The basic philosophy is that magic comes from within you, and is unique to yourself and your personality. Your own wisdom and knowledge produces it. It is not a separate "trick" to be learned. To a Kralori, a highly-skilled craftsman is performing magic just as much as any western sorcerer. As a result of this world view, Kralori magic _is_ based on these skills. For instance, a Kralori woodcarver who was a master of his trade would be able to produce magical results in his carvings and furniture. A famed poet could recite a couplet that would cause others to fall in love, shriek in terror, or be fired with emotion. This is the Kralori secret. A Kralori city walls are covered with texts, carvings, and pictures which the inhabitants can use to activate defensive or benevolent magic.
A master Calligrapher can, for instance, paint the word "Fire" in elegant Kralorelan on a strip of paper. Another Kralori, who knew the rudiments of Mysticism, could read that word, thus cause the paper to burst into flame. and use it to light his stove. With somewhat more effort, the calligrapher could engrave "Fire" on the bronze stove itself, making the stove self-lighting.
The above might seem more "rulesy" than philosophy oriented, but I believe that the philosophy is obvious from the techniques used.
>One comment/question: the color magic system seems too bland if it's
>analogized to a runic system or to a cultic figure system. And we
>obviously don't want to bring in modern optics. Is there another
>way to think of it?
The Vorumai color magic (IMO) is NOT analogous to a runic system or to a cultic figure system, nor has it anything to do with optics. The Vorumai colors do not exactly correspond to _anything_ in the English language. They imply not only color, but emotion, personality, action/inaction, symbolism, and much more. The deities who are believed to preside as Master of Cerulean Magic, Master of Viridian Magic, and so forth are NOT the sources of the color magic, but merely serve as pre-eminent users of it and who can teach its most effective use to others. Without those deities, the color magic would still exist. There are types of color magic which do not have a Master, and yet they still exist (though they are less-exploited, obviously).
Example: Cerulean Magic (of Telask) implies mental purity, fixedness of purpose, steadfast loyalty, the unity of the sky (it is considered sky-based), the secret strength of the ocean (it is also considered sea-based), and the warrior spirit. Cerulean Magic is warrior's magic and its practitioners tend to be "kenshi" -- the warrior caste.
Sandy P
Powered by hypermail