#world design

So tell me

What is magic in your world? What does it look like? What does it sound like? What makes it unique? It is through casting spells that are read off or is it in everybody naturally? Does everyone have magic? Can magic be stored? What makes something magical and something else not?

Once you got your basics down, the hard stuff follows suit

Casting & Fighting Style

What are the principles for magic being casted or used, because even if magic isn't exactly casted, surely it holds some sort of form, whether fluid or not.

I personally take great care in how magic casted, the appearance, the rituals, the style and dance of it all. This is where in my opinion one's magic system can stand out the most. Do people cast magic from their hands? Their focus and minds? Does it require a song and dance? Or an invocation? Or an ancient ritual?

How does the average person capable of magic access it? If magic is in everyone how do people learn to use it? That and many more questions are what I ask myself until eventually I have a magic system formed.

Requirements & Invocations

What is required in order to cast/use magic?

Can everyone do this?

What happens do those who can't?

Is any material, written or spoken word, or concoction needed to see the proper results of magic?

Is an energy, biological, effort, or otherwise required to use magic?

Do people rely on spellcasting focuses/tools to cast through (i.e. wands, tomes, staves)? Can it be anything (suitcase, toy plush, cane)? Can people do it straight from their hands, feet, body?

Is focus required?

You can always mix and match, there's no rule telling anyone their magic system can't be super complex or super simple. I personally prefer to make overly complex ones.

Religious/Spiritual vs Anatomical

Does the magic of a higher power ever affect the magic in your worldbuilding? Such as the ability for paladins and cleric's to call upon their god. Or a demigod being imbued with superhuman strength. Are there realms that were created by divine beings or materials that can be resourced from gods, angels, or demons.

Many of these same brainstorms can apply to the spiritual. Spirits, ancient animals of the forest, kami, youkai, and invoking one's ancestors could all easily be seen as a form of magic itself.

But what if magic is science and technology in a way? What if magic is anatomical? I'm a huge advocate for magic as a science, and for mana to run through one's veins. There's so much you could explore if magic is intertwined into one's health and/or anatomy.

Side Effects

I love when magic comes with side effects. I love angst. I love whump.

What happens if someone uses more magic than they can handle?

Can magic backfire?

Can magic fail?

Does using magic come with any side effects?

Do curses, hexes, vexes, blights exist?

What are the side effects of having magic used on you?

Can magic be used to hurt someone?

Can magic be used to hurt the caster?

Style

What does it look like?

I mean I don't have to ask much or infer much here.

Combat

Honestly, I could make an entire post alone about magic and combat utility, but for this sector I'm just going to say instead where there is an intelligent species and something to be innovated upon somebody will try to use it to kill someone else.

Health

Especially if magic is linked to one's anatomy, it would be intertwined with one's health. Double this if healing magic exist.

What makes things difficult is deciding how much magic affects one's health, and designing healing magic without it completely derailing the story/worldbuilding already at hand. I could make a whole post on healing magic too to be honest

Education & Legacy

Does the magic need to be passed on? How do younger generations learn of this magic? How do people maintain the magical artifacts of their world? Can people rely on mentors/teachers to train them? Etc. Etc.

Resources, Energy, Components

Energy

As they say you cannot create something from nothing, and usually when worldbuilding I apply that logic to magic too. Although you usually hear of energy or lifeforce such as mana, qi, ether, or lifeblood. You aren't technically limited to make life-energy your source (but I personally prefer to do it).

Whether a creature requires electricity, silk, shadow, soul, or blood there's all kinds of ideas for what powers someone's magical abilities.

But the resource to someone's power doesn't always have to be that simple. Maybe magic is more so a trade, you give something in return besides from energy. Maybe magic has a specialized source like a cursed sword or an amulet of power.

I mean there's endless ways one's magic can be sourced, and here's just a few examples I can think of

Soul and Silk in Hollowknight

Visions, Gnosis, and the Abyss from Genshin Impact

Possession & Mediums in Dandadan

Kyubey's wishes and magical girlhood in Madoka Magica

Cosmic Force in Star Wars

Crowns in Cult of the Lamb

Light in Sky: Children of the Light

Elements of Harmony in My Little Pony

Gems in Steven Universe

Religious spirituality in Faith

The Fears in The Magnus Archives

Resources & Components

You don't need to write down the ingredients to every potion and spell, but you do need to decide if ingredients are needed when it comes to magic. The same goes for vocal invocations, rituals, and dances. You can worry about the nitpicking and specialties later, because the easiest choice from here on out is to decide how most people acquire these recipes and resources.

Does the general public know about these requirements to magic? Is it seen as a typical everyday science? Can you go and find a store of magical maladies in every city? Or are people required to venture into the forest and find a witch's hut in order to achieve their wish?

World Standing

Now to tie the magic to the world around it, one of the most important aspects in my opinion. Without this step often times the magic doesn't really feel real to the characters, story, or worldbuilding. It can feel like a last minute McGuffin. In my own opinion, a magic system that feels detached to its characters or world often falls as a writing pet peeve of mine, although it's not really that serious.

Magic is just like technology in this instance.

What do most people think of magic? What do magic users think of magic? What advancements have been made using magic? Are there nonhuman/non-intelligence species that can use or interact with magic?

If magic is super prevalent then how is it integrated into everyday life? What technologies that would've been invented weren't in the stead of magic?

If magic is lesser known or discriminated against how does this affect the life of one that uses magic? Is it discriminated against through government means? Do mobs or organizations hunt/harm people who use magic? How do these groups put themselves on the same level as those who use magic in order to put them down?

If magic is part of some sort of secret society than how is it kept secret? The bigger the society more likely suspension of disbelief will be broken. Take for instance one of the biggest criticisms of Harry Potter (aside from all the blatant bigotry and transphobia of the writer) was how did these international magical organizations that were large to the point of having entire government ministries and terrorist organizations kept secret from normal human society 24/7.

The excuses made in the writing simply don't cut it, and it only gets stranger when you remember that some non-magical families have their kids sent to the big school. How did they find out about the school? Was a letter just sent? How are they convinced? Why would they agree to send their precious child to a random magical organization they've never heard of upon discovering that their kid might have magic powers?

What even decides if a family is magical or not? What even decides if a single person amongst a normal non-magical family is suddenly magical and needs to go to magic school that is also not known by the majority of humankind.

....Secret organizations aside let's talk innovation

Innovation, Innovation, Innovation

In a worldbuilding where magic is everything it should be everything. Intelligent species like humans are very good at innovation, and they will try to find the perfect use for everything they can get their hands on. How else could we have discovered the utility of drinking cow's milk, curdling milk into cheese, putting cheese between bread, inventing pizza, making ovens specially for pizza... etc. etc.

Everything you use in your daily life was once another human or civilization's innovation, and mankind will often reinvent the same thing over and over and over.

You analyze civilizations of ancient history and easily figure out why every coastline society has religious stories of a great flood. Anywhere with clay was bound to discover pottery. Anybody with brick was bound to place brick by brick together and create walls, then houses, then villages.

The same idea would apply theoretically to magic.

People would instinctively try to use magic in everything to discover its eventual uses, and since people aren't necessarily all saints, that includes weaponization.

If the magic in your worldbuilding is highly versatile it would be used in all kinds of things, from gardening, to warfare, to transportation, to animal husbandry, to agriculture, to family, and many more.

Higher Powers, Souls, & Spirits

Higher Powers

If higher powers do exist in your worldbuilding, does everyone believe in them? And does it really even matter?

Obviously if there is some kind of god running around in your worldbuilding with godly powers, it in someway, would be probably be tied to the magic. Whether if they exist simply as a god, and their magic never needs to be explained, or whether they rule over a specific branch of magic.... gods can be a powerful backbone in worldbuilding.

But focusing on their relationship to magic, what is theirs in your worldbuilding? Does the average magic user even know of their existence? Or do they prayer to a specific god or pantheon in hopes to receive just a smidge of their power?

Can people become gods through magic? Or see or commune with them? Or similar?

Souls & Spirits

And on a similar note... what about the paranormal in your worldbuilding? Do ghosts and spirits have any ties to magic? What about things such as youkai, cryptids, and kami? The undead?

Final Words

The Mindscape

A twisting mansion of halls, doors, and spiraling staircases, Lanyon's mindscape is a vast, extravagant space.

Most of the mindscape has an inherent purple hue; grand chandeliers also bathe the upper, more "frequented" areas in a golden light. However, the deeper you travel, the more sparse these golden lights become.

Lanyon doesn't have the same odd "compartmentalization" abilities that Jekyll does, leaving his mindscape much messier and more confusing, with very little of it being any sort of "organized". Furthermore Lanyon hasn't ripped himself down to a shell of a person like Jekyll has; nor does he suffer from the same self hatred as Jekyll and Hyde, making his mindscape much more lively.

Residents of the mindscape include mind versions of: Jekyll, Everly, Lanyon Sr., Lanyon's mother (though she acts as more of a ghost,) the shadow people, and the Nightmares™.

THE ROOMS AND LAYOUT

THE HALLS

The halls are long and confusingly twisty, covered in unmarked doors, blurry portraits, and golden chandeliers, as well as other occasional decorations and clutter. There are very few doors that actually stand out enough to know they're special, like the ballroom, greenhouse, library, alchemy room, and Lanyon Sr's office. Most of the special rooms are near the surface, never moving, as their influence on Lanyon's character and memories are too strong to be moved from near the subconscious.

Memories, however, do tend to shuffle around a bit, even moving between floors depending on how much Elias or Lanyon is thinking of it. This shuffling has the ability to bring nightmares up from deeper levels to the more "safe" ones.

Many of the halls tend to lead in circles or straight into dead ends, and some doors simply lead to more hallways.

THE POCKET WATCH

To combat the twisting and turning, Elias eventually realizes that his "broken" pocket watch acts more like a compass, pointing him in the general direction of where he wishes to go. Mindkyll also has a pocket watch like this, being one of the more mobile mind people (despite his slight limp.)

The pocket watch has the normal larger clock face, as well as a smaller one for "seconds". The hands all spin aimlessly until a destination is thought of. The hour and minute hands work together for general direction like a compass, while the seconds tell the level, with straight up/forward being a higher level, down being a lower level, and horizontal being the current floor. Elias only figured this out with Mindkyll's help.

Elias, Lanyon, and Mindkyll all have an inherent attachment to their given watches, and when they're in other hands or removed from their persons, they feel more lost and confused, as if they have brain fog.

THE LIBRARY

Lanyon spends a decent bit of his free time reading and watching plays and productions, so it only makes sense for him to have a grand library filled with the fleeting memories of these pasttimes.

The bookshelves are oppressively tall, and despite the number of books and scripts, most of them aren't quite readable, since their words have been at least partially forgotten. However, there are a decent few books that are mostly filled out, namely favourite stories or plays he's ingested, old school books (thanks to Jekyll's influence,) and partially filled out journals or phrases that stuck with him, either from other people or things he's told himself.

Additionally, there is a reading nook with a fireplace in one of the corners, since reading is a comfort he hasn't abandoned.

THE MUSIC ROOM

The music room is a cozy space with a few chairs, a fire place, a grand piano, other various instruments, and sheet music strewn and hung about. There's also a couple of paintings, but they're covered mostly in music sheets. One of the other notable instruments is a violin, though it doesn't get used until Elias comes around.

This room is where Mind Everly spends most of her time, when not in the greenhouse, of course. Most of the music pieces are either nonsensical, or genuine ones that the real Everly has played for Robert.

This room becomes a sort of safe space for Elias after certain...events.

THE BALLROOM

The ballroom is a large, extravagant 2 story room. The floor/lower space has walls lined with windows, bringing a golden light to the whole room. However, nothing can be seen on the other side of the windows. Pillars sit between a few of them, holding up a large, wrap-around balcony-- I.e the second floor. The lower space also has a large circular design in the middle of the floor.

The second floor also has windows, as well as a few doors-- one of which leads into Lanyon Sr's office, since Lanyon viewed the tie between his fathers work and status so strongly, both becoming his whole life.

Because of how much of Lanyons life was built around balls and gatherings, the room is filled with shadowy upper class folk, all with somewhat blury features. They tend to act quite mindlessly, seemingly at least somewhat under Mindkyll's Beck and call, but they do dance together and murmur nonsensical, unsettling things to each other. They don't say anything that can be made out, but their growing judgement towards anything odd in the ballroom and overlapping voices can cause panic quite easily.

This room is frequented by both Mindkyll and Mind Lanyon Sr. Mindkyll tends to roam around, framing and dancing with the shadow people, while Mind Lanyon Sr stays on the balcony above, ever watching and judging what goes on below.

THE GREENHOUSE/GARDEN

An overgrown greenhouse filled with various vines, shrubs, and flowers (with occasional symbolism). there's an area for plants directly in the ground, as well as tables covered in pots, metal rafters with hanging pots, and a couple of trellises. The room is mostly all glass-- which still can't be seen through, but gives a warm, comforting glow to the room. There's also a glass table, which seats 2, and a little nook in one of the corners.

A lot of the flowers tend to change, as well as "randomly" bloom and wilt.

Elias likes to spend a lot of time just sitting in this room, occasionally with mind Everly. He also likes cutting back the overgrowth, but it always comes back. He eventually starts to keep track of how the flowers change as well.

THE ALCHEMY LAB

Based heavily around Jekyll's office and Alchemy-covered university desk, the lab is a dark, candle-lit room cluttered with alchemy equipment, books, and potions. There's an odd green fog in the air, making it one of the only rooms that isn't bathed in purple or gold.

This is the other room Mind Jekyll tends to frequent, usually experimenting or organizing his things. Lanyon and Elias both try to avoid this room, as the air feels uncomfortably heavy and tainted.

THE OFFICE

Lanyon's personal office, though it's quite lacking in furniture. The room mainly consists of a desk, chair, scattered books, and a lone, curtained window. The walls are covered in portraits (mainly of his father) and the desk is littered with bills and paperwork. The room seems almost abandoned, at least until Elias comes around to it.

THE UNIVERSITY DORM ROOM

A memory of his dorm room with Jekyll. The window seems to give a faint blue light, though the curtain usually covers it (symbolizing how he hid the relationship and his feelings.)

Jekyll's desk has a few alchemy things scattered on it, as well as text books. There are bunk beds, but the top looks unused.

There are various objects in the room that trigger a memory when they're interacted with, since many core memories were made in the room, buried or not.

LANYON SR'S OFFICE

A large, oppressive office, lit primarily by the two windows. The shelves and tables are covered with books and paperwork. Mirrors litter the walls (symbolizing Lanyon's similarities to his father), as well as portraits.

Mind Lanyon Sr obviously frequents this room, doing random work and reading. The room is also directly connected to the second floor of the ballroom, high above everyone else to show how Lanyon believed his father to put himself and his work above everyone else. Lanyon tends to avoid this room, and the second floor of the ballroom in general, as it makes him feel exposed. Elias also tends to avoid this room, as it makes him feel small.

THE CHARACTERS

ELIAS WRIGHT (LANYON'S HJ7 ALTER)

His outfit gives a more "working class" feel, inspired by his father's youth. They're also far more comfortable than Lanyon's usual clothes, so Elias doesn't mind them too much. The outfit somewhat symbolizes Elias's working spirit, as well as his yearning for his Father's approval via following in his footsteps (to a certain degree), acting as a sort of errand boy around the society/for Jekyll. They also make him look ungentlemanly, simple, and weak, making him stand out in the mindscape.

He has a "broken" pocket watch on him at all times, which he instinctively feels very protective over, as it's somewhat linked to his being.

Additionally, in memories he can "take the spot" of Lanyon, letting the memory compulse him on how to move. He likes doing this to feel like he's still Lanyon-- like he's whole again.

Feelings wise, Elias isn't too against the mindscape for a good while, mainly in the beginning. While it is confusing and lonely, leaving him quite on edge most of the time, he does at least find solace in mind Everly, Mind Jekyll, and some of the rooms. He does have a few run-ins with nightmares, though he always manages to flee or be saved somehow by mind Everly or Jekyll. He prefers to stay on the higher levels where it's brighter and safer, though occasionally he does go down to dig through memories, much to mindkyll's masked annoyance.

He initially sticks around Mindkyll quite a bit, dancing and hanging out in the ballroom or alchemy lab with him, even if he occasionally makes Elias kind of uncomfortable. Elias is quick to trust him and his charm, falling into him as a safety since Mindkyll is so kind towards him, and since he resembles Jekyll so much. Mindkyll is also quite touchy and praising with Elias, feeding Elias's yearning for romantic intimacy from Jekyll. Mindkyll usually knows just what cards to play to make Elias either fall for his charm or feel bad for him. They do pursue something of a "relationship", and despite the occasional discomfort Elias feels, he is quite reliant on Mindkyll for a while, using him as a stand-in since the real Jekyll seems so unattainable.

Also, Elias finds Mindkyll's "sparkle machine" ability quite funny, but of course falls for it. On a few occasions he's accidentally sparkled back, shocking Mindkyll and somewhat offending him.

Additionally, Elias hangs with mind Everly a decent bit too, finding her to be a more calming presence among the greenhouse and music room. She gives him advice and lets him talk, acting as a sort of mental therapist. She doesn't like mindkyll. She'll play music for Elias or sometimes just sit with him in the greenhouse.

Elias somewhat avoids mind Lanyon Sr, rarely trying to get to the ballroom's second floor, unless he feels he has to. He also partially tries to avoid his fathers gaze, though sometimes he can't help but look up at Lanyon Sr watching over the ballroom, yearning to make his father proud of him. Lanyon Sr's critical gaze tends to make him feel small, cringing under the judgement.

A mind version of his mother also haunts the mindscape, though she is scarcely seen. She does seem to like Elias far more than Lanyon though, sometimes even holding Elias and calling him her baby. She only really shows up in the greenhouse, from what Elias has seen.

MIND JEKYLL

A resident of Lanyon's mindscape, he's a sparkly amalgamation of Jekyll and Hyde. Wandering between the ballroom, halls, and his lab, he mainly dances, experiments, and charms. He has phantom pains all around his body, stemming from Lanyon's constant fear of Jekyll getting hurt (especially via potion mishaps), and has a limp in his left leg from recurring nightmares of Jekyll stepping in a bear trap on the faithful Bleeding Heart Night™.

Before Lanyon and Elias split, mind Jekyll looked far more like normal Jekyll and acted a bit more awkward. however, after learning of Jekylls duality, mindkyll became a bit more Hyde like, his sideburns growing out, his hair growing messier, and gaining a hole filled cape and green hat, as well as gradient eyes. He hates his new appearance a decent bit, blaming Elias for it.

He spends most of his time in the ballroom, since Lanyon taught him how to act "proper" and he seemingly surpassed Lanyon at that, causing him to become a sort of icon to Lanyon in that sense. In the ballroom he's quite the charmer, going between the shadow people and playing them as he wishes, which stems from Lanyon's jealousy of how Jekyll acted (and still acts) with women at parties while they were together.

Mindkyll tends to feel an inherent hatred for Elias when Elias is around him, as if Elias's presence by itself just causes stabs of anger and resentment in him, though usually he can force this feeling down in order to keep his charming facade up. However, on top of that resentment, when he feels like he has any sort of control over Elias, he gets a swell of pride and power in his chest. He tends to get more inwardly cocky, which mixes with the hatred and makes him increasingly cruel at times, though he does mask that with his charm and sparkles. He's also very much emotionally manipulative, pulling at Elias's weaknesses and the slight inherent attraction Elias has for him, since he looks like Jekyll and such. He doesn't really tend to outwardly show any of his hatred of course, since he wants to keep Elias's trust for the most part, but he does Harbor Lanyon's resentment and repression of all those "weak" emotions and such. Additionally, he holds a lot of Lanyon's "rebellious" stage, feeding off of the power he gets from having control.

He also lets off sparkles as a sort of defense mechanism for when he feels threatened or starts getting impatient/aggravated. They have a somewhat calming effect, most of the time at least, made to distract people from his real intentions and feelings. Occasionally, however, their impact/sway is dulled, like against Mind Everly. Eventually, Lanyon starts becoming more resistant to their sway, and after a certain future event, so does Elias.

MIND EVERLY

Mind Everly tends to avoid the ballroom, so she doesn't really interact with the shadow people unless she has to. She's also surprisingly adept at fighting off the nightmares. When Mind Mumyon randomly shows up in the garden, or on rare occasions the music room, she'll kinda just chat with her and keep her company until she wanders off/disappears again. With Mindkyll, Everly tends to be a bit "low patience" with him, not really playing into his charm and tending to ignore him.

Mind Everly knows she's just a part of Lanyon, being one of his main comforts and someone that he confides in, and she's quite alright with doing her thing and occasionally helping out Elias or Lanyon. She's just as sweet and trustworthy as the real Everly, acting somewhat as a therapist and general advice giver. She's also quite protective of Elias after certain events.

She frequents the Music room and the Garden, only occasionally going into the ballroom if she feels she has to. She completely avoids the alchemy lab, and only goes into Lanyon's office every once in a while to clean it up a bit.

MIND LANYON SR

Mind Lanyon Sr looks quite similar to the real one, just far more oppressive and judgemental, far more emotionally detached than the real one. He has a distressing aura to him, causing discomfort to the shadow people and monsters and annoyance to most of the other mind people that get close to him. Mindkyll seems to be the outlier to this, as he generally tolerates Mind Lanyon Sr's presence quite well, even occasionally seeking it out.

He usually hangs out on the second floor of the ballroom, staring down and judging the people below. He's this ever-watching presence, detached but still close enough to control things-- or at least seem like he could. Otherwise he frequents his office, doing work, reorganizing, or reading.

He'll occasionally hang out with Mindkyll, vaguely talking to him and slipping him praises. He sees him as more successful, fond of him in a "my son should be like you" way. Despite this, he still gets quite judgemental of Mindkyll when he looses his temper or shows his more "mad scientist" side.

His feelings towards Elias are a little mixed. For the most part, Mind Lanyon Sr is constantly judging Elias, disgusted by his emotional vulnerability and how he's everything the real Lanyon Sr tried to get rid of in his son. But, on the other hand, occasionally he can't help but be the *slightest* bit proud of the fact that Elias has at least SOME work ethic.

Were Elias to try and talk to mind Lanyon Sr, he would probably be met with Mind Lanyon Sr ignoring him, silently judging him, and/or verbally jabbing at him, pointing out his flaws. Elias is quite heartbroken at this, but for some reason he tries to get Mind Lanyon Sr's approval a handful of times before finally giving up, cringing under his stern, judging gaze.

Otherwise, he's aware of his state as a concept and is quite fine with it, intent on keeping Lanyon and Elias in line, in his own detatched way.

LANYON'S MOTHER (CELIA)

Cecilia Lanyon (Mumyon) somewhat haunts around the mindscape, quite scarcely seen. Because of her distance and detatchment towards her son, she rarely shows up, and when she does it's usually in the greenhouse, since she mainly "bonded" with Lanyon by having him help tend the garden occasionally. Since at home she was also commonly hysterical, Mind Celia is generally quite blank, but occasionally snaps a bit emotionally.

When Lanyon is around her, she tends to somewhat blankly stare at him, VERY occasionally actually talking or acting motherly towards him. Elias, however, tries to drag a bit more of that motherly persona out. He yearns for validation and affection from both of his parents, and the mindscape if the only place he'll ever possibly be able to get it. She occasionally seems to give him a little of the attention he wants, talking in very short sentences when they're together in the greenhouse, maybe pointing out flowers or their symbolism. Sometimes she does seem quite cynical, however, which tends to throw Elias off.

Her and Mind Lanyon Sr don't really ever interact, unless Mind Celia just happens to silently join him on the second floor of the ballroom for "show". She mostly ignores mindkyll, but has snapped at him at least once. Otherwise, she usually just tolerates him. She likes Mind Everly well enough, it's hard to dislike her, and she enjoys listening to Mind Everly's music.

Most of the time she's not the most aware of things, but she does have her more clear moments.

(Cecilia Eleanor Lanyon was made by my friend Luka ( @lukas-broken-bow ), while mind Celia was adapted by me bc her character EATS, THANK YOU FOR DEVELOPING HER LUKA, I LOVE HER)

THE NIGHTMARES

The nightmares take on a lot of forms, with one resembling Morcant being the most notable. Along with that, however, there's also many "mad scientists", physically ruined by their science, and various magical creatures and monsters, like vampires (there's one with a resemblance to Dracula), other werewolves, and reanimated things (ones that are especially gory, since Lanyon is disgusted by things like exposed innards,wounds, and rot.) There's also a nightmare "Hyde", who is somewhat formless and mainly causes general havoc and stalks around.

With the twisting of the mindscape and so many doors scattered about, the nightmares tend to stay in lower levels, trapped behind said doors or simply lost, especially if Lanyon keeps them off of his mind. However, when thought of or triggered via seeing or hearing something (or occasionally at random), doors will open or memory rooms will move, allowing nightmares to find themselves closer to the subconcious. They're also more active in higher layers in moments of higher stress, or heavy sleep deprivation, as those " doors" become harder to unconsciously keep closed.

Mindkyll is somewhat fearful of them, some more than others, but when they're closer to his ballroom or lab, he tends to be less scared. Or, when he needs to swoop in and "save" Elias from a couple of nightmares, he tends to forget some of his fear. Mind Everly is somewhat scared of them, but is more so annoyed by them. Mind Lanyon Sr. doesn't really have to deal with them, considering his spot on the balcony, and simply watches when they come about.

THE SHADOW PEOPLE

The shadow people are vague, blurry high society folk that remain in the ballroom. They're all dressed very well, their bodies partially see-through as if they're mere ghosts.

The shadow people don't really interact with anyone but each other and Mindkyll, since he somewhat has control over them. They dance amongst each other, muttering nonsensically until their "words" all blur together. They're not very aware of anything, all in all quite mindless, but when there's anything "wrong" or "ungentlemanly", that's when they act more. Their voices start to rise, despite still being mere whispers, growing more cacophonous and anxiety-inducing as they stare. Their judgement of anything odd is ceaseless, usually only calming at Mindkyll's demand or when the oddity leaves the ballroom.

Additionally, mindkyll can manipulate them to react in other basic ways, like acting charmed or shocked, and he usually does it for his own enjoyment. When a nightmare manages to get into the ballroom, the shadow people aren't targeted. Instead they grow more sinister looking, especially expression wise, and their mutterings take on a certain sharpness, their judgements growing harsher. Usually mindkyll needs to remove of the nightmare for them to act normally again.

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