MAHOU SUBSETS

Last Updated: July 3, 2024

Side-Effects Explanation

The tie of a Mahou establishes a link between the thoughts of the Mahou and their Rep; this is to ensure the Mahou's powers remain relatively stable and that they can quickly get the hang of them (as well as for other purposes, depending on who your Rep is).

Normally, psychic link effects simply manifest as just a slight personality change that intensifies over time; the Mahou in question just feels like doing things they typically wouldn't, and it's almost always perceived as their own idea, not an outer influence. It is possible to become self-aware and pick out linked thoughts from the rest, but it's incredibly hard to do so and may seriously affect the Mahou's psyche.

If one were to stop being a Mahou, whether through removing their tie or otherwise, this does not reverse the effects of the psychic link. It simply keeps everything as is.

If the mentality of the Mahou happens to sync up very well with their Rep for more than a brief moment, and they accumulate a lot of energy while doing so, their appearance and mannerisms will change greatly and they'll achieve something known as an Awoken Form, which comes with a massive boost in power. In some Mahous, their link is already extremely strong for one reason or another, but not quite enough to cause this; this causes them to be on the verge of entering this state by default (this also happens if the Mahou has become self-aware). Initially there wasn't a name for this phenomenon, but once the discovery of Awoken Forms happens, this is known in the community as being "perm-awoken" or just "perma-woke".

Mahous who did the ritual improperly but still got the intended subset typically have a much weaker psychic link, and thus their powers are unstable, uncommon, and usually weaker. Improper Mahous with strong abilities are often unable to take the energy expenses and can experience immense fatigue as a result. They can still "wake up", but it takes a bit more effort. Some Mahous try to achieve this intentionally for one reason or another, despite the fact that it's incredibly dangerous.

Usually, Reps are completely unaware of and unaffected by individual Mahous, only being able to even detect something once they've amassed a large amount of them (god help you if you've been singled out by your Rep). However, the psychic link can possibly go both ways, and the Rep can be influenced by the Mahou– this is typically seen in Reps whose minds are on the same or similar wavelengths as humans, so to speak. Reps that originated from Earth and aren't exactly intended to have Mahous are more susceptible to this. Paradoxically, Reps with only one Mahou are also prone.

The abilities of Mahous are usually determined randomly upon undergoing the ritual, with exceptions (some get their powers hand-picked by the Rep they work under). Reps can enhance or diminish the effectiveness of a Mahou's abilities, as well as forcefully transform them in or out of uniform. However, changing a Mahou's set of powers, or reversing the effects of the ritual, is much more difficult and can lead to serious problems if not done correctly.

(Please note that there are many exceptions and outliers to these following guidelines, especially for perma-woke and improperly made Mahous. And while it's rare, there is still the possibility of new subsets being added to the list!)

Subset List

Common

Dusk

Due to its impressive stability, easy ritual, and practical abilities, this is the most common subset; it is considered "the default" and, for the more hardcore parts of the Mahou community, the "basic bitch" subset. Many SDDA agents are required to use this subset.

Nickel

Nickel is considered a very versatile and high-tier subset, so to speak, but it's usually associated with, uh, nerds.

Support

Support Mahous are a staple in building up teams and guilds. Mahous of this subset are also sometimes seen wandering the city, offering to heal others for money, or just out of the kindness of their heart. (Usually the former.)

Echo

Echo Mahous usually end up in leading positions within guilds due to their side-effects, but it also means guilds with large amounts of Echo Mahous may have issues with communication. They are often paired up with Reflection Mahous for top-notch illusions.

Reflection

Reflection Mahous are considered particularly vain, and are generally thought of as tryhards by more serious parts of the community. They are often paired up with Echo Mahous for top-notch illusions.

Jetstream

Due to their distrust of others and their odd, situational set of abilities, they're rarely seen in guilds, if at all. They're often reserved for reconnaissance missions.

Rare

Ocean

Due to their unreliable nature and redundancy (as Jetstream Mahous can potentially have the same abilities), they're rarely seen in guilds. Ocean Mahous aren't taken very seriously, and the subset is considered very "low-tier"; however, as this is a relatively new subset and is still being looked into, this may not be the case soon.

Blood

Due to their explosive abilities and high resistance, this subset is half-jokingly considered the "barbarian" subset. This is currently the newest discovered subset.

Exclusive

Forbidden

A subset discovered and kept secret by Leslie de Loch, due to its dangerously severe side-effects, immense power, and because she really dislikes her Rep.

World-Ending

While this is the first discovered subset, its existence is a mystery, and the method to obtain it is completely unknown. Who knows if we can ever see another World-Ending Mahou in our lifetime...

Stardust

Stardust Mahous were originally thought of as improper Dusk Mahous, as the ritual was accidentally discovered during an attempt to become a Dusk Mahou. The actual specifics to become a Stardust Mahou are yet to be found, as there hasn't been a second successful casting.