Abyss Magic
"... if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” - Nietzsche
While the name may conjure mental images of the ocean, Abyss magic gains it's name from the concept of emptiness; the blank, the vacant, the hollow.
Abyss is the antithesis of Reality magic. It allows for the phasing of things out of the wielder's reality, effectively causing them to cease to exist, including but not limited to: objects, other creatures, and even parts or all of oneself - the user may also turn themselves effectively invisible via this method with advanced mastery, though it requires an equally advanced understanding of what planes of reality one exists on, which has led to the mysterious disappearances of a number of Abyss storkies who weren't as knowledgeable as they believed themselves to be.
While Abyss storkies are understandably feared by a number of their cohabitants, some have found rewarding places in their societies through the use of their magic, which includes but is not limited to: removal of dangerously decrepit structures, environmentally-safe waste disposal, and banishing of dangerous creatures/entities.
The fear associated with Abyss magic mainly stems from the less well-understood aspects associated with it - where do these things go? What happens to them? Are they just gone, or do they continue to exist elsewhere? Only Abyss storkies who come to understand the deeper nature of reality and it's layers know for sure.
The eyes of Abyss storkies always have dark sclera and white pupils by default, and are said to resemble dying stars. Their magic expression presents itself as turbulent pockets of darkness that often resemble clouds with glowing orbs reminiscent of their eyes scattered throughout, sometimes "blinking" out of existence and reappearing in other locations. Within the center of the magic expression, there is nothing - an empty patch that effectively erases the view of whatever is behind it, giving it the appearance of having created holes in the world around the wielder.
Domain
The Abyss domain includes, but is not limited to:
- Phasing physical matter outside the range of the user's reality, such as structures, creatures, parts of oneself or even entire locations at paragon level
- The ability to move between states of reality - this includes the world they currently exist in, and the stark emptiness that lies beyond
- The ability to phase between the layers of one's reality to become invisible, though risky to attempt
Leveling Guide
Novice: Default Level
You're ready to begin a journey that many would fear to start! What you make of this journey will determine how far you go - not everyone has what it takes to make it to the end. You're starting to get the hang of making small objects disappear, though they don't always stay that way. At least you learned to watch out for falling rocks, albeit the hard way.
Advanced: Unlocked at 100 MP
Well, look at you; you've finally gotten the hang of banishing objects from this reality! You're success rate is still lower than 100%, but you've moved on to things bigger than rocks and bugs. You still mostly rely on your target being stationary to phase them out of reality, though you're quickly learning how to keep up with moving objects.
Adept; Unlocked at 200 MP
You're now capable of not only phasing out moving objects that are traveling at a reasonable speed, but you've gained the ability to phase out larger entities, such as creatures closer to your size - use this wisely, though, as you're still unsure where these things go to.
If you concentrate hard enough, you can sometimes glimpse the layers that make up your reality. You still don't quite understand how to interact with them properly, but you're getting close to a breakthrough - you've managed to slip a paw through here and there, making them disappear temporarily to others around you.
Master; Unlocked At 300 MP
You've almost made it to the end of your journey, and what a journey it has been. You now have a grasp on phasing out objects larger than you - trees, animals, the occasional house, you name it. You've learned to interact with the layers of your reality more precisely, and now can slip fully between them to vanish if you so choose. Just be careful to keep an eye on where you came in!
Paragon
You've arrived at your destination, and hopefully the journey was worthwhile. Are you who you expected you would be at this point?
You have mastered phasing objects out of your world, and your sights may now lie on things that are far bigger than you - entire towns, towering goliaths, perhaps even mountains; banishing physical matter from this reality is hardly a challenge anymore. You've also discovered that you can reside within the layers of your reality if you so choose - the emptiness that lies beyond is no longer something that mystifies you, it now feels like home.
Disclaimer: As per CS rules, this magic may not be used to depict any kind of gore or blood
