Magic (LOTM: Sword of Kings)

"Magic is an art of patience. The study of the natural ways involves many years of the strictest devotion. Terrible things can happen to a young wizard who foolishly misuses his knowledge."

- Gaius Phoeniex

Magic is a term used to refer to supernatural phenomena that cannot be explained or analyzed via any sort of scientific means and reasoning. In the LOTM: Sword of Kings universe, magic is a complex system of arts, disciplines, and traditions that are firmly grounded in laws and knowledge that are wholly unknown and beyond the grasp of mortals sciences, which sought to manipulate and distort certain aspects of reality. Also called the occult by the users of science, conflicts with the magic side, the secret underworld that deals with magic and the occult, are the primary and most recurring plot points of the story with tech side being the secondary and magi-tech being the tertiary plot point.

Concept of Magic

 * Mana
 * Idol Theory
 * Telesma
 * Infection Magic
 * Four elements

Magic Formats

 * Alchemy 
 * Astrology 
 * Arthurian legends
 * Aztec Mythology
 * Buddhism
 * Celtic Mythology
 * Christianity
 * Cracks
 * Cthulhu Mythos
 * Egyptian Mythology
 * Folklore
 * Greek Mythology
 * Hermeticism
 * Hinduism
 * Kabbalah
 * Norse Mythology
 * Shinto
 * Taoism
 * Tarot
 * Thelema
 * Voodoo

Magic Users

 * Magicians
 * Light Magicians
 * Dark Magicians
 * Warlocks
 * Witch
 * Sorceress
 * Sorcerers
 * Angels
 * Arch-Angels
 * Gods
 * Demons
 * Pure-Blooded Devils
 * Black Demons
 * Guardians of Paradise
 * Spirits
 * Etherions

History
Magic by itself roots from the simple fact that 'those without talent' wanted to be able to do the same things as 'those with talent' - namely Energy Users like Spirals, Abyssals, ExKriegs... And many more. The magic was created by Celica Arfonia, the sister of Leohart the Prince of Hell who left Triggers Hell to live away from chaos and destruction. Celica wrote more than 704,000,000,000,000 books about magic for the rest of her life inside of a star for more than 35 centillions of years.

There are many uses for magic and because of its mystical nature many abilities may seem like magic or be considered magic such as the powers of the Cyborgs from KnightWalker Family or as some mistake a Sith from Zoyineian-Sith Empire to have magical properties.

In magic, nothing is free: The price of magic always involves suffering. Katya's price was her lengthy and painful separation of her family's spirits; Magilou's price has included various failures and the deaths of her friends and family; and Yuri Barnes' price was eventual ability to hear and has to read the lips of the people who are speaking with him.

Principles
In contrast to espers who have only one ability that is decided by birth, magicians can create many supernatural phenomena without restrictions, but they have to take the time and effort. Additionally, all forms of magic are based around a certain ideological premise. This kind of premise can originate from almost anything culturally narrative including religions, belief systems, mythologies, or even folklore and airy tales.

It should be noted that it is possible to derive magical powers from no particular source but such a method is far too inefficient and complicated for practical purposes. The magician would have to create an entire system of rules and commands from the ground up.

The phases are closely linked to the use of magic, and magic involving unified theories, such as Hermeticism, gathers the phases together, making them collide more and produce more 'sparks' which affect the world.

Energy
The overall concept of magical energy is largely controversial to even magicians themselves. Different denominations and schools of thought have their own theories on the idea of how magical energy precisely works in conjunction with a human's life force, namely the soul. Katya, leader of the Witch Cult, has compared the soul to that of crude oil and therefore must be properly refined into usable magic.

Mana
Mana is the energy that allows magicians to use magic. Mana exists in all forms of life, not just magicians, although they are the only ones who use it. It has been explicitly stated one method of creating mana is by processing a person's inner life force. The various schools of magic, for example Nordic and Shinto styles, requires different 'kinds' of mana for casting that other styles might not use.

Mana is incompatible with the AIM field's that Energy Users produce, as a result, whenever an esper performs magic he/she becomes severely injured. This incompatibility largely results from a combination of the human body's inability to host two different power systems at the same time and the different methodology imposed.

Mana can be "inserted" into objects following complicated rituals, which can give birth to "magical items" or spiritual items that possess magical properties on their own, for example in one opportunity Index references the ritual needed to add power to a holy cross.

Ley lines
There is a 'natural' mana that exists within the earth itself, which some magicians or magical objects, such as the grimoires, draw their power from, in the form of "ley lines". A ley line is a current of power that runs through the earth, using a number alignments using terrain and monuments, among other geographical interests. Ley lines are alterable by destroying and altering the terrain that runs through it, or applying the art of feng shui. However, modification of ley lines is a delicate process, as making a mistake can cause disastrous results. As such, modifications of ley lines are often carried out as big national projects and magicians who use earth for their magic are forced to be careful lest they destroy important magical points.

With modifications, ley lines can be used to strengthening the power that flows through a ley line, or as something akin to pipelines. Ley lines can be described as pipelines and the nodes where they meet up for example, the Avignon and the Vatican, act as reservoirs where other pipes are connected. With this, certain affects can be achieved, such as a spell travelling through the ley line from a node to another node, which will then spread that spell's effect through the ley lines it is connected to.

Telesma
Telesma is a distinct alternative form of magical energy that is the Angel's equivalent of mana. To most humans in general, it is extremely dangerous and volatile due to the sheer amount of power contained within and can yield large scale effects on the environment such as tsunamis.

Certain magical organizations, especially Golden Dawn-based cabals, specialize in constructing sanctuaries and harnessing large amounts of Telesma to summon angels so that they may use its great power.

Idol Theory
Idol theory is the underlying explanation to how magic works, much like how personal reality explains the roots of esper abilities. This phenomenon refers to how an imitation of a whole or parts of a subject (the source) gains properties and attributes that are inherent to that source. Basically, objects or events contain certain symbolic meanings and powers and thus it is possible to draw on that power by imitating, altering, or magnifying said object or event. A simple cross placed in a church can duplicate the Cross that the Son of God was crucified on, and accordingly will duplicate its sacred, holy power.

Symbolism and magic circles
A Magic Circle is a design or arrangement constructed to facilitate the use of Magic. There are various elements which can be used within a magic circle and various forms which they can take - the simplest form is that of a lone circle. Magic circles often include magical symbols in order to draw power from what they represent via Idol Theory. Magic circles can be created through various means, from drawing designs and arranging certain objects, to using the positions of the stars themselves

Instruments and tools
A Spiritual Item is a special tool which is used by Magicians to aid in the use of Magic.

When magicians carry out precise ceremonies and spells, they often use specialized tools which correspond to the symbols and requirements for the spell in question, allowing Magic to be executed more efficiently and conveniently. An example of this would be using a spear when using Magic based on a story involving a legendary spear - the spear is not absolutely necessary, and certain items with the same shape and function can be used in its place (such as an umbrella), but details being closer to that of the intended item decrease the odds of the spell failing and makes it more effective.

Spiritual items are mostly nothing more than tools, with a few exceptions. When a magician holds a spiritual item, it becomes a part of their body and part of the magic power flowing through their blood vessel will circulate through it, enabling them to function. This power can also be provided remotely and for some items, magic power will continue to circulate for a little while after the magician lets go of it.

Magic names
As stated before, magic exists to fulfill a wish for the user. Accordingly, all magicians possess a magic name in order to set up a goal that they wish to set their desires around summed up as a Latin word (i.e. Fortis, Honos, Regnum, etc.). A magician will dedicate the rest of his or her life by whatever means to achieve those goals that have been carved into his or her soul. A magic name then concludes with a three digit number so as to avoid identical names and is accompanied by a phrase often as a description of who they are and an elaboration of their disposition. Magic names can also serve a second purpose. Due to tradition, magicians are never supposed divulge their real names. In practice, magic names are used instead and they are only declared to other people as an official declaration of a duel to the death.

Styles
Many of the magic spells etc. is based on a certain set of laws - e.g. Celtic or Norse. But there are no strict division, because one base can be based on another base - e.g. Norse mythology was influenced by Celtic culture. However, magic users often use magic that is inherently part of their culture, like Magilpu using spells based from Shinto, Buddhist, and Christian origins. In the end, religion tends to plays a key role in magic, as cultures and traditions of a certain population are tied to it. For example, Trevor from the Holy Eye of Order once believed that all magic that does not stem from Roman Catholicism is black magic.

The Order of Terror, for example, were "crafters" of various spirit-willed magics, with the shaman and clan leader Scathach being the most powerful of the magic-wielding witches. Methods of channeling energies of the New World Order' Winged Goddess or Fanged God included conjuring objects from raw spirit ichor, divination (heartshadow), scrying, spell-casting or incantation, mesmerism, ur-spirit communication, spirit-infusion of talismans and totems, and spirit-conjuring techniques linked with Nature.

Earth's Western magic
As the West is dominated by Christianity, most magic users are influenced by it one way or another alongside whatever cultural traditions they've grown up with. This also includes those of pagan or pre-Christian origins. A noticeable reflection of the influence by Christianity is the usage of Latin names by Western magicians.

Earth's Eastern magic
Much of Eastern magic is dominated by Buddhism, many religions having been influenced by it throughout history. Shintoism and the Amakusa-Style Remix of Church, for example, have based their teachings in addition to their practice of magic around Buddhist principles.

Magicians and Magic Users
A Magician is a person who is trained to use magic and is capable of transferring that knowledge. Magic by itself roots from the simple fact that 'those without talent' wanted to be able to do the same things as 'those with talent', they gave birth to a ceremony and practice called magic.

A normal person will suffer more severe consequences than a magician if they fail, the most important thing about magic is to prepare it properly, if the preparation itself is done correctly even a middle schooler with no magical talent might be able to perform a spell; the opposite stands true as if the preparations are not proper the magic not only will fail, but the backlash from it will fry the brain of the caster.

At one point, Katya states that people without magic power cannot use magic, such as herself. However, this false as mana exists in all forms of life, as ordinary humans and even espers can cast magic under certain conditions.

Magicians per definition prefer to operate in secrecy, even going to publicly deny the existence of "magic" if they are questioned about the subjects and as such most people, such as Spirals are blissfully unaware of the existence of magic users. Magicians are typically distinguished from Energy Users due to the former's use of items with occult properties and being able to yield more than one type of power, whereas a Spiral can only have one ability and cannot gain more.

Types
Western magicians of Prime Earth dabble in a multitude of skills to do with magic, such as Alchemy, astronomy, and summoning. Chinatsu, despite being a Cyborg, was called an "Alchemist" because that was all xhe was good at out of the myriad of sub-sets of magic. Alchemy in general is useless compared to other magic, and was renowned for being a trick for gullible nobles in the 16th century where they believed turning lead into gold was possible.


 * "Sorcerer" are magicians that have the purpose of spreading magical knowledge with the objective of raising the next generation of mages; tthese magicians are normally strong enough to handle the power of a grimoire and use it to teach the magical knowledge to their apprentices.


 * "Magic God"  the highest possible position available to magicians where the magic of the user is almost considered divine and can overwrite the laws set by common sense. Other positions are possibly above that, such as "Saint" or "The Person Superior to God", but they cannot be reached by 'normal' magicians and depends almost entirely on factors like talent or birth.

Trivia

 * The exclusive use of real-life occult terms (witch, mage, prophet, warlock, alchemy, cult) to refer to Triggers Hell organizations or entities creates a parallel between an orthodox religion (the Church) and a cult (the dark side).