TopHat
Minstrel
TopHat here again!
Its going to be a long thread but I really, really need some outside-advice! Any opinions and ideas are more than welcome!
I'm working on a project and trying to create a magicsystem and a setting that works together. Here's a quickversion:
There's a fundamental power and magical energy, lets call it "Mana" for now, existing alongside the laws of physics. This is the stuff that the universe is made of, it was used to create reality and creation by the gods in the beginning. Magic is the art of manipulating Mana to affect the laws of physics and produce different effects. The gods have mastered magic and knows all of its secrets and ways of using it.
Wizards gain their ability to use magic during a "near-death-experience". If they die and somehow survives they may wake up with the ability to use magic. What has happened is that their soul has transformed during the near-death-experience and is now capable of producing Mana. With training the wizards learn to manipulate Mana by using their will.
By manipulating Mana in different ways you can perform different things, all within the laws of physics. For example, if you want to create fire the wizard, using his will, compresses Mana into a smaller space and that generates heat. If he continues he will eventually produce an open fire. Imagine the things you can do based on that simple principle, you can use fire in offensive purposes as well in everyday situations like light your campfire, boil water etc.
The strength of a wizards soul can be improved (although I've yet to figure out how. I welcome all kinds of ideas!) The main rule is if they try to perform magic beyond their souls strength they risk breaking and destroying it. With results in them turning into a ghost/specter when they finally die and are denied entry into the Afterlife.
One way to improve your power is by using a magic wand, ring or amulet . These serve as spare batteries and by wielding it the wizard have more Mana to use.
In this world there are two nations, with different views on magic. The nation in the west lives in a kind of medieval setting and society that accepts wizards as something natural. The nation in the east lives in a more renaissance setting that are technologically more advanced (im thinkking steam and mechanics). The religion is very strong in this society and it clearly states that magic is something only the gods should wield. Using magic is blasphemy and anyone who does is to be seen as a heretic, a demon in mortal form who deserves punishment and execution. This society has been hunting wizards for ages and their witchhunters are relying on religious artifacts and mechanics, often combined.
One of their most used inventions is a kind of "Mana-sensitive-meter". I like to think of it as a kind of geiger counter that picks up on Mana and wizards.
My main problems are:
1. Spells and ways of using magic. If there is a will-based magic system there's not going to be many spells, only a few basic spells like Fire,Water, Earth, Wind etc. and lots and lots of variations of them. There's no need to have "Fireball-spell", "Firestorm-spell" and "Firewall-spell", they all go under "Fire-spell".
I really want more than just a few elemental-spells. I want my wizards to be able to transform things, create illusions, shape-shifting, talking to animals etc.
2. Magic vs technology. I really like the concept of having a kind of scientific view on magic that explains parts of it but not all. A natural force that affects the laws of physics in different fashions. By giving mana a few core attributes, like generating heat under pressure, it feels more graspable. Sadly it kind of kills the mystical feeling that magic is all about!
3. When two wizards duel I want a fast-paced combat with lots of different spells. Its kind of boring to have two guys just throwing fireballs at each other. I want them to counter each others spells, adapting to them. I'm thinking something like the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the movie. Voldemort transforms the lightning into a fire-snake, Dumbledore then kills the snake and uses the fire to a kind of "fire-storm" spell which he sends back towards Voldemort.
At the same time as I want fast-paced combat I love the concept that some magic has to be prepared in advance somehow.
So, I want magic and spells to leave room for creativity, to be able to use fire for more than just burn your enemy, but to be used as a tool to solve problems. I want to be able to use magic in many creative ways, but at the same time I don't want one spell that performs one specific thing. If you can spray fire, you should be able to turn it down and light a candle!
I'd love to have a relation between magic and science! Maybe the East nation has a more modern/scientific approach/view to magic and this mystical, fundamental energy that I've been calling "Mana" throughout this thread.
I hope most of you have made it this far into the thread. I welcome all kinds of tips, opinions, advices on how to solve these problems and other things I've might have missed.
Yours,
TopHat.
Its going to be a long thread but I really, really need some outside-advice! Any opinions and ideas are more than welcome!
I'm working on a project and trying to create a magicsystem and a setting that works together. Here's a quickversion:
There's a fundamental power and magical energy, lets call it "Mana" for now, existing alongside the laws of physics. This is the stuff that the universe is made of, it was used to create reality and creation by the gods in the beginning. Magic is the art of manipulating Mana to affect the laws of physics and produce different effects. The gods have mastered magic and knows all of its secrets and ways of using it.
Wizards gain their ability to use magic during a "near-death-experience". If they die and somehow survives they may wake up with the ability to use magic. What has happened is that their soul has transformed during the near-death-experience and is now capable of producing Mana. With training the wizards learn to manipulate Mana by using their will.
By manipulating Mana in different ways you can perform different things, all within the laws of physics. For example, if you want to create fire the wizard, using his will, compresses Mana into a smaller space and that generates heat. If he continues he will eventually produce an open fire. Imagine the things you can do based on that simple principle, you can use fire in offensive purposes as well in everyday situations like light your campfire, boil water etc.
The strength of a wizards soul can be improved (although I've yet to figure out how. I welcome all kinds of ideas!) The main rule is if they try to perform magic beyond their souls strength they risk breaking and destroying it. With results in them turning into a ghost/specter when they finally die and are denied entry into the Afterlife.
One way to improve your power is by using a magic wand, ring or amulet . These serve as spare batteries and by wielding it the wizard have more Mana to use.
In this world there are two nations, with different views on magic. The nation in the west lives in a kind of medieval setting and society that accepts wizards as something natural. The nation in the east lives in a more renaissance setting that are technologically more advanced (im thinkking steam and mechanics). The religion is very strong in this society and it clearly states that magic is something only the gods should wield. Using magic is blasphemy and anyone who does is to be seen as a heretic, a demon in mortal form who deserves punishment and execution. This society has been hunting wizards for ages and their witchhunters are relying on religious artifacts and mechanics, often combined.
One of their most used inventions is a kind of "Mana-sensitive-meter". I like to think of it as a kind of geiger counter that picks up on Mana and wizards.
My main problems are:
1. Spells and ways of using magic. If there is a will-based magic system there's not going to be many spells, only a few basic spells like Fire,Water, Earth, Wind etc. and lots and lots of variations of them. There's no need to have "Fireball-spell", "Firestorm-spell" and "Firewall-spell", they all go under "Fire-spell".
I really want more than just a few elemental-spells. I want my wizards to be able to transform things, create illusions, shape-shifting, talking to animals etc.
2. Magic vs technology. I really like the concept of having a kind of scientific view on magic that explains parts of it but not all. A natural force that affects the laws of physics in different fashions. By giving mana a few core attributes, like generating heat under pressure, it feels more graspable. Sadly it kind of kills the mystical feeling that magic is all about!
3. When two wizards duel I want a fast-paced combat with lots of different spells. Its kind of boring to have two guys just throwing fireballs at each other. I want them to counter each others spells, adapting to them. I'm thinking something like the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the movie. Voldemort transforms the lightning into a fire-snake, Dumbledore then kills the snake and uses the fire to a kind of "fire-storm" spell which he sends back towards Voldemort.
At the same time as I want fast-paced combat I love the concept that some magic has to be prepared in advance somehow.
So, I want magic and spells to leave room for creativity, to be able to use fire for more than just burn your enemy, but to be used as a tool to solve problems. I want to be able to use magic in many creative ways, but at the same time I don't want one spell that performs one specific thing. If you can spray fire, you should be able to turn it down and light a candle!
I'd love to have a relation between magic and science! Maybe the East nation has a more modern/scientific approach/view to magic and this mystical, fundamental energy that I've been calling "Mana" throughout this thread.
I hope most of you have made it this far into the thread. I welcome all kinds of tips, opinions, advices on how to solve these problems and other things I've might have missed.
Yours,
TopHat.