Hi folks, welcome back to TaleSlinger, where today we're wrapping up the series on building magic systems, using the Raven books by James Barclay.
First, here’s the others:
Part 1 - intro & breakdown on what makes a good magic system
Part 2 - small group battle and how the Raven mages and non-mages work together
Part 3 - The Protectors, a controversial small army held together and boosted by magic
Part 4 - armies; how magic works in the colleges, and how it's put together on the battlefield
Part 5 - breaking the rules: how Barclay uses a different but parallel type of magic, which turns the rulebook on its head and laughs in its face
Which brings us to today! It's time to give a quick wrap-up.
What have we learned?
Rules of magic should be established early on and stuck to. If your story wants you to break your rules, then either your rules need work or your story does. Breaking your own rules can sometimes come later, but not always.
If magic is to be an integral part of your world, then everyday life should be imbued with it. Even if it's not readily available to everyone, life is different because it exists.
Think of how magic works in different circumstances, and in what ways it is available for different people—rich, poor, armies, mercenaries, murderers, police, different ancestral backgrounds (but please watch for the many pitfalls of racism and monolithism)
Draw out any different types of magic: what's the history; how and why do they differ; what does that mean practically and conceptually; what's the relationship between people practicing different types; what are the different schools/places of study (or are there none?).
Ask every question you can about the system, and then ask again; interrogate the implementation of your system in every area of your world.
If you are absolutely sure your system is robust, healthy, and clearly defined, then you can work out how it can be broken, why, and by whom, and what that means—again both practically and conceptually.
Hopefully reading these pieces have helped. I do recommend the Raven books, to see how it works in practice, as well as just for a good read (and don't forget the Elves prequels!).
I want to give many thanks to James. He's been happily sharing these, and last time had some lovely things to say…
Thank you James, and thank you folks who have been reading!
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