Creating a Nature-based Magic System
After publishing the first in my Heart of the Forest series, I got a lot of feedback to the effect of, “I really like your magic system!” Which was strange to me, because I hadn’t realized I’d created a magic system in the first place.
I’d never set out to do so intentionally, anyway.
Most of what ended up in my book series sprung up organically in my mind, evolving as I worked through that first draft and solidifying into something tangible. With each installment, the magic has evolved with the story, and the result both enhances the plot and is integral to it. This is the definition of a magic system, and I felt silly for not recognizing it sooner. As a lifelong fantasy reader, some things are just so ingrained in me that I can do them mostly unconsciously, but a little self-analysis is good for developing the craft.
Nature-based magic systems appear all over the fantasy genre, but creating something truly unique and specific to the story I’m telling is part of the fun in being a writer. I’m going to walkthrough my approach to creating a nature-based magic system, in the hopes that you understand the world I’ve built a little better, and maybe find takeaways for your own creative work.
The Master of Magic Systems
Brandon Sanderson is the generally agreed-upon Master of Magic Systems.
Last month I finally finished Tress of the Emerald Sea, and the book was as charming as it was unlike anything I’d ever read. I’ve read a lot of Sanderson’s works, but the whimsy of the spores and their creative uses within the world were especially inspiring to me. He wrote a book which was cozy and character-driven, with stakes that–while actually quite high–mostly center around the hope of love conquering all. These are the kinds of stories that I like to write, and so I found it to be hugely influential.
This is the kind of writing I want to do.
And while I would never presume to have written anything so masterful as Sanderson, I have been doing a lot of thinking around magic system lately, and wanted to put my thoughts down, giving you a bit of context for the world of my stories in the process.
A note on writing craft:
Sanderson has some of the most creative and intricate magic systems I’ve encountered, and speaks often about his philosophies around their design. There’s a lot that I could say on the topic, but he’s probably already said it, so I won’t waste your time. But, if you are a fantasy reader (or especially a writer!) his notes on writing are fascinating.
Most fantasy writers are familiar with his Laws of Magic, and I found these core concepts helpful in developing my own uniquely magical world.
Inspirations
The concept of the Acernae didn’t spring up from nothing. Their design is based on Greek tales of the dryads, magical humanoid creatures who are tied to the life force of the trees. The dryads were based on the oak trees, (drys meaning ‘oak’) and in a lot of mythology they took the form of beautiful women who men fell in love with. I’ll spare the history lesson, but they served as a staring off point for the type of creature I wanted to create. Remove some of the gender binary and relocate them to modern-day Washington State, and you have something closer to the Acernae.
“Our magic can grow or strengthen, it can heal and sprout and even wither when necessary. We are keepers of the forest.”
But in my series centers the bigleaf maple, I wanted to give them a little more power and purpose. They aren’t just tied to the trees, they’re bound to protect them.
The bigleaf maple is a deciduous trees, and therefore it has seasonal phases, each with distinct priorities for the tree. I wanted to implement this into my magic system, and the seasonality is loosely inspired by the Eladrin, a fantasy race from Dungeons and Dragons. The Eladrin are fae creatures who are influenced by and wield power based on the seasons. For my story, focusing on the changing cycles of the maple tree lends itself to different domains in the forest being spread out among them. Four seasons, four domains.
The core of my magic system is this:
The Acernae are not just born of the forest–they’re tasked with protecting it. The magic they wield is meant to help them accomplish that goal, and is limited just as nature is.
Four Seasons, Four Domains of the Forest
From there, my magic system had two requirements: it must be based around the seasonality of the maple tree, and it must encompass all domains of the forest’s magic. Most nature-based magic systems are elemental, but I wanted to divide up the magic a little differently and thinking in terms of seasons was a helpful lens in that regard.
What makes up the lifecycle of a forest? The trees, the flora, the fauna, and fire.
These fit rather wonderfully into my seasonal framework, and so each Acernae inherits strengths in the seasonal domain when they are created. Having characters in the main cast with different specializations means they have to work together to overcome challenges, and each gets their own chance to shine.
All Acernae share the same abilities, though. For example, all can travel the forest quickly by stepping through. Their senses extend beyond their human shape, through the plants and trees around them–including wood and the impressions left on it.
The characters have to be creative in using their magic to accomplish their goals (like some well-placed root growth or tea that’s not meant for human consumption) and magic isn’t the answer to the problem—it’s just another tool in the arsenal.
“The trees are the heart of the forest. They provide life for the thousands of beings—not just the animals and the plants too small to see, but also the humans who depend on them. Like your crew, who make a living by cutting them down.”
First things first:
The Aesthetic
As a huge fan of character-builders and customization options, I wanted the nature of the Acernae to reflect their magic and their personalities. No two look alike, and their features blend what is human with what’s natural–leaves winding through hair, antlers and horns and eyes pitched black, like an owl.
I created a race that can self-actualize, change their appearance at will. This is in part inspired by Lucifer (TV show) where the angels abilities and angelic quirks are determined by their self-perception, which leads to some fun and emotionally weighty scenarios.
While some are more interested in looking vaguely human, others are not, and this leads to some fun and creative character design. This is also reflected in their ideas about gender, and this was an idea I wanted to play with, too. A character’s appearance is an important piece of who they are, and how their magic shapes them.
Human, But Not
The story revolves around the dichotomy between nature and humanity, but the Acernae intersect that divide in interesting ways. The similarities and differences contribute to character growth as they learn to better understand one another.
The Acernae can take their physical form willingly, but are not bound to it like humans are. When immaterial, they exist as nothing, but can see and hear and sense the world in clarity, as if they were solid. They can dwell inside their trees to rest in this way, and after spending too long in the human shape feel human needs as well—like cold or exhaustion or hunger. As a result, they don’t understand the struggles humans face, and only by experiencing it themselves can they truly sympathize.
Despite their notable differences, the Acernae are not dissimilar to humans in their emotionality. Part of this is learned by watching humans, but it’s also inherent to them by nature. They have their own culture, but are linked to humanity and borrow from them whatever suits. Throughout the series, the Acernae grow closer to the humans, and the effect changes that culture dramatically. They discover they aren’t so different in their need for connection and community.
Limitations
All good magic systems have limits, and so does nature.
Drawing their power from the tree, the well is finite, and dwindles in the dormant months of the season. Maple trees conserve energy in the winter, letting their leaves fall and their growth slow. It follows that the Acernae would be less powerful, too.
There is a cost to magic, and—like in nature—they can’t grow something from nothing.
While capable of using their abilities at will, their use is draining and takes a physical toll from overexertion. This leads to situations in which many hands are needed to do the work, like growing roots thick enough to render logging machines useless.
Magic Beyond the Known
This doesn’t mean there isn’t room for mystery, though.
Part of my joy as a fantasy reader is learning alongside the characters as they learn more about their own world and the abilities dormant within them.
There are feats the Acernae are capable of that the characters do know at the start of the story, and the reveal is delightful–but it still follows the rules of the magic system. Still others (no spoilers here!) are a mystery even to the Acernae themselves, and will be revealed over the course of the series.
Conclusion:
There is so much more that I could say about the wonderful little tree-people I’ve created, but if this is interesting to you, I’d encourage you to just pick up the books. And if you have read them, I hope you enjoyed a bit of writer-talk about how the world evolved.
I can’t wait to share more of this magic system with you in future installment, and as always, thanks for reading!
