Thermica is the art of manipulating energy. Everything in existence is energy in some form, and those born with the gift can tap into this truth.
The Laws of Thermica
Rule 1. Conservation
Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It must come from somewhere and go somewhere.
Rule 2. Release
Stored energy that isn’t released in time will force its way out violently.
(eg. Example: Kinetic energy may launch the caster into the air.)
Rule 3. Loss
All conversions are imperfect. Every act of magic releases unusable heat, entropy.
Rule 4. Heat Buildup
The more energy a mage channels, the hotter their body becomes. Push too far, and the mage burns alive from the inside.
Rule 5. Efficiency
Practice reduces energy loss, but no one reaches perfection. Most mages plateau at ~90% efficiency.
The Seven Energies:
Casters can manipulate the seven primary forms of energy:
- Thermal – Heat, fire, conduction.
- Kinetic – Motion, momentum, impact.
- Light – Visible spectrum, reflection, refraction.
- Electrical – Currents, sparks, fields.
- Sound – Vibration, resonance, shockwaves.
- Radiant – Broader electromagnetic spectrum (beyond light).
- Radiation – Nuclear and radioactive forces (dangerous, unstable).
Entropy (waste heat) cannot be manipulated.
Risks & Costs:
- Entropy Residue - Every spell leaves behind unstable and unusable heat.
- Overload - Drawing too much energy at once chars the mage from the inside. Corpses are often blackened husks, sometimes ruptured by steam or glowing burns.
- Heat Radiation - Excess energy radiates into the environment.
Social Role of a caster:
- Once viewed as outcasts, mages are now largely integrated into society.
- Many live normal lives with families, jobs, and homes.
- Some serve as “human engines" powering public transport or machinery by channeling their energy safely.
- Training is rare and casters have to rely on trial and error.
Uses & Abuse:
- Everyday Use: Heating food, lighting lamps, powering small machines, cooling drinks, amplifying sound.
- Industrial Use: Public transport, factories, construction work.
- Military Use: Energy manipulation can turn the battlefield into a furnace, collapse buildings with resonance, or redirect bullets with kinetic manipulation.
Edge Cases & Advanced Concepts
- Chaining: Multiple mages can cascade conversions (e.g., sound → kinetic → light), but losses compound quickly.
- Ambient Feeding: Casters can draw from fires, thunderstorms, crowds, or any dense energy source to sustain themselves.
Ethics & Law:
- Draining life-linked energy (like food energy or brain electricity) is considered a crime — often murder.
- Industrial mages sometimes face stigma as “expendable batteries,” though society is divided on whether this is exploitation or civic duty.
