Template for Magical Systems

Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels

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Template for Magical Systems

« on: 07 December 2005, 09:02:00 »

Added the sections I had under Abilities in Principles, I didn't like the term 'technical' here, anyone here with a better idea?

HOW TO DESIGN a magical concept

A magical system represents a complete concept of a world view. It may be linked to a belief system (shadowmancy, druidic belief in essences, clerical magic) or exist in itself as the Ximaxian.
In order to design a magical system you should have the following scheme in mind:

Overview
The usual overview stuff. Try to put in the most important things concerning the magical system and its relation to a belief or world view in this section or state if there are no relations at all Make sure that the reader sees from the first glance what it is all about, without having to dig into all the details.

Prevalence (Territory)
This is the "where" section. Put in here in which region of the world of Caelereth this magical concept is common, how much it is spread in general (no need to mention single occurrences).

Concept/Worldview
On what is this magical concept based? Which is the belief behind it or why does it work without one, what is the world view of the users?

Basic Principles
How does this magic work basically? What tools are needed to be able to use, practise this magic? Are any auxiliary means or devices needed to accomplish the tasks? Are spells used or necessary? Differentiate if possible between magic users and the observations of outside investors. (A cleric will describe his magic with other terms as a Ximaxian mage f.e.)

Abilities, Limitations, Restrictions and Practise
What are the possibilities (in principle) Where are the limits? Where the restrictions?
What kind of „actions“ perform those who practise it? What can theses people achieve (general explanation with some examples)?
What is principally possible, what is achieved in reality?

Locations
Are there special places where this magic is performed or which are necessary for the success ( f.e. forests, a well, a plateau in the mountains) , places which should be avoided? Are any special buildings needed? Is the magic performed only underground or only in open air etc.

Origins
Everything has a beginning, and so do magical concepts. How and why came it into existence? Was there a single person who „invented“ it? Was there a historical reason for it to evolve? How quickly has it grown from its origins? Does it have a future? All this information here, please!

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

Edited by: Talia Sturmwind at: 12/29/05 20:48


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"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"
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Marvin Cerambit

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #1 on: 08 December 2005, 11:06:00 »

Perhaps best to add that there's currently a ban on new magic systems?

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Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #2 on: 10 December 2005, 04:37:00 »

Well, yes, you are right, though there are at least two in developement right now

Anything else?


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Marvin Cerambit

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #3 on: 10 December 2005, 05:50:00 »

Yep, but those were already around so they weren't new, they were just not developed.


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Coren FrozenZephyr

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #4 on: 11 December 2005, 10:41:00 »

Some quick suggestions:

Principles / Technical Explanations (how the system actually works - like the ounnia alterations and carall links in Ximax) - should go after Beliefs (sort of complementary, expanding upon the fundamental philosophy by providing the actual 'system')

Origins should go last.

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Darien Gulath

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #5 on: 12 December 2005, 06:53:00 »

maybe there are magic systems that don't need huge lists of spells to go with it? Like the ximaxian that is...

Shadowmancy, clerical magic and (hm are there more then just those?) ... are not well known in ximaxian, yet they would have some kind of theory for it to work, a theory that is compatible with the ximaxian one,....

Ximax draws magic by follow some kind of complicated thought pattern and speaks the words of the incantation (which isn't nessary but it gives the spell strenght to actually get it to perform to speak the spells out loud, Isnt this correct?- on lower levels that would be at least).

Hm maybe we should input with every system somekind of sheet which spells belong to it. For example but all known spells of Ximax and add them into a section of the magical academy entry.

And do visa versa with the other spells...

With every spell we create for another magic system we should keep the ounia's and ximaxian view on how to create them, yet only to know how hard the spell is to cast, on which level it would be and if the spell would actually be possible to cast, Maybe with each spell for that other system a small paragraph on how ximax explains the spell could be added...

Just some suggestions,

If we make it like this we could relief the ban, and finally make some more progress here at the dev. board.

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Marvin Cerambit

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #6 on: 12 December 2005, 08:52:00 »

Darien, I don't think that ban will be lifted anytime soon. There's still a lot of work to be done on the Ximaxian system (with only fire and wind somewhat developed).

And so far only the Ximaxian system has spells.


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Artimidor Federkiel

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #7 on: 14 December 2005, 08:48:00 »

I would suggest not to call the section "Belief Outlines", because this very much reminds of religion - and magical systems to a great degree aren't directly associated with it, as they are the more scientific approach if you so want (but of course more in the direction of philosophy). I therefore would change that name to Concept/Worldview or something similar. This section would cover the worldview of the magical theory and how the alteration of the world is approached through magical means.

Then I'd take in Coren's suggestion and have Technical Principles as the next section, where the details on how this magical theory works (the practical side) are explained.

Also agree with Marvin that we shouldn't make hundreds of non-Ximaxian spells and get completely lost in other magical systems. It's more important to have one system developed properly than several just halfway through and constantly contradicting each other. So one of the first steps after having the template properly defined would be to write the Ximaxian magic entry according to this scheme.

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Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #8 on: 30 December 2005, 08:50:00 »

Hope I didn't overlook a comment, coloured most changes with yellow.
Ready to get a sticky?


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Pikel

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #9 on: 30 December 2005, 20:15:00 »

Abilities, Limitations, Restrictions and Practise

I would suggest dividing these into four differen groups or subgroups, because this would make for a very veyr very large section, and it would be easier to read / reference if it was divided into four different sections

Also, Shouldn't there be a Training section?

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Kalína Dalá'isyrás

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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #10 on: 07 January 2006, 04:39:00 »

Quick question...

Is this basically finished and ready to be used? If so, great, if not, please let me know as I am using it for my Naming entry >.<

And it is "practice" Talia

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Edited by: Kalina Merenwen at: 1/6/06 21:02


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Re: Template for Magical Systems- Draft

« Reply #11 on: 10 January 2006, 10:13:00 »

This Magical Systems draft was put up for now in the sticky topic as is - I guess we should see it in effect at an entry now and decide whether we should split sections further up, we'll see that in practice

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