Ask and you shall receive.
Sep. 3rd, 2003 09:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkindarknessAnd be damn careful what you ask for. ^_^
The following questions come courtesy of Interlock, who, it has to be admitted, has an inquiring mind ~_^.
I’m assuming this was for Spark in Darkness (Darren/Rick) reality. Answers behind cut so as not to eat people’s friend’s pages with my rambly answers. And rambly is a word, wretched, overly touchy spellchecker.
Does the population at large know about the mages and magic workers?
Official answer - no. Real answer, yup, pretty much everyone does. It’s one of those “polite fiction” things. Everyone pretends magic doesn’t exist, the governments because they'd have to regulate it. The religious groups to avoid dredging up bad history and old grudges with people who can throw fireballs (never a good idea). The magic users because most of them want to be left alone. The police or they’d have to police it. The scientists because they can’t explain it. The media, largely, for fear of ridicule. The only people who do acknowledge them are New Age types (of the crystal waving variety) and those who want to burn them all. Any nation that acknowledges them, generally falls into the latter category (dictators and fundamentalist states usually).
But yes the general populace does know - some magic users even make a living by selling magic (Rick for one), even taking out adverts. But most ignore it, and powerful magic users are so rare that most people will never really meet one.
How does the media cover the after effects of magic?
Depends on the media. Some (the tabloids) don’t. They print everything with full disclosure - and are largely ridiculed for doing so, especially since the “better quality” papers print believable reasons for the event (which, frankly is USUALLY true. It‘s too tempting to paint everything usual as magical). But then there is rarely anything to cover up. Magic users are REALLY rare, a large city usually may claim a dozen magic users. Most magic users are also very weak. Rick and Darren’s family are extreme exceptions, Rick because odd balls do arise, and Darren because of 5,000 years of selective breeding. Most magic users simply aren’t powerful enough to create a massive media sensation. The rest tend to be more subtle/powerful enough to cover it up. Occasionally a magic user/organisation of magic users (the Camaalis family is the biggest in Britain, and Europe to a lesser extent) will take steps to hide something major, but there’s usually no need. Most major papers don’t want the unprofitable agro of dealing with irate spell-casters anyway.
How do they stay concealed if they do?
Assuming a magic user is powerful enough to draw attention to himself, they either a) keep it subtle (Rick’s magic is extremely subtle) or have a subtle form of magic (like Rhiannon). B) actually turn it into a business and advertise (like Rick). C) Live in close knit communities who shelter them (the old wise woman who gives out very good advice and potions). Or d) live in their own communities or alone (the Camaalis family has it’s own land and estates. Visitors are discouraged).
What are the laws about magic use if they don't? Imposed by the government of the country where they live? Or by some international federation of magic users?
There is no law. Most governments don’t acknowledge magic users with the exception of those that advocate total destruction. Magic is too varied to regulate and the world’s rulers just don’t know enough about it. Besides, it would be near unenforceable unless they recruited magic users of their own. That being said many governments have covert operations (spy and security agencies) who occasionally act as “enforcers” (assassins) against magic users who are deemed too dangerous or excessive. Some governments may even covertly hire or work closely with spell-casters (the UK government maintains very good relations with the Camaalis family, as, to a lesser extent, do several members of the EU, one of the reasons Darren had to flee the country). On a slightly more unpleasant note, people are paranoid when it comes to magic users, they can be anywhere, and can do some pretty weird things. The magical community starts causing problems (reported in the tabloids and on FOX) and there will be a large upsurge in pewrsecution against anyone considered to be “magical”.
There is no magical federation, but there ARE a few fellowships, groups and families (the Camaalis family, The Council of the Rroma, The Walkers of the Dreamtime, Odin’s Eyes, the Dancers of Fate, etc) and though they don't normally interfere, if a magic user gets too excessive, they’ll intervene to avoid too much “normal” interference. (Hence the Camaalis policy of killing all sorcerers). There is such a high fear of a return to the burning times, or of increased persecution against magic users that most mages will step in to prevent their excessive brethren from causing too much collateral damage.
Does talent always run in families, or is it a random genetic wibble, or something you can study and learn or what?
Magic follows the rules of genetics only loosely at best. You can be magical even if you have no magical parent (Rick is a case in point, his parents are terribly mundane, which is why he’s so wild), though chances are you have a magical ancestor someway down the line. In fact, a magic users parents MAY be magical unknowingly, they simply have undeveloped or incredibly weak talent. (Taken on that scale a lot more of the population are magical than realise, but occasional semi-accurate hunches, unnatural animal empathy, or the ability to cause tiny amounts of mild bad luck on an enemy who utterly enrages you isn’t going to win any Merlin prizes). having a magical parent greatly increases the chances. Having two makes it a near certainty (the Camaalis family expects every child to be a magic user). Generally the more powerful the parents, or the more magical relatives they can rely upon, the more likely the child is to be magical. (The Camaalis family is extremely strong because of this).
Some provisos though:
1)wildcards exist (Rick) and all the rules seem to go out the window, especially since spirits/gods/natural phenomena/spells/prophecies/curses etc can all send the mix off
2) In the last 200 years magical talent has in general been decreasing, with both less practitioners and lower power levels. It has been gradual, and some old families have clung to their power, and wildcards still exist, but it is a noticable trend. People aren’t sure why. Some claim poor breeding. Some claim inbreeding. Some say the world is just too mundane to allow magic to exist anymore.
3) TYPE of wizard seems to be fairly random. Sometimes it can run in the family “all my family have been great Seers back to the era of...” but most of the time the powers possessed by the parents have no reflection on the child’s.
And finally: you can’t study magic unless you have the talent (but a lot of people have minor talent even if they don’t know it). Magical talent is usually restricted to one area (the selective breeding programme of the Camaalis family is why most of them have two or even three specialties). It is vaguely possible to learn magic outside your fields, especially if it’s in related fields (a telepath studying how to become an empath for example) but frankly you will be very poor at the extra fields and it’s rarely worth the effort.
Does Ahrimadan get taken to the vet for vaccinations and flea drops?
No. As a daemon given flesh, most diseases and parasites are far too sensible to come near him. Those that do regret it...
Are their areas of the world where magic use is persecuted / permitted?
Few countries outright encourage magic, but some communities do. Usually from various ethnic groups (Aborigines, Native Americans, Celts, Rroma) and most only encourage certain kinds of magic. A few examples of nations that approve of magic (they acknowledge it quietly or euphemistically) are Russia (potions from wise women), Ireland (Nature calling), Wales (Bardic), and several others.
Nations which have outright banned magic are rare, but many dictators and religious nations or states have an outright ban, some examples (but not all): Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City, Texas, Korea (north and south), Burma, Zimbabwe (recent law) and several others.
Is there a lingua franca in the spirit realm?
Not really. Every spirit type has it’s own language that it may or may not share with other spirits of a similar kind. Most have several (so a spirit of compassion would speak ‘positive speech’ ‘emotion speech’ and ‘ephemeral concept speech’ but couldn't understand a rabbit except in relation to positive emotions). The languages are more conceptual understandings. Also some spirits have odd language understandings (e.g. a Totem animal will speak several human languages and hundreds of spiritual languages, not just “bear” and related languages).
A shaman’s job isn't easy, but most have the ability to speak most languages and guess at the rest.
Is it set slightly to the future of now, or slightly to the future of an alternate history of the world?
It’s actually set in an alternate now, as in 2003. And rather foolishly on my part, perhaps, it’s set in New York.
If it is, what's different?
In small ways... though there is magic, it has had very little overt effect. The Inquisition actually burnt real spell-casters in this world, European settlers persecuted native magic-folk. The New Age is much stronger in this world, as magic users have hitched on and given it a push, but persecution and fear of the different is MUCH higher, as is suspicion of strangers. I mean, that person you meet in the street might be able to read your mind, or kill you or anything! Security has created more paranoia. At the same time, religion has a much bigger grasp on the people, there are less atheists and agnostics - it’s harder to doubt the divine when you are sure of arcane powers out there. This has caused a greater degree of intolerance and antagonism in many ways.
In actual history though, little has changed, traditional native groups are more insular, having yet another reason to preserve important traditions, there are more and more powerful secret societies, founded by desperate magi. Security forces are more secretive and paranoid, and a little more extreme out of fear of magical attack. But beyond occasionally seeking a magical remedy or magical creature, your average person lives in blissful ignorance of the mystical world.
If there's essentially a magical underworld, how does it interface with the criminal one?
Depends on each spell caster. Some have contacts and the underworld calls on them, especially in places where mages have been persecuted or disenfranchised, and it’s easy money of course. Some magical organisations have even grown around ancient thieves guilds (especially telekinetic and illusionists, and techno mages now) But they have to be subtle, or one of the big hefty organisations might move in and settle things down. Generally organised crime is pragmatic enough to always have at least one magic user on staff (if they can get it) and many mages occasionally make brief, profitable forays into the world of crime, often easily getting away with it, as police aren‘t equipped to deal with magic (just look at how much Darren‘s gotten away with)... but carefully. The last thing anyone wants is to give the people a reason to persecute magic users.
the fact that they can both pretty much summon money makes me wonder if the iRS isn't watching them
The IRS watches Darren and Rick... Darren because he has multiple aliases and no paperwork. Rick because he’s a practicing magic user. Darren kills any tax man who comes near him on general principles. Rick confuses them and bamboozles them with spirits then shows them impeccably prepared paper work (techno spirits and money spirits are useful). They can't create money from thin air (Rick works) but some mages actually can... but generally don’t. It’s powerful magic, most money nowadays is electronic, and the rest is damn difficult to forge accurately. But the odd note here and there can't hurt? Right? Of course if you go beyond the odd note here and there, you could cause monetary problems, or be investigated by the police (serial numbers have to be sorted out).
The following questions come courtesy of Interlock, who, it has to be admitted, has an inquiring mind ~_^.
I’m assuming this was for Spark in Darkness (Darren/Rick) reality. Answers behind cut so as not to eat people’s friend’s pages with my rambly answers. And rambly is a word, wretched, overly touchy spellchecker.
Does the population at large know about the mages and magic workers?
Official answer - no. Real answer, yup, pretty much everyone does. It’s one of those “polite fiction” things. Everyone pretends magic doesn’t exist, the governments because they'd have to regulate it. The religious groups to avoid dredging up bad history and old grudges with people who can throw fireballs (never a good idea). The magic users because most of them want to be left alone. The police or they’d have to police it. The scientists because they can’t explain it. The media, largely, for fear of ridicule. The only people who do acknowledge them are New Age types (of the crystal waving variety) and those who want to burn them all. Any nation that acknowledges them, generally falls into the latter category (dictators and fundamentalist states usually).
But yes the general populace does know - some magic users even make a living by selling magic (Rick for one), even taking out adverts. But most ignore it, and powerful magic users are so rare that most people will never really meet one.
How does the media cover the after effects of magic?
Depends on the media. Some (the tabloids) don’t. They print everything with full disclosure - and are largely ridiculed for doing so, especially since the “better quality” papers print believable reasons for the event (which, frankly is USUALLY true. It‘s too tempting to paint everything usual as magical). But then there is rarely anything to cover up. Magic users are REALLY rare, a large city usually may claim a dozen magic users. Most magic users are also very weak. Rick and Darren’s family are extreme exceptions, Rick because odd balls do arise, and Darren because of 5,000 years of selective breeding. Most magic users simply aren’t powerful enough to create a massive media sensation. The rest tend to be more subtle/powerful enough to cover it up. Occasionally a magic user/organisation of magic users (the Camaalis family is the biggest in Britain, and Europe to a lesser extent) will take steps to hide something major, but there’s usually no need. Most major papers don’t want the unprofitable agro of dealing with irate spell-casters anyway.
How do they stay concealed if they do?
Assuming a magic user is powerful enough to draw attention to himself, they either a) keep it subtle (Rick’s magic is extremely subtle) or have a subtle form of magic (like Rhiannon). B) actually turn it into a business and advertise (like Rick). C) Live in close knit communities who shelter them (the old wise woman who gives out very good advice and potions). Or d) live in their own communities or alone (the Camaalis family has it’s own land and estates. Visitors are discouraged).
What are the laws about magic use if they don't? Imposed by the government of the country where they live? Or by some international federation of magic users?
There is no law. Most governments don’t acknowledge magic users with the exception of those that advocate total destruction. Magic is too varied to regulate and the world’s rulers just don’t know enough about it. Besides, it would be near unenforceable unless they recruited magic users of their own. That being said many governments have covert operations (spy and security agencies) who occasionally act as “enforcers” (assassins) against magic users who are deemed too dangerous or excessive. Some governments may even covertly hire or work closely with spell-casters (the UK government maintains very good relations with the Camaalis family, as, to a lesser extent, do several members of the EU, one of the reasons Darren had to flee the country). On a slightly more unpleasant note, people are paranoid when it comes to magic users, they can be anywhere, and can do some pretty weird things. The magical community starts causing problems (reported in the tabloids and on FOX) and there will be a large upsurge in pewrsecution against anyone considered to be “magical”.
There is no magical federation, but there ARE a few fellowships, groups and families (the Camaalis family, The Council of the Rroma, The Walkers of the Dreamtime, Odin’s Eyes, the Dancers of Fate, etc) and though they don't normally interfere, if a magic user gets too excessive, they’ll intervene to avoid too much “normal” interference. (Hence the Camaalis policy of killing all sorcerers). There is such a high fear of a return to the burning times, or of increased persecution against magic users that most mages will step in to prevent their excessive brethren from causing too much collateral damage.
Does talent always run in families, or is it a random genetic wibble, or something you can study and learn or what?
Magic follows the rules of genetics only loosely at best. You can be magical even if you have no magical parent (Rick is a case in point, his parents are terribly mundane, which is why he’s so wild), though chances are you have a magical ancestor someway down the line. In fact, a magic users parents MAY be magical unknowingly, they simply have undeveloped or incredibly weak talent. (Taken on that scale a lot more of the population are magical than realise, but occasional semi-accurate hunches, unnatural animal empathy, or the ability to cause tiny amounts of mild bad luck on an enemy who utterly enrages you isn’t going to win any Merlin prizes). having a magical parent greatly increases the chances. Having two makes it a near certainty (the Camaalis family expects every child to be a magic user). Generally the more powerful the parents, or the more magical relatives they can rely upon, the more likely the child is to be magical. (The Camaalis family is extremely strong because of this).
Some provisos though:
1)wildcards exist (Rick) and all the rules seem to go out the window, especially since spirits/gods/natural phenomena/spells/prophecies/curses etc can all send the mix off
2) In the last 200 years magical talent has in general been decreasing, with both less practitioners and lower power levels. It has been gradual, and some old families have clung to their power, and wildcards still exist, but it is a noticable trend. People aren’t sure why. Some claim poor breeding. Some claim inbreeding. Some say the world is just too mundane to allow magic to exist anymore.
3) TYPE of wizard seems to be fairly random. Sometimes it can run in the family “all my family have been great Seers back to the era of...” but most of the time the powers possessed by the parents have no reflection on the child’s.
And finally: you can’t study magic unless you have the talent (but a lot of people have minor talent even if they don’t know it). Magical talent is usually restricted to one area (the selective breeding programme of the Camaalis family is why most of them have two or even three specialties). It is vaguely possible to learn magic outside your fields, especially if it’s in related fields (a telepath studying how to become an empath for example) but frankly you will be very poor at the extra fields and it’s rarely worth the effort.
Does Ahrimadan get taken to the vet for vaccinations and flea drops?
No. As a daemon given flesh, most diseases and parasites are far too sensible to come near him. Those that do regret it...
Are their areas of the world where magic use is persecuted / permitted?
Few countries outright encourage magic, but some communities do. Usually from various ethnic groups (Aborigines, Native Americans, Celts, Rroma) and most only encourage certain kinds of magic. A few examples of nations that approve of magic (they acknowledge it quietly or euphemistically) are Russia (potions from wise women), Ireland (Nature calling), Wales (Bardic), and several others.
Nations which have outright banned magic are rare, but many dictators and religious nations or states have an outright ban, some examples (but not all): Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City, Texas, Korea (north and south), Burma, Zimbabwe (recent law) and several others.
Is there a lingua franca in the spirit realm?
Not really. Every spirit type has it’s own language that it may or may not share with other spirits of a similar kind. Most have several (so a spirit of compassion would speak ‘positive speech’ ‘emotion speech’ and ‘ephemeral concept speech’ but couldn't understand a rabbit except in relation to positive emotions). The languages are more conceptual understandings. Also some spirits have odd language understandings (e.g. a Totem animal will speak several human languages and hundreds of spiritual languages, not just “bear” and related languages).
A shaman’s job isn't easy, but most have the ability to speak most languages and guess at the rest.
Is it set slightly to the future of now, or slightly to the future of an alternate history of the world?
It’s actually set in an alternate now, as in 2003. And rather foolishly on my part, perhaps, it’s set in New York.
If it is, what's different?
In small ways... though there is magic, it has had very little overt effect. The Inquisition actually burnt real spell-casters in this world, European settlers persecuted native magic-folk. The New Age is much stronger in this world, as magic users have hitched on and given it a push, but persecution and fear of the different is MUCH higher, as is suspicion of strangers. I mean, that person you meet in the street might be able to read your mind, or kill you or anything! Security has created more paranoia. At the same time, religion has a much bigger grasp on the people, there are less atheists and agnostics - it’s harder to doubt the divine when you are sure of arcane powers out there. This has caused a greater degree of intolerance and antagonism in many ways.
In actual history though, little has changed, traditional native groups are more insular, having yet another reason to preserve important traditions, there are more and more powerful secret societies, founded by desperate magi. Security forces are more secretive and paranoid, and a little more extreme out of fear of magical attack. But beyond occasionally seeking a magical remedy or magical creature, your average person lives in blissful ignorance of the mystical world.
If there's essentially a magical underworld, how does it interface with the criminal one?
Depends on each spell caster. Some have contacts and the underworld calls on them, especially in places where mages have been persecuted or disenfranchised, and it’s easy money of course. Some magical organisations have even grown around ancient thieves guilds (especially telekinetic and illusionists, and techno mages now) But they have to be subtle, or one of the big hefty organisations might move in and settle things down. Generally organised crime is pragmatic enough to always have at least one magic user on staff (if they can get it) and many mages occasionally make brief, profitable forays into the world of crime, often easily getting away with it, as police aren‘t equipped to deal with magic (just look at how much Darren‘s gotten away with)... but carefully. The last thing anyone wants is to give the people a reason to persecute magic users.
the fact that they can both pretty much summon money makes me wonder if the iRS isn't watching them
The IRS watches Darren and Rick... Darren because he has multiple aliases and no paperwork. Rick because he’s a practicing magic user. Darren kills any tax man who comes near him on general principles. Rick confuses them and bamboozles them with spirits then shows them impeccably prepared paper work (techno spirits and money spirits are useful). They can't create money from thin air (Rick works) but some mages actually can... but generally don’t. It’s powerful magic, most money nowadays is electronic, and the rest is damn difficult to forge accurately. But the odd note here and there can't hurt? Right? Of course if you go beyond the odd note here and there, you could cause monetary problems, or be investigated by the police (serial numbers have to be sorted out).
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2003-09-04 07:26 pm (UTC)*grins* high praise! Thank you. A lot of this stuff was lurking in my mind but not really formulated. I went mad trying to think how to explain "everyone knows abotu magic, but no-one OFFICIALLY does"
Ahrimadan stalked off in furious disgust, yes... I'd watch it, I think he's planning something.