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kimyoonmiauthor · 1 year ago

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Disease Template

Because you are a sick bastard that wants to maim, injure and kill thousands or millions or even billions of people characters in your story.

I did a ton of research to create this list. And I'm probably the only one really interested in it. I created the three major classes: Parasites, viruses, and bacteria. I also considered genetic factors.

I looked up a lot of wikipedia pages on various diseases, looked up parasites of various types (the type that kill, maim and bother), looked up CDC pages, and also fictional diseases to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

Cholera, foot and mouth, Scarlet fever, Huntington's chorea, Huntington's, Foot and Mouth, etc. So Congenital and pandemic type—you have to strike off items of made up congenital/genetic diseases, but that shouldn't be too difficult. (N/A it)

Slight note here, but I am kinda sick (haha) of people using Zombie virus type of things to reinforce colonialism, Neoliberalism, and pro-oppression narratives. Haha, white person getting attacked by zombies because they are going to take over and that white person is a Southern US person doesn't quite read like you think it does considering that zombies were an allegory about becoming slaves. Looks like a slave uprising, in which case, the zombies should win over that white person's butt. The original Zombie Mythology was supposed to do the exact opposite. I would hope that people would honor and remember what the original mythology was about.

So when you do diseases, etc, think about *how* you are going to portray it and the people who have it carefully. I've done some of that work. Also, this isn't ND sort of things or creating a new ND. Creating a new ND, I think takes a lot more knowledge and thought since it doesn't affect everyone.

Should not have to be said, but please don't steal the template and then say "I came up with this idea". I genuinely took weeks of research to come up with this list. It's free, link it/reblog it if you like it.

Disease Name

Name Information Scientific Name:

Scientific Classification:

Name Meaning:

IPA Pronounce:

Common Names:

Common Name Meanings:

Subspecies:

Taxonomy Who Discovered it:

Date of Discovery:

Subsequent Famous Scientists:

Anatomy Pathogen Type: (Bacteria/Virus/Parasite) Body’s Biome:

Cell Target:

Symptoms:

Severe Version:

Severe Version Symptoms:

Subtypes:

Symptoms:

Complications:

Epidemiology Origin species:

Species Found In:

Geographical Origin:

Geographic Hotspots:

Transmission: (Water, air, food, rodents, fleas, mosquitoes, water droplets, etc) Infection Rate:

Incubation Time:

Carrier Rate:

Resistances: (heat, cold, drugs) Infected Population Number:

Inflicted Population Type: (Female, males, children, Elderly) Mutation Rate:

Death Rate:

Diagnosis and Treatments Diagnosis Methods:

Severe Version Diagnosis:

Medicines:

Folk Cures:

Vaccination:

Prevention Methods:

Mortality Rate:

Post Disease Syndrome:

Post Disease Symptoms:

Additional Notes:

Human Relationship Stigma Level:

Social Impacts: (Can they donate blood, etc) Visibility:

Public Awareness:

Misconceptions:

Economic Impact:

Famous Deaths:

Famous Art:

Mythology/Religion:

Literature:

History Major Outbreaks:

Pandemic Dates:

General:

Miscellaneous Background:

Notes:

#disease template #writing advice #writing templates #writing resources #worldbuilding

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kheprriverse · 9 months ago

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Just a stupid thing that's been on my mind. Plus Linkle (Apollo) being silly and harassing Volga. This was actually supposed to be way smaller and not take me a day to make but yk... Sometimes the brianrot comes in full force.

Hope y'all enjoy the random dragon lore :'D

#loz au #hyrule warriors #link #volga #linkle #volink #Ares (Kheprriverse)#Apollo (Kheprriverse)#Kheprriverse #Kheprriart #Wargod au #Ares being your dragon expert and translator is my fav i think #i just love love love worldbuilding dragons i cant help it theyre so cool #Volga is that one meme template that shows all the character's emotions but theyre all blank. but for him its theyre all angry xD #Apollo doesnt have an official design yet but it HAS been brewing in my brain for a long time so this is close enough for now

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literaryvein-reblogs · 11 months ago

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Writing Notes: Dystopian World

The Physical World

What is the landscape of your world?

What is the climate of your world?

What do people (if applicable) look like?

What do animals (if applicable) look like?

What types of clothes do people wear?

What do houses or living quarters look like?

When does your story take place?

Where? On the earth we know, a distant planet, or an alternate reality?

Culture and Society

What are some commonly held beliefs in this society?

What type of government do they have?

Who is in power?

How did they become powerful?

How intrusive is government in daily lives?

What form of propaganda is used (if any)?

What is the history of this society?

What is the society’s biggest fear?

What is the society’s most positive feature?

What are the values of this society?

What are the social classes?

Why are there social classes?

What is the ethnic diversity, if any?

What are the gender roles?

What, if any, religion do they practice?

What language do they speak?

Is the entire world affected and how?

How do people get food?

Is there money? What type?

Character Development

Is your character alone?

Why is he alone?

Does your character have friends?

What motivates your character?

How do the characters interact with the dystopian society?

How do they interact with each other?

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References

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olis-inkwell-symposium · 9 months ago

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As I develop my Pantheon and world of Sonoric Sorcery, I created a detailed guide for…

Geographical Creation by Divine Influences

Purpose and Cosmic Intentions

Start by determining the underlying reasons for the gods’ involvement in geographical creation. Did they shape the world to foster life, establish realms for their divine power, or create natural barriers for protection or punishment?

Establish how the divine will interacts with the world—whether it’s nurturing or harsh, collaborative among deities or singularly tyrannical.

Pantheon Influence and Divine Roles

Outline which gods or celestial beings are responsible for specific parts of the world. A god of oceans might have sculpted the vast seas, while a god of fire could be the origin of volcanic regions.

Clarify if these divine creators acted alone, in alliances, or through conflicts. Introduce rivalries where a god of order creates plains and structured landscapes while a chaotic deity disrupts them with jagged mountains and whirlpools.

Creation Myths and Narratives

Craft epic stories that detail the moments of creation. These myths might include dramatic events, such as titanic battles that split continents, tears shed by a mourning goddess creating lakes, or the laughter of a trickster god forming rolling hills.

Ensure these stories are not just tales but have religious and cultural significance, with ceremonies or pilgrimages tied to these narratives.

Unique Divine Marks on the Landscape

Highlight distinct features that could only be formed by gods. This might include:

Sacred Mountains: Peaks imbued with divine energy, often home to shrines or ancient temples.

Enchanted Forests: Woodlands blessed or cursed by gods, filled with mystical creatures or shifting paths.

Celestial Rivers: Waterways said to carry pieces of stardust, linking the mortal world to celestial realms.

Mythic Abysses: Deep chasms rumored to be gateways to the underworld or places of divine punishment.

Mortal Interaction with Divine Geographies

Explain how mortals view and interact with these divine creations. Do they see them as blessings or threats?

Are there rituals or traditions based around sacred lakes, healing springs, or cursed wastelands? Define the taboos or reverence attached to certain areas.

Divine Errors and Cataclysms

Introduce instances where divine actions caused unintended destruction or shifts. For example, an angry god might have triggered earthquakes that reshaped the terrain or split civilizations apart.

These cataclysms could be seen as divine retribution or warnings, shaping not just the land but the evolution of societies and their beliefs.

Cross-Pantheon Influence

Determine if the world’s geography shows the influence of multiple pantheons or opposing divine forces.

This can create places where magical energies clash or merge, resulting in areas that defy natural laws, such as floating islands, frozen deserts, or fire-fueled glaciers.

Residual Divine Power and Resources

Discuss the remnants of divine creation in the form of powerful minerals, crystals, or herbs that mortals seek for their magic or technological advancements.

These elements might carry divine essence, offering great power but at potential costs to those who use them.

Geopolitical and Theological Influence

Describe how these divine creations influence politics and power dynamics. For example, a city might be built around a sacred waterfall said to have healing properties, making it a pilgrimage site that brings wealth and influence.

Other civilizations might go to war to control such places, viewing them as conduits of divine favor.

Mystery and Forbidden Zones

Leave space for unexplored or forbidden areas said to be shaped by gods whose motives are unknown or feared.

These could be deserts filled with mirages, haunted forests, or towering monoliths etched with inscriptions no mortal has been able to decipher.

This template provides the framework to enrich your world with divine geographies, turning the physical landscape into a character itself, imbued with history, power, and profound cultural meaning.

tag list ; @slenders1ckn3ss @lucistarsfire @mai2themai @fond-illusion @p00lverinecentral

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just-a-local-dreamer · 5 months ago

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link link link (to the etsy listing)

#notion template #notion #notion writing template #worldbuilding template #etsy #writing template #novel planner #book planner #outlining template #writing tools #writing notion #writing #plotting

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brandywyne · 5 months ago

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Worldbuilding - Countries

...You didn't think that was the end, did you?

Let's see how much you've really developed and put it all together.

19/18

What is the name of the country? Does it have other names or nicknames?

- What do the people look like? What are their races and unique types? Are there natives?

- Where is the country located, and what are its defining geographical features?

- What is the climate like, and how does it affect daily life and the economy?

- How was the country founded, and what major events shaped its early history?

- What type of government does the country have (monarchy, democracy, etc.)?

- Who is the current leader or ruling body, and how do they maintain power?

- What are the dominant religions or belief systems, and how do they influence society?

- What languages are spoken, and are there regional dialects or unique scripts?

- What is the country’s primary source of income or wealth (agriculture, trade, mining)?

- What is the country’s relationship with neighboring nations or regions?

- What are the key traditions, festivals, or cultural elements that define the country?

- Does the country have a military, and how does it protect itself from threats?

- Are there distinct social classes, and how do they interact with one another?

- How are cities and towns structured, and what is the state of transportation and communication?

- How advanced is the country’s technology, and how does it compare to others?

- How is education structured, and who has access to it?

- What are the staple foods, and how does the country sustain its population?

- What historical or ongoing conflicts shape the country’s identity?

- What are the national symbols, flag, or emblems, and what do they represent?

- What are the country’s aspirations, challenges, or prophecies about its future?

GEOGRAPHY AND THE NATURAL WORLD

1. What is the country’s geographical location within the world?

2. What are its major physical features (mountains, rivers, forests, deserts)?

3. What is the climate like? Are there seasons, and how do they affect the country?

4. Are there any unique geographical phenomena (volcanoes, geysers, floating islands)?

5. How does the geography influence the culture, economy, and history?

6. Are there any natural resources that define the country?

7. Are there notable landmarks, either natural or manmade, considered significant?

8. What kinds of flora and fauna are native to the region?

9. How has the natural world shaped the myths and beliefs of the inhabitants?

10. Are there any supernatural elements tied to the landscape, such as cursed forests or sacred mountains?

HISTORY AND ORIGINS

1. How was the country founded, and by whom?

2. What events led to its formation (wars, migrations, divine intervention)?

3. What is the timeline of its major historical events?

4. Has the country undergone significant transformations (conquests, revolutions)?

5. Are there legendary figures or heroes in its history?

6. How does the country’s history shape its identity today?

7. How is history recorded (oral tradition, written archives, magical means)?

8. Are there any forgotten or forbidden parts of its history?

9. What are its neighboring nations, and what are its relationships with them?

10. Has the country ever been colonized or been a colonizer?

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

1. What type of government does the country have (monarchy, democracy, theocracy)?

2. Who holds power, and how is it maintained (elections, divine right, military strength)?

3. Are there political factions or parties?

4. How are laws created, enforced, and challenged?

5. Are there any notable leaders, current or historical?

6. What is the country’s approach to justice and punishment?

7. Are there corruption or hidden power struggles?

8. How does the government interact with its citizens?

9. Is the government centralized or decentralized?

10. How does the country engage in diplomacy with others?

ECONOMY AND TRADE

1. What is the country’s primary economic activity (agriculture, mining, industry)?

2. What are its major exports and imports?

3. What is the currency, and how stable is it?

4. Are there distinct economic classes or inequality?

5. Does the country rely on a barter system, gold, or another economic base?

6. Who are its main trade partners, and how are trade routes maintained?

7. Are there monopolies or major guilds controlling resources?

8. How is labor organized (slavery, serfdom, unions)?

9. Are there any unique goods or services the country is known for?

10. How does the economy influence its relations with other countries?

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

1. What are the dominant languages and dialects spoken?

2. What are the major religions or belief systems?

3. Are there traditions, festivals, or holidays unique to the country?

4. How is family structured, and what are common social norms?

5. What role do art, music, and literature play in society?

6. Are there significant cultural taboos or superstitions?

7. How is education structured, and who has access to it?

8. What is the status of marginalized groups in society?

9. How do people dress, and what influences fashion?

10. How do the citizens view outsiders or foreigners?

MILITARY AND DEFENSE

1. Does the country have a standing army or militia?

2. What is the level of military technology?

3. What are its major threats (neighboring nations, rebellions, monsters)?

4. How does the country train its soldiers?

5. Are there elite forces or legendary warriors?

6. How does the country defend its borders?

7. Has it been involved in major wars?

8. Are there alliances or treaties that ensure security?

9. Is military service mandatory or voluntary?

10. Are there magical or supernatural elements in the defense strategy?

TECHNOLOGY

Is magic real, and if so, how is it integrated into daily life?

2. What forms of magic exist (alchemy, elemental, divine)?

3. Who has access to magic (everyone, select classes, special guilds)?

4. Are there laws governing the use of magic?

5. How advanced is the country’s technology?

6. Are magic and technology integrated or in conflict?

7. Are there famous inventors or magicians?

8. How does magic or technology shape warfare?

9. Are there magical artifacts or lost technologies?

10. How does the country’s use of magic/technology compare to its neighbors?

INFRASTRUCTURE AND DAILY LIFE

1. How are cities and villages structured?

2. What modes of transportation are used?

3. How do people access water, food, and other necessities?

4. Is the country industrialized, agrarian, or nomadic?

5. What is the level of healthcare available?

6. How do people communicate over long distances?

7. Are there major public works (aqueducts, roads, walls)?

8. How is waste managed in urban areas?

9. What is the role of markets and public spaces in daily life?

10. Are there notable architectural styles or innovations?

RELATIONS WITH THE SUPERNATURAL

1. Are there gods, spirits, or other entities influencing the country?

2. How do citizens interact with the supernatural (worship, appeasement, avoidance)?

3. Are there sacred sites or cursed places?

4. How do myths and legends shape the country’s identity?

5. Are there supernatural threats or protectors?

6. How does the country’s religion influence its magic?

7. Are there individuals or groups that act as intermediaries with the supernatural?

8. What role do omens and prophecies play in governance or daily life?

9. Are supernatural beings integrated into society, or are they adversaries?

10. Is there a belief in an afterlife, reincarnation, or other spiritual journey?

FUTURE AND ASPIRATIONS

1. What are the country’s long-term goals or ambitions?

2. How does it plan to expand or sustain itself?

3. What threats could destabilize the country in the future?

4. Are there visionary leaders or movements shaping its direction?

5. How is the youth being prepared for the future?

6. What role do innovation and creativity play in its vision?

7. Are there unresolved conflicts or tensions brewing?

8. How does it see its place in the wider world?

9. What is the country’s relationship with environmental sustainability?

10. Are there prophecies or predictions about its future?

Cheers motherfucker 🥃

(But still, drink responsibly)

#writing template #creative writing #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writerscommunity #fantasy worldbuilding #worldbuilding #lore #lore development

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oliolioxenfreewrites · 9 months ago

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the free 50 book creation prompts collection: vol. 1

ready to download now

linktree is fully updated with all my creative writing content links! 🩷

go check it out and head over to my kofi to snag the first volume of prompts free of charge!

ALL 80+ of my in-depth character creation, world-building, and story structure prompts and templates will be uploaded to my ko-fi website within the coming weeks as well.

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speculativepages · 5 months ago

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Worldbuilding Series: Magic System Masterpost

“Power swirled through their veins, burning tracks down their spine and bursting through the cracks in their mind.”

Magic. It’s one of the defining characteristics of the fantasy genre. A writer has unlimited possibilities to choose from when building their world and the magic that shapes it. Flying. Shapeshifting. Characters wielding fire or healing with a touch. Magic potions and runic spells. Demon magic and necromancy. Witch marks and superheroes.

This guide is designed to walk you through each step of building your magic, from choosing the structure to figuring out how it's cast and what powers are included. Hopefully by the end of this post you have a clear path to building a workable system of magic for your fantasy world.

Step One: Capturing the Feeling

Before we do anything else, take twenty minutes right here to do a free-write on what you want from your magic system.

Ask yourself: what emotions do you want your magic to create? In the reader? In your characters? In yourself? Do you want it to feel mysterious, mystical, disturbing, epic, powerful, sacred, moral, industrial, historical, epic?

You could also think about the story you’re telling: Is it an epic saga akin to Stormlight Archive or Wheel of Time? Or is it a smaller, character driven story like Fire by Kristin Cashore? Or a story about political maneuvering within a single kingdom like Twelve Houses by Sharon Shinn? The type of story you’re telling can help determine the magic system you use.

The bottom line is you want to capture the feeling of your magic.

Step Two: Choosing a Class

In my mind, magic systems fall into two major classes: Ability-Based and Spell-Based.

Ability-based is your basic superhero system — mages have a certain ability (or abilities), which could range from controlling light to super-speed. Their powers aren’t infinite. Mages could each have different, unique abilities, or they could choose from a set class (like Mistings from Mistborn).

Spell-based is your more classic magic — mages use power to cast spells, all (or most) have access to the same range of powers, and there are near infinite spells to choose from.

Like I mentioned in Step One, your choice should depend on the story you want to tell.

Think about your plot, world, and themes while we’re going through the two classes: which one will highlight or enhance the story you are telling?

Think about your characters: which class will fit them best?

Which one would you have the most fun writing?

Step Three: Theme

Once you know the class of your magic system, you need to consider its theme. This is where that free-write about the feeling of your magic is going to come in. Look at what you came up with. The emotions you wanted to evoke. The atmosphere. This is going to become your theme.

For instance — if you wanted your magic to feel disturbing, then maybe your theme will be necromancy or death magic.

Your theme is there to limit your magic. It will keep your system from feeling arbitrary, and will enhance the overall feeling of your world. It’s going to help you focus your abilities, powers, and limitations to create a unique system.

Step Four: Hard or Soft System

Some authors prefer to keep their magic shrouded in mystery and mysticism, while others love to lay out the rules and possibilities of their system with as much detail as a scientific experiment, with histories, theories, and runic charts in the back of the book (looking at you, Sanderson). Most systems are somewhere in the middle of the scale. You need to decide where you want yours to fall.

While deciding, consider Sanderson’s First Law of Magic: “An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic.”

If your reader knows and understands your magic, then you can use your abilities, powers, and cool effects to solve problems.

If your reader doesn’t know the rules, the powers, or how your magic works, then any time you use it to solve problems or plot issues, it will feel like deus ex machina. Though you can still use magic to cause problems and make things harder for your characters.

Step Five: Your Magic's Source

What is the origin of your magic? Power has to come from somewhere, assuming your world follows the laws of basic physics (which it doesn’t have too, but I would recommend having some sort of accepted laws of reality).

A few things to think about:

Is your magic powered by the character themselves (does it exist inside them)? Or do they need to draw on an outer source?

Remember that you can combine sources — such as in Mistborn, where ingesting metals gives the allomancers power, but that power is ultimately fueled by the god Preservation.

For the future: the source of your magic is going to play a large part in the limitations, rules, and abilities of that magic. For instance, if magic is fueled by the caster’s own life energy, it will severely limit the amount of spells they can cast. But if magic is an unlimited river of energy that runs through everything (like the Force), it will be much more abundant for huge epic magics.

Step Six: Powers & Abilities

I’m sure you have some ideas already, but now is the time to solidify what powers your magic grants or what spells your characters cast.

Stick to Your Theme: The most important thing here is to limit your powers with your theme. If you don’t, you’ll loose the theme completely, and your system will feel arbitrary and overused. Try brainstorming a list of powers or abilities that could fall under your theme. Note that this is the same if you are designing a spell-based system of magic or an ability-based system.

If you’re having trouble coming up with powers, then make the limits of your theme more general. If your powers feel too disconnected and random, then make your limits more specific.

Here are some other questions to consider:

Do all of your characters share the same abilities? Do casters get to decide what their ability is (a conscious choice) or are they simply born with a certain range of magic? Are some things harder to do than others?

Have you given your characters abilities that make them too powerful? Could they break the world, tear a hole in reality, or some other effect that would make your plot meaningless?

Step Seven: Casting Your Magic

Waving a wand, drawing a runic spell, gathering your will, burning metal, singing the right notes, or speaking an objects true name. Whether it’s with a thought, a gesture, speech, or a material object, there are as many ways of casting a spell as there are spells to cast. Consider Your Theme and Story: The important thing here is to find how your characters use magic: what fits with your story, theme, and characterization? Will your characters cast spells against the forces of evil on a desolate battlefield, or will they use rituals and herbs to heal the sick in a wooded cabin, or sing their magic into being to cast illusions for the royal houses? An elaborate ritual won’t be very useful for a battle mage or a spy embedded in a foreign government.

Step Eight: Magic Users

You know what your magic can do, you know its source, and you know how it’s harnessed. Now you need to decide who has power.

Consider Your Characters and Story: how do those who use magic see themselves? How are they seen by others? Here are some questions for you to consider:

How accessible do you want magic? Is it limited to a certain few or can anyone use it?

If anyone can use it, do they? Or are there some who shun it?

Are mages simply born with magic, or can it be gained through training? Does it have to be stolen or bargained for?

Do people with magic think it’s a curse or blessing? Are your characters proud of their powers, or ashamed by them? How does this affect their personalities and motivations?

Consider Your Theme: go back to the feeling of your magic. What is it? What type of person fits into it? What kind of world does your magic exist in? Is it hidden and mysterious or built into the very fabric of your culture and civilizations?

Step Nine: Limitations

Consider Sanderson’s Second Law: Limitations > Powers.

This law is basically saying that your magic’s limitations should be stronger than your abilities. If your abilities are too overpowered, then your magic could end up breaking your story and plot.

The limitations of magic bring tension, drama, and risk to the story. They keep magic from being an easy way out by making your characters work harder, which can in turn up the stakes of your plot.

They can be the most interesting and engaging part of your system. For instance, mages that can control fire are pretty common, but what if a mage could only control fire if they were being burned at the time? That’s unique, interesting, and has story potential.

You build your limitations by determining the Rules, Cost, and Weaknesses of your magic. They may seem similar, and in some ways they overlap, but it’s important to consider each separately to build a complete system of magic.

Rules — what magic users must follow (could be breakable, with disastrous consequences, or absolute and above mortal control.) What can't your magic do? What are the limits or boundaries of its abilities? Remember, once you decide on your rules, you need to stick to them, or your magic won't feel believable.

Cost — the price a mage pays to cast magic. This could range from energy or stamina to actual life force or simply material cost or money. Remember, the higher your cost, the less your characters will use their magic.

If you want it to be a common and everyday thing, then you need a small, manageable cost.

If you want magic to be used only as a last resort, then have a high cost that few would think is worth paying.

Weaknesses — where does the magic fail? What can’t it do? How can it be beaten? What ways would the opposite side overcome the advantage of the mage’s power, workaround it, or make it useless? Weaknesses are intertwined with both the cost and rules of your magic, and so they may overlap. Take a look at your rules and costs and extrapolate to find the weak points of your magic.

For instance, if a rule of magic is that a mage has to see something in order to cast a spell on it, a weakness would be that their enemies could simply stay out of sight, or find a way to blind their opponent in order to make their magic useless. Could an enemy permanently blind a mage, and take away their power forever?

Step Ten: Extrapolation & Organization

Go deeper, not wider: a magic with unlimited power can be fun to play with, but it could be more unique to have a magic with a small collection of powers, that are each explored in depth.

Remember Sanderson’s Third Law of Magic: “Expand what you already have before you add something new.”

Before you start to add multiple abilities, schools, types, or magic systems together, consider the implications of what you already have: even an ability as simple as making plants grow could be used in dozens of different ways.

Could your character bring down a building by crumbling the foundation with tree roots? Could they grow a poison to take out an enemy? Could they grow foliage in order to hide from pursuers? Or grow a vine to climb up a cliff? How could your characters solve their problems, using what they have in different or unique ways?

Two characters with the same power can use that power differently. This can be a good way to go deep into characterization and personality, and really show how each character sees the world. Perhaps the power is manipulating bone — one character might use their power to heal, and mend, while another might use it to break bones and control their criminal empire.

Step Eleven: Name of Magic

There’s a lot to consider when naming your magic: here are a few questions to ask yourself.

What’s the magic itself called? Magic? Mana? Force? Energy? Or something unique like Aon Dor or BioChromatic Breath?

What are mages called? Wizards? Casters? Or something like Mistborn, Shapers, Riders, Radiants, or Powder Mages?

What is the act of magic called? Do mages cast a spell? Or weave a thread of magic? Or burn metal? Or draw in Stormlight?

Are there multiple names for the magic or magic users? If you have different cultures, nations or planets, perhaps they have their own words for mages. Like Dragon Riders and Argetlam (meaning silver hand) from Inheritance Cycle.

Consider your theme, or an element of your theme: what is the main focus of your magic? Does it have to do with fire? With metal? With wood or plant growth? Whatever it is can help you decide your names and terms.

Perhaps your characters are members of the thieves guild, and they’ve been hired to steal a magic gem from a corrupt lord. Perhaps magic in this world manifests as an ability to see through any wall, a skill perfect for thieving, so Thief is synonymous with mage.

____________________________________________________________

Just Like Magic! And that’s pretty much it. You now have a working magic system. As you start to write your story and further flesh out your world and characters, you’ll need to edit your magic accordingly. You’ll always be thinking of new things and exciting additions, but now that you have the bones, your magic system can grow to be functional, unique, and engaging for your readers.

This blog post was my very first draft at building a magic system and was originally posted on my website blog here. I later turned it into an even more depth guide in my downloadable Magic System Worldbuilding PDF Workbook and my even more extensive Ultimate Magic System Notion Template (found in my gumroad shop or my etsy shop!)

#my stuff #fantasy writing #notion template #worldbuilding stuff #fantasy worldbuilding #world building #fantasy writers #worldbuilding advice #worldbuilding tips #fantasy world #fantasy authors #writblr #magic system #fantasy magic systems

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