A quick Explanation of Magecraft and Wizardry
Higure
Witch of Faith
- Location
- The Golden Land
So...for those not familiar with Nasu, quick explanation:
Magi use incantations. These are generally not supernatural themselves, but rather ways of manipulating one's mind to perform Magecraft.
In many cases, they just help the user focus and perform a predetermined process...kind of like how the name of an executable file is used to run it. It's a very mild form of self-hypnosis, perhaps comparable to triggering a post-hypnotic suggestion. Shirou's "Trace on.' incantation is of this type.
In others, they serve a more intimate purpose, serving as a tool to enter the state of mind needed to perform advanced magecraft. This is still self-hypnosis, but is closer to entering a hypnotic trance than triggering post-hynotic suggestions. A good example is the Aria used to perform Unlimited Blade Works.
There are also verbal commands and/or rituals used to interact with Mystic Codes and such. These amount to glorified passwords, with the contribution of Prana or other resources someimes being included. These are akin to speaking the name of a Noble Phantasm, and cannot be shortened or forsaken (as the previous two can be, for those Magi of sufficient skill). Another example would be incantations linked to spells in a Magic Crest (I think...).
Finally, there are the incantations used for Greater Rituals (such as those used for the creation if a Magical System). These are the closest to actual "Magical Words," as they are spoken not inwards (to oneself), or to a device, but to the world itself. These works are massive undertakings, and incredibly rare.
There's also the Unified Language, which had real power, but that is effectively lost to modern Magi.
How this relates to Potterverse Magic isn't clear...if I had to guess, I'd say that Magical Cores are a sort of inherent Mystic Code: Incantations and Wand Gestures (or, more accurately, the associated mental states, as wandless and wordless Potter-magic exist), are translated into preprogrammed interactions with the underlying Magical System. Wands serve as channels for energy, and enhance effects they have an affinity for, but are ultimately optional.
In programming terms:
Greater Rituals are used to establish Magical Systems, which are basically programming languages.
Magi write programs/spells in those languages and invoke them through personally-defined incantations...shortcuts to run the software stored in their souls, minds, and circuits.
Magi heirs inherit the programs/spells of their ancestors through am external storage medium: Magic Crests. They can utilize these without fully comprehending them by using Password Incantations.
Wizards aren't programmers. They're lazy end-users who use a shared library of premade Spells via Password Incantations. Magical Cores are essentially some very strange form of Mass-Produced Magic Crest that spontaneously manifest in random humans. Presumably there are some Wizards who develop spells, which would imply there is some way to write data into that shared library, which we are not aware of. That said, we have no indication that any living Wizards know how to alter or access their foundational Magic System. [Personally, I'm betting Merlin set up Wizardry and Magical Cores...probably as a means of producing Magic-Users in mass for some agenda or another.]
The above Nasuverse explanations for Wizardry are just my thoughts, of course. No clue what our QMs have in mind.
Magi use incantations. These are generally not supernatural themselves, but rather ways of manipulating one's mind to perform Magecraft.
In many cases, they just help the user focus and perform a predetermined process...kind of like how the name of an executable file is used to run it. It's a very mild form of self-hypnosis, perhaps comparable to triggering a post-hypnotic suggestion. Shirou's "Trace on.' incantation is of this type.
In others, they serve a more intimate purpose, serving as a tool to enter the state of mind needed to perform advanced magecraft. This is still self-hypnosis, but is closer to entering a hypnotic trance than triggering post-hynotic suggestions. A good example is the Aria used to perform Unlimited Blade Works.
There are also verbal commands and/or rituals used to interact with Mystic Codes and such. These amount to glorified passwords, with the contribution of Prana or other resources someimes being included. These are akin to speaking the name of a Noble Phantasm, and cannot be shortened or forsaken (as the previous two can be, for those Magi of sufficient skill). Another example would be incantations linked to spells in a Magic Crest (I think...).
Finally, there are the incantations used for Greater Rituals (such as those used for the creation if a Magical System). These are the closest to actual "Magical Words," as they are spoken not inwards (to oneself), or to a device, but to the world itself. These works are massive undertakings, and incredibly rare.
There's also the Unified Language, which had real power, but that is effectively lost to modern Magi.
How this relates to Potterverse Magic isn't clear...if I had to guess, I'd say that Magical Cores are a sort of inherent Mystic Code: Incantations and Wand Gestures (or, more accurately, the associated mental states, as wandless and wordless Potter-magic exist), are translated into preprogrammed interactions with the underlying Magical System. Wands serve as channels for energy, and enhance effects they have an affinity for, but are ultimately optional.
In programming terms:
Greater Rituals are used to establish Magical Systems, which are basically programming languages.
Magi write programs/spells in those languages and invoke them through personally-defined incantations...shortcuts to run the software stored in their souls, minds, and circuits.
Magi heirs inherit the programs/spells of their ancestors through am external storage medium: Magic Crests. They can utilize these without fully comprehending them by using Password Incantations.
Wizards aren't programmers. They're lazy end-users who use a shared library of premade Spells via Password Incantations. Magical Cores are essentially some very strange form of Mass-Produced Magic Crest that spontaneously manifest in random humans. Presumably there are some Wizards who develop spells, which would imply there is some way to write data into that shared library, which we are not aware of. That said, we have no indication that any living Wizards know how to alter or access their foundational Magic System. [Personally, I'm betting Merlin set up Wizardry and Magical Cores...probably as a means of producing Magic-Users in mass for some agenda or another.]
The above Nasuverse explanations for Wizardry are just my thoughts, of course. No clue what our QMs have in mind.
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