The following text was just stripped from my WA outline article. Basically me just running down the list of what I want the magic to be. Ask me questions so I can develop it further!
What do I want magic to BE?
I want magic to have an oceanic motif, especially revolving around water and the depths.
For the love of god, donāt make it a video game system.
Spellcasting should be difficult/dangerous enough to be uncommon. Alternatively, it should have a prerequisite or a cost.
All humanoid species have the potential to use magic.
Where does magic come from?
Magic comes from two sources: the sea and the sky.
Ever since the creation of the Great Storm, the sea and the Abyss have been tainted, resulting in the magic from the sea being corrupted.
Magic from the sky is still āpureā, and, while more different to control, it cannot ācorruptā the user with Sea Curses.
Maybe the modern day weird activity of the deep creatures is due to low usage of magic? It kinda piles up. Like how the Native Americans intentionally burned forests to prevent large-scale fires
What makes an individual able to use magic? What makes them better at it?
To dictate and control the spell, individual Deepspeakers paint glyphs onto their bodies with Abyssal Squid Ink. The shape and patterns of the glyphs affect the magic when itās sent through the glyph.
Alternatively, one can tattoo glyphs onto themselves, making a permanent mark of their magic. Doing so is convenient, but makes the side effects of a failed cast more severe.
Casting spells requires the individual to ingest sea water mixed with certain ingredients. If the user plans on casting spells later, they consume a plant which paralyzes their stomach for several hours.
How do Sea Curses play into magic now? What are the other consequences?
Sea Curses typically manifest from fault in the efficiency of the caster. Inefficient magic results in the energy bottling up somewhere on the individualās body. This warps a part of the personās body into an oceanic shape. Such as giving them scales, octopus skin, useless gills, etc.
Manifesting a sea curse causes exhaustion, and tends to be painful.
Whatās needed to cast magic?
A special bioluminescent ink called Abyssal Squid Ink. This ink is rare, as these squids spend much of their time in the Abyss. They are one of the few creatures that can navigate back and forth from the Abyss.
For waiting to cast spells, the individual must paralyze their stomach through the use of a special weed called Oceanlock
This should probably be put under the Writing category with the āworldbuildingā tag.
Aside from that, this sounds like a great take on magic, especially with how it interacts with science.
Though now Iām left wondering if people can use intermediaries to cast magic (tools) or overlap patterns by increasing their surface (fat/scars).
Wanted to be a bit more soft-magic on the spells, but hereās some examples I made so far. Keep in mind the system has roots in D&D 5e, so uhā¦ yeah.
Animating a barrage of shells to lacerate a target.
Partially turning oneās bones to liquid to move through small spaces.
Summoning tentacles, blades of volcanic glass, and rain.
Okay, so I am so very sorry for not noticing this sooner. But better late than never; letās address your questions:
One: you can actually cast without swallowing the material. Doing so requires a bowel, and you wonāt really be able to direct the spell, as it no longer courses through you. Good news is thoughāitās much less likely to curse you. This is how the Selkies originally practiced magic for the most part. While the standard method was used, they didnāt really have a need to direct the spells. Most of such spells affected only the environment.
As for increasing your surface area for painting or tattooing glyphsāyou could, but youād get limited returns. Firstly, remember the square-cube law: youād have to gain a LOT of weight to noticeably increase your surface area. Also, the surface area you already have should suffice for most spellcasting purposes.
Youāre kinda mixing this system with Arcane Odysseyās. Sea Curses here just cause deformations to a person and taint their bodies with a bit of magic.
Also, that magic is the same type found in the ocean, so it wouldnāt conflict like in AO.
