WoE: Magic

I would also like to help here

My ideas for how magic works:

Magic on Eda basically works as a point and shoot affair: name the spell you wish to cast through an incantation,

Example: "Heavenly bolts, bring holy justice! Thundara!"

However, you can't sling fireballs and magic missiles forever--every spell takes some of your strength--and this magic induced fatigue is different from physical fatigue. While you can't die from this fatigue, it is possible to exhaust yourself to the brink of death. The more magically fatigued you are, the longer you have to rest before casting spells again. (but usually no more then a few hours at the most.)

How quickly the fatigue sets in depends on your magical skill. A new mage's apprentice may burn out in ten minutes, but a well trained mage, sage, or wizard may not feel the first symptoms for several hours.

Another way to cast magic (especially among minstrels) is the art of spellsong. Long regarded as the minstrel's secret art, anyone with magical ability can learn to spellsing, provided they can find a minstrel willing to teach them.

Spellsong is best described as the caster's emotions resonating with the power in their hearts. This manifests as magic, commanded by music, and so does not need an incantation--which means the song can do multiple things depending on the singer's mood. But it too is subject to magical fatigue--this is why the bulk of spellsongs are only a few words long. Only the greatest minstrels, sages, and wizards, can sing the longest and most powerful spellsongs.

Every spellsinger has their own unique spellsong, so no two spellsingers will have the same innate song.

Examples of spellsongs:

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...--an all purpose spellsong that is the innate song of minstrel Noel Talamor--when someone learns to spellsing under her, they often inherit this song.
Karuto, iichiida shou... Noel's teacher's innate song, for Noel, this manifests as wind magic, in addition to speeding herself up, temporary flight, or teleporting to a safe place

 

Oooh, magic! I could offer something here. I think.

 

I would like to contribute here.

My Idea is that since shades casts magic through songs and dances, what if each dance movement was an incantation . When dance movements are combined they create a "spell"; the different kinds of movements could be considered a chain of incantations. Even if two shades start of with the same dance movement if they perform different movements by the end of the dance they will cast two different types of spells; for instance one could create a snowstorm while the other could increase growth in plants.

The Shades magic would flow like chakra from the stomach to different parts fo the body, the dance movements causes the magic to flow out of the body.

 

This sounds like a cool idea, but I'm a bit confused here--would a spin, for example create a tornado?

 

Oh, okay--that makes sense, and sounds really cool!

 

That is exactly what I meant, sorry I wrote that in a hurry.

~question though, will each species have their own way on how to perform spells?

 

I imagine some races have their own ways to cast spells, but most people just name an incantation and/or spellsing (the minstrel character I plan to play in this world, Noel Talamor, prefers to spellsing)

 

throwing in my lot with the magic grand council~!

I see three basic types of magic; Natural, Channeling, and tool magic

Natural magic can be subdivided into Born abilities and trained abilities. Trained abilities, anyone could learn with practice, like a wizard studying spells. Then there are natural abilities, which are unique abilities only certain people or races can learn.

For example, Nymphs who can speak to the land and control plants with thought, this would be a natural ability. A wizard would be able to learn something close but not at smooth or reliable, but a wizard could learn many more spells of a large variety from elemental spells to flight and teleportation, and these spells are really only limited to practice.

I see channeling as more like... Channeling the abilities of creatures with magic abilities. This type of magic would require the knowledge of the creatures ability, a connection formed to the creature through original contact or something similar, and in the case of more powerful intelligent creatures, a contract which allows you to use the abilities as long as the terms of the contract are held.

For example, a dragons ability to breath an elemental breath attack or a pixies power of illusion, these powers could be learned through a contract.

Tools are possibly at the same time the most simple and the most complex. Because tools are easily the most varied but with tools you can do spells you've never even dreamed of, from summoning allies and creatures, to casting high level spells in an instant, though they would normally take a long time.

nearly any item can be imbued with magic, from a key to a staff to a dagger and gun. And as long as the item can take the strain of the magic. the more masterfully made the item or the rarer the material, this all goes into effect when making a magic weapon. for example, a simple bot made of common would would break under the strain of magic after a few uses, but a bow made from the heart wood of a hundred year old Elm Tree would be able to take nearly any magic without issue so long as it wasn't over used.

 

Those are really cool ideas, but what would spellsong fall into? Natural or channeling?

 

I know this isn't what I'm supposed to be working on with World of Eda, but I referenced this in one of my sections, so I thought I'd share the idea.

As discussed above, magic can be used in a variety of ways. However, crystals with magical properties could be used to amplify the spells in some way, such as making the spells stronger or longer lasting. These crystals would be fitted to staffs or swords so that those tools can channel magic through them and direct it. A mage could have one fitted to his staff or on a pendant around his neck, or a knight could have one embedded in his sword to grant him the ability to use protective spells. These crystals would have a certain limit to them; for example, certain crystals could only be able to affect a certain type of magic, or have a limited number of uses before shattering.

 

It would fall into a mixture of both. It is a form of casting unique to thier race, but they can learn various "Songs" and channel the spells they learn via the songs.

This actually works perfectly with my next bit.

the basis of all magic,
or
Basic Magic 101: MANA.

Magic flows through and around us in an invisible flow, which many call the MANAFLOW, or ETHER, or even the BLUESTREAM, this ethereal energy, though invisible to most creatures, can be felt by those who are sensitive to it. The MANAFLOW is the basic energy of all things, from the trees to the stones. Think of it like a natural energy source that helps in sustaining what we know as life. By manipulating this energy through natural ability or training, this is how magic is done.

Now SOMETIMES the ether flows in a way that is visible to normal sight. Sometimes this can be a river where the water flows 100 feet up like a wall of water. sometimes it can be rainbows as solid under your feet as a road. Other times it can be like a never ending storm of fire, or a tornado of sand that always stays stationary in the desert but never fades.

But more often than not, where great sources of any particular element flow, the magic can coalesce into something a little more solid: Ether Crystals. Ether crystals form in places like volcanic lands, deep forests, shimmering lakes, anywhere where great levels of any particular element flow. When they form they absorb the natural elements around them giving them an elemental property. These crystal range in power but for now lets rank them F-SS. a level F Fire crystal can form anywhere the sun hits strongly and usually in large bulk. They are just about powerful enough to use as coal for an oven or for a heater. B class and up are strong enough to level cities and thus are in most or all cases restricted from trade or use unless special permission is granted (such as a licence handed out by the grand magic council, or permission from one of the carious council like it, such as the Dragon council and the Shadow Consortium.)

 

Well thats why I put multiple names down, since we haven't decided on the official terms as of yet. I can add more Magic 101 stuff if that sounds good, from basic elements to advance information on the various types of castings and spells.

 

I'd also like to apply for this section, and on that note, maybe two or three more.

 

No problem. I'll start with this. there are FIVE BASIC ELEMENTS.

EARTH
AIR
FIRE
WATER
LIGHTNING

Each element has a specific corresponding to the other in the order I listed, being weak to the one below it, lightning element being weak to earth at the top. Thus spells of certain elemental natures become stronger or weaker when facing any specific element. For example, a strong Lighting Javelin spell could tear through many water based spells on its way to its target, but it would barely put a dent in a Shield Of Earth spell.

 

What about ice (assuming part of water), shadow, and light?