Creature-Based Magic systems?

[GoblinGilmartin]

Has anyone ever heard of a creature-based magic system? I'm working on a setting, and I was playing around with different types of magic. The thought that keeps popping up in my head is like in Avatar: The Last Airbender, where people learned their supernatural abilities originally from various animals (airbending from sky-bison, earthbending from badger-moles).

I had a thought of doing something similar in my game, where mages originally learned magic from different types of magical creatures, sort of like blue mages.

Long story short: can anyone show me a similar system to what I'm describing?

[Hovannes]

There are a few systems out there, older ones if memory serves, that employ creatures as the source of magic or magic lore. The one that comes to mind first is Stormbringer (Chaosium, Inc) based on Michael Moorecock’s work. The earlier versions of the game illustrated a creature-based magic system best.

In essence, elementals and demons were summoned from other planes of existence and bound into/by objects. This was the only magic that mortals were allowed to accomplish, and it was only possible through the use of very rare herbs and other strange, often mind altering, material components. All of these summonings were accomplished in an arcane tongue, both difficult to understand and speak.

Once a ‘magical creature’ was summonded the sorcerer then had to engage the creature in a battle of wills to force it into a binding object. Optionally, the summoner could barter with the creature for a service rather than bind it. In either case, the actual summoning of the creature was the extent of the magical ability of sorcerers from the Young Kingdoms.

Once a creature was bound into or by an object however, the sorcerer (or any of his allies that could control the binding object), could command the magical creature to use its magical abilities on the sorcerer’s behalf. Thus, a sorcerer could command a sword to shoot forth a gout of flame if it were bound with a fire elemental, or he could command a air elemental, which was bound into a cloak, to carry him into the clouds actually allowing him to fly. Demons, though harder to summon and bind, offered a greater host of abilities such as healing, teleportation, or hidden/lost lore.

The concept was well balanced, and although sorcerers were quite powerful, they required coin, rare materials, and a storehouse of arcane lore to accomplish their ‘magic’. Magic, even for the rich and famous, was quite dangerous, difficult, and rare.

I really enjoyed playing in these games and loved the alternate magical concepts Moorecock presented.

[GoblinGilmartin]

That's really interesting, but it's like using the creatures as batteries, isn't it? I was hoping for something based around learning from creatures via study. Like....I dunno....learning about ray style attacks from studying a beholder. Each school of magic would be based around a creature or group of creatures.

[inuyasha]

the totemist is a good creature based magic (incarnum) class

[ddude987]

While not strictly a creature based magic-system, my friend did homebrew something like that. It was for a specific race who could kill animals in a challenge. After that you could wear parts of the animal like magic items and they would grant you benefits like magic items. There were specifics about the challenge and stuff.

[inuyasha]

While not strictly a creature based magic-system, my friend did homebrew something like that. It was for a specific race who could kill animals in a challenge. After that you could wear parts of the animal like magic items and they would grant you benefits like magic items. There were specifics about the challenge and stuff.

Where is this amazing sounding homebrew? I would love to see it and maybe expand upon it (if that's ok)

[GoblinGilmartin]

Nice thought, still not really what I'm looking for. Interesting....
I'm looking for a redistribution of the schools of spells, essentially.

[ddude987]

Where is this amazing sounding homebrew? I would love to see it and maybe expand upon it (if that's ok)

In my friends head :smalltongue:
I'll ask him if he gets time and wants to, to post it to the homebrew forums

[LucarinZer0]

Well, I have a good friend named Viladin working on a project called Final Fantasy d20 (http://www.finalfantasyd20.com/ffd20/index.html), it may be the type of thing you are looking for, though it is based on pathfinder. If you want 3.5, here's the first attempts at the FFd20 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56459).

[GoblinGilmartin]

Well, I have a good friend named Viladin working on a project called Final Fantasy d20 (http://www.finalfantasyd20.com/ffd20/index.html), it may be the type of thing you are looking for, though it is based on pathfinder. If you want 3.5, here's the first attempts at the FFd20 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56459).

I've played Viladin's game. It's good stuff. I was actually thinking of re-appropriating a couple of the classes in that into my setting. I remember any bits that remind me of what i'm looking for though. I'll double check.

[Benthesquid]

Easy, potentially 'cheating' solution, use the elemental schools and have the teachers be the various elemental types (or other creature with the elemental subtype).

[GoblinGilmartin]

Easy, potentially 'cheating' solution, use the elemental schools and have the teachers be the various elemental types (or other creature with the elemental subtype).

I mean, sure, that makes sense, especially because my setting prominently features the elements, but I'm looking for something a touch more abstract because, well, what about the other spells like summoning stuff and transformation, stuff like that? I feel like I'm going to end up having to create/modify existing creatures to fit my needs...