Soulweaving

Soulweaving is the magical act of expelling a soul from your own body. They can be altered with components, creating elements, and changed in strength depending on number of souls. Soulweaving requires an incredible willpower, as well as technical skill to perform the spell perfectly, or die yourself.
For the past 500 years, magic has been viewed as evil. It is the manipulation of dead souls. To use Soulweaving means that you hold dead souls within you, usually through killing another. 200 years ago for the Soleri and 50 years ago for Iron, the leaders have realized Soulweavers usefulness and started training using these magicians. However, they are still, generally, viewed negatively.
Vaskeer is innately magical. Souls are tangible and rise into the sky to join in The Burn or are absorbed by a killer. The magic system in this world is Soulweaving, which revolves around this rule that souls are held within the body. Souls themselves are dangerous. They are the pure life essence of a human that has passed on, and inside their soul are all their memories, passions, decisions, skills, strengths, and weaknesses. When you kill someone, their soul leaves their body and is absorbed into your own. It enters through the skin and seems to settle on your very bones. The body naturally rejects this. For 90% of the population, holding a soul inside your body other than your own is enough to drive them mad. They are overwhelmed by the others thoughts and begin to lose understanding of who they are. These people become The Lost, as detailed above. However, the other 10% of the population have developed a mental fortitude and are able to resist the majority of downsides that occur from holding a soul. When someone holds a soul inside their own body, it slowly taints their skin depending on how many souls they hold. Starting from their heart, the skin grows cold and dark green, arcing in tendrils across the body if prolonged. The upsides to holding souls within your body, if you can handle the mental duress, is you gain some physical attributes from the pure power of the souls within your body. You can escalating levels of strength, speed, balance, agility, etc. depending on the amount of souls within you. However, the more souls you hold, the more it damages your mental. Killing anything that holds more than their own soul, also transfers all other souls within them to the killer.
Soulweaving itself is the simple act of being able to pull a soul out of your body. Soulomancers are able to remove souls from themselves, which is a very rare skill that less than 1% of the population have, at random. However, over Vaskeer’s history, these people have found that they can alter how the soul materializes through components and focuses when removing them. This process produces a ‘spell’. Due to how dangerous it is to hold another’s soul inside your body, it is very dangerous to try and collect souls for future spells, as Soulomancers do. The more powerful a spell is, the more souls it requires to cast. When a Soulomancer expels a soul in its natural state, a black and green humanoid form made of charred flesh and twisting green smoke that ends at the torso. Some spell components make souls linger, creating lasting spell effects, others are short bursts than burn the soul up as it is used. When a soul is transmuted by an elemental spell and burned up, no one knows what happens to the soul.
The interesting aspect of this Soulweaving is that the more souls you hold within you, the more increased physical attributes you have at the time. It is nowhere near as much as a Titan, but it is significantly noticeable in a physical fight. As you use spells you get slightly slower, weaker, and more frail.
Because there are so many different ways to alter a soul, Iron has taken to teaching the students at a school, with expansive spellbooks filled with spells that track components, techniques, focuses, and descriptions. It is an expansive process to graduate from this school, and once that it is done, Soulweavers often find themselves tools to be used by the wealthy within the Empire. There are approximately 100 trained Soulweavers in all of Iron, including the Soulweaving apprentices, which has a population of 1 million. A Soulweaver's Spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be plain, functional leather volume received as a gift from a master, a finely bound gilt-edged tome found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after losing a previous spellbook in a mishap. A Soulomancer is urged to put notes on each spell that help them specifically remember and cast the spells.
The general article on Magic through all of Vaskeer can be read here: Magic System.

STUDYING ARS MORCANUM

To study Soulweaving, an apprentice must be accepted into the Thorn. It is siutated in the capital city of Hero's Rest. Then they undertake rigorous study and practice of their new abilities, which are very deadly for themselves even more than others.
Soulweaving is the simplified name for this magical system created by the Empire, which is technically known as Ars Morcanum, or the Art of Manipulating the Dead.
The Thorn employs a large amount of Soulomancers who work as teachers and scientists at the same time. They are constantly working to test new components and trying to learn/make new kinds of spells. The system is so new that there is still so much to unlock. Within are the lodgings for those studying or teaching here, able to house all because of the rarity of Soulomancers. There are several stages within the Thorn that relate to student levels.

• Folio – This is one who is the top of their field. They have published works of various magical substance and hold a fully completed Spellbook. Shake, and the Dean.
• Quarto – The standard for Professors and Soulomancer graduates. They hold an advanced spellbook rife with spells and are very powerful and knowledgeable. Most view this as the ultimate goal, Folio being only for those who dedicate their life to study.
• Imperial Octavo – Final year students. Often full time working but still studying.
• Super Octavo – Third years. Specialize in an element now and also work with a House.
• Royal Octavo – Second years. Learn to cast spells with more than one component.
• Crown Octavo – First years and new students to the Thorn. Nicknamed ‘Crownings’ because they are so fresh their babe head is still crowning out of their mother. Focus entirely on holding souls, and the theory of spells.

The life of a Soulomancer is filled with extra study and the reading of other Soulomantic theories to keep their own mind sharp and honed. The classes taught at the Thorn are:

• Spell Theory – Alchemist Laoburn
• Elemental Specialty (Super level) - varies
• Arcane – Professor Hersy
• Air – Professor Shake
• Fire – Professor Tollak
• Water – Dean Sentel
• Earth – Professor (Jenifire) Vaele
• Maths and Geometry – Professor (Jenifire) Vaele
• Meditation – Professor Shake
• History (Super Level) – Witness Baron
• Bureaucracy and Diplomacy (Super Level) – Professor (Sabira) Skelsmith
• House Servitude – must work with a House that sponsors them and offers employment while studying to learn on the job
• Casting – Self-study with professor help if asked to or free.
• Smithing - A super-specific class that usually does not even have a Professor available. This teaches the art of Soulsmithing, the forging of weapons and armor infused with alchemical components to use in the casting of spells.

WEAVING THEORY

The theory behind Soulweaving and souls is everchanging in Iron and has gone through many interpretations and will likely do so again. Originally, it was believed that there were two types of matter: Light and Dark. They represented good and evil, day and night. This was established by the ancient philosopher Cephalos. Nicknamed the Shadow. Then Makarios the Elementalist came up with the theory of the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Each made up the physical and metaphysical world and were divided into what was hot, dry, wet, and cold. Each of these four elements were pure nature and assigned to different aspects of souls. Souls were made up of these four elements, same with everything in the known world.
Then, recently came the scholarly duo of Arthumar Glore and Alchemist Bellarion who brought forth the theory that there was a fifth element. The fifth element was the power of the Gods, the arcane or Aether, that connects the other four. It is this fifth element that explains what the prior scholars always pondered: the nature and purpose of all things and everything unexplained. The four elements were pure and unchanging, raw power in each of their own ways. The fifth element is what held them together in a human body, making a soul. The Alchemist Bellarion expanded the metallurgist assignments of the five elements to metals during the great Iron boom in the Iron Empire that brought forth the mass production of steel and other metals to vastly improve the Iron infrastructure. Metals were assigned to specific elements, and each metal was given a symbol of Alchemy. Initially, all he could find were the three prime substances: Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt. But then blood became known as well as Aether.
The Alchemist argued that the practice of transmutation in metals that was the Alchemy practice was the same theory as Soulweaving, as a Soulweaver simply transmutes the soul itself with a component. This is the current theory in Iron and what they teach at the Thorn. Alchemy symbols are used for each of the elements to transmute the soul into the element as it is expelled. Now, Alchemists argue about the ever-expanding list of elements that they find, including Iron, but the Soulweavers do not accept any of these new elements as ‘true elements’ since they don’t have the power to transmute souls. They have agreed to call the elements in Soulweaver true elements, and the others lesser elements. Alchemists always pondered why blood was a Soulweaver component when all their experiments returned that blood was made up of several lesser metals. It was this theory that eventually led to the theory of the fifth element: Arcane. The arcane power in blood is what made it tied to air. The initial theory of Light and Dark were brought back under the umbrella of the Arcane element.
The Makarios view on elements was often represented in a diamond. Fire was hot and dry. Its opposite of Water was cold and wet. Connecting the two was Air of hot and wet and its opposite was Earth of dry and cold. Arthumar’s theory holds the five senses alongside the five elements. Earth is the basest element can be perceived by all five senses: heard, felt, seen, tasted, smelled. Then came Water which could be heard, felt, seen, and tasted, but not smelled. Then came Fire which could be heard, felt, and seen, but not tasted or smelled. Air can be heard and felt. Then finally, Arcane, is beyond the senses except for feeling alone. The Arcane is an element that touches the soul, touching your inner self and avoiding all other senses. It can be felt on the skin, causing goosebumps, it can be felt touching on emotion, spinning thought.

There are five elements in Soulweaver theory. The current theory is that each element can be represented by a true element. Three of which are from the three metallic principles. It is widely regarded that all souls are made up of four elements in balance by a fifth element, and each represents a different part of a person’s soul.

ELEMENTS

FIRE

Fire is a pure element of nature. Fire’s purpose is to burn, to consume all around it or run out of fuel. A fire draws out all the life in its fuel and uses it to produce a flame, heat, and light. Conflagrations in nature are event of great danger and lead to many future ecological effects. It is associated with the noble part of a human soul in Iron culture. Someone who is fiery and passionate, their anger is noble and forthright always. Summer. Alchemy component is Sulfur. Sulfur is a bright yellow crystalline solid that is found abundantly throughout Iron and especially in Sulfides within previously active volcanoes. It is also known as brimstone, or the stone that burns. Sulfur can be used as a component in crystalline form, small chunks, or a powder. Fire Magics and Deeper Meanings:

• Evocation, pyromancy magics
• Projection, courage, strength,
• Arcane emotions: courage, strength, love and joy, anxiety, compassion, passion,
• Banishing, purification, cleansing
• Energizing
• Destruction
• Burning, smoldering, heating
• Storm, time
• Path of the Warrior

WATER

Water is another pure element of nature. Water’s purpose is to overwhelm, to drown, but also to nourish those attuned to it with life. It is unstoppable and endless, impossible to stop a flood. Water us associated with the unnoble part of a human soul in Iron culture. It is their secret darkness, the truth beneath the waves. It is associated with cold disregard, frigidity, but also fluidity and proficiency at change. Winter. Alchemy component is Mercury. Mercury is a rarer mineraloid mined in certain parts of Vaskeer. It is a heavy, silvery-white liquid metal, making it unique. It is also known as quicksilver. Most usually found in its liquid form but can also be used as a component in a rock. Water Magics and Deeper Meanings:

• Sea, ice, snow, fog, mirror magic
• Arcane emotions: fear, sadness, depression
• Depth, darkness, and mystery
• Memory
• Purification, dreams, sleep, peace, friendship
• Path of the Dreamer

EARTH

Earth is another pure element of nature. Earth’s purpose is to hold strong, to support and prevent. The Earth is immeasurably heavy and strong, pulling everything towards it. Earth is associated with the physical bodies, wisdom, health and fertility. It is the part of the human soul that keeps it grounded to the land, holds experiences and knowledge through wisdom. Autumn. Alchemy component is Salt. Salt is essential to all cultures due to its capabilities of preserving food. Salt can be found in salt mines in crystalline form and from sea water evaporation as a powder. Both forms it is white in color. Can be used as a component in both crystalline and powder form. Earth Magics and Deeper Meanings:

• Alchemy, Geomancy, protection magic
• Stone and Ground magic
• Binding
• Crystals
• Emotions: safety, worry, solidity,
• Acts of burying, hiding, planting, rooting, digging out/up; accessing hidden depths (mining), growing, nurturing
• Growth, Prosperity, Nature, Wealth, Wisdom, Abundance, Fertility, Luck, Employment, Birth & Death, the Body, Caves, Chasms, Silence, Graves, Fields
• Path of the Hermit

AIR

Air is the final pure element of nature. Air’s purpose is to soar, to fly away and separate things with great distance. It is to push over, to let loose and avoid. Air is tall and wide, with a pull constantly trying to pull against the earth’s weight, and usually failing. Air is associated with mobility, sharpness and ability to penetrate. Blood is associated with air since it is both hot and wet. Spring. Alchemy component is Blood. Blood represents air in the body, it carries all essential nutrients around the body like air does with pollen. Human blood is the only blood that works for air spells and a small vials-worth is the minimum for transmutation. Blood is like air, hot and wet. Blood is typically kept in a vial of liquid, but some can keep it dried. Fresh blood can also be used by some. Air Magics and Deeper Meanings:

• Divination
• Throwing objects into air
• Emotions: sensitivity, creativity, impulsion, stress
• Concentration
• Visualization
• Wind
• Path of the Wanderer

ARCANE

The material/substance that fills the entire world and heavens, Arcane is the element that explains phenomena like light and time. It is the magic element that holds together souls and the other elements, forming the borders between each. Subtler than light, penetrative and non-material. Arcane is associated with otherworldliness, the unexplained and unknowable, also insanity and madness. Alchemy component is Aether, found only in the Aether Well in the Ember Dominance. It seems to have no other purpose and doesn’t fit on the Alchemy element list but draws out the Arcane power of a soul. Aether is found as solidified indigo ore veins without a hard shell, creating a strange effect as it looks like the inside of an ore vein but without the stone. It is most used as a crystal for a component but can also be crushed into small spores to be used. Arcane Magics and Deeper Meanings:

• Warding
• Bonding
• Tracking
• Invisibility
• Subtleness
• Path of the God

SPELLS

Far too extensive to go into detail, there are literally endless possible spells through these five elements and their combinations. The beginning stage is taught to first years to get the hang of it, and they are as simple as possible. Known as Cantrips:

• BARRIER, 1 Soul – Increasing the number increases the size and strength of the spell. No components. Anywhere on the body you expel the soul, and it blocks a hit. The Soul stays solid for a short time before it dissipates and rises to the Burn.
• EMOTIONAL PUSH, 1 Soul – Increasing the number increases strength of the spell. 1 Part Arcane. Channel a soul through the component that is also touching the skin of the target. This spell unleashes a stream of pure Arcane magic that is absorbed into the target unknowingly. The arcane acts on their soul and causes all the emotions they are feeling to be amplified.
• FIREBOLT, 1 Soul – Increasing the number of souls expended in this Crown spell increases the intensity of the fire and area of effect. 1 Part Fire. Open Hand, curled to contain splash and focused toward target – Can be cast without any grounding. Through crystal of Sulfur that burns up after use, or a coating of sulfur dust spread across hand. This spell shoots a bolt made of pure fire out of your palm towards a target. Starting at 1 soul, the firebolt is the size of a human head, and burns hot enough to melt skin after a few seconds of contact. Upon contact the firebolt bursts into traditional fire and spreads regularly.

• GUST, 1 Soul – Increasing the number increases the size and strength of the spell. 1 Part Air. Channel a soul through a bodypart coated in liquid mercury or in vial. Can be cast without any grounding. This spell unleashes a strong stream of pure water out of the liquid mercury. Lasts a few seconds but has enough water pressure to intensely clean a surface or push back a foe.
• ROCK, 1 Soul – Increasing the number increases the size and strength of the spell. 1 Part Earth. Channel a soul through a bodypart coated in liquid mercury or in vial. Can be cast without any grounding. This spell unleashes a strong stream of pure water out of the liquid mercury. Lasts a few seconds but has enough water pressure to intensely clean a surface or push back a foe.
• STREAM, 1 Soul – Increasing the number increases the size and strength of the spell. 1 Part Water. Channel a soul through a bodypart coated in liquid mercury or in vial. Can be cast without any grounding. This spell unleashes a strong stream of pure water out of the liquid mercury. Lasts a few seconds but has enough water pressure to intensely clean a surface or push back a foe.

From here, an example of spells that include more souls and the combination of soul types can be seen through:

• DRAGON BREATH, 3 Souls. 1 Part Fire. This spell casts a breath of pure elemental energy out of the casters mouth by expelling a soul through the mouth and sulfur component in the casters mouth. The number of souls expelled at once increases the power of the dragon breath.
• ICE KNIFE, 2 Souls. Increased in increments of two. 4 Souls makes an Ice Sword. Frost component. 1 Part Water. 1 Part Air. Firsthand air component. Secondhand water component. Expel a water soul in a small line through two extended fingers. Expel an air soul with spare hand beneath the water line. Freezes the water as it is created and creates a knife of ice. Can grip and through the knife or wield in combat. Upon contact, the knife explodes in a burst of frost.
• REVERSE GRAVITY, 30 Souls. 3 Part Earth. 2 Part Air. 1 Part Arcane. This spell reverses gravity in a 50-foot-radius, 100- foot high cylinder centered on a point within range. All creatures and objects that aren't somehow anchored to the ground in the area fall upward and reach the top of the area when you cast this spell. This is a Quarto level spell, as seen in the requirement of 30 souls, of which none but a few can accomplish.

Important People:
Arthumar Glore
Alchemist Bellarion
Makarios the Elementalist
Cephalon the Shadow
Kaidryn Taland 
Professor Shake
Dean Brunn Sentel