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One of the best parts about creating something in the fantasy genre is that there’s so many different exciting possibilities to explore. Out of all of the choices out there, there are none that are as popular as those of magical objects. After all, they usually serve a major role in all of the stories they appear in.
Objects brimming with magic are an age-told tale. They come in many shapes and sizes from the One Ring in Lord of the Rings to the various medallions throughout the “The Legend of Zelda” series. Each object contains a power that draws both good and evil people to it and many are hidden in hard-to-reach places.
Magical objects are par for the course in the genre so it’s worthwhile to create your own to use in the world you’re making. Therefore, you want to make those that fit the aesthetic of both the world and the story you’re telling. In other words, they need to feel as if they were meant to be there, and shoehorned in just for the sake of storytelling.
Since many stories incorporate these objects, it’s crucial that the ones you come up with fit right in yours. That is, they need to serve a purpose, whether it’s imbuing the user with the power of fire or the ability to swim underwater without needing to breathe. Show your audience why both the protagonist and the villain are pursuing them.
Besides being a core part of the story, magical objects are part of the world. Their very presence dictates the actions many characters across the world — and time — take if they’re searching for or seeking to protect them. These objects have the potential to alter the course of history which is precisely why they lay hidden in far-off places difficult to reach for the ordinary person.
This is the ninth article in the series covering the unique aspects of magic. For more, take a gander at our blog page where there’s even more for you to peruse!
How do you go about creating magical objects that not only captivate your audience’s interest but feel like they are a natural fit for both the story you’re telling and the world it takes place in? There are several crucial elements to know before you start fleshing out what they are and how they work.
The very first one is that it must fit within the confines of the magical system you created specifically for your world. These objects are full of inherent magical power. That is, there must be both benefits and costs when it comes to using them that fall within the magical system. For instance, every time Frodo dons on the One Ring, though he receives the power of invisibility, it comes at a cost of being more pulled into the Ring’s seductive powers. The hold it has on him grows the more he considers it his own.
Secondly, magical objects must possess powers that feel just right for the world. For instance, if a world is full of fire powers, forest ones simply won’t work since they feel like out of place. Always use objects with powers that enhance the story you want to tell and the world it takes place in, not those that hinder them.
Imbued with great powers, these objects should only be hidden in places far off the beaten path. They can’t be easily accessible, otherwise everyone would just get ahold of them and use them for their own purposes. They need to be in places that only a select few will venture to such as dungeons deep within mountains or the tundra.
Fourthly, showcase the story behind their creation. Magical objects just didn’t appear out of nowhere. There was a reason why they were created and that reason will influence the worlds they appear in. While many were made with the intentions of being used for evil, others had a more benevolent purpose.
The fantasy genre is synonymous with adventure. Many stories depict the hero journeying through dangerous lands to prevent the forces of evil from triumphing. To assist him in his grand endeavor, the protagonist must get his hands on a powerful artifact that will even the odds.
In these stories, the hero is not the only person who is searching for it. The big bad is also trying to find it so he can use it to help him in his bid for domination. Thus, magical objects become a major plot point in stories as the prize both sides are racing to get first. You see this in worlds such as Middle-Earth with the One Ring and Hyrule with the Triforce.
Since they contain great power, magical objects are found in distant, remote places. The journey there is usually harrowing since the audience follows the protagonist as he tries to get there before the villain does. The dangers and obstacles he faces on his way there serves as a trial for what he will encounter in the places that hold them.
Entering the place proper, the protagonist must apply the lessons he learned on his way there. Only by successfully overcoming everything the dungeon throws at him, from traps to monsters can he finally reach the room that houses the object he’s been trying to get to. This shows how far he’s grown alongside his journey as a person and closes a chapter in his life. It also sets him up to face challenges even tougher than the ones he’s already faced thus far.
As magical objects are a major focus of the eternal war between good and evil, whoever controls them is favored to prevail. The lengths both sides are willing to go to in order to get them before the other does illustrates who they are at heart. For example, evildoers will commit crimes such as murder and thievery whereas good people rely on wisdom and appealing to people’s kind-hearted nature to assist them. This serves as a commentary on the human spirit, showing both its sides.
How do magical objects fit in the world in the grand scheme of things? Far more than you think they do. If you take the time to think about it, you’ll realize that they too shape the history of the world and they are one reason why it is in the state it’s in whenever the story begins.
Everything has a beginning and objects brimming with magic are no exception. They were created by powerful sorcerers, some of whom are no longer around, with powers that far surpassed those that appear in the story. They used techniques that have since become forgotten with the slow passage of time. The reasons why they made them vary, some simply wished to use them to enhance their already-considerable powers whereas others made them with the sole intention of conquering the world.
Many magical objects have a notorious history associated with them. With the potential to change the world, they are the targets for those who desire them. There are no lengths people wouldn’t go to in order to get their hands on them. To make it difficult for people to find them, they are hidden in distant places that require a combination of strengths and smarts to overcome all the various obstacles and challenges laying in wait.
Their very existence raises the stakes in the long-running conflict between good and evil. They form the basis for every decision both sides make. This can lead them to make choices that they otherwise wouldn’t make, especially if their enemy is involved. Saruman the White, before The Lord of the Rings began, desired the One Ring for himself. He concealed it from his allies and he did everything he could to steer their attention elsewhere so that his servants could obtain it with the knowledge it would eventually reveal itself now that he perceived Sauron was regaining his power. Had he remained true to his purpose, he would have done everything in his power to ensure that Sauron had little time to search for the Ring.
Magical objects are a major part of worldbuilding when it comes to fantasy. They show the audience powers not found in the real world which can both inspire awe and fear. While they may be capable of destruction, they too have the potential to make timeless beauty that lasts millennia later.
If used correctly, these objects can be a powerhouse in their own right. Thus, it’s important to learn the basics of what goes into making them so that they can amaze and intrigue both your audience and the characters who lay eyes upon them. The last thing you want is to create one that tarnishes what you are trying to tell by incorporating it into your story.
Speaking of the story, magical objects are a key plot point. They typically serve as a major storyline where characters good and evil are trying to get them before the other side does. Getting there is only part, what happens afterward is capable of upending the plot, leading to new storylines.
These artifacts are scattered throughout the world, placed deep within places that not many people would dare venture foot in. The powers simmering within them can alter the trajectory in the war between good and evil in an irreversible way which is why both sides try to get their hands on them before the other does.
Magical objects are a valuable addition to fantasy. It’s up to you to create some that engender your audience’s interest in your story in your world, making them want to spend more time there!
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Sunfire
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