Tag Archives: magic system

Exploring the Five Orders: Benders

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The fifth and final order we will explore in this series is the order of Benders. In every society, including magical ones, there need to be the makers. The Benders fill this role within the Stonebearer Society by creating and adapting items both magical and non-magical.

Photo by Linus Nylund on Unsplash

Magic users who end up being Benders tend to be a little strange. Part of this stems from the intense focus required to manipulate items on such a detailed level. The other part is that this talent can also disrupt mental pathways, which makes it a potentially scarier power to use.

Bending in its simplest form means altering the shape of an object. A really bad example of this would be to change a spoon into a fork by shifting the existing material.

The next level of complexity is the ability to instill magical glyphs and symbols into objects containing motherstone to create charms and rods capable of performing difficult tasks. One example of this is the traveling post system that helps Stonebearers move through the world quickly.

More advanced Benders can change the nature of an object. As long as the right components are present, a Bender can change one thing into something else. They’ve been known to change coal to diamond, and pull gold from ore to help fund missions and pay those who aid the tower.

One practice is forbidden to Benders and that’s altering another’s mind. A master Bender with extreme skill can change memories, compel someone to perform a task, and manipulate emotions. This is the most complex application of the Bender’s skill and not all are capable of it.

The most notable Bender in Stonebearer’s Betrayal is Wrothe’s henchman, Surasio. His goal is to gain power and prestige by aligning himself with powerful forces and using his skills to make himself indispensable. However, his integrity and morals have been corrupted by a long life of hard experiences. He is easily swayed by those seeking to gain power through unscrupulous means.

Remember the smelly little dude on the Mummy (the good one, with Brendan Fraser)? Yeah, he’s totally Surasio.

If you missed the post talking about the overall structure of the Stonebearer Magic System, head over to the intro post which discusses all five and how they relate to each other.

If you love a great magic system, you’ll love Stonebearer’s Betrayal.

Update: In January 2020, Stonebearer’s Betrayal got a huge facelift. Click here to see the new cover!

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Exploring the Five Orders: Travelers

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Back in January, I shared a little about the magic system that exists in Stonebearer’s Betrayal. Today I’d like to dive deeper into the magic system and talk more about Travelers.

Where would you go if you could magically Travel?

Star Trek fans can appreciate the science and technology surrounding the idea of teleportation and how useful it can be. If you can move from one place to another in moments rather than hours, a whole new reality presents itself. With this ability, escaping from danger or running to the rescue can happen in a heartbeat. No prison can hold a Traveler and no location is secure, unless protected by a greater magic.

In the Stonebearer universe, the use of magic is dangerous and therefore those who possess it must use caution. Those who have a talent for Traveling, are able to manipulate objects and themselves through space using a series of magical symbols or glyphs.

The most important rule a Traveler must adhere to is that they can only send themselves the same distance they can travel on foot in the course of a day. Pushing to move themselves farther than this drains their energy beyond what is considered safe and they risk loss of consciousness or even death.

When sending objects, a Traveler must consider the items weight and the distance. The lighter the item, the further it can be sent. This is why Travelers tend to be great spies. Not only can they escape from danger, they can send messages to someone days away. The places they can travel to, or send things to, are limited to where a Traveler has visited personally.

The energy to work all magic, including Traveling glyphs, comes from within and can be replenished with rest and time. In an emergency they can draw this energy from other people, but avoid doing so.

Dame Judi Dench would make an amazing Lady Alystra

In Stonebearer’s Betrayal, the most conspicuous Traveler is the High Lady Alystra. Not only is she the head of the Stonebearer Society, she is head of the Traveling Order. She uses her power to maintain lines of communication among the Society as a whole and has a network of spies that help her stay informed. Her head spy is Bremin, a member of the order of Seekers and her bonded companion.

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If you love a great magic system, you’ll love Stonebearer’s Betrayal.

Update: In January 2020, Stonebearer’s Betrayal got a huge facelift. Click the link to see it and pick up your copy today!

***

You can also find updates and post notifications on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – chose the one you like the most!