Some of you might have been past the Arga Redux thread where I came up with the idea for Leetz' dwarves to possess a sort of crafting voodoo. Now, the idea never caught on there, but couldn't quite get it out of my head so it became the following bit of rambling pseudoscience. This will, in its final-not-yet-reached incarnation probably replace my Resonancers. I feel like having two types of sound-mages and two types of laws-of-physics-bending-mages is a bit too much, so I'm ditching the resonancers.
But while I find this new path to hold an amazing amount of potential, it is also practically ridden with holes and inconsistencies and I want you my fellow cebegians to root them out and complete this system. I'm more or less asking you to break my magic while keeping in mind it is magic, and advise on how to cure it.
But for now, delve into the world of similarities, magical bonds, succedaneums, proportionality principles, paradox hammers and bottle ships!
Similarity Smithing: Indexes and Effigies
Similarities help make sense of the world. Two alike objects share qualities and uses; if you know something about one you know it about the other as well.
But similarities have more power than that. Similar items don't just share qualities, they are on some level the same. If you know a sword is a weapon, you can tell that any other sword will be a weapon as well, because they are in a way both instances of the same idea. But one will likely never notice the more powerful consequences of this. Only the strangest of coincidences will lead to a noticable event of this kind in the natural world. But the effects can be forced into existence.
Through the powers of similarity two objects can become part of a whole and share an uncanny link. Only one such bond can exist for any single object. The strongest bond will always be the dominant one.
Whether a bond can exist depends on a multitude of factors, but mainly it's a matter of identity. An armor or a sword is just an armor or a sword until one makes it something more. One might name it, or simply come to consider it property or a trusted tool. But as long as it is just "a sword" it is nothing and can't be similar to anything.
Creating a bond is a matter of proximity, similarity, and intent. The bond is created naturally, but is helped along by the similarity smith. If a model is bonded to a real object, the model must be given the same identity by the smith (he must consider the model of a trusted tool a trusted tool itself and so on). The closer you are, the stronger the bond, but if the linked items touch, what the smith's call a Reciprocity Paradox happens, and the link is instantly disspelled. Links take a long time to come into place naturally if both objects are inert and unmoving, but the link can be made to appear quicker by weaving the model in front of the object, in much the same way as rubbing wool and an amber rod together creates static electricity, or how you can charge iron magnetically by stroking it with a lodestone.
Finally, the objects have to actually be similar for a similarity bond to occur. The more similar, the better, with identical copies having the strongest bond. Size seems to have little effect on the strength of the bond (although it affects Proportionality; see below), so the model can be scaled to any dimension wished. Substance affects it somewhat, but similar substances make for less impact. Having the model be made out of another type of metal than the sword will only pose a small loss in effectivity, while having it be made of wood would result in a significant drop in strength.
Bond Strength can also rely on a Succedaneum; that is, if a part of the bonded object (like a sliver or a hair) is made to be part of the other object.
Two Disciplines
Generally, there is thought to be two types of similarity smithing; effigycraft and indexcraft.
Indexcraft is the most common and most accepted. It has plenty of benevolent uses as it keys inert objects to a certain Index, a miniature model possessing certain qualities that it can share with the object. An indexed blade of light metal could share the strength of an Index made of strong metal.
Effigycraft is more dangerous, and has few accepted uses. They create models (effigies) of living creatures, using them to manipulate and harm from afar. Certain weaponry, like the Paradox Hammer, can also be made by using Effigycraft creatively. The few accepted Effigycrafters often make a living by making very powerful effigies of powerful men (Talismans) so they can keep them close and be safe from other, more malevolent, effigycrafters as there can be only one bond. Sharing (see later) doesn't work well with effigies, and thus they are mostly used for force transfers.
Two Parts of a Whole
When objects are linked, certain things are passed through this bond to be shared by the two. Forces is perhaps the most obvious one. Applying a pushing or pulling force to an effigy or an index will result in the real object they are bonded to being moved correspondingly. The force is dependent on two principles; the Proportionality Principle, and the bond strength. If the objects are of equal size, the corresponding force depends on the strength of the bond. An absolute perfect bond would theoretically transfer all of the force through the bond. But no bond is that strong.
If the objects are of different size, the Proportionality Principle comes into effect. This basically states that forces scale like the objects scale. Applying a weak force to a small index will transfer into a larger force on the real object. Likewise, a strong force on an object will become a small force on the index. Transferred forces are always mirrored. You strike the left in one end, and the force will be transferred to strike from the right in the other.
Sharing is another important feature, and the primary reason why indexing is useful. Items linked start sharing qualities, like material strength, conductivity and many other things. A popular way to use this is to make a weapon of light soft metal and an index of a very tough alloy so that the weapon is light but strong.
Reciprocivity Paradoxes occur whenever the two objects interact. Being essentially the same item, the natural world objects to the two affecting each other with a force and thus dispels the bond. If they only interact with each other through some medium (e.g. both index and object is pushed against each other with something in between), the Paradox is not powerful enough to cause the bond to dispel, but instead creates a forceful "disturbance" that pushes the two things apart. Talismans and receptacles are made in such a way that paradoxes rarely occur, while Paradox Hammers put them to good use.
Uses in the World
Indexing is the most useful of the two as it can be used extensively during crafting to make items and weapons with extraordinary qualities. An indexed weapon is recognizable by the metal or wood receptacle often bound to, or at least kept close to, the weapon; this receptacle of course contains and protects the index. Indexes can be also made to deliver forces; clay doors can be broken down, lead swords can be bended, and so on, their forces being transferred to the real world. Indexers also know how to make twinned objects with a natural bond. Only small objects can be made like this, and twinned needles is by far the most popular as you can stick them to two objects to create a basic link between a model and an object as they have the identical needles in common.
Effigycraft is not as widely used. Causing harm is the most effective use of an effigy, but not surprisingly this is not generally accepted by more conventional smiths. Using effigies for harm require preperation, as each effigy must be carefully crafted to empower the bond between itself and one specific target.
Taking out the guards of a household might take weeks or months of preparation, observation, and scrounging through trash for useful succedaneums. But when fully prepared an effigy can break a neck with a twist of the hand. If murder is a bit too strong, Pain Dolls are very popular.
Not surprisingly, high profile targets who know of effigies are wont to let this happen and often have talismans made; large locked receptacles holding a powerful effigy of themselves so no other bond can harm them. If one is particularly confident in the strength of the effigy but less confident about the security it is kept under, certain institutions, aptly called effigy banks, exist that will keep your effigies under lock and key in secured locations.
Only one item utilizes effigies without being an effigy itself. The Paradox Hammer is a powerful weapon that holds a small cage with an unattuned effigy in it. The effigy should quickly attune to any opponent close by, and when struck against an attuned opponent the shock of the strike will create a weakened Paradox, pummeling the opponent with blunt force. More specific hammers exist, which are particularly harmful to red-haired people, women, Setchians, wolves or any other variant of a living thing.
Other objects are also rumored to have similarity smithing origins. Bottle ships is one such example. Although most people just find it a peculiar pasttime, some theorize that they are remnants of old seafarers with a knowledge of Similarity, who made indexes for their ships; if they then blew gently into the bottle, it would create a favorable wind.
The First Smiths
No one knows what the link between objects consists of, or what role it has in the world. But creating the link is perhaps one of the oldest and most widespread forms of thaumaturgy known to mankind. The craft was well-known before the Dark Ages, and in the modern world it was common in both Khiere, South-western Ieshyn and amongst some old Karkarenian nomad groups. Back then it was surrounded by rituals and superstition, and as civilization developed it was forgotten. A few kept the old teachings alive though, and while their work is neither abundant, common nor cheap, it gradually developed into a modern craftsmanship, as well as an intriguing science still full of unanswered questions.
I like this, a good way to explain why mystical items seem to defy their inherent properties. Very high fantasy though, with large aspect focused on the technical side.
I had actually given up on this, but I did like the idea before it was shot down by somebody in the tavern :)
I don't see why it's that high fantasy though. Depending on how you mean that of course. It's decidedly magical (although of the metaphysical rather than mystical variety), but it would fit well in a low magic setting, as well, as one of the single few magical disciplines retained by mankind. The indexed items are decidedly unflashy and their strength might be attributed to workmanship or materials long before anyone would call it supernatural. The effigies are flashier, yes, but have very limited uses depending on what they were crafted for.
But I'm glad you liked it :)
As a peripheral note, this would also explain runes since they would make for more specific weapons and therefore a stronger pairing with a likewise marked index.
I also like the bottle ships :p
I can say it's high fantasy because, well, it requires technical skills. Low magic is definitely more simplistic than something like this.
With was reasoning was it shot down?
Well, it was noted that this lacked mystique and didn't really deserve to be associated with Voodoo (though that word was mostly attached to grab people's attention).
Anyway, I don't think my setting needs it anyway. Although I'll have to find something else to use the word succedaneum for... that's far too good to let go.
I really liked the bottled ship idea. I never thought it would be related to voodoo dolls or effigies, but the way you explain it makes a lot of sense.
What about using this technique on buildings? A spy takes a chip of the fortress wall and brings it to a smith, who then uses the chip of stone to produce an index. After completion, an army approaches the fortress. Before the fight can begin, the smith destroys a portion of the index fortress wall, allowing the armies to quickly enter the fortress.
If indexing buildings are popular, then indexing these buildings for protection would be very good to prevent them being easily destroyed. Castles, walls, bridges, or any other important structure should have a bond created and kept safe so others can't easily bring down the structure (the same philosophy as talismans, except for buildings).
Effigy banks make sense, though they would have to be very well defended. If ever a bank is infiltrated, they potentially have the power to take out the strongest people in the land (perhaps even steal the effigy and hold it ransom).