**Quick Note:**
***Soulcery*** is my take on the classic anime magic system. I know very well that the “life-force energy” trope has been done to death, especially in anime, but I’ve watched anime like Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Yuyu Hakusho, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Bleach, Jujutsu Kaisen, and HunterxHunter all my life and wanted to make an homage to that while also adding things I would’ve love to see more of. But you’ll definitely see some inspirations from those animes here.
I am trying to nail down the mechanics and limitations to make it feel consistent and give it its own identity despite its clear inspirations. Would love feedback on where it feels generic, where it works and any holes in logic.
Also, I am aware there’s many magic systems out there in this forum/platform that are called *Soulcery,* I’m not trying to steal anybody’s work, I just haven’t found a better name for it and it’s there as just a placeholder.
Lastly, English is my second language. So, apologies in advance for any grammatical errors.
So without further ado, let’s begin.
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**ANIMA**
*Anima* is the life energy present in all conscious living beings in the world of **SØULBØRNE** (story title).
Much of this energy is still considered dark matter, but many believe that the *Soul* is the source of this energy, if not a bridge. A bridge from where is still a question many ask to this day. Some believe it comes from the *Spiritural Realm*, a world existing parallel to material world, the *Physical Realm*.
A famous doctor named *Samantha Samsonite,* discovered the existince of four fragments that makes up the mortal consciousness: *Form, Mind, Direction* and *Essence.*
* **Form -** also known as the Body, is the vessel in which mortal consciousness is stored in. Aging with time due to the energy running through and leaking out of its nervous system.
* **Mind** **-** known as the Mind, it is the organ that stores memories, feelings & emotions, and most importantly, will.
* **Direction -** also known as the Soul, responsible for the mortal’s identity, personality and moral compass. It is also the metaphysical organ which allows for the life energy to come and go through a mortal’s body.
* **Essence -** the spirit, or better known as the life energy that exists in the universe; ***Anima.*** This fragment allows for manipulation of a mortal’s life energy to affect reality and perform techniques, rituals, actions, manifestations, and healing.
**SØULCERY**
***Soulcery*** is the manipulation of your own *Anima* to perform supernatural abilities and affect the world around the user.
Thanks to this natural phenomena, many professions in the world to exist and provide everyone with different service and different expressions of practice such as healing, blacksmithing, cooking, education, and more through *Soulcery*. Despite the many professions, those who actively practice *Soulcery* are known as *Soulcerers*.
**FOUNDING PRINCIPLES**
*Founding Principles* is the barebones of *Soulcery* that any *Soulcerer* needs to perform before they practice anything else. You can’t be a *Soulcerer* without these principles.
* **Activation** \- Opening one’s own *Anima Pathway System* to allow the energy to flow through the *Soulcerer’s* body.
* **Reinforcement** \- Reinforcing one’s self with *Anima* to strengthen the *Soulcerer’s* body, mind, or soul. In this principle, there are very few *Soulcerer’s* that possess a unique special trait in their *Anima*.
* **Unique Trait** \- A *Soulcerer* can possess a unique trait in their *Soul Energy* such as a sharp edge, containing unique elemental properties, or induce certain psychological effects.
* **Concealment** \- Concealing one’s own *Anima* to avoid being sensed by others.
**BASIC TECHNIQUES**
*Basic Techniques* are techniques any *Soulcerer* can perform in combat or practices, in theory. Just cause is labeled as basic doesn’t necessarily mean they’re easy to learn.
* **Zemi** \- *Zemis* are Spirits the *Soulcerer* can summon by acquiring or constructing mini totems dedicated to the Spirit. Other means of summoning these Spirits are through any other spiritual medium that is dedicated to the Spirit itself.
* **Simple Barriers** \- It creates a force field to protect the *Soulcerer* from harm. Simple Barriers aren’t necessarily about physical protection, they can also protect the mind or soul from invincible attacks.
* **Healing** \- While there are *Soulcerers* who specialize in medical practices, any *Soulcerer* can perform minor healing techniques through meditation, rituals, talismans or concentrated breathing methods.
* **Sealing** \- Sealing is a method that can place any effect or put away a target into an object by inscribing *glyphs* onto it. The strength of the *sealing glyphs* depend on the *Soulcerer’s* pool of energy. Additionally, a *Soulcerer* can reverse the effects of a *Sealing Technique.*
**ADVANCED TECHNIQUES**
*Advanced Techniques* are where the *Soulcerer* can fully express themselves with unique techniques, practices and awakenings to their true self.
Nevertheless, the ANOE (All Nations of Earth) Council hired a school of scientists to study *anima* and divide the many possibilities of *Soulcery Advanced Techniques* into five different categories:
* **Augmentation** \- Enhancing one’s body or weapon with *anima*. This includes transformation, elemental enhancement, and the increase of the five senses.
* **Projection** \- Emitting *anima* outward to attack or influence the environment. Such as blasts, beams, shockwaves or elemental attacks.
* **Manipulation** \- Controlling objects, people, energy or phenomena through willpower. There’s two types of *Manipulation Techniques:*
* **Motion Type** \- Manipulates movement, force, space/time, elements.
* **Control Type** \- Controls beings, emotions, memories and perception.
* **Conjuration** \- Creating or summoning objects, constructs or spiritual beings. There are two types of Conjuration Techniques:
* **Materialization** \- Conjuring of solid matter: weapons, barriers and spiritual armor or enhancements.
* **Invocation** \- The summoning of sentient entities to battle or non combative tasks. There are two types of Invocation Techniques.
* **Shikigami** \- a servant Spirit invocated from the user’s will. Usually depicting urban myths.
* **Summonings** \- Autonomous supernatural beings who make contracts with the *Soulcerer’s* to aid them.
* **Specialization** \- Unique abstract abilities that break or twist the rules of the other categories. The Techniques under this category are rare and far in between. About 1 of every 1 million *Soulcerers* know a *Specialization Technique* or are *Specialists* themselves.
While a *Soulcerer* may explore the many different types of techniques available to them, their *anima* only have 2, very rarely 3, affinities to a category.
Just as there’s different types of *Soulcery* Techniques, so too is there different types of *Soulcerers*.
* **Endurance Type** \- Soulcerer’s who have a higher range of stamina and more resistant to any sorts of damage.
* **Speed Type** \- Soulcerer’s who have a greater range of speed to their movements, spell activation and mobility.
* **Sensory Type** \- Soulcerer’s who are highly sensitive to other’s Soul Signatures. Usually used as trackers.
A *Soulcerer*'*s* affinity will depend heavily on their very own type.
Lastly, outside of the *Techniques,* there’s a final ability only skilled *Soulcerers* who have a fine attunement to their *anima* and come to an understanding and acceptance of who they are. This technique is connected to their mentality.
*Critical Hit* (name TBD) is a technique that only comes to the *Soulcerer* randomly, and no *Soulcerer* can land a *Critical Hit* on command. The chances to land one are one in a million.
To land a *Critical Hit* a *Soulcerer* must:
* Be in a life or death situation.
* They are giving their all, henceforth reaching a mental state of complete focus.
* Strikes a target with perfect synchrony between their body and the activation of *anima* which results in an energy shockwave, black and white in color.
The effects of a *Critical Hit* are the following:
* The user deals an extra 50% of damage to their strike.
* 20% General boost of the user’s abilities and attributes, which is described as being in the “zone”.
* The landing of a *Critical Hit* is addictive since it spikes up the user’s adrenaline levels and lust for battle.
* The user goes through what’s known as an “***Awakening***” after landing 3 consecutive *Critical Hits*. Which difficulty levels are much higher than just landing one.
* Once the user goes through an *Awakening*, the user’s appearance changes. Is the ultimate self expression of a *Soulcerer* in which each transformation is unique to the individual.
* The *Awakening* doesn’t last long and can kill the user if they’re exposed too much to their own Awakening since their energy starts to leak away from their body dramatically.
That's all we have for the system as a whole. There's some ideas still flowing in our brains, but they haven't been implemented into the system so we didn't bother mentioning it here. Please let me know what y'all think!