Magic

Here are four wavs magic might develop.

The Common Touch. Magic is simplified, allowing low-level spells to be learned by anyone. 1t should be 50 years before cantrips see common use in households. Within 100 years, some low-level spells show up, and in another 25, these same spells might be taught in schools. Once public schools are established, basic magic courses are offered.

Specialists. Magic could become an area of special functions. Take the 5th-level spell fabricate. 1t would be broken down into fabricate mineral and fabricate vegetable, then perhaps into fabricate wpod, fabriaite hemp, fabricate gold, fabricate steel, and fabriaite silver. As a spell is broken down, lesser wizards can handle it. The possibilities of what may be done with the material increase, and the quality of the product rises. The schooi of fabrication is born, eventually splitting into more specialized schools like the school of metal fabrication. Magical items become just as specialized until they're more like tools. These changes would be unlikely to even begin within 100 years of any campaign setting, since there are too rnany souroes of magic being discovered.

Blurring the Edges. Magic could become more homogenized. Spelis would blend together until there would be one per level. Imagine a 1st-level version of wish able to create effects that do not exceed the power of a Ist-level spell. There would be a wish for each spell level, with the only difference where the power is drawn from. Eventually, this barrier would be broken down, too. This is uniikely to take place within 200 years, but its beginning might be found earlier. If specializing is the future envisioned, blurring could still come to pass. In a far future setting, spells might be broken down so that the essence of magic is worked with—then no more speils.

Losing the Touch. Perhaps magic is a limited resource. Unless a new source can be found, it eventually vanishes. Or an individual or group could work to destroy it. Then magic would suddenly cease to function, instead of gradually tapering off. Or perhaps several mishaps lead to such a public outrage that magic is outlawed, but unless magic becomes impossible to use, someone somewhere is alwavs practicing it. Or magic could become harmful to practice. Similar to carbon monoxide, magic reaches toxic proportions when there is too much of it. It would have to be cut back or phased out.