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Published: 2020-11-15
Tags: magic-system
So I've been working on a magic system for a while now. I figure it's a good mark of any writer who wants to get into a fantasy setting or equivalent to make a magic system, the more from the ground up the better, and I'm no exception. I don't really have a name for this magic system, hence why I haven't made the tag for this post the name of the system. I feel like if I ever start writing a standalone project with this magic system (because I *am* actually working on a project that will use this magic system, but it's a whole package deal and I don't want to expose too much about that series yet since it'll come out when it's ready :P), I'll end up naming the system after it.
Basically, the idea is to combine several ideas I've seen around into one large magic system with enough variation to tell a whole bunch of stories with various characters in various settings and still have it make some amount of sense. Sounds easy, right?
Yeah, no.
I think I'll spend this post talking about things that plague other magic systems and how I intend to avoid these issues, and starting with the next post, I'll give more information about my magic system.
One issue that a lot of magic systems find themselves running into is language specificity. Namely, most magic systems are based around a specific language (usually Latin), with no support for other languages. Surely, language shouldn't matter to magic, unless your magic is entirely incantations, which I guess works, but most magic systems include potions. If the language is super important to your magic system, then in my opinion, the idea of potions just falls apart. What language does a bat's wing speak? A newt's eye?
I intend to avoid this issue by allowing several languages in my magic system (in fact, which language works the best depends on the character in question). In this system, magic works on intent, so the words you speak aren't nearly as important as what you intend those words to do (and if you can harness your mana enough to make that intent reality).
Admittedly, this is more of a meta-issue, but magic systems can't seem to agree on technique. For instance, in Harry Potter, wands channel magic and supposedly make it easier to perform, but the really skilled wizards of the world can use their hands? And some potions require a wand to make anyways? Other magic systems eschew the idea of wands entirely and have spells used through the caster's hands...?
This issue gets side-stepped in my magic system because magic works with both hands and wands in my system. While wands are better for more concentrated spells (like the Greek spell 'anemos', which can blow a hand-technique caster off their feet), all spells can be done with both hand techniques and wand techniques. In this magic system, which technique you use tends to depend on the tradition behind your language's school of thought. For instance, Greek 'magoi' tend to use wands more often, while 'draoidhean' prefer to use their Scottish Gaelic spells with a hand technique.
Admittedly, I don't fully side-step this issue myself, but some spells are just way too long. Take Harry Potter's 'Expelliarmus'. That takes a second to say even if you're rushing it. Meanwhile, while you're saying it, a smart opponent can just... move out of the way of the wand? Unless the spell somehow heat-seeks to them, in which case they have worse problems. Essentially, some spells are really, really long, and that can be a problem when you're trying to use them in a battle.
However, in this magic system, spells can be shortened to one syllable. Again, because the magic is intent-based, getting the whole word out isn't a prerequisite for the spell working. As long as you intended to use a specific spell, you will use that spell. For instance, the equivalent to Harry Potter's 'Expelliarmus' in the Greek branch of this magic system, 'Exorisei opla', can be shortened to simply 'Ex'. Regardless of how many words, Greek or otherwise, start with the "Ex" sound, I intended to use 'Exorisei opla', and so 'Exorisei opla' is the spell that occurred.
These are the 3 main issues I can think of. I'll add more later if I can think of any, but the next post should be more information about how this magic system works.