Guide on Novels and Games - FANTASY - MAGIC

Special powers, magic and skills are one of the main features of the fantasy genre, in this section I'll talk about what is magic since skills are explainet into another one.

First of all we need to know that the main definition of magic is "use energy for create and manipulate phenomena"... said this I'm sure that some can say "what do you mean with energy?" but explain it is a little difficult since there are various type of magic so I need to write 2 lists that are the origin of the energy and the various type.

The energy's origin is not something long since there are 3 type:

* Internal, the user generate the energy that is need for use the magic on its own. In this cases the origin can differ in fact I know that energy can be:
	+ Generated by the soul.
	+ Obtained converting or refining one energy one have.
	+ Mixing 2 or more different energies.
* External, the user absorb and use energy from an external source and then become able to use magic. In this cases is possible that the user have a pact with a supernatural being, a connection with something that produce the energy or absorb it from "batteries" like crystals and items.
* Hybrid, the user use both internal and external energy and mix them for use magic.

Depending on the author the requirements for use magic can change and so I think I can collect them in this list:

* Genetic-Bloodline, in this case the use of magic is something that is connected to the blood so if one of the parents is able to use magic than is possible that the son/daughter is able too.
* Genetic-Common, in this case magic is a type of biological energy that is made by cells, the origin is basically that a component in the environment made a mutation that lead to that.
* Quantity, can seems stupid but the quantity of magic power can determine if one is able to use magic, if the quantity is too low then the user is not able to use magic at all. In a couple of stories I saw that people have a different limit on how much magical anergy can have or use
* Affinity, in certain works affinity with an attribute is need for use magic and this affinity limit the magic the user can perform so if for example a user have affinity for fire and earth than it will be able to use only fire magic and earth magic.
* Race, in certain works be part of a specific race make possible use magic without too much problems.
* Blessing, this too is a factor that influence the possibility of use magic.
* None, in this case any being can use magic but things like how smart one is and how much magical power one have influence the possibility of use magic or not.

Now, for what concern magic I need to talk about 4 main topics that are "attributes", "strenght and weakness", "alignement" and "methods"so now I'll start with the attributes.

**>** ATTRIBUTE

Make a list of all the attributes is quite difficult because certain attributes are considered fusions or unison of two while others don't seems real attributes so here I'll list first all the attributes I know:

* Fire, usually this attribute include heat related spells too.
* Air, this attribute is something mispelled as "wind" mainly because the word wind have a better sound than air... air is the attribute and wind is air in movement.
* Lightning, this attribute can be considered on its own or a derivation of the Air attribute.
* Water.
* Ice, this attribute can be considered on its own, a derivation of the water attribute or the result of the union between water and air plus is possible include cold related skills/spell in this attribute.
* Earth.
* Metal, this attribute can be considered on its own or a derivation of earth.
* Sand, this attribute can be considered on its own, a derivation of earth or a combination between Air and Earth.
* Crystal, this attribute can be considered on its own or a derivation of earth.
* Wood, this attribute can be considered on its own or the combination between water and earth.
* Light, is common give to this attribute sacred traits but is wrong, the fact that darkness beings are considered evil and are naturally weak to light make this error even stronger.
* Darkness, it's common picture darkness as something evil because is a common way of think that evil and negative things are darkness related but is wrong, the fact that darkness beings are considered evil and are naturally weak to light make this error stronger.
* Void, this is a neutral attribute and collect under it all the things that can't be placed under the other attributes. It can be considered an attribute on its own, the union/collision of light and darkness or of all the attribute that nullify themself in the process creating a neutral energy. Called too Null, originate from the 5 japanese elements, in that system each element have a "function" and Void collect all the things that aren't incorporated in the other four elements.

In games can be found a "elemental system" that is basically a limited list of attributes and there are 3 variations of it:

* 3 Attributes, in this case there are only 3 attributes that are fire, water/ice and earth/woos
* 5 Attributes, in this case the system have 5 attributes that are light and darkness plus other 3 attributes that generally are fire, wood and water
* 6 Attributes, in this case the system have 6 atributes that are light and darkness plus the classical 4 elements that are fire, water, air and earth.

> STRENGHT AND WEAKNESS

When I say this I refer to the relation "strong against" and "weak against" and now I'll rewrite the attribute's list but this time I'll use > (strong against) and < (weak against):

* Fire > Air (fire burn consuming air), Wood (fire burn wood) and Metal (fire melt metal).
* Fire < Water (water extinguish fire) and sand (sand cover fire and prevent the air to reach it and permit the combustion).
* Air > Earth (not sure why but I think is based on the concept of wind's "corrosion" effect that can have on rocks in the long time) and sand (wind can disperd sand).
* Air < Fire (fire "eat air") and metal (air can't "corrode" metal like with rocks).
* Lightning > Water and Metal (electrical conductivity).
* Lightning < Earth (rocks don't have electrical conductivity).
* Water > Fire (water extinguish fire) and metal (water rust and corrode metal).
* Water < Earth (dirt absorb water) and wood (wood absorb water).
* Ice > Water (ice freeze water making it into other ice) and wood (the cold "burn" plants).
* Ice < Lightning (thunder shatter/break ice and melt it).
* Earth > Water (dirt absorb water).
* Earth < Air (like said in the ai section I think is based on the concept of wind's "corrosion" effect that can have on rocks in the long time).
* Metal > Wood (metal cut woods).
* Metal < Water (water rust and corrode metal) and lightning (electrical conductivity).
* Sand > Fire (sand cover fire and prevent the air to reach it and permit the combustion).
* Sand < Air (wind can disperd sand).
* Crystal > Light (reflect or scompose the light "weakening" it).
* Wood > Water (wood absorb water).
* Wood < Fire (fire burn wood).
* Light & Darkness are strong and weak at the same time with each other.
* Void is neutral so is not weak or strong against any attribute.

Maybe someone noticed that but I avoided to put the weak – strong about ice and fire, the reason of this is that fire melt ice changing it into water but at the same time the ice freeze and when melting extinguish the fire, after said this I think that one can start to think that maybe the attributes can have other interactions between others... well, in a novel things like this can work within certain limits but in a game where time is something that can't be wasted. Designers and programmers need to not create more work so... avoid it.

Before continue with the next topic I want to talk about how the relation strong-weak is usually used in games.

When this relation is used, there is a basic value that is used in the calculation and is the "0,5" unwritten rule:

* Damage x1,5, happen when a strong element attack a weak element like water over fire.
* Damage x0,5, happen when a weak element attack a strong element like wood over fire
* Damage x1, it happen when there is no relation strong-weak like wind over water

Now, when doing this remember that the calculation need to be applied to values that take under consideration possible buff and debuff.

> ALIGNEMENT

Most people know this word from characters thanks to things like "chaotic neutral" or "lawful good"... but, what's the meaning of apply the alignement concept on attributes and magics?

When we talk about alignement applied to attributes and magic we need to know that there are 4 alignement:

* **Neutral**, this alignement embody the neutrality of magic and attributes and this mean that is not "good" or "evil".
* **Sacred & Holy**, this alignement embody the good aspect of magics and attributes and this mean that the result obtain abilities like healing, purifying and other similar effect. The main aspect of this come from the logic that something have "good use and aspects" but let me explain it with an example, normally fire is used for attack but fire can be used too for cook food, illuminate dark places, etc. revealing a helpfull aspect that help and protect and with this in mind is possible create flames that are able to heal instead injury.
* **Cursed & Evil**, this alignement embody the negative aspect of magics and attributes and this mean that the result obtain traits like corrosion, deformation, poisoning and similar things. The logic behind it is incarnate "bad use and aspects" as example I can use an evil flame that eat disgregating what it touch leaving nothing behind.
* **Divine**, this alignement is naturally used by gods, goddesses and divine beings, technically speaking the divine alignement is a more powerfull version of the neutral one so it's neutral but on another level.

Now I'll take back the list of attributes and make an example of good aspect and bad aspect of all the attribute, my hope is that whoever read this will understand that magics and attributes are not created in a determinated way and is the author that choice how use it:

* Fire, warm cold people (good) – burn food resources for starve people (bad).
* Air, can carry good smells from near stores (good) – carry a poison cloud so that can kill people (bad).
* Water, quench people and animals (good) – drown people and animals (bad).
* Ice, help to cool feverishing people (good) – freeze to death living beings (bad).
* Earth, grow edible plants (good) – bury alive people (bad).
* Metal, used for make tools for help people (good) – used for make weapons that kill innocents (bad).
* Sand, can cover fire and extinguish it(good) – can hit as storm and prevent living being from breath (bad).
* Crystal, can be hard and be a shield (good) – crystallize someone to death (bad).
* Wood, grow healing herbs and food (good) – grow poisonous herbs (bad).
* Light, can light a dark place revealing dangers (good) – can blind people making them wander where dangers lie (bad)
* Darkness, can hide innocents from dangers (good) – can hide dangers ready to kill innocents (bad).
* Void, can boost someone for help others (good) – can boost people ready to kill and hurt other (bad).

> METHODS

With this I refer to the way magic is used.

For explain how magic is used we need to point that since there are various "styles" of magic out there... what I mean with "style"? That's quite simple to explain.

When we take a look at all the fantasy works that use magic we can see that there are always one or more of the following points:

* Chanting.
* Magic circle.
* Medium.
* Classification

> **Chanting** is when the user chant a spell, in various works is common first tell the chant (called sometimes aria) and then, in the last part, say the name of the spell.

Putting aside how much part a spell can have is need to say that in the spell there are always 2 type of fixed part... the first is that the chant refer always the attribute it use and the second is that if the magical power come from a spirit or something else, say the name of the source is something to do.

About chanting is need to say that there are various "version" of it:

* Normal, it's when the chant is said normally.
* High Speed, it's when the chant is said rapidally, in certain works this ability appeared as skill that one can learn or develop on their own.
* Chantless, the user don't chant and limit itself on say the name of the spell, in certain works this ability appeared as skill.
* Silent, the user is able to use the spell without say a single word, in certain works this ability appeared as skill but in a work I saw that a magician is able to use spells in this way when the spells are very familiar... basically the concept is something similar to a mechanical action that people do but in this case the spell, instead of an action, is used so much time that do that in silent way is something normal.

Since magic is most of the times explained as some kind of "programming" is lecit say that the various language used are programming language so for make some examples human launguage is like Java while elven magic is like C#.

> **Magic circles** are one of the "emblem" of magic, depending on the story they are platform used for perform magic or are the graphical and visible result of the magician's calculation that will work too as platform for release the magic.

After took a tour of various circles I can say different things about them:

* Shape, the term is normally used for indicate circular magic formation BUT looking around I saw that is possible use other shapes, for example I know a triangular magic circle and a "string" like section around the wrist like some kind of bracelet.
* Color, this is a peculiar topic, depending on the author, the color of a magic circle can change depending on this 2 options
	+ *OPTION 1*, the color is gave by the attribute, for make an example a fire magic circle will use red while a water magic circle will be lue or light blue
	+ *OPTION 2*, the color is gave by the light spectrum of the user's energy. There is a fantasy theory that the magical energy of a magician respect a "light spectrum" and, for this reason, the color of the magical formation change based on this thing so if for example my spectrum is purple than any magical formation made by me is purple.
* Size, I saw that magic circles can be of various sizes, in some cases I saw that the bigger the complicated but this is not a fixed rule in fact I saw in various works magical formations of different size and they were comple or simple.
* Components, this can be stupid but I have to say it, magic circles are basically composed by 3 specific components that are symbols, geometrical figures and writing.
* Structure, the structure of a magic circle is usually like this:
	+ *Center*, the center is left empty or have a symbol inside it.
	+ *Writing*, any text that is write in the magic circle follow the shape of it and is "located" inside band like section, circles can be textless too and are very good and artistic.
	+ *Symbols*, they are located inside "containers" and if a geometrical figure is present then normally they are located in the points and angles of the figure so, if for example a star is present then the synbols will be where the points of the star are.
* Complexity, a magic circle can be simple or complicated but the complexity is not referred only to the symbols or the writing but is gave to by:
	+ *Layers*, despite the classic magic circle is made by a single layer, like a sheet of paper, but they can have multiple layers... just think this, a picture composed by 3 pictures, the background as first, a character as second and a third with elements that fill the image... The same thing can be done with magic circle... while looking around I saw that some magic circles had their writing cutted by symbols so I think that that is the case. Just in case, have a multy-layer magical formation don't mean that they all form a single formation but that different ones interact with others for work a very complex process that can't be obtained using a single one.
	+ *Function*, the theory say that a magic circle reflect it's function with their complexity and this mean that more simple the function is more simple the magic circle is BUT this don't mean that there aren't generalized one that can be used for any type of purpose... normally we saw a limited number of magic circles in works for the same reason that make hundreds of magic circle is something time eating and for this reason use a single one help.
	+ *Multy circles*, despite what certain people can think, magic circles can be connected between each other and work as like one big and, eventually, complex system... the concept is similar to that of different computer connected between each other with every units that work on specific parts of something.

> **Medium**, they are basically the tools that are used when a magician use magic.

The classic image we have of a mage is one that use a wand or a rod but there are various type of medium that a magician can use:

* Wand, one of the classical medium used by magicians, they are a one hand tool with the lenght around the 26 cm.
* Rod, one of the classical medium used by magicians, they are "sticks" that can have a lenght between 70cm and 85cm, I'm not sure about the size because I base it to the classic figure of a priest that use a mace as weapon and confront them in my mind.
* Stick, one of the classical medium used by magicians, they are long sticks that have a lenght equal to the height of the user or sligtly superior or slightly inferior.
* Orb, in some games (I played one of them but stopped and now totally forgot the name of it) magician use orbital/flying orbs as weapon and for perform their magics.
* Book, in some stories (I remember I saw some of them but none come to my mind right now) magicians use books as weapons. Normally this books are just source of knowledge for magicians and are called "grimoire" but they can be used too as weapons, they can be chosen freely by the author/designer. Given that they can have wrote inside spells and magic circle than is possible for magician just remember the page and recall what they need from the boog itself.
* Weapon, In certain works I saw that weapons can be modified for work as medium for magicians and magic knights.
* Accessory, looking around I saw that accessories like bracelets, pendants and rings can work as medium for magic.

Thanks to the various authors, I can divide the use of the medium into 2 "factions":

* "Use for release", the magician need the medium for use magic otherwise it can't use magic.
* "Magician's help", use magic without a medium is possible but use one make more easy to cast magic.

As last thing to say about medium is that, aside being made especially for be used by magician, the material used for make them can influence the output so if a rod is made so that will amplify fire related spells than the power of the spells will be more stronger.

In my opinion is possible set a medium for work under certain condition aka put limitation in the uses and this mean that is possible make the medium that will work only if the user respect certain condition like be an elemental mage or be of a certain race.

> **Classification** grant to spells a method to determine how powerfull they are and eventually their range.

Spells are always classified using as meter their medium max output... I say this because the strenght of a spell is gave by the talent and power of the user and eventual buff.

The "ranks" of the spells are usually:

* Low.
* Intermediate.
* Advanced.
* High.
* Divine.

Here I listed the most common ranks starting from the lowest to the highest, remember that you can add other ranks increasing the list, but in all of this I avoided to put the "taboo" rank because is something different from the classical rank

Taboo rank spells are basically spells that are considered dangerous for specific reasons that normally are:

* For be used the spells require high payment like life force or souls.
* They are dangerous to perform.
* Once used is highly possible that whatever effect is invoked will and rebelling against the caster that most probably will die during or after the effect of the spell.
* If a being is summoned is possible that it will request things like people's life for every time it's summoned.

Since I "love" make lists of every single thing, now I'll list the type of magic I know based on their use and what they do:

* **Fire Magic** This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of fire and heat. The specific ability to summon fire related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too.
* **Water Magic** This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of ice, water and cold temperatures. The specific ability to summon water and ice related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. A little note, certain author consider ice an attribute that is the union of Air and Water.
* **Wind Magic**, This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of wind and lightning, this type of magic usually include flying spells too. The specific ability to summon wind and lightning, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. This type of magic use the attribute "air" and "lightning" but is called "wind magic" instead of "air magic", one of the reasons behind the name come from the fact that the word "wind" have a better sound respect "air". Some authors consider Lightning an attribute on its own while others consider it a derivation or something that is part of the Air attribute.
* **Earth Magic**, This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of the various elements that compose the earth and this imply sand, rock, dirt, wood, metal, etc. The specific ability to summon earth related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. Some authors consider Wood as an attribute on its own or the union of water and earth.
* **Light magic**, This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of light. The nature of the light include other effect that normally are not included in the classic fantasy and this effects are holograms (manipulate light for create images), heat (light can produce heat) amd healing (light can stimulate the natural healing abilities). The specific ability to summon light related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. Various authors infuse in light magic divine and holy powers and for this reason they gain strong healing and purifying abilities, due to this sometimes this type of magic can be found with the name Holy Magic.
* **Dark Magic**, This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of darkness and shadows. The specific ability to summon dark related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. Given that most of the times darkness is used as something negative, it can be found with curse related spells plus in some work abilities of Space Magic and Void Magic can be found in dark magic too.
* **Curse Magic**, This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of curses. The specific ability to summon cursed related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too. The reason behind this type of magic come from the normal medicine... maybe some people don't know this but some medicines are poisons and is for this reason that we have dosage to follow otherwise we'll end poisoning ourself... due to this concept I listed this type of magic even because the concept of curse is usually indicated as something very negative but if, for example, I have a pendant with a light curse that force me to focus on my work ignoring anything else... do you think is negative? The answer is no because being light and that force me to focus on the work make me more productive than normal.
* **Space Magic** This type of magic focus in the use, manipulation, generation, summon and absorption of space, some example of this type of magic are teleport, dimensional barriers and pocket dimension, if the latter is combined with time manipulation then is possible alter the flow of time inside it. The specific ability to summon space related things, like golems and entities, can fall in this type of magic too.
* **Void Magic**, This type of magic include all the spells that don't use a specific attribute and for this reason are neutral. Void is one of the five japanese attribute and collect what is not part of the other four, for this reason I collect into void magic all the spells that don't have a specific attribute. Some example of this type of magic are boost spells (the classical spells that increase some specific aspects like strenght or defence, sometimes this spells are part of Light Magic or are divided between the other attribute depending on the boost, for example a defensive boost can be found in the earth magic list), teleport (if the space magic is not used into the magic.) It's not rare that Space Magic, if is it not included in the magic type's list, is incorporated in the Void Magic and for this reason things like dimensional manipulation and teleport can be found as Void spells.
* **Race Magic** This type is based on the principle "each race have an unique trait that make them able to use a unique type of magic", for this reason in certain stories we have people of different races use different type with some of them that can't be used by everyone. Please note that hybrids can still use their race magic and in some stories "race magic" can be used by other races but the result is sometimes less powerfull.
* **Healing magic** This type is composed ONLY by spells that heal injuries, abnormal status and regrow missing body part. Depending on the user and the grade of the spell is possible too resurrect people.
* **Support Magic** This type of magic is basically a collection of spells that can grant supports and so it have spells like erect barriers, boost people/equipment, heal, etc. Given that this is basically a collection of spells than is very normal don't found it and instead see the spells be part of other type of magics.
* **Summon Magic**, This type of magic focus on the summoning of beings and/or equipment that is located into another place like another country or another dimension.
* **Creation Magic** This type of magic focus on the creation of items on the moment instead of summon them from some other place. The material used in the creation is normally something that the user carry around or that is take from the surrounding, from the normal dirt of the ground to the energy dispersed in the environment. In the Fate series, 3 characters (Emiya Shiro, Chloe Von Einzberg and an archer class servant) use something similar to this type of magic but they use only their magical power for recreate physical materials and objects.
* **Everyday Magic** This is basically a collection of weak spells that are used in every day life like summon water for wash (oneself, clothes or home) or some fire for light a bonfire for cook. Contrary to the support magic listed before, this type is quite used in the various fantasy works plus I remember, don't remember the work, that one author made an OP chara that used this type of magic... let's just say that a lighter flame become a flamethrower...
* **Elemental Karma Magic** I'm not really sure if this type of magic was ever used but basically the concept is this, more one person is good (good karma) more positive effect it will have but let me make it more cleas with some examples:
	+ Good Karma, make possible healing, purify, banish evil forces, etc. (example fire that heal and water that purify)
	+ Bad Karma, increase negative effects (examples fire with disgregation effects and water that act like acid).
* **Rainbow Energy Magic** This type of magic is quite particular because is based on the concept that every spell generate a colored energy that take the appearance of an attribute (in theory the one with the highest affinity) so flames are not really fire and water is not a real liquid. Aside this the main particular trait of this type of magic is that to each color is connected a particula effect so a blue flame freeze instead of burn while a red lightning burn instead of electrocute. An example of user of this magic is Romeo Conbolt fro Fairy Tail where he create flames of different colors with different effects.
* **Equipment Magic** This type of magic is specialized in the manipulation and change of equipment. The main abilities of this magic is the manipulation of equipment, storing them in a private pocket dimension for then summon them when is need (wielding them in the case of weapons and wearing them in the case of clothes and armors), like what happen with Erza Scarlet in Fairy Tail BUT, contrary to her magic, this one make possible too manipulate equipment pieces and sets at will but here some examples of what I mean:
	+ Manipulate a full armor like is some kind of golem.
	+ Have weapons that orbit around the user making possible attack with them once an enemy is in the range and/or use any ability that such equipments possess.
	+ Have shields hovering behind the user for have both hands free and move them in the front if there is the need of take a defence stand.
	+ "Call" weapons for then shoot them like bullets (Gate of Babylon).
	+ Take from the area any type of equipment pieces and manipulate it (a sword on the ground? Take it with this magic and use it as you like... but don't work with items already in use by someone else so I can't take away the knife of a thief or the shield of a knight... is possible only if such equipments pieces were originally of the magic users).
* **Explosion Magic** This type of magic revolve in the generation of explosions. Usually the main attribute of this type of magic is "fire" but the concept itself of explosion is quite particular and can't be applied on a single attribute. First of all we need to keep in mind that in years of manga, anime and movies we have mainly two type of explosion, the first is the classic one where the force of the detonation is released in a expansion action (basically the strenght of the explosion go in all directions until it encounter a solid barrier that stop it advancement) and or a compression action also know as implosion . An implosion is basically the opposite of an explosion... while in the first case, the explosion, the force scatter in all direction hitting all it encounter, an implosion condence all in a single point. Once pointed the difference now I can talk of the attributes of this magic... confere to this type of magic the attribute "fire" is not wrong BUT there are different type of explosion and an example of this are the gas explosion, for the one that don't know them than let me tell you a simplified version, gas concentrate in a closed place and start to accumulate generating pressure toward the wall of the container until this latter break releasing the pressurized gas and generating a gas explosion... given that magic make possible things that science can't then make a rock explode in shards is not impossible too, and with this I proved that explosion magic is not limited to only a single attribute, thanks to the freedom is possible create various type of explosions so feel free to do so