Patreon Insights: Magic Part 4 - Soulforging

To end off this first week of Patreon Insights we'll be looking into Soulforging and what makes it both special and a rarity. However, before we start, I will point out that this is a system that is not referenced in any real way through the course of the preview so some of you may consider this to be too much of a spoiler. If that is the case, I recommend putting this to the side for now and coming back when you are ready.

Now without further ado, let's get started. As with all the sub-systems we've discussed so far, Soulforging is dependent on Resonance. This is because a Soulforged object is a physical object that holds the soul of an individual that had a strong bond with the item or it's intended purpose. I'm sure you can see already how this is a major contributing factor into why Soulforging is not the norm. Alas, it only tells you what a Soulforged object is, and not how it happens or why someone would do it. For that, we need to dive deeper.

So, first things first; why? Well there are few answers to this question, but it mostly comes down to the individual wanting to leave their mark on the world. This is by far the most common reason with a desire to protect or unfinished business coming in just behind. It's no surprise that these are the dominant reasons compared to say, just wanting to make something better as their is another aspect of Soulforging that requires true conviction. 

When people die, they pass on to the divine realm where they can be reunited with their loved ones. Those that become part of a Soulforged object cannot pass on; their chance at an afterlife at that point is all but zero. Furthermore, this was discovered to be the case long before the first Soulforging. With this in mind, I'm sure you can all see how much of a sacrifice it is. It also helps that greater conviction is an indicator for stronger Resonance in regards to Soulforging.

Still, there have been attempts to produce Soulforged items at scale. The Ru'eni empire in particular has tried a few times, but there have been no successful attempts recorded. If this is due to it being impossible or because of military secrecy, however, is a mystery. What I can say though, is that it would only get a couple at most, and even then it wouldn't be something you could repeat and any properties received by the items as a result of the process would likely be below par compared to more authentic examples.

With that said, you may be wondering what properties you might see on a Soulforged item. I won't go into specifics, but I will cover what goes into determining them. First off, we need to consider what the item is. This is because the item's function is typically enhanced in one way or another. The second factor comes from the individual and what they were like in life as well as their purpose for becoming Soulforged. I will also add that how the person is perceived as well as anything they are publicly known for are very important when it comes to this factor as those ideas a more prevalent in the shared zeitgeist. The third factor lies in the connection that the individual has to the item, which refines the list of potential properties to be more in line with said connection.

If we look at the three factors side by side, the second is most likely to result in more esoteric properties whereas the first tends to be more vanilla and the third is a more focused mix of the two. Granted, these factors are only super important for the more item specific properties. There are also a few properties that we see pretty much universally. The big one here is that the presence of a soul makes Soulforged objects very resistant to permanent damage. This is achieved in one of two ways. Either the item is capable of repairing itself, or it's nigh indestructible. Soulforged items are also just universally better at performing their intended function. You then have a few with more specific enhancements in this regard which is where the first factor comes in to play. Lastly, Soulforged objects can restrict their abilities if they feel as though someone unworthy is trying to use them.

Now, as I come to the end of this insight, you will notice that I've been avoiding specific examples. This is because Soulforging will play a fairly important role throughout the story and I feel like the specifics should be explored alongside Rowan in the narrative as a lot of it will be new to her. With that said, I shall bring this insight to its end as I apologise for it being late. My health conspired against me and now I'm conspiring to make it less likely to happen again. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this first week of insights and I look forward to what the next week will bring.