── ( ❝ 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗘 † ❞ 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡

[_Lyre]

@Living Breathlessly

Let's start with shadows and darkness. A shadow is caused when something is blocking the light but it's not a hundred percent darkness because you can (usually) still see whatever is behind it, so while it's absence of light, there's still light in it. Like how different levels of intensity of light will change the light's brightness, the different amount and intensity (and source too probably) of light will affect what darkness. In this case, the less light there is, the more intense the darkness will be, so if there simply is no light, then it would be complete darkness.

Manipulating darkness: I assume it would be manipulating what and how much light you take out of a place. Imagine a chalkboard that's covered in white chalk. The chalkboard is darkness and the white chalk is light. To see the blackboard, you have to erase the white chalk covering it. If you only lightly erase the white chalk, you'll be able to see some of the chalk yet also see the board behind it. If you completely erase the chalk, then you would only be able to see the black of the board.

Moving onto light. Light can be a weapon and for some reason, it doesn't really seem like there are that many people who realize it when writing stories and roleplaying and the likes. Most people seem to focus on the illusion aspect of it, and tend to stick to great, magical feats involving illusions in their stories. In a combat scene for example, the light manipulator would send out copies of themselves, make their opponent(s)'s worst fear come to life, hide an entire army with their powers, etc. Instead, why don't people just use it to, let's say, make it seem like everything is moved 5 cm to the left to their opponent? Or 2 degrees up? This is subtle enough that it will take longer for people to notice, and it will be much more difficult to get rid of. Even if they get used to their change in perception, all you would have to do it take away the illusion and they'll be dazed and confused in no time.

Now, let's move onto another aspect of light. Ever heard of lasers? A form of light amplification make them work (I don't know the specifics btw). Telescopes, using lenses and mirrors to focus and reflect light so they can see things from far away. Heck, glasses use lenses to focus or disperse light to help shirt-sighted (convex) and far-sighted (concave) people to see. A very plausible technique that light manipulators could use is using lenses and mirrors to change their power, whether it is to focus is (convex lenses), spread it (concave), or to reflect and magnify it.

Light does have physically damaging properties (also, ever heard how bad it is to look into the sun or any source of bright light?) and this aspect of light seems to be woefully underused (I read this Harry Potter fanfiction with a dark Hermione Granger who used an overpowered lumos to cause someone to be blind for over 3 weeks which I loved). Of course, an obvious use of light is to cause someone to be (permanently or temporarily) blind (an example is in that Doctor Light episode in the Flash). And as lasers have shown, if light is intense enough (I'm working with a very simplified explanation of lasers here), it can cut through things, diamonds for example (in a truly wonderful trilogy, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, the protagonist is a light manipulator and has this ability called the Cut which, well, cuts. While it was implied that the Cut wasn't from her light manipulation abilities since her counterpart was someone who controls darkness and was essentially the only other person able to use the Cut. However, considering what I just said about darkness, it is perfectly possible that a very intense slash of pure light would have been able to chop a mountaintop off. Another is to spy or see things from places that you wouldn't be able to see from where you're standing. Telescopes help us see far away but only if certain light can reach it and light always travel in a straight line. Now, imagine a light manipulator who can get light to travel off-course and get it to some sort of device (or turn it into an illusion screen thing) that can show what is happening wherever the light came from.

[Quetzaloe]

@ little_Lyre

You do make some wonderful points, and bring up some really great ideas. There are a few that I maybe have a bit of issue with (lasers work more bc of the higher emissions of heat the accompany the light, not the light itself, and similarly, we burn bc of the radiation that comes with sunlight, not all lights cause burning unless accompanied by extreme heat). But I think they are still things that can easily be modified to make sense (such as with your idea of the lenses).

I think my problem with illusion is that technically, illusion depends heavily on perception, which is a personal experience since it takes part in each individual brain. Are we able to manipulate perception then, or simply sensations (the physical aspect of the senses)?

In the case that we are only able to manipulate sensation, that would (I think) primarily take the form of manipulating physical forces, such as light sources and intensity. For example, causing a translucent sphere to somehow emit light, and then controlling the intensity of said light ranging from dim to an intensity that could cause potential blindness, which you could then throw/launch at your enemies to do damage.

In the case of perception, we are able to "see" light (and everything else) because of the rods and cones in the eyes, which then connect to the occipital lobe in the back of the brain by way of the optical nerve. Eyes "receive" the sensation/stimulation, then send electrical signals up the optic nerve to the optical nerve where the signals are "interpreted", thus providing use with the perception of sight. This is why head wounds to the back of the head are so scary, damage to the occipital lobe can result in the inability to see, even though the eyes and nerve are intact. Whereas the eyes can be fixed, the brain is much harder to fix. It is also in the occipital nerve that we get illusions/delusions/hallucinations. Bc the brain can misinterpret the sensations for various reasons, altering our perceptions. The easiest way to manipulate perception then, would likely be having the ability to manipulate these rods and cones. Thus creating an illusion, but not by way of brain or nerve damage.

Not to say that you can't "create an illusion" physically. But that has more to do, again, with light intensity and control over slight details like wave frequency, which determine color. And while that might work on a small scale, the only perceivable way it would be possible for a singular person to make it work on a larger scale, like making the scene appear to shift, would be to have many people with the same ability working in tandem.

Even with the "shift" I'm not sure logistically how much sense that would make. I mean, I see what you are trying for, and I do think it could be a momentary distraction, but wouldn't more for more than the moment that it would take for the enemy to adjust. Therefore making it not worth the amount of effort it would take, unless you were continuously shifting the scene to make the enemy motion/sea sick by throwing off their sensation/perception of balance (vestibular).

EDIT: Upon further research, lasers actually work because of the energy that the light molecules produce. So again, it's a matter of intensity and focus. The heat is a by-product. So it would probably have to work with the lenses that you mentioned earlier in order to have any real impact. Therefore making it a sensation manipulation.

The type of lasers that you said can cut through diamonds, are to my understanding, a type of ultraviolet laser that fires with noncontinuous blasts rather than a continuous stream. But to get to this point, lots of concentrated light would have to be put through several filters, which undoubtedly requires lots of technical ability/machinery. So idk if that would be practical for adaptation in this type of scenario. It could be though, and I'm open to trying to come up with ways to use it if those of use with characters in this family group are willing to brainstorm and really want to use something like this. :3

[_Lyre]

@Living Breathlessly

Yes, a lot of what light can do would most likely be too complicated and essentially impossible for a light manipulator to do since it would probably require tremendous amounts of control and energy, not to mention the in-depth knowledge of light they'll probably need. However, I was thinking that some sort of technology can be involved that use their powers to accomplish extraordinary feats. Of course, this would also mean that there would be technology that could counteract their and others abilities which would be an interesting idea in this world, the nobles with those capabilities doing everything they can to keep such technology out of others hands while possibly developing their own methods to counter their enemies abilities and protect their own powers from harm (imagine some sort uprising led by the common populace wielding these types of inventions though).

Moving onto the shift thing, there actually are goggles that will shift someone's perception of the world (30 degrees to the right for example), and it has been noted that the person wearing it will eventually get used to it (their brain adapting to this new version of the world around them) and when the shift is taken away, they also take a while to adapt and orient themselves.

Now, illusions. Scientifically, it would be extremely difficult to create illusions like what you would find in a YA fantasy novel (Young Elites by Marie Lu for example) and it would take too much focus and detail for it to be efficient anyways, especially considering that the illusion-caster will most likely have to focus on other things while doing so as well. It would leave them considerably more vulnerable and the scenarios that illusion-creation have been used in stories, it's simply too dangerous and risky. There are things that would be much easier and less distracting to do, such as convince someone's eyes and brain that something is a different shade or color, but this isn't very useful unless someone or something is identified by the colors they are wearing or something, and even then people will have different perceptions of color. Something that is illusionary in nature but I think would be easier to do would to make things blurry in someone's eyes, which would make it more difficult for them. Or you can just make sure no light reaches their eyes and rob them of sight completely and deal with them when it's harder for them to fight back.

Moving onto another subject, heat. You mentioned that light emits heat, and this is a simple way for a light-manipulator to use their abilities. Use light to heat things up, which can cause a fire or explosion. This is another scenario where some sort of technology or invention would be useful. Imagine some sort of grenade or bomb for example, that once is heated to a certain temperature, will go off. Since light travels so fast, you could launch the projectile far, far away from you (and your allies) and aim an intense beam of light at the projectile, heating it up and getting it to go off where you want it to. This would require precise aim and knowledge of how to get to that temperature but I thought it was an interesting idea at any rate. Or you could just shoot an extremely intense and concentrated beam of light at something flammable and cause chaos that way (or make popcorn with your abilities).

Another idea I have is that light manipulators carry some sort of lenses or mirrors on them that they can use to focus, disperse and reflect light in a manner that would make certain tasks easier instead of just constantly controlling the light. It would certainly make things easier for them, especially of they are low on power. They also could carry some sort of portable and renewable source of light around with them just in case. In fact, I think that most powers would have tools and devices which can enhance them or change them in a way that would give them a new purpose and way to use them.

Also, are light manipulators merely control light or are they able to create or summon light from a distance as well? (I suppose that summoning light is merely a way of controlling light.) Light is a form of energy, and there's a finite amount of energy in the world. Other types of energy can be changed into light energy, but energy cannot be created out of thin air (or destroyed for that matter). I don't think that light manipulators can make light but I don't think that they can transform other types of energy into light energy either. So a way to render their powers useless would simply be to derive them of light, or not nearly enough light to do anything. However, would they be able to, say, summon light to where they are? If they're surrounded by things that light cannot penetrate, then it would be useless. But if there's even the tiniest opening for light to get through, could they potentially summon light from a certain distance away to them? And what would their general radius be for what light they can sense and for what light they can control?

[Quetzaloe]

@ little_Lyre

Again you bring up some very good points. I think I am satisfied with most of those solutions, such as not being able to "create illusions" so much as being able to prevent light from reaching the eyes/making things blurry, and using inventions to enhance abilities. Carrying lenses/small light sources around is a good idea too.

I'm not sure about "summoning light from a distance." If a light in provided in an otherwise dark room, then that can be manipulated. For example, if there's a crack in the wall and light leaks through, then there's already light provided that can be manipulated. There wouldn't be a need to "summon" it from anywhere. Plus, then that fits with conservation of energy. For example, in my form I mentioned the ability to create "star lights," multiple small balls of light. However, in order to produce these lights, there has to be another source of light/energy available for her to manipulate. Like taking light from a larger fixture in the ceiling and redirecting the light to come from several smaller points.

[_Lyre]

@Living Breathlessly

Yeah, that's what I thought too. (There could maybe a drawback to their powers like they would have to be able to see the light to control it? Which would bring up all sorts of interesting possibilities.)

Conclusion, it's best if the light-manipulator just bring around some sort of portable (and unlikely to die) source of light just in case. Light can be changed, not created or summoned out of thin air or destroyed.

[Quetzaloe]

@ little_Lyre

What about something like a lighter? Or something else that can produce a spark? That way it's small enough to be carried around super easily, and easy to be used. And while it won't provide a ton of energy, it'll provide enough of a start to get things going.

[_Lyre]

@Living Breathlessly

I was thinking maybe some sort of flashlight that uses body heat and/or solar power? It could even be turned into a bracelet or wrist band of some sort. I prefer the idea of something powered by body heat myself (the flashlight in the article is actually quite interesting), especially if it can be turned into some sort of jewelry which, being close to you, would be in perfect position to absorb your excess body heat. Also, it might be able to store the body heat for later just in case as well. Probably a good idea to have multiple light generators coming from different sources though.

[Quetzaloe]

@ little_Lyre

I do think that's interesting. I've never heard of those before but now I want one lol. Call me old fashioned, but I still like the idea of something manual like a lighter, just in case something goes wrong or breaks. But like you said, it couldn't hurt to have more than one source.

Quick side note, would you mind if I sent you a PM concerning character relations?

[_Lyre]

@Living Breathlessly

Of course I don't! I welcome all PMs concerning relations, might take a while for me to answer though.

[Reiy]

boop.

also i love that breakdown of light/dark powers lol
i was feeling a bit confused myself on what that might mean aside from the obvious