Magic System Idea

[S.T. Ockenner]

Thaumturgic energy is a force in the universe that causes strange things to happen, and it can defy the laws of physics. Sorcerers are natural conductors of this force (nicknamed magic). Sorcerers can either channel raw magic to have a random effect, or they can create spells. Spells are specific commands that sorcerers can create that they can use at will, as long as they have something to channel it through (such as a wand). Making spells is time consuming and difficult, thusly most sorcerers only know a few spells. Sorcerers can also summon and bind spirits called familiars into physical vessels to channel their magic for them, but it requires the sorcerer to sacrifice a body part, such as a hand. The better trained a sorcerer is, the more control they have over which body part, so an apprentice could accidentally remove their limbs or brain, but a true master only loses a fingernail (or similar part). A sorcerer's familiar is bonded to them until the sorcerer dies. They follow the sorcerer wherever the sorcerer goes. Most sorcerers can only have one familiar, but wizards (a specific kind of sorcerer) can have a potentially unlimited number. Any seventh sorcerer child of a seventh sorcerer child will be a wizard, and only them. A warlock is a sorcerer who can steal spells from sorcerers, and warlocks are extremely rare, and usually the menace or boon of a nation. A sorcerer who is both a wizard and a warlock is called a witch, and they are EXTREMELY powerful, and they gather in the coven, which all witches are a part of from birth. Sorcerers always wear robes, because robes
1. make magic more powerful and
2. look cool.
If they cannot find a familiar or lose their wand/staff/etc(which they bond to before they reach adulthood) they can tear a whole in the ambient magic to create a new one. This will create an area where magic will be null for many years, until it patches up. Areas where magic is null are called antimagic, and antimages can control antimagic. antimages are very rare, but are more common among goblins.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Mancers are sorcerers who have specific flavors of raw magic, example: a pyromancer’s raw magic surges would always be fire related.

 

[Saigonnus]

At first glance. I am not sure I would want to be a sorcerer in your world... what person in their right mind would tap the energy to make a random spell? What if it's something harmful to the caster? or a "Slay Familiar" spell. Or burns the sorcerer's possessions to a crisp... no way in my opinion.

Something else to consider, instead of losing a hand (which is definitely not a good thing), perhaps the binding of a familiar takes a large physical toll on the mage... both at time of creation, and if it should die. Maybe the mage gives up his life force instead, and it takes a long time (weeks) to recover from either one; which would make the sorcerer extremely careful about losing his familiar. Doing this would also make wizards hesitant to have more than a couple at a time. Imagine if he has 6 or 7 and half are killed by an enemy fireball... just the shock to the system would likely kill the wizard too, even if he is out of harm's way.

 

[Snowpoint]

1. Summoning: What if summoning turned part of your body to stone (or paralysis) while summoning. Correlating to power of the summoned creature. Maybe they wear gloves to conceal when they are summoning.

Questions to ask yourself:
Who are the people who get magic? (what social class, personality type, etc.)
Acquisition - If they only learn a few spells, maybe the process of learning is interesting and cool on its own.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Saigonnus , the spells are not random, the raw magic is

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

At first glance. I am not sure I would want to be a sorcerer in your world... what person in their right mind would tap the energy to make a random spell? What if it's something harmful to the caster? or a "Slay Familiar" spell. Or burns the sorcerer's possessions to a crisp... no way in my opinion.

Something else to consider, instead of losing a hand (which is definitely not a good thing), perhaps the binding of a familiar takes a large physical toll on the mage... both at time of creation, and if it should die. Maybe the mage gives up his life force instead, and it takes a long time (weeks) to recover from either one; which would make the sorcerer extremely careful about losing his familiar. Doing this would also make wizards hesitant to have more than a couple at a time. Imagine if he has 6 or 7 and half are killed by an enemy fireball... just the shock to the system would likely kill the wizard too, even if he is out of harm's way.

Also, you keep using the wrong terms.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

1. Summoning: What if summoning turned part of your body to stone (or paralysis) while summoning. Correlating to power of the summoned creature. Maybe they wear gloves to conceal when they are summoning.

Questions to ask yourself:
Who are the people who get magic? (what social class, personality type, etc.)
Acquisition - If they only learn a few spells, maybe the process of learning is interesting and cool on its own.

I see that no one really understands what I was getting at. There is no difference between different spells for the rules of casting them, they are basically super
powers, with possible limitations, but only really do one thing. There are only a small amount. Thusly, there is no 'summoning'. There could be a specific spell that creates a table or a spell that moves a creature from one place to another, but not a specific branch of magic called summoning, and no difference between them. If you mean creating a familiar, then no. That would not make sense for them to be paralyzed. The reason I have the consequence that I do is because it builds off of the fact that magic is an energy that permeates the world, and that if you rip a hole in it, you can create life. Sorcerers are pretty much randomly born with it. A rich person could get it, a poor person could, a raccoon, a rock...

 

[Saigonnus]

Saigonnus , the spells are not random, the raw magic is

I understood that part of it... what I was implying is why would a person "tap" the raw magic so it would have a random effect, one that might have a severe negative effect on the caster, his familiar, or his possessions; i.e. the focus for his power?

I like the visual, but why would anyone want to tear a hole in the fabric of magic; deliberately create a place where magic is null, just for the sake of having a familiar? What's wrong with getting a cat from the pet store or "summoning" one from the woods? Why are they so important that a mage would do that?

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Familiars are not just animals, they are creatures made of pure magic, and it is only used as a last resort.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

.. what I was implying is why would a person "tap" the raw magic so it would have a random effect, one that might have a severe negative effect on the caster, her familiar, or his possessions; i.e. the focus for its power?

Again, usually as a last resort unless they are a mancer, who have more control over raw magic.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Mancers are sorcerers who have specific flavors of raw magic, example: a pyromancer’s raw magic surges would always be fire related.

 

[ChasingSuns]

Familiars are not just animals, they are creatures made of pure magic, and it is only used as a last resort.

My question regarding this is, what purpose does the familiar serve? Do they provide some boon to the spellcaster? Or is it out of a pure desire to create life through the manifestation of the familiar? Do they just act as a guide, or perhaps as a bridge between the magic user and the greater fabric of magic?

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

My question regarding this is, what purpose does the familiar serve? Do they provide some boon to the spellcaster? Or is it out of a pure desire to create life through the manifestation of the familiar? Do they just act as a guide, or perhaps as a bridge between the magic user and the greater fabric of magic?

In order for a wizard to cast spells, they must have a wand or a staff or whatnot. If they can't find one then: Familiars. Again, only as a last resort.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

My question regarding this is, what purpose does the familiar serve? Do they provide some boon to the spellcaster? Or is it out of a pure desire to create life through the manifestation of the familiar? Do they just act as a guide, or perhaps as a bridge between the magic user and the greater fabric of magic?

"Spells are specific commands that sorcerers can create that they can use at will, as long as they have something to channel it through (such as a wand). Making spells is time consuming and difficult, thusly most sorcerers only know a few spells. Sorcerers can also summon and bind spirits called familiars into physical vessels to channel their magic for them, but it requires the sorcerer to sacrifice a body part, such as a hand." Does that answer your question?

 

[ChasingSuns]

"Spells are specific commands that sorcerers can create that they can use at will, as long as they have something to channel it through (such as a wand). Making spells is time consuming and difficult, thusly most sorcerers only know a few spells. Sorcerers can also summon and bind spirits called familiars into physical vessels to channel their magic for them, but it requires the sorcerer to sacrifice a body part, such as a hand." Does that answer your question?

Thank you, I totally missed the part about channeling. That makes things click a little better for me. I think this system definitely has a lot of potential. Something that I am curious about is the idea of comparing the forms of magic to super powers. I noticed that you did mention certain specific powers for types of mages (mancers and antimages for example), but I am curious as to how the idea of more specified powers applies to sorcerers, assuming that they are also specialized. I know you mentioned the time it takes to craft spells, but I guess I'm curious about as to whether sorcerers can say, craft a spell of fire, and also an illusion spell (as opposed to only being able to craft fire spells). Also to clarify, I am specifically talking about the sorcerers, as opposed to the mancers tapping into the raw magic.

Also, I am curious about tearing a hole in the ambient magic. Assuming this does only occur in those last resort instances, my next question would be is there a cost to standard spells? I personally quite like the idea of antimages. Their presence creates lots of potential for interesting relations with the rest of the magic community. For example, I could see even regular spells creating these pockets of null magic, albeit on a smaller scale. Perhaps this could create an interesting dynamic where sorcerers are quite careful in their spellcraft out of concern for a potential growth in power for antimages.

Just some thoughts for now. As I said, I think this system has a lot of potential thus far

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Thank you, I totally missed the part about channeling. That makes things click a little better for me. I think this system definitely has a lot of potential.

Thanks!

but I am curious as to how the idea of more specified powers applies to sorcerers, assuming that they are also specialized. I know you mentioned the time it takes to craft spells, but I guess I'm curious about as to whether sorcerers can say, craft a spell of fire, and also an illusion spell (as opposed to only being able to craft fire spells). Also to clarify, I am specifically talking about the sorcerers, as opposed to the mancers tapping into the raw magic.

any sorcerer (including mancers) can have any potential combinations of spells. A sorcerer could indeed have both a fire-based spell and an illusion spell. Even a mancer could have any type of spell, although they do tend to specialize in spells related to their mancy.

Also, I am curious about tearing a hole in the ambient magic. Assuming this does only occur in those last resort instances, my next question would be is there a cost to standard spells? I

You cannot cast any spells when there is a hole torn, and you cannot tear holes with normal spells. Holes do replace over time.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Also, sorcerer magic is not the only magic. It's just the only magic mortals can use other than portal magic.