kumaroo

[kumaroo]

Some Magic-Related Vocabulary

for your next poem/story

Amulet: An object worn, carried or placed to guard against negativity or other vibrations. A protective object.

Astral Projection: The practice of separating the consciousness from the physical body so that the former may move about unhindered by time, space or gravity.

Bane: A poison; that which destroys life. "Henbane" is poisonous to hens.

Banish: To drive away evil, negativity or spirits.

Beltane: An ancient folk-festival day observed by Witches that celebrates the fully blossomed spring. April 30 or May 1.

Censer: A vessel of metal or earthenware in which incense is burned. An incense burner.

Chaplet: A garland or wreath of flowers or leaves worn on the head, as in the chaplets given to classical Greek heroes as symbols of honor.

Clairvoyance: Literally "clear seeing." The ability to perceive facts, events and other data by other than the five "normal" senses, unaided by tools.

Curse: A concentration of negative and destructive energy, deliberately formed and directed toward a person, place or thing.

Divination: The art of finding things out through means other than the five senses, using tools such as tarot cards, crystal balls, and so on.

Enchant: "Sing to." Magically speaking, a procedure whereby herbs are aligned with your magical need prior to their use.

Evil Eye, The: Supposed glance capable of causing great harm or fear, once almost universally feared.

Fascination: The art of placing other people under one's power through sounds, gazes, colors, etc.

Hex: An evil spell; a curse.

Incubus: A male demon or spirit which was believed to sexually tempt and abuse women; the succubus was the corresponding female demon.

Infusion: An herbal tea.

Lughnasadh: An old harvest festival celebrated on August 1st or 2nd in Europe, reverencing the abundant (harvested) fruits of the Earth. It is still observed by Wicca.

Magic: The practice of causing needed change through the use of powers as yet undefined and unaccepted by science.

Magic Circle: A ritually-created circle (or sphere) that offers protection to the magician during magical rites.

Magician: A person of either sex who practices magic.

Magus: A magician.

Midsummer: The Summer Solstice, usually on or near June 21st, one of the Wiccan festival days and an excellent time to practice magic.

Pendulum: A tool of divination which consists of a heavy object suspended from a string or cord. The end of the cord is held between the thumb and forefinger; questions are asked and their answers divided by the movements of the pendulum.

Pentagram: A five-pointed star which has been used in magic for centuries. Highly symbolic, it is also a protective device.

Poppet: A small doll made of various substances to influence a person's fife. In herb magic, either a carved root or a cloth image stuffed with herbs. The use of poppets is known as "image magic."

Power Hand, The: The hand you write with; the dominant hand. This is a magically potent hand.

Samhain: An ancient festival day marking the beginning of winter. Also known as "Halloween" and All Hallows Eve. It is observed by Wicca with religious ceremonies.

Scry: To gaze into a pool of ink, fire, crystal ball, etc. to awaken and summon psychic powers.

Spell: A magical rite.

Talisman: An object worn or carried to attract a specific influence, such as love, luck, money, health; as opposed to an amulet which keeps forces from its bearer.

Wicca: A contemporary religion with spiritual roots in prehistory that worships the life-force of the universe as personified as a God and Goddess. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as "witchcraft."

Witch Bottle: A bottle or jar containing herbs, pins, shards of glass and other objects, designed to protect a person or area from evil and curses. Usually buried or placed in a window.

Witchcraft: The practice of natural magic, as that of herbs, stones, and candles. Spell-casting. Still used by some to refer to the religion of Wicca.

Wort: An old word meaning "herb." Mugwort preserves the term.

Excerpt from Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs More: Word Lists ⚜ Esoteric Vocabulary ⚜ On Magic

[kumaroo]

Writing Notes: Magic Systems

Magic - change wrought through unnatural means

Most fantasy can be placed along a spectrum where there are 3 main points: soft magic at one end, hard magic at the other, and a middle ground between the two.

Soft Magic

Magic that is not well-defined for the reader.

Generally, we don’t understand where the magic comes from, who can use it, or what its limitations are.

Readers can see this type of magic being used.

But they can never anticipate when magic will be used in the plot because they can’t begin to guess how it works.

You can’t break a rule if the rules don’t exist!

Most stories that feature this system will have the magic users be secondary characters, allowing them to avoid explaining exactly how the magic works.

It’s also argued that without knowing everything about the magic, it tends to hold more wonder and excitement for readers.

Hard Magic

Has very rigid boundaries.

Readers know where the magic comes from, how it’s used, who uses it, and what its boundaries and limitations are.

We know the limitations of the characters and can understand why they can’t simply magic themselves out of any particular challenge.

Stories with hard magic systems do not need to avoid the main character being a magic-wielder, as they have the capacity to explain to the reader what is going on.

A lot of writers this system because it gives them very explicit guidelines to follow in their plot and creates some more satisfying pay-offs for readers.

The Middle Ground

The meeting point between the soft and hard systems.

We might understand a bit about the way the magic works, but not all our questions are answered.

While most of the content adheres to rules, these rules aren’t fully explored.

This system relies on the reader’s suspension of disbelief.

The main character can be a magic-wielder or not, and it’s up to the writer to determine when magic will be used in terms of plot.

How to Choose a System

You can and should use these guiding principles to build your magic system. Remember that you don’t have to choose one or the other. Your system can draw from aspects of both. Just stay aware of the weaknesses of the path you choose, and ensure you utilize its strengths.

Use a hard magic system if:

You are going to use magic to solve problems

Your audience is accustomed to the tropes of hard magic

You are okay with jumping through hoops to expand your system

Your magic doesn’t convey a theme

Use a soft magic system if:

You want to convey a theme through magic

You want to create a sense of wonder

You want the ability to expand easily

You want to be accessible to a broader audience

Your magic won’t regularly be used to solve problems

Branches of Magic

Like most writing processes, there isn’t really a correct place to begin designing a magic system. A common, and efficient, place to start, however, is by choosing what type of magic system(s) you wish to employ, such as:

Nature-based magic: water, earth, fire, air, and everything in between

Divination magic: see beyond sight and peer through time and space

Conjuring magic: move objects through space over any distance

Psychic magic: master the world of the mind

Life and death magic: tap into the very forces of life, death, and un-death with this surprisingly versatile collection

Animal- or creature-exclusive magic: some creatures just do it better

Magitech systems: the blurring lines of sorcery and science give magic a next-gen, high-tech flair

Eclectic magic: it doesn’t have to be “real” magic to have a real effect

Uncommon magic systems: the unsung heroes of fantasy magic

AALC Method

How to create your own magic system using the AALC (Appearance, Abilities, Limits & Cost) Method

Appearance

What the magic looks like

Makes the world feel more exotic

Can cause problems for characters but cannot solve them

Usually tied to a character arc

Abilities

What the magic does

Points calculated based on magical effect, range, number of people affected, and duration

Characters have a finite amount of fuel (mana) to use abilities

More powerful abilities require more fuel

The fuel does not have to be overt for the audience to understand

If points not overt, cannot solve conflicts unless a cost system is added

Limits

Unlimited uses of magical abilities

Abilities stratified in codified levels defined by their limits

The more the levels' abilities and limits are known by the audience, the more they can be used to solve conflicts

Focused on clever uses of abilities against stronger foes

Cost system can be added to enhance dramatic moments

Cost

Costs must be greater than or equal to abilities to make them dramatically satisfying

Costs can include time, exhaustion, materials, sanity, morality, etc.

Adds dilemma to magic by forcing characters to make choices

The greater the character's sacrifice, the more audience satisfaction at conflict resolution

Each system builds on the previous ones, so that Cost Systems use all four, while Point Systems only care about Abilities and Appearance.

Multiple systems can exist within the same story, and systems can harden over the course of the story.

The Force, for instance, has been a Soft, Point, Level, and Cost System depending on who wrote it at the time.

SOFT SYSTEMS (Appearance Only)

Window Dressing - magic for secondary characters; can instigate conflict but cannot solve it; e.g., Gandalf

Soft Villain - No explanation or upper limits needed; makes villains more powerful to make heroes greater underdogs; e.g., The Emperor

Chosen One - Unknown power keeps hero safe throughout story; can be considered plot armor unless earned through character arc

Sort Hero Incomplete - Curse or positive ability the character cannot control; hero still learning limits of ability at story's end; powers and arc continued in next adventure

Soft Hero Complete - Hero embraces ability to complete arc and solve main conflict; magic must become harder in subsequent adventures

POINT SYSTEMS (Appearance + Abilities)

Points Opaque - Non-explicit reservoir of energy fuels powers; cannot solve main problems without cost option because characters finding hidden energy reserve feels like deus ex machina

Points Hard - Both abiliites and points system must be explicit like in video games; becomes about resource management; easy to understand but takes sense of wonder out of magic

LEVEL SYSTEMS (Appearance + Abilities + Limits)

Soft Level Static - Unchanging power without upper limits; cannot solve conflicts because feels repetitive; power must be used cleverly; e.g., Wolverine's healing factor

Soft Level Advancing - Increased powers or new powers with unknown limits; cannot solve conflicts unless tied to a character arc like Soft Hero Complete, at which point "unlocks" new abilities

Hard Level Static - Unchanging abilities with clear-cut limits; can solve conflicts so long as setup is properly seeded, usually resulting in sacrifice; e.g., Genie

Hard Level Advancing - Well-established abilities with limits; can solve conflicts based upon clever uses of abilities, usually against stronger foes; e.g., Airbender

COST SYSTEMS (Appearance + Abilities + Limits + Cost)

Static Cost - Well-established cost remains consistent for each use of ability; can solve conflicts since based on personal sacrifice

Cost Fluctuating - Costs change based upon dramatic need; costs must be greater than or equal to ability; possible costs include lost time, money, sanity, health, memory, life, morality, etc.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⚜ Writing Notes ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs Writing Notes: Magic System ⚜ Fictional Items; Poisons ⚜ Fantasy

[kumaroo]

Ministry gala AU 

[kumaroo]

Measure of a Man by @inadaze22

For all Draco's actions, Hermione didn't find his truth in verbal confirmation. His truth was layered beneath the unbridled emotions that broke free in the form of a choked off smile. He tried to look away and compose himself, but she didn't let him.

Beneath the olive tree, they kissed until there was nothing beyond the vast and silent awareness of everything.

Okay so I originally drew him a little sharper and a little more subdued. Full on mysterious and all that. But while I was reading the chapter, I did imagine that a full smile might make Draco look so much younger in this scene. And so I did.

Cheers to Ina and to the existence of this beautiful fic 🍹

[kumaroo]

MOAM

@inadaze22

The full tattoo sleeve reveal

This story, y’all, I…

READ IT. TRUST ME.

**thanks to Ina for showing me the sketch she & @jaxx-in-a-box came up with for the dragon! I wanted to get as close to the picture in her head as possible 💙💙 Go! Check out the amazing Jaxx, too b/c she’s 🥰🥰

[kumaroo]

@inadaze22’s Measure Of A Man chapter 29 broke me so I decided to hurt myself more by drawing my assumption what could have went down when Draco saw Hermione 😀

[kumaroo]

Scorpius Malfoy by @inadaze22 in Measure of a Man

Excerpt:

~~~"We've got a few carrots ready to harvest, are you ready?" It earned her an apprehensive look. "Just like before, I'll show you."

Scorpius shifted closer.

"You have to loosen the soil with this." She picked up the trowel, showing him the tool before using it to break up the dirt around one carrot. "Then, once you're done, you can grip it right here at the stem and pull."

She did just that, freeing a carrot from the dirt while Scorpius looked on with wide eyes.

As soon as he dropped it in the basket, a task he'd taken upon himself, Scorpius ended up back at her side, watching as she broke up the dirt around the others in the row.

"Your turn."

There was a bit of worry in his expression, but he followed as Hermione drew him in, positioned mostly behind the little boy who concentrated on his task. Her head was right next to his as she guided his hands, making sure he was gripping the vegetable in the right place.

"Now pull."

Scorpius did and his little gloved hands uprooted an impressive carrot.

Then he beamed at her—all dimples and teeth and joy—and Hermione found her smile fading. Her heart stumbled after him as she watched him rush back to the basket to deposit his harvest.

It reminded Hermione of her tomatoes. The first time she picked them off the vine and gorged on them with Neville. Her first harvest of many. A moment so clear she could carry the memory with her through each success and setback as she built the world around her.

One that he was now in.

Scorpius rushed back and started on the next one while Hermione looked on. Her heart was full. He was so young; maybe he would remember it, maybe he wouldn't. But she would always remember this as the exact moment she truly understood what Neville had said.

There were different ways to love someone, just like there were different intensities of love.

And no, she didn't have to be a parent to feel it.~~~

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

[kumaroo]

Chp 21 Measure of a Man— Daphne & Scorpius:

Y’all... My heart ached for them. Him finding comfort in her embrace, twirling her hair that reminds him of his mother’s... Her holding onto his little body and finally feeling the connection to the one person who is a bridge to her little sister... the grief/relief is palpable. READ THIS FIC. @inadaze22

[kumaroo]

“Scorpius, with his pillow and blanket, was sleeping outside of Malfoy’s office.”


Measure of a Man


Chapter Nineteen - Wine & Whiskey


By @inadaze22


I loved this scene soo much *it hurt so good* and it would not leave my mind. This fic is also subconsciously taking over my life. 
Scorpius is my absolute favorite character in this fic.


Shout out to @mignon-chignon & @jaxx-in-a-box for lighting the fire to create again and for recommending this fic.


https://archiveofourown.org/works/26523892/chapters/64648648

[kumaroo]

Precious bffs Al & Scorp meet at last— Chp 14 Measure of a Man by @inadaze22 https://archiveofourown.org/works/26523892/chapters/70570377

[kumaroo]

happy 8th year anniversary to bangtan! ♡ 130613 cr.: namuspromised (5th muster busan), qdeoks (sy tour seoul) & miintae (sy tour são paulo)

“I don’t think I’ve ever really thought of being not a part of this group. I can’t imagine what I would do on my own, what I would do without the team. Even before we debuted my goal was to continue to work with these people, to continue to sing with these people. I think when I become older, and I grow my own beard, I would like to think that at the end, when I’m too old to dance, I would just like to sit onstage with the other members and sing and engage with the fans. And communicate with the fans. I think that would be great, too. So I’d like to keep this going as long as I possibly can.” – Jimin, 2021

[kumaroo]

Thank you for the birthmas-easter gift, Pete and Laurel! :) Come watch my streams on Mondays and Thursdays at 8pm EST! ttv|| iamkumaroo 🎮🎹🎨 #twitchstreamer #twitch #twitchaffiliate #asiantwitchstreamer #asianpianist #mymugisbetterthanyours https://www.instagram.com/p/CNLQxwJBRvu/?igshid=cgm9b8hkrw2e

[kumaroo]

E-excuse me?

mesh top hoshi 👀

[kumaroo]

idk

[kumaroo]

Yoongi and kook

Sneaky pokes. 

[kumaroo]

Made a thing for my first subscriber during my stream today! Help me hit 200 followers by the end of January and I'll learn A Little Bit Alexis... Song AND dance included!! 🤣 See all y'all on THURSDAY for my piano stream at 8PM EST! 😘🧠 ||www.twitch.tv/iamkumaroo/|| #asiangirls #asiangirl #artsandcrafts #embroidery #embroiderydesign #embroideryhoop #asiantwitchstreamer #twitchstreamer #twitch #christmasornament #randomclick #teachershavefuntoo #lolsurprise https://www.instagram.com/p/CIza8ZEhpEQ/?igshid=lolqhkptqxb5

[kumaroo]

First music stream in a little over an hour and a half at 6:30PM EST ! https//www.twitch.tv/ikumaroo/ . . . #musiclessons #pianoteacher #twitchstreamer #randomclick #asiangirl #asianpianist #teachersofinstagram #actress #teachershavefuntoo https://www.instagram.com/p/CHGq54Ohy1X/?igshid=yj6iivmjfzsb