magic system Ask me anything/Feedback about my Ink-based magic system and world.

[BoreDio]

 

This is a magic system which is being made by me for my world. 

Ugh, this is a long one so bear with me

 

The Ink :

Ink is a black (mostly) slimy substance which is extracted from the body of Pages, A race consisting of creatures who come in various shapes, sizes, and have different anatomies either based on or not based on their environment. Ink is used in many parts of the society by various organizations, hospitals, Industries, and military.

 

Ink is a major mutagenic substance and is known to mutate and cause drastic changes in ecosystems and environments if left uncontrolled. For example, If a herd of Pages are slaughtered in a forest and their dead bodies have been left to be buried in the soil there, (which mostly doesn’t happen as Ink is a valuable substance and will be extracted) it might get deep into the soil, affect the roots of the trees and shape the entire forest into Ink-based nightmares.

 

Every living organism produces particles called the ‘Essence’ which also help in using Ink and to be mutated by it. When an organism (which is not human) has no control over it’s Essence which is exposed to Ink, it leads to mutation.  For example, the Ink may react with a tree’s life ‘Essence’ and turn it into a freakish nightmare which is unable to move from it’s fixed place. However, if trained and mastered, they can be used to control their own body functions slightly, and slightly increase their physical capabilities to the point where it’s barely noticeable yet more efficient than nothing.

 

Humans and Pages are said to be few of the only species capable of using and harnessing their Essence flexibly and in different ways when exposed to Ink (Pages have Ink inside them so they have to meet certain conditions to use it and their Essence is different) and the Essence can’t be used for anything other than living and the life processes except when exposed to Ink. 

 

This mutative behaviour happens in many other species as well, and not only trees and flora. The Industrial wastes of Ink which might be released into rivers/wastelands drastically change the environment and organisms exposed to it mutate too.

 

Now, the same applies to humans as well,they use Ink which is not cleaned for personal and industrial purposes and the more they use, the more they degenerate into mindless monsters called “The Plagued” which makes them more Page-like. This results in tattoos and patterns all over the body and can also change the anatomy if used too much, making them into nightmares to be feared. So in order for humans to use Ink without being affected, there are many black markets where a specific type of Ink can be available which is cleaned.

 

Inks which are semi-cleaned have slower and less-fatal effects. These types of Inks are mostly hard to acquire and are costly. 

 

Sometimes if not checked before purchase, local dealers can also sell Inks which are too dirty and can lead to common corruption and make the profit one sided.

 

 Not much known to many humans, Ink has mutated several species of insects capable of parasitising humans and let them use Ink without the drawbacks of turning into nightmares to be destroyed. They ‘eat’ the waste/dirty parts of Ink which is about to be used and leave the Essence of the Ink (which is the pure part mixed with the user’s force) to be used. These insects mostly parasitise young or middle aged people since they are the ones most likely to be exposed and using Ink in this society. These types of people who can use their Ink without being mutated in the slightest are called “Pure Ink users” or just “Inkcasters' ' for short. People who use Ink at a high level alone are called Inkcasters without needing to meet any conditions.

“Old men in Ink fields where people die young are to be feared.”
~One of the famous philosophers of the era

 

The rich can use purified ink whenever they want and survive life/death situations due to paying for high quality Ink surgery and armors/weapons imbued with Ink whereas the poorest parts of the society have to resort to being treated in ‘Ink asylums’ and special zones where they are kept due to turning into the Plagued. And if considered too dangerous, some can be executed as well. 

 

The parasite is semi-attached into the skin so it can eat Ink wastes both inside and outside of the body if used and isn’t large enough to be a nuisance during physical interaction.

 

Most people don’t know about the parasites and according to them, some people can use Ink and mutate, while others don’t due to some kind of genetic variation. There are some types of Ink which shouldn’t be used in some ways. Parasites can also influence the person’s thoughts/emotions at times which are unnecessary as well. 

 

The quality and type of Ink varies from one Page to another and some Ink varieties are useful in some industries whereas some are useful in medical fields etc. And the type of Ink can also determine the type of effect/mutation it has on the victim or ecosystem.

 

The Research and Discovery Council (RDC) has classified the known Ink varieties as :

 

• Red Ink : A type of Ink which is mostly used in medical fields and helps in attaching tissues and cells back together, repairing them and if pure enough; make them even sturdier and long lasting than the last time. Though it is not exactly red, but a peach colour, it has been called Red Ink since it had been found. However, if non-purified versions are used, this may result in changing of the body’s behaviour and might endanger the surgeons as well.

 

There are separate ‘Ink Farms’ where harmless pages which have no intelligence are grown and taken care of for the sole purpose of harvesting Ink alone. Red Ink farms are few of the popular farms since injuries and accidents among the middle-class and the rich seem to be common in this era and this can be used to help them. Even helping the military plays a big role in the increase of Red Ink farms.

 

•  Black Ink : Mostly used in industries and by skilled Inkcasters who use it for battle. This is  said to be the most ‘freely’ usable Ink without restricting them to one or two uses and their refined version can be used and manipulated in 4 categories in which the Inkcasters are primarily categorised. I’ll touch on them soon enough.  This Ink is black and slimy, while allowing it to be easily flexible for a variety of purposes with and even without Inkcasters. There are some low-level machines which have been developed to imbue them or make objects out of Ink. Though they need human intervention. It is also used as an addictive drug which an individual takes in order to heighten their sense of being in a dreaming state and allowing them to escape reality.

 

This type of Ink is the most common in mutating the ecosystems as well. 

 

• Blue Ink : One of the rarest forms of Ink which is mostly used for molding statues, objects and decorating rich antiques and imbue them with defensive properties which make them harder to be damaged. This too has to be done by an Inkcaster and can’t be used by normal machinery. This Ink is also believed to bring good luck and fortune to those around it, and according to the RDC, it brings about peace and a sense of calmness when it is present. This Ink may also be used in battle by some Inkcasters whose primary techniques and ‘abilities’ are defensive. This Ink is very expensive and can’t be seen in many middle class homes.

 

• Gray Ink : Believed to be a more corrupted form of Black Ink, this Ink isn’t anywhere near as flexible as it’s origins. In fact, it is used more like a cement to hold things and if wanted, make them slippery rather than being Inkcasted, and is probably the only type of Ink which mostly doesn’t need intervention of Inkcasters in order to be used. It is available in powder form after purification and needs to be mixed with water in order to be used. If a non-purified Grey Ink is used, it might lead to collapse and destruction of houses and structures as it is mostly used in attaching the critical parts of the construction. It isn’t as costly compared to others.

 

These are the currently known 4 types of Ink (might add more soon lol) which are used.

 

Almost all known forms of Ink are capable of mutating/affecting organisms and ecosystems based on their varieties’ specific Ink properties. For example, Red Ink from hospital wastes may react with bacterias found in trash cans and may m  lead them to become bacteria capable of cell absorption. Hypothetically saying. There is no way to determine how something will evolve from being exposed to Ink. 

However, when exposed to normal or lesser than normal amounts of Ink for the first time, humans react to them in 4 (5  actually) different ways. Though they don’t mutate as much as normal humans, the Pure Ink users have other limitations. These different ways are categories of Ink users that they can be classified as :

 

Augmenting : They can use their Essence to enhance their physical capabilities and their body with Ink on their aura (used to call a lump of Essence). Due to the Essence being close to the body, it imposes extreme fatigue or muscle pain if used too much. Sometimes, this can even result in breaking of body parts and fusing with the Ink causing excruciating pain. If used well and evolving their Ink into a new state, the Ink can be fused with the body parts without causing excruciating pain and be used to ‘shapeshift’ slightly by the users. Many laborers in the industries are picked if their category is augmenting because they would be more efficient. This also leads to constant search of Augmentors in the industry through trial and error processes and this leads to the constant growth of industrialization.

 

Shaping : They can utilise their Essence in an amoeba kind of shape which is not absolute or fixed. They can shape their Aura into things or shapes and use them in battle. For example, an individual can turn his Ink into threads and create various techniques out of it. Due to them being around the body, it severely affects the brain and can cause headaches and migraine if used too much without any protection. It even affects the senses sometimes. The Ink floats around their body and the parasite eats it, leading to an increase in Essence(and categories).

 

Enhancing : They utilise their sticky Essence which can be used on other objects and imbue their Ink on it in order to use it in combat. This can be done in many ways. They get more and more hot the more they utilise Ink on objects and possibly weapons. So while they fight, they have to worry about their body temperature increasing and them getting hot. They can also fuse the object with the Ink and their body parts in order to prevent the stealing or knockback of weapons during battle. For example, an Inkcaster who is a pure Enhancer who can only use enhancing techniques, can Enhance 2 daggers and use them with more momentum or strength.

 

But, this category is more efficient when used along with any other category and not so combat-oriented on it’s own. 

 

Manipulation : They can use their Essence to manipulate and alter the properties of Ink. This ability can also be used on Ink imposed/Ink-made objects if it doesn't have anyone else's Essence on it. If used too much or a high amount, it can lead to them giving in to their parasite and their thoughts being manipulated more and more until they can't think of anything to do during battle. By manipulating, it means that they can freely move their Ink anywhere they want, not limited by physics. For example, they can launch threads of Ink in the air, and when the enemy dodges it, they can manipulate it to correctly hit the target.  Having this as an innate affinity is rare among people.

 

 

This can also be used to mimic/reconstruct the properties of Ink to some other substance or a new imaginary substance. But this needs a high level of practise/expertise over Ink itself. But the reconstruction factor only works on refined Ink and not non-refined Ink.

 

Ingesting : Believed to be an internal form of Augmentation, they can use their Essence present inside the body to increase their biological capabilities like more efficient neurons, more sensitive nervous system etc. This act is also said to be the only form of Inkcasting where everyone can use it regardless of their Essence category. But using this causes various side effects such as substance addiction, fight with the immune system, changing of the body’s anatomy faster etc.

 

Abilities/Techniques :

Every Inkcaster who is in a moderately high level of Inkcasting/Essence control can create their own abilities/techniques rather than simply use the basics of the category they’re bound to. Normal humans can only use their 1 category whereas the Pure Inkcasters can implement Essence of other categories into their ability as well.

 

For example, a normal human can make it so that their ability increases physical strength while they’re an Augmentor. Whereas a Pure one, who is originally an Augmentor, can also implement the category Manipulation into it and make the Ink harder. 

 

Enhancing ----------------------------------------------- Augmenting

‘                                                                                      ‘

‘                                                                                      ‘

                            

                                                                                       

‘                                  Ingesting                                      ‘

‘                                                                                       ‘

‘                                                                                       ‘

‘                                                                                       ‘

‘                                                                                       ‘

Shaping ---------------------------------------------------- Manipulating

 

Now, an Enhancing Pure has more opportunities and chances to base his ability off Enhancing/Shaping/Augmenting. But it can also use manipulation as a factor. There can only be 3 maximum categories being implemented into crafting an ability.

 

An Inkcaster can only have one primary ability and a few techniques based off of it, because the Essence and Ink can only hold some memory over it and cannot possess many abilities when used by the Inkcaster. The Pure Inkcaster will also only have limitations from their primary category even when they borrow the other categories.

 

Examples of an ability :

 

Smoke Dagger : The Inkcaster imbues the Ink onto their two daggers and when needed they can turn some of that Ink into smoke in order to confuse/deviate their enemies while also simultaneously attacking them. This requires a high level of expertise because they are changing its physical state as well and not only it’s strength. 

 

There are tattoos which can be imbued on their body as a curse and let’s the Inkcaster draw out more and more of their Essence reserves and helps them reach new heights for a temporary time, but at the cost being extreme limits of their affinity or excruciating pain and death without making them die immediately but more like a torture. 

For now this is what I've prepared. 

So what do you think of this system as a whole? Do you have any questions? One of my world's strongest Inkcasters will be answering it.

Edit : I just realized that I suck in formatting lol. So basically all 5 of the categories are connected with Ingesting in the center and other four in their respective positions.