I'll try to keep this relatively simple, otherwise we'll be here for goddamn hours. In my world, a magus is in concept nothing particularly superhuman. However, the ability to use magecraft lies in Magic Circuits, which are vaguely like a pseudo-nervous system designed for the use of magical energy. Magi are born with a set number--about twenty, for your average individual.
However, and here's where it starts getting irritating, on a biological level Magic Circuits aren't something a human body recognizes as being natural. No mater how skilled one is, activating them raises body temperature and causes some level of discomfort.
[Pausing for a moment in his explanation, Waver tied his hair back into the usual ponytail, securing it with what appeared to be a small metal clasp.]
Now I've explained that largely so this next part has some context. Mage society is based primarily upon a system of lords, aristocrats, that sort of archaic nonsense. And in such a society, naturally bloodlines and lineage are important to some. [He rolled his eyes in irritation, quite displeased he even needed to say that.]
The mark of any magical family's heir and in fact any family's most vital possession is called a Magic Crest. What that amounts to is basically a stabilized Magic Circuit of its own, in which is stored the spells learned by the previous heads of the family. Think of it as something of an internal spellbook, I guess.
When an heir is particularly young, whichever parent has the family's crest passes it down to them piece by piece, gradually. That part is extremely important. Since Circuits themselves are already not recognizes as 'natural' by a human body, a Magic Crest is even more so. The transferring of one is basically engraving magical knowledge into a human body, and rather like an organ transplant there's a very real risk of outright rejection. The older one is, the more likely it is to hurt like you wouldn't fucking believe. And passing it down a little at a time gives the recipient's body time to adjust.
Bringing things back to your inquiries, the problem here lies mainly in two places. One, this new collar fluid apparently doesn't know shit about 'gradually'. Two, I'm twenty-nine. So just slapping a Magic Crest back on me feels rather like someone taped dynamite to my shoulder and set it off. If you think I'm in miserable shape now, I was far worse off yesterday.
just as well 'cause this is gonna be long
However, and here's where it starts getting irritating, on a biological level Magic Circuits aren't something a human body recognizes as being natural. No mater how skilled one is, activating them raises body temperature and causes some level of discomfort.
[Pausing for a moment in his explanation, Waver tied his hair back into the usual ponytail, securing it with what appeared to be a small metal clasp.]
Now I've explained that largely so this next part has some context. Mage society is based primarily upon a system of lords, aristocrats, that sort of archaic nonsense. And in such a society, naturally bloodlines and lineage are important to some. [He rolled his eyes in irritation, quite displeased he even needed to say that.]
The mark of any magical family's heir and in fact any family's most vital possession is called a Magic Crest. What that amounts to is basically a stabilized Magic Circuit of its own, in which is stored the spells learned by the previous heads of the family. Think of it as something of an internal spellbook, I guess.
When an heir is particularly young, whichever parent has the family's crest passes it down to them piece by piece, gradually. That part is extremely important. Since Circuits themselves are already not recognizes as 'natural' by a human body, a Magic Crest is even more so. The transferring of one is basically engraving magical knowledge into a human body, and rather like an organ transplant there's a very real risk of outright rejection. The older one is, the more likely it is to hurt like you wouldn't fucking believe. And passing it down a little at a time gives the recipient's body time to adjust.
Bringing things back to your inquiries, the problem here lies mainly in two places. One, this new collar fluid apparently doesn't know shit about 'gradually'. Two, I'm twenty-nine. So just slapping a Magic Crest back on me feels rather like someone taped dynamite to my shoulder and set it off. If you think I'm in miserable shape now, I was far worse off yesterday.