SLAY Magic System

This content describes the magic system used in SLAY, a serial podcast created and written by Scott Sigler.

Elements of Magic

Filaments

Magical energy is a consumable resource. It is generated by harvesting emotional energy from the "purblind," which are those that can't see the magical world around them.

Filaments are gathered from the purblind by "pullers."

Kinds of filaments:

• Love
• Hate
• Energy
• Fear
• Etc, all forms of emotions can be pulled into filaments.

How filaments are made

Filaments are gathered by "spinners." Spinners are specialists who focus on one kind of filament. They are similar in concept to the specialists in BLADE RUNNER, who work on skin only, or eyes only. etc.

Filament can also occur naturally within potentially powerful practitioners. This ability is genetic, passed down from one or both parents.

One who can produce filaments internally are know as a naturalis. A practitioners who can't produce filament internally are known an "affinitas," as they have an affinity for magic.

Jorogumo filaments

Jorogumo are a race of intelligent creatures descended from a spider-like demigod (a tsuchigumo).

Jorogumo magic is a different kind than "standard" magic. Jorogumo mages are naturalis. The Jorogumo ability to make threadwork faster than other races led to a great fear of the race, which contributed to persecution at all levels.

Alternate Names

"Filaments" are often called "threads."

Fibers

Filaments are bound into fibers by "spinners." Fibers are more concentrated versions of the same. Fibers can be of a single emotion, or can be made in emotional pairs (such as anger and mistrust) to make material for simple spells.

Mesh/Meshwork

Complex spells require weaving of fibers into "mesh," which is comparable to a net, a web, or, when denser and more powerful, to fabric. The most powerful of all is a tapestry.

Magic Materials

• Wood, metal, glass, and natural fibers can hold meshwork. Artificial materials can not.
• Silver still kills certain things because it's naturally poisonous to those things.
• (possible, not confirmed) Every spell and bit of magic must first be made into a physical object before its power can be used. Once a physical object is made, anyone can use it if they know how to activate it.

Magic Practitioners

• Pullers: Those who gather filaments. Pullers tend to specialize in harvesting threads from one emotion or a cluster of similar emotions. Pullers often have means to manipulate purblind into feeling those emotions at a high level, which makes harvesting easier.
• Spinners: Those who fashion filaments into fibers.
• Weavers: Those who weave fibers into meshwork (spells and magical items). Weavers combine fibers to make particular kinds of "mesh." Weavers have to combine particular kinds of magic in a recipe format (a-la eye of newt, pinch of salt, etc.). Weavers combine filaments into physical objects that have magical properties, such as spells, magic items, weapons, etc.

Magical Items & Techniques

Tension Knots

A kind of magical tripwire that, when crossed, alerts the weaver or activates a pre-spun spell.

Academies

Meshwork is taught at several places around the world and in the Patchwork.

• Mashreka (Persian: "Place of Meshwork"): The most famous meshwork academy, Mashreka is where adjurators of the The Bastion are trained. It is located in Tara Hecate (Hecate Land) in the Patchwork.
• Jāmeh Dānishkādeh (Persian: "Academy of Mesh"): Located in Hamadan, Iran, the Academy of Mesh was originally founded in the city of Ecbatana.
• Usparuti (Akkadian: "Place of Weavers"): The second-oldest known meshwork training place. It is located beneath the lost city of Akkad.
• Kusi-Kasiwara (Proto-Japonic: "Silk School"): The Jorogumo training academy, it was the first meshwork academy in existence. It was destroyed by the Bastion.