Connexa - Renewable magic fuel

[AlexArcter]

Hello all! I'm new here, and I'd love to share what I have so far of the magic system I'm working on for my world.

Here is my introduction thread where I give a very basic rundown of my goals for this universe.

In this universe, there's a fictional magical element called Connexa that is created inside of stars. The stars radiate the element across the universe, bathing galaxies in Connexa. When planets are formed from the remains of dead stars, they have large amounts of Connexa baked into them. Organisms on the planet adapt to use this element as an energy source early on in their evolution, allowing them to use it as fuel for biological processes and as a source of magic.

Life would evolve to instinctively use the magic, usually in small enough amounts that they can just pull it from the ambient energy in the air or from plants that have adapted to store the energy. Over time creatures with higher intelligence could learn to consciously control the magic and plan out spells. It would start with simple stuff like minor accelerated healing or increased physical prowess.

As they learn how to harness the power of the magic, they discover that the magic substance is farmable, there are at least a couple of species of plant that grow Connexa in a powdered form, the least energy efficient form of Connexa. As they study and learn more about Connexa they develop technologies like Connexa batteries and devices that gather the Connexa in the sunlight, much like collecting real life solar energy.

The magic is flexible in how it's used. It could be cast by thinking about what they want to cast, verbally, somatic movements, magic symbols like glyphs or objects like talismans, instinctual reflexes, or other ways. I have an idea rolling around about a musician developing her own magic system so that she can channel the magic by playing her violin, reminiscent of Vanya from Umbrella Academy.

I don't have a power level decided yet, so I'm not sure say how much Connexa it might use up to lift five pounds or to shoot a fireball. I just know that I want it to scale pretty consistently until they hit a threshold of work being done before the cost ramps up exponentially. I want it to be flexible and powerful, but not overly so.

I also plan on there being a biological system for processing the magic, specialized organs in humans and other organisms that pull in the energy and process it somehow and allow them to use it to cast spells or use it as biological fuel to stave off hunger or fatigue. I'm also considering a system of veins to spread the energy throughout the body, much like the heart and veins for blood.

I think I'm running out of things that aren't tiny details or very un-fleshed out ideas, so I'm gonna stop here, it's getting pretty long anyway. I invite all constructive criticism and questions, if you stuck around this long, thanks!

 

[CupofJoe]

From a very different source but it almost begins to sound like the life energy in the Avatar films. Not that, that is a bad thing.
I think it is good to not to define what can be done too clearly, but maybe sort out what can not be done.
Can you use it to kill people?
Or turn lead in to gold?
I like my magic wibbly-wobbly and undefined. That way you can break, I mean bend the rules if you need to.
I admire Terry Pratchett's magic system [though I'm sure he would say there wasn't one].
[I am paraphrasing some what...] Some things/people/places are magical, some are more magical than others... Deal with it.

 

[Finchbearer]

It is fantasy or sci-fi? Or a blend? What ‘time period’ have you set your world in?

It feels more sci-fi than fantasy to me, but then you throw in ‘spells’ and I’m questioning the world. Just curious.

 

[Rexenm]

It sounds like Heinlein inspired, stuff. I think that the substance sounds a little like the opposite of melange. One is found at the top, the other, the bottom. (This is a reference to the Shai Hulud excrement, BTW.)

In the story, do you study like Jedi, or Sith? It sounds all very cyclical, so it stands to reason it would be the one, or the other, trapping something very fast, or theoretical, like in a thesaurus or dictionary, or maybe an evil voice?

 

[pmmg]

Sounds similar to magic in my own system but more thought out. And i did not use a word like connexa.

 

[AlexArcter]

From a very different source but it almost begins to sound like the life energy in the Avatar films. Not that, that is a bad thing.
I think it is good to not to define what can be done too clearly, but maybe sort out what can not be done.
Can you use it to kill people?
Or turn lead in to gold?
I like my magic wibbly-wobbly and undefined. That way you can break, I mean bend the rules if you need to.
I admire Terry Pratchett's magic system [though I'm sure he would say there wasn't one].
[I am paraphrasing some what...] Some things/people/places are magical, some are more magical than others... Deal with it.

It could be used to kill people yes. I imagine it could be woven into martial arts, releasing energy as they punch or block. No lead into gold. Apparently we can only do that in "insignificant amounts" inside of particle accelerators. I get the appeal for the softer magic systems, but one of my big goals is for this one to be a very hard magic system. It will always function in an expected way, as long as the people dealing with the magic know what they're doing and knows how the magic typically behaves. I want the people in this universe to study the magic like real life scientists study particle physics and quantum mechanics or any other field of study.

It is fantasy or sci-fi? Or a blend? What ‘time period’ have you set your world in?

It feels more sci-fi than fantasy to me, but then you throw in ‘spells’ and I’m questioning the world. Just curious.

In my mind, it will change from fantasy to sci-fi depending on where in the timeline the story in question is taking place. Ideally I'd love to have at least one series in the "fantasy" era, another in the "sci-fi" era, and maybe have some very powerful people who augment their lifespan to be born in the fantasy age and die in the scifi age. A lot of the peoples' perceptions will change as they study the magic over the centuries, and it'll be less magic symbols and incantations and more look we figured out how to use this stuff to power all these buildings. I feel like publishing some anthologies would really help with this kind of thing too, have an anthology dedicated to the fantasy era, sci-fi era, maybe some for somewhere in between

It sounds like Heinlein inspired, stuff. I think that the substance sounds a little like the opposite of melange. One is found at the top, the other, the bottom. (This is a reference to the Shai Hulud excrement, BTW.)

In the story, do you study like Jedi, or Sith? It sounds all very cyclical, so it stands to reason it would be the one, or the other, trapping something very fast, or theoretical, like in a thesaurus or dictionary, or maybe an evil voice?

There will be people dedicated to studying, but it won't be a jedi and sith kinda deal. No light or dark side, no holy or shadow magic or anything like that. There will be people who study it from a scientific standpoint, and there may be people who get philosophical with it. Some people will want to spend their life mastering magic techniques as their passion.

Sounds similar to magic in my own system but more thought out. And i did not use a word like connexa.

Thanks! It's just what google translate gave me when I had to translate "connected" into Latin.

 

[Rexenm]

There will be people dedicated to studying, but it won't be a jedi and sith kinda deal. No light or dark side, no holy or shadow magic or anything like that. There will be people who study it from a scientific standpoint, and there may be people who get philosophical with it. Some people will want to spend their life mastering magic techniques as their passion.

Anything without good or bad gets pretty difficult. Is there a philosophy of existence that isn’t evil? What then of science?

 

[Queshire]

Yes. There's plenty of philosophies that avoid a dualistic view of good & evil. =_=

 

[AlexArcter]

Anything without good or bad gets pretty difficult. Is there a philosophy of existence that isn’t evil? What then of science?

I disagree. I don't think you have to have a good side and a bad side to tell a good story. And sure, there could be plenty of philosophies of existence that aren't evil. And what do you mean "what then of science?" Are you implying that science is a philosophy of existence that is evil?

 

[Finchbearer]

When you go with a classic Latin word such as connexa, I would find it hard not to use classicism as a reference point.

 

[Rexenm]

Philosophy seems a fledgling state of science; is that connected to dualism, or is it a top to bottom view, with a twist?

 

[pmmg]

Anything without good or bad gets pretty difficult. Is there a philosophy of existence that isn’t evil? What then of science?

Rexenm is not often easy to decipher.

I can name a philosophy that can avoid good and evil. But, most are trying to answer the questions of what is the nature of the universe, and what is man's role in it. That usually leads to some thinking on what is good and what is not good. Science, like all studies, is an offshoot of philosophy. Science itself is not good or bad, its just a thing. What we do with it gives it value. I may use science for good or evil purposes, but science itself does not care. The real issue with science is not the science, but that it is engaged in by scientists, who, try as they might, are not immune from human frailties, and corrupting impulses. Connexa can be the same way. Its just a thing, and it behaves predictably. I can use it for good or bad purposes. The judgement of good or evil purposes comes from others, not the thing.

Which is not to say Connexa cannot itself have a dark and light quality, the Op'er gets to work that out.

 

[pmmg]

Hey Alex.

You posted a chapter 1 in portfolios, but it does not seem I can leave comments on it. If you are wanting feedback, you might post that in writers work instead.

 

[AlexArcter]

Hey Alex.

You posted a chapter 1 in portfolios, but it does not seem I can leave comments on it. If you are wanting feedback, you might post that in writers work instead.

Thanks! I'll check it out!

It doesn't look like Writer's Work is a place to post stories? Looks more like writing habits and encouragement to write

 

[pmmg]

Story Showcase is another area where people post up stories they've written.