1 Topic by TheDeceptiveDuck

  • TheDeceptiveDuck
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Topic: Mana Sight: Good or Bad

I understand that the "Mana Sight" or "Mana Sense" trope is a necessity for this genre but I have seen it portrayed in several different ways. I'm wonder what the general consensus is and how I should handle it in my own writing.

First, a definition:
If a transformee loses one or more of their facial features and there isn't a redundant copy present anywhere else on their body but they still retain its functionality is invoking the "Mana Sense" trope.


Hearing
This one really shows us where are priories are. It maybe easy to right a blind character as it is easy to relate with. Just close your eyes and there you go. But it is really hard to write a deaf character. Especially if the character in question is missing a head. Dialogues are virtually impossible.

Vision
This is where my conflict stems from as I like putting eyes in places where they shouldn't be. If mana sight is available, then why would you need redundant eyes? Maybe this version "Mana vision" is poor or disorientating and seeing with an eye is just simpler. If magic takes care of your hearing, then why not sight? What is your opinion on this?

Speech
Not really one of the five senses, but is worth mentioning as it is the most common occurrence and the chosen application is almost universal. If someone loses their mouth, another orifice will take up the task. IE: vagina, urethra, or anus.

Digestive system
We rarely see this one in action. Maybe a character will question how the will eat or use the restroom in their transformed state, but is rarely shown. Either the transformee will need to eat but not defecate or they will be missing a mouth but eat with their anus are whatever is functioning as their mouth or whatever magics are in-play take care of the body's energy needs. Now, I'm not a fan of scat, BUT I am curious. Including details like this helps to flesh out an the facets of the transformation and makes it stranger.

Smell
I don't thing I've ever seen a written instance of mana nose. Have you?

Please inform me on which version of the trope you prefer and why.

"Nothing gets me going like good world building"

2 Reply by Demon-Man

  • Demon-Man
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Re: Mana Sight: Good or Bad

Interesting topic. smile

Just wanted to add some details in regards to the lore.
In Belial transformations are by nature very versatile and not very uniform. Alchemically induced transformation are often rather unpredictable, except for the most fine-tuned ones.

Thus there is not much in the way of standards or rules concerning mana-based senses.

Mana-sight and other senses can be intentionally triggered as part of a transformation, be it alchemical or done by a demon. Freyan women are such a case, where the transformative machines that make them were specifically designed to add a form of mana-sight. It might be often easier and cheaper to design a transformation leaving the person with at least one eye. There might also be aesthetic reason for why somebody might end up with mana-sight or eyes.

In case of random or less refined transformations (e.g. caused by raw D-cum) there is no guarantee that somebody might end up with mana-senses if they lose the appropriate organs. A person losing their eyes might gain a form of mana-sight or they might end up blind. Same with other senses.

Regarding the quality of mana-senses, it can vary. Sometimes they can be even better than before, sometimes worse.

I also wanted to add. A lack of visible ears does not usually mean that there are no physical ears at all. Sometimes they might just be hidden inside the body, also it might impede the quality of hearing.

All this is also true for speech and the digestive system. Carefully designed transformations can create whatever variation is desired, where there is no guarantee what a random transformation might cause. A transformee can end up with no ability to speak or through a different orifice, with the help of heavily modified vocal chords. The digestive system might be linked to a new orifice (e.g. the genitalia) or even end up in a loop with the anus suddenly serving both functions to eat and excrete. There might be alterations that eliminate the production of waste or convert it into something else (e.g. cum which is then expelled through a penis). There might be no digestive system at all. The only guarantee is that in such a case the transformee ends up as a mana-feeder, absorbing energy through the skin and converting it into nutrients inside the body.

I hope that helped. smile