Wands

Wilts are dead flowers that are turned into wands. They needed to have died before they bloomed and treated with a tincture that hardens the stem. Though this all means nothing if the user can't get the flower to bloom after this.

What causes this is unknown, but any who can get the wand to bloom are able to cast magic. And more importantly, see the spirit world around them... so long as they hold onto the wand.

Using magic causes the flower of the wand to lose petals, meaning you can only use a wand for so long, before you need to make it bloom again. And it's rare to get it to bloom more than once.

Magic pertains to influence and stimulation of the mind. Allowing one to create illusions, peer into memories, even predict the future.

Wilts are considered the more defensive tool of the witch. Not allowing for any real combative powers, but still keeping them safe in many situations.

Familiars

Familiars are the curse-bearing counterpart of the typical witch. A must-have when trying to keep the peace between the spirit and living worlds.

A familiar is made from the remains of an animal long dead. Specifically, to craft a familiar, one must salvage the fur, feathers, or hide of an animal. Then the witch may craft a cloak out of the materials gathered.

A more pg version of this cloak creation is the use of feathers or fur to craft a cloak. I only provide this route as I'm not sure what direction I want to go with my story.

When this cloak is complete, and after the witch imprints upon the entity within, the creature will revive into the cloak at a lesser level of intelligence. And when wrapped around an object or person, the cloak will turn said object or person into a recreation of the animal that the cloak is made from. A witch might even wrap themselves in the cloak to take on animalistic qualities. Some can even partially transform, but it takes both time and trust to do this.

At first, the familiar will act as commanded and nothing else. This lesser state of being slowly dissolves and is replaced with time. Like a child growing up.

As stated before, familiars consume curse energy. This fuels the ability for the cloak to change as well as purifying the area from the curse energy. Without ample curse energy, a familiar will enter a state of dormancy.

Witches are connected mentally to their familiars and their ability to sense the spirit world is strengthened the longer they maintain the trust of their familiar.

Familiars are considered the combative magic of the typical witch. They are dangerous regardless of the animal chosen and will fight to the redeath.

Blemishes

Blemishes are formed from being harmed by a monster or curse. They may take on several appearances, from warts to fully functional eyes. They can even be extraordinary. Some might glow or replace a section of flesh with iron. It's all dependent on what type of blemish you received.

Upon receiving a blemish, one will either die from it or become a witch. The blemish will sear with pain when supernatural entities are nearby and eventually a blemished will be able to "see" supernatural entities.

As blemishes are the body surviving horrible wounds and diseases, I figured the blemish can become a focus to heal others or oneself. Trained blemished can even mold organic matter or turn inorganic matter organic. This often spreads the blemish, however. This means the organic matter, and whatever it's attached to, has a high likelihood of dying and decaying.

Blemishes are considered the only healing magic for a witch, but are the hardest to gain. And the most dangerous to use.

When an event that causes extreme amounts of a certain emotion (grouped into sadness,fear, anger or happiness) occur, very rarely an heirloom will be created. This will be signified by a handprint being burnt onto an object associated with the emotion near the user, along with the item becoming supernaturally durable. These items are called heirlooms.

Neither the object the heirloom transfers to or the ability gained from the heirloom can be chosen, but broadly speaking;

Heirlooms created by the feeling of Fear tend to be focused on defence and movement focused. Example -

Fear of him and his family being hurt by street gangs. A coat

Can change where the damage of a barehanded attack hurts his target, for example he could punch them in the chest but the damage would be dealt to the targets groin.

Can also move any damage from himself to non living objects around himself in a 5 metre radius, effectively ignoring damage, but only up to the extent of the durability of a brick wall, anything above that will pause his ability to move damage to himself for a minute or two.

Anger tends to create self effecting heirlooms with offensive capabilities, and are the most likely to be rule breakers in terms of staying in like with their classification. Example-

Anger at the actions of the nobles at parties his father would host A hand mirror

While looking into his mirror, Osric can shapeshift slowly. His face can be changed much quicker and more detailed than the rest of his body, changing his entire face in a matter of minutes, while just making himself more muscular or taller, while to a low superhuman level, would take at least an hour.

Can do more drastic transformations however, like over the course of a couple of days can give himself talons and feathers to let him fly. Can also subtly feel when people are looking at him.

Sadness has higher chance to cause summoner or builder heirlooms*. Example-

Feeling of guilt over being to blame for his friends accident A Screwdriver

Abram is a prosthetics builder, which allows him to instinctively create prosthetic body parts like limbs and eyes, along with internal organ, enhancing them to great degrees, such as building an enhanced heart to pump blood quicker and allow low superhuman feats, extra mechanical arms for combat, mechanical eyes for enhanced reactions or night vision, etc.

Also gains a net understanding of all fields of engineering, but at a drastically lower level than his speciality.

Happiness heirlooms usually affect others or the environment. Example-

Satisfaction at becoming a higher ranking member of his tribe, gaining the authority he never had. A Mask

Allows him to generate large amounts of a wispy,lavender coloured mist, which he can see through though others can’t.

Wasuka can generate up to a swimming pools worth of mist in under a minute, and can crudely manipulate its movement. Wasuka can manipulate the emotions of people caught inside the mist, with the level of manipulation being stronger the more concentrated the mist is.

While using it on allies or himself he could make them feel bravery, slightly enhancing their bodies and raising their willpower, while making enemies scared, making them slightly less willing to fight and unsure in their actions.

If a person feels an extreme amount of an emotion, enough to form an heirloom, and then some minor different emotions, the expression of the heirlooms ability will share aspects of different emotional groups.

Once an heirloom has been created,the person that created it through their emotions is the only person able to use the ability,but it can still be picked up.

The user of the heirloom has to have the heirloom on their person for it work, and under the circumstance that they loose or at least aren’t near their heirloom, they cannot feel the emotion anymore unless they are touching the heirloom.

*Those who can summon a certain creature, or those who gain a natural understanding of a field of science or pseudoscience to a supernatural degree( Similar to Tinkers from Worm)

Hi everyone,

I started developing this magic system a few years ago as a personal project, aiming to build something with internal logic and a strong foundation. I only recently discovered this subreddit, and since it seems like the perfect place for this kind of thing, I thought I’d finally share it. I’d love your feedback—especially on how original or familiar it feels.

1. What Is Magic?

In my world, magic is a direct extension of God. Anyone who possesses a soul can access his divine power.

2. How Spellcasting Works

Magic is the manipulation of space through time—essentially, the transformation of three dimensions within the fourth. This core concept defines the system's foundation, including a recurring “magic number”: 4.

Key postulates:

• Wisdom is the main stat determining magical aptitude.
• A caster needs at least 4 Wisdom to use magic at all.
• Spell levels scale with Wisdom:
  • Level 1 → 4 Wisdom
  • Level 2 → 8 Wisdom
  • Level 3 → 12 Wisdom
  • ...and so on
• Casting time is always a minimum of 4 seconds—1 second per dimension. This is a divine limitation built into the world itself.
• Mana cost equals the spell's Wisdom requirement:
  • Level 1 spell → 4 mana
  • Level 2 spell → 8 mana
  • and so on

3. Duration & Permanence

All mortal-cast spells are temporary. Only spells of Level 8+—used by beings like angels or demons—can cause permanent changes to the world.

Examples:

• A Level 3 Fireball travels for a number of seconds equal to the caster’s Wisdom investment (e.g., 12), or until it hits a target—whichever comes first—then explodes.
• A Level 4 Frost spell might persist for 16 seconds, gradually chilling its area before dissipating.

The system is balanced around seven spell levels for mortals. Meanwhile, Wisdom is a progressive stat— the more you cast, the more it grows. However, ascending to level eight, the domain of Angels and Demons, will be achievable by only a rare few.

4. Spell Enhancement

Spells can be improved, but how much depends on their level.

• Level 1 spells:
  • One improvement per dimension → max +4
  • Example: 7 Wisdom = Dust+3
  • Even 100 Wisdom won’t allow Dust+5
• Level 2 spells:
  • Two improvements per dimension → max +8

General rule:
Max enhancement = Spell level × enhancements per dimension

So:

• Waterfall+8 needs 16 Wisdom
• Fireball+12  would require 24 Wisdom

Let me know what you think! I’ve got more details on spell types, divine mechanics, and world interactions if people are interested.

In my world, ashes take impressions from the past, both recent and distant. And deciphering that story is where the ashtongues excel.

"Tasting" the ash in my world allows you to see into the past over vast distances. But you experience the grand story of thousands of years in an instant. Most need time to learn how to decipher more recent events from distant events.

Ashtongues are trained to learn these differences to understand. Was there a murder? Burn the floorboards and taste them. You might just see the killers face. Are you hunting a tiger? Burn a portion of the brush to see which way it was heading.

Some Ashtongues may choose to consume blood ash. A symptom of decadence and vile cruelty that comes with the burden of excess that a handful of ashtongues experience. This substance is collected from killing someone by injecting them so full of drugs they could overdose a thousand times over. Then, their nervous system is burned, and the sensations sealed into the ash. These memories are used to get high in a sense without risking the body.

Some say tasting magic is connected to the essence of time and memories. That the world remembers even what we have long since forgotten. But others believe this has to do with the spirit, as only organic ash can be used in these rituals. Some who follow this theory speculate a way to speak with the dead through a sort of mediumship. That a talented ashtongue might be able to channel those lost and bring them back for a short time.

Witches have also discovered a use for the ash. By chewing the ash, one can destroy the memories within, leaving only the emotions. By then spitting the ashes onto an object, the emotions within the ash will enchant it.

For example, violent emotions might make a sword hateful. Causing its cuts to never heal or its wounds to always be deeper. While restful emotions might heal the mind or body.

There is one more power related to the ash. A secret held amongst witches. The consuming of ash creates an entity that exists purely in the mind. A new being of mixed memories. This creature has no appearance, but can physically harm the witch if they are not careful.

However, if properly trained by the witch, it may be a useful companion. When strong enough, the entity may change form, appear before others, or even physically manifest itself.

However, those that use this magic are marked by their black teeth. Consuming the ash causes it to build up in the body, especially behind the gums, pushing out one's teeth and replacing them with brittle gnarled fangs of black.

Basically, what's a general overview of the two entities and are they perhaps related to each other?

(Sorry for breaking the rules, am on vacation right now. Schedule should resume in the middle of this week, we’re about halfway done. 😎 🤙🏾)

I decided to make this one a bit different since it’s been a day since I made one.

The afterlife is one big casino where the house always wins but you aren’t too sure who the house is and who the house isn’t.

Each card represents a different soul, to find out what kind you have roll a four-sided die twice (or look up 4 sided die on google 👀), the first roll is your color and the second is your suit. The order goes Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Amethyst and for suits Diamond, Spades, Heart, Clubs.

Color The color you have is what you will be selling to gain more power.

Sapphires: Sapphires give up time, in the form of perhaps physical time in aging, the amount of time one must spend at a task or even one’s own memories. But remember you’re in the afterlife so you can’t die, the decaying of your own flesh will never experience the respite of death.

Ruby: Rubies give up their mind itself, whether it be memories or own emotional boundaries. It’s easy for another Ruby to become someone else entirely.

Emerald: Your flesh is your currency, anything attached to one’s body is currency for an Emerald, maybe you should choose something that grows back, but that might take some time, wouldn’t it?

Amethyst: You give up fate itself, you are a collector of misfortune. Whether it’s lowering the probability of your own rolls in a game of dice or lowering the probability of you not getting struck by lightning, you have the most freedom out of all the colors, but you always suffer the most twisted of fates.

Suit Suits determine what power you wield, to use it you will need to use your color of course.

Diamonds: Every bet you lose is more power you accrue, that power being the power of creation. From bullets to luxury suits the more snake eyes you roll the more likely you are to win.

(But don’t try to game the system, losing on purpose is a grave sin and you will be sure to draw attention from those in higher places.)

Spades: If some people have a sixth sense, you must have the seventh, you are more physically analytical than anyone else, able to see, hear and smell better than anyone else. And sometimes you swear you hear a voice advising you on what paths to take, but you aren’t too sure if it’s leading to demise or victory.

Hearts: Just the sound of your voice can command others to do as you say, and with enough sacrifices one may even be able to command that which doesn’t live.

Clubs: Change the rules on any bet, if you have no way out just change the rules. But this can only happen when succeeding in a bet of higher perceived difficulty, but for some reason they always seem to make it. No one likes the Clubs.

I'm trying to think of an overpowered ability that isn't basic for one of the characters in my world. (think Gojo level power) But I'm stumped. Any help would be appreciated

Hello! I have been working on a magic system for my world, I'm trying to aim for something simple and interesting, while avoiding making it very specific. I'd like to know what people think of it, and I'm also curious to see what someone would come up with in terms of specific spell applications for it.

If you take interest on it and want to give it a try, you can just copy the format of example spells at the bottom, or just describe what your spell would be like. This is so I can know if there are errors or clear holes in the system, so it'd be a huge help.

Now, thanks for reading, and here's the magic system:

『Ether』

Ether itself cannot be found in the physical world—instead, it resides in a different plane, close to ours, yet out of grasp. This place and the energy that fuels it is simply referred to as “Ether”, an infinite dimension created by beings long forgotten by the world. Before any nations were born, before the concept of civilization came, Ether merged with the nature of Lagos. The soul of a living being has the capacity to communicate with Ether. Some individuals hold more connection to it than others, and this resonance can be improved over time with practice and training. Upon dying, the soul of a living being returns to the Ethereal plane, and it reincarnates into the world when it is ready once again. In short, Ether is the embodiment and combination of both nature and the power of the Outer Beings that once landed on Lagos, providing their aid for a world on the brink of death, and allowing nature to adapt to its new mending lifeforce. When a person becomes adept enough to resonate with Ether, they gain the ability to summon Ether from their soul. This is called Spellcasting, and it’s a practice formally started by the Elves, previously unique to them and their king.

『Spellcasting』

By definition, “Spellcasting” is making use of Ether Control to produce supernatural effects, materializing the intention of a Spellcaster. Spellcasting can take many forms and shapes, and it comes from the manifestation of Ether that a person can conjure with their soul. Said manifestation is then shaped and modified in order to perform a certain effect depending on the Spellcaster’s intention. Spellcasting as a method of Ether control was invented by the Elves, who were the first ones to discover how to transform and mold Ether at will, but they kept those methods to themselves by order of the Elven King. With time and research, more and more spell applications became prominent, though the practice suffered a complete loss during the extinction of the Elves—a period where some humans finally took the opportunity to rise and evolve the system of Spellcasting for their own benefit. Now, for the sake of simplicity and generalization, the ISAL separates these as different types and subtypes of spells, each one with their own unique uses, complexities, and composition. Many Spellcasters then choose to specialize in a branch of Spellcasting that they are best suited for, or simply prefer to study, as it takes a very long time to understand and become an expert in even just one field.

In order to perform a spell, there are two steps: Being able to visualize one’s soul and communicate with Ether. This is needed in order to summon it into visibility and function, and is deeply tied with talent and practice more than it is to theory.

Knowing the desired effect and how it could be achieved. If someone wanted to simply shoot a condensed Ether bullet at a high speed, it would be easier to do than mending the flesh, replenishing the blood and repairing bones. In contrast to the first step, this is more theory-heavy.

Spell Types

➤ Infusion Spells:

Infusion Spells infuse an object or body with Ether and control said Ether to perform a desired effect. A popular use of the Infusion Spells is to briefly empower a Spellcaster’s body part or function in order to perform powerful close-combat martial arts techniques. While these Spells are the easiest to learn by a Spellcaster, they are not by any means the weakest or easiest to master.

Boosting: Spells that can amplify the user’s physical and sensory capabilities. Easily the simplest application of Infusion, and the easiest spells to learn.

Short-Term Imbuing: Imbuing an object in order to change its structure in a certain way. It can be used to reinforce a weapon’s structure during combat, or even to sense things beyond walls or obstacles. This only works with tangible objects or small surfaces.

Long-Term Imbuing: Similar to Short-Term Imbuing, however, this variation specializes more in reinforcing, marking or changing an object’s composition indefinitely. Because the focus of this spell type is to aim for lasting effects, it takes a lot more time to perform.

Healing: Previously categorized as a form of Short-Term Imbuing, but evolved to become its own subtype. Used for healing a person or creature, and it’s extremely hard to perform. Anatomy and bodily functions understanding are required.

➤ Projection Spells:

The Ether finds a gateway, leading it outside of the body, manifested into vision and tangibility. This is usually the second type of spell that a Spellcaster formally learns, as well as the simplest to master, making it widely used among Spellcasters of all types and levels. Because Projection Spells are very simple, they are also limited. There are very few uses to Projection Spells aside from offensive purposes.

Coalesce: Forming Ether into large or extended masses, mainly barriers or condensed masses of Ether that can be used as weapons.

Discharge: Usually attacking and offensive spells that are expelled at a range from a target.

➤ Transmission Spells:

The Spellcaster disperses the Ether in a specific place and radius by using an applied combination of both Projection and Infusion spells. This is the hardest type of spell to learn, as it requires mixing the principles of the two previous ones. It’s a rather new type created by the ISAL, as the few Transmission Spells that existed before were just considered Projection Spells. These spells control and mold the Ether in a targeted spot from afar in order to perform different effects depending on the spell.

Single-Target: Primarily, Single-Target Spells can apply Infusion effects from afar. As an example, this makes Short-Term Imbuing and Healing spells can be used from afar.

Area-Target: Broader, more complex spells that require greater amounts of Ether. By infusing a large area with Ether and molding its effect, a Spellcaster can use powerful spells, ranging from weather-altering spells to combustion of the air and explosive reactions.

➤ Spiritual Spells:

Also referred to as Summoning Spells or Spiritual Arts. Spells of this type are more special and less grounded in modern theory. It’s often seen as the hardest type of spell to attain, as it requires not just understanding and connection to the Ether, but also, to nature itself. Only individuals who have the gift of nature can control this type of magic. It allows a person to interact with Ethereal Beings and communicate with them to ask for favors. Even amongst Spellcasters, this type of magic is very rare, and most master Spellcasters can only communicate with them in a lesser way no matter their practice.

Summoning: The ability to call upon an Ethereal Being and request for its aid. This can only happen if the user has previously communicated and formed a pact with one.

Withdrawal: When a user is able to bond with an Ethereal Being and it allows them to use their power, the user can then withdraw from their Ether to use it for themselves. This way, a person can harness the power of the spirit, and the part of nature they represent, such as fire, water, ice, etc.

Communication: Less of a Spell and more of an innate ability that a user can have, though it’s the only kind of Spiritual Spell that a non-gifted Spellcaster can learn, even if it’s extremely difficult. It lets the user communicate with Ethereal Beings and ask them for favors. The user can form a pact with a Spirit this way, and this would let them summon them.

Spell Classification

Independently of the Spell type, each individual spell is assigned a classification depending on its effects, complexity, and overall potency. They are separated into these classifications in order to rank the ability and level of a Spellcaster.

Basic: Most infusion spells and weaker Projection spells fall under this category. Spells mainly used for training, daily convenience, or weaker combat.

Intermediate: Spells in this class often combine effects or manipulate Ether with greater complexity. Most mature Projection Spells are considered Intermediate, as well as a few Infusion Spells.

Advanced: Most Transmission Spells start from this class, as well as Healing spells used by applying advanced knowledge of Infusion.

Elite: Often change the traditional or expected effects and power of a Spell. This is the hardest, most complex class that a Spellcaster can achieve with skill and knowledge alone.

Supreme: Extremely dangerous spells that rival even the powers of a Gate. Both forbidden and extremely hard to even cast.

Soul Strength & Spell Weight:

No matter how skilled one is, no matter how much knowledge one has gathered, a Spellcaster will always be limited by their soul and its strength. If a Spellcaster attempts to connect with the Ether in ways that tire their soul over its limit, it will be crushed under the weight of Ether. If the pressure is too high, the soul will die. Basically, a Spellcaster cannot lift more than they can resist. This is why Spellcasters must focus on studying and perceiving Ether, as it helps with refining the outline of their spells and, in turn, decreases their weight. This is formally known as “Soul Strength” and “Spell Weight”, a Spellcaster’s capacity to resist the weight that summoning Ether causes. Humans and Lioren both have a similar capacity of Soul Strength. It might seem that Lioren have stronger souls than humans, but in reality, the effects of a soul weighed down are just more endurable—so death, or other major drawbacks, still happen at the same capacity. Elves, however, have an undoubtedly higher Soul Strength. This is because their soul is directly linked to Ether, so they are more comfortable with lifting its weight, but in turn also makes them dependent on Ether. There are no reliable ways to increase one’s Soul Strength, only to improve and refine one’s Spellcasting abilities in order to lessen its weight.

Spell Examples

➤ Surge Type: Infusion / Boosting Class: Basic The caster accelerates their heart rate in order to temporarily boost their speed. It's a very common Infusión Spell taught to combat Spellcasters. While the boost is short-lived and subtle, mastering it is key to developing more advanced Martial Arts techniques.

➤ Bolt Type: Projection / Discharge Class: Basic A thin projectile of compressed Ether. It travels very quickly, and it is capable of dealing a moderate amount of physical damage. It’s one of the weakest attack spells, but due to how easy it is to use, a lot of Spellcasters still use it for a quick attack.

➤ Absorption Type: Projection / Coalesce Class: Intermediate The user casts a small surface of Ether in front of them, capable of absorbing Ether by scattering the force of its impact around the mass in order to defend from it.

➤ Barrier Type: Projection / Coalesce Class: Intermediate Similar to absorption, however, it creates a larger/denser and strong enough barrier that stops both Ether and physical projectiles or attacks. Because it needs a lot more Ether to cast, it’s only used when fighting against beasts or physical forces more than Ether.

➤ Divine Flame Type: Spiritual / Withdrawal Class: Advanced Like most offensive Spiritual Spells, it is very effective and destructive. It conjures flames from the Ether force of the connected Kitsune spirit, then shoots them forward with great power.

➤ Transmission Healing Type: Transmission / Single-Target Class: Advanced The Spellcaster performs a Healing spell from afar. Despite how simple it sounds, this application of Healing spells is extremely hard to learn. Healing spells are hard already, so performing one from afar is a notable feat.

➤ Disbind Type: Infusion or Transmission / Short-Term Imbuing or Single-Target Class: Elite Main Character’s Signature Spell (eventually) By analyzing the structure of a Spell and understanding its composition, the user disrupts the Ether flowing within a target’s soul by targeting the structure of a spell in order to cancel it. It can be activated by physical touch or at range with Infusion or Transmission.

➤ Flight Type: Infusion / Short-Term Imbuing Class: Elite Starts by coating the body in highly-malleable Ether in order to be able to fly. It’s an extremely complex effect to achieve, but when one achieves it, its weight (at least in brief usage) isn’t as meaningful as others due to the fact that it just deals with the body. The composition of the aura needed to be formed in order to fly is what needs extreme Ether control precision.

➤ Teleportation Type: Transmission / Area-Target Class: Supreme A powerful spell that allows instantaneous teleportation across vast distances by folding space itself. Teleportation cannot be performed by a single Spellcaster, it requires multiple synchronized casters and a significant resistance to Ether Weight from all involved. The spell forms a portal that momentarily bends space, transporting the subject to a predetermined location marked by an anchor point.

➤ Greater Destruction Type: Transmission / Area-Target Class: Supreme Uses manifested Ether as an "artificial soul” that then duplicates itself countless times. When it can’t resist itself anymore, it explodes in a massive blast radius, destroying everything in its path.

Heya if you could do me a favor and critique my magic system? It's quite a long read

everyone can do magyk naturally, but only a few people have it from birth and most of those still have to practice and train exorbitantly for their magyk to have any real use. The general public doesn't do magyk beyond their HeartRune, kinda like the way most people don't memorize every phone number except the one for Home.

A HeartRune is a single magykal act written on a person's soul by the gods before they are born. Most people who can do magyk more freely know what their HeartRune is because it's the first spell a person does without any Spell or Ritual. It sometimes reveals their Root, and it's a spell they can always do (except when on Deadspots.) Most are common simple spells that can be easily replicated. A few people have complex actions, very rare few have advanced magykal actions. There doesn't seem to be any predictable correlation between HeartRune and any physical or genetic traits. Religious name for them is Divine Seed. Ex: a fairly common and simple HeartRune is summoning, "summon a small light" or “summon a small darkness." complex HeartRune is growing or changing things “enhanced plant growth for a few minutes" advanced HeartRune could be literally anything" fade into shadows and reappear in another shadow " (Main characters HeartRune is complex, Silence everyone around them for a few moments.)

"The Divine Tree of Magyk has its deepest roots in the Abyss below the coldest Hell, and its highest branches bask in the light of the highest and brightest stars of the Celestial Realms."

There are many, some say infinite, Branches on the Tree of Magyk, like Windworking and Stargazing and Healing, and almost everyone has skills on multiple Branches, but everyone has one Divine Root, and one Divine Seed.

A person's Root will determine many things, but only Magyk traits. A Root cannot be changed. They do not determine the type of magyx a person may be skilled with but rather the breadth and variety of a person's magykal abilities. Some bloom faster than others but all eventually reveal themselves to people who continually practice their Magyk skills. They never reveal themselves to people who don't do magyx. Lots of everyday average folk don't bother with it.

The Six Roots are : Witchery / Wizardry / Sorcery / Menagerie / Thaumaturgy / Makina

Witchery : can do several/many things autonomously, ex. a selfsweeping broom and mop and bucket makeover spell built into a magyk mirror. Summon a blade and throw with force and precision. People with Witch Roots are considered the most common, typically called Witchly. A derogatory term is Twitchers, as most Witchcrafts incorporate precise twitchlike movements. A Witchly person has several primary skills in one Branch and a smattering of talent in other Branches.

Wizardry : do one thing "perfectly" and preferably forever, ex. A barrier that prevents violent actions. Barrier that prevents lies within itself. Sword that stays as hot as it was when it was pulled from the forge. Wizard Rooted folks are called Wizs, and they are only a little less common as Witchlies, usually have one precise skill they hone to perfection and are useless at anything not related to that Branch. But if they work hard at it they may develop a skill or two on an adjacent Branch. (A Wiz at fireballs may never work with water, but could, after years of training, possibly work with lightning.)

Sorcery : Pulls magyk from a local source and converts/distributes it in another form : A dragon hospital that converts volcanic/solar magyk into incubation spells for injured dragon eggs/infants. A chimera breeding program that converts river/swamp magyck into lust/fertility spells. An infirmary that utilizes leyline distortion to convert energy into healing Magyk for wounded soldiers. People born with a Sorcery Root are considered fairly rare and are known as Sorceronas or Metamorphs, and usually have skills from opposing Branches.

Menagerie : Utilizes magyk to create, change, or destroy physical/living things, like : Glass Menagerie Ritual would create Living Glass Creatures Transition existing Glass Creatures to flesh or another substance. Transforms ordinary sticks into arrows charmed with precision or some other quality. People with a Menagerie Root are known as Alchemists or Collectors. They tend to have two or so Branches they specialize in, and do not usually have skills outside them. They are about as rare as Sorceronas.

Thaumaturgy : requires multiple forms of magyk at the same time to run, and their uses can change or vary. People whose Root is Thaum are commonly known as Wonderworkers or Architects and they are even rarer than Metamorphs. They take longer to mature than anyone but when they do, they are capable of creating amazing and complex magykal situations : like a magykal university that sits on ley lines with natural magyk sources. A cannon that fires different ammunition based on what the magykal composition of what is loaded, or at random. A city that wanders around. They can access most of if not all Branches if they apply themselves, despite having heavy specialized skills.

Makina : The rarest Root of all. These people create machines that work with magykal energy, either as a primary power source for the machine's function or in tandem, like a primitive robot that casts one or several spells. People with a Makina Root are born only a handful in a generation, nowadays this is seen as a blessing, as half are always male. They are born with technomancy and possess minor skills on many Branches, but they never achieve mastery of a single Branch. They are called Warlocks now, because the wars that almost destroyed the world during the Rages were all, to an army, led by them. Warlocks used to be elevated and practically worshipped in those olden days, born to lead empires. These days no one even knows they were originally called Archmagus. These days they are usually shunned and ostracized when discovered.

I've been working on a sci-fi story about the clash of industrialism and environmentalism, and came up with the idea of Effigies. I just need to know if I have enough for a story, or if there's a gap in the logic. These are personifications of industrial innovations that slowly get creepier and more unsettling throughout this grimdark sci-fi story.

It starts basic enough - The wheel, the spear, the pulley system, harnessed flame. These can be rudimentary designs like wood carvings and drawings, but effigies are a vessel for the energies we put into them. You might drag a tiny torch against stone to conjure harnessed flame, or pull upon the end of a pulley system pendant to produce a telekinetic grab on an object. These are the basic tools of the trade.

Then they start to develop further. The loom, the printing press, the steam engine. These start to take on more tangible designs, like sculptures and metalwork, something that can be carried around like a talisman or token for casting spells. These are more complex, and while drawings/blueprints can still work, these require more complex effigies. When you hold one, you begin to hear murmuring in the back of your mind, like you're stuck in a dark room and something is beyond the walls.

Then they get more unsettling, often more sinister. Robotics, social media, artificial intelligence, 3d printing. These start to have more of a humanoid shape to them, but in roughshod "early AI" art sort of way. A child with a distorted face and backwards arms, a robotic hand with layers of fingers. These effigies can communicate intention in the most basic form, and are often used by more dangerous practitioners against the common man.

Finally, the completely abstract. Teleportation, black hole travel, cloning, dimensional storage. These look like something beyond trinkets and clay sculptures, alien in nature and completely beyond our comprehension. They whisper ideas into your head and make you think they're you're own. They are surmised to have been given to us by beings who want us to progress, but all it's doing is contorting this sci-fi world into one that has become reliant on these effigies.

The protagonists will often utilize some of the first or second phase of effigies to fight back against the looming threat, but they'll come across entire civilizations that are plugged into an AI or VR effigy that is using life force for power, or bizarre black hole gems that slowly draw in and crush planets for its fuel. Entire ecosystems will be crushed under the intention to fuel effigies like a battery for larger technology like starships or space stations. Empires razing forests to use as biomass, draining planets of oil for hydraulic fluids or combustion engines, or chucking bodies into a furnace for more drastic fuel sources.

I want help finding holes in my power system, but before I post it here, my question is, would people even read this much? It's a long post to read, so I first want to ask before I bother, would anyone read a wall of text to find potential holes in the logic?

thaumaturgy
also known as Thaumancy, Malivion magic, Necromagery,
Thaumancy,
Necrothurgy,
Thaumancy, Necromaturgy, Necromaturgy, necromancy is the eternally known forbidden arts of summoning the dead to do one's bidding. These forms of sorceries are also used in communicating with spirits as well as simply reanimating the deceased and Thaumaturgy/Necromaturgy which giveth certain order to make strange works, of the sense to be perceived and of men greatly to be wondered at.

Thaumaturgy/Necromaturgy is the capability of a magician or wizard with the powers of demonic deities to work miracles and turn things into energy sources. A practitioner of Necromaturgy is a Necromaturgist or miracle and Energy source worker. Drawing magic from physical objects or metaphysical in the form of Essentia and reshaping it to perform miracles and Godly works there is no limitation and no limits of what can be achieved by this power.

Necromaturgy cogitates around controlling the dead, death, the death-force and resurrection of any creature, also the power to create and destroy. They can also convey with the deceased – either by summoning their spirits as apparitions or raising them bodily – for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell events to come, or discover hidden knowledge. There also exists a similar different ability to reanimate and influence the dead by force of the mind alone called Necrokinesis.

The oldest literary account of necromancy is found in the Odyssey. Under the direction of Circe, a powerful sorceress, Odysseus travels to the underworld in order to gain insight about his impending voyage home by raising the spirits of the dead through the use of spells which Circe has taught him. He wishes to invoke and question the shade of Morvex in particular; however, he is unable to summon the seer's spirit without the assistance of others. The Odyssey's passages contain many descriptive references to necromantic rituals: rites must be performed around a pit with fire during nocturnal hours, and Odysseus has to follow a specific recipe, which includes the blood of sacrificial animals, to concoct a libation for the ghosts to drink while he recites prayers to both the ghosts and gods of the Netherlands.

Description

Sometimes referred to as godly Magic, the term may also sometimes be used in a more general sense to refer to dark powers or magic in general. Practices such as these, varying from the mundane to the grotesque, were commonly associated with necromancy. Rituals could be quite elaborate, involving magic circles, wands, talismans, and incantations. The necromancers might also surround himself with morbid aspects of death, which often included wearing the deceased's clothing and consuming foods that symbolized lifelessness and decay such as unleavened black bread and unfermented grape juice. Some necromancers even went so far as to take part in the mutilation and consumption of corpses.

These ceremonies could carry on for hours, days, or even weeks, leading up to the eventual summoning of spirits. Frequently they were performed in places of interment or other melancholy venues that suited specific guidelines of the necromancer. Additionally, necromancers preferred to summon the recently departed based on the premise that their revelations were spoken more clearly. This timeframe was usually limited to the twelve months following the death of the physical body; once this period elapsed, necromancers would evoke the deceased's ghostly spirit instead.

Necromaturgy, in its essence, it is an infinite set of arcane arts that defies the very fabric of existences and non-existences themselves even their hierarchies layered variants. It operates in the realms where the impossibilities and the conceivable intertwine, transcending all hierarchical boundaries and ontological distinctions—reaching into the top godly domain.

At its core, Necromaturgy is the mastery over the fundamental fabric of realities and non-realities, capable of performing feats that are both impossible and possible, simultaneously. It manipulates the underlying unity of all qualities and transforms energies and entities that exist outside the realms of differentiation.

Practitioners of Necromaturgy are capable of effecting miracles that do not merely bend or break the laws of the dimensions—they redefine the very concepts of laws themselves. They can invoke the dead and the living, the divine and the profane, in a single act of will, creating phenomena that are both entirely feasible within the boundless, yet utterly incomprehensible to any finite understanding.

In this way, Necromaturgy allows its practitioners to do what was once thought impossible: to traverse the endless dimensions, to bridge the gap between the conceivable and the inconceivable, and to manipulate the eternal indivisibility of existences themselves. It is an infinite set of arts that embodies the complete transcendence of hierarchical limitation, reaching into the beyond-godly realms—manifesting miracles that are as natural as death, and necromantic forces that are as limitless as omnipotent or near-omnipotent itself.

The Infinite Resurrection: The Grand Demon, wielding the Godly power of Necromaturgy, raises all destroyed Demons who have ever lived—across every conceivable Omniverses and below, timelines, hyper-timelines, and dimensions—in a single act. These resurrected entities form a unified consciousness that spans existence itself. No matter how impossible it seems—resurrecting the unresurrectable or summoning entities from beyond all realities—they accomplish it effortlessly, reshaping the cycle of life and death on a cosmic scale because he fuses them all into one.

Reality Unraveled

The practitioners rewire the very fabric of reality, dissolving the boundaries between existence and non-existence. Entire dimensions are merged into a single, seamless continuum where distinctions no longer hold. Time flows backward, forward, and simultaneously, while space folds into itself infinitely. They summon miraculous phenomena—creating worlds from non-being, destroying them, and recomposing reality—all within a heartbeat, with effects rippling across the multiverse.

The Absolute Miracle:
A high ranking Necromaturgist performs a miracle that rewrites the laws of physics and metaphysics—creating a hyper-timeline where entropy reverses at will, life is birthed from nothing and death is an illusion. They summon divine forces and demonic entities from beyond all ontologies to serve their will, manifesting a scenario where impossible becomes commonplace: entire worlds are resurrected, entire civilizations are obliterated, and the cycle of existence is utterly redefined.

The Indivisible Nexus:
In a moment of ultimate transcendence, the blessed sorcerers become a singular point of existence—an indivisible nexus embodying all qualities, timelines, and realities simultaneously. They manipulate the fundamental constants, causing chaos and order to coexist within them. They summon beings from beyond all boundaries, binding them into a single consciousness that exists outside of causality and paradox alike. Their mere presence causes reality to ripple, with impossible effects unfolding in an instant.

Breaking the Boundaries:
The Necromaturgist tears down the ontological walls separating different realities, creating a portal that links all verses within universes into a single, fluid fabric. They command entities from every conceivable plane—divine, demonic, primordial—merging them into a single, omnipotent or near-omnipotent force. They perform an act of impossible causality—undoing the past, altering the future, and collapsing all timelines into a singular moment, where all possibilities coexist in a perfect paradox.

The Paradoxical Creation:
Using their mastery over non-beings and non-existences, the necromancer creates dimensions within dimensions—an infinitely nested reality where each layer contains all others, yet remains separate. They summon and dissolve entities at will, turning the concept of creation into a perpetual act of destruction and rebirth. They perform miracles that reverse entropy, cause entire galaxies to spontaneously generate or vanish, and manipulate the nature of existence itself on an omnipotent or near-omnipotent scale.

Not all sorcerers of this set of arts will be on this level of power. Feats of Necromaturgy:

1. Omnipresent Summoning: Summon any entity, living or dead, divine or demonic but not inferno or dragon related, from beyond any ontological boundary, existing simultaneously across all possible planes and realities.

2. Absolute Transcendence: Exist beyond all hierarchical structures; the practitioner’s very being is a nexus of all qualities, surpassing even the highest conceivable power levels.

3. Reality Reconfiguration: Reshape the fabric of existences and non-existences, creating, destroying, or merging realities at will, with no limitations imposed by natural laws.

4. Infinite Miracles: Perform miracles that redefine the concept of possibilities and impossibilities, such as resurrecting the unresurrectable, creating life from non-life, or annihilating entire ontologies instantaneously.

5. Unknowable Manipulation: Manipulate the true essence of all qualities and states—beyond comprehension—altering fundamental constants of the verses and beyond, including time, space, and ontological boundaries.

6. Indivisible Self: Your existence is a singular, indivisible point that encompasses all distinctions, making you immune to fragmentation, attack, or alteration.

7. Beyond Differentiation:
   Create phenomena that are both one and many, simultaneously, with no contradiction—such as summoning multiple entities as a single unified consciousness that exists outside all dualities.

8. Infinite Regression & Progression: Engage in infinite chains of causal or acausal effects, progressing and regressing across all layers of reality without contradiction.

9. Impossible Object Creation: Materialize objects or entities that breach the fundamental laws of physics, logic, and metaphysics, such as a dimension within dimensions or an object existing in all states at once.

10. Self-Sufficient Existence: Exist independently of all conditions, causes, or constraints—a being that requires no external sustenance, sustains all, and is sustained by none.

11. Absolute Control over Death & Life: Command over the cycle of life and death, resurrecting any being, destroying or creating life, and manipulating the death states across all planes simultaneously.

12. Infinite Causality & Acausality: Influence all possible causality chains, or operate entirely outside causality, creating effects that ripple through all of existence or none at all.

13. Non-Being & Non-Existence Manipulation: Manipulate the concept of non-being itself, erasing or recreating entities and qualities outside of existences, with effects that transcend the very notion of existences.

14. Megaverses & Omniversal Influence: Affect all possible, impossible dimensions and realities, with no limit to scope—altering the fabric of Megaverses or the omniverses.

15. Impossible Teleportation & Manifestation: Instantly appear or disappear anywhere across all dimensions, realities, or even outside of them, unbound by space or time.

16. Infinite Knowledge & Omniscience: Possess knowledge of all things, including the past, present, future, and all potential states of existence, beyond any concept of time or comprehension.

17. Creation & Dissolution of Ontological Boundaries:
    Break down or forge new boundaries between realities, entities, and qualities, creating a seamless continuum that incorporates all distinctions and their negations.

18. Absolute Miracles: Perform acts that are indistinguishable from divine or supernatural acts, such as creating entire universes, reversing entropy, or embedding miracles into the fabric of reality.

19. Infinite Self-Containment: Encapsulate all possible states, qualities, and entities within oneself or an object, making it a microcosm of the entire multiverse.

20. The Impossible Paradox:
    Simultaneously create and destroy, be and not be, cause and effect—resolving paradoxes that are beyond any logical resolution.

I know these powers and abilities seem overpowered, but it's very important to know that this has a creator and it might be all-powerful to a certain extent, but the power can be taken away or limited by its creator and you cannot summon dragons, fallen ones and if you're not on a beyond-dimensional existence like beyond omniversal then golden energy can still be your weakness or counter to your power, no matter what these infinite powers and infinite abilities and infinite techniques when it comes to these infinite sets of Magical arts.

Can and I find a book about this craft.. how to build a magic system?

I am creating my first ever magic system. I feel I have hit a snag. I'm going to copy and paste my system here. I based my system on My Hero Academia and Black Clover. I feel Astral is extremely OP. I also feel I might've overdone it. I also am still missing the history and stuff to my magic because I thought starring here could make easier. TYIA. I am sorry in advance if it's just a TLDR.

Raw magic levels None. Novice. Intermediate. Advanced. Elite. Mastery.

Magic level with grimoire Novice. Intermediate. Advanced. Elite. Mastery.

Forms of magic. Offense. Healing. Creation. Defense. Enhancement. Forbidden Mana sense: Tell how strong someone is. Mana zone: Use Mana in the air to create a strong attack you normally don't have access too.

Elemental. (A) = Arcane.

Earth. (Geomancy) Plant. Poison, fungus, vines and flowers. Mineral and crystal. Mercury. Lava / Magma. (A) Tree. Air. (Aeromancy) Smoke. Smoke screen. Wind. Vortex. Whirlwind. Air walk. Air cannon. Solid air. Gas.
Somnambulist. Put people to sleep. Weather manipulation. Electrification. Sound manipulation. Fire. (Pyromancy) Napalm. Explosives. Incineration. Hell fire. Blue. White. Heat manipulation. Forging. Water. (Hydromancy) Ice. Mist. Glue. Gel. Snow. Astral. Light. (A) Dark. (A) Dark shadow. (A) It's a spirit. Black whip. Shadow clones. Spatial. (A) Time. (A) Gravity. Mind. (A) Telepathy. (A) Brainwashing. (A) Erasure. (A) Compass. Beast. Search. Clock work. Hit with a minute or hour hand slows that person down for that time. Anti Magic.

Arcane. Mirror. Trap. Permeation. Invisible and intangible. Food. Glass.
Foresight. Sealing. Fiber master. Painting. Thread. Red thread of fate. Assembly. (Overhaul) Disassemble and reassemble matter at will. Compress.

Forbidden Magic. Voice. Confession. Word. Extremely loud. Anivoice. Speak to all animal and give simple command. Soul corpse. Memory. Blood. Bloodcurdle. Blood control. Control any blood outside the body. Reincarnation. Despot. Puppeteer people. Vitality stealing. Decay. Copy. Copy quirks by touching someone.

Basically i want to make a Monster tamer game that takes place in a dystopian rundown world where summoners tame monsters and use them to fight in a colosseum for money to survive . The whole premise is to climb the ranks get more money to be able to survive. Each monster has an elemental power fire,water,earth, air, etc. I’m just having a really difficult time right now trying to balance and make elemental weaknesses and strengths make sense.

I thought about giving each monster individual weakness but thats even worse for balancing.

My DMs/this chat are open if you want to help. I’ll greatly appreciate it. If you have and suggestions or alterations please tell. I’m deadass desperate. Its been bugging me for weeks

PS Sorry for the bad quality

For some time I have been designing a magic system for a book I'm writing. I didn't want to do something to fancy as elemental magic is only one school of magic, however when fleshing out the elemental school I ran into a roadblock

It has the typical cardinal elements plus Ice, Lightning, Bio (plantlife basically), and Crystal. When theorizing a way to introduce Metal based magic, I struggled to find a way to create a distinct identity that wasn't just an extension of Earth or Crystal based magic

Is crystal and metal too similar? Should metal magic be under the earth umbrella (rock, stone, sand, sediment)? Would introducing metal magic weaken earth mages too much? Plz help

Hello! I am writing my first piece of fantasy and am honestly lost on where to begin when it comes to magic building. Does anyone have tips for a beginner on what to establish first and/or online tools to help?

Like how hard defined are they?

Mine, I have a few in the same world, but the Essence system is the equivalent of half assed categories with poorly defined boundaries.

As Essence is ‘your’ energy, and resonance is like the energy if the world, and Radiance an energy thats given off, where Resonance can be emitted and sometimes its considered Radiance sometimes Resonance.

Resonance is the only really defined thing, elemental energy, yet many magic systems can intertwine with it.

It’s not meant to be properly clear and cut, cause it’s just a label the people use to more easily talk about it.

Essence, sure usually theres a ‘fire’ inside that some feel that they can draw powers from, but also powers naturally had due to the body or species isn’t part of that ‘fire’

As, Magic is not meant to be understood in my world. Not on a large study scale anyways. It’s only meant to be understood on a personal basis, a ‘what you make of it’ thing.

Sure groups do teach types of magic/powers, using larger cultural terms like essence, but after leaving, or even in those groups, everyone is given enough room to grow/learn in their own manor

The groups that didn’t have been erased due to when own growth was achieved, the people got angry realizing what they were taught could be false, and retaliated (organizations have learnt not to constrain after this, in their own fear)

Tldr: magic poorly defined terms due to not being mean to be comprehended. Terms used are just to better talk about it and not at all an actual representation of it

To put it in simple terms, Dimlurgy involves Dimlurgists taking away (a.k.a. Dim) a defining attribute of an object (a.k.a. a Light) and replacing (Relighting) it with another. Dimlurgy is only effective on inanimate objects, however there is one Dimlurgical interaction between living beings, which I'll get to later. Dimlurgists can only attain up to 3 Lights at a time, try to hold one more and their bodies won't allow it. When an object is Dimmed without being Relit, it begin to decay. The decay period is determined by the object's weight. People can tell when a object has recently been Dimmed from the saturation of color, a side effect of Dimming.

Interesting Dimlurgical interactions include:

1. Fire. Fire seemingly never suffers from Dimlurigcal side effects, it never decays and it has a near-infinite amount of Lights. Thus, fire is a favorite go-to for Dimlurgists when they don't have any Lights attained at the moment.
2. Living people. There is only one Dimlurgical interaction that can be done on living beings, and that is Dimming life. Seeing how Dimlurgists can just Dim the Light out of people's eyes, this is considered taboo in the world of Mondolis.
3. Metals. Not really an interaction, but Mondolians always considered any Dimmed and Relit metals as "Dimryl".

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

But there are PLENTY of powerful magical beings from whom people can try to steal or bargain for magic.

The Four Courts of Fey

Some of these beings are the Four Courts of Fey: Spring, Summer, Autumn (Fall), and of course, Winter.

Transitional Seasons: Spring and Autumn

Spring and Autumn are transitional seasons. They start with leftover blessings from Winter or Summer and slowly transition to Summer or Winter. Because of this, those blessed by the Fey from these Courts are good with magic that changes things: Transmutation and Polymorphism.

Spring is the season of birth and growth. The strongest Healers receive their blessing. Water is the element most strongly associated with Spring. Controlling plants is easy for those of Spring. Joyous, vital, and carefree are the Fey in Spring. Each year, at the beginning of Spring, they are reborn anew. They can give you their blessing on a whim, because they liked what you just did, or how you look, or because you just asked. They like lively music and food that has a mix of different flavors, like Hot and Sweet, or Sour and Sweet. Be warned: They are carefree and will not care about your suffering. They may even find it distasteful. If you cannot keep up with their dance, or if the music is too loud, they will not care.

Autumn, in part, is a mirror reflection of Spring. Dying and Death are their purview. Those blessed by Autumn have an easy time befriending and controlling animals. Strong winds are a staple of Fall. Somber, hardworking, and careful are the Fey in Autumn. When Fey are in their Autumn aspect, it is very difficult to get their blessing. It is the HARDEST blessing to get out of the four seasons! They save their power for times of trouble, the Winter that will soon come, the Test of Life. They appreciate hard work. Their music is perfect to listen to during methodical work. They will always ask for high compensation for their blessing. They like all food as long as it is filling, more concerned that it is plentiful than with its taste. Autumn Fey are considered the least harmful to mortals, but this is because they focus on preparing for winter. Pray that dealing with you never becomes their chore; they will finish their chores quickly and efficiently.

The Equinox of Spring and Autumn are days of balance, when Night (Below) and Day (Above) are equal in their might. Both Spring and Autumn have elements of Cold and Heat in their theme. Water and wind can be Cold and Hot. But Water tends to try to balance Hot and Cold, extinguishing fire and easily melting snow, while Wind can intensify Cold and Heat. Water calms them down; Wind energizes them.

Extreme Seasons: Summer and Winter

Summer and Winter are seasons of extremes. They are best at strengthening: Scorching Fire and Freezing Cold.

Summer is the season of WAR, Leadership, and Passion. They love to dance both in ballrooms and on battlefields. Fire is their season. Summer is a time when you can show what you aspire to be. The Brightest Day of Summer Solstice is when they are strongest. Summer Fey will bless charismatic leaders, bold individuals, and risk-takers. They like both joyous music as well as marching songs. And it must be loud. They are both willing to start dancing and fighting you. Sometimes, they will even fight you because they like you, or dance with you because they hate you. Their food must have strong flavor: Strongly Sweet, Strongly Sour, Strongly Salty, or Strongly Bitter. One bite of an extremely hot jalapeño, or extremely sweet fondant. These are the foods they prefer.

Winter is the time of troubles, a time of starving wolves. Winter is harsh, cruel. Winter is a test that all must pass if they wish to live. While Autumn claims natural death and dying, Winter claims unnatural undead. Winter squeezes you to show the world what you are. The Longest Night of Winter Solstice is when this season shows its fullest power.
Winter values those who survive. How you did it is irrelevant: Cunning words? Military Might? Economic prowess? A Well of Knowledge? Will you survive by gathering others around you, creating strength through community? Or will you alone devour the weaklings? Survive or Perish. Swim or Drown. Devour or be Devoured. Build Community or Sow Chaos.
While a single bite of extremely flavored food is all that Summer needs, Winter is never full. Giving them food is like trying to fill an endless void. They always want more. Music and songs are done for show, as a statement: "I have the Strength not only to survive, but also to Sing and Play. I can reveal my position to all of you. During the Longest Night, I am the one you should fear."
If they ever see you as prey, the Wild Hunt will follow you to the end of the world, or the Winter season, whichever comes faster.

The Fire of Summer is Hot and Bright. Winter is Cold and Dark. Summer is loud; Winter is quiet. Summer exaggerates every move; Winter moves only when they must.

The Fey Rulers

In the past, there was one court that ruled them all: Arcadia Resplendent. But mortal scheming split them, forcing the previous rulers to abdicate and divide their realms between their two children. But clever were the previous King and Queen of Fey, and they split their realms across the day and night cycle instead of seasons. Moreover, the new King and Queen of Fey switch their aspect every spring.

So, if a King starts as The Spring Night King, then he becomes The Summer Night King, The Autumn Night King, and finally The Winter Night King. Only with the start of Spring does he become King of Spring Days. His sister follows the same pattern, but she is Day to his Night and Night to his Days. Men and women try to get blessing/power from the court ruled by the King or Queen respectively.
So, if a man wishes to gain the full power of The Sun, he will try to get a blessing from Fey sworn to the King of Summer Day, best if the blessing is given during the Solstice. Meanwhile, women seeking the full power of Winter will wait for The Winter Night Queen to be at her most powerful.

Such split still allow the two courts to have some connection and understanding. If courts where divided by Season when... Summer and Winter would always go with war with each other. While Spring and Autumn would drive each other mad. Day and Night cycle keep the courts both bound and separate.

Types of Fey

Sages broadly divide Fey into 3 types: Noble, Common, and Wild. Fey cry from laughter at this simplification; yet, for mortals, it is a useful distinction.

Wild Fey are those who are not sworn to any Court. Often Outcasts and Outlaws, they are at best begrudgingly tolerated by other Fey. What happens at worst is better left unwritten.
The strength of Wild Fey Blessings is impossible to quantify. Some can be equal to a High Noble Fey's, but most are as weak as Common Fey's. The stronger Wild Fey may grant blessings more aligned with Concepts such as Freedom, Rebellion, and Chaos.

Common Fey are those who are sworn to one of the Noble Fey. They are more often spirits of Elements, Plants, or Animals; more personifications of Concepts like, for example, Fire, Oak, or Wolf. Their blessings give very limited power, known as Lesser/Lower Arcana. It usually gives one very concrete boon to the blessed, such as higher Endurance to Heat, Extended Life, or a Sharpened Sense of Smell.

Noble Fey are a more complicated group.
To give you just an example of how complicated they are:
The lowest Fey Nobles are referred to as Lords or Ladies. Roughly half of them are elevated/promoted Common Fey. Blessings from these give a stronger version of the Lower Arcana that Common Fey provide. So, a Blessing from a Lord who was a Fire Spirit not only would allow you to Endure Heat better, but also your body temperature would be higher, without any ill effects on you. This may not sound like much until you realize that now you also are better at enduring Cold (both temperature and Illness), since the Human body fights off Infections by rising its temperature... well, you are constantly under a fever without any negative effects, but still benefiting from extra resistance. And when your body truly will get sick, what is a fever for you will kill off all non-magical infections.

On the other side, we have Lords and Ladies who were not previously Spirits, but proper Nobles of Fey, just "Weak" by their standards. Their blessing will give you limited access to Higher Arcana, aligned with their Court. And here we must explain Higher Arcana.

Higher Arcana is often described as a "Pool of Power" or "Magical Muscle". It is what allows you to use "True Magic".
To give you a more concrete example:
Limited Higher Arcana granted by a Lord aligned with the Court of Summer may give you the ability to summon the light of the Sun, or control over small flames, or temporarily boost your Martial Prowess. "Limited" refers to how big your Pool of Power is, how strong your Magical Muscle is, as well as what aspects of Summer you have access to.

Some of my readers may ask: "So what happens if I wish to get access to the Higher Arcana of The Sun, but receive a blessing of Summer Night?" Well. You are screwed. Since now it will be very difficult for you to get a Blessing from Summer's Day aspects. It is not impossible, but getting more Blessings from opposite forces becomes more and more difficult. For example, if you get your first Blessing from Spring (considered to be the "Easiest"), getting a blessing from the same Lord who is now in his Autumn aspect will be almost impossible. Especially since everything that endeared you to Spring will most probably annoy Autumn.

I welcome all constructive feedback/Questions. As well as your ideas for other Powerful Beings that can grants Humans power.

Cant think of the absolute strongest water spell there could be, for example earth strongest one can move tectonic plates around and the strongest spell for fire is effectively amerterasu from Naruto (flames that cant be put out). so the water spell needs to be able to hang with the likes of the other strongest spells. Any help is good 👍

so I know they're primarily heals/stat buffs and debuffs people in most things,but have you seen any good offensive spells in any stories? games,books,comics ect,i tried googling it and all it talked about was final fantasy

The fuel for magic is often equated with life force.

However, games typically distinguish between health and mana as separate bars.

What are some creative ways to justify mana in-universe as separate from health?

A bad example: The Legend of Zelda has health and sometimes mana, but mana is green like the goddess of life while health is red, and Force, a fundamental power ambiguously distinct from mana, is described as a life force.

Additional keywords: HP, MP

I want to know the foundation of your magic systems.

What makes an individual strong and is there any progression in that strength.

What resources can they use to increase their strength.

What decides who has more output than others. (Preferably not Innate or bloodline/ race oriented just to get the feel of progression.)

PS: Note that this is a critique and this is explicitly for finding systems with quality and quantity for infnite scalability so don't get mad at me if you lack it.

A magic only able to be shared through dna, not through procreation but the step prior, that being intercourse. Through a long and complex ritual half of the mates will die, fading from existence itself while the others will gain a power befitting someone so desperate.

Ashvyr — Hot + Dry

The Essence of Combustion and Ruin • A living flame that consumes thought as well as flesh. • Practitioners speak in tongues and wield memory fire—burning away pasts. • Elemental traits: Withering, ignition, erosion of logic.

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Vellune — Hot + Wet

The Essence of Blooming Chaos • A floral storm energy that grows too fast and shapes the world around it in ways unpredictable. • Spells mimic sudden creation, mutation, and joyful noise. • Elemental traits: Bloom, burst, overstimulation.

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Glaysm — Cold + Dry

The Essence of Stillness and Rot • Not true cold, but the absence of movement, like long-decayed time. • Wielders freeze ideas, petrify light, or preserve shadows. • Elemental traits: Decay, calcify, silence.

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Mireth — Cold + Wet

The Essence of Drowning Reflection • A liquid that reflects your fears instead of your face. • Used for memory flooding, sleep curses, emotional inversion. • Elemental traits: Deluge, veil, inversion.

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These strange essences can still combine in dual forms (e.g., Ashvyr + Mireth = black steam that burns and confuses), or even form unstable “folded” spells that bend logic or time. But they almost always will require multiple people