04-23-2003, 12:07 AM | #1 |
Deus Ex Machina
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Magic in stories
What are your views/advice on using magic in a fantasy novel?
I used to have half the characters in my stories using it but then I decided I didn't like it and re-constructed things so that magic use was much more limited. How do you all deal with magic in your writings?
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04-23-2003, 12:48 AM | #2 | |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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Copied from another thread:
Quote:
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04-23-2003, 05:50 PM | #3 |
Empress of the Writewraiths
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I usually try to keep magic rather limited in my worlds, although there are some exceptions to that, two in particular.
In the first of two stories, I said (basically to be funny, though the story became more serious than I'd first intended it to be) that EVERY person in that world could do magic. So, because everyone could do it, no one thought much of it. And then I "learned" why magic was so common, and how it could disappear, or be stolen by a single person or a few people ... which formed the basis for the main problem my characters faced in that story. Also, one of my stories took place in a small community, where both humans and dragons dwelled. With the humans, most of the elders were non-magical, but most of the younger citizens were mages. The older humans in that community were mainly those who had left their old kingdom with their families, due to a decree by that kingdom's monarch. The dragons had given them refuge, and the kingdom's ruler (a fairly noble person despite her flaws), honored her treaty with the dragons and did not attempt to "recover" those humans from the dragons' territory. Originally, the protagonist of that story was one of the most powerful of the young magicals, but when I was writing the early history of that community, there was one non-magical child (named Violet, at the time) whom I really grew to love, more than my protagonist. After Violet "showed" me how well she adapted to being one of the few non-magical kids, and what it was like to be in that postition in the first place, I realized that she was the true main character. |
04-23-2003, 05:59 PM | #4 |
Elf Lord
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I have a lot of wizards in my book, and only a very few dark wizards. I think the situation of magic in my world is very comparable to the way the Force is set up in Star Wars. I don't mean in terms of the things people do with it; magic is a lot more powerful in my book than the weilders of the Force are in Star Wars. But the way the Jedi have a good deal of ability to eliminate enemies, except when they're totally outnumbered. And the way there are many light Jedi and only a very few dark Jedi. And in the way the dark Jedi are behind the scenes manipulating things, and not very often getting into combat except in rare, strategic attacks.
That's pretty much the way magic is in my book, at the point in time I'm writing about now. And just like the Jedi Council had influence over events, the Rainbow Council has influence over events. Only the Rainbow Council is in charge of the country and has large political power and a huge network of alliances; it's not just a government authorized police group like the Jedi were. |
04-24-2003, 07:31 AM | #5 |
Sapling
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I agree with whoever said that magic should be limited. I think it should be pretty much reserved for climactic scenes and battles. Usually its the bad guys who have lots of magic in my stories, and the good guys just have to try and beat em anyhow.
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04-24-2003, 03:48 PM | #6 | |
Enting
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As I said in another thread, There are different kinds of magic in my stories. Elves and other races of that kind perform magic in a subtle way; wizards, on the other hand, like to be flashy. :P
What I do to limit it is try to think of what characters *can't* do, so I can't go overboard and give everything a magical solution- there'd be no plot if I did! Quote:
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"...So the essential Quest started at once. But I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner at the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than had Frodo. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlórien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there. Far away I knew there were the Horse-lords on the confines of an ancient Kingdom of Men, but Fangorn Forest was an unforeseen adventure." ~ J. R. R. Tolkien |
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04-24-2003, 05:03 PM | #7 |
FloraAzul
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I've posted on one like this before and I still believe that you should put limitations on character's that have magic.
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04-24-2003, 07:47 PM | #8 |
Elven Warrior
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I am limiting the use of magic in my book. Some characters will have an inborn ability to tap into magic, while others will have special, specific abilities, e.g. a shapeshifter. Peace.
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04-27-2003, 02:09 AM | #9 |
protector of orphaned rabbits
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usually all my plots have to do with modern people in the real world, so there's not alot of magic... but think that eventually it would be fun to just create something like that.. but i would most likely take a more hidden secret approach to it.
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04-27-2003, 06:02 PM | #10 |
Belladona Gamgee of the night sky
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I used to think Magic was alright, but know I don't know what to think. I guess it's not harmful if the use is kept to a minimum. Of course that's entirely my opinion and view, I'm not saying it's the only right way.
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04-27-2003, 08:00 PM | #11 |
Elf Lord
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These things are to keep things on a more even, or dramatic level, correct?
We definitely have to have limitations on our magic. Having someone with magic able to do anything leaves very little room for story or for struggle between good and bad characters. The magic, though, can be fine while it's strong if you've planned it that way. It's a matter of taste whether or not you want to make it strong or not, though strong magic does probably take more work to plan out then weak or subtle magic. |
04-27-2003, 08:02 PM | #12 |
Elf Lord
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As for myself, I tend to favor strong magic . That's only in my novel though; subtle magic is also really great.
It really depends upon how affectively it's been used as to how much I like it. Subtle magic in Tolkien was used to wonderful, wonderful affect. Strong magic in Wheel of Time was used to very good affect also. |
04-27-2003, 08:13 PM | #13 |
Elven Warrior
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This is a great forum! Possibly it will prove to be the end and cynosure of the Entmoot.
IMO, magic is like candy -- you don't want a steady diet of it or it gets real boring and nonnutritious. But a little at a crucial moment is wonderful - as having Gandalf able to start fires -- actually his magic is pretty limited when you think about it. Sauron has more apparent power, with the Ringwraiths and the ring itself. None of the races of men, dwarves and hobbits use magic, only the elves who seem to treat it more as a technology, denying that its really magic. |
04-27-2003, 08:17 PM | #14 |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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I disagree. Spells were laid by Men upon the blades of Westernesse found in the Barrow-wights. And Gandalf said he once knew every spell in the tongues of Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs, I think.
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04-27-2003, 08:18 PM | #15 |
Elven Warrior
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I really think the only magic in middle-earth is only a shadow, a small bit of what was left from the first age and before.
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04-27-2003, 10:17 PM | #16 |
Elven Warrior
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In my story, magic is used extensively by the Elves, especially the High Elves of the country Mundara. In the story, you can only use magic when there is light from the Sun or Moon, which the Elves worship greatly. So when it's a night of the new moon, or if clouds block the moon or sun, magic is not usable. There are a few who can use magic in darkness, named Urion, Shel'Kaara and Amhrobis: A High Elf, Wood Elf and Dark Elf.
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04-27-2003, 10:19 PM | #17 |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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For some reason, I seem to remember Amhrobis being a god?
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04-27-2003, 11:31 PM | #18 | |
Elven Warrior
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Quote:
If Middle-earth is really our world in its prehistory, then spells would be no more effective then than they are now. Except for Elves, who are all gone away now. |
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04-27-2003, 11:38 PM | #19 |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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Why do you say that? Why would Gandalf bother to mention it, when talking about spells to open doors, if it was just poppycock and pishtosh?
What did you think "Edro, edro!" "Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!" "naur an edraith ammen!" "Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!" were?
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Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle |
04-27-2003, 11:43 PM | #20 | |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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Quote:
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Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle |
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