RP Idea: Is this too crazy? Feedback wanted!

[LadyRochester]

For my own view I think this is more than possible but 1) the tats would probably be visible, I can't imagine anything in the alchemist made ink makes it go stealth mode when you put it on skin, and 2) I'd personally limit it pretty heavy because you're basically putting the magic version of a highly experimental weapon on your body. I can't really imagine that's safe, even if you're not constantly drawing from your own aether whenever you use it, you're still conducting powerful forces directly through your body. I'd personally go that route for maybe one or two 'signature spells' that the character would basically want to have constant access to in case of emergency or something.

 

Out of everything we've seen in Eorzea you draw the line at not being able to make invisible, aether conducting ink?

 

Given what we know about Conjury and Thaumaturgy, their job counter parts, Monks and Summoning, you don't believe that using the body to conduct aether is not only safe (which it is) and that drawing on your own aether all the time would be safer? I cite the Conjurer story quest here because its been shown time and time again that powering spells with just your own aether is particularly bad and dangerous.

 

Quite the contrary, drawing from your own aether heavily is extremely dangerous. The only job that really goes against that is the Monk but the Monks use Chakras, which I believe is something different and aside from Aether... but I'm not sure? I should ask Sounsyy or someone about that.

 

I see where you're coming from but lore within the game world heavily disagrees with you. I do agree it should have some sort of payment to its use though, be it fatigue or whatever.

 

(Apologies, typing from my cellphone.)

 

Lore-wise; using your own aether is safe, thaumaturges and arcanists use their own aether aka. Mana pool. In the conjurer storyline, Sylphie was using her

life force, not her mana, hence why it harmed her! 

 

As for sorecery aka. "Magic without a medium/weapon" it's used multiple times in the MSQ, even in minor plotlines by minor characters, so, technically, some spells are possible without the necessity of a medium, I do believe it's bound to be more unstable though.

[Nero]

While I don't think it's completely impossible, it's certainly impractical for a few reasons.

 

Firstly, the magical inks used to empower arcanist grimoires use metallic bases such as gold and electrum that conduct the flow of aether which, if we follow standard real world logic, would be highly toxic to embed in the skin. What that means isn't that the spell wouldn't work, just that the spell in question wouldn't be able to be enhanced by the ink that is used. You could use ordinary plant-based ink to tattoo the design onto a body, but it would be fairly weak since it lacks the amplification of the inks. 

 

Secondly, the designs in arcanist grimoires are more like cheat sheets than anything else. They're one part reference, two parts program so that the arcanist can easily draw the geometry in their head to focus and shape their aether into a spell, because otherwise the geometries are very complex and ostensibly difficult to memorize. If you were to put one of these designs on your body, you would have to place them somewhere that is easy for you to see in order to reference the spell and form the geometry in your head. Having one of these tattoos on your back, for example, would be completely pointless because you wouldn't be able to see the design and thus won't be able to visualize it in a reasonable amount of time.

 

With all of that said, like I stated above, it's not impossible. You could put a geometry for a small spell on the back of your hand, for example. So long as you manage to accurately capture the details of the geometries, you could use it to fire off a few weak spells without the need for a grimoire. It'd also be possible to place a geometry on your forearm, so long as you drew it in a way that you could visualize the design accurately enough for the spell to work.

 

Also, it's suggested that grimoires themselves in addition to the inks used to draw the designs amplify arcane magic, so without metallic inks or the grimoires, a user would have to pour a great deal of their personal aether into the spell in order to make it reasonably powerful. A normal arcanist draws from their store of aether--their MP, basically--and visualizes the design from a reference within the grimoire. The designs within grimoire and the metallic inks used to draw that design shape the aether into the desired spell amplify the effect of the spell as it is cast. An arcanist using tattoos would lack the enhancement of the grimoire, so it'd be pretty draining even for simple spells.

 

So with all of that in mind, it's not impossible or implausible, but it is a bit impractical. An arcanist spell prepared in this manner with body tattoos would be more of an emergency measure or backup weapon than anything else, like a pocket pistol or derringer.

[Raelas]

For my own view I think this is more than possible but 1) the tats would probably be visible, I can't imagine anything in the alchemist made ink makes it go stealth mode when you put it on skin, and 2) I'd personally limit it pretty heavy because you're basically putting the magic version of a highly experimental weapon on your body. I can't really imagine that's safe, even if you're not constantly drawing from your own aether whenever you use it, you're still conducting powerful forces directly through your body. I'd personally go that route for maybe one or two 'signature spells' that the character would basically want to have constant access to in case of emergency or something.

 

Out of everything we've seen in Eorzea you draw the line at not being able to make invisible, aether conducting ink?

 

Given what we know about Conjury and Thaumaturgy, their job counter parts, Monks and Summoning, you don't believe that using the body to conduct aether is not only safe (which it is) and that drawing on your own aether all the time would be safer? I cite the Conjurer story quest here because its been shown time and time again that powering spells with just your own aether is particularly bad and dangerous.

 

Quite the contrary, drawing from your own aether heavily is extremely dangerous. The only job that really goes against that is the Monk but the Monks use Chakras, which I believe is something different and aside from Aether... but I'm not sure? I should ask Sounsyy or someone about that.

 

I see where you're coming from but lore within the game world heavily disagrees with you. I do agree it should have some sort of payment to its use though, be it fatigue or whatever.

 

(Apologies, typing from my cellphone.)

 

Lore-wise; using your own aether is safe, thaumaturges and arcanists use their own aether aka. Mana pool. In the conjurer storyline, Sylphie was using her

life force, not her mana, hence why it harmed her! 

 

As for sorecery aka. "Magic without a medium/weapon" it's used multiple times in the MSQ, even in minor plotlines by minor characters, so, technically, some spells are possible without the necessity of a medium, I do believe it's bound to be more unstable though.

 

I was under the impression that THM's cycle aether between umbral and astral, using their body as a conduit. My memory on the how and why are slightly fuzzy but I thought that like CNJ, the majority of aether is borrowed from an external source when casting.

 

I also thought that Mana is aether is life-force?

 

I need to consult the Sounsyy as I could be entirely wrong here. @w@

[shotgunbadger]

For my own view I think this is more than possible but 1) the tats would probably be visible, I can't imagine anything in the alchemist made ink makes it go stealth mode when you put it on skin, and 2) I'd personally limit it pretty heavy because you're basically putting the magic version of a highly experimental weapon on your body. I can't really imagine that's safe, even if you're not constantly drawing from your own aether whenever you use it, you're still conducting powerful forces directly through your body. I'd personally go that route for maybe one or two 'signature spells' that the character would basically want to have constant access to in case of emergency or something.

 

Out of everything we've seen in Eorzea you draw the line at not being able to make invisible, aether conducting ink?

 

Given what we know about Conjury and Thaumaturgy, their job counter parts, Monks and Summoning, using the body to conduct aether is infact safe if done correctly.

 

As we know, drawing from your own aether heavily is extremely dangerous. The only job that really goes against that is the Monk but the Monks use Chakras, which I believe is something different and aside from Aether... but I'm not sure? I should ask Sounsyy or someone about that.

 

I see where you're coming from but lore within the game world heavily disagrees with you. I do agree it should have some sort of payment to its use though, be it fatigue or whatever.

 

[Edited because I fail at reading today!]

 

I dunno the invisible ink bit just feels weird, I'm not saying definitely don't do it just that I can't see it.

 

Aether is safe to draw on but it seems that every class that does it does so through conduits and all, staves and formula in books and all. That makes it feel like to me that there needs to be some level of divide between the 'battery' and the product, to focus it and all. It feels to me like it'd be dangerous to just 'focus' it through your own body, because then you're just taking raw energy and forcing it through your own self to refine it down better.

 

Like, I know this is 100% headcanon and all but to me the reason why your weapons take damage as a mage and all is because you're focusing all this wild energy through them and that causes strain. If you take that and apply it to your body that'd reasonably hurt like shit, wouldn't it?

 

Just to be clear I think the idea is really cool and the OP should 100% go with it.

[Raelas]

For my own view I think this is more than possible but 1) the tats would probably be visible, I can't imagine anything in the alchemist made ink makes it go stealth mode when you put it on skin, and 2) I'd personally limit it pretty heavy because you're basically putting the magic version of a highly experimental weapon on your body. I can't really imagine that's safe, even if you're not constantly drawing from your own aether whenever you use it, you're still conducting powerful forces directly through your body. I'd personally go that route for maybe one or two 'signature spells' that the character would basically want to have constant access to in case of emergency or something.

 

Out of everything we've seen in Eorzea you draw the line at not being able to make invisible, aether conducting ink?

 

Given what we know about Conjury and Thaumaturgy, their job counter parts, Monks and Summoning, using the body to conduct aether is infact safe if done correctly.

 

As we know, drawing from your own aether heavily is extremely dangerous. The only job that really goes against that is the Monk but the Monks use Chakras, which I believe is something different and aside from Aether... but I'm not sure? I should ask Sounsyy or someone about that.

 

I see where you're coming from but lore within the game world heavily disagrees with you. I do agree it should have some sort of payment to its use though, be it fatigue or whatever.

 

[Edited because I fail at reading today!]

 

I dunno the invisible ink bit just feels weird, I'm not saying definitely don't do it just that I can't see it.

 

Aether is safe to draw on but it seems that every class that does it does so through conduits and all, staves and formula in books and all. That makes it feel like to me that there needs to be some level of divide between the 'battery' and the product, to focus it and all. It feels to me like it'd be dangerous to just 'focus' it through your own body, because then you're just taking raw energy and forcing it through your own self to refine it down better.

 

Like, I know this is 100% headcanon and all but to me the reason why your weapons take damage as a mage and all is because you're focusing all this wild energy through them and that causes strain. If you take that and apply it to your body that'd reasonably hurt like shit, wouldn't it?

 

Just to be clear I think the idea is really cool and the OP should 100% go with it.

 

I would say that depends on the method used. Within your head cannon you damn right it would hurt like a bitch but at the same time Monks and Paladins do exactly what with their arts.

 

I mean, I know the Paladin arts are likely less strain on the body but I can't imagine the way Monks throw their aether and chakra around to be subtle at all.

 

All in all, its a cool concept, plenty of info and ideas to get it off the ground. I hope it all goes well!

[LadyRochester]

While I don't think it's completely impossible, it's certainly impractical for a few reasons.

 

Firstly, the magical inks used to empower arcanist grimoires use metallic bases such as gold and electrum that conduct the flow of aether which, if we follow standard real world logic, would be highly toxic to embed in the skin. What that means isn't that the spell wouldn't work, just that the spell in question wouldn't be able to be enhanced by the ink that is used. You could use ordinary plant-based ink to tattoo the design onto a body, but it would be fairly weak since it lacks the amplification of the inks. 

 

Secondly, the designs in arcanist grimoires are more like cheat sheets than anything else. They're one part reference, two parts program so that the arcanist can easily draw the geometry in their head to focus and shape their aether into a spell, because otherwise the geometries are very complex and ostensibly difficult to memorize. If you were to put one of these designs on your body, you would have to place them somewhere that is easy for you to see in order to reference the spell and form the geometry in your head. Having one of these tattoos on your back, for example, would be completely pointless because you wouldn't be able to see the design and thus won't be able to visualize it in a reasonable amount of time.

 

With all of that said, like I stated above, it's not impossible. You could put a geometry for a small spell on the back of your hand, for example. So long as you manage to accurately capture the details of the geometries, you could use it to fire off a few weak spells without the need for a grimoire. It'd also be possible to place a geometry on your forearm, so long as you drew it in a way that you could visualize the design accurately enough for the spell to work.

 

Also, it's suggested that grimoires themselves in addition to the inks used to draw the designs amplify arcane magic, so without metallic inks or the grimoires, a user would have to pour a great deal of their personal aether into the spell in order to make it reasonably powerful. A normal arcanist draws from their store of aether--their MP, basically--and visualizes the design from a reference within the grimoire. The designs within grimoire and the metallic inks used to draw that design shape the aether into the desired spell amplify the effect of the spell as it is cast. An arcanist using tattoos would lack the enhancement of the grimoire, so it'd be pretty draining even for simple spells.

 

So with all of that in mind, it's not impossible or implausible, but it is a bit impractical. An arcanist spell prepared in this manner with body tattoos would be more of an emergency measure or backup weapon than anything else, like a pocket pistol or derringer.

 

Silly me! I had completely forgotten about the fact the ink used in Arcanum had metallic bases. Thank you.

 

I do see your point, it's one of the reasons I wasn't intending to make it a powerful enhancement, simply something a character could use during an emergency. I suppose I can leave the idea in the back-burner, at least until more magic lore comes out. Someone could argue there could be other forms of Arcanum that don't require metallic inks, but that would be more head-canon. 

 

If we stretched lore a bit, you could argue that perhaps one can use another form of magic for warding and protection (by drawing aetherial shields of the sort.) Seeing how loose the lore is with magic within this game, I don't see it as an impossibility, but I would understand why people would be reluctant to apply to to their RP.

[Gegenji]

I mean, I know the Paladin arts are likely less strain on the body but I can't imagine the way Monks throw their aether and chakra around to be subtle at all.

 

Oddly enough, I like to think of Monk chakras working a bit like Conjury. After all, you head to places full of latent aether - battlegrounds - in order to open your chakra in the MNK quest line. So, in a sense, you're attuning yourself to the aether of the world around you in order to bolster your attacks. Rather than talking to the elements, you're learning to draw on the energy yourself somewhat.

 

... Though, saying that, it starts to make me think of Black Magic too. Though, instead of straight draining aether to pull down the stars, you're drawing on it to make you punch harder. Hrm.

[LadyRochester]

 

I was under the impression that THM's cycle aether between umbral and astral, using their body as a conduit. My memory on the how and why are slightly fuzzy but I thought that like CNJ, the majority of aether is borrowed from an external source when casting.

 

I also thought that Mana is aether is life-force?

 

I need to consult the Sounsyy as I could be entirely wrong here. @w@

 

Well, based on head-canon and logical thought, I assume the following:

 

MP --> Mana/Aether

HP --> Life force, a mixture of health and aether, but to a more primal degree

Then there's your soul, which I guess is weaved in between the two.

 

I assume this because of the "drain" ability used by arcanists, where they are able to convert a target's HP into MP, which means that they are both tied together in a sense. Same thing applies to  the BLM's "convert"

[Raelas]

I mean, I know the Paladin arts are likely less strain on the body but I can't imagine the way Monks throw their aether and chakra around to be subtle at all.

 

Oddly enough, I like to think of Monk chakras working a bit like Conjury. After all, you head to places full of latent aether - battlegrounds - in order to open your chakra in the MNK quest line. So, in a sense, you're attuning yourself to the aether of the world around you in order to bolster your attacks. Rather than talking to the elements, you're learning to draw on the energy yourself somewhat.

 

... Though, saying that, it starts to make me think of Black Magic too. Though, instead of straight draining aether to pull down the stars, you're drawing on it to make you punch harder. Hrm.

 

Its an interesting thought actually. Needing that swell of concentrated aether to unlock a chakra within the body. It makes you wonder why it has to be that way... and why those chakra stay open after you've left that place.

 

I've always considered the aether needed as a key which now makes me wonder... if like you said, they're pulling in aether to power their chakra... or is it the other way around? Chakra to shape and power aether?!

[Raelas]

 

I was under the impression that THM's cycle aether between umbral and astral, using their body as a conduit. My memory on the how and why are slightly fuzzy but I thought that like CNJ, the majority of aether is borrowed from an external source when casting.

 

I also thought that Mana is aether is life-force?

 

I need to consult the Sounsyy as I could be entirely wrong here. @w@

 

Well, based on head-canon and logical thought, I assume the following:

 

MP --> Mana/Aether

HP --> Life force, a mixture of health and aether, but to a more primal degree

Then there's your soul, which I guess is weaved in between the two.

 

I assume this because of the "drain" ability used by arcanists, where they are able to convert a target's HP into MP, which means that they are both tied together in a sense. Same thing applies to  the BLM's "convert"

 

Welp, double post! ;w;

 

I've always and always will assume the MP bar to be a game mechanic and that Aether = life force = soul.

 

Again, that's my interpretation... my head is now spinning about Monks being Monks... chakra to aether... aether to chakra?! By your powers combined I am Captain Hydaelyn?! @w@

 

[EDIT] - After a trip to good old Erik in the Goldsmith's guild, he confirms that Chakra is in fact aether of the body and not an external source... which would mean a Monk would hold incredible amounts of Aether. I'm wondering if Chakra gates are in fact pools of refined and stored aether that are increasingly refined the further along the chakra gates you venture... or simply just hold more than the last... or maybe add to the last so as to increase their power and such.

 

That does it. I'll make a new thread because I needs this juicy lore!

[Melkire]

Quick lore dump on monks and chakra so we can get back to talking about arcanima per the OP.

 

 

 

http://xivdb.com/?quest/66597/Brother-from-Another-Mother

 

The chakra is the seat of that energy. It is a sacred place. It can be opened, and the life force within controlled.

 

Chakra exist in all that lives─in all beings. Yet not all beings can open them.

 

Much training is needed. And great discipline. With these, the life force be commanded.

 

There are those who require no training. Their inner strength is such that it forces the chakra open. I have heard of this happening. But never have I seen it─until now.

 

...

 

We stand on an ancient battleground. A great war was waged here. The spirit of the fight lingers. The aether reaches for the chakra. It aids in their opening. That is why we monks seek such lands.

 

 

http://xivdb.com/?quest/66599/A-Slave-to-the-Aether

 

I hoped to arrive before you. But I see I am late. This land's power has gone to you. There is nothing left for me here.

 

It is as I told you. We monks travel where aether flows strong. There we train. The power of the land enters us. Thus our chakra expand.

 

This bonding causes great unrest. The land's energy becomes unstable. It will enter no other until it calms.

 

I feel nothing here. As you would feel nothing at Finesand Banks. That land bonded to my chakra. And its aether is now at unrest.

 

[Gegenji]

The following is my thoughts on aether, life force, the difference between the two, and how magic overall works in FFXIV. Your mileage may vary.

 

As I see it, everyone has a level of "excess aether" beyond that which is considered their life force. This is the personal well of aether that people draw on to perform their spells and the like. The size of this well differs from person to person, which is why you have situations like with the Cocobuki brothers in the THM guild - the one brother does not possess a large enough well to cast spells. Like other physical exertion, recovering from using this wellspring requires rest time or outside support (ethers and the like).

 

Also, since both this aether and your life force are effectively one and the same, you can use life force in place of your aether well. However, considering this is aether that is keeping you alive - it's not a very good idea. It is likely painful (Convert - you lose HP to do it), and likely fatal if used too much (CNJ quest line).

 

Using said aether is a tricky process. It is undefined, unshaped energy - and thus requires a manner of training and a focus in which to refine it into its intended purpose. THM use the gems in their staves as a focus, and ACN use the books and the formulae within them. Attempting to cast a spell of any significant power without such a focus would likely be difficult and the spell itself erratic and unpredictable without an intense level of mental fortitude.

 

The limits of these personal wellsprings are what led to the development of Black Magic. Rather than draw on one's own excess aether - you just take the aether from around you. Succor does this to a degree as well, which is why the clash between the two was so devastating to the world as a whole - aether was being directly ripped from the planet in great volumes in the War of the Magi. So the Elementals decided to cut this drain off at the source and just wiped it all clean.

 

Aether doesn't have to be forcefully taken, though. CNJ is proof enough of that - coaxing external aether from the elements around you. And, technically, the summons of both Scholars and Summoners is drawing on an outside aetheric source - elementals again and the remnant energy of Primals, respectively.

 

As for MNKs, I like to believe that their "chakra" also serve as a manner of focus - and "opening" them is basically learning how to use those key points in one's personal aetheric flow to focus and refine aether to perform great physical feats. Whether it's one's own flow of aether, or drawing from the world around them, I am uncertain. As much as I like the idea of another method of utilizing the ambient aether, I can very neatly see the process as just being a training method to utilize one's own aetheric resources.

 

To bring this back to the point at hand, though, I would be left wondering what source of aether would be involved in these tattoos? As I mentioned, if they're being used simply as a focus, then putting it on someone with a non-existent aetheric well would either a.) do nothing since they don't have the aether to cast it normally, or b.) draw on their life force instead, which would be horrendously dangerous. So, the tattoos would be only useful to those who could likely learn to cast the spell normally given the talent and training. As mentioned, possibly to avoid being disarmed without your usual focus or perhaps because they have issue tapping into this well with the usual methods.

 

However, if part of the creation of this tattoo involves infusing it with a bit of your own aether? Then we could have a situation of being able to provide an artificial wellspring. An outside source, like with the Elementals.

 

If this is the case, we have to wonder - how would such a thing work? Is that aether just there to cast the spell once and then it's done? Or would it somehow recover like one's natural aetheric wellspring? If it's the latter, then what would be the limit of this external aether source and how long would it take to recover?

[LadyRochester]

The following is my thoughts on aether, life force, the difference between the two, and how magic overall works in FFXIV. Your mileage may vary.

 

As I see it, everyone has a level of "excess aether" beyond that which is considered their life force. This is the personal well of aether that people draw on to perform their spells and the like. The size of this well differs from person to person, which is why you have situations like with the Cocobuki brothers in the THM guild - the one brother does not possess a large enough well to cast spells. Like other physical exertion, recovering from using this wellspring requires rest time or outside support (ethers and the like).

 

Also, since both this aether and your life force are effectively one and the same, you can use life force in place of your aether well. However, considering this is aether that is keeping you alive - it's not a very good idea. It is likely painful (Convert - you lose HP to do it), and likely fatal if used too much (CNJ quest line).

 

Using said aether is a tricky process. It is undefined, unshaped energy - and thus requires a manner of training and a focus in which to refine it into its intended purpose. THM use the gems in their staves as a focus, and ACN use the books and the formulae within them. Attempting to cast a spell of any significant power without such a focus would likely be difficult and the spell itself erratic and unpredictable without an intense level of mental fortitude.

 

The limits of these personal wellsprings are what led to the development of Black Magic. Rather than draw on one's own excess aether - you just take the aether from around you. Succor does this to a degree as well, which is why the clash between the two was so devastating to the world as a whole - aether was being directly ripped from the planet in great volumes in the War of the Magi. So the Elementals decided to cut this drain off at the source and just wiped it all clean.

 

Aether doesn't have to be forcefully taken, though. CNJ is proof enough of that - coaxing external aether from the elements around you. And, technically, the summons of both Scholars and Summoners is drawing on an outside aetheric source - elementals again and the remnant energy of Primals, respectively.

 

As for MNKs, I like to believe that their "chakra" also serve as a manner of focus - and "opening" them is basically learning how to use those key points in one's personal aetheric flow to focus and refine aether to perform great physical feats. Whether it's one's own flow of aether, or drawing from the world around them, I am uncertain. As much as I like the idea of another method of utilizing the ambient aether, I can very neatly see the process as just being a training method to utilize one's own aetheric resources.

 

To bring this back to the point at hand, though, I would be left wondering what source of aether would be involved in these tattoos? As I mentioned, if they're being used simply as a focus, then putting it on someone with a non-existent aetheric well would either a.) do nothing since they don't have the aether to cast it normally, or b.) draw on their life force instead, which would be horrendously dangerous. So, the tattoos would be only useful to those who could likely learn to cast the spell normally given the talent and training. As mentioned, possibly to avoid being disarmed without your usual focus or perhaps because they have issue tapping into this well with the usual methods.

 

However, if part of the creation of this tattoo involves infusing it with a bit of your own aether? Then we could have a situation of being able to provide an artificial wellspring. An outside source, like with the Elementals.

 

If this is the case, we have to wonder - how would such a thing work? Is that aether just there to cast the spell once and then it's done? Or would it somehow recover like one's natural aetheric wellspring? If it's the latter, then what would be the limit of this external aether source and how long would it take to recover?

 

 

Alright, spoiler alert, my character suffers from a genetic condition, which I may or may not use in the plot if necessary:

 

 

She's, in a way, a vessel for aether, able to absorb and transfer aether to other sources/people. However, she hasn't mastered this yet, and even if she did, this condition has proven to be more of a weakness than a strength. How? Well, she's extremely sensitive to aether, prone to having "aetherial bursts" where she either absorbs too much or becomes drained, either extreme leaves her horribly frail and unable to cast magic (and if she can use magic, it's very unstable and unreliable.) These Aetherial bursts usually need a trigger, but sometimes they happen randomly as well.  Despite being very skilled as a mage, her condition makes her extremely vulnerable. 

 

When it comes to the aether she absorbs, it's unfortunately anything in the environment that meets a certain amount of intensity. It's one of the reasons she can't go to places like Mor Dhona and some areas of the shroud without it severely crippling her.

 

 

You could use crystals as an aetherial source, or even elementals, but unless they are conjurers, they might not like that. Of course, one could use their life force, assuming that they know the risks.

 

I do agree with your magical lore, you explained it better than I ever could. I have written lore on aether extensively, which you can find under the "Journals" of the Coral sea, in her research lore. The last post I have made speaks of different types of aether as well as tiers/intensity, but I will warn that it's headcanon.

[LadyRochester]

 

 

However, if part of the creation of this tattoo involves infusing it with a bit of your own aether? Then we could have a situation of being able to provide an artificial wellspring. An outside source, like with the Elementals.

 

If this is the case, we have to wonder - how would such a thing work? Is that aether just there to cast the spell once and then it's done? Or would it somehow recover like one's natural aetheric wellspring? If it's the latter, then what would be the limit of this external aether source and how long would it take to recover?

 

I forgot to mention one thing. What about "Ether" potions? The ones that restore your MP? Would they serve as a good resource, if so, where does the aether from such potions come from? Depending on the answer, this might actually be the answer to all these questions, no?

[Gegenji]

So using ethers to refill the artificial wellspring? I suppose that could work, yeah. A reservoir that has to be manually refilled rather than recovering naturally over time. I'm just wondering how the ether's... ether-ness would get to the tattoo's wellspring in that case. Unless you rub it into the tattoo like a lotion or something.

 

Or we just assume the magical mystery drink works because it's a magical mystery drink. :lol:

[Darien Cadell]

Done the ink-on-skin flavor as the painter, not the wearer. And it was impermanent, specially prepared for special occasions, used once, then gone, and not quite like just using skin as a book page, a little different, almost like making a magic item/potion with an effect, but instead of something held in the hand or consumed by mouth, it's a string of magic ink laying over the skin, activated by touch and spell cast. At least that's how I saw it. I won't go into too much detail, since it really wasn't my story, per se, but it's certainly a fun concept to play with.

[Verad]

It's an idea only as interesting as its potential to go horribly, horribly wrong. Otherwise it's an interesting aesthetic decision for explaining why your character has certain abilities or an excess of aether, but no more or less than any other aesthetic decision.

 

So that's my question: instead of "how could we make this work," what about "How could this go wrong in ways that are useful for roleplay?"

[Chris Ganale]

Interestingly enough, this sort of thing is almost exactly what Chao used for magic in the source manga I took her from. She had spell sigils tattooed all over her body that forced magic through her to allow her to cast, at the cost of it being an extreme strain on her system and causing her severe pain. And when overused in the midst of a magic duel with her ancestor trying to overpower one another's A-class spells, the sigils exploded violently and cost her the battle.

[Kichiro Gunji]

My understanding is that the algorithm is the focus, but the ink helps amplifies Arcanists' own use of his or her aether. If it was a commonly used construct, then I imagine the Arcanist could draw out the construct in his mind a lot easier with a tattoo that has aether-conductive metal based ink than he might without any illustration. However, it wouldn't be as easy as pulling it straight from the pages of a Grimoire. So it might be more limited by not only space on their body, but also how much experience they have with that particular algorithm.

 

I'm toying with the idea of having the tattoo of the summoning ritual for Scorpio's Carbunkle across his chest or back. He learned it in his youth when studying Arcane magics, before he was a fully trained Arcanist and the idea is that he learned it under a great deal of stress or trauma. Not having his own Grimoire yet, he didn't want to forget how to summon this being that saved his life and set to having it tattooed on his body. It would also build some of the inter-personal conflict (by being super weird) he had with his Duskwight clan, leading up to his eventual exile.

[LadyRochester]

It's an idea only as interesting as its potential to go horribly, horribly wrong. Otherwise it's an interesting aesthetic decision for explaining why your character has certain abilities or an excess of aether, but no more or less than any other aesthetic decision.

 

So that's my question: instead of "how could we make this work," what about "How could this go wrong in ways that are useful for roleplay?"

 

I wouldn't mind the experiments going awry, in fact, I kind of expect them to. I alright with this causing tension between my character and others, but, again, I want to make sure this works with the lore somewhat. And like another poster said before, I don't want people to treat this as an opportunity to get "Mary-Sue" implants.

[Darien Cadell]

So that's my question: instead of "how could we make this work," what about "How could this go wrong in ways that are useful for roleplay?"

 

Yep, backfiring and interesting burn patterns were part of the story.

[Goodfellow]

This has only just occurred to me somehow, and maybe I overlooked it in the thread, but is there any evidence for being able to cast from pre-drawn geometries?  The animations all seem to have the toon writing in the book and my assumption has been that the actual tracing of the symbol was a key part of the casting ritual, not simply having the symbol ready already and I don't recall if it's mentioned in quest text anywhere. 

 

I don't know that I really have anything to base that on and even if it is the case, the tracing motion over enchanted ink could be a workaround instead of actually having to trace with the enchanted ink.

 

Just some thoughts and things to consider to flesh out the idea some more (and again, sorry if I'm being repetitive/redundant).

[Warren Castille]

There's four pages of this thread, so if someone already brought this up I apologize.

 

My take on arcanima is that the drawing of the spell (literally, making the image and using special enchanted ink) "uses up" the power of the ink and the geometry. Once cast, the spell goes inert.

 

Could you use your arm as a basis? Sure, but you'd burn the spell as soon as you were done painting it and then you'd be left with just a tattoo (or an inky arm.)

[Kichiro Gunji]

There's four pages of this thread, so if someone already brought this up I apologize.

 

My take on arcanima is that the drawing of the spell (literally, making the image and using special enchanted ink) "uses up" the power of the ink and the geometry. Once cast, the spell goes inert.

 

Could you use your arm as a basis? Sure, but you'd burn the spell as soon as you were done painting it and then you'd be left with just a tattoo (or an inky arm.)

That doesn't make a lot of sense, does that mean that they constantly have to redraw every spell/ image in their grimoire and relearn every spell on new pages? Does their grimoire get constantly filled up with just a powerless image or inky page?

[Warren Castille]

That doesn't make a lot of sense, does that mean that they constantly have to redraw every spell/ image in their grimoire and relearn every spell on new pages? Does their grimoire get constantly filled up with just a powerless image or inky page?

 

I'm probably way off, I didn't level ACN or SCH. I'm not sure where the idea came from, now that I think of it. They don't fight with quills, they just wave books at people and spells fall out like so many magazine subscription cards and forgotten bookmarks.

 

Can probably safely ignore me. I blame it on the large amount of arcanima RP I see being people writing out spells and such.