## [Biweekly Challenge] Magic Systems

* Author: u/alexanderwales  *Time flies like an arrow**
* URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/5dd49p/biweekly_challenge_magic_systems/
* Score: 15

* Created: 2016-11-17T01:29:19

### Post:

## Last Time

[Last time,](https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/5atbbp/biweekly_challenge_politics/?sort=confidence) the prompt was "Politics". The winner was /u/MonstrousBird with their story, [Meetings](https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/5atbbp/biweekly_challenge_politics/d9td2i7/). Go read it now!

##### This Time

This time we'll have a rather broad category; **Magic Systems**. Adapt a magic system from a work of fantasy, or create your own from scratch, then show at least some subset of the consequences or tricks. Visiting /r/magicbuilding might be helpful for this. I would ideally like prose submissions for this challenge (as usual), unless your worldbuilding or systembuilding writeup reads as good as prose. In other words, you don't have to *necessarily* have a story, but I expect the execution of pure exposition to be really well done (serving as an in-universe Slate Star Codex or Wait But Why article).

The winner will be decided **Wednesday, November 30th.** You have until then to post your reply and start accumulating upvotes. It is strongly suggested that you get your entry in as quickly as possible once this thread goes up; this is part of the reason that prompts are given in advance. Like reading? It's suggested that you come back to the thread after a few days have passed to see what's popped up. The reddit "save" button is handy for this.

##### Rules

* 300 word minimum, no maximum. Post as a link to Google Docs, pastebin, Dropbox, etc. **This is mandatory.**

* No plagiarism, but you're welcome to recycle and revamp your own ideas you've used in the past.

* Think before you downvote.

* Winner will be determined by "best" sorting.

* Winner gets reddit gold, special winner flair, and bragging rights. Five-time winners get even more special winner flair, and their choice of prompt if they want it.

* All top-level replies to this thread should be submissions. Non-submissions (including questions, comments, etc.) belong in the companion thread, and will be aggressively removed from here.

* Top-level replies must be a link to Google Docs, a PDF, your personal website, etc. It is suggested that you include a word count and a title when you're linking to somewhere else.

* In the interest of keeping the playing field level, please refrain from cross-posting to other places until after the winner has been decided.

* No idea what rational fiction is? [Read the wiki!](http://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/index)

##### Meta

If you think you have a good prompt for a challenge, [add it to the list](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1B6HaZc8FYkr6l6Q4cwBc9_-Yq1g0f_HmdHK5L1tbEbA/edit?usp=sharing) (remember that [a good prompt is not a recipe](http://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/prompts?src=RECIPE)). Also, if you want a quick index of past challenges, I've [posted them on the wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/wiki/weeklychallenge).

##### Next Time

Next time, the challenge will be **Sherlock Holmes**. Sherlock Holmes is widely regarded as being Hollywood rational; he pulls together clues from bascially nowhere and jumps to all sorts of conclusions which happen to be correct even though there's not enough evidence to actually support them. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to write a Sherlock Holmes story. Or, since prompts are to inspire but not to limit, write something else around the central theme.

**Next challenge's thread will go up on 11/30.** Please private message me with any questions or comments. The companion thread [is available here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/5dd68y/challenge_companion_magic_systems/)

### Comments:

> **u/None** [+20]  (6 days later)
> 
> [Equations in Meditations] (https://mindlevelup.wordpress.com/2016/11/23/equations-in-meditation/)
> 
> 2642 words.

>> **u/DCarrier** [+1]  (14 days later)
>> 
>> Statistics is a branch of math. Just set the probability of survival to 100%.

>>> **u/None** [+2]  (14 days later)
>>> 
>>> Yeah, things here got a little too fast too soon.  
>>> 
>>> I really like the initial concept, though so I'll be trying to rework it, hopefully w/ help from the World Building thread. ^_^

> **u/TennisMaster2** [+11]  (11 hours later)
> 
> [Wishing Boys](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4ddwrQGdEHSRzlIN0oyR3FTWEE/view)
> 
> Twelve hundred and sixty four idea-symbol constructs.

> **u/onwardprogress** [+9]  (13 days later)
> 
> [Deferred Payment](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wnp3jw2tnFznacmvf9loEd6eyaaB7dgAf0S1-vXLe7A/edit?usp=sharing)
> 
> 1994 words.

>> **u/gommm** [+1]  (14 days later)
>> 
>> I liked that one, clever rule breaking :)

>>> **u/onwardprogress** [+1]  (15 days later)
>>> 
>>> Thanks, I was a little unsure about it, especially since it was my first time participating in one of these contests. Knew that I didn't have a chance to win with how late I found the contest, but I'm glad someone enjoyed it. :)

> **u/Aabcehmu112358** [+5]  *Utter Fallacy* (10 days later)
> 
> [HIST 381: Topics in History](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wNnge4kX52FLdy1OAMFISCKZWMBXffHJN3FtPXxon40/edit?usp=sharing)
> 
> 1595 words.

> **u/MonstrousBird** [+3]  (9 days later)
> 
> A bit late to the party here is 1830 words of
> 
> [The First Meeting of the British Djinn Owners Society](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ua85GvOtv5WVrDsJNUpNRVBuTbt_hCugw3FfbmWyDbI/edit?usp=sharing)

> **u/LiteralHeadCannon** [+4]  (a day later)
> 
> [King Hayden of the Dewy Plains](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9gp2tCuyZSBa1hEa1lsUnVzVmc/view?usp=sharing)
> 
> 1930 words.

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