I know magic is an astronomically large part of fantasy. Almost any fantasy story worth their weight in salt has magic of some kind, but the different ways that magic works is what can make or break a pivotal part of a story. As for magic in my stories, I wanted to break them down here and give some insight on how it works.
There are two types of magic I use: Inherited and Harnessed.
INHERITED: This type of magic is exactly how it sounds. Magic users who fall under this category inherit their magic from their bloodline. Whether than bloodline be demonic or human, they use these abilities innately and can learn how to harness these powers better with practice. The applications of these powers are limited only by the imagination of the user, and exceptional people can accomplish nearly anything. Paxanthians are my biggest examples of Inherited magic users, as their entire culture is created and surrounds the inherited magic they possess.
However, Inherited magic users are typically limited to the magic within themselves. Only the Overseer (a being that transcends mortal Paxanthians) is capable of using magic from any of the six primary bloodlines (air, earth, water, fire, light, and dark). So someone with water-based magic can never learn a fire-based attack. They can only modify their own magic in various ways.
HARNESSED: This type of magic encompasses a HUGE area of magic that has presented itself in the majority of my titles. Because magic (also called the Flow) surrounds everything. It’s swimming through the water, swirling on the breeze, and flowing through every living thing in the world. The Flow is all encompassing, and is the foundation the Gods were formed on, deriving their power from specific parts of the Flow that fuels the universe. Particularly skilled people can learn to use this Flow too.
For example, nature magic users like druids, harness the magic in the world around them, pulling from the Flow that lives inside of trees, plants, and animals. They commune with their God of nature, furthering their connections with the Flow and increasing their strength. Arcane magic users similarly harness the Flow through understanding, spending their time learning how it works to harness what they need.
Another category that falls under Harnessed magic is magic items. Magic items are each unique, ranging from simple healing potions to weapons that channel the flow themselves to do incredible things. Magic items also harness the Flow, but entirely separate from the person who wields them. These items can level the playing field for people who are stuck dealing with magic users but cannot harness magic themselves.
I can’t say one particular type is stronger than another. Harnessed magic users can definitely be much more versatile with what they can accomplish, but Inherited magic users can sharpen their skills and hone their abilities to levels almost out of reach for most, giving them an advantage in power if they train for long enough. But Harnessed users are able to search the near infinite expanse of the Flow and accomplish magical feats previously thought impossible.
Which one do you think is more powerful?
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