The power system is based on the theory of forms by Plato.
Formancy revolves around the pursuit of the ideal Forms: abstract, perfect representations of concepts, abilities, or forces.
Every person in this world has the potential to weave the power of these abstract Forms into their own being, giving them powers that transcend the limitations of the physical world.
The closer one is to mastering a Form, the more they can manipulate the ideal essence of that Form, and thus, the more powerful they become.
Each Form represents an ideal version of a concept, trait, or physical phenomenon, and characters in this world can manipulate hem into their abilities.
EIDOS(pronounced "ay-doss")
From the Greek word for "form" or "essence," Eidos is the raw metaphysical energy that links the material world to the Ideal Realm (the realm of perfect Forms).
Lore Concept:
Eidos is not created or stored like mana. Instead, it is drawn through alignment.
The more an individual embodies or aligns with their Form (e.g., Justice, Beauty, Time), the more Eidos they can channel.
Formancers cannot simply "train" to increase Eidos like mages do with mana, they must live in accordance with their Form, or else they suffer spiritual dissonance (called Formfall), weakening their power.
Example:
A Formancer of Courage draws more Eidos by acting bravely, even when afraid.
A Formancer of Truth weakens if they start lying or deceiving others, even if it's "for a good cause."
Here are several broad Form categories:
1. Forms of Being
Form of Strength: The ideal concept of raw physical strength. A practitioner of this Form can channel the essence of perfect strength, making them far stronger than mere physical prowess would allow.
Form of Speed: The idealization of speed, allowing the user to move in a way that transcends the limitations of their physical body. This isn't just physical movement but encompasses conceptual speed, speed of thought, speed of reaction, and even speed of time perception.
Form of Health: The ideal concept of vitality. A person wielding this Form can heal others or themselves at an extraordinary rate, pushing the limits of what biology or medicine could do.
2. Forms of Knowledge
Form of Wisdom: The perfect, unchanging concept of understanding and wisdom. Those attuned to this Form gain the ability to perceive all things with perfect clarity, allowing them to comprehend and interpret complex situations in an instant.
Form of Memory: The ideal of perfect recollection. Users can store and recall an infinite amount of information and experience it with perfect accuracy.
Form of Truth: The purest essence of truth itself. Wielding this Form grants the ability to discern the deepest truths of the universe, seeing through lies, illusions, and deception.
3. Forms of Nature
Form of Fire: The pure concept of fire, beyond its material form as a chemical reaction. This allows the user to manipulate the ideal form of fire, its essence, and transcend the limitations of heat or combustion.
Form of Earth: The pure concept of solidity and stability. Users can control the idealized force of gravity, density, and solid matter.
Form of Water: The essence of water, as fluidity, adaptability, and purity. The user can manipulate the ideal force of water, creating rain, turning solid objects into liquid, or using water's restorative powers.
4. Forms of Emotion and Will
Form of Courage: The purest concept of bravery. The user taps into an ideal state of fearless resolve, making them nearly impervious to fear, doubt, or hesitation.
Form of Love: The idealized concept of love, which transcends mere affection and extends into deep empathy, connection, and unity with others. This allows the wielder to forge unbreakable bonds or influence others with deep emotional resonance.
Form of Willpower: The perfect, unyielding strength of will. Users can overcome any obstacle with sheer force of resolve, ignoring pain, fatigue, or mental barriers.
Types of Form Magic
1. Material Form Magic (Substance and Matter)
This type of magic allows users to manipulate the fundamental building blocks of the physical world by accessing the idealized Forms of material concepts. They can alter the nature of substances, manipulate physical properties, and create or destroy matter in its most abstract form.
Examples:
Form of Fire (Pyromancy): Users control the ideal essence of fire, bending flames into destructive or creative forces. They can summon fire from nothing, alter its temperature or form, and even wield it without being burned.
Form of Earth (Geokinesis): Manipulating the idealized essence of the earth, users can shape the ground, summon earthquakes, and control the properties of stone, sand, or minerals. They may even transmute materials from one state to another, like turning rock into water or metal into wood.
Form of Water (Hydromancy): By controlling the perfect form of water, practitioners can manipulate all its states, from freezing it to steam to liquid. They can form complex shapes and patterns of water, manipulate tides, or even control water's purifying properties.
2. Perceptual Form Magic (Sense and Awareness)
This magic deals with accessing the ideal Forms of sensory perceptions, awareness, and knowledge. Users of this magic can enhance their mental capacities, perceive the world beyond physical limitations, and understand abstract concepts or emotions.
Examples:
Form of Wisdom (Mentalism): Practitioners can access the ideal form of wisdom, granting them insight, perfect knowledge, and deep understanding of any subject. They can solve complex problems in an instant and predict the outcomes of decisions.
Form of Memory (Mnemonics): By tapping into the idealized Form of memory, users can recall any piece of information perfectly. They can also store and retrieve infinite knowledge from any time or place, even manipulating their own memories.
Form of Sight (Clairvoyance): With this magic, users can see beyond the ordinary, perceiving invisible forces, distant locations, or even visions of the past and future. This power allows the manipulation of perception itself, creating illusions or enhancing vision.
3. Emotional Form Magic (Emotion and Connection)
This magic category focuses on manipulating the idealized Forms of emotions, creating connections between people, and influencing mental states. It allows users to create profound emotional effects, both in themselves and others.
Examples:
Form of Love (Empathy and Binding): Practitioners can manipulate the pure essence of love, forging deep connections, calming anger, fostering loyalty, or even manipulating the hearts of others. This power could be used to unite allies, create unbreakable bonds, or even manipulate affection.
Form of Courage (Bravery): Users can channel the ideal of courage, instilling fearlessness in themselves and others. This magic can bolster morale, help others overcome fear, and inspire acts of bravery even in the most dire situations.
Form of Fear (Terror): This is the opposite of courage. Wielders of this magic can conjure the pure essence of fear, amplifying terror and causing enemies to panic or flee. This power taps into the idealized nature of fear, transcending the normal emotional experience.
4. Temporal Form Magic (Time and Change)
This type of magic manipulates the idealized Forms of time and the concept of change itself. Users can distort, freeze, or accelerate time, as well as manipulate aging, decay, and the passage of moments.
Examples:
Form of Time (Chronomancy): The essence of time itself is bent by the user. They can accelerate or slow time, manipulate moments in history, or even peer into future possibilities. Advanced users may even freeze time briefly or rewind it.
Form of Decay (Corrosion): Practitioners of this Form access the ideal essence of decay and entropy. They can rot, decompose, or corrupt physical objects or forces at a molecular level, accelerating natural decay or weakening structures.
Form of Permanence (Stasis): The opposite of decay, this magic allows users to stabilize or "freeze" something in time. A person, object, or place can be preserved in a perfect state, resisting change or damage for eternity.
5. Conceptual Form Magic (Abstract Concepts and Forces)
Conceptual Form Magic deals with the idealized Forms of abstract concepts, allowing users to shape and control intangible forces that govern reality. This magic transcends physical manipulation and directly interacts with the laws of existence.
Examples:
Form of Truth (Divination): Users tap into the ultimate form of truth, allowing them to see past lies, illusions, and deceit. They can discern the truth in any situation, uncover secrets, or foresee the outcome of actions with perfect clarity.
Form of Justice (Law-Binding): This magic embodies the ideal of justice, giving users the power to bind others to the truth or enforce moral principles. It can be used to impose fairness or to determine guilt and innocence in situations beyond conventional law.
Form of Fate (Destiny-Weaving): Users access the essence of fate and destiny, manipulating the course of events or weaving the threads of future outcomes. They can alter destinies, influence luck, or create potential paths forward.
6. Metaphysical Form Magic (Existence and Essence)
This magic focuses on manipulating the essence of existence itself, interacting with the ideal Forms of life, death, and the soul. Users of Metaphysical Form Magic deal with the very foundation of reality and being.
Examples:
Form of Life (Vitalism): Users channel the ideal form of life, able to heal or resurrect others. They can manipulate the flow of vitality, giving life to the dead, revitalizing the sick, or granting eternal vitality to themselves and others.
Form of Death (Necromancy): This magic draws upon the perfect essence of death, allowing users to manipulate the boundaries between life and death. They can summon spirits, control the deceased, or even temporarily take others to the realm of death before returning them to life.
Form of the Soul (Soulmancy): Practitioners can interact with the ideal essence of souls, manipulating spiritual energy, transferring souls between bodies, or even binding them to objects. This Form allows users to transcend physical limitations and influence spiritual existence.
7. Willpower Form Magic (Mental and Spiritual Force)
This category focuses on the Forms of mental energy and the will to change, shape, or create reality. Users who wield Willpower Form Magic can bend the world to their will through sheer force of mental or spiritual strength.
Examples:
Form of Willpower (Mind Control): The practitioner can influence and control the will of others. They can implant suggestions, make people follow commands, or even control the actions of others for a limited time.
Form of Focus (Concentration): Users can channel their mental energy to achieve feats beyond their normal capacity, increasing precision, controlling multiple objects at once, or reaching a perfect state of meditation and understanding.
Form of Inspiration (Charisma): This power allows users to influence the hearts and minds of others with sheer force of presence. They can inspire great loyalty, act as leaders, or move masses with their ideas and charisma.