"The Curse of Princess Ivy" Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a beautiful princess named Ivy. Ivy had everything she could ever wish for – beauty, wealth, and a loving family. However, unbeknownst to her, a curse had been cast upon her at birth. The curse, known as the Curse of Princess Ivy, was a result of an ancient feud between two powerful sorcerers. It was said that only love's true kiss could break the curse and bring Princess Ivy eternal happiness. But as years passed, the curse seemed impossible to break.
But as years passed, the curse seemed impossible to break. As Princess Ivy grew older, the curse started to take its toll. It began with a feeling of darkness and sadness within her heart.
How to Write a Successful Magic System, Part 1
Magic systems can make or break a fictional world, undoing the rest of your hard work in the world-building department.
In this post, I discuss what you need to know when creating your magic system and provide examples of solid systems. This is a vast topic, so my list is short, and I'll try to be as brief as possible in my explanations.
STARTING OUT
There are certain things you must know to give your magic system credibility. Questions you should ask yourself are:
- What kind of magic(s) are used in the story?
- How does it work?
- Where does it originate?
- Who can access it?
- What is needed to use magic?
- What are the consequences and limits?
- How is magic impacting and/or impacted by the characters/setting?
- Are abilities even magic, or something similar yet different (we'll go over this in a later post)?
Without addressing these questions, magic systems fall flat, ruining a story. The best way to answer these questions is RESEARCH.
Start with the type of magic(s) featured in your work and the characters using it. Is your story about witches and warlocks with gifts of sight or healing, fey with elemental abilities, necromancers working with the dead, or something else? Once you know this, the real work—I mean fun—begins.
Now it's time to hammer out the details by answering the remaining questions. Luckily, there's a virtually endless supply of resources to help you: historical accounts, channels and podcasts, websites, movies and TV, games . . . and my personal favorite, fiction. By analyzing magic systems in successful books and series, you can get a clearer picture of how to make yours work.
Below are some of my favorites; pay attention and you'll see how the authors have answered the above questions in their magic systems.
While each of Maas's series seem to have their own magic system, we know they're connected somehow thanks to confirmation of a connected universe. At current, we’re unsure of the original source; magic is claimed to come from the Mother and Cauldron, the land, first-light and second-light, gods and goddesses, or a character's inhuman nature.
What we do know is:
- In Throne of Glass, magic disappeared from Erilea when the kingdom of Adarlan slaughtered users and ritually suppressed magic in fae and humans alike. Many magics are nature-based, yet some characters possess raw magic that can take many forms. Others can shapeshift, heal, teleport, or sense death's presence. The Ironteeth witches are deadly, yet their only power is an explosive burst of light called the Yielding, which destroys her enemy and the witch—a life for a life. Wyrdmarks, strange symbols of a forgotten language/religion, can be used for some magics, including summoning, warding, sealing, and unlocking.
- In A Court of Thorns and Roses, magic is inherent to the fae. Their magic is part of a give-and-take with the land, and Rites are performed on annual holidays like Calanmai to regenerate it. Most powers are nature-based and tied to Prythian's Courts: water in the Summer Court, fire in the Autumn Court, wind and ice in the Winter Court, and so on. Characters can also winnow (teleport), heal, shape-shift, and have various gifts of sight, death, nullifying magic, shadow manipulation, reading and speaking into minds, and more. Glamours, wards, magical bargains, and enchanted objects can be made, and magic can be repressed with spells, cursed shackles, and poisons.
- In Crescent City, all Vanir (non-humans) have varying degrees of innate power. Most Fae on the continent have fire magics, while Avallen Fae from the misty isles wield shadows. Their rivals, the shifters, are humanoids who take an animalistic form—wolves, mer, felines, equestrians, etc. There are witches and mystics with various powers, angelic and demonic beings, vamps, elemental sprites, fauns, sphinxes, and more.
- While their abilities are inherent, immortality is not. To slow the aging process, strengthen their powers, and deepen their magic reserves, citizens must participate in the Drop: the process of falling into one's power, then Ascending back to life. Failing to Ascend means perishing with the mortal body; success means awakening to an immortal life. During this process, firstlight is emitted and siphoned by the government to be used for healing and to fuel the city's power grid. While one can choose not to make the Drop, it means sacrificing their full potential. Yet the Drop has not prevented the Fae from weakening with each generation, and the Autumn King is determined to find a solution.
- Throughout each series, characters have a “well of power” that, when emptied, leaves them weak and exhausted. Their power reserves must be built back up, or they risk burnout. In some instances, not using their powers for long stretches can be harmful to the fey.
In this massive series, those claimed by Nyx, goddess of night, are Marked by a Tracker with a sapphire crescent moon outline on their forehead. They must then attend a House of Night (vampyre boarding school) before hopefully making the Change. If a fledgling's body rejects the Change, they become sick and succumb to a horrible death. Survivors' crescent moons are filled in, and the tattoo expands to an intricate, unique pattern reflecting the affinity granted to them by the goddess.
Many affinities are for one of the five elements: the four physical elements plus Spirit. Some have affinities for animals. Warriors are gifted battle skills, like Dragon's fencing prowess and Stark's perfect aim. Nyx also grants various gifts of sight: Aphrodite's visions, Kramisha's prophetic poetry, and Nicole's ability to see auras. These powers can be taken away or altered as the goddess sees fit, often as punishment for misusing their affinities or to teach a lesson.
One lesson they all must learn: coexistence with the new breed of feral undead vampyres that emerges, whose Marks are red rather than blue. They more closely resemble "traditional" vamps—they can mess with minds, are overwhelmed with the urge for blood (Blue vamps can live off human food), and are more susceptible to the sun.
Vamps aside, this world also hosts spirits from Cherokee and Celtic lore (land guardians and sprites) who lend a hand to balance the war between personified Darkness and Light. Characters can us magic by accessing their affinities, or in rituals where a circle is drawn and a spell is cast. Magical items such as seer stones (hagstones) are also used throughout the series.
Many affinities are for one of the five elements: the four physical elements plus Spirit. Some have affinities for animals. Warriors are gifted battle skills, like Dragon's fencing prowess and Stark's perfect aim. Nyx also grants various gifts of sight: Aphrodite's visions, Kramisha's prophetic poetry, and Nicole's ability to see auras. These powers can be taken away or altered as the goddess sees fit, often as punishment for misusing their affinities or to teach a lesson.
Her once vibrant personality started to fade, and she became cold and distant. The beautiful kingdom that she ruled over also suffered under the curse. The once colorful and blooming gardens turned dark and withered. People from all around the kingdom tried to break the curse, but no one succeeded. Knights, travelers, and even brave sorcerers attempted to save Princess Ivy, but the curse proved to be too powerful. It seemed that the kingdom was destined to live under the shadow of the curse forever. However, one day, a young prince named Alexander arrived in the kingdom. He had heard of the curse and was determined to be the one to break it. Prince Alexander searched far and wide for the ingredients needed to create a potion that would free Princess Ivy from the curse. With the help of a wise old wizard, he finally found the rare ingredients and created the potion. With hope in his heart, Prince Alexander presented the potion to Princess Ivy. As she drank it, a sudden warmth filled her body. Her heart felt lighter, and the darkness within her started to fade away. A true love's kiss had broken the curse. Princess Ivy and Prince Alexander were married, and the kingdom rejoiced. Color returned to the gardens, and flowers bloomed once again. The curse that had haunted the kingdom for so long was finally broken. From that day forward, Princess Ivy ruled with love and kindness, bringing peace and prosperity to her kingdom. The curse of Princess Ivy became a tale of hope and the power of true love. And so, the curse that had plagued Princess Ivy for years was finally lifted, proving that even the darkest of curses can be broken by true love's kiss.".
Reviews for "A Love Story Turned Curse: The Tragic Tale of Princess Ivy"
1. Jane - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "The Curse of Princess Ivy". The plot felt predictable and unoriginal, and the characters lacked depth. It felt like a rehashed version of previous episodes, and I was hoping for something more original. Overall, I found the episode to be forgettable and underwhelming.
2. Mark - 3/5 - Although "The Curse of Princess Ivy" had its moments, I found it to be lacking compared to other episodes of the show. The storyline felt rushed and the resolution was too convenient. Additionally, the animation quality seemed to be lower than usual. While it was still an entertaining episode, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.
3. Samantha - 2/5 - "The Curse of Princess Ivy" was a disappointment. The pacing felt off, and the plot twists were predictable. The villain, Princess Ivy, lacked the complexity and depth that previous antagonists had. The episode also seemed to rely heavily on flashy visuals, but lacked substance. Overall, it was a lackluster addition to the show.
4. Michael - 2/5 - I have been a fan of the series, but "The Curse of Princess Ivy" fell flat for me. The storyline felt forced and the dialogue was cheesy. It lacked the charm and wit that I had come to expect from the show. The characters also seemed one-dimensional, and I found it hard to connect with them. It was a disappointment compared to the previous episodes.