Does this system make sense?

[ElijahRyne]

So, this may be a little convoluted, but here is how I am imagining my magic system. I am going with the philosophy that you must start with the smallest thing and work your way up.

Aether:
Aether is what every quantum and most lesser planes are made from. All laws and constants in these planes is formed by variations in the amount of Aether they contain.
Aether is typically too thin to be used in spells, and too unstable to be used in formations. There are a few exceptions, but it is typical for a combat magician, mage, cultivator, etc. to never come in contact with one.

Laws:
What governs the how everything works inside a plane. In example if our universe was a plane it would contain the laws of one grand law space-time and it’s four governing laws; the strong force, weak force, electromagnetic force, and gravity. These then have various principles that govern how those laws work (the equations and forces).

Every law has at least one corresponding particle. Grand laws will be carried by the particles of their governing laws.

While the planes will create many similar laws, often times the variables are tweaked. Rarely though do you see laws like the destruction or creation of energy.

The quantum planes:
It has been measured by many different magic researchers that like how quarks and anti-quarks spawn and annihilate each other in the confines of a proton or a neutron so to do the almost countless magic energies. Each of these energies do exist in our plane as both a particle and wave in their smallest noticeable form, that can transform, +-increase, delete, add, create, duplicate, and just generally manipulate the information and properties of all things on our plane. They each have a corresponding anti-particle, and when a anti and normal magic particle meet, they annihilate each other and transform their energy to Aether.

Researchers had at first thought of these particles as just that but, two centuries ago, Tayfin Resdcra had created a spell that allowed one to astral project themselves into a earth magic particle. After doing so they had discovered that this particle contained 3 major planes and numerous lesser planes in itself. The planes act like quarks do, and through that they form their magic particle. Each plane has at most three laws. The law of time-space, the soul, and whatever type of particle they form (Qi, mana, etc.).

Time-Space (Grand Law):
Basically the laws that govern our (the readers) universe. Too complicated to do a further dive than I did in the explication of laws. It does however have one more governing law. The law of chaos.

The Law of Chaos (Governing Law):
It is just entropy. It exists in our world and some think it is what makes time move. It is also what may cause the heat death of our universe. I made it its own law, because of the Law of Order.

The Soul (Grand Law):
Made from the law of order, memory, transformation, life, and manipulation.

The Law of Order (Governing Law):
Depending on the particle it can either be weaker or stronger than the Law of Chaos. Yet, if you were to measure all particles in most planes, the Law of Chaos is stronger. Creates order in a system. (The opposite of entropy.)

The Law of Memory (Governing Law):
Ordered systems can be measured to find their past.

The Law of Transformation (Governing Law):
A particle can turn into a different particle as long as no energy is created or destroyed.

The Law of Life (Governing Law):
Ordered and/or Chaotic systems can create new ordered/chaotic systems.

The Law of Manipulation (Governing Law):
Ordered and chaotic systems can make the other less chaotic or less ordered through interaction.

A Soul:
Something that all living things have. Allows them to manipulate the various magic energies. Stronger souls can manipulate more, and souls can get stronger. Souls can also contain memories. When souls exist outside of a host, they get weaker and fragment. Most researchers believe it to be due to magitons that have trouble passing through carbon and silicon

Magic Energies:
Self explanatory, things like Qi, mana, the Elements, psychic energy, etc.

The Void:
As the quantum planes are made from Aether our plane is made from the void. So to are our neighboring planes. We call the energy and space between the planes the Void Sea. There is evidence of even higher planes.

Higher Energies:
Like Godly energy, Celestial energy, the power cosmic cosmic, etc. These energies can not exist on planes with laws that do not contain them, but can in the void sea. They can corrupt planes to allow their existence on it. If a being that uses higher energies on a plane that doesn’t allow them, they will be transformed. (I.E. Godly to Divine)

Runes:
Runes can manipulate the magic energies and matter to change. They are made by strange powerful beings throughout the Void Sea. Each rune has a corresponding word. If the creator is alive it is called a living rune and if they are dead it is called a dead rune. The creators of living runes will know when and where their runes are used.

Magic Lines:
A way to manipulate magic energies without using a rune or soul.

Spells:
Created by manipulating magic energies with ones soul, or using rune words.

Formations:
Created using runes or magic lines.

Arrays:
Made from formations.

 

[SuperHeiyan]

I don't like the part where you are using "Laws consist of Laws" because metaphysical Law is a governing principle by itself. It can be related to other laws, but making one consist of other seems convoluted because why you even need to separate them in the first place? You can find other "principles" inside of laws and they can be research theme by itself.
The Law of Chaos makes me cringe from name alone. Why not go with the Law of Enthropy (since you already describe it as one) and have Principles of Life and principles of Decay inside?

 

[ElijahRyne]

I don't like the part where you are using "Laws consist of Laws" because metaphysical Law is a governing principle by itself. It can be related to other laws, but making one consist of other seems convoluted because while you even need to separate them in the first place? You can find other "principles" inside of laws and they can be research theme by itself.
The Law of Chaos makes me cringe from name alone. Why not go with the Law of Enthropy (since you already describe it as one) and have Principles of Life and principles of Decay inside?

Thank you for the suggestions!
I do agree that my naming sense is bad, principles makes more sense than governing and lesser laws. Or maybe just the lesser ones? Anyways I decided not to name it entropy mostly because of more lore things and partially to make it easier to understand. Magic in the plane had been seen as a balance between order and chaos. When they found two governing principles that fit, they gave it that name.

As for the principle of life and then the lack of one for decay, it is because I already have it it is just named different. The principle of life allows systems to replicate/create other systems. The principle of decay, supposedly would try to make some sort of equilibrium. That in itself is entropy, and since there is now a counteracting force of Order, I added the principle of manipulation. If that makes sense…

 

[Lloyd]

Too long didn't read. Also, no.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

I mean, whatever floats your boat. It works in your story as long as you sya it does and the reader's aren't bothered enough to break the suspension of disbelief.
Though I do think it's a bit overly complicated. Keeping track of it seems somewhat difficult while writing and it will probably lead to many plot holes.
Now, I'll write some of my suggestions, though I hope I do t come across as rude or harsh.
Why make some sorts of laws that govern other laws? Also, why make laws that negate other laws? Why not just make one law that is largely independent of others and exhibits different types of behaviour due to different environments and conditions?
Then the particles (which I also think should be renamed as they carry a material connotation, which is a bit hard to grasp when talking about the more abstract stuff like time, for example) would simply have a poly-nature, like protons (having a dual nature as a particle and a wave, though I'm not that interested in physics so maybe I'm mixing it up with smth else). Like, when you interact or observe (which is also interacting) with the particle-thingies one way, they act like a law1 attribute particle, when in other way, it's a law1, etc etc.
That would make keeping tabs on stuff easier, I believe.
The plane stuff frankly confused me. So, do those planes exist on the particules? Are they, like, spaces or some sorts of attributes of a particle? So, they exist in a particle and they create particles? I really don't get it.
The spell for projecting themselves onto a particle is frankly weird. As I understand, those particles (please rename them into something else, I can't help but think of them as tiny ping ping balls) are super small, thousands of times smaller than a hydrogen atom. Putting the questions of how they even knew that they projected themselves onto something so small rather than just tripping onto some other realm of existence aside, putting the question of how they even observed stuff there aside, since there shouldn't be any light or any reliably detectable electromagnetic waves or any waves for that matter aside, those particles are somewhat of a fundamental block of reality, right? Like, at the very bottom we have aether and void which don't have a well-described structure since they are the very very fundamental stuff, then wouldn't that make sense for the particles to not have a structure made of some weird planes in planes in planes or what not, and exhibit some sorts of relativistic undeterministic effects instead?
Also, if they can in-depth research these kinds of particles, why can't the researchers study other stuff as deeply? They don't know if souls can be protected by silicone but have been able to take apart a sort of kind of law particle like it was a lego.
Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe those particles are cell-sized instead and you can look at them if you take a good enough lense or something.

But if they are as small, it shouldn't make sense for anybody to use them, or being actively aware of them directly. This line made me a bit apprehensive:

. All laws and constants in these planes is formed by variations in the amount of Aether they contain.
Aether is typically too thin to be used in spells, and too unstable to be used in formations. There are a few exceptions,

Using something so very fundamental in spells directly is like: quarks are small. They are very small. It's rare to see an electronic device using quarks directly, and only very few people can touch them with their fingers.
I strongly recommend you revise the sense of scale of this system. Big things touching big things, small things touching small things. Try to make analogies with according sizes and see if it works. When it doesn't add interfaces that indirectly cause other things to move a step lower.
Human~human, aether~quark, particle~electron. Example of stuff not working:
The human practitioner moved the individual electrons from his hand to his other hand. The human pinched the cell between his fingers and threw it.
Example of stuff working:
The human practitioner increased the voltage on his finger, so the current appeared between his finger and his other hand. (yeah I'm not coming up with anything better) the human raised the petri dish and poured its contents.

 

[DarkeReises]

Then the particles (which I also think should be renamed as they carry a material connotation, which is a bit hard to grasp when talking about the more abstract stuff like time, for example) would simply have a poly-nature, like protons (having a dual nature as a particle and a wave, though I'm not that interested in physics so maybe I'm mixing it up with smth else).

i think what youre referring to is photons, but im also not sure

 

[ElijahRyne]

Thank you for your suggestions!

For the laws that govern other laws, do you mean Grand Laws - Governing Laws, or do you mean contradictory laws? I assume it is the second. The reason for there to be contradictory laws is to allow for different plane combinations. One where gravity is backwards, one made completely from fire, another made of souls. That though doesn’t explain the contradiction in a single plane. The biggest being the Laws of Chaos and Order. The contradiction to me would not make sense until you add an imbalance, in this case Chaos being more prevalent than Order. It still doesn’t make complete sense, but I think it makes enough.

For the particles they are indeed both waves and particles. The reason I mostly used ‘particle’ is because I thought it made more sense than wave in that context. You can think of the particles as being made from those laws, so your other point I agree with. Also I suck a naming things so unless someone can find a better word than particle than I would appreciate it.

I mentioned 3 out of 4 different types of planes I want to add. The one that I believe is the hardest to understand is the quantum planes. The planes are small dimensions themselves they have their own laws, and energy. To enter one you use the same way you would to another plane, with your soul. Since it is impossible for a soul to enter a plane that doesn’t allow it, it is safer than your body. Your body could also enter because it’s made of matter, but who is to say it wouldn’t spontaneously combust. As for size, with these various new particles who is to say that a photon is the smallest? As for the quantum planes and Aether they are the smallest that they have gotten. It would, with their current abilities be impossible to go smaller. The reason why planes are made of planes is partially because I have a plan for that and partially to explain what laws are. Quantum planes are simple, they have 3 Grand laws. The researchers plane would have at least 90, and higher planes would have significantly more.

The researchers do know that silicone and carbon protect souls. They don’t know why, they think it is due to interaction with a magic particle, the magiton but they are not sure.

I agree that spells where you move an electron in one direction are stupid in battle, but in research it may be different. Spells that use Aether are for researchers not fighters. As for the scale, it does size up. In example, do to the governing law of manipulation, it is possible for a soul to cast a spell. The whole theory work was not for power scaling but for how magic works. The power scaling goes like this. (It is partially cultivation based)

Spoiler: ‘power scaling’

Grades:
All spells, formations, etc. are graded by how much energy they use. The grades and their respective energies are as follows:

1. Simple: 1-100mu
2. Mortal: 101-1,000mu
3. Earthly: 1,001-1,000,000mu
4. Immortal: 1,000,001-1,000,000,000mu
5. Heaven: 1,000,000,001-1,000,000,000,000mu
   and for people:
   Condensation: 0-12mu
   • Foundation: 13-120mu
   • Core Formation: 121-1,200,000mu
   • Solid core: 1,200,001- 20,000,000mu
   • Liquid core: 20,000,001-24,000,000,000mu
   • Evaporated core: 24,000,000,001-36,000,000,000,000mu

 

[SuperHeiyan]

If you go for Laozi approach then

Chapter 25, Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi): English Translations, Wade-Giles, Commentary, Concordance, Bibliography, Spanish, Chinese, Daoism

then something like

1. Mortal: 1-100mu
2. Earthly: 101-1,000mu
3. Heavenly: 1,001-1,000,000mu
4. Immortal: 1,000,001-1,000,000,000mu
5. Cosmic: 1,000,000,001-1,000,000,000,000mu

will make more sense.
For cultivation stages, if you don't go for rebirth and all connected philosophy then destroying the core makes little sense and making it first liquid then evaporated not only sounds less powerfull but also goes backward because Qi is literally reads as a "gas", so you start with gas condensation.

"Quantum planes" reminds me about Planescape.

The Planes

The Planes form the Multiverse Planescape: Torment is set in. The Inner Planes are: Elemental Plane of Fire Elemental Plane of Water Elemental Plane of Air Elemental Plane of Earth Negative Material Plane Positive Material Plane The Outer Planes are described in some detail in the game in...

torment.fandom.com

The description of them that came with the Planescape: Torment was absolutely beatiful and can serve as an inspiritation... So long as it doesn't turn into plagiarism.

 

[ElijahRyne]

If you go for Laozi approach then

Chapter 25, Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi): English Translations, Wade-Giles, Commentary, Concordance, Bibliography, Spanish, Chinese, Daoism

then something like

1. Mortal: 1-100mu
2. Earthly: 101-1,000mu
3. Heavenly: 1,001-1,000,000mu
4. Immortal: 1,000,001-1,000,000,000mu
5. Cosmic: 1,000,000,001-1,000,000,000,000mu

will make more sense.
For cultivation stages, if you don't go for rebirth and all connected philosophy then destroying the core makes little sense and making it first liquid then evaporated not only sounds less powerfull but also goes backward because Qi is literally reads as a "gas", so you start with gas condensation.

"Quantum planes" reminds me about Planescape.

The Planes

The Planes form the Multiverse Planescape: Torment is set in. The Inner Planes are: Elemental Plane of Fire Elemental Plane of Water Elemental Plane of Air Elemental Plane of Earth Negative Material Plane Positive Material Plane The Outer Planes are described in some detail in the game in...

torment.fandom.com

The description of them that came with the Planescape: Torment was absolutely beatiful and can serve as an inspiritation... So long as it doesn't turn into plagiarism.

Thank you for the suggestions!
When it comes to the cultivation plane(s), and Qi practitioners I think I might use a similar ranking and terms. While I said my story was partially cultivation based, most of the characters are either wizards, mages, artificers, sorcerers, or psychics. The reason they use cultivation terminology is because they learned how to create cores from them. If you want the back story:

Spoiler: ‘backstory’

The Arcanists were researchers of the arcane. They where born from the tower masters, who through their expert use of magic lines, formations, and arrays created grand towers that could regulate the weather and leave their planet to travel to the limits of their plane. The tower masters began to archive and experiment with various arcane energies. Finding multiple ways to allow mankind to have the ability of the magical beasts. This was the birth of the sorcerers.

After exploring their plane the tower masters found ways to communicate with a few of the neighboring ones. They exchanged knowledge for knowledge learning of the runes. This was the birth of the artificers. Through using ther knowledge of the arcane to connect their souls to their towers the tower masters became arcanists.

The arcanists then created the new towers, using the help of runes and magic lines. These towers were capable of entering the void sea. That was the height and death of their grand civilization. The calamity had started. They had used living runes in the creation of their towers.

The gods found their plane and demanded subservience. The gods had no army, just themselves, while the arcanists had their grand towers. The gods had great personal power, and the arcanists great collective power. One god could match the power of four towers by themselves. The arcanists, through great sacrifice, managed to make them back off. They showed the gods they were to much trouble to take down.

Then the demon armies found their plane and tried to invade. The arcanists tried to hold them off as they did the gods, but the demons greatly outnumbered them. 10 demons were equivalent to a tower. The arcanists called the sorcerers and artificers for help. The artificers created weapons and armors while the sorcerers would fight. But, it only delayed the inevitable. It took 30 well armed sorcerers to take down one demon. They then communicated with many different planes for help. Promising the entirety of their knowledge on the arcane for assistance. They had no agreement, until they came in contact with the cultivators.

The cultivators used the bodies of demons as medicine. It was highly valued, with the added price of the arcane knowledge they came quickly. Yet, it was to late to save the arcanists. They had lost all their towers capable of traveling into the void, and the demon armies were invading the plane. Tower after tower were falling, until the arcanists were pushed back to their original planet. While the cultivators were able to repel the demons, the arcanists had lost too much to recover. Taking pity on them, some cultivators traded demon corpses for cultivation techniques.

The techniques of the cultivators would allow for the strengthening of the body and soul, through the transmutation of Qi. Which could allow their practitioners to continually grow in strength. While some of these techniques called for special bloodlines or elemental Qi, they all called for the use of Qi, which the plane had little of. Noticing the issue, The few remaining arcanists, with the help of the sorcerers and artificers, transformed these techniques to use the most common energies on this plane: mana, the soul, and the elements. This was the birth of many magical professions from wizards and mages to magic smiths and necromancers. The arcanists and their towers may have died, but their legacy still carries on.

This is why the realms are called what they are. The arcanists only got techniques up to the core formation stage so they didn’t know what to do from there. They also used the cultivators terms but changed them to match mana.

The TL;DR is that cultivators taught the plane how to cultivate after the plane had almost been destroyed. The people of the plane realized that there was more mana than qi, so they changed the techniques but kept the terms. Mana forms a solid core while Qi a gaseous.