Deep Dive: Creative Magic (Patreon)

Creative magic is perhaps the rarest and least understood type of magic in the world of Terra. While the abilities of most other spellcasters become apparent as a person gets older, creative casters can go their entire lives without ever realizing what they are. There are only a handful of training schools for creative spellcasting in the world, each with its own methodology and curriculum. This is due in part because many aspects of creative spellcasting work differently than other types of spellcasting.

All spellcasting abilities are the result of a connection between the caster and the source of their magic. For arcane casters, this is a direct link to the astral plane, for divine casters, it is through their deity or higher power, and for natural casters, it is a connection to the natural world around them. These connections allow the users to access the energies of the astral plane and cast spells. But a creative caster’s magical source is internal; they are their own source of magic, connecting to the energies of the astral plane through sheer force of will.

Because of this, the way creative spells are cast and function can differ greatly from other types of magic. You are not likely to see a bard slinging fireballs like a wizard or stitching their allies back together like a cleric. Most creative spells are based around enhancing and strengthening allies, or crippling and weakening enemies. Many also focus on altering a subject’s mental or emotional state, and can often be affected by the caster’s own thoughts and emotions. While some of these are cast in ways that resemble more traditional spellcasting, others can be done without the subject or even the caster being aware.

The magical abilities of a creative spellcaster manifest in the same ways as other types of spellcasters, usually presenting in a child at a young age. These children will be naturally charismatic, but because of the peculiarities of their spellcating, their other abilities go completely unnoticed. It takes a keen eye to notice the signs of an untapped creative caster, and those who are are typically creative casters themselves, on the hunt for new students. As such, there is not a title given to untrained creative spellcasters.

There are four different classes of creative spellcasters, which can each be tied to different aspects of the creative process. The classes can be further split into categories based on whether their spellcasting is considered passive or active. On the passive side of things we have muses and makers, and on the active side are bards and conductors. Despite each of these classes functioning in vastly different ways, they all carry similarities in how they use magic.

Muses represent inspiration, and indeed that is what most of their magical abilities are based around. A muse is able to inflame the passion within someone, regardless of what that passion might be for. More than that, a muse is able to project their feelings and emotions into the result of that inspiration, whether that be art, a new invention, or even something more abstract like a performance. This natural ability to inspire makes muses excellent leaders, able to motivate the people around them. More than just pushing someone to work harder, a muse could invigorate an adventuring group’s spirits and push them to victory. Well-trained muses are even able to impart more than just emotions, using their magic to alter their allies’ or enemies' physical state.

Makers represent creation, the act of making something from nothing. Like muses, makers are passive spellcasters, and their abilities function in many of the same ways, magically infusing their feelings and desires into their creations. A maker is able to create art that causes viewers to be overcome with emotion, or write a speech that could sway millions to their cause. People using items or tools crafted by a maker will often find themselves possessing more skill or knowledge about what they are using it for than they did previously. Extremely talented makers could construct a stronghold with magically fortified defenses, or even forge a weapon that can set enemies ablaze.

Bards represent performance. They are active casters, and the most well-known of the creative classes due in large part to their active, performing nature. Bards cast spells through their performances, and while this is most commonly seen with music and song, they are able to use any kind of performance. While they are able to affect and alter emotions the same as their passive spellcasting brethren, bards find it much easier to cast spells with more metaphysical results. A bard could make their companions’ muscles as strong as a bear’s, leave their enemies with blistering frost along their skin, or even alter their appearance with an illusion. The more aspects there are to a performance, the more a bard is capable of, which again lends itself most to performing music. These spells are commonly known as spellsongs. A bard playing the drums is capable of casting one spellsong, but a bard playing the drums and singing can cast two. Battlebands are present in the militaries of many different Terran nations, and there are even legends of one-man-bands tearing their way through entire armies.

Rather than represent a single aspect, Conductors represent direction over the other aspects. Conductors are active spellcasters like bards, and are the rarest of the creative spellcasting classes, due in large part to the way their abilities work. Conductors do not cast spells on their own, but instead combine their magic with that of another caster, using it to enhance or alter the spell in some way, increasing its potency or adding an additional effect. They are also capable of combining the magics of more than one spell, creating an entire ensemble of spellcasters. This is most commonly seen with bards and other performers, but conductors are not limited to only creative spellcasters. Skilled conductors can blend magic and spells of any type, often leading to dazzling and devastating results.

Interestingly, this ability to “fuse” magic like this is not unique to conductors, but is something present in all creative spellcasting. A bard’s magic gains more strength when inspired by a muse or when using an instrument crafted by a maker. Likewise, a muse inspiring a maker to write a spellsong to be performed by a bard who is being directed by a conductor would find that spellsong’s power increased exponentially. It is not unheard of for a creative caster to fall under the mantle of more than one class, and this happens far more than any other category of spellcaster, perhaps as the result of or at least relating to this natural fusion ability.