The Nature of Mana, Summoning Magic and Pacts

[Lance]

For thousands of years, sorcerers have called upon the mana that feeds the earth with life to fuel their spells, using it to conjure roaring infernos or mighty typhoons that could level villages. Others use it as food, Succubi taking in small amounts of it from their lovers to sustain their unique biology. Some still use it in Advanced Alchemy, marrying science with the arcane to enhance existing items and even create wholly new elements and substances such as Orichalcum or Adamantite.

But what IS mana? All know that it makes the earth Fertile, the Seas rich, and generally is seen as the lifeblood of the earth itself. But how does something so primordial and raw become so distilled and refined that it can do so many things?


Lifeblood of Creation

At it's most basic, Mana is the energy produced by the earth that fuels all living things, from the smallest Amoeba to a mighty Wyvern, all living things are at their core alive thanks to the power of Mana. The true SOURCE of this primordial energy is unknown, what little has been gleaned is that it seems to even hold sway over forces like gravity, or the flow of time itself. Because of this, Mana is seen by many is the literal lifeblood of not only the planet as well as those who live upon it, but the fuel that drives existence itself.

Many attempts to dig deeper into the nature of the primeval and deeply arcane mana forms that govern the greater workings of existence, but most either go nowhere or are even injured by these attempts to probe the inner reaches of creation, some are even killed. The vast majority of mages simply believe that such things are better left be, and that what little amounts of Graviturgy or Spacial magics have been gleaned are more than enough.

Refined by The Soul

The mana that beings use to cast spells is not the same as the mana that flows throughout creation, it is instead derived from it. For Millenia, scholars and Arch Mages pondered what made the mana that fed a beings spellcasting different from the mana that fed the Soil and Water, some believed that it was merely sheer willpower that governed the transformation from raw power to lightning, flame and Ice...and they were half right.

It was eventually learned that a beings soul, all that makes a living creature what they are, is an integral component to mana being transformed from raw magical fuel to a true spell. The soul is like a blazing inferno at the heart of a kiln, it's warmth feeds the body and it's fuel is the mana of the world around us. Now a normal soul barely requires a "drop" of what the world produces to stay intact, which is why some areas that are depleted of mana due to spell usage or outright damage are not literal death zones where people's souls wither and die, but a being with sufficient willpower and knowledge can tap more power from the earth. This mana is fed into the soul, and in response the soul "burns" brighter, this "burning" alters the mana in a process that even now is not well understood, what is known is that the soul acts as a furnace, burning away part of the mana and leaving a "distilled" aspect of it: raw elemental energy.

This elemental energy is the fuel for a spell of that element, and even "Raw" arcane mana is only a fraction as potent as the pure might tapped by the soul to cast spells. This distilled mana is less powerful, but it is easily controlled, shaped by a beings will into a spell. Because of this a common idiom among the more spiritual of mages is that "The Lifeblood of our world is enriched by the soul, and shaped like clay by our will."

This is also why no golem, no matter how complex or intricate, can cast spells. They lack both a will to direct the mana as well as an actual soul to refine the raw power of the earth into viable "material" for spells, this is why automata that are powered by mana will eventually run out of energy, as their mana stones run on primitive "Batteries" that must be refueled. (The lifespan of said golems is variable, the size of the mana stone fueling it, as well as how frequently it is active greatly effect the "lifespan" of them.)  Even if a golem possessed a real, living soul, their bodies being cold and lifeless would render it impossible for mana to flow into their forms in the amounts required to cast a spell. They would only be able to exist as a soul in an otherwise lifeless shell. 

But the Soul itself is also a great source of magic, as it is no mere furnace that blazes to keep our forms alive. For some, the soul, or rather, aspects of it, amount to something far greater.

[Lance]

The Pactmakers

The first form of Pact making was a simple thing, a magical deal signed in blood. Blood, being unto our bodies what mana is to the world itself, is a potent channel for arcane power, especially when mingled between two beings and "sealed" with each of their own magics. The earliest Pact Makers would simply subjugate powerful sentient beasts and offer a choice, sign a pact or be slain, some would instead earn their pactmate's respect, but many opted for a show of force to "dominate" the beast in question and ensure obedience.

These Pactmakers would often keep their charges close, using the magic of their pact to call the beast to their side as an ally. These "Beast Tamers", were prototypical summoners, in essence, using magic to control and command a more powerful being or force. However, the crude methods of these Pactmakers gave Blood Pacts themselves and incredibly ugly reputation, and those who actively partook in such things were often shunner or outright attacked.

It wasn't until many centuries later, when younger, more liberally minded mages started taking to blood pacts by consent instead of domination, that the perception of it changed slightly. It is still seen as an incredibly risky, especially due to the permanence of said pact, but it is no longer seen as "black" magic.


Two Souls Become One

In time, as the study into the nature of living souls continued, new forms of magic were discovered that could be wholly linked to one's soul. The most potent, and the most controversial of these magics was a new form of  pact making: The Soul Pact.

A Soul Pact is possibly one of the most binding arrangements that a being can make, the act of undertaking one literally damages one's soul, and binds the two pacemakers together in a way that cannot ever be severed. Some even die when making these pacts, as the act of "wounding" someone's soul is incredibly traumatic to the body as well. Even when successful, stories of pactmakers going into days long comas are fearfully common.

A Soul Pact essentially functions like this: Two parties meet, often with a few compatriots who can care for them once the shock of making the pact hits. The pactmakers clasp their hands onto the other's forearm, just under the elbow, before pouring as much mana into the other as possible. This exchange of mana increases, slowly but surely, making the "flame" of their souls burn brighter and brighter until their souls literally crack (as much as a concentrated core of one's own existence can "literally" break anyways.).

The soul is now incomplete, and normally this fragment would vanish, but instead it is channeled along the flow of it's owner's mana into the other party, while at the same time the other party's soul is ferried into their opposite number. When a soul is broken, it yearns to be whole once more, and this other fragment, broken so identically to the part that is now lost, is naturally bound to the other being's soul.

This binding is the basis for a soul pact, where two people's souls literally become one hybrid, a mirror in each being.

This binding has incredible benefits, the beings now share an identical lifespan, their magics are greatly enhanced in terms of raw power (especially if both of them share the same elemental affinity.) and most of all, they are always in contact with one another, able to "feel" the other person's thoughts and communicate with them. The number of other boons is great, and only grows if the disparity in power between the two is larger, while one may not gain much, but the weaker party's might increases by leaps and bounds.

The cost of such power and gifts is high however, for the person who perishes gives up an afterlife. If one of the pact makers should die before the other of an unnatural death, their fragmented souls will instinctively try to merge once more. In the process, the souls merge together, obliterating the deceased being's consciousness while also making the recipient's power grow even further. This makes such a pact dangerous due to the fact that in the past, many people would make a pact, only for one person to murder the other to grow even stronger.

What is truly curious about the manner of soul fusion, however, is that when a person who has made a soul pact dies a natural death (such as dying of old age or disease), their soul does not try to merge with it's original piece. It instead is collected by death as normal, and though the other person who made the pact would most definitely feel the effect of their other passing, they do not seem to lose their boons.

This "exemption" leads some to believe that it is the sudden, violent end of one's life that causes the souls to act in such a way. The exact reasoning for this is not well known, as only Death itself would be able to grasp the nature of souls to such an extent, some even believe that it is Death rewarding such an act of loyalty and honor, by not abusing the pact to gain even more power. Of course, this is mere speculation, as Death would not reveal his secrets even if these theories were accurate.

These pacts are seen as the ultimate form of trust, and the only people who commonly perform such pacts are old Majin or Elementals who no longer wish to live eternally, gifting a student of loved one with their power so that they might become a "new" Majin in essence.

Thankfully, an Elemental's willing cessation of existence is not a violent affair, so if the rules of the pact only apply to violent or unwilling deaths, these tired old souls could in theory still have a chance to move on as opposed to simply vanishing.

[Lance]

Summons


Soul Pacts, while rare, serve as more than a mere method of binding two living beings together. Some Beings take the pact further, using it as a method of complete control over another being and turning them into something more than a mere pactmate. This is the art of Summoning Pacts.

Beings of the mind

Summons are a unique breed of magical phenomena, in part due to the multiple different ways of getting a similar, if not identical, result. A summon, as accepted by the wider magical scholarly community, is a complex construct made of pure mana. These constructs are arcane focuses given shape by their wielder's thoughts and feelings, casting their master's magics as if it was their own, but they are more than mere phantoms. A true summon is solid, able to interact with the world around it like any living being, some even display a lower level of intellect, ranging from mere instinct to being about on par with a very young child.

No two Summons are alike either, just as every being's mind is their own, so too is their summon. Some summons are incredibly powerful physically, being manifested by someone with a potent amount of mana, but because of this, their spells are shorter ranged despite their ferocity. Other's are frail and delicate, a real hazard to their summoner should they be hit and useless at close range...but their raw magical fury is almost unmatched in terms of range and striking power. A summon is often like it's user, who's personality shapes the "type" of Summon they control.

This connection to the user's mind is important, as some Summoners cannot handle the strain of having another mind within their own, being driven mad by the mental stress. Other people who have suffered extreme emotional trauma might have MULTIPLE summons, all the same element (or multiple in the case of an Arcane Summoner), but wildly different as a reflection of the "broken" aspects of their wielder's mind, splintered off in a destructive attempt to cope with their pain. Summons of this type are incredibly dangerous if not properly controlled, as a deeply repressed emotion can equate to a Summon with such a distinct 'personality' that it's almost as if the summon itself is taking over it's user, the raw emotional weight of their summon drowning rational thought and making them a slave to the tsunami of feelings crashing over them.

But what MAKES a summon? What makes them so unique, so rare and how exactly do they come to be? Simply put, there are many ways for a summon to be created, so there is no ONE true answer. But as of now, there are only 2 ways for a summon to be formed.


Guardian Angels and Imaginary Friends

The "organic" method of forming a Summon is ironically the most complex and least understood, due in part to summons seemingly being a random genetic or arcane fluke much like Berserkers, Majin and other "special" types of magical beings. These summoners have a gift, a naturally occurring quirk that makes them prone to developing a unique form of magic. This gift is rare, about on par with the "Berserker Gene" (where approximately 1 in every 200,000 people possess it, and even then it is recessive. Most Berserkers and summoners come from parents who do not share their condition.)

Summoners who are blessed with a naturally occurring form of their gift tend to have similar traits as their powers develop, if they are lonely, they often have very vivid images of imaginary friends, or guardian angels who watch over them and make them feel safe and cared for. Some, unfortunately, suffer from hearing phantom voices, and might be mocked or written off as mentally infirm. Others still might consistently be visited by some strange being in their dreams from an early age, these dreams are often described as comforting and soothing, as if being visited by an old friend or relative.
 
These occurrences are the Summon attempting to make contact with their wielder, a naturally born summon could be described as a second personality within one's mind, or even an aspect of one's own hidden emotions given shape. They are that "little voice" one might hear, telling them to do something during a crisis, or to act in a certain way. For most beings, this is just their subconscious or their own mind grappling with a situation as they attempt to problem solve, but for a summoner, it is more often than not an almost literal angel or devil on their shoulder.

As the Summoner grows, so to does the Summon, this growth keeps going and going until finally, the summoner hits a point where their magic is strong enough to physically manifest their Summon. A Summon, being a physical manifestation of their user's arcane capabilities, is the same elemental affinity that their wielder has, a Fire Attuned summon will be wreathed in flame and embers, a Wind summon will emanate small swirling gusts or sparks of electricity and so on. Arcane attuned Summoners with proper skill and training can make their summon appear in ANY elemental attunement, though this requires concentration to achieve.

This deep connection to it's host has a price however, "Natural" Summons, when damaged, transfer the damage to their user. This is not to say that a slash or stab wound will be magically replicated on the person controlling the summon, but the pain and damage to what is essentially a solid manifestation of the Summoner's mana damages the Soul, which causes strain on the body. If a Summon is outright dispersed or destroyed, the Summoner is usually knocked unconscious, with more extreme cases (usually an overwhelmingly powerful attack, or a spell that is the opposite elemental attunement of the summon which causes severe damage.) possibly resulting in a Coma or even death.

[Lance]

A Binding Contract

An alternative to a naturally created summon is to bind a creature's mind and soul to oneself, this method, called a "Binding Pact", is an evolution of the original Beast Tamers' blood pacts. The Pact is very similar in concept to a soul pact, with one key difference. Instead of a mutual partnership, one of the pact makers dominates the other, binding the lesser party's soul to their own.

This grants the user the ability to call upon a phantom of their "partner", taking physical shape as a mana construct formed from the element that the summoner has affinity with. These phantoms are capable of attacking with their natural abilities, such as a dragon's fire breath or fangs, but this raw power has a cost for the wielder.

When someone creates a summoning pact, much like with a normal soul pact, their soul is splintered, but the act of taking on another being's entire essence causes even more strain, weakening the body more than a normal soul pact would. This normally is not much of an issue, as very few mages commit to more than one summon, but if someone were to attempt such a feat, their bodies would be rendered feeble and frail by the strain placed on their soul. This strain also comes with a magical side effect as well, A summoner who gains their powers through a Soul pact are unable to use their magics, due to their mana being completely focused on containing their summons's essence.

Summoning pacts can also be undone, unlike Soul pacts. This releases the confined creature's essence into the world once more, to either be taken to the afterlife or to reform in the case of beings like Elementals or Wyverns. The act of releasing a Summoning pact is incredibly stressful on the user however, and there's a good possibility of the summoner dying in the process if they aren't physically fit enough to endure the ritual.

[Lance]

Deals with the Dead

The final form of magical pact is also the most taboo, a deal that binds an undead spirit to a living vessel. This pact is called a "Revenant's Pact", and those who make these pacts are sometimes even considered cursed for doing so.

Functionally, a Revenant's Pact is identical to a Soul pact, it is what happens when the pact is complete that makes it different. A spirit or ghost does not have a physical body to keep its soul contained, which is what normally keeps two people's souls from completely fusing during a soul pact, as a result, when the pact is completed, the spirit literally fuses with the living pact maker. This, surprisingly, does not result in a cessation of existence for the spirit, instead they become tethered to their living counterpart, acting as a passenger within their living body.

This allows spirits, which are normally tied to the location where they died, to wander the world and see how it has changed since their demise. It also keeps them from being reaped by death, as they are technically still tied to the mortal realm due to the pact. It is this aspect that unfortunately makes the living being involved in this deal a "cursed" individual.

The living half of the pact is not able to die, either from disease or violence or even old age, they are "Banished from Death". Some superstitious mages see this as Death themselves punishing the living pact maker, keeping them tied to the mortal plane for eternity. Others believe it is due to the nature of the undead soul involved in the pact essentially acting as "life support", keeping their living half tethered to the mortal plane while the magic of their pact heals their body.

Whatever the case may be, a Revenant pact is seen as just shy of black magic by many, and those who partake in it are often shunned by their families and communities as an abomination.

Boons of the Dead

Despite being seen as a curse, Revenants gain a great deal of power from their pact, aside from their inability to shuffle off their mortal coil. As a being that is "Half-Dead", Revenants are able to see spirits and ghosts, regardless of their mana alignment, they are even capable of "hiding" within the same layer of existence as most ghosts, rendering them invisible to mortal eyes. However, this has limitations, They are invisible, not intangible, a revenant cannot phase through matter, and if they touch someone or something it will react accordingly. The "world of the dead" also actively repels the living, and even a half-dead being is far too alive for it's tastes. Eventually, they will be forced out back into the land of the living, and if they are in a bad place when they are, they could end up facing a very unhappy foe.

A revenant is also capable of tapping into the memories or abilities of their undead pact mate, using their knowledge and skills to aid them, this can include comprehending languages, using weapons or equipment, or even a rough mental map of the area if it's familiar to the spirit that they are bound to. Some even are able to tap into the spirit's old magical prowess, provided they share the same elemental affinity.