Velomancy

Velomancy is the magical art of generating/capturing magical energy through the use of a bicycle. Most velomancers use their bicycles as a mystical battery, drawing off stored mana to work magic.

Methods

Virtually all velomancers the world over use a similar set of methods for collecting or generating mana. In broad terms, they are referred to as "Spoking", "Framing", and "Flagging".

Spoking

Spoking is the practice of placing charms, mana-catchers/-reflectors, and other similar items in the spokes of a velomancer's bike. As the wheels turn over and over, the items in the spokes interact with the manasphere as the velomancer cycles through it. Similar to prayer wheels churning out prayers, spoke charms require the spinning action of the wheel to operate. They tend to generate large volumes of generally lower-grade mana.

Framing

Framing is the practice of a velomancer placing flags, charms, etc, directly on to the frame of the bike. Framing tends to generate a higher grade-mana, but at a slower pace than spoked charms.

Flagging

Flagging is the practice of flying charmed pennants or flags from a wire or stick on the rear of the bicycle. As the pennant flaps in the breeze, it also generates mana that travels down the wire into the frame of the bicycle. It generates mid- to high-grade mana, depending on speed, wind direction, and other factors.

Tapping

A Velomancer can Tap their bike's mana reserve and drain all of its mana all at once. As it is hard to tell by looking just how much mana a velomancer has stored in their bike, they are capable of sudden acts of powerful magic, though afterward their mana reserve will be empty and they must start pedaling anew.

Sub-Disciplines

Jankomancy

Main Entry: Jankomancy

Also called "Janking" and "Beater Magic", Jankomancy refers to velomancy practiced on a rusted old beater bike ridden over poorly maintained, pot-hole riddled roads. Jankomancers abjure the use of tools or lubricants on their bikes, and maintain them with duct tape, zip ties, and stored mana.

The repeated bouncing and jarring serves as a force multiplier to any mana otherwise collected. Unsubstaniated claims of factors of 50 or higher are reported, but unvarified. The highest recorded multiplier was a factor of 33 by Anton Leitner.

On the plus side, beater mages can generate some of the largest mana reserves among velomancers. Also, the older and jankier a beater gets, the more mana it is capable of storing.

On the down side, the older and jankier a beater mage's bike gets, the higher a percentage of the bike's mana reserve must go into maintaining the bike's function. When a beater starts coming close to it's storage limit, bolts and pieces will occasionally come shooting off the bike at high speed.

When janker taps, if the beater has reached the point of needing mana to keep rolling this will cause the bike to fall apart completely. The beater mage must then acquire a new beater. Jankers do not tap casually, but when they do it is usually something spectacular to witness.

"Sanza Red"

Sanza Red (From the French sans arrêt, "without stopping") practitioners value speed, momentum, and forward movement. Their bikes capture mana through long, high-speed, uninterrupted rides. Urban sanza red velomancers are routinely running red lights, weaving through traffic, and are considered a nuisance by many motorists.

Mojo Bubbling

Mojo Bubbling is a form of flagging, though its purpose is to generate positive vibes and a good luck to the magician's general environment rather than to accumulate and store mana.

The velomancer attaches a bubble machine to the back of their bike rack. As they ride, mana stored in their bike is used to generate uplifting mojo which manifests as a large bubble-wake trailing the magician down the street. Everybody is happy to see a mojo bubbler roll past on the street.

In Oakland, CA, the presence of a mojo bubbler is believed to help combat The Weirdness.

Category: Mystical Oakland