Since waves of magick are a constant throughout the universe, travel between any pair of points can be made instantaneous. This is done by folding space-time using magick itself, creating a portal. Since these portals are accessed, controlled, and mediated by magick, no time is lost to the traveller or the rest of the universe, regardless of the distance actually travelled.
For example: Going in a spaceship at the speed of light,
Chelsea would be able to travel to alpha Centauri and return in roughly eight years, ten months
according to the universe and in zero time according to herself.
This is basic relativity theory (good old Albert Einstein).
However, if Chelsea used a portal to go back and forth to alpha Centauri,
4.4 light-years from earth,
then the trip would be instantaneous for both her and everyone around her and the universe.
(Technically, anytime travel faster-than-light is permitted,
it opens a can of worms regarding frames of reference
and violations of causality (the chain of cause and effect)
that I am not prepared to deal with in detail.
Suffice it to say that using portals invokes a kind of magick frame of reference
that prevents nasty things from happening.)
There are four types of portals and two possible flavours.
The conjured portal exists only for the time
the person creating it chooses.
At the expense of magickal energy, it can be held open,
but normal practice is to allow the portal to close once the trip in completed.
The standing portal always exists after its creation, but is dormant until invoked.
Once invoked, it will open allowing the portal journey.
Again, the person opening the portal can hold it open at the expense of magickal energy,
but normal practice is to allow it to close after use.
(Usually, the best reason for holding a portal open is for a quick getaway.)
Types of Portals
| Geographical portals | These are the most common type of portal, and probably the easiest to handle. It only comes in the conjured variety, existing only for the duration of the trip, which is instanteneous. They cannot be created in advance and invoked. Any medium- to high-level magickal being can create a geographical portal. Since they are so very useful for travelling about the world, it is a very common skill for any user of magick to possess. |
|---|---|
| Space-time portals | These come in both conjured and standing varieties. A conjured portal can transport any being to any point in the universe if the conjuror is powerful enough. Making a portal saps magickal energy from the conjuror, especially if the portal is allowed to remain open. Standing portals are accessed through magick, but only go from one specified point to another specified point. A being must be fairly powerful with magick to access these portals. Chelsea is almost to the point of being able to access standing portals. |
| Inter-dimensional Portals | These are like space-time portals in that there are both conjured and standing flavours; however, the magick needed to create one of these portals is greater than the amount needed to create a mere space-time portal. Eleanor created a standing inter-dimensional portal between earth and her pocket dimension. Chelsea and the rest could access that portal only because Eleanor created it first. As with conjured space-time portals, conjured inter-dimensional portals can be made to stay open. |
| Time portals | Time portals are always conjured when needed; it is not possible to create a standing time portal. Additionally, only the most powerful of magickal beings can create them. Sebastian is one such being. In fact time itself is very different to him. Sebo exists outside of time and can view any point in time and space that he wishes. That’s part of his magickal nature as one of the Cats. Lillith is the only other character appearing in CotC to date, who can create a time portal. However, she’s just seen it all and doesn’t need to see it again. |
See also:
| Return to mythos |
| Return to glossary |
| Return to background |
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