Methods of Magic Casting

[Princessbljack]

There are multiple ways of casting spells in my world. Magic in my world is rated on a scale of Otherworldly vs. Earthly and that goes into what style of casting a mage will preform.

Ritualing is used to cast Dark Magic and Cursing spells only. Dark Magic is the most Otherworldly type of magic a human can cast. Ritualing often uses a blood sacrifice and is often performed to summon otherworldly creatures or call upon powerful curses. It's usually takes all day and may require multiple mages.
Book Casting is casting spells from prewritten spell books. It is most commonly used for Arcane Magic, but you can cast Dark Magic with powerful books. Most spell books were given to humans from otherworldly beings or thought up in dreams (dreams have a deep connection with magic). Book Casting is only for the most advanced mages since spell books can be difficult to read.
Spell Naming is the most common form of spell casting. It requires speaking a magic key word or phase usually in the language of Hullah, the language of the Magic Charmers who invented human magic. It was directly passed down from the Magic Charmers. Spell Naming is commonly used for Element Magic (the most Earthly form of magic) and Arcane Magic, but never Dark Magic.
And finally Spirit Combining, the rarest form of spell casting. Spirit Combining is using your inner self to cast magic. It requires a lot of focus and meditation in order to preform correctly. You can only cast Element Magic, but since you dont have to call out a name or read a book you can cast at much faster rate. The most powerful spell in my world is the Ultimate Element and it can only be casted by using the Spell Combining method. Even then, the Ultimate Element is so difficult to cast that 2 people in human history has ever casted it and only 1 perfected it.

Those are my methods of magic casting. What are some of yours? Do you have any cool ways your characters cast magic?

 

[SMAndy85]

I'm currently creating a form of "magic" which is only accessible to those who travel deep into dangerous cave networks and retrieve special stones. Those stones are then embedded under the skin, which then gives them access to certain energies. I haven't yet decided what kind of energies they can have access to, but it's a metaphysical change within the person that is caused by the stone. I'm toying with elemental powers, so Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, Air. Light and Dark are there because the world is tide-locked to the sun, so there is a perpetual light side and dark side of the planet.

Once they have these stones under their skin, they focus on them, and on the effect they want. The power of the stone is drained for a while once used, but replenishes itself from the energy of the caster. The more of these stones you have, the more power you can wield. For example, if you had one fire stone, you'd be able to burn someone you can grab, light a camp fire without kindling, or light the thatched roof of a house ablaze. If you were to get up to three or four of the same kind of stone, you can start throwing balls of fire across a battlefield.