Casting Spells

Despite their differences, all castes shape spells in the same way.

The Basics

Contrary to popular belief, casters do not simply create spells by waving their hands in the air and chanting a few words. Spells are actually cast by crocheting the cords together to form the right spell shapes. These shapes are complicated and are difficult to perfect, as they have many components, but the act of casting is quite easy to learn. Spells resemble granny squares, consisting of multiple cords and resulting in elaborate details. Multi-caster spells are large, patchwork blankets of many different granny squares. However, one distinct difference between physical crochet and spell casting is that the cords are not severed once the spell is cast. When the spell is finished and released, it unravels, and the unravelling process is actually what generates the spell; as the spell unravels, it ripples through the cords, and this sudden movement manifests the spell's purpose.

Some casters have tried knitting, but it takes much longer and is much more difficult to obtain the right spell shape. Still, there have been several knitting-caster masters throughout the ages that have been just as - if not more - proficient than their crochet counterparts.

Spell Shapes

All spells being cast can be seen by the naked eye (though some have mastered the art of casting undetected). Spells give off light in colours corresponding to the spell's purpose (a gravity spell would be purple), often illuminating the hands of the individual or the sigils they are drawing. Spells also come in different shapes, depending on the complexity of the spell. The more complex the spell is, the more sides it has, with circles being the most basic spells, and extremely complex spells being decagons. The interior sigils are pictograms depicting the spell's purpose. Spells can also have multiple shapes layered together called stipulation shapes, which advance the complexity of the spell, or provide additional stipulations to what the spell is being cast for (i.e. an ice spell to freeze a lake requires only one shape, but an ice spell targeted at a whole lake with the intent to only freeze enough to skate on without disturbing the fish below requires multiple stipulation shapes).

Tools

Some casters will have crochet hook-shaped wands to aid in the creation of spells. Other casters can finger crochet spells together. It is a matter of preference for the caster, though young children are often trained using a hook.

Other tools include:

Staffs - used to by curling the cords around the base to act like a swift, holding the cords while the caster crafts it together.
Rings - like a crochet ring they assist the caster by keeping a consistent tension on the cords.
Instruments - casters who use instruments weave the cords using their fingers while they play using a specific technique that adds an additional layer of complexity to the instrument.
Taicks - only possessed by Im'uth and Chrysalis, Taick's can be used to manipulate the cord as a biological tool. The Taick acts as a detector for different strands, able to locate and procure the next strand without the Im'uth having to look up from their work.