The State of the Chronicles, October 2010

Happy Halloween! We spent this month talking about the most important part of Shokiyu, the magic.

Thanks to all that read and support the blog

The Magic of Shokiyu, Day 28

◦Do wizards have a special language that is used for magic? If so, where do they learn it? Is it safe to chat in this language, or is everything said in it automatically a spell? If so, how can it safely be taught to new students?

There is no special language per se, but some spell names were traditionally in Ruhar before it was found that translating and naming the spell in the Alweld worked fine.

The Magic of Shokiyu, Day 27

◦Is magic considered a science, or are scientists and wizards enemies or rivals? Are magic and science compatible? To what degree does the presence of magic, magical objects, and wizards replace technology (for example, a chest that is enchanted to keep its contents cold could replace the refrigerator)? Duplicate technology? Supplement technology?

Magic is completely different from science, because science as we know it does not exist in Shokiyu. Because of this, magic replaces many technological items (the cold chest for the refrigerator is one example of this)

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 26

◦Do wizards have a special language that is used for magic? If so, where do they learn it? Is it safe to chat in this language, or is everything said in it automatically a spell? If so, how can it safely be taught to new students?

There's no special language per se, but you can unknowingly name a spell and cast it if the spell name is the same is something else.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 25

◦If magic requires study, where do you go to learn about it? How do people fund their training? Is there an apprenticeship system, or are there wizard schools, or is it one-on-one tutoring/mentoring? Is an untrained wizard dangerous, or just an ordinary person?

Magic on Shokiyu does require study, and there are plenty of academies for almost any budget. If you can pay monetarily, some academies will also accept food or other items as payment. However, you can train under the Seer if all else fails.

It is possible for some people to teach themselves, but an untrained mage can be dangerous depending on what kind of magic awakened in the mage first (as they don't understand or know how to control their power, which can be deadly if their first elemental is something like fire)

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 24

◦Are wizards barred from certain kinds of government jobs or offices? Do some government jobs require that their holder be a wizard?

No mage is flat out barred from a position--in fact, mages are encouraged in law enforcement (to help solve cases)

New Topic?

Are you guys ready to move on to another topic, or do you still have questions about Shokiyu's magic?

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 23

◦How do local people view wizards?

The populace usually view mages as average joes and janes, but there are some mages with more noteriety (either as heroes or villians)

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 22

◦Does it require a license to be a wizard? If so, is it more like a driver’s license (something nearly everyone in our culture gets upon coming of age) or like a doctor’s license (something only a small percentage of the population will ever get)? Who certifies wizards: government, wizard’s guild/AMA, local priests?


Mages are not licensed per se, but those that are planning to teach add their name to the Royal Registry of Mages.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 21

◦Are magicians a force in politics, or are they above it? Are there national politics that revolve around magic/wizards (i.e., trying to outlaw, protect, or promote certain kinds of magic, trying to draft wizards into a ruler’s army, licensing of magicians, etc.)? Do wizards have a lobby? Do they need one?

Mages are ordinary people, so they do keep an eye on politics. There isn't currently a national issue concerning mages at the moment, but when that need arises, a delegation of mages travels to the capital city to make their case.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 20

◦Can you make a living practicing magic, or do you have to have independent means?

Most mages can earn a living with their power, usually by studying it, defending something with it, or teaching others how to use it

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 19

◦Are different races/intelligent species good at different types of magic? If so, what types are associated with what races/species? Are there species that use magic more or less unconsciously — for instance, dragons using magic to fly without being consciously aware of it, or werewolves using magic to change?

Elves and fairies have stronger magic power because their culture relies on magic more. That said, dragons do have magic in the form of elemental breaths

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 18

◦Are wizards organized? How? What hierarchy, if any, do they recognize? What happens if the person/people at the top get killed? Who takes over? How soon?

Shokiyan mages are not organized per se, but there are guilds of mages that serve particular areas of the world, each served by a ruling council made up of eight mages. If the guildmaster were to die, the deputy guildmaster would serve as guildmaster, if that one were to die, the third in command would serve as guildmaster, and so on.

Guildmasters are chosen fairly quickly (about three weeks to a month) by the leaders of the area and the guild's members--the process begins after funeral rites have ended.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 17

Can anyone become a wizard, or does one need to be born with some special talent or gift?

Everyone has the potential to become a mage, but many of them are born with the power, even though it does not manifest until they are about five or six years old (or younger if their power is strong)

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 16

◦Is magic a profession, an art, or just a job? What is the status accorded to magicians in this society? Are they the equivalent of shyster lawyers, politicians, and used car salesmen, or are they considered average working stiffs, or are they looked up to and admired?

Magic is both an art and a profession--mages are usually considered average joes and janes, but the ones with talent and heroes get rock star status

The Magic of Shokiyu, Day 15

◦How long does it take to learn magic?

Depending on the person, it usually takes anywhere from six months to several years to learn magic. That said, people learning at faster or slower rates are not unheard of, but they are the exception, not the rule.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 14

◦How do various religions,if any, view magic? Do any forbid it? Why or why not? Do any require priests/priestesses to be magicians? Do any forbid magicians from holding some or all religious offices?

Most of the time, magic is seen as a way of Meikon working within the world. Some sects, however, frown on the use of magic because of a belief that magic is a divine power, and only a select few that Meikon calls can wield it.

Seers are not required nor discouraged from using magic, but knowing it does help.

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 13

◦Can the ability to work magic be taken away? If so, how and by whom?

If it is found that someone has abused magic power, their power can be locked via a spell that judges and Seers know called Magical Bane. Casting this seals the flow of magic to someone's heart, rendering them unable to cast spells or even sense magic power

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 12

◦Does a magician’s magical ability or power change over time — e.g., growing stronger or weaker during puberty, or with increasing age?

A mage's power and ability grows stronger as they age, but this is because the mage trains as long as s/he has power within themselves

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 11

◦Are certain kinds of magic practiced solely or chiefly by one sex or the other? By one race or another? Is this because of inborn ability, natural preferences, or legislation?

Making potions was chiefly a woman's job and alchemy was mainly a man's jon until about 500 years before our story begins, when male herbalists and female alchemists were legally recognized

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 10

◦What general varieties of magic are practiced (e.g., herbal potions, ritual magic, alchemical magic, demonology, necromancy, etc.)? Do any work better than others, or does only one variety actually work?

In addition to standard issue "call your power and play" magic, potions and alchemy are also used--potions are mainly used for healing, while alchemy is mainly used to create items. All three work equally well

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 9

◦How much is known about the laws of nature, physics, and magic? How much of what is commonly known is wrong?

Shokiyans know quite a lot about their world, but new discoveries are made every day

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 8

◦Does practicing magic have any detrimental effect on the magician (such as becoming addictive, fomenting insanity, or shortening life-span)? If so, is there any way to prevent these effects? Are the effects inevitable to all magicians, or do they affect only those with some sort of predisposition? Do they progress at the same rate in everyone? Are they universal in all species, or are some races (dwarves, elves, whoever) immune to these detrimental effects?

Magical fatigue eventually sets in after a while, but how long it takes varies on the strength of the mage--a new apprentice may burn out after 15-20 minutes while an archmage that has cast magic for years may not feel the effects for several hours. Magical fatigue is different from physical fatigue, and goes away with rest. (the time it takes for magical fatigue to set in is calculated under the assumption that the subject is casting constantly.) While you can't die from it, it is possible to exhaust yourself to the point where you could die

There are magical items that slow or stop the onset of the fatigue--the ones that stop it completely are few and far between

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 7

◦Can two or more wizards combine their power to cast a stronger spell, or is magic done only by individuals? What makes one wizard more powerful than another — knowledge of more spells, ability to handle greater levels of power, having a more powerful god as patron, etc.?

It is possible for two or more mages to combine powers to make a new spell--each mage casts the spells that form the new spell, then the first mage names the combined spell.

Mage's strength is determined by how many spells they know, how large of a power level they can handle, and how long they can cast before magical fatigue sets in

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 6

How long does it take to cast a spell? Can spells be stored for later, instant use? Does working spells take lots of long ritual, or is magic a “point and shoot” affair?

Magic is mainly a "point and shoot" affair, since all you have to do is name the spell when using a weapon. With instruments, it takes just a few seconds longer since naming the spell charges your instrument with the appropriate element to cast the spell

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 5

◦Where does magic power come from: the gods, the “mana” of the world, the personal willpower of the magician? Is magic an exhaustible resource? If a magician must feed his spells with his own willpower, life-force, or sanity, what long-term effects will this have on the health and/or stability of the magician? Do different races/species have different sources for their magic, or does everybody use the same one?

Magic on Shokiyu comes from the Twelve Stones, and they are constantly generating it, so it never runs out.

The Magic of Shokiyu, Day 4

◦What do you need to do to cast a spell — design an elaborate ritual, recite poetry, mix the right ingredients in a pot? Are there things like a staff, a wand, a familiar, a crystal ball, that are necessary to have before casting spells? If so, where and how do new wizards get these things? Do they make them, buy them from craftsmen, inherit them from their teachers, or order them from Wizardry Supplies, Inc.?

To cast a spell, you name it, and then play something on the closest instrument. An even faster way to cast spells is just to point a weapon at the target and name the spell. Since instruments and weapons are easily availiable, most people just buy one from a shop or make them themselves

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 3

◦What things can magic not do? What are the limits to magical power? How do magicians try to get around these limits?

Magic cannot alter history, manipulate the weather, and usually cannot revive someone or something (There is a revival spell, but the odds of it working are low), to name some things

Most beings can safely wield around three (if a non-magical creature live a human, avri, or dwarf) to six (if a magical creature like an elf or a fairy) elements. That said, some professions have a marking they give to apprentices when they pass their training that gives them an extra element they can safely wield

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 2

What is the price magicians must pay in order to be magicians — years of study, permanent celibacy, using up bits of their life or memory with each spell, etc.? Does anyone ever try to get around the price of magic?

Mages on Shokiyu usually train for a long time to hone their power, plus use up some of their strength with every spell (although the resulting fatigue can be slowed or stopped with the right charm)

Video Game Information Post

LegendaryMoon (my partner that's helping with The Video Game) has compiled an information post explaining how different aspects of the game work.

Check it out here

The Magic of Shokiyu, day 1

◦How does a magician tap his/her magic power? Does becoming a magician require some rite of passage (investing one’s power in an object, being chosen by the gods, constructing or being given a permanent link to the source of power) or does it just happen naturally, as a gradual result of much study or as a part of growing up?

Every being on Shokiyu has the potential to be a mage, but the power first manifests at a young age. (around 4 or 5 years) Some find out by accident that they have magical power by unknowingly naming a spell before playing music, others choose to have their hearts opened via Gem's Knowing--if their heart glows dull red, then they have no power or what power there is is dormant or in too small of an amount to be detected. If their heart glows in any other color, whatever color(s) their heart is is what kind of magic they can safely cast.