Magic – a White Paper

Magical powers, unlike mutant ones, are manifestations of or derivations from sources of power unknown to conventional science.  Most deny their existence entirely, citing them as simply misunderstood mutant powers; only a handful of scientists and proportionately even fewer average folks believe in the existence of metaphysical powers. 

Yet there are a significant number of so-called magic practitioners; most claim merely to be students of ancient, even pre-human, disciplines.  In fact this notion of ancient or eternal lineage is prevalent.  Quite unlike the sudden eruption of mutation, publicly fantastic displays of magic, at least on a common basis, did not rise (or rise again, depending on one’s interpretations of history) until after the spread of powered mutants.  While volumes have been written, both popularly and scientifically, on how such diverse phenomena have emerged at once, equally interesting is the study of magic in its own right.

Magical Tradition

There are essentially three magical traditions – multiverse, universe, and self-referential.  The multiverse tradition acknowledges the existence of entirely different, unrelated sources of power spread across dimensions.  Some multiverse magicians believe that all power is derived from the consciousness of intelligent life, which expresses itself through an act of continual creation of these dimensions and powers; others believe that power is relative and derived from the interaction of these different dimensional forces.

Often multiverse mages have complex beliefs and are the least forthcoming regarding the mythos they understand.  Many, exposed as they are to many different dimensions and powers, do not have specific faith in any one higher power or order of things.  However, there are a few specific multiverse belief systems. 

The most known of these is the so-called Endless Mythos.  It is less a belief system than a collection thereof based on some common experiences of mystic travelers and occult believers.  At its root is a belief that there are core “endless” beings that function as personifications of life essences.  As such they respond to those life essences and are driven by them as much as they drive and define them.  These beings exist across many if not all dimensions.  They function at the center of all life, by some beliefs.  Yet they are not gods in the traditional sense; they cannot determine the fate of every dimension, rather they participate in them as powerful beings. 

Otherwise the Endless Mythos is as agnostic in belief as possible.  The many dimension and creatures said to exist range from mundane (a dimension of faerie folk as from Celtic lore) to the man-made (a Tron-like dimension formed from man’s electronics) to the ridiculous (a dimension that is exactly the movie “Groundhog Day”, replete with a Bill Murray look-alike Phil Connors).  Each dimension has its own physical laws and there is none intrinsically right or wrong.  Moreso, many believe there is no constant metaphysical laws and that the relationship among dimensions is arbitrary.  However, a few believe there are a small set of slowly-mutable laws, and that these laws are created by the boundaries and interactions of the Endless. 

Perhaps the second best known but most misunderstood is the so-called Cthulu Mythos, known more often to its believers as “mythos magic”.  Some dismiss this as a crude joke based on the marginally popular 20th century author Lovecraft; others see it as the truth behind what he barely intuited; and a minority believes that he understood it intimately and was even himself a practitioner.  In any case, common to this belief system is the notion of a governing metaphysical “natural law” so staggeringly beyond us that it appears as magic to us.  This is the law that governs the many dimensions and realities. 

Students of mythos magic are often consumed by the search for the ultimate laws and relationships, though more in an ecstatic religious kind of search than in a traveler’s or scholar’s way.  Regardless of their demeanor or motivation, most state that mythos magic cannot be expressed in human terms, and that the expression itself becomes “magical” to us. 

In any scenario these believers experience similar dimensional travels and have an agnostic sort of attitude akin to the Endless mythos.  And of course there is a continuum of belief between these systems, synthesizing elements of both.  The common powers demonstrated by these believers include many travel powers (extra-dimensional, time, and space alike), fantastic energy consumption/production, transformative powers, and the summoning of strange things.  It is said the most powerful mages come from the multiverse tradition; certainly Dr. Strange is living proof of that, as is Necromancer of the Outsiders.  Many rumor that Dr. Doom is a student of one of the multiverse disciplines.

Unlike anything of the multiverse tradition, the universe tradition holds that there is a single reality with a closed system that can be relatively easily understood.  The best known of these traditions is the supernatural Christian tradition, with its God-Devil axis/conflict, which drives all magical forms therein.  Most universe traditions explain seemingly alternate realities/dimension as byproducts of the usually polar powers in its orthodoxy.  Most of these forms acknowledge only one ultimate source of power, though certain forms acknowledge two equal forces.  A few forms believe in multiple equal sources of power, though they almost always relate back to a common origin.

In most of these universe traditions, believers take sides, aligning as part of the grander struggle they perceive to be proceeding across generations and even eons.  In a few cases cults have developed that believe the proper response is a balance of the forces, seeing neither as entirely good or evil, but rather responding in a sort of Tao fashion. 

This tradition has the most clear heroes and villains of any belief system.  Heroes typically possess slight overt magical powers, often some sort of sight, luck, and/or weapon, but in addition possess often-immense physical powers, often professed to be derived from their spiritual source.  Purity is an important concept for this class of heroism.  Their self-proclaimed evil counterparts use all forms of spells, but the most popular/common include the summoning of hell creatures, mind control, and transformation.  Buffy “the Vampire Slayer” from Detroit has been associated with a Christian variation of this belief system, while so has Ghost Rider; Screech the Cat is associated with a Hindu variation.

The self-referential tradition maintains only its own knowledge and belief system as relevant, taking no larger stand though frequently believing that its belief system is singular and the sole source of power.  In the face of contrary power there is either simple denial, a belief it is the same power misused somehow, or simple acknowledgement without concern or thought (though in this last scenario some belief systems call for the eventual eradication of competing systems).  Unlike the universe tradition, there is no concept of (or simply no concern for) a more elaborate mythos, nor is there often a perceived singular sort of enemy.

A variation of the self-referential tradition holds that magical power is a sort of mental power.  Unlike most of those who believe it is wholly psionic, they believe it is the ability of the mind to mold reality itself, even reaching across dimensions and through time and space.  They also believe that this magical-mental energy can resonate and be reused, again both through time and space.  But ultimately they believe all magic is based on intelligent life only and focused solely through one’s own mind.

As the most fragmented and generally least philosophically grounded of the traditions, there are a large number of particular traditions and beliefs grouped under this classification.  The largest group among this sort, referred to as Elementals, however believes in or relies on the power granted by various fundamental building blocks of life, nature, the cosmos, etc. Usually one single element of these is chosen, though sometimes a family of elements is the base of power.  These mages can often be indistinguishable in effect from mutants who adopt similar traits.  For example, Nightshade of the Outsiders is associated with some sort of “dark” energy, but is usually referred to simply as a mutant.  On the more clearly spiritual end, China Left claims her power derives from the “Chinese soil and its people” (though some interpret this as a form of mentally derived magic).  Mages of this variety are often not spell casters, practicing limited but potent forms of energy projection and weapon usage.  They are also most often tied to particular environments.

Another prime example of the self-referential tradition includes many of the more mysterious ancient ritualistic cults, often referred to as the “mystery traditions”.  These traditions often have nothing other than their singular beliefs and ways as a point of reference and work to attain often the simplest of goals.  Of any magical practitioners, these generally trace to the most ancient human lineages (though many of the Elder or Cthulu traditions claim pre-human antecedents), and are more known for their orders than for their individuals – rumors abound regarding the Rosicrucians, the Masons, and the Illuminati.  Their power is often said to derive from either the strength of their members and their day-to-day practices and interactions or conversely a singular spiritual force shrouded in the deepest mysteries.  Powers manifested by these sorts often include transformative and travel abilities as well as great powers of illusion.

A subset of these mystery traditions include temples or monasteries which are said to exist for centuries or even millennia and produce mystical warriors intended to deliver or protect the faith.  It is often said the Asian vigilante Black Hood is from an ancient Shinto naturalist temple.  The heroes produced are often extremely physical with powers of disorientation or shape shifting or teleportation/instant travel.

The last major group is that most troubling of all to the magical community, the often egomaniacal non-traditionalist who believes in nothing more than his own abilities.  Some claim the ever-elusive Dr. 13 is a “lost one”, as they often refer to these rogue and mostly self-taught mages.  Their abilities vary greatly; most of them are never known to be magical, as they either go so far as to reject the notion themselves (though they do not appear in any way to be mutants) or more practically they simply have no agenda other than quietly building their wealth and power.

Magical Practice

From outside observation, any of the above are indistinguishable by effect upon the physical world.  Power is produced without a clear origin point, although frequently by recognizable, repeatable methods only by some small (or even singular) number of people.  Clearly physical, observable manifestations occur.  However, what is most troubling/vexing regarding these manifestations is their ephemeral nature.  The most extreme examples are the reputed “vampires” that when properly staked dissolve to dust, which then itself does not last more than moments.  This strange dissolution of magical material has led many to believe in mass hysteria or mutant psionics as explanations. 

Whatever magical material remains appears generally to be no more than what it looks like until wielded by an appropriate party.  Perhaps the best known is the modern Thor’s hammer, so-called Mjolnir, which under subsequent investigation appears to be normal.  Only the traces of Thor’s genetic material are not normal.  Yet when wielded in experiments by Dr. Strange it can produce theoretically impossible results, such as breaking through materials dozens of times tougher with no discovered weakness points.

The ephemeral nature of magic does go a long way in explaining the lack of historical record.  However, it does not explain why great magical heroes did not arise until after their mutant counterparts.  The most common explanation posited is it is simply a reaction; that mages in the past remained secretive and quiet from both fear of persecution as well as desire for some measure of peace, while mages in the present may be more bold due to the successful example of mutant vigilantes.  Dr. Strange has stated on numerous occasions that it was the extraordinary and highly visible events (sometimes referred to as the mutant civil war) of the 1970s that forced him into the limelight.  But others believe that magic is simply a form of mutation, and that the belief in the past is simply a rationalization by those mutants so inclined.  Still others point out that there has been little or no difference from past eras, that the only difference is that society now recognizes this paranormal activity; that in the past there were as many powerful beings, but that society chose to ignore them.  Those who believe this often point to Lovecraft as a journalist of paranormal activity as opposed to a fiction writer.

Whatever the case, nearly all mages guard their secrets carefully.  Dr. Strange has been the most open, though he has refused to submit to more than a handful of observational scientific events, and has never discussed the mechanics of his craft.  At the least, it is clear that simply mimicking the actions of mages does not result in the same manifestations.  But it is equally clear that the vast majority of mages strongly believe that theirs is a learned skill, something that anyone with some aptitude and open-mindedness can pick up.  To what degree that “aptitude” is necessary is a matter of some dispute. 

In the exercise of this craft, there are those who appear to be naturally talented and/or inherently powerful, who do not come upon their powers by study.  Generally it is believed that they are directly born of magical entities or otherwise magically endowed, but more often than not these magic-users are ignorant of their powers’ true nature, practicing them as a matter of instinct.

The majority of mages learn or gain support of their skills through a particular discipline or school; there are multiple schools for each belief system, and most of them are highly secret, informal, or both.  Tutelage is a common method of learning.  Forcible conversion is also not unheard of. 

Within the Metaverse Tradition, there are three major methods of learning:  travel (the act of simply wandering into it via an intuitive early grasp and aptitude), scripture, and tutelage.  Travel is usually via dreams or in rarer cases the wandering through the waking world but in a state where the “true nature” of things can be seen.  Scripture varies, but the most known work is the Necronomicon.  The Metaverse Tradition is unique for its lack of formal schooling and emphasis on individual tutelage.  It is claimed that this tutelage is most often practiced by beings from other dimensions.  This tutelage can be brief and casual; the best-known and most powerful tutors recorded as such are the Endless themselves (said to be Dream, Desire, Death, Delirium, Destiny, Despair, and Destruction).  Longer courses, lasting years, have involved those known as the Ancient One and the Cats of Ulthar.  There is also so-called “aspirational tutelage” wherein a powerful figure beckons and teaches via the searching process; Cthulu is often said to practice this sort of “teaching”.  Some say the Necronomicon is actually a tutor in search of the correct student.

The Universe Tradition typically holds scripture as paramount, but also common are secret schools and forced conversion (both for good and evil).  Scripture is not typically solely the popularly known sacred texts but also lost tomes by wayward saints and demons; the “true” Dead Sea Scrolls are said to be a source and teaching of great power and allegedly are kept away from the public for this reason, with a substitute being developed rapidly for scholars aware of its existence.  Secret schools include not only allegedly Catholic Youth Action but also a reputed “Watcher Society”.  Both of these are said to perform forced conversions as well. 

Within the Self-Referential Tradition, tutelage is very common and very informal among those independently minded, but so is self-teaching through the studying of texts of the other traditions.  On the other extreme, among both elemental and the mysterious traditions, schools that often raise babies through adulthood are said to hold great sway in perpetuating their faiths/powers. 

Even once properly trained, there are several circumstances that mages must create or find in order to best practice their abilities.  While a small few “master” mages seem able to execute their abilities with nothing more than their mind, most need at least a proper environment and a focus tool. 

The proper environment is a matter not only of an area to concentrate and be comfortable in, but also one that provides proper “vibration” or “sympathy” for the practitioner.  Certain settings, either by preparation or their nature, apparently create energy pools from which the mage can draw. 

Focus tools seem to fall into two categories:  enablers and executors.  Enablers include any items that allow the practitioner to concentrate or otherwise gather their strength for their practice.  Executors include any items which intrinsically hold power and through which the practice must occur.  Some argue that there is no such thing as an executor, that executors are simply enablers, perhaps particularly useful ones.  Rituals may be classified as either type of focus tool, and in particular inspire great arguments as to whether they are enablers or executors.  Certain rituals said to summon specific spirits are often thought to be executors as it is only through their use that the effect can occur. 

In rare instances an executing focus tool may simply create its own magical effect without a practitioner.  To the extent they are known to exist, they are often transformative in effect, leading to other dimensions or great distances or time, or endowing the user with magical powers, whether via the tool or independently thereafter.  Due to this, many who encounter these are incapable of explaining them, either disappearing or transforming to something other than the credible party they started as.  Rumors abound that governments possess some number of these sorts of tools and use them for anything from communication with aliens to mind control.

The origin of focus tools varies with the school of practitioner, but generally it appears there is a link between the belief system of the user and the effectiveness of the tool; the same can be said of environment.  This faith orientation, along with the foundation of those in ancient human religions/philosophies, has reinforced the belief of many people that magic is “merely” an extension of psionic mutation.  Those who believe that mental powers exist outside of mutation, that they are inherent in some or all humans, see evidence of their beliefs in the increased power that purportedly ancient objects hold.  They claim that the mental vibrations/thoughts invested in these items is what creates their power.  Magic users disagree either totally, claiming the powers derive from distant times and places possessing greater power than we imagine in our world today, or incrementally, believing that the repeated use of magic and influence of powerful mages has enhanced the items.

Magical Worlds

Perhaps the most intriguing yet bizarre claims of mages include the existence of and travel to alternate dimensions and realities.  A highly classified American government paper details these dimensions, apparently through remote sensing experiments.  Whatever became of the experiment is unknown as it ended abruptly, but it did succeed in cataloging several hundred dimensions.

These dimensions were grouped into categories, the key one being the Gateway category.  Gateway dimensions all have the characteristic of being heavily traveled and commonly used to get to other dimensions.  They include:

Religious dimensions are so named for their relationship to religions past or present, including:

  Several elemental or singular dimensions exist, including:

Chief among the god-like dimensions include: 

Of course many of the magical places are said to be among us.  Readers are generally familiar with these – places such as Atlantis, Mu, the Bermuda Triangle.  These allegedly real-world places overlap magic with the world of science fiction in many cases.  Given the inability of people to locate these places, some believe these are in alternate dimension that are accessed from our Earth easily, lending themselves to vaguely geographic assignment.

Regardless of where and how magic is practiced, there is clearly some sort of force on this Earth that requires explanation and not hand waving.  Given its emergence alongside the mutation phenomenon, it ought to be considered as something every bit as urgent in the exploration of where humanity is going.  Further research, whether by government, private industry, or motivated individuals, is strongly urged.