Right now we welcome a brand new visitor author to Author’s Enjoyable Zone, Andrew Zimba who’s stopping by to speak with us about “Designing a Magic System: Magic within the Land of Ardalencor.” Get pleasure from!
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Writers and Worldbuilders,
Searching for a information on creating a magic system in your fantasy setting?
I’m Andrew Zimba — creator of the medieval fantasy novel In Occasions of Battle: A Story of Ardalencor.
Typically studying how another person navigated the design course of might be the most effective information. I’ll take you thru an outline of my decision-making journey and share some extra ideas on the finish.
I hope you discover the article to be useful and perhaps a further spark to your artistic course of.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I wished magic in my story to be fantastical, inspiring awe and dread, but in addition muddled and imperfect. I didn’t like the concept of introducing laborious guidelines or so-called magical legal guidelines.
Inside a inflexible construction, a magic system begins to resemble a scientific self-discipline and that may restrict alternatives for the sudden.
Cohesive logic and immersion are vital for me in storytelling, so regardless that my magic system could also be thought of “mushy,” I wouldn’t say it’s haphazard.
Behind the scenes, I’m desirous about sustaining a way of proportionality of magic’s affect and the way that may affect different features of worldbuilding or particular characters.
I wished to take care of a little bit of thriller and surprise for the reader. Readers study in regards to the magic system by way of the experiences and factors of view of the characters.
I’ve sprinkled in some quotes and passages from In Occasions of Battle: A Story of Ardalencor.
A variety of worldbuilding is trial and error, contemplating and testing concepts, and refining or backtracking as wanted.
I don’t assume I got here up with the checklist of key concepts multi function go, however this checklist stayed pretty fixed all through the worldbuilding course of.
KEY IDEAS
Magic is uncommon.
Making issues uncommon makes them extra particular. It additionally makes it simpler to write down and hold monitor of issues, fewer variables to handle when discovering the equilibrium in your fantasy setting.
Magic is accessible to everybody (not less than theoretically).
Whereas accessing and controlling magic are very tough, I wished there to be a common high quality to it, not simply restricted to explicit bloodlines.
“Everybody could be a healer if the right thoughts is put to it.”
Magic is unpredictable.
I didn’t wish to use a basis much like TTRPG mechanics the place every motion yields a possible end result.
Magic is harmful.
Magic might be debilitating, even deadly, to the caster. This is among the limitations to entry and in addition shapes society’s view of magic. To be competent within the arcane arts, not to mention survive its trials, requires intense focus and dedication.
However that was the proposition; to realize a semblance of ethereal mastery demanded whole focus, whole dedication. Having data of magic and having a household weren’t mutually unique within the absolute, however when provided the possibility to unlock the thriller and data of the world, all else needed to drop out of focus, or one was not critical in regards to the endeavor.
Magic might be decisive, however those that wield magic have to be weak.
I didn’t need magic customers to be invincible. For one, it could diminish the drama within the story.
I’ll illustrate this level additional with two passages from my ebook. The primary conveys the respect and planning wanted to defeat an skilled spellcaster. The second, the fears and worries of two explicit magic customers.
This primary passage is from the angle of what’s required if common troopers attacked a wizard.
“A single wizard is a take a look at. Many wizards are a tall problem. The trick is to isolate them and press the assault. To subdue a real wizard, it might take twenty males, fifty, 100 or extra. As soon as dedicated, the assault have to be pressed. By no means relent.”
As a scene set to the second passage, two spellcasters are aids to a champion taking part in a duel.
Whereas neither of them is within the duel, they’re having their very own “excessive midday” second questioning if spell or arrow can be sooner ought to the duel devolve into a bigger struggle between the factions.
Artos and Dalton have been disciplined sufficient to withstand the temptation of watching the Tigerclaw in single fight. Every independently contemplated whether or not he might repair a spell and disable a swift bowman or stand quick in opposition to an onrushing horse. It had been a very long time since both had practiced such circumstances. Neither had ever skilled when blinks have been the skinny veil between victory and demise. Dalton’s forehead began to bead, and he hoped Artos wouldn’t discover.
Magic is protected.
Those that have the best mastery of magic will search to guard (cover) that data to stop the emergence of rivals.
That is extra a storytelling ingredient than in regards to the magic system itself, however it performed a big function in creating the Zaravandian Order.
The Order is the preeminent and solely wizard’s guild in Ardalencor. They perform as a mix of royal advisors, analysis and growth group, particular forces group, and intelligence service.
The Order didn’t tolerate cut up loyalties; there was no room for defiant concepts or dissension. Rogue members had almost cut up the Order at a number of factors in its historical past. Severity and restriction created the bulwark in opposition to corrupted energy, devouring narcissism, and the destruction of the world. Initiation and standing within the Order rested upon humility, obedience, sacrifice. Loyalty and devotion to the Order, whole give attention to arcane issues, and protection of the nation have been the steadfast virtues. Inside these rules, members studied from a typical physique of information painstakingly assembled over the centuries however have been allowed nice measure to discover, experiment, and retain their individuality.
With out going into element, members of the Order usually are not the one ones who perceive or wield magic in Ardalencor or neighboring lands.
Without having a monopoly on using magic (see the common high quality from the important thing concepts checklist), the Order is the dominant group and can use overt or covert strategies to take care of their place whether or not or not it’s in opposition to magical outlaws or checking the expansion of arcane energy inside a noble home.
This stress and intrigue add to the immersive feeling of the world.
“Maintain eyes on him… What occurred to the final advisor?”
“He was a person of some expertise… It took a while to rearrange believable circumstances.”
If we have been chatting about your magic system over a cup of espresso, I’d in all probability ask you the next questions. In worldbuilding, there might be an infinite variety of questions, however let’s begin right here.
STARTER QUESTIONS
- What are your preferences or necessities for the general construction of your magic system?
- How highly effective is the magic? For instance: interdimensional connections, summoning creatures, astral projection, manipulation of time.
- What is required for one to realize entry to magic? Any limitations or limitations?
- How many individuals (basic numbers) have entry to magic? Given the dearth or prevalence of magic, how does this have an effect on each day life and the general equilibrium of the world?
- For somebody who has no entry to magic, what’s that individual’s view of the world? For somebody who has mastery of arcane forces, what’s that individual’s view of the world?
Maintain creating and completely satisfied writing.
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Concerning the Creator
Andrew Zimba is a lifelong storyteller. An avid historian, he grew up studying tales of kings and kingdoms in addition to tales of fantasy and magic. A local Minnesotan, he holds levels from the College of Minnesota and in addition studied in Poland. Andrew and his spouse presently reside in Texas.
Fantasy Worldbuilding Suggestions: andrewzimba.substack.com
Learn In Occasions of Battle: A Story of Ardalencor: amazon.com/creator/andrewzimba
Study extra Ardalencor in addition to worldbuilding ideas: instagram.com/ardalencor