World Overview
Low magic, Edo Japan right before meiji restoration. Based at a academy for samurai and magicians. Magic is inate, for a very select few. A magican is defined by two things; their casting method how they cast spells and their channeling method how they regain mana. They are as follows: Casting Methods
## Overview
- Different ways magicians channel and release [[Mana]].
- Some methods are common and taught early, others are rare and difficult.
- Taught in [[Basic Spells and Applications]] class
- Mastery of one’s casting style often influences later [[Specialisation]].
## Methods
### [[Chanter]]
- Spoken Incantations
- Use of chants, prayers, or [[Sutra Chanting]].
- Words shape mana into predictable patterns.
- Most common method among first-years.
### [[Gesturer]]
- Hand Gestures
- Symbolic movements that direct mana flow.
- Often paired with spoken words.
- Popular in combat for quick casting.
### [[Talisman]]
- Talismans and Charms, Seals
- External focus written with ink, blood, or symbols.
- Absorb and release mana in controlled ways.
- Taught alongside [[Onmyōdō]] practices.
### [[Sacrificer]]
- Ritual Casting
- Longer ceremonies involving [[Harai]], incense, and offerings.
- Used for large-scale or dangerous spells.
- Requires multiple magicians or assistants.
### [[Focuser]]
- Personal objects such as wands, staves, rings, or beads.
- Channel mana more efficiently, reducing strain on the caster.
- Items often inscribed with symbols or infused during [[Enchantment]].
- Common among magicians from wealthy families or shrines.
### [[Silent Focuser]]
- Casting without words, tools, or gestures.
- Requires deep concentration and natural affinity.
- Rare and difficult, usually seen only in prodigies.
# Mana (魔力 maryoku)
## Overview
- The vital energy that fuels all forms of [[Magic]].
- Every magician has a unique way to **restore** mana.
- No two methods are identical, but most fall into broad categories.
- Scholars describe the distribution as a **bell curve**:
- Common → majority of magicians.
- Uncommon → less frequent, but recognised.
- Rare/Legendary → feared, revered, or misunderstood.
- using or having too much can cause overload, fainting, nosebleeds etc.
### 🌿 **[[Restorer]]** _(Common)_
> _“Peace is power. Order is flow.”_
Rely on inward focus, rhythm, and serenity.
**Methods:**
- **呼吸系 (Breath Method)** – regulated breathing to equalize mana and body.
- **真言系 (Mantra / Sutra Chanting)** – steady recitation to align mind and energy.
- **祈祷 / 祈念 (Prayer / Meditation)** – concentration through stillness.
- **印 (Mudra)** – symbolic hand-seals used to shape or stabilize flow.
- **写符 / 符術 (Talisman)** – simple seals to ground mana after release.
**Tone:** Monastic, disciplined, formal.
**Historical parallel:** Buddhist monks and Yamabushi ascetics.
---
### 🔥 **[[Offerer]]** _(Common)_
> _“Power must be earned in flesh.”_
Draw strength by offering part of oneself.
**Methods:**
- **血印 (Blood Seal)** – draw small blood sigils to prime flow.
- **断食 (Fasting)** – purification through deprivation.
- **焼印 (Burning Mark)** – singe talisman or offering of hair/nails.
- **身体動作 (Kata)** – strenuous stances that pain or exhaust the body, opening flow.
- **呼吸法 (Harsh Breathing)** – hyperventilation or restraint to simulate crisis.
**Tone:** Martial and visceral, bordering on self-destructive.
**Historical parallel:** ascetic samurai, Shugendō mountain rituals.
---
### 💫 **[[Empath]]** _(Uncommon)_
> _“Emotion is fuel; feeling is form.”_
Manipulate mana through emotional resonance either personal or external.
**Methods:**
- **共鳴 (Resonance / Music)** – vocal or instrumental tones that evoke emotion.
- **直感 / 触感 (Touch / Contact)** – physical empathy to draw or share feeling.
- **視覚化 (Visualization)** – vivid imagery of the emotional source.
- **夢想 (Recollection)** – reliving powerful memories intentionally.
**Tone:** Artistic, volatile.
**Historical parallel:** Noh theatre, early onmyōji ecstatic rituals.
Risk: overexposure destabilises mind and personality.
---
### 🌊 **[[Channeler]]** _(Uncommon)_
> _“The world breathes with you.”_
Absorbs or redirects energy from the natural world.
**Methods:**
- **自然呼吸 (Natural Synchronization)** – matching breath to wind, wave, or flame rhythm.
- **結界 (Barrier Weaving)** – shape mana into circles mirroring natural patterns.
- **触媒 (Catalyst Contact)** – channel through stones, metals, water, etc.
- **天象観察 (Celestial Observation)** – aligning with moon, stars, or storms.
**Tone:** Stoic, shamanic, weather-dependent.
**Historical parallel:** Shintō purification and agricultural rites.
Power fluctuates with environment.
---
### 🌘 **[[Dreamer]]** _(Uncommon)_
> _“Sleep is the other side of awakening.”_
Operates through altered consciousness. Powerful but unpredictable.
**Methods:**
- **夢観 (Lucid Dream)** – entering dream consciously.
- **瞑想転換 (Trance State)** – controlled dissociation, drumming, spinning, or incense use.
- **幻視 (Visioning)** – hallucination or spirit projection.
- **睡蓮法 (Sleep Meditation)** – letting the body sleep while mind remains aware.
**Tone:** Mystical, dangerous, visionary.
**Historical parallel:** Zen koan meditation, yamabushi spirit journeys.
---
### 👹 **[[Binder]]** _(Rare)_
> _“Two wills, one flow.”_
Forms a link or contract with spiritual beings or forces.
**Methods:**
- **召請 (Invocation)** – name-calling rituals, sometimes poetic.
- **贄 (Offering / Bargain)** – symbolic or literal exchange.
- **封印 (Binding Sigil)** – sealing pact physically or in the ether.
- **共鳴印 (Shared Mark)** – mutual mark or scar denoting bond.
**Tone:** Formal, dangerous, taboo.
**Historical parallel:** Shintō spirit mediums, Onmyōji summoning arts.
Feared for dependence on outside entities.
---
### 💎 **[[Unique]]** _(Legendary)_
> _“A mirror reflecting no other.”_
Cannot be categorized; draws on personal meaning, instinct, or bond.
**Methods:**
- Unrecorded or hybrid of several categories.
- Often manifests spontaneously rather than being learned.
Geography & Nations
Same as Edo Japan
Races & Cultures
Humans of Edo Japan are the main inhabitants. Yokai are for most common people just that, fiction, but for the select few that have magic abilities these Yokai are not fictional but part of their reality.
Current Conflicts
Meiji restoration is approaching
Magic & Religion
Only a very few amount of people have magic abilities. At one stage of their life everyone get to have their ability perceived by a priest/monk at their local shrine. Usually around the age of 15, but can be later as well. If they show to have mana, they are recommended to an academy to train their abilities. The Tenno is the highest ranked person at this time but the Shogunate holds the real power as well as the Daimyo and other Nobels.
Planar Influences
The spiritual realm of the Yokai exists but only few of the people with magical abilities can interact directly with it.
Historical Ages
It is Edo Japan and the timeline of Japan is as real history.
Economy & Trade
Same as Edo japan
Law & Society
Same as Edo Japan. Magicians are seen as the same rank of Samurai but are more feared due to their unknown abilities.
Monsters & Villains
Same as Edo Japan