Questions tagged [magic]
For questions that have to do with magic, as opposed to science/technology. Remember to explain any limits.
2,616
questions
19
votes
20
answers
6k
views
How to prevent theft in a society where everyone has hyperspace storage?
In my modern fantasy novel, there is a species of people called the Hammerts. The Hammerts are small orange humanoids who have issues running and jumping after they reach adulthood. To compensate for ...
- 137k
0
votes
2
answers
146
views
How do you justify Adventurers being multiple [Character Classes] instead of everyone being Generalists in fantasy settings? [closed]
Someday I want to write a fantasy book wherein the MC is a solo adventurer or something similar, thing is when it comes to those types I notice they’re almost all the same…ability/skill-wise ...
- 7,075
3
votes
1
answer
124
views
How to prevent demon slayers from murdering their own en masse?
Set in 1000AD.
Demon exists and are hunting people.
People retaliate and become demon slayers.
Demon drops crystal upon being killed.
Crystal emanates magical energy. (Intensity follows inverse square ...
- 19k
8
votes
5
answers
560
views
How does "innate magical power" fit into a magic system powered by emotion and memory?
In the magic system I've been workshopping, magic is powered by the caster's emotions and memories. Specifically, mages can shape spells by creating associations to their own memories, and strengthen ...
- 161
1
vote
5
answers
137
views
How much of a small, isolated, civilization's culture would survive a magical cataclysm? [closed]
I'm starting with some background so the question can be answered in-context. Apologies if I veer into too much storytelling.
Pre-Cataclysm Setting:
A fantasy civilization, essentially only humans, in ...
- 101
4
votes
4
answers
825
views
What causes my expedition RTG to produce way less power when deployed in a magic realm
Dear colleagues from the Institute of Subatomic Research,
as you will have noticed, our latest expedition to the Magic Realm (TM) through the Strange Portal (TM) was a considerable success. No one ...
- 72.9k
20
votes
14
answers
5k
views
What makes small-scale private star-harvesting profitable?
In a distant future where FTL interstellar travel is commonplace, there is a stable large-scale market for a commodity called photonic negentropy ("PhoNE" for short, though nobody remembers ...
- 48.3k
2
votes
2
answers
229
views
How could entropy control go wrong? [closed]
The magic system of my story works by either increasing or decreasing entropy with the decrease requiring a specific spot ex. dust collecting into a concentrated point or the increase requiring an ...
- 895
10
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Could Megaflora Sustain Permanent Settlements?
So, a setting I'm brainstorming is basically a tribal world, with Hunter-gatherers, animism, and the like.
One of the features I want to add, to make it stand out from our own world is the existence ...
- 117k
3
votes
2
answers
224
views
Would a world twice the size of Earth be able to have similar weather patterns?
The TLDR for this is if I have a planet that is twice the diameter of Earth, (so four times the surface area), would continental distribution have more effect on the weather patterns than the sun and ...
- 36.9k
10
votes
13
answers
2k
views
Defensive Middle Ages measures against magic-controlled "smart" arrows
Hear hear,
with the latest arcane technology, archers on the battlefield are able to shoot "smart arrows". Smart arrows are propelled by a little unit of magiteck, which allows the archer to ...
- 1,091
7
votes
10
answers
4k
views
Avoiding time travel or causality stuff
How to avoid blatantly time traveling or breaking causality in a big way when getting my characters to places quickly (Faster than light)?
The method used is a tunnel in some sort of different space ...
- 1,446
3
votes
3
answers
141
views
Dragon's body proportion: eye size to body length [closed]
A classic dragon shape, eg Smaug, approximately 6 km length from nose to tail with similar wingspan.
Ignore square cube rule due to magic and also neglect gravity as its native habitat is space.
Eyes ...
- 56.3k
12
votes
14
answers
4k
views
How might a science-fiction world's technology advance faster than our own? [closed]
I'm wondering what techniques exist to make the technology change quicker in my story. I want to be able to change the setting quickly, like progressing from a computer mechanic where space travel is ...
- 331
14
votes
19
answers
4k
views
Why have non-magic technology when there is already a magic solution?
In my world, magic and technology have a weird relationship. While they do combine and help advance growing civilizations, they can also inhibit each other. For example, if there are healing spells, ...
CommunityBot
- 1
28
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Alynn the Scientific Mage: Science Principles
Running from her people. It was never unexpected, but Alynn always hurt about it.
She ran from the jeers, the shouts, the calls of "freak" and "witch". She ran away from yet another life she ...
- 3,739
3
votes
4
answers
390
views
When does it makes sense for Sword Masters to use a sword beam as a one-time killing move?
Intro
In the creation of my Wuxia-inspired world, 'Sword Intent' is a cornerstone concept where sword masters channel a life force known as 'Qi' to perform extraordinary feats. 'Sword Intent' in my ...
- 3,739
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How would it affect a human to suddenly hear like a cat?
A typical cliche that is often used in Anime is that anthropomorphic cats exist. These are basically humans with cat-ears and a cat-tail (see Plausibility of the Japanese Nekomimi for a fitting ...
- 137k
2
votes
5
answers
460
views
Changes to firearms based on gasoline
I got a little question: how would it effect firearms if they would not be based on gunpowder but on gasoline like flammable liquid?
What I think would happen:
-because the liquid would need to be a ...
- 97
17
votes
12
answers
4k
views
How is it possible that some extra-dimensional pouches can store living things while others can't? [closed]
The extra-dimensional pouch is a portable and lightweight container that is capable of storing almost unlimited tangible objects of any sizes inside a pocket dimension, but why might certain extra ...
- 137k
6
votes
5
answers
967
views
What would be a mechanism to explain tech failure as a result of new magic in the world?
As a more detailed follow up question to my earlier one ( Which types of firearms would be damaged or broken by a global change in combustion intensity? )
There is new magic entering the world(...
- 21.3k
2
votes
1
answer
236
views
Advice/Feedback on building a working Ocean Current model for my fictional world
after much umm-ing and ahh-ing and head scratching, I've decided to seek some advice about my worldbuilding project for the novel I'm writing.
Im looking for feedback/critique on what I've done wrong ...
- 137k
0
votes
1
answer
210
views
What Stars Do I Need to Make a Railgun?
Alright so I have come up with this idea for the primary weapon of a particular class of mages in my fantasy world: the Railgun. These mages are called starborn because, when they are born, they are ...
- 19k
71
votes
30
answers
14k
views
How to monetize magical mirrors in today's world?
This is kinda a followup question to my earlier question about magical mirrors: Magical internet - unique addressing system
Two months ago, I discovered an ancient house in the middle of woods. As I ...
- 193
-2
votes
1
answer
301
views
Creating an Abyss [closed]
I want to create a setting for my story that amplifies the themes of regret and the things we leave behind and feels like it has a grander purpose in the universe. I am drawing inspiration from the ...
0
votes
5
answers
226
views
How can I make the lowest plane of existence in my novel relevant and important? [closed]
I am working on a lit-rpg novel where the universe is called Arcus, and it has three types of planes of existence: Imminus, Medius, and Summus. Each plane has its own characteristics, inhabitants, and ...
- 27.6k
1
vote
1
answer
164
views
What kind of magic could people able to manipulate the 4th dimension do? [closed]
In this world with renaissance-like technology wizards are able to "feels" creases in the 3D space and manipulate space in ways limited to their understanding of the 4D (wich is still not ...
- 137k
4
votes
14
answers
5k
views
Does magic speed up technology?
In a classic RPG magic system, energy/mana/handwavium points are expended to manipulate reality. The cost increases with the complexity and extent of the alterations being made.
Natural talents for ...
CommunityBot
- 1
284
votes
23
answers
56k
views
What's the smallest change to physics required to allow magic?
Yesterday my 7-year-old daughter asked me:
Why can't I do magic for real?
I answered: because of the law of conservation of energy! And I briefly explained this law.
Thus she grumbled, "a ...
- 1,446
5
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Dealing ethically with future human monsters
My world is similar to modern-day Earth, though with additional magical realms not readily accessible from the Rational Realms that are familiar to us. In this world, as many as ten people in every ...
- 29
2
votes
6
answers
398
views
Is it reasonable that magic would become a subject and magi would become students in military academies in a world with rediscovered magic?
Until twenty years before the time at which my story is set, the world was pretty much as our modern-age world is now. Magic was thought to be nothing more than myth and superstition. Alien worlds ...
- 3,282
2
votes
3
answers
283
views
Is There Any Reason for a High Fantasy civilization to use Stable Higher-Generation Matter
So, in the process of developing a magic system, I have come up with an ability and I don't know why any mage would want to use it. Basically, some mages can control radioactive decay, and what that ...
- 87.8k
-1
votes
1
answer
151
views
Could Mages which can control London Dispersion Meaningfully Control the Air [closed]
Alright, so I've been trying to figure out my magic system for my story, and I'm trying to figure out how I could have water mages that were actually powerful. My fundamental idea behind the magic ...
- 1,241
8
votes
3
answers
2k
views
All arsenic not in the ground is magically removed. What effect would that have?
The land of Koyokuni has been depopulated of people and their domesticated animals for many years, and had been sown with ergot spores, venomous insects, large, aggressive venomous birds and even ...
- 878
11
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Would scientists call magic "magic"?
Magic works by tricking the universe into thinking something is there when it isn't, or thinking something isn't there when it is. At least, in essence, that's the current theory. As a result, mages ...
- 7,822
6
votes
13
answers
3k
views
A race created by a goddess of war
First things first: english is my second language, so I apologize in advance for every mistake.
In a game of mine (D&D 5e) I've created a world, Eos, with a sentient race for each god.
There are N ...
3
votes
4
answers
465
views
How would a fantasy world change if every mage exploded/caused natural disasters upon death [closed]
In a fantasy world I'm building, one of the main two types of mages have innate control over natural elements. About 1 in 50 people in this world have the ability to take part in the ritual to give ...
4
votes
3
answers
232
views
How can I incorporate both the metaphysics of the story and magic into a system without compromising one or the other? [closed]
I'll try my best to make this not so nonsensically long and give you the basics with brevity. I'll be summarizing ALOT.
In the beginning was an entity known as the Eternal Sovereign, a being whose ...
- 37.5k
3
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Why is "magic" possible in the Elidrian side of reality but not on Earth? [closed]
TL:DR:
"Why is "magic" possible in the Elidrian side of reality but on our terrestrial side of the universe? "
I'm creating a game and attempting to breathe life into a story that
...
- 594
5
votes
4
answers
469
views
How can I incorporate demigods into society peacefully?
Demigods, called devas, are humans born with a divine spark attached to their soul. They are marked by their golden eyes, amber-like blood, and divine aura that they give off. Devas are human ...
- 341
15
votes
8
answers
2k
views
Where would a "Magic gland" go for full-body saturation of magic?
If there were some organ, akin to the liver or a gland (I'm blanking on organ functions right now), that produces magical energy to project through the body, its various vessels, and directly out of ...
- 303
14
votes
4
answers
812
views
How to reconcile vitalism with science within a fantasy universe?
Vitalism is:
the theory that the origin and phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or physical forces.
Within the universe I wish to create this is ...
- 341
4
votes
2
answers
506
views
What would it be like for a human to maneuver while at supersonic speed?
The person is superhuman. There is both magic and sci-fi involved in the setting. They have the physical strength required to accelerate to supersonic speeds. They have the ability to latch ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
2
answers
205
views
Practicality of engine-mediated magic
In another universe in which humans may exist but did not evolve, the laws of physics allow phenomena that we in this universe would call magical, where matter and energy may be moved, transformed and ...
- 87.8k
1
vote
0
answers
97
views
Plausibility, habitability and conditions of shell-system
I have some questions regarding the feasibility of this planetary shell-based construction. I have read other questions about shell worlds, but this case has some unique elements, so I thought I would ...
- 11
6
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Potential problems with magic creating energy
Context
When hit by sun rays, the moon creates excess energy, it increases the energy & reflects it back to earth as mana rays to make magic possible (the exact process is not important). Most of ...
- 705
10
votes
7
answers
1k
views
Food ingredients in the medieval ages compared to their modern counterparts?
One of my characters (who comes from Earth) wants to open a restaurant in a fantasy world. This world is currently in its medieval era.
The restaurant would serve all sorts of modern food; deep fried,...
- 4,464
1
vote
1
answer
286
views
Is there any general word for a space between universes?
I have many imaginary worlds in my head that are all separate from each other and they exist in bubbles but plenty of worlds have enough tech and/or magic (depending on how the individual world works) ...
- 131
10
votes
4
answers
2k
views
I cast spark! Or, Design of preindustrial firearms when people can cast spark
So, in this fantasy preindustrial world almost everyone can cast small spells like spark within a one meter radius from their mouth.
Taking that into account, igniting mechanisms like matchlocks or ...
- 331
2
votes
2
answers
267
views
Would it rain if there was only daytime? Would water be sustainable? [closed]
In a world that has only daytime would it rain? In this particular magic world that I’ve created the land is plentiful and the soil is rich and perfect for farming but, it’s always daytime.This land ...
- 277k