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Feeback/Critique sought for Glyphcasting, a glyph/rune based magic system.

I've built a number of magic systems and felt in someway unsatisfied with each of them. They were to abstract and nebulous or did to little or to much. By combining some of my older ideas about magic, with the old,old concept of magic symbols. I came up with a magic system that I am thus far the least unsatisfied with out of the magic systems that I've built.


Aether found in the living beings and in the natural world is the spiritual fuel that drives Glyphcasting.

The Key-Glyph is the catalyst for all Glyphcasting without one engraved upon their spiritual essence Glyphcasting
is impossible.


Prime-Glyphs are lenses through which aether is focused and and they determine how it can be manipulated. Prime-Glyphs naturally manifest upon a being's essence in accordance with their nature and even those who lack Key-Glyphs possess them, they also run in families. The number of Prime-Glyphs that a being naturally possesses is usually between one to three, numbers beyond three are increasingly rare with seven being so rare as to be nigh-mythical. Amusing that they have the capacity a being could get additional Prime-Glyphs engraved onto their essence. However the process will the individual suffering episodes of debilitating pain for the rest of their lives,as a result of spiritual mutilation.

Base-Glyphs come in sets of seven each belonging to a different Prime-Glyphs. Base-Glyphs are not engraved, they are used in spell casting and can be thought as musical notes. Representations of how a given Prime-Glyph can be used to manipulate aether.

Subaltern-Glyphs are a type of Base-Glyph shared in common by all the Prime-Glyphs. They act as connectors and modifiers for other Base-Glyphs.


Prime-Glyph are sorted into related Domains

Domain of Radiance:Fire(Actually Heat),Light,Electricity.

Domain of Force&Substance:Air,Water,Earth(aspects into Stone,Metal,Crystal and Clay).

Domain of Life:Wood,Blood,Bone,Flesh.

Domain of Spirit: Heart,Mind.

Domain of Void: Yearning(Gravity),Emptiness(Teleportation,Phasing,Portals,Enables Alchemy),Hunger(Destructive Force manifested as oily shadow.


Prime-Glyphs either through innate aptitude or through training on the part of the Glyphcaster can access the more esoteric abilities of their Domain.

The Domain of Radiance of radiance access a volatile form of energy that can be used to destroy or infuse items with more destructive power.

The Domain of Force&Substance every aspect taps a different force, Air taps motion and inertia,Water taps entropy,Earth is a counter point to water holding things together and manifest a pseudo-gravity.

The Domain of Life of life can heal,enrich or consume life.

The Domain of Spirit can manipulate souls and touch the cosmic life-stream.

The Domain of Void. truth be told I can't think of anything more esoteric for the Void.




One of the things that still bugs me is para-elements/hybrid-elements, while I like the concept and have seen some very interesting depictions. I'm not sure if they would fit. The way I see Glyphcasting's current metaphysics, the art with exception of energy doesn't really create anything just manipulates what's already present. In order to create para-elemental phenomenon the art would need to be able to at temporarily "create" elements where none existed.
 
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Reaver

Staff
Moderator
I have a penchant for using runic weapons as well as glyph-inscribed McGuffins from here to kingdom come, so maybe my opinion is biased. Having said all that... I like your system very much.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
It's a good system. WRT Domain of the Void, could its action be to negate, to make void? Or, perhaps, to drain?

WRT hybrid elements, I think that works fine. They could act to create things that exist only in the context of the glyphs, acting only upon other glyphs. The ordinary world doesn't see them and is not affected by them, but within the context of magic, they can be powerful or disruptive. Or merely goofy. Once the cast is done or the magical effect is over, the hybrid vanishes without consequence. Maybe you could connect them somehow to that seventh prime?

A couple of questions. One, when you say prime, I think prime. So one, two and three work. The next number would be five and then seven. Maybe eleven could become the extremely rare. Then again, maybe you were just thinking prime as in rib. ;-)

Two, you say aether permeates the natural world. That could explain how some plants had magical properties, or how magical animals (unicorns) exist. Can other intelligent beings do magic? If so, have you thought about how it might work with them?
 
I have a penchant for using runic weapons as well as glyph-inscribed McGuffins from here to kingdom come, so maybe my opinion is biased. Having said all that... I like your system very much.

Thank you It's the most stable magic system That I've built so far. Yet I still feel dissatisfied with it on some level.

It's a good system. WRT Domain of the Void, could its action be to negate, to make void? Or, perhaps, to drain?

WRT hybrid elements, I think that works fine. They could act to create things that exist only in the context of the glyphs, acting only upon other glyphs. The ordinary world doesn't see them and is not affected by them, but within the context of magic, they can be powerful or disruptive. Or merely goofy. Once the cast is done or the magical effect is over, the hybrid vanishes without consequence. Maybe you could connect them somehow to that seventh prime?

A couple of questions. One, when you say prime, I think prime. So one, two and three work. The next number would be five and then seven. Maybe eleven could become the extremely rare. Then again, maybe you were just thinking prime as in rib. ;-)

Two, you say aether permeates the natural world. That could explain how some plants had magical properties, or how magical animals (unicorns) exist. Can other intelligent beings do magic? If so, have you thought about how it might work with them?

I was thinking of prime in the sense of being vital. When it comes to numeric or numerological significance in the setting I was thinking in terms of multiples of seven. Since creation was forged by seven Titans.

Aether is meant as a background magic field. The Glyphs aren't quite that literal that's just how the clades of the setting interpret the magic. A truly alien race would perceive the magic differently but it would work the same.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
On what level? Maybe the folks here can help. Can you identify the source of the dissatisfaction?
 
On what level? Maybe the folks here can help. Can you identify the source of the dissatisfaction?

Mostly it's the "artists are never satisfied with their work" thing.
The first magic systems that I've built were allot closer to psionics,but they all were to unwieldy,nebulous. I wanted my magic system to have more concrete limitations on who could do what. Glyphcasting was a solution, however elemental magic required a level of symbollogic. While it worked it carried the wrong flavor for the common magic of the world. The only people that I wanted to have symbollogic magic were the priests/shaman who through their connection to the gods could touch the realm of forms ;in accordance with their gods nature.

I tweaked the Prime-Glyphs so that they were more metaphysical and weird-scientific.

Domains and Glyphs

Void: Yearning,Hunger,Emptiness.
Radiance: Fire,light,Electricity.
Spirit: Heart,Mind.
life: Augment,Nurture,Heal,Consume(Is very complicated).
Force: Motive,Resonance,Thermal.
Substance: Wood,Earth,Flesh.

I have the entire power suite that I want for the story yet I am still"unsatisfied" or rather undecided about to classify the magic. Domains and Glyphs has a more traditional spellcraft flavor, Affinities and Aspects and the system is back to being more psionic. :confused:
 
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