New Magic System Tips

[Dark Master]

Hey guys! I'm trying to create a magic system for my book and keep bumping into the same problem when I work on the source: Magic is power bigger than mankind, and thus implies that either a deity must exist in the book or a Force, like in Star Wars. Does anyone have any ideas on how to avoid gods and also avoid having magic be a well of power like the Force?

Edited May 20, 2019 by Dark Master

[+Invocation]

Can I get a few more details so I know what you're trying to do with it? I might be able to find something cool to fit with said details.

[Dark Master]

I'm sorry but its not planned out very well yet, I plan on expanding the system once I establish the source because the source will influence the type of magic it is.

 

[Karger]

You could make it so that no one knows where the power comes from and as such a bunch of different people have different theories on the source of the magic.  Alternatively magic could take energy from the natural world(the biosphere is weakened when magic is done) from any source of energy that humans normally use(wind, solar, various fuels,  the winds) or even from within your own body.  You could also just break thermodynamics and say that magic comes from whatever controls it and that is that.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Karger

[Dark Master]

You have an interesting idea with everyone having a different theory on where magic comes from, thanks for the feedback Karger! Also an idea I had is beings giving a type of magic to humans, but not being gods. Not sure how to reconcile it but I think I'm getting closer.

[+Invocation]

33 minutes ago, Dark Master said:

I'm sorry but its not planned out very well yet, I plan on expanding the system once I establish the source because the source will influence the type of magic it is.

Alright, fair. Let's see...the magic could be powered by the excess energy within the universe from atomic and molecular shifting.

[Dark Master]

I didn't plan on doing it this way, but I think I have a basic foundation started. There are many kingdoms run by what humans think are gods, each kingdom has one god as ruler. The "gods" cannot influence humanity and some aspects of the world unless humans give them permission. So in order to gain influence over mankind the gods each give different gifts in exchange for the loyalty of a human. As a result, humans live and serve in different kingdoms in exchange for gifts from the gods. For instance: Serve the god of knowledge and you have a limited scope of telepathy. It needs to be worked out but its a start. Anyone have any thoughts on it?

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Dark Master

[Nathrangking]

4 hours ago, Dark Master said:

I didn't plan on doing it this way, but I think I have a basic foundation started. There are many kingdoms run by what humans think are gods, each kingdom has one god as ruler. The "gods" cannot influence humanity and some aspects of the world unless humans give them permission. So in order to gain influence over mankind the gods each give different gifts in exchange for the loyalty of a human. As a result, humans live and serve in different kingdoms in exchange for gifts from the gods. For instance: Serve the god of knowledge and you have a limited scope of telepathy. It needs to be worked out but its a start. Anyone have any thoughts on it?

 

Perhaps simply beyond simple permission= ability to effect change permission could= the stability and levels of the power. If someone does not actively allow the god in the magic can have consequences when used. 

[Dark Master]

That's a great idea, not sure how to implement it yet but thank you for the feedback and I will update this post eventually when I solidify how the system works a little more.

[Kureshi Ironclaw]

A part of me thinks you don't need to define the source of magic. As long as the rules are internally consistent you don't really need to explain where it comes from unless the story is about that. Harry Potter does this (I think from memory); magic simply exists with no explanation of where it comes from to reconcile law of conservation of energy or whatever.

[Ixthos]

15 hours ago, Kureshi Ironclaw said:

A part of me thinks you don't need to define the source of magic. As long as the rules are internally consistent you don't really need to explain where it comes from unless the story is about that. Harry Potter does this (I think from memory); magic simply exists with no explanation of where it comes from to reconcile law of conservation of energy or whatever.

Going off of that, as Kureshi said, does the origins of the power need to be examined? Is it important to the plot that the power be examined in detail, its dynamics and why it has them impacting the plot?

One possibility is that it is like oil, or nuclear power - either something left over from something before and a limited resource that they are accessing without realising it is finite and possibly damaging, or another branch of physics which they understand or make use of without understanding.

[Xardan Ta'Caran]

I just found this thread and had another though for you if you're interested:

One of the ideas I've toyed with over the years that can be utilized in MANY different ways is the idea that the planet itself creates the energy fields used for creating magic. In that case, magic is essentially built right into the atmosphere of the planet or, if you want it more specific, you could use lay lines as areas of concentrated magic and the farther you get from a lay line, the "dimmer" your magic becomes.

With that, you can have "centers of magic" in areas where 2 or three lay lines converge where mages convene to learn and work great amounts of magic and you can have other areas where magic is almost completely non-existent.

At that point no gods are needed and no further explanation is needed. Just an idea of where they physical location of the lay lines are and what the rules and limitations of the magic produced by the planet are.