In some settings, the Platonic Solids or "Perfect solids" are representations of magical elements. Contrary to popular belief (and what it says under GURPS Thaumatology's Alternative Elements section[1] there are five not four Europian magical elements - one for each of the Platonic Solids.
| Platonic Solid | Number of faces | Primary Element | Concepts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetrahedron | Four faces | Fire | perpetuates balance and stability |
| Cube | Six faces | Earth | reconnecting energy to nature |
| Octahedron | Eight faces | Air | cultivating acceptance and compassion |
| Dodecahedron | Twelve faces | Universe/Aether | mystery and meditation |
| Icosahedron | Twenty faces | Water | enhances creative thought and expression |
Four elements representation
In settings where magic is based around the Platonic Solids the four elemental colleges (fire, earth, air, and water) will definitely exist but where the other fall is dependent on the culture though Knowledge College would fall under the Universe/Aether Element.
Some Colleges fall under more than one element and some, like Weather (dust storms being the Earth connection), technically fall under all five.
Chinese philosophy also has five elements but they are different: fire, earth, water, wood, and metal.
Indian-derived thinking more closely resembles the Platonic elements though with different concepts: fire (transformation); earth (rigidity and permanence); air or wind (mobility and dynamism); and void, also known as space or ether (distance and sound); and water (change).
References[]
- ↑ GURPS Thaumatology p. 47