Sylver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2023
- Messages
- 246
- Points
- 63
I don't have a name that encompasses it yet, but this is my first attempt at making a magic system for my Monster Girl Chronicles series. It is a Medieval inspired Fantasy setting full of Magic and Monsters where stories can vary from small to large stakes. It has romance, action, magic, growth and development, along with its share of smut as well.
That being said, I have big plans for the MGC content assuming that the first book gains enough popularity and positive reception. This is my idea for a magic system, any questions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. You will be given a cookie at the end for reading this through to the end. Thank you!
Magic itself is an essence that remains under discovery, with thousands of ongoing research finding out more and more about it's potential and capabilities. It is described as neither a art or a science, but something in between. Magic is a source of energy that surrounds all things, with a stronger attraction surrounding living organisms like plant life, animals, and even cellular organisms carry a faint but noticeable attraction. Centuries of studies have narrowed their understanding of magic into two layers that work together and are split into subcategories.
The first layer of magic focuses on two sources of essence called Light and Darkness, or Dark for short. These terms describe its nature, where Light Magic gives and Dark Magic takes. The terms stem from not only the nature of its essence but also describes its appearance, as Light Magic appears through a bright yellow light while Dark Magic carries a darker shadowy aura surrounding the user.
Light Magic is the commonly practiced form of essence studied and practiced worldwide, with most nations classifying it as the safe and more profitable or advantageous type of essence to master. Light Essence is the manipulation of environmental essence with an inherent nature to give toward others, this can vary in uses limited by our imagination and practice. It is held back by its innate nature of giving to others limited to how much is given and to what extent. You can't just give all the essence in the world to one individual, just a small amount is enough to cause lethal strain in the body. It can be used as a source to attack others, take magical missiles for example, because in theory you are giving these projectiles to someone else (although preferably out of self defense). Therefore, despite its name, Light Magic is the commonly used source of magic for many things including combat. Using a spell to form a magical aura to protect someone from incoming projectiles is classified as Light Magic. Using a healing spell to which the user manipulates a part of their own essence to heal another creature is classified as Light Magic.
On that subject, what do you mean by essence? I thought essence was described as some aura that surrounds all.
Yes, but organisms carry an innate source of essence that grows from within, nicknamed as their signature mark as it is theorized that no two essences are alike. I suppose in simple terms you could call it a life force, it is produced at some point during the fetus stage and grows stronger over time as the individual grows as well, before stabilizing and growing weaker at old age. Essence can be synonymous with energy, magic users can manipulate the energy in the environment and the energy within themselves in theory.
Going back to Light and Darkness, Dark Magic is the nature of taking from others to gain for yourself. If using your essence to heal someone classifies as Light Magic, then using their essence to heal yourself would be Dark Magic. Dark Magic is renown as the more powerful and forbidden type of magic, forbidden in most Mage practices to be taught to their pupils and even researchers are warned not to be too invested in the study of Dark Magic alone, without practicing it firsthand. A Hex or a curse is one lethal and common use for Dark Magic, binding a victim to a set of terms or conditions with the intent of taking something from them in return. Because of its extremely powerful potential, Dark Magic is limited by a set of conditions established by its user to prohibit its power from getting out of hand while maintaining a sense of control over it. Furthermore, some uses of Dark Magic are widely cautioned for its addictive properties, such as stealing the essence from another organism to heal yourself. Regenerating or healing in this way will weaken the user's natural healing potency, which resorts to them depending on taking more and more essence from others overtime. Interestingly, Dark Magic is not commonly used for combat due to its wild and unstable nature and how difficult it is to wield without backfiring on its user. Certain ways to work around such limitations for practical use in fighting have been discovered, such as the practice of necromancy for example, but its rare to see Dark Magic used for battle.
That is a basic explanation of the first layer of Magic: Light and Dark. Now we move toward the second layer.
Magic of the Creation describes the elements we can manipulate around us with a focus on the four primary elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. These four elements can be utilized by all practitioners of magic through spells and rituals, but there exists an anomaly; some people are born with a natural talent or connection to one element. These people are called Elementals. An Elemental carries a link to one of the elements within their signature mark which gives them the potential of using that element to a stronger extent. Think of the difference between the terms Wizard and Sorcerer in D&D, a Wizard refers to someone who gains magic through ritual and study where a Sorcerer is someone born with inherit magical abilities due to their bloodline or ancestry. The same can be applied here, an Elemental is someone born with a stronger concentration and power when practicing magical use of their element. Mages can practice magic to use all four elements but are severely limited to basic use, while Elementals far surpass them with a wider range of powers and potential but are severely limited from where they draw their source of power from and the weakness of each element. You can be a fire Elemental but good luck using Fire Magic during a rainstorm.
Furthermore, Elementals draw their source of essence from themselves due to their inherit link to said element. This brings a new dangerous side effect that Mages do not share, that being that exerting too much stress or losing control of your power can lead to fatal consequences. You can lift up a puddle of water and levitate it, turn it into a sphere or a whip and use it however you like. But if you try lifting a lake from the ground level or splitting the ocean in half, you are going to die. Unlike with Mages who need to read countless books and practice numerous spells to better enhance their control, Elementals need to train both their mind and body in order to grow stronger.
It should be added that Elementals are the rarest class of magic users to a point where some kingdoms would encourage Elementals to stay by offering them many benefits compared to people within the royal family or monarchy. Some are even encouraged to sleep around and produce as many offspring in the hopes that their children would also inherit their Elemental power, which itself is also rare. If Mages are best used as a Support Class, Elementals are the fighters that can turn the tides and flip the board, changing a losing battle into a victory if they are trained well. But due to their rarity and small population, their isn't exactly a training academy or research branch that trains Elementals in how to use their power.
Much like with Light Magic, Magic of Creation is limited by the imagination of its user. Not all people who practice Magic of the Creation are Elementals, as Mages are capable of studying these elements as well. There is more that can be accomplished rather than its basic uses, one would think that the Earth Element is just lifting rocks but the true capabilities come from the combination of elements. Illusions can be created by the combination of water's reflective surface and air's blurring effect. Shadows or copies can be made using the water and earth elements, conjuring physical constructs out of clay, mud, tar, or sand.
This can lead to a subcategory of further elements created by the combination of elements. Fire and Air create Smoke, Water and Earth and Air create Blood Magic, and the list goes on.
To cut it short, there is one final category the falls in between both Magic of the Created and Magic of the Creation.
Miscellaneous is the classification of magical properties found in properties that can be used by anyone and everyone. These are Magical Ingredients used to create Potions, Brews, Traps, and other objects or artifacts that are infused with magic. Ingredients that have a natural source to some properties of magic are used for trade and research, typically found in the study or arcane and science. Its effects are temporary, sort of like a battery, where some magical weapons can be created by Mages or Dark Mages through spells, but other natural resources like plants and weeds that have some magical essence in them can't be recharged or created in that same way. This is my little mystery category where philosophers and scientists scratch their heads speculation the source behind these things, but at least we have a general knowledge about how we can use them.
And that's it, that's my Magic System so far. I'm sure there's more that can be explained but I need to get to work writing my new chapter for today. This is all a work in progress but it's an idea that I just had to write down because it wouldn't stop popping up in my head. I hope you guys had a fun time reading it and please let me know if its any good or just one big fat mess. Thank you for your time and don't forget your cookie before you leave!
That being said, I have big plans for the MGC content assuming that the first book gains enough popularity and positive reception. This is my idea for a magic system, any questions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. You will be given a cookie at the end for reading this through to the end. Thank you!
Magic itself is an essence that remains under discovery, with thousands of ongoing research finding out more and more about it's potential and capabilities. It is described as neither a art or a science, but something in between. Magic is a source of energy that surrounds all things, with a stronger attraction surrounding living organisms like plant life, animals, and even cellular organisms carry a faint but noticeable attraction. Centuries of studies have narrowed their understanding of magic into two layers that work together and are split into subcategories.
Magic of the Created
The first layer of magic focuses on two sources of essence called Light and Darkness, or Dark for short. These terms describe its nature, where Light Magic gives and Dark Magic takes. The terms stem from not only the nature of its essence but also describes its appearance, as Light Magic appears through a bright yellow light while Dark Magic carries a darker shadowy aura surrounding the user.
Light Magic is the commonly practiced form of essence studied and practiced worldwide, with most nations classifying it as the safe and more profitable or advantageous type of essence to master. Light Essence is the manipulation of environmental essence with an inherent nature to give toward others, this can vary in uses limited by our imagination and practice. It is held back by its innate nature of giving to others limited to how much is given and to what extent. You can't just give all the essence in the world to one individual, just a small amount is enough to cause lethal strain in the body. It can be used as a source to attack others, take magical missiles for example, because in theory you are giving these projectiles to someone else (although preferably out of self defense). Therefore, despite its name, Light Magic is the commonly used source of magic for many things including combat. Using a spell to form a magical aura to protect someone from incoming projectiles is classified as Light Magic. Using a healing spell to which the user manipulates a part of their own essence to heal another creature is classified as Light Magic.
On that subject, what do you mean by essence? I thought essence was described as some aura that surrounds all.
Yes, but organisms carry an innate source of essence that grows from within, nicknamed as their signature mark as it is theorized that no two essences are alike. I suppose in simple terms you could call it a life force, it is produced at some point during the fetus stage and grows stronger over time as the individual grows as well, before stabilizing and growing weaker at old age. Essence can be synonymous with energy, magic users can manipulate the energy in the environment and the energy within themselves in theory.
Going back to Light and Darkness, Dark Magic is the nature of taking from others to gain for yourself. If using your essence to heal someone classifies as Light Magic, then using their essence to heal yourself would be Dark Magic. Dark Magic is renown as the more powerful and forbidden type of magic, forbidden in most Mage practices to be taught to their pupils and even researchers are warned not to be too invested in the study of Dark Magic alone, without practicing it firsthand. A Hex or a curse is one lethal and common use for Dark Magic, binding a victim to a set of terms or conditions with the intent of taking something from them in return. Because of its extremely powerful potential, Dark Magic is limited by a set of conditions established by its user to prohibit its power from getting out of hand while maintaining a sense of control over it. Furthermore, some uses of Dark Magic are widely cautioned for its addictive properties, such as stealing the essence from another organism to heal yourself. Regenerating or healing in this way will weaken the user's natural healing potency, which resorts to them depending on taking more and more essence from others overtime. Interestingly, Dark Magic is not commonly used for combat due to its wild and unstable nature and how difficult it is to wield without backfiring on its user. Certain ways to work around such limitations for practical use in fighting have been discovered, such as the practice of necromancy for example, but its rare to see Dark Magic used for battle.
That is a basic explanation of the first layer of Magic: Light and Dark. Now we move toward the second layer.
The Magic of the Creation
Magic of the Creation describes the elements we can manipulate around us with a focus on the four primary elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. These four elements can be utilized by all practitioners of magic through spells and rituals, but there exists an anomaly; some people are born with a natural talent or connection to one element. These people are called Elementals. An Elemental carries a link to one of the elements within their signature mark which gives them the potential of using that element to a stronger extent. Think of the difference between the terms Wizard and Sorcerer in D&D, a Wizard refers to someone who gains magic through ritual and study where a Sorcerer is someone born with inherit magical abilities due to their bloodline or ancestry. The same can be applied here, an Elemental is someone born with a stronger concentration and power when practicing magical use of their element. Mages can practice magic to use all four elements but are severely limited to basic use, while Elementals far surpass them with a wider range of powers and potential but are severely limited from where they draw their source of power from and the weakness of each element. You can be a fire Elemental but good luck using Fire Magic during a rainstorm.
Furthermore, Elementals draw their source of essence from themselves due to their inherit link to said element. This brings a new dangerous side effect that Mages do not share, that being that exerting too much stress or losing control of your power can lead to fatal consequences. You can lift up a puddle of water and levitate it, turn it into a sphere or a whip and use it however you like. But if you try lifting a lake from the ground level or splitting the ocean in half, you are going to die. Unlike with Mages who need to read countless books and practice numerous spells to better enhance their control, Elementals need to train both their mind and body in order to grow stronger.
It should be added that Elementals are the rarest class of magic users to a point where some kingdoms would encourage Elementals to stay by offering them many benefits compared to people within the royal family or monarchy. Some are even encouraged to sleep around and produce as many offspring in the hopes that their children would also inherit their Elemental power, which itself is also rare. If Mages are best used as a Support Class, Elementals are the fighters that can turn the tides and flip the board, changing a losing battle into a victory if they are trained well. But due to their rarity and small population, their isn't exactly a training academy or research branch that trains Elementals in how to use their power.
Much like with Light Magic, Magic of Creation is limited by the imagination of its user. Not all people who practice Magic of the Creation are Elementals, as Mages are capable of studying these elements as well. There is more that can be accomplished rather than its basic uses, one would think that the Earth Element is just lifting rocks but the true capabilities come from the combination of elements. Illusions can be created by the combination of water's reflective surface and air's blurring effect. Shadows or copies can be made using the water and earth elements, conjuring physical constructs out of clay, mud, tar, or sand.
This can lead to a subcategory of further elements created by the combination of elements. Fire and Air create Smoke, Water and Earth and Air create Blood Magic, and the list goes on.
To cut it short, there is one final category the falls in between both Magic of the Created and Magic of the Creation.
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous is the classification of magical properties found in properties that can be used by anyone and everyone. These are Magical Ingredients used to create Potions, Brews, Traps, and other objects or artifacts that are infused with magic. Ingredients that have a natural source to some properties of magic are used for trade and research, typically found in the study or arcane and science. Its effects are temporary, sort of like a battery, where some magical weapons can be created by Mages or Dark Mages through spells, but other natural resources like plants and weeds that have some magical essence in them can't be recharged or created in that same way. This is my little mystery category where philosophers and scientists scratch their heads speculation the source behind these things, but at least we have a general knowledge about how we can use them.
And that's it, that's my Magic System so far. I'm sure there's more that can be explained but I need to get to work writing my new chapter for today. This is all a work in progress but it's an idea that I just had to write down because it wouldn't stop popping up in my head. I hope you guys had a fun time reading it and please let me know if its any good or just one big fat mess. Thank you for your time and don't forget your cookie before you leave!
