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Who Pays for Magic?
A scene revision worksheet
Choose one scene where you want a magical cost or limit to matter. You don't need to rebuild the whole system. Follow this use of power far enough to see what it changes.
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Follow the exchange
Name the result and the people it helps.
If this is a limit, name what cannot be done instead. A limit is not automatically a payment.
The user, the person helped, and the person paying may be different people.
What stays unavailable until then? Write none or unknown if that is the honest answer.
Name the action, request, relationship, or later consequence. Another need may expose it, but is not required.
Put it into the scene
Keep the magical rules consistent. Change the passage only as much as the scene needs.
Copy a short passage, or name its location in your manuscript.
Let the consequence affect what someone asks, accepts, refuses, or does.
What changed?
Compare the original passage with your revision. What action, refusal, relationship, or later consequence changed? If the revision only explains the rule, decide where its consequence will matter.
If the consequence arrives later, name the scene that will carry it.
A scene may only need wonder, relief, or an uncomplicated act of kindness. Use this check where consequence serves the story. You don't have to make every spell hurt.
For category definitions, see The Eight Costs of Magic.