Magical Realm Cyoa/Avalon

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Info

World Structure

The Realm known as Avalon is divided up into 2 distinct sections.

Avalon

First of all, there is the actual region known as Avalon. This is a large area (approximately 120,000,000 square kilometers), and bears a passing resemblance to parts of Earth (particularly the British Isles). It is mostly wilderness, excepting a few scattered villages and homes throughout the countryside. The primary population centers are large cities built on the many floating islands throughout Avalon.

Central to Avalon is the large floating castle known as the Capital. Details about it are vague, as citizens only are likely to see the outside, gardens, entry hall, and throne room. The Realm Lord reigns from here, and it is the home of his Court. People who fly close to it sometimes speak of the sounds of battle, raised voices, screams, psychotic laughter, and other, less disturbing, forms of laughter. No one has actually seen inside, as the windows are opaque from the outside.

Underland

The other section of the Realm is known as Underland. This smaller area (roughly 30,000,000 square kilometers) is a nod to the works of Lewis Carrol, and is quite difficult to navigate. It is not intended to be inhabited, or even visited under normal conditions. Underland was, instead, created as a prison for All the Evils of the World (which was accidentally created during Avalon's formation). Logic and proportion mean nothing at all here, and the everchanging labyrinth serves to contain the horror within by both physical and magical obstruction and utter confusion.

The Cosmic Horror, embodying all the evil entities and forces that were accidentally created when Avalon was established and imprisoned in Underland to preserve Avalon's purity, is known by many names. It has been referred to as Angra Mainyu, All the Evils of the World, The Beast, and (colloquially) the Jabberwock. It is incredibly powerful, and inherently drains power from any evil entity in Avalon, increasing its own power by weakening said entities. It was initially a mindless force, but rapidly gained sapience, and now conspires to escape Underland, corrupt Avalon, possess the Realm Lord, and claim the Throne of Gods. In order to prevent its escape, a "Holy Grail War" is held each year as a means to weaken the Jabberwock and keep it contained.

Relationship

There is a metaphysical gap between the two halves of the Relam, which may only be breached by theoretical brute force (such as a Cosmic Horror or Realm Lord of sufficient power might be able to bring to bear) or a magic known as the Looking Glass Spell, which opens a temporary portal to Underland. Those that intend to return use an anchoring spell that forcefully brings them back through as the portal is closed. This spell requires the use of the Realm Lord's power to cast, and is carefully managed in order to prevent All the Evils of the World from escaping. There are rumors of a second spell that can allow transit, but the truth behind this remains in darkness.

Spirit Realm

In addition to the physical halves of the Realm, there is the Spirit Realm. This location, for lack of a better word, does not exist at any particular point, nor does it occupy space. Rather, it is a conceptual reality that uses the bond between Avalon and its occupants to create a nexus of thought. It is, effectively, a system built upon the collective consciousness of Avalon's citizens. At a practical level, it's much like the internet.

Spirits are perpetually linked into this, only manifesting physically when they feel it necessary or appropriate. Living humans, in contrast, are normally disconnected from the Spirit Realm, but may access it through meditation and dreams. Accessing the Spirit Realm while sleeping prevents humans from resting properly, however, and most choose to sleep normally and enjoy more traditional dreams.

Some people manage to access the Spirit Realm while fully awake and active. This gives them many advantages in life, most notably rapid access to information within the collective consciousness. Unfortunately, doing so puts a heavy strain on their minds, and they tend to exhibit various mental oddities (ranging from nervous ticks to hallucinations) if they do this for an extended period.

Culture

Avalon's culture is very dissonant from Earth's culture, and new citizens often experience a powerful culture shock when arriving.

Most notable, perhaps, is the distinct lack of sexuality in the culture. This is not to say that people do not dress to impress. Indeed, fashions can become quite over-the-top at times (often stumbling into the realms of JRPG or anime fashion, probably due to the influence of Avalon's creator), but sexual promiscuity is viewed with what might be best described as amusement. It's not unheard of, but is generally considered childish and nonsensical. This is due to the distinct presence of Fate in Avalon. Love isn't something one searches for through trial and error, it is a promise that one waits to see fulfilled. Sex is simply viewed as a reflection of this emotion, and performing the act with someone besides your Soul Mate is seen as frivolous and slightly rude to your eventual spouse. Most people find said Soul Mate some time during puberty, although some find them earlier or later than this. Newcomers to Avalon may take longer, as either another Newcomer with suitable compatibility must be found or they must wait for a native Soul Mate to be born. Usually, a Newcomer can expect a roughly fifteen year wait to find said Soul Mate, and may find themselves taking part in Earth-style relationships with other Newcomers or in other worlds in the mean time. Sometimes, these relationships evolve in to permanent ones through the machinations of Fate, although the mechanism it uses is unclear.

There is no central government, although the Realm Lord and his court often assist in the mediation of intercity disputes, worldwide issues, and certain other matters (not to mention providing personal boons to those who approach him for help). There are also no large corporations (working 9 to 5 is a way to make a living, but no one actually needs to make a living, so that's not a thing), and city governments are extremely noninvasive, mostly just settling small personal disputes and contractual issues (any city government that tries to overstep itself gets brought down by either its people, vigilantes, or the Realm Lord).

In terms of cultural interests and such, the populace has three primary interests: the spiritual, the creative, and the adventurous. The most spiritual either take positions within religious groups or became magi. The more creative become artists of some form or another, ranging from bards to sculptors to blacksmiths to game designers. Finally, the most adventurous become adventurers (unsurprisingly), explore Avalon, and challenge the many Dungeons throughout it. There is not a strict divide, however. Everyone knows some magic, everyone can fight, and everyone has basic expertise in at least a few of the arts.

There are festivals yearly, where people gather together to show of their creations, take part in tournaments of various sorts, and generally have a good time. These occur on, roughly, the winter solstice (although whether it is actually wintry or not is mostly up to whoever manages the event). The shining jewel of the Winter Festival is the "Holy Grail War."

The Holy Grail War

Named so by Hierus Goldsmith, in a tribute to the fictional tournament depicted in the works of Nasu, the Holy Grail War is a yearly tournament where seven citizens, chosen by Avalon itself, fight each other to the death. They are each accompanied by a so-called Servant, a Spirit granted a body for the duration of the War. Usually, these Spirits are either Celests or members of the Departed.

Whoever wins the Tournament receives a suitable prize. The Spirit in question is granted a permanent body by the Realm Lord, allowing Celests to directly intervene in the world and the Departed to return to life. The Human winner is granted a single wish of their choice by Hierus. This wish has few limits, including the resurrection of the dead and the creation of new life. The only restriction is a prohibition on actively Evil wishes (i.e. enslavement/mind control of someone else, the death of an enemy, the creation of a natural disaster, etc.)

After winning the Tournament, however, the winners have one more task ahead of them. They must drink from the Grail (an enchanted cup which absorbs and harnesses all of the power the competitors expend during the Tournament), thus gaining powers beyond the limits of normal Avalonians. By doing so, they are granted a limited form of godhood (they're still less powerful than the Realm Lord, but are roughly equal to Court members in power). Beyond the increased power granted by this, they also receive numerous other benefits, most notably a greatly intensified bond with Avalon. This allows them to directly draw upon the power of Avalon itself, when acting in its interests.

Having joined the Pantheon of Heroes, they must then travel through the Looking Glass to Underland and defeat the Jabberwock. While it may not be killed this way, its power is diminished sufficiently to keep it contained until the next year. By this method, the Jabberwock may theoretically contained indefinitely.

Economy and Trade

Avalon lacks a traditional large scale economy, primarily because one is not needed. Physical necessities are non-existent, and simple transmutation spells can be used to create a suitable dwelling for any citizen. Thus, daily employment is not something individuals take part in out of necessity. Large businesses are likewise nonexistent, as a personal can gain more satisfaction from independent efforts that by working under the employ of others.

That is not to say that money and trade to not exist. The currency of Avalon is Mana, an essential energy that all objects can be broken down into using alchemy. This energy can be used to create anything and everything, theoretically, but the alchemist must understand that which they are trying to create.

As an example, any alchemist can create gold from Mana. A hypothetical substance that generates a passive gravitational field, however, is almost impossible to create if you don't have a sample.

The beauty of Avalon is that virtually anything can be found there. Anything a person can think of may be found sufficient effort, although actively malevolent substances and entities can't be found in Avalon, but rather in Underland. This means that there is a high demand for samples of exotic materials (which may then be analyzed and reproduced using alchemy), and vast amounts of Mana will often be traded away for such.

Another major economic demand is for finished products. Raw materials are plentiful, and basic needs can be met at little to no cost using magic, but magical devices and works of art (including the visual arts, games, literature, food, and music) still require creative effort and thus are valued immensely by a society which may readily meet all of its actual needs.

The last major demand is knowledge. While the public schools and universities provide a basic knowledge of most everything, certain fields are best studied at the feet of their masters, and apprenticeships are a matter of course in life. There is also a healthy market for secrets, both of the world and the people that inhabit it.

Societal Structure

The Avalonian populace live either in the wilderness or in one of the floating city-states. Those who live on the surface don't really have to deal with the concept of law, excepting a few strict edict put in place by the Realm Lord, which are rarely an issue anyway. City occupants, however, have a larger set of laws they must obey, which is determined by the City Council. These laws primarily focus on maintaining the city and order within it, but may also reflect the general philosophy of its citizens. Some cities, for example, restrict certain forms of magic. Others have a ban on gambling. Citizens who are dissatisfied with a city's laws usually just move (often by physically relocating their home magically).

City Councils are elected from among the populace, and exist in varying sizes. They are reelected every two years, with no limitation on the number of terms that any citizen may serve on the Council. These Councils are generally wise enough to keep their laws from becoming oppressive, as citizens are prone to dealing with such groups very directly.

Finally, the highest power is the Court of the Realm. This group of immortals is lead by the Realm Lord, and serves to protect, defend, and support Avalon. The actual identities of Court Members are unknown to most of the populace, and even the Court's Enforcers, who leave the Capital fairly often, are mysterious to most of the populace. They are known to possess abilities and tools that are foreign to most of Avalon, and some claim that they are somehow Eldritch in nature, being visibly otherworldly and out of place. Much of this is dismissed as rumor, but the truth is still unclear.

The Realm Lord himself is quite well known, in contrast to the rest. He is often seen wandering through cities, making conversation with passerby and observing the various works of art throughout said cities. He is known to await citizens in his throne room between the hours of three and seven pm each day (although the locals use a different time system), granting boons of various kinds to those who need it. He is also known to offer help to any he meets in his wanderings, although he sometimes deems situations to be too personal for his intervention, in which case he leaves advice instead of a solution. He is viewed well by the people, although some groups wish he would more strictly control goings on in society. Challenging him, however, is seen as both ridiculous and impossible, considering the extreme power of the Court. His own capabilities are unknown, although he has been seen to control the weather, heal the injured, and levitate, among other, rumored, abilities.

Magic

Magic is as essential to Avalon as technology is to Earth, only perhaps more so. It is what people most people live and breathe (although there are, as always, exceptions), and is certainly the driving force behind the advancement of civilization.

There are many different types of magic in Avalon, but the most basic form is known as Bond Magic. This is the natural magic that all Avalonians have access to, and is based upon their bond with the world itself. Avalon is the name of the Realm and the primary land within said Realm, but it also the name used to describe the, let us call it "soul" of the world. This is comparable to the Greek deity "Gaia," who was simultaneously a goddess and the very Earth itself.

All Avalonians are born with an inherent metaphysical connection to Avalon. This connection allows them to communicate with it, to a limited degree. Avalon may choose to give them warnings or guidance at times, although it's knowledge is limited to what it can ascertain through the eyes of its occupants (both human and inhuman). In return, the citizens of Avalon pass on their perceptions and emotions to the world, thus allowing it to experience the many joys and wonders it possesses through the eyes of those who live upon it.

Bond Magic harnesses the connection in a more substantial way than simple empathy or information, however. To utilize it is not to channel or wield power, but rather to petition Avalon to act on your behalf. Those that Avalon is most closely attached to, either due long and intensive correspondence with the world or through actions taken in the interest of Avalon itself, will receive more assistance from it than those who have a weak bond with Avalon.

Bond Magic rarely gives the user direct control over anything. Simple "spells," (which are more formalized requests than anything) such as those used to conjure elements in their natural state, are reliable and straightforward, but will be altered by Avalon for the sake of the caster as needed. The same "spell" may be used to light a candle or fireplace, for example, and the amount of fire conjured will be determined by Avalon, rather than any direct action of the caster.

More advanced Bond Magic is extremely unpredictable, if ultimately effective. Healing magic, for example, may conjure stitches and sutures to bind a wound. It may also, instead, grant rapid regeneration or cauterize the wound. The form the spell takes is ultimately determined by Avalon, according to what you asked for, what you need, how attached to you Avalon is, and what it believes you deserve. Those injured due to recklessness, for example, are far more likely to find their wounds painfully cauterized than those who were injured through no fault of their own.

Bond Magic is not the only form of magic in Avalon, however. The second most common form is Contract Magic. This is very similar to Bond Magic, except that it draws power from a Spirit rather than Avalon. Contract Magic is gained by forming a contract with a Spirit of some type. These can be the Departed, Elementals, or Celests, although each form of Spirit will offer different abilities. Contract Magic, unlike Bond Magic, gives roughly equal power to the Spirit and the Human. Humans may utilize magic as outlined in the established contract, and the Spirit will not be able to deny its contractor that power as long as said contractor does not violate any of their obligations.

Of course, this is not one sided. The Human may only use the Spirit's power as long as he or she acts in accordance with the contract in question. Weak spirits grant simple contracts (low level healing magic in return for a periodic donation to a charity a Celest favors, for example). The strongest spirits, however, place onerous requirements on contracts they form (Demigod-tier elemental manipulation in return for stopping a volcanic eruption, defeating a rival spirit's similarly empowered champion, or devoting one's entire life to the Spirit's personal cause).

The third major type of Magic is known as Magecraft. The origin of the term is unknown, but some claim it originated with a member of the Court. If the other two forms of Magic center on bonding with other forces for power, then Magecraft is the opposite. It is the only form of Magic which the user has complete power over, and works by manipulating Mana through esoteric means. The method of manipulation varies between users, as the power of a spell or ritual is determined by the symbolic value it has in the mind of the user. This is because Magecraft requires no such things to be performed. A person in possession of a reservoir of Mana can manipulate it freely using their will, if they can attain the level of focus necessary to do so. Unfortunately, that is almost impossible. Thus, the mechanical aspects of Magecraft exist as a way for the Mage to manipulate his or her own conciousness into utilizing Mana in a way they desire.

While it is true that pure Magecraft has no truly necessary mechanical components, many of its branches do. This is because many derivatives of basic Magecraft work by using outside mechanisms in order to bypass much of the work a traditional Mage must do while casting a spell. A normal Mage must Draw, Attribute, Manifest, and Direct Mana in order to perform even a simple spell, a conjured fireball for example. The Draw the Mana from a source, mentally grasp the concept of Fire and impose the concept on the Mana, give that metaphysical energy physical form and substance (Manifest it), and then control what it does once created (Direct it).

Some Mages will, instead, use an object that already possess the Attributes that they want to apply to the Mana, such as an elementally attuned crystal. They may then simply Draw the Mana, channel it through the crystal, Manifest it, and then Direct it. They may even remove other steps using tools, such as using a wand to Direct as spell linearly.

Other forms of magic are rumored to exist, although evidence is severely lacking in many cases. The most notable rumored forms are the High Magic used by the Court, Blood Magic (which many claim is simply Magecraft which breaks down blood and body parts in order to generate Mana), and Lunacy (Supposedly a perversion of Bond Magic that utilizes a bond with Underland instead of a bond with Avalon.)

Technology

Technology does, in fact, exist in Avalon. It is extremely advanced, although very uncommon. Most citizens view it as an ugly, expensive, inconvenient alternative to magic. Despite this, it has become extremely advanced due to massive dedication on the parts of the Church of the Clockmaker, which worships God as the creator of the system that the Omniverse operates on. They are a small community, but fanatically dedicated to the study of said system. In the interest of this, they have studied the mechanics of the primary universe and Avalon alike in order to gain a better understanding of the original, absolute God (not limited Creator Gods like the one that empowered us or the god-like Realm Lords). This unending pursuit of knowledge and understanding (supplemented by the use of time manipulation and magically enhanced research) has allowed them to create new Technology at an insane rate. They have also taken to dissecting Technology from other Realms in order to upgrade their own.

The Church of the Clockmaker is not the only group to utilize technology, however (although they are the primary developers). Many Mages use technology of some form or another to enhance or simplify their Magecraft. Alchemists also use it when experimenting with magically reactive substances that cannot be safely manipulated by magical means.

The Clockmakers also have an odd relationship with the Court, who are known to send and receive emissaries from the Church in question regularly.

Alchemy

An odd discipline that straddles the line between Magic and Technology, Alchemy uses magical processes to convert matter into Mana. It then uses this Mana in order to create new objects and substances. The Technological aspect is reflected in the latter half of the process, as extensive research is required in order to successfully replicate substances. This often requires the use of Technology, as magic has a tendency to alter or damage many objects when used heavily upon them.