Crystal Magic and its Colors

Across the known galaxy, there are countless colors of magical crystals, and thus countless kinds of color mages. However, there are only 7 main colors and only 3 classes of color.

The seven main colors are spread across two color classes. The fundamental or primary colors are white, red, green, and blue. The secondary colors are magenta, yellow, and cyan. Any other color is considered a fusion color.

Balance, Danger, and Fear

 

Crystal magic powers are actually feared by some, as the magic can be difficult to control or use safely. This difficulty increases through the classes of colors (fundamental/primary, secondary, and fusion colors).

This progressive unbalance makes it more and more necessary for the magic wielder to bring their own balance. Part of a magic user's training includes this internal balance as a result.

In fact, despite having the needed affinity, some mages will directly use small magic crystals to accomplish their goal. This strategy takes advantage of the stability of a crystal structure as well as taking advantage of the literal chunk of magic that these crystals are.

Crystal Origins

 

The true origin of magic crystals is not known. However, once Otherspace was discovered, some speculated that it was the origin. These speculations grew from the similar hard-to-qualify intelligence that Otherspace and the crystals shared. The speculations also grew from the number of seed and small magic crystals in Otherspace.

The colors are based upon how colored light behaves when mixed. So the primary colors are red, green, and blue, rather than red, yellow, and blue. This is because light's color mixtures are an additive system, so it works differently than pigments (a subtractive system) do.   I will provide RGB and hex values, so that if a reader is curious about what a color actually looks like, they can find out. (Possible conversation: "That's not magenta, that's eye-slapping pink!" "Well, it IS eye-slapping, I'll give you that...")  

Possible Power Overlap

  There are powers that are specific to a color, but also a few that aren't. Many crystal mages are telepaths and/or telekinetics. How does, say, a cyan mage's solid matter control compare to someone who can pick up a chair with their mind? Well, a telekinetic can fling the chair at you, but the cyan mage can turn said chair into a knife and fling that at you. (Or either person could just go for flinging it against the wall, and then flinging a sharp piece at you. Depends on the person, really.)   Other overlaps don't go quite this way though. One example of this is that any mage can have a healing power, but blue and cyan both have it as an overall specialty. However, mages of other colors may be better at a type of healing than cyan or blue mages, so hospitals staff accordingly.   Or any mage could be a telepath, but magenta mages, with their psychological stability, are especially good at weathering the drawbacks (being able to hear all the thoughts and feelings in your range is not a great time, even if you can turn it off, which isn't always true).  

So... why would they overlap?

The Shattering is why. Shattering not only describes the events that give this universe its magic crystals, but describes the fact that the six other main colors were "Shattered" from white.   Colored crystals kind of inherit the white crystal's potentials, thus making a few powers possible across any color.   Not every color mage will have these powers, but any one of them could.   As far as anyone yet knows, these powers are: telepathy, telekinesis, sonic control (for example: take surrounding sounds out of some kind of balance, or to bring surrounding sounds back to some kind of balance),and healing.   Different color mages will approach these powers differently, or specialize in certain applications of these powers. This can be an outgrowth of their magic affinity, but can also be a personal choice.    

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Fundamental or Primary Colors

White

Element: The Mind/Balance
(RGB: 255, 255, 255 - hex: FFFFFF )

The most balanced crystal color is white. In light, white is the even mix of all the colors at full intensity. It has great potential, but that potential is held in balance.

  These are the most versatile crystals known, but they can be very difficult to find and mine. Many of the white crystals in existence are within stars. Given their versatility, people are always hungry to find a new source of them.  

Crystal Uses

It is difficult to use white crystals in specialized applications. If one was to label these with an element, the idea of "the mind" would be the best one, as the mind is adaptive and capable of so much, but maybe not everything all at once.

They are used in FTL travel. The very presence of a white seed crystal on the ship helps greatly in making sure the environment surrounding the ship stays safe, given how the ships travel at FTL. Derivative substances help to perpetuate and contain the cold fusion or matter/antimatter annihilation that fuels these ships, so as to protect the life on the ship from them.

 

What about black crystals?

There are no black crystals. There is a concept in this universe of "uncreative destruction", however. This phrase is referring to a destruction that is gratuitous or senseless, such as destruction of historical records, either by an arsonist or by time.

  The counterpart phrase "creative destruction" refers to a destruction that lays the foundation for creation. This is like tearing down a building that cannot be fixed, but must be rebuilt. Or like the shaky, tired relief after a good cry.  

Red

Element: thermal control
(RGB: 255, 0, 0 - hex: FF0000)
Red crystals bring to mind ideas of fire, attack, and destruction.   Red mages can control thermal energy. They can create fire as a result.   In battle, red mages are the ones who are likely to be leading the charge. They will run into danger to defeat opponents and protect their loved ones.   Since these crystals are thermal control magic, some of them are not safe to handle without a red magic affinity.   As a bonus, they don't need liquid nitrogen to make ice cream in that style. :D

Green

Elements: air and the wind
(RGB: 0, 255, 0 - hex: 00FF00)
Green mages control air and other gases. They, like magenta mages, may be able to fly.   Green magic carries the idea of how air can be light, but strong, such as in a hurricane.   In battle, green mages are just as likely to hit hard all at once as they are to harm over time. In battle they are likely to be the ones just behind the red mages.  

Blue

Elements: water and healing
(RGB: 0, 0, 255 - hex: 0000FF)
Blue crystals bring to mind ideas of water and creation. The clean after a good rain.   Blue mages can control water and other fluids.   In battle, they are more likely to be the defenders or healers, rather than the attackers. If they are the attackers, they are likely to use attacks that harm over time, rather than a big hit all at once.   Like an ever-flowing river, they do have a hard time staying in the moment.

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Secondary colors

Magenta

Element: gravity
(RGB: 255, 0, 255 - hex: FF00FF)
Magenta brings to mind the heat of fire, and the cool of an autumn stream. The push and pull relationship of creation and destruction.   Magenta mages can control gravitational forces. They may, like green mages, be able to fly.   Magenta mages are the most likely to be telepaths, have other psychic powers. or be the healers called upon when someone suffers a psychic attack.   Their personalities remind some of stone, with their unwillingness to make quick decisions, but their stability is also valued.   They are good at being in the moment. However, it is difficult to get them to look at the bigger picture, to see more than the details.  

Yellow

Element: electromagnetism
(RGB: 255, 255, 0 - hex: FFFF00)
Yellow magic carries ideas of thermal control and the wind.   Yellow mages can control the electromagnetic spectrum. They can generate bolts of lightning, should they choose.   In much the same way that lightning is momentary, they are great at staying in the moment. It is, however difficult to get them to see the details of a situation.  

Cyan

Element: earth, growth, and healing
(RGB: 0, 255, 255 - hex: 00FFFF)
Cyan magic carries ideas of the earth, healing and creation.   Cyan mages can control earth as well as other solids.  

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Crystal Fusion (Other Colors)

  Any color that falls into the fusion color class is regarded as having more potential for danger than any of the 7 main colors.   Further explanation of the behavior and powers of these crystals is in the Crystal Fusion article.  

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Power Groups

When color mages combine their powers, they can generate things that none of them can do on their own. This also applies to using the crystals themselves.   Cyan + Blue = Healing
Both kinds of magic have an emphasis in healing abilities, so they often work together to increase effectiveness.     Green + Magenta = Flight
This combination is often used to make things fly or float that normally wouldn't. These crystals can be sewn into a suit that allows the wearer to fly, for instance. Or a floating city will use these crystals to stay aloft.   Red + Blue + Green + Yellow = Weather Control
Magenta + Yellow + 2-4x White = Antimatter Formation (from normal matter)
This is not something that most mages can do, nor is it really something most want to.