shangrila
Inkling
So...yeah. Magic system thread #1 bajillion. Anyway, I'd like to get some thoughts on the magic system I've currently been working on.
Blood Magic - Known as "Augers": Augers use blood to influence the body, either their own or someone else's. They can heal wounds (though this takes energy away from the wounded, so there are limits) and this is what they're typically used for. However, there is a darker side. With enough blood an Auger can manifest it into a physical object, resembling a blood vessel, that can be used to attack others. A powerful enough Auger can also control a body entirely, though this is harder with a living person as their mind resists. There have also been examples of them enhancing a body; increasing muscle mass, increasing stamina and the like. But this takes a heavy toll on the person as the body wasn't designed for it.
Soul Magic - Known as "Vigilants": Vigilants are unique in that they deal with the soul, something that isn't truly tangible. They can leave their body, known as soulwalking, and have been used as scouts on occasion because of this. Their most useful skill, however, is protection from other forms of magic. Ciphers can't read minds, Augers can't heal and Whisperers can't contact their demons when a Vigilant is around. Even other Vigilants, when soulwalking, won't be able to see in a bubble around the Vigilant. This makes them ideal for hiding people that don't want to be found by a Cipher or another Vigilant, and that is their main use.
Mind Magic - Known as "Ciphers": Ciphers deal in thoughts. They can project a thought across a long distance, to a willing mind, and in this way they have more or less replaced traditional postal services. They can read minds, though the human mind is far more chaotic when looking in from the outside. They can also influence thoughts, even going so far as to brainwash people, and it's this in particular that makes people wary around them. This, along with sometimes unconsciously reading minds, makes them generally aloof, only adding to the belief that they're unnatural.
Demonlogy - Known as "Whisperers": Whisperers are little more than rumours, a bad story to scare children. But the reality is that they exist and are very, very dangerous. A Whisperer gains his power by making a deal with a demon; this means their powers vary wildly, depending on who they're "working with". All of these deals have a price, though it isn't exactly what one might think. Demons are not human and thus don't always demand rational things; some ask for shiny things, some ask for twigs, or air. But others ask for blood or, seemingly more common, emotions. Happiness, sadness, joy, depression, any of it is fair game, which can obviously have an unstable effect on the Whisperer's psyche. That said, they have a clear use and most royal courts have at least one on the payroll, even if they won't admit it publicly.
Clairvoyance - Known as "Seers": Pretty much stock standard here. They're born blind but can see into the future, or at least one of the possible futures. The difference here is that they actually feel what they see. It's for this reason that they're not used for military purposes; feeling so much death will inevitably drive even the strongest of minds insane. They're also generally regarded as untrustworthy, as they tend to do whatever they believe will bring about the best future. A one time meeting, like a fortune telling, is fine, but continued work with the same Seer can see them working in goals opposing that of their employer. But they're still used as, despite this, their powers are useful.
And that's it, or for humans anyway. What I was going for, mostly with the first 3, was to give them alternate uses so two Augers, for example, could be completely different (one specialises in healing, the other in creating the tentacle thingies). So, what do people think?
Blood Magic - Known as "Augers": Augers use blood to influence the body, either their own or someone else's. They can heal wounds (though this takes energy away from the wounded, so there are limits) and this is what they're typically used for. However, there is a darker side. With enough blood an Auger can manifest it into a physical object, resembling a blood vessel, that can be used to attack others. A powerful enough Auger can also control a body entirely, though this is harder with a living person as their mind resists. There have also been examples of them enhancing a body; increasing muscle mass, increasing stamina and the like. But this takes a heavy toll on the person as the body wasn't designed for it.
Soul Magic - Known as "Vigilants": Vigilants are unique in that they deal with the soul, something that isn't truly tangible. They can leave their body, known as soulwalking, and have been used as scouts on occasion because of this. Their most useful skill, however, is protection from other forms of magic. Ciphers can't read minds, Augers can't heal and Whisperers can't contact their demons when a Vigilant is around. Even other Vigilants, when soulwalking, won't be able to see in a bubble around the Vigilant. This makes them ideal for hiding people that don't want to be found by a Cipher or another Vigilant, and that is their main use.
Mind Magic - Known as "Ciphers": Ciphers deal in thoughts. They can project a thought across a long distance, to a willing mind, and in this way they have more or less replaced traditional postal services. They can read minds, though the human mind is far more chaotic when looking in from the outside. They can also influence thoughts, even going so far as to brainwash people, and it's this in particular that makes people wary around them. This, along with sometimes unconsciously reading minds, makes them generally aloof, only adding to the belief that they're unnatural.
Demonlogy - Known as "Whisperers": Whisperers are little more than rumours, a bad story to scare children. But the reality is that they exist and are very, very dangerous. A Whisperer gains his power by making a deal with a demon; this means their powers vary wildly, depending on who they're "working with". All of these deals have a price, though it isn't exactly what one might think. Demons are not human and thus don't always demand rational things; some ask for shiny things, some ask for twigs, or air. But others ask for blood or, seemingly more common, emotions. Happiness, sadness, joy, depression, any of it is fair game, which can obviously have an unstable effect on the Whisperer's psyche. That said, they have a clear use and most royal courts have at least one on the payroll, even if they won't admit it publicly.
Clairvoyance - Known as "Seers": Pretty much stock standard here. They're born blind but can see into the future, or at least one of the possible futures. The difference here is that they actually feel what they see. It's for this reason that they're not used for military purposes; feeling so much death will inevitably drive even the strongest of minds insane. They're also generally regarded as untrustworthy, as they tend to do whatever they believe will bring about the best future. A one time meeting, like a fortune telling, is fine, but continued work with the same Seer can see them working in goals opposing that of their employer. But they're still used as, despite this, their powers are useful.
And that's it, or for humans anyway. What I was going for, mostly with the first 3, was to give them alternate uses so two Augers, for example, could be completely different (one specialises in healing, the other in creating the tentacle thingies). So, what do people think?
Auror
Sage
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