Resonance

The Origins

Courlan made dis. x

Concepts

Synchronous Resonance: The magic of Resonance is the source of scientific understanding on the concept of Resonance itself, as well as several other theories involving sound. Much of these ideas are based in the concept of 'Synchronous Resonance', which explains how Resonance forms portals without having direct power over space and distance. Synchronous Resonance works through vibrations, matching against the natural frequency of the fabric of planar matter. When the vibrations created by Resonance reach against the surface of this matter, they can shatter through this matter by synchronizing their vibrations to the perfect, exact pitch. Once the matter is broken, a Resoner transmits frequencies to one of their Shard Resonators, which allows them to resonate the correct vibrations on the other side. This will then create a pathway for the Resoner to enter and emerge through, a sonic portal that will collapse through an equally startling pitch, vibrating to correct itself as it shuts.

To a lesser extent, Synchronous Resonance is also applied to other abilities within Resonance. Wielding vibrations and synchronizing frequencies is the core of the magic, with a variety of different effects.

Particularity: One of Resonance's most unusual abilities is the Sonic Blink, with Particularity being its root. Particularity is the ability of a Resoner to disperse their individual particles through sound waves, preserving the integrity of their original shape in doing so. Their Mark of Control resonates with the sound around them, forming a frequency so in tune that they may oscillate within sound waves, or propel themselves through them. Once the Resoner arrives at the intended destination, their particles oscillate back into position, only to rematerialize as their Mark adjusts their frequency to separate from the resonance of the sound surrounding them.

Initiation

WIP.

Threshold Sickness

The drawbacks listed below do not always come in pairs, and certainly not simultaneously. Some may come and others may not.

Lesser: Nausea, fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, dehydration

Moderate: Bleeding through the nose, eyes and ears, intense cramps, seizure-like shocks and spasms, internal bleeding, vomiting and weakness

WIP.

Severe

WIP.

Mutations

WIP.

Abilities

Intonation: Novice. Intonation is the Resoner's ability to manipulate the tone of sound, amplify or dampen its volume, and - as one progresses in the magic - alter the timbre and other tonal qualities of sound. As an example, Intonation can be used to make a voice boom more loudly or decline into a whisper, it can be used to make the smooth sounds of a violin equate more to screeching. It can also be used to increase the distance that sound might travel, with a greater distance consuming marginally more ether. Intonation is simple conceptually, but very difficult to master. Most Resoners do not truly 'master' Intonation until they master the magic itself, slowly learning to amplify, manipulate and extend sound waves over time.

Sonic Blink: Novice. Sonic Blink utilizes 'Particularly', and in fact is the only ability that seems to do so until the Resoner Ascends to 'the Symphony'. Using the concepts listed within Particularity, a Resoner may disperse their particles through sound waves in order to emerge at a different location. This occurs at the speed of sound, at roughly 1000 ft/second, or 330 m/second.

Because of how quickly this occurs, it tends to appear as if an oscillating blur near-instantly travels from one point to another. Sonic Blink is one of the key abilities of Resonance, but is also the most dangerous to utilize. While it does not consume a large amount of ether to perform, more uses of Sonic Blink within a limited timeframe will release physical energy from the body as a result of the heat released from each movement. This will drain the Resoner's stamina and can result in their body shutting down from excessive use. Using Sonic Blink more than three times without resting and recovering through energy consumption (such as food) can result in the body beginning to shut down, and will typically result in the mage going unconscious. At Novice, the mage may only travel fifty feet through Sonic Blink. At Apprentice, this doubles, at Journeyman it increases to 400 feet, at Expert a kilometer, and at Master roughly two kilometers.

Sonar: Apprentice. Sonar is roughly described as the Resoner's ability to send a ping or pulse of sound outward, receiving an echo response in return. The Resoner, with time and practice, learns to interpret this echo through their Mark of Control, which will transcribe the information directly into their cognition. Sonar is an ability that, like many others with Resonance, becomes more potent as one increases in mastery and gains familiarity with it.

At Apprentice, a Resoner might be able to transcribe general shapes within the area of their pulse. At Journeyman, a Resoner can perceive specific details of those shapes, such as individual contours, at Expert they can understand the weight and density of those shapes, and at master they can perceive objects within those shapes. A Sonar pulse can be sent out at roughly the same distance of a Sonic Blink (varying by mastery), and will perceive objects around it in an area determined by ether expenditure. With higher mastery, less ether is required to gain information on larger areas, but considering the detail a master transcribes, it can take a long time for them to properly evaluate the information received through each pulse.

Rattle: Apprentice. Rattle utilizes Synchronous Resonance, manipulating the vibrations of an object by oscillating its frequencies. This is done on touch, with the Resoner instilling these disturbed frequencies at the moment of contact. Rattle is typically used in combat, and may result in an enemy's weapon rattling so intensely that they cannot continue to hold it, or their armor vibrating and clattering so much as to disturb their movements. Rattle must be maintained by ether, with small surfaces consuming only a minimal amount, while larger surfaces (such as an entire set of plate armor) can drain the mage's ether considerably if this ability is left maintained.

Aural Burst: Journeyman. Aural Burst allows the Resoner to manipulate their speed by manipulating their resonance, or frequency. This is done, as the ability would imply, in a burst. The Resoner may propel themselves forward a given distance, determined by the amount of ether they wish to apply to the burst. This ability is generally seen as a more reliable version of Sonic Blink, but with the Resoner only capable of accelerating to a temporary speed of up to 100 m/ph. Aural Burst is not without its vulnerabilities. To begin with, it does not make the Resoner intangible or instantly capable of moving to a different location on an atomic level the way Blink does.

This means the mage is vulnerable to being harmed as it passes from its starting to ending location. If a mage were to catapult into a tree, they are certain to die. At lower stages of mastery, Aural Burst is also very difficult to control. Momentum and traction are not easily regulated within this sono-burst, and the mage will often accelerate much too quickly with no process of deceleration upon reaching the intended destination. As such, they may break their legs, fall over and seriously harm themselves, and so on. Upon reaching Expert and Master, a Resoner learns how to more finely manipulate their speed, accelerating and decelerating at a safer pace.

Ethersonography: Journeyman. Ethersonography is sometimes considered a more advanced form of Sonar, allowing the Resoner to perceive much more advanced, high-specificity imagery within a smaller area. Ethersonography uses the reflections of high-frequency sound waves to construct this image, which the Resoner transcribes through their Mark and perceives cognitively. Applications of Ethersonography are vast, but are largely meant to observe the fine internal structure of objects or people. It is commonly used with Necromancy or non-magical medicine for surgical reasons, greatly expanding the doctor's grasp on their subject and allowing for cleaner and more advanced operations.

Shard Resonators: Massively augment distance and force of sound-wave travel, allow multiple people/objects to be moved. Usually called 'Shards'. Expert. x

Transmission: Expert. Transmission is an ability that allows for the imbuing of an object with the ability to perceive long-range frequencies. This is done by placing a Shard Resonator within an enclosed object, typically with a small rectangular or spherical window in the front of the object to allow for sound to be emitted and received by the mortal ear. The Shard Resonator is manipulated for this purpose, condensed into a smaller form as it is whittled and refined by ether. In order for Transmission to work, there must be a 'receiver' transmitter on the opposite end which also contains a Shard Resonator. Once there is a transmitter and receiver, both of which are interchangeable and may communicate back and forth, the person using the artifact may transmit and receive sounds from other Resonator devices their device is attuned to. Devices may be attuned to one another if they are created by the same Resoner, or if another Resoner is allowed to imbue their own ethereal frequency within the device.

Kinesthesia: Sense vibrations around you, producing a slightly reverberating wave as a form of complex sonar. Expert. x

Interplanar Resonance: Travel into another plane. Master. x

Sonant Void: Null all sound around the mage or within an area. The mage can still hear. Master. x

Symphony Abilities

Aural Suspension: Through permanent music, uplift a hovering Bastion that the Symphony can finely control; flying citadel/fortress. x

x: x

Novice

x

Apprentice

x

Journeyman

x

Expert

x

Master

x

Ascension: The Symphony

x

Notes

• x