Joanne's Research Journal

[Lore Book]

First Entry


General Hypothesis: Symbolic magic aka the temple of the heart, is the most common form of casting, and is not seeing other forms of casting style added on.


It has been thought that while symbolic casting is just the basics of casting with most mages moving on towards other more advanced styles as they continue to advance with their casting. My current sample size of magi appears to have them only focus on Symbolic casting. I am unsure if this is partially from ease of use, or just a habit by the caster after they have learned how to initially cast magic. 


With how deregulated learning to access your mana and therefore your circuit, most magi have a rather sudden onset of learning how to cast their magic. This is most common for children who have accessed their magic around the age of ten. These formative years are often sparked by intense emotions which serve as a catalyst of symbolic magic. Furthering this hypothesis, the raw emotions of these years are further reinforced by magic that affects their emotions. Hot headedness is often enhanced by such magics as fire magic, where the more leveled headed children continue to gravitate to more balanced magics. 

A feedback loop of casting symbolically, is the emotions of the children who grow to become an adult are artificially manipulated by the symbolic magic that is running through their circuits. Due to lack of inner control of their mana, it appears that mana and magic control the person more than they control it. 


Further samples and questioning of magi is needed to discover how widespread this phenomenon is. Admittedly the half a year I have spent on my current lines of questioning is short and not worth spreading widely.


Current plans: Continue the inquiries of magi and their magic. Further observe unique traits of these magi, and see if they are stuck on symbolic casting. Further note down each subject to see if mutations are occurring at an accelerated rate due to symbolic casting is also warranted.

[Lore Book]

Hypothesis: Rune Casting, or the Temple of the Mind is extremely difficult to do for Physical casters.


Runecasting, my own form of casting, appears to be a non existent form of casting for those who use physical magic, either fighting with a weapon or using their own bodies as weapons. From what I have seen if they are not symbolic casters, they are primarily using the temples of the eyes or throat. This is practical, as rune casting not only takes concentration, but needs extremities to manipulate the runes that form from mana. Watching some of the physical magi practice, it is evident that even an arm not being used for combat, is used for balance or other actions. 


I do not know why this did not come to me initially, but it makes perfect sense now that I think more deeply on the subject. If I am helping guide a physical magi in the future, I will have to direct them towards any temple other than the mind to use with casting, if I do not aim to hamper them. 


For those seeking to maintain stealth with their casting, focusing solely on symbolic casting with the temple of the heart, is their best way. Though I believe that upon further observation, my initial thoughts of using the word casting for some of their external casting of spells is the best method. This is partially due to Visionary casting potentially requiring you to take your eyes off a foe, which in the close space of physical combat, this may be a death sentence.


As an aside, I believe I will not delve any deeper in the physical magics for myself.

[Lore Book]

I look today at a term that I reference when I talk about casting styles. My mentor called the four casting styles the Temples. Which are Heart for Symbolic, Mind for Runecasting, Eyes for Visualization, and Throat for Wordcasting. My thoughts have been drifting these past few months. What is the origin of such a term? Does it come from your body is a temple? Does it come from a more religious observation? Maybe it comes from the simple fact that Temples are often the place where most people congregate, which with the convergence point of many mana circuits, it is an apt comparison.


The Temples. Each to a different deity within yourself. The four deities of the self for casting. The first deity, the heart. Often the first one taken up by a magi on their first steps of becoming a magus. The next deity becomes their patron, if they do not get stuck and lost on the path of the heart. If I forgive myself this religious connotation that my thoughts are traveling down.


Maybe this is just a term that has been passed on for so many years that we have lost the true origin of it and I shall never know. Maybe habit will keep me referring to the casting terms as Temples. Maybe I will move my terms to another? These are just some of the thoughts as I mull over this from time to time. But whatever the end result, I shall continue to study.


It occurs to me as I write this entry, does someone who is blind have the ability to open the temple of the Eyes? Are the doors barred to them? Or is this the origin of Mana sight? Someone who had their temple stripped bare, unable to Visualize their casting, the window to the soul locked behind the damage. Thus they recreated the Temple in their own way. A mortal construction, bending their magical senses to replace sight. Mana sight may be an avenue of research I will keep open. Though I do hope that I do not need to destroy the Temple of the eyes to experiment with this technique. Even if it is a temple that I do not use.


I should finish this entry before my mind races towards other possibilities and experiments. Rambling in both the flesh and paper is probably not a good look if someone is reading this after all. 

[Lore Book]

The other day, I spoke to Enlil in the kingdom of Serenity. During this conversation, I briefly touched upon the tiers of magi, though I feel as if I need to write about what I would consider the tiers of the practitioners of magic. If only so I can keep my thoughts in order when I next discuss such topics.


Non-magi
Self explanatory, as in the name, common citizens who have not accessed their magical circuit in any way. This can be from lack of training, or lack of the necessary will power to unlock it.


Physical magi
There should be a better name for these magi, as there is the physical school of magic that would also technically count. Physical magi are those who have accessed their mana, and are only able to physically enhance themselves. Via running mana through their circuits, they are able to run faster, carry heavier loads, or swing a weapon harder. Often these magi are employed in physically demanding jobs, guards of estates, elite troops for formations in battle, or go to live a life of crime as powerful bandits.


What hallmarks these magi from the next tier, is they often have no external spellcasting. This could be a lack of training or skill. These are however the most numerous mages in the realm, though maybe a more regimented training could bump them up to the next tier.


Industrial Magi
There should be a better name for these magi, but I believe they are called this because of the work they generally employ. Due to only knowing how to externally cast a few spells in one school of magic, they are often employed for more industrious tasks. Be this from helping light forges and heating large estates, or messengers using sound magic to help spread news. A smaller category than Physical magi, they are fairly powerful and more skilled in their own right, due to focus on the basics and constant use of their magic. They also may be used to produce specific items of magitech or equipment that requires a basic magical touch. Items such as phoenix  rods for instance are often a product of an industrial magi.


You may also see these magi in armies leading troops of Physical magi, though this is rare. Magi stuck in this tier often are content with the steady paycheck that are provided to them


War Magi
The most powerful magi, able to do full magical combat. Often trained in a few schools of magic, growing to mastery level in numerous cases. These Magi dominate the political landscape, leading cities, making great works, or become great destructors. If someone talks about a magi, they are often referring to this tier. And it is within this tier that we can even further subdivide them in their power structures. But for all intents and purposes, they are war magi.


I could go more in depth, but War magi have been well written about in numerous works, simply because of how prominent they are.


However the question on self reflection is. What tier of magus am I? Do I count amongst the War magi as I know multiple schools of magic? Do I count amongst the Industrial Magi due to knowing only a few spells? This has been on my thoughts as of late after this discussion. What does my spellcasting even qualify as? None I know of and speak of have such a broad access to the schools of magic, but at the same time, I only have a surface level understanding of the deeper mysteries of those schools.


Magic itself is what I love to study, but it is not narrowed down to the degree that the War magi typically have. But it is more broad than that of an industrial Magus. What am I? 


A question I think I will never truly know, and a passing thought. Does it truly matter what Tier of magi I am at the end of the day? I will never be a powerhouse who dominates. Now I should finish this entry before I start to digress further into self reflection. It helps no one after all and may come across as wallowing in self pity.

[Lore Book]

Hypothesis: Beasts with a mana circuit do possess some convergence points. However I believe they only possess three at most.


The minor magical beasts of the land, a strong foe to the unprepared, sometimes requiring squads of non magi, or physical magi to subjugate if they become hostile. To the strongest of the War Magi, they are creatures who can aid in their training and provide materials for various projects.


But the key thing most people do not think of, is their mana. Or at least more specifically, how they are casting. Is it purely on instinct? Do they possess enough of a higher soul to have thoughts? Are they mortal souls whom are being punished for a lifetime? Are they born with access to their mana circuits or do they need to unlock it like we do?


Numerous questions always persist on these creatures, but those tend to fall under philosophical questions. What interests me most right now is, do they possess similar convergence and casting types as a mortal. My current theory is as such, they only posses three of the 4 temples a Mortal have.


My Thoughts are they have these three.


The temple of the heart- Symbolic casting. What we consider the most basic of casting, is probably what the beasts also have. We cast on an almost instinctual level with such magic, but it makes sense that this is a style that a magic beast also has.


The temple of the Eyes- This may only apply to some of the creatures admittedly, as some may not possess eyes in the traditional sense. Though they may also count on mana sight, so the convergence points of circuits may be valid. We also know some at least can cast in this style due to glowing eyes of some of the beasts.


The temple of the throat - This one is more uncertain, but I believe it is valid that they are wordcasting, in the simple manner they are able to do at the very least. Sometimes you see a beast let our a cry, and magic soon follows. So we can safely assume that this action is tied together in some way. 


When I get the chance to examine a creature that is intact, I can test some of these thoughts. Who knows, they may have a convergence point that mortals do not have. This could be a breakthrough in casting if we can replicate and add in another temple. Though this is just wild speculation at the very least.

[Lore Book]

I should be writing my latest theories on a magical phenomenon. Moving my mind for ways to combat this taint that plagues me in the small window of opportunity that I have. But I find myself unable to come up with the will to write it down on paper. I have an idea on how to combat this malice that is binding me. Will it work? I am unsure. But as I feel the protections on my soul start to wane, I know that I will be under its influence once more soon enough.

Never been one to pray, for I always looked inward, to my mana and magic itself. This proof that I can impose my will on my own body, and the world itself. Yet this curse has made it so I can not control my own body. Dragging me down with chains of my own guilt. Maybe it is because I have spread my soul too thin, which I firmly believe is the main reason I am being overtaken, when the others whom have been similar cursed have not taken it this far. The constant pain from the flowers in my head, the constant leaking of pus and sap into my hair. All of these are new. 

Maybe it is because I am not a War magus, the first of the industrial magi to be swept up in the fights. Or maybe they have, and have just died outright. That line I straddle, between someone strong and not. Maybe this is where the curse can thrive.

I babble once more, but wished to put my thoughts to paper, at least some of them. This may be my last entry I will have before I am consumed, the curse killing my mind, and soon enough my body.

We shall see.