Frequency: The core strength of a Vibration, determines how far and fast it travels My character doesnt get him to throw lightning at foes, but he does send a giant bird to carry off my character to relative safety, but they end up getting separated from the rest of their group. I feel that doing so, would provide some much needed structure as I go through the worldbuilding process but Im worried that it could make my Mages feel less wizardy, and more like X-men? It is dual-natured-representing the life-giving light of the sun that all life relies on, but also the destructive and fiery nature of its power. You need to place incense in a semi-circle in front of you, drink fresh blood, paint your face with the blood, and focus on the person youre looking for. First off, Id like to say that your idea is amazing! The Living Mother dreads chaos and wants balance. Roughly, looks like extended noun+verb system, right? Skill in this magic system is all about how little inspiration you need to produce your own energy; How many methods of create, increase or decrease you can do & How many energy types you can work with; and how much energy you can actually produce at once. There are, of course, drawbacks. Why is it important for a hard magic system to have rules? Astral Armor-- "Though spun from strands of glamor and mana, the protection it offers is no illusion." Magic Formula-- Yep. So, for each point in environment will be possible to calculate the energy value. To have the power of the Towers, one must have originated from them, or been taken to it by someone from the Towers. Honestly, I cant think of a reasonable or cohesive cap on what it can do so I hope the limitations will balance it out. Is magic inherited, gifted, obtained, or learned? Could you perhaps link the tides and the moon? I see where you are coming from on a few of these points but perhaps since Ive read the series so many times I think they miss the mark. If your characters will use magic to resolve that conflict, then establishing a clear set of rules for your magic system is necessary to avoid cheapening tension via contrived magical solutions. I think, some of the gods will be more random and chaotic than others. So if you think multiple types would be cool, go for it, if you want to keep it simple, dont. Those are the things I thought about, let me know if it helped you improve! The Interferer group split apart eventually and the two factions warred and almost killed all of the Conduits, but reached a treaty saying that they wouldnt kill anymore Conduits (Interferers need Conduits to do anything), but Conduits are still rare and fought over. Both are checked on periodically by officials after. The costs of magic can be physical, societal, or even financial. His thoughts compiled into a fortified plan to use his skills to accomplish it, without leaving his comfortable chair. However, in most cases a rational magic system works better. ), Given how late it is, I hope this makes SOME sort of sense :-S. Thanks alot for your thoughts, it looks interesting! Also, I read that chemical changes play an important role, and those probably cant be detected externally at all. With the exception of the Avatar, people who cast magic are only attuned to one of the four main elements. Those who are consumed are called Specters (im going with an evil theme for this one). Forms of moon magic include illusion magic, shadow magic, and spirit magic. actuallydragon glass is NOT made from dragon fireits just some rock that forms naturally: obsidian. Precursor aliens might do the job if they had certain motivations (such as wanting to set up a certain situation to see how it develops), but this raises questions of how such a large group made of many different individuals could all stay hidden for such a long time. I would take a step back from good and bad, first of all. I think Tolkiens magic also confuses people because, as you say, its not until you read in the unpublished material and the material that WAS unpublished at the time of Tolkiens death but has since been released as the Silmarillion, etc. Real transformation would be something like lead to gold, influencing the molecules to give up their bonds and settle into a new configuration (gods, it has been ages since my last chemistry lesson). For example, if your characters can telekinetically control objects, your story will be more interesting if each character can only control a specific type of object, rather than being able to control anything they want. As just one example, she talks about choosing only one source of magic but I think its possible to have multiple sources and still have well-thought out and limited magic systems. Paint is a very volatile substance that if held can burn off skin They should be able to deduce, if they want to, what a magic user (or a psychic) can or cant do and you shouldnt suddenly throw someone in who can do something that should be impossible by the rules you set down and showed before. Really sorry about the length but Im really happy with this magic system and am wondering what other people might think of it- and the people here seem like they know what theyre talking about and are enthusiastic to hear more. Theres hardly a limit, every wizard and witch (once adult) seems pretty much capable of using all spells (although experience and practice sure play a role). People connected to the Moon and Star Primals are the only two that are common in a single place and can be found in any nation or culture. would even mathematically work, as all existing particles and forces seem to be related by deep mathematical symmetries. However, set guidelines for how people react to exposure. This works the same for all energy types. Remember that energy doesnt dispense when its used it only takes on a different shape. Ask yourself what effects will help your protagonists solve the problems presented in your plot, and what effects will be fun to write about. I love the way this discussion has blossomed! Ive currently got 11 tabs open that I need to look through. A genie grants three wisheswith a twist. However, scholars and Wise Ones know that harnessing sunlight is possible, for virtually every plant known to this world is more than capable of harnessing sunlight, and does so continuously, every day. So it goes like this, everyone in the world can use magic though alot choose not to because they dont want to get caught up in the conflict with all that do use it. A cunning ex-adventurer named Wlfrilda seeks a company of adventurers to explore the Pikawas Jungle. Substances like these make it easy to put limits on the amount of magic used just limit the substance. Sun magic: Sun magic draws power from the heat and energy of the sun. I see some interesting potential with that. Can spells and other forms of magic be combined and if so, how much does it increase per added person? I want the magic of the world to feel whimsical (or horrifying) and ever present, but not the cure all to every problem. Unlimited power allows for enormous epic battles, but you'll have to create tension by adding other forms of limitations, perhaps skill based or type based. 2015 2022 Kristen Kieffer | All rights reserved. Once you master the flow of paint in your body you can change your appearance temporarily. It does, although thats what I want to do. Then you would have to decide whether someone can use all elements that way or just one (as everyone safe for the Avatar in the series). Sorry about the comment length and the long worldbuilding paragraph. Figured out the important themes and used them to craft something that fits more within the setting. In my world, priests arent like Catholic priests and all that. And this is why I post my ideas on places like this someone will ask the really obvious questions I forgot to ask myself. Become a patron. I know some of the basics for the magic in my world but have been having a hard time making them cohesive. There are two types of magic systems: hard magic systems and soft magic systems. To build this logic, start by thinking about three things: the effects, sources, and costs of magic. Old Magic might easily just be a reference to magic used on a more instinctive or subconscious level hence Lilys sacrifice can create a protection for her son, because she wanted with all her heart to keep him protected. Practically everyone uses it in their daily life. First, the magical system is based off European history and mythology. For instance, if you have chaotic magic, dark magic, and lawful magic, your audience will wonder where the light magic is. Magic is part of an enormous range of stories, but finding 2 stories which use the same magic system isn't as easy as it may sound. Magic wielders might be shunned for being different, perhaps even dangerous, or they could be praised for their abilities. The houses are merely there to spark rivalry, they have no deeper meaning for the magic or the story. Taking this further would logical lead to even more powerful techniques, using vacuums to burst eardrums, rupture lungs, and using air pressure to launch objects in ways similar to the people that build vacuum cannons that launch ping pong balls at supersonic speeds. Of course, there had to be some in-world lore and stuff to go with the system, but the system / idea in a nutshell, The idea, when broken down is comprised of: And boy, rational magic systems arent new. Robert Asprins MYTH novels actually do a good job limiting magic in a similar way. A combination of both is also perfectly possible and used a lot. However, Im not surprised youre getting overwhelmed, youre mixing a lot of different stuff together: Its origin is with the creation of all life itself and the first humans: Black and White. Perhaps Mages can use all the magical abilities, but CHOOSE to specialize? Those rules shouldnt be arbitrary, like fire magic doesnt work on Tuesdays or you cant cast an illusion spell in months without an R in their name. The rules need to make sense within the system. Each time Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves in danger, they can only escape that danger using magic that weve already seen them learn. Or does it speed up molecules/atoms to heat up an object (if we have mostly realistic world)? Are there multiple types of magic users? Of course, I wholeheartedly believe that considering each element of your story is the surest way to craft an engaging novel. Id classify it as being more rational than say Disneys Aladdin, but it is still in a category of high fantasy where the limits as to what is possible are still a bit fuzzy. There are 4 main types of magic systems in fantasy. The term magical effects refers to the ways in which magic influences and alters the world around it. Are there any natural elements which are home to magical powers or are there any which could house magical powers? In that, I will agree with what Chris Winkle said that putting thought into your magic system is a good idea. It sounds like youre going the scientific route with energy. That works for just Neo, but if you have many spellcasters over long periods of time, someone will be able to smash two planets together. Or you blame all psychic powers on quantum and be done with it, but I doubt you want to take that way out, otherwise you wouldnt have been plotting that much already. Magic systems vary from colorful bears with tummy badges to ritual blood sacrifices. Naturally, youll want a few people in your setting with powers that are unusual among magic workers. The primary purpose of a soft magic system is to contribute to the atmosphere of your story. Hey Ryan R Im still plugging away at it (when Life lets me anyway! Interferers cant store energy like Conduits, so they have to use all of what they have in a few minutes or it explodes out of them randomly. Theyre usually gifted to devout followers, but anyone can use them once they figure out how it works. Finally, there are magic uses who seem to draw magic from the earth itself. As mentioned, Im still working on the plot details, but I was thinking the decrease in magic availability from protagonist 1s time to protagonist 2s time had to do with spirits withdrawing from the human world and not dealing with mages. Runes are one example which are used a lot, as are crystals and various (unique) artifacts. Decide on its tone. So thats where the other two paragraphs of my previous comment come in. Do you think the metaphor works when stretched so far? An entire category of limitations would no longer apply to them. You could even have a combination of two or more sources, but choosing which are best suited for your system will largely depend on what you need from your magic within your story universe. Water was taken and later give back. Have holy magic as something humans can gain through service to the gods, but have the gods as some random element that cannot be influenced at all. Spirits that become familiars dont affect ambient energy levels, making casters bound to them potential weapons, but also wild cards (whether theyll help you depends on both their own desires and their familiars). You should ensure that the conflict and resolutions in your story arent as fickle as the magic. There could be just one type your system is already very interesting or more than one. So this sentence: I also had the idea that there would be some very powerful, old spirits who have long-standing contracts with humanity as a whole. [The post scarcity podcast was also very helpful.]. Maybe as a counterpart to motion? Interesting perspective on the Harry Potter magical system. I dont like giving writers a formula for magic systems. They can only work through people that do their will voluntarily. Mages draw energy from these Primals to cast spells, but are limited by the amount of Primal energy drawn, mainly from environmental factors. Having the users of this power (some of whom actually are human) be its creators wouldnt really work, as I was going with a technology level around modern times for my main setting and this would require extremely advanced technology. Magic types: Conduits take magic energy from their surroundings, and Interferers take energy from Conduits to do magic by adding a bit of energy to the system (making a gust blow harder than it would, for example). Sanderson recognized that the hard magic system is a fashion, just like soft magic was before and this article doesnt acknowledge this. Strength no longer depends on physical brute force but many new factors make it so much more complex. Or maybe have subtypes based on the seven deadly sins and heavenly virtues? The nanites of this future continue their work, though they are many generations after the initial outbreak and the AIs have calmed them. But at extremely high levels (Demi god level) the breeze might be enough. Because that makes it much more obvious and harder to forgive if you do need to break a rule for plot. Lets say powers are granted by a changing lineup of gods, and the ocean goddess has three children that control the wind, waves, and depths. After giving it some thought, I think the spirits will take memories as payment. In this world, soon to be named, certain people have access to an energy that is the personification of nature. Your body can hold a fixed amount of paint (This is the same for everyone but full capacity is rarely reached). A rational magic system is one where every spell is guided by the same metaphysical laws. I think Ill go for having multiple types of thread that rule certain areas of magic. The differences come into play when various factions go to war. In the first book, Ron doesnt know any troll-slaying spells, so he uses the Levitating Spell to knock out a mountain troll instead. There are others who feel this way as well. Nanite clustering effects::kind of dangerous though, theyre a lot like tumors, and have a tendency to grow. If they need to gather energy beforehand, they cant just build a wall of ice without any preparation (which limits their powers). Could a small group of magic wielders defeat an army of non-magic wielders? It is inspired from some character sheets that ask you a series of questions. Humans have no idea. Just watch out for the unaffected 1%. Who can use magic? The Sorcerers faction includes wizards and witches and then theres sub factions with in the faction that include the like of temptresses, necromancers and others I cant seem to remember though I have them written down somewhere. I would start with some metaphysical idea about exactly what functions these threads are performing to hold the world together. How to Create an Eclectic Magic System For those who want casting to look or work a certain way, I created another method that starts with the casting and works backwards. Magic should be limited when its used by humans or other mortal beings as opposed to being used by divine or other immortal beings.
Cherry Chevapravatdumrong Pronunciation, Articles F