Occult Magic
"Oh, my magic? It's easy—just lies with rhythm and a bit of flair! Convince the world the impossible is real, and suddenly, it is. Add a wink, a flourish, maybe a rhyme if you're feeling bold—and boom! Reality's too flattered to say no."
Not all magic is rigid or refined. While most practitioners adhere to strict rules and precise formulae, those who walk the esoteric path of occultism find freedom in chaos—bound not by tradition, but by their own will and belief. Their power is thought made manifest, shaped by the weight of shared conviction. To wield occult magic is to dance on the edge of brilliance and madness—and revel in the uncertainty.
The Collective Conscious
Occult magic draws its power from a mysterious force known as the Collective Conscious—a vast, ever-shifting reservoir of belief and thought shaped by the minds of both mortals and immortals. Dreams discarded at dawn, unspoken truths, whispered lies, fleeting fears and fervent hopes—all these fragments of thought do not vanish, but instead gather and resonate within the twin Ripples of Phylostea and Nagotha. Together, these transitive planes form the Collective Conscious: a hazy, boundless reflection of what is, what isn't, and what perhaps should be.
Ripples
The Ripple Planes of Phylostea and Nagotha exist everywhere and nowhere at once, a liminal echo woven through all thought. Dreams, imagination, and fleeting hopes drift “upward” into Phylostea, the realm of dreams—while fear, dread, and what should remain forgotten “sink” downward into the shadowed depths of Nagotha. These realms are mirrors of mortal perception, shaped not by objective truth but by the collective interpretation of reality. A cruel noble’s estate may seem mundane in the waking world, yet in Nagotha, it might appear as a nightmarish fortress of blackened stone and cruel spires. Every conscious mind casts a reflection here—its shape determined not just by the self, but by how the world sees it. Though reaching the Ripples deliberately requires potent, esoteric magic, some mortals slip into them unknowingly, visiting these surreal reflections in their sleep.
Manipulation of the Parallel
The Ripples are a reflection of existence, a fleeting glimpse of fragments of a mind. And yet, while logic dictates that a shadow is nothing but a reflection, in the hands of an occultist, it becomes a canvas through which reality can be undone. Such practitioners utilize their spellcraft to manipulate and twist these reflections, in turn bringing about real, recognizable change. Occultists such as bards and psychics will often draw upon Phylostea to subtly influence perception, borrow the strength of belief, or glimpse truths masked by polite veneers. Others turn to Nagotha to expose painful truths, weaponize fear, or channel their most ruthless desires into reality. Though, it is not just occultists who hold power here—the few denizens of the Ripples can provide even more dramatic impact, potentially dragging beings into a dream they will never wake from.
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