Magic has long been a source of fascination for humans, inspiring tales of wonder, mystery, and adventure. But beneath the veneer of enchantment, there is often a darker side to magic, one that stirs discordance and chaos. The very nature of magic itself, with its ability to bend reality and challenge the established order, can lead to disruption and conflict. Magic users are often seen as outsiders, separate from the rest of society, and their powers can be feared or misunderstood. This fear and mistrust can create a sense of discordance between those who possess magic and those who do not. In many stories and legends, the use of magic is depicted as a dangerous and unpredictable force.
NSFW makes a big thing about one item, the Tract of Teratology, which may be placed anywhere by the GM. It is essentially a one-use random demon summoning generator as previously witnessed in such works as Dark Albion and A Red and Pleasant Land. As far as complex magic items go, it’s pretty good. Each summoning ritual needs a specific sort of human sacrifice, has randomly generated components, body type, abilities, compulsions (these are very interesting and appropriately gruesome), penalties, a duration and an aftermath. To go over the entire 10+ page tract and its 10 ^ 19+ combinations would be excessive, instead I shall simply provide you with 3 possible combinations and leave you to figure out whether it’s your cup of tea. Names are made up by the GM. Particularly good writing can be found in the compulsions, lazy or standard fare in the special abilities. The compulsions make them interesting but their abilities make them bog-standard. I have abbreviated the ritual types for brevity’s sake.
The treasure itself is a collection of medieval pornography, jewelry and a golden dildo held by the horrifically mutilated bishop Richard s concubines. The treasure itself is a collection of medieval pornography, jewelry and a golden dildo held by the horrifically mutilated bishop Richard s concubines.
In many stories and legends, the use of magic is depicted as a dangerous and unpredictable force. It can be wielded for both good and evil, and its inherent power can corrupt even the most well-intentioned individuals. This duality of magic, its potential for both creation and destruction, can further contribute to discordance and tension.
D&D 5E What Does Your Magic Look Like
Recently, one of the fellow players in my only game I don’t DM ran a one-shot involving a ride on a magical giant flying squirrel and his old man caretaker.
In the setup for that, he asked us questions to set the scene and lead in to the adventure. Things like, “what is your ritual at the end of the day?” And “What is your speaking stones conversation with your family like, what do you tell them? What is that relationship like?”
For my character, the pre-sleep ritual involves some simple alchemy, and he asked me what that looks like, what tools I’m using, what I’m making, etc.
Then he asked if I’d planned on scribing a spell into my spellbook, bc I’d mentioned that previously, and I said that was the plan, so he asked me how I arrange my space and where I keep my materials and all that.
Then, he asked the really interesting question.
“What does your spell inscription actually look like?”
I was delighted! I explained that my spells look like code and equations and diagrams, with instructions, similar to what an inventor might take in to the patent office in a movie. Like a mix of schematic, hermetic diagram, calculus work, and instruction manual form something very complex and advanced.
Then as we progressed he came back to me and asked what it looks like when I focus my thoughts and bend my will toward magical study, and as a Bladesinger I was inspired to describe it in terms of how my actual magic looks from my perspective.
My Bladesong isn’t magical shielding, it’s an Augmented Reality overlay showing me a dynamic layout of all creatures and moving objects, with boundaries and such for obstacles and annotations of size and distance, and intersecting lines as these many circles move, intersect, and change in various ways. I dodge an arrow because I can see the opportunity for a shot against me before the arrow is loosed, and I step to the side, shifting my angle of approach to my next target.
In rituals, I create, piece by piece, the most basic representation of this moving diagram in my mind. An encompassing circle, containing a small central circle, which is flanked by three other circles, and 3 lines which run perpendicular but don’t intersect within the circle. From there, I build the rest of the ritual geometry.
And now I wonder, what does your magic look like?
The pursuit of magic itself can also be a source of discordance. Those who seek to harness its power may become consumed by their ambition, becoming blind to the consequences of their actions. This obsession with power can lead to a breakdown in relationships, as individuals prioritize their magical abilities over their connections with others. Furthermore, the very existence of magic can disrupt the natural order of things. The laws of the physical world are upended when magic comes into play, causing a sense of unease and imbalance. This disruption can create rifts between individuals, as their understanding of the world is challenged and their beliefs are called into question. Magic has the power to both unite and divide. In some stories, it is used as a tool to bring people together, to bridge the gaps between different cultures and perspectives. But in others, it is a catalyst for conflict, stirring discordance and sowing the seeds of chaos. Ultimately, magic's ability to stir discordance is a reflection of its power to challenge and disrupt. It forces individuals to confront their own beliefs and prejudices, and it pushes society to question the established order. While this discordance may be uncomfortable and unsettling, it is through this process that true growth and transformation can occur..
Reviews for "Conjuring Chaos: How Magic Stirs Discordance"
1. Jane - 1 star - I found "Magic stirred discordance" to be incredibly confusing and hard to follow. The storyline was all over the place and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The writing style was cumbersome and made it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book and would not recommend it.
2. Mark - 2 stars - While "Magic stirred discordance" had an intriguing premise, I was ultimately let down by the execution. The pacing was incredibly slow, with little action or development to keep me interested. The characters lacked depth and their motivations were unclear, leading to a lackluster reading experience. I was hoping for a captivating fantasy novel, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Magic stirred discordance" but unfortunately, it did not live up to the hype. The world-building felt incomplete and left me with more questions than answers. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to become immersed in the story. Additionally, the romance subplot felt forced and the chemistry between the characters was lacking. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and frustrated by this book.
4. David - 1 star - "Magic stirred discordance" was a jumbled mess of a book. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, with random twists and turns that made little sense. The writing was choppy and disjointed, making it a struggle to stay engaged. I found myself constantly having to reread passages to understand what was happening, and even then, I was left with more questions than answers. Overall, I was thoroughly disappointed and would not recommend this book to others.
5. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Magic stirred discordance" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The characters were poorly developed and lacked any significant growth throughout the book. The plot was predictable and offered no surprises or intrigue. The writing style was bland and unremarkable, making it difficult to become invested in the story. I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied by this book.