The Worldbuilder Diaries: Magic Systems

If you’re expecting detailed schematics or a breakdown of minutiae for every element of a magic system in this post, I’m sorry to say you’ll be disappointed. My current magic systems aren’t that involved… For me, to delve too deeply into how magic works shifts it away from the realm of magic and more into some form of science, and that sort of defeats the purpose of magic for me. So I’ve intentionally kept an element of mystery present in all of my present magic systems.

That’s not to say that I won’t change up the formula one day. I might. Sometimes writing in a more scientific style is what my mind craves. But right now, I don’t have a magic system like that.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let’s take a look at what I do have in my books.

The Magic in The Relics of War

First, the basics. Magic isn’t something just anyone can learn to wield. The user must be born with an affinity for it, and some of the people of this world are excluded entirely (the Scorpion Men, for example, do not have mages, and magic-users amongst the Murkor are exceedingly rare.)

There are two major factions of magic-wielders in this world: those who follow the Council of Auras (also known as the wizards’ guild), and those who belong to the Council of Enlightened (the followers of the Soulless.) The rift between the two parties is central to the series’ plot, and their methods of recruitment and training are vastly different. Both are human institutions, though occasionally, a member of another species will train.

Side note: The drakkon have their own system of magic following their own customs, which I never defined in the series (and never built up outside of it for the simple reason that their role is a minor one. If I ever revisit that world and do more with the drakkon, I’ll update this post or write a follow-up.)

The Council of Auras

The wizards, as they’re more commonly known, tend to open their doors to anyone who wishes to learn. Their tower in the heart of Dar Daelad isn’t only reserved for those learning magic, but also houses an extensive library which draws scholars from throughout the world.

The magical members of the council are divided among five sects, each with its own responsibility. For example, Tavesin joins the blue sect and specializes in defensive magic, while his friend Badolo opts for the yellow sect, where he learns to build magical devices (or relics, in the terminology of the world.) Would-be wizards are encouraged to follow their interests and learn magic tailored to those interests.

Most would-be wizards are discovered at a young age, but not always. A small segment of wizards travels across the Five Kingdoms seeking those with the Ability and offer them guidance if they’re willing to train. Training involves a mix of learning history, theory, and real-world applications.

The Council of Enlightened

Most of those who become Enlightened aren’t trained because they want to learn magic, but because they’re given no other choice. Sal’zar’s story arc is a perfect example of this; he is conscripted and taken to the tower against his will, continually threatened with pain or death if he disobeys, and is constantly looked down upon by the other initiates (because he isn’t human.)

Most initiates are expected to learn a mix of offensive and defensive magics and the training is brutal. They’re often pitted against one another in victor-takes-all style duels. To rise from initiate to Enlightened requires a final trial—often administered by the Soulless against the Soulless. If an initiate can’t overpower or outwit their opponent, they often don’t survive.

Making a name for oneself within the Council of Enlightened requires a brand of ruthlessness that not everyone possesses. And making the wrong impression—particularly when faced with one of the Soulless—often ends in a swift death.

The Soulless run the council, and their word is law. One of them (Garin) has a direct link to the Nameless god, and he often acts as overseer of the others. But he’s not by any means a nice person, and he allows them to do some pretty awful things. One of the other Soulless (Dranamir) is a POV character in the series, so readers get to see first-hand what she’s capable of. Often, it’s not pretty.

The Magic in The Caein Legacy/The Mage War Chronicles

I’ve lumped both series together since they’re set in the same world; the rules and regs are the same for both.

I admittedly didn’t go into much detail about how mages acquire their powers in The Caein Legacy, but there were some basic items covered (for those interested, The Mage War Chronicles does offer a more in-depth view of how, in Oracle and Magic in the Deeps. That series is still forthcoming as I’m still working on it, but it will be available one day.)

The basic premise of magic in this world revolves around the Mage’s Mark. It’s something a person is born with, but doesn’t follow typical inheritance patterns (some people have parents with the Mark, while many others don’t. Their Marks seem to arise spontaneously.)

But a Mage’s Mark only means they have the potential to use magic—if they never train, they’ll (typically) never unlock it. The Marks also go one step further: each Mark is unique to the mage bearing it, and its coloration can indicate something about the power they may develop. Additionally, a mage only has control over one specific type of magic, and not all magic is the flashy, combat-worthy stuff. For example, there are some mages whose only ability is to send messages across long distances (it’s a useful skill, but doesn’t help them in a fight.) Then there are mages like the Oracle, who has the ability to read someone else’s memories. Her magic requires physical contact with the other person, limiting her ability to misuse it.

The dragon-magi, who are much more prominent in The Mage War Chronicles due to certain events that transpire in the time between the two series, are a bit of an exception to the one power per mage rule. Mages are more common among the dragon-kind and often have two magical abilities at their disposal. (A rare few, like Caelmarion Zorai, have three. And yes, Caelmarion is the only character to appear in both series. Dragons live a very long time…)

As for the how piece of mages gaining mastery over their power, it requires a series of challenges. Over time, the mages of the Southlands developed the process, partially with the help of the dragon-kind. It’s set up to allow enough time between challenges for the would-be mage to recover and reflect, with each challenge becoming progressively more difficult. What the mage experiences is unique and personal; many don’t speak of what they endure and encounter during their trials.

Sevanni mages (those from the aquatic species of this world) go through a similar process, though it’s fast-tracked. The speed increases the danger the mage faces if they aren’t ready, and many don’t survive. (The human trials have a lower rate of casualties, but the risk isn’t entirely eliminated.) Those who do typically have significant power, or unique abilities.

The Magic in The Fontayne Company

I’m not quite ready to share too much regarding this series yet, since publication is still at least a couple years away. It’s a bit different than my other worlds though; it’s heavily influenced by the gods and who they deem “worthy” of their gifts. Not all of the chosen are granted magic, however…

But I’ll leave it at that for now.

Thanks for reading; I know this was a long post. There will be more in The Worldbuilder Diaries soon!