Glossary Entry: Classical Elements
Definition
Today, we know that everything is made of atoms, and that there are just over 100 different types of atoms. This forms our Periodic Table and the basis for chemistry.
But people have always been trying to divide the world into neat little pieces, even long before the concept of an atom was defined. This led to various combinations or lists of "magic" elements. Much like our modern elements, people believed that everything in the world was made up of a mixture of these classical elements.
The most common list of classical elements features five entries: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Aether. Sometimes Air is called Wind, or Aether is known as Spirit, but the concept's the same.
Games often base their magic system on a list of elements like this. Among other things, it provides an easily understood rock-paper-scissors system, where each element is strong or weak to another.
But people have always been trying to divide the world into neat little pieces, even long before the concept of an atom was defined. This led to various combinations or lists of "magic" elements. Much like our modern elements, people believed that everything in the world was made up of a mixture of these classical elements.
The most common list of classical elements features five entries: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Aether. Sometimes Air is called Wind, or Aether is known as Spirit, but the concept's the same.
Games often base their magic system on a list of elements like this. Among other things, it provides an easily understood rock-paper-scissors system, where each element is strong or weak to another.
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