[✗] [Feat] Arcanic Contracts: Art of the Erudite

[TreeSmoothie 4903]

To LTs:

Spoiler

Read Before Reviewing!

Hello!

Before reviewing this piece, please keep this in mind: I’m aware prior iterations of Contract Magick in the 2011’s-13’s included very loosely redlined spells that allowed for very out-of-proportion punishments (like death) or sex-pesty contracts to exist. This write aimed to erase even the possibility of these (with a custom system for Repercussions, and no/little combative use to any of the abilities), alongside provide clear redlines to prevent abuse & powergaming that’s happened in the past.

 

 

♪♫♪♫♩♩

 

Arcanic Contracts

Subservience. 

Fealty.

Fear.

Great dictators and unchained tyrants have always used brute force and threats of violence to gain power, bathed in blood and lined in scars. But what of the Magi: the academically gifted, who hold no such strength? 

 

Manipulation.

Subterfuge.

Lies.

These are the ways of the magi: the scholarly but weak. To not crush your foes out in the open with blade and hammer, but to bind them in metaphorical chains and shackles – to line a contract with hidden terms and cripple them until they gave way. That is the art of the erudite.

 

In centuries yore, ‘Contract Magick’ was a great and powerful thing, though as the descendants evolved alongside their magicks, it was lost to time - practised less and less ‘til it fell into oblivion. Yet as ancient entities returned in the Second Age to prey upon Descendantkind for their worship, and bygone arts from centuries past were refound, magi became more and more greedy to learn. Unearthed by the self-seeking, swindler businessmen and the conceited entrepreneurs of the mage-state Lurin, Contract Magick was birthed anew in a lesser form - one twisted by its new age practitioners and riddled with dark influence.

 

 

Explanation ✦

 Arcanic Contracts is a magickal feat that creates contracts between caster and castee. These can range as small as meagre Promises to Okar Contracts: grand, elaborate pacts that require great levels of trust and dedication to the arts. Alongside this, Arcanic Contracts can be used in tandem with other magics influence to affect certain contracts or a Contract’s repercussions, which are often almost entirely aesthetic or minor.

 

This feat requires some semblance of regular Mana to leech from its caster, alongside a soul in the later tiers – whether it be void-tainted, blackened, et Cetera so long as it is there. For lesser Contracts: Promises, Petty Contracts, do not require the one being given a Contract to have a soul. However, greater Contracts: Okar Contracts, Greater Contracts, require the Contract-ee to have some semblance of a soul (including Lesser beastmen souls such as Wonks).

 

Arcanic Contracts is a Misc. Magic Feat, though due to its dark-oriented nature, cannot be used by Holy Diefic magicks that would normally disallow a regular Dark magick (and, because the nature of the feat is more or less a holymage's antithesis). Creatures with a Lesser or Greater Soul (regardless if it is blackened, tainted, etc) and an appropriate mana source can use this feat: meaning, creatures that have converted their Mana entirely into other sources (Azdrazi with Dragonsflame, Wights with Ectoplasm, Zar’akal with Malflame, etc) cannot use this feat. Creatures without a soul (i.e. Atronachs) can use this feat until Tier 2, so long as they somehow have a mana source. CA Inferi [that are not Naztheraks] may self-teach this feat, starting at T2. However, if it is self-taught, it will be unable to be taught to others.

TLDR:

🟆- Arcanic Contracts is a Misc Magic feat and can be used by anyone with a large enough mana source. To access Tier 3 & a TA in it, however, they must have a Lesser, Greater, or Infernal soul.

 

🟆- In order to learn Arcanic Contracts, one must already have magick beforehand – any kind works, so long as it allows the persona to already be able to access their mana (this includes Housemagery, Bardmancy, Voidal magicks, dark magicks, etc). A unique exception to this are Naztherak & Inferi, which may use remnant mana (in the case of Naz) or Maleus (in the case of Inferi) due to their deal-oriented existence. 

 

🟆- CA Inferi [that are not Naztheraks] may self-teach this feat, starting at T2. However, if it is self-taught, it will be unable to be taught to others.

 

🟆- Any persona with Holy/Holy-Oriented Deific Magick may not obtain the feat, but may be given contracts by another Feat user.

 

🟆- Though Shamans pacted with holy-oriented spirits like Scorthuz can pick up the feat, they’d noticeably lose the favour of that spirit (unable to utilise their pacts in spells/creations/etc) and find themselves having a tougher time getting certain Good aligned spirits to like them – whilst other Taboo & Dark-Oriented spirits would welcome them in a friendlier manner than usual.

 

🟆- Personas with CAs/MAs/FAs that completely rid the character of their Mana (such as Wights, Azdrazi, Darkstalkers, etc)  cannot use this feat. Characters without a Soul (such as Atronachs) may only access up to Tier 2, and cannot make Potent/Okar Contracts except through MArts: this should be noted on their FA.

 

🟆- There are two types of Repercussions. Each ability will list which it uses, and how many. Lesser Repercussions are silly, fun, and mostly aesthetic or annoying punishments, used by the bulk of the Feat’s abilities: whilst Greater Repercussions are harder hitting but still mainly aesthetic. Any punishments that are harsh typically require OOC consent.

The Contractor ✦

 

Personality

Typically, magi who pick up the practice of forging Arcanic Contracts already are greedy – but regardless, upon progressing through the magick’s three tiers, one very rapidly becomes more conniving and mean-spirited. They will often find themselves looking for loopholes in things that wouldn’t normally need loopholes – find ways to scam folk, including children and the needy, out of their belongings at any cost – et cetera. This isn’t to say, however, that there can’t be a good samaritan in the bunch, but it’s like trying to find a lawyer that isn’t evil or a businessman that won’t swindle.

Tiers

Tier 1 – The Contractor has just begun their journey. After being given the feat, Promises automatically activate. They do not know any other spells and must focus on being able to channel mana and summon their ledger, first. Lasts 2 weeks from FA Acceptance.

 

Tier 2 – This is the maximum tier for characters without souls. The Contractor can now be taught Petty & Potent Contracts (or, only Petty if the character lacks a soul). Lasts 3 weeks from end of Tier 1 (5 total weeks).

 

Tier 3 – This is the maximum tier for characters with souls. The Contractor can now be taught Okar & Life Contracts. Lasts 4 weeks from end of Tier 2 (9 total weeks).

 

A Contractor’s Greed

An inhibitor placed on the students of this magick’s founder – Contractors have 3 slots for students, in which each FA put on their TA will take up. They continue to take up these slots until the character either drops Arcanic Contracts or dies.

[Should a player go inactive for long periods of time, shelve the character for long periods of time, etc, the player can attempt to petition ST to remove the character from their 3 slots. This should be case-to-case; the feat is not meant to be wide-spread, but it should not be on the verge of extinction.]

 

 The Contracts ✦

Contracts are stored in any kind of tome, booklet, magazine, stack of cards, etc./anything that can store an image and writing in/on it. This can look however the Contractor would like, as mundane or magical as they’d like, but will generally have one to two pages maximum per Contract describing the terms of the contract, the other person it’s bound to, and any misc information (such as a timeframe). This can be represented by anything as long as it can somehow link to the feat app that will store its contracts (either in a book’s pages, or in the description itself) Link shorteners (like bit.ly) are very useful for this.  

 

To have it added to the Contractor's feat application, they must SREQ with the following: (Pact Type) (Username of Pactee) (Description, including the Rules, Timeframe [if there is one], etc). A proper example of this is: /sreq Petty Contract with billybob420 ('Billy Bob'). Pact requires Billy to never, ever sell his horrible potatoes ever. DM my discord, @potatoehater for more info. https//:featapphere.com 

 

 

The Contractor may summon their Contract ledger in 1 emote in order to read from it or look at it, and de-manifest it in 1 emote as well. If the Contractor does not have it within 6 metres (2 blocks) of them, however, it cannot be de-manifested.

 

The making of contracts varies from contract to contract, and destroying the page(s)/cards/etc they’re on will give both parties the amount of punishments the type of contract it was required (i.e. 1d3 for Petty) as though they had both violated its terms. This is the only way to get out of a Contract unless you break one of its terms.

 

Redlines:

Spoiler

- The Contract Ledgers can look any way aesthetically, be it tarot cards, a magazine, a regular book, etc. 

- The Feat User must SREQ to have an ST comment the following; [Pact type] [Username of pactee] [Description provided by the Contractor in sreq, including specific rules, a timeframe if there is one, etc]

- Destroying the pages/cards/etc the contract is stored on (a maximum of 2) will render the contract broken by both parties.

- A ledger cannot be used combatively  (i.e. to bludgeon someone with, dropping it on someone’s head, throwing it, etc). Should it try to be used in this way, it would go through the person like a hologram and poof.

- After a Contract is made, it appears in the ledger. Individual contracts (except Okar Contracts) do not need ST signatures.

- Unless mechanically soulbound, they can be stolen should they not be de-manifested.  However, within an irp month, the leder will magickally return.

- The item for the Ledger must be ST signed after their Feat is accepted.

General Mechanics

- Contracts may not be done in active combat (with the exception of Promises), as they are meticulous processes that involve lots of thinking and writing.

- Contracts must be agreed upon OOCly, but don’t necessarily need consent IRP with the exception of Okar Contracts.

- Contracts can be as plain or wordy as the Contractor would like, but must be as plain and ‘this will happen if x’, ‘this would happen if contract breaks’, etc as possible OOC. Hiding terms of consequences and rules of the contract OOC will result in the rp being voided, and the possibility of the feat user being blacklisted from Arcanic Contracts.

- Contracts & Punishments , on no grounds, can be used for Romance, Suggestive, Sexual, or generally Weird roleplay. Discovery of contracts used for these purposes will render the user blacklisted from this feat.

 

Spell TLDRs

- [Lesser] Promise (Tier 1): Flavorful cantrip that binds only the Contractor to any vow/promise they make; a drawback more than a spell.

- [Lesser] Petty Contract (Tier 2): Contract that binds either side that breaks it to 1d3 Lesser Punishments.

- [Greater] Potent Contract (Tier 2): Contract that utilises 1d20 (or 2d20, if Tier 3) ‘Enforcements’ rather than Punishments. 

- [Greater] Okar Contract (Tier 3): A contract that binds the Contractor with someone they need to monitor or have a bond with (familial, friendship, etc).

 

[Lesser] Promise - T1

A Promise is simple, but meaningful mostly to the caster than the castee. Promises can range from anything simple as, “I promise I’ll pay you back tomorrow if you loan me ten mina!” to “I promise I’ll give my life for you”. Promises are often accidentally activated and thus Arcanic Contractors avoid saying ‘promise’ as much as they can – akin to how one wouldn’t want to say ‘wish’ around a genie to avoid wasting wishes. 

 

Mechanics:

- By including the words ‘I Promise’ (or its synonyms: vow, swear, etc) in a sentence, the Contractor binds themselves to a lesser contract with the individual they’re speaking to, purposefully or on accident. 

- The format of a Promise is as follows (* denotes optional): ‘I promise to action *by time*’. Adding a time period to the promise makes it more strict and difficult to follow through with.

- After creating a Promise, a string of mana will visibly form between the two, tied to either’s pinky or wrist. This can look however the Contractor would like: a misty vine, a strand of fire that doesn’t burn, tendrils of lifeforce, etc depending on what other magicks they have. Or, it can just look like mana. The string disappears a moment later, and reappears when the promise is mentioned by either party, fulfilled, or broken.

 

Should the promise go unfulfilled within the stated time period or broken, the Contractor will face 1 Lesser Punishment.

 

Redlines:

Spoiler

- This spell is passive and activates any time a persona with Arcanic Contracts verbally states or writes a sentence with ‘I promise’ in it. This includes synonyms: ‘I swear’, ‘I vow’, etc.

- The string’s appearance is completely aesthetic and depends on what other magick(s) the user has. If they have Necromancy but not Earth Evocation, they cannot make their string look as though it were encrusted in earth, and vice versa. Any flames are aesthetic and cannot burn, water isn’t boiling, lifeforce cannot be sapped, blood has no genus/use, etc.

- Any promise that is forced out via violent/painful means (such as through torture) does not become solidified as a Contracted Promise.

 

[Lesser] Petty Contract - T2

What most think of when they think, ‘magickal contracts’ - the bread and butter of their craft.

 

Mechanics:

- Up to 3 Petty Contracts can be held by a Contractor at a time at Tier 2, or 5 at Tier 3.

 

- In order to create a base for the contract, the Contractor must take a sheet of dried animal-skin and spend 2 emotes infusing it with their mana.

- After the flesh is infused, they must take a jar of Liquid Mana and begin writing the terms and conditions of the contract.

- After the writing is finished, the two individuals who are a part of the contract must sign their names at the bottom of the contract. The following seal will appear on the paper, flowing faintly to denote its existence as a Petty Contract:

 

Should the promise go unfulfilled within the stated time period or broken by either party, the party which broke it/was supposed to fulfil their end of the contract will face 1d3 Lesser Punishments. If both parties don’t fulfil their end/break it or the Contract’s pages are destroyed, they both face 1d3 Lesser Punishments.

 

Redlines:

Spoiler

- A Petty Contract cannot be made whilst in combat.

- Follows all General Mechanics & Contract Redlines.

- This ritual is freeform but requires a base emote count of 4.

 

[Greater] Potent Contract - T2

A greater version of Petty Contracts, which take more mana and can be replicated less as a cost of its unique capabilities. 

 

Mechanics:

- Up to 1 Potent Contracts can be held by a Contractor at a time at Tier 2, or 3 at Tier 3.

- In order to create a base for the contract, the Contractor must take a sheet of dried animal flesh and spend 3 emotes of infusing it with their mana.

- After the flesh is infused, they must take a jar of Liquid Mana and begin writing the terms and conditions of the contract.

- After the writing is finished, the two individuals who are a part of the contract must sign their names  at the bottom of the contract. A faint, glowing seal will appear on the page to denote it as a Potent contract:

 

Rather than Punishments for breaking a Potent Contract, there are Enforcements. After creating the Contract, roll a 1d20 (if Tier 2) or 2d10 (if Tier 3) to determine which Enforcements are used. If there are duplicates, re-roll. Should the Contract be broken/unfufilled or the Contract’s pages are destroyed, either party will only face 1 Lesser Punishment (with one exception: see Inflict Punishment below).

____

EnforcementsL

 

Spoiler

- (1-5) Searing Chains: With two emotes of channelling, the Contractor may summon chains of mana to encircle either the individual’s legs or their arms (one or the other). These chains, should they touch skin, burn like a too-hot soup or a scalding coffee, causing 2nd degree burns after 4 emotes. After 2 emotes of being chained, the individual can roll a 1d20 to break out of them [1-7 Critical Failure, 2nd degree burns. 12+ the chain breaks.]

 

- (6-10) Binding Word: With two emotes of channelling, the Contractor may shout [#s] a word they have pre-determined at the time of making the contract to cause the Individual to freeze in place for 2 emotes. After the 2 emotes, the individual may roll a 1d20 to break out of the strange daze [1-5 Critical Failure, dazed for an additional 1 emote before re-attempting. 13+ they regain focus]

 

- (11-20) Inflict Punishment: With two emotes of channelling, the Contractor may inflict the Individual with 1 Lesser Punishment (with a cooldown of 3 OOC days). Alternatively, they may choose to inflict the Individual with a singular Greater Punishment, which, after the Punishment has worn off, will cause the Contract to be closed and rendered finished. 

 

[Greater] Okar Contract - T3

An Okar Contract – derived from the ancient sect of magick dubbed Okar Magick – is the equivalent of a Life Contract, often used between close friends, fellow soldiers, et Cetera. It binds the two across vast swaths of land, allowing the two to achieve a greater understanding. Okar Contracts are typically made sparingly due to their cost and what it does to the mage. 

 

In order to gain the boons of their contract, the two must have their Okar Contract item on their person and not in a chest, or stored away.

 

Mechanics:

- An Okar Contract connects the two emotionally, mentally, and physically. In order to create a base for the contract, the Contractor must take two items of sentimental value and begin infusing it with mana over the course of 2 emotes.

- After the items are infused, the two apart of the contract must take their respective item, mix 1 count of blood from both parties in a small pot, and douse the items in it. The items will bear a faintly glowing sigil wherever the blood gathered:

 

Redlines:

Spoiler

- The items cannot be too large to hold in both hands (meaning things such as swords are about the maximum size).

- The items cannot be immovable or be structures without a MArt.

- The items cannot be made of any Thanium/Anti-mana substance/material. Should they be doused in Null Arcana or Arcana Oil, the boons of the Okar Contract will cease to be until the end of the scenario.

- Items used for this purpose may be enchanted.

 

After the items are signed, the following effects will take place:

 

  - Emotional Connection: They feel the major emotions that the other experiences (i.e. grief over a loved one, wrath over a loss) but generally do not feel simple, smaller emotions (annoyance from a brief conversation, being sad because they tore a hole in their shirt, etc). This is freeform and cannot somehow telegraph thoughts or information to the other: simply, major emotions. It is essentially lesser Empathy.

 Redlines:

Spoiler

- This ability cannot be somehow used to metagame information. They are emotions, not thoughts, and just convey to the other that their counterpart is going through some major **** – which can already be easily figured out via other means (like their expression, behaviour, etc). 

- Love or romantic affection cannot be conveyed: the contracts care not whether the other part of the contract is your husband or a street bum that aids you in crime.

- Don’t use this for romance RP, please, please, please, please.

- Cannot somehow harm the other individual.

 

  - Physical Connection: A sour drawback of Okar Contracts, either individual often faces phantom sensations from what the other experiences. When the Contractor is only a bard-mage, the other individual might only feel whatever occasional ache and pain the other experiences day-to-day: but this worsens should one of them be a voidal magi, a necromancer, et Cetera. There may be brief bouts where an individual would briefly experience the other’s voidal poisoning, or a strange inclination to cannibalise as though they hadn’t eaten in months. The pain is often much duller, however, and is rarely enough to break concentration - save for if the other individual apart of the contract dies. Blistering pain would shoot through their counterpart, and a sense of impending doom would overtake their senses, forcing them into fight or flight. This is freeform, and cannot be used to metagame if the other is actively being tortured, attacked, etc unless the party attacking the individual in an Okar Contract explicitly agrees. 

 

 Redlines:

Spoiler

- This ability cannot be somehow used to metagame information (such as if they’re being tortured) unless the party attacking/torturing/etc the individual gives OOC consent. Even then, the pain the other receives from this gives no information of where they are.

- The pain the other receives is rarely debilitating enough to cause them to lose focus, but it can be if they so choose, or if the other individual is actively dying (bleeding out, being sapped of lifeforce, of old age, etc)/has died. 

- Should an individual with an Okar Contract die, the other individual apart of it will be stunned for 2 emotes, and unable to cast 2 emotes afterward.

- This ability cannot be used whatsoever for strange roleplay/FTB emotes.

 

  - Mental Connection: The peak of Okar Contracts.

Outside of combat, an individual apart of the Okar Contract may look in the other’s direction and telegraph up to 2 sentences worth to the other, telepathically - and the individual may reply in the same way.  Simple tells will occur - like a rapid few blinks, an arm convulsing, a puff of mana as they sneeze, a nosebleed, etc. 

 

Inside of combat, the individual would have to keep direct eyesight upon the other individual in their contract for one emote of obvious, uninterrupted staring and tells before they can telegraph up to 1 sentence worth to the other. Simple tells will occur - like a rapid few blinks, an arm convulsing, a puff of mana as they sneeze, a nosebleed, etc. 

 

This ability can also be used to flavour sending Birds: however, the individual still must mechanically send the note/bird with the plugin and spend three emotes channelling mana before sending it. This is purely flavorful and can be intercepted mechanically like normal - whereas the interceptor would merely receive the message in their head rather than the intended target.

 

- MART Capabilities:

Other bonds that don’t include or may be sub-affects of Mental, Physical, or Empathetic can become MARTed with the items or characters themselves. This would typically only happen should one of the contract be some otherworldly race (i.e.: Inferi, etc) or possess a non-ordinary magick (i.e. Mysticism, Blood Magic, etc) that could impact the bond between characters.

 

The Repercussions ✦

Lesser Punishments 

Amount of Lesser Punishments that apply range between different contracts. If a Contract requires multiple Punishments and a duplicate punishment is rolled, the duration will lengthen x2. This only stacks one additional time.

 

After a contract is made, roll 1d100 and include which ones the individual/contractor got in the document of contracts. 

The individual afflicted with the punishment may choose to keep it longer, or permanently, if they wish. 

 

Spoiler

(1-10) Bald Man’s Blight

The character loses all of the hair on their head (hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc), which regrows within 1 OOC week. Painful spots and pimples sprout in their place, oozing and bleeding 24/7 a strange, rainbow-hued color. The ooze smells unpleasant and downright repulsive to the poor baldman, making it difficult to concentrate on magick, eat, etc.

 

(11-15) Sand in the Eyes-itis

The character has the sensation of sand being in their eyes, making sight blurry, dry, and uncomfortable for 1 OOC week. Casting or using Ranged weaponry takes an additional emote and may be poorly aimed (-3 to Ranged/Throwing rolls, including ranged magick).

 

(16-20) Tantalising Tattoo

A mark the size of one’s whole forearm that represents the Contractor appears on the character’s body, that moves around and wriggles like a worm under their skin. This causes sudden muscle spasms, accidental limb movements, and may sometimes make the person feel as though whichever part of their body it’s moved to is on fire. Aim is impacted, making it … a bit difficult to throw or used ranged weaponry (-5 to Ranged/Throwing rolls). This lasts for 5 OOC days.

 

(21-25) Schizophrenic Stupor

The character constantly sees figures at the edges of their vision - occasionally, they see a frightening figure or monster right before them. Whenever casting, aiming a projectile, or generally anything that requires focus, roll a 1d5: if it lands on 1 or 2, you become disconnected out of fright. Lasts for 5 OOC days.

 

(26-30) Galling Gloom

A storm cloud  the size of the character’s head appears a few inches above them, raining down different things depending on the Contractor’s magic:

- Fire Evocation: The cloud rains down fire and little balls of smoke.

- Water Evocation: The cloud rains down boiling water.

- Earth Evocation: The cloud rains down mud, pebbles, and globs of dirt.

- Air Evocation: The cloud causes violent gales to constantly blow their hair in different directions.

- Life Evocation, Druidism: The cloud rains down masses of miniscule critters (worms, maggots) and/or bits of plantlife.

- Translocation, Transfiguration, Bardmancy, Housemagery, Shamans, Seers, Kani, Illusion: The cloud rains down colourful mana.

- Necromancy: The cloud rains down black embers, chunks of flesh, maggots, etc.

- Blood Magic: The cloud rains down blood.

- Mysticism: The cloud rains down ectoplasm.

- Naztherak: The cloud rains down torrents of Malflame and embers.

- Seer: Can choose from any of the above effects, save for Naz, Mysticism, & Necromancy.

 

Curiously, the flame, boiling water, bugs, etc. that are rained down cause no harm - and don’t even seem to do any damage or wet the character, as though it was just a very … persistent mirage. It can cause them to be unable to see at times, unable to aim, make them trip, etc, but only inhibits that character and no one else.

 

None of what is rained/blown/etc can be used combatively, used to bring harm to anyone, or used for genus/alchemy signs/etc. Blood has no genus, Malflame does not harm, Ectoplasm & Mana isn’t collectable, Lifeforce isn’t sappable, etc. This lasts for 1 OOC week and can only bother the character with this punishment. This punishment cannot be permanent. 

 

(31-39) Unfriendly Friend

In the character’s mind, they hear a voice (which sounds like however the Contractor chooses) – it nags them about random issues, insults their choice of clothing, et Cetera. The character feels the urge to speak back to the voice, out loud - if they choose not to respond to it, the voice will continue to get louder and more persistent which may lead to overbearing tinnitus that blocks focus-based Connection. Lasts for 1 OOC week. (The character must ramble outloud random things of their player’s choosing every 4 emotes; if not, Tinnitus will persist for 3 emotes and then disappear).

 

(40-50) Strange Skin

Roll 1d6 (1 is Red, 2 is Orange, 3 is Yellow, 4 is Green, 5 is Blue, 6 is Purple)-  whichever number it lands on is what the character’s skin colour becomes. Their skin also becomes strangely itchy and dry, healing slower than it typically should and leaving scars even with papercuts. How light/dark the color is depends on how light/dark their skin was before (A High Elf would be light green, a Dark Elf would be dark green). Lasts for 4 OOC days.

 

(51-60) Vampyr-emia

The character’s skin becomes two shades lighter, their hair becomes more sparse, and their nose upturns to look slightly batlike. Going out in the sun causes them to fry like a hotdog, and they feel obliged to be invited into a dwelling before being able to enter it. They become hopelessly afraid of blood and religious imagery. Lasts for 5 OOC days.

 

(61-70) Illness of the Insufferable 

The character feels the need to correct any information or opinions of others they hear, even if they know nothing about the subject, alongside feeling the need to brag about anything and everything. They must begin sentences with “Uhm, actually” or “But, let me play devil’s advocate” when stating an opinion/’informing’ someone. Lasts for 5 OOC days. 

 

(71-76) Obsessive-iasis

The character cannot do a major action without doing 1d6 action beforehand. This lasts for 5 OOC days.

- 1: Spinning in a circle

- 2: Singing what they want to speak, or dancing whilst doing the action

- 3: Blinking five times

- 4: Screaming at the top of their lungs an embarrassing fact/confession/etc.

- 5: Saying their current thoughts out loud

- 6: Unsheathing their weapon and pointing it at whoever they’re speaking to/about to do [action] to

 

(77-81) Allergy Season

The character cannot go within 2 blocks of an item that has 1d5 material in it/made of it/etc without their skin bursting into painful hives and aggressively sneezing and coughing. This lasts for 5 OOC days. This cannot be used to metagame things made of ST materials.

- 1: Iron/Steel/steel-esque things

- 2: Gold

- 3: Lore-Important Materials (ST signed items, Thanium, Boomsteel, Ironwood, etc)

- 4: Wood

- 5: Fur (including living animals, Kharajyr, etc)

 

(81-90) Shouting Sickness

The character becomes unable to speak quietly, only able to say things as though they were shouting (#s) or singing (#rp). This lasts for 5 OOC days. 

 

(91-100) Magickal Maladies

The character experiences the symptoms of the flu, except what they sneeze, cry, spit out. vomit, etc. depends on whatever Magic the contractor has: 

- Fire Evocation: Snot/vomit/etc appears as torrents of harmless flame and smoke.

- Water Evocation: Snot/vomit/etc appears as harmless boiling water and mist.

- Earth Evocation: Snot/vomit/etc appears as pebbles, dirt, and mud.

- Air Evocation: Snot/vomit/etc appears as small, violent gales of wind.

- Life Evocation, Druidism: Snot/vomit/etc appears as writhing masses of miniscule critters (worms, maggots) and/or bits of plantlife.

- Translocation, Transfiguration, Bardmancy, Housemagery, Shamans, Seers, Kani, Illusion: Snot/vomit/etc appears as flows of the character’s mana polluted with its opposite colour on the colorwheel (i.e: red mana flows with blobs of green).

- Necromancy: Snot/vomit/etc appears as flows of black embers, chunks of flesh, maggots, etc.

- Blood Magic: Snot/vomit/etc appears as thick flows of blood.

- Mysticism: Snot/vomit/etc appears as thick flows of ectoplasm.

- Naztherak: Snot/vomit/etc appears as torrents of harmless Malflame and embers.

- Seer: Can choose from any of the above effects, save for Naz, Mysticism, & Necromancy.

 

None of what they vomit/sneeze/etc can be used combatively, used to bring harm to anyone, or used for genus/alchemy signs/etc. Blood has no genus, Malflame does not harm, Ectoplasm & Mana isn’t collectable, Lifeforce isn’t sappable, etc. This lasts for 1 OOC week.

 

Greater Punishments

Amount of Greater Punishments that apply range between different contracts. If a Contract requires multiple Punishments and a duplicate punishment is rolled, the duration will lengthen x2. 

 

After a contract is made, roll 1d10 and include it in the document of contracts. 

The individual afflicted with the punishment may choose to keep it longer, or permanently, if they wish. 

 

 

Spoiler

(1-3) Afflicted Appearance 

Depending on what magic(s) the Contractor has, this punishment ranges in effect and appearance. If the Contractor does not have any magic on the list below, re-roll.

 

- Necromancy: The character becomes gaunt and weak akin to a void mage, their skin becoming pale, weak, and translucent to see the viscera and veins that lay under it. The flesh becomes so weak and paper thin, that they risk bleeding out at anything worse than a papercut. They experience symptoms of the Necrotic Plague to the worst degree, and find themselves absolutely ravenous no matter how much food they eat. The character is unable to be healed by any Holy magics during this time period. Lasts 2.5 OOC weeks.

 

- Mysticism:  The character becomes gaunt and weak akin to a void mage, their hair becoming white as a ghost and their skin taking on the slightest glow – if one were to stare hard enough, they could see the character’s bones illuminated by a seafoam light under their flesh. Should they be cut by Aurum, their skin would blister and fester with hives, causing their veins to ignite with pain for an emote before subsiding. The character is unable to be healed by any Holy magics during this time period. Lasts 2.5 OOC weeks.

 

- Naztherak:  The character’s skin becomes hard, darkened, and coarse as though severely burnt, and any forceful touch on their skin more than a poke will cause it to break and bleed an ooze the colour of the Contractor’s malflame.  The skin will refuse to heal if harmed until after the Punishment subsides, acting much like cracks in leather (unless via means of Necromantic Cauterizing or Paladin Healing). Alongside this, the character will also feel effects from whichever Prince the Contractor is pacted with (such as, feeling deathly starving 24/7 if the Contractor is pacted with Velkuzat). Lasts 2.5 OOC weeks.

 

- Conjuration: The character sprouts gnarled fur in some areas, while other areas are stripped to hardly anything more than sinew and bone. Wounds ooze a thick, green paste that writhes with maggots and rotting plantlife. Should any wounds be dealt with a Thanium weapon or a weapon coated in Auric Oil, the character will feel as though they’ve been set aflame and rendered imobile for 2 emotes. Lasts 2 OOC weeks.

 

- Translocation: The character constantly 'glitches', parts of their figure distorting and completely warping out of existance for a few moments at a time. On rare occasion, digits might re-appear backwards or portions of the individual might take multiple hours to return.  Any missing portions are replaced by a translucent smog the color of the contractor's aura, sometimes with grotesque veins within it. Should physical contact be made with the missing portion, it will become aparrent it's still 'there'; and can still be cut, slashed, broken, etc. the very same. It cannot somehow be used for IRP/combative/non-combative advantage (i.e., their face warping away to conceal identity, skin with Herald-tattoos on it warping away to hide their Heraldry, etc). Should any wounds be dealt with a Thanium weapon or a weapon coated in Auric Oil, the character will feel as though they’ve been set aflame and rendered imobile for 2 emotes. Lasts 2 OOC weeks.

 

- Illusion: The character is covered in a thin shroud of mana, in which it makes them look constantly rotting, glitching, oozing, et Cetera, though it will always look blatantly like the character. Should any wounds be dealt with a Thanium weapon or a weapon coated in Auric Oil, the character will feel as though they’ve been set aflame and rendered imobile for 2 emotes. Lasts 2 OOC weeks.

 

- Seer: Can choose from any of the above effects, save for Naz, Mysticism, & Necromancy.

 

(4-6) Mana Overcharge

Imbued with too much ambient mana, any attempt at using or creating alchemical potions, machines, etc. will fail and cause the potion/machine/etc to cease working for the entire encounter. Curiously, this only seems to affect the individual themselves, as those around them are undeterred in their use of alchemy. The surplus in mana has no effect on casting, as it’s more so on and around them, rather than in them. Any cuts by Thanium feel more painful than they normally would, and Auril Oil & Null Arcana stuns them for an emote. Lasts 2.5 OOC weeks.

 

(4-6) Mana Draught

Unlike Mana Overcharge, Mana Draught causes the opposite: their mana is sapped and simply thrown to the wind, depriving them of their ability to cast, syphon out liquid mana, or use enchantments. They feel much more sluggish and tired, and their skin becomes desaturated and almost … grey. Curiously, Thanium cuts feel slightly less painful to them. Lasts 2.5 OOC weeks. Should the individual be unable to access their mana (lacking a magick), you may choose to re-roll.

 

(7-9) Phoney Pishouge 

The character takes on the cliche, ‘tell-tale’ signs of Dark Magick. This includes physically ageing to look senile, being fearful of and screaming when in contact or close proximity to Aurum & Holy symbolism, and, worst of all, their blood bubbling when in contact with Aurum and Salt. Unlike actual reactions to Aurum and Salt, however, they do not feel pain from it, nor does their skin/blood heat up; it simply … bubbles. Alongside this all, they gain the strength of the Contractor themselves: typically, voidal or scholarly strength. Should the Contractor somehow have greater strength than that, the character simply downgrades to Scholarly strength. Lasts 2 OOC weeks.

 

(10) Soul Greying

A horrid punishment that doesn’t seem to have any explicit repercussions: often thought of as the contract’s punishment simply … failing. The character’s soul becomes Greyed – not quite Blackened, but no longer pure (if it already was). Upon the PK of the character, their soul will be shunned from any Racial afterlife (such as the Spirit Realm if Orcish/Dark Elven, or the 7 Skies if Human) and instead driven toward one of the worse-off afterlives: Moz Strimoza or Ebrietaes.  Alongside this, in life, their mana is ‘smogged’: turning jet-black, though leaking the colour of their original aura underneath. If the player does not OOCly consent to this punishment, or the character already has a blackened soul, re-roll.

 

 

 

Purpose ✦

I wrote this lore because I was originally re-reading Luci's Naztherak & Inferi lore for the billionth time in late 2022, and went, “Man. Where’s the demon deal magic at???????”. And then, I delved into the forums to find the old Contract Magick from 2011, and found just that – alongside Okar Magic and a few failed rewrites from around the same time. Because I thought it was interesting, I did more research and made it into a general Arcanic (rather than voidal) feat that, unlike its predecessors, included no punishments that resulted in death or permanent defects. More of a flavorful addition to deal & business RP, generally, I’d just like to see it used to cultivate cool stories around the deals & repercussions – especially Okar Contracts & Promises.

 

Alongside this, I also wrote it to provide more purpose and fun to CA’s without souls, so long as they have mana.The one I think of in particular is Atronachs, which often become incredibly boring on their own – so, I added them (alongside anything else that fits the criteria) in a later revision alongside Inferi to allow for more dynamic roleplay. 

 

Author’s Note ✦

As written in the redlines, contracts (save for the Okar Contract) don’t require ST signage as I was told y’all wouldn’t like the extra burden of signing tons of contracts; this can absolutely be changed if needed, alongside anything else on this post. Being that it’s more or less a new magic system, I wrote it keeping in mind my desire to make this feat as easy to use and understand as I could with it still being super freeform.

 

Credits ✦

TreeSmoothie – Writing

Jitsuma – 2013 Contract Magick Lore https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/89046-✓-complete-asked-again-to-be-posted-contract-magic/ 

Luvvy – 2016 Contract Magick Lore

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/144858-contract-magic-revival/ 

Teerz – Okar Contract Magick Lore

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/105981-okar-magic-final-touches/

[Jentos 6884]

I fw this <3 

[Pancho 2537]

Lovely Lore, looks very fire! 

[Jihnyny 2572]

what impresses me more than this lore is the way you have it detailed and formatted. Incredibly easy to read. +1

[Traveller 2198]

very very cool lore piece, i am very appreciative of the inclusion of other magicks and not just naz/necros, which not a lot of lorepieces do.

 

promising people things and making them sign contracts sound like insanely fun rp!!

[Gemini 1639]

Ohhh I like this

[ClassyDryad 1733]

Looks interesting, though I don't think there is really any such thing as a 'holy' spirit. Even Akezo graciously accepts human sacrifice/is prone to such dealings themselves.

[Qctho 177]

22 hours ago, TreeSmoothie said:

it’s like trying to find a lawyer that isn’t evil

An impossible feat

[Cheese 2315]

LOVE THIS OMG

 

all lore should be formatted like this

[ichigomaster98 636]

Oh dang, someone beat me to posting contract magic

[Islamadon 4430]

This lore has been denied. You will be sent a forum PM regarding the reasons for denial within the next 24 hours.