II. Magic Is Alive To Thought And Will
Everyone who is aware of magic learns the three laws and their permutations quickly. Either they are taught the rudiments by their mentors, or they discover them through painful trial and error, or they read them in the enigmas outlined in ancient texts.
The rules take different forms for different traditions, but in the end they all boil down to the same thing. In recent decades, students of the arcane have begun to look outside their own particular forms of magic to see how other philosophies work. They have seen the common elements in every known magical style, and have slowly developed a comprehension of magic that may not have been seen since the golden eras of great magical confluences, such as great scholars of ancient Baghdad or Thebes during the Eighteenth Dynasty.
The intricacies of this research can occupy thousands of pages of detailed analysis and is the full-time occupation of many occult scholars. But the basics that are passed to every supernatural entity and mage are easier to summarize.
The most important truth is that "magic" is simply a term for natural forces found everywhere in the universe. The magical forces are closely related to the four fundamental forces of physics. However, where those forces obey the laws of physics everywhere, regardless of location, circumstances or observation, magic is more chaotic.
As far as can be determined by arcanists, the magical forces may perform a few basic functions at rest.
The first magical force appears to be the mechanism through which the physical forces interact with each other, such as the distortions in electromagnetic forces caused by gravity.
Second, magical forces appear to be the interface between the dimensions, including the three spatial dimensions and time. When there is a separation, such as the divisions between additional dimensions and the conventional spacetime, that seems to be created and crossed by the second magical force.
The third magical force introduces random chance into quantum events and moderates the stabilization or collapse of probabilities once observation takes place. It is this force that determines whether Schrödinger's cat lives or dies.
The fourth magical force appears to be the source of consciousness, or what some call souls and spirits. It seems to be the raw stuff of thought, imagination, and to provide the seed for all minds. While it seems paradoxical that this force could exist from the beginning of the universe, it has been suggested that this force simply gathered energy until the universe's structure was solidified and complex enough to permit the development of entities that could think.
What is important to understand is that these are simply the latest estimations of the function of magic and its role in reality. No one has ever observed a magical force on its own, because unlike the forces in physics, these forces are constantly responding to the thoughts of the observers.
The reason so few scientists are willing to accept that magic exists is that they are involved with a world that is relatively stable; unusual probabilities and quantum strangeness aside, the laws of mechanics work reliably no matter where they are observed or who is observing them. Gravity pulls masses together no matter whether these are grains of sand or stars and planets.
Magic does not lend itself to this sort of observation and analysis. Its effects change subtly depending on who is studying magical phenomena, or what is in the area, or even due to circumstances that seem nonsensical -- for example, ghosts that will not manifest if there are more than five males within a hundred yards.
This means that a scientist who wants to study a psychic will be frustrated when the psychic's power seems not to work reliably or more than a few times in a row. Or seeing no results when asking a wizard to create fire in front of a crowd which fails to work. The circumstances would require so much power and have such consequences that the wizard chooses not to risk his life on convincing a skeptic.
While occultists are more willing to believe in what they're studying, they run into similar problems. It can be hard to come up with a mathematical model to explain how a vampire remains alive when that involves studying invisible power being drawn through a vessel that is more useful as a metaphor than an actual means of carrying energy, and when the power usage seems to vary depending on how old and powerful the vampire is, or how much daylight is in the room at the time.
This means that even the most authoritative statements about magic tend to be filled with vague estimations of the subject. This means the use of magic is more art than science.
Those who do learn how to work with magic quickly discover that nothing comes free. Magic drains energy from the magician. In the simplest terms, this energy comes from the mage's life force, causing a physical and mental strain.
Humans do not usually have conscious access to more energy than this. The raw energy that is demanded by altering magical forces is referred to mana. It is different than other forms of energy such as heat or light in that mana appears to hover just out of reach of the physical world if it is not being directed by thought. This is the energy that lies between dimensions and is transformed when a photon knocks an electron free.
One of the differences between an ordinary person and someone with the ability to become a mage is the instinctive ability to manipulate and channel mana. Some people can even draw this mana into themselves -- storing it in bodies or souls, depending on which mystic tradition you believe in -- and using this to perform feats that are referred to as Spells.
There are also entities that have much greater control over mana, and they are often willing to provide this power to humans who will offer them rewards of equal value.
Another price that is paid by the magician is called backlash. This can be thought of as the opposite reaction to the mage's action. The use of magical forces are matched by corresponding effects as the physical and magical forces are altered.
In physics, pushing against an object means that it pushes back. If you are more massive than the object, then it will move while you stay still. But that energy from the object does not disappear; it will make you move backward. You can brace yourself against something more massive still, like the ground, but then this force will transform from kinetic energy into something else, such as heat.
In magic, if you command the winds to push something down the road, then you are expending mana to make the magical force manipulate physical forces. The responding energy can be physical, pushing back against you, or it can be mystical, causing chaotic energies to take root in your person. This energy function in the same way as mana -- because that's what it is. However, this mana has been released from your direct control, and instead will manifest in unexpected and often unpleasant ways. It is possible to use mana you control to counter the backlash.
Backlash is often shaped by the unconscious fears of the minds near it. These often manifest as the traditional weaknesses of supernatural beings spoken of in legends -- or in side effects for mages, or even large-scale effects that can harm people who had no idea it was coming. Every new magician will become acquainted with the whimsical nature of backlash.
The fourth magical force is either the source of sapient minds, or it provides the means in which nerve impulses because consciousness. Because of this, a clear coherent thought can alter the magical force. That alteration can be conveyed to the other magical forces, because they are linked. Because the magical forces are interrelated with the physical forces, those alterations can be expressed in the real world. This process of changing the world is known as magic.
Every being that can think can therefore manipulate the universe through magic. It's important to realize this; while reality does not exist because of our thoughts, our thoughts can certainly alter the reality we live in.
This is not a simple thing to achieve. As the First Law demands, making changes requires energy that many creatures do not know how to offer. It can also be difficult to know how to properly influence the magical forces to produce visible changes, much less the changes a magician is after. Without a clear image, direction, and concentration on the idea, a given thought may not generate any changes other than a simple background resonance.
Sapient beings, such as humans, are capable of holding complex images in their minds. With enough effort, they can infuse this idea with mana. That idea alters the magical forces and creates physical effects. However, not every human is able to generate the idea with enough solidity, hold it long enough, or give it the energy to function.
A magician, or other supernatural creature, has these talents. With enough training, they can learn to perform many amazing feats. Some can even learn to use magic unconsciously, or set up an idea with such strength that it will last even after they are no longer concentrating on it.
Even if a given human doesn't have enough training to do these things, he may have the natural strength and talent to do it without any instruction. Or if he can't manage it on his own, he may be able to contact other entities that are willing to perform the feats for him.
This law is a reminder that in the cosmic scheme of things, humanity is a young race, and has not been fully sapient through even its short time on this world.
There are several creatures just on this world that can think, although none seem to be as sapient as humans are. Not all of these creatures are known, and not all of them are physical.
There are entities -- sometimes referred to as spirits, demons, angels, elementals, fae, kami or by many other names -- that have existed for far longer than humanity, or have come into being after humans. They may have come from this world, they might have come from other worlds, or even other dimensions. They do not necessarily think the way humans do, but they can still interact with magical forces.
Some of these entities are much better at using magic than humans are, or better at instinctive magic, or channeling mana. There are also entities that are less adept with magic than humans.
Many of these entities exist in other dimensions, access through the second magical force, or exist merely as collections of energy, or even take on the shapes of certain creatures on Earth, including humans, to interact with this world. These interactions usually take the form of bargains, deals with humans in order to provide some sort of assistance -- often in the form of magical powers or Spells.
While there are other entities, some of vast power, all evidence shows that there are many more humans than all of the known entities combined. We have a greater overall impact on the nature of reality on this world than the other entities. Our potential is also interesting to them; some humans are seen as barely better than food, but some are significantly powerful even by the standards of the oldest entities. For example, it is known that almost every entity that has spent much time dealing with humans has been altered to better match human legends and beliefs. It's entirely possible that a demon was fairly benign before dealing with fearful humans for millennia, or that an area's guardian spirit was a parasite consuming free mana until it was forced to take on human qualities to make it care about its chosen region.
The Third Law also serves to remind a magician that at all times, he is not working magic in a neutral environment. There might be people nearby who have their own expectations that can alter how magic works in the area, or entities that have set up certain rules in their domains, or other magicians who are resisting what they are doing.
These minds often direct how backlash will be manifested, and may also determine exactly what kind of prices will be demanded in order to use magic.