Magic

Structure
The magic of Sebbia consists of three parts, Harmony, Spectra, and Leylines. Some have said that Spectra is the actual magic of magic, but in reality, all three of these parts are inseparable. This construction is unique to the world of Sebbia and it is unclear if such magic would work on another world.

Harmony
Harmony is the force behind Spectra. It is the directional and regulatory function that lets Spectra flow. Harmony is a gift, left behind by the Matriarch to be a method for the education and growth of her creations. Harmony also is a protector, a powerful buffer against the rest of the universe that shelters Sebbia from harm. Harmony is sapient, if it were not, it would not be able to respond to the commands of ponies. Harmony must know what the mage wants to do in order to direct Spectra.

Additional information can be found in Harmony

Spectra
Spectra is the energy that performs the magic. Spectra expresses itself as color. It infuses everything and waxes and wanes depending on Harmony and the leylines. If Spectra did not infuse all, magic would be impossible. Even though the work is done by Spectra, and there is no such thing as using it up, it still requires an investment from the mage. Fatigue incurred by performing magic is primarily mental. However, extended use of magic will eventually wear on the mage's body as the mind/spirit requires more energy to sufficiently communicate with Harmony, via leyline, to direct Spectra.

Color
The purest forms of Spectra are represented by the six indiffusible colors, red, yellow, orange, green, blue and violet. Each color has a strength. Their specific strengths don’t make any one color above another. Red is associated with passion and loyalty. Yellow is associated with kindness and healing. Orange is associated with strength and honesty. Green is associated with grace and generosity. Blue is associated with joy and perseverance. Violet is associated with knowledge and logic.

It has long been known that the number eight perfectly supports damper or inhibitor fields. Buildings that may be used to hold a unicorn against her will are always constructed with eight sides. The more repetitions of the number present, the stronger the dampers will be when installed. This curious ability of the number eight has led some scholars and mages to say that there is another color, but it is a void color. They agonize over not being able to accurately describe this color, for it has some conflicting behaviors. The different inhibitors and dampers can act as if they are absorbing or repelling Spectra.

Material
Spectra can have a greater influence on six basic materials as well. Ruby, Amethyst, Diamond, Iron, Copper and Cobalt. Mages use these materials for specific amplification of spells. They are mixed and forged to create dampers and inhibitors as well. The craft of creating such devices is known as metallurgy.

Inhibitors and Dampers
Depending on the inhibitor needed, certain metals will be employed. The most common metals used for inhibitors are platinum and anacadium. Anacadium is an alloy of zinc and cobalt. Dampers are usually made from brass for Blinking dampers, silver for telekinetic dampers, and chromium for Folding dampers. These three are the easiest and simplest dampers to make. Other metals can be used to create complex dampers that are able to target specific spells and can even be tuned to a specific unicorn. Specialty dampers and inhibitors are difficult to make and need the expert experience of a highly skilled metallurgist over the space of many weeks. Dampers or inhibitors tuned to a specific unicorn require a sample of that unicorn’s blood, a diagrammed illustration of the unicorn’s horn and a detailed scrutiny of that unicorn’s spell weaving habits. A tuned inhibitor is usually only used for criminals to prevent the use of certain spells by the offender, but leaves them functional enough to care for themselves. They have also been used in the treatment of magical maladies and injuries. The reason why a criminal would not be subjected to a general leyline suppressor ring, made from anacadium and placed on the horn, is because extended exposure to anacadium will eventually cause horn rot and the total loss of magic is very damaging psychologically.

Leylines
Leylines are the framework that mages use to communicate their intentions with Harmony. It can be described as the language of Harmony. Leylines respond to the will of the mage that summons them and will remain in that mage’s control until released. To unicorns, the leylines are a visual representation of patterns and colors that translates their will into magic. To earthponies, the leylines are a metaphysical/emotional representation of what Harmony wants to communicate to them. To Pegasi, the leylines are an auditory representation of what Harmony is currently doing.

Leylines and Spells
The leylines are what comprise spells. Spellbooks contain drawings or annotated descriptions of the patterns needed to reproduce known effects. The most widely used annotation was developed by Starswirl the Bearded and is known as leynote. Other forms of leynotes have been adapted from Starswirl's original method. Skilled mages can construct hybrid spells by changing or integrating patterns as well as modifying color sets.

Most spells are found by trial and error. Scholars credit the Sisters Royal with the creation of the Five basic Spells. The patterns of the Five are known as Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Spirit. They are the most basic of patterns, each one containing a single leyline and color.

A new field of study in leylines has come about with the advent of the Butterponies. Known as corporeal leylines, these are also expressed in Starswirl leynote. The base pattern of these leylines are different for each race of pony. Within the races, every individual pony's leyline pattern is unique, but they all share the same base.

Unicorn Duels
Once a leyline has been summoned, it will remain in that unicorn’s control until released. Spells can be blocked or unraveled but the leylines used to create the spells will remain in that unicorn’s control. A magic duel is a balancing act. Harmony will only allow a certain amount of Spectra to flow into any one area. Scholars believe that this amount is at once impossible to quantify, yet has a limit.

Some speculate that there are two main factors in how much Spectra can flow in a given place. First is the skill of the mage or mages involved. The more skilled or powerful they are, the more Spectra they can command. The second is the presence of natural leylines, also known as the Great Leylines. If there is a Great Leyline near, there is already an elevated level of Spectra in the area.

When two or more mages square off, the opening moves in the game are to seize as many leylines as can be handled safely or until Harmony allows no more. The rest of the duel consists of attempting to force the opponent to relinquish leylines. The victor is the unicorn who controls the majority of the Spectra present. The duel is effectively over because the other unicorn will no longer have enough leylines to weave a spell.

Leylines can be changed after they have been summoned, however, this requires a great deal of study and skill. An inexperienced mage who attempts to directly modify a leyline runs the risk of the spell backfiring.

Dueling was outlawed towards the middle of the Era of the One, year 578 of Luna's Exile. There were too many instances of injury and destruction of property. Celestia originally banned any and all forms of dueling, but the High Court later convinced the Princess to allow dueling as a sport and for educational purposes. Dueling as an organized sport marked, for many scholars, the end of the Classical period of Equestria. No longer were the statutes of chivalry and honor followed so strictly. Dueling teams quickly sprung up around Equestria. The rules around Dueling are some of the most rigorous and forcefully policed in any sport. Every city and goodly-sized town has a specially selected dueling pitch that is cordoned off from the rest of the town. Each dueling pitch is selected based on standardized criteria. These include the proximity of Great Leylines, the presence or certain mineral deposits and the proximity of pony dwellings. It is largely a spectator sport, and some have lamented what they call the degeneration of the sport for spectacle. Fewer teams employ useful spells in favor of more visually stunning spells that have explosive or colorful side effects, either when cast or when unraveled. Scoring is based on time and the number of spells cast/blocked. The time is figured in minutes. Due to some interesting loopholes in the rules a unicorn can technically lose a duel by default, losing a majority of the leylines available, and yet still win the match by score if she prolonged the duel past thirty minutes and blocked or cast more spells than her opponent. This is a favorite tactic of what are known as Sleepers. A Sleeper is usually the weakest member of the team, either in terms of strength or skill. It is not known where the term came from exactly, though some professional duelers like to joke that it’s because Sleepers never get to do anything at meets, except sleep on the bench. The average Dueling team has six members: The Hitter, the Setter, three Plugs, and the Sleeper. The Hitter is generally the strongest of the team and de facto captain. The Hitter is usually the first to duel at a meet, and normally against the rival team’s Hitter. Hitters are characterized by their volatile and short matches, the shorter the match, the higher the score. A really good Hitter can score enough points to secure a win, even from the start of a meet. The meet will progress with one team member squaring off against another from the other team until all six have dueled. The meet does not always have to follow a certain pattern, part of the strategy in the game is to observe your opponents and match your strengths to their weaknesses. Setters act as set-up, hence the name, for the Plug or the Hitter. They are crafty and are very good at feigning weakness. They are also sometimes called Faux Sleepers. The Setter is often the third strongest of the group who possesses a special talent that is guarded as closely as possible. They are used for upsets. In most dueling meets, the teams are not required to state their intended setup before the matches and so can change their plans during the meet. The three Plugs are the middling of the team. They are for shifting points and providing buffers for the Setter or Hitter, literally, placeholders or fillers. The Sleepers tend to go last and usually against the opposing Sleeper. They tend to be the rookie players as well. Some Sleepers stand out from the other duelers, for these are often the ones who never move up in the roster. They are contracted as Sleepers because of a defining trait; stamina. They are a team’s last-ditch effort for a win or for merely diminishing an embarrassing loss. A really good Sleeper can outlast a Plug or even a Hitter. Prolonging the match past thirty minutes starts to work against the unicorn who is technically winning. After that mark, the time adds to penalties for the winner.

Basic Magical Abilities
Every unicorn is able to perform at least three basic spells. The extent to which they can perform each depends on that unicorn's skill and practice. Obviously, if it is an ability that they do not use often, they will be weaker in that ability. Spell casting for unicorns works the same as any physical ability for an earthpony or pegasus, if it is not used the spell will effectively atrophy in the unicorn's mind. There is the rare unicorn who can perform many spells and has the capacity to expand their repertoire. Most unicorns will focus on a set of spells that are related to each other, known as a school.

Two terms are used to describe ability: strength and skill. A unicorn's strength depends on their mental fortitude. Using magic for an extended period of time or casting and maintaining multiple spells is extremely taxing on the mind. A unicorn must train for several months in order to build up what is known as an immunity. Exposure to Spectra is an exhilarating experience for a unicorn and can produce withdrawal symptoms as well as fatigue. Young unicorns who push themselves too hard in the early stages of their education often suffer from Spellbind Syndrome. It is characterized by lethargy, high fever, insomnia and constant migraines. If left untreated, it can become dangerous, not only to the victim, but also others around them. A unicorn's skill can be measured by how many tier one and tier two spells can be performed in a given amount of time, without flaw. The standard final exam at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, for example, is to perform one hundred and eight spells: fifty-four tier one, and fifty-four tier two. The prospective graduate has fourty-five minutes to complete the task. If they fail a spell, they are immediately disqualified and must come back the next day to try again. They are not allowed to fail the test more than five times. If on the fifth attempt they do not succeed, they leave the school with no diploma.

Blinking
Spacial Blinking, or just Blinking for short, is teleportation. It is not instantaneous as some believe, but it is extremely fast. It has also been determined that Blinking takes exactly the same amount of time to travel any distance. Every unicorn can Blink to a degree. The distance they can travel and the number of entities they can accommodate depends on the unicorn's strength and skill. Short distances of a few sceptres to a furlong are usually attainable for every unicorn by themselves. The longest recorded Blink spanned eight miles, however, the unicorn who accomplished the feat was hospitalized for several months in a catatonic state for a majority of that time.

The more entities a unicorn attempts to Blink, the more difficult and taxing the spell becomes. It can be described as an exponential function. The difficulty increases regardless of any given object's size. The biggest differences in entities is between sapient beings and inanimate objects. For reasons unknown, it is considerably harder to Blink multiple sapient beings than it is to Blink an equal number of objects.

Blinking is also limited to first party influence. This means that the unicorn performing the spell must also travel to the destination and that any other entities that are to accompany her must remain within her field of influence, this can range from three to five sceptres, depending on that unicorn's strength.

Aether Jumping
Aether Jumping is considered a tier six ability. Less than ten unicorns throughout the history of Equestria's nearly two thousand years have been able to master this spell. It is unique among the tier six spells as it cannot be taught by one who has mastered it. The spell must be discovered anew for every unicorn who attempts to learn. Aether Jumping has no apparent limitation as to how far one can travel. It is extremely accurate and fast. Once a unicorn masters this ability, they can usually expand its functionality into the next part of the spell: Adits. The Adit is a doorway into the Aether realm as well as a bridge across it. This allows a unicorn to transport any number of entities across any distance quickly and easily. As with Blinking, the unicorn who created the Adit must go through first to establish the bridge, but unlike Blinking, the spell does not become hard to maintain as entities pass through the Adit. She would be able to keep the doorway open for as long as she wished.

This technique exploits a property of the Aether; it is at once touching all places, yet resides in only one. It is much like traveling through space via wormhole, but without the risky business of creating a warp in time. It is essentially a shortcut. There are risks, however, to Jumping and Adits. Jumping when one is not fully prepared, can result in disorientation and nausea. This is especially dangerous to the Jumper for she can accidentally exit the Aether and arrive someplace completely different from where she wanted to go, perhaps even someplace deadly such as the bottom of the ocean or the middle of a volcano or even outer space. Theoretically, one can travel to any plane or place via the Aether. It is not done because the Jumper must have at least a working knowledge of the place from which she left, and to where she wishes to go. One does not necessarily have to have been in a place to Aether Jump to it, but that makes the spell easier to perform.

Adits present their own challenges. When passing through an Adit, it is extremely important not to touch the edges of the portal. There is a very tiny, but very real, separation of realities between the two sides of the portal. To understand how the Adit works, one must visualize the situation thus: The two planes of existence, Reality and the Aether, can be viewed as being next to each other like two soap bubbles. An Adit creates a point of fusion between the membranes of the two spheres by creating another thin bubble between them. This analogy is, unfortunately, insufficient to explain fully what happens. For that to work, the two bubbles would not only be next to each other, Reality would be inside of the Aether, but the Aether is technically 'smaller' than Reality. If one were to touch the edge of an Adit, there is no telling what may happen. The object, or pony, may just disappear without a trace, never to be seen again. They may flash to ash or become something else, even be transported to another world. Chances of survival are very slim in any case.

Telekinesis
Sometimes referred to as Holding, telekinesis is usually the first ability a unicorn gains and masters. Holding is closely associated with the opening of the Mind’s Eye, or the second sight afforded to unicorns that allows them to see leylines. Telekinesis is the simplest of the basic abilities, for it requires only one leyline per object that is being manipulated. That leyline interacts directly with the latent Spectra that resides in all matter. Even though telekinesis is a tier one spell and is usually the ability most used, it often stays the same. Other abilities like Blinking and Folding can be expanded and enhanced, but most unicorns never progress past the first tier form of the spell.

In keeping with the laws of physics, it requires more energy to move an object of higher mass than one of lower mass. Physical size does not seem to increase the amount of energy needed to move an object. The increase in the energy requirement proportionally increases the fatigue of the unicorn. As more Spectra is used, a unicorn’s ‘grip’ can slip on the leylines, causing a catastrophic failure of the spell. To prevent this from happening, a technique was developed that pushes the spell into the tier two range. When faced with a massive object to move, a unicorn has the option of strengthening their connection with Harmony by twisting several identical leylines together into a cord. Multiple points of contact between Harmony and the latent Spectra of the object makes the feat more manageable, however, it is not as efficient. A great deal of skill is required to handle multiple leylines and though cording leylines makes tasks less strenuous for the mage, it requires higher affinity and dexterity to accomplish, otherwise the spell fails entirely.

Folding
Folding is a tier one transportation spell. Magically extroverted creatures such as unicorns possess what is known as an aura. The aura is a pocket of locally energized Spectra that is always present. The strength of that aura is directly dependent on the strength of the unicorn. The aura also displaces local reality, again the degree to which it displaces reality is contingent on the unicorn’s strength. Folding is the only tier one reflexive spell. It is a simplified form of Imbuement that attaches at two ends rather than one. Folding is usually the last of the three basic abilities that a unicorn acquires. It has elements of telekinesis and Blinking. Folding is a means of transporting objects without the use of a physical medium. Like Holding, Folding only requires one leyline per object to be Folded, the leyline is then attached to the object through simplified Imbuement and the opposite end is then tied to that unicorn’s aura through a reflexive process called ‘self-seeing’. The object then is folded into the aura of the unicorn and disappears from the current plane. This makes the object invisible, weightless and massless.