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Help with my Magic System

Lou Bill

Acolyte
This system has light and dark magic, with dark magic accessible to anyone, and light magic only to fairybloods. Magic is connected with a kind of physic force, electromagnetic fields, and certain individuals (i guess with more fairy blood) are more powerful. Objects like crystals and wands help channel magic, and spells exist, but are not always used. How can I harmonize all these elements coherently? And basically any advice on the subject would be appreciated.
 

Lycaon

Acolyte
Try to think of limits in your magic system. Your light magic already has some in place (only fairyblood allows its use, and it is as powerful as the amount of fairyblood one has), but those are very general. In this case, because you’re dealing with fairies, I’d suggest looking at real world ‘magic’, for example the belief that iron could hurt fairies. Does the dark magic have any limits yet?
 

Lou Bill

Acolyte
I like the iron ideas. I’ll look into it. As for dark magic, the limitations are limitations of knowledge. With dark magic, you can do anything except create souls and kill infinite beings, but most of the highest power spells have been lost from human knowledge. You can also get help from spirits, who are likely to know more potent spells and rituals.
 
I think you have an excellent base for your system. With what you've covered so far, I'd recommend intentionally adding parallels between the dark and light magic. If light magic is countered by something, have darkness be countered by something connected but somewhat opposite.
This stage of adding definition to your magic is a tricky one. At the risk of sounding too self-promotional, I've got a number of posts on this topic over on my blog. I recommend starting with this one. Stage 3 of Building Marvelous Magic: Defining Your Magic ⋆ C. R. Rowenson
Don't hesitate to ask if anything doesn't make sense.
 
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