For the longest time, I have wondered what would be a realistic way to introduce my Dark Lord and his minions in my fantasy series. The first two books revolved around vengeful dynastic feuds between kings and emperors, which was largely based on real-life medieval history. Therefore, how does one introduce such a sinister enemy after two books that were mostly grounded in realism. I turn my attention to magic, which is a mere flicker of what it once was in my fantasy series. What if certain experiments were conducted in an attempt to restore magic to its former glory? What if those experiments produced faulty results that lead to something ugly? Compared to natural magic, I think artificial magic would be more dangerous and unpredictable. Just as Dr. Frankenstein created an artificial human that ran amok, I think the remaining magicians would make something run amok by creating artificial magic. I will tinker with this further as I continue to write my third fantasy book.
Tag Archives: MAGIC
AN ARMY OF MONSTERS
I have decided on what the main antagonists for the third fantasy book onwards should be. Due to the immense power the Imperial Dynasty acquired, no mortal opponent will be a match for them. Therefore, their new enemy should be something that is neither mortal or human. I am envisioning an army of monsters that slowly grows and festers in the heart of the Empire. Eventually, this army of abominations becomes so big and so powerful that the Imperial Dynasty and their allies will need to put aside their squabbles and join forces against a common enemy. These creatures will come in all shapes and sizes and will be commanded by a Dark Lord and his followers. The existence of these monsters will have long term consequences to the Empire as a whole. These beasts will make the Orcs of Middle-Earth look like rabble and the White Walkers of Game of Thrones look like fairies by comparison. I will be drawing inspiration from all kinds of monster-based stories like Stephen King’s The Mist and The Cabin In The Woods.
A SORCERER’S APPRENTICE
One of the more intriguing aspects of fantasy is the relationship between a sorcerer and his apprentice. Just as a king need an heir to inherit their throne, a sorcerer needs an apprentice to inherit their knowledge and power. In future volumes of my fantasy series, I am thinking of depicting a master/apprentice relationship between two characters. To add complexity to their relationship, these two characters will be related and the sorcerer will be mute. So, how can a master-apprentice relationship function when the teacher and student are related while the teacher is a mute? This story idea will take place a century into the Magnus Dynasty’s reign over the Gradaian Empire, which will be when the Druid population recovers and magic becomes more commonplace. The apprentice will be a High Prince from House Magnus while the master will be a descendant of a bastard from House Magnus. Throughout their time together, these two go on a pilgrimage across the empire, having countless adventures and meeting interesting people along the way. It will be like the Dunk and Egg stories from Game of Thrones except it revolves around sorcerers instead of knights. It will be an intriguing project to work with and I will keep you updated on any developments.
DANGEROUS MAGIC
Another act from America’s Got Talent that I enjoyed was the magic of Aaron Crow. Aaron Crow had the demeanor of a serious sorcerer. He was one of the few contestants that struck all-consuming fear into the hearts of all the judges. The reason for this is because his magic was so dangerous that it would have been utterly catastrophic if it went wrong. Simon said that he wanted acts that were dangerous, but he should be careful what he wished for. Aaron Crow’s magic almost cost Howie is head in the first act and almost crushed him to death in the final act. Aaron Crow also nearly shot Heidi in the head with an arrow and nearly made Simon left-handed. Overall, watching Aaron Crow perform is a serious adrenaline rush and he keeps you guessing what will happen next as his magic continues to become increasingly more dangerous.
A MYSTICALLY AUGMENTED WARRIOR
I have always liked the idea of a powerful warrior that is augmented by magic. One example includes General Glauca from Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive, who not only had immense endurance and could slay strong foes but also had armor that could repair itself. A second example would be Guts from Berserk, who became an unstoppable force when armed with both his Dragonslayer sword and Berserker Armor. A third example would be Lord Barst from the Inheritance Cycle, who was not only augmented by magic but was made impervious to it. A fourth example would be Gregor Clegane from Game of Thrones, who was augmented by Qyburn to such a degree that he needed to be incinerated in order to stay dead. Each of these characters were large and powerful warriors who could slay multiple foes with one blow. This physical prowess was enhanced even further with the help of magic, which made them nearly unstoppable. I am thinking of introducing a character of this archetype for my third fantasy book. My character will serve as the commander of a new kind of army.
THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
One of the most famous achievements in alchemy would be the Philosopher’s Stone. According to legend, the Philosopher’s Stone could prolong life to the point of acquiring immortality and transmutating base metals into silver or gold. With the Philosopher’s Stone, one could attain an endless lifespan and potentially limitless wealth. The process of creating the stone is a mystery and has many interpretations. I am thinking of including something similar to the Philosopher’s Stone in my fantasy series. I will be drawing inspiration from Fullmetal Alchemist and The Dark Crystal.
MAGICAL TRANSHUMANISM
I like the idea of transhumanism because it introduces the idea in which we could transcend the human condition. We could become faster, stronger, smarter, and more resilient. The topic has been discussed with the usage of science and technology, but what if it could be achieved through magic. In my third fantasy book, some characters will undergo a form of magical transhumanism in an attempt to sacrifice their humanity in order to achieve great power. I am thinking of making this process similar to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. However, this ritual comes with a steep price and there is no guarantee that the ones undergoing the change will survive. It is going to be an intense process and I look forward to writing it.
THE ELVES’ DARK SECRET
I had an interesting idea about elves regarding the source of their magic and immortality. What if they acquired their magic and immortality from unnatural means? As I keep saying, magic always comes with a price, which means to become as powerful and immortal as elves would require a price that is high beyond measure. As I mentioned in my previous posts, my third fantasy book will revolve around the main character and his followers uncovering long forgotten secrets in magic. What if one of those uncovered secrets involved the source of the elves’ power and immortality? Since the antagonists of the third fantasy book will be anti-magic religious zealots, the usage of this magical secret will definitely drive them crazy.
MONKEY MAGIC
I found this video of a monkey who thinks magic is cool. This little guy had his mind blown and his reaction was priceless.
DRAGON PRINCE THEORIES CONFIRMED
I watched the third season of The Dragon Prince and it was well worth the year and a half long wait! I was particularly pleased to know that the theories I came up with about Aaravos in my previous posts have either been confirmed or implied this season.
First, it seems Aaravos really did teach humanity dark magic. In the first episode, we were shown a conversation between the former Dragon King Sol Regem and the first human dark wizard. In that conversation, the dark wizard said he received his staff from one of the “Great Ones.” Considering Aaravos’s extensive knowledge and power in magic, it would be safe to say that Aaravos was this “Great One” the dark wizard referred to.
Second, it has been confirmed that the previous Dragon King really did seal Aaravos in his magic mirror and the very mention of the Dragon King’s name angered Aaravos. These two facts of Aaravos giving humanity dark magic and being sealed by the Dragon King is similar to the tale of the titan Prometheus. When Prometheus steals fire from the gods and gives it to humanity, Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle rip out his liver repeatedly day after day. The previous Dragon King had power over thunder and lightning just like Zeus and his home was an unmatchably tall mountain like Mount Olympus.
Third, it seems I was right that Aaravos needed the Dragon Prince to escape his prison. Through Viren, Aaravos was able to absorb some of the Dragon Prince’s power. By the end of the season, it was revealed that Aaravos’s larval form had wrapped itself in a cocoon. Aaravos probably needed some of the Dragon Prince’s power to serve as the catalyst for him to remake his physical body. By next season, Aaravos may emerge from his chrysalis and be free to continue his reign of terror. According to legend, Hercules, the son of Zeus, was the one who freed Prometheus from his prison. The Dragon King was a representation of Zeus and the Dragon Prince is his son, so this is a clear reference Prometheus’s escape.
Overall, I am glad that my predictions in The Dragon Prince came true so far and I look forward to seeing what will happen next now that humans, elves, and dragons finally put aside their differences and joined forces.
