So the Aspects listed in the title are very rare, unless you make them common in the generator I guess, and abstract effects. They are nearly all focused on control and support as their basic impact and then have unique more advanced functions.
Note: I would usually use tables, so basically horizontal lists, but Substack doesn’t support that sadly.
Here’s an example “Talent” for Time Magic:
Chronomancy
Time Stop
Time
Stasis 2s
Single Target
Range 20m
Cast 1s
40 mana
Stagnation
Time
Slow 4s
Single Target
Range 20m
Cast 2s
40 mana
Quicken
Time
Haste 3s
SelfCast 1s
40 mana
Accelerate
Time
Haste 3s
Single Target
Range 20m
Cast 2s
40 mana
So in this specific example Haste makes your cast/action times decrement twice, but not on durations, duration changes are a higher Tier of Chronomancy.
Stasis is a unique control effect. It can take an enemy out of the fight but you can’t hurt them while they are, and it can take an ally out of danger.
So I picked the simple combat focused “Talent” style system to sort of give an idea of Aspects, which is my name for Elements because not everything is an element, don’t let LitRPGs or regular RPGs lie to you. You can sort of see how certain things are more abstract vs concrete in their impact.
Time, Space, or Gravity are even more abstract and distinct than the Concepts like Life, Light, Darkness, or Force, which themselves are more complex than the basic classical elements.
While the functions are different in non-combat spells and in other magic systems the level of abstraction is pretty similar.
Time Aspected Magic outside of combat might be something like age reversal, using a stasis effect in Alchemy or food storage/cooking. Space Magic is probably used similarly in and out of combat. Getting around. Outside you can do the iconic extra-dimensional space. Gravity Aspected Magic would probably be used in advanced crafting, weird celestial/extraplanar stuff, and more nonsense.
Another higher level set of Aspects would be something like Arcane Aspected Magic or Metamagic or Manasophy. All of these can provice effects like reducing costs or casting times or increasing crowd control durations or damage or w/e in their own way. Outside of combat you might also gain faster research speed for magic from any of these for reasons I’m sure you can generate for yourselves. Maybe Manasophy helps with efficient enchantments or something.
I’d also do Domination or Summoning or other Necromancy at higher levels as composites. So the basic 8 Aspects and another 8 super rare complex Aspects are compositied into other stuff to make the middle tiers.
Mud(Water/Earth) plus Life composites to Wood. Fire and Dust(Earth/Air) becomes Ash. Ocean(Water/Gravity/Darkness/Life/Earth) is an example of a very complex composite. You get the point.
Talents are a replacement for classes that I use for some other projects. So you can take a bunch of Talents with Aspects that involve control and stack them to become a control character. You can take a lot of Fire and Light composites to stack range and damage for a super long range damage character. Water and Arcane have complementing mana effects. Cheaper spells and more mana.
Obviously if you take this out of a direct RPG that is mostly a turn based tactical game you have to make some shifts but the general concepts are fine. Some Aspects are more obvious than others. Disease and Rot for biological warfare like Plagues. Fire Ritual Magic for terraforming or scorched earth. Weather, so light/water/air and maybe gravity for sailing. Or agriculture. Earth can also do agricultural stuff, or construction stuff.
My favorite example of truly functional Divination magic is obviously based on Time composite wise. Maybe Air, Fire, Light, Arcane, Time or something. Some Ritual magic might require reagents. So Fire Rituals need resources that produce “fire” related properties to power them.
I’m hoping the RNG puts out some interesting results for societies with access to limited Aspects or maybe different societies have low to medium possibility for all Aspects but focus on some small number.