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@Colthrun: Elemental control, primarily. There is no summoning of spirits or demons, simply because I personally don't believe they exist in the first place.

 

@Rally he's from Scotland if I remember correctly was denounced by several cardinals/bishops but was protected by the pope of the time. One of his direct descendants Michael Scott Rohan a fantasy writer wrote a story about him called 'Lord of the Middle Air"

 

Links. NOW!!!

As an angry atheist and believer in human logic (and skeptic of this mystical figure created by the human mind called "god" that supposedly gives explanation to things based on something your parents told you to believe or you believe in out of doubt or fear of an afterlife), I would say "WHAT THE HELL? MAGIC? Are you sure it isn't just really good manipulation of natural laws already in place? How can we study this in a scientific manner and discover its laws?

As the person I am, I would say "MAGIC!!?? Cool!! SHOW ME SHOW ME SHOW ME!!!" And then I would attempt to cast magic missile, the greatest spell of all time.

 

I'm not so sure I'd want to take it up (it would probably involve too much hard work) but my curiousity would make me want to find out exactly how it worked.

 

I'm a very skeptical person. I try to find a logical solution for anything strange that I see or experience. I also ask lots of questions when I'm interested in something, or when something baffles me. If I was shown by a friend that magic could be done, i.e. the dancing flame trick, I'd spend a good while checking him/her and the place were the flame was dancing anything that could have caused that effect.

When I felt satisfied, I'd probably be in shock for some minutes. Then questions would start to come out. How do you do it? Do you have to make a mental image of what you want to happen? Do you have to do something with your hands (signs, finger position...)? Do you feel anything at all when it happens? Do you know others who can do this? Can you tell when anyone is doing it? Etc. And I'd like to try and learn, unless it was something you are born with.


A time when magic is re-emerging could be quite interesting, pollitically and socially speaking. This is what comes to my head right now, thinking about what it would happen should magic was re-discovered and made public.

On the political side, there would be an uproar should magic wielders became public and commonplace. I come to think about how the issue of 'gifted' individuals was tackled in the X-Men comics. Authorities would be concerned about the possible threat they may cause. Governments would try to tackle the issue.

Magic users could be requested (or even forced) to pass some tests to see whether they can keep their abilities under control. If magic could be learnt, schools would be created and very possible only an elite of selected individuals would be allowed to join, after passing all types of mental and psychological tests to ensure they'll not crack up and start causing mayhem.

Some new laws regarding magic could be issued, like when and where it would be allowed, and under which conditions. Or if it was allowed at all. A permission to wield magic could be implemented, or at least, they could try to implement one.

Scientists would probably try to discover how it was done, what causes it, whether it's genetically embedded in some individuals to be able to cast... Some individuals may subject to testing willingly, some others may be forced to do it.

The armies from many countries would probably want to have their own 'Magic Troopers' at hand, or control the ones who are at large.

I guess many people would consider it unnatural and probably 'evil', a proof of the existance of the devil. Many would extrapolate that if the devil exists, so must God. Imagine that some magic users could heal wounds. Magic would be considered a gift from God by many, proving that miracles are real, and that we should believe. If certain magic wielders joined the ranks of the clergy, imagine how powerful any church would become. Religion would flourish, and so would pagan cults. Dark episodes could occur all over the globe. In some places, mages would be revered. In some others, they may be persecuted like in the Middle Ages. Mages would probably be horribly tortured and perhaps burned alive if caught by such groups.

In the end, I foresee death. Lots of it. Unless it's kept hidden from non-gifted eyes.

[ January 12, 2006, 21:41: Message edited by: Colthrun ]

 

I'd see a psychiatrist. It's a lot more reasonable to believe that you have schizophrenia than to believe that there is fantasy-like magic in the world.

If people did start taking magic up, it could do a lot of damage. Have an eye on the cute girl over there? Why not use a love spell that saps her of her free will? Some guy keep trying to sell you crap you don't want? Why not curse the guy's car so he'll have an accident? Honestly, imagine if you actually could go around doing magic as you liked. Yeah, frankly, I'd be scared. Then again, there's already a lot of stuff to be scared of.

On another note, if magic were ever exposed as some sort of super-duper-technology, I would think that people would be sort of disappointed, because the wonder has been sucked out. Then again, people might just not give a damn. People on a fantasy computer game forum are not exactly an unbiased sample for this question.

Well, it sounds like an interesting premise, if not one that seems to have already been visited. Tell us how it goes, if a publisher will be looking at it, etc.

[ January 12, 2006, 22:27: Message edited by: Oaz ]

 

Colthrun's scenario sounds a lot like Intervention by Julian May - where psychics are either persecuted or exploited (or try and take over the world...).