HGd10PHB - Spectrum - Soul

Soul Spectrum - Auramancy
The spectrum of Soul relates to morality, to things of the spiritual realm. There is something particular about the type of creatures that are not just sentient with a mind, but that have a living soul separate and apart from their physical body and their capacity to think. This aspect of these creatures, created in the image of the Almighty God according to some, is eternal and as such has the capacity for choice, free will - something mere animals do not have. With that capacity comes the ability to chose to do things that are objectively defined as good or evil and the responsibility to choose. These choices then can lead to certain consequences, some of which lead to creatures leaving their physical bodies behind, sometimes permanently. Soul magic, or Auramancy, deals with things that are beyond mere thought and are truly within the spirit realm. Priests, Paladins, and other such people find themselves at least partially dealing in this spectrum.

Like Biomancers, those who make a pact to use only spiritual magic exclusively, gain special abilities and limitations. Such a caster is referred to as an Auramancer. On Loar, this means they have stronger access to a range of soul-based spells almost immediately. Auramancy has several Realms to serve, though an individual only likely serves one depending on their personal morality. No one has ever achieved Incarnate state on Loar as an Auramancer that anyone is aware of, but it is speculated that doing so means that the individual transcends mortal form and becomes a being of pure spirit. What that effect has is of course unknown. Failure to maintain the same kind of pact with Auramancy that the primal elements have with their elements weakens the Auramancer and they become a normal mage.

Soul and Other Spectra
As noted in the above section, Soul-based skills and powers primarily affect Soul-based things. Soul has great effect in the Astral Realm as all things there are considered Soul-based. Creatures or constructs and skills of a spirit nature are normally affected by Soul-based skills.

Body is immune to Soul-based magic in most cases. They are on two different levels of existence and barely acknowledge one another without the mind to intercede. Most Soul-based skills are not designed to interact with the physical realm in any case.

Mind is the interface between the Soul and the body and as such can be affected by it. However, because of its connection to the body which houses it, Auramancy gains no special advantages over the mind or mind-based constructs and creatures. Soul-based skills typically are used to influence rather than control the mind, to affect the moral choices before a mind or to at least make them clearer. Since Arcane draws on the energies of the material world, like Body magic, constructs, and creatures, it is afforded a lot of immunity to spiritual things. There is some crossover where Arcane magic affects the mind or spiritual creatures, but the reality is, these two spectra of magic just don't travel in the same circles - or planes of existence.
 * Soul-based skill checks automatically succeed against mind-based skill checks when used against an individual mind.
 * Soul-based skill checks do not cause damage to individual minds.
 * Soul-based skill checks do affect mind-based constructs normally.

Given the moral component to Eldritch things (evil mostly), Soul magic of the good classification has a powerful effect on the Eldritch. In many cases there are bonuses to the Soul magic against Eldritch spells, constructs, and creatures if the wielder (and possibly the Realm they are connected to) is of the good moral classification. Void magic is a corruption of the material world and so it leaves itself especially vulnerable to Soul-magic. Lower class Voidwrought are empty shells without spirits to fill them, leaving a wide opening for a knowledgeable enough Auramancer to fill that shell and take control or destroy the Voidwrought from within. Even Voidwrought that retain their spiritual identity are in trouble against Soul-based magic. Their physical body has been warped, inverted from it's natural state and no longer provide the immunity to Soul magic the body once did. That immunity has been inverted into susceptibility.
 * Soul-based damage against eldritch beings or constructs is doubled.
 * Soul spells may manifest physically against Eldritch creatures.
 * All Soul-based checks against Voidwrought constructs or creatures gain 1d10 for every point of Spirit (SPI) of the wielder of Soul.

Soul Aid Spells
Soul Aid generally comes in the form of healing from Soul damage, comforting those of broken spirits, and providing help when a spirit is in need. Many of these spells will function in the Astral Realm as well as any Body Aid spells work on the body in the Prime Realm.

Soul Attack Spells
Soul spells only deal damage against creatures of pure spirit with few exceptions. The body protects impenetrably the spirit it houses so long as the spirit remains within the body. Beyond this one limitation, spirit deal damage normally to such creatures or spiritual constructs. There are certain exceptions to this and are explained within the specific spell's description. These exceptions usually involve creatures of near absolute moral character (good or evil) such as demons, angels, or other planar creatures.

Soul Defense Spells
Soul Defense spells bolster the spirit of an individual against any form of attack including non-magical attacks such as skills related to fear, depression, hatred, intimidation, etc.

Soul Enchant Spells
Soul Enchantments are spells that function within the Astral Realm or spiritual plane of existence as analogs to physical things. Enchanting astral particles (aether) into a tool, a weapon, or armor is possible. Providing spiritual constructs or spirits with temporary effects not covered by other Purposes also fits within this subcategory.

Soul Illusion Spells
Given that spiritual beings are above the mundane concepts of sight and sound, illusions in the spiritual plane of existence are almost non-existent. The few that exist are used to hide the moral nature of an individual or obscure the moral impact of choices. The most obvious would be an evil person who walks into a room full of Paladins would need to hide their evilness.

Soul Learn Spells
Generally used to learn about the moral or spiritual state of someone or communicate in the Astral Realm.

Soul Movement Spells
Used to move spirits from place to place, particularly in the Astral Realm. Those who do not have some form of Soul Movement device or spells should not go to the Astral Realm.

Soul Summon Spells
Summons spirits and spiritual constructs for a limited time.

Soul Transformation Spells
Very few transformation spells exist within the Soul spectrum because of the power of free will. Any attempts to force a transformation of a spirit is thwarted immediately by free will choices. At best, a transformation spell might free a spirit bound to a particular moral alignment. Some Soul transformation spells work to alter the spiritual shape in the Astral Realm in the same manner that a Body Transformation spell would alter the body. This is typically done to a target other than self as the Astral Realm allows the spirit to take on whatever image the individual imagines anyway.

Primary Navigation

 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Base Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills 
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement