Offetstine Wiki - User contributions [en]

Serpents

2023-11-23T23:30:41Z

Barelyhuman: grammar

{{Stub}}

{{Infobox criminal organization
|name=Sonia's Serpents
|insignia=[[File:Serpents logo.png]]
|date_founded=<abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 1941
|founder=[[Sonia Versace]]
|relations=[[Coalition]] ''(rival, former)''
[[Ringleaders]] ''(rival)''

[[Bishops]] ''(rival)''
}}

The '''Serpents,''' known more precisely internally as '''Sonia's Serpents,''' are a criminal organization in [[Offetstine]] founded by the [[vampire]] and mafioso [[Sonia Versace|Sonia "Venom" Versace]] <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 1941, when she emigrated from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States United States] citing persecution for her criminal activities and took it upon herself to found a new criminal empire in England. Since following the disbandment of the [[Coalition]], many of their old members were recruited by the Serpents, they are considered by some as a "Neo-Coalition", a term more traditionally used to refer to the [[Ringleaders]] and other organizations that spawned at the time and recruited old members of the organization; however, this classification is rebuked by some as the Serpents were over 50 years old at the time the Coalition disbanded.

After the Ringleaders, the Serpents are the second-largest criminal organization by territory in Offetstine, with about three-fifths the territory in terms of area. Before the disbandment of the Coalition, they only controlled a small region in the city center. Their territory is chiefly contested by the [[Bishops]], a criminal organization which arose from a vampire hunting guild chiefly in response to the Serpents being headed by a vampire; as such, the Bishops positions itself as an organization against organized crime, and frequently intrudes on Serpent territory. In addition, the Serpents are rivaled to the Ringleaders, and formerly the Coalition.

Ostensibly, both publicly and to lower-ranking members of the organization, the Serpents are headed by a group of managers of equal status, who have earned their title from longstanding contribution to the organization; however, they ultimately defer to Versace for official matters. Though Versace is not actively involved in the field any longer, she does occasionally present herself to members of her organization as another such manager.

== History ==

Born into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States Prohibition era] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City New York City], Versace has been involved in the criminal underworld for the majority of her life. She was turned into a [[vampire]] at 25 years old and joined the organization of her sire, though it eventually dissolved, and by 1941, she determined she needed to emigrate from the United States citing her criminal past and violent practices. She forged a new identity in [[Offetstine]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England England] and eventually began to recruit members to build out a new criminal organization.

During the period, Versace also established the Versace Heritage Butchery, a front for her operations and a purported family business, which she identified herself as the matrilineal heir of when the assumed identity of her mother became too old for her [[Immortality|immortal]] body. Over the next five decades, she slowly expanded the scope of her nascent criminal organization, and was mostly uncontested in the mundane human space, with most potential competitors being quickly edged out. The primary contest to the Serpents came from the Coalition, which, despite its small membership of only about 60 members,{{Amend}} proved formidable due to its demi-human exclusivity, as its members were typically proportionally more powerful.

When the Coalition eventually disbanded, some analysts hypothesized that the Serpents were involved, orchestrating the assassination of its vampiric leader [[Raja]], or other such. These hypotheses have been contested by later committee analyses, noting that despite the enigmatic nature of the Coalition's leadership, the primary muscle of the Serpents was human, and the organization was poorly equipped to contest the vampire. [[Raja#Proxies|Nere Szwedko]], the only member of the Coalition who was directly familiar with its founder and leader at the time and who did not disappear after its disbandment, refused comment on the affair, noting she wanted to put all affairs of the Offetstine underground behind her.

Despite this, after the disbandment of the Coalition in 1997, the Serpents specifically campaigned to recruit as many as possible of the organization's former members, making such promises as a quick path to the upper echelons of the Serpents, and a meritocratic attitude which the Coalition was reputed to sorely lack. They successfully enlisted about one-third of the former members, though precise numbers are not public. While the total sum of the recruitment effort, about 20 people, was seemingly diminutive, their [[demi-human]] identities and strong [[Magic|magical]] powers were identified as significant assets for the Serpents, enabling them to rapidly expand and seriously contest the nascent Ringleaders.

To date, while the Serpents are embroiled in conflict with the Bishops and Ringleaders, they have not made any significant moves. While members regularly engage in racketeering and other criminal activities, the broad scope of the Offetstine criminal underworld has remained largely the same.
[[Category:Criminal organizations]]

Psychic powers

2023-11-22T01:54:25Z

Barelyhuman: psychic

Psychic magic is a moderately-sized class of magic that involves the projection and influence of will on the outside world, where the primary source is the mind of the wielder. Such practitioners are referred to as psychics, whose abilities are most often inherent. Some forms of psychic magic have been taught to otherwise normal humans.

The skill of psychics come typically from intense training to refine and expand the power, as with most magic. The method is variable, however; monkhood is a particularly popular choice for psychics of all skill levels, but this does not exclude others such as psychological study, supernatural exposure, and technological enhancement.

== Common Types of Psychic Magic ==

=== Telekinesis ===
Telekinesis is the manipulation of matter using psychic power, wherein such psychics are referred to as telekinetics. The practice is similar to natural work and energy, in the sense that more “effort” being used in an action will result in more work being possible. This is the most direct psychic power used in combat, controlling weapons or the body of the enemy to inflict damage from afar. It similarly can be used defensively, where a common skill is “catching” projectiles to protect oneself from harm.

More complex forms of telekinesis include levitation (and flight, by extension) by controlling one’s body, transfiguration by manipulating matter into certain particular shapes, and even changing the intermolecular bonds.

=== Telepathy ===
Telepathy is the ability to emit and/or receive information from other minds within a given proximity. This psychic practice is considered simpler and easier to learn than others, as it remains entirely outside material reality, merely manipulating “psychic” energy (see Theories).

The practice is further divided into the capabilities of psychics: “passive telepaths” (known colloquially as mind readers) are only able to receive information from surrounding persons, often perceived as “hearing” others’ thoughts. “Active telepaths” possess the ability to project their thoughts onto others. In this way, others who may not have psychic capabilities will “hear” the telepath’s thoughts (though often will dismiss it as hallucinatory, if they are not previously informed). “Dual telepaths” are an uncommon class that can both receive and transmit thoughts. This skill has led to the alternative name “conversationalists”, due to the manner in which such telepaths can manage a two-way, purely psychic communication.

=== Suggestion ===
Also known by the more derogatory term “mind control” and the less sophisticated “hypnosis”, suggestion is similar to active telepathy. However, the distinction arises from the compulsion victims feel to follow the instructions given to them.

Akin to the real psychological practice of hypnosis, suggestion is most powerful whenever the action or belief is already something which the victim would want to do. Such suggestions become more difficult the further they deviate from one’s existing tendencies, often as a conflict moral principles. For example, it would take a powerful psychic to convince someone to kill their friend in cold blood, but it would be extremely easy in comparison to convince that same person to eat a meal they enjoy.

The word “victim” to describe those under the influence of such hypnotists is a controversial subject, but it relies on the understanding that all suggestions necessarily override consent. For this reason, suggestion is considered an immoral practice. In certain circumstances, hypnotists can obtain consent prior to any action committed and only lightly influence behavior, such that any strong objection on the part of the victim would break the weaker “bond”. Currently, the morality of practices is hotly debated.

== History ==

Magic

2023-11-11T09:05:12Z

Barelyhuman: filled out the necromancy spot. made some assumptions, please check for validity and edit as needed.

'''Magic''' is a broad and diverse concept that underpins the primary diversion of the fictional world of Offetstine from the real world. Practicioners of magic, often referred to as '''mages,''' form a diminutive yet significant subset of the total population of the world of Offetstine.

== Practices ==

Various magical practices exist in the world of Offetstine that usually have parallels to real-life pseudosciences or schools of magic in fantasy fiction. In many cases, the same name refers to a family of independently derived practices, which are often quite different in nature. Due to the fundamentally underground nature of magic as per the [[Masquerade]], developments in magic very rarely trickle back to human science, although the fields are nonetheless considered pivotal to each other in their shared quest for applied, empirical knowledge.

While it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of magical practices, for the same reasons as it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of demi-human species, as the art of [[species taxonomy]] nonetheless aims to create. To that extent, this list is incomplete.

<blockquote>'''Editor's note:''' This section is ''very'' incomplete. There is no world in which the two most important fields of magic are "alchemy" and "necromancy". Fix urgently.
</blockquote>

=== Spellcasting ===
Spellcasting describes any practice of producing magical work that does not require biologically ingrained magic. For this reason, spells can even be learnt by nonmagical entities, such as humans. Spells rely on an underlying, metaphysical set of rules, sometimes requiring items, life force, energy, or multiple casters. What magic is ultimately performed is a result of the will of the casters combined with these underlying rules, resulting in a functionally limitless amount of possible outcomes.

The art of learning spells requires immense dedication and is often considered prestigious. Institutions that pass down spellcasting exist in Offetstine, hidden from normal society.

=== Rituals ===
Rituals (also referred to as rites) are a class of practices that, like spellcasting, can create a wide range of effects based off the intent and composition. Rituals are even less discriminatory on creators than spells; nearly all rites can be prepared, engaged, and finished by anyone.

Commonly stationary, rituals use the chemical, mechanical, and magical energy that is stored in participants or items, either depleting or destroying them when completed.

=== Alchemy ===
''Full article: [[Alchemy]]''

Named for the real-life pseudoscience of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy alchemy], often understood as the forebearer to modern chemistry, and its subsequent reifications in fantasy fiction, alchemy refers to the diverse set of magical arts in Offetstine that focus on the craft of potions and other materials that bear magical properties.

=== Necromancy ===

''Full article: [[Necromancy]]''

Necromancy is a class of magic that consists of invoking biologically dead beings. Among the practitioners (necromancers), entities that are physiologically deceased are “dead”, and those which have been reanimated are “undead”. Though long-standing human literature has led many to consider necromancy unpleasant or downright taboo, many contemporary practitioners exercise caution and can receive consent from living relatives.

Necromancers often exert their will onto multiple undead to fight or work on their behalf, called “indiscriminate” necromancy. In this state, creatures will be extremely frail and exhibit no higher brain functions. This contrasts to a “focused” necromancy, in which the particular subject is animated to restore brain function and consciousness; this practice can be used to retrieve information otherwise lost to time or entirely restore a deceased as passably living. The act of legitimate revival, such that subjects are physiologically and cognitively restored to a pre-death condition, is considered extraordinarily difficult. It is beyond the strength of most necromancers to reanimate in this way.

== History ==

Magic is typically understood to have originated from demi-humans in prehistoric times, coinciding with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic_Revolution Neolithic Revolution]. Common myths state the initial practitioners of magic were demi-humans who unknowingly used the power to guard their interests, such as through the [[Illusion magic|illusion]] of [[animal-folk]], to hide their inhuman traits and uphold the Masquerade. These demi-humans are said to have expanded on their practice and developed it into serviceable general-purpose forms that augmented the technology of the time, and as such passed the practice down through generations.

Magic practices are said to have eventually spread through certain isolated human communities who were already exposed to magical energy, although since the practice of magic is predicated on that exposure, most humans were unable to take up the practice. Even to date, mages remain a highly exclusive circle of individuals, far overshadowed by demi-humans who are either magically empowered or controlled but do not practice a general-purpose form of magic. However, especially at the time, mages were frequently opposed by mundane humans to whom they demonstrated their powers, and the practice of general-purpose magic was largely vilified even in communities where demi-humans were accepted.

The precise cause of this effect is unknown, although the vilification is commonly attributed to the malicious portrayal of mages in common superstitions which stem from religious myth. The source of religious myth in Offetstine varies, either being born of interpretations of demi-humans such as spirits and deities, or of entirely mundane means, though despite the prevalence of magic in Offetstine, even mages and demi-humans lack consensus as to the particular truth of any particular religious myth. However, in part because of this persecution, magic is often viewed by mages as a secular art, detached from the doctrine of any particular faith.

== Culture ==

Mages are generally known to form isolated communities when possible. Magic is often considered a carefully guarded secret, in part by virtue of the Masquerade, but even to the extent that demi-humans who do not practice a general-purpose magic are excluded from communions of mages. The Masquerade is varyingly recognized as either imperative statute to the continued and safe existence of magic in Offetstine, or archaic and discriminatory legislation that stunts the scope and pervasiveness of the practice. As many members of the [[Veilkeepers]], the organization responsible for upholding the Masquerade, are themselves mages, conflicting perspectives are even more pervasive from within the organization.

Mages occasionally form underground communities in regions where magical energy is abundant, as presence in such areas further empowers them. For instance, one such location is [[Cedar Crest University]], a university built around an ancient cedar tree commonly recognized to amplify magical energy. While due to the Masquerade, the university cannot openly acknowledge its openness to demi-humans or mages, its founder, the mundane human [[Erin Hazell]], has previously privately acknowledged the magical community which sprung up around her institution and given it her blessing.

Due to the nature of the Masquerade prohibiting overt communication, societies of mages and demi-humans have historically favored the use of telecommunications gear to facilitate communication. The use of ciphers and encryption traces back to the roots of magic in Offetstine, where grimoires were frequently written in high-entropy ciphers or mystical languages unknown to humans, and ephemeral messages were often communicated in cant. In modern times, criminal organizations such as the [[Coalition]] and [[Ringleaders]], both of which limit their membership to demi-humans, have created encryption toolkits for private use. One such framework, [[CREST]], has found use across the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] for computer-aided secure communications between mages.

=== Secrecy ===

Mages generally express mixed perspectives with regards to the Masquerade in Offetstine. While some mages note the benefits that magic has to the broader scientific community, a perspective especially shared by [[#Magical epistemology|magical epistemologists]], others argue that the continued existence of the Masquerade is critical for protecting magical civilization from mundane human oversight.

The exact motives for the Masquerade vary by individual. Generally, the most prevalent belief is fear of persecution. Mages and demi-humans frequently rationalize that through the exposure of their secret, humans will launch military-scale attacks out of fear. As many schools of magic pose threats that mundane humans are plainly unequipped to deal with, such as the [[Psychic magic|mind control]] of many [[Vampire|vampires]], such a hypothetical war is suspected to end in a conclusive victory for demi-humans and mages. Despite this, such a victory is projected to herald the casualties of, among others, humans who are falsely suspected to be mages, demi-humans such as many subspecies of [[Harpy|harpies]] who are weaker than humans, and mages who are genuinely interested in the betterment of humanity such as magical epistemologists.

Another common belief that is often used to justify the Masquerade, though often frowned upon from within and without, is the notion of supremacy conferred by magical powers, especially demi-human nature. Certain communities of mages view themselves as inherently superior to humans by virtue of their powers and through their exclusive nature. This belief is typically countered by the viewpoint that the ability to wield magic is a skill, and thus is not a privilege, but rather the result of innate ability, with no inherent difference between the average human and a mage. Despite this, it remains the foundation of the [[Coalition]], a defunct criminal organization in Offetstine, which during its height was exclusive to demi-humans and quite prevalent.

== Concepts ==

=== Demi-humanity ===

''Full article: [[Demi-human]]''

'''Demi-humans''' are a rare and diverse class of magical species that roughly demonstrate some form of humanity, usually in the form of sapience and humanlike bodies. While their exact nature is difficult to pinpoint, demi-humans are most often the result of magic affecting the body of an otherwise biologically human individual (such as with [[Vampire|vampires]] and [[Harpy|harpies]]), or causing a humanlike entity to manifest in a human-populated area (such as with [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]]).

While demi-humans are magical in nature, only a subset of them are themselves mages. Most demi-humans have magical abilities and powers, commonly including shapeshifting and various psychic powers, and they are generally not considered to be mages in their own right. Only some demi-humans are able to command a full, general-purpose school of magic and are considered mages.

=== Magical epistemology ===

'''Magical epistemology''' is the idea, named for its respective branch of philosophy, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology epistemology], that magic is a fundamental branch of the pursuit of knowledge as it pertains to humanity and demi-humanity. Many fields of science (especially anthropological and humanitarian, such as archeology and medicine) and magic regularly overlap in scope, and to that extent, it usually benefits mundane humans and mages alike to ensure that information and knowledge is exchanged between the two parties.

While no overt relations can exist as a consequence of the Masquerade, and under threat of the endangerment of many humans at the hands of more powerful mages, and vice versa, mages of the belief of magical epistemology often attempt to communicate knowledge and best practices across the barrier.

Despite this, due to the fact that magic often has a knack for violating certain laws of physics, especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy those of thermodynamics], and the exact nature of this relation prevents many magical innovations from reaching the human world, or even being used to affect large swathes of people.

Some mages have used their talent to excel at human arts, such as the somewhat infamous schoolteacher, mathematician and aerospace researcher [[Eliza Teak]], who has markedly used her magic to aid with space travel, chemical production and engineering and silicon fabrication. However, this is a niche use case and magic remains a largely private art.

=== Will of the People ===

One of the most prevalent ideas of magic in Offetstine is that concepts are often reified by nature that are prevalent in the minds of people, often referred to concretely as the '''Will of the People.''' Many concepts in the world of Offetstine, including magical species such as [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]], are usually considered to be born only because of their prevalence in the minds of people.

Similarly, many common species, especially those that have notable ties to folklore such as most subspecies of [[vampire]] may usually trace their progeny back to a time and place in which the folklore was especially culturally prominent, such as in fictional storytelling, religious mythology or superstition, again implying that they were "willed into existence", as it were, by the people.

The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is still unknown, and notoriously difficult to harness despite the abundance of humans who have attempted to leverage this known phenomenon to confer magical power unto themselves. The relation of this power to social concepts of ethics and sympathy is unknown.

Magic

2023-11-09T16:12:59Z

Barelyhuman: added spells and rituals to magic

'''Magic''' is a broad and diverse concept that underpins the primary diversion of the fictional world of Offetstine from the real world. Practicioners of magic, often referred to as '''mages,''' form a diminutive yet significant subset of the total population of the world of Offetstine.

== Practices ==

Various magical practices exist in the world of Offetstine that usually have parallels to real-life pseudosciences or schools of magic in fantasy fiction. In many cases, the same name refers to a family of independently derived practices, which are often quite different in nature. Due to the fundamentally underground nature of magic as per the [[Masquerade]], developments in magic very rarely trickle back to human science, although the fields are nonetheless considered pivotal to each other in their shared quest for applied, empirical knowledge.

While it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of magical practices, for the same reasons as it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of demi-human species, as the art of [[species taxonomy]] nonetheless aims to create. To that extent, this list is incomplete.

<blockquote>'''Editor's note:''' This section is ''very'' incomplete. There is no world in which the two most important fields of magic are "alchemy" and "necromancy". Fix urgently.
</blockquote>

=== Spellcasting ===
Spellcasting describes any practice of producing magical work that does not require biologically ingrained magic. For this reason, spells can even be learnt by nonmagical entities, such as humans. Spells rely on an underlying, metaphysical set of rules, sometimes requiring items, life force, energy, or multiple casters. What magic is ultimately performed is a result of the will of the casters combined with these underlying rules, resulting in a functionally limitless amount of possible outcomes.

The art of learning spells requires immense dedication and is often considered prestigious. Institutions that pass down spellcasting exist in Offetstine, hidden from normal society.

=== Rituals ===
Rituals (also referred to as rites) are a class of practices that, like spellcasting, can create a wide range of effects based off the intent and composition. Rituals are even less discriminatory on creators than spells; nearly all rites can be prepared, engaged, and finished by anyone.

Commonly stationary, rituals use the chemical, mechanical, and magical energy that is stored in participants or items, either depleting or destroying them when completed.

=== Alchemy ===
''Full article: [[Alchemy]]''

Named for the real-life pseudoscience of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy alchemy], often understood as the forebearer to modern chemistry, and its subsequent reifications in fantasy fiction, alchemy refers to the diverse set of magical arts in Offetstine that focus on the craft of potions and other materials that bear magical properties.

=== Necromancy ===

''Full article: [[Necromancy]]''

TODO

== History ==

Magic is typically understood to have originated from demi-humans in prehistoric times, coinciding with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic_Revolution Neolithic Revolution]. Common myths state the initial practitioners of magic were demi-humans who unknowingly used the power to guard their interests, such as through the [[Illusion magic|illusion]] of [[animal-folk]], to hide their inhuman traits and uphold the Masquerade. These demi-humans are said to have expanded on their practice and developed it into serviceable general-purpose forms that augmented the technology of the time, and as such passed the practice down through generations.

Magic practices are said to have eventually spread through certain isolated human communities who were already exposed to magical energy, although since the practice of magic is predicated on that exposure, most humans were unable to take up the practice. Even to date, mages remain a highly exclusive circle of individuals, far overshadowed by demi-humans who are either magically empowered or controlled but do not practice a general-purpose form of magic. However, especially at the time, mages were frequently opposed by mundane humans to whom they demonstrated their powers, and the practice of general-purpose magic was largely vilified even in communities where demi-humans were accepted.

The precise cause of this effect is unknown, although the vilification is commonly attributed to the malicious portrayal of mages in common superstitions which stem from religious myth. The source of religious myth in Offetstine varies, either being born of interpretations of demi-humans such as spirits and deities, or of entirely mundane means, though despite the prevalence of magic in Offetstine, even mages and demi-humans lack consensus as to the particular truth of any particular religious myth. However, in part because of this persecution, magic is often viewed by mages as a secular art, detached from the doctrine of any particular faith.

== Culture ==

Mages are generally known to form isolated communities when possible. Magic is often considered a carefully guarded secret, in part by virtue of the Masquerade, but even to the extent that demi-humans who do not practice a general-purpose magic are excluded from communions of mages. The Masquerade is varyingly recognized as either imperative statute to the continued and safe existence of magic in Offetstine, or archaic and discriminatory legislation that stunts the scope and pervasiveness of the practice. As many members of the [[Veilkeepers]], the organization responsible for upholding the Masquerade, are themselves mages, conflicting perspectives are even more pervasive from within the organization.

Mages occasionally form underground communities in regions where magical energy is abundant, as presence in such areas further empowers them. For instance, one such location is [[Cedar Crest University]], a university built around an ancient cedar tree commonly recognized to amplify magical energy. While due to the Masquerade, the university cannot openly acknowledge its openness to demi-humans or mages, its founder, the mundane human [[Erin Hazell]], has previously privately acknowledged the magical community which sprung up around her institution and given it her blessing.

Due to the nature of the Masquerade prohibiting overt communication, societies of mages and demi-humans have historically favored the use of telecommunications gear to facilitate communication. The use of ciphers and encryption traces back to the roots of magic in Offetstine, where grimoires were frequently written in high-entropy ciphers or mystical languages unknown to humans, and ephemeral messages were often communicated in cant. In modern times, criminal organizations such as the [[Coalition]] and [[Ringleaders]], both of which limit their membership to demi-humans, have created encryption toolkits for private use. One such framework, [[CREST]], has found use across the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] for computer-aided secure communications between mages.

=== Secrecy ===

Mages generally express mixed perspectives with regards to the Masquerade in Offetstine. While some mages note the benefits that magic has to the broader scientific community, a perspective especially shared by [[#Magical epistemology|magical epistemologists]], others argue that the continued existence of the Masquerade is critical for protecting magical civilization from mundane human oversight.

The exact motives for the Masquerade vary by individual. Generally, the most prevalent belief is fear of persecution. Mages and demi-humans frequently rationalize that through the exposure of their secret, humans will launch military-scale attacks out of fear. As many schools of magic pose threats that mundane humans are plainly unequipped to deal with, such as the [[Psychic magic|mind control]] of many [[Vampire|vampires]], such a hypothetical war is suspected to end in a conclusive victory for demi-humans and mages. Despite this, such a victory is projected to herald the casualties of, among others, humans who are falsely suspected to be mages, demi-humans such as many subspecies of [[Harpy|harpies]] who are weaker than humans, and mages who are genuinely interested in the betterment of humanity such as magical epistemologists.

Another common belief that is often used to justify the Masquerade, though often frowned upon from within and without, is the notion of supremacy conferred by magical powers, especially demi-human nature. Certain communities of mages view themselves as inherently superior to humans by virtue of their powers and through their exclusive nature. This belief is typically countered by the viewpoint that the ability to wield magic is a skill, and thus is not a privilege, but rather the result of innate ability, with no inherent difference between the average human and a mage. Despite this, it remains the foundation of the [[Coalition]], a defunct criminal organization in Offetstine, which during its height was exclusive to demi-humans and quite prevalent.

== Concepts ==

=== Demi-humanity ===

''Full article: [[Demi-human]]''

'''Demi-humans''' are a rare and diverse class of magical species that roughly demonstrate some form of humanity, usually in the form of sapience and humanlike bodies. While their exact nature is difficult to pinpoint, demi-humans are most often the result of magic affecting the body of an otherwise biologically human individual (such as with [[Vampire|vampires]] and [[Harpy|harpies]]), or causing a humanlike entity to manifest in a human-populated area (such as with [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]]).

While demi-humans are magical in nature, only a subset of them are themselves mages. Most demi-humans have magical abilities and powers, commonly including shapeshifting and various psychic powers, and they are generally not considered to be mages in their own right. Only some demi-humans are able to command a full, general-purpose school of magic and are considered mages.

=== Magical epistemology ===

'''Magical epistemology''' is the idea, named for its respective branch of philosophy, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology epistemology], that magic is a fundamental branch of the pursuit of knowledge as it pertains to humanity and demi-humanity. Many fields of science (especially anthropological and humanitarian, such as archeology and medicine) and magic regularly overlap in scope, and to that extent, it usually benefits mundane humans and mages alike to ensure that information and knowledge is exchanged between the two parties.

While no overt relations can exist as a consequence of the Masquerade, and under threat of the endangerment of many humans at the hands of more powerful mages, and vice versa, mages of the belief of magical epistemology often attempt to communicate knowledge and best practices across the barrier.

Despite this, due to the fact that magic often has a knack for violating certain laws of physics, especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy those of thermodynamics], and the exact nature of this relation prevents many magical innovations from reaching the human world, or even being used to affect large swathes of people.

Some mages have used their talent to excel at human arts, such as the somewhat infamous schoolteacher, mathematician and aerospace researcher [[Eliza Teak]], who has markedly used her magic to aid with space travel, chemical production and engineering and silicon fabrication. However, this is a niche use case and magic remains a largely private art.

=== Will of the People ===

One of the most prevalent ideas of magic in Offetstine is that concepts are often reified by nature that are prevalent in the minds of people, often referred to concretely as the '''Will of the People.''' Many concepts in the world of Offetstine, including magical species such as [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]], are usually considered to be born only because of their prevalence in the minds of people.

Similarly, many common species, especially those that have notable ties to folklore such as most subspecies of [[vampire]] may usually trace their progeny back to a time and place in which the folklore was especially culturally prominent, such as in fictional storytelling, religious mythology or superstition, again implying that they were "willed into existence", as it were, by the people.

The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is still unknown, and notoriously difficult to harness despite the abundance of humans who have attempted to leverage this known phenomenon to confer magical power unto themselves. The relation of this power to social concepts of ethics and sympathy is unknown.