The Campaign Builder's Guild

Most of you have probably played a game or two where magic was present, and the usual trope for Wizards is their spell book.  It's been described as a book where "spells" are written, of course, but what else is there?  I'm not familiar with magic systems outside of the DnD world (yet) that involve spell books in particular, so I do have a limited view.  On a few occasions I've created and used props for my players to eyeball or even posses, including beverages in potion form, the notes they find written out on paper for them to keep, etc.  I've considered making spell scrolls and torn pages from a spell book, in an unused adventure to piece together a slain apprentice's spell book for their own ends.

But what exactly would you as players expect to see?  What would you as GMs/DMs put on there?

Spells are generally described as having 3 components:  Spoken words (verbal), hand movements (Somatic) and random odds and ends that are related to the spells effect (material).  A spell takes 1 page per level that it is (with level 0 spells taking up a 1/2 page).  It would be logical to conclude that there's some written words that need to be spoken (either to finish the spell or prepare it), diagrams dictating hand movements and maybe a list of things you'd need to have and when to use them.  SO basically the cookbook my Wiccan friend has made.

Scrolls were always just a spell bound to a piece of paper with the finishing words written on it (in DnD anyways), so I figured it would be in multi-colored "magic" inks with various symbols that ensnare the natural energies of things.

What about you?

M.

Spells can be anything and everything... Most especially the books should be written in runic script that, when translated to English letters, spell words like Ocushae Ocuspae, Alakazamae, Abraae Adabrakae, Andalfgae, Umbledoredae, Albusae, Izztdrae, Erlinmae, Organmae Elae Ayfae, Arryhae Otterpae, Oldermotvae, Omtae Iddlerae, Elminsterae, Evardae, Icherdrae Alrhae, Eddicuszae U'lze Oranderzae, Abrinasae Ethae Eenagetae Itchwae.

You could go for instructions, yes, that's probably the most straightforward option.
The other one would be a pattern, which becomes taut with magical energy and when unravelled correctly the spell energy is unleashed. Scrolls and spellbooks would essentially hold complex celtic/hermetic geometric patterns covering the entire page. This is probably more in line with e.g. d&d wizards where the lore says they prepare a pattern in their mind.
Really depends on how casting and magic works in your setting though. Do they bend natural laws? Draw energy from an infinite reservoir of power? Invade minds? Bind demons/spirits and control them?

I've seen many images online that would work well for spell pages. Unfortunately, I didn't save them to share now.

I think runic characters and vague drawings of the actions that need to be performed would be best. Nothing too straightforward. There has to be a reason that not just anyone can pick up a spell book and do magic.

Quote from: Ninja D!There has to be a reason that not just anyone can pick up a spell book and do magic.

Does there really?

Maybe if you want to restrict it to specific "classes" by game mechanics...

Anyway, in many a world the vast majority of people would not be able to pick up a spellbook and do magic, for the simple reason that they would be illiterate. As for the minority of literates, it is not a given that they would be able to understand what they read. The writing might be in a language they don't know. It might also be using specialized terminology unknown to most. Then there's the possibility of incompleteness; the writers of spellbooks might well assume that anyone who is actually intended to read them would be aware of many common routines in spellcasting, so these would not be included in the spell instructions (this makes a lot of sense if you have neither mechanical printing nor a magical equivalent - imagine writing pages upon pages by hand when several lines at the beginning/end of each and every spell is repeated identically)

Magic in Celtricia is tied directly to Void-Borne power sources that the caster channels to create the affects of the spell.  Spells placed in a spellbook are not merely written in the book, they must be cast in a similar way to the way a scroll is created.
[spoiler=a few words about magic]
 How does magic feel?
In the world of Celtricia, students who wish to use the void-borne sources of power are tested to make sure they have the aptitude to do so. About one tenth of the population has some affinity for some of the Void-Borne power sources. They are also tested to see if they have the mental strength to create their own resevoir of power, their own source of Spirit, as no spell can be cast without this personal ability. Different power sources feel very differently to casters, and need different mindsets to access. Reaching the House of Earth takes a certain inner gravity, whereas feeling the Well of Death requires a mindset of decay. Becoming a conduit for Air means feeling endless space without boundaries, whereas mastering the human oversoul requires an inner understanding of emotion and logic. Once the ability is gained, the person can always 'feel' the currents of power from that source. During rest, they recite the mantras of meditation, to strengthen the conduits between themselves and those power sources. When casting a spell, the caster uses their own personal power to activate the spell, and then pulls power from the conduits to the sources they have been taught to find to create the spell. Lesser spells normally use only a little personal power and possibly one source, so the caster must use their own personal strength to activate the spell, then increase the proper mindset to reach a power source and open up a conduit. Even beginning magics often need to be powered from more than one void-borne source, so casting a spell that requires Earth and Fire requires an effort of will to active the spell, then the caster must be of sufficient mental strength to create a mindset that allows both the solidity of the House of Earth and the wild passion that reaches the Well of Fire as well. So this is why more powerful spells that require multiple power sources are much more prone to failure. One-tenth of the population can reach some sort of magic, but less than one tenth of those will ever have the ability to cast more than the most simple of spells. To be able to force one's own energy into a spell, then create a mindset that allows a conduit to the House of Law, hold that in a caster's mind while creating every emotion in their minds to reach the collected subconsious of mentalism...that describes the process of a spell with only a few components. This is why it takes a very special person to be able to cast more difficult spells.

 

How Does Magic Work
The history of magic, or the Void-Borne powers, as they are often called (Wuo~ in the White Omwo~ language of the ancients, Woo to many practictioners of the current Celtrician world) is long and varied. In the depths of time, only the Omwo~, the first servants were taught any of it's secrets. They were wild practitioners, using only the internal power of their great and powerful spirits to produce effects. But some of the Planars whispered the secrets of this to the Sauroids and the orcash, so Ceminiar taught the Omwo~ how to channell the power of the House of Earth. Verkonen Vreeg was kicked out of the White City for teaching this to the humans of Clan Teleman. Over the next six centuries, the various voide-Borne power sources were given as gifts and promises to the peoples of the Waking Dream, and the magic slowly trickled inexorably into the lives of all who lived on the world, proof of their worship and worth. Today, most magic is a combination, with casters using their own inner spirit to trigger the spell and then using their developed conduits to the Void-Borne sources. The inner Spirit can be used to power any spell effect, but it is much more draining to use Spirit in the place of the proper power source.

Magic can be looked upon as a formula or a recipe, using different power sources to create the effects needed.  Often, the same spell effect can be created with different formula or spell elements.  In addition, very powerful or adept casters can create spells almost on the fly.[/spoiler]
The appearance of a spell in a book TO THE OWNER OF THE SPELLBOOK OR SOMEONE WITH THE POWER TO READ IT is a 3-dimensional writing in MageTongue and MakerSpeak that describes the the proper mindsets, the twisting paths of thought and alien logic, specific, alien images and the order of creating them and how to hold each one in the caster's head at once.  The 3rd dimension is based on how powerful the spell is in comparision to the caster...in that if the caster does not have the amount of spell points to casrt a spell, the parts of the spell that they are too weak to cast swim and fade on the page.

To someone who cannot cast it or who is Void-Blind, the writintg does not even show up.  The pages look blank, or at least the parts that they are not sensitive to.

I always figured it would look something like this.

In reality, when I think of Spellbooks, I think of pages likes these:  [spoiler]
 
 
 
  [/spoiler]

Essentially, a Spellbook should combine words of power and geometric shapes (Especially circles, hexagons, triangles and stars) along with images of power and spell effects. Everything in the book should feel powerful and convey the idea of magical energy. Further, everything should be written in gold-amber-brown ink while certain words or images should be different colors for emphasis. Much of the actual words should be written in old flowery 18th century-esque cursive mixed with runic, draconic, elvish and other long dead civilization's script. Each spell should combine words from many different languages to represent the innate power of different words in radically opposed languages.

Quote from: GhostmanThe writing might be in a language they don't know. It might also be using specialized terminology unknown to most. Then there's the possibility of incompleteness; the writers of spellbooks might well assume that anyone who is actually intended to read them would be aware of many common routines in spellcasting, so these would not be included in the spell instructions (this makes a lot of sense if you have neither mechanical printing nor a magical equivalent - imagine writing pages upon pages by hand when several lines at the beginning/end of each and every spell is repeated identically)

That's pretty much what I meant. Not everyone can do it but those with the proper training probably can. Also, Steerpike's image is much like what I had in mind.

In case I wasn't too clear, I wasn't asking what should "usually" be there so much as what you think you'd put there as a mage in your own isolated world without its own "rules" (so you can create whatever you desire).

Some pretty good stuff above, I really liked the pictures Elf put up.

Now, maybe I should hold a competition to see who can design the coolest "spell scroll" image.

M.

This topic actually got me thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that the contents of the book would always be specific to the person who wrote it. Presumably, each spellcaster would have their own set of spells and footnotes, memories, experiments, et cetera that they've worked on/experienced/performed that they can reference in their book to allow them to recall the workings to each spell.

Like others have said, there'd be specialized terminology; it's entirely possible that were I a wizard and had the same interest in mathematics that I do as a real person, my spellbook would be the occasional page of comprehensible notes separated by page after page of half-completed diagrams, definitions (sometimes incomplete, sometimes seemingly unconnected - often both), and placements of numbers and equations. And all of this certainly wouldn't be written in an orderly or easily followable pattern. I know if I were able to upload images of some of my sketch pads I've used for random drawings, proofs, and calculations over the last few days, pretty much everybody would look at them and at best say "Ok, I understand what that phrase/equation means, but what is it doing next to that?. And therein lies the task you sometimes see heroic sorcerers put to - trying to decipher an ancient spellbook or scroll based on their knowledge of the craft and maybe the person who wrote it, too.

That's what I imagine a spellbook looking like.

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: Ninja D!There has to be a reason that not just anyone can pick up a spell book and do magic.

Does there really?

Yes, for a couple of reasons. First, those with power tend to like keeping that power as exclusively as possible. There's little to nothing to make spell books immune to trade secrets and proprietary design. Even with that aside, There's still the fact that

Quotein many a world the vast majority of people would not be able to pick up a spellbook and do magic, for the simple reason that they would be illiterate. As for the minority of literates, it is not a given that they would be able to understand what they read. The writing might be in a language they don't know. It might also be using specialized terminology unknown to most. Then there's the possibility of incompleteness; the writers of spellbooks might well assume that anyone who is actually intended to read them would be aware of many common routines in spellcasting, so these would not be included in the spell instructions (this makes a lot of sense if you have neither mechanical printing nor a magical equivalent - imagine writing pages upon pages by hand when several lines at the beginning/end of each and every spell is repeated identically)

That's not even mentioning idiosyncratic shorthand.

Of course, these points that I bring up are severely diminished if the act of writing the spell down is a required ritual for the spell (the rite of writing?), but then there's the fact that not just anyone could transcribe the spell (the right to the rite of writing?).

I suspect a spell book would be much like any other technical manual, only written for personal use, and for magic instead of, say, automobiles. The fact that they're written for personal use would make the content that much more incomprehensible, and the fact that it's for magical use could affect the content in many different ways, depending on the nature of magic in a given setting.

It might be worth pondering what is actually meant or implied by the word spell book. Obviously, it indicates a book that contains information about magical spells. Does this information regarding spells have to be instructional, or could it simply be describing the effects and history of spells, etc? I could imagine a world where written spell descriptions do not serve any practical purpose related to actual spellcasting, but are merely scholarly essays on the subject matter.

Does a "spell book" have to be entirely about spells and magic, or can it contain other non-related information? If so, does it have to be even focused on spells? What if there was, for example, a book primarily about monsters and demonology, that happened to also contain short instructions for a few magical tricks? Could that be enough to call it a spell book?

Quote from: Rorschach Fritos

Quote from: Ghostman

Quote from: Ninja D!There has to be a reason that not just anyone can pick up a spell book and do magic.

Does there really?

Yes, for a couple of reasons. First, those with power tend to like keeping that power as exclusively as possible. There's little to nothing to make spell books immune to trade secrets and proprietary design.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't have a setting where everyone literally can learn magic from books, freely available in libraries and taught in schools along with other subjects. Also magic is not necessarily powerful. It could simply be convenient and/or entertaining. Might not make for a very interesting or exciting setting, but it's certainly a viable option in world building.

Building on Ghostman's comment, maybe you could have books on different elements of magical control. Instead of teaching you specific spells, it gives you the neccessary knowledge to manipulate another aspect of magic. Like in math, where it is all numbers (almost) but where you can, with the right knowledge, manipulate it in thousands of different ways.
So you could have a book named The Control of Arcane Fire: an Elementary Introduction which allowed you to manipulate basic fire spells, and you could have a book called Infinite Mindscapes which is a thorough tome but very obscure book on mind reading, oneiromancy, telepathy and domination. These books would not contain instructions per se, but instead hold detailed essays on magical theory, formulas describing arcane flows you have to take into account, various caveats and limitations when using the spell and so on.
Basically, take an academic book and imagine what it would look like if it was about magic.