Soulcraft

The Study, mastery, and manipulation of the Souls and the power contained within

Created and Written by Khali A. Crawford

Effect

Users can use soul magic; a powerful magic that revolves around the incorporeal and immortal essence of a living thing. Having such magical power over the soul grants users extraordinary abilities connected to the soul. They can harness more than just ordinary souls; they can also control the supernatural side of them, including their detrimental and beneficial nature. Due to such a connection to the soul, users can use magic to connect powerful spiritual forces that are tied to the souls of any biological organism as it is the source of the sentient nature of any living being. With such magic, users can utilize the soul for a myriad of possibilities, including forging weapons, creating beings, and more, all by channeling them through themselves or others for specific purposes bound to the nature and essence of the souls they use including their own.

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The Soul is the basis of all Magic as it is what allows a being to perform Magic in the first place. The Soul is the culmination of a being and is what determines the form of its vessel, change the soul of a being, and you can change their physical form as the form serves the function and the function is the Soul. This is how beings with exceptionally powerful Souls can physically become more powerful than before and is how Mages can progress to new heights. This power is not as simple as deciding to become something else, the Soul is one of the most complicated things in existence and the most delicate, improper use will result in death or soullessness if a Mage is not careful.

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Mastery of Soul Magic is typically gained to shield one's Soul from external forces and powers. Many weapons, such as Sword Arms negate physical durability and directly inflict harm on the Soul, which can cause fatal damage to the body and even death. Magic is the root of almost all powers and abilities within the Legendarium (save for genetic mutations, racial traits, and augmentations of course) and Magic is only possible via the Soul, thus, all powers and abilities are derived from the Soul. While Magical Energy may quantify how much Magic a Mage can use at a given point in time, Power is the culmination of their knowledge of Magic, their magic abilities, their raw physical strength, their wisdom, and their mental power. In a sense, when characters within the Legendarium say Power, they are referring to an abstract idea, the enrichment of the Soul which in turn enriches everything the Soul can do, thus increasing their magic abilities greatly. To master Soulcraft is to open the path to new magical heights.

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Externally, mastering Soul Magic allows for the creation of Sword Arms, which are metaphysical weapons, meaning weapons, items, or tools that have a physical form as well as an Astral Form and a Mental Form, allowing them to be wielded in dimensions and spaces other than the physical one. Sword Arms are created by beings and manifest a portion of their Power, a slice of their very Soul. Sword Arms are distinctly different from normal weapons or tools that are enchanted with Magic or empowered to have metaphysical qualities. Sword Arms are full manifestations of a Mage's Power, the physical form of something so abstract and elusive, ideas made real. Sword Arms contain exactly the amount of Power that they were made from and certain attributes can be imprinted upon them. Sword Arms are an incredibly powerful asset to have in the inventory and level the playing field.

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Dharma, a term as ancient as the stars themselves, encapsulates the concept of living in harmony with one's true self and purpose. It represents the alignment of one's actions, choices, and intentions with the intrinsic essence of their being. Adhering to one's Dharma is to embark on a journey of self-discovery, embracing the unique path etched into one's existence. In doing so, individuals unlock the dormant potential within themselves and tap into the wellspring of their inner strength. Just as a star, radiant and undaunted, shines at its brightest when it follows its destined course through the cosmos, so too does a mage's power reach its zenith when in sync with their Dharma. In this line of reasoning, Dharma can be thought of as a value that increases the value of a Soul. A being who does not live by their Dharma will have a poor and low-quality Soul, not worth taking, but one who obeys their Dharma will have a great soul, one of excellent quality, which can be quite valuable. Mages with great souls should take heed of this and conduct themselves well in the presence of Soul-Eaters and Reapers.

Side/Secondary Effects

The Shikigami of the Spiritual Plane

The Spiritual Planes is a dimension of existence where only ideas, beings, and items with a spiritual or soul form can exist. Shikigami is a word that refers to two things, both related to the Soul. The Shikigami are a race of beings native to the Spiritual Planes, beings who have an excess of Soul but no physical form. Mages who wander in the Planes can only go once they master their Spirit-Walker Form which allows a Mage with a physical form to traverse the Planes as their Soul. Some mages refer to their Spirit-Walker Form as their Shikigami Form as well, but both mean the same thing. This form can only be achieved after a Mages learns Soul Magic.

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Shikigami, the beings native to the Planes, can be considered masters of the Soul from birth, fighting one in the Planes is widely thought to be a death sentence. But they can be "tamed" or "conquered" if a Mage has a more powerful Soul and knows Soul Magic. Shikigami will serve their new master in a number of facilities, such as constantly protecting their Soul, providing a massive amplification to their Soul, and by extension, their Power, or as teachers. Shikigami are the ones who taught the first Soulcraft Mages how to master the Soul and many Mages who wish to do the same will employ a Shikigami and learn the secrets of the Soul from it.

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Shikigami can also be used to create Sword Arms composed entirely of the Power of the Shikigami, foregoing the Mage having to give up any of their own to create it as is the case under normal circumstances. Shikigami Soul Arms are more powerful than normal Sword Arms, but unlike normal Sword Arms, they cannot be used in the physical world, usually resigned to use by a Mage when in their Spirit-Walker Form.

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