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Fantasy Terms: The Laws and Destinites that Define the World

When we dive into a fantasy world, we see more than just beautiful landscapes or terrifying monsters. Behind them lies a network of “Logic (Kotowari)” designed to order the world and advance the story.

Why does magic require a cost? How does a hero climb to higher heights? And where is the world heading? To know these “Terms” is to understand the “Philosophy” the author has embedded in that world.

1. Defining Life and Soul: The Skeleton of the Individual

Basic concepts that define characters as individuals and govern their growth and limits. *Ability Scores : The “Six Golden Yardsticks” that quantify physical and mental qualities. *Experience Points : Proof of surviving the jaws of death—the trajectory of growth etched into the soul. *Mana : The supernatural power that fills the world. The holy fuel for manifesting mysteries.

2. Rationality and Systems: The Principles of World Construction

The laws that magic and phenomena must obey, and the systematic bodies of knowledge. *Magic Schools : The academic systems of wizards that bind chaotic power with order to make it reproducible. *Elements : The colors that determine the essence of all things—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and beyond.

3. Cosmic Structure: Destiny and the Axis

The grand design of what shape the world takes and what fate it will follow. *Yggdrasil : The massive cosmic Ash tree that links all dimensions vertically. *Ragnarök : The predestined defeat and the cycle of rebirth promised beyond it.

Words are “Keys”

The terms listed here are more than mere game rules. They are the keys for us to access “Another Reality” different from our daily lives. Each time you learn the meaning of a word, the fantasy world spreading before you will become clearer, heavier, and more cherished.

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Yggdrasil: The World Tree and the Vertical Order of the Cosmos

In the world-building of fantasy, no entity symbolizes the expansion and connection of space more intuitively than Yggdrasil . This massive Ash (or Yew) tree appearing in Norse mythology is not a mere plant. It is a cosmic-scale “Axis Mundi” that physically and spiritually links the celestial realm of the gods, the middle realm where we live, and the deep layers of those who crawl. 1. Structure: Topology Hosting the Nine Realms The branches and roots of Yggdrasil host nine worlds of differing natures: *Upper Realms : Asgard, the city of the gods, and Alfheim, the land of the elves.

Ragnarök: The Predestined Defeat and the Cycle of Ash-born Rebirth

Among the eschatologies that color fantasy, none house tragedy and nobility quite like Ragnarök . This event, which concludes Norse mythology, means “The Fate of the Gods” in Old Norse. It is not an unavoidable natural disaster, but the record of the “Defeat of the Gods” that was ordained since the first prophecy. Yet, this destruction is not a return to void, but a harsh labor to give birth to a cleaner world.

Mana: The Invisible Fuel Consuming the World's Aura

For the adventurer in an RPG, Mana is as familiar as breathing, yet its true nature is a mysterious energy that is difficult to define if questioned. The fuel for a mage’s spells, or another name for “MP (Magic Points).” However, the history of this word over thousands of years is a record of civilization itself—how humans have defined “Invisible Power.” 1. Origins: The “Prestige” and “Aura” Dwelling in Oceania The roots of the word “Mana” lie in the traditional religious views of the Polynesian and Melanesian regions of Oceania.

Magic Schools: The Academic Cage of Mystery and Logic

In a fantasy world, magic is not merely a miracle. It is a “discipline” that is observed, researched, and systematized. Magic Schools are the crystallization of knowledge that distills the uncontrollable mana of the natural world into a fixed format called a “Spell,” making it reproducible for anyone (or at least those chosen). 1. Classification: “Systems” based on Interaction Methods In many fantasy settings, especially classic systems like D&D, magic is classified into several “Schools” by its nature: *Evocation : Converts mana directly into energy like fire, lightning, or ice.

Experience Points: The Golden Trail of Trials Etched into the Soul

For those who play fantasy RPGs, there is no value more rewarding than the accumulation of Experience Points (EXP) . Defeating monsters, completing difficult quests, and stepping into the deepest labyrinths. All these “hardships” are converted into numerical values. When a certain threshold is crossed, a dramatic change occurs—the Level Up . This is the most beautiful and cruel “Reward System” invented by fantasy, allowing humans to visually and certainly grasp their own growth.

Elements: The Four Breaths and Two Abysses of the World

In a fantasy world, every substance, magic, and life-form obeys specific Elements . Fire melts ice, and lightning travels through water. These interactions are not mere game calculations; they are the most basic proofs of “Magical Physics,” showing the very “Logic (Kotowari)” by which the world is woven. 1. Origins: Ancient Philosophy and the “Four Elements Theory” The framework of the concept of “elements” dates back to the earliest natural philosophies in human history.

Ability Scores: The Six Golden Yardsticks of Heroism

In fantasy RPGs, Ability Scores are multi-faceted metrics used to measure the “existence” of a hero. Since the revolution in 1974, when Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) broke down the complexity of a human being into six basic elements, these numbers have become more than just data. They have become incantations that prove a character’s lifestyle, their strengths and weaknesses, and whether or not they are truly “Chosen.” 1. The Three Physical Pillars: Biological Limits Carved in Flesh These represent the power to interfere with the physical world—the most primal qualifications that separate life from death on the battlefield.