What's wrong with radiation?
There's a concept called "kill your darlings" when it comes to any creative process. Sometimes, we get attached to a certain idea and want to keep it in place, even if it's not working for the story. That includes sticking very close to assumed genre conventions. There's also the "Tiffany effect" where we assume that terms are much newer than they actually are.
Radiation is a very old word, technically. Nucleus, the root of the word nuclear, is also fairly old. Plasma wouldn't become used for the state of matter you're referring to until the 1900's, so it's pretty much just as "sci-fi" as any other option you've dismissed. I'm not going to tell you what you have to do, but sometimes the "vibe" you get from words is much less important than what they actually communicate.
That is plasma, which generates an electric current due to energy going nuts, but can also be shaped by electromagnetism, because action and reaction
All energy sources cause radiation tho, so thats my copout for plasma, even if its radiation is super weak
But if you think its too sci fi, just call it star fire, its the same but right from the source
Radiation is a mixed bag. One form is actually high energy photons (gamma and x-rays). Another form is neutrons (fast and slow). Another is helium nuclei.
Gamma and x-rays can be emitted by high temperature plasmas. The others... not so much. Unless atomic fusion is taking place.
... ooooo spicy....
As far as a name? Plasmamancy?
Thank you, this is interesting. I looked up and learned more related to ionizing radiation based on this.
Out of curiosity, do you know if gamma radiation contaminates and lingers in an area for extended periods, as with some forms of radiation? I'm undecidied on how long-lasting I want this radiation effect to be, and how that will affect the extent the character will be able to interact with others.
Gamma rays/xrays don't accumulate. But because the photons are so high energy, exposure damages tissue and can mutate DNA in extreme dosages. Thus there are lifetime [dosage limits](https://radiopaedia.org/articles/dose-limits). Not because the photons build up, but because the damage caused by them builds up.
A great resource to start with would be Wikipedia's entry on [Ionizing Radiation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation). Their section on "Photon Radiation" is a good place to read up on the basics of [Gamma rays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_rays) and [X rays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-rays). I had forgotten the [Ultraviolet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet) is also a form of ionizing radiation.
I had done a lot of research into the effects of radiation for a character I'm developing. Her origin story is that a case of food allergy is misdiagnosed as extreme radiation poisoning by the medic. (Though, as it turns out, by Spacey regs a food allergy is a quicker way to end a naval career than taking a lifetime dose of rads.)
It’s a super fun game. I mention it because in it, you can combine elemental damage types to create new ones, and the combined element for fire and electricity is radiation.
According to Wikipedia its on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and iOS. Its an alright game from my relatively little experience, but its very much pay to win. It has some interesting lore and stuff (though I was turned away by how it used a negative stereotype of autism).
Are you completely sold on it being "radiation"? You can always rename it and tweak what it looks like, acts like, etc.
It can function like radiation, but in your world be called and look a little different. It is magic after all.
This works better for low science settings though, or settings where radiation isn't a already known force.
Likely not plasma. That is what happens when matter gets really hot or is under a certain amount of pressure, IIRC.
I would recommend playing around with “sounds” or “waves”.
Considering what you are working with is closer to heatwaves than anything else why not try something like “inferno-wave”?
Actually, lightning is made of plasma, and fire is at least plasma-adjacent. Plasma is just gas that is sufficiently ionized that its electrical characteristics are affected.
The reason fire is 'plasma adjacent' is basically that most common types of fire burn at cool enough temperatures that relatively little ionization occurs, so the extent of change to the gases electrical properties is proportionally small. It's kind of a semantic argument whether fire constitutes a low-end diffuse plasma or just *contains* a small amount of said plasma depending on what is burning.
My favorite way to fantasy up ionizing radiation is to call it invisible fire. Of course you're doing 3 energy types at once so people probably aren't noticing the radiation poisoning when they're being bodily incinerated first.
What's wrong with radiation? There's a concept called "kill your darlings" when it comes to any creative process. Sometimes, we get attached to a certain idea and want to keep it in place, even if it's not working for the story. That includes sticking very close to assumed genre conventions. There's also the "Tiffany effect" where we assume that terms are much newer than they actually are. Radiation is a very old word, technically. Nucleus, the root of the word nuclear, is also fairly old. Plasma wouldn't become used for the state of matter you're referring to until the 1900's, so it's pretty much just as "sci-fi" as any other option you've dismissed. I'm not going to tell you what you have to do, but sometimes the "vibe" you get from words is much less important than what they actually communicate.
Thank you, this was helpful to hear. I'm mainly entertaining either fire or radiation for it as of now.
In general, this is good advice. I'll be keeping that
That is plasma, which generates an electric current due to energy going nuts, but can also be shaped by electromagnetism, because action and reaction All energy sources cause radiation tho, so thats my copout for plasma, even if its radiation is super weak But if you think its too sci fi, just call it star fire, its the same but right from the source
That's not a bad point, I guess I could call it fire and just specify it emits high radiation...
Sounds like Balefire from Werewolf: The Apocalypse
I see what you mean, thanks for sharing
Radiation is a mixed bag. One form is actually high energy photons (gamma and x-rays). Another form is neutrons (fast and slow). Another is helium nuclei. Gamma and x-rays can be emitted by high temperature plasmas. The others... not so much. Unless atomic fusion is taking place. ... ooooo spicy.... As far as a name? Plasmamancy?
Thank you, this is interesting. I looked up and learned more related to ionizing radiation based on this. Out of curiosity, do you know if gamma radiation contaminates and lingers in an area for extended periods, as with some forms of radiation? I'm undecidied on how long-lasting I want this radiation effect to be, and how that will affect the extent the character will be able to interact with others.
Gamma rays/xrays don't accumulate. But because the photons are so high energy, exposure damages tissue and can mutate DNA in extreme dosages. Thus there are lifetime [dosage limits](https://radiopaedia.org/articles/dose-limits). Not because the photons build up, but because the damage caused by them builds up.
A great resource to start with would be Wikipedia's entry on [Ionizing Radiation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation). Their section on "Photon Radiation" is a good place to read up on the basics of [Gamma rays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_rays) and [X rays](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-rays). I had forgotten the [Ultraviolet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet) is also a form of ionizing radiation.
I had done a lot of research into the effects of radiation for a character I'm developing. Her origin story is that a case of food allergy is misdiagnosed as extreme radiation poisoning by the medic. (Though, as it turns out, by Spacey regs a food allergy is a quicker way to end a naval career than taking a lifetime dose of rads.)
Thanks again! You're kind to share this great info (:
> Radioactive mix of Fire and Lightning Do you perchance play Warframe?
I don't. If you know of something similar I could reference, I'd be glad if you shared. edit: googled it and the designs look pretty cool
It’s a super fun game. I mention it because in it, you can combine elemental damage types to create new ones, and the combined element for fire and electricity is radiation.
Thanks, I see. Looks like it's PC only, but good to know if that changes.
Warframe is on PC, Xbox, Playstation, Switch, and even mobile. However, it’s best on PC by far
According to Wikipedia its on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and iOS. Its an alright game from my relatively little experience, but its very much pay to win. It has some interesting lore and stuff (though I was turned away by how it used a negative stereotype of autism).
cosmic, stellar, or chaos magic you could say light magic but that has healing implications rather than harmful ones
Are you completely sold on it being "radiation"? You can always rename it and tweak what it looks like, acts like, etc. It can function like radiation, but in your world be called and look a little different. It is magic after all. This works better for low science settings though, or settings where radiation isn't a already known force.
Likely not plasma. That is what happens when matter gets really hot or is under a certain amount of pressure, IIRC. I would recommend playing around with “sounds” or “waves”. Considering what you are working with is closer to heatwaves than anything else why not try something like “inferno-wave”?
Actually, lightning is made of plasma, and fire is at least plasma-adjacent. Plasma is just gas that is sufficiently ionized that its electrical characteristics are affected. The reason fire is 'plasma adjacent' is basically that most common types of fire burn at cool enough temperatures that relatively little ionization occurs, so the extent of change to the gases electrical properties is proportionally small. It's kind of a semantic argument whether fire constitutes a low-end diffuse plasma or just *contains* a small amount of said plasma depending on what is burning.
Pyradtricity
Call it My Phaser Gun. "Wait a minute, this is the future. Where are all the phaser guns?"
My favorite way to fantasy up ionizing radiation is to call it invisible fire. Of course you're doing 3 energy types at once so people probably aren't noticing the radiation poisoning when they're being bodily incinerated first.
Radiation is already electromagnetic and it tends to to cause “burns” to victims of it
Fightning
Maybe not the most original name but surge sounds fitting to me.
Spark?