#animus magic

[xyeh2o]

I think Wings of Fire relies too much on Animus slop

Animus magic feels overpowered to the point of being dull. It lacks a clear or consistent cost, its only real drawback is the vague idea that “power makes you evil” which isnt much of a limitation at all. When a character can essentially do anything without definite consequences, it stops being interesting and starts feeling like a shortcut for the author to control the story however they want.

If you ask people on the fandom on some world building questions:

Why are the continents shaped like dragons? Animus slop

Why IceWings bleed blue? Animus Slop

Whats with the world's size inconsistency? Animus slop Character's bad traits? FIX IT WITH ANIMUS SLOP

Plot holes? FIX IT WITH ANIMUS SLOP

"Why can character X just do Y with animus magic"

This plot relies on this enchantment/animus object. ANIMUS HERE ANIMUS THERE

Its crazy how saying something (or like a prompt) could give you a lazy solution, without any effort!

This often turns animus magic into a catch-all explanation. Complex questions or inconsistencies, whether it’s unusual biology, geography, or even plot holes get brushed aside with “animus magic did it.” Instead of adding depth, it can flatten the worldbuilding and remove the need for creative problem-solving

Magic systems tend to be more engaging when they come with clear limits, trade-offs, or rules that force characters to make difficult choices. Without those constraints, animus magic risks feeling less like a compelling part of the world and more like an easy way out.

Have we truly lost to think creatively or critically for Animus slop?

[some-pers0n]

[sagesdragons]

Made a SharpWing base! Here it is using Clink from The Hybrid Prince (Nineteen has a broken wing so it would be harder to make, though it does get more screen time and is a more interesting design).

I'm running out of money so it's ptu. $2 for just 1 full-body fill layer, $5 for every fill layer. I used the $5 version to make Clink here, but you could still use the $2 version to make something of like this.

$2 version here

$5 version here

[smolandweirdwriter]

anyway i actually love animus magic as an allegory. i love that power doesn't make someone automatically a bad person or give them less of a 'soul' for using it but it does inhibit a sense that you can do whatever you want without consequences and without regulating it you'll invariably end up uncontrollably hurting yourself and others. I love that being the message of a kid's story. I love it so much

[ravewing]

on the creation of animus magic

i was talking about the origins of animus magic with my discord recently and it made me want to share it here–

mind you, this is something that i had initially come up with around fourth or fifth grade, so it doesn't 100% comply with current canon and its a little shoddy but regardless i need to get it out of my system haha

waay way back in 2019 or so, i came up with a sort of 'origin story' that the dragons of pyrrhia told that explained where animus magic came from.

they believed that a sort of higher dragon spirit that was of simultaneously all and none of the tribes (my interpretation of them is the drawing at the beginning of this post) created the seven dragon tribes, and upon creating them, offered each tribe the power of animus magic.

both the rainwings and mudwings refused. the rainwings believed that such power would create an imbalance of harmony in the rainforest, and thus did not accept. the mudwings believed that if animus magic was wielded by a sib that wasn't a bigwings, then they might use it to overthrow the balanced system, and if a bigwings hatched with magic, then they might use it to steer their sibs in the wrong direction (again, imbalance and disruption of harmony).

the icewings, however, accepted the gift of animus magic, believing that with proper control and tradition, they could harness its power without falling to corruption. the icewings then offered this gift to the seawings, who accepted it.

the sandwings accepted the gift of animus magic from the high dragon spirit as well.

the skywings were very hesitant from the beginning. even though it was offered to them, they never gave a clear answer; many skywings believed that their raw power and physical might were enough to best the other tribes, and that animus magic was a shortcut that undermined their strength. still, because they did not explicitly deny, they still received magic– though it was quickly stamped out.

the nightwings, on the other hand, were not as patient as the other tribes. their thirst for knowledge and power was unquenched, and they sought to claim animus magic before it was even offered to them. they attempted to steal the magic directly from the claws of the high dragon spirit. it saw the actions of the nightwings as dishonorable, and as a result, they were left to pursue other forms of power— namely prophecy and mind-reading.

some dragons believe this origin story to heart, and they passed it down through generations as the definitive truth of where animus magic came from and why certain tribes have it while others dont. others, however, view the story as more metaphorical– to them, the higher dragon spirit and the tale of the tribes’ choices are more like allegories that are meant to teach younger dragonets a lesson about not being greedy or something idk.

anyhow this might be stupid or it might be revolutionary but if you guys like it then i might make some art related to this 'au' :)

[cit-wingsoffire]

I like animus magic as a nebulous all power magic with no clear consequences. I don’t even really subscribe to the idea that it corrupts your soul, just because I think giving what is mostly dragonets the idea that they can do anything, anywhere, and anytime with no repercussions is already a bad recipe for the developing psychology of the dragonets. I think the soul corrupting thing should be like, in universe mythos or something to explain away why so many animus magic users go “crazy” and that’s why there are so many different ways a tribe will treat its animus dragons. Does this mean anything?

[resident-wof-expert]

[threemoonwatchers]

I’ve been rereading Winter Turning (for GTM!Pyrite reasons) and I came across this lovely little line from Moon, referring to Pyrite possibly being an animus.

(transcript in alt text. If I forgot something I apologize in advance it’s a big block of text qwp)

And I just LOVE the idea of Turtle in the background just quietly being a lil bit panicked and sneaking looks at his skyfire like “girl is this thing ON???”

And then you turn the page and Moon goes and says THIS (transcript in alt text again)

And Turtle just sits there wondering just how similar the two of them really are because this is getting ridiculous

Anyway yes this is more Horrible Powers Squad propaganda specifically on the Moon-Turtle front :)

It really is too bad he wasn’t on that trip lolll