The energy flux, as magic.

As some of you guys know, I´m a biologist. I work with very little beings, that is not the case to be mentioned here.

Two days ago, I was thinking about energy flux dynamics in ecological networks, it is a very technical expression. But mostly, it is like we all studied at school: how some vegetables produce energy through sunlight, and it is consumed in the food chain, getting on top of this chain, concentrating in the organisms we call predators. So with this, I was thinking how can I make a parallel or even make an exercise with this information, through magic systems or concepts in RPGs.

In D&D, we had a thing that we call the weave, (mostly nowadays in D&D, I am not aware if this thing existed in OS D&D, so comments and collaboration are very welcome). It works like an invisible magic web that can be manipulated by a conjurer that previously had memorized how to manipulate this thing. This doesn't, at all, make sense to me. Mostly, not because it is too fantasious or not real enough, it is a system/logic that is too obscure and abstract for the characters or even the players, and very much secure, it doesn't really have a cost to be manipulated or even a logic. And how can the same thing be memorized twice?

So if you think that magic comes from a source, that it is produced someway with: vital energy, natural forces, concentrated solar energy, you name it! It should have a flux, and would be consumed through this. Also, it has a cost to be manipulated, concentrated or even consumed.

In natural environments, energy dissipates, that means that through the energy flux it is lost, consumption and use are inefficient. So the amount of energy that the organisms in the top of the chain need are bigger than it should be. The consumption requirements increase in a non-linear way. Looking at our parallel, this means that magic is corrupted, the way you obtain it and also the amount you need is not fair. Very powerful magic beings did not get there via a sustentable and clean path.

This should make magic mysterious, abstract, and mostly with a high cost that escalates with the power of it all.

This could be a very nonsense thing for a game that should be simple and stuff. But you know, let me share some thoughts about it, I'm enjoying it. And you guys know that this could only be my way of saying that D&D magic system is lame, and FF or Whitehack magic systems are cool.

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