Things Of Interest Blog
What is magic?
I have a directory full of background information about the Ra universe, and I realised recently that some of this information is now wholly "declassified". That means you folks might want to see it. Here's the first one.
Technically, there are no spoilers here, even if you haven't started reading Ra yet. However, this is not the preferred entry point to the story! This is reference information. You should go and read from the beginning if you haven't already!
What is magic?
Magic is a type of energy and a set of methods for manipulating and transducing that energy into other, more useful forms. Magic energy is called mana to distinguish it from the practice of magic.
Mana is moved around and spent by people, using verbal commands known as magic words or spells. Spells form a sort of API for requesting magical services. Spells are localised and for the most part take effect at the point in space where they are spoken. Simply speaking the words is not sufficient. The words serve as a mantra for the person speaking them, and it is the process of mentally jumping through various "hoops" which actually causes the invocation to occur. Casting a spell is effectively like performing a very complicated piece of mental arithmetic in one's head.
Individual magical ability is therefore largely a function of ability to perform extremely fast mental logical deductions. This is loosely correlated with mathematical ability. Typically you have to be at least 15 years old before the simplest spell is in your grasp, although some will pick it up earlier, while the vast majority will never bother with it at all. Men and women are equally capable of magic, but the field, like many sciences, is male-dominated.
Clear speech is very important. A lisp or a bad "magic accent" (yes, magic words are a language unto themselves and have their own accent) will cause problems. A person unable to speak is unable to use magic. Machines can speak, but apparently they cannot do the "mental arithmetic", and so are also unable to use magic.
Things Of Interest Blog
What is magic?
I have a directory full of background information about the Ra universe, and I realised recently that some of this information is now wholly "declassified". That means you folks might want to see it. Here's the first one.
Technically, there are no spoilers here, even if you haven't started reading Ra yet. However, this is not the preferred entry point to the story! This is reference information. You should go and read from the beginning if you haven't already!
What is magic?
Magic is a type of energy and a set of methods for manipulating and transducing that energy into other, more useful forms. Magic energy is called mana to distinguish it from the practice of magic.
Mana is moved around and spent by people, using verbal commands known as magic words or spells. Spells form a sort of API for requesting magical services. Spells are localised and for the most part take effect at the point in space where they are spoken. Simply speaking the words is not sufficient. The words serve as a mantra for the person speaking them, and it is the process of mentally jumping through various "hoops" which actually causes the invocation to occur. Casting a spell is effectively like performing a very complicated piece of mental arithmetic in one's head.
Individual magical ability is therefore largely a function of ability to perform extremely fast mental logical deductions. This is loosely correlated with mathematical ability. Typically you have to be at least 15 years old before the simplest spell is in your grasp, although some will pick it up earlier, while the vast majority will never bother with it at all. Men and women are equally capable of magic, but the field, like many sciences, is male-dominated.
Clear speech is very important. A lisp or a bad "magic accent" (yes, magic words are a language unto themselves and have their own accent) will cause problems. A person unable to speak is unable to use magic. Machines can speak, but apparently they cannot do the "mental arithmetic", and so are also unable to use magic.
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