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[Hapchazzard]

I've been thinking, since the magic system will likely be tied-in with the current sphere system, maybe it would be useful to make a compilation of suggestions for the magical effects and attributes of each current sphere. This would be stuff like potential spell effects, environmental effects, effects on objects and critters, etc. Since the current list of spheres is rather large, I thought that it would be fun to make this a sort of community effort. In essence, take any of the current spheres (http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Sphere) and suggest whatever magical effects you think should be associated with it. These would be, as I said:

1. Spell effects - what kind of spells are potentially enabled by this sphere's magic? These could be anything from minor cantrips to region-shatterers
2. Environmental effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic have on the surroundings? This could range from almost imperceptible to reality-bending
3. Weather effects - does a high presence of this magic potentially produce unique weather?
4. Creature effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic (either inherent or temporary) in an individual creature have?
5. Object effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic (either inherent or temporary) in an individual object have?
6. Rituals and enhancers - are there types of rituals that are more innately connected to this sphere than most? e.g. sky magic being affected by the presence of the open sky, day magic being affected by whether it is actually daytime, etc.
7. Plant effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic (either inherent or temporary) in an individual plant have?

Also, it would be useful to describe at what sphere-intensity the effects usually tend to start appearing. Sphere-intensity is basically how prominent sphere-aligned magics are in an area/creature/object/whatever. I would personally divide it into 4 categories:

• LOW is for magic that is above ambient levels, but is usually not perceptible to the untrained eye. Effects in this category should be subtle - animals avoiding the area, water flowing more rapidly, lights being brighter than usual, a sense of unease permeating the area, etc.
• MEDIUM is for magic significantly above ambient levels. At this point, even non-magic users should be able to tell that there's something off about it, and visibly magical things might occur. Effects in this category shouldn't be too overt, but usually won't need a keen eye to notice - e.g. animals acting in a visibly erratic fashion, water flowing unnaturally fast, lights being uncomfortable to look at, a constant feeling of being watched, rare auditory hallucinations, etc.
• HIGH is for magic much above ambient levels. At this point, it should be exceedingly obvious to anyone that the area/object/creature in question is magical, and the laws of physics and logic might break down in places. The signs are overt and instantly noticeable, and even a layman might be able to tell which sphere the magic is associated with - e.g. water flowing uphill, shadows being absent entirely, visual hallucinations, etc.
• EXTREME is for places, creatures and things where the magic has completely overwhelmed the normal laws of physics and logic. Areas permanently affected by this level of magic would presumably be rare in the normal world, but elemental planes are good examples of regions with this level of magic. Creatures that are inherently 'made' of some type of magic - e.g. fire elementals, would fall into this category. You can go wild with the suggestions here - imagination is the only limiter.

There's no need to adhere rigidly to this categorization, but I think that it gives some useful ballparks. Now, feel free to throw in your own suggestions! I'll add them to the OP, and we can make a compilation of the community's suggestions. You don't have to strictly abide by the format I'll gave, I can convert whatever suggestion you make into said format when adding it to the OP, to make everything more easily readable.

NOTIFICATION: I am no longer maintaining this list directly myself, but another helpful poster has done so instead. You can find the more up to date list here:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=173189.msg8376282#msg8376282

Here's the list so far:

Index:
PART I: A TO C: (this post)
PART II: D TO F
PART III: G TO M
PART IV: N TO Z

Google Docs link(if anyone wants the whole thing in one place, for some reason. May be slightly out of date compared to forum version): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wLVpJxIKFffyHqGdU1LkY2NzJY9H0oiJZOm-doPT02A/edit

PART I: SPHERES A TO C

Agriculture

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Enchant farm plots with the ability to grow plants that would otherwise be unable to take root in the current environment, e.g. tropical subterranean hemp farms. Skill of the magic user could limit the number of plots they can keep enchanted at once, determine how long a plot takes to enchant, or how long the plot remains enchanted for.
• Perform rituals that increase crop growth speed for the duration of the ritual. Skill of the magic user could determine how much faster the crops grow, or how many plots are affected by the ritual at once
• Transmute one type of seed into a different type of seed. Skill of the magic user could affect how long the transmutation takes, or how many seeds can be transmuted at once
• Build a special 2x2 farm plot that takes a single seed, and, over the course of maybe a year or so, if properly tended to, produces a single enormous multi-tile crop. Some crops may require a z level or two of headroom to grow full size, and just might require an axe to harvest. Skill level of the magic user could determine total yield, or the crop's tending requirements
• Till a tile or area.
• Sow a tilled tile or area.
• Harvest a tile or area of grown crops.

Environmental effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Gradually rising fertility for crops and other domesticated plants. At higher levels, even normally barren topsoil such as sand or stone may support extensive shrubbery.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • ‘Grassy’ crops such wheat or barley have fertility advantage over regular grass when competing for ground.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • ‘Grassy’ crops such wheat or barley have a significant fertility advantage over regular grass when competing for ground, in all likelihood completely replacing normal grass.
  • Plantlife in the area slowly starts having it’s AGRICULTURE sphere rise, and benefits from all of the associated effects (see “plant effects” below)
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Plantlife in the area sees it’s AGRICULTURE sphere rapidly rise, and benefits from all of the associated effects (see “plant effects” below)
  • Animal life in the area sees it’s AGRICULTURE sphere slowly rise, and benefits from all of the associated effects (see “plant effects” below)

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Creature becomes more docile, leisurely, and calm, as if they have been tamed. Effects may remain permanent under long exposure.
  • Creature gets a slight happy thought from being around planted crops, or eating them.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Creature shows vague similarities with one or more common domestic animals, e.g. wooly hair, barking when angry, bathing in mud frequently.
  • Creature gets a moderate happy thought from being around planted crops, or eating them.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Creature shows more obvious similarities with domestic animals, e.g. horizontal pupils, purring when happy, screaming at the top of their lungs every day at dawn
  • A sentient creature utilizes your farm plots, planting its own crops which it later harvests. If your dwarves "steal" its crops, it becomes angry or otherwise gets an unhappy thought.
  • Mundane domesticated animals would probably fall into this category
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Creatures that are temporarily at this level of exposure may start producing harvestable materials such as wool or honey after some time.
  • Creatures that are inherently at this level are vastly more productive compared to the average mundane farm animal, likely having the majority of their body parts be edible or useful in some fashion

Plant effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Plant is increasingly vigorous and adaptable, at higher levels being able to tolerate basically any environmental conditions.
• At LOW levels:
  
  • Has a slightly extended gathering season.
  • Poisonous plants have the potency of their poison significantly reduced.
  • Food products made from the plant are intrinsically more filling when eaten.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Has a significantly extended gathering season.
  • Harmful features such as thorns become less prominent and dangerous.
  • Poisonous plants become safe to eat.
  • Is very filling to eat.
  • If not fruiting, may start producing fruits.
  • Edible parts of the plant are noticeably larger than usual.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Can be gathered year-round.
  • Harmful features such as thorns disappear.
  • Is extremely nutritious and filling.
  • Starts producing fruits if it doesn’t already.
  • Edible parts of the plant are far larger than usual.
  • A random inedible part of the plant (e.g. bark) may become edible if a tree
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Crops harvest and sow themself.
  • Can be gathered year-round.
  • No harmful features of any kind, except possibly self-defense mechanisms that selectively target vermin.
  • Probably has more nutrients in a single edible part than all the food in a royal feast combined, creatures may feel full after just one bite.
  • Every part of the plant is edible.

Object effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Weapons are slightly stronger against multi-tile plants and creatures made out of plant-matter, with the exception of normal trees.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Weapons are significantly stronger against multi-tile plants and creatures made out of plant-matter, with the exception of normal trees.
  • Crops can be planted in, and then harvested, from the item. Basically, chair-flowerpots, coffer-flowerpots, sword-flowerpots. Depending on the item type, this lessens the normal usability of the item
  • From this point onward, item auto-tills a tile or area, bigger as the magic in the item goes up.
  • From this point onward, item auto-sows a tile or area, bigger as the magic in the item goes up.
  • From this point onward, item auto-harvests a tile or area, bigger as the magic in the item goes up.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • A chest or other container refills itself with the products of agriculture (crops, seeds, wool, milk). It does so regularly (once a month, year, day), or even infinitely.

Animals

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Summons a companion animal, or hostile animal
• Grant an animal sentience
• General healing and attribute buffs for animals
• Transform into an animal
• Turn a non-animal creature into an animal, possibly only partially. (werebeasts?)
• Turn an object into an animal.
• Turn a plant into an animal.

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Unusually high animal populations
  • Unusually high diversity of animal species
  • New herds frequently migrate and leave
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Extraordinary abundance of animal life
  • Grass grows very rapidly, and can support large herds
  • Animals have larger litters when breeding
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Animals display an unusually high degree of intelligence, including the [CAN_LEARN] tag in some rare cases
  • Animals may form a primitive, hive-mind like consciousness
  • Intelligent animals may petition to join the fortress
  • Animal people are common in these areas
  • Animals of different species may interbreed
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Animals may appear civilized
  • Animals may form a fully sentient, hive-mind like consciousness
  • Conversely, sentient creatures may lose the [CAN_LEARN] tag randomly and become animal-like over time
  • Animal-like dwarves can be trained, sheared, milked or butchered
  • Animals may spontaneously spring into existence, including new species
  • Animals may spontaneously change species, or sentient creatures transform into animals
  • The biome itself might be an animal, or at least made of animal tissues. Your dwarves may dig through layers of flesh and bone, only for the giant mole they're on to bury down into the earth, taking the fort with it.

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Creatures may be unusually large or small, or have atypical features for their species (furry lizards, for instance)
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Creatures appear as hybrids of other animal species, such as elephant-tigers
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Hybrid creatures become extraordinarily common, with great diversity
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Multi-animal hybrids exist, such as whale-fox-horse-tigers

Plant effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Vegetation may appear furry, scaly or have feathers instead of leaves
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Trees may make barking noises, or other animal-like vocalisations
  • Trees howl in agony and bleed when cut
  • Some trees may drop wool, silk or milk

Object effects:

• At LOW:
  
  • Clothing item or trinket grants its wearer some of the traits of a certain animal, such as a minor strength increase from a bear cap, or better smell from an elephant seal sock.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Clothing item or trinket grants its wearer some of the traits of a certain animal, such as a minor strength increase from a bear cap, or better smell from an elephant seal sock.
  • Objects may appear furry or scaly
  • Objects may vocalise, or make purring noises when stroked
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Objects occasionally become animate, and move freely at will
  • Clothing item transforms the wearer partway into an animal, giving them fur or scales etc. For a human, this transformation should essentially be into an animal man.
  • Clothing item transforms the body part it is worn on of the wearer into that of an animal.
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Clothing item transforms the wearer into a animal fully.

Art

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Animates a work of art
• Increases the quality of an artwork
• Recovers artwork that has been lost to vandalism
• Inspires the creation of an artefact

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Art of somewhat higher quality than usual is produced
  • The landscape may appear painted or sculpted
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Art of significantly higher quality than usual is produced
  • New artefacts tend to be purely aesthetic objects
  • Statues and engraved images may appear to watch people, or move on occasion
  • Dwarves may notice a smell eminating from engravings of food objects
  • Art desecration has much larger emotional impact than usual
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Artefacts produced with much higher frequency than usual
  • Statue may come to life and move. Whether statues are friendly or hostile depends on their content and quality.
  • Engravings may be described as moving scenes
  • Statues may attack dwarves guilty of art desecration, or rampage if no particular dwarf is responsible
  • Ghosts of desecrated artwork may attack if no proper memorial is made
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Statues roam freely at all times
  • Images from engravings may physically manifest. The wall left behind becomes bare.

Creature effects:

• At ALL levels:
  • Creature's CREATIVITY increases.
  • Creature appreciation for ARTWORK increases.
  • Creature is increasingly ART_INCLINED.
• At LOW levels:
  • Creature is seen as artful, and is slightly more often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  • Non-sapient creature gets happy thoughts from witnessing art.
  • Creature is seen as artful, and is often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED.
• At HIGH levels:
  • Non-sapient creature gets happy thoughts from witnessing art.
  • Creature is seen as artful, and is often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED. It may also give happy thoughts to them when observed.

Plant effects:

• At LOW levels:
  • Plant is seen as artful, and is slightly more often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  • Plant is seen as artful, and is often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED.
• At HIGH levels:
  • Plant is seen as artful, and is often chosen as a favorite by those who value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED. It may also give happy thoughts to them when observed.

Object effects:

• At ALL levels:
  • The object is seen as a piece of art, and grants happy thoughts to creatures that value ARTWORK or are ART_INCLINED. They also value it more, regardless of its practicality.

Beauty:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell Effects:

• Grant beauty to a creature, with all natural consequences that could have (higher charisma etc.)
• Enthrall creatures (sentients) with illusory beauty.

Environment Effects:

• At ALL levels:
  • Ratios are used when generating geologic structures, such as the golden ratio and sqrt(2). This should hopefully make the biome more aesthetically pleasing to the player.
  • Sentients view the biome as "beautiful" and get increasingly large happy thoughts from being there/seeing it.
• At HIGH to EXTREME levels:
  • Sentients are enthralled by the biome, making the likelyhood of their leaving on their own smaller.

Creature Effects:

• At ALL levels:
  • Creature is seen as beautiful by others (sentients), giving them an increasingly large happy thought when they see it.
  • Creature body parts/materials have a increasingly higher VALUE.
• At HIGH to EXTREME levels:
  • Creature is seen as beautiful by others (sentients), and can enthrall them with its beauty, either by accident or purposefully (for more sinister intents, such as predation, or simply to gain allies).

Plant Effects:

• At ALL levels:
  • Plant or plant part is seen as beautiful by sentients, giving them a increasingly large happy thought when they see it.
  • Plant parts/materials have an increasingly higher VALUE.

Blight

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Drain a creature's life force, damaging their health or their physical abilities
• Cause flora and fauna in an area to wither and die
• Render soil infertile
• Render a creature infertile

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Crop yields are lower than usual
  • Plant growth in general is a bit stunted
  • Water gets a stale character, even if flowing
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Wildlife avoids the area
  • Crops don't grow at all, any existing crops wither and die
  • Plant growth is visibly stunted, smaller plants may wither and die, while trees may lose leaves and have branches dry out
  • Water has a slight fetid odor and tastes vile
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Wildlife avoids the area, may actively resist entering it if forced to
  • Any creatures that have still remained in the area by this point have lost the will to leave, are emaciated and visibly unhealthy
  • Ground is completely infertile to mundane plants
  • Topsoil may become ashlike in places
  • All mundane plants are completely dead
  • Water has a strong, revolting odor and is toxic
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Wildlife avoids the area, may actively resist entering it if forced to
  • If any mundane creatures are still in the area and alive, are emaciated, emotionless husks of their former selves
  • Ground is completely infertile to mundane plants
  • Topsoil has largely been replaced by ash that extends down to bedrock. Area is permanently barren even if BLIGHT influence is lifted, barring the use of powerful magic
  • Dead trees have become petrified
  • Water emits toxic fumes, is lethal to take even a sip of

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Animals dislike and avoid the creature
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Animals fear and avoid the creature
  • Any seeds planted by the creature won't grow
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Animals are terrified of the creature and will immediately try to flee
  • Plant parts touched by the creature are likely to wither and die
  • Creature may leave footprints of dead grass in their wake
  • May gain an emaciated appearance. Skin may become grayish and colorless
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Animals are terrified of the creature and will immediately try to flee
  • Plants touched by the creature wither and die
  • Bodies of water that the creature passes through may become toxic, if small enough
  • Creature may leave ashy footprints
  • Gains an emaciated appearance. Skin becomes grayish and colorless
  • Mundane creatures in prolonged contact become emaciated and lose their willpower

Plant effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Increasing adaptability and tolerance to hostile environments
• At LOW levels:
  
  • Animals won't eat the plant
  • Fruits taste gross and don't restore any hunger
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Animals won't eat the plant
  • Fruits taste vile (may cause throwing up) and cause even more hunger
  • Has an unpleasant smell
  • Mundane plants won't grow in the close vicinity of the plant
  • Foliage appears as if withered
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Animals won't eat the plant
  • Fruits taste vile (may cause throwing up), cause even more hunger and are poisonous
  • Has a very unpleasant smell
  • Mundane plants won't grow a significant distance from the plant
  • Foliage appears as if withered, while woody parts may appear petrified in places
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Animals won't eat the plant
  • Fruits taste indescribably vile (cause throwing up), are lethal to most creatures
  • Has a vile smell that may cause nausea
  • Mundane plants won't grow a significant distance from the plant
  • Topsoil gradually turns to ash around the plant
  • Foliage appears withered, woody parts are petrified
  • May drain the life force of nearby creatures

Boundaries

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Unlock doors and gates that would rather stay closed. A magical version of lockpicking, basically, but using arcana of boundaries rather than mechanical guile. This ability shouldn't be flatly better than regular lockpicking, in most cases - speed, noise, lock level and magical protections would all factor into which one is more convenient
• Could be used to unlock/lock, open/close doors, gates, trapdoors, etc. remotely
• Reinforce physical boundaries - walls, doors and locks can all be made sturdier and more stubborn with some magical assistance
• Can grant the ability to pass through walls and other solids
• Associated spheres can be used to create physical barriers, such as walls of fire, water, stone, shadows, or even the air itself
• See the layout of magical boundaries, spot magical wards, protective circles, places where the veil between the worlds is thin, etc.
• Detect whether you have passed/are passing a boundary.

Environment effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Walls are unusually tough and cohesive, and will take just a little bit more punishment than they normally would
  • Crossing into the area will make creatures feel a tinge of [pain/heat/disgust etc.] depending on other aligned spheres.l
  • Locks are slightly trickier to lockpick than usual
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Walls are unnaturally tough and cohesive, and provide minor magic protection
  • Biome border is cut off by some noticable a physical boundary, like some hills, a brook, or the foliage of trees.
  • Locks are significantly trickier to lockpick than usual. Even simple, cheap padlocks taunt those that would have them opened with their magically-enhanced stubbornness
  • Portals are more difficult to open
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Walls are impenetrable by normal means, and provide significant magic protection
  • Biome border is cut off by a physical boundary which is difficult to pass, like a cliff or a flowing river.
  • Locks are impossible to lockpick through traditional means
  • Walls and doors may rarely shift
  • Infiltrating someone's thoughts is significantly more difficult
  • Portals are almost impossible to open
  • Mundane materials take noticeably more effort to pierce
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Walls are impenetrable by both normal and magical means
  • Biome border is cut off by a magic barrier, or incredibly hard to pass physical boundary, like a massive cliff or a deep pit.
  • Locks are impossible to lockpick through traditional means, and almost impossible through magical means
  • Walls and doors often shift
  • Infiltrating someone's thoughts is almost impossible
  • Portals are almost impossible to open
  • Even mundane materials are exceedingly difficult to pierce

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Populations of more dangerous creatures tend to congregate at various boundaries and borders, mostly physical at this level.
  • Creature has slightly less trouble passing magically enhanced boundaries.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Creature routes along a boundary or border.
  • Potentially won't enter buildings/pass through doors or gates unless invited, but would depend on other factors too
  • Creature gets [CANOPENDOORS].
  • Creature has moderately less trouble passing magically enhanced boundaries.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Creature guards a boundary or border strictly, attacking or otherwise preventing creatures and/or objects from passing it. It may allow one-way passage.
  • Creature has much less trouble passing magically enhanced boundaries.
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Creature can't physically pass a specific (type of) boundary, poofing if forced to.
  • May be constricted to inhabiting areas around significant magical boundaries
  • Creature can pass most magically enhanced boundaries with ease, though some may still be too hard for it to pass (depending on the relative strength of those spells in this world).

Object effects:

• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Doors, trapdoors etc. that can be locked automatically by the player/with a spellword and not broken through. Basically what we have for current vanilla artifact doors.
  • Sharp objects may be able to pierce magical boundaries
  • May be able to arbitrarily pass through physical barriers
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Sharp objects can pierce standard magical boundaries without much effort
  • In places where the border between two planes is weak, may be able to breach it accidentally if sharp
  • May be able to arbitrarily pass through physical barriers

Chaos

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Cast a wild, unpredictable magic
• Throw raw, destructive bolts of pure chaotic energy as weapons
• Summon a magical chaotic creature, if such creatures exist in the universe. It isn't exactly guaranteed to always do your bidding, but may be useful if you want to unleash as much mayhem as possible on an area
• Warp the laws of physics and logic, by e.g. temporarily 'turning off' gravity in an area
• Counter ORDER-based magic
• Influence creatures towards more chaotic personalities

Environmental effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Animals in the area visibly behave erratically
  • If any other magic is present in the area, it is more unpredictable than usual, may ebb and flow more strongly than normal
  • Small objects may shift position for no reason
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Animals in the area behave illogically and apparently randomly
  • If any other magic is present in the area, it is far more unpredictable than usual, ebbs and flows violently. May go from nearly absent and unusable to amplified and brutal in a matter of minutes
  • Occasionally, magic normally not present in the area may briefly spawn, possibly causing interesting effects when interacting with other arcana
  • Objects and creatures may randomly change their position
  • The laws of physics sometimes break - gravity disappears in areas, water flows in completely wrong directions, objects may transform shape, etc.
  • Rarely, objects may have a paradoxical description - e.g. brightly shining objects that are pitch black
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Complete bedlam
  • Magic is hopelessly unpredictable. The entire region is a mad vortex of appearing, disappearing, waxing and waning magics from across the cosmos. Any spells cast in the area will have wildly unpredictable results, if they work at all
  • Everything is constantly changing position, size and shape
  • The laws of physics and logic are contorted beyond recognition, changing wildly with space and time
  • Objects and creatures frequently have paradoxical and oxymoronic descriptions

Creature effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Creature's respect of LAW decreases, affinity for DISCORD increases
• At LOW levels:
  
  • Creature's values are more susceptible to change than normal
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Creature's values are far more susceptible to change than normal, may frequently change for no reason
  • May sometimes do random actions for no readily apparent reason
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Creature's values and facets are constantly shifting and oscillating chaotically, never staying in a single place for a significant time
  • Frequently does random actions for no readily apparent reason
  • Bodily features may randomly change into something else, rarely
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Creature's values and facets are always wildly oscillating, may become completely different in a manner of seconds
  • Is defined by constant, random actions that make no sense
  • Bodily features frequently change into something else, is basically a shapeshifter
  • May have paradoxical and oxymoronic features

[voliol]

Due to the original OP going inactive, the above post is out of date. The new ”hub” for gathering all the suggestions is over here: http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=173189.msg8376282#msg8376282

Original comment:

This is a fine idea!

More FIRE:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Environmental effects/aligned biome features:

• At All levels: Increasingly little water and moisture, due to counteracting water spheres. Dry.
• At Medium and High levels: Geysers and spikes of flames erupting from the ground.
• At High levels: Ponds, rivers and streams made of fire.

Creature effects:

• At All levels: Increasing resistance to heat, up to total immunity.
• At High levels: Breathe fire and shoot fireballs.
• At High levels: Tissues are replaced with fire, equivalent of the current Fire Men.

Plant effects:

• At All levels: Increasing resistance to heat, up to total immunity.
• At All levels: Fruits dropped from trees and food items harvested from crops have the properties of affected items, imbue the eater with powers connected to the sphere.
  (This one I imagine would universal to all spheres, just that WATER apples grant the eater WATER powers instead of the FIRE powers FIRE apples would grant them)
• At High levels: Tissues are replaced with fire, flaming grass etc.

Object effects:

• At High levels: Flames emerge from the item at times, such as striking true if it's an artifact weapon or upon being opened if it is a cursed chest.
• At High levels: Materials are replaced by fire, possibly (but not necessarily) keeping some of the original material's properties. (e.g. swords with blades of fire)

[Azerty]

I've been thinking, since the magic system will likely be tied-in with the current sphere system, maybe it would be useful to make a compilation of suggestions for the magical effects and attributes of each current sphere. This would be stuff like potential spell effects, environmental effects, effects on objects and critters, etc. Since the current list of spheres is rather large, I thought that it would be fun to make this a sort of community effort. In essence, take any of the current spheres (http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Sphere) and suggest whatever magical effects you think should be associated with it. These would be, as I said:

1. Spell effects - what kind of spells are potentially enabled by this sphere's magic? These could be anything from minor cantrips to region-shatterers
2. Environmental effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic have on the surroundings? This could range from almost imperceptible to reality-bending
3. Creature effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic (either inherent or temporary) in an individual creature have?
4. Object effects - what kind of effects does a high concentration of this sphere's magic (either inherent or temporary) in an individual object have?

Poetry

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Spell effects:
  
  • Creates a poetry form
  • Raises Poet skill to the Legendary level in one poetic form
  • Creates a Masterful poetry
• Environmental effects:
  N/A
• Creature effects:
  
  • At MEDIUM levels: Creature is happy from hearing such poetry
  • At HIGH levels: Creature is dancing and pushed to write poetry or create poetry forms
• Object effects:
  
  • Make music instruments sing poetry

Justice

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Spell effects:
  
  • Determinates guilt or innocence
• Environmental effects:
  
  • Detects the presence of a person guilty of a crime
  • Stops fleeing criminals
• Creature effects:
  
  • At MEDIUM levels: Creature is checked whether it committed an offense
  • At HIGH levels: Creature is checked whether it committed a determinated offense
• Object effects:
  
  • Determinates the owner of it

[Hapchazzard]

PART II: SPHERES D TO F

Darkness

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Ability to shroud a space in magical darkness
• Ability to blind a creature, either temporarily or permanently
• Counteract a LIGHT spell or effect
• Dye an object black
• Ability to summon critters from shadowy dimensions to do your bidding (if they're willing to comply, that is). These can range from bogeymen to full-blown Lovecraftian gods, if such creatures actually exist in the universe
• Ability to turn others towards evil or nihilistic thoughts through magical influence

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Slightly lowered level of lighting, may see more frequent cloud cover sometimes being of unusual formation
  • Any hypothetical light-based magic may be weakened in these regions, though not to an extreme extent
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Region may be perpetually shrouded in clouds
  • May take a significant amount of metaphorical die-rolling to get light-based spells to work at all
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • State of perpetual night
  • No attempted source of light will work to alleviate the darkness

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Sapient creatures may show subtle signs of corruption by darkness. NPCs may on average be a bit more rude, greedy, cruel, apathetic, etc. in terms of their personality traits
  • Creature has slightly darker and more subdued colors
  • Creature gets a slight happy thought from being in the dark.
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Begins to influence values toward denial of sacrifice, cooperation, family, friendship, self-control, merrymaking, etc
  • Creature has clearly darker and more subdued colors
  • Creature gets a moderate happy thought from being in the dark.
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Creature is black, though may have certain non-black parts of the body (e.g. red eyes)
  • Creature is blind
  • Creature shuns light, creeping only in the shadows. It gets an unhappy thought when struck by light.
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Creature is, more likely than not, an unrepentant villain
  • Creature is pitch black
  • Tissues may be outright replaced with incorporeal darkness
  • Creature can only persist in the darkness, being damaged or forced to escape when struck by light. Current vanilla bogeymen are some variant of this.

Plant effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Plant needs slightly less sunlight to survive
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Plant needs significantly less sunlight to survive
  • Plant is a dark dye
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Plant doesn't need sunlight to survive at all
  • Plant is a black dye
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Plant can only grow in the darkness, and withers in light
  • Plant is a deep, pitch black dye

Object effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Object emanates a weakly perceptible aura of magic darkness
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Object emanates an obvious aura of magic darkness
  • Transparent objects(gemstones, windows, etc.) become dark and opaque
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Object emanates an intense aura of magic darkness
  • A door may act as a portal to a shadow realm, granted one exists

Deformity

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Induce deformity, tumorous growths, "elephant man" type physical effects in creatures
• Cause deformity in plants.
• Rob a creature of their beauty.
• Spells that turn beautiful objects into ugly objects, or objects that are difficult to look at/cause disturbance.

Environmental effects:

• From ALL levels:
  
  • Increasingly misshapen landscapes, broken mountains. An increasingly strong noise being applied to the landscape
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Mountains may spawn 'upside-down', with wider tops than bases.

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Minor physical defects - harelip, conventionally unattractive facial features, etc.
  • Offspring more likely to have physical birth defects
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Moderate physical defects - hunchback, dwarfism/gigantism, slightly skewed bodily proportions, etc.
  • Offspring guaranteed to have at least some physical birth defects
  • Doesn't find deformities on others unattractive
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Major physical defects - heavily skewed body proportions, missing or extra features (e.g. eyes) and limbs, etc.
  • Offspring in very bad shape, usually not viable
  • Finds physical deformity attractive
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Creature mutated beyond recognition compared to 'baseline'
  • May frequently change in appearance due to random growths
  • Finds physical deformity beautiful

Plant effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Misshapen fruits/seeds
• At MEDIUM levels
  
  • Bulbous plants, trees growing wider and shorter
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Trees growing along the ground in snaking, strange ways, with large wide then skinny sections, fruit growing from trunks of trees/wrong parts of plants.
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Trees growing trunks like a starfish in any direction up, down or to the sides; may form huge, bulbous trunks with virtually no vertical growth, trees growing upside down, fruit and leaves growing from roots, roots growing up into the sky. Some trees have no wood, just bark growing tumor-like from the ground. Trees replacing the ground like a shell, a thick, solid, woody groundcover

Item effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Items increasingly lose functionality to deformity
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Items become unsightly and repulsive, function is greatly reduced.
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Items become nonfunctional from deformity.

Disease

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Rituals:

• Ritual sacrifice by way of rotting or infection.  Sacrificing your lepers to appease DISEASE-entities.
• Infecting yourself as a way showing loyalty. (I sacrifice my left arm to the gods of disease, it will never heal but in exchange the gods grant me protection from it killing me and I can use the infection as a weapon against my enemies, maybe make you an immune plague bearer)
• Keeping diseased livestock around as a sign of faith (not for eating)
• Worship of unhealing wounds - priests of Disease who have massive infections oozing pus but never die (thanks gods). If the wounds heal they could be turned on by the populace as a bad omen.

Spell effects:

• Sending plague winds or curses towards your enemies
• Spells or curses that prevent healing
• Spells that can overwhelm creatures with rot and infections
• Turning creatures into Plague-carriers, like a thrall to spread through an army or city
• Unleash a plague

Weather effects:

• At MEDIUM-HIGH levels:
  
  • Rains pus, vomit, snot, maggots, with any variety of syndromes.
  • Plague mists, pox, boils, Leprosy, infection/rot, tumors/uncontrolled growth

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Infection rates elevated, wounds don’t heal quickly
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Infection the norm, wounds difficult to heal
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • All wounds get infected, wounds don’t heal
  • Infections seem to start with no cause. Teeth, fingers, guts… all susceptible to rotting
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Anything in the natural environment  can be a plague carrier/transmitter
  • All wounds begin rotting and collecting maggots immediately, wounds never heal
  • Infections seem to start with no cause.
  • Healing of any kind is impossible

Plant effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Plants that causes uncontrolled growth, elephantiasis when eaten
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Cause disease when in contact with mundane creatures
  • Trees/plants bear fruit of pustules and boils bursting with pus
  • Trees/plants develop fleshy pustules and boils
  • Trees produce pus or blood when cut
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Plants grow maggots instead of leaves/bark - crawl away in autumn when leaves drop
  • Plants that causes uncontrolled growth, elephantiasis when encountered - scratched by thorns, breathing pollen, walking through their fallen leaves, collecting wood, etc.

Item effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Weapons imbued with the ability to cause unhealing wounds, or wounds that always get infected
  • Armor designed to counteract those weapons
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Soap loses all effectiveness. Cleaning no longer an option, everything dirty and contaminated.
  • Items are plague/infection carriers through contact
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Items cause instant disease or death

Dreams

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Infiltrate a sleeping critter's dream
• Render a creature that can sleep unconscious
• Gain insight into a creature's desires
• Enter a collective dream realm, if one exists
• Eat or destroy a creature's dream, waking them, trapping them in dreamland, or both, depending on the mechanics of dreams and souls
• Link together two or more creature's dreams, allowing them to communicate while asleep, or even interact in more dramatic ways such as battle.

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is slightly amplified
  • Colors may be described as more vivid and intense than usual
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is moderately amplified
  • Mundane creatures from dreams of affected creatures may physically manifest. These creatures vanish upon waking (low probability)
  • Colors may be described as very vivid and intense, almost surreal-y so
  • Rarely, random objects in the area gain the 'dreamlike' descriptor
  • Creatures in the affected area may rarely hear auditory hallucinations
  • Creatures in the affected area are likely to sleep longer
  • Focus is slightly reduced for creatures that can sleep
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is moderately amplified
  • Everything in the affected area is described as having surreal colors and a dreamlike appearance
  • Creatures may sometimes encounter visual hallucinations, often taking the form of a creature's desire, fear or significant person from the creature's present or past
  • Disturbed individuals sleeping in the area may cause foul creatures to physically manifest
  • Occasionally, small areas might completely break a law of physics or logic - floating islands, rivers flowing in the wrong direction, multicolor fires, etc.
  • Creatures in the affected area often hear auditory hallucinations
  • Creatures in the affected area are likely to sleep significantly longer, potentially not waking up normally in rare cases
  • Focus is significantly reduced for creatures that can sleep
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Actual dream mechanics are activated, as if the creature is in an actual dream, until they leave the area

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Creature absorbs some dream essence from those dreaming around it, shortening their dreams and worsening their sleep, but strengthening itself
  • The IMAGINATION facet is slightly increased
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Absorbs some dream essence from those dreaming around it, shortening their dreams and worsening their sleep, but strengthening itself
  • The creature may appear 'dreamlike' to other creatures
  • The IMAGINATION facet is moderately increased
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • May eat or even subsist solely on the dreams of others.
  • The creature appears 'dreamlike' to others
  • Has the inherent ability to try and enter another's dream
  • May occasionally experience hallucinations emanating from nearby dreams
  • The IMAGINATION facet is heavily increased
  • The ABSTRACT_INCLINED facet is slightly increased
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • May eat or even subsist solely on the dreams of others.
  • The creature appears 'dreamlike' to others
  • Any attempt to infiltrate another's dream is straightforward and automatic (in most cases)
  • Is able to deliberately affect the dreamscape of a dream they're occupying, either their own or another's
  • Frequently experiences hallucinations emanating from nearby dreams. Unless they have a relevant skill, they may have trouble distinguishing between dream and reality
  • The IMAGINATION facet is massively increased, likely reaching the maximum value unless there are other modifiers at play
  • The ABSTRACT_INCLINED facet is moderately increased
  • The SWAYED_BY_EMOTIONS facet is slightly increased

Object effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Anyone who touches the object is more likely to have vivid dreams the next time they sleep, scaling with magic level
  • The object is far more likely to appear in the dreams of those that have seen it, scaling with magic level
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Object may appear dreamlike
  • Reflective objects may show strange, vague reflections from nearby dreamscapes
  • If located in the dream realm, may not be taken from it without using special means
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Object appears dreamlike
  • Reflective objects show the contents of nearby dreamscapes on their reflective surface
  • A door or portal may lead to a specific creature's or a collective dream realm.
  • Wielder may rarely experience hallucinations emanating from nearby dreamscapes
  • If located in the dream realm, may not be taken from it without using single, special method
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Object appears dreamlike, and is subtly changing shape
  • Reflective objects show the contents of nearby dreamscapes on their reflective surface as if they were a window
  • Wielder may sometimes experience hallucinations emanating from nearby dreamscapes
  • If located in the dream realm, is permanently anchored there and cannot be removed to realspace

Fire

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Set an object, creature or area aflame
• Throw fireballs
• Summon a weapon or object made entirely of fire
• Gain temporary immunity from high temperatures
• Change the attributes of an existing fire

Environmental effects:

• Gradually increasing through ALL levels:
  
  • Ambient temperatures increase, up to scalding hot and potentially lethal
  • Ambient moisture and humidity decreased, with the land becoming completely parched at higher levels
• At LOW levels:
  
  • Flames are imperceptibly(to the untrained eye) stronger and more difficult to subdue
  • Objects are slightly more easily flammable
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Flames are noticeably more intense, difficult to subdue and spread more rapidly
  • Objects are significantly more flammable, spontaneous fires might start on highly-flammable objects
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Flames are incredibly intense and impossible to subdue
  • Flames may gain a temporary, animalistic intelligence
  • Even normally non-flammable objects become flammable, fires frequently spontaneously erupt
  • Geysers and spikes of flames are erupting occasionally from the ground
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Ponds, rivers and streams made of fire

Creature effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Increasing resistance to heat, up to total immunity
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Creature gains happy thoughts from nearby fires
  • Might have urges to set objects aflame
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Creature gains unhappy thoughts if there are no significant nearby fires
  • Might have significant urges to start flames
  • May have hallucinations of fires that aren't actually there
  • May appear to others as being on fire
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Can breathe fire and shoot fireballs as a natural ability
  • Tissues are replaced with fire, equivalent of the current Fire Men

Plant effects:

• At ALL levels:
  
  • Increasing resistance to heat, up to total immunity
  • Fruits dropped from trees and food items harvested from crops have the properties of affected items, imbue the eater with powers connected to fire
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Tissues are replaced with fire, flaming grass etc.

Objects effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Is warm to the touch
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Is hot to the touch
  • May give off faint light
  • If flammable, has a low chance of spontaneously catching fire
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Is scalding to the touch
  • May give off significant light
  • May catch fire even if non-flammable
  • Flames emerge from the item at times, such as striking true if it's an artifact weapon or upon being opened if it is a cursed chest
  • Surface texture might appear to shift in a manner similar to that of a flame
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Materials are replaced by fire, possibly (but not necessarily) keeping some of the original material's properties. (e.g. swords with blades of fire)

[PlumpHelmetMan]

I feel like I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this thread.

Darkness

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

-Ability to shroud a space in magical darkness
-Ability to summon critters from shadowy dimensions to do your bidding (if they're willing to comply, that is). These can range from bogeymen to full-blown Lovecraftian gods
-Turning others towards evil or nihilistic thoughts through magical influence.

Environmental effects:

-At LOW levels: Slightly lowered level of lighting, may see more frequent cloud cover sometimes being of unusual formation. Any hypothetical light-based magic may be weakened in these regions, though not to an extreme extent.
-At MEDIUM levels: Region may be perpetually shrouded in clouds. May take a significant amount of metaphorical die-rolling to get light-based spells to work at all.
-At HIGH levels: State of perpetual night. No attempted source of light will work to alleviate the darkness.

Creature effects:

-At LOW levels: Sapient creatures may show subtle signs of corruption by darkness. NPCs may on average be a bit more rude, greedy, cruel, apathetic, etc. in terms of their personality traits.
-At MEDIUM levels: Begins to influence values toward denial of sacrifice, cooperation, family, friendship, self-control, merrymaking, etc. Non-sapient pets and animals may be more aggressive than normal.
-At HIGH levels: Everyone is an unrepentant villain. Many creatures may have more shadowy physical features (if they're not outright made of shadow).

Plant effects:

-Don't have any ideas for this section yet, feel free to suggest some.

Object effects:

-Ditto.

[voliol]

Poetry

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Spell effects:
  
  • Creates a poetry form
  • Raises Poet skill to the Legendary level in one poetic form
  • Creates a Masterful poetry
• Environmental effects:
  N/A
• Creature effects:
  
  • At MEDIUM levels: Creature is happy from hearing such poetry
  • At HIGH levels: Creature is dancing and pushed to write poetry or create poetry forms
• Object effects:
  
  • Make music instruments sing poetry

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Create a poem.

Creature effects:

• At LOW to MEDIUM levels: Sentient creatures are more likely to recite and write poetry.
• At HIGH levels: Creatures recite poetry, whether they can normally talk or not. Sentient creatures may recite wholly new poems, while non-sentients ramble ones already written.

Plant effects:

• At HIGH levels: Plants recite poetry.

Object effects:

• At ALL levels: Utilizing the object (e.g. sitting on a chair, eating a meal, sleeping in a bed) grants the user a variable amount of poetic inspiration.

Justice

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• Spell effects:
  
  • Determinates guilt or innocence
• Environmental effects:
  
  • Detects the presence of a person guilty of a crime
  • Stops fleeing criminals
• Creature effects:
  
  • At MEDIUM levels: Creature is checked whether it committed an offense
  • At HIGH levels: Creature is checked whether it committed a determinated offense
• Object effects:
  
  • Determinates the owner of it

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Decide the divine judgement of the target, determining their fate post death.

Environmental effects:

• At EXTREME levels: Clouds of thunder that strike and smite according to some notion of justice being broken, be it mortal Dwarven Law or one written by the gods, or even the action simply being unfair. Note that JUSTICE != LAWS, though the distinction is at times fine.

Creature effects:

• At ALL levels: Creatures value LAW, TRUTH and FAIRNESS more.
• At HIGH levels: Creatures become aggressive to others based on the latter having acted against some notion of justice.

Object effects:

• At MEDIUM levels: A weapon strikes true more often against those who have acted against some notion of justice.
• At HIGH levels: A weapon may only strike those who have acted against some notion of justice.
• At ALL levels: An object affects its user in positive or negative ways depending on some notion of justice. This works best when the object is also aligned with some other sphere, so a chair of FIRE and JUSTICE either sets the person sitting on them aflame, or grants them fire immunity.

Edit: MEDIUM is written twice, both where it should be, and where HIGH should be instead. Also, it seems some of my suggestions were already added to the list... :I Oh well.

[Hapchazzard]

Edit: MEDIUM is written twice, both where it should be, and where HIGH should be instead. Also, it seems some of my suggestions were already added to the list... :I Oh well.

No worries, you've actually been a bit more eloquent and descriptive than me, so I'll replace my cursory descriptions with yours. Also, what you mentioned about law!=justice is something I wanted to point out, too. In general, I'd advise people to be careful with metaphorical associations, e.g. like light being associated with good. While some very basic metaphorical associations (like darkness being aligned with evil) are fine, keep in mind that many metaphoric associations between spheres are culture-influenced. For example, while white has positive connotations in western cultures, in other cultures it is associated with death. Just an example, but people should keep it in mind.

[PlumpHelmetMan]

Also don't forget to add my suggestion, just in case you didn't see it yet (it's sandwiched between a few other posts).

[Hapchazzard]

Also don't forget to add my suggestion, just in case you didn't see it yet (it's sandwiched between a few other posts).

No worries, I read through all of the suggestions. I thoroughly enjoyed reading those so far . Keep in mind that the OP is a bit tedious to format, so I might not immediately add people's suggestion, but you can assume that I'll add it sooner or later. Since I'm going through posts chronologically, if I actually miss your post you will notice it by the fact that someone else's later post was added, but yours wasn't. If that happens, feel free to inform me.

[PlumpHelmetMan]

No problem, just checking.

[Hapchazzard]

Here's another suggestion from myself (I will post my own suggestions as well, to better keep track of the chronology of posts and so that people don't get confused if I just add something to the OP without warning):

Dreams

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Infiltrate a sleeping critter's dream
• Render a creature that can sleep unconscious
• Gain insight into a creature's desires

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is slightly amplified
  • Colors may be described as more vivid and intense than usual
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is moderately amplified
  • Colors may be described as very vivid and intense, almost surreal-y so
  • Rarely, random objects in the area gain the 'dreamlike' descriptor
  • Creatures in the affected area may rarely hear auditory hallucinations
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Any emotion that a creature in the area is currently experiencing is moderately amplified
  • Everything in the affected area is described as having surreal colors and a dreamlike appearance
  • Creatures may sometimes encounter visual hallucinations, often taking the form of a creature's desire, fear or significant person from the creature's present or past
  • Occasionally, small areas might completely break a law of physics or logic - floating islands, rivers flowing in the wrong direction, multicolor fires, etc.
  • Creatures in the affected area often hear auditory hallucinations
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Actual dream mechanics are activated, as if the creature is in an actual dream, until they leave the area

Creature effects:

• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • The creature can be described as 'dreamlike'
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • The creature can be described as 'dreamlike'
  • The creature has the inherent ability to try and infiltrate another's dream
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • The creature can be described as 'dreamlike'
  • The creature automatically succeeds on almost any attempt to infiltrate another's dream
  • The creature has the ability to affect the dreamscape of a dream they're in, either their own or another's

[Ninjabread]

Ooh, ok. I think I'll try tackling one

Agriculture

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Enchant farm plots with the ability to grow plants that would otherwise be unable to take root in the current environment, e.g. tropical subterranean hemp farms. Skill of the magic user could limit the number of plots they can keep enchanted at once, determine how long a plot takes to enchant, or how long the plot remains enchanted for.
• Perform rituals that increase crop growth speed for the duration of the ritual. Skill of the magic user could determine how much faster the crops grow, or how many plots are affected by the ritual at once
• Transmute one type of seed into a different type of seed. Skill of the magic user could affect how long the transmutation takes, or how many seeds can be transmuted at once
• Build a special 2x2 farm plot that takes a single seed, and, over the course of maybe a year or so, if properly tended to, produces a single enormous multi-tile crop. Some crops may require a z level or two of headroom to grow full size, and just might require an axe to harvest. Skill level of the magic user could determine total yield, or the crop's tending requirements

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels: Shrubbery is more common than usual in the current biome, the majority of trees bear edible fruit or nuts, both have a slightly extended gathering season, and there will be at least one local wild population of a creature with the [COMMON_DOMESTIC] tag.
• At MEDIUM levels: Shrubbery rivals grass in ubiquity, trees that do not usually produce edible fruit or nuts may do so anyway, gathering has increased yields, animals that produce milk, eggs, or wool are easier to tame
• At HIGH levels: There is no grass, only shrubbery, all trees produce edible fruit or nuts, regardless of whether they do so naturally, both trees and shrubbery can grow on rough stone floors without need for dwarven irrigation, some wild animals self-tame
• At EXTREME levels: All forms of shrubbery appear within the region, regardless of whether they can usually take root in this biome, all trees produce both edible fruit and nuts year-round, the aforementioned enormous multi-tile crops can occur naturally, all local animals are tame.

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels: Creature becomes more docile, leisurely, and calm, as if they have been tamed
• At MEDIUM levels: Creature shows vague similarities with one or more common domestic animals, e.g. wooly hair, barking when angry, bathing in mud frequently
• At HIGH levels: Creature shows more obvious similarities with domestic animals, e.g. horizontal pupils, purring when happy, screaming at the top of their lungs every day at dawn
• At EXTREME levels: Creatures may begin producing harvestable materials such as wool or honey

[Hapchazzard]

Ooh, ok. I think I'll try tackling one

Agriculture

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Enchant farm plots with the ability to grow plants that would otherwise be unable to take root in the current environment, e.g. tropical subterranean hemp farms. Skill of the magic user could limit the number of plots they can keep enchanted at once, determine how long a plot takes to enchant, or how long the plot remains enchanted for.
• Perform rituals that increase crop growth speed for the duration of the ritual. Skill of the magic user could determine how much faster the crops grow, or how many plots are affected by the ritual at once
• Transmute one type of seed into a different type of seed. Skill of the magic user could affect how long the transmutation takes, or how many seeds can be transmuted at once
• Build a special 2x2 farm plot that takes a single seed, and, over the course of maybe a year or so, if properly tended to, produces a single enormous multi-tile crop. Some crops may require a z level or two of headroom to grow full size, and just might require an axe to harvest. Skill level of the magic user could determine total yield, or the crop's tending requirements

Environmental effects:

• At LOW levels: Shrubbery is more common than usual in the current biome, the majority of trees bear edible fruit or nuts, both have a slightly extended gathering season, and there will be at least one local wild population of a creature with the [COMMON_DOMESTIC] tag.
• At MEDIUM levels: Shrubbery rivals grass in ubiquity, trees that do not usually produce edible fruit or nuts may do so anyway, gathering has increased yields, animals that produce milk, eggs, or wool are easier to tame
• At HIGH levels: There is no grass, only shrubbery, all trees produce edible fruit or nuts, regardless of whether they do so naturally, both trees and shrubbery can grow on rough stone floors without need for dwarven irrigation, some wild animals self-tame
• At EXTREME levels: All forms of shrubbery appear within the region, regardless of whether they can usually take root in this biome, all trees produce both edible fruit and nuts year-round, the aforementioned enormous multi-tile crops can occur naturally, all local animals are tame.

Creature effects:

• At LOW levels: Creature becomes more docile, leisurely, and calm, as if they have been tamed
• At MEDIUM levels: Creature shows vague similarities with one or more common domestic animals, e.g. wooly hair, barking when angry, bathing in mud frequently
• At HIGH levels: Creature shows more obvious similarities with domestic animals, e.g. horizontal pupils, purring when happy, screaming at the top of their lungs every day at dawn
• At EXTREME levels: Creatures may begin producing harvestable materials such as wool or honey

Nice, versatile suggestions for agriculture! I like it! Adding it to the OP.

EDIT: My own tentative contribution, for boundaries:

Boundaries

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Spell effects:

• Unlock locked doors, or strengthen said lock
• Make walls and fortifications sturdier
• The ability to pass through walls
• Form invisible walls that prevent solids and liquids from passing
• Form walls made of an associated sphere (e.g. fire)
• Magical wards

Environment effects:

• At LOW levels:
  
  • Walls are unusually tough and cohesive
  • Locks are slightly trickier to lockpick
• At MEDIUM levels:
  
  • Locks are significantly trickier to lockpick
  • Walls are unnaturally tough and cohesive, and provide minor magic protection
  • Portals are more difficult to open
• At HIGH levels:
  
  • Locks are impossible to lockpick through traditional means
  • Walls are impenetrable by normal means, and provide significant magic protection
  • Walls and doors may rarely shift
  • Infiltrating someone's thoughts is significantly more difficult
  • Portals are almost impossible to open
  • Mundane materials take noticeably more effort to pierce
• At EXTREME levels:
  
  • Locks are impossible to lockpick through traditional means, and almost impossible through magical means
  • Walls are impenetrable by both normal and magical means
  • Walls and doors often shift
  • Infiltrating someone's thoughts is almost impossible
  • Portals are almost impossible to open
  • Even mundane materials are exceedingly difficult to pierce

[thompson]

More ideas for

Dreams

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Environment
Medium
- Mundane creatures from dreams may physically manifest. These creatures vanish upon waking (low probability)
- Dwarves may sleep longer.
- Diminished attention span.

High
- Any creature or person from a dream may physically manifest, and remains in existence for an extended period of time after waking (probability increases with magic intensity).
- Dream versions of your dwarves may also manifest in this manner, as may unusual magical objects, trade caravans, and sieges.
- It should be possible to establish diplomacy with dream worlds and interact in a meaningful way with them.
- Some dwarves may fall asleep and never wake up. They may or may not generate a dream version of themselves that you can issue orders to, which may have different physical attributes depending on dwarf personal aspirations.
- Dream versions of dead dwarves may appear, which can either console or freak out their loved ones. Note that they are not the original spirit of the deceased.
- Dwarves with psychological issues will lead to manifestation of nightmarish creatures, or loved ones who may attempt to harm them. This has the potential to fuel a positive feedback loop of rapidly escalating FUN.

[Hapchazzard]

More ideas for

Dreams

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Environment
Medium
- Mundane creatures from dreams may physically manifest. These creatures vanish upon waking (low probability)
- Dwarves may sleep longer.
- Diminished attention span.

High
- Any creature or person from a dream may physically manifest, and remains in existence for an extended period of time after waking (probability increases with magic intensity).
- Dream versions of your dwarves may also manifest in this manner, as may unusual magical objects, trade caravans, and sieges.
- It should be possible to establish diplomacy with dream worlds and interact in a meaningful way with them.
- Some dwarves may fall asleep and never wake up. They may or may not generate a dream version of themselves that you can issue orders to, which may have different physical attributes depending on dwarf personal aspirations.
- Dream versions of dead dwarves may appear, which can either console or freak out their loved ones. Note that they are not the original spirit of the deceased.
- Dwarves with psychological issues will lead to manifestation of nightmarish creatures, or loved ones who may attempt to harm them. This has the potential to fuel a positive feedback loop of rapidly escalating FUN.

Added!