Making magic work in books

[Amanita]

Maybe I’ll answer the questions too, just because

Magic is inherent or learned

„Natural“ magic is inborn to everyone with spirits of nature among their ancestors. It’s usually psychic powers with certain gifts related to nature such as helping plants grow or finding water.
Elemental magic is neither, „acquired“ is the best word, probably. The magic connects with the minds of suitable people and grows in there, till it shows itself at some time in their life. Usually around their teens and twenties but it can be much earlier if needed and much later too.
It’s not always welcome either.

Magic is common or rare

Natural magic is quite rare, but it’s different from country to country. Among one people, it’s a sign of nobility, in another it’s quite common and the entire security force has one variant of it.
For Elemental magic it’s the same. In the country with the magical security force it’s quite common because everyone who’s got it is found, in others it’s much rarer. In theory, everyone can get it though, and someone who really wants to as a child, usually does. (Not necessarily their element of preference though.)

Magic is secret or public

Semi-public. The common people know that it exists and have some ideas of what it can do, but they don’t know any details.

Magic is learned in school or in apprenticeship or alone

All of the above. Depends on time, place and form of magic. Usually, they try to teach the mages in some way if possible though.

Magic is based on memorizing spells or willpower and Higher Understanding

Willpower probably comes closest I assume. Higher understanding can be helpful in elemental magic too, but it’s not necessary.
They use hand signs, symbols and words sometimes, but they’re mainly for focusing.

Magic has a price or is free

Natural magic is free, but it does have effects on the person’s life. Not everyone is comfortable around a mind reader.
Elemental magic costs a part of the person's personality that is substituted by traits of the element affecting their feelings and decisions. If they’re learning properly and handle it with care, these effects aren’t too great, but if they don’t they can lose their sanity. This process is reversible up to a certain point, but often the people involved don’t want to reverse it anymore. Elemental magic can be highly intoxicating. People need to embrace it up to a certain point or they’ll get sick and might die, but if it’s too much, they go insane.

Magic is limitless or limited

Limited by its nature. Everyone can only do what’s part of their gift.

 

[Sia]

Let's see...my current thing is something that is kind of a HP fanfiction...except kind of not.

So....

1)Definitely inherent.

2)Hmm...non-magic outnumber magic by at least 10:1. However, magic + magic or magic + non-magic will, the vast majority of the time, equal magic. Even non-magic + non-magic have been known to throw up the occasional magic child.
3)A secret. The respective governments have some knowledge.

4)Okay...so a wizard child that has at least one magic parent will tend to have their education go like this:

Mostly they're homeschooled up until their last summer before secondary school. Though some will go a small village type primary school. Just to impress on you how tiny the expected class sizes are (it's kind of weird to send your child to school before 11 if you're magic)...a 'big' village primary school by wizarding standards has three classrooms: one for Infants (all the 4-7 years old), one for Girl Juniors (7-11) and one for Boy Juniors (7-11).

During the last summer after primary school but before the first year of secondary school, they attend a transition program called PHP.

After that, they get shipped off to boarding school, co-ed.



5)A little of column A, a little of column B and a little of column C.

6)Don't know.

7)Limited. Gramp's Law, for one thing.

@Sheilawisz: Just out of curiosity...how come all your mages are girls?

 

[C. A. Stanley]

From my Second Sunder world, in which 'magical' ability is primarily determined by the land in which you were born (and secondarily by parentage). Hopefully will be an interesting twist on traditional element-based magic systems. There are three continents: Ahtesk is a scorching land of desert, where magic is centred around heat and light; Gleya is a land of rivers and glaciers, where magic is centred around manipulation of liquids and ice; Ferneru is a bountiful land of forest and grassland, where magic is centred around animals and growth.

1. Magic is Inherent or Learned
Magic is inherent. Everybody has some degree of 'magical' ability, however one can increase their proficiency through training (like a muscle).

2. Magic is Common or Rare
Magic is common (everyone has it). Exceptions are Duishar (uncommon - have one primary form of magic, and a significantly lesser secondary) and Terishar (extremely rare, only one every few generations at a time of great global 'stress' - can use all three forms of magic, with the power of each determined by training and experience). Despite everyone having an inherent level of ability, some have such low proficiency that they don't bother with it, instead focusing on 'normal' skills (farming, swordsmanship, art etc.).

3. Magic is Secret or Public
Magic is very public - used in everyday life.

4. Magic is learned in School or in Apprenticeships or Alone
All of the above.

5. Magic is based on Memorizing Spells or Willpower and Higher Understanding
Magic is based on willpower (intent) and understanding of rules / limitations. Can also be influenced by extreme emotional states.

6. Magic has a Price or is Free
Magic has a price - there is a physical cost to drawing energy through one's body, and there are certain dangers associated with unprepared use (every child learns to 'mask' their external body from the energy, otherwise the body can be transmuted, e.g. unprepared 'water spell' could turn the body to liquid). The cost becomes less as one becomes more proficient, because the use of energy becomes more efficient, putting less strain on the body (which acts as a vessel). The mask is critical regardless of skill level.
The only exception is the Terishar ('Chosen One' trope), whose only costs are emotional / external (huge responsibility, risk to loved ones, ability to cause massive destruction etc.).

7. Magic is Limitless or Limited
Magic is limited, however there are different 'branches' of magic which allow certain individuals to do things others cannot (e.g. magic cannot be used against the internal part of another, such as flooding the lungs or burning internal organs, however there are some rare individuals called Bloodminds who have this ability). Each special ability comes with its own costs and balances.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Old post renewed I see. But interesting. For my latest work here's how it breaks down:

1 Magic is definitely not inherent. It's acquired by simply picking up certain magical fragments of metal.

2 Not sure whether it's common or rare. It could actually be both. No one knows how many fragments of the magic metals are out there - they get blown around by the wind. But it's rare - say one in a thousand - for people to become afflicted with magic. It's considered a disease of the soul and nobody wants to gain magic. Most of those with magic, came into contact with the magic metals by accident.

3 Magic is definitely public. Everyone knows it's out there - but no one wants it or to know anyone who has it - they are shunned. As an extension of that when someone picks up a bit of magic, it shows in markings on their skin. People who have those markings showing are just afflicted. People who have that marking somewhere on their body that can't be seen - say they sat on a fragment of the magic metal and the markings are on their bum - are thought to be hiding their affliction. They're called witches and warlocks and even more horribly shunned than the rest.

4 Magic is not learned. You pick up a fragment of the magic metals and you get one spell and the will to cast it.

5 Magic is not based on will power, memorising spells or higher understanding. But you can improve the range and effectiveness of your spells with practice and study.

6 Magic is free

7 Magic is limited - how strong your spell will be depends on the fragment you picked up.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

Typically, in my books, magic is part of the inherent musical life force of the universe, which is made of waves of light, and when a character uses magic, they let it flow through them, either by singing, or by staying completely silent. The life force of a being can also be used, in which case it is known as soul music.

 

[RedAngel]

This sounds fun so i'll bite

I think that in large magic is really subjective in fantasy fiction. There really is no wrong or right way to construct your system as long as it makes sense within your world. It can be as strong or as weak as you see fit as long as it adds something rather then detracts from your story. Since the premise of fantasy often defies logic in our own reality it really does not matter how it is used. It is easy to try and make your own system as fleshed out as possible so that its uses are clearly defined to the readers. As long as they can get behind the premise of magic you have done your job.

In my own writings I have decided to construct magic from a top down approach rather then a bottom up one.

The basis of magic itself is the twelve aspects of the creators who brought the reality of the expanse into being from the great beyond. Those aspects are present in all things to a certain degree with varying ratios in their makeup. The heart of magic truly lies in how the 12 aspects are combined with each other. Some by their nature attract or repel others which can be both beneficial or destructive in nature. The more they are combined in various degrees the more power they have to create, manipulate, or destroy.

The celestial children of the creators manifest the spectrum of aspects present in the expanse in a myriad of expressions. The gods are but one of those races of the divine who have utter total control over magic to shape reality how they see fit. Their children and their creations that followed were lesser representations of their power. The first generations of their labor forces and soldiers were vastly more powerful in their design until they rebelled time and time again against the gods. And so they would destory them and introduce a new version of their creation until they felt safe that they could pose no real threat to them. They lessened the potency as well as their immortality.

Dispite the gods attempts to purge and cleanse that which they created some of the earlier generations escaped their grasp and over time bred with the newer generations causing some families and lines to posess powers and abilities for beyond what was intended. Also other equal beings to the gods, the gods, and their greater minions would lust after the non celestials and inject divinity into their gene pools. When the non celestials would become too powerful the gods would exert their wrath upon them in their wars to cleanse and exterminate that which they feared most.

And so the gods by large stipped magic from their labor force causing magic to be feared and hated as the gods would destroy everything and everyone causing it to go underground lest the gods went to war with another pantheon where such powers would be encouraged. The divine laid down laws against magic as they ruled over the non celestials. Some pantheons were much more lienient then others and some actually celebrated it.

Over time the gods invented religion as a means to control magic within their pantheon's influence. They had minions control their temples where followers would pray and give offering or sacrifices. The more they believed in a god the more their faith gave access to whatever type of magic the god represented. In exchange for granting magic the god would get power themselves from the combined belief of their subjects that until before was an untapped resource. That additional power gave them power to fight other pantheons or to see what any of their individual subjects were doing.

Religions insured that only the most loyal of followers were granted true power while reserving the right to sever magic at any time from those who were less faithful in the event of an uprising or rebellion. They could even ill effect those whom did not believe in them as well. But gods are highly jealous if their followers neglect them over other gods outside of their pantheons or within as the added powers often unseat gods from their thrones. It also brings many wars into being as other races can be persueded to join their religion by the threat of death which can vastly drain a pantheons power.

For most common people magic is quite limited as in many cultures and societies magic is frowned upon so for the most part it exists in the shadows or is held tightly by religious gates. Though there are many who practice magic in their daily lives as parlour tricks or for practical use as a tool. Beyond that the ruling elite often use magic to suppress their subjects. Unless magic comes naturally to a person it is slightly beyond their grasp. Many also manifest magic without realizing it. Such as seeing it as supernatural in nature like a poltergeist when it is them who caused it. It should be said that there are many supernatural forces at work that do include such things as poltergeists but many causes can be seen plainly by more trained eyes.

The rarity of powerful magic amongst non celestials comes from the makeup of the world around them. Magic can be amplified or nulified by materials commonly found around the innumerable worlds. Things such as stone, wood, metals, gems, or crystal can be fashioned into impliments that will amplify natural magic within aiding in channeling magic that normally would be beyond their control. Such as wood by far is most suitable for channeling spells. Combining a gem associated to the magic the caster can control will harness and draw that effect out. Metal is not typically associated with casting spells but magic can still be channeled through it with a lesser effect. Such as being able to cause a sword to catch fire or frost over. Attaching gems to a metal weapon can further amplify it's effect though it would be much lesser then that of a wizards staff or even a wand. Though anything can be imbued with magic and must constantly be supplied with mana in order to maintain the effect before it fades away.

Ancient relics are those that were made with more divine mana then common mortals. They still suffer from degridation over time though the mana contained within last much longer. The most powerful relics were crafted from the fragments left behind from the forrests and jungles that produced the fruit that spawned the first gods. As the trees died and were destroyed in cataclysms their fragments were collected and used to create the strongest weapons, armors, fortresses, objects, and many many long buried things lost to time.

Emotions can also play an important role in magic. They often can greatly increase the potency of magic temporarily. They can also produce effects that are undesired or devistating. Often many will awaken magic due to high emotional states or duress especially at younger ages between 6-16 years of age. Magic in the hands of someone who does not understand it is a terrible weapon in mosti cases when a child throws a tantrum and accidentally burns their parent alive. Emotion is not necessarily tied to any one type of magic though it often can help to channel more destructive magics in times of anger or more protective magic in times of fear or beneficial magic in times of hapiness.

If a person or child is found to have magic often times one or both of their parents can also use magic and are deft to teach them how to use it properly. If a child is particularly gifted beyond the teachings of their parent or guardian and their parents opt to have them learn more then they are sent to the local master. If the family is wealthy then they have a much easier time in persueding the master to teach their child. But in many cases possessions, or labor, or some agreement is made that indebts them for the training. This scenerio would normally happen when the parents belong to a circle or council. Many non wealthy families are prevented from going further and pushing their child to learn it by themselves if they wish to further the arts.

There are many schools as well scattered throughout the world which are dedicated to specific types of magic rather than a broad education. They include both melee and magic specializations that are honed to a comprendium of the aspects of creation or dedicated to specific gods as well. Those who graduate from the schools are either already nobility or are those seeing to rise up the classes of society. It certainly opens many doors of possibility in high ranking positions.

Magic is all about control. When magic is beyond one's control the results are often terrifying or disasterous. Many accidental deaths occur as well. Beyond control magic can take a mental toll on those who cannot control it properly as it will eventually drive them mad in the end. It can also leave lasting physical harm to the body and especially the hands. Many a young practicioner has been known to lose fingers or their hands and arms by accident. Not to mention the social reprocussions for destruction, deaths, and ill effects magic can have in smaller spaces.

 

[Addison]

I thought I had my magic system thought out, then the first question made me think.

So, magic - among humans anyway - I'd say semi-common. Considering the classes and concentrations in magic, if you talk about wands, magic words and such, then semi-common. In the scope of making potions, enchanted boots and such, a teeny more semi-common. In magical races some magic gifts are inherent. If a race has a court or high wizard or priest then those are usually put through a trial class or apprenticeship, ceremonial choosing or such. In those cases, magic-magic is overall rare, border line semi-common.

Magic is totally public. Drive your car or fly your broom to work. Arrest the werewolf for peeing in public. Vampire physicians, dwarf-only bars. Witches posting sharp criticism on Yelp about home made magic being better than store bought.

The only reason to practice/study magic on your own is if you either A.) Have already graduated and know the proper safety measures or B.) You think all the cautionary tales told in school, home, on the news and such are fake to scare people from the practice, or you think you already know enough(are lucky enough or are in the right) to do so that nothing will happen to you. (Spoiler alert, something does happen to you.) Most magics, depending on the person's skill, desire and commitment, is tuaght by either apprenticeship or school. Most Apprenticeships are toward the magical crafts. Making potions, enchanted wears, amulets, charms etc. Rarely, a retired or retiring Caster will take on an apprentice for a fee. School's for magic do exist. Some are after-school programs which teach specific classes or categories of magic (I'll explain the difference soon). What type of school (after school program, elective classes, full out magic schools) depends on the student's tested skill, tenacity and mindset.

Magic has a Source, Cost and Limit. These differ based on Category. Hand Magic, or Gesture Magic, is focused on conjuring, manipulating and warping the elements. Fireballs, icicles, branches binding into a shield, sudden caves, bending air and light to make a magnifying glass, etc. Hand magic alone does not go beyond the elements. These take precise gestures, focused mind set (fire takes a different mentality than water etc) Bending the pinky instead of extending could turn your bending stick to a giant staff trough the wall. A mast of Earth and/or Water gestures could become terrific doctor, but beyond simple scrapes, bruises and bone SETTING (not mending), there is Word Magic.
Magic performed by Written or Spoken Word. Incantations and Runes, these can conjure minor spirits, at best. Magics spoken in one language could work better for one magic than another. French is the best for Enchantments and some Communications. German is the best for Curses and Transmutations. Written magic can't just be pencil on paper as some magics are so strong they need a stronger medium, like coal or ink, or writing surface, metal or parchment. One wrong blot, scratch, cough or mispronunciation and you're screwed. Finally there's Ritual Magic. These are the Godfathers of magic. These can summon deities, knock a hole in the Great Wall of China, create an oasis in the dessert, conjure a ten course feast under a bridge, etc. These spells require many exact components. The correct words, drawn sigils, right colored cloth, correct number and color of candles. For several spells they must be cast at a specific location, time of day etc. One less candle, or the candle burns out before the spell's done, suddenly the demon you summoned to attack your cheating ex is eating your heart.

For the properly trained the price is their strength of will, following directions and focus. For those who obtain magic through other means. (Casting a ritual to receive magic from a deity or other source) the magic could be their humanity, their arms could change to bat wings, who knows. It depends on their source. Often times, in these cases, if their magic is stripped or in anyway destroyed, then they die as, with such a ritual, it's bound to them as completely as their nervous system.

Magic does have a limit. Those who have pushed beyond the limit have either died, gone into shameful hiding, or been reported missing with no one knowing why or how. Magic can not bring back the dead, magic can not time travel. See in the past, yes, go to the past, no. I'm still working out the limits.

That's my magic system anyway. Thanks for the article.

 

[Insolent Lad]

This is the system of magic that exists in most of the worlds of which I have written. Theoretically, other systems COULD exist elsewhere, as everything is built around an infinite multiverse where pretty much everything both can and (at least potentially) does exist (a bit like Zelazny’s Amber concept).

1.Magic is Inherent or Learned — all magical ability is genetic. ‘Ordinary’ folk inherited the ‘gift’ from powerful sorcerers (or were they gods?) from other worlds who decided to visit and left some genetic heritage behind. In fact, almost everyone in my main world carries some of the heritage of one wizard who visited way back at the dawn of their civilization (when the population was small) and decided to stay on for a few thousand years.

2.Magic is Common or Rare — fairly rare, but not so rare that people aren’t familiar with it. In keeping with the inherited aspect, more individuals with abilities live in certain areas than others.

3.Magic is Secret or Public — public, in the stories I have crafted so far, but I could see that being different in other times. Sorcerers openly serve rulers, and magic and religion overlap. Those individuals whose gifts tend toward prophecy sometimes serve at religious shrines.

4.Magic is learned in School or in Apprenticeships or Alone — all, to some degree, but as an apprentice most commonly. However, those without a teacher may be driven to madness trying to deal with what they do not understand.

5.Magic is based on Memorizing Spells or Willpower and Higher Understanding — Spells (and ‘magical’ items) serve only to focus the practitioner’s mind. As magic is essentially the ability to see into and partially enter other worlds, it requires knowledge primarily but also a certain amount of will. Incidentally, the gift is not homogeneous among the sorcerous, who vary considerably in ability.

6.Magic has a Price or is Free — not a price, per se, but as with physics, any action has a reaction. A wizard must take this into consideration and know what side effects may accompany his magic. As mentioned above, there is also the occasional price of being driven mad by ones gifts, of not being able to shut out all the other worlds one can sense.

7.Magic is Limitless or Limited — in that it is an individual ability, it is limited by that individual’s own strength and intelligence. But the potential is unlimited — as infinite as Being.

 

[Simpson17866]

1) Learned: in my world, magic is a form of science. Some people are better at it than others, but anybody who knows about it can at least try to do something with it.

2-3) Common, but secret: over the course of human history, mages have constructed thousands of parallel pocket universes ranging from the size of buildings to the size of small countries, and the mortal world is not aware of these magical worlds.

4) In the magical worlds, all of the above, but in the mortal world, learning is generally restricted to apprenticeships because students have scant access to individual learning material while teachers have scant access to large numbers of students.

5) Beginner magic is based primarily on memorizing rituals for casting specific spells, but as a mage becomes more and more powerful, their powers can become more and more free-form.

6) All magic requires effort and resources, but the stronger the mage and/or the weaker the spell, the less painful the cost of casting it.

7) Spellcasters have limits, but magic itself does not, and mages building on each others' work can push the boundaries further and further.