Magic System Idea

Magic is an integral part of the world, the elements of magic exist as an ethereal mist that tends to form in clumps of similar energies in particular areas. Many creatures and plants draw on this energy passively, occasionally expending this back into the world as it is used. However it can have far more impact it it is manipulated correctly, either by taking advantage of the effects of an abundance of one energy in an area or by directly controlling it. For example areas with a high rainfall likely have a large concentration of water energy, when this build up is too much it rains and the energy is dispersed over a large area to slowly pool back together resulting in more rain. It is unknown just how many elements exist, you can use different elements to achieve similar effects making the tracking of the elements tricky, but some areas may be almost devoid of an element entirely.

Some individuals are born with the ability to manipulate the flow of magical energies, while few in number the power they command is immense. Mages, as they are known can pull the energies surrounding them through themselves to convert it into useful effects, for example drawing cold energies to throw as shards of ice. Simple spells can be cast with relative ease, and more advanced ones can be committed to memory with years of training. However lost tend to use complex rituals to cast spells of imminence power taking days of preparation and hours of concentration to cast. Also after a spell is cast and the element dissipated, it becomes harder and harder to use spells of the energy until they have been drawn back together. One skill that is commonly use by Mages is self transformation, it is reasonable simple to commit a form to memory and really the limit of the form is the casters imagination, even if they tend to show traits of the caster unless great effort is used to change them, but this magic can uses any magic energy making it very useful.

Another way to utilise magic is in the form of magical receptacles. These are made by grinding down minerals that are magically receptive adding them to sand and melting the whole thing into glass that is then poured into shapes. In order for the receptacles to do anything, runes must be carved into them, the most common one is “absorb”, this will slowly pull magic of any sort into it until it can no longer hold any. This allows it to to letter be released at a moments notice, this can be done by a Mage, breaking it or adding a rune that allows non magical people to activate it with practice. This energy is the same as normal and can be used to anything it would commonly be used for. When used the receptacles do have a tendency to break, but another form of use exists. Silver is very magically conductive, meaning that items made of sliver can use magic from receptacles, this is much gentler process and is far less likely to break the receptacles.

The last commonly used use of magic is mostly used without the knowledge that it is magic. Plants, animals and minerals are all tied to the same forces as magic, each possessing some magic. However some have more than normal, for example most healing plants will be drawing more magic than others. Mostly this is used day to day by people with some understanding or herbs, but an alchemist understand far more, knowing that they can effect the body in remarkable ways. While the uses of this is limited to a personal level for most, it can give Mages an internal store of magic for a short while. However the location of plants and animals will be directly linked to the magic in an area, potentially limiting the use of alchemy in Mage. It is commonly used to enhance the body, or hinder in some way.