternabilis]

UPD8

UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8UPD8

UPD88888888

HOMESTUCK UPD8

HE ACTUALLY DID IT THE ABSOLUTE MADMAN

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Yeah I'm too tired to not make a one liner post so just imagine that War followed them into the Tardis

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

You guys hear about the Yale thing?

Because I thought they were supposed to be smart

[Naval Monte]

You guys hear about the Yale thing?

Because I thought they were supposed to be smart

I didn't yet, what happened?

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

You guys hear about the Yale thing?

Because I thought they were supposed to be smart

I didn't yet, what happened?

Apparently a Fraternity there endorses rape, that fraternity got suspended and the students apart of it who did that chant (apparently majority of them) expelled, and other students were outraged at this outcome.

They apparently were yelling,"No means yes; Yes means anal."

[The Dark Brotherhood of Deros]

I didn't yet, what happened?

Apparently a Fraternity there endorses rape, that fraternity got suspended and the students apart of it who did that chant (apparently majority of them) expelled, and other students were outraged at this outcome.

They apparently were yelling,"No means yes; Yes means anal."

What?
Oh I really really really hate this world....

[Cybraxia]

I didn't yet, what happened?

Apparently a Fraternity there endorses rape, that fraternity got suspended and the students apart of it who did that chant (apparently majority of them) expelled, and other students were outraged at this outcome.

They apparently were yelling,"No means yes; Yes means anal."

doubt.jpg

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Apparently a Fraternity there endorses rape, that fraternity got suspended and the students apart of it who did that chant (apparently majority of them) expelled, and other students were outraged at this outcome.

They apparently were yelling,"No means yes; Yes means anal."

doubt.jpg

Ok apparently that was 5 years ago. And I think the huge thing about it is that the frat is now actually allowed back.

[Petrokovia]

Okay, Slendy, I think that bullet is pretty ridiculously OP for a bullet.

Like, come on.

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Okay, Slendy, I think that bullet is pretty ridiculously OP for a bullet.

Like, come on.

Hey, it hits the person, but almost never anywhere fatal. Like I've only seen AND read it hit somewhere fatal like once or twice.

[Mundeo]

Okay, Slendy, I think that bullet is pretty ridiculously OP for a bullet.

Like, come on.

Hey, it hits the person, but almost never anywhere fatal. Like I've only seen AND read it hit somewhere fatal like once or twice.

Nothing is happening to Cyrus until the rest of the heroes arrive.

Then, dramatic entrance.

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Hey, it hits the person, but almost never anywhere fatal. Like I've only seen AND read it hit somewhere fatal like once or twice.

Nothing is happening to Cyrus until the rest of the heroes arrive.

Then, dramatic entrance.

truthfully hes just stalling cyrus

[Naval Monte]

Speaking of heroes and entrances can we have them go to the area now?

[Petrokovia]

Speaking of heroes and entrances can we have them go to the area now?

I was waiting until the Doctor said Allonsy, but I guess after I finish One-Punch Man, I'll make a post skipping over that like last time, for the sake of not killing the plot.

[Naval Monte]

Speaking of heroes and entrances can we have them go to the area now?

I was waiting until the Doctor said Allonsy, but I guess after I finish One-Punch Man, I'll make a post skipping over that like last time, for the sake of not killing the plot.

Oh man I already finished OPM, it was good.

[Naval Monte]

I thought about posting the magic system of Gnosis for a while now so here it is and sorry for advance for the length.

Now the first thing are the rules of the thaumaturgy in that world. The first are the Law of Contagion and the Law of Similarity. They may be summed up thusly: 'The part affects the whole,' and 'Like produces like.' It should be noted that just having an object held by someone or something and seeing them still counts as the first two laws.

The most important rule is Observation changes Reality, the will, knowledge and belief of the thaumaturge can induce a change on the tapestry of existence. However to think that their own minds alone will do it is arrogant, instead a mage needs to have a paradigm behind them to give them a view how their magic can change the world.

A paradigm is a system of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality. Generally when it comes to paradigms the more widely known or accepted a paradigm is the more powerful it will be, however even those underground still have more power than those recently made who only has little sparks due to their infancy stage. This state of weak infancy can only change if the new paradigm spreads and gains new followers.

However paradigms are not enough for you see even with a paradigm a mage still needs to find a way to to focus their paradigm to achieve a desired effect via thaumaturgy. As such foci or focus are used. Foci are items, rituals, and practices that mages use to tap their magical power. The foci changes depending on which paradigm you are dealing with but there are recurring ones that play important roles in magic.

The most important one is visualization, the art of using your imagination to envision your spell taking shape and manifestation on to reality as an actual Thaumaturgical effect. The visualization process not only acts as a way of setting the mood for the mage for their magecraft but it assists in their observation of the world while acting as a form of self hypnosis, thus setting the right state of mind for magic. The second one are incantations. For incantations anything that comes out from the mage's mouth will work. Chants, prayers, mantras, reciting poetry or a line from a novel, singing or speaking in another language or a made up one or even gibberish.
Like visualization the incantations are a form of self hypnosis. For incantations whatever is being spoken or song must have meaning to the mage. The third is gestures which the is physical counterpart to the previous two and any physical actions taken by a mage during their thaumaturgical work will be counted as a gesture. From there materials that go align with the paradigm of the mage is used.

Now why does the mind play a role in this? Because it serves as a gateway to the real source of Thaumaturgy, the soul. In Gnosis thaumaturgy the soul is the source of magic for most mages. The reason being that the soul produces a vast quantity of a primal energy called Quintessence (though the name changes depending on who you are talking too). Quintessence as been called both a life and spirit energy, a magical particle, the essence of existence, the data of reality, these and many more are gross oversimplifications of what it is.

This energy exists throughout existence and it is thanks to Quintessence that mages can even use their wills to warp reality. However how Quintessence does it is interesting. You see when the mage is performing their work their inner Quintessence leaves and interacts with the Quintessence outside, in particular the Quintessence that has formed a existential pattern. Existential Patterns (or patterns) are metaphorical vessels of Quintessence, and as such, constitute all known reality, acting as "lego bricks" to Prime's "building blocks". Using their own will a magi using their own Quintessence to override the information contained within a targeted pattern(s) and change the information within them and change definition of what those patterns) use to say, as such warping reality.

Patterns are formed when threads of the tapestry of reality and existence, also called "Spheres", interject, bringing context into possibility and acting as variables, functions and instances. Patterns are usually composed of numerous smaller Patterns, for example, the Pattern of a human body contains individual Patterns for its internal organs, limbs and overall appearance. As a result, every Pattern is unique, and because they are constantly in flux through the eternal stream of Quintessence, they are not static.
Patterns do not only compose the material parts of existence, it also composes ephemeral substance like spirits, thoughts and even powers like time, space and entropy are affected since these forces govern how and in what relation these Patterns interact. Note that the term Pattern is a generic term for many magi have different terms like the Platonic world Eidos.

Now here is where we get to the crazy part. You see while the soul is the main source the subconscious mind is also helping. You see there is an unknown link between the subconscious and the soul and when the Quintessence of a mage is changing a pattern all of that information from the pattern is flooding into the mage, however while their conscious mind is focus on the thaumaturgical working the subconscious and soul are the ones doing the heavy duty computation to understand the information of the patterns and learn how to change and override them.

However having this vast cosmic, existential knowledge does have it's drawbacks. For some species, like humans, having that information continuously go through their heads will slowly drive them mad due to information overload among other hazards, like attracting lovecraftian horrors who may find the extra bit of information in their heads tasty and want to nibble on it and their juicy brain.

Before you ask, yes, having a work being interrupted in while it is going on does cause problems as the conscious mind gets exposed to alien information in their mind fully. Also they suffer physical exhaustion from ritual work and anything else they done in their works but otherwise never have to suffer from mana drain or stuff like that. Back lashes are a mage's true enemy. Each shift in reality causes a backlash which can take on any form. Ways to counter them have always been to use casting circles and geometric patterns: to redirect the backlash into predictable patterns.

Using reagents, incantations and one's own will can also help settle down backlashes and while some mages can use glyphs around the circles themselves a few take a step further and cast the backlashes on themselves, into their own minds and bodies. Insanity, mutations and death are to follow for those who deal with backlash in this manner.

Another drawback to magic is that it's addictive. This addiction bites in two ways; on one hand it gives a magi the motivation and enthusiasms to study and work their craft but on the other it makes them desperate to gain even more scraps of knowledge and power to be willing to sell their souls to dark powers and can push them into self destructive actions, sometimes it can even cause them to harm others around them. Depending on your paradigm you may find restrictions as you are forced to follow a set of mindsets and avoid taboos, your paradigm even restricts how your magic will work. Also another reason magic can be addictive is the fact that many magi who perform magic claim that once they are making and casting their effect they feel a sense of euphoria and a sense that they have become gods for a few seconds, this feeling becomes the main addictive hook for most mages.

More importantly there is a major weakness to thaumaturgy that is also another rule, Equivalent Exchange. Nothing is free in this world and not even magic is free. Every spell, ritual, summoning, curse, scrying and divination will always have a price and while some may be immediate others will come in latter time. Some of these prices can either last for a few hours, days, months or years or they can last for life or even generations. The path of a mage is one of dedication and conviction along with will.

A few beings like the Archons and Daevas seem to have found ways to break some of the rules of magic, in particular they can use magic by their own will alone and they seem to either be immune to backlashes or they found a way to deal with them to create the illusion of immunity.

I'm still working on a few things with it, like should I change the names of the Patterns and Spheres into something else or are they good?

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

So can I finally spill Eluzabeth's secret?

[Petrokovia]

Post is finally up. Time to start the fight!

[The States of Balloon]

I guess I have to start actually posting again.