For a fantasy story, does this sound like a good ‘concept’ of magic?
The world it’s set in is almost exactly like the America in the early 1930s, but with a few major differences. One of these is that ‘magic’ exists. Okay, so it’s nothing like the magic you’re used to in fantasy. In order to gain any sort of supernatural power, a person (It could be a person of any age, but there’s a higher chance of survival the younger you are) goes to a priest who performs certain complicated rituals, and subsequently throws the power-seeker into a fire. You see, to gain magic in this world you have to make a sacrifice to gain the power. For example, the fire would entirely burn off a person’s legs but leave the rest of their body unharmed, and after a while the person would discover and begin to train their new self-levitation ability. Make sense? How this magic system works:
<> Person willingly sacrifices part of their body to gain powers.
<> It isn’t always a body part- sometimes a person could lose their sight or hearing or their ability to see beauty.
<> The sacrifices are random, depending on the movement of the flames. They don’t get to choose what they give up.
<> And neither to they get to choose the gained power. Sometimes it will be something almost useless, sometimes it will be something incredibly destructive or amazingly useful.
<> There is a slight chance that the “fire bath” necessary to gain magic powers will kill, and the chances of this happening increase with age.
<> When powers are used they either drain a persons energy or a tiny bit of a person’s life span depending on the destructiveness/potency/usefullness/power of the spell.
I wanted to try to come up with a way of magic working that has never been used before, and I need enough disadvantage caused by magic so that not many people in my world would want it. How does this sound?
It’s a very odd story, and the main character is actually the villian.
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Tagged with: 1930s • Bod • fantasy • fantasy story • flames • legs • life span • lt • Magic 105 • magic powers • Magic System • Magic World • odd story • potency • power seeker • Rituals • sacrifice • self levitation • supernatural power • survival • tiny bit • Train • villian
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If you were seeking an original concept for your story, you have surely succeeded! You seem to have your story well planned, and it does sound somewhat intriguing. However, I am almost certain that I would not want to read such a story! Sorry! I find the fire sacrifice plot disturbing, and equally so the idea that main character is to be the villain. I’m not so naive that I am attracted only to "happily ever after" fairy tale type novels, but I am a bit repelled by your proposed plot. However, I would still give it a chance if you were to post an excerpt of the actual story; the story would obviously be different from your unemotional description of your proposed plot. My advice then: If you are committed to your story-line, and if you can write it compellingly, then see what happens when you actually write the story. If you can create an intriguing story, you definitely do have an original idea! Good luck!
actually it isn’t to bad. many books have the element of working for, and sacrificing for, the magic though, not just having it. (Dragonlance is a prime example Raislin is always physically weak and sees people aging and dying when he looks at them)
Well, I could say that the sacrifices sound really familiar…but other than that, go for it. However I’m not sure if a priest would be the one doing all of the rituals and magic and sacrifices they would consider ‘pagan’…The time period struck my interest so this magic method has creativity.
I think this is really good. Often in fantasy stories, magic is already being and there is no history of how it came to be. And it’s stupid. Your idea is logical (as logical as magic can be (= ) and makes sense.
It would also ensure that magic was a rare thing, because im sure a small amoutnof people would willingly sacrfice an unknown body part for what could be a useless piece of magic.
i think that is one of the most creative stories ive ever heard
if you are planning on writing this or whatever probably sell a lot it you write it well
I think it sounds fantastic. Honestly, I would read this. I’m not a huge fan of sticking by the villain though, but if you could pull it off, I would love to read this. It makes me wonder how far a person would go for power.
Also, I think you should study psychology before you begin… just so you know enough about human behavior before taking on the difficult task of sacrifice.
Good luck.
I hope you get published.
i think it sounds pretty good. It’s definitely different.
So it’s kind of like fullmetal alchemist alchemy?
"Alchemy’s first Law of equivalent exhange:
Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return.
To obtain, something of equal value must be lost"
I mean technically alchemy is a science, a medieval form of chemistry based on transforming matter. But that could be looked at as kind of like magic. Magic is kind of a subjective term after all.
I like your idea, it’s interesting. Though it does seem like it would make an odd story setting. A bunch of people hopping around on one leg, or walking around with one arm, or people with no eyes, or the loss of changing the tone of their voice (That would be cool…). I do wonder what the story is about…
I am slightly curious about why you would choose 1930’s america for you setting, as conservatism in the US was running rather high at that time. It’s kind of an odd match to add this "magic" of yours into the mix. Maybe you could make this existing form of magic kind of a taboo to further go along with your setting of choice, and to add another disadvantage to choosing to partake in it. I mean personally having magical powers would be great, and if I really think about it losing a leg, or an eye would be alright with me as long as I could fly or move objects with my mind. And you have to take into account that in a world where it’s known that there are people walking around with lost limbs of abilities that the idea of it would not sound half as bad as it does in our world where magic supposedly doesn’t exist.
It is just a suggestion though. Your idea sounds good as it is. I was just running off an idea.
[I have a story where one of the main characters is supposed to be the villain as he was born a serial killer and works for a secret organization of scientists who wish to destroy the current world as they know it and create a new one of "peace" where everyone would be sane, and happy, and lawfully moral. But he's not really evil, he just has a few issues, and is struggling to find who he is, and if he really was just born to be a killer.]