Creating a magic system is a big thing. The basis for all the conflict, and problems, and solutions, and life, and death, and every thing in your story.
Very, very big. Making it up along the way leads it to discrepancies that break the readers immersion, and while you may not think it's that bad. I can assure you, that I am not you. Dear Lord, I love magic systems - so it needs to be done correctly.
Your first question is probably somewhere along the lines of, does my story need a soft magic system or a hard magic system?
Soft magic systems create mystery and wonder for the reader and the world. Soft magic systems make the world feel grand and exciting.
While harder magic systems, break down that sense of wonder not for order, but for immersion. To ask the question of how does magic have an impact on that world and how do we effect that world. It familiarizes the unfamiliar.
For my own personal story I had opted for a hard magic system. My world was already too grand for it's own personal good and it allowed my characters to use magic. The thing is with soft magic systems is that your own character can not understand how it works. It works well if your protagonist are children just throwing fire bolts or a hobbit looking at a really old wizard doing shit - but when your character is someone who actively studies and uses magic. It has to be explained whether a magic system is hard or soft, in my opinion, is about perspective. Rocket scientist don't think rockets are magic, but a toddler will think it is.
I tend to go over board with anything in my writing, and it'll never be shone - so here's my own magic system. Or part of it. Don't steal pleasie. I'm not done. If you're going to steal at least take the finished product.
An Intro to Airith Magic System:
By Tea Leaves.
Airith is a vast world filled with humanoids by the name of Imansti. Just like humans but with an affinity with their World Goddess, Vita'lil. Vita'lil is the youngest of her sisters who are: Sylvina, World Goddess of The Glade and the Fairies; Eiseila, World Goddess of Ecflor and the Dwarves, Evles, and Orcs; Balaakra, World Goddess of The Hemiplanar and the Dragonborn, Wyrms, and Merfolk; Helen, World Goddess of the Plane of Helen and the Demons.
Each race is associated with one of the five elements and influences them in their own way. The Imansti magic is based off of all the other races granting them a large mount of magical flexibility.
Sylvian Magic:
Creation.
As Sylvina is the eldest of the sisters, she has 5 races of fairies that each handle their own respected element. Nymphs of the Water, Salamanders of the Fire, Sylphs of the Air, Pygmys of the Earth, and Dryads of the Wood.
Creation is not control and thus making Sylvian magic one of the must difficult to handle as one must balance all the elements in order to get their desired results. This is one of the realms of magic that can be studied.
Eiseilian Magic:
Protect.
Eiseila posses four creatures in her domain. Dwarves of the Earth, Light Elves of the Wood, Dark Elves of the Fire, and Orcs of the Water. Both protected by the sanctuary of their element, and protecting the sanctuary in return, Eiseilian magicians recluse that are almost never seen outside of their sanctuary. Those in the Eiseilian realm of magic do not earn their magic through study but are granted protection a portion of Eiseila great magic and their Embodiment, if they posses one.
Balaakrian Magic:
Embody.
Balaakrian Magic is powerful and destructive. A force that imbues the sacrifice with an overwhelming amount of magic. Balaakra posses domain over the Dragonborn of the Fire, Wyrms of the Earth, and Merfolk of the Water. Granted great power from Balaakra, sadly - the sacrifices do not last very long. A few weeks, at the shortest to a year, at the longest. Sacrifices reside in sanctuaries along with Eiseilian magicians. The ultimate protector of the Sanctuary.
Helencian Magic:
Change.
Helencian Magic changes the world around the magician. Think of it like FMA. Yeah. Like that. Helencian magic is the most studied craft as it is the simplest to understand. It's like switching colors.
More to come soon....
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