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Is it possible to use magic without saying "magic"?

Nbafan

Dreamer
Michael Sulliavan's Riyria Revelations refers to magic as "the art". If you are creative, there are all kinds of things you can do
 
Hi,

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned "The Force" - you know the one that's in every living thing that binds us and gives the Jedi his power. Now isn't that magic by another name?

Cheers, Greg.
 

MadMadys

Troubadour
I dealt with the problem when coming up with my own story of how to integrate "magic" without taking on the typical form of summoning and fireballs and such. I eventually landed on an idea of a more "natural" or "elemental" type of magic that I think works.

The element could, if the people in my world had the interest, appear on a periodic table. It's mined, crafted and woven. The element, called aether now but will liked be changed, gives off a blue/pinkish hue and mostly emanates from large "ducts" deep under the ground. It can float in the air and is not harmful to breath in. At the time the story takes place, much of the aether in the world has dissipated into the atmosphere (creating some cool weather effects and altering weather patterns) or into space. As a result, there is not much of the stuff to be found nearer the ground. As such, most people can't wield it or really understand it. They would never it deny it exists, though. There are people who do use it in a manner of ways but it's primary attribute is the retention of kinetic force. This of course plays well in weapons, some machines and even sails.

In the end it creates the perfect effect of being real and yet still a bit "magical" which is what I set out to do. Of course now I sort of want to write a story where magic is all over the place but that's for another time.
 

Chime85

Sage
Try out the ...kinesis words. Telekinesis being the most established, you have pyrokenisis which is fire, electrokinesis is an easy one. Basicly, whatever kind of magic you are thinking could probably be changed to a kenisis.

x
 

Shadow Fox

Dreamer
Well, kinesis doesn't really work since it refers to kinetic energy which is the energy of motion. For example Telekinesis refers to moving (kinesis) from a distance (tele-) That isn't comparative to magic.

The actual word 'magic' refers to something that is not known or understood. So in a sense magic refers to the unknown forces of the word. If it is known, understood, defined, than it isn't magic anyway and therefore you can call it whatever you want to be frank. it could even be a made up word that you came up with specifically for the world, or it could have many names, one official name, and many slang terms used to refer to this energy.

It regards to soul being anima, well anima also refers to something that can move as the culture defined the ability to move and interact as being the soul.

What I think would fit more to what you describe would be like Reiki or Qi gong (pronounced shee-gong) which are practices in Japan and China respectively look them up and they might fit more with what you describe. I hope this helps.
 
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