Enchantment
Don't make me ask you againThere is power in belief, in consciousness itself. The very notion of matter having a thinking mind and free will of its own is more astounding than any trick the other forces of magic can pull off. To those that study the fundamental forces of the cosmos it is plain to see that sentience itself is a product of Enchantment. This is the source from which thought, emotion, and belief evolved. Or so the theory goes. For even among the scholars of the arcane there is no consensus. Detractors would question what purpose this force served in the early cosmos before thinking things came to be. Or why such a fundamental force exists when the vast majority of matter in existence has no use for it. An equally popular theory is that Enchantment is Controlling Force, the yoke by which other forces are compelled to act. They would say its only purpose is to force the rest of Weave to actually answer the call of casters and without it, magic might not be possible at all. Whatever the case, this power can be shaped into spells that control the minds of thinking beings. Outside of esoteric study, Enchantment has an ill reputation. Many in Tairos often refer to it as the Shackling or Controlling Force because of its ability to enslave others. Proponents of its use point to the simply trickery this energy is capable of and how it can bloodlessly end fights with spells like Charm Person, Command, and Sleep. While these are true uses, it is also true that spells such as Crown of Madness, Dominate, Geas and Modify Memory exist purely to rip away free will from their victims. Even more troubling is that many Enchanters shape Slavers' Weave into spells that traumatize the psyche, leaving lasting scars in some cases or outright shredding it in others. Spells like Vicious Mockery, Feeblemind, Psychic Lance, Synaptic Static, and Mind Whip are all capable of causing excruciating levels of suffering. There are even those that can shape Violet Dross into a single word, a single intrusive thought, powerful enough to overwhelm the nervous system with crippling phantom pain or paralysis. In some cases, they can even will the mind to shut the body down, killing the listener instantly. No culture has adopted Enchantment the way some have made done for schools like Transmutation or Divination. The reason is plain to see, few would so willingly welcome a power into their midst that could so easily tear away their freedom. That said, it has earned a prominent place among certain unsavory cultures. The instructors who handle the training of Lockland's enslaved battle mages make extensive use of Enchantment along with forced addiction to certain drugs. The Duergarian slavers deploy Enchantment to pacify their acquisitions, especially the dangerous Infernal Beings they rip from Hell.
Execution
Enchantment is most commonly executed with forceful words seeped in stinging intensity or seductive ease. There is little in the way of visual impact, perhaps some shimmer or glow emanating from the shapers mind but often even this isn't the case. The clearest indication of active Enchantments are the jarring actions taken by their victims
Components and tools
Enchanters make the least use of physical components; their belief in self and mental superiority is often enough to shape the Controlling Force into whatever form they need. When components are used it is things reflective of their own self-perceived superiority. Components like a serpent's tongue or drops of honey for example. Many will also make use of prisms, empty glass, or gems, representing mental prisons which they can enslave a victim's mind in.
Also Known As
- Controlling/Enslaving Force
- Sovereign Energy
- Shackling/Slavers Weave
- Purple Dross
Important Locations
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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