If easy to learn, would it be common for everyone to use this type of magic system if it meant distorting their bodies beyond recognition like growing multiple arms or eyes while still retaining their sanity? Would these magic users try to limit their usage or have surgeries to remove their mutations? What would be the stigmas or taboos behind such usage?
As it is commonly known, insects, such as grasshoppers and cicadas, don't produce sounds from their mouth because they don't have vocal cords instead they communicate by stridulation or by rubbing their wings together. Other methods of communication included pheromones and coloration which are still rudimentary compared to us humans. So if an intelligent insectoid species emerges and they happen to talk to us, how are we gonna bypass the communication barrier?
For my example, my magical substance called divine leche that if consumed or "absorbed" into the body grants a person over control over the physical or incorporeal or both depending on the person. However it is believed by some ancient species such as the lehmä, at least a few of them, that the divine leche itself is the regurgitated remains of previous cycles of the universe before this one, including their properties such as space, time, matter, metaphysics, lifeforms, etc all condensed into a single substance. It's like code that stores information in terms of how that particular universe functions and what not much like a tape recording or a film. People who consume it literally become an aspect of that previous reality and depending on that reality and how it lived. But sometimes users would hear voices or personalities in their head that would beg to them to be free or collectively take control of that person however this doesn't apply to all and some can be of great assistance
Are there any cases of magic that have a dubious or horrific origin but everybody in your world doesn't know about and are alright using it despite how "off" it is.
I watched a video before by CGP Grey that if a person were to be teleportated in real life, their bodies would be deconstructed down to the atomic level and reconstructed back. However it creates a perfect replica that looks like you and has the same memories but isn't "you." So every time someone teleports, they would die every time
Is your teleportation different from the one that I just mentioned or is it the same and has it led to any interesting stories or do you decide not to go delve into that route
For anyone who has vampires in your setting, firstly do you portray them as a disease or species? Are there any cases of species who can become vampires, like for example dwarfs, elves, dragons, etc? Do the effects of vampirism differ across species or are they the same like humans inflicted with it? What happens if a vampire bites a werewolf or vice versa?
Are there examples of your world/universe meeting its end, and if so how did you choose portray it? Was it apocalyptic, was it peaceful, was it somber, etc? And if it hasn't, are there any prophecies foretold how it would end? Or would you keep it ambiguous or not go any further?
Are there any cases of civilizations in your world that left behind technology for magic to run their society and if so what is the reason?
What are thoughts on magical substances that can disappear completely like every material/energy source by continued usage until it's gone? Do you think it should be infinite or finite? From my perspective I think it adds stakes in a story if a substance just happens to stop existing and it is just as impermanent just like everything else. I don't feel concerned if that substance never fades away and just outlives everyone without being decreased because in my view nothing is infinite. Just my thoughts but what do you think?
In my universe I have a planet called Utero that is entirely composed of a mythical substance called divine leche which grants supernatural powers to anyone who consumes it. Beneath its older layers an organic pulsing core called the "Affectionate Rinta" covered in many writhing teats that continually lactate new leche through its electrified ducts that seeps to the surface that later solidifies into a new layer. Discovered by the Lehmä 400 million years ago, the lehmä species would harvest the world down to its core and store its materials in their indestructible fountains across the galaxy of Prospero that can last for billions of years. As for the Rinta core, it is being held in a specialized protected vault that emits a field that inhibits its growth on a planet that remains a mystery which is for better to keep from the wrong hands and also its too precious of a resource to destroy if the need arises
Also sorry for the disgusting description
Do you think necromancy should be the same as biomancy regarding the control over biological? What are your thoughts on this? How do you solve this issue in your worldbuilding? For me as I just consider it as the same thing
For context, in my universe the extinct lehmä and other species who succeeded them consume a magical substance called divine leche to gain supernatural abilities and users who are called mancers are categorized into three variants of leche uses; black, white, and grey leche (Divine leche). Belonging to the white leche bordering on the physical realm, biomancers have manipulation over biological matter, both living and dead tissue. Biomancers can restore an individual's bodily functions to its prime, can give beneficial mutations or makeovers, or make a once inhospitable place habitual.
But they also can shapeshift, remove tumors, temporarily turning off somebody's immune system, or the most taboo of is revitalizing corpses. In lehmä society, licensed biomancers are sworn under oath after finishing their exam to never resort reviving the dead for malicious intentions or to cause psychological harm, and to never alter someone's body without their consent as failure to uphold will guarantee severe punishment or a death sentence depending on the crime. Any food produced by a creature or a plant altered by a biomancer must be approved by an inspector before being sold in market spaces. Biomancers can't become soldiers due to the potential suffering their abilities can cause and they only become battlefield medics. Biomancers are forbidden to research into forbidden practices and those publishing their findings containing these practices as well to temper with a murder scene by accelerating decomposition will count as a criminal acts
The occupations that biomancers in lehmä society mostly fill are dietary physicians, zoologists, farmers, exterminators, pathology, chefs, ecologists, agriculture, business entrepreneurs, etc
What purpose for an ancient advanced species to seed planets with life (besides terraforming)? Is it some part of a grand experiment or is it because of their religious beliefs or just because they want to flex their technology? Do you have any examples of this in your own worldbuilding?
For my example, I have an ancient species called the Lehmä were once extragalatic refugees whose Galaxy was destroyed 8,000 years ago by the "Dread" whom they were running from until they came across the rogue planet of "Utero," and on it was a mystic substance called divine leche which granted them powers that they use to defeat their pursuers.
Their beloved leader, Mayya or "Lord Sage" who was the one who discovered the Divine leche, abolishing the caste system and outlining a new constitution, improving quality of life, and teaching the first generations of the mancers, hosted a mass celebration on Utero for his people. Speaking on equal footing, Mayya would announce his plans to construct a new galaxy for his people to live in and to populate it with life as to symbolize their newfound prosperity and happiness, and a desire to share it with their creations.
After five decades of acquiring the accumulated power from the divine leche, he summoned the entire Lehmä race to watch in attendance. Within a second, his audience would be blinded by an intense radiance that lasted for several minutes, and after regaining their sight they would see their new galaxy above them. The lehmä would enter into a rapturous cheer that turned into a quiet mourning as it is revealed their beloved savior sacrificed himself in order to bring upon their new home which would be forever known by its inhabitants as "Prospero."
After his father's death, his son Indrad would continue his father's promise to seed potential worlds with life, his first order of development s the establishment of an interconnected network of celestial bridges called "Lokas" created by units of lightmancers whom he superintend to make transit time between planets with easier. After that he would send units that primarily consist of elite biomancers alongside with other auxiliary mancers to assist in the evolutionary process to worlds that were deemed perfectly suitable for hosting complex life. This plan would take only a century to finish
What are your thoughts on people in fantasy settings who have anti magic rhetoric, or those who advocate banning the usage of magic in their society? An example that I have is Legend of Korra season 1 when there were tensions between non benders and benders in Republic city.
In my story, an ancient species called the lehmä (cow aliens) prior were a mundane and technological reliant society but after their discovery of a mythical substance called divine leche a majority of the race were magic users however there were some naysayers who are the unaltered Lehmä. A wide range of reasons they had include; (1 that the divine leche shouldn't be accessible to everyone and should be heavily regulated, (2 is religious reasons thinking that it is unholy power that enables one's basser instincts for evil, and (3 is pretty much racism due to noticeable mutations to the point where magic users were labeled as a separate species that might one day replaced them in later generations
What are your thoughts on this?
What locations do you think would be chill to be at and why?