So I struggled to make up a magic system, and this is what I got so far.
Talents are born across my human & elf kingdom. Each one of them has an affinity for one or more of the three recognised magic schools: Life, light and nature.
I tried to impose certain quasi-scientific rules on this.
Light mages can shoot light rays both to light up and in offensive capabilities, as well as the opposite, suck the light out and make the room dark, or turn themselves invisible, or create illusions, or even infrared and x-ray stuff.
Blood/life mages are healers or necromancers, manipulating and transferring 'lifeforce' of their targets and their own.
Nature mages are the trickiest actually. I decided that they needed something particular to control, like 'lifeforce' or light. So I settled on air and water, on a molecular level. While this medieval world is not aware of molecules like we are, the talents can instinctively manipulate the building blocks. Note that there is no creation or destruction, only manipulation or transformation (I.e. water into ice or make up a storm, but not conjure water while trapped in a building fire).
A talent born with affinity for one school is rare. Two schools are super rare. Three schools are a historic event.
Talents can be detected early on but only manifest talents at puberty, therefore academy inspectors visit all points in the kingdom from big cities to small hamlets and check the local birth records against their own. Then later on in life the teens are sent to the academy. This is by royal decree.
The ability by default is wild and hard to control, hence the ban on wild magic. In the academy each student is given a focus, a talisman, each mage has their own, and that allows to focus, control, amplify or dampen their power. The students upon completion of their training are not bound to any kind of service but the Academy strongly encourages to stay for longer, or take on high ranking posts in the government and the military.
I welcome all questions, from mechanics to social and political implications.
PS. Typing from my phone and my fingers are cold so a bit rough and apologies for the spellos.
Talents are born across my human & elf kingdom. Each one of them has an affinity for one or more of the three recognised magic schools: Life, light and nature.
I tried to impose certain quasi-scientific rules on this.
Light mages can shoot light rays both to light up and in offensive capabilities, as well as the opposite, suck the light out and make the room dark, or turn themselves invisible, or create illusions, or even infrared and x-ray stuff.
Blood/life mages are healers or necromancers, manipulating and transferring 'lifeforce' of their targets and their own.
Nature mages are the trickiest actually. I decided that they needed something particular to control, like 'lifeforce' or light. So I settled on air and water, on a molecular level. While this medieval world is not aware of molecules like we are, the talents can instinctively manipulate the building blocks. Note that there is no creation or destruction, only manipulation or transformation (I.e. water into ice or make up a storm, but not conjure water while trapped in a building fire).
A talent born with affinity for one school is rare. Two schools are super rare. Three schools are a historic event.
Talents can be detected early on but only manifest talents at puberty, therefore academy inspectors visit all points in the kingdom from big cities to small hamlets and check the local birth records against their own. Then later on in life the teens are sent to the academy. This is by royal decree.
The ability by default is wild and hard to control, hence the ban on wild magic. In the academy each student is given a focus, a talisman, each mage has their own, and that allows to focus, control, amplify or dampen their power. The students upon completion of their training are not bound to any kind of service but the Academy strongly encourages to stay for longer, or take on high ranking posts in the government and the military.
I welcome all questions, from mechanics to social and political implications.
PS. Typing from my phone and my fingers are cold so a bit rough and apologies for the spellos.