McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Magic Measurment Systems that a reader can buy
Elanith:
As belial said, depending on how overt this measuring system is, it could be very disadvantageous. If there is a lot of wizard duals or wars going on, an entire science could be made into creating devices that are hidden or provide incorrect information to others that could see it. Do they have to be calibrated to specific wizards, or can anyone use them?
That being said i think your big question you need to answer is; WHY did these people come up with a way to determine how much power, exactly, they have left? From what you have described already, it sounds like each individual wizard has a way already of at least eyeballing how much power they have, as the more they use, the more tired they get and at sever enough levels begin suffering obvious physical injuries.
Have you thought about making it so they couldn't determine how much power they have? Perhaps as they use their power, it causes a natural high, either endorphins or just raw energy being converted from fat/muscle which makes them feel good. This could prevent a wizard from knowing just how close he is to causing himself physical harm( no longer feel fatigue or drawing enough power just an immunity to pain), and would spark a need for some way to keep track of your power, especially for newbie wizards who are not yet accustomed to their limitations yet.
Quantus:
There are a few things:
Is the unit an absolute scale? by that I mean does the same light spell cost 1 mp no matter who is casting or is it more subjective? Is the measurement in terms of power percentage or again an absolute scale?
No matter what you do, DO NOT USE REAL UNITS (Calories etc) or you will lose your audience the first time you try to throw fire or something and they realize that the math doesnt work out. Unless you want to check the math on every thing your characters do, id just avoid it.
If you want the scale to be something physical (ie watch, tatoo, etc) then how do all the wizards acquire them, and what are the consequences of not having one.
What I would suggest is something that is a natural/necessary part of using the magic. Like make them require a primary focus (staff, athame, crystal pendent, etc directly linked to your power) that behaves differently depending on how much energy you are using or what source (normal, fat, necrofying bodily tissue etc) but something that cannot be avoided because of the nature of the magic itself. The effect would be a natural thing, and then the caster could perhaps shape their focus to be more measurable (like if it makes your staff glow, and you carve the runes in it in such a way that the effect travels incrementally up its length rather than teh more natural brightness growing in less measurable intensity.
One example I can think of was from the Exalted RP system. The way it worked for the main race (solar) was that they all had essence (mana) to drive their powers, and they were used in the units of motes (mp). The catch was taht the more they used, the more they started to glow, making it obvious that they were one of the reviled solar. The moer they used the bigger and brighter their aura became, until they went full super-saiyan. Another race did the same, but they were elemental based and became more elementally aspected the more they used.
belial.1980:
What about blood sacrifices? Can a wizard take the life of something else to avoid draining his or her own reserves? (Seems like something the villainous characters would do) How could that translate?
I think you risk taking some of the mystery and mystique from magic if you quantify it so absolutely. That being said though, how about taking that idea and running with it? What if mystics and scientists have quantified just about everything, like love or the soul? An angel is nothing but a specific frequency range of spiritual energy? Don't know if that works out with what you had in mind, but I think that could be an interesting concept.
Either way, I suggest doing some research on John Dee. He was a famous magician who lived at the turn of the 17th century, that beleived science, magic, and philosophy were all pure forms of study, equally viable in their own right.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: belial.1980 on April 01, 2009, 01:09:33 AM ---Either way, I suggest doing some research on John Dee. He was a famous magician who lived at the turn of the 17th century, that beleived science, magic, and philosophy were all pure forms of study, equally viable in their own right.
--- End quote ---
Also check out Rudolf Steiner and the Anthroposophy movement which attempted to apply "the scientific method to phenomena of human soul-life and to spiritual experiences."
Lanodantheon:
After going over these responses, I've decided to wing it and first and see if I can get it to work.
My MC is mostly self-taught so if I want the Measurement system to appear, it can appear slowly as he learns more about it.
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