The story I'm working on was originally going to be straight fantasy, but I gradually decided to go magitek. I've been playing around with ideas, and I'm still working out the framework, but here's what I've got so far... Magic in this world is elemental. It used to be energy-based (a la Wheel of Time), but after magic was accidentally separated during a huge war, it became matter-based instead - in other words, mages (called Wielders) manipulate matter instead of energy: not just the basic four, but a spectrum of other things as well. When magic was separated, all the magic actively in use in the world (and there was a lot of it) materialized as crystal. (Note: the whys and wherefores of all this would take too long to explain, and aren't really relevant here.) This also caused a major cataclysm. After civilization rose from the ashes, people learned how to tap into element crystals and harness their power: use an Air crystal to make something bouyant (this is how airships and floatcars work), a Fire crystal to make heat without fire (very handy in cold climates), a Water crystal to make your ship go faster, etc. They can also magnify a Wielder's power. The problem is, only Wielders can use them - it requires someone with magical ability to draw on their energy. A short aside here, as this is relevant: there's an organization called the Order, which maintains academies that train Wielders. After graduation, Wielders can become part of the Order, which grants them various benefits, the main one being more lucrative employment (many groups nations only employ Wielders for certain jobs; in return, a small percentage of the Wielders' wages go to the Order). Since Wielders are the only ones who can use element crystals, the Order quickly developed a monopoly on most forms of transportation and shipping. Technology is somewhere around early 1900s, I think (I'm still working on the particulars here). We have some electronic devices, but combustion engines are a no-go - the Order quietly suppresses, sabotages, or outright destroys any research that could undermine their strangehold. Likewise, a couple people have developed technological interfaces for the crystals over the years, but the Order quickly shut them down. There are two exceptions: One nation (Chandarat) has eschewed magic entirely and gone totally tech; they alone have combustion engines, as well as more advanced tech. The Order hasn't been able to stop them because they are rabidly anti-Wielder, which makes it very hard to get spies into their country. Another nation (Kas) is a magocracy that opposes the Order and has established their own academy. They've incorporated Chandarati tech to make crystal interfaces, granting magic to the public (to a limited extent - a non-Wielder could drive a hover car or pilot a ship, but he still wouldn't be able to use true magic). Now, my question is: Is this feasible? Does it sound too ridiculous or forced? I want the Order to be "not as good as everyone thinks" - this isn't a story of black and white, "good vs. evil", but various shades of gray: the Order does a lot of good, but it also has lots of skeletons, which feeds into the plot. This is also the driving force behind the Kassians joining up with the antagonists - they want to help expose and/or overthrow the Order and make magic accessible to everyone. I really like the idea of magitek with crystals, but the part I'm unsure about is the Order suppressing technogical advancement for their own gains. I mean, they have the power to do so - they have major political clout, as well as a vast network of people who work for them - but it feels kind of artificial to me. I dunno - am I just thinking too hard?
If I can relate to the protagonist, and this character has a desperate task against seemingly insurmountable odds, I will probably like the story. I'm not entirely sure about calling the magic crystals by the names of air, fire, or water. It might be better to use existing mineral names. Aquamarine could be water energy, rubies for fire. I'm not sure about air. But tell a good story and I don't think it will matter.
I find the concept really interesting. This is a good base for a lively world where many different stories are possible. The Crystalized Magic is a cool and surprising idea, because it reminds me to what happened during the Big Bang. ^ ^ Back then energy also "crystallized" into matter. I don't find the Order supressing tech advancements too forced. Rather it's the usual behaviour for organisations of power. They all want to preserve it. Look at how big corporations buy and block new inventions so that their products are not threatened. They can probably rationalize it by saying that only people with long training are responsible enough to have such power and where would we be when every Tom, Dick and Harry was able to produce the same effects with just some technological toy?
Yeah, coming up with new names would be a good idea. Thanks. That's pretty much what I want - I want to be able to set various different stories here; some characters will have recurring roles, and it might even have an overarching narrative like Scalzi's Old Man's War (dream big, right?). It actually arose from a plot device - I came up with something called "null crystal", which negates magic in a certain radius (based on the size and amount of crystal). I had to go back and figure out what it was and where it came from - null crystal became crystallized Pneuma, and the other energy types became crystal also, which pushed me along the path to making this a magitek setting. Of course... I was thinking purely in terms of monetary profit, but I forgot about the Order retaining its relevance in an age of advancing technology. I was playing around with the idea of exploring "magic vs. science (or tech)", and this angle could work really well. When you find out why they've been doing it, the Order would look less like a greedy megacorp (which I wanted to avoid*) and more like an increasingly obsolescent organization desperately trying to maintain its power. I like it - maybe that could be the focus of my narrative....
Interesting setting. I like worlds that mix relatively advanced tech with magic, so yours sounds right up my alley. The Order thing doesn't sound especially forced to me, and I second what QueenOfPlants said on it. Then again it could change depending on how things are presented in the story I guess. If it's set up in a manner that's logical and ocnsistent for the world, I as a reader wouldn't think too much about it. So, I hope you stick with it!
Thanks. I actually have taken a break from it because I keep going back and forth on things, entertaining new ideas and such. There are so many factions, all with their own goals, and it's getting confusing trying to figure out what everyone wants and how they go about getting it. I'll get there - I really want to see where this thing goes.
It doesn't sound that interesting to me personally, but it could be good - if it were in the hands of a skilled writer. I don't know how experienced you are, but it's probably not a good idea to create convoluted magical systems or explore challenging questions of politics and technology until you can make your stories work... look at Harry Potter, many of the basic concepts of magic aren't even explained until the last two books, and even then it remains mostly a black box. My advice to you is to write a few short stories in your universe first, just to get a feel for it.
I've been writing for almost 30 years, so I've got that part down. I don't intend to delve into the mechanics of magic, except as necessary to explain things. But, I understand your point - I'm taking my time and working hard to make a solid framework and a plot before I start writing. I'm still putting together ideas and working things out.
Thinking it through won't teach you a tenth as much as actually *writing* in your universe. As a wise person once said: "Writing a novel is like constructing a tower out of Jenga blocks, and if you’re not careful you’re going to get halfway to your goal only to discover that the bottom part of the tower can’t support the rest, or you decide you need to take something from the bottom and put it nearer the top but you can’t do it without the whole thing collapsing, or half the blocks are actually sugar cubes and now your story is covered in a swarm of hungry wasps."
Yeah, I've noticed that. I wrote 60K words of this to get a feel for some of the major plot points and the characters, then I had to go back and develop the world, and I'll have to rewrite most of the story because some of it was crap and some needs to be retconned. Now I'm dithering over what to do with the plot and the factions, and you're right - I just need to get off my ass and write something. It worked before, after all. Maybe it'll help settle things more firmly and help me get a grasp on what's going on.
Personally I don't think it sounds forced or artificial at all. In many ways it represents how the real world works. I can give you a perfect example you see almost everywhere and don't even realize it, Microsoft. Don't even get me started on how many times they've been called out for dirty business practices that undermine the competition. For a long time they had a virtual monopoly on PC operating systems and I have no doubt there are quite a few skeletons in their closet either, but at the same time they have done good for the world. I really like the setting and ideas you've come up with, it sounds really interesting. Definitely something I would read if you ever make the story available to be read.
Yeah, Micro$oft. Textbook example there. Once I develop the world at bit more, I can get back to writing. I've never done something like this, so it's difficult figuring out the tech levels and what they have and all. I'll post something here sooner or later.
