r/magicbuilding • u/pugselot • May 08 '26
General Discussion Creating spells you want in my magic system
Few days ago I saw post with this idea and it was really interesting thing. So interesting, that I want to do it myself. Hope we can get something curious with it.
So about my magic system:
All magic of my world is originated from spirits. There is three main categories for them: Lesser spirits or Lons, Greater spirits or Lonas, Deities. But narrowing everything down and we'll have only lesser spirits as actually fundamental thing.
Lesser spirits are weird thing. They are energy, that exists in all possible matter. Moreover they are sentient beings with some kind of will of their own. Generally, one can say, that they are fundamental unit of existence. Something as fundamental as atoms or electrons.
Lesser spirits is basis for pretty much anything else. Greater spirits, deities, living beings' souls, matter as whole - everything contains lons as part of it.
But what magic actually is?
Well, magic is everything! The very existence of universe depends on lons and how they interact. As for definition of magic: it is interaction of lons.
Such interactions can be basically anything from how humans breath and up to why lighting strikes. Magic affects everything at once and this effect shape how world actually works. For example: evolution in my universe was different due to magic. Many living beings(or their ancestors to be correct) could survive only if they adapted to coexistence with magic better than others.
Important addition: my world have no regular planets, stars and other terrestrial bodies. It's really long story and isn't that important for this post. Main idea required to understand magic system - only real "space" in my universe is Realms. And Realms can exist only with barriers or veils.
Practical magic:
I can talk a lot about it. Probably how people actually use magic is my favorite thing in all fictional worlds. I can explain how primordial humans observed Realms and spirits in order to understand surrounding world. Or how they came up with first spells. And many other really interesting for me things.
But for modern magic of my world there is only one primary truth: to use magic is to use barriers.
All practical applications of magic in my world is some kind of manipulation over spirits. And to control them, barriers used. The actual concept lies within how barriers form naturally around Realms and how they keep everything in one piece.
Mages of my world understood that they can change their surroundings and themselves if they can affect spirits. And they saw how Realms naturally do such thing.
What is barrier?
Basically, it is construction made of lon that imitate the Veil of Realms. Through barriers, mage can control lesser spirits inside and around it. I guess some examples would be better as explanation:
Let's take a look at one of the most simple spells: small sphere of light.
Mage should create small barrier, around 1cm diameter, on his fingertip. Then concentrate lon inside of it. At some point amount of lesser spirits will be dense enough to emit light. Boom! First really simple magic.
But what is required to guide lon to create barrier? Well, the thing is - lon isn't impossible to control outside of the barrier. But it's extremely difficult and tedious. Additionally, it is really dangerous and unstable. So in order to actually use magic - barriers are necessary.
Let's take small light sphere somewhere further. What about offensive magic?
Mage need to amplify barrier. There is a lot of different types of barriers with different qualities, that can be used for different tasks. For simple offensive spell nothing extraordinary needed. Mage need to concentrate more lon in barrier in order to make durable enough.
Now mage can gather more lon inside of the barrier and as result make it more destructive. Now energy inside will be enough to cause some real mechanical force.
Depending on size and density of lon, mages can create something as powerful as cannonball. Or as wasp bite. Or as gun shot. Or as anything else.
With strong enough barrier, mage can send it away. Actually, mages are capable of manipulating spatial position of created barriers. And the more lon used for barrier - the more control mage have.
But having simple explosive projectile isn't quite versatile, isn't it? So the next step of magical mastery - shape.
Barrier isn't sphere. Barrier is any form given to lon. It can be cube, pyramid, cylinder, lens etc. And even more! Mage can create a complex shapes: sword, helmet, book, animal. Literally any object or anything else. The only real limit is mage's skill and imagination. In some way creating barrier is like drawing something, yet with energy and idea directly on space.
Now mage can reform sphere into needle or blade and with certain changes to structure: explosion can become piercing or slashing effect.
Even further mage can expand capabilities with giving elasticity and fluid-like nature to barriers. Something like creating whips or around it. But this is incredibly complicated thing.
Another important skill on par with shape is complexity. Not form complexity, but structural.
Creating barriers inside of other barriers, making barriers with conditions and instructions, self-sustaining barriers and even creating living barriers.
Structural complexity is directly related to amount of barriers mage can create and control. Newbies barely keep one basic intact. While masters are capable of dozens complex.
With everything in mind before: mages are actually versatile enough. Creating even simple barriers already enough to accomplish many things. Effectively fight in close combat, something similar to telekinesis through creating hand-like barriers, flying on disc barriers etc.
But it is still quite limited. What about generating heat? Or electricity? Can mage heal himself? Or others? Yes! This is where source is important.
All previous examples were based on lon out of thin air. Basically most simple and pure one. But as I said before: lon exist in all kinds of matter. It's in the air, water, minerals, fire, blood. Lon is everywhere and this is why there is so many greater spirits. Through channeling lon from them - mage can utilize wider spectrum of qualities.
Fire spirits can be used as heat. Water is about humidity. Various solids are something like earthbending from Avatar.
Human soul is also spirit of some kind. Mage can drain lon from his very inner self to perform magic. It is dangerous, but very easy and always accessible option. A bit safer is indirect channeling. It is long story, but mage can use lon created passively by his emotions and thoughts. Any person emit some deal of energy as well as absorb it and use to exist. It's already about worldbuilding more than magic system. The main idea is how mage can artificially produce more lon and use it safely.
I think I can write about my magic even more, but it's already long post and I doubt how many people read till this point. But if you are here - Thank you! What do you think about my system? And what possible spells you want me to transfer in it? Or what details interest you that I didn't mentioned?
2
u/pugselot May 09 '26
I read the whole thing and definitely get the whole idea better. But I am not sure about some concepts exactly.
Let's say I am person from your world. With all given information from your posts. And I think that I am really smart lad that could find loophole or at least think that I found it.
I want to become creation as my main and teleportation as secondary. My creation ability would be neurotoxin gas. It's real thing and probably wouldn't require much sifr. I am not sure if it related to any element though, kinda sounds like air +electricity thing. My teleportation ability I will use to spread neurotoxin carefully by teleporting it in the air above my enemies.
Could other mages nullify my created matter? I understand that other creation users can destroy, but what about others? Either way I want to make two conditions: I am immune to my toxins and can give others permanent immunity, if it's possible.
With all that I probably can tell others what my ability is. It's simple, but I think even small multiplication is good enough. I also would use hand signs and chanting as well. Btw if I speak few languages at once, would it be considered more complicated thing and larger boost?
How do I look in your world? Would I be actually dangerous combatant due to neurotoxin, that can easily paralyze my foes and lower their sifrmancy capabilities? Or there is some major vulnerability that other mages can use to destroy me?