+- Sangreal - Fantasy Roleplay (http://193.122.143.38)
+-- Forum: Lore of Sangreal (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Forum: Mythos and Faith (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Thread: The Soul (/showthread.php?tid=129)
The Soul - __denby - 05-02-2026
The Soul
~~~
An excerpt from the tome “Exci omni magica, experientia in opere Domini” scribed by Torbundus Alfonthieri, a monk exiled from the Westcontre due to his seeming madness and insanity. Often known as the ‘Mad Monk’, Torbundus’ writings on the soul and its’ manifestations are often seen as heresy and the dribble of an overly-educated drunkard.~~~
A soul, in simple terms, is the life-giving flame of a sentient organism. Everything that thinks, irregardless of species or origin, possesses a soul. It is not the creation of man, nor is it the creation of a god- but rather something that seemingly came into existence of its own volition. That spark, much like the concept of spontaneous combustion, is as ill-rumored as is the alchemical phenomenon itself. The most austere and esoteric scholars claim that they understand the mechanics behind a soul, yet they have not even so much as truly scratched the surface. The soul cannot be fully understood, whether philosophically or arithmetically- though, a basic and functional understanding can be developed by those who have dedicated themselves to such an intense path of research.
In the realm of magick, a soul is often realized as something of a power source. They can be taken, used as fuel, much like a sort of arcanic oil. They can also be fueled, which sets them apart from the more mundane concept of a flammable material. A log once burned, cannot be burned once again- nor can a spent drop of oil be granted new purpose. Nay, the soul is more akin to the tankard in which oil is drawn into a lantern wick. In this case, the wick is the body- and the flame, the effulgent concept of existence itself. The more astute would then question what may be considered the solution that fills the soul- and the most thoughtful among them would spring to head with an answer immediately. Memories. They would be right- at least somewhat. The soul is formed, grown and cultivated all upon its own via an organism’s experiences and memories. Thus, in direct correlation, the older an entity is, the more powerful the soul that it harbors. The quality of these memories and experiences also matters greatly- a cow, somehow having its poor life extended beyond the mortal coil would have an extraordinarily powerful soul- yet, containing the infinite memory of consuming grass, trotting about, and shitting profusely. It would serve as fuel, no doubt, should some magus stumble upon it and use it in a profane ritual. Yet, it would be as burning crude whalers’ oil straight from the blubber.
How would a soul acquire quality, then? If we understand already that the memories and experiences of a being directly contribute to the volume of its’ soul, then how can the quality of that volume be increased? Consider- the memory and experience of a pointless existence, versus the memory and experience of a short-lived goblin, doing what a goblin does- pillaging, raping, stealing and drinking. In the case of the stated example, the immortal bovine and her fleeting rambunctious counterpart would be incomparable in the size of their soul. The goblin would no doubt have a tiny flame within himself- however, his flame would burn as bright as the sun, while the bovine would have little more than an enormous and faded lump of cinder. Thus, the correlation is established. The length of time that a soul has existed directly contributes to the soul’s size, and the activity experienced by that soul directly contributes to the soul’s ‘temperature.’
If souls are understood as fuel then, it is well understood that they can be sought after- or used, in some manner. This statement is more than true. Creatures of the supernatural or paranormal ilk seek them, in such that they consume them. Beings such as Mumblers are a prime example, utilizing souls to feed their pathetic existence. They themselves had a soul once, and that soul’s power in death allowed them to continue onwards as some shadow of their original selves. Of especial note in the terms of souls, is the price that demonic entities will pay for them- a sort of exchange process. Some morons elect to use this desirable quality for bargaining. Power, in exchange for their soul- a life of another, in exchange for the soul of some unsuspecting third party. The mortal races do not understand value however, and often understate or overstate it vastly. Know this, my fickle reader; a demon will always get the upper hand in the deal. You are not smarter, no matter how highly you hold yourself.
Those heretics that call themselves magus often use their own soul to power their arcanic rituals, whether philanthropic or pointlessly aggressive. It is unlikely that these ‘rituals’ even work, no doubt- however, throughout my studies, I have determined that those who can make claim to be soothsayers of the ilk whom fuel their spellweaving via the ‘soul’ are those who tend to be utter hedonists. Allegedly, dire situations, horrifying orgies and destructive bar fighting leads to more powerful spells from the magus. It is for this reason I ascertain that some witchery cults perform nude in the forest, drunk upon wine and liquers.
Regardless of your belief however, experience and age directly correlate to the power of the ethereal soul. It is even possible for ancient objects to attain some form of pseudo-soul manifestations. Such is likely the source of what some mechanists refer to as ‘machine sprites’, or phenomenon where constructs such as ships and suits of armor behave in manners unfitting for an object that does not bear life.
OOC Mechanics:
- Every sentient being possesses a soul.
- The ‘volume’ of a soul is directly related to the age of the being.
- The ‘temperature’ of a soul is directly related to the extreme experiences of the being.
- Souls may be used as ‘fuel’ for rituals.
- Souls may be used as bargaining chips with supernatural entities.
- An individual who experiences incredibly heartwarming or incredibly terrifying emotional experiences may spontaneously acquire magical acuity.
- Creations may accrue some form of ‘soul’ over extended periods of time.