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Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Printable Version

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Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Dragon Fogel - 01-07-2015

So, I have this idea that I'm trying to get a novel (or more than one novel) out of. I have a basic notion for a setting but I'm having trouble narrowing it down to a specific plot and coming up with specific characters.

The basic concept is that the universe runs on magic. We here on Earth are an exception; our section of space is in a magical deadzone. Because of this, we don't believe magic exists, and we've never encountered alien life because all their ships run on magic, so they never come anywhere near here.

But Earth, lacking magic, develops science. In the far future, they develop faster-than-light travel, and leave the deadzone. The story is, in broad strokes, about humans learning of the existence of magic, and alien cultures learning about what can be done without magic, and how this is going to affect everyone.

I have some additional ideas that I'll get to in a bit, when I'm more awake, but those are the basics. Most of what I have is worldbuilding, though, and I'm trying to get from there to a plot and character arcs.

Note that, since I intend to make an actual novel out of this, (and probably a whole series because, obviously, there's a lot to explore in a whole dang universe) there may be ideas talked about in this thread that will be significant plot developments. If you have confidence in my ability to finish this and would like to be surprised by what these ideas are, then you may not want to follow this thread too closely.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the setting; I may not have answers right away, but they'll be useful for me to think about.


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Gatr - 01-07-2015

How would you approach Arthur C. Clarke's notion that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"?

Like, what is the core difference between the two that prevents magic from being "technology"?

(or vice versa for both of these)


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Dragon Fogel - 01-07-2015

Yeah, this is one of the first things I had to answer when I started thinking about this seriously. And in-story this is likely to be a big revelation.

So I may as well say that the spoilers for a work that doesn't exist yet are coming now. I don't want to overplay that, but I want to let people decide for themselves if they want to be surprised by this stuff.

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - ICan'tGiveCredit - 01-07-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - OrangeAipom - 03-24-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - SupahKiven - 03-24-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - ICan'tGiveCredit - 03-24-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Palamedes - 03-24-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Dragon Fogel - 03-24-2015

Oh, hey, people are saying stuff.

I have a draft I was working on where I tried to explain some of the races I'm thinking of for this, but for now I guess I'll do some more specific responses.

(01-07-2015, 09:36 PM)ICantGiveCredit Wrote: »
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(03-24-2015, 05:18 PM)Geoluhread Wrote: »
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(03-24-2015, 07:44 PM)SupahKiven Wrote: »
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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - ICan'tGiveCredit - 03-24-2015

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RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Dragon Fogel - 03-24-2015

(03-24-2015, 08:15 PM)Palamedes Wrote: »
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You posted this while I was writing that previous thing up.

I don't think I'll use it for this particular story, but I really like the idea and I just wanted to note that.


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - ICan'tGiveCredit - 03-24-2015

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Well this gives rise to a new idea: Magic from another planet, possibly due to some INTERSTELLAR MAGIC WAR going on, dispersed through space, and some of it reached earth, and this magic percolated through the earth and rejuvenated the dead god. Hence returning some of that long-lost divine power to the humans.


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Palamedes - 03-24-2015

What about Earth's god being one that is a direct contrast to magic? A god of technology or void or what have you? Its influence could help to explain the deadzone and why nobody was ever able of figuring out non-magical ways of traversing it (because that could/would be a huge advantage to the various magical races).


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Dragon Fogel - 03-24-2015

I prefer a dead god because that's more cultural distance between humans and everyone else. I think that's the core of what I'm aiming for.


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - ICan'tGiveCredit - 03-24-2015

Does this mean gods = magic and every other planet with life has one or more?


RE: Space Magic: A Brainstorming Thread - Palamedes - 03-25-2015

Hm yeah. If you had an anti-magic god that would more be religious distance, which while fits into cultural distance but is much more specialized and would probably work out very differently.