Life Force

Lifeforce is the force of life. In humans it can be considered the soul, but it isn’t really a singular unit. It is a force that is in plants, in animals, people, etc. It is also where consciousness is based. Lifeforce exists in “The Darklands”. It is where Demons, Spirits, and Celestials exist.

Lifeforce is something that fuels life itself. When infused into an object, it will either grow life or come to life, depending on the intent of the wielder. Lifeforce is much more difficult to manipulate than arcane energy, as it has a will of its own. Lifeforce is instead granted by a celestial or spirit.

## The Darkland

The Darkrealm is the realm where life force resides. It is where paranormal spirits exist. Mortals usually cannot go into the Darkrealm, but they can communicate it and affect it. The Darkrealm typically appears as a darker reflection of the normal world, with the exception that all life has a life force reflection of themselves.

### Phantoms

Phantoms are life force entities without a material world counterpart. Typically, when an entity dies, it fades into nothing. But beings who have a particularly sudden and violent death can end up being severed from the material world, only to exist within the spirit world. Phantoms have the power to move objects in the material world and possess things, such as dolls and people. Phantom possession is usually temporary, and they can be forced out with a cleric’s help, but damn it can be weird. Phantoms specifically had to have been born in the material world.

### Spirits

Spirits are life force entities that were born in the Darkrealms. They typically inhabit a certain element in the material world, and can make bodies out of those. They have several different names though. Spirits who inhabit fire, earth, water, and air are called elementals, and are the most common spirits in the world. Other spirits such as Wild Spirits take the form of animals and are immortal. Arcane spirits are the most powerful spirits and are commonly called ethereals. Spirits usually are not malevolent unless their element has been harmed, in which they can get very aggressive.

### Celestials

Celestials are the gods of the Darkrealm. Their presence implies effects on the material world, unlike spirits, who are usually the products of their environment. They are few in number, are usually immortal, and are important enough to be given names. Celestials commonly help forge the material world with celestial magic. They can take the form of stellar celestials, who inhabit stars, to the more common lesser celestial, who is the ruler of something way too specific to really matter. Celestials are born by other celestials, and they can be killed by void forces. Celestials have a special location within the star of a system called the Celestial Capital, which exists only in the Darklands, and is where celestials congregate.

### Demons

Demons are incredibly malevolent spirits within the Darkrealm who seek to consume life force. While these most commonly use voidforce, they can also be incredibly corrupt spirits. Demons are hunted by celestials and paladins. Demons commonly influence mortals to become monsters for power and immortality.

## Forms

### Undead

Undead creatures are creatures that should really be dead, but have had lifeforce artificially infused into them. Because they are not alive, lifeforce does not fade within undead beings. So they can be incredibly difficult to kill outside of clerics and paladins. Undead creatures are ridiculously difficult to make because lifeforce isn’t very keen on entering a dead body, and generating life force like some Frankenstein is nigh impossible. So to create undead, one would need to convince a phantom to possess the corpse, or beg for a celestial to create lifeforce within the body.

### Druidic

Druidic magic is manipulating the lifeforce of animals and plants. These are the druids of the world. They can make plants grow, shrink back, die, etc. And they can also communicate with animals, ask animals to do things, etc. Talking with another sentient being with wild magic can reveal what they truly feel or think about something. They can also communicate with wild spirits.

### Shaman

Shamans are powerful elemental mages who communicate with spirits in order to cast their magic. Communicating with spirits gives them a connection to the Darkrealms, and gives them better senses over the lands. A shaman who manages to communicate with an Ethereal however, is just an arcane mage with extra steps, and more power. It is important to note that not everyone can communicate with spirits well, so communing with an Ethereal is not a replacement for mages.

### Cleric

Clerics are people with such a strong connection to the Darkrealms that they themselves can manipulate lifeforce. This brute-forcing of nature is dangerous for the soul. One can make enemies within the Darkland via this magic, and the raw power required can shatter the soul of the wielder. The power it grants however, is very powerful. It is much more consistent and reliable than asking for spirits to grant power.

Clerics are separated into Light and Blood clerics. Light Clerics use their powers to heal and restore. They often exorcise demons, heal the wounded, and lift curses. Blood Clerics on the other hand, are much more savage and brutal. They use others life force for their own ends, siphoning the life from others. This is often a tool used by demonic forces, but it can be used for more noble purposes. Such a way would be the only way to use it without being obliterated by a celestial.