If magic were real, ever since mankind has been around or even earlier, what would it look like? What shape would it take? I pondered this question as I rewrote a section of a story today.
To me, the beginning of magics might start with cavemen hunching away from the winds and the rains, shaking in primal fear when the lightning and thunder come a calling. Maybe they appealed for protection from a beloved ancestor remembered for his bravery and strength against the elements. Maybe they make a gesture at random and the falling snow lessons and the storms subside. Do they find magic in the world around them, to keep them warm, provide shelter or food? Magic may have been one of the first 'inventions' of mankind, along with stone tools/weapons, the use of fire, and boats. Primitive magic could be considered a further control of the elements as man shaped stones, tamed fire, and mastered water. Air would have to wait.
But let's go back even further. Let's go back to the times of dolphins, sharks and trees.
Dolphins are thinkers, no reason to fudge around about it. And life started in the sea. Heck, sharks are about 50,000,000 years older than trees. So magic use, if magic were real, would probably have started with dolphins, our finned, smart, mammal friends. If ancient man could figure out elementary magic, we can assume thinking dolphins could too, unless humankind is just special. Sea magic. Dolphin magicians. The power of tides and currents. How would they conjure? By waving their fins? Swimming in certain patterns? What would spell-casting dolphins do to the world? Mystical fish calls for meals? Fend off icebergs and predators? Conjure up glowing lights at night to see by? Would dolphin warlocks swim through the air, using magic to explore the 'upper waters' as they might call the atmosphere? I can see that, a school of dolphin mages swimming through some clouds, looking down at the cavemen on the ground. Would dolphins use magic to protect themselves from intruding men in boats? From sharks? Would sharks use magic?
Speaking of the roots of magic, how about plants? They've been around a lot longer than man as well. Started in the oceans too. Might they know secrets from before the land times? Seaweed might use magic for what? Or is seaweed too basic? Maybe plant magic starts with more advanced species, like trees. What would trees use magic for? Protection? Movement? Reproduction? Plant magic would be strong, strong as the oaks.
So many questions. Lots of story ideas in there.
Today's picture: I don't know why the scaly creature in the pic is using a tome, maybe he stole it from a land-dweller. But yeah, sea-magic, ocean-magic, water-magic.
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