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Barbara Graver

Barbara Graver

Catholic Writer, Podcaster & Etsy Shop Owner

Vampire Magic: Creating a System

June 12, 2023

My Vampire Magic Challenge  

“Noir or humorous, hard-boiled or cozy, mysteries are the descendants of morality plays, and in an increasingly ambiguous world, they provide the comfort of the absolutes of right or wrong…” – Gillian Roberts, You Can Write a Mystery  

While what Gillian Roberts says here about right and wrong is usually true of mystery and crime fiction, it often NOT true of the genre I write in (paranormal fantasy). This is at least partially because it can be hard to reconcile some of the elements of the paranormal fantasy genre with what what we know to be true about morality. Or at least for me it is.

But I am trying.

This week I’m struggling to create a vampire magic system that draws a line between good and evil – in a way that makes sense for my story.

In some ways creating my system is relatively easy.

I am definitely not starting from scratch. Like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, for example, my vampires are sensitive to holy and blessed items. Unlike Stoker, my vampires are not the undead – or irredeemable. Instead they are creatures who fell, just like the rest of us, but harder. 

I still have a lot to work out. But I do know this. I want to divide good from evil, in my story, while still leaving room for hope.

Creating a Vampire Magic System

“As three laws were good enough for Newton, I have modestly decided to stop there.” – Arthur Clarke

Like Clarke, Brandon Sanderson came up Three Laws. While Clarke’s laws were about science fiction, however, Sanderson’s are about fantasy.

They are:

  1. An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic. 
  2. The second law can be written very simply as: Limitations > Powers
  3. Expand what you already have before you add something new.

My magic system is very simple compared to the systems of most fantasy writers. It incorporates the rules I liked from Stoker and leaves out those that I don’t.

Here’s what I have so far:

  1. Vampires and to a lesser degree fae are not the undead or truly immortal. Instead they are ancient magical races with particular, fairly believable, abilities.
  2. All magical races possess a discernible energetic signature (name to be determined) that can be tracked by special fae trackers.
  3. Vampires hunger for and feed off human blood but since they are not the undead they also eat regular food and don’t die if they can’t get blood – though they are affected.

I have a long way to go with this.. Especially in terms of expanding what I have before I add new rules.  But I am going to keep at it.

Wish me luck.


You Can Write a Mystery (affiliate link) is available on Amazon in book ebook and print copy.

For more about Brandon Sanderson’s Laws of Magic please visit his FAQ page here

Please note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a book through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

in: Writing # paranormal fantasy vampires

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The Seven Sorrows Rosary is a wonderful Lenten dev The Seven Sorrows Rosary is a wonderful Lenten devotion!

The Seven Sorrows which Pierced Our Lady’s Heart.

1. The Prophecy of Saint Simeon. (Luke 2:34–35)

2. The escape and Flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13)

3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem (Luke 2:43–45)

4. The Meeting of Mary and Jesus on the Via Dolorosa.

5. The Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary. (John 19:25)

6. The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent from the Cross. (Matthew 27:57–59)

7. The Burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea. (John 19:40–42)

Not only do we get to unite our sufferings and sorrows to Our Lady of Sorrows, we are also promised 7 Graces:

According to St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), there are Seven Graces of this devotion.

1. I will grant peace to their families.

2. I will be enlightened about the Divine mysteries.

3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.

4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.

5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.

6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.

7. I have obtained this Grace from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

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I wasn't able to attend last week but am looking f I wasn't able to attend last week but am looking forward to doing the Stations of the Cross with the rest of the congregation this Friday!
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