The lore of Kagami

1. #1Kozushima. The Mosaic Country

   Keys: Kozushima, Kozushima The Mosiac County, Island of Kozushima

   Kozushima is an artificial island on the Japanese south coast, the central setting of the project. Despite being a completely man made island that has been engineered to have many different biomes in a single place, what really sets it apart from the rest is their focus on studying the supernatural.

2. #2Shardbinders

   Keys: Shardbinders

   Individuals with supernatural abilities, Shardbinders are tied to a strange phenomena that has been studied for decades. When strange objects started to appear around the world, now known as Shards, people started to awaken new powers, with new individuals suddenly appearing out of nowhere, all of them utilizing a new type of energy: Minovsky Particles (MP).

3. #3Espers

   Keys: Espers

   Individuals born with a power, they usually are stuck to a single ability, from short range telekinesis to honey creation, being hereditary in nature. However, not only many can use them at very early ages, they have a high MP count, being able to regain it easier and being able to use their abilities in places poor of MP, such as underground and in space. When compared to fiction, they are similar to X-Men mutants and My Hero Academia’s Quirk Users.

4. #4Magi

   Keys: Magi

   Individuals who learn to use magic. While they need to earn their abilities, they can be pretty versatile in which spells to learn, with many Magi casting spells in different ways. To cast spells, Magi absorb the MP from the environment and use their body as a vessel to give them a proper input. While the different ways of casting it are tied to different philosophies, they hardly are stuck with a single one, usually mixing and matching for different situations.

5. #5Cybers

   Keys: Cybers

   Individuals who resorted to body modifications. While these can be made from anywhere, many are made with prosthetics and implants, while some are made with curses and medications, which can become hereditary after long exposure. Most Cybers do not have a usable MP intake, which means many implants have to address that issue by using alternative fuel or alternative ways to work around that. Despite that, their price is pretty fleeting, with the many options on the market.

6. #6Entities

   Keys: Entities

   Hard to classify individuals, entities are non-human in nature, with abilities that cannot be properly understood, usually with more than one powers and distinct from human biology. While some are more akin to animals, others are just as sentient as humans. As of today, many call these Yokai to tell them apart. When compared to fiction, they are similar to SCP Anomalies. As such, they are under extensive research.

7. #7Achromatics

   Keys: Achromatics

   Currently, people that aren’t considered Shardbinders are currently classified as Achromatics. While they cannot use supernatural abilities on their own, that doesn’t mean they cannot use them in any way. Usually, Artifacts can virtually be used by anyone, as they deal with the whole MP process.

8. #8Magi Schools and Magi Energy

   Keys: Magi Schools, Magi Energy

   Known by many different names, Life Energy is the framework of which every Magi system is built upon. A particle that is found on every single living being, Magic Energy is what is used to cast spells and use techniques as it is manipulated.

   Just like the variety of names, many people use this energy in different ways, whether as a tangible force field or by getting aid from external sources. Because of that, multiple schools have been made throughout the years, and as such, it became complicated to organize them all.

   The Aurora Vanguard, who is responsible for many of the researches with the Shardbind phenomena, was responsible for the classification currently used, split in 11 categories, with Eclectic having unclassified systems.

   However, just because they are all categorized that way, that doesn’t mean there are differences inside each classification. For instance, while one might use Spirit Magic like they are Pokémon, others might use it like they are Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shikigami, but neither is the wrong or right way of using it, just different approaches.

9. #9Barrier Magic

   Keys: Barrier Magic

   The current standard magic system, the barrier magic is considered one of the safest to teach to others, particularly children.

   The idea of Barrier Magic relies on the fact that the life force, formally known as Minovsky Particles (MP), naturally flows in and outwards from every living being's body, something that, with practice or assistance of a user, could easily be manipulated.

   Because the most basic lesson taught is to make this aura thicker to protect from oncoming attacks, it was named Barrier Magic. As such, many techniques rely on bending and redirecting the aura flow, whether used as ranged attacks or imbued on weapons.

   In comparison to the former standard, Verbal Magic, Barrier Magic is way more utilitarian in nature, and while verbal magic is considered more potent with intent, its dependency on a language to cast makes it really susceptible to false triggers.

   Plus, because it lacks any components while casting, it’s completely barren of proper telegraphing, which not only makes it faster, but also harder to see compared to others. It’s very versatile, and while the skill floor is pretty low, its mastery is very complex, which means many spells can be made from it.

10. #10Verbal Magic

    Keys: Verbal Magic

    The oldest method of magic, it used to be the standard system, and for a good reason. Most teachers at the time worked with linguistics, with a strong belief that it was "The True Magic". Nowadays, it has been proven not to be the case.

    While most scholars historically used traditional Chinese and Latin as the standard for spellcasting, any language can be used for Verbal Magic. However, general consensus dictates that, by utilizing a language your body is not used to makes it easier to avoid false triggers, accidentally casting spells. So, for the safety of the casters and peers alike, it is not recommended to utilize Verbal Magic.

    Because of that, however, skilled technicians would often show off their magic control by using Verbal as a symbol of mastery over magic as a whole, being traditionally used in magic fencing.

    A long time ago, some people tried to create a whole language just to use it for spellcasting, but it never took off, being branded as nothing more than just a fad before being lost to time and forgotten by the folks. As such, many other languages are used instead.

11. #11Martial Magic

    Keys: Full Contact Magic, Martial Magic

    Also known as "Full Contact Magic", it is a type of Magi system that uses martial arts as the foundation.

    Using the colloquially known energy called "Qi", Martial Magic draws the life force from every living being, with the belief that everybody has two types of "Qi": one whose value floats constantly, and the other that only drains as time goes on. By practicing enough, one can learn how to spend the constantly changing Qi, so they can become virtually ageless.

    To increase Qi control, the user needs to work on two factors that make one as a whole: The Yin and the Yang.

    The Yin symbolizes stability and resilience. As such, it's considered more introspective in nature. Because of that, to cultivate the Yin, meditation is utilized, alongside practices such as Tai Chi or Yoga, of which rely on body balance and flexibility.

    On the other hand, the Yang is naturally the polar opposite, symbolizing intensity and power. As such, it is way more explosive in nature, with practices like sprinting and fast-sequence strikes being used to cultivate it.

    By building both in tandem, that is, in balance, one can properly cultivate Qi to use in combat. However, different schools might focus more on one side than the other, and because of how people are, some naturally lean more into one side already, so the path never is the same. As a result, different schools might teach the same thing with very different principles.

12. #12Artifact Magic

    Keys: Artifact Magic

    Artifact Magic is the composite system for creation and use of Artifacts.

    What defines an Artifact is that it uses life energy, locally known as Anima, to imbue it with supernatural abilities, whether in a magic, biological or technological way.

    Usually Artifacts take a while to be made, however masters of their craft have their own special ways of making them faster.

    There used to be a common practice in the Artisan community of which one would spend all of their Anima to create a powerful Artifact, with some even being made with a dozen sacrifices altogether. However, recent research proved that this is an impractical approach, as it wastes way too much Anima.

    Entity Artifacts, on the other hand, are way more uncommon, being Artifacts tied to Entities, whether by having a sealed one, being made with material extracted from one or simply created by one. That alone can make them particularly unique, and so have been researched extensively as of now.

    While most Artifacts are usually considered things like Magic Weapons, Arcane Foci (Wands, Orbs and stuff) and Magical Equipment (Non-Combat Artifacts), another common one is the production of Magic Consumables. While the most common are Potions and Medicine, normal foods and beverages can be made instead. Unfortunately, because of how fast food is made, they aren't that powerful on their own, which is why they often are faster to digest as a result.

13. #13Bardic Magic

    Keys: Bardic Magic

    At first made as a branch from Verbal Magic, Bardic Magic quickly became a field on its own. While most other Magi use words as a foundation to bend life energy, formerly named Pneuma, bards cast spells with art instead.

    No one really understands how Bardic Magic truly works, as different approaches to it achieved many different results of which none were truly a failure. Because of that, it has a hard division into two beliefs: that technique and precision is the proper way of using bardic magic, or that they should rely on emotions and wing it.

    In either way, truly skilled bards should know how to use both of it together to compose a truly magnificent performance.

14. #14Glyphic Magic

    Keys: Runic Magic, Glyphs, Glyphic Magic, Rune Magic, Runes

    Just like Bardic Magic, Glyphs started as a subcategory of Verbal Magic before turning into their own field. Instead of being based into words or melody, Glyphs rely on Magic Circles and Runes.

    By imbuing the user's life force, formerly known as Prana, into writing down a symbol, they can create Runes, which can then be remotely activated. However, Runes are, by design, pretty rustic, too simplistic for their own. However, by defining a boundary of which the runes can be connected, one can create a Magic Circle.

    However, most basic Magic Circles can easily be modified and dismantled by other Glyph users. Because of that, most of them have defensive mechanisms by making the circles even more complex.

    Because of that, many have compared Glyph users to Web Programmers.

    Side Note: Later studies have proved that Magic Circles do not need Runes to work on their own. However, they work pretty differently as a result, which makes some scholars doubt whether both truly are the same.

15. #15Somatic Magic

    Keys: Hand Sign Magic, Hand Signs, Hand Magic, Somatic Magic

    First adopted by a secret organization on Mirage, Somatic Magic was a system created with subtlety in mind, being mostly used in covert missions and assassinations, usually worked in tandem with knives.

    By utilizing a series of motions in succession, that can translate into a spell that can be utilized. While at first starting with dance movements, it slowly evolved into the hand signs currently known, letting it be used even while cuffed.

    While the most common spells are done with one single-handed sign, stronger spells might require multiple signs, some even requiring two-handed signs. That said, most two-handed spells are considered flashier, and as such are complex on purpose, as they deviate from the philosophy of its founders.

    Although it can be pretty fast in execution, this system got a bad stigma because of their users. Despite that, with the advent of Barrier Magic and higher representation in tournaments, their reputation slowly started to get better.

16. #16Spirit Magic

    Keys: Spirit Magic, Familiar Magic, Familiars

    Because of the nature of spirits, they can be captured in many ways, whether by luring them with whimsical treats and holding them on metal cages, or by simply befriending them.

    Because of that, a war happened in the Magi community from the two different approaches to Spirit Magic before it became The Great Magic War. Sadly, it ended in a terrible disaster, of which everyone lost. After that, the Magi community made a binding vow to never start a fight because of different magic methods ever again.

    Many spirits can be found around the world, not just Kozushima. As a result, there’s a surprisingly high quantity of research made on them, with most of them classifying them in huge indexes.

    While most use spirits to cast magic, asking them to do specific tasks, the vast variety of spirits means that many treat them differently, from pets to machines to even just friends. That said, some wonder what is the line that shouldn’t be crossed between caster and spirit.

17. #17Contract Magic

    Keys: Pact Magic, Contract Magic

    From Pagan origins, Contract Magic is the modern name for Pact Magic, which is a Magi system that relies on agreement by making Magical Binds.

    Conventionally, Magic Binds are made when the contractor imbues their life energy, colloquially known as Numen, into the engraved texts. The signer, in turn, needs to sign in the same manner. When a contract is signed, the magical bind is sealed, and both parties need to follow whatever it was written, consequences included. Conventionally, if any of the sides do not follow their conditions or the contract is damaged, the bind is considered void and both are free.

    Notice that usually the only use of Numen from both parties only comes from making and accepting the Bind. Neither side needs to properly be a powerful Shardbinder to make use of it. However, this means that the consequences are pretty hard to predict. For that reason, it is part of convention to make contracts on material that can be easily destroyed, giving the contract to both sides instead of only having a single one.

    However, Magic Binds can take many forms, including oral deals, which are sealed with a simple handshake imbued with the Contractor’s Numen. Because of this, these are considered the most dangerous and untrustworthy ones, which is why most professional Magi wear gloves.

18. #18Theurgy

    Keys: Following the Vow, Binding Vow, Theurgy, Divine Magic, Divine Communication, Vow Binding

    Formerly known as Divine Magic, Theurgy is one of the oldest Magi systems to ever exist, first made with the first Divine interaction in Kozushima. When the island was being made, some priests traveled to Kozushima to make experiments. However, they were cut short when they got visited by [], the Deity of Wisdom, and so the first Binding Vow was made.

    Theurgy is split into three parts:

    • Divine Communication
    • Vow Binding
    • Following the Vow

    Usually only specific Magi are taught divination, that is, divine communication, but virtually anyone could do it. However, because of the power the gods have and their nature, they are usually chosen by the actual gods in rituals. Because of that, these Mediums are very respected by fellow Theurgists.

    Binding Vows are magic-imbued oaths that are made to the gods. Because of that, these are rituals that can either take an entire day or happen in a matter of minutes. All that is needed is that the respective god accepts the theurgist as a proper follower to be granted their blessing in the form of magic.

    However, the oaths need to be taken care of in a serious manner, usually in a weekly or daily manner, of which the tolerance for error fluctuates depending on who one follows. At the same time, the punishment for breaking these oaths too can vary, from needing to hear a whole sermon to being tortured in another dimension.

    However, it is not uncommon for followers to pick more than one oath for that reason. Although that means that someone who does multiple vows at once will earn more powers, the cost of breaking a single oath becomes even higher the more binds are taken.

19. #19True Magic

    Keys: True Magic

    Many scholars have theorized the existence of a True Magic, that is, a Magi system of which the others are built upon. However, many have struggled to find a proper consensus.

    For a while, Theurgy was assumed to be True Magic, as it was historically known as the origin of the first Magi. However, the convention of Energy Gathering techniques made it obsolete on a technical level.

    After that, Verbal Magic became the one thought to be the framework of Magi, with theories saying that the different systems were made based on the use of words. Unfortunately, as Kozushima started to develop, the Eclectic appeared to break the theory completely, as many systems proved to be used by complete muscle memory alone.

    With the advent of Barrier Magic, the Magi community has gotten into the conclusion that they cannot take any known Magi system granted enough to classify them as “True Magic”.

    Nevertheless, some scholars are still trying to find it out, each with their own theories on it, from Quantum-based mechanics to the magic used by the gods, and while society might never learn the nature of the True Magic, it is a fact that all of the Magi systems are deeply interconnected, as all of them are united by the same source of energy: the Life Force.

20. #20The Council of Districts

    Keys: The Council of Districts, District Council, The Council

    The Council is the congress that represents each of the districts, voting to approve or not the laws. However, while they are the national legislature, they also manage the law of their own respective district. Strangely, each of the districts elect their new head of the district differently. Some do it by vote, while others get it through pure nepotism. Nevertheless, all of them are under the power of the leaders of the Big Three.

21. #21Kozushima Armed Forces

    Keys: Kozushima Armed Forces, the Grand Army, the Police Department, the Royal Navy, The Aurora Vanguard, the National Air Force

    The KAF is responsible for law enforcement and warfare. The Armed Forces are then split into five branches: the Police Department, the Grand Army, the National Air Force, the Royal Navy and the elite of them all, the Aurora Vanguard. The Aurora Vanguard is responsible for studying Entities, researching Shards and the Shardbind phenomenon as a whole with the use of technology and magic.

22. #22Ministry of Development and Research

    Keys: Ministry of Development and Research

    A department of Kozushima’s government, the MDR researches the nature of magic, alongside many scientific studies, such as its interaction with different things. Working alongside the National Department of Education and some smaller branches, they finance the education of the island, being responsible for many of the schools here, including the Academy. They are controlled by the Board of Directors, which manage each of the public education facilities over the nation.

23. #23Institute of Spiritual and Legal Affairs

    Keys: Institute of Spiritual and Legal Affairs

    Part of the Big Three, the ISLA is responsible for the island’s administration, alongside spiritual and judicial relations. They are tasked to use the law to determine the outcome of a dispute between opposing parties. They also are responsible for many of the religious matters around Kozushima, from holding the festivities to managing the ceremonies for contacting the gods. They used to be part of the MDR until the end of the Magic War, where the two diverged into different organizations.

24. #24The Royal Family

    Keys: The Royal Family

    Despite being in modern times, a lot of Kozushima still have their roots in the Royal Family, including the current sovereign leader. In fact, many members in the Kozushima government are part of nobility. However, not much is really known about them, as the Royal Family is very secretive. In fact, no one really knows much about the current Emperor, and yet he’s been ruling for decades as of now. Because of that, many have been trying to uncover the secrets of the Royal Family, but so far they are still only a mystery.

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