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When to awaken magic abilities?

Hans

Sage
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.
 
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.
 

Kate

Troubadour
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....
 

Caged Maiden

Staff
Article Team
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).
 

Kate

Troubadour
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 :)
 

Eliazar

Scribe
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 somé 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.
 
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.
 

Eliazar

Scribe
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.
 
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.

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.

:D 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.
 
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.
 

CicadaGrrl

Troubadour
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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