Magic Systems

[kerravonsen]

fikgirl expressed a curiosity about magic systems in fantasy over here and I decided I'd do a long ramble, or, more precisely, a List of Lists about magic systems.

There are many magic systems in Fantasy, which can be classified by a combination of factors. Some of these factors are either/or exclusive factors, while others can happen alongside each other.

Ability

1. Innate (genetic)
2. Anyone can do it.
3. Depends on some non-magical ability (such as musical talent).
4. Some things can be done by anyone, other more powerful things depend on innate ability. For example, where magical objects can be used by anyone, but can only be created by magicians. Another example, where magic can be accessed through rituals by anyone, but the Talented can sense and manipulate it directly.

Magical power

1. Finite
2. Infinite (it "just happens", power levels are not considered)
3. Finite but renewable (for example, internal magic power is restored after eating and sleeping)

Magical power comes from

1. the spellcaster
2. magical beings/gods
3. magical objects
4. life-energies, not just the spellcaster; this could be anything from having more power by being in a grove of trees, to voluntary lending of power, to animal or human sacrifice
5. the world, the Earth, something in the world
6. it "just happens" (see Infinite)

Channelling of magical power

1. magic "just happens", there is no channelling
2. takes energy from the spellcaster, either in proportion to the power channelled, or a more-or-less fixed amount needed to "open" the channel
3. requires a catalyst (such as a magical object)

Knowledge and/or training

1. not needed (pure instinct)
2. training improves ability/control
3. some knowlege is needed
4. deep knowledge is needed

Predictability/Control

1. completely unpredictable For example, summoning demons, the demon is not predictable. Another example, "wild magic" could be summoned but not controlled.
2. completely predictable; magic follows rigid laws For example, the Law of Contagion, Law of Sympathy
3. Somewhat predicable; particular spells may have predictable effects, but general laws-of-magic can't be deduced.
4. mysterious; magic comes and goes, doesn't depend on predicable spells, but when it comes, it's somewhat controllable For example, using a magical musical instrument to make people dance, but it only works when the musician is lost in the music. ("Cart and Cwidder") Or, a band made up of a mixture of Fae folk and humans, and when they're in the groove with each other in the music-making, people can't stop dancing. ("War for the Oaks")

Timing

1. some/all spells depend on particular auspicious times and seasons, positions of the planets, moon(s), sun, stars
2. any spell can be done at any time with the same effect.

Location

1. some/all spells depend on being in a particular place. For example, opening a door to the Realm of Faerie may require you to be at a particular place, such as a Fairie Mound or circle of standing stones. Another example, magical power may only be in particular places, such as ley lines, or may be stronger at dimensional weak spots, such as a Hellmouth.
2. any spell can be done anywhere

Names

1. Spells depend on knowing the True Names of people and/or things
2. Some spells depend on names (such as summonings and curses)
3. no knowledge of names is needed

Ritual

1. Spells depend on a specific ritual; magic words, incantations, gestures, ingredients, symbols. This may include sacrifices. Magic potions would probably come under this category, since at the minimum they need specific ingredients that need to be put together in a particular way. Magic words can also be "passwords"; something to open a magic lock, or activate a magic object, where the main part of the magic was in creating the object.
2. Spells are wishes, curses, blessings, prayers; a plain direction or request, spoken or willed. This may need to be in a specific language, particularly for prayers.
3. Spells are "artistic"; they depend on some artistic creation of the spellcaster (a song, a painting, a weaving etc.) where the effect and effectiveness of the spell depends on the artistry, skill, and evocativeness of the work. This may be in combination with other factors (such as playing a magical instrument, or using special magic thread or paint etc).

Intention

1. magic depends on the intent and will of the spellcaster
2. magic can be done unintentionally, accidentally

Creation of magical objects

1. there are no magical objects
2. magical objects are created by the gods or skilled demi-gods, or magical creatures (such as dwarves)
3. magical objects can be created by any or some magic-users

Use of magical objects

1. can be used by anyone
2. can only be used by Talented people
3. can only be used by a particular bloodline (who aren't necessarily Talented) For example, only Arthur Pendragon could pull the sword out of the stone.

Magical objects may also require a particular ritual, time and/or place to activate them, or to deactivate them. For example, the Marauder's Map in HP requires a password to activate it, and another to make it blank again. Another example, a cursed berzerker sword that won't be re-sheathed until it has tasted blood.

Good and Evil

1. magic is neutral, the goodness or evilness of it depends on the use made of it
2. all magic is eeevil (mind you, nobody seems to write fantasy novels with this, though they do write horror novels with this)
3. some types of magic are inherently evil, and/or set you on the path to evil. Obvious examples would be spells which involve human sacrifice, or "giving your soul to the devil". More subtle examples would be spells which involve mind-control.
4. some types of magic are inherently Good -- this not so often, really, because usually the non-bad magic is really Neutral, since evil magicians can normally use non-evil magic as well as evil magic. Inherently good magic tends to be things like special magic of magical creatures such as Unicorns, or blessings of God or gods.

Effects on magicians

1. neutral
2. overuse of magic can affect a magician adversely, such as madness, wasting away, eroding of their humanity, burn-out.

For example, shape-changing/transfiguration spells where, if the magician uses them too often, finds himself not able to change back from animal to human.

A similar example: the repeated use of a particular kind of magic gradually turning one from a human being into a magical creature (can't remember the book, but it was by Andre Norton).

Another example: in "Staying Dead", some magic-users become addicted to "current" (their term for magic) and spend their time manipulating the flow of magical power without necessarily using it, and become erratic, unable to focus, unable to tolerate the presence of others, and very dangerous.

Which is possibly more than you wanted to know, though I wouldn't call it definitive.

Comments

[fikgirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it so helps me pulling my thoughts and ideas about what I specifically want my magic to do together.

Adding this to my memories :D

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Magical power comes from ...

Obviously, as a vanilla fantasy worldbuilder I've had to consider where sorcerers get their spell power from. Actually I don't know, and neither do they, but they have their theories. Most revolve around friction between the dimensions of Demon and Faerie. This friction generates some kind of ethereal energy that sorcerers can harness.

The Oppositionists say that sorcery uses a balanced mixture of Faerie and Demonic energy, on the basis that the two forms are opposites and need to be in equal proportion to be controllable.

The Isonergists say that Demonic and Faerie energies are complementary to each other, and interact to produce something completely different, called isonergy.

Most sorcerers, though, just accept that sorcery works, and who cares how so long as they can do stuff with it.

That's a good, comprehensive-looking review, btw. I didn't see anything obviously missing.

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Spells are wishes, curses, blessings, prayers; a plain direction or request, spoken or willed. This may need to be in a specific language, particularly for prayers.

Are you familiar with the system used in the Ars Magica RPG? If not, quick summary.

Spells are defined by five techniques and ten forms. The techniques are verbs, all in Latin, such as Creo (I create), Muto (I change), Rego (I rule). The forms are nouns, such as Animal, Corpus, Ignem, etc. There are thus fifty possible combinations, such as Creo Ignem (to create fire), Muto Corpus (to alter a body) or Rego Animal (to control an animal).

Each combination is not, however, a spell, rather a category into which various spells naturally fall. The techniques and forms are skills in manipilating different applications of magic.

I know you've played D&D in the past, I don't what other RPG experience you have, but RPGs are the obvious place to go if you want to look up different ways of doing magic.