The Aurora College team mascot is an important symbol of unity and school spirit for the entire college community. The mascot serves as a rallying point for students, faculty, and alumni, bringing together individuals from different backgrounds and interests. The mascot represents the college's values and traditions, embodying the characteristics and qualities that Aurora College strives to instill in its students. The main idea in bold: The Aurora College team mascot is an important symbol of unity and school spirit for the entire college community..
The Mahayana path to buddhahood can be likened to a journey of five stages. In the first stage, we gather the provisions we will need for the journey. In terms of the path, this means practicing the four foundations of mindfulness and the four proper exertions.[1] In the second stage, we actually set off on the path to buddhahood. This stage consists of practicing the four steps to magical powers, and it is characterized by the four enhanced phenomena. The third stage is realizing dhyana (jhanain Pali),[2] whereby one directly perceives that the true nature of the self is that of a buddha. This is the stage of the arhat, or saint. The fourth stage is to actualize the bodhisattva path, in which one practices dhyana to realize samadhi and wisdom. This enables one to use skillful means to deliver sentient beings; that is, to help them enter or follow the path. The fifth stage of the journey is complete liberation in buddhahood.
Or maybe the ability to interpret data in her mind causes your heroine major headaches, and the stronger the headache, the greater the chance she ll misinterpret the data. The stranded astronaut, Mark Watney, is also a botanist and engineer he plants food and repairs his spacecraft which adds credibility to his survival skills.
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The Rules for Magic, Powers, and Awesome Skills
Super-spies and superheroes. Ninjas and mysterious nomads. Magicians and monsters. Spaceships and species. (The story glands are salivating!) But there are some “rules” to consider before you dive in and go crazy with the super-possibilities.
If you’re writing something fantastical (be it magic, sci-fi, or any type of speculative—and high-action—fiction) or have a protagonist with super special skills—extreme ninja or spy skills, for instance—you need something to counter that awesome skill, or the reader will get bored with it.
Without a sufficient challenge to your magical abilities, your protagonist will get out of most scrapes too easily, hence ruining your opportunity to raise the stakes and build adequate tension. (The same applies to your villain; both sides of the battle need strength and weakness.) In creating the magic or skill, make sure you have answers to the following three questions so your character is not only awesome, but their story supplies enough pressure to make them equally compelling.
Question 1: What are the limitations (or rules) of the magic?
Not having rules and limitations for your magic systems (or world in general) puts your characters at risk of running wild with magic, creating chaos in your world, and losing the reader’s suspension of disbelief. In Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling establishes early on that witches and wizards need magical training in order to accurately perform and control their magic. A wand is a tool witches and wizards use to control and perform magic, although not all magic has to do with “foolish wand-waving” (thanks, Snape). Purposely performing and controlling magic without a wand is infinitely harder, and without the wand and magical training, it can get out of hand, like when Harry accidentally blows up his aunt. Having limitations makes it seem “real” and thus the challenges around it seem more dangerous.
Science-fiction rules and limitations are similar in that the science must be plausible, realistic. The science may not have happened yet, but the reader must believe it can happen—and that it’s scientifically sound (or could be, depending on your story). In The Martian, Andy Weir takes the idea of sending astronauts into space—in this case, on a mission to Mars—and explores what would happen if someone got stranded there. Could they survive? Weir’s novel is set in near-future 2035 and plays on science and technology that’s already in place or being explored: questioning what’s required for going to Mars and actually living there. The stranded astronaut, Mark Watney, is also a botanist and engineer—he plants food and repairs his spacecraft—which adds credibility to his survival skills. So the plot challenges come from his efforts to make the science work.
On the flip side, the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy doesn’t exactly pin itself down on hard science (though it does make use of theories), but the rules of politics, bureaucracy, and “human” idiocy seem spot on—guiding how the universe functions (its limits) and allowing that wonky version of outer space to suspend the reader’s disbelief. Whether you’re creating limits to the world, the magic, the spy equipment or your hero’s physical prowess, make sure those limitations allow readers to suspend their disbelief and that the challenges to those skills/powers are sufficient to create suspense.
Question 2: What are the consequences of using (or just having) the power/skill?
Magic and powers come with a price. Some powers cause the magician pain or require the blood of someone else before the magic will work; some powers age or weaken the user; and some require the owner of the magic to stay hidden and live as a loner for fear of prejudice or being hunted. If your character is a spy or hated ninja/warrior (or the like), the consequence may be that they can’t have family/friend ties because such would endanger loved ones.
Smaller consequences can also create tension in the plot: perhaps the extreme ninja life requires exorbitant amounts of food to fuel, but your character’s budget is less than desirable, causing them to dig through Dumpsters or take food from others (so they’ll now be mistaken for a thief or get in trouble with the authorities . . . and the plot moves along). Or maybe the ability to interpret data in her mind causes your heroine major headaches, and the stronger the headache, the greater the chance she’ll misinterpret the data. Generally speaking, you always want to include the other side of the coin when it comes to extreme skills/powers; make sure to consider both pros and cons and tie the consequences of having those abilities into the action of the plot.
Question 3: What weakens/destroys/threatens the powers or skills?
This question takes a different angle from the first question above. It’s not about the rules or limitations of the magic but about what can catch the hero/ine off guard and render them impotent. This is a unique substance, place, person, or problem that affects the hero’s ability to fully use their powers—their personal Kryptonite—whether it be a countermagic, a physical challenge, or the magic of torn emotions (loving the spy who works for the other side). It is their bane—the thing that not only hinders their ability to use their power but could ultimately destroy them.
And there can also be scene-specific (smaller) challenges that threaten the character’s ability to use their skill in a particular moment: it may be a poison that makes them delusional and unable to fight or follow the trail. Think big (personal Kryptonite) when considering the climax and the character arc, and think small to make sure there’s tension in every fight scene. If the protagonist wielding magic abilities and skills were all powerful, there would be no conflict. The same applies to your villain (your dragon needs that weak spot waiting for the arrow).
Lastly, consequences and Kryptonites make your hero and heroine more relatable to your average, everyday reader too, making them ask, “What problems do I face that I can overcome to save my world?”
Do This Now
- Study your favorite books and jot down notes on which of the above questions the author is addressing and how.
- Study your manuscript and answer the above questions, making note of the conflicts and consequences created by the presence of magic in your world.
Now it’s your turn: what books or films have the best magic system? The worst? Which magic system do you wish you had created? Share your thoughts with us!
Angela Eschler, founder of the award-winning Eschler Editing, has nearly twenty years of experience in the publishing industry, including a near decade working in-house at traditional publishers. She now works as a freelance editor and industry coach for authors, editors, publishers, and other organizations and has edited nearly a thousand manuscripts from diverse genres. A published author herself (inspirational works for women), Angela’s work has been featured on television, radio, and in documentary film. As a certified word nerd, she loves connecting with writers and readers of all sorts.
Lindsay Flanagan is a freelance editor, writer, and photographer. She earned her Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing and spent over a decade working in higher education before becoming a full-time editor. When she’s not editing manuscripts, she’s writing fantasy novels and poetry, chasing after her favorite bands, riding motorcycles, or photographing Utah’s majestic landscapes.
Verity, on the other hand, really can tell whether or not something is true or real. Her magical ability manifests as an extreme case of synesthesia – meaning that sensory input is translated in her brain as coming via another sense, ie things she hears have tastes, things she touches have sounds, words have colours, and so on. It makes life understandably difficult for her. But when it comes to magic, it allows her to perceive things as they truly are – even when those truths don’t make sense to her. What’s especially interesting is that, as Verity and her companions discover experiment with her abilities, they realise that she can sometimes tell if a statement is true or not – even if the speaker doesn’t know whether what they’re saying is true.
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Reviews for "Aurora College's Mascot: Spreading Excitement and Unity"
- Sarah - 1 star
I was really disappointed with the choice of Aurora college team mascot. The design was just not appealing to me at all. It was a strange combination of an eagle and a shark, and it just didn't make any sense. The colors were also too bright and clashed with each other. Overall, I was not impressed with the mascot and it definitely did not increase my school spirit.
- John - 2 stars
The Aurora college team mascot was a letdown for me. It lacked originality and creativity. It was just another generic animal mascot with no unique features. The design looked outdated and unimpressive. I expected something more modern and dynamic. It's a shame that the school didn't put more thought into creating a mascot that would truly inspire and engage the students.
- Emma - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the Aurora college team mascot, but unfortunately, it fell short. The mascot itself was confusing and didn't represent the school in any meaningful way. The colors were also quite dull and didn't catch my attention. It was a missed opportunity to create a mascot that would truly unite the students and create a sense of pride. I hope the school considers redesigning it in the future.