Arcanistry

Arcanistry (from Mayyian: akædirs,"works of the blessed") refers to the practice of utilizing the spiritual and extramundane energy known as arcaea to manipulate the natural world, generally in a manner impossible via mundane means. While the terms are often used interchangeably, Arcanology is used to refer to the study of arcæa, the extramundane phenomena and forces pertaining to it, as well as theoretical applications of arcanistry. Practitioners of arcanistry are referred to as arcanists, whereas researchers of arcanology are referred to as arcanologists. The adjective arcane is used to refer to the concepts and subjects relevant to both the study and applications of arcæa, assigned the prefix arca-.

Being one of - if not the oldest academic disciplines, arcanistry has had a profound impact on human history, the prominence of many civilizations and religions throughout history in part traced to breakthroughs in the arcane. In the majority of the three millennia of known history, arcanistry and related knowledge was largely monopolized by religious authorities, who made use of the then-existing gray areas in the understanding of arcanistry as part of their doctrine and worldview. Arcanistry in its early history remained esoteric and unpredictable owing to a lack of knowledge on core theories considered fundamental in modernity, leading to contemporary arcanists to depend on the dogmatic regurgitation of rituals recovered from pre-Cataclysm & First Era sources and lucky discoveries from trial and error using antiquated models of arcane knowledge. With the progression of time, greater advancements in arcane knowledge led to a fundamental transformation that saw arcanistry become an academic discipline that could be studied like any other field of science, as these advancements led to the development of several core theories of arcanistry which could unite the various distinct models proposed by religious authorities and explain them empirically - which notably defined the field of arcanistry as a secular field that could be explored by arcanologists employing the scientific method just as readily as by the clergy. This secularization is most prominent in the emergence of Humanism in the Vikressian cultural sphere and its totally secular model of arcanistry, codified as the practical science of Ontomancy.

Core theories
Many models and associated theories relating to the qualities of the arcane and its effects on the natural world have been established and discarded with humanity's evolving understanding of the arcane, with varying degrees of acceptance in both contemporary and modern times. In most models employed in the modern world, certain theories are universally accepted to be applicable, though their implications in regards to these aforementioned models are as diverse as the worldviews of their adherents. These theories form the foundations for the modern understanding of arcanistry, and any arcanist is expected to be literate in these core theories no matter what their adherences may be.

Arcaea
Arcaea is the spiritual and extramundane energy used to perform arcanistry. Arcaea is an ambient energy that is invisible and cannot be detected directly via mechanical means in modern times, but can be observed by the indirect effects in has on the natural world through its superabundance or absence, as well as by the results of arcane rituals that expend it through their casting.

Arcaea's capacity for the extramundane comes from the distortive effects its abundance has on the temporal world. When the amount of arcaea concentrated within a certain area, item, or living being surpasses a certain threshold (defined by the Thalnier-Rixley Equation), extramundane phenomena physical in nature begin to materialize, an uncontrolled materialization of such phenomena known as wildcast. Fundamentally, arcanistry is the practice of manipulating the materialization of such extramundane phenomena in a manner intended by the practitioner, most ordinarily through the use of an arcane ritual.

The originating source of arcaea is a contentious topic among both theological and scientific circles. As a matter of fact, it is known that the amount of arcaea in a living being or the temporal world (in its entirety and its distinct natural environments) is generally maintained in an equilibrium, either replenishing any expenditure or releasing any excess. It is known that the equilibrium of a living being is maintained by using the natural environment surrounding it as a "storage" and "sink" for arcaea respectively (by either absorbing and discharging arcaea, usually unconsciously), but the "storage" and "sink" for the natural world itself is the point of contention. Popular theories that attempt to explain this Paradox of Equilibrium include:
 * Outer Source Theory: The equilibrium of the affected environment and the natural world as a whole is maintained by either extracting or releasing arcaea into the arcane dimensions. Distinct versions exist which either consider arcaea in the arcane dimensions as infinite or finite.
 * Multidimensional Equilibrium Theory: Arcaea expenditure in the natural world does not mean the total destruction of the expended arcaea, instead being the release of arcaea into the arcane dimensions in exchange for extramundane occurrences in the natural world. The theory's ramifications are that the total amount of arcaea across all dimensions and the natural world are maintained in a constant equilibrium, any shortfall or excess in any single dimension eventually solved as this total amount is equalized over all dimensions.
 * Finite Arcaea Theory: The equilibrium of the affected environment is maintained by either extracting or releasing arcaea into surrounding environments, extending throughout the entire planet (or beyond the planet in some versions). The theory's ramifications are that the amount of arcaea in the planet (or whichever astronomical body the version uses) is finite and can be fully expended. Mostly retired after the possibility of arcaea exchange between the natural world and arcane dimensions was discovered, but revisions that attempt to fit the theory into the modern framework of arcane knowledge exist.

Arcane planes
The arcane planes are a plane of existence or reality distinct from the temporal world, in that these planes possess an abundance of pure arcaea and are associated with certain elements of the world, alongside being capable of manifesting spirits. Access to arcane planes can be achieved through the opening of a planar rift through the exposure of a sufficient amount of the aforementioned element to sufficient amounts of arcaea. Notably, spirits - which are extraplanar entities reliant on arcaea as an energy source - of a certain element can manifest through a rift.

Arcane planes were originally hypothesized by early religions and theologians to exist as a form of afterlife, after the existence of rifts and manifestation of associated spirits were observed. In modern scientific terms, an arcane plane of a certain element is defined to exist when an associated spirit of this certain element is observed to manifest through the opening of an associated rift. Under such definitions, the arcane planes confirmed to exist are: It is debated whether elements not mentioned above do not have associated planes or have planes whose rifts cannot be opened with modern arcanistry and technology. Theoretically, it is possible that such rifts have an arcaea requirement currently impossible to reach, at least in comparison with the arcaea requirements of confirmed planes or the threshold for overarcaification. Elements of confirmed planes which exist in testing environments, however impure, can tamper with any attempts at opening rifts into theoretical planes. Overarcaification - the superabundance of arcaea - can also lead to wildcasts that generate the elements of confirmed planes or destroy the testing site and the tested element.
 * Abyss: An arcane plane whose rift opens with sufficient arcaea presence within a sufficiently pure body of water, distilled water considered the purest form. Rifts may open in less than pure water (eg: saltwater, blood) if the amount of arcaea expended to open the rift is increased, the required amount of additional arcaea increasing exponentially depending on degree of purity and the contaminants.
 * Empyrean: An arcane plane whose rift opens with sufficient arcaea presence within a sufficiently hot body of heat, larger and hotter open fires considered the purest form. Rifts may open in molten materials, whereas the relative power of manifested spirits increases the longer a source of heat remains heated.
 * Aether: An arcane plane whose rift opens with sufficient arcaea presence within a sufficiently bright body of light, most commonly through use of specialized mirrors and glasswork. Notably, when the light is emitted by a flame, rifts into the Empyrean will take priority over those into the Aether.

Arcane conduction
Arcane conduction is the transfer of the arcaea from one entity to another. Following the logic that all entities seek to maintain arcane equilibrium within themselves, conduction is the physical process through which such entities maintain equilibrium, as the entities transfer arcaea inwards or outwards. All materials have distinct capabilities for conduction and retainment of arcaea, as do specific arrangements and patterns (an arcane schematic) of one or more of those materials. Water is one of the best conductors and retainers of arcaea, as long as the amount of arcaea retained does not surpass the water's threshold for the opening of a dimensional rift. Besides water's resulting applications in arcanistry and rituals, this has also led to theories regarding the human species' innate capability of retaining, conducting, and manipulating arcaea (most popularly codified as the Lifeblood Thesis). Arcanists utilize the concept of arcane conduction to transfer their body's arcaea into an arcane ritual, thereby fueling the ritual and materializing the extramundane phenomena and effects associated with arcanistry (this effect being the spell).

Driving force
Driving force is the power behind the process of manipulating the naturally unpredictable extramundane effects materialized through the abundance of arcaea (wildcasting) into effects desired by the arcanist. In the modern understanding of arcanistry, living beings possessing higher levels of sapience (commonly simplified as intelligence) have higher corresponding levels of driving force, the process of exerting driving force typically described by arcanists as "exerting one's mental willpower" in order to manipulate the extramundane effects of arcaea and thus "cast a spell".

In practical applications, the function of rituals is to amplify the driving force of the arcanist, framing the esoteric processes through which arcaea materializes extramundanity in a manner that can be better understood by the arcanist and thereby allows the arcanist to better concentrate and exert their mental willpower to perform arcanistry. Verbal and somatic components in rituals are the most effective method of maximizing driving force for simpler spells, whereas more complex rituals are required for spells more complex in nature. The application of a greater driving force in the casting of a spell may serve as an additional catalyst, accelerating the arcane processes and supplementing any shortfalls in arcaea supply. It is based off a similar logic that beings that are unconscious, under inebriating effects, or under a state of confusion conventionally cannot perform arcanistry, as they do not possess the sufficient mental capacity and concentration to exert driving force.

"Willpower is the primary driving force of man. Man seeks to master all things within their domain, the exertion of willpower to make the impossible reality is the most primal form of our mastery of this world. The power of arcanistry depends on how strong your will to change this world, how strongly you believe your wish for this world can be fulfilled. In ancient times, people revered the stars, seas, and mountains as deities, exerting their willpower upon this world through collective superstitious belief and influencing the world through arcane ceremonies. In recent times, the advent of science and a modern, systematic understanding of the arcane world has explained away the many gray areas superstition relied upon, bringing about a new form of arcanistry where man's true understanding of the rules this world functions upon allows us to manipulate it to our will."

- Arthur Hark Mayes

Additionally, it is understood that the temporal world (sometimes referred to as the physical world or universe) has a driving force of its own, the "willpower" of the temporal world manifesting as a desire to maintain normalcy and the state of the world before the casting of a spell. This driving force of the natural world competes against the driving force of the arcanist, making spells with more "impossible" and extramundane effects more difficult to cast. Theoretically, all living beings with any level of intelligence will have a corresponding level of driving force and can thus cast spells, and it is the driving force of the temporal world that prevents beings with driving forces below a certain point to cast spells (mostly preventing beings without full sapience to cast spells). Through this logic, all living beings would be able to cast spells without difficulty if the temporal world lacked a driving force. Animals with sufficient intelligence alongside body compositions that facilitate the casting of arcane spells are known as arcane beasts.

The existence of driving force in the natural world and sapient beings has led to speculations surrounding the innate sapience of the natural world, codified as the Gaia Theory.

Association effect
The association effect is the concept that certain items, locations, or phemomena may have beneficial or detrimental effects on associated arcane spells, what these associations specifically are being an active field of study and the primary one for arcanologists in the discipline of applied arcanology. Most associations can be easily identified, for example the beneficial association between proximity with an active volcano and the casting of fire-related spells. Astronomical phenomena of arcane association have notable influences not just on arcanistry, but have influenced cultural perceptions in cases like festivals. In more esoteric applications, some arcane schematics employ the association effect to amplify certain elements of the arcane.

Most significantly, the amplification of certain associated arcane effects during certain points in time have played a part in major historical events, on rare occasions even being the cause of such events. As an example, the defeat of the Luminary Compact by the Humanity Vanguard at the Battle of the Keldary Gap was caused by the 3031 total solar eclipse, which extinguished the arcane arsenal of the former force across its entire duration - this defeat had a significant consequence on the outcome of the Vermilion Decade.

Practice
Fundamentally, arcanistry is the practice of manipulating the materialization of such extramundane phenomena in a manner intended by the practitioner, most ordinarily through the use of an arcane ritual. This practice has seen great changes corresponding to shifts and advancements in the understanding of the arcane: first from singular arcane spells in the realm of the esoteric, only performed through regurgitation of scavenged rituals - to the capability of creating a plethora of original spells with common knowledge of arcane theory and laws. Arcanistry is still an advancing field, but fundamental concepts universally applicable for every domain of arcanistry are recognized.

Arcane ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities most commonly involving gestures, chants, enunciation of arcane formulae, and objects (both arcane and mundane) performed in a set sequence, done to amplify the driving force of an arcanist in order to manipulate arcaea and its manifestation of extramundane phenomena. Rituals are primarily used to "frame" the intended effects of an arcane spell in the arcanist's mind and thus allow them to exert their driving force to greater effect. Most rituals can be split into six essential components, being the Source, Store, Shaper, Spell, Sink, and Catalyst - the lack of any will cause the failure of the ritual.
 * Source: The Source is the source of arcaea which powers the processes of the ritual, commonly being the arcanist's internal supply of arcaea or outside sources (eg: potions).
 * Store: The Store is the mechanism that retains and contains the arcaea provided by the Source, controlling and channeling the flow of arcaea within the ritual to ensure the ritual's processes are powered and prevent wildcasts from the accumulation of arcaea.
 * Shaper: The Shaper is the mechanism that amplifies the driving force of the arcanist performing the ritual.
 * Spell: The Spell is the intended extramundane effect manifested by the ritual. The origin of the phrase "casting a spell", meaning the manifestation of an extramundane effect.
 * Sink: The Sink is the mechanism that dampens the recoil produced by the casting of a spell.
 * Catalyst: The Catalyst activates the entire ritual and casts the spell - the arcanist, or more specifically their driving force.

Arcane schematic
In modern times, rituals are typically performed in the form of an arcane schematic, geometric patterns and diagrams which contain all components of a ritual and invoke greater arcane power through the principles of arcane conduction and association. These schematics are drawn or carved using arcane implements, most commonly using arcane ink for the former and arcane tools for the latter. While it is theoretically possible to perform a ritual without use of a schematic, as has been done in the early history of arcanistry, the growing arcane needs of civilization demand the greater efficiency found in schematics. As schematics rely upon precise depictions of aforementioned geometry, they demand a high level of accuracy with a tiny margin of error, as the invocation of the arcane through an imperfect schematic will cause misalignment, often with fatal consequences.

Obscure ritual
There exists two distinct types of rituals based on humanity's understanding of such rituals, these being Known and Obscure rituals. Known rituals are rituals whose mechanics and functions are fully understood using humanity's modern understanding of arcanistry, most commonly those which are created by Posteminent humanity. In contrast, obscure rituals are rituals whose mechanics are only partially known or completely unknown to modern humanity, only able to be recreated through verbatim duplication of the original ritual (as opposed to variations and modifications common with known rituals). Obscure rituals have been the basis of many early systems of arcanistry, such rituals - many of which originate from the Eminent Age - discovered by contemporary arcanists and then built upon with evolving knowledge of the arcane. The deciphering and reverse-engineering of obscure rituals as a field of arcanology has existed for as long as humanity has discovered such rituals.

Runes
A rune is a condensation of a ritual or spell's component into simpler and smaller symbology, typically cultural or religious iconography which serve as representations of an arcane concept. Runes are used as simplifications of components of a ritual (ie: longer written components in a ritual simplified into a holy symbol) or the entire ritual itself, done to save on the time and cost needed for a given ritual. In most applications, runes are differentiated from arcane schematics by the method through which they optimize arcanistry: schematics utilize the principles of arcane conduction and association, whereas the power of runes scales with the driving force of its users (through willpower and combined belief). Runes are a significant element in every major religion that places emphasis on arcanistry, as religious iconography is espoused and their associated meanings in turn used to condense concepts essential in rituals and certain spells. As an example, the Knadian Star represents sacred fire and light in the pyrolatristic religion of Knadianism, and is thusly used in Knadian arcanistry to represent the concept of fire in spells, removing the need of verbal chants, written descriptors, or other components regarding such a concept common in more primitive systems of arcanistry. Demand for the creation, enhancement, and combination of runes has grown significantly with the advancement of society, particularly in applications that demand great efficiency, such as in arcane industry and arcane warfare.

This understanding of runes has been contrasted by the existence of unknown runes (see Obscure runes), contradicting the notion that runes rely upon the practitioner's deep understanding of them to function. There exists academic debate regarding the origin of the earliest runes of the Posteminence eras. It has been theorized that rather than creation by contemporary arcanists, such runes existed originally as obscure runes discovered from ancient sources (primarily Eminent), which were appropriated and later deciphered. This theory extends to religious iconography, and is a part of the greater theory that the arcane knowledge that has spawned countless religions throughout history was discovered from aforementioned sources, as opposed to claims of blessing or divine revelation.

Recoil and Rebound
Recoil, in the field of the arcane, refers to the recoil inherent in every arcane spell. In an arcane spell, the will (driving force) of the arcanist to manifest extramundanity clashes with the will of the natural world to maintain normalcy, the clash causing a portion of the original amount of arcaea expended to cast the spell to "go wild", thereby creating a secondary effect also arcane in nature. This secondary effect is called recoil. Recoil is generally unpredictable when left on its own, most commonly manifesting as fluctuations in temperature or energy, or sudden catalysis of chemical reactions. The rule of thumb for recoil is that the more complex or impossible the spell created, the more recoil is generated; sometimes simplified as "the more extreme the spell, the more extreme the recoil".

The unpredictability of recoil has historically been one of the greatest hazards in arcanistry, often causing disfigurement and death of practitioners and bystanders, significant damage to both natural and artificial structures, triggering of natural disasters, and many other destructive consequences. Early arcanists relied upon discovery of recoil compensation mechanisms in obscure rituals, or viewed recoil as an unavoidable consequence of arcanistry. The invention and development of mechanisms capable of dampening or outright eliminating destructive recoil (now classified as the component "Sink" in a ritual) was among the most significant breakthroughs in arcanistry.

The redirection of naturally unpredictable recoil to generate more predictable effects is classified as the process of rebound. As an example, when a spell is casted, the original, more unpredictable and dangerous recoil (eg: burst of lightning) may be rebounded to generate a more predictable and harmless recoil (eg: glowing lights). The rebounding mechanism can be viewed as a secondary spell removed from the original spell, where the arcaea in the recoil is used to cast a spell that creates a predictable effect (the rebound), the lesser rebound resulting from this secondary spell rebounded again - this process will be repeated until the produced rebound becomes negligible. A more complex form of rebound redirects the recoil back into the original spell, known as a Recycling rebound.

Misalignment
Misalignment refers either to an error in the creation of a ritual or during the performance of a ritual, which results in a "misaligned" spell unintended by the practitioner. Such misalignment can have fatal consequences for the practitioner, especially if the spell involves manipulation of hazardous materials or is in the proximity of such materials. Most cases of misalignment involve human error, commonly from errors in the depiction of an arcane schematic or errors in performing verbal and somatic components of a ritual.

Spiritual possession
Spirits, as in entities belonging to a different dimension, require arcaea as an energy source to survive in our natural world. In the natural world, spirits must attach themselves to a high and stable concentration of arcaea, which is rarely found in the inanimate objects of nature unless through extraordinary event or human intervention. Therefore, one of the best sources of arcaea for spirits is living beings, which can maintain a state of arcaea equilibrium high enough to sustain spirits of greater power. Humans, especially arcanists, would be the most concentrated source of arcaea in all living beings.

The attachment of a spirit to a living being is referred to as possession. When a human is possessed by a spirit, their body will be gradually annihilated and replaced by the possessing spirit until their entire body is replaced, notably preserving the nervous system (driving force) and circulatory system (arcaea conduit) vital for arcanistry. This process also applies to animals, but most often cause the total destruction of the animal and subsequent elimination of the possessing spirit as it runs out of arcaea, as animals can only sustain minor spirits owing to their miniscule levels of arcaea. In all cases, spirits will continue to seek out additional sources of arcaea even after complete possession of its hosts, and will attempt to absorb those sources into itself through the process of amalgamation to grow in arcane power. Alongside misalignment, spiritual possession is one of the leading causes of fatal arcane accidents. A common hazard in rituals is the unforeseen presence of water in ritual grounds, from which a rift to the Abyss may be opened through which spirits may manifest and possess any victims in their vicinity. If the rift is large enough, the victim may even be pulled through the rift, which guarantees the annihilation of any part of the body that goes through the rift.

Soulwracking
When a spirit of a great enough order - generally those with an Spirit and above - manifest within the temporal world, all people in the vicinity of the ritual will experience a series of detrimental effects collectively known as soulwracking. While some specific effects will vary depending on which plane a spirit belongs to, all soulwracking events will see a sudden and massive dearcaification of the surrounding area, as the manifested spirit absorbs arcaea into itself to sustain itself to the detriment of every surrounding being reliant on arcaea to live. There also exists the possibility of wildcasts of spells associated with the manifested spirit, which are powered by any remaining bodies of arcaea not already absorbed into the spirit.

Less defined are the emotional effects which are inflicted upon those in the vicinity of a soulwracking. Emotions ranging from dread and anger to reverence and euphoria (a sense of otherworldly awe is universal) will be suddenly inflicted upon beings within the range of a soulwracking - which will cause mental damage or immediate death if not recovered from. The root cause of these emotional afflictions are poorly understood, not least because of the rarity of summonings of a sufficient order, but are theorized to somehow involve the spirit's disturbance of a person's internal arcaea.

Overarcaification and Dearcaification
Overarcaification and Dearcaification are the hazardous abundance and absence of arcaea in an area respectively, most commonly as the aftermath of an unchecked arcane ritual. These two hazards can be split into regional and personal types, where regional affects an entire region of the temporal world, whereas personal affects one or more persons.

When a region becomes overarcaified, the abundant arcaea within a region will cause wildcasts that may be hazardous in nature. These hazards can be direct - where the casted spell itself is dangerous - or indirect - where the abundant arcaea causes alterations in exposed life. The extreme abundance of arcaea in living beings may cause outright arcaea poisoning if exposure is sudden, while gradual exposure causes mutations arising from arcaea's innate ability to manifest extramundanity. In addition, any spells casted within overarcaified areas may go wild on their own, as the driving force of the practitioner is dampened by a greater tendency for wildcasts.

Regional dearcaification, when minor, affects a practitioner's ability to cast spells as their bodies are less able to maintain an arcaea equilibrium with the insufficiency of arcaea in the surrounding environment. When major however, the dearcaified environment may actively drain arcaea from living beings exposed to it, consequently causing various detrimental effects to those living beings if exposure is prolonged, ranging from fatigue and difficulty of concentration when minor to unconsciousness and death when major. Aside from such exposure, personal dearcaification can be caused when a person exhausts too much of their internal arcaea without allowing time for replenishment.