Quixotic Ideas Laws and Rules of Magic
Quorth is a world of magic, or qui. Much of that magic flows into cohesive systems. Some remains wild and free, unpredictable, difficult or impossible to control. It still follows certain Laws and Rules of Magic. Many of these apply to the nature and behavior of magic as a whole. Some are particular to a given system of magic or a cluster of related systems. The more consistent are typically considered Laws, whereas those that describe trends are Rules.
Quixotic Ideas began in the April 4, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl with a prompt by Dreamwidth user See_also_friend.
Quixotic Ideas began in the April 4, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl with a prompt by Dreamwidth user See_also_friend.
General Laws and Rules of Magic
Some parameters seem to apply to magic in general, rather than to a specific system of magic. In fact, some appear across many different worlds that have some sense of magic, even local-Earth; and some have aspects in science as well as in magic. They may be phrased in different ways; below are some common examples.
Laws of Magic
-- The Law of Pragmatism states that whatever works is real. Both magic and science contain things which can be replicated, tested, and proven or disproven; and other things which cannot, or at least, haven't been yet. A Corollary of this Law states that some principles only apply to certain systems or on certain levels of reality. For example, numerology is all about numbers but they are irrelevant in some other systems such as totems; classical physics and quantum physics relate to different scales.
-- The Law of Knowledge states that knowledge is power. The more information known, the easier it gets to achieve desirable results with it. This applies to self and others, internal and external topics. Some magical systems rely mostly or entirely on information learned through structured study; others are much more intuitive; but almost everything benefits from observation, awareness, learning, and experience.
-- The Law of Synechdoche states that the part represents the whole. For example, people use hair in magical spells or artifacts and for DNA analysis. This works because the universe is holographic, with each small part containing a pattern of the whole, just as each cell in the body (such as a hair follicle) contains the DNA blueprint of the body. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity.
-- The Law of Contagion states that two things which touch or interact form a connection which continues even after separation. Based on this effect, those two things can be used to influence each other magically. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity. On the science side, Contagion appears in quantum physics as quantum entanglement.
-- The Law of Similarity states that things which resemble each other can stand in for each other. So for example, an opal (whose interior has flashes of color resembling flames) may be used in a spell to represent the element of Fire. This is part of humanity's general ability to use metaphors, symbols, and other representations such as alphabets and maps. Many magical systems include qorrespondences, such as for colors or elements, but the specific relationships can vary from one system or culture to another. This drives the theorists crazy. In actuality, it is not merely the traits of the objects or concepts themselves that create the connection, but also the person's awareness of them and thought constructs regarding them. In this manner, a snake may be considered "good" in one system and "bad" in another. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity. The Law of Similarity and the Law of Metonymy both depend on the quality of the connection, and thus, a strong Similarity could overpower a weak Metonymy or vice versa. Sympathetic magic spans the Law of Contagion and the Law of Similarity.
-- The Law of Metonymy states that related things can stand for each other and thus influence each other in magical workings. For example, a quill pen can represent a scribe, even if the writer does not own and has not touched that particular one, and even though they do not resemble each other at all, because quill pens in general are associated with scribes in general. The stronger the association between the two, the stronger the magical connection and thus influence. In cognitive science, this is called contiguity: things become linked when they are always or usually experienced together. The Law of Similarity and the Law of Metonymy both depend on the quality of the connection, and thus, a strong Similarity could overpower a weak Metonymy or vice versa.
-- The Law of Association states that when two or more patterns share common aspects, they intersect at those points and thus interact with each other. This makes it possible to manipulate one in order to control the other. It can also be used to triangulate which of several possible meanings is the relevant one in such systems as astrology or divination: the one that's repeating.
-- The Law of Synchronicity states that repetitions, patterns, and contexts can have meaning. Synchronicity relates to the Law of Synechdoche and the Law of Association; in essence, what may look like "unrelated" or "coincidental" events are actually connected because they stem from a root cause which may not be obvious. For instance, the universe is fractal, so the same spiral pattern appears in shells and in galaxies; crows may appear repeatedly because the totem Crow is trying to send someone a message. So whenever you see repetition, check for meaning and a possible root cause.
-- The Law of Signatures states that magical plants, animals, and objects tend to have features hinting at their properties. This has equivalents on the science side, such as identifying a dryland plant by features like grayish color, woolly or waxy leaves, thorns, etc. which enable properties like resistance to drought, wind, and sun. It frustrates people that nonmagical plants, animals, and objects may show a logical pattern or absolute gibberish with their traits and properties.
-- The Law of Unity states that everything is part of everything else. All is connected because all is one. The more completely a quixote understands this Law, the more possible it becomes to form a link between any one thing and another, thus to influence one by means of the other. Exceptional quixotes may seem to perform quonjury without any connections whatsoever, but what they are really doing is applying the Law of Unity with extraordinary skill, rather than a more common one such as the Law of Contagion or the Law of Similarity. On the science side, this relates to the holographic nature of reality, in which every part contains the pattern of the whole, the way that every human cell contains the DNA pattern of the entire body.
-- The Law of Polarity states that things have meaningful opposites. For instance, day and night are important both in nature and in magic. On the science side, we see polarity in magnets, which have a "north pole" and a "south pole" that determine how they behave in relation to other magnets.
-- The Law of Positive Attraction states that like attracts like. For instance, placing money in a new purse or wallet attracts wealth, whereas emptiness would attract poverty, so it's important to avoid giving them empty.
-- The Law of Negative Attraction states that opposites attract. Conversely, in this paradigm, similarities repel. The classic example in science is magnets, a "north" and a "south" pole attract each other, whereas two "north" or two "south" poles repel each other.
-- The Law of Costs states that accomplishing work requires energy or fuel of some sort. For example, a qrystal may use lunar energy for a charge, or a ritual circle may draw power from ley lines. This is the same as scientific versions such as plants running on sunlight, animals running on food, or cars running on gasoline. It is often jokingly paraphrased as There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch (TANSTAAFL). However, there are Corollaries that define ways in which a small amount of energy may accomplish a large amount of work, like using a pulley to lift heavy loads or a qrystal to enhance magical abilities.
-- The Law of Conservation states that matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed, but can be transformed. This is the same as the conservation of mass energy in physics, and applies equally to magical and nonmagical aspects of reality. A great deal of quonjury in general, and alqemy in particular, relies on transformations.
-- The Law of Dynamic Balance states that forces and materials in the universe seek stability, but this can be either static or active. Conversely, extremes tend to be unstable and sometimes dangerous. Many cycles display this in magical and nonmagical ways. Water runs downhill, then evaporates to form clouds, which rain water to run downhill again. Qui runs through ley lines, gets used, and flows back into ley lines again. Entropy decreases energy and increases chaos; syntropy increases energy and decreases chaos; when well matched, they keep the universe running. Creatures are born, live, reproduce, die, decay, and new creatures take their place; souls move into and out of incarnations. These processes relate back to the Law of Conservation and the Law of Polarity.
-- Zarn's Law states that the only perfection is imperfection. There are no perfect patterns, only those whose imperfection has not yet been discovered. That is, no matter how robust a theory or careful a plan, the universe will find a way to impair some part of it. This Law can supersede all other Laws. By observing its behavior and examples, people learn more about both magic and science. An exception leads to a new hypothesis or Corollary. But it is never possible to understand everything; this Law represents the unknown that remains. Compare with Murphy's Law and Finagle's Law.
Rules of Magic
-- The Rule of Congruence states that it tends to be easier and more effective to solve a problem with a method of the same nature. That is, use quotidian solutions for quotidian problems and quixotic solutions for quixotic problems. Because there are exceptions, this is framed as a Rule rather than a Law. It just means that starting the search for a solution within the same framework as the problem will resolve the issue faster in most cases than searching for a solution in the other framework.
-- The Rule of Reflection states that what you do tends to come back to you. Cultures argue about how consistent this is and whether the return is less than, equal to, or greater than the original action. This has to do with other factors which may increase or decrease the observed effects, which makes it challenging to predict precisely.
-- The Rule of Observation states that attention can influence outcomes. A mind noticing something may affect what happens. For instance, some types of magic do not work while being watched, although other types work fine. Compare with the many iterations of the observer effect in science.
-- Quantum mechanics includes quantum physics and quantum metaphysics. It concerns the study of fundamental principles about matter and energy, magical and nonmagical materials and phenomena, mostly at levels where the usual Laws and Rules break down. Quantum mechanics is where magical and nonmagical mingle such that few if any distinctions between them have meaning. To conceptualize the relationship between science and magic, imagine them as two ends of a spectrum. Now bend the spectrum like a torc, so that the two ends face each other across a very short gap. In that gap is quantum mechanics.
Laws and Rules for Specific Systems of Magic
Some parameters apply to particular ways of working magic, which may be a single system or a cluster of related systems. They may be irrelevant to other approaches. However, within their own area of influence, they can be quite powerful.
-- The Law of Words of Power states that certain words, phrases, or sounds can create effects. Compare this with how "please" can change people's behavior, or how saying the words "I apologize" performs the action of apology. This Law applies to systems such as Inqantation which rely primarily on the knowledge of how to work changes through spoken or written terms.
-- The Law of Nomenclature, or Law of True Names, states that knowing the True Name of something grants power over it. Compare this with how hearing one's name snags a person's attention, or how upset people get when called by the wrong name. Even quotidian people can feel the importance and power of names. Some systems such as Inqantation rely primarily on the knowledge of how to work changes through spoken or written terms, and the use of True Names makes that much more effective.
-- The Law of Personification states that everything has a spirit and anything can be a person. This applies to systems such as Animism that rely on contacting spirits in the world for information and assistance. People who cannot perceive such spirits often deny their existence and do other types of quonjury without them. It also applies to the creation of sentient magical artifacts, and cases where a typically nonsentient lifeform becomes sentient due to magic. So this is considered a specific Law rather than a general Law.
-- The Law of Invocation states that it is possible to manifest other beings inside oneself as part of quonjuring. This applies to systems such as Quonvocation that involve working with other entities, but not to systems such as Numerology that use other things instead of entities.
-- The Law of Evocation states that it is possible to manifest other beings outside oneself as part of quonjuring. This applies to systems such as Quonvocation that involve working with other entities, but not to systems such as Numerology that use other things instead of entities.
Some parameters seem to apply to magic in general, rather than to a specific system of magic. In fact, some appear across many different worlds that have some sense of magic, even local-Earth; and some have aspects in science as well as in magic. They may be phrased in different ways; below are some common examples.
Laws of Magic
-- The Law of Pragmatism states that whatever works is real. Both magic and science contain things which can be replicated, tested, and proven or disproven; and other things which cannot, or at least, haven't been yet. A Corollary of this Law states that some principles only apply to certain systems or on certain levels of reality. For example, numerology is all about numbers but they are irrelevant in some other systems such as totems; classical physics and quantum physics relate to different scales.
-- The Law of Knowledge states that knowledge is power. The more information known, the easier it gets to achieve desirable results with it. This applies to self and others, internal and external topics. Some magical systems rely mostly or entirely on information learned through structured study; others are much more intuitive; but almost everything benefits from observation, awareness, learning, and experience.
-- The Law of Synechdoche states that the part represents the whole. For example, people use hair in magical spells or artifacts and for DNA analysis. This works because the universe is holographic, with each small part containing a pattern of the whole, just as each cell in the body (such as a hair follicle) contains the DNA blueprint of the body. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity.
-- The Law of Contagion states that two things which touch or interact form a connection which continues even after separation. Based on this effect, those two things can be used to influence each other magically. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity. On the science side, Contagion appears in quantum physics as quantum entanglement.
-- The Law of Similarity states that things which resemble each other can stand in for each other. So for example, an opal (whose interior has flashes of color resembling flames) may be used in a spell to represent the element of Fire. This is part of humanity's general ability to use metaphors, symbols, and other representations such as alphabets and maps. Many magical systems include qorrespondences, such as for colors or elements, but the specific relationships can vary from one system or culture to another. This drives the theorists crazy. In actuality, it is not merely the traits of the objects or concepts themselves that create the connection, but also the person's awareness of them and thought constructs regarding them. In this manner, a snake may be considered "good" in one system and "bad" in another. The Law of Synechdoche is stronger than the Law of Contagion, which is stronger than the Law of Similarity. Thus in a case of magical conflict, a spell or other effect based on Synechdoche would trump one based on Contagion, which would trump one based on Similarity. The Law of Similarity and the Law of Metonymy both depend on the quality of the connection, and thus, a strong Similarity could overpower a weak Metonymy or vice versa. Sympathetic magic spans the Law of Contagion and the Law of Similarity.
-- The Law of Metonymy states that related things can stand for each other and thus influence each other in magical workings. For example, a quill pen can represent a scribe, even if the writer does not own and has not touched that particular one, and even though they do not resemble each other at all, because quill pens in general are associated with scribes in general. The stronger the association between the two, the stronger the magical connection and thus influence. In cognitive science, this is called contiguity: things become linked when they are always or usually experienced together. The Law of Similarity and the Law of Metonymy both depend on the quality of the connection, and thus, a strong Similarity could overpower a weak Metonymy or vice versa.
-- The Law of Association states that when two or more patterns share common aspects, they intersect at those points and thus interact with each other. This makes it possible to manipulate one in order to control the other. It can also be used to triangulate which of several possible meanings is the relevant one in such systems as astrology or divination: the one that's repeating.
-- The Law of Synchronicity states that repetitions, patterns, and contexts can have meaning. Synchronicity relates to the Law of Synechdoche and the Law of Association; in essence, what may look like "unrelated" or "coincidental" events are actually connected because they stem from a root cause which may not be obvious. For instance, the universe is fractal, so the same spiral pattern appears in shells and in galaxies; crows may appear repeatedly because the totem Crow is trying to send someone a message. So whenever you see repetition, check for meaning and a possible root cause.
-- The Law of Signatures states that magical plants, animals, and objects tend to have features hinting at their properties. This has equivalents on the science side, such as identifying a dryland plant by features like grayish color, woolly or waxy leaves, thorns, etc. which enable properties like resistance to drought, wind, and sun. It frustrates people that nonmagical plants, animals, and objects may show a logical pattern or absolute gibberish with their traits and properties.
-- The Law of Unity states that everything is part of everything else. All is connected because all is one. The more completely a quixote understands this Law, the more possible it becomes to form a link between any one thing and another, thus to influence one by means of the other. Exceptional quixotes may seem to perform quonjury without any connections whatsoever, but what they are really doing is applying the Law of Unity with extraordinary skill, rather than a more common one such as the Law of Contagion or the Law of Similarity. On the science side, this relates to the holographic nature of reality, in which every part contains the pattern of the whole, the way that every human cell contains the DNA pattern of the entire body.
-- The Law of Polarity states that things have meaningful opposites. For instance, day and night are important both in nature and in magic. On the science side, we see polarity in magnets, which have a "north pole" and a "south pole" that determine how they behave in relation to other magnets.
-- The Law of Positive Attraction states that like attracts like. For instance, placing money in a new purse or wallet attracts wealth, whereas emptiness would attract poverty, so it's important to avoid giving them empty.
-- The Law of Negative Attraction states that opposites attract. Conversely, in this paradigm, similarities repel. The classic example in science is magnets, a "north" and a "south" pole attract each other, whereas two "north" or two "south" poles repel each other.
-- The Law of Costs states that accomplishing work requires energy or fuel of some sort. For example, a qrystal may use lunar energy for a charge, or a ritual circle may draw power from ley lines. This is the same as scientific versions such as plants running on sunlight, animals running on food, or cars running on gasoline. It is often jokingly paraphrased as There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch (TANSTAAFL). However, there are Corollaries that define ways in which a small amount of energy may accomplish a large amount of work, like using a pulley to lift heavy loads or a qrystal to enhance magical abilities.
-- The Law of Conservation states that matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed, but can be transformed. This is the same as the conservation of mass energy in physics, and applies equally to magical and nonmagical aspects of reality. A great deal of quonjury in general, and alqemy in particular, relies on transformations.
-- The Law of Dynamic Balance states that forces and materials in the universe seek stability, but this can be either static or active. Conversely, extremes tend to be unstable and sometimes dangerous. Many cycles display this in magical and nonmagical ways. Water runs downhill, then evaporates to form clouds, which rain water to run downhill again. Qui runs through ley lines, gets used, and flows back into ley lines again. Entropy decreases energy and increases chaos; syntropy increases energy and decreases chaos; when well matched, they keep the universe running. Creatures are born, live, reproduce, die, decay, and new creatures take their place; souls move into and out of incarnations. These processes relate back to the Law of Conservation and the Law of Polarity.
-- Zarn's Law states that the only perfection is imperfection. There are no perfect patterns, only those whose imperfection has not yet been discovered. That is, no matter how robust a theory or careful a plan, the universe will find a way to impair some part of it. This Law can supersede all other Laws. By observing its behavior and examples, people learn more about both magic and science. An exception leads to a new hypothesis or Corollary. But it is never possible to understand everything; this Law represents the unknown that remains. Compare with Murphy's Law and Finagle's Law.
Rules of Magic
-- The Rule of Congruence states that it tends to be easier and more effective to solve a problem with a method of the same nature. That is, use quotidian solutions for quotidian problems and quixotic solutions for quixotic problems. Because there are exceptions, this is framed as a Rule rather than a Law. It just means that starting the search for a solution within the same framework as the problem will resolve the issue faster in most cases than searching for a solution in the other framework.
-- The Rule of Reflection states that what you do tends to come back to you. Cultures argue about how consistent this is and whether the return is less than, equal to, or greater than the original action. This has to do with other factors which may increase or decrease the observed effects, which makes it challenging to predict precisely.
-- The Rule of Observation states that attention can influence outcomes. A mind noticing something may affect what happens. For instance, some types of magic do not work while being watched, although other types work fine. Compare with the many iterations of the observer effect in science.
-- Quantum mechanics includes quantum physics and quantum metaphysics. It concerns the study of fundamental principles about matter and energy, magical and nonmagical materials and phenomena, mostly at levels where the usual Laws and Rules break down. Quantum mechanics is where magical and nonmagical mingle such that few if any distinctions between them have meaning. To conceptualize the relationship between science and magic, imagine them as two ends of a spectrum. Now bend the spectrum like a torc, so that the two ends face each other across a very short gap. In that gap is quantum mechanics.
Laws and Rules for Specific Systems of Magic
Some parameters apply to particular ways of working magic, which may be a single system or a cluster of related systems. They may be irrelevant to other approaches. However, within their own area of influence, they can be quite powerful.
-- The Law of Words of Power states that certain words, phrases, or sounds can create effects. Compare this with how "please" can change people's behavior, or how saying the words "I apologize" performs the action of apology. This Law applies to systems such as Inqantation which rely primarily on the knowledge of how to work changes through spoken or written terms.
-- The Law of Nomenclature, or Law of True Names, states that knowing the True Name of something grants power over it. Compare this with how hearing one's name snags a person's attention, or how upset people get when called by the wrong name. Even quotidian people can feel the importance and power of names. Some systems such as Inqantation rely primarily on the knowledge of how to work changes through spoken or written terms, and the use of True Names makes that much more effective.
-- The Law of Personification states that everything has a spirit and anything can be a person. This applies to systems such as Animism that rely on contacting spirits in the world for information and assistance. People who cannot perceive such spirits often deny their existence and do other types of quonjury without them. It also applies to the creation of sentient magical artifacts, and cases where a typically nonsentient lifeform becomes sentient due to magic. So this is considered a specific Law rather than a general Law.
-- The Law of Invocation states that it is possible to manifest other beings inside oneself as part of quonjuring. This applies to systems such as Quonvocation that involve working with other entities, but not to systems such as Numerology that use other things instead of entities.
-- The Law of Evocation states that it is possible to manifest other beings outside oneself as part of quonjuring. This applies to systems such as Quonvocation that involve working with other entities, but not to systems such as Numerology that use other things instead of entities.