Worldbuilding Wednesday 6/14/17: Magic


Let’s talk about spells.

One of the things I loved about Jack Vance’s Dying Earth series, and some of his other works, was the naming of his spells, magical items, and magic practioners. Iucounu the Laughing Magician; that has a certain ring, doesn’t it? Or the Walking Boat, which has legs, and, naturally, clambers over land as well as floating, and the Spell of Forlorn Encystment, which imprisons a victim in a cave deep within the earth. The creator of the original version of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax, was greatly influenced by Vance for his game’s spells and magic items, thus begetting Tenser’s Floating Disk, The Sphere of Doom, and Queen Ehlissa’s Marvelous Nightingale, among other delights. J. J. Rowling, too, was influenced by Vance’s sense of whimsy and pseudo-scientific nomenclature.

By using Gammadyne’s Random Word Generator with lists of similar words, I was able to combine them in novel ways, each one, perhaps, the genesis of a plot or conflict for fantasy characters. The words are random; the interpretation is mine, but feel free to use them in your own creations.

 

Magic

Falgem’s Colorful Stag:  Turns the animal a bright color so it may be more easily tracked in a thick forest.

Pelloine’s Olfactory Debridement:  Removes all odors from putrefying flesh within 10 feet of the caster. Useful for zombie attacks.

Kybor’s Gustatory Guardian:  Summons a being to prevent a person from eating more than he or she has to. Commonly posted at pantry doors.

Thayuma’s Canine Puzzle:   Presents a canine creature with an enticing three-dimensional puzzle that must be solved to gain a piece of bacon. Depending on the intelligence of the animal, it may delay them for up to to an hour. Works on supernatural canids as well, such as Cerberus and werevolves.

Ninorpa’s Wondrous Amputation: Amputates a part of the body with no pain. Does not provide follow up care, however. Can only be used for medical reasons.

Uvaember’s Numismatic Improvement:  Increases the value of coins or paper money, but only for a short time. If used as currency, casters are advised to have a means of quick escape.

Tassna’s Littoral Silence:  Quiets the noise of crashing waves, wind, and seagulls so the caster and those within a 10-foor radius can speak or sleep.

Erwen’s Villainous Canker:  Creates a painful, disfiguring ulcer on the victim’s body.

Gandgamel’s Verdant Avoidment:  Makes the victim stay away from green plants.

Questherd’s Illusory Merriment:  Makes a downcast being or party appear lively and full of fun.

Wand Of Squamous Quickening:   When pointed at the ground, it makes snakes come out of hibernation.

Flute Of Foraging:  When used in the wilderness, the flute points the wielder in the direction of nuts, mushrooms, greens, and other easily gathered edibles.

Coffin Of Walking:  A coffin that walks, carrying its occupant in a pristine state. Useful if a fellowship member should die.

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