MAGIC!! 

I'll admit: I'm not an expert when it comes to creating magic systems. How can I be, when I'm not a published novelist (yet)? However, having spent a few years exploring and building my own magic system has given me some insight into the creation process. But Hanna, you may say, what do you know that none of the other thousands of articles on the Internet have told me?


So, let's assume that you know the basics of world-building, in particular the magic system. You got your magic, you got your rules, and you know who has the magic. Sweet! Now let's flesh out the magic system and give it a pumping, muscular heart. I'll focus on five points not normally thought about during the process, and some ideas that I've been playing around with for my own magic system. I'll pull examples from Dune by Frank Herbert, a classic sci fi novel (and one of my favorites) to emphasize my points. 

1. Magic in Society

How involved will your magic be in the society? There's a wide range of ideas seen in fiction, all the way from X-Men being ostracized to the wizarding world in Harry Potter accepting (nearly) all sorts of wizarding folk. Unless your magic-users have locked themselves away in the mountains, then there has to be some element of integration with society. Here are some elements to consider:

• Government 
• Economy 
• Religion 
• Legal System 

A great example is Dune by Frank Herbert. Although classified as science fiction, the element of spice is integrated so intimately within the universe that it affects everything from the human body to galactic space politics. The current universe could not exist without it. Building your society with your magic system always at the back of your mind, and once you start thinking about it you'll find ways to incorporate into your society's structure.


2. Magic in Absence 

Not only should your magic be involved in the world, but what happens in the absence of it? This idea comes in many forms, and most commonly in the form of characters being the sole magic users in the world. This works well to treat the magic as a wonder-filled, fantastical system that exists solely within your world.

Using Dune as an example again, if the spice does not flow, then an entire economy shuts down. Space travel shuts down. Should your magic system disappear either on purpose or on accident, will your world look like a normal society?  What are the real consequences for characters who can either use or not use the magic of your world?

Well, ya know, these things wouldn't exist for one

 Without melange, the spice, the empire would fall. And so what happens when a character attempts to terraform the desert planet from whence the spice came? When an economy and politics are affected by it? There's so much emphasis on creating magic systems that sometimes writers forget about about the consequences the absence of magic.

Things to think about:

• Characters who are fallen (can no longer use magic) 
• Characters who will never use magic (by society or physical means) 
• Ecology (does absence of magic affect the physical world outside of humanity?) 
• Spiritual (if your magic is connected to the spiritual or religious state of the characters)

3. Magic in Abundance

The opposite of magic in absence is magic in abundance. Instead of mystic magic users who don't appear to normal folk, your world can be saturated with it, as the universe in Dune is. Consider, then, one of the most famous quotes from the book:

"The spice must flow." 

 All at once this phrase incorporates the spice and all that it entails. It must flow to keep the universe flowing. Its abundance on the planet changes the nature of its natural citizens, the Fremen--whose eyes turn an eeire blue from living, eating and breathing spice. This rule applies to anyone who lives on the planet long enough, and becomes one with the spice and the worms who produce it. 

Like Paul here

Even if your characters do not use magic, that doesn't mean that they can't be affected by it. Depending on how you build your magic system, this can come across in several ways:

• Physical 
• Spiritual 
• Natural
• Mental 

These decisions will affect your magic in society. If your magic, through exposed contact, turns people's eyes blue, then that will affect everything in the society from the bottom up. 

4. Magic as Humanity 

Just how important is it for you to have magic in your world? Is your magic isolated from humanity, or is it so important that it defines your characters' existence?

Though a drug (albeit a drug with magical powers), the spice changes the very nature of humanity. Eyes turn an eeire blue. Navigators are able to see through space. Houses fight and kill to control the desert planet that produces the spice, creating discord within the universe.

Will your magic be so integrated that it is central to humanity's existence? Why is it so important that your characters use (or not use) magic? In my opinion, what makes epic fantasy so amazing to read is how a fantastical element, such as a magic system, reveals something about human existence, or brings your world (and characters) to a new level of being that works with the rules you have created. 

Silly as the 1984 movie version of Dune is, ending with the element of rain on an arid planet signals to viewers that a change is about to occur, something that will shake the very foundations of the universe presented to us. And for better or for worse, we have yet to see the galactic aftermath.

By linking all of your ideas generated from the prompts above, and figuring out why you want to build a magic system, you can create something really wonderful.

5. Final Thoughts

All of these things integrate within one another, and together bring real flavor to your fantasy world. These ideas naturally build upon one another to create something unique.

And, since you may be wondering why I've been pulling pictures from the 1984 movie version instead of the superior 2000 mini-series, well...

So many famous people, and so very bad. I have a soft spot for bad sci fi movies (and yes I own this version in addition to the kickass mini-series). I hope this has been helpful for bringing your epic fantasy magic system to the next level of awesome, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Have anything you want to add? Agree? Disagree? Write in the comments below!


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