[Help] Need some advice on a fantasy novel.

[lumineth Realm Lord]

So, I'm trying to answer a few questions about how magic fits into society. I already have an established magic system, but need help.

Would magic be freely taught and practiced, or would it be overseen by some institutional organization? Or would one have to be part of this organization in order to practice?

What kind of tech would exist in this world? Would it incorporate magic in some way? Would there be drawbacks?

If magic were to be taught in an academy setting, how would it be taught, and what age would one learn it? Personally, I'm thinking college age.

 

[Durward]

My two cents worth: Any power creates problems in every society. So institution or organization is likely, and they would likely police that.
Who knows about the tech, perhaps amplifiers or magic neutralizers? Again the power and profit struggle, someone will always abuse it.
In a society where it is accepted and practiced, I would assume it starts in preschool or Kindergarten, and that system likely sorts education and advancement by how well you can perform. Special education and advancement for the skilled, crap jobs and oppression for those without skills. That is the human way, stomp on the weak, reward the creep. You end up with a dangerous imbalance, which is why we already have locks, blocks, and filters installed in humans.

 

[Swampdweller900]

Magic is a lot like art, so I would expect that esoteric arts would be easily portable onto the art world's structure and methodology in our current society. It's personal and subjective. You can be taught one way of doing something, do it that way for a decade, and then happen upon a new way of doing everything that fits the person more. Different schools of thought seek to innovate and evoke feelings using their rules as established by a founder. Would formal institutions or even high schools teach 1 class of magic? Probably. Magic history - that's not a career! Get a degree in accounting! Only the really talented might have a future in it. Despite its prevalence in everyday life via crass advertising, every graphic designer just wants to do the art they want to do. But they need to pay the bills.

There's no authority over art. It self-legitimizes, and can be pushed by people seeking to legitimize some work that might not be worth it. No one can tell you what art you like and what you don't like. Values are subjective. Teaching art to someone doesn't mean they'll pick it up or do well. It doesn't mean that being taught formally is the only avenue to success. Art can be ephemeral, much like magic, fleeting in its ability to affect the world and people around it. Someone can be technically trained and skilled, and still fall short of making something that works. New upstarts can show up and wow everyone and make old heads jealous of their skill and talent. Whole art schools exist based on a community of mutually agreed-upon subjective desires. Their big names are people that they say are big names and whose works catch the public eye. Just like the Greek gods, it can all fade away over time if something new comes along.

Would people who know nothing about magic try and lock up powerful magic users as their own status symbols? Probably. Would tech bros get tattoos of their personal sigils all over themselves and use them as their logos? I bet so. Could artists fall to their egos? Could famous magic users be corrupted and then their magic takes on a tinge of their pain and transgressions? Sure. Would some artists once well-renowned for their skill be forced to trade away their soul for one more success? One more spot in a gallery just to pay the bills? A painting pulled from a frame to trade for a sandwich in a cafe? A promise of a curse or a ritual in exchange for a meal? You bet.

Just my thoughts. Good luck with the novel!

 

[Robert Ramsay]

The author qntm has a book called 'Ra' where some of this is gone into in detail - maybe that will help you.

 

[Reynard]

Magic is a lot like art

Oh, totally this.

I was going to respond to your question, Lumineth, and I was going to talk about art. But Swampy said it much better than I ever could!

Definitely wishing you luck with the novel. Please let us know how you get on