Arithmancy

[Sagwort 832]

Arithmancy

The Poetry of Number

Lore by Sagwort

Credit to Toxzero & Phil for commentary

 

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“Mathematics are most necessary in magic, for everything which is done through natural virtue is governed by number, weight, and measure.  By mathematics one can produce without any natural virtue, operations which seem natural, statues and figures which move and speak.  Pythagoras said that numbers have more reality than natural things, hence the superiority of mathematical magic to natural magic.”

-Cornelius Agrippa

STOP, READ THIS

Spoiler

I was told by Toxzero and Phil that this was better suited as a “flavor” to magic opposed to its own distinct lore.  Thus, I was recommended to put it in the culture subforum rather than submit it as lore.  In this way, all concepts follow canonized magic lore and this just serves as an alternative method of using said canonized magic.

 

Allow me to begin by saying this is my attempt at producing a magical system that, in terms of the LotC sphere, is, I hope, unique and engaging.  This magic system, arithmancy, is based heavily upon a number of real life magical traditions, namely the Jewish Kabbalah, the Greek Gematria, and classic numerology.  Just by scrolling through this post you have probably already been slightly put off by the sheer quantity of numbers and tables.  GOOD!  That is one of the many goals of this magic.  What you are experiencing is what someone who is ignorant of arithmancy might feel, ideally both in-game and out-of-game, possible confusion, maybe intrigue and curiosity?  In this introduction I am going to list off a few problems I imagine people on this server might have with the magic and provide an explanation for them.  

 

What are, you may be asking, the goals of this magic?  Well, as just stated, one of them is to appear utterly perplexing and complex to one who has no knowledge of it.  

 

Along those lines, it is meant to have an actual learning curve, unlike many current forms of magic by no fault of their own or creators.  A great deal of currently used magic requires players to progress via a five tier system.  Of course, these tiers are not actually in-game representations of skill, but ooc benchmarks players can use to determine what their character can do given a period of time.  Unfortunately, this is reduced to a great deal of both guess work and waiting around and drumming your fingers on the keyboard.  It is not a matter of knowledge holding the individual player back, but some hand wavy skill that they cannot speed up, they simply have to wait the 6 months or whatever to have the full range of their skills.  This is necessary though, it balances magic and gives some semblance of expertise to players who have had magic for years.  That is not the goal of this magic.  While arithmancy is not nearly as complex as it at first may seem, there is some range of technical knowledge the player must master both ooc and in-game.  There are various mechanics and techniques the player must learn and become proficient in.  That is the measure skill of the player, not a period of time but actual knowledge.  For sure current magic forms require the player to learn certain skills, but it mostly boils down to redlines and learning what is considered power gaming or how long a spell would reasonably take to cast.  Mostly ooc rules.  This magic has rules built in which makes it appear complex.

 

Within arithmancy’s complexity one might argue that it sucks all “creativity” out the magic which many players on this server seem to consider some sort of right.  Well, first off, the creative limits of many magic users on this server boil down to their knowledge of D&D.  But!  Creativity does not equal boundless freedom.  No, no, no.  I would argue that the most intriguing sort of creativity comes from extremely restricted rules.  Creating something amazing from within a clearly outlined box is what shows true marks of creativity, turning that box into more than a box.  Arithmancy was created to inspire creativity, within its clearly defined rules it emphasises creation on the player’s part, a magic which, I hope, can organically grow as players pick it up and learn how to be creative within its bounds.

 

In terms of mechanics, arithmancy puts less emphasis on what occurs when the magic is used and more so on the method by which the magic is cast.  It was produced in such a way that the individual players can determine what their magic does, within the bounds of reason and balance, through the rather tedious methods by which it is cast.  That being said, this is not a magic for combat… or even for practicality.  It is for scholars and, in rpg terms, for support like characters providing protection, debuffs and buffs.

 

How is this magic different from other magics?  Beyond that basic appearance, that is.  Well, more abstractly, it is meant to favor pure logic over qualitative, subjective observation.  Current voidal magic requires a great deal of observation on the player’s part, whether they actually do it rply or not.  To evoke fire one must know all they can of literal fire.  How it looks, smells, feels, behaves.  This is all quite observational, one might even say… empirical.  In this way, it is subjective to the observer, or the caster, or the player.  While oocly there is a necessity for consistency between player to player to avoid power gaming.  Regardless, arithmancy is the opposite of this.  It is objective, putting emphasis on pure logic (in the mathematical sense) and… rational.  It requires no knowledge of “fire” on the player’s part, only of its mathematical relations in this system.  This probably freaks a lot of you out.  How are we supposed to evoke fire without knowledge of fire?  Well… that is what is unique about this system, so read on.  It is not an advantage as I have, hopefully, balanced this out with other drawbacks.    

 

Finally, allow me to end this introduction by saying this is not a new kind of magic but rather a new way of using preexisting magic.  It is, if you want to be picky, essentially a glorified form of transmutation and enchantment, that is, it instills properties and effects upon objects.  To put it more eloquently, it is an extension or elaboration upon transmutation and enchantment as these forms of magic have always been associated with science, numbers, measure, and ratios.  To end, read this post with an open mind as it is quite different in terms of the normal LotC magic.

 

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Forward

Arithmancy, the distilled beauty of man’s knowledge of reality.  Like the poet composes inspiring verses and prose within the age old rules of rhythm and linguistics, so too does the arithmancer bend the will of nature utilizing the very fabric of its being, that is, the wonders of ratios, numbers, and their relation.  While the voidal magi might spend their days observing and recording natural phenomenon in hopes of reproducing it through their nixian magic, the arithmancers busy themselves within some fetid study pouring over charts and equations, distilling the abstract essence of these same natural phenomenon through language and number.  In this way, arithmancy is inherently “rational” in its execution while normal voidal magics are empirical.  While arithmancy is not technically a distinct magical discipline within its own right, it is a form of magical study, a curiosity for magi and scholars alike.  However, arithmancy’s focus on mathematics, pattern identification and symbology links it more closely to alchemy and glyph enchanting than the traditional voidal magic.

 

Concept art from FFXIV arcanist class, which is where this magic was inspired

 

Arithmancy, as a field of study, is a composition of three distinct skill sets which are: gematria, metrica, and formulae writing.  Together, these makes up the breadth of arithmancy, all of them required to effectively practice this abstruse magic.

 

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The Governing Laws

The entirety of arithmancy is built upon two laws: the law of names, and the law of abstract reality.  They are described herein.

 

Law of Names

The law of names suggests that since all magi have a connection to the void through thought, so too does language, as language is but a translation of thought.  Just as the magi might use their own mind to weave spells of the void, language may be utilized by arithmancers in a similar fashion.  Of course, being a translation, much of the original thought loses its potency upon utterance so the magi must use arithmancy to strengthen this power of language.

 

Law of Abstract Reality

The law of abstract reality states that reality, finding origin in the void, is nothing more than organized and materialized chaos that is the void.  This is, to mortal minds, represented through relation, number, measure, space, etc… Giving order to discord.

These two laws are used in tandem by the arithmancers.  Words have power, and mathematics is the ordering of voidal chaos, thus, by ascribing mathematics to language one is able to bolster these inherent laws of reality and manipulate it to some degree.  This is the discipline of arithmancy, manipulating language and mathematics to alter and reorder.  These methods are described through Gematria, the assigning of value to words and Metrica, the study of ratio and numerical relations and their meaning to language.

 

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Gematria

While more commonly known as numerology, Gematria is one of the three primary disciplines of arithmancy and is the study of assigning linguistic meaning and symbolism to numbers.  Study of gematria provides arithmancers with foundational knowledge in performing their magic.

 

The Mather’s Table

Perhaps the most widely utilized tool of the artihmancer is the Mather’s Table which is is the table of single digit numbers and the letters which they represent.

 

 

Using this table words or entire phrases may be assigned numeric value.  For instance, the letters used in the word fire are 6, 9, 9, and 5.  These values can be added together to produce 29.  2 and 9 can then be added together to produce 11.  1 and 1 can be added together to produce 2.  This single digit value is the vibrational value of the word fire.  This value reveals a certain hidden nature of the word which is what defines the practice of numerology or gematria.

 

There is a more “disputed” practice among arithmancers to attempt to predict future events utilizing this technique and the names of people or certain dates.

 

For instance, the name Billy Bob has the values 2 + 9 + 3 + 3 + 7 + 2 + 6 + 2 = 34.  3 + 4 = 7.  Thus, the vibrational value of Billy Bob is 7.

 

Or, the date 2/13/1619 is added to produce 2 + 1 + 3 +1 + 6 + 1 + 9 = 23, 2 + 3 = 5.  The vibrational value of the 13th of the Amber Cold, 1619 is 5.  

 

These vibrational values can, theoretically, be used to provide insight into a particular person, family, or date.  Granted, whether or not vibrational values can be used in divination is up for debate.

 

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Metrica

Metrica, or arcane geometry, is the fine science of ratios and proportions.  While a great deal of useful magic can be produced using basic gematria, by applying metrica more complex and specific magic formulae can be produced, which will be elaborated on later.

 

One of the most integral concepts in metrica is the prime numbers: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, etc...

 

A visualization of prime numbers

 

While any word can be summed to produce any number, in order to have any amount of significant power the word must initially sum to produce a prime number.  For instance, fire is 6 + 9 + 9 + 5 = 29.  This is a prime number and, thus, the word fire has strong voidal ties.  We shall call these prime number words, words of power, in that, prime numbers are only divisible by themselves and the number one which makes them the “fundamental values” of arithmancy.  Notice that when summing words, only use vibrational values, that is, never sum values with more than one digit.

 

When producing magical formulae only words of power may be used.  This makes producing magical formulae exceedingly tedious and the need to construct lexicons of words of power to easily be pulled from is useful.  In this way, spells are not created but discovered.

 

Another fundamental property in metrica is the vibrational sequences or a sequence of numbers which all sum to the same vibrational value.

 

 

Any number within a vibrational sequence can also represent its vibrational value in a magic square.  This allows arithmancer to utilize larger and larger squares for more powerful formulae.  This will be explained next.

 

A Brief Lexicon of Words of Power

Activating Words

These words of power are used in formulae to determine “how” the magic takes place.

Summon - 23

Induce - 29

Disperse - 41

Hurl - 23

Ward - 29

Ignite - 37

Energy Descriptor Words

These words of power are used in formulae to determine “what” magic takes place.

Fire - 29

Aqua - 13

Ice - 17

Wind - 23

Stone - 19

Sand - 11

Burn - 19

Light - 29

Bugs - 13

Avoirdupois - 59

Addle - 17

Weariness - 41

Force - 29

Aegis - 23

Modifier Words

These words are used to modify descriptor words.

Evocation - 41

Illusory - 41

Orb - 17

Aegis - 23

Shard - 23

 

Magic Squares

The magic square is founded on basic arithmetic concepts where the numbers in any direction on the square add up to the same number.  More complex square are considered to produce more powerful formulae.  There exists five practiced magical squares, though there is theoretically infinite.

 

The value each row adds up to is known as the magic constant.

 

Generally speaking, the larger the square the more powerful the spell.  For this reason, arithmancers use vibrational sequences so they can represent vibrational values as larger numbers and, thus, use larger squares.  Essentially each square is a “tier” in magic totalling in five, the progression of use of quite similar to normal magic tier progression, except less subjective.

 

Tier 1 Magic Square

All numbers add up to 45, each row adds up to 15

 

Tier 2 Magic Square

All numbers add up to 136, each row adds up to 34

 

Tier 3 Magic Square

All numbers add up to 325, each row adds up to 65

 

Tier 4 Magic Square

All numbers add up to 666, each row adds up to 111

 

Tier 5 Magic Square

All numbers add up to 1225, each row adds up to 175

 

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Magical Formulae

Creating magical formulae is the cornerstone technique in practical arithmancy which utilizes all the above techniques.  The process can be broken into 4 steps:

 

An arithmancer produces a magical formulae

 

1. Describing intent

At this point, the arithmancer must decide what they want their formulae to depict and produce.

 

For example, we wish to produce a magic formula that will protect against fire evocation.  Thus, the arithmancer must determine the most efficient way to produce such instruction clearly and without any potential misinterpretation, exact language is crucial.  Remember, only words of power can be used when describing intent.  For instance, to produce a magical formula to ward against fire evocations one would use the words of power ward fire evocation.

 

2. Reducing intent to numeric cipher

Once the intent has been clearly described it must then be reduced into its numeric cipher.  Note that one should refer to individual letters and their respective vibrational values when reducing.  If one were to use the vibrational values or one of the sums of a word in the phrase and then drew the formula, it would be impossible to interpret.

 

First, all vowels are removed from the intent: WRD FR VCTN

 

This becomes the numerical cipher 5-9-4  6-9  4-3-2-5

 

Stumped by a particularly difficult formula

 

3. Select magic square

Now, the arithmancer must select a magic square to produce the formula upon.  The larger the numbers used in the formula the more powerful the formula.  Thus, advanced arithmancers use vibrational sequences to increase the values in their formula which then requires the use of larger squares.

 

Notice that words cannot start and/or end on a number which is repeated anywhere else in the cipher.

 

Assuming our arithmancer has full knowledge of all magical squares, he will maximise their spell power by first changing all numbers to their largest possible form.

 

41-45-49  42-45  49-48-47-41

 

Then, he will change any repeated numbers at the start or end of words to a lower value within its respective vibrational sequence.

 

41-45-49  42-36  40-48-47-32

 

This is the most powerful form of the given magic cipher.

 

4. Drawing the formula

The most intriguing part of magical formulae is the actual drawing of them upon the magic square.  Each word is drawn individually, each number connected by a straight line.  Each word starts with an open circle (o) and ends with a short perpendicular line (⟂) or arrow.  Note that in order for a number to be considered part of the word it must have a point, circle, or sharp curve.  A straight line passing through a number does not include the number it passes through.  If the line does happen to move straight through a number but that number should be included in the word, it is marked with a bump in the line over the appropriate number.  To indicate two of the same number in a row the line is made with with two bumps in it.

 

All good arithmancers carry a compass to measure angles for their formulae

 

If the end of a line and the start of another line are on the same number, a triangle is placed there.

 

Thus, the words ward, fire and evocation respectively using the above cipher is:

 

 

When layered atop each other they produce the full formula.

 

 

Example Formulae

Induce Weariness | NDC WRNSS | 5-4-3  5-9-5-1-1 |  41-49-48  32-45-23-46-37

Would produce an illusory fatigue to the wearer

Ward Fire Evocation | WRD FR VCTN | 5-9-4  6-9  4-3-2-5

Protects wearer/object against fire evocation

 

Ward Aqua/Ice Evocation | WRD Q/C VCTN | 5-9-4  8/3  4-3-2-5  

Protects wearer/object against water/ice evocation

 

Ward Stone Evocation | WRD STN VCTN | 5-9-4  1-2-5  4-3-2-5

Protects wearer/object against earth evocation

 

Ward Wind Evocation | WRD WND VCTN | 5-9-4  5-5-4  4-3-2-5

Protects wearer/object against air evocation

 

Induce Burn | NDC BURN | 5-4-3  2-3-9-5

Causes wearer to feel burning sensation, or any who touch object feel burning sensation

 

Ignite | GNT | 7-5-2

Formulae ignites spontaneously

 

Induce Avoirdupois | NDC VRDPS | 5-4-3  4-9-4-7-1

Causes object to feel heavier

 

Summon Light | SMMN LGHT | 1-4-4-5  3-8-7-2 | 46-49-49-41  48-44-43-47

Causes object to glow

Summon Aegis Orb | SMMN GS RB | 1-4-4-5  7-1  9-2

Summons a spherical arcanic shield around wearer

 

Summon Aegis Barricade | SMMN GS BRRCD | 1-4-4-5  7-1  2-9-9-3-4

Summons an arcanic shield wall before the wearer

 

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On Roleplaying an Arithmancer

Arithmancy is, of course, not for everyone and, I believe, would require a very distinct sort of playstyle that goes beyond spell slinging.  One might be turned off by the amount of independent work required to perform arithmancy.  In fact, the very act of being an arithmancer forces the player to produce a character willing to live a quiet scholarly life pouring of charts, formulas, magic squares, tables, etc…  

 

Women can be arithmancers too!

 

One visual goal of the arithmancer image was to produce a magi that, may not, be entirely grounded in reality or even practicality even though an arithmancer might consider themselves above a far more practical and… even “powerful” voidal magi due to arithmancy’s “logical purity”.  It is a magic for high society scholars, professors, and academics.  Imagine walking around, always with a hefty tome at your character’s side containing all myriad of charts, graphs, formulae, drawings, and, of course, a lexicon of words of power.

 

IDK, maybe he just activated one of his formulae and is now using it

Edited July 18, 2017 by Sagwort

[Lark 2226]

Amazing magic system, but jesus dude, you went ham o.o

[Paleo 298]

There is though one thing that remains within my mind as a question, would this employ all the other magic that the user knows for casting, or is there an entirely new base of castings

[Archipelego 2094]

**** man i feel like im in math class again

[fighting evil by moonlight 455]

math nerd smirk

[Taylor 502]

I dig it quite a bit. Well done man.

[ItzYoBoiEd 148]

So you do magic, by using math? NERD

[BrandNewKitten 2788]

I couldn't grasp what you were going on about but then I saw symbols and shapes and got excited

[EmbryoGod 816]

The tier one square the rows add up to fifteen, not fourteen.

[_Sug 2555]

Too much math for a redneck like me. I approve. +1

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Math magic, finally, a system designed for the asian mineman roleplayer