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What do you need the magic systems for? What is their role? What kind of project do you need them for?

In general in these kinds of situations I follow Sanderson's third law: Expand what you already have before you add something new.

An elemental magic system, if fully developed, made unique and fleshed out can be very interesting and intriguing. And it can be more than enough for any one world or story. Just look at Avatar:the last airbender or The wheel of time. Both use elemental magic exclusively in their own way. And it's fully integrated in their society. Which makes it feel more "real". Having five different and unrelated magic systems which are not as developed as a single well thought out magic system, won't make your world feel more magical. It will just make it feel like the author threw everything at the wall to see what sticks.
 

Spacebar

Scribe
What do you need the magic systems for? What is their role? What kind of project do you need them for?

In general in these kinds of situations I follow Sanderson's third law: Expand what you already have before you add something new.

An elemental magic system, if fully developed, made unique and fleshed out can be very interesting and intriguing. And it can be more than enough for any one world or story. Just look at Avatar:the last airbender or The wheel of time. Both use elemental magic exclusively in their own way. And it's fully integrated in their society. Which makes it feel more "real". Having five different and unrelated magic systems which are not as developed as a single well thought out magic system, won't make your world feel more magical. It will just make it feel like the author threw everything at the wall to see what sticks.

Where does magic come from (favor of the gods, in the air like oxygen, generated by living things, accessed from another dimension)? How does magic behave (like electricity, blows like wind, flows like water or blood)? How do people control magic (intelligence and study, instinct, emotion, symbols, gestures)? The more developed the magic system is, the more it can become a real part of the story, rather than just something that a character can do to seem cool. Like in the Magicians trilogy, the source of magic becomes a major plot point that the entire story revolves around. That can't be done if the only rule the magic follows is the Rule of Cool.

4. Animation- bring the nonliving to life, e.g. golems, zombies, plant monsters, parts of creatures sewn together in an abomination, etc [needs more limitations]
5. Psi [needs fleshing out]

4. Animation. One question is, where does the energy come from? If a zombie is animated, how long can it keep moving? If it can just move forever with no justification, you're characters basically getting something for nothing, which it is my suggestion to avoid. For example, maybe Animated objects have to be linked to an Animator, or to some rare arcane object like an elemental orb. Or perhaps Animation is done through spirits, but the spirits have to be negotiated with and aren't always trustworthy. Animation could be a specialization of Transmutation, like having a golem as a personal object that can be easily manipulated.

5. Psi. This could be limited to pure mental manipulation. So no telekinesis, no pyrokinesis, no precognition. Just telepathy, mind reading, mind control, mental illusion, stuff like that. The obvious limiting factor is that strong and wary personalities are going to be much more difficult to manipulate if they are unwilling.
 
Where does magic come from (favor of the gods, in the air like oxygen, generated by living things, accessed from another dimension)? How does magic behave (like electricity, blows like wind, flows like water or blood)?
It just sort of...exists. I suppose you could call it a sort of energy field, but it's really more of a force.
How do people control magic (intelligence and study, instinct, emotion, symbols, gestures)?
For one, it depends on what kind of magic it is, and also on who is using the magic. Elemental magic is controlled through gestures, mostly, but also requires a handheld object.
4. Animation. One question is, where does the energy come from? If a zombie is animated, how long can it keep moving? If it can just move forever with no justification, you're characters basically getting something for nothing, which it is my suggestion to avoid. For example, maybe Animated objects have to be linked to an Animator, or to some rare arcane object like an elemental orb. Or perhaps Animation is done through spirits, but the spirits have to be negotiated with and aren't always trustworthy. Animation could be a specialization of Transmutation, like having a golem as a personal object that can be easily manipulated.

5. Psi. This could be limited to pure mental manipulation. So no telekinesis, no pyrokinesis, no precognition. Just telepathy, mind reading, mind control, mental illusion, stuff like that. The obvious limiting factor is that strong and wary personalities are going to be much more difficult to manipulate if they are unwilling.
Thank you! Here's what I have so far...

1. Elementalism- essence held in hand, can control essence (but only masters can control external elements)
2. Beastmancy- inject the blood of an animal to take on a physical characteristic of it (only masters can shape-shift at will)
3. Transmutation- alter the molecular structure of things to change their shape and material (takes a long time, and total concentration) (masters have a personal object that they can transmute near-effortlessly, but it cannot grow or shrink by too much); it can also be used to heal wounds, even brain damage and lost limbs, although it cannot bring back the dead unless they have only been dead for a brief time.
4. Animation- bring the nonliving to life, e.g. golems, zombies, plant monsters, parts of creatures sewn together in an abomination, etc; In order to animate things, you need to put a spirit inside of the object being animated, and it may attack you if you do not gain its consent first. It is done through ritual. Masters of Animation can temporarily control physical objects without the need of a spirit.
5. Psi- Mages can use psi to manipulate the minds of others; e.g. telepathic communication, psionic assault, emotional manipulation, healing of insanity, etc. It requires the two beings interacting to be linked in some way, such as through eye contact or physical contact or if they have shared blood. It can only be resisted by those with strong will, and being a magician helps.

Where I am in the story right now, it doesn't have any magic yet, it just has more science focused stuff, but I wanted a magic system in place before I begin to implement any magic into my narrative.
 
Your elemental magic centers around an external focus, so maybe you could use that as a unifying principle. For example, maybe you could do Beast magic, where a specially prepared part of a magical beast (the heart is popular) is used to invoke its power and assume some of its strengths and abilities

I like this.

If you wanted to make it more of a full system you could bring all types of magic into something like this. For example, obviously, I don't know anything about your world, like if there are magical creatures in it, but if there are then all magic could be derrived from these creatures:
1.Elementalism- the essenses are taken from elemental creatures, fire from dragons, et cetra. Maybe the creatures must be killed, maybe the essenses are their hearts, or maybe something completely different.
2. Beastmancy- works the way you have it, maybe with more of a focus on magical beasts if that's where all magic comes from.
3. Transmutation - Not as clear an idea on this one, but maybe an essense taken from some sort of shape shifter, or from creatures based on the material you want to change, a stone creature for stone, et cetra.
4. Animation- Either stealing the souls of creatures, or parts of their soul, and putting them in items, or there are creatures who are spirits who you take or convince to do this for you.
5. Psi - Could be a part of some creatures brain that you use as an essense, possibly with outcomes based on what creature you use. The brain from a more bestial creature makes it easier to make people angry, or brave or similar, et cetra.

This is a very specific suggestion, and probably doesn't fit into your world, but my main point is that if you want a magic system then I think there should be at least something that ties it all together, such as where the magic comes from. In my examples all magic comes from magical beasts and you use their magical bodies and souls to create the effects you want. That's just one way of going about if of course, maybe the magic comes from inside humans, and the things are just a focus, but if you want a system there should be at least something in common for these things I think.

You can of course make it without a system and just have different groups of people who can do different things. In my opinion this is more fitting for a more mysterious type of magic than you seem to want. A type of magic who maybe shouldn't even have names for schools of magic or consistent rules like "this requires this type of sphere", "this requires blood from this beast".
 
1.Elementalism- the essenses are taken from elemental creatures, fire from dragons, et cetra. Maybe the creatures must be killed, maybe the essenses are their hearts, or maybe something completely different.
The essences come from an ancient source that is in the possession of Elemental Keepers. Magicians make deals with them to buy fragments. The fragments look somewhat similar to the 'Skyrim' spells, although more floaty and less envelope-y
Skyrim-fireball-scroll-1024x576.jpg
 
The sources themselves just sort of float on pedestals. Thank you for your help and suggestions. I don't think it quite covers all the bases yet (I may want to employ other forms of magic as well), but it will do for now.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
Perhaps the elemental forces flow/exist naturally on the planet and in certain places; where the concentration of a given type of energy are highest, it coalesces into "pearls" or some other doodad (or perhaps simply give ordinary stones latent energy from constant exposure). Perhaps energies can blend in places as well, creating tokens that grant minor access to two different types of energy. To have access to shadow magic, one must venture into the deep dark to find a suitable token. For molten energy, one must seek out the mighty volcano, or the powerful lava tubes. Air power? Yes, seek where the tornadoes sprout like wildflowers in the field, or a wind-swept canyon where the wailing wind never ceases.

I think this way could make things interesting because not every kingdom of the realm would have access to all of the forms of magic. Geography could play a role in the politics between kingdoms. It could also help figure out what abilities the mages of each kingdom typically use in combat.

You could also give each token a specific look and name.

She holds the sky blue token up between two fingers, admiring how the sunlight filters through it. This is what she's been waiting for all of her young life, this opportunity to choose her first Bead of Amniel; which; by no chance at all is the name of this forebidding place. Here the wind never dies; or so the records state and that causes the formation of the beads. Even here on the fringes of the realm, where the blinding golden sand scours the walls of this canyon smooth, chanters come, hoping to find a pebble-sized token.

Now that she has one, she must beware, for there is some danger of having one. The Magisters wouldn't hesitate to kill an unskilled chanter for the stone, to maintain the iron-fisted control they've had these past three decades and more. The stone in her hand could be given to an initiate instead, one that need not make this perilous trip.
 
Perhaps the elemental forces flow/exist naturally on the planet and in certain places; where the concentration of a given type of energy are highest, it coalesces into "pearls" or some other doodad (or perhaps simply give ordinary stones latent energy from constant exposure). Perhaps energies can blend in places as well, creating tokens that grant minor access to two different types of energy. To have access to shadow magic, one must venture into the deep dark to find a suitable token. For molten energy, one must seek out the mighty volcano, or the powerful lava tubes. Air power? Yes, seek where the tornadoes sprout like wildflowers in the field, or a wind-swept canyon where the wailing wind never ceases.
Not stones, they're like an actual balls made of flames floating in the air.
 
I think this way could make things interesting because not every kingdom of the realm would have access to all of the forms of magic. Geography could play a role in the politics between kingdoms. It could also help figure out what abilities the mages of each kingdom typically use in combat.

You could also give each token a specific look and name.
I like this idea, maybe I'll use it if I move to a more kingdom-based world, but the one I'm on now is a mostly unsettled planet with only one intelligent species and a robot made by another species. (The magic is needed because I plan on incorporating magic later in my story, which would surprise the main character since it was built by (puny earthlings) humans who never knew such a thing existed.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
I like this idea, maybe I'll use it if I move to a more kingdom-based world, but the one I'm on now is a mostly unsettled planet with only one intelligent species and a robot made by another species. (The magic is needed because I plan on incorporating magic later in my story, which would surprise the main character since it was built by (puny earthlings) humans who never knew such a thing existed.

It can be adapted to the type of story you are telling. Perhaps tribes instead of kingdoms, and instead of stones, naturally occuring energy flares that form in places where the eddies of energy swirl and collide. I only think about it from a practical standpoint. Having a doodad that you could keep in your pocket, on an amulet etc is more practical than always having your hand sheathed in flame a la Skyrim. I suppose it can be "absorbed", able to be summoned up at will after that. Could make it like more traditional magic in that way. Still could be geographic. What tribe the MC comes from could dictate what sorts of energies are close by.
 
It can be adapted to the type of story you are telling. Perhaps tribes instead of kingdoms, and instead of stones, naturally occuring energy flares that form in places where the eddies of energy swirl and collide. I only think about it from a practical standpoint. Having a doodad that you could keep in your pocket, on an amulet etc is more practical than always having your hand sheathed in flame a la Skyrim. I suppose it can be "absorbed", able to be summoned up at will after that. Could make it like more traditional magic in that way. Still could be geographic. What tribe the MC comes from could dictate what sorts of energies are close by.
Maybe...but there is only really one clan settling here. Also, I may not have been clear, but the species there are not the native species. Both the humans and Brundwer are settlers from other planets.
Having a doodad that you could keep in your pocket, on an amulet etc is more practical than always having your hand sheathed in flame a la Skyrim
Sure, but I prefer having a hand sheathed in flame. It's cooler.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
That's cool.

"CRUD!" Jerik growls at the reflection in the broken glass he's been using while cleaning his teeth. The smell of ozone and acrid smoke wafts to his nose and there is a slight warm pain emanating from now singed eyebrows. Patting them gently to extinuish them, he looks down and sees the split stick he's been using to scrub his teeth. That too is smoldering in the basin.

If he'd have known getting magic would be this problematic, he'd have rejected this dream long ago. Seeing the Ragers heading off to make trouble, their hands sheathed in flame seemed cool at the time, but there are definite drawbacks now that he is one of them.

Just today, he'd given out half-cooked steaks at the butcher where he works... and don't get him started on the visit to the outhouse. He probably won't be able to sit for a week. No wonder the Ragers are celebate, imagine what their touch might do to the hapless bar wenches that cross their path. Yes, definite drawbacks.
 

BRG

Dreamer
How about Illusionist magic? The ability to trick someone's senses, not only visual ones. It could be easy to cast but needing of constant focus on the person or persons that are being affected and the more people is casted on, the more difficult it becomes.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
The five senses system... magic that affects a person's senses. Cause Blindness, blurriness, sweaty palms (i.e. drop weapons) dead hands (no feeling in hands... deafening... lack of smell... lack of taste... everything tastes bad.
 
The five senses system... magic that affects a person's senses. Cause Blindness, blurriness, sweaty palms (i.e. drop weapons) dead hands (no feeling in hands... deafening... lack of smell... lack of taste... everything tastes bad.
I still think that could be related to psi...but it's also a little too dark for my story. I am not going to have people going around blinding each other.
 
Here is the sixth principle of magic- the one that explains why other fantasy worlds have different magic. Why elves in mythology are real, but so are Tolkien's elves.
(I got this idea from Annoyingkid saying that humans can't use magic since it is not their nature, and this was originally supposed to be my argument against it...it just sort of evolved from there.
6. There are users of magic- mortals that can shape the worlds to their whim (that’s why there are different magic systems in different worlds- magic is a force of imagination-gods are better at creating worlds then humans, however); then there are creatures who are made of magic, which cannot “use” magic but are magic. You would not see a unicorn manipulate the elements- however, they will do things like heal things with their horn, because their magic is part of the very fiber and essence of their being. Their horn is not USING magical effects...that’s just part of the inherently magical nature of the horn- the horn is the effect. Then there are gods. Gods both are magic, and use magic. They are the ultimate manipulators, whole worlds being created by their imagination. Exceptions exist to these rules, but only because the gods are the ultimate deciding factor in how magic works. Every fantastical world ever created, is in some respect real, however.
 
I'm not sure if this would fall within the categories of the magics you've come up with so far, but what about Transposition, magic that enables you to change your location or the location of an object? I'm using the term in my own story setting but it's not a word that can only be applied to magic. Transposing means changing locations, interchanging, or transporting, so having the term apply to a form of magic seems fitting, regardless of the setting. The people in that setting would choose terms that best fit what the magic does, after all, so Transposition would be an appropriate term for magic that causes people or objects to change locations. It's also a magic that would have plenty of practical applications as well as story potential. There's a lot of different ways you could approach it. Perhaps you can only teleport to places you've been or perhaps you need some kind of magical GPS to avoid mishaps even if you're familiar with your destination. Perhaps you can only teleport yourself or perhaps you transport everything within a certain radius of your person (including the ground and air.) That's the best I can come up with off the top of my head during my break... which is now over. Back to work!
 
I'm not sure if this would fall within the categories of the magics you've come up with so far, but what about Transposition, magic that enables you to change your location or the location of an object? I'm using the term in my own story setting but it's not a word that can only be applied to magic. Transposing means changing locations, interchanging, or transporting, so having the term apply to a form of magic seems fitting, regardless of the setting. The people in that setting would choose terms that best fit what the magic does, after all, so Transposition would be an appropriate term for magic that causes people or objects to change locations. It's also a magic that would have plenty of practical applications as well as story potential. There's a lot of different ways you could approach it. Perhaps you can only teleport to places you've been or perhaps you need some kind of magical GPS to avoid mishaps even if you're familiar with your destination. Perhaps you can only teleport yourself or perhaps you transport everything within a certain radius of your person (including the ground and air.) That's the best I can come up with off the top of my head during my break... which is now over. Back to work!
Good idea.
7. Transposition- The ability to move objects through space. It is utilized by creating portals. Portal creation requires severing one of your own body parts- some mages prefer to even have the portal in their body.
 
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