#i know this is complex but i love complex magic systems

[cloud-somersault]

i made a hard magic system to explain the powers in the show, and through that, I can like. Tell you which spell or school of magic was used to do most anything. and I did that because the show didn't have time to (giving them the benefit of the doubt) plus it's cool to just. sometimes let the rule of cool work instead of explaining things.

but that's also dangerous because then when we go into power levels or anything like that, we don't have that magic system to fall back onto to explain why one character beat the other or why one character is stronger than the other.

So I have a sort of list. And then I'm going to make a visual for people to understand. Let's dive into the magic system, shall we~?

Let's start with the basics of magic. To cast a spell, you need a base of magic, something to draw from, and the literal words of the spell. This is inspired from Wukong using magic in JTTW. A lot of the bones of this magic system comes from the novel and how they did things.

So, when I say, "you need magic" I mean you need some form of magic as a base to start with. And you use that base of magic to direct it to interact with something (elemental) or to like...use other spells (teleportation/manipulation/also elemental).

But let's get some visuals. I think that'll help.

So here we have some of the school of magic that are commonly used as a base to perform spells. For instance, Macaque uses shadow magic. Red Son uses elemental magic (fire specifically) as a base. Wukong uses celestial.

You'll notice that some subsets of magic are hooked to those that are used as a base. That's because those subsets of magic require that specific type of magic in order to be cast. For example, you can only possess someone using death magic. You can only use time magic with spatial magic as a base.

Now let's look at someone like Nezha. He uses celestial magic as a base, then uses elemental (fire) spells. That's where his pink fire comes from. Lady Bone Demon used death magic as a base, but then used elemental (ice) spells.

It's different from Red Son who uses fire magic as a base. Let's get another visual to help.

Here, we actually have the other subsets of magic. This is where all the meat is. Now, let's look at some examples with both these visuals.

Let's do Lady Bone Demon.

So, we need a base first. Her base was Death magic. Then we look at the second image, and she can use death magic to cast any of those spells in the green.

Let's say she wants to do some teleportation magic. She'd use death as a base and use that to cast the teleportation spell. The spell then changes because she used death magic as a base.

Compared to Macaque who uses shadow magic as a base, when he uses a teleportation spell, it looks different. He can travel between shadows. If Lady Bone Demon used a teleportation spell with death magic as a base, she'd...travel...between graveyards or corpses. Or bone pits. It would be death related.

Let's dissect Nezha. So, we go to the first picture and we pick celestial magic as a base. Then let's say he wants to cast a...wood spell (his pink flowers). So he's using celestial + wood = pink flowers for Nezha!

Let's do Azure next. He uses celestial magic as a base, then we go down to the second image and pick something. Azure wants to cast a...materialization spell (to summon his sword) and he does so! and his sword materializes from his hand. Celestia + materialization = sword for Azure!

Now, each school of magic visualized here requires something to work. Like I said before, we need the base of magic, something to draw from, and the spell itself (the words). So let's get into the specifics of what we're drawing from when we cast a spell in that second picture.

For transformation magic, we need to use breath+spirit+visualization. Wukong explains this to MK.

Here's are some other examples.

Celestial: soul/being Death: soul/being Elemental: motion Manipulation: mind+touch Shadow: mind+heart Illusion: Sign+mind+visualization Teleportation: visualization+soul/being+mind

Maybe if we break it down by individual spells, it'll be easier LMFAO. Let's say Wukong wants to use an earth spell. He'd use celestial magic as a base, then use motion, and then mutter the words of the specific spell.

Let's say Macaque wants to cast a manipulation spell. He'd use shadow magic as the base, then use mind and touch (meaning he has to touch the person/object he's trying to manipulate) and then he'd say the specific words of the spell.

The red subsets of magic on the second picture refer to them being in another class. Sleep/immobilization/mind control all fall into manipulation magic. I wasn't sure where to put them (I ran outta room).

So, Wukong wants to cast a sleep spell. He'd use celestial magic as a base, use mind and touch (manipulation), and then say the words of the specific spell.

Red Son uses fire magic as a base. So, everything he does takes motion. Let's say he wants to use teleportation spell. He'd use motion first (elemental) then he'd use visualization/soul/mind (teleportation), and then he'd mutter the words for the specific spell.

It's also entirely possible for characters to change what magic they use as a base. Macaque, for example, as a celestial primate has celestial magic inside of him at all times. However, he chooses to use shadow magic as a base.

Wukong, also, could switch to using let's say...fire magic as a base. That would mean if he used fire magic to direct the wind and cloud somersault, it'd make a huge cloud of flame! dangerous. Let's be glad he doesn't do that.

I think i've covered the basics. If you're confused and this doesn't make sense, feel free to send an ask. I mostly used this for reference and I haven't explained it to anyone else. So I may have fucked it up, but I hope the visuals help LMFAO

[tenrose]

I'm 130 pages into the Obelisk Gate and I have theories™

The orogenes and the obelisks kinda act as the moon, since there is no moon (I still can't cope with that fact. I mean in terms of stability, also I don't remember book 1 talking about tide cycles (if it did the plot twist would have been more foreseeable) but I really need to know how the fuck does it work without a moon. I mean clearly, their Earth is fucked and not having a moon is probably a main reason why. So yeah I think the obelisks are somehow acting as the moon, and I guess it's gonna be all fun and games (or not) when an orogene decides to pull out the fucking moon back to earth's orbit. I mean if she's still somewhere in space or if they artificially recreate a new moon or whatever. The moon thing is so wild, I'm barely apprehending what it all entails tbh.

Second theory. Now this one is solely based on the very first Schaffa's POV chapter I've read so it's probably wrong. But I think there's a link between the Guardians and the stone eaters. I only made that assumption because when Schaffa and whatever possesses him now, drained people it immediately made me think of the stone eater who apparently eat orogenes. Seriously what the fuck? And it was clearly said that he was fed better with orogenes so yeah. That, also the fact that stone eater are apparently forming bonds with an orogene in particular, quite like a orogene is bound to their guardian. I mean there's definitely something shady going there. I genuinely can't wait to discover what's fucked up with the guardians, we've only had little things for now but I guess book 2 is gonna dive deeper into that lore. I expect for it to be very fucked up.

Anyway I'm very early in the book so this might be completely wrong, I will probably readjust my thoughts while progressing. However I might pride myself in having guessed some things right in the first book. Imo it was very good at making the reader guess and theorise about some stuff, while hiding something big in plain sight. Like the fucking moon. Seriously I think about that every night when I look at the moon now. I'm glad to have her.

[agirlwithglam]

Motivation: things to like about these subjects

Math:

Isn’t math kinda magical in a way? See, the thing about math is that it’s the same in every country! Every equation, no matter how hard or complex or long, can easily be broken down into much easier ones, (like simple adding, multiplying, dividing, or subtracting) Once you know what’s going on, it’s not really that hard. (+ take cute notes!!)

Science:

Ookay, honestly? Science is genuinely so interesting! How your body works, how plants create their own food, how the whole solar system was made/ operates, whether there’s other life out there, chemical reactions & experiments? If you actually tried to be fascinated by it, you’ll be surprised how incredible it all is! (+ take cute notes!!)

English:

Me personally, I loveee English. You can too by trying to romanticise it!

If you’re doing poetry, like what’s there not to like? Poetry is such a beautiful language, it’s a way of expression through gentleness.

Writing short stories? This is my favourite. You can write it about anything, the possibilities are endless! Doesn’t it excite you?

History

Don’t try to remember facts and dates of events, try to learn the story behind it. You’ll find that it actually becomes so much more interesting if you remember the story, the emotions, the plots of the event.

Romanticising: hot chocolate or some hot coffee, studying at home, hair in a messy bun, playing some classical music in the background.

(+ also in class when you’re taking notes, you can doodle pictures of the people (stick figures for me lol), how they’d feel like or events on the side to add a bit of fun to it)

And honestly, history is such ‘romance subject’ (like arts, music, literature, languages)

Geography

Become good at it. If you don’t already have an interest in geography, then what helped me was becoming good at it. Paying attention during lessons, taking cute notes, etc. becoming good at it made it so much easier and less scary

Languages

This is also what I’d call a “Romance language”. Also dont you want to learn new languages? So many people decide to learn languages later in their lives because they find out it helps you in one way or another, but in school they’re already teaching it to you in the BEST WAY! Also knowing and being able to speak more than 1 languages fluently makes you SO powerful bc then you can speak in more countries. And also imagine how impressed people would be?!

Music

Have fun with it! It mostly depends on what you are doing in your music lessons, but what you would normally be doing is learning/ practicing an instrument. Don’t be immature and play it at random times when the teacher is talking, but just have fun with it! Again, like i said earlier, so many people start to learn music so much later in their lives and here it is being handed to you on a silver platter. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!

Art / art&design

Personally, I LOVE art!! It’s another “romance subject”. It’s a beautiful form of expression. Even though you may not be doing what you want to be doing, still have fun with it!! Be creative! And importantly: loosen up! Art, like beauty, is very very subjective. One person’s scribble can be another’s MASTERPIECE! So stop bring so worried with it being “correct”. Just have appreciation.

P.E (physical education/ sport)

I just don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t like PE. Like you don’t even have to learn anything, you just run around playing fun games. And as a bonus u get fit!

xoxo, vanilla

[dunmeshistash]

First off, thank you so much for making this account and answering questions. You are my favorite blog as someone who loves lore!

Is there any reference to Artificer type magic in any of the official content? I want to make an artificer OC, but I wanted to know if there was any official reference to how an artificer would function in the official world.

Thank you again!

-✨️🌟✨️

No problem! Although I don't really know what's artificer magic 😅

Tried to google a little and my best guess is that it probably matches elf magic the best

They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and then harnessed in their spells and inventions.

Elves also see magic as formulas

About the inventions part I guess the closest would be ancient artifacts. But in dungeon meshi they seem to be forbidden knowledge.

The dwarf leaders seem to use some technology tho, so perhaps only some is forbidden or they have special perks

Anyway I guess the tech and the magic do exist so I think it's possible? Unless I misunderstood whats an artificer lmao.

They'd probably have to be Elf since Dwarves cant use much magic, either that or a Gnome that for some reason uses elf-style magic (I imagine they wouldn't be welcome among other gnomes)

While Tallmen can use magic I think it's probable that they wouldn't be allowed to use the technology for being short-lived. So they'd be an outlaw maybe.

[rzyraffek]

Guys I suffer from jojo brainrot, I know its not my usual writing , but I need to get this out of my system. NO SPOILERS they/them pronouns, sfw, Request open

Also for obvious (and legal) reasons in josuke and okayasu ones reader is like 16.

Also I didnt finish jojo part4 yet so some stuff might be eee not accurate?

More jjba dating headcanons!!

Including Kars, Santana, young Joseph, Jonathan, Josuke, Speedwagon, Okuyasu

Kars

Homie will litteraly pet them. My guy has god complex, thinks that humans are so so smol and so so tiny

Picks them up like some lil baby and probably carries them around everywhere

S/o mostly just vibes in his huge mansion while Kars plots some evil emo stuff (again)

Quick reminder that this guy was doing ah mimimimi ah mimimimimi😴 for last few centuries so s/o has to explain him a lot of stuff

Imagine him getting jumpscared bcs your phone made a noise, or him just walking up to light switch and turing lights on and off repeatedly. Mans fascinated

Also guy is a walking muscle so no matter how big or smol s/o is they going to be picked up and carried around, probably he uses only one hand too btw

Pls brush his hair he will litteraly melt

Santana

...

"Human why you carry tiny talking square everywhere? Is it magical?"

My guy will take their phone and 'accidently' take 50selfies, but not in sexy way, but in 'his face is zoomed to camera and you see only his eyes and forehead' way

His love language is quality time, understanding and gifts

Hates germans btw

Will give them random stuff, like he will litteraly bring them a microwave and be like "human explain meaning of this". But also gives them shiny rocks, jewellery, hair accessories. If s/o wants a new car, my man gonna litteraly pick up first car he sees and bring it to them

I am convinced he eats food with his bare hands. S/o has to give him tutoral how to use knife and fork, he won't like it >:(

Young Joseph

Homeboy hands are everywhere, if my guy doesn't hold their hand, he is putting his hands on s/o shoulders or waist or just kisses them

Doing make-up together. And nails. And hair. All of this while shittalking his enemies and talking about all the drama.

Tequila Joseph first dragqueen in history btw

Never go on plane with him, no matter how romantinc he promises it will be. Do not

Also makes fun of Ceasar that Joseph was the first one to find a partner not him😍

S/o and Ceasar probably meet up sometimes to just complain about how dumb Joseph sometiems is😭

Will litteraly do anything to impress them frfr

Jonathan

Not boyfriend, but Husband material

My guy will be on walk with his homie speedwagon and litteraly act like teenager girl with crush. All blushy, shy and asking for advices

Gives them handfuls of flowers, but like Jonathan's sized handful (alot)

Loves walking with s/o and holding hands ofc

My boy will blush and die if s/o does first move

Pls s/o beat dio up he sucks

The best boy husband

Josuke

Bros gonna be so protective, like fr my guy will be worried if s/o goes to shop and doesn't come back in more than 20minutes

He will blush if s/o tries to hold his hand

Mumbles a lot about hair routine and hair products, and probably likes to comb s/o hair

Okayasu probably cried when he found out that Josuke has a partner btw

The sweetest boy alive

Guy will accidentally spoil them. Also they are basicly immortal due to all crazy daimon stuff

If s/o sees stands... OMG PLS pls hug his lil man, his stand i mean. It looks very hugable

Playing video games when s/o and josuke lied to his mom that you came over to teach him some school stuff>>

Okuyasu

This dude

This guy

Will litteraly beat anyone up, for no reason anyways. He just do be like that.

He is very dumb, please be patient

Isn't romantic, he tries to act cool and tough, but he is unintentionally cute! Like he will go to s/o house in middle of day, knock on door and he like "sup babygrill I bought you some ice cream"

If you guys play any kind of competitive game he might let them win! But he never tell them that of course

Also he is very physical, but not in romantic/sexy way but in 'dub me up homie/sup give me high five' hes very bromance. he also enjoys just leaning on them, like yall just stand waiting for bus and this dude will put like half his body weight on them

Once he had a nightmare and called them at 3am

Speedwagon

Btw sorry that characters are all over place and not organised, I am sleeby

My guy will shank anyone for you babe

Talks, a lot. So if s/o is a listener type, they will get along well

Goes to Jonathan and asks for advices about relationships!

S/o steals his hat and he pretends that he's offended, but pls dont stop you look cute!

My guy is very very...unorganised... total mess of a men if it comes to life. I dont even know if he has a house btw

Cuddles on couch when he's sure that noone is around>>>

Will read them to bed if that helps s/o fall asleep

He has poor eyesight but he doesnt wear glasses. Bonk him pls

[dduane]

I just wanted to tell you, I came across your name in a book group - someone suggested your young wizard series as something to check out if one had enjoyed Harry Potter. I didn't have any expectations going in aside from the general 'kid discovers magic is real', and I started to read last night before bed. I woke up 3 hours ago and immediately grabbed the book, and mainlined it like a junkie. I'm going to the library today to get the rest of the series. I am 43 years old, I've never written a letter to an author before, but I just had to tell you - I think your story is amazing. I loved everything about it - you followed the rules of the universe that you built, and because of that, I was able to stay in the story right alongside Nita and Kit. It is *rare* that I don't get bumped out of a book when it breaks its own universal rules - the only other ones I can think of are the Fellowship of the Ring series and the Broken Earth trilogy. Anyway, I'll stop rambling, but I just wanted you to know that your writing is incredible, and you are now on my 'recommend this author' list. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.

And thank you so much for letting me know! It's always good to hear I'm getting the job done. :)

As for the "rules" thing: I belong to one of the schools of (fantasy) writing that leans hard into the idea of limitation being key in both making things seem feel more real for your reader, and assisting them in fully grounding themselves in the story you're trying to tell them. (I just typoed that as "sell them", but that works too.)

Life is full of limitations: things you want but can't have, conditions there's no way to change but you wish you could. Without the ubiquitous reality of gravity underlying them, dreams of flying aren't worth much. So to feel real—at least from where I'm sitting—magic, to fit in, needs rules: things it can do, things it can't. The tension between those two states (and on the characters caught between them) will be a potent driver of both plot and character development. And with my eye on the drama both of those rely on, I have zero time for the "wave your wand and shit happens" approach to magic in fantasy worldbuilding. That generally strikes me as both lazy and boring.

Then once the rules have been set up, it seems to me, the writer needs to stay in them and not casually screw around with the structure... any more than gravity will let (nonwizardly) people screw around with it, no matter how much trouble they're in. Here, consistency really matters. To break the rules on a whim is to betray the reader... which is not a nice thing to do.

Anyway: I'm glad this approach is working for you so far. That said: the underlying magic system in the Young Wizards universe reveals more of its complexities as the series goes on. I'm hoping those books will work for you too.

[auriidae]

LIFESTUCK ?!?! (pt 2 here!) (pt 3)

i was sick a couple days ago and spent like 12 hours straight doing nothing but classpecting life series characters and then was like Yeah i have to draw this now. so here's some sillies 👍 (super long classpect ramble under cut because i spent far too long on it not to share hfshjf)

quick note: i really really love @/classpect-navelgazing's theories and used them for a lot of the ideas here. go check their blog out it rules :]

ok you guys flower ranchers (scott tango jimmy) are making me so insane for this au specifically because of this idea i had about doom/life players. doom in true canon is related to inevitability, fate, and knowledge of the specific rules that keep the characters trapped within their story, right. and life is sort of related to healing, physically and mentally, within the confines of the game. so within this au, the aspect of life refers to the rules within the game that the players can see and are aware of (last life’s trading lives system + boogeyman, third life’s soulmate mechanic, secret life’s tasks, etc.). life players have some amount of dominion over these elements (depending on their class, of course). doom on the other hand refers to everything surrounding the games (stuff like admin powers, the world barrier, and whatever happens to the players after they die). 

as a mage of doom, scot (his name is so funny to me. like yeah he sure is) has a bunch of intrinsic knowledge about the way the games function on a logistical level. he’s like a guy who read the script a while ago and forgot all the characters’ names but knows the basic plot and how it’s going to end. or who knows all the ins and outs of tech crew and for whom the apparent magic of the show for the audience is lost on, since he knows how it’s being done. the thing is, scot isn't especially able to act on this knowledge during the game. what director wants someone in the audience — or one of the actors — taking all the magic out of the show, spoiling how it works and how it ends? no, it’s best if they keep that knowledge to themselves — and so scot’s narratively unable to affect the stories of those around him, even his close friends who he’d want to help. he’s aware of this, of course, which makes him more than a little depressed, as he can see the futility of it all and can’t even explain to anyone what’s going on and how the game works. (the only story he’s able to affect, of course, is his own. which. depressed doom player + mage martyr complex + guy who Really cares about his friends is not necessarily a good combination.)

the amount of stock i put in the idea of gendered classes is close to zero so tangoe gets to be a maid of life because ohh my goodness. i like the theory (thanks classpect-navelgazing) of life as “the aspect of affluence,” where life players usually enter the game with some kind of material wealth or status that helps their position in some way. i also like the idea that maid players start the game with a surplus of their aspect but often end up feeling as if they’re only seen as a provider of that specific thing as a result of this, and so end up longing for something else instead. this primarily applies to last life tango because that’s the season i’m most familiar with lol, but i thought the way he started out with so many lives there and quickly dwindled as a result of everyone taking from him and only him was Really interesting. mans has all the luck of the game he could need, but only wants friends to actually be able to live with. being a life player also ties into his little gambling games and things (again, dominion over stuff within the overarching game/story, but nothing beyond that).

then we get to jimi (again fantastic name). the basic premise of an heir is that they’re played by their aspect, right and Oh Boy is jimmy played by life in the life series. i don’t personally know much about anything he’s done other than heehoo canary guy but along with the previously stated points it’s So fun to see him as a life player because it allows for some really clearly contrast between the way he interacts with tangoe and scot based on their aspects. i really like the idea of scot being like “you’re a life player jimi. it's in your name. the game is not going to let you die” and jimi like “you really think so? aw thanks man” neither of them knowing that dying as a life player in this game is literally like in the job description. (ok. i kind of feel like i’m letting jimi down by basing his story so far around other people.. but this is just for fun and i can always change it later)

(also i could easily have put tangoe and jimi as doom players too but for the fact that i don’t think they necessarily see through the game as much as scot does (or at all). and so life it is.)

feel free to ask me questions abt them!!! i have so many thoughts about this bro 

[cradle-quill]

Announcement: Sellen's Quest, an ABDL Fantasy Series by CradleQuill, Coming Soon

I'm very excited to announce that I will soon be releasing the first chapters of my upcoming ABDL fantasy series, Sellen's Quest. I've wanted to find a way to combine my love for ABDL fetish fiction with my deep passion for high fantasy storytelling, and I've landed on a story I'm quite excited about.

So what is Sellen's Quest? I intend for it to be a long-running, high fantasy epic, incorporating themes of ABDL, BDSM, humiliation, omorashi, and more! It's heavily inspired by fantasy literature, and by long-running magical girl anime/manga series like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. I plan for it to be somewhere around 100 chapters long, so it'll most likely take some time to complete, but I'm excited to see those of you hopping on at the beginning!

Sellen's Quest takes place in the fictional country of Selestia and follows the titular moon princess Sellen on her journey to defeat the great evil that has corrupted her land. Along her path, she'll meet friends and enemies alike, all with their own unique powers and challenges to face. Sellen will have to find a way to unite her allies, and defeat her enemies, before the corruption grows and her kingdom falls, all at the hands of the wicked witch queen Morrigan.

But the land of Selestia is wrought with its own obstacles, and Sellen will have to overcome them, with the help of her friends, before she'll ever have the chance to face the witch queen head-on. In this world, each phase of the moon lasts eight years, and Sellen's powers are directly tied to the moon's phases. With the world recently emerging from an age of darkness, this may be the only chance Sellen ever gets to right the wrongs of the past and restore her kingdom to its former glory. _

Key Features

Rich World-Building: Sellen's Quest will feature an immersive world, along with companion continental maps and expansive information about the world and its history.

An Actual Overarching Plot: There will be one continuous story all throughout Sellen's Quest. Rare for fetish fiction, I know. There may be various detours and side adventurers, but Sellen's overall goal of restoring her kingdom will always drive the characters forward.

Compelling Characters: The story will be primarily character-driven and will heavily focus on who the main cast are and what makes them tick. While there will be an overarching narrative, the story will progress only at the rate that it makes sense for the people involved. Every character has a detailed backstory that will be revealed over time, and their interactions with one another are the story's greatest strength.

Epic Battles and Magic: Detailed but not overly complex magic systems that allow for great creative freedom, but ground the action in a sense of consistency that allows the reader to sit back and enjoy the ride.

ABDL and BDSM Themes: Sellen's Quest was built from the ground up to incorporate elements of caregiving, dominance, submission, power dynamics, humiliation, and more. These elements have been woven into the very fabric of the story, from its magic systems, to its larger themes and ideas. As in kink, the characters will have to learn to trust each other, to open themselves up to the people around them, and to have the courage to face their deepest fears and explore the darkest reaches of their minds.

_

If you would like to support me while I write Sellen's Quest, please follow me on Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter. And if you are able, please consider subscribing to my Subscribestar, where I will be uploading exclusive content and early access to chapters as they come out.

I'm excited to finally embark on the biggest project I've worked on to date, and I hope you'll all come along with me for the ride! It's bound to be a good one <3

[twstfanblog]

I’m willing to bet that Yuu bullied the crush out of Rollo (or would he be into that?)

Rollo has a bit of a savior complex with my Yuu. Yuu knows magic is dangerous, just like any other tool, honestly. It's just one they'll never be able to use properly, so that is a massive disadvantage they've learned to deal with.

But Rollo sees how easy they still go through life, even fighting back against their magic using classmates (Yuu punching Sebek in the back of the head when he insults her). She's like the perfect being and she's forced to live in a school of the worst type of magic users. Throw in the fact that she's VERY PRETTY and this Church Boy didn't stand a chance.

The downfall of this romance is the fact Yuu isn't attracted to Rollo and she's a bully at her core. She knows he has a crush on her and she uses said fact to dangle her affections in front of him in the form of friendship to get favors out of him. Again she does this for YEARS, nearly a decade before Rollo finally snaps and tells Yuu she needs to either actually take his affections seriously or fuck off.

Yuu:

Yuu: Wow, Rollo, way to talk to someone you love-

Rollo: I DON'T-...I...I don't love you...

At this point, Rollo just kinda realizes that while he had a crush, it didn't go any deeper than just enjoying Yuu's company and his obsessive idealization of her being completely magicless.

Their friendship takes a massive blow, but if pressed, they'd both still count the other as a friend since they both end up running their alma maters in the future. They are comrades as young headmasters in the educational system.

Yuu does call and scream laugh when she finds out that the boy who swooned Malgona (MallYuu eldest daughter) on a school trip to NBC is ROLLO'S GODSON.

Rollo: Yuu-

Yuu: HISTORY IS DOOMED TO REPEAT NO MATTER THE EFFORTS WE TAKE!

Rollo: Yuu-

Yuu: HOW DOES THIS EVEN HAPPEN? HOW MUCH RIZZ ARE YOU TEACHING THAT KID????

Rollo: Yuu-

Yuu: WAIT WAS YOU TRYING TO KILL MALLEUS LIKE A FLIRTING THING? DID GILBERT BRING THE FLOWERS OUT?

Rollo: I'm hanging up

[stationintern]

Hello all!

This month was, truly, a beautiful month for me reading-wise. The birds were chirping, I found smut that made me sweat, and I revisited some old favorites. Let's jump right in. I am so excited to share these with you. (Hence why I am posting this a day early.)

Strap in!

Dwelling On Dreams by @the-sinking-ship for H/D Big Bang 2021, 135k, E

I reread this fic this month, and it was just as delicious as I remembered. There are aspects of this fic that felt burned into my memory, so it came as a shock to me when I realized that the last time I'd read this fic was over a year ago. Everything about it feels so vivid. Harry's magic, his raw sexual energy. Draco's ability to make me scream at my phone and throw a mini temper-tantrum. I love flashbacks, and this fic has them in abundance. If you're looking for a thick read with complex characters and an interesting case to solve, look no further!

Hear Me Out by @rainstormradish for @dronarryfest 2024, 5.2k, E

I am pleased to announce that I have officially bought my ticket and jumped on the Dronarry train. You've all convinced me. This fic, in particular, is what really got the ball rolling. This was... immaculate. When I said I found smut that made me sweat, I MEANT IT. I had to, like, physically reconnect with my limbs after I read this. A bit of fake dating to start you off, and it only gets better from there.

The Way You Say My Name by InnerLilith 5.3k, E

Ya'll ever just bark at your phone? Sometimes, a girl just wants to read about Harry Potter going absolutely bonkers over Draco Malfoy calling him sweet little names. Very hot, very important to me.

Please hold. Your call is very important to us./Bloodlust and Bureaucracy by @goblinmatriarch 5k, T/8.5k E

DOUBLE FEATURE! I love the smell of wizarding bureaucracy in the morning. What a little world you have built! Authors who can create a new little piece of the wizarding world to explore mean the world to me. Very interesting in regards to how the medical system in the wizarding world relates to its real-world counterparts. Also, some biting action. Very smart, very hot.

Crossed Wires by @skeptiquewrites 11k, E

Critics are raving. "Literally ripping up the wallpaper in my home," says one reviewer. "Gnawing at the bars of my enclosure," says another. Bureaucracy lovers win forever and ever. Also, Draco gets to wear many suits. Harry Potter the reluctant politician. I couldn't have wished for more.

Our Objective Remains Unchanged by @citrusses 46k, E

BOATS, REPRESSION, MORE BOATS, EDGING (for sports purposes), EVEN MORE REPRESSION, AND WILL YOU BELIEVE ME IF I SAY THERE'S MORE BOATS. I don't know how you've done it, but you've managed to parallel the epic highs and lows of college rowing with the literal wizarding war. If that isn't talent, I don't know what is babe.

Truth or Dare? by @lettersbyelise 3.4k, E

There is truly nothing more intimate than jerking off your childhood rival while a party goes on around you. THAT, my friends, is the key to post-war, inter-house unity.

Borrowed Time by @the-starryknight for @dronarryfest 2024, 7.6k, E

Oh this was fire. What do you know about body swapping threesomes? Would you like to know more? Yes. Yes, you would.

Alrighty, I think that's all for now, folks. Very thankful to be in a fandom with so so so many talented people. You all blow my mind. Here's to another month of fantastic fiction!

See ya!

XX, Moon

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

What do you think are the chances that the Others won't be portrayed as these pure evil monsters that need to be stopped but instead will have a sympathetic side.

I understand fandom wanting the Others to be more “humanely" complex, I really do. But I personally don’t think it’s narratively necessary or even interesting to do so. There's absolutely no emotional weight to making the Others "sympathetic" or more human. At least, there's no new themes to be surveyed when exploring this new narrative beat. Do the Others have a history of being systematically oppressed by humans? Not that we know of. Is there a massive power imbalance that heavily favors the humans over them? Not really. If anything, the Others will make easy work of humanity and its our heroes who will have to give everything and more to defeat them. Dany's dragons are certainly not big enough, Jon is struggling to get everyone on the same page, and Bran is a traumatized 9 year old boy with little control over his magic. Humanity's survival stocks are at an all time low at the moment....

Plus, GRRM has already explored these questions in Jon Snow's arc through the wildlings. We also have resolution there. Jon is making a new peace with them. Not only is he bringing them south of the Wall but he is also allowing them to take up posts in the NW (a group they historically warred against). He's allowing them to join Stannis' united realm and become one people with the rest of Westeros. We have a profoundly human conflict where GRRM explores themes of greed and prejudice (e.g., Bowen Marsh and some other members of the NW) measured against deep love and an honor-driven need to save all and any people (i.e., Jon - spoiler: it leads to his death). We have systemic resolution on the horizon plus there's inklings of a promise that the wildlings will be part of the dream of spring through the Gift. Spring, where new life flourishes and grows. If you want a humanized take on the conflict in the North, look no further than Jon Snow's chapters. And I think that's by design - Jon is, after all, the central protagonist in this space.

You wouldn't be able to successfully explore these themes with the Others because it's just too late in the story. GRRM has spent more time avoiding the Others than he has setting them up as characters in this story. I often see the theory that a new pact will need to be forged and the funny thing is that people think Jon will be the one to do it. Nevermind that he already forged a new pact with the wildlings and they start to think of him as their king......It would be quite unsatisfying to repeat this with the Others. We don't know them like we know the wildlings. We don't have a reason to care for their survival, for their children, their villages, or culture. And when it comes to pacts, I assume people are looking to the children of the forest as the blueprint. But the children are established as helpful if not sympathetic figures from the beginning. Bran's later chapters gives life to them and their dying magic. We have reason to care for their survival (the tragedy being that there's so few of them left now) because GRRM sends out one of our two central northern protagonists to them. The children are to Bran what the wildlings are to Jon. So it's a bit useless to use the same formula with the Others since the foundation isn't even there to begin with.

I can't speak for you personally but I think part of why some people want the Others to be sympathetic is because they don't want the typical fantasy battles. They want drama and suspense. Nevermind that I don't think this conflict ends with big battles, but we can have that through our very human protagonists. I assume GRRM is going to explore themes of self-sacrifice, greed, law and lawlessness, etc. on what our human heroes and antagonists do as the conflict unfolds. The Others imo are a vehicle to GRRM exploring what he has admitted to be the all encompassing theme in these books: the human heart in conflict with itself.

I also think it's important to consider that the Others are driven by magical elements that cannot be reasoned with. Do they bring the cold, or does the cold bring them? Either way, I like to think of them as a natural disaster in the same way that we experience tornadoes or tsunamis in the real world. Do you want to reason with a tornado? No. You don't look for morality in them. Instead, when they do happen, you ask yourself: how did the government react? how did systemic racism/classism etc relate to the casualties and response times? how did policy change and who did it? how did communities come together, if at all? We look to the human condition, and that is what GRRM aims to do. These questions are what will be the meat of the conflict against the Others. Not stock fantasy battles but actual human interaction as everything unfolds.

So to your question, I think it's very unlikely that the Others are portrayed as a sympathetic party especially with humanity as the bad guy. Because at the end of the day, the lesson there is just "humans bad". But given ACOK-AFFC with the plights faced by the smallfolk, ASOS and ADWD with Dany's campaign in Essos, and Jon's entire arc starting from ACOK to ADWD, there's nothing new there to discuss. We already know people do bad shit and that brings terrible consequences, so what else is new? Tell me something I don't know.

[cloud-somersault]

this blog brings me joy 😌

SHAWN!!! YOU BRING ME SO MUCH JOY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

is it all the gay monkey love

[agarthanguide]

Very much love your take on the new looks for Orym and Ashton! I saw a bit of your post about how Liam and Tal give feedback... would you be willing to share any information about how the back-and-forth process works between you and the actors as you work on their stuff? (I just love hearing HOW the awesome happens, not just the end results.)

Yeah okay. Lemme think, here. Alright let's so this as a numbered list-

1- Actor sends description of character. This is pretty broadly interpreted, in my experience. It's something between a brief paragraph, an annotated pdf, and multiple pinterest boards.

2- I send back a Pitch. This has taken multiple forms in the past, but it's generally settled into a few pages, that kinda go- a- Poses and Vibe Sketches- This includes little portraits, attitude poses, a couple sketches showing extreme dynamism or movement. I try to suggest outfits and weapons or accessories, here, but I don't spend a lot of time fleshing it out. b- Outfit Poses- usually on a turnaround or one fairly lowkey pose. I try to include 3 or 4 serious attempts at outfits and maybe a couple of backs, if it's important. c- Color- I usually just pick an outfit at random and try to give it a few different palettes. If the actor is absolutely sure what the palette is, or if it's a character I've worked with before, I might just make one palette and briefly color each of the outfit sketches from b in that palette d- Accessories, Weapons, Other Important Stuff- if the character is carrying around like a book or a bird or a really specific weapon, I try to address that in its own space, though sketches for all of those things may exist on other pages. This has been known to be very pretty or a bit boring.

3- There is some form of back and forth between me and the actors (and a producer, who are all lovely and don't step in on creative things but are always working against a schedule and need to know how things are going. I just want to be clear that every producer at CR is a secret angel who eats deadlines and shits magic and every one of them totally Gets It. They are all One Of Us). The back and forth is always individual and based on the actor but it can be- a- Actor picks from menu, usually via complex "circling" system (also all sketches are numbered, so they can just ref numbers). b- Actor sort of picks from menu, while moderating and adding further references. c- Actor just sends a bunch more shit and I narrow stuff down based upon what they seem to be getting at.

4- There's this bit of finding what the pose is gonna be, marking in all the necessary accessories, getting that last email about adding a scar, can we add a necklace? etc. What you are left with is something that the Producers call "pre-final." If it hasn't already been with the modelers and painters this whole time, this is when the modelers and painters get the design and start their magic.

5- I go away into a cave for a time period of quiet reflection with my Gods. I refer to this period as "rendering." I cannot be reached by the reason of man and spend a lot of time bitching to my friends while I try to figure out why shading a cape is suddenly the most difficult thing I've ever dealt with in my life.

6- Done!

[milkywaydrabbles]

You’re an a amazing writer! Can i get a #7, #9, #38, and #40 with Rindou? If not, that’s okay!

A/N: Y'all got me working over time with these prompts holy shit LMFAO. Thank you for the request! I hope this is close to what you were looking for!! Y'all be keeping me on my toes and I love that mwuah

Dubcon, breeding, double penetration two holes, cockbulge x Haitani Rindou

The lights and lasers were distracting, your eyes unable to focus on just one thing. It was debilitating, paired along with the music blaring in your ears. Everything felt fuzzy to you. The alcohol in your system was already working overtime in your veins--it didn’t help that the drugs coursing through your veins made you feel like you were floating. Who knew, that the small tablet in the shape of Buddha with a bitter aftertaste would keep you light; keep you docile. Almost like a sedative, although you couldn’t but feel like it was magical. You were happy, really, on the inside. Dopey smile on your face, eyes dilated, turning around to the man who had given you this high.

Haitani Rindou.

You’d met him a few months back, relationship stayed light, fucking around a few nights here and there but for the most part keeping it friendly. You’d meet him every so often at the clubs, give you a few drinks and a few tabs, to keep you entertained for the night. You liked the way the music felt in your bones after; liked the way the drugs made you feel. Even if it did take away a lot of your reason. But he was nice, nice enough to share drugs that so far had been clean and not laced with anything else. You didn’t know much about him, outside his name. He wouldn’t give you any specifics, telling you to ‘not worry your pretty little head about that’, and then feeding you another drink. You knew you should probably worry about it, but he was nice. 

You should be nice, too, right?

“Hi baby” He whispered, lips pressed up against your ear. You were sure he called a lot of girls ‘baby’, but it didn’t stop the flutter of butterflies in your tummy. He was calling you ‘baby’ now. “Hmm, hi Rindou.” You slurred, your hands dragging themselves up his chest and around his neck, leaning your forehead on his chest. You felt the rumble of a laugh against your head, his hands splayed on your waist keeping you steady. “How are you feeling, pretty girl? Like the drugs tonight?” He already knew the answer, but you nodded anyways, looking up at him with wide eyes and a droopy smile. “Mhm, s’good...thank you Rin.” You thanked him every time, you wanted him to know you were grateful for the drugs. He swayed with you to the beat of the music, hands making their way down to your ass and squeezing, the fabric of your thin dress doing nothing to protect you. He heard you whimper, pressing yourself more into his body, small fingers playing at the ends of his hair. “Want me to take you home tonight?” You nodded against him, eyes closing--you needed to sit down.

The car ride was short, shorter than normal you think. Your eyes had been closed for the most part, alcohol staying in your system longer than normal--you think it was a heavy pour in the cocktails. Heavier than normal. Your vision was blurry, but you looked up and saw that it wasn’t your apartment complex that he took you to, like he has in the past. It was his condo, you think, the one he’d never let you go to. But tonight he trusted you enough to go there, right? That’s what it was, trust. You smiled and turned your head to him, even if your eyes did close again. “Am I at your place?” You whispered, and he chuckled, unbuckling your seatbelt with a kiss to your forehead. “Yes baby, you’ll stay here with me. That okay?” 

Of course it was okay. He was so nice. 

Rindou didn’t let you get out the car by yourself, picking you up and letting you wrap your legs around his waist, carrying you the rest of the way into the condo and onto his large bed. He laid you down, kissing at your neck, your throat, your shoulders--anything he could get his mouth on. “Hmm...Rindou, feels nice..” you mumbled, weak fingers pressing into his scalp, scratching. “Yeah, baby? You’ll let me take care of you, right?” You couldn’t concentrate, feeling slightly overwhelmed with his cologne, his kisses, his sheer size over you. You think he could tell. “Oh, baby, it’s okay.” He cooed, pulling off you to break off a half of another Buddha tab, tapping your cheek to get your attention. “Here, this will help you, I promise.” You whined, not feeling up to another but when he talked to you so nice it was so hard to say no to him. So you complied, sticking your tongue out and scrunching your nose when the bitterness hit your tongue, swallowing as quickly as you could. “That’s my good girl.”

Your skin felt on fire when he said such nice things to you. It didn’t happen often, but he was never mean. And when he did whisper sweet nothings to you, it felt better than the drugs themselves. You reached for him again, bringing him down for a sloppy kiss-it was all you could do, was slurred speech and sloppy open mouth kisses. Rindou kissed you happily, quickly overwhelming you with the kiss and taking over, licking into your mouth. “Y’make me so happy, Rin..” You mumbled against him, gasping for air any time he’d give you, which wasn’t much. “Yeah? I make you happy?” If you were in your right mind, you’d hear the taunt in his voice, smirk plastered on his lips. You nodded, playing with his hair again. “Can you make me happy, pretty girl?” You nodded, wanting more than anything to make him feel the way he makes you feel. Even if it was the drugs and alcohol talking. “Wanna be my baby, hm? Wanna be my girl?” 

It felt like a dream, floating along with the ecstasy running its course. “Mhm, mhm Rin, wanna be your baby.” You whined, feeling his hands hiking your dress higher and higher, until he pulled away enough to remove it the rest of the way--you decided against underwear tonight. You knew he liked when you didn’t have it on, giving him easier access to your body. “Fuck, look so sexy like this...can keep you here forever.” He chuckled, and if you were cognisant you swear you’d see horns growing on his head. “You want that, baby? Wanna be here with me forever?” Again, you nodded, arching yourself into his touch as he pinched and squeezed at your tits. His calloused hands trailed down, lower until you felt thick fingers prod at your pussy lips. You gasped, spreading your legs further for him. You wanted to feel him. In whatever way he’d give it to you.

“I’ll get there baby, hold on.” A finger slipped in, enough to coat the digit with your slick. You whined, trying to fuck yourself down, he wouldn’t let you. Instead he slipped his finger out and prodded lower, tight rim of your ass being pushed open. “Rindou, mm-mm, not there” Your voice was broken, head shaking side to side. “Aw, no baby? Don’t you wanna make me happy?” 

You didn’t object after that.

“Be--go--slow, Rin.” You tried to focus on the drugs that were taking hold of you instead of the discomfort of Rindou’s finger pushing further into your ass. “I promise baby, I’ll be gentle.” You believed him, of course you did, he’s so nice to you. “Besides, my dick is going in your cute little pussy, don’t worry.” Your cunt clenched around air, forcing your ass to contract around his finger too. He laughed, taking his finger out and fumbling around in his night stand for something--you weren’t sure what. You couldn’t see. Cold liquid hit your hole, and your breath hitched, your eyes tried to focus on him, and from your blurred vision you could see a bottle of what you think was lube, before feeling two fingers fill your ass up again. It was tighter than before, it started to hurt, and your breathing was heavy. “Just a little more baby, promise. Then I’ll make you feel good, okay?” You nodded, brows furrowed and nose scrunched, trying to breathe through it. 

You didn’t want him to think you were ungrateful. 

Slowly you lifted your legs, hands grasping at the back of your thighs, in hopes that spreading yourself out more would help, even if just a little bit. You heard him groan, saw him bite at his lip, felt his fingers pumping into you more. It didn’t hurt so much anymore, you think you could let him do this more. Rindou finger fucked your ass for only a short time, spreading and scissoring his fingers inside you, leaning down to kiss at your chest whenever he heard you whine--couldn’t have his baby feeling uncomfortable, could he? Before long, his fingers were removed, and more lube hit your ass--along with something cold and metal. 

You looked down in your haze, seeing the tip of a butt plug prodding you. “R-Rin, wait, it hurts--a-ah, it hurts.” You slurred, starting to put your legs down to have your hands free, to push at him. Instead he stopped you, grabbing both wrists with one large hand and leaned over you again to kiss your face. “Trust me, baby, I won’t move it , okay? I just need it in.” He kissed your jaw and neck, feeling you let out shaky breaths, but lifting your legs again for him. He smiled against your skin. “Thank you, baby.” 

God, he was so nice.

And he didn’t lie to you, he kept the butt plug nuzzled deep into your ass and left it alone, letting you get used to the feeling of something so invasive in a hole that never gets touched like this. “You’re doing so good baby, all drugged up, still so good..” He mumbled against your skin, and you heard the distinct clank of his belt being undone, followed by the zipper and pants rustling down enough to spring his cock free. Your eyes trailed down to his dick, feeling your pussy drip and your mouth water. He looked good, he always did. “Gonna let me fuck you?” He knew the answer.

You nodded.

Rindou pressed the back of your thighs higher up, cock landing right on your folds the closer he got. He gave a few shallow thrusts between your lips, feeling your juices coat him, before dipping the tip into your tight cunt. He moaned with you, maybe even louder, before thrusting fully into you. “Fuck, always feel better with something in your ass, baby.” He mumbled to himself, pulling out to the tip and fucking up into you again. 

You felt so full. Really, like he was in your throat. Like he was taking over your body. You didn’t know if it was the plug, or maybe his cock was just so big, or if it was the drugs, maybe a combination. All you could feel was Rindou, all you ever wanted to feel again was Rindou. It was nice when you didn’t have to think about the real world. “Rin, Rindou, feel so full Rindou, feel so full.” You couldn’t help but repeat yourself, spit pooling at the sides of your mouth and dripping down the side of your jaw. “You look so good baby, fuck..” His eyes honed in on your belly, seeing his thick cock pummeling into you. The outline was so pronounced, stuffing you from behind really did wonders. He could look at your adorable stomach bulge out with each fuck. He pushed down, just to see what would happen, and you nearly screamed around him, pussy tightening so much he thought he’d get stuck. He couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “Fuck, gonna lose your mind huh baby?” You couldn’t speak, glossed over eyes still dilated, nodding at him. 

Rindou angled you, seeing the head of his cock push your tummy out, fucking into you harder and harder. He couldn’t stop thinking about how cute your belly is so full of him, couldn’t help but want to keep you stuffed, keep you full--

And then his mind short circuited.

And all he could think of was you full to the brim of his cum. He’d never cum inside of you before--never really wanted to. Most of the time he wore a condom, and when he didn’t he’d always pull out. But, fuck, seeing you so cute underneath him, so pliable, always agreeing with him, letting him do whatever he wanted? It was making Rindou lose his mind. He wondered if you’d let him cum inside you, if you’d let him get you pregnant. 

Rindou would sure as hell try.

“Baby, you know what --fuck,-- would make me really happy?” He grunted, humping into you like a dog. You simply looked at him, trying to make a sound that would resemble ‘hm?’ He grinned, wickedly, and ground his hips into you as he spoke. “Lemme get you pregnant, pretty.” Your world was spinning on its axis. You don’t think you wanted kids, but when he asked, smile on his lips making you feel so good, how can you say no to him? He called you pretty, too.

He was so nice.

“Lemme--fuck!--fill you up, baby. Get you nice and full, yeah? Shit, feels so good, wanna get you pregnant.” You clenched around him, tears streaming down your face as you nodded. You’d let him do anything, if he kept feeding you drugs and talking so sweet. “Mhm! Please Rin, wanna be pregnant, wanna--ah, ah, ah--wanna be full.” You’d say whatever to him, if it meant he’d keep being so nice. Rindou leaned over you again, pressing his body against you, really folding you in half. You cried and babbled again, trying to keep up with his kisses, instead just licking around his mouth and sucking on his tongue. “Gonna make you a mama, pretty girl. Then you have to be here forever, right? You want that still, right?” Each question was followed by a harsh thrust, one that had you dizzy and crying. You nodded, not able to speak anymore. “Fuck, can’t hold back baby--fuck!” Rindou pressed as deep as he could into you, spilling his cum into you, wanting to keep you plugged up. He’d do anything he needed to make sure you stayed filled to the brim with his cum. And as he caught his breath, he simply kissed at your face, reaching over to the table for the other half of the tab that you took with a smile. 

Rindou was so nice.

[raayllum]

AARON: I mean, like you kill a Magma Titan and take its heart. You saved, you know, thousands and thousands of starving people. Like, maybe that's worth it. Maybe you make that trade, or maybe, maybe it's wrong. No matter, there's no way to put a you know—it's trolley problems, right? It's like, you know...

KUNO: Yeah, it's a trolley problem.

AARON:  But yeah, I think you're—you're right in characterizing it as it's certainly a more complex, you know, justification that is required to pursue dark magic. And there are some people who would not accept that justification. But what's interesting about it is, you know, the questions, there are questions, you can you can come out on either side of it. You know, there are cases, you know, would Rayla have died if Callum hadn’t used dark magic? Yeah. I think she would have.  So did he have to? Are we thankful that he did? Thank goodness—well yes, we love Rayla! Well of course we needed him to do that. You know what I mean? Then there’s some kind of morality that sometimes is based on your attachment. Now if you said, should Callum use dark magic to save one person, knowing that he'll—he may be corrupted for the long term and his potential to be, you know, a hero in the future may be altered and his potential to be manipulated or you know, go down the wrong path, all that risk to save one person? Well, now you might say, “Oh no he shouldn’t—for one person?” But then if I go, “But it was Rayla!” then you go “Oh no, [laughs] yeah, he needs to do it!” [KUNO laughs] So I don’t know. But it’s also even that, right? It comes down to “well, in that moment, what did he do?” Well in that moment, he took like a—I-I think the ingredient is a piece of a snake rattle—

KUNO: Or something. Yeah, something like that.

AARON: “He didn’t even kill it, it was already dead, it was already dead man, what did he do?” Well, I don’t know. He supported the system, so it is complex. It’s worth arguing about, a bit. There’s not a clear right or wrong. There are risks. There are long term consequences. Those are baked into it. But I don't know. When—when it’s your Mom in trouble, what do you do? You do the dark magic! You save Mom, right? I do.

—Hot Brown Morning Potion Podcast interview with Aaron Ehasz and Villads Spansberg

[dduane]

Re: Magic systems

kosmonaunt asked:

I have the weird hyper-fixation of wanting to know all their is about The Speech and just how everything works!! I love learning about how power systems work, and it helps since I’m trying to develop my own. I’m always stuck on soft or hard magic systems. Since I don’t know all there is to really know about my system. Do you have tips on crafting magic systems? How do you feel about someone being inspired by pieces of your system?

Inspiration is fine! What you want to make sure you do with whatever inspires you, though, is to work hard to make your own take on it different from or better than what you borrowed. Around here we refer to this as "the magpie principle:" if you're going to pick up and play with/make off with a bright and shiny idea, you need to be working to produce something even brighter and shinier as your part of the "exchange". Whether or not you succeed at this (or can succeed), either sometimes or never at all, isn't the point. The point is to always be trying.

As regards building magic systems: there were three different ones in the foreground or background of my first novel alone—all of them with features that at this end of time I can recognize as being inspired by elements of magic systems in other writers' work. But by the time I'd more fully developed them, each had become something unique. The system I'm probably better known for—the system based on the wizardly Speech and its use—sprang more or less automatically from the increasingly complex answers to the question, "What if there was a manual that could tell you the truth about/the secrets of what makes the world go?". (Because once you answer one question, another pops up. "Where did that manual come from? What're you supposed to do with it? What's wizardry for?" Etc., etc.) I've spent the last few decades, on and off, answering that question in ways that (intentionally) mirror the main characters' exploration of the art of wizardry, and what it means to engage in the business of errantry in a world that mostly thinks wizards are a fairy tale.

Before getting into describing my own approach to building a system, I needed to take a little time to look around and make sure I knew what you meant when you mentioned hard and soft magic. My best guess is that you're referring to what a lot of people are calling "Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic" (fairly enough, as Brandon calls them that himself). I had a look, and have come to the conclusion that they're more general guidelines than laws... as in each of his three essays on the subject, Brandon no sooner names his basic laws/principles than he starts punching holes through them to make room for systems that don't follow them rigidly. (And frankly I find this kind of endearing.)

With his first one, in particular, I have no quarrel at all: the concept that in one kind of magic, which for his purposes he defines as the "hard" kind, rules are extremely important. (Which is why I'm kind of horrified that he apparently got dogpiled about this take on a Worldcon panel, because to me it seems so intuitive. Some of the best fantasy storytellers I know, like this one, would agree with him.) Then later he gets on to the equally valid ideas that limitations on magic are really important, and that culturally interconnecting multiple systems is useful; and here too we're in agreement. This is reassuring to me, considering that I built my first four systems—all of which feature approaches resting on similar concepts—while Sanderson was between four and six years old. :)

People using Sanderson's Laws will look at the three systems in the Middle Kingdoms books and classify them as varying sorts of relatively hard magic, with their power rooted in two or maybe three different sources. (The blue Fire is a gift of the Divine, nearly lost since ancient times and much damaged, but now slowly being recovered: sorcery is a language-based art in which no one's terribly sure where its power comes from: and the so-called "royal magics" probably started out as a blood sorcery that over centuries was shifted toward very specific uses by the power of the demigod-descendants who employed it.)

The Young Wizards novels, though, feature an extremely hard magic deeply rooted in science and (more or less under the hood) very, very rules-intensive... while its power relies on correct use of the language used to create the Universe, and the active cooperation of the Powers still busy about that work. And this is the reason why, though people are going to naturally be curious about the Speech itself, no one's going to hear very much from me about its actual words.

This is because the Speech is canonically described as so powerful that its use is something you can feel in your body and mind (and theoretically your spirit): bone-shaking, life-changing, unmistakable. And there's no way that made-up words on the page can realistically be expected to evoke physical sensations like that in the reader... or like the sense of the universe going silent around you, leaning in to listen, as you speak your spell. The careful writer knows that it's unwise to attempt to produce responses in the reader that, when they fail, will only emphasize how that thing is not happening, and stands a good chance of shattering the illusion one’s trying to weave.

So a Speech-word gets dropped here and a phrase there, but no one's ever going to get enough of it out of me to try to build a spell. Readers are better at doing that work for themselves in their own heads, out of hints and whispers. Over ten books and their interstitial material, there are plenty of those scattered through the text: not to mention the most basic principles of wizardry, which are laid out before the end of the first chapter of the first book in the series. So I'll leave you to get on with deducing what you can from canon.

Meanwhile, if I was about to build a new system, I'd look at my main characters—in the setting of their home cultures—and ask myself for answers to these questions:

What do they want more than anything?

Why can't they have it?

What kind of power will help them get it?

When they do eventually get within reach of the power / the desired thing... what will its achievement cost them?

And will they pay the price?

...Because the payment of such prices is where you find out what your heroes are worth. (Or aren't.) The above arc succinctly describes, in broad strokes, both The Door into Fire and So You Want To Be A Wizard, and a good number of the books that follow them. (Because why abandon what works, or try to fix what's not broken?) :)

With answers to the questions above you can start feeling your way toward what you need—always looking closely at the cultures your characters spring from, and how those cultures will shape their response to the magic they seek. (Or that finds them.) Maybe it's no surprise that the preferred arc structure of a writer who was a psychiatric nurse will be deeply involved with questions of motivation: because motivation is at the heart of almost all human behavior. Find the motivation and you find the character's heart—and, often enough, what kind of magic they need to make their desire and intention overflow into triumph.

...There are quite a few "How to design your magic system" pages out there. You might glance at these to see if there's anything useful in them for you:

How To Build An Amazing Magic System For Your Fantasy Novel

How To Create A Magic System In Six Simple Steps

Building Your Magic System: A Full Recipe

How To Create A Rational Magic System

However, my favorite is the "So You Want To Write A Functional Magic System" page at TV Tropes, which is nicely arranged yet also completely nonprescriptive—a pick-'n'-mix jar of prompts, things other writers have done that've worked, and generally useful ideas. (And try not to vanish too far down the many interconnected rabbitholes...) :)

Now get out there, build the world, and make the magic(s).