This lore is in regards to the Homebrew World created and run by Reign. Revolving around a Magical Vault known as the Waeldrun on the fantasy continent of Alluria. Many of terms may be foreign but are tied to several existing campaigns.
The Ritual of Soul Binding is a magical and intimate practice unique to the continent, possibly due to its proximity to the Vault. This ancient and sacred ritual is performed to create life by merging the souls of participants in an act of love and deep connection.
Overview
- Purpose:
To create a new soul, a Shardling, by merging life essences from two or more individuals.
- Process:
- Participants share a profound bond and temporarily merge their souls and minds.
- A portion of their life essence is sacrificed to create a shard, a small, glowing fragment of pure energy that will mature into a child.
- The shard is stored in a Soul Necklace or Soul Cage for protection, similar to a lich’s phylactery, but wholesome and nurturing in nature.
Shardlings
- Appearance: A shardling is a small, walnut-sized ball of energy, resilient to harm. It matures over time (usually 1-2 years) before forming into a baby.
- Growth: Shardlings grow like natural-born children, with one key difference: their eyes glow and change colors based on their mood. Over time, they settle on a primary hue.
- Parents: Shardlings can be created by any combination of participants, regardless of gender or number. Two biological mothers, fathers, or even groups can generate a shardling.
Key Notes
- The life force given up returns over time, accelerating when the shardling is nearby.
- The ritual’s origins are with the changelings of Alluria, who valued its flexibility in their fluid, adaptable society.
- The ritual’s emotional and spiritual effects linger long after completion, giving participants a sense of warmth and fulfillment.
Quick Notes:
- Location: Unique to Allurian Continent, possibly linked to the Waeldrun Vault.
- Shardling: A new soul that is created and matures into a child.
- Soul Cage/Necklace: Protective vessel for the shard.
- Origin: Changelings were the first to use the ritual.
- Key Feature: Shardling eyes glow and change colors based on mood.
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Significance of Soul Binding for Different People
The Ritual of Soul Binding is profoundly personal and culturally important across the Allurian continent. Beyond its magical properties, it has profound emotional and societal value for many individuals.
Transitioning and Personal Identity
- For Those Transitioning: The ritual allows people to create a life outside traditional biological constraints, making it especially meaningful to individuals or couples who are transitioning or who do not conform to binary gender roles. It represents an inclusive way to form families without changing physical bodies or conforming to societal expectations.
- Personal Affirmation: Participants can express their true selves in a process that reflects the importance of connection over biology, reinforcing their identity.
- Empowerment: By participating in the creation of a Shardling, individuals can contribute equally, regardless of gender, making the ritual a profoundly affirming experience for those undergoing or celebrating personal transitions.
Changelings and Fluid Identities
- Cultural Heritage: The ritual originated with changelings, and it carries particular resonance for them. It symbolizes their fluidity in both physical form and relationships. The ritual’s flexibility in participants’ roles and connections mirrors the changelings’ shifting nature, making it a key aspect of their culture.
- Adaptable Family Structures: Since the ritual transcends biological constraints, it honors non-traditional families, whether polyamorous, same-sex, or otherwise. For changelings, the ability to shape and craft families through spiritual and emotional bonds strengthens their cultural values.
A Path for Healing and Restoration
- Emotional Restoration: The ritual provides more than just a method of procreation. Soul Binding can be a path toward emotional healing for those who have experienced loss, injury, or trauma. Participants can reclaim a sense of purpose and connection by sharing life essence with loved ones and creating new life.
- Healing Bonds: Couples or groups that have suffered from physical or emotional damage may find solace in creating a sharding, renewing their bond, and focusing on a shared future.
Non-Binary Parenting and Equality
- Equal Parental Roles: Since the ritual disregards traditional biological roles, it offers a vision of true equality between parents. Every participant’s essence is crucial to the Shardling’s creation, symbolizing that parenthood and familial bonds are built through love and shared experience rather than biology.
- Non-Gendered Parenting: The ritual naturally lends itself to diverse family structures, where traditional gender roles are irrelevant, allowing for genuine partnership and care between all parties involved.
Sacred Connection and Legacy
- Spiritual Legacy: Creating a shardling leaves a lasting spiritual legacy. Participants leave a part of themselves in a new life, which embodies their collective love and unity. It’s a powerful narrative point for characters who seek to create lasting impacts on their world.
- Inherited Essence: The idea that a part of the parent’s soul lives on in the child can provide a compelling story arc around family, legacy, and even the nature of life and death.
- Unique Bond: The Shardling is not just a child but a living symbol of the bond shared between its parents, cementing the ritual as a precious and emotional story point for anyone involved.
Quick Notes:
- For Transitioning Individuals: Provides a magical way to create life without conforming to traditional gender or biological roles.
- For Changelings: Reflects their fluid nature, emphasizing flexibility in identity and family.
- Emotional Healing: Offers a way for individuals or couples to reconnect and heal by creating new life.
- Non-Binary Parenting: Promotes parental equality, removing gendered expectations from family structures.
- Legacy Creation: The shardling carries a piece of each participant’s soul, symbolizing a permanent and spiritual connection.