Enchantment
"My ears are still ringing from the blast, that spear Aarin picked up in Elghath Tower, when he struck that Orc bandit that rushed us from the woods across the chest with it... a bolt of lightning shot of the blade out and blew em' both apart! Gods he weren't even thirty yet, poor lad, that was a bad way to go..." -Interrogation of Erd Stonepalm, Dwarf Hunter.
Enchantment is the school of magick rooted in influence. It bends the will, softens the mind, sharpens a blade’s edge, and plants suggestions like seeds in the soil of the soul. Among the schools of The Arcane, it is the most subtle and perhaps the most terrifying. Where Evocation scorches flesh and Divination reveals fate, Enchantment alters perception itself, redefining reality one thought, feeling, or sensation at a time. To enchant is not to dominate, but to nudge. A proper enchanter doesn’t force a man to hand over his purse, they simply make him want to. They don’t scream their presence across the battlefield, they whisper into steel until it sings with purpose. Enchantment's true danger lies in how easy it is to miss. You do not feel a chain when it's been made of your own thoughts. Theory and Dissonance:
The Arcane flows not only through matter, but through mind. Thoughts are currents, intentions are frequencies, and the soul is a resonance chamber. Enchanters study how to tune their magick to these hidden harmonics, altering the way people think, feel, or behave. Unlike Illusion, which tricks the senses, Enchantment manipulates the source of sense: the mind. This means its spells linger. An illusion fades once you blink; a well-cast enchantment might last for weeks, years, or a lifetime, if never discovered. However, the deeper an enchanter reaches into the psyche, the more their own identity frays. Advanced Enchanters have been known to suffer from Resonance Collapse, a form of Magebane where the caster begins to reflect the emotions of those they’ve controlled, empathic confusion, fractured memory, or in severe cases, loss of agency. Enchantment’s dual nature, object and mind, utility and violation, makes it one of the most controversial forms of magick. Its limits are legal, not natural. Applications and Manifestations:
A rural enchantment still used in border villages, this charm involves braiding hair and silver wire into a ring and whispering a vow into it. Once gifted to another, the ring subtly wards off infidelity by triggering guilt whenever betrayal is attempted. While crude, it reflects Enchantment’s oldest principle: the belief that words, when believed, are the most powerful spells of all. Historical Legacy:
Enchantment's early practitioners were scorned as manipulative or deceitful, often mistaken for cultists or charlatans. However, its value became undeniable during the War of Silences, when entire enemy units surrendered without a blade being drawn, enchanted into peace by a cabal of Scholar’s Guild seers. The most legendary Enchanter in recorded history is Calthea Sunmoor, whose enchanted declarations ended a civil war without bloodshed by compelling six rival nobles to marry into a single house. Some scholars argue this was strategic seduction, not spellwork. Regardless, the royal line that followed bore her name for three generations. In more recent times, the Arcane Coalition imposed restrictions on mind-altering enchantments following the Sigh Trials, a series of legal hearings where three different murderers claimed they were compelled by suggestion. Whether the spells ever existed remains debated, but their aftermath shaped policy. Controversy and Restrictions:
Enchantment is often considered the most morally gray of the schools. Its applications blur the line between influence and violation. In most districts, spells that compel violence or override free will are banned entirely, punishable by exile or arc-severance. Coalition law distinguishes between soft and hard influence. Soft enchantments (mood enhancement, encouragement, emotional tuning) are often legal. Hard enchantments (command, memory editing, total control) are forbidden unless authorized by three Coalition wardens and overseen by a Justiciar. The Scholar's Guild allows minor enchantments within research settings but requires consent clauses for any study involving mental alteration. The Knights of All-Faith regard Enchantment as heretical when used to override one’s moral compass, especially among priests or paladins. Black Enchantment, a corrupted branch rumored to still be practiced in forgotten parts of the Scholar’s Guild or ruins beneath the Capital, is said to permanently bind souls to objects, enslaving the will entirely. Cultural Presence:
In common settlements, Enchantment is distrusted. Farm folk keep protective charms sewn into their hats to resist “false friendliness.” Traveling Enchanters must carry a Coalition seal of ethics if they wish to practice openly. In Opulence, however, enchanted jewelry, perfumes, and charm-tonics are seen as fashionable, even desirable. Among nobles, enchanted contracts and loyalty bonds are political tools. The phrase “signed in silver” refers to contracts bound with mental suggestions, legal, but often coercive. Some nobles refuse to speak openly in court without a personal Mind-Screener, trained to detect subtle enchantments. Enchanters also flourish in entertainment. Performers, chefs, poets, and escorts often use minor mood charms to heighten experience. While technically allowed, they must be disclosed. A bard caught enchanting their applause risks a permanent ban from Guild stages.
Adverse Effect - Phantom Boon Syndrome:
Among seasoned enchanters, there exists a rare affliction known as Phantom Boon Syndrome, a form of delayed Magebane caused not by the intensity of enchantment, but by its sudden absence. It occurs when the caster repeatedly imbues a subject or object with empowering magick over long periods, such as strength-enhancing charms, courage-woven talismans, or glamours of emotional clarity. Over time, the body, mind, or soul of the recipient adapts to this augmented state, reshaping itself around the new normal. When the enchantment fades, whether due to dispelling, severance, or simply the caster moving on, the subject does not return to their old self. Instead, they experience a deep sense of loss, sometimes described as being "abandoned by their own blood." Symptoms vary: muscle spasms where strength once surged, anxiety where calm once prevailed, or a hollow yearning for the missing magick, as if the spell had become a limb now torn away. This syndrome can affect both the enchanted and the enchanter. Casters who repeatedly bind themselves to objects or people through emotionally attuned enchantments may develop phantom habits or compulsions. A sword they no longer wield might leave their arm sore at dawn, or a charm once carried by a lover may haunt their dreams like a ghost repeating forgotten phrases. The Arcane Coalition treats Phantom Boon as a cautionary tale against over-reliance on personal enchantments, particularly those cast without strict intent. But within the Scholar’s Guild, it is quietly studied as proof of how deeply enchantment fuses will, body, and magick, so deeply that, even when severed, something within still yearns to return to that state of altered truth.
Enchantment is the school of magick rooted in influence. It bends the will, softens the mind, sharpens a blade’s edge, and plants suggestions like seeds in the soil of the soul. Among the schools of The Arcane, it is the most subtle and perhaps the most terrifying. Where Evocation scorches flesh and Divination reveals fate, Enchantment alters perception itself, redefining reality one thought, feeling, or sensation at a time. To enchant is not to dominate, but to nudge. A proper enchanter doesn’t force a man to hand over his purse, they simply make him want to. They don’t scream their presence across the battlefield, they whisper into steel until it sings with purpose. Enchantment's true danger lies in how easy it is to miss. You do not feel a chain when it's been made of your own thoughts. Theory and Dissonance:
The Arcane flows not only through matter, but through mind. Thoughts are currents, intentions are frequencies, and the soul is a resonance chamber. Enchanters study how to tune their magick to these hidden harmonics, altering the way people think, feel, or behave. Unlike Illusion, which tricks the senses, Enchantment manipulates the source of sense: the mind. This means its spells linger. An illusion fades once you blink; a well-cast enchantment might last for weeks, years, or a lifetime, if never discovered. However, the deeper an enchanter reaches into the psyche, the more their own identity frays. Advanced Enchanters have been known to suffer from Resonance Collapse, a form of Magebane where the caster begins to reflect the emotions of those they’ve controlled, empathic confusion, fractured memory, or in severe cases, loss of agency. Enchantment’s dual nature, object and mind, utility and violation, makes it one of the most controversial forms of magick. Its limits are legal, not natural. Applications and Manifestations:
- Charm & Suggestion - The bread and butter of the Enchanter. Causes subtle shifts in emotion or behavior, usually to influence decisions or bypass suspicion. Duration and strength depend on familiarity and proximity.
- Binding Oaths - Ritual enchantments placed upon spoken promises or contracts. Enforced by magickal feedback should the oath be broken. Popular among nobles, pirates, and Pact-Wardens.
- Mindward Tools - Weapons or objects that respond only to their creator. Can resist theft, enforce loyalty, or grant limited autonomous action.
- Emotion Infusion - Used by artists and bards. Instruments or artworks can be imbued with specific feelings, triggering joy, sorrow, or terror when observed.
- Arcane Anchoring - Stabilizing enchantments that allow other spells to persist longer or act autonomously. Essential in complex rituals, walking statues, or magical traps.
A rural enchantment still used in border villages, this charm involves braiding hair and silver wire into a ring and whispering a vow into it. Once gifted to another, the ring subtly wards off infidelity by triggering guilt whenever betrayal is attempted. While crude, it reflects Enchantment’s oldest principle: the belief that words, when believed, are the most powerful spells of all. Historical Legacy:
Enchantment's early practitioners were scorned as manipulative or deceitful, often mistaken for cultists or charlatans. However, its value became undeniable during the War of Silences, when entire enemy units surrendered without a blade being drawn, enchanted into peace by a cabal of Scholar’s Guild seers. The most legendary Enchanter in recorded history is Calthea Sunmoor, whose enchanted declarations ended a civil war without bloodshed by compelling six rival nobles to marry into a single house. Some scholars argue this was strategic seduction, not spellwork. Regardless, the royal line that followed bore her name for three generations. In more recent times, the Arcane Coalition imposed restrictions on mind-altering enchantments following the Sigh Trials, a series of legal hearings where three different murderers claimed they were compelled by suggestion. Whether the spells ever existed remains debated, but their aftermath shaped policy. Controversy and Restrictions:
Enchantment is often considered the most morally gray of the schools. Its applications blur the line between influence and violation. In most districts, spells that compel violence or override free will are banned entirely, punishable by exile or arc-severance. Coalition law distinguishes between soft and hard influence. Soft enchantments (mood enhancement, encouragement, emotional tuning) are often legal. Hard enchantments (command, memory editing, total control) are forbidden unless authorized by three Coalition wardens and overseen by a Justiciar. The Scholar's Guild allows minor enchantments within research settings but requires consent clauses for any study involving mental alteration. The Knights of All-Faith regard Enchantment as heretical when used to override one’s moral compass, especially among priests or paladins. Black Enchantment, a corrupted branch rumored to still be practiced in forgotten parts of the Scholar’s Guild or ruins beneath the Capital, is said to permanently bind souls to objects, enslaving the will entirely. Cultural Presence:
In common settlements, Enchantment is distrusted. Farm folk keep protective charms sewn into their hats to resist “false friendliness.” Traveling Enchanters must carry a Coalition seal of ethics if they wish to practice openly. In Opulence, however, enchanted jewelry, perfumes, and charm-tonics are seen as fashionable, even desirable. Among nobles, enchanted contracts and loyalty bonds are political tools. The phrase “signed in silver” refers to contracts bound with mental suggestions, legal, but often coercive. Some nobles refuse to speak openly in court without a personal Mind-Screener, trained to detect subtle enchantments. Enchanters also flourish in entertainment. Performers, chefs, poets, and escorts often use minor mood charms to heighten experience. While technically allowed, they must be disclosed. A bard caught enchanting their applause risks a permanent ban from Guild stages.
Adverse Effect - Phantom Boon Syndrome:
Among seasoned enchanters, there exists a rare affliction known as Phantom Boon Syndrome, a form of delayed Magebane caused not by the intensity of enchantment, but by its sudden absence. It occurs when the caster repeatedly imbues a subject or object with empowering magick over long periods, such as strength-enhancing charms, courage-woven talismans, or glamours of emotional clarity. Over time, the body, mind, or soul of the recipient adapts to this augmented state, reshaping itself around the new normal. When the enchantment fades, whether due to dispelling, severance, or simply the caster moving on, the subject does not return to their old self. Instead, they experience a deep sense of loss, sometimes described as being "abandoned by their own blood." Symptoms vary: muscle spasms where strength once surged, anxiety where calm once prevailed, or a hollow yearning for the missing magick, as if the spell had become a limb now torn away. This syndrome can affect both the enchanted and the enchanter. Casters who repeatedly bind themselves to objects or people through emotionally attuned enchantments may develop phantom habits or compulsions. A sword they no longer wield might leave their arm sore at dawn, or a charm once carried by a lover may haunt their dreams like a ghost repeating forgotten phrases. The Arcane Coalition treats Phantom Boon as a cautionary tale against over-reliance on personal enchantments, particularly those cast without strict intent. But within the Scholar’s Guild, it is quietly studied as proof of how deeply enchantment fuses will, body, and magick, so deeply that, even when severed, something within still yearns to return to that state of altered truth.
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