Okay darlings
I have a rad magic system that I came up with the other day and I need a plot for the world
Brief description of magic system: everyone has the potential to learn magic, but not everyone chooses to. Why not? Learning magic comes at the cost of…. Well, you. Memories, time, ability, etc.
But that's all I have. Help me world- and plot-build?
kat!!
i love this idea! okay, at the risk of sounding cliche, maybe one person simply can't learn magic, no matter how much they try. This character tries to figure out why they can't use magic, but in their efforts they stumble on a government conspiracy where they use the life energy/aura that people sacrifice to use magic in order to power…something. Idk, that's all I got. How fantasy were you thinking? High fantasy, like LOTR? Or urban fantasy?
Sarah!!!
Hmm
Not high fantasy, but not quite urban either
More of a typical fantasy setting? Pre-industrialization, low tech, you know?
I kinda like the conspiracy idea
And maybe I'll have my protagonist refuse to learn magic, because he doesn't wanna lose himself, but then something happens to force his hand.
I low-key wanna make it a tragedy too- kinda like, "oh, he was supposed to save the world, but ended up destroying it instead"
i love a good tragedy!! what type of protagonist were you thinking of for this story? their motivation could help form major plot points
I want a male protagonist, who is reluctant to learn magic. Maybe because he had a family member (something in me suggests older sister) who gave up too much of herself and became what's called a Nevari (name subject to change, I had a few ideas the other day), which is this humanoid monster. I'll write up a better description and send it to you.
So he doesn't want to learn, but I need something to force him to learn.
Maybe he finds an old book that theorizes how to reverse the process of turning into a Nevari. Maybe his sister was a fire elemental, and came to his farm (I'm sorry that's so typical but… We'll see) and burns everything down, maybe harming his parents? So he decides he'll do whatever it takes to get his sister back.
i love it. his motivation really builds the plot, because if you choose to go down the conspiracy route, your MC can stumble upon it while searching for solutions to the Nevari issue (i dig the name, btw. rolls off the tongue really nicely). i think maybe if his sister turns into a Nevari right before his eyes, you could throw a little PTSD-driven guilt/angst if you want. maybe he feels like he could have done more to help his sister. maybe somehow its slightly his fault. i think this backstory could make a really compelling protagonist!!
AHHHHHHHHHH yes the ANGST love it!!!!!
Maybe his sister was doing something to save him/his life, and that was the tipping point. It worked, it saved his life, but it ruined hers
MAYBE SHE WAS LEARNING HEALING MAGIC AND FIRE MAGIC (cause let's be honest she's a boss I'm sure) AND SHE WAS PLAYING WITH HIM AND HE GOT REALLY HURT AND SHE GAVE UP TOO MUCH TO SAVE HIM (maybe his leg got really mangled idk and the spirits just took more than necessary) AND AS HIS LEG GETS STITCHED UP MAGICALLY, SHE JUST DEVOLVES INTO A NEVARI
AND THEN STARTS TO RAMPAGE
my only thing is idk about the fire magic now
originally it was gonna be that bc fire is great at destroying things
how can I twist healing magic into destruction?
Maybe she absorbs/releases life energy? So she can cause decay and ruin as well as healing.
Ooh, I like that!
For my magics, I very much want each one to have an opposite. Like two sides of the same coin
so, dark and light magic? or just opposite in general?
Well, each magic has a dark side and a light side
Maybe they learn light magic, but when they become Nevari, it twists to dark
And people who want to learn dark magic intentionally become nevari
ooh
hmm
well another cool twist/plot point would be someone who uses dark magic without being a Nevari
or can become a Nevari and revert back whenever they please
Ooh I like that
I'll have to figure out how that works
Maybe if they don't fear being a Nevari they're more in control of it? Because becoming a monster is a reasonable, probably universal, fear
Cause I'm thinking maybe Nevari aren't inherently mad, but new Nevari are so afraid of this power, this dark magic, and drive themselves insane, losing themselves because of it
nice! do you have a concept of what the Nevari look like? i honestly think it would be spookier to keep them somewhat human looking, just corrupted
Yes, I have a concept, but I have no idea how to verbalize it
Definitely humanoid
But clearly corrupted by their magic
Maybe for the sister (heck I need to name my characters hnggg), since her dark magic is decay, her flesh is rotting and it's zombie-esque. But her eyes are whole. They are the same they have always been.
For an earth elemental, I'm thinking part of them has turned to some kind of stone or crystal. They're human, but they're also distinctly not.
For a fire elemental, the Nevari looks like they are made out of burning coals (maybe along the lines of Te Ka from Moana), and when they use their magic, they burst into flames
They're all beautiful, but in a strange, twisted way. Because darkness can be beautiful. It's tempting. And they seem to be so much more powerful than any human. Who doesn't want to be all-powerful?
so how many types of magic are there? fire, healing, and what else? is it just elemental stuff or how far can people go?
I have a list somewhere- it's maybe 20 items long? I'll find it and type it up here
EEK sorry for disappearing class started this week. how's the list going?
I FORGOT TO TYPE IT UP
post here in like 3 hours to remind me?
5 hours later oops
it's okay
I'm sad and depressed so I wouldn't have done it 3 hours ago anyways
here's my list so far!
household
elemental/weather
psychic
combat/abjuration
runes
potions
charms
necromancy
arts/music
transport/summoning
nature/animal
alchemy
sympathetic
celestial
astrology
ink
intelligence
emotions
conjuration
charms
sacrificial
it's very rough and not at all organized
WOW what a great and comprehensive list!! have you thought about maybe sub-magics, like under emotions you could have empathy and emotional manipulation. Under psychic you could have mind reading, clairvoyance, and illusions, etc.
yes that's exactly what I was thinking!