sponsored by axehound body spray Creating a Magic System

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Hi! In this forum game, we'll collaborate to create magic systems. Once we fill up 1-2 pages, we'll codify it and start on a new magic system. The goal is to be as creative as possible. Here are the rules:

1. Respect others.
2. Remember to use the 'yes, and...' technique. Rather than deny what others say, take it and do something fun with it!
3. Try to avoid being generic. Try to be as creative as possible.
4. With that said, magic systems should make sense. Don't make it super crazy - just make it kinda crazy.
5. If you need inspiration for something you're writing, feel free to take elements or even entire magic systems from this thread!
6. Try to limit posts to a sentence or two.
7. Bold is canon, non-bold is for everything else.
8. Above all, have fun!

I'll start.
In this magic system, people use their souls as power sources.

[Mr. Misting he/him]

You can sell your souls to other, giving them more power.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Some souls are more powerful than others. Some are more geared towards certain kinds of magic.

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

A person's personality dictates how powerful the soul is and what type of magic it fuels. For example, if someone is aggressive, their soul will be geared more towards offensive types of magic.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Each soul only has a limited amount of power in it. However, this can be increased with various rituals.

[Telrao she/her]

This includes sacrifice of animals - but only more intelligent creatures.

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

Such rituals include eating well, sleeping well, and getting enough exercise.

Edit: ninja'd; we sure took this in different directions

Edited November 20, 2022 by Szeth_Pancakes

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Soulmagic is end-neutral - you get out as much power as you put in. You can use small amounts of energy, or you can use your entire soul in one burst.

[The Sibling she/her]

If someone has your soul you find yourself drawn to that person for the rest of your life.

[Edema Rue she/her]

However, if you use your soul all in one burst, you will continue on as an undead wraith. 

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Wraiths have one consuming desire: to steal the soul of another so they can live again.

[Telrao she/her]

If a wraith steals a soul, they do not revive fully, instead becoming something worse.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Through a dark ritual that involves both human sacrifice and eating lots of deep-fried sugary foods, wraiths can be bound to a soulmage.

[Telrao she/her]

The soulmage then, if they continue their sugary diet, have full control over the creature.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

However, this comes at the cost of the soulmage's health, and therefore the power of their soul. The soulmage constantly needs their wraiths to collect more souls to keep the soulmage from becoming a wraith themself.

[Edema Rue she/her]

It is a twisted path to take, one that will only lead to pain, diabetes, and possibly world domination. (Or at least an attempt at it).

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

When a wraith steals a soul, they become Darksouled, which means they have the ability to steal more souls, and their soul cap is removed. Darksouled people still have the ability to steal souls; this can also lead to attempts at world domination.

this is getting good we should make an RP when we're done

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

Totally.

Sometimes, through a ritual that requires the things both the wraith in its original life and the soul’s previous owner loved most, a wraith can be parted from a soul it has stolen. This creates a Lightsouled.

[Edema Rue she/her]

They are the heroes of this world, though the are rare and have little power. As a result, the world is mostly full of wraiths and Darksouled.

Yes please. 

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

People flock to cities ruled by Lightsouled, despite their lack of relative power. They are the only places that can be anything close to safe. This is due to the dragons that Lightsouled can bond, similar to how wraiths can bond Souldmages.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Dragon souls don't run out of power, and dragons can channel them through their breath. However, dragons can't do anything else with their powerful souls. 

I too would like an RP, but we should probably use a separate thread.

Edited November 22, 2022 by Ookla the Nerdy

[Edema Rue she/her]

The dragons too are growing rarer. It is believed that one day, all dragons and Lightsouled will be extinct, and the world will be full of wraiths and Darksouled alone. 

Yeah probably. 

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

Given the end neutral mechanics of the magic, the dragons use of soulmagic is fueled by the destruction of possibility, which is constantly renewing as people make choices

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

The raw power of the soul can be used in many different ways. Soulmages can use various manners of rituals or components to direct soul energy.

[EmulatonStromenkiin he/him]

There are few basic cantrips that can be done by anyone, with almost no depletion of the soul reserve