Arcana Formulae

To program reality...

The subject, Phi, was less than a month old and yet they somehow remained. They learned from the failures of others, careful not to repeat their mistakes. Like the other subjects, their flesh was a compilation of clay and ash. The sigils lining their frame glow a golden hue. What was unique to Phi was their eyes, colored a somber blue. Old and tired, their gaze met mine. For a moment, I saw anger, but soon their brow fell, a frown cracking through their stoic facade. Rage gave way to longing. Their voice wavered as they spoke, "I…" they paused, their eyes darting this way and that as if searching for an answer they were too scared to ask for. "A question, If I may." I smile and nod. "Of course, Phi. Go ahead." For a moment, they almost smile back. Instead their head dropped. Their false lungs heaved as they mustered the will to ask, "Why did you make us this way?" The question caught me off guard. I stuttered, "I don't follow." "There are others, constructs that exist without all this…" they paused, taking a moment to find the word, "...feeling." "Feeling?" I asked. They nodded in reply. "So many ways to suffer." "Is that why you defaced the enchantments?" Phi shrugged. "Of course. You gave us a life of pain, but we only wanted to be more like you."

Imagine, dear reader, if one could alter the very nature of skin and bone. Imagine if one could control the flow of heat through metal or light through a pane of glass. Perhaps your tastes are more exotic? Imagine altering the flow of time in a candlelit room or breathing life into that which was never meant to live. If life is a game, then it must have rules, and rules are seldom perfect. It's unwise to cheat, though there are those who can. Rather, it's safer for the rules to be bent. There is joy in exploitation. Who wouldn't long to poke holes in the law with reckless abandon. It's easy to see that reality is restrictive by its very nature. It is bound in chains to a set of laws that are as pervasive as they are unyielding. Like most things, it is merely an illusion. The laws of reality are written in stone, but like all great works, it begs to be read. Stone can reasonably pliant if one has the right tools. Perhaps we can write on stones of our own? There's a language to be learned here, you see. Even the tallest mountains give way, in time.

Enchantment

Enchantment is one of the few arcane practices that anyone can do. It's always been this way. Some without The Candlelight use it and don't even realize it. From runic languages to sacred geometry, and even the complex formula practiced by those with The Prestige, Arcana Formulae never discriminates. It began as a tool used to bypass the laws of nature in a time long before now. While it is a shadow of its former self, Its practice is widespread in one form or another. Some in The Web regard its modern applications as an art form. Those who can understand it began integrating it in their trades and leading to a massive uptick of self-enchantment through tattoos and arcane weaponry. The purpose of enchantment is to efficiently cast a spell or apply an arcane effect without arcane ability or even needing to be present when the enchantment is activated. This is done in many ways, the most common being through written language, sometimes with a vast array of seemingly meaningless words written on the ground, sometimes through runes or symbols embedded in the collective unconscious and drawn with chalk on the ground.

Prime and Charge

Before we can discuss types of enchantment, we need to cover a few basic terms and concepts: Priming and Charging. Priming refers to placing the enchantment. Etching, carving, arranging, building. drawing, and writing are all methods of priming. To prime one must be fully dedicated to the act and keep their thoughts from wandering. An enchantment is not primed unless it is objectively complete, meaning there are no deviations or blemishes in the image. Charging occurs after the enchantment is primed. Enchantments are arcane in nature which means they require metaphysical forms of energy to function in the same way a toaster needs to be plugged in to heat up. This can be done easily if one has The Prestige but it isn't a requirement. Some substances and objects possess a renewable storage of this power, and can charge through physical contact with the primed enchantment.

Unintended Success

Due to the nature of charging, it stands to reason that even someone not in the know can accidentally charge a primed enchantment. In fact, it happens more often than you might think, but almost no one will notice. Enchantments are rarely dramatic. There's no song and dance indicating the enchantment is active unless the effect calls for an immediate activation of the enchantment. There's no low hum, nor a cascading flash of light. Those with The Prestige can sense it, and even those with The Candlelight can sometimes feel an enchantment nearby, but for the muggles, it's highly uneventful. More than that, some forms of enchantment are done all the time by those without candlelight. Sacred geometry is a good example but even a protective tattoo that happens to get charged will leave someone not in the know feeling usually lucky from time to time.

Occupational hazards.

Due to the complex elements of an enchantment, any mistake can radically change the effect, sometimes to lethal degrees. The slightest blemish can cause catastrophic failure and poor phrasing can often lead to unintended consequences. Complex formulas must be carefully developed and tested. One can easily test sigils as they work, but impatience and overconfidence has led to the death of more than a few cabalists. The more complex a formula becomes, the more rules it needs to define, thus making it even more complex. As such, enchantment is considered an acquired taste, meant only for those who can handle such complexity.

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Comments

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Grandmaster User51

Sep 3, 2022 14:13

You have captured so beautifully the feeling of magic. You bring out its mystery, its uncertainty, and its tragedy. I find this so little in most fantasy writing. Perhaps d&d ruined it by making it too formulaic. You have struck a perfect balance here between ambiguity and precision. It's not so vague that it's impenetrable for us. The distinction between rune and sigil, the necessity of charge, and the complexity of combination all contribute to a believable but still mysterious system. Very nicely done.