Worldbuilder Tips and Guides

Hard Magic: Ch 3

  The Source of Magic

            This can possibly be one of the most entertaining ideas to explore. Where does the magic in your universe or world originate from? While this detail could go unmentioned in a novel, comic, or any means of telling a story, it goes the extra mile in helping you to refine how the magic is used.

            For example, if you say that all magic is a gift from an individual's respected God/Goddess then you already have a means of determining the kinds of spells they can use. If magic is some mystical energy that flows through the cosmos naturally then you are given a much broader list of options. Let's list a few sources and how they can affect the world you created.

1) Blessings of a God/Goddess:
            A simple one. If a character is only able to use magic granted to them as a gift from their respected God/Goddess you already have a lot of work done. In this case, it can be concluded that your spells would be based on the ideals of that God/Goddess and would be limited to only those gifts. I'll give you an example. Let's say your character was bless by a Water Goddess. It would make sense for your character to be able to do things such as control water, heal - as healing is often symbolized by water - or swim fast. It would not make sense for your character to be able to move rocks, fly, or blast people with fireballs. This is where restrictions come in but more on that later.

2) Spell Runes:
            A tool used by Shadow Hunters from the Mortal Instruments series and movie, runes can be a means to limit the spells available while still keeping access to a broad number of archetypes. In this case, the user would use rune symbols to cast predetermined spells.

3) The Cosmos:
            By deciding that magic is just another natural force within the universe/world, you can open your characters to the choice of studying any archetype they desire. In a world where one's power is only limited to the knowledge they possess of the art, you can truly let your characters reach for the stars. Most writers will tell you to avoid this as, like anime, this supports the idea of having ridiculously powerful characters. However, if you establish your rules carefully and balance the setting, having two characters capable of destroying a planet be the protagonist and antagonist can go from looking straight up stupid, to feeling normal. This is another case where details matter.

4) Magically Infused Objects:
            Another source could be that magic is obtained through an object. A great example of this would be the TV series Arrow, in which there are several idols that can bestow power on to a particular individual so long specific conditions are met. One of these idols increases the possessors power as more people die. Obviously, this idol draws it's magic from 'death' so even these need to have a source to their power. Common 'magical items' that are seen in storytelling are necklaces, rings, staffs, and anything else that is the primary source of why a person has magic.

5) Life Force:
            Possibly the most natural of all sources, the idea that you must draw upon your own personal strength to cast a spell can really set the tone of a novel. For example, take the Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini. In his novels, once abilities and limit in magic is defined by their personal strength in the art. Trying spells that they may not be ready for could not just be dangerous temporarily, but also cost someone their life.

            As you can tell, the exact source magic comes from can vary. Some of these going so far as to have a huge impact on how you establish rules and restrictions for your magic system. Therefore, this should not be taken lightly and I urge that you even explore several options to see which ones you prefer. It is more than acceptable to use them all, creating a number of different systems that can co-exist within a single universe. A prime example of an author who has used several different kinds of magic would be George R. R. Martin in his series A Song of Ice and Fire. In short, it's your world so don't be afraid to mix and match.