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Messages - RDDK

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Writing Group / Re: Need ideas for what Magic can do
« on: June 29, 2011, 08:45:40 PM »
1. Age magic - immortality.
This one is easy in the sense that you don't need to come up with as many rules. You also have a simplistic magic element that can HUGELY affects the world you create. How do people feel about the immortals. What do the immortals do with their immortality? Where did it come from and can it be shared. Etc.

2. General magic - fireballs and healing
This is kind of the Merlin magic, where everything and anything can be done if you know how. It's been renamed in many books with different rules, but the main thing about it is that it isn't a specific isolated ability.

3. Superhero - single power or sets.
Here you have the isolated ability or abilities. Invisibility, absorption, can throw fireballs (but nothing else). Usually it comes from a reaction to a foreign element or some kind of inborn ability. You can go a lot of ways with this and how the people with these abilities (born or learned) are regulated in the world.

4. Race magic - racial quality.
This ties in with super hero magic. Mind reading, ESP, nightvision, and so on. Here it is attached to a race instead of a single person. With this you have to make a world where these abilities can exist without their causing a devolution. If humans gained mind reading as a race, we'd probably all be in a lot of trouble.

5. Science - alchemy, symbioses, futuristic.
Science fiction, but not science fiction. What I mean by this is scientifically based magic, but where the characters do not know or understand science, and so to them it is magic. For instance,  something like the Venom suit from Spider Man isn't really magic, but to a normal person on earth, it sure looks like a monster from hell.

What I do when I have a magic idea is then run it through some tests. What do I want my character to do with it. If he does this, what will happen. I work as hard as I can to invalidate my idea, then try to fix the problems, until I end up with a system that works.

Another thing you can do, which is the opposite of what another poster said, is to write the story first, or at least the outline. Then go through it and in places where things happen, [Hero wins contest] you can think about how magic might have been involved here, rather than him just being physically stronger. Or if there is a battle, and the enemy escapes, come up with magical reasons instead of luck and a fast horse. It's kind of like reading a history book, which tells you "this happened and this happened and this happened" but doesn't always tell you how. I think it could help you with coming up with ideas when you have specific circumstances for the magic to be used.

Anyway, hope that was helpful.

2
Writing Group / Re: Best. Word. Ever.
« on: April 18, 2011, 03:53:50 PM »
Fantasticate

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Writing Group / Re: Best. Word. Ever.
« on: January 25, 2011, 01:15:23 PM »
Fantasticate

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Writing Group / Re: Length of Fantasy Novels
« on: December 19, 2010, 01:42:46 AM »
Check out the Earth Sea books by Ursula K. Le Guin. Fantasy can be awesome and short.

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Writing Group / Re: Writing Prompts! Dialogue
« on: December 19, 2010, 01:33:39 AM »
Dialogue Prompt:

“I think you did it wrong.”

“What do you mean? My dress turned blue, can't you see?”

“It did..., but so did your hair.”

“What!”

“You better fix it or Master will know we borrowed his Book of Spells.”

“But I don't know how. It doesn't say it on this page.”

“Then keep looking. I told you not to do it.”

“No, you didn't. You said, 'I bet you can't do it.'”

“Same thing.”

“It is not.”

“Master won't care.”

“I aught to turn you blue, now that I know the spell.”

“You wouldn't.”

“Maybe I would.”

“If you do, I'll turn you into a newt.”

“You don't know how.”

“I turned someone into a newt, once.”

“Yeah, but that was before you knew you could do magic. You didn't even know what you were doing.”

“I can do it again.”

“I doubt it. Now, stop bothering me, I have to find a hair spell. I don't see any hair sections in the table of contents.”

“I can too turn you into a newt.”

“Prove it or be quiet. Who knows when Master Obern will be back.”

“Grr.”

“Are you doing it? I don't hear any words.”

“Obviously. It's a silent spell. I do it by thinking, the way the masters do it.”

“Mhm.”

“Hrshh.”

“What–Oh.”

“Hrshh (It didn't work.)”

“Uh-oh.”

“Hrshrsh (What is it?)”

“Now you've done it, Furgin.”

Hrshrshhsh (Done what? I told you, it didn't work–did you grow taller?)”

“I think I can fix this. I saw something in the book.”

Hershrshrshrsh (Fix what, your hair?)”

“Ah, here it is.”

Hrshshshrsh (Stop pointing your finger at me like that. It's dangerous.)”

“Homoncos-huminos-rectis!”

“How dare you cast a spell on me!”

“I thought you'd be more grateful.”

“Grateful? What did you do to me? Am I blue? No, red? I bet you made me red. You know I hate the color red.”

“I turned you back.”

“Turned me back? From what?”

“How could you not realize that you turned into a newt?”

“What are you talking about? That's ridicules.”

“You couldn't even tell the difference. I always knew you had a pea-sized brain.”

“I do not. You are such a liar, Tessabelle. I bet you just said nonsense words, trying to scare me.”

“I don't care if you believe me. Now, help me find the right spell. It's almost dark and Master Obern will be back soon.”

“What do you want me to do? You have the spell book.”

“It's a big book Furgs. Start from from the back. We can hold the middle pages up.”

“I told you not to call me that”

“Just do it!”

“Fine, fine. You don't need to cry about it. Always 'Furgin to the rescue.'”

“I wish you knew a spell of silence.”

“If I did, I'd cast it on you.”

“If I were only so lucky.”


“Find it yet?”

“Don't you think I would have said something if I found it?”

“I don't know. Maybe.”

“Don't be stupid.”

“You shouldn't call me stupid if you want my help.”

“You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just worried.”

“Why?”

“What if Master Obern sends me away?”

“He wouldn't do that, would he?”

“How many times did he tell us not to do magic when he wasn't here, and to 'Never touch my spell book.'”

“But you're the best apprentice he's ever had. He always says that when he thinks I'm not around.”

“You heard him?”

“Yes.”

“I'm sorry, Furgs.”

“It's okay. If you were weak, I wouldn't like you.”

“Thanks.”

“And anyways, you're the strongest now, but just wait. I'm going to be the most powerful man in the land.”

“King of the newts?”

“King of the world.”

“That is powerful. Has the future King of the newts found the right spell yet?”

“No, not ye—Oh. I think I found something.”

“What is it?”

“Right here. It says it is a dispelling spell.”

“Let me see it? Ah. 'Whomever it is cast upon, will be disenchanted from any spells or curses laid upon them, but only  by those of an equal or lesser power.' Perfect.”

“Better hurry up. I think I hear Master on the stairs.”

“Right. Let's see. Scrubin-purita-unmagi!”

“Uh-oh.”

“Oh no. It didn't work? What do I—”

“Just kidding.”

“You—Quick, that's the door. Put the book back!”

“Why me? Oomph.”

“Hello Master Obern.”

“Good evening Tessabelle. Where is Furgin?”

“He's in the other room. He said I was distracted him.”

"Ah, there you are."

“Hello Master.”

“Good evening Furgin. Have you two been meditating the way I showed you?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Yes, Master Obern.”

“Very good. Now, run along to the kitchen and have your dinner. I know how hungry meditation always makes me.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Thank you, Master Obern.”

“I'll see you both in the morning. We're going to learn a new spell, color changing. Very tricky stuff.”

“That sounds great, Master.”

“Very exciting, Master Obern.”

“Goodnight, Master.”

“Goodnight, Furgin.”

Goodnight, Master Obern.”

“Goodnight, Tessabelle.”

“We did it.”

“Shh. Did you close the door?”

“I'm not stupid.”

“I know. Thank you so much, Furgs. You saved me.”

“You're welcome, now stop hugging me.”

“I thought my heart was going to explode when he came in.”

“Mine too.”

"And tomorrow! You don't think he's fooling us, do you?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. He gets very angry about his rules."

"Yeah, you're right."


"Hey, smell that?”

“Mmm. Lamb.”

“Casting spells makes me hungry.”

“I'm hungry, too.”

“Probably from the newt spell.”

“The newt spell? Are you still trying trick me. I'm not that dumb, Tessabelle.”

“I guess not.”


------------

Robert Davis

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CCGs / Re: MTG: Old Cards?
« on: September 04, 2010, 05:43:26 AM »
Boo. I have my favorite cheap shot duos. Nettling Imp+Royal Assassin and War Barge + Merfolk Assassin.

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Writing Group / Re: Creative Ways to Kill a Character
« on: September 03, 2010, 03:08:14 PM »
Give them free skiing tickets, then have an avalanche fall on them.

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CCGs / MTG: Old Cards?
« on: September 03, 2010, 03:04:56 PM »
I haven't played Magic 14 or so years, but I still have all of my old cards (mostly revised with a handful of The Dark and Legends). I know on newer cards they added all these spells and abilities. Are old cards even playable anymore?

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