# When to awaken magic abilities?



## sashamerideth (Jun 20, 2011)

My narrating character is telling the story of a young guy that discovers a magic ability, and falls to "evil" but is redeemed by former friends and lover. 

I am debating how early to introduce the magic he can control. I have others with clear abilities from the start, and a hint at what my teenager can do, but the scope of what he can do, I don't know how gradual to reveal it. I want him to learn and as he learns more, he falls further to darkness, but from when? At this rate, he won't be in the valley until 3/4 through my story, how do you deal with introductions to magic systems?


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## Amanita (Jun 20, 2011)

To answer this, it would be interesting to know what the magical ability is. Why does it make him fall into darkness? Is it different from other people's magical abilities? Is the magic to blame for this at all? Or the circumstances he finds himself in? 
Is there some aspect of his magic that makes it more evil? Maybe he starts out with the "normal" gift and than discovers this "other" stuff. 

How do I deal with introductions to magic systems? In my story with a teenage protagonist I have problems that have a few things in common with your own and I haven't solved them yet, so no advice there.
In the story I'm focusing on at the moment the characters are already familiar with their magic and it's introduced via various ways of using it.


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## sashamerideth (Jun 20, 2011)

His magic ability, is to mimic and learn abilities of others, he has no other abilities of his own. 

He starts with a man that can shut down parts of the brain,transfer knowledge and alter memories, and a woman that can change what people are seeing.  Others he meets can heal, manipulate emotions, or destroy matter to create energy used for more classic magic, fireballs, summoning lightning, etc. 

He starts off knowing he is different from the general public, but not how or why, he has been removed from his family, and does not know if they are alive so he uses his abilities to try to return home, but fails. That will be my trigger, he has lost all hope of returning home so wants to make the most of where he is, and uses his accumulated powers to destroy opposition. Haven't decided if he turns around or is killed before redeemed yet. 

I think I am rambling, still writing my outline so knowing what big events happen when will help.


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## Derin (Jun 21, 2011)

Falling to darkness happens best for teens, I think. They tend to be more impulsive and overreact to slights, especially in fiction. If he's bullied or looked down upon by others, suddenly finding himself in possession of power could easily lead to him showing off and tormenting his former bullies with it, before weilding it against any and all opposition. But it depends on the age of your protagonists, how long he's been evil and what sort of threat he's posing.


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## Jester (Jun 21, 2011)

You could link it to his fall; as he becomes more and more impulsive and brash he becomes more powerful and he has to learn to temper it to reach a true potential.


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## SeverinR (Jun 23, 2011)

My character does not know he has psi ability until he is abducted by a man with psi powers,
in a make shift isolation chamber, he is tormented and forced to draw on his psi abilities.  When he is released his ability is linked to the negitive emotions of the abduction and torture, and wants the ability to be gone.  So his family takes him to Psi academy in a large city to learn how to use his ability, and deal with the annoying ringing or throbbing he "hears" when he is around people(other then his parents, which no psi person can hear them coming. Their dormant psi ability).
The academy helps him to develop his abilities and shows him that others have special abilities also.

So the original abduction and torture kick start his realization of psi ability, that has shown up previously in his life, but was not noticed.  When he had a tantrum, parents would get a headache, is the headache from being annoyed or a baby psi attack?


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## sashamerideth (Jun 24, 2011)

Interesting, but why the abduction? It seems like a stereotypical tv trope  that doesn't really happen that often.  Don't know why I am thinking of the idea that if everyone is special, then no one is. I am trying to avoid that in my rewrite, special people are special, and everyone else is normal or less. 

Maybe I am just looking for something that I haven't seen before. Would it be frustrating as a reader to know this character had something special but was only a normal person?


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## SeverinR (Jun 24, 2011)

In the story the teen sends out small mind attack as a reflex when startled.
The villian scares him, and is about to counter attack, but realizes the boy doesn't know he is doing it.
He is looking for ways to become more powerful, if he could dominate the boy he could start building a psi following.
Also the traumatic abduction brings his ability out.
He cannot offer to teach the boy, because he uses inhumane teaching methods. Burying the boy in a box and tormenting him with mental attacks until exhausted.
The isolation chamber forces him to use his abilities to communicate with his captive, and to defend against the painful but harmless attacks.  The nuturing of abilities, like at the academy, into mastery works but is slow.  The isolation chamber cuts learning time down drastically at least for psi messaging, defense and attacks.

In this story, no one else in the area is known to have psi abilities.  But at the academy they come from all over the nation, so there are more unique people. Each with different abilities.


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## JustSpiffy (Jun 28, 2011)

From the fantasy books I've read, I've found that power usually awaken when they're needed most. So maybe during a moment where his own or the life of someone he cares for is in danger could be a good time to awaken them. 

Personally my character is a sorcerer, as a boy his abilities aren't fully awakened, his powers manifest themselves in small ways, occassional glimpses of what another person is thinking when he's concerned for them, or the loaf of bread he was eyeing hungrily suddenly flying across the market place to hit him square in the face, you know. At first he thinks everyone can do these things, but slowly he begins to realize that they can't. I'm not sure I really want to have a moment when his abilities are fully awakened, it's good to always leave multiple things for the reader to look forward to, if they're convinced your main character won't grow anymore in strength, that's one less thing.


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## sashamerideth (Jun 29, 2011)

Hmm, well, I am going to dash that trope then.   High stress, certain doom, and no magic to save him. I think I will use the calm after the storms then.


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## legacyblade (Jul 8, 2011)

I agree that the easiest way to have a magical ability awaken is in an extremely dangerous or traumatic moment. We've seen it done tons of times, and I think it works just fine. It makes sense.

However, if you want to avoid this trope, you could have him be aware that he can really easily pick up other people's skills just by watching them. He wouldn't think it's magic, just that he's a super fast learner. Then he could see someone use magic. And to his surprise, he understands how they did it and can duplicate it. If he's a teenage boy, his reaction will be "FREAKING AWESOME!!!" and he'll seek out more magic users to see if he can copy their abilities.

His path to darkness would be by him misusing his powers, and he could start to develop something of a god complex as he starts to get more and more powers. Honestly, if I had the power to turn someone's skin into petroleum gel, light them on fire, but make them sing and think they're in the shower, I'd start to develop a god complex too. lol

I think that would be an interesting way to develop his magical ability.


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## sashamerideth (Jul 9, 2011)

That sounds fantastic! I think I will definitely be using that, fits perfectly with my picture of my main character.


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## legacyblade (Jul 9, 2011)

Glad to be of some help  To be honest I'm kinda tired of characters always awakening their magic in "oh noes, certain doooom!" moments, so I've been doing this kind of brain storming a lot in my own stories, lol (My favorite awakening of magic moment is a guy is trying to steal a painting, trips, and when he smacks into the painting, he goes through it into an alternate dimension. That's how he figures out he can jump into the world's contained in paintings).


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## SeverinR (Jul 11, 2011)

There is only a few times to discover abilities:
1.at birth(or as far back as they can remember)
2.puberty (massive chemical changes alters the ability)
3.life or death situation
4.Some weird time when they least expect it.(weak, but could be embarrassing)
5.physical attack (especially head injury) (that disrupts whatever was holding the ability back)


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## sashamerideth (Jul 11, 2011)

SeverinR said:
			
		

> There is only a few times to discover abilities:
> 1.at birth(or as far back as they can remember)
> 2.puberty (massive chemical changes alters the ability)
> 3.life or death situation
> ...



These are only a few of the possibilities, maybe the common methods, but I want to avoid the same things that everyone else does. I think I have it all figured out now.


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## Hans (Jul 12, 2011)

I agree with sashamerideth these are by far not all imaginable possibilities. What about for example:

- constant training. Magic could be a learnable ability.
- At some point a magic talent searcher "detects" him/her.
- Joining some spiritual circle.
- A present from some sort of higher being.
- First time they have sex.
- First time they drink alcohol.
- First time they [whatsoever]
- A crazy star constellation.

To name only a few more options. This is fiction. Be creative.


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## The Realm Wanderer (Jul 12, 2011)

For the story that's currently squatting in my mind, no one will show any signs of having an aptitude for "magic" and none will be able to use said magic randomly or by accident. To use the so called "magic" in this story idea of mine, one must be sufficiently trained by an already accomplished user.
However, because those capable of "magic" show no signs of it and so are unaware themselves, they have to be discovered by others. This is done by accomplished users travelling the realm and visiting villages. They then have willing participants line up whilst they spill a few drops of each of their bloods onto a meteorite-like rock that will glow if they have the gift, or remain normal if they do not.


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## BeigePalladin (Jul 13, 2011)

The Realm Wanderer said:


> For the story that's currently squatting in my mind, no one will show any signs of having an aptitude for "magic" and none will be able to use said magic randomly or by accident. To use the so called "magic" in this story idea of mine, one must be sufficiently trained by an already accomplished user.
> However, because those capable of "magic" show no signs of it and so are unaware themselves, they have to be discovered by others. This is done by accomplished users travelling the realm and visiting villages. They then have willing participants line up whilst they spill a few drops of each of their bloods onto a meteorite-like rock that will glow if they have the gift, or remain normal if they do not.



just wondering, how did the first people discover they had magic? because if there's no natural signs, and everything has to be taught - then I don't think someone cutting themselves on a glowing rock is going to make them decide 'It glows. I can do magic. now to create it all. rawr'


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## Hans (Jul 13, 2011)

BeigePalladin said:


> just wondering, how did the first people discover they had magic? because if there's no natural signs, and everything has to be taught - then I don't think someone cutting themselves on a glowing rock is going to make them decide 'It glows. I can do magic. now to create it all. rawr'


The Realm Wanderer did not say the rock thing is the only possible detection mechanism. There could be other inefficient ones like teaching someone a little bit and see if he can replicate the effects. These methods could have been used until someone stumbled upon the rock and found out how to use it.
For how did the first ones discover it: In the same way as most "have to be learned" phenomena were discovered, in small steps over lots of generations. And with goodly interventions in the legends.

The last word about how it was in his world of cours has The Realm Wanderer himselve.


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## The Realm Wanderer (Jul 13, 2011)

First off, thanks Hans for the fighting of my corner  lol
As to your question Paladin, the world in which the story is set in is encased in "magic", kind of like an invisible bubble. The goddess of "magic" (it's rarely actually called this; usually just called abilities) decided it was time for the inhabitants to learn how to tap into this energy, and so (with the consent of the other gods) sent two "messengers", both accomplished users, to the mortal world to educate others in the art.
There is actually a good backstory about the messengers and their task, which I won't share just yet but I really like


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## Hans (Jul 13, 2011)

The Realm Wanderer said:


> First off, thanks Hans for the fighting of my corner  lol


I was not aware that I was fighting.

Sometimes when someone says something like "that is not possible" or "hoe could that possible evolve" I can't help to think about how to make it possible or find explanations how it did evolve. It is safe to ignore me when I get there. I never intend to meddle with someones elses world.


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## sashamerideth (Jul 13, 2011)

This is just me, but I don't like the idea of gods bandying about, and dolling out manna from on High. It seems a bit deus ex machina, and I don't like mysticism much myself. Yet here I am talking about magical abilities  

The idea of having knowledge passed down is something I am using in my own story. It is coming through magic stones, the finding of which makes the finder eligible to receive. These are not really magic, just a technology used by those revered as gods to control the people that still listen to the gods.

Mind you, I am seeing a lot of interesting ideas here, and may just give some mystic fantasy a read, as long as one of you wrote it.


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## The Realm Wanderer (Jul 14, 2011)

Hans said:


> I was not aware that I was fighting.


Twas merely a joke, my good friend


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## Kate (Jul 14, 2011)

I've been having this issue for months now. Basically, I don't know how much "supernatural" to give my supernatural protagonist with at first.
Breaks down that she's given a scientific/magic potion/charm/spell/serum - something - at force and it awakens this inherent "supernature" that she's always had but knew nothing about. 
a) the transformation is all totally new
or
b) the transformation is a further manifestation of abilities she already had.  And I'm referring to animal traits here, working with a pseudo-shapeshifting kind of deal.

I've written, and rewritten in a few different ways and each have their benefits and draw backs. I may be at the flip-a-coin and decide stage....


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## Caged Maiden (Jul 15, 2011)

Ok so I wrote a character who did not know she possessed any supernatural abilities at all, and then I threw her into the company of two shape-shifters, one of which recognized her dreams and other odd descriptions as similar to those that he'd had in his youth.  So he helps her learn how to transform on her own, but she doesn't know anything else about magic.  That is about half-way through the book, just as a reference point, but unlike your book, it is not the focus of my story, so it wasn't important where I put it.  You might have to play around with it a while to find out exactly which events need to happen before he gets too strong, or which ones have to happen before he knows he has abilities at all....... once you have that as a reference point, it makes it easier to write in.  I don't think a reader will be picky about when the powers are introduced, as long as it feels right and is pertinent to the story's flow.  It would be sort of tragic if you introduced the powers too early and then had to write in something that felt out of place or forced to get the story to fit.
I think the way you intend to introduce the powers, sounds good, the other discovering it and recognizing it, that was what I did in mine as well.  I think when a character has a guide (since teacher is not the right word for what you are describing) it makes the transition from mundane into supernatural easier (maybe unaware to in control is a better way to say it).


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## Kate (Jul 15, 2011)

The person who awakens these shapeshifting abilities does so without realising that she has the inherent supernature. So... the way I figured it out this afternoon was to give her an existing condition, which could very reasonably be put down to a medical condition, but it turns out it was her being part magical all along. 
You're absolutely right, these things aren't really that important overall so long as they're put in at the most applicable time. Just one of those "behind the scene" things that seem enormous but should slide by unnoticed during reading. Well, they should if I'm doing it right!  Thanks for the feedback


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## Eliazar (Jul 19, 2011)

One of the main characters of my story is a magic user, too. He doesn't know about it until the story begins (when he's 17 years or so), I'm not so sure why, though... thinking of it now, there will be more magic users in the story and they should somehow have a method at finding magically apt people rather early, but well, on to the awakening point...

At some point, one of the more powerful wizards of the world drops by the soon to be wizard, whom he destined to learn his knowledge. He gives him a book, and having a little precognition of the events to come, sends the boy on a quest without the boy noticing. He reads a little in the strange book and when muttering somÃ© words, he notices that something actually happens. As he doesn't have a magical education, however, he can't really control it. As I planned it currently, then there is the dangerous situation - the group of adventurers is in danger, and don't know what to do. The old mage notices and uses the young one, who still can't do much on his own, as a vessel to do some spellcasting from far away, which nearly kills the young one, but makes him stronger and able to use some magic. Later, after the young one finished his quest and proved that he's able, and with the old wizard close to his death (due to some accident), the latter decides to transfer his knowledge to the young wizard, and dies afterwards. The young one realises something has happened and as his brain slowly processes the new knowledge, and the young one studies the book, his abilities increase little by little.

Anyways, he's on the downward path, too, as the old wizard wasn't one of the nice guys, and lacking formal education and "wizard's ethics" or something, the mind of the protagonist isn't prepared for the dangers that lie ahead... also, he has to do some wicked magic of the super evil sort to save the life of one of his close companions. He does notice how he's changing however, and tries to somehow save himself, but that's some stuff for the second part of the series, so I haven't quite worked out the details yet.


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## sashamerideth (Jul 19, 2011)

I am trying to avoid the ideas of good or bad magic, more like a gun, people kill people, magic doesn't kill people, treat all wands as if loaded, and don't think about magic until you are ready to use it, stuff like that.


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## Eliazar (Jul 19, 2011)

It's not supposed to be completely black and white, but it's a dangerous thing that can damage your brain if you don't know how to handle it. Plus, it's mighty, so the corruption by power will feauture, too. The magic itself is neutral, it depends on what you do with it, exactly as you said. But some things might be too hard to handle so you look for help in some place you shouldn't during the time of despair, and when the time to pay it back comes, you don't really have a choice.


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## Joe the Gnarled (Jul 19, 2011)

sashamerideth said:


> I am trying to avoid the ideas of good or bad magic, more like a gun, people kill people, magic doesn't kill people, treat all wands as if loaded, and don't think about magic until you are ready to use it, stuff like that.





Eddie Izzard said:


> The National Rifle Association says that, "Guns don't kill people, uh, people do." But I think, I think the gun helps. You know? I think it helps. I just think just standing there going, "Bang!" That's not going to kill too many people, is it? You'd have to be really dodgy on the heart to have that.



 I get your point… Just had to throw that in there.  Magic can be done so many different ways.  That is why it is fun to write and read.  My favorite magic systems are ones that seem different or original.  It is hard to do this, most things that can be done have been.  The goal is to come up with a unique twist or point of view.


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## sashamerideth (Jul 19, 2011)

I am using a magic that "obeys" the laws of thermodynamics with some exceptions for the sake of story. I like strict magic systems where there is plenty to go wrong I think.


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## CicadaGrrl (Jul 25, 2011)

Mine puberty triggers the start of magic.  It's urban.  So some are in situations where they have been prepared and others haven't.  Those that haven't tend to use magic in small, absent ways without realizing it or having a vague sense of otherness.  Stress can produce larger pyrotechnics.


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