Bonds

Bonds are a magical contract between two creatures that strengthen their magic while providing other benefits. Much like the traditional relationship between Witch and familiar, Bonds are the exchange and purifying of magic between two parties—though Witch-Monster Bonds are considered as the most effective, safe, and stable sort of Bond. When referring to one's Bonded partner, *Bondmate* or *Bonded* is commonly used.

When in a balanced Bond between Witch and Monster, a Witch’s magic grows stronger, while the Monster consumes excess magic and gains clarity of mind, keeping them from going feral. A stable Witch-Monster Bond will also provide a boost to both party’s magical and natural abilities.

Bonds can be romantic or platonic, but are often engaged in by natives between family, close friends, and lovers, due to the invasive nature of a Bond. The longer a Bond endures, the more the two Bonded partners will become attuned to the feelings, memories, and even dreams of their partner. Bonds *must* be mutually reciprocated—that is, both parties must want to be Bonded for it to work.

## History of Bonding

Most books detail that **Witch-Monster Bonds are fairly new, though the act of Bonding itself is not**. Hundreds of years ago, Bonds between Witches and Monsters were unheard of. In fact, Monsters were usually dealt with on sight, or taken in for study, not permitted to dwell among humans. During this period prior to the Cwyld, only pairs of Witches Bonded, despite the dangers it posed. Witch-Witch Bonds are notoriously unstable, carrying the risk of madness or worse. Bonding with familiars on the side was common practice to mitigate this danger. However, without careful monitoring, even familiars were a source of danger, for they act more like battery packs for magical energy if relied on too heavily. Witch-Witch and Witch-familiar Bonds alike could be the catalyst for a Witch’s untimely demise.

It’s said that the first Witch-Monster Bond was fostered by a young Witch, more curious about and friendly with the Turnskin she studied. Envisioning a relationship like a Witch and familiar, she Bonded with the Turnskin. To her surprise, Bonds between Witch and Monster worked better than Witch and familiar.

Despite the Coven’s findings, Witch-Monster Bonds weren’t widely accepted for a long time: the intimacy between Bonded individuals made these dynamics unsavory to many Witches.

**Nowadays, seeing Bonded Witches and Monsters isn’t so uncommon, especially within the Coven’s walls.** As more average human citizens grow accustomed to the idea of Bonding with a Monster, the sight of human-Monster Bonds is frequent, especially in the poorer Shopping and Harbor Districts. Some non-Witch humans still prefer Bonding with each other or adopting a familiar. **The lowest concentration of Witch-Monster Bonds is in the Aristocratic District**, as many aristocrats remain resistant to the idea of Bonding with a Monster, preferring to use expensive dampeners to keep control over their magic.

## Effects of Bonding

Though Bonding can be either romantic or platonic, Bonding is often considered an intimate gesture, given the emotional, mental, and physical connections it fosters between two Bonded partners.

### Emotional and Mental

As a Bond develops, the connection between souls strengthens. The length of time it takes for a Bond to deepen emotionally and mentally is up to player discretion, but it should take time, even if the characters in question are already familiar with each other. Some of the emotional and mental effects a Bonded pair can expect include:

* **The ability to more clearly sense their partner’s moods**. If empathetic enough, characters can even be influenced by their Bonded’s moods.
* **Sharing memories or dreams with one another**, particularly in especially strong Bonds.

Bonded pairs can only experience emotional and mental effects from a Bondmate directly Bonded to them. For example, Character A and B are Bonded; Character B and C are Bonded. Character A cannot experience any of Character C’s moods, memories, or dreams.

### Physical

**Tactile contact as a means to enhance the connection between Bonded is crucial**, but it’s also what makes Bonding seem like a more intimate affair. Even the most aloof Witch, the most aggressive Monster, will benefit if they share physical affection or intimacy with their Bonded partner(s). This is regardless of whether they're friends, family, or lovers, as this helps to strengthen the bond. So it isn't too strange to see gestures of affection, fleeting or lingering, when around Witches and Monsters in these settings.

Typically, the **common gestures are foreheads touching, hands to each others' hearts, or cupping the neck**. This is a different contact from the common Geargadas handshake (a clasp of the forearms) although some Bonded may also use this, if that's their comfortable exchange.

Regardless, this is what it is - an exchange through contact. Magic can be stored without this contact, but crossing that bridge is made all the easier through tangible reinforcement.

## Permanent Bonds

Taking on a Bond is highly promoted for all Mirrorbound specifically, whether romantic or platonic, as Mirrorbound magic is more unstable than natives’. Bonds aren’t a mark of being involved or anything, but they’re a partnership, whatever form that may take. For Mirrorbound, they’re crucial toward adapting to the magic of Geardagas.

**The maximum amount of Bonds a character can take on is three.** This is the safest amount they can sustain. Any more than three has magic placing too much pressure on the character in question, either in magical demand or magical presence; see Over-Bonding. On the other hand, having three Bonds total will grant a character more power, but it’s important to go no higher than three. **Likewise, characters can only go un-Bonded for three months time before noticing any adverse effects**; *see Going Un-Bonded.*

### Ceremony

The ceremony is traditionally held within the Coven, accessible at any time of day or night, by appointment or not. **The only requirement for a smooth Bonding is that both parties of the Bond be entirely willing—nobody can be forced into a Bond.**

The Bonding ceremony is a simple affair. Both persons will join hands in a magic circle set up by the Coven and repeat vows to one another, whether those vows are written, performed, or otherwise—the Coven is welcoming to personalization. The overseeing Witch will proceed with a spell to tie each participant’s magic signature together—referred to as their “soul”—and the ceremony will be complete. The Bonding ceremony can be as simple or elaborate as the participants wish.

### Witch-Monster

**Witch-Monster Bonds are the most efficient, stable, and safe sort of Bond.** In a balanced Witch-Monster Bond, the benefits are immediately obvious. The **Witch's magic grows stronger** and easier to use, the **Monster consumes the excess and feels more mentally balanced** and stable, along with **gaining a boost to their own natural abilities** from their Bonded Witch's magic.

**Witches** need to filter and cycle their magic. The quickest way to do this is to simply use it every day, and so students (Witches-in-training) generally don't require a Bond, as they're near-constantly using it as part of their practice. This can cause its own set of issues, however: things get very, very loud if every Witch in the area is setting off some spell or another to keep their magic from spilling over.

The other thing the Coven discovered upon accepting Bonding with Monsters was that Bonds strengthen them - it makes their magic cleaner, easier to use and more direct, it allows them to cast magic above their technical level, and enhances their ability to cast spells relating to the type of Monster they've Bonded to (such as a Witch Bonded to a Fae getting an extra boost in illusion spells). The particular boost a Monster can grant to their Witch is up to player discretion, within reason.

**Monsters** have historically been able to live without a Bond, but having one - that is, having a stable source of magic to draw from - keeps their minds clear and helps against entering a feral state. The simple act of having a Bond with a Witch can keep them more lucid when they must change (such as Turnskins on the night of the full moons, as their change is more drastic than other Monsters).

Witches require some kind of drain on their magic when not actively using it, and Monsters require a stable source of magic to keep from going feral and to maintain a clear mind when they shift during the full moons. It’s not quite recycling magic, as none of the magic leaves the Monster once they consume it, but it’s transformed into a type of energy for them. Witches benefit from such an arrangement because a Monster can flush excess or used magic from their systems. A Witch-Monster Bond is overall the most productive Bonding arrangement possible.

### Monster-Monster

**Monster-Monster Bonds are considered somewhat stable** for as long as they can stave off the risk of going feral. Monsters require a stable source of magic to keep from going feral, and neither Monster can provide this to the other—but they can share the burden of needing magic together when singly Bonded to one another. Therefore, having a Witch *somewhere* in the equation can be an immense boon for both Monsters, even if Witch A is only Bonded to Monster A, and not Monster B.

Magic is a crucial, grounding force for a Monster to grant them clarity of mind, and they prosper from an exchange of magic with Witches to buffer the magic from the world around them. But without a Witch to Bond with, there are alternatives. Monsters may seek out potions or injections of a magical persuasion, but there’s the possibility of addiction if they seek these out from seedy, under-the-table resources. If these concoctions contain ingredients that originate from a Witch, such as blood, tears, or other bodily fluids, this could result in a taste for Witch magic this way, and the Monster can easily become dependent, which is a slippery slope toward becoming a maneater. A Monster dependent on ingesting a Witch’s magic could very well attack a Witch to get their magic fix.

The Coven can assist in sourcing less addictive substances for a Monster-Monster Bond should they wish to avoid getting a Witch involved. However, they’ll heavily encourage either party to Bond with a Witch.

### Witch-Witch

**Witch-Witch bonds are considered fairly dangerous.** Resulting in an overwhelming, cyclical amount of magic with no outlet, the results are often explosive. Witches in a Witch-Witch Bonding arrangement may find themselves feeling restless, agitated, or snappish, which can intensify into aggression as they gradually lose clarity. If they continue down this path, they may experience hallucinations and paranoia as the intensifying magic seeks an outlet, as though burning them from the inside out. It’s not too dissimilar from a Witch going un-Bonded.

To maintain a proper Witch-Witch Bond, at least one of the Witches in the equation would need to seek out a Bond with a Monster. Failing this, if the Witches in the Bond practice their magic often enough or purchase magical items, such as foci to expel their magic, it can be a viable Bond to maintain, though they’ll gain no benefits from having a Monster. The Coven will heavily encourage them to seek out a Monster Bondmate, or to take on a familiar.

## Temporary Bonds

Temporary Bonds are useful for characters seeking to enter territory plagued by the Cwyld for multiple reasons. The Wilde poses threats even to Bonded pairs, including the sudden break of one’s Bond should they stray too far apart while in the Wilde; see more under Risks in the Wilde.

For those who are venturing outside of the city without a Bondmate at their side, fostering one for the sake of safety is crucial. Going out into the WIlde un-Bonded at all is not recommended, so the need for temporary Bonds is evident.

### Bonding Potions

The solution to the need for quick, ceremony-free Bonds is a Bonding potion: a tasteless, silver-colored liquid from a vial. Both partners intending to temp-Bond each drink one of these potions. The Bond resulting from a temporary Bond potion will last up to a day, and has the same effects of a real Bond. However, it’s weaker in strength and muted in feeling compared to a permanent Bond.

## Going Un-Bonded

**Going un-Bonded is not recommended** for any Mirrorbound, Witch or Monster. **Side-effects may start at the three-month mark** without a Bond. A gradually increasing lack of mental stability is the biggest one - irritability, aggression, paranoia, or insomnia may creep in for both Witches and Monsters.

### Social Consequences

Social consequences vary from city to city, as Aefenglom’s expectations are different from the Underground’s, as an example. Generally speaking, in Aefenglom, going un-Bonded isn’t frowned upon, as many natives do it without consequence, though there’s a general preference toward seeing Bonded Witches and Monsters alike. For example, establishments may be more likely to prefer Bonded pairs or to reject un-Bonded patrons on full moons, given the risks for explosion or ferality, respectively.

For Mirrorbound in particular, if natives suspect a character’s un-Bonded, they may give them the velvet gloves treatment, and may impress upon them the importance of Bonding at any opportunity through gentle, or overt, persuasion.

### Physical Side Effects

#### For Witches

A Witch will start to lose control of their magic as it increases without a sufficient outlet; even regular practice will do little to take the edge off, as it were. Spells will be more potent but uncontrollable. Eventually, the Witch will go supernova and explode from trying to contain too much magic within themselves.

#### For Monsters

Monsters will start to slip into their more animal instincts, eventually declining into going fully feral. The longer they go without a Bond, the harder it is to pull them back.

## Over-Bonding

Characters can only handle three Bonds. There’s no exact point where Bonding beyond three becomes physically impossible, but the consequences increase in severity with each additional Bond beyond three. A character’s power can only grow up to three, and beyond that point, they will begin to decline in power and health. Characters are warned against having more than three during their introduction to the world of Geardagas, but nobody keeps track of how many Bonds any individual Mirrorbound possesses.

Witches and Monsters alike risk overextending themselves and hurting both themselves and their Bonded severely, both mentally and emotionally. Too many Bonds can cause any one of them to snap, which would create a sensation like a “phantom bond,” the feeling of having a Bond that one doesn’t have. **The specific effects for Monsters and Witches depends on what combination of Witches or Monsters the individual is Bonded to**, and is outlined below.

Should your character Bond take on more than three Bonds, get in touch with the mods to arrange things.

### For Witches

For Witches, the consequences of more than three bonds comes in the form of a **disagreement in magics**; if they have two monsters and two witches, for example, while the Monsters would be more than enough to take care of their pesky excess magic, the Witches will be cycling magic into a system that has enough and would be on the edge of overflowing. In an opposite example, with the Witch having more Monster bonds, the Witch would spend too much of their magic "feeding" the Monsters, leading to a possible comatose state. This state fades in and out, but can be elongated at the player’s discretion; it will only cease once the Bonds have been nullified somehow, be they broken properly or not.

As a Witch gains more bonds, **all Bonds will weaken at different speeds and eventually break, the magic essentially wearing thin**.

### For Monsters

For Monsters, there comes the heightened chance of ferality even when a full moon isn't present. In the same example as above, while they would be getting the magic they need from the Witches, the Monsters they're bonded with would affect them twice as much as they're attempting to draw magic from a source that needs magic itself. In an opposite example, with the Monster having too many Witches, the Monster would consume too much magic, leading to the increasing danger of magic addiction, which can cause irrational behavior, paranoia, hallucinations, aggression as they seek to get their 'fix', and eventually a comatose state, the duration of which is up to player discretion and may fade in and out. As with Witches, it will only cease once balance has been restored in their Bond system.

As with the Witch, **the Monsters' Bonds will weaken at different speeds and eventually break as well**.

## Breaking a Bond

There are two ways a Bond can break: **consensual severing**, known as "annulments", and **non-consensual severing,** known as "abolishments".

### Annulment

Annulments are something characters actively seek out. Generally speaking, annulments are due to ordinary reasons that might end any relationship: finding they work better with other people, having some sort of falling out, circumstances just getting too difficult, one of them insists on sleeping with the water running every night because otherwise they "just can't get to sleep," so on and so forth.

**Annulments will leave those involved with a faint phantom pain, as if they're missing something, that will eventually fade with the formation of a new Bond or adjustment to their current Bonds.** This pain is a less prominent the happier the annulment was - two people who annulled their Bond on the basis of not finding they jived exactly the same way as before, but who remain good friends regardless, will have less of an ache than a pair whose Bond was annulled due to a disagreement and have negative feelings about their former Bonded lingering about.

### Abolishment

In contrast, abolishments are forced upon the Bond. This can be from straining it too heavily without proper communication (not unlike keeping problems in a relationship to yourself until it boils over in a nasty fight), an outside force severing it without going through the annulment process, or drifting too far apart in the Wilde.

**Abolishments will be more painful - think something similar to your heart wrenching, or the phrase "a knife between (someone's) ribs".** The pain won't fade like with annulments: it will be a constant pang, and your character will feel incredibly empty and alone, no matter where they go. Even the formation of a new Bond, either completely new or simply with the same character, will only get rid of the loneliness - not the pain.

There are said to be potions that can help soothe such things though, that can keep them quiet and dull the hurt that comes with them, but the Coven only doles them out in particularly severe cases. Around the town, however, there are plenty of apothecaries that might just have the thing... For a price, of course.

### Risks in the Wilde

Each character forms a type of passive Bond with the city that enables them to use magic in the first place, and this Bond with the city allows them to roam freely within it without fear of danger. It also allows characters to remain physically separated from their partner so long as both are within city walls.

Outside of the city, though, they have only their Bonds to rely on, so it's best to stick closely together - or, at minimum, within visible distance of each other. If they don't, they run the risk of their Bond severing, not unlike a rubber band being stretched past its limit. This isn't a hard guarantee it will happen—just that the further they're apart, the greater the risk becomes. This would feel just like an abolishment: it will be painful, heart-wrenching, and lonely.

### Departure (Drop) of a Bonded

**When a player character is dropped or swept from the game, if they have any Bonded, said Bonded will feel symptoms close to an annulment of their Bond**. They would experience a faint phantom pain, as if missing something. This sensation will eventually fade either with the formation of a new Bond or adjustment to their current ones, should they have any other than with the dropped character. Characters who are left completely without Bonds and who do not take on any new Bonds soon will just have to wait for time to heal that sensation of annulment.

### Death of a Bonded

*Main article: Character Death § Effect on Bonds*

In the event of a sudden death that requires resurrection, **Bonds will settle upon something that feels between an annulment and abolishment**, and lean more toward one or the other depending on the outcome after death. It starts as something similar to an abolishment at first: a heart-wrenching feeling that twists in their chest as the connection between them and their Bondmate is suddenly all but broken. Emptiness sets in and nerves will fray as an echo of their Bonded’s last emotion prior to their death will reverberate in the hollow space behind their sternum.
The feeling will slowly abate as the dead is resurrected and the Bond is actively repaired. To achieve this, characters will have to nurture their Bond with physical and emotional closeness, reconnecting the frayed ends of their connection and strengthening it back to full health.