Reorganizing spells

[GreyOne]

I've been changing the standard magic system into one more specific to my campaign world and I need some help.

Basically, I'm reorganizing all the class spells into one single list (there aren't any clerics or druids). This list is divided into four Prime Elements (Fire, Earth, Air and Water) which different kinds of spellcasters can have mastery of. Magic is performed by applying one of the two twin forces that move the universe (call them Creation and Destruction) to one or more of the Prime Elements.

Now, a lot of spells fall easily into one of these categories, ie. fireball fits into Fire, wall of force into Air, etc.

Some, however, I am at a complete loss as to where they would fit into most readily, for example most Divination spells.

I want there to be some internal logic for why spells should be where they are. Any suggestions or examples you learned mages can provide would be most appreciated.

To start, for example, where would Cure Light Wounds and Cause Fear go?

 

[bwgwl]

for those kinds of spells, it might be easiest to assign different "themes" or "aspects" to the four elements, and use that as a guide for spells that are particularly element-related.

basically, just assign them by fiat. you could say that "All divination spells are Water, all creation and healing spells are Earth, all abjuration spells are Fire," etc. and then come up with some reasons why those categories fit, e.g., time and space are fluid like water, so spells that impart knowledge over time and distance are Water, living things grow from the earth, so creation spells are Earth, etc.

 

[GreyOne]

Okay so:

The Hand of Fire
The aspects of Fire include:
(1) All fire, light, darkness, shadow related spells.

The Hand of Air
The aspects of Air include:
(1) All wind, air, force and electrical spells.
(2) Protection spells
(3) Strength related spells.

The Hand of Water
The aspects of Water include:
(1) All water, liquid, and acid spells.
(2) All divination/knowledge spells (because time and space are fluid).

The Hand of Earth
The aspects of Earth include:
(1) All earth, and stone spells.
(2) All healing spells (because living things grow from the earth).
(3) Animal and plant related spells

What about travel related spells, trickery related, summon, etc?

 

[bwgwl]

hmmm. either put travel under Air (because travel = motion, and movement seems like an Air thing), or under Earth (since most travel is done by walking over the ground).

i'd give trickery and illusions to Fire, mainly because they really need more stuff. illusions are usually sight-based, and since you've already associated light and darkness with fire, that seems to fit.

maybe put summons under Air because you're summoning things out of thin air?

i'd probably move strength/protection under Earth, because of its association with stone and metal, but that's just one interpretation.

really, a system like this is all about interpretation. you could come up with any number of reasons to put anything anywhere.

i think the hermetic alchemists of the middle ages had a scheme like this, where they divided up different attributes by the four classical elements. maybe you could do some research to see what their categories were, and use that as a springboard.

 

[GreyOne]

Thanks bwgwl. That was helpful.

 

[widderslainte]

A good (relatively) modern refence would be "777" by Crowley, which has charts showing how just about everything in the universe correspondes to each other. Elemental categories are used heavily.