Sunday 18 May 2003

Pic of the day: Glowing with magic? Gold and green forests, as we say here in Norway when someone promises the impossible.

Sunday Magic World building

Often, half the fun of reading a fantasy (or sci-fi) book is seeing how its world works. Plot and characters can be found in all kinds of fiction, but mainstream fiction does not allow much world building. If you write a novel in which China won the Cold War, you are pretty much waving goodbye to your mainstream readers and plunging into the murky waters of Alternate History. In that case, you may just as well go all out and make your own world.

Science Fiction has a lot more room for world-building, but in the last few decades scientific accuracy has been ascending in the genre. Sometimes the exposition in a SF book look like an article in Scientific American. (And occasionally an article in Scientific American looks like the exposition in a SF book too...)

But magic fantasy still retains almost unlimited scope for world building. I think that is part of why I love magic fantasy, both reading and not least writing. Some magic worlds have made a lasting impression on many who read the books: Tolkien's Middle Earth comes to mind readily, but also Stephen Donaldson's The Land (from his Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series). I guess Piers Anthony's Xanth also fits in here, although it is rather less clearly defined.

***

In fantasy novels, the magic system is often at the center of the world, and of the book. Certainly I have read – and bought – books out of interest for their magic systems, books that I otherwise did not find remarkable. The best example would probably be the Deathgate Cycle. I cannot even remember who wrote these books, but the magic there was quite interesting. In the end, I skipped the boring book and jumped to the appendix about magic, then put the book away. I haven't read it since. And then there are the books of Melanie Rawn, in which she has given herself entirely over to constructing elaborate noble houses with their holdings and pedigrees and whatever nobles live for ... and then suddenly kill them all! The girl has issues, I believe, either that or (even worse) some kind of nobility-killing fetish. Anyway, her magic systems are generally interesting, and the only redeeming feature I have found to her books.

Some magic systems are patterned on real-world beliefs, such as the clerical magic in Katherine Kurtz Deryni books. I can recommend her Grimoire, for those who are not easily tempted into believing that magic might actually work. (Since this is white magic mostly, you should be fairly safe trying it too ... but don't blame me if something goes wrong, for instance if you are forcibly committed to a psychiatric ward...)

In Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time we learn a lot about the magic, it is described in an almost scientific manner so the reader will have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the various magic- wielders. (It is also well suited for role-playing games.) In contrast, Tolkien's magic is rather nebulous at the best of times, and he pulls the occasional Deus ex Machina with it (Gandalf, anyone?). But he can get away with that, because his world is so vividly painted. If the inhabitants of Middle Earth can accept magic moving in mysterious ways, so can we.

***

The reason why I am bringing this magic fantasy stuff up now is of course my own feeble attempt at fantasy fiction again. I have various templates of my own for magic worlds, but I thought to use one that would be fun and intuitive, since this is a light-hearted, teen-rated story. Anything that would need a lengthy exposition would be overkill.

So I decided to go with the basic premise in Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, that nature is suffused with magic, but some things are more magical than others. This is pretty much the worldview of "primitive" people, and should be easy to grasp. Not having to involve deities is a bonus here. And definitely no demons. This is to be friendly and relaxed, and demons are neither.

As for which objects to imbue with magic power, I decided once again to use a "primitive" concept, sympathetic magic, or likeness. Yellow wood gives off light, red wood gives off heat, when awakened properly. Heart- shaped leaves, used as a bandage, will heal wounds. (Don't try this at home, kids!)

I want everyone to be able to do a little magic. There are no mages, born to handle magic. But like with other skills, some people will specialize in magic and get much better at it. Even total amateurs, however, can help perform magic by taking part in collective rituals. These may be simple or elaborate, depending on what you want to achieve. But every person who agrees with the purpose of the ritual, adds to its strength. People who disagree, will weaken the magic or stop it completely – even if they are in a minority. (Again, this should be familiar, as the idea is similar to organized religion.)

Well, that's basically as far as I have come. I have so far considered against magic items (amulets, +2 swords, all that jazz) ... I think I can do as well without it. It's not a dungeon hack after all, just some 16 year old boy who just can't believe he is not a hero. Then again, when could they ever?