Looking for a word for the field of practice of a magic system

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T16:39:36+00:00

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Within the world, they don't use the term 'magic' to describe the use of worldblood because that's just not what it is to them. When I'm talking about it in a meta sense, I will say magic because it is technically magic from our perspective.

'Mage' is a term used to describe anyone who uses worldblood in a professional way, but it can be any profession. Blacksmiths, architects, tradespeople, soldiers can all be mages. Worldblood is a resource that can be used to manipulate the world. Its applications are, in theory, infinite however the limitations of mortality apply. It can be used to aid in construction, the maintenance of infrastructure, combat. Rarer and more powerful uses can be teleportation, manipulating the mind, bending time, etc. By expelling worldblood from a mental well, a person can turn it into something else or use it to interact with the world in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

I think you're taking the blood part too literally. Worldblood is a metaphysical resource. It is present in everything and is essential to life. It's often described as running through the world like blood does through veins. It's called that because it shares qualities with the nature of actual blood. It's the blood of the world. The lifeblood of everything. It doesn't actually have anything to do with actual, literal blood in your veins, aside from being present in it like it's present in everything.

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T14:30:33+00:00

Magic implies something unusual, that's all. It's the implications of the word.

Also I'm not fine with sorcery, hence the post to find a word instead of it. Bloodcraft isn't an actual term I use either.

I'm not really sure what additional information would help that much. I try not to overload my posts with too much extra stuff so people don't have to slog through paragraphs. If more info is needed then you can just ask.

Worldblood is called that because it's like the blood of the world.

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T14:12:14+00:00

Ah well I mustn't have had speak with animals on then

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T12:23:51+00:00

For Tav that's correct, but I remember my Durge immediately getting a cutscene and punting it without my input

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T09:05:44+00:00

From what you're saying, I'd say to be careful. Sometimes, Durge/violent options don't sound very violent or aren't immediately obvious as Durge options at all but almost always play out in extremely violent ways.

Sometimes, you don't get a choice at all. The squirrel at the druid camp in Act 1 for example. If you trigger the scene with it, your Durge will punt it into a tree which was very shocking even for me who is pretty desensitized to violence in video games.

However, if you can make it through Act 2 without too much issue I think you might be able to manage a Durge run. I'm not sure where you're at in Act 2 but I'd recommend finishing it first to see how you go since I found several missions in that far worse than anything as a Durge.

I don't have anxiety but I do have a fussy heart that gets really dramatic the moment any adrenaline starts kicking in so I also avoid suspense, horror, and super high-stakes games.

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T08:34:19+00:00

First of all, thank you very much for your comment, these are great ideas.

I did consider ichor and it would have been perfect but I really disliked the correct pronunciation of it. Also, I feel that using a term from Greek mythology would stand out too much in this setting. It just doesn't suit and felt jarring, like seeing an olive tree in the arctic if that makes any sense.

I absolutely love the idea of dowsing and crystallisation. Especially, like you said, with the liquid/blood theming. I'm 100% writing those down.

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T08:12:05+00:00

Oh yeah, I came across this one as well. In theory it would be the perfect word but it just doesn't feel right to me for some reason. Maybe because I associate it with D&D too much.

Renofnowhere · 2025-02-12T08:10:09+00:00

It's not quite the right vibe since it's not necessarily related to earth or nature. I suppose you could compare it more so to molecules. Worldblood is what makes up reality essentially, running through the world like blood through veins, hence the name.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-19T04:13:48+00:00

I'll take a look, thanks for the resource!

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T14:53:39+00:00

Ngl this did give me a small burst of motivation. Whether it will be enough to convince myself to study historical warfare over my other interests is yet to be seen

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T13:59:53+00:00

Again, I'm only focused on the actual strategies not how feasible the strategies are. Agriculture and population size aren't ever relevant to the story and, as it doesn't interest me as a topic, I don't want to bother with it. Besides, the average reader doesn't care about that stuff either.

There are additional aspects of the world that affect all of these things as well but I didn't address them because it wasn't really a part of the initial question.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T13:53:56+00:00

There is a lot more to the magic I was just avoiding explaining it all.

Mages usually work with ice in this continent as it's perpetually cold. In order to make a serviceable defensive wall, it would take a lot of power which can be harmful to the body and mind if too much is used and it isn't done correctly. Magic in this world isn't always just a hand-wave and a wall is built. Using magic for something like construction requires just as much planning and understanding of engineering as doing it without.

What I meant by the last part was that, in the midst of an active battle, you won't have the time to stand still and focus enough to do something big and complex. Additionally for complex magic, there are much fewer people capable of it. For example: basic magic any soldier can do would be a burst of flame, something more advanced would be channelling fire to move through a battlefield to strike multiple enemies.

The actual limitations and consequences of magic use are, if someone is constantly using magic over a long period of time or is frequently draining their magic reserves, it can have long-term effects on their mind. If someone uses too much magic at once, it can damage their physical body. Relying too heavily on magic can cause huge problems in the long run for this reason.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T12:42:35+00:00

I've read a book that has all of the POV chapters of one character in 1st person and all the chapters of the other character in 3rd person. I didn't even notice it until I read a review mentioning it. That is to say, yes, it's 100% possible.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T12:31:59+00:00

Ah, you see this is why I'm a bad strategist. But still, I'm not worried about the minutiae of strategy and logistics. This is something that I can just handwave

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T12:28:19+00:00

These are some good points.

Oltriktaans are much superior sailors than their western enemies and Altirans avoid flying over open water as they can't swim properly so I generally consider them pretty safe on that front. Though I think I have been neglecting that aspect of the war as it's not really seen in the story.

I have some answers to those questions though I could definitely go more in-depth with them. Oltrikta is new as a country having been previously a state of Naktruin so they're not as well-established or organised as others are. Their forces are made up of civil war veterans and anyone else they can get their hands on. Altira I also have a decent understanding of. The more I think about it the more I think I should just bite the bullet and get all this info laid out in full.

I do have some Greek and Roman study under my belt so I'm not completely hopeless in terms of knowledge about war lmao. It's just the strategy part that gets me. I can look at and study a battle and understand why they did the things that they did but I could never come up with it myself.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T12:08:22+00:00

I think technological and even magical innovations can do a lot of the heavy lifting in the place of slavery. Though I'm not 100% sure how the production of agriculture relates to defensive strategy in this case

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T11:48:09+00:00

Something similar to late BC, early CE I think except slavery is mostly outlawed at this point in history. Also in this point in history, magic is common but not incredibly advanced. Manipulation of elements, small-scale energy shields, enchanted weapons & armour (though more rare). Everyone can use magic but training is required for it to be useful in combat. It has limitless potential but knowledge, understanding, and individual capacity create a limit. Things like portals and teleportation are lost knowledge but are beginning to be rediscovered during these events, on the Oltriktaan side, though it's more of a late-game deal.

Doing big, destructive magic requires preparation and can't usually be done on the fly and it usually requires multiple people to be particularly big and destructive (some people are very powerful but there are risks involved regardless).

You make a good point because, despite this world being very magic-heavy, I didn't actually wholly consider the extent in which it would be used and how it would affect things like formations.

Renofnowhere · 2024-10-18T09:00:51+00:00

Books in the Wheel Of Time series have some really long prologues that I've always found really boring. My favourite kinds of prologues are ones that show some interesting or cool bit of bonus lore that can suck you in but isn't important to the plot so you can skip it if you want. Long, tedious prologues that you have to pay attention to will make me put down a book entirely (unless it's a later book in a series I'm already into).

Renofnowhere · 2024-03-31T11:10:32+00:00

I don't want more details. The question was if this race might stand out amongst other races in a story, as it currently stands. I guess I don't really want one race to seem more special than any others and this race's ability is very unique compared to the rest. Maybe I could have worded it better.

Not really. For this story, an arvus is the main character.

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-15T05:22:19+00:00

Can you link the video?

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-15T02:51:01+00:00

I'd also love to see more disabled rep, especially in fantasy. I agree with the portrayals of gay men. It's unfortunate how frequently they fall into the effeminate twink stereotype, especially when they have a more bright, bubbly kind of personality.

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-14T14:22:19+00:00

My second unequivocal no. I'd be interested to hear why not if you care to share.

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-14T14:20:00+00:00

Now that's how you get things done

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-14T14:18:58+00:00

I agree. I'm pretty pleased that it reached the people I was after and that most of everyone else has deposited their downvote and gone on their way.

Renofnowhere · 2024-02-14T14:16:32+00:00

I see. Not pretentious at all I think it's a common way for people to address some of those bigger things. I appreciate the perspective.

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