2013-04-02, 02:58 AM
Here is a new section (half filled out) on magic. My goal here is to solidify the relationship of Light magic to the other four elementary magics, and to introduce the Void affinity, which is absolutely non-magical. Still in a techno-setting the Void affinity can represent purely physical stuff that looks like magic. Indeed in a world devoid of magic (sound familiar?) only Void exists (edited: its also worth clarifying that Light magic is in no way synonymous to light itself. Ie. as defined by Wikipedia)
Technically Light is Earth Logic. But all logic is dormant where there is no magic. Other logics can exist, but they would appear alien to us, and cannot exist alongside other logic, because each kind of logic (or a blending) fills space like a gas, and that's how you end up with a reality that follows rules of law. The absence of law is chaos, or swirling logics. Magic is the only thing that can put logic into order. So it is up to magic to decide the nature of a reality.
In our case it is Earth magic that won the war of magics. Also a word on why Light or Holy magic summons demons. For one thing, the other magics summon dragons, so by rule Light magic needs to be able to summon awesome creatures too. But there is also precedent for this in human legends, and I try to mirror human legends as much as possible in my attempts at divination of the KF universe here...
Anyway, it is told that King Solomon (presumably a holy man) summoned/commanded "demons" to construct his architectural feats and what have you. Also in Japan[ese], the word for demon is pretty open ended. Many games (and such) will refer to angels (and gods/kami too) as demons without distinction. It can pretty much refer to anything that demonstrates agency but is neither animal (we are including man here) or vegetable so to speak. It's true the same kanji that is used in the word Evil is in there, but that just denotes suspicion, as any man would be right to doubt an unnatural being.
MODERATED: If you are the president of Egypt you'll probably be offended by this.
PS: As for souls. NPCs don't have souls. Only player characters have souls. In other words its a non (as in meta) issue. And there is no soul collection (a la Dark Souls) in King's Field games!
EDITED: Also its pretty obvious to see that Demons in their purest form are the equal opposites of Dragons. I think this is fitting. There is a history in science of anthropomorphising theories by referring to them as Demons. Both because of their logical, and often flawed, qualities... and also because they would keep theoreticians from getting any sleep and haunt them throughout their waking hours. Anyway I like the idea of blending KF with science like qualities. It brings it closer to unification with the likes of Armored Core, and makes it a fertile bed for many more kinds of settings and themes. Plus it just brings it ever closer to the shared human experience (if that means anything to you)
EDITED: In fact half-demons like half-dragons probably need not even have any visual differences whatsoever. So if you are born with elementary magic you are half-dragon, and if you are born with light magic half-demon, and if both, then you are half-and-half
Quote:Magic
Magic is believed to draw its power from the existence of Dragons. Its opposite is logic. But no man comprehends such things. When logic meets magic the two are annihilated in an exquisite show of light and power that is said to mark the death of dragons. A mere guess on the half of men. Or a hypothesis, as modern men of science will say. Men of the cloth have their own name for this phenomenon: Holy, most treasured, but little do they understand that in truth; it is the safety of logic (from magic) that brings them peace of mind, their true object of reverence.
Fire
Water
Wind & Air
Earth
Light & Shadow
Light, sometimes called Holy, is relatively new form of magic known to men.
It owes its existence in the world to the Earth Dragon Guyra; he himself being a creature of pure logic, aimed to temper magic with his logic at great cost to his own kind. Earth dragons are known to be solitary and untrusting in nature. But even among earth dragons Guyra is singularly despised for his unapologetic treachery.
Light magic is incompatible with the elementary magics, Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. It floods the dark with light just as well as is it hews shadows from blinding light. If carefully focused light is able to wreak destruction unrivaled even by the elementary magic of fire.
The most feared magi of light do not shudder to command slumbering demons from the depths of The Void.
The Void
When magic is annihilated completely by logic, what remains is only void. Within this void what logic survives (if any) will continue to exist. Although outwardly void appears to be the stuff of nothingness. Needless to say, for anything of magic the void is a hostile place. Even dragons must be commanded to venture near.
Technically Light is Earth Logic. But all logic is dormant where there is no magic. Other logics can exist, but they would appear alien to us, and cannot exist alongside other logic, because each kind of logic (or a blending) fills space like a gas, and that's how you end up with a reality that follows rules of law. The absence of law is chaos, or swirling logics. Magic is the only thing that can put logic into order. So it is up to magic to decide the nature of a reality.
In our case it is Earth magic that won the war of magics. Also a word on why Light or Holy magic summons demons. For one thing, the other magics summon dragons, so by rule Light magic needs to be able to summon awesome creatures too. But there is also precedent for this in human legends, and I try to mirror human legends as much as possible in my attempts at divination of the KF universe here...
Anyway, it is told that King Solomon (presumably a holy man) summoned/commanded "demons" to construct his architectural feats and what have you. Also in Japan[ese], the word for demon is pretty open ended. Many games (and such) will refer to angels (and gods/kami too) as demons without distinction. It can pretty much refer to anything that demonstrates agency but is neither animal (we are including man here) or vegetable so to speak. It's true the same kanji that is used in the word Evil is in there, but that just denotes suspicion, as any man would be right to doubt an unnatural being.
MODERATED: If you are the president of Egypt you'll probably be offended by this.
PS: As for souls. NPCs don't have souls. Only player characters have souls. In other words its a non (as in meta) issue. And there is no soul collection (a la Dark Souls) in King's Field games!
EDITED: Also its pretty obvious to see that Demons in their purest form are the equal opposites of Dragons. I think this is fitting. There is a history in science of anthropomorphising theories by referring to them as Demons. Both because of their logical, and often flawed, qualities... and also because they would keep theoreticians from getting any sleep and haunt them throughout their waking hours. Anyway I like the idea of blending KF with science like qualities. It brings it closer to unification with the likes of Armored Core, and makes it a fertile bed for many more kinds of settings and themes. Plus it just brings it ever closer to the shared human experience (if that means anything to you)
EDITED: In fact half-demons like half-dragons probably need not even have any visual differences whatsoever. So if you are born with elementary magic you are half-dragon, and if you are born with light magic half-demon, and if both, then you are half-and-half