#magic systems... gonna have to tread carefully because somehow i feel like my fondness for g*ild w*rs is going to leak into whatever i make

[rsmrymnt-tea]

GASP!! Okay I have to go to bed but my most pressing thoughts in response to your ideas is:

- big yes on the Lords inhabiting land that has a lot of magic!! How you worded it made me think of like, magic as a natural resource (which I guess is pretty common in fantasy but still) and like ooo maybe certain people being able to channel different types of magic more easily than others. (are there going to be different types of magic? How do you even go about designing a hard magic system 🤠 <- pretend this emoji makes sense I can't find the one I want)

- Dola being naturally good at illusions when that is basically the Lord of Masks domain!!! I didn't even notice before but a glamor is essentially a magic mask!! Of course he can see she's wearing one!! No, but her deserving the title of Lady of Masks because naturally being gifted with illusions+training under Sol&the Lord of Masks = being a master of illusions.

- hm I do feel that Master of illusions Dola isn't quite what you're going for with her so maybe just delegate that to au land, just her being connected to Masks that way is really 🥺

- ooo for titles for Dola... Definitely feeling Sol giving her one when they finally start working together. And maybe she let's the LoM give her a new one when they meet because she's a little bitter?? Ooooh but her gaining a reputation for herself and being given a title by some population or other pre-Mage of Wisdom.. So many options. What do you think she'd choose for herself, just vibes-wise if you don't know specifically?

- 🐝

Waaaa alright let's go bullet points!! Gonna answer like that too

- Magic being something of a natural resource but also a bit more than that is definitely something I have in mind for how I see it working in my rendition of TSL! It's a common trope because it works pretty well imo, and I think having it available to everyone even if they aren't inherently able to channel/control it themselves works alright for some sort of balance. Which probably means that magitech of some not-so-modern form is a thing for the masses.

As for designing a hard magic system... Gosh honestly it's a whole process and thinking about it now like, maybe Simeon has the time and patience to fully flesh out a hard magic system but I think the most I can do is a hybrid one (which I guess will do since I'm not actually going to write all of TSL and I'm not big brained enough to actually write down the specifics of what Dola's learning sdhjkfh)

I do like the idea of certain people just being more naturally attuned to using magic in certain ways than others... Like some people just click with illusionary arts or glamors more easily, like Dola. For some it would be almost instinctual to use their magic (like for the lords and what they can do) and for some they'd have to put in a lot more effort in, especially if it's a kind (discipline?) that they don't naturally take to.

(Which I guess leaves room for someone who's, say, more attuned to necromancy to be something like a paladin instead if they wanted it, it's just that it would take way more work? asdfjhd I'm just throwing out ideas)

- Unintentional, swear, the idea mostly came from me watching thinking about how think of light and shadow differently after reading up all about it for art and being all like 'wait that would be useful for making convincing illusions since that's essentially what you're doing with art' + what if the 'mask' part of Dola's title was more literal asdffgf but I think it’s a nice serendipitous thing! >.< Master of Illusions seems like something that belongs to the founder of Illusionary Arts as a magic discipline tho so perhaps not quite that? I also want her to branch out a bit to other sorts of magic too, though illusions are already insane on its own (perhaps this puts her at risk of something though I'm not sure what yet?)

- Honestly, somehow naturally landing on Dola being exceptionally skilled with illusions and glamors when it’s the LoM’s domain magic-wise reminded me of how I made up most of who and what Dola is with making her a great partner for Satan in mind >.>;; (though tbh at some point it suddenly did click that Solomon would be a super great fit for her too and at times seemed like a better fit for a partner if she could only have one?)

ANYWAY anyway I feel like it's also great because I'd love for there to be a fire lit under Solomon's ass when he realizes the connection and that he can't be so closed off and secretive if he wants what he has with Dola to turn into something more. It's ironic that the Lord of Masks is able to unmask her so quickly when they've been through much more together, but Dola gives what she's given and if he won't be more open himself with her then his relationship with her isn't going to go anywhere >.<

(Which in a way kinda sorta parallels how Satan and Dola got together first in regular OM even though Solomon should kind of have the upper hand as another human? Same damage and all and a more open want for someone to understand and take them seriously? idk idk)

- OOOH true on Sol giving her a title when they start working together… though I’m not sure what? I feel like pre-escape and as an artist her name would be something like the Grace of [family surname here] because she'd be the only one from her family who isn't known to be fucked up in some way even though she fully committed arson to her own family home with her sleeping family inside when she left them >.>

When she's finally free and roaming about whatever the huge swath of country the seven lords rule over, I feel like her title would be something related to how little is known about her except maybe that talking to her doesn't really feel completely real? Because I can kinda see her discreetly casting little spells to help throw of strangers just to keep herself safe (which Sol manages to get through because he knows what she's doing) and this is probably the title that sticks because her literal face presented with this title isn't going to be the same as her actual face when she's the Lady of Masks? Just a thought lol like having her have a glamor on when she's out and about is so cool to me

With the Lord of Masks since he actually like... 'Sees' her he'd jokingly give her something that's like the complete opposite of the title she already has that veers a bit affectionate, but it's something that's kept between the two of them for the most part since no one else really is going to Get it >.> Otherwise it's really the Lady of Masks since I feel like he'd find that super fitting and the implication of being married to her hence making her a Lady has him feeling some kinda way