I always play the magic user in almost any game I play.

One thing I love to do, is flesh out my character.

What I would like to know, is how is magic used, can anyone use it, etc?

I speculate that its like the D&D magic system, where certain spells use various verbal/somatic/ingredient for the spells. Where one person would would perform the spells requirements (saying some gibberish, making vulgar motions, etc) and then they would release said spell through a phrase or motion. I speculate this, because there are things like Mages University, scrolls, and the ability to make spells. Why would they need to buy spells, if they could just cast them by thinking about it?

But It seems that I'm not right, because of a person being able to cast basically an unlimited amount of spells without having a cast time ( or maybe its just game mechanics?)

I'm getting confusseld, what do you think. This is why I wished that every fantasy world would flesh these things out a bit more.

Or maybe I'm just insane.

It could be more in depth but it would scare away the casual players and the $$$.

An in game book would be great, it wouldn't bother anyone and wouldn't need all that much development.

Just something that would add a little more explanation.

Hey, i'm all about more depth but there are people on this very board that foam at the mouth at anything more complicated in the game than swinging a sword.

It makes me teh sad. :cryvaultboy:

Well, what I can tell you is that magic comes from stars. No, literally - there are no stars in TES as we understand them in the real world. When you look up at the night sky, you're literally looking across the infinite expanse of Oblivion - on the other side are the tears left when Magnus fled convention for the Aetherius outside, because he didn't agree with the creation of Nirn. Magic leaks into Nirn from these tears and basically irradiates everything - being able to cast magic is simply the ability to manipulate the magic you absorb naturally just by being outside, to a greater or lesser degree, but significantly more skillfully than a person who can't cast a single spell.

I'd -guess- from this that spell components, like incantations and gestures, aren't so much a requirement of being able to use magic as they serve to focus the mind of the spellcaster - someone sufficiently skilled could probably cast a spell with naught but a fleeting thought, though I imagine even archmages need focusing mantras or motions to perform spells of exceptional power. Some forms of spellcasting too would probably always require a ritual of some sort - summoning spells in particular since you aren't just dealing with your own soul and being.

Of course, that's just speculation and I could be totally wrong.

Edit: Er, the second paragraph is speculation, rather. The cosmology in the first paragraph is canon, though I could be wrong about magic "just" being manipulation of your inherent magicka.

There is a crapload of lore about magic and its source, usage etc, just look it up over at the imperial library.
Basically it leaks into the 'mortal realm' through a big hole in the sky known as the sun, on the other side of which is a big ol' place filled to the brim with magic. I know there is some stuff explaining how spells are performed and such like but I can't find it.
Seriously this is the one series where there is an in depth explanation for literally everything.

Only thing I wish for is that they give us some incantations for the various types of magic. Kinda like Two Worlds 2 did, even though it had like 3 phrases that got old pretty soon, it added some needed immersion. You really had the feeling you were a mage and not a random guy casting spells. This is my idea of the perfect mage, chanting spooky stuff while raining hell on his enemies.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/forum/16-elder-scrolls-lore/

These sages may be able to help

Honestly, this has nothing to do with Skyrim and is much more appropriate for the lore forum, as they'd be able to give you much more precise and relevant answers.

I'd also like to refer you to http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1159493-how-does-silence-work/ topic which asks about how Silence works in regards to magicka and whether or not magic-users use incantations.

I think they just think of what they want to do. It's a power that comes form inside them. They don't need wands or magic words.

You cant cast all spells from birth, because first you need to learn the effect.
Same as being able to drive a car doesnt mean you can drive a helicopter.

Magic is, at least in part, done by gesticulation.
In the poison song books series, mark and recall are used as a plot device.
"Her words were still echoing as she gave the sign of Recall and vanished like a ghost."

Silence is an illusion spell. It does not, like alteration, alter physical properties.
It does not render one 'mute', physically.
Rather, what it does is give the illusion to the caster that his magic is no longer working.
Same as someone who under hypnosis is convinced he is mute.

A minor quibble - Magnus tore a big hole, which is the Sun. The stars were torn by lesser spirits who followed Magnus.

Me too.

Honestly, this forum depresses the hell out of me. I can't turn around without seeing another post or another thread from another person who wants nothing more than a first-person button-masher - no roleplaying - no balance - no risk and reward - no mystery - no complications - just get the uberest stuff as quickly as possible and run around like a 9 year old on a sugar rush, killing stuff. Wheeee.

I can only hope, with all my heart, that Beth doesn't give them the game they want.

Agreed!

If all I am supposed to do is kill dragons, I will pass.