How to handle Bullet Wounds and Magic?

[Luxuria]

Hello everyone, I have been trying to figure this out for weeks now and have come up empty-handed. It's a rather complex situation for the lore of my story, Space Magic. But I am trying to figure out two things:

1. Do guns exist in my story world? It would make sense that they would, because the people who live in this new solar system are from OUR world. So, they would know what guns are, even if they can't make them at the moment. But it's possible down the line. These weapons are most likely rare as most don't see a need for them? Because everyday people use magic and it's a bigger part of their world. For most evil, it's easier to kill with magic than with bullets. But that's where my MCs come into the picture. They are super-strong magic users and are quite (nearly) impossible to kill with magic. So, the bounty hunters after them decide to use guns, which would do more damage.

2. The reason that my MCs are not easy to kill with magic, is for a variety of reasons. But the thing that matters right now is the fact they have impressive healing powers. But that actually leaves me, the writer in a bind. How do I deal with bullets? Because they don't ALWAYS go all the way through. For example, my male MC got shot in the head and it didn't make sense that it would go the back of his skull. So, the bullet is just sitting there? But I don't know how to fix it? (Due to lore, he's FINE and able to function, etc.) But it can't STAY there. Because his brain most likely wouldn't heal around it, but also because of magic, it has to be removed? I mean, he could crack his head open and dig it out. But... I am trying to figure out how deal with bullets that get stuck IN the body.

So far, I had thought of:

1. The body forces the bullet out through the hole it came through - which does not work, because they can bounce off ribs, other bones, etc.
2. The bullet stays and is healed around - may not work so well, because of lore I built. Because it would cause eternal pain, which would be fine, but also ruin some of the character backgrounds, plot, lore, etc.
3. The characters magic can disintegrate the metal or something - Not really on their power list and kinda feels like a BS way to get around a problem.
4. Letting guns top the weapon list and for bullets to BE a problem. - Which could work and would make things interesting. But then, I must ask WHY guns have not been mentioned before or used much. It changes the world and so much. Also, laser guns don't seem like a thing I want to use. Because to me, lasers are useful, but follow the laws of physics. So, go on for ever and ever.

So, I would like some suggestions?

Also, keep in mind:
This story's magic is a hard magic system.
I am inclined as an author to be semi-realistic - meaning that solutions have to be logical/reasonable for the story.
I am sure there are different calibers, but I am picturing the bounty hunters using hunting or sniper rifles.
I am HAPPY to answer any questions you have regarding the story, because I really want to figure this out. Because I swear I have thought of every possible solution and have come up empty-handed.

Help, please!

 

[Stuart Dren]

That's cool. There's a movie, Wizards, which is a trip.

Wizards (film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It's about two brothers. One uses his magic for evil and becomes a dictator. He's more powerful than the good brother. The mother foretold this would happen, so on her deathbed, she gave the good sibling...

Spoiler: Spoiler for a totally nuts movie

..something to defeat the bad brother. We don't know what it was until he whips it out in the final showdown.

Digression aside, I like that you're keen on not making a GSW too convenient a thing to heal. It raises the question, though: there are arrowheads designed to be horrible to remove. How would they deal with that?

Would this perhaps necessitate surgeon/healer hybrid teams? One is digging around to remove the material while the other works tissue regen and anaesthetic?

Another option would be material exchange. Completely removing matter is a but much, but perhaps the two things of equal mass can be swapped?

Does the act of healing immediately remove infectious bacteria?

Bullets can also fragment on bone. It's not always that clean little lump on the x-ray.

I read a powerpunk series, Powder Mage, I think. Can't remember if it had healing, but it did have mages and primitive firearms.

As far as guns go, they're sort of a follow-up to the crossbow, where production capacity and engineering lowered the skill barrier for use. A trained archer will usually be more deadly with a longbow than a crossbow, but the latter requires so much less time and training to be put on the field. With single shot firearms, infantry still had to carry swords in case their firing line broke, which could happen with a rush.

For your setting, I would consider thinking long and hard about its industrial capacity, whether machining is a thing yet etc.. If it's advanced enough, aware of firearms conceptually, the question of "why is everyone not packing?" starts to emerge.

 

[Luxuria]

OMG! I LOVE THE WAY YOU THINK!

Anyway, I really appreciate your response and let me awnser your questions, the best I can. Because I DO think you are onto something here.

Digression aside, I like that you're keen on not making a GSW too convenient a thing to heal. It raises the question, though: there are arrowheads designed to be horrible to remove. How would they deal with that?

Thank you! I am happy you like how I want to handle GSWs. I hate when it's convenient in fiction. I would say that arrows also behave as intended and they wouldn't be pleasant to remove, either. I think arrows can also get stuck, etc. That's where I am having troubles. Dealing with things that get STUCK. Because I COULD use another version of immortality that I created for another story, but I hate using the same thing twice and the other is uniquely made for that other story. Also, these characters in Space Magic are not immortal, but are pretty close to it. They CAN die, but it's complicated. The two have to kill each other at the same time. (Not down to the second, but both have to die from injuries inflicted by the other? But NOT outside people.)

Would this perhaps necessitate surgeon/healer hybrid teams? One is digging around to remove the material while the other works tissue regen and anaesthetic?

Oh, that actually sounds interesting. I hadn't thought of doing that, but it makes sense for something they can eventually get? (Although, I must say the government medical system is kinda fed up with the main male character. Basically, they ran out of solutions and were like, "don't come back, please.") But I do think that there's a way to get a healer/surgeon team. And it's kinda a weird situation, because these main characters, (which I am sure I have discussed before on here), feel the other's pain. Which makes it really fun! (And you can do a lot of evil!).

Another option would be material exchange. Completely removing matter is a but much, but perhaps the two things of equal mass can be swapped?

Yeah, this happens. Because these main characters actually swap most vital organs. (Brains are not on the list. So sorry, Freaky Friday Lovers!). If one set is damaged, it's swapped out from the other person who gets the damaged ones. Assuming though, that one of the two parties is NOT injured.

Does the act of healing immediately remove infectious bacteria?

Um... for some reasons, I totally forgot about the germs! HAHAHA! Even though I wrote a whole fanfic for fun around this concept. But, I think yes? I think infections are easily healed, which is a shame. But also, makes sense for the story. So yes, when they heal all the infectious bacteria are also killed off.

Bullets can also fragment on bone. It's not always that clean little lump on the x-ray.

Oh, yeah! I know about that, but forgot about it until now. Yeah... I think the bones re-heal? I am not sure what happens to the fragments yet, but this is where it would make sense for the body to successful break down its own materials. I am assuming it would heal like a normal person, but at a much faster rate. Cysts and such are most likely possible in this way, too.

With single shot firearms, infantry still had to carry swords in case their firing line broke, which could happen with a rush.

Yeah, it might be single-shot firearms or something with LESS power than we have now. Maybe they have non-automatic guns? So, no magazines or anything at the moment. But I do think they have single-shot or whatever it's called. Honestly don't know much about guns.

For your setting, I would consider thinking long and hard about its industrial capacity, whether machining is a thing yet etc.. If it's advanced enough, aware of firearms conceptually, the question of "why is everyone not packing?" starts to emerge.

I do think machining is a thing, because on 3/5 planets, there is electric power, modern plumbing, and infrastructure. So, yeah. That's kinda the questions I was wondering, too. Why isn't everyone packing? Regulations won't work as it just seems non-sensible to even try in this story. But maybe there is a reason why Magic is still more powerful than guns most of the time? I am not sure. But it also doesn't make sense no one would at least TRY to make guns or that everyone somehow forgot they exist as a weapon from the Old World. Thoughts?

 

[Homer Potvin]

Why not skip the problem altogether by having him get a through and through in the neck or something? The writer is God. It's only a plot hole if you back yourself into the corner in the first place.

 

[Luxuria]

Why not skip the problem altogether by having him get a through and through in the neck or something? The writer is God. It's only a plot hole if you back yourself into the corner in the first place.

That's true. But also, it doesn't make sense that a bounty hunter who has 1 trillion space dollars at stake, would MISS. Sure, the wind or whatever, but there are about 7-10 bounty hunters and I doubt a majority would miss. Also, moving it to the neck doesn't solve the problem of, 'how do we get that bullet out?'.

 

[Homer Potvin]

That's true. But also, it doesn't make sense that a bounty hunter who has 1 trillion space dollars at stake, would MISS. Sure, the wind or whatever, but there are about 7-10 bounty hunters and I doubt a majority would miss. Also, moving it to the neck doesn't solve the problem of, 'how do we get that bullet out?'.

Sure, so have it go all the way through.

Option A, you can come up with a elaborate magic system with a bunch of checks and balances that could potentially bore the reader in explanation, whether subtle or not. Or Option B, you don't write yourself into a situation that the reader probably won't notice in the first place. It wont hurt the story. Your choice as to how much work you want to do for a very avoidable problem, but that's my two cents.

 

[Naomasa298]

You're a super powerful magician.
You know people are out to get you.
You know bullets can hurt you.

So wouldn't one of the basic precautions be to set up some kind of personal, and permanent anti-bullet forcefield around you? But yeah, I agree with @Homer Potvin - it's only a problem if you let it be a problem. I don't know, you could have your MC shit out the bullet at some later date, as the body foreign objects through the digestive system or something.

 

[Banespawn]

What magical powers do they have besides healing? Can they use that power to physically force the bullet/fragments from their body and then let their healing ability deal with the collateral damage?

If there isn't a magical solution, then the surgeon suggestion is a good one. Or you can just let it stay in and create problems. Or you can do both, leaving the bullet in until he can reach a surgeon.

Wolverine and Deadpool got shot plenty of times. I don't think they ever addressed what happened to the bullets.

Depending on the nature of the healing ability, maybe the bullet is chemically broken down over time and excreted from the body in some way.

 

[Stuart Dren]

I do think machining is a thing, because on 3/5 planets, there is electric power, modern plumbing, and infrastructure. So, yeah. That's kinda the questions I was wondering, too. Why isn't everyone packing? Regulations won't work as it just seems non-sensible to even try in this story. But maybe there is a reason why Magic is still more powerful than guns most of the time? I am not sure. But it also doesn't make sense no one would at least TRY to make guns or that everyone somehow forgot they exist as a weapon from the Old World. Thoughts?

Could be the tech was intentionally hidden away by whatever pioneers settled on these newer worlds. I think it's plausible a particular tech can spend some time undiscovered or perhaps coveted/controlled. How much war is going on?

Going back to the Powder Mage Trilogy, powder mages had to be hunted with air rifles because they could activate gunpowder and steer bullets.

In a more mild sense for your story, if you have elemental mages, they could be concerned about a mage using heat to cook off their rounds.

More extreme measures might just seem contrived. I don't even know how one could make gunpowder's components scarce in some way.

 

[Luxuria]

it's only a problem if you let it be a problem. I don't know, you could have your MC shit out the bullet at some later date, as the body foreign objects through the digestive system or something.

That's true. But to be honest, I almost never approach my writing in the same way most writers do. In my head, I'm not god. I am just recording the plot line like some kinda nature documentary film crew. I don't want to interfere too much, because it never feels right. As for the other thing, yes. that is something I considered as it made logical sense at first. But it does not account for bullets that get stuck in bones or anywhere NOT near the digestive system.

 

[Luxuria]

What magical powers do they have besides healing? Can they use that power to physically force the bullet/fragments from their body and then let their healing ability deal with the collateral damage?

Well, one has fire powers and the other has ice. I did consider having her melt down the bullets and letting the metal seep through the skin, but that won't work. Because she doesn't have the pain tolerance for it and it still does not completely solve bullets in bones?

If there isn't a magical solution, then the surgeon suggestion is a good one. Or you can just let it stay in and create problems. Or you can do both, leaving the bullet in until he can reach a surgeon.

I agree. It might be the right solution in this situation. As for letting them sit, I don't think that's possible? But yes, until they get to a surgeon, that might be their only option. I also think that my MC is gong to have to learn how to read again or something. Because his brain might heal, but it's 'new brain'. Not the old brain that learned writing, reading, etc. Wherever the bullet hit. I still need to go back and fix a few things in this fight.

 

[Luxuria]

Could be the tech was intentionally hidden away by whatever pioneers settled on these newer worlds. I think it's plausible a particular tech can spend some time undiscovered or perhaps coveted/controlled. How much war is going on?

I was thinking that. Maybe it's a hidden tech that only the government can make/use, etc. The problem is, guns get lost and would most likely end up in the hands of the underground? So, maybe there's a whole black market for them? But it would cut down on the 'everyone is packing' if it's a government secret and they do an okay job of trying to contain it. (Think of how governments regulate info in atomic power for making 'booms'.) As for how much war is going on... the solar system is in a lull right now. There was a war between two of the planets about 50 years ago? But now, it's rather peaceful. But the MCs decided to go on the war path and were 'possibly' temporarily appeased by the senate. But I don't know how long that will last. So, war is on the horizon at this point?

In a more mild sense for your story, if you have elemental mages, they could be concerned about a mage using heat to cook off their rounds.

And ah! Yes! This works and could also be used by the government to play up 'how useless' guns are in the new magical worlds.