Prologue; Introduction to the Magic System
Prologue:
In the distant past, there existed nine stars. This group of stars were the brightest and most magical stars and was the reason mana existing was even possible. Just the sight of these stars blessed the viewer and granted protection and a sense of tranquility. Despite their instrumental reign on such blessings, they were the only stars in the entire galaxy.
One day, the celestial bodies gathered and discussed their concerns regarding the dilemma of the finite number of planets able to bear witness to them and bask in their blessings. One star, a blue star known as “Chrysalide”, was particularly troubled. Chrysalide burned the brightest and bestowed the most potent luck and protection when observed. As a consequence of the limited planets they are able to protect, the blue star wept so much, it’s blue tears shattered itself, causing the first ever star death. It’s fragments burst throughout the entire galaxy with it’s blue tears occasionally splashing onto moons, giving them their recognisable bright blue complexions which would trigger nearby stars to burst like how the blue star once did. Once the blue star had sacrificed itself to protect the entire galaxy, the rest of the stars performed a sacred dance to honour and thank the blue star.
The imagery of the dancing stars was popularised in 490 AD and is the most recognisable symbol of peace, unity, and protection. Though the blue star sacrificed itself to protect the galaxy, it is believed that the fragments from the initial burst are still Chrysalide but rebirthed. This book shall guide the reader into gaining a comprehensive understanding of the magic system existing today, all thanks to Chrysalide.
Chapter I: Mana Classifications
Through centuries of meticulous study and research, humanity has come to understand the crux of mana classifications and their hierarchy. Mana is classified into three main categories, listed from weakest to strongest; gemstones, earthly mana, and stardrops. When other factors are incorporated with the mana, such as herbs, flowers, animal parts, each mana’s potency and purpose will be altered.
Gemstones
Chapter I: Mana Classifications
Through centuries of meticulous study and research, humanity has come to understand the crux of mana classifications and their hierarchy. Mana is classified into three main categories, listed from weakest to strongest; gemstones, earthly mana, and stardrops. When other factors are incorporated with the mana, such as herbs, flowers, and animal parts, each mana’s potency and purpose will be altered.
Gemstones
Gemstones resemble their much more powerful and magical counterpart, Stardrops. There are only three known gemstones capable of containing mana; Aquamarine, Soladites, and Sapphires. These stones have the same traits in regards to how they harness and contain mana, only differing by their potency and rarity. Although they are easier to obtain than Earthly Mana or Stardrops, they are significantly weaker and are less versatile in spell casting, often used in wands and novelty items, such as jewellery or trinkets.
Aquamarine is a blue mineral beryls are the weakest and most common out of the three stones. The origin of its name is derived from a combination of two Latin words which when put together, translates to ‘the colour of the sea’. These stones harness their mana through crystallising in areas with high levels of mana, such as locations where residual stardrops fall.
These stones can range from a very mild baby blue hue to a much deeper and vibrant shade of blue. The shade of blue corresponds to the concentration of mana, the deeper it is, the more potent the magic, this correlation applies to the other two stones. It is also important to note that aquamarine can not be altered by any herbs, flowers or animal parts and can only cast spells in its set range.
Stones can also be ‘recharged’ by wandmakers, people who specialise in crafting wands and have extensive knowledge in collecting and replenishing gemstones. This process requires an assortment of tools and experience, utilising the light of the moon as energy to recharge the stones. During the process, the stone would be dismantled from the wand and set carefully in a device that refracts as much of the moonlight into the stone.
Earthly Mana
Earthly Mana comes from fallen Stardrops from when Earth was still a young planet. The fallen stardrops seep into the soil and after millennia, their magic has intermingled with the natural and earthly charms which have cultivated its own species of mana. It can be extracted by using objects with spirals as shapes with spirals are most effective when attracting them. The larger the spiral or repeated pattern, the more mana it collects.
It should also be known that natural spirals contain Earthly Mana best as they are kin to one another. The most effective and reliable way to collect and store earthly mana is with the use of braided trees. Although man-made, the natural essence from the trees and the repeated patterns and the sheer size allow for optimal extraction. Earthly mana is also easy to manipulate but is considered a poor control group as each bundle is built differently.
Stardrops
Stardrops consist of the very essence of the blue star, Chrysalide, that collects in the frigid temperature in celestial space. They only fall on nights guided by a blue moon as its blue glow is reflected and absorbed by each drop.
The magical aura from the blue moon triggers star death, the burst causing drops of the late stars to fall which then gravitate to Earth’s gravitational pull. It must enter the earth’s stratosphere for the mana to develop and must be carefully handled to be collected and stored. This can be achieved with man-made capsules, elaborated in the next chapter.
Stardrops are similar to stem cells in terms of usage, adopting whatever role from whatever ingredient is implemented within it. Stardrops are the easiest to manipulate with the most output of raw power and energy.
Chapter II: Suitable Vessels and Their Biological Significance
With the varying potency and structures each classification of mana possesses, a diverse set of vessels must be available to collect and store each of them properly. Before exploring the different types of vessels suitable for each mana class, it is paramount to understand the fundamental biological laws that help them qualify.
Regardless of the mana class, they are all attracted to repeating patterns. Much like how nature obeys the Fibonacci Sequence to maximise the consumption of energy, implying maximum thermodynamic entropy, mana does too. Entropy is a thermodynamic function associated with the number of different energy states in spatial arrangement. The laws of thermodynamics include four laws.
zeroth law: If two systems are both in thermal equilibrium with a third system, then they are in thermal equilibrium with each other. If a = b and b = c, then a = c
first law of thermodynamics: the total energy of a system remains constant, even if it is converted from one form to another. ΔU=Q−W
second law of thermodynamics: the total entropy of a system either increases or remains constant in any spontaneous process; it never decreases.. a consequence of the second law of thermodynamics is that certain processes are irreversible. [(1.6-1) d S = δ Q rev T]
third law of thermodynamics: the entropy of a system approaches a constant value as the temperature approaches absolute zero. The entropy of a system at absolute zero is typically zero, and in all cases is determined only by the number of different ground states it has. [S=klogW]
Wands
Common iron wands are the easiest and most convenient vessel for magic but are usually only capable of casting minor spells as small fragments of mana can be embedded into its structure without making it unwieldy which would contradict its purpose.
Braided wooden wands are similar to their iron counterparts but contain Earthly Mana rather than gemstones as their energy source. They take longer to craft as braiding branches are more time consuming than welding an iron wand. However, Earthly Mana is stronger and is more versatile in spell casting, granted the user has necessary ingredients on hand.
Mana Pans
Mana pans are designed to have a rounder, bowl-like shape to better disperse magic when used. The copper instruments have a small cavity in the peak of its outermost shell, engraved with a spiral to hold the mana. The most common usage for Mana pans is healing as the slow dispersal of healing magic is crucial in ensuring the prevention of death or severe injury due to overhealing as the sudden and overwhelming blast of magic, regardless of intent, can have devastating consequences.
Brooches
Although unassuming, brooches contain a concentrated amount of mana due to the countless microscopic spirals within. The base of the brooch is made of copper while the jewel part is a thin layer of aquamarine. The middle part between the copper and aquamarine is pure mana. Brooches are used by casting a spell and shattering it immediately afterward for the effects of the spell to come to fruition.
Braided Trees
The older and larger the tree, the more Earthly Mana it is able to harness. Rather than outright using mana from the tree to cast spells, its used as storage to replenish wands and other spell casting vessels. The oldest and biggest braided tree to exist is located in a historical town, Bitterthorn, with its top branches reaching 136 metres at the age of 6,139 years old.
Spiraled Objects
As spiraled shapes are structurally the most efficient way to harness energy and magic as explained before, snail shells, spiral plant stems, romanesco broccoli, sunflowers, and angelica flowers are all suitable vessels for Earthly Mana. Though not as capable in retaining nearly as much mana as braided trees, because of their mild magical powers and accessibility, they make great starter vessels for beginner mages and magic users.
Chapter III: Historical Context and Cultural Significance
Before delving into the complex nature of mana and the extensive list of spells, it is paramount to understand the cultural significance and historical context behind the magic in this world. Through this, it provides a more reliable foundation to build further knowledge on understanding the magic system. This chapter will be divided into sections; Traditional Festivals, Common Beliefs, and Historical Events.
Traditional Festivals and Holidays:
Jour De La Mer D’étoiles: An annual festival is celebrated at the sea of stars in Crested Crux, when a slew of shooting stars is visible. The gathering is a way to show appreciation and gratitude for the mana from the night sky. This is more commonly called “Shooting star viewing” as the population and many tourists in Crested Crux congregate at the seaside to view the meteor shower. This festival also hosts food stalls serving blue desserts sourced from local fruits and vegetables to celebrate and thank Chrysalide’s sacrifice. Small star shaped candies are given to foals as a sign of good luck and prosperity.
Folding stars from seaweed and drifting them into the ocean is thought to bring protection and seen as a promise to grant the sender’s wish. Seaweed is not harmful to the environment and is mostly eaten by marine life, including starfish, so this tradition has stayed relevant to the present day.
Renaissance Chrysalide: A week-long festival in the first week of summer is also dedicated to chrysalises, moths, and butterflies as a sign of transformation and rebirth. Butterfly tea cakes, sugar dusted tarts with a ball of spun sugar on the side, and pupa shaped sugar cookies are a common dessert made during this festival. Butterfly tea cakes are simple desserts dedicated to the newly emerged butterflies each Summer. The sugar dusted tarts represent the dust of a moth’s wings while the spun sugar ball represents a source of light for the moth to be attracted to. Pupa shaped sugar cookies are to mirror the chrysalis’ that season and are often decorated in vibrant colours by foals.
Summer Sun Celebration: A one day event commemorating Celestia’s defeat of Nightmare Moon. This annual event is also the longest day of the year and is when ponies gather to watch Princess Celestia raise the sun.
Star Crossed Lovers Festival: A story of a mare and a stallion who are in love, live in the milky way, separated by a river of stars. Lovers often express their love for one another through the exchange of seasonal fruits and hoofmade gifts.
Fête des récoltes d'automne: A month-long festival of harvest as most crops are ready by Autumn. It is also the season the moon is closest so ponies gather to look at the moon each night and tell stories of Nightmare Moon. Scary stories are shared and brings the ponies closer.
Winter Moon Celebration: A one day event of the shortest day of the year where ponies stay primarily at home, hanging up hoofmade suns outside to ward off the spirit of Nightmare Moon. Warm meals are eaten and the fireplace is also kept alive throughout the night to ensure safety.
Common Beliefs:
-Starfish are highly sacred animals because of their similarity with stars which are known to provide such blessings. It is thought to be bad luck to kill starfish.
-The sea and deep bodies of water are respected and hot spots for praying and festivals as the deep blue and its obscurity is seen as the closest thing to the galaxy.
-Butterflies are also seen as good luck as they represent new comings, transformation, rebirth, and hope. it is thought to be bad luck to kill butterflies and caterpillars and to destroy chrysalises.
-At funerals, relatives and friends burn hand-made paper stars as it is believed to provide light to guide the passed person to the afterlife safely.
Historical Events:
The mana system controls the world, which was also the case further back in history. Though the extraction, trade, and management of them has significantly improved, mana was much more scarce and was even the cause of many disagreements and even wars, the most well known being “The Mana War”.
With the leadup to The Mana War, there were already a handful of cold wars which put more pressure on each kingdom and societies. With tensions rising and the banishment of Luna being the final nail in the coffin, Princess Celestia established the E.U.P. guard [Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasus] which increased security as they would man outposts, watch borders, and serve as armed forces in time of war.
Ministries and departments were also formed to further prepare for the upcoming war ahead. The Ministry of Celestial Magic handled the management, trade, and study of mana, with research findings still referred to this day. Weapon supply and distribution was managed by the Department of Wartime Machinery. The Department of Récolte was responsible for ensuring stable food security.
Military units had three main divisions; the Cavalry Division, Airborne Division, and Armored Division. The Cavalry and Armored Division consisted of all pony races while the Airborne Division consisted of only pegasi.
There were also two main brigades in each division; the Scarlet Brigade and the Sable Brigade. The Scarlet Brigade consists of lower quality troops and serves as the rearguard defense. The sable brigades serve as front-line defense and are divided in three groups; 1st Sable Brigade [Motorised], 2nd Sable Brigade [Mechanised], and 3rd Sable Brigade [Armored].
The Intelligence Support Unit was divided into two factions; the Ciel Faction and the Sol Faction. The Ciel Faction consisted of only pegasi since the advantage of their bird’s eye view, they can gather crucial information regarding the enemies and communicate them back to their base. The Sol Faction consisted of all pony races, but primarily unicorns thanks to their magical abilities aiding in their stealth. They too gather information from the enemies through spying, but they infiltrate the opposition rather than scoping from above.
With defenses and civilian well-being covered, during The Mana War, medics were crucial in order to treat injured soldiers. Project Blanc was established to further the study of medicine and to ensure the health of the troops.
It is also important to have a basic understanding of the Equestrian Congress as they played a large role in settling disagreements and passing bills. It consisted of the Monarch [Princess Celestia], the Equestrian Senate [Upper Assembly], and the Equestrian House of Representatives [Lower Assembly]. Important groups also included the cabinet [a small group of ponies within the Congress who give advice to the Monarch on any subject she may require relating to the duties of each member’s representative office], and the committee [considers bills and issues and oversees agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdiction].
Chapter IV: Key Locations
Starfall Meadow
Although Earthly Mana hotspots exist in certain parts of Equestria, one stands out above the rest. Starfall Meadow is a wooded meadow filled with spirals of fern and brambles. The magic there is so concentrated, the grass visibly glows a warm spring bud colour. Thanks to this glow, any particles floating in the air such as dust or sparks of mana become visible and resemble stars. A significant characteristic of this area is that in the centre of the meadow, rests a shallow body of water, known to have regenerative powers. Though the water is healing in nature, it is still wise to distill it to remove unwanted filth. The body of water remains constant as groundwater seeps into the surface and due to the concentrated mana the water is exposed to and absorbs throughout it’s journey through the ground to the surface.
Due to its healing properties, many ponies throughout Equestria visit and use it. Small vials are offered nearby in stations for more convenient ways of obtaining the magical water. Rather than this becoming a profitable hotspot, it is seen as a sacred site for all ponies to partake in with no expenses.
Sea Glass Barrier
There is a natural phenomenon in the depths of Seaquestria, where a large opaque air bubble resides. The barrier reaches 90 metres in height and has a diameter of around 30 metres. The white sandy flooring is mostly covered with smooth pebbles and sea glass, creating a beautiful mosaic blur of soft blues, greens, and greys. The rippling caustics washing on the ground and the faint sounds of the ocean create a wonderful place to relax. Though this site is peaceful and admirable, it is difficult to reach as it’s tip sits around 60 metres below the surface, with it’s base sitting 150 metres below the surface. Although submarines are available for use above and below, specifically for transport to the Sea Glass Barrier, tickets are usually quite expensive.
Epoch of Equinox
The largest tower clock in Equestria, residing in the centre of the town of Canterlot. A cultural landmark that has been in commission for over 140 years.
Cathedral of the Dancing Stars
A gothic cathedral towering over the town of Canterlot, the side towers reaching 150 metres in height. The interior is lit by star fragments, designed to resemble the symbol of the dancing stars. It is a place of worship and knowledge, giving ponies opportunities to learn more about the story of Chrysalide. Choirs are also largely present, faint echoes of harmony resonate through the cathedral everyday, providing a calming ambience.