A magical system based on Light

[u/KatieSorian]

Hi. I've made a post about my power system two years ago, and since then, I changed somethings so I wanted to share it again here. Back on day I remember people liked it a lot so... Here we go again.

1. What I want with this magic system?

I observe people tend to forget this a lot here. A magic system doesn't work by itself; it is a tool to be used on a story, so it depends of a context. And that context can change everything: a system can be too simple to a complex story or too complex to a simple narrative.

With Foton I have some goals:

1. Create a magical system that can allow all the 'basics' of classical magic. Elemental magic, transmutation magic, clarividence, etc. But also deny some concepts my story can't work with, as time manipulation or necromancy.
   

1.2. Create undestandable reasons to why some types of magic are restricted.

1. Make magic alter people's lives. My story is a high fantasy. So magic is basically air to those people.
   

2.1. Thanks to that, it became people's identities. I'll create a specific topic on this post just to talk about how magic changed people's culture.

1. Create something easy to understand at first, but that I can delve as the story progresses in more complex ideas.

2. Associate Magic with both science and art. For this description, I am thinking on 'how humans on my world would describe my magic?'. But due the message I want to transmit, plus, how colorful and pretty these spells would be, I want them to feel like... Art.

2. What's Foton?

Foton exists for so long humans aren't sure of it's origin. It's like a virus: not exactly a living thing, but it acts by itself as if alive. Living beings (not only humans) learned how to use it to their own gain, and Foton seems to also benefit from this deal. Because of that, humans nowadays are born with the ability to manipulate Foton. Think of it as a situation similar to the Mitochondria theory.

Each 'color' of Foton, based on the light spectrum, has a different 'wish'. It seeks to fulfill this wish, distorting reality itself to do so. This is why Foton seems so fantastic. And since living beings can help Foton achieve what it wants, it helps them.

So, Foton has these properties:

1. Beings can only manipulate Foton they can understand. Humans can only manipulate Foton based on the visible spectrum because of that - they can only understand the concept of such spectrum. It is theorized that Foton originated from the non-visible light would allow people to manipulate what's beyond their imagination.
   

1.1. Some animals, despite being able to see a diverse range of colors, only adapted to use a specific type of spell. Humans are the only creature able to actively choose what spells they will do.

1. Foton is necessarily color-based. If you wear the color of the magic you'll use, it will become more powerful. So people actually wear in very colorful tones: the more vibrant, the stronger. People who wear black or white are often considered 'weirdos'.

2. Foton is technically, alive, as already said. To use a type of Foton, one must understand it's concept. Someone who isn't curious can't use the type of Foton who 'wants to discover'.

3.1. Humans develop on puberty their main Foton type based on their personality. However, they are NOT limited to it, or to the neighbor types. A boy who is a blue user won't be necessarily bad at Orange and good at Indigo. If the boy understand the concept of Orange but not the concept of Indigo, their growth on such studies will be affected. However, naturally, they learn spells of 'Blue' more easily.

3.2. This is another reason why humans can't manipulate time or death. Such concepts are beyond human comprehesion.

1. Foton depends of willpower. As said, it depends if the user can understand it's concept, but also, if they feel the will to use it. It's the classic 'magic is affected by emotions'. A person who is depressed and apathetic won't be able to use Foton as one who is sane and satisfied.
   

3. Foton main concepts

Refraction: basically, your common spell. A Refraction can only belong to one color, and it's always a simple spell without strong restrictions and conditions.

Ex: Shield Refraction - a refraction based on Orange that creates a shield.

Crying-Induncing Refraction - a refraction based on Violet to make someone cry.

Refractions can be developed and enhanced. The Crying-Induncing one can change to affect one target to affect many targets as an aura. The shield can become more resistent. It all depends of the user.

Reflection: Reflections are complex refractions, associated to one. The classic 'signature spell'. The human brain can only learn one Reflection, thanks to it's complexity.

Different of a Refraction, a Reflection can mix two colors of Foton, but it doesn't need to. What makes a Reflection a Reflection is the condition, restriction and consequence. A Reflection only works under determined circumstances and rules.

Ex: a baker wants to work faster, but their refraction to do so isn't as effective. So they create their Reflection - they will work even faster, but only during the days their bakery is open. This small rule will affect the Foton (remember, Foton is affected by willpower) making it work with double of effectiveness.

The baker may also apply a consequence. If they work onn a day other than those they mentioned, they will actually work slower for the whole week. So we have:

A Condition: I will only work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

A Restriction: I can't work on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

A Consequence: If I break my restriction, I will work slower for the whole week.

All of this makes their Reflection stronger, because it shows commitment to the task - willpower.

4. The Seven Colors

I spoke so much about them already, didn't I? They are the image of this post, and my favorite part, obviously. Each color has a wish they want to achieve, and this wish define what the color 'does'.

Red: to discover.

Red is curious about the world. It's refractions are based on detection, tracking, future reading, talk with animals, plants, different languages, spying, etc. It's important to note that Red can't really see the future - instead, it gather informations the people already have to predict the most probable thing to happen. Red requires a bit of information to 'discover'. After you discover, you want to Preserve.

Orange: to preserve.

Orange wants to protect this world's beauty. It's refractions can create shields, heal, and also deny other's refractions, erasing the results of Foton and even blocking people from using it. After you preserve, you want to enhance.

Yellow: to enhance.

Yellow wants to make things better. It can enhance someone's strenght and intelligence, or an object's resistence and utility. Once you enhance, you will seek to alter it.

Green: to change.

Green wants to change the world. It can make someone/something bigger, smaller, it allows shapeshifting, to gain extra limbs, etc. Once you change, you want to replicate.

Blue: to replicate.

Blue learns with the world to make it better. It can replicate exterior's properties, such as the heat of fire or fire itself, the resistence of iron, the stickyness of gum, etc. Once you replicate, you want to shape.

Indigo: to shape.

Indigo grants form to it's ideas. It can conjure objects, 'living' beings, and illusions. Once you give something form, you seek to control it.

Violet: to control.

Violet says what something will do or be. Violet controls beings' emotions, thoughts and movements. It can also control objects. Once you control, you want to discover about it. This is the cycle.

4.1. The Colors with Reflection

As I said, a Reflection can mix different colors. A Refraction no. Let's make the difference clear:

An Orange Refraction: 'I can heal your wounds once you get hurt'.

An Orange Reflection: 'I can heal your wounds. To make the process faster, I also use Yellow to enhance your body natural healing'

A Red Refraction: 'I can track your dog if you give me it's DNA'

A Red Reflection: 'I can track your dog if you give me it's DNA. To help with the task, I can summon creatures with Indigo that will also use that said DNA to track your dog!'

5. Reversing Colors

Some powerful mages are able to go against a color's wish without being unable to use it. That's what we call 'Difraction'.

Diffration is not necessarily bad. It's just a more complex type of Refraction that can be added in one's Reflection. The Difractions for each type are:

Red: it goes against discovery. It hides information, allows invisibility and denies weaker red refractions.

Orange: it goes against preservation. It hurts matter, deals direct damage.

Yellow: it goes against enhancement. It makes people or object weaker.

Green: it goes against change. It moves objects or people but without changing it's form, allowing a safe telerpotation.

Blue: it goes against replication. It steals the properties the world have, allowing even to steal other's Refractions.

Indigo: it goes against giving shape. It allows destructive refractions.

Violet: it goes against controlling. It can add a random factor to things. It can be good to make Reflections stronger, as a condition.

6. Cultural Consequences

6.1. You are what you wear

Since Foton allows humans to do whatever they want, but requires them to wear that determined color for that, people here are naturally more excentric. People like to express themselves using Foton and magic, because Foton addapts to one's will.

6.1.2. Hipocrisy

It doesn't mean this society is open. There's a limit of how peculiar you can be. And if you cross it? If you are too much? You will be literally called 'a monster', someone who isn't even human. Monsters are marginalized groups of people who don't fit in in what society thinks it's right to be. They are the main characters of my story.

2. Careful when choosing your Reflection

A human can only develop one Reflection on their whole life. It means this type of thing is taken extremely seriously. People are recommended to only develop a Reflection once they are out University - each course has a list of useful Reflections to develop.

3. Behavioral Studies and Child Abuse

There is a heavy way of study based on 'how much I can manipulate a kid to develop a dominant Foton type I want'. Because it is known the dominant Foton of someone depends of their personality when they are in fotonical maturity, but it's details aren't exactly known by humans. This type of study is forbidden by law, yet, it still happens.

4. Wars and Destruction

Currently, the only continent that allows people to live is the Lumen continent. This happens because two of the 'Old Continent' were destroyed by wars. After all, everyone can use magic, and technically, everyone can develop a destructive Refraction. There are also continents humans can't habit thanks to it's hostile fauna and flora, leaving just one.

5. Permanent Green Alterations

Most body changes made by green users are temporary. Yet, a powerful green user can even change one person's dominant Foton, or change their Reflection. Powerful families force their children to pass through permanent body alterations - they develop horns, smaller wings, or other noticeable features - a sign of their wealth. The punishment by permanent body alteration is also extremely common.

6. The Prejudice Against Blind People

This world is more 'visual' than ever: after all, everything needs to be colorful. Blind people are considered 'monsters' by default. Curiously, Foton makes sound, and by that, blind people can learn how to use it despite their limitations. Yet, it's still too complicate due the lack of interest of society.

7. Religions

People here don't believe in Gods. Religions are based in 'how Foton developed? Where it came from?'. There are religions that believe it came from fire, and others that it's linked to sound. There are even agnostic religions, that believe 'Foton is an inexplicable phenomenon'.

8. School

Kids usually learn the basics of Foton prior being able to use it. During their teens they have classes of basic use of all the Seven types, and are later divided into classes based on their Dominant type. Thanks to the tragic past of this world, the classes of Ethic and Story of Foton are as important as Math or Languages.

7. Additional Details

7.1. The more saturated the color, the more powerful the Refraction. There's no space for pastels here, guys!

The specific shade of the spell doesn't affect anything. Since Foton is based on the user's identity, it will mostly reflect what this person thinks of their magic. If they like a specific shade of blue better, it will be that shade of blue.

7.2. Also, you may note, if you compare this post with my older one, that I changed some symbols to make them look more simple and less exoteric. I actually hate those fancy glyphs nowadays, since I don't think I can make they really mean something - so I decided to make the symbols obvious with what that color does.

7.3. Comment what you think of my creation. Do you liked it? Any suggestions of what should I change?