H Y P N O F A N T A S M A

In the world of Hypnofantasma (the Forever Ocean), there are two main ways to manipulate the world around you by “magical” or supernatural means. These two distinct ways are called PSIONICS and AETHER.

In short;

PSIONICS, or “natural” magic, is anything willed to happen by way of the mind. Psionics follow the laws of nature, bending them just enough so that you can use fantastical abilities and elemental powers thanks to a connection to the mind realm of Cerelain. Psionics are cast and allowed through a metaphysical source known as Willpower.

AETHER, or “unnatural”/corruption magic, is anything that happens as an effect by any sort of substance or creature born of a material known as Aether (or Arta by recent scholars). Aether has no willed source, and is often considered “chaos” magic due to its unpredictability and disconnect from Willpower. Aether, as a substance, must be present in some form or another to be in effect.

PSIONICS are based on physics. All known abilities of psionics revolve around the elements and illusionary effects, and generally reflect the world itself. Hence, “natural” magic.

Psionics are readily and freely taught across the Ocean. Everything with a brain can, theoretically, use psionics; despite this, only sophonts are known to actually research and refine these abilities due to the presence of cultures and recorded knowledge. Animals may on occasion use a random bit of power, sometimes causing odd natural occurrences that are unexplained. Dolphins and crows on Earth, for example, have been recorded to use small bits of psionics for fun. It’s rare for animals to do this, and the effects are never devastating.

The fluidity of what defines the "types" of psionics and borders between physics is what has lead to many civilizations having "their own systems" - purely colloquial labeling systems to categorize how they see the world.

The DRAGONS, for example, have ten groups/major elements of psionics that can be described as the following: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Life, Death, Ice, Spirit, Art, and Cosmic. Within each, there’s different sub-elements; Earth is rock, crystal, and metal; ice is structures and ice; Cosmic is light and shadow; so on and so on. This system is used by most sophonts.

The KRAIZEN, meanwhile, labeled the elements further into 40 (a normal 39) groups based on broad definitions of physics, called Sembla (from Semblance). There are various Matter, Energy, Perceptive, and Interactive type abilities that they’ve identified, with an elusive and mythical 40th ability called “Atomic”: the ability to control reality itself on a fundamental level without the use of corruption.

- - - - - - - - - - - - ⚛ - ⚛ - ⚛ - ⚛ - KRAIZENIAN SEMBLA SYSTEM - ⚛ - ⚛ - ⚛ - ⚛ - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - ⚙ - ⚙ - ⚙ - ⚙ - DRAGON ELEMENTAL SYSTEM - ⚙ - ⚙ - ⚙ - ⚙ - - - - - - - - - - - -

When it comes to Matter-based psionics, summoned material has a source to pull from, as not to break the laws of physics. This matter is pulled from the source, goes through CERELAIN, and reemerges in the desired location the summoner cast upon. These sources are usually Source Worlds - either abandoned or simply lifeless planets full of a specific kind of material perfect for using as a summoning source. When materials are despawned, they are returned to their SUMMON SOURCE WORLDS.

Psionics do have a level of danger to them to use, not just be struck by. WILLPOWER, as a source, is finite per person, and requires time to recharge and heal from using. Some people have more Willpower than others, and some have physiological issues related to psionic usage (called psiolepsy) that makes using psionics much, much harder.

The more you strain yourself, the more your head will hurt. This is called STRESS. The more stress you gain acutely, the more you are at risk of overexerting yourself and your Willpower, which can cause nasty effects. Common effects include headaches and migraines, fainting, and even varying degrees of comas.

The most notorious, yet rarest effect of all, is colloquially known as “brainsploding”. This infamous, ultimate effect is very literal in its name, for it is when you try to use an ability too large, sweeping, and immense all at once that it quite literally fries and ruptures your brain. It is more common, however, for someone to simply bleed from the nose and drop dead instead of a big dramatic explosion.

Willpower naturally recharges over time and with rest, food, affection, and happiness. The more you eat well, get a good night's sleep, spend time with your loved ones, and generally just stay in good spirits, the more efficiently your Willpower recharges (typically). The more you starve, lose sleep, stay alone, and wallow in sorrow, the more poorly your Willpower recharges - and the more likely you are to have a "malfunction", so to say.

Of course, there are the exceptions - disabilities that hinder psionic usage do exist, such as PSIOLEPSY, a condition that may lead to seizures upon great Willpower exertion if not careful. Not to mention the usually brain-affecting illnesses and conditions out there.

Other than the dangers of overexerting Willpower (just like with any physical activity), psionics are completely natural and safe on your soul to use. It is also, notably, not ‘sticky” - all psionics are manual, and don’t “enchant”.

AETHER, as opposed to psionics, is widely looked down upon, treated as black magic, and only officially taught to very specific lines of work and research. It isn’t dependent on Willpower or the mind, and can “infect” anything that exists, warping and corrupting and changing it - even if no one is around to perceive or dictate it.

Anything - sophonts, animals, plants, machines, objects, etc. - can be affected by Aether. The presence of a mind does not matter.

Aether is, then, the opposite of nature - it is artificiality made manifest. Aether is not physics, but rather, feelings and desires, tearing holes into reality to make it come true.

Aether’s source is a substance known as ARTA. Arta looks like something indescribable; often called a dark rainbow, it is both every color and no color, presence yet vacancy, liquid yet dry. It doesn’t feel like anything, yet it could also feel like everything. The perception of Arta is very strange, and it’s a lost cause to even try and understand it.

“Arta” is a word that opposes VITA. Where Vita means life, Arta comes from artificial.

Arta, however, can be gathered, modified, and turned into other states. Arta is the pure, unfiltered state - but the Everchangers can biologically gather and transform it without being outright corrupted into ruin.

When turned into a biological solid, Arta becomes EGO. Ego is a metallic-like structure that can be carved and molded into specific shapes, and can be found within an Everchanger’s (or most notably a Kraizen’s) body as teeth, claws, spikes, and other unique body details. Ego’s properties allow it to be turned into an “enchanted object”, making anything built or otherwise crafted with it (such as weapons, tools, or machines) have properties beyond that of nature.

Another form of processed Arta is DRAGONFIRE, the silk of Dragons. Unlike the main lineage of ECs, Dragons cannot store it in their bodies without it making them very sick. So, instead, they have developed special spinnerets that allow them to breathe a silk-like processed form of Arta in order to affect the world around them with controlled, subtle Aether.

Where Dragons roam, the world becomes a fantasy world of dreams and wonder - because of the Dragonfire mist making the world itself fantastical.

Ego, specifically, is used as a refined material to make machines like Automs and Amplifiers with, to allow them to be “magical” machines despite lacking true brains. It must be in very specific, special quantities, lest it risk corruption overflow.

Research into artificially refining Arta has been in the works for generations. While there has been some progress, it’s still a highly dangerous venture, and considered one of the highest risk careers in the universe. Due to the dangers of handling raw Arta, most choose to either use already-processed Ego or Dragonfire - both of which do require the death of or at least the harvesting of ECs. Vani have been hunted, both for the simple fact of being a Vani, as well as for their Ego for testing and usage.

Too much Aether (hence Arta) in an area will create DEMONS. Too much Aether within an individual will warp them into a REZNAXAN, a monstrous corrupted form with loosening ties to nature and the Ocean.

Aether does not inherently hurt someone to be affected by. However, Aether and subsequently Arta will “seep in” and worsen wounds and trauma, treating them as a sort of easy avenue to enter by and flood. Thus, Aether is often mostly associated with pain and suffering, despite the fact there are known peaceful and silly instances of it.

There are many organizations dedicated to the containment, research, and usage of Arta/Ego/Aether in general. They are dedicated not just to handling and neutralizing it, but to study it, and better understand this anti-universal material and ability.

Though stigmas remain, scholars do realize that Aether is not a force of evil - just chaos.

An example of NEUTRAL Aether manifestation would be, to oppose psionics’ logic, a simple vase. This vase is empty unless turned over, for which it then constantly and continuously dispenses a waterfall of water. This water has no summon source, and it is being actively generated. The water could be good and hydrating, but it could also flood a room. Ultimately, it is simply water.

An example of GOOD OR USEFUL Aether manifestation would be a house that is much larger on the inside than the outside, creating a home with immense storage space. Another example would be enchanted objects, such as paint that never empties, ice that never melts and keeps your drinks cool, or toys that wander about by themselves without batteries.

An example of a BAD manifestation of Aether (besides most trauma-induced Rezna) would be warping a land to be an ever-shifting labyrinth, making it downright impossible to leave, for it has no exits. Perhaps also flames that freeze, a forest perpetually on fire, blood that takes and reaches out… unfortunately, in the era of Vani, Arta has been abused for the worst a lot.

...Interestingly, though it’s largely chaotic and not able to be messed with by Willpower, it seems emotions do have a sort of tangible effect on Arta, and thus Aether. This must be why so many Rezna have been occurring in the wake of the Vani. Negativity bias will make Arta seem like a substance of evil, when in reality, it is purely neutral - just chaotic.

Both usages of psionics and Aether create something on users known as an insigne cerebri, or an EYEMASK. Eyemasks are black, non-physical patterns that extend from around the eyes (or appear on the forehead of eyeless creatures) when exerting Willpower or being directly affected by Aether. It may also come in other colors, but black is the “default” color, sort of like some sort of cosmic or voidlike hole in the universe itself. It’s a very interesting phenomenon.

When casting psionics, these patterns are non-physical and tattoo-like, having a staticky feeling to the touch and being unable to be altered by physical means. They are simply there. When stress increases, the eyemask will expand and stretch like cracks, and grow more erratic and frightening when stress becomes critical and dangerous.

When affected by Aether, meanwhile, the eyemask will become physical. However, instead of looking like clownish tattoos, Aether masks will drip like liquid, and make the affected users look like they are “crying” black tears. It is a very frightening and disconcerting thing to witness, adding to Aether’s uncomfortable reputation and telltale signs. The more Aether corrupts someone, the more black fluid will pour from the eyes, and even the mouth or other head/neck holes.

Everchangers of the main evolutionary line (Kraizenian) have eyemasks even in a resting state. This is because of their natural, higher state of universal presence, and their extremely powerful and highly integrated brain systems. Their eyemasks will never shrink below their resting state, but they can expand and stretch with stress. Dragons lack a resting eyemask, but do gain them when exerting Willpower like any other sophont.

Users of magic go by many names. Wizard, witch, mage, sorcerer, masquerader, etc. None of these words are “official” terms so much as fun words to call oneself based on culture. As anyone can use psionics, “users” have no special term. Those who mess around with Arta and Aether in general are often called alchemists and similar terms.

However, there are some general terms in English I can share.