Marcy, our first mage, is arriving on stage. Things rearranged and her appearance got moved. Her chapter also got long and split. I’m calling part two “chapter 10.5”. I’m sick of renumbering.
I’m now stuck. In order to show her list of spells, I need a spell categorization system. One of the common options is ‘elemental’. Unfortunately, Aristotelian elements, which are standard, do not mesh with physics.
This is the “How does magic work?” post suddenly becoming important.
I’m willing to let Earth, Water, and Air slide. However, Fire is incredibly problematic. The first three are phases of matter: Solid, Liquid, and Gas. I – and physics – can work with that. Fire is different. It’s a process. It could be another phase of matter, Plasma, but that doesn’t mesh with things such as fireballs.
Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that instead of calling this category of spell ‘elemental’ I call it ‘phasal’. Will that work?
Say there’s a spell “ball <phasal>”. When one casts it, one chooses both what to make it out of and what phase to use. Solid and water gets you an ice ball. Liquid and rock gets you a magma (lava?) ball. As things get more exotic, the cost of the spell goes up. A solid helium ball is ridiculously expensive (not to mention very, very cold). A plasma hydrogen ball is cheap. The volume vs surface area interactions become interesting. The solid helium ball would shed cold (absorb heat, whatever) very quickly due to extreme difference with its surroundings. Its lifespan would increase geometrically with its size, because the volume increases exponentially. I need to do more research into plasma. For hydrogen, it would dissipate quickly as the energized hydrogen just “wandered off” into the surrounding air. But what would happen to a ball of iron plasma? If have no clue.
This is what AI is for. Let’s see what it says: how would iron plasma behave in standard air?
Iron plasma in standard air would be highly reactive and chemically unstable, rapidly oxidizing to form iron oxides rather than remaining in a pure plasma state. Because plasma consists of ionized atoms with stripped electrons, it possesses extremely high energy and seeks to recombine with electrons or react with surrounding matter, making it incompatible with the oxygen and nitrogen present in air.
The behavior involves several key physical and chemical processes:
- Rapid Oxidation: The ionized iron atoms will immediately react with atmospheric oxygen, leading to intense exothermic reactions that likely cause the plasma to extinguish quickly unless continuously energized.
- Thermal Interaction: Iron transitions to a gaseous state at approximately 3000 K (2727°C), but plasma formation requires significantly higher temperatures (typically >10,000 K for ionization). In air, this extreme heat would instantly vaporize surrounding moisture and heat the air, causing convection currents that disrupt the plasma structure.
- Electrical Conductivity: Like all plasmas, it would be an excellent conductor of electricity and would interact strongly with electromagnetic fields, potentially causing arcing or sparking as it interacts with the conductive ionized air.
- Light Emission: The recombination of electrons with ions and the excitation of air molecules (nitrogen and oxygen) would produce visible light, similar to the glow seen in lightning or welding arcs, but dominated by the specific emission spectra of iron oxides.
In summary, iron plasma cannot stably exist in standard air without a continuous energy source to counteract rapid cooling and chemical reaction, resulting in immediate oxidation, heat dissipation, and plasma dissipation.
That’s not exactly the standard fireball, but it’s got potential. Especially combined with the “cast mana, spell manifests at target” concept. I like “intense exothermic reactions”. That means BOOM!
And there we have it. A new spell classification: Phasal.
We also need a new casting methodology. Instead of forming whatever-it-is locally and moving it, the whatever-it-is manifests at the target.
That is, instead of whipping up a fireball on my hand and throwing it at you, I throw the spell at you and the fireball forms on impact.
This allows my magic-proof werewolves to be impervious to otherwise physical affects. If one casts an ice bullet at them, it interferes – near them – with the conversion of mana to solid water.
This is why I talk to you, my vast internet audience: You’re so helpful!
Another rejected cover as thanks:
I rejected it because there is no room for text at the top. However, looking at it now with more attention: Nothing glows. The wolf’s head is obscured. There is a random wolf leg(?) behind his left knee. Something is wrong with the bulging quad connecting to that knee. There is a random bit of fur sticking out of his right boot.
Marked Up 