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The Fluid Vis Theory
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| Magical energy, such as powers our formulae and enables us to
work our Art, is all around us. We live in a sea of power, unseen and unfelt
save by those of us sensitive to the phenomena we call Auras. This potential
magical energy can crystallise in places where the conditions are right,
leaching into solid or liquid forms and becoming what we call Raw Vis. What,
then, is it when it is in it’s free state, the state in which we tap it to
cast spells? It is potential magical energy; vis that has not crystallised;
effectively, fluid vis, or Ether, the fabled Quintessence, the fifth element
that the Greeks sought after. This can explain the phenomenon of auras; the
standing neutral, or Mundane aura is the normal background level of fluid vis;
this neither aids nor hinders the ability of a magus to invoke the Art. In
certain places, however, by a mechanic that is still imperfectly understood,
fluid vis thickens and gathers in whirlpools and vortices; these places, where
more potential magical energy is available, are what we call Magical auras.
Fluid vis moves much like other fluids; there are observable laws about it’s motion; tides that can be mapped, currents of power and deeps and shallows. When Fluid vis under the influence of supernatural creatures or places begins to behave in a fashion in deviance from the expected laws, it becomes what we term Anarchic; this gives rise to Faerie auras and places of power, which aid a magus in the Art but can have unexpected side effects and make the Art harder to control as one battles the anarchic nature of the Aura for control, or Infernal auras where the flow of vis is corrupted by terrible events or the will of creatures of the Inferno and refuses to obey in accordance with the will of the magus fully, thus making the casting of spells more dangerous and difficult. The Dominion, that phenomenon observed around places of Divine influence, is in fact the exact opposite of a magical aura; the Grace of God fills a place, and in doing so traps the fluid vis in the perfect symmetry of the Divine, thus lessening the amount of potential magical energy available within a Dominion aura for a magus to tap. Thus are all auras explained in broad terms; the only special case being Regios, or stratified auras. It is believed that Regios are formed when the fluid vis in an aura area forms a vortex with several distinct strata; in each strata the intensity of the aura increases. Generally, Regios are formed around one very powerful site or entity; however, at present too few regio auras are fully understood and further research needs to be undertaken in this field. The fact that the majority of stratified auras observed at this time seem to be related to Faerie sites may have a bearing on this matter; I propose to study this matter further and reveal my latest researches in my next volume. |
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