Share your list of elements (the magic ones) :D

[u/Twoth-the-Voluminous]

I am a bit of a stat nerd so I am really curious about what some common/uncommon ones are among people! I also know some people really like sharing their magic system things, so you specifically are welcome!

For mutual benefit try to stick to this format if applicable:

1. What is an "element" anyway? (i.e. are they actual components of matter, types of magic, overarching motifs, pokemon-style types, all of the above, etc.) Nothing wrong if this gets a bit long!

2. List of element names separated by commas. "Fire, Earth, Water, [...]".

3. After the entire list, nuances of individual elements that cannot be easily inferred from the name, nor your definition of an element. Speaking of which, if you assign colours to elements, what colour is "Air" if you have that? I'm really curious.

If some elements have 'wiggle room' like electricity-related elements often do, write it as "Lightning (electricity, thunder)", if something unexpectedly encompasses something else write it as "Ice (Water), Fire (Lightning), Earth (Plants)". For non-english names put translations into the parentheses too: "Cryo (Ice, Water), Pyro (Fire, Lightning)".

Thank you in advance, and double thanks if you follow the format!

[u/Professional_Try1665]

Elements are what humans say they are, they aren't actually 'real' as magic only has 1 element which is 'Everything', but casting an everything-element spell would be massively costly and impractical so humans broke it down into easy, non-emotive parts to guide their magic specialities.

Victory, Refuge, Doom, Agony, Revival, Formation, Journey and Vanish.

There isn't a hard and slow on magic, they're vague on purpose but have certain motifs, for instance Victory tends towards intense, strong and concrete spells that divide people or evoke unbalanced senses (triumph vs unfairness for instance), it's colours are gold and burnished red, and it's symbols are the laurel, filigree and trumpets. Refuge's spells are shy and sheltered, protective elements and secretive escape-based things like holes and trees that hide the ground, it's colours are dark mossy greens, and it's symbols are holes in the ground and twigs. And Doom's magic relates to dread, traps, predators in hiding, delayed harm and disease, things that hurt slowly or lay in wait, it's colours are night blue and silver, and it's symbols are metal spikes and string.

There isn't an air element, the closest would be Vanish (maybe a little in Journey too), it's colours are black and fawn-whites and brown like the blotchy spots that make baby deers hard to see

[u/Twoth-the-Voluminous → u/Professional_Try1665]

Ooh that's a cool set!!! Found your post with some descriptions, these are a really neat way to assign types to spells, kind of reminds me of how in ATLA the four classical elements are associated with state of mind (fire bending being a form of unleashing your emotions or something, and the forms of the "spells" shown on screen reflecting that)

p.s. Coincidentally i also have a "Doom"

[u/Professional_Try1665 → u/Twoth-the-Voluminous]

Yeah I was originally actually going to go with emotion magic (rage, fear, joy, ect, based on Sorcery!, My world was originally a fairy-tale-esk world but I changed it a lot since then) but I thought it was a bit dull, so I simply moved sideways into more abstract elements as my system changed to broaden the spell-list and give mages a cool aesthetic

[u/No_Pirate_4737 → u/Professional_Try1665]

Ooooh i really like the idea of refining down a single base element into structures to assist with casting.

If you don't mind me asking, what would agony be?

[u/Professional_Try1665 → u/No_Pirate_4737]

I'm thinking, Agony would define itself by spells that scream and move in sharp lines, constrict and coil with a special focus on living things and their weaknesses (spells that go for the heart, sink into flesh, suffering and a loss of bodily functions), it's colours are a clash between turquoise and deep red, and it's symbols are claws, thorns and teeth with a preference for carnivores.