🌀💜Spell School: Animancy💜🌀

In Athana, magic has long been a cornerstone of power, mystery, and adventure - originally at it’s conception many years ago, Athana was based on the standard 5e systems, lore and rules, it’s only over the years of play that the world, universe and lore has changed and been added to by the DM and players alike. With the world always being separate as a fantasy setting and only taking inspiration from 5e, it’s always felt more ready to change and adapt. One of these being the 9th school of magic - Animancy. This enigmatic and potent school of magic delves deep into the essence of life itself, manipulating the very soul or anima of beings. It represents a paradigm shift in magical theory, challenging the boundaries of the traditional eight schools of magic in D&D 5e.

Not just a set of new spells or arcane practices, Animancy is a philosophical and ethical exploration into the soul's mysteries. This new school of magic invites adventurers and scholars alike to ponder the deeper questions of existence and the ethical ramifications of wielding such profound power. It opens up new narrative possibilities and complex moral choices, adding layers of depth to the storytelling and world-building in your campaigns. In our current campaign, set 400 years after the Second War, now in the year 416 - Animancy has been discovered but is not widely used or accepted, however by the year 800 and the start of our next campaign in the Daragaard setting, Animancy has been widely adopted in Athana.

The Origin of Animancy

It is the tragic story of Lisette Gisheen, a half-elf scholar from the city Cleone in Lympstar that serves as the creation of Animancy. Lisette's world shattered during the Calamity - the destruction of the Corestone of Earth - a disaster of unimaginable scale, claiming the lives of her beloved husband and two sons, as while she had remained behind in Cleone to carry on her studies, her family had gone to Wigia to visit family and thus had been in the epicentre of the destruction. Overwhelmed by a pit of grief and survivor's guilt, she embarked on a perilous journey of self-imposed isolation and obsessive arcane research. She had always been a fantastic wizard and scholar, though she had tapped into studies such as travel using the mirror plane, and magic involving the soul such as the creation of the warforged, she had never unleashed her full potential.

Her experiments, driven by a desperate desire to numb her overwhelming emotions, led to a groundbreaking discovery. By severing her soul from her physical form and containing it within a soulstone, Lisette found she could manipulate her emotional state. Proximity to the soulstone influenced her feelings, ranging from vivid emotional experiences to a detached, unfeeling existence. This manipulation of the soul marked the birth of Animancy – a magic that transcends the physical realm to touch the ethereal essence of life.

The Mechanics of Animancy

At its core, Animancy is about the manipulation and transformation of the soul. Unlike traditional schools of magic that focus on external elements, Animancy turns inward, tapping into the innermost essence of beings. This school allows practitioners to harness, modify, and transfer soul energy, offering an array of possibilities from healing and protection to manipulation and destruction.

Animancy spells often require complex rituals, deep understanding of the soul's nature, and a willingness to tread into uncharted moral territories. These spells can range from subtle manipulations, like altering one's emotional state or perceptions, to grand feats such as transferring consciousness between bodies or unleashing devastating attacks aimed at the soul itself.

Soul Rip - 8th Level Animancy Spell

Adaptability of Animancy

In recognizing the diverse preferences of players and Dungeon Masters, Animancy is designed to be a flexible addition to any campaign. For those hesitant to fully integrate a new school of magic, each Animancy spell has been carefully aligned with an existing school. This dual categorization allows for seamless integration into traditional D&D 5e mechanics while preserving the unique flavor and possibilities offered by Animancy.

This approach ensures that Animancy can enrich your campaigns without disrupting established magical systems. It offers a fresh perspective and new tools for storytelling, while respecting the foundational elements of the game. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer to the world of tabletop RPGs, Animancy provides an exciting, thought-provoking expansion to the magical repertoire of Athana.

Example Spells (More to Come + More Detail)

Anima Armour (1st Level / Abjuration) - Creates a skin tight animantic shell around the caster providing a +2 to AC and resitance to psychic damage for the duration.

Minor Nova (3rd Level / Evocation) - Target a creature within range and unleash a blast of soul energy in a radius around the target, dealing damage to both the target and those surrounding them.

Soul Aegis (3rd Level / Abjuration) - Creates an animantic shield around the caster for the 1 minute duration when holding concentration. The bubble increases AC by +2, grants attackers disadvantage on targetted ranged attacks and can be used up to automatically save on a DEX saving throw,

Soul Rip (8th Level / Necromancy) - You physically grab a creature and attempt to forcefully wrestle the soul of a creature from it's body. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. If a target is reduced to 0 hit points by this spell their soul is wrestled from their body and stored, if the target's body is not destroyed, they will become a Hollow One. 

Soulfire (9th Level / Evocation) - You draw in as much soul and life force energy as you can from every living creature, friend or foe, within a 30ft radius, and then unleash that power in a ravenous beam of pure Soulfire targeting the soul of one creature within 120ft. If a target is reduced to 0 hit points by this damage, its soul is overwhelmed and utterly destroyed. A creature killed in this manner may only be resurrected via the Wish spell.

Members can access the D&D Beyond links to integrate the upcoming spells seamlessly into their digital gameplay by subscribing to the Founder's Circle. For those already at Founder's Tier - we'll be releasing specific posts and filling out the animancy spell book (and their basic spell school alternative) in the upcoming near future - starting tomorrow!

- Have fun ripping up those souls! Euphoria