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.

FILM REVIEW: THE DARK CRYSTAL

I watched The Dark Crystal for the first time since I was a small child. The first time I watched it, I was too young to understand what was going on. However, I have a greater appreciation for this film now that I am older. It is a story of life and death, light and darkness, and the balance between it all. The puppetry was masterfully done and the world building was very imaginative. This Friday, Netflix will be releasing a prequel series to The Dark Crystal called Age of Resistance, which will depict the Skeksis at the zenith of their power and the near extinction of the Gelfling race. I would recommend this film to anyone who is seeking a good fantasy film that does not have a single human character.

FILM REVIEW: DRAGONSLAYER

I recently rewatched one of my favorite fantasy films, Dragonslayer! I like this film because it portrayed a unique fantasy world that reacted to the presence of a dragon in various ways. A sorcerer regards the dragon as one of the last remnants of magic, a boy sees it as a chance to prove himself a man, a kingdom regards it with fear, and a king regards it as a monster to appease at all costs. This film depicted one of the best dragons in cinematic history. The story and world building were wonderful. You just don’t get films like this anymore.

MASTER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

This is the magician my mother and I will be seeing on our first night in Las Vegas: Mat Franco. Apparently, he competed in the show America’s Got Talent, which is one of my mother’s favorite shows. Before watching this video, I did not know he existed. Now, I am convinced that he truly is a master of the impossible and sorcerer supreme. I am eager to see what else this wizard is capable of when I see him up close and personal.

MEDIEVAL ROBOTICS

In some of the medieval documentaries I watched, I discovered some of the earliest forms of both robotics and prosthetics. There was one case in which a man lost his nose in a trial by combat and replaced it with a prosthetic made of solid gold. I therefore had the idea of including a form of medieval robotics in my fantasy series. These robotics would be fueled by both magic and the souls of human beings.

SORCERER ARMY

For the past few days, I have been building a potential idea to include in my third fantasy book. With magic returning to the world with a vengeance, a new army would be required in the new age. This army will consist of not knights, but warrior sorcerers. I am thinking of drawing inspiration from both the Knights Templar and Shaolin Monks when creating this mystical army.

RESURGENT MAGIC

I am planning to include a very big plot line to my third fantasy book. After the Dark Death plague ravaged the Empire and the Sword of Power was lost, magic mostly disappeared and most of the bloodlines of Druid sorcerers lost their power. Only two Druid bloodlines kept their power, but they were shadows of their former selves. This absence of magic had been going on for over three hundred years until the Sword of Power was rediscovered in Numen the Slayer. This along with other factors will lead to a resurgence in magic and the Empire will never be the same again. I will be seeing a magic show in Las Vegas in two weeks so that should give me some ample inspiration.