Speculative Arcana Lore

The usage of arcane glyphs and diagrams to power a wide variety of occult rituals.
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nobody
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Speculative Arcana Lore

Post by nobody »

After reading this
Lexx416 wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 8:59 am A lot of this is the kind of thing that goes through my head when I'm thinking on Arcana (and Occultism in general). I'm not sure if there is an underlying "source" that Rias has laid out hidden away in his Deep Lore, but having more IC sources of "this is what some people thing Glyphs are" might help to give us a better idea of what niche or role Arcanists aren't meant to fill.
And remembering this
Game Channel, Dec 2021 wrote:[discord] <Rias> And ooooh, I love player theories on the more mysterious lore stuff. Go go go!
I thought it might be fun and useful to drop some speculations about what's up with Arcana. Feel free to contribute your own, and maybe it'll even be helpful to provide Rias with some ideas for what unenlightened minds might guess is going on with arcana.

Anomalum chalk: Anomalum chalk is part of arcana, but may not be needed for everyone that practices arcana. It is needed for characters in the lost lands though, using regular chalk, charcoal, or ink will not create occult effects. So, there's something special about this chalk, maybe...
  • It is made from the remains of some occult creature... drakolin bones, chalk-based-koblynau, magical flying serpents, that kind of thing
  • It is the tangible remains of slain Aengels
  • It is mundane chalk, but purified by the inner light of a master thaumaturge
  • It is condensed, solidified inner light created by a master thaumaturge
  • It is made from the bones of thaumaturges sacrificed by Gudleifr
  • It was once mundane chalk, but transformed in places where the mortal realm has touched Temicotli
  • It is raw material from Temicotli that has periodically spilled into the mortal realm when beings of power cross between the two
  • It is a forgotten alchemical concoction
  • It was mundane chalk transformed at the site of a powerful occult battle
  • It was mundane chalk, but is infused with power from a splinter of Toteo
  • It was mundane chalk, but was blessed by the Mountain Father to raise the status of a hard-working clan that was given the task of mining chalk
  • Its creation is a secret of masters of arcana who have learned to transcend its use
  • It is made from the webbing of Aranas, a tool for her servants to deceive and intimidate, and a temptation for the unwary
  • It is more stable in greater quantities, and when spread thin as with writing becomes unstable and thus produces occult reactions
Glyphs: Glyphs are also part of arcana. When the glyph is made properly, even without anomalum chalk, it possesses some occult power (see sanity loss on studying the metal plate diagrams). Drawing glyphs incorrectly with anomalum chalk has no effect and different glyphs have different effects. They might be infused with occult power because...
  • They are the written forms of words of power - if one knew the written form of wonder it would function the same as a bard speaking it, and a bard that could speak the word for light would produce the effect of distyr.
  • They are the written language of the old gods
  • They are collectively the written names of an imprisoned immortal who receives the energy of an arcanist writing their name and in exchange imparts some of their power... someday they will have enough energy from mortals to be free again.
  • They are a partial diagram of the cosmos, and the first glyphs were discovered by tracing the movements of the stars
  • They are special symbols that awaken dormant power in the sleeping mind of mortals
  • They are maps to different realms of power, and the drawing of them creates a brief connection to such a place
  • They are powered by the realm of dreams, and drawing them pulls essence from the arcanist into the realm of dreams
  • They are a partial bridge between realms, drawing occult entities who feed on the energy of mortals and whose proximity produces the occult effects of the diagram
Last edited by nobody on Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Navi
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Re: Speculative Arcana Lore

Post by Navi »

I love these ideas. I've always felt that the chalk used in diagrams is made from crushing up pendant crystals or something like that. Since the chalk takes on the aura of the user, and pendants do the same. I feel there's some connection there.
wander without wanting, thrust into lands unknown. the shadows shift and change, and the worlds with them.
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Can you hear me through the silence?
I won't give up 'cause there will be a day
We'll meet again
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ocayucos
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Re: Speculative Arcana Lore

Post by ocayucos »

I'm on board with the words of power and language of the gods theory. I've always thought Nereia's powerful songs can have effects like calming the seas or stirring up storms because they have actual power behind the words and she knows the most potent combinations.
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