The Interest Check
According to legend, King Solomon had knowledge of how to bind the spirits of the dead and demons, using this power in life to build the temple, among other things.
In the lore of this RP, he formed a group of priests and prophets, giving them the knowledge of how to do this via his book The Key of Solomon. Over the years it was expanded on, first containing spells for binding Angels (though it was forbidden by any but the priests and prophets), then during the Roman Empire, Elementals and lesser gods of other religions. During the 13th century the priests learned to trap Fae.
Usually the bindings were done to usable items, Weapons, armor, or tools at first, though in the 14th century people started binding them to stationary objects such as walls or rocks. In the 16th century, the Renaissance caused many to study the ancient magical traditions of other people, leading to the use of rune stones, and in the early eighteenth century the first use of paper cards occurred when a priest in Ireland bound the spirit of a pixie to a healing spell written on a torn off book cover.
We are members of that order, having studied from a young age to learn the secrets to binding spirits. We use them to fight off the spirits of darkness, including the other orders of magic users around the world. Our Order is run by the Council of Priests and the Council of Prophets, with us taking orders from whichever branch we choose to follow. The Council of Priests works to spread good will to the people and to keep the common man safe from, and oblivious to the world of the spirits. The Council of Prophets work to seek out other, heretical, Magical Orders and to wage a holy Crusade against them. While keeping the two Councils distinct worked well in ancient times, in more modern times people spend their early days (until they've well established themselves as a valuable member of the Order) taking orders from either branch.
On our first mission, however, we will learn a terrible truth about the Order, and will have to decide for ourselves if we should stay.
Binding Types:
(Spiritual beings must have energy from the physical world in order to affect it, and Physical beings must have power from the spirit world in order to effect it. Luckily, humans have both a spiritual and physical aspect to them, letting them work in both realms with enough training.)
1) Permanent: The spirit is imprisoned. They will fight to free themselves if the one who holds them is not strong enough to make it utterly futile to fight back. When forming one of these bindings, you usually have to defeat the spirit in combat and make it submit to your will before binding it, or the binding will fail. (banned for use with angels, except the Fallen ones.)
2) Temporary: A spirit is tied to a single spell or a single-use magical item, which uses their power to perform it. This may anger a spirit, but unless you make a habit of angering them, they usually won't bother with you. (Only used with non-fallen angels with the permission of one of the councils.)
3) Bonds of Friendship: A spirit likes you so much that they don't need to be contained, just tied to the physical plane and given your energy in order to work for you.
Magic types:
(Humans learn to manipulate both planes of existence through their studies.)
1) Holy: The power of God and the Angels. Used for Purification, exorcism, and healing.
2) Corrupt: The power of Satan and his fallen angels. Used for putrification/corruption, enslaving/possession, and poisoning/cursing.
3) Elemental: The power of nature. It has many uses, though they change depending on the type of Element you are manipulating.
4) Corporeal: The power of the body, sometimes called Ki. Used to enhance the body, though can be used to alter the nearby world through the use of the body's physical energy.
5) Psychic: The power of the mind. Uses include telekinesis, telepathy, spirit work, and communicating with other corporeal beings (ie, animals)
6) Primal: Sometimes called Old Magic, it manipulates the primal forces of reality, making even space and time bend to the will of the user. Rarely studied by humans, as it could take decades to learn to properly manipulate even the simplest of primal forces. Many "deities", especially those known as "The Elder gods" use this form of magic, though the only way to bind them is the bond of friendship after you swear yourself to them.
7) Sorcery: Channeling energy or a power from one source, generally nature or a bound spirit, and using it for your own work. The binding needed for this is a bit more difficult, as you need to allow for their power to go to you if you will it.
8) Summoning: Giving physical form to a bound or summoned spirit. It uses much of your physical energy to perform this feat, and all physical energy used by the summoned being comes from the summoner.
9) Alchemy: Uses trace magic found in physical items, combining or enhancing them for use in spells. It is divided into three types: Potions, combinations of ingredients that produce a magical effect when used; Witchcraft, immediate use of the produced effects; and Transmutation, combining two or more different effects to produce another effect that wasn't present before.
According to legend, King Solomon had knowledge of how to bind the spirits of the dead and demons, using this power in life to build the temple, among other things.
In the lore of this RP, he formed a group of priests and prophets, giving them the knowledge of how to do this via his book The Key of Solomon. Over the years it was expanded on, first containing spells for binding Angels (though it was forbidden by any but the priests and prophets), then during the Roman Empire, Elementals and lesser gods of other religions. During the 13th century the priests learned to trap Fae.
Usually the bindings were done to usable items, Weapons, armor, or tools at first, though in the 14th century people started binding them to stationary objects such as walls or rocks. In the 16th century, the Renaissance caused many to study the ancient magical traditions of other people, leading to the use of rune stones, and in the early eighteenth century the first use of paper cards occurred when a priest in Ireland bound the spirit of a pixie to a healing spell written on a torn off book cover.
We are members of that order, having studied from a young age to learn the secrets to binding spirits. We use them to fight off the spirits of darkness, including the other orders of magic users around the world. Our Order is run by the Council of Priests and the Council of Prophets, with us taking orders from whichever branch we choose to follow. The Council of Priests works to spread good will to the people and to keep the common man safe from, and oblivious to the world of the spirits. The Council of Prophets work to seek out other, heretical, Magical Orders and to wage a holy Crusade against them. While keeping the two Councils distinct worked well in ancient times, in more modern times people spend their early days (until they've well established themselves as a valuable member of the Order) taking orders from either branch.
On our first mission, however, we will learn a terrible truth about the Order, and will have to decide for ourselves if we should stay.
Binding Types:
(Spiritual beings must have energy from the physical world in order to affect it, and Physical beings must have power from the spirit world in order to effect it. Luckily, humans have both a spiritual and physical aspect to them, letting them work in both realms with enough training.)
1) Permanent: The spirit is imprisoned. They will fight to free themselves if the one who holds them is not strong enough to make it utterly futile to fight back. When forming one of these bindings, you usually have to defeat the spirit in combat and make it submit to your will before binding it, or the binding will fail. (banned for use with angels, except the Fallen ones.)
2) Temporary: A spirit is tied to a single spell or a single-use magical item, which uses their power to perform it. This may anger a spirit, but unless you make a habit of angering them, they usually won't bother with you. (Only used with non-fallen angels with the permission of one of the councils.)
3) Bonds of Friendship: A spirit likes you so much that they don't need to be contained, just tied to the physical plane and given your energy in order to work for you.
Magic types:
(Humans learn to manipulate both planes of existence through their studies.)
1) Holy: The power of God and the Angels. Used for Purification, exorcism, and healing.
2) Corrupt: The power of Satan and his fallen angels. Used for putrification/corruption, enslaving/possession, and poisoning/cursing.
3) Elemental: The power of nature. It has many uses, though they change depending on the type of Element you are manipulating.
4) Corporeal: The power of the body, sometimes called Ki. Used to enhance the body, though can be used to alter the nearby world through the use of the body's physical energy.
5) Psychic: The power of the mind. Uses include telekinesis, telepathy, spirit work, and communicating with other corporeal beings (ie, animals)
6) Primal: Sometimes called Old Magic, it manipulates the primal forces of reality, making even space and time bend to the will of the user. Rarely studied by humans, as it could take decades to learn to properly manipulate even the simplest of primal forces. Many "deities", especially those known as "The Elder gods" use this form of magic, though the only way to bind them is the bond of friendship after you swear yourself to them.
7) Sorcery: Channeling energy or a power from one source, generally nature or a bound spirit, and using it for your own work. The binding needed for this is a bit more difficult, as you need to allow for their power to go to you if you will it.
8) Summoning: Giving physical form to a bound or summoned spirit. It uses much of your physical energy to perform this feat, and all physical energy used by the summoned being comes from the summoner.
9) Alchemy: Uses trace magic found in physical items, combining or enhancing them for use in spells. It is divided into three types: Potions, combinations of ingredients that produce a magical effect when used; Witchcraft, immediate use of the produced effects; and Transmutation, combining two or more different effects to produce another effect that wasn't present before.
