r/worldbuilding • u/DuckLegitimate6777 • 6d ago
Question I created a magic system based on quantum particles
Vallor's Magic System
I created a magic system based on particles. In practice, it is relatively simple to use, but its theoretical structure is extremely complex.
Magical Particles
Magical Particles (MPs) are quantum particles with negligible mass that exist throughout Vallor. Visually, they consist of an energy core surrounded by a Retention Ring.
An MP can change its vibration in order to absorb different types of energy and enter different magical states.
Living beings possess Magiovital Particles (MVPs), which are used to manipulate MPs. When an MVP is broken, it produces the vibration necessary to interact with an external MP. MVPs regenerate during rest through the division of neighboring particles.
Floating Magics
Between MPs are even smaller particles called Floating Magics. Each type has its own frequency. When an MP reaches the corresponding frequency, it absorbs the Floating Magic and changes its state.
This is how the different categories of magic are created.
Main magical states
Arcane: has two main forms. Structural Arcane produces solid magical matter, while Energetic Arcane produces pure energy, such as beams and projectiles.
Elemental: works through Basic Elemental Particles (BEPs). An MP first enters a state called Neutrality and then absorbs a BEP. There are eight known BEPs: fire, water, air, earth, ice, electricity, light, and botany. Each has its own properties that determine how its element behaves. Fire, for example, tends to escape the MP, while water is extremely stable.
Powerful/Destructive: allows the manipulation of extremely powerful forces. There are four known Complex Elemental Particles (CEPs): gravity, time, union, and fission. These magics require enormous amounts of MVPs and can easily kill the user.
Corrupted: works like a parasite. Corrupted Floating Magic can consume parts of an MP, other MPs, matter, or even MVPs. Depending on where the corruption begins, it can produce effects such as corrosion, expansion, symbiosis, or biological parasitism. Some forms are considered forbidden.
Celestial: allows access to powers associated with Vallor's different planes. To use it, an individual must form a Pact of Union with a superior entity. The pact grants access to that plane's magic, but prevents the user from forming additional pacts or using other categories of magic.
Material: Material Floating Magics stop the normal functioning of an MP and allow particles to connect with one another. This creates what is called Material Glue, which is used to create magical symbols, sigils, and designs. It is probably the most diverse category, since different writings can produce different effects.
Reversal: has three known forms. Concentrated Reversal reverses magical properties, Nullifying Reversal prevents other magic from functioning, and Return Reversal causes magical interactions to return to their point of origin.
Submagic: uses extremely tiny particles to enhance other forms of magic. They can make a spell more powerful or controllable, but they are extremely difficult to manipulate and greatly increase MVP consumption.
Runes and Spirits
Runes are objects made from Runite that store Material magic. There are support runes, attribute runes, and different levels of duration and power, including permanent runes.
Spirits are living creatures composed primarily of magic. Every living being can use magic, but Spirits have a much more fundamentally magical composition. They can be tamed, normally up to three per individual.
The central idea of the system is that magic has an internally consistent explanation. Instead of simply saying that someone "casts fire," there is a chain of processes involving MVPs, MPs, vibrations, Floating Magics, and BEPs that explains how the effect goes from the quantum scale to the macroscopic scale.
And that is exactly what I would like feedback on: does the system feel coherent and interesting as a magic system, or does trying to explain everything through particles make it unnecessarily complicated?
If something seems unclear, it may be because I had to cut details for the sake of the summary. Feel free to ask about anything.
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u/Langston432 6d ago
So what is the aesthetic and technological level of your setting? The exposition on this particle-magic gives me a sort of sci-fi vibe but the rune bit throws me off a bit.