You have to believe we are magic

[cyrano]

So, there's a project I'm working on, and I'm trying to develop or borrow or steal a coherent theory of how magic works and what it does, specifically (at first) relating to technomancy.
There was a book, 'Master of the Five Magics', by Lyndon Hardy, and I used to own it and the sequel. If anybody still does, and can tell me what the laws of magic are, I would greatly appreciate it. And hopefully will be able to use it. I immediately remember the Law of Alchemy, which is the Like Begets Like, but that's about it. There's a law about Proximity, and... at least three others. (:

(Alternately, if anybody wants to provide me with a set of laws and structures under which Technomancy functions, please feel free....)

Comments

[redhound.livejournal.com]

The laws were:

The Principle of Sympathy: like produces like (that was thaumaturgy, though)
The Principle of Contagion: once together, always together (also thaumaturgy)

The Doctrine of Signatures: the attributes without mirror the powers within (alchemy)

The Maxim of Persistence: perfection is eternal (magic)

The Rule of Three: thrice spoken, once fulfilled (sorcery)

Law of Ubiquity: flame permeates all (wizardry)
Law of Dichotomy: dominance or submission (wizardry)


I don't have either of the sequels, so I can't help you with any of the metamagic stuff, though.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

yay! Thank you! Alas, it is not yet inspiring any great creative spurts. q:

[mister-sunshine.livejournal.com]

This post reminded me of a small bit in Condensed Chaos that basically compared servitors with computer programs.

[esmerel.livejournal.com]

ARGL, I used to have a copy of that. I might still have one. If I can find it, I'll bring it to tersa.

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

Someone (I think it was Orson Card) said that one of the major defining attributes of your fantasy world is "What is the price of magic?" The theory being that if magic has no price, it will become so freely available that it's not a specialty item anymore - every house will have hot and cold running magic.

I think once you work out what the "price" is, the rest should fall in line. It also gives you leave to alter the system slightly, as time goes on, as long as the central premise stays put.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

This actually might be very helpful.

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

excellent!

Sometimes the price of magic will be painfully obvious, and sometimes it will be a closely guarded secret that not even the basic acoloytes know, but I would imagine anyone advancing beyond the 3rd Test will see it clearly. In some cases it may be possible to hide the true price of magic (or have npc's outright lie about it) and lead the characters to believe the price is measured in something else (or multiple ways to pay)... but sooner or later they will learn the true price :)

[tnalpgge.livejournal.com]

I'd still have to wrestle my brain away from one of my favorite ideas: that magic and technology work very, very poorly together. (I blame Bordertown and Harry Dresden.)

But it could be a more interesting mental exercise than whatever passes for such at work this week.

And it has been said that computers are powered by magic smoke. Maybe that's a start. :-)