Vodou

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 **User(s)** | Amen HeqetVodouists

**Vodou**(*ブードゥー Buudouu*) is an ancient form of magic that blurs the line between magic and religion, it's practitioners sharing a strong bond with the spiritual realm and the powerful creatures that reside within. To be able and actively use this magic, the mage must form a connection with one of the spirits of the wild, also known as Loa, and they, in turn, must bestow the mage with an idol, an item through which they will channel the powers of the Loa. Should the idol be lost, destroyed, or removed from their person in any way, the mage will be left powerless. To practice this magic is to embrace chaos, to understand that nothing is within one's own control and that everything you do is by the Loa's good adn fickle graces. All spellwork is of their origin and will only remain by your side for as long as you give more than you receive, as long as you remain faithful and devoted, a subject to their every whims.

## Description

As mentioned previously, Vodou is an ancient form of magic as well as a holder type magic which is both a magic and a religion. Vodou is a very fickle magic as the ones responsible for the spellwork isn't even truly the mages, but rather the spirits which they revere, which in turn can sometimes be rather chaotic in their behavior, preferring to never feel bound down to a single user. If two mages who both practice the same magic, the spirits will not treat them as equals if one is of greater standing amongst the Loa's than the other, making it more than possible for the spirits to abandon the lesser standing mage in favor of the other. Granted, there are many kind-hearted and loyal spirits, but more often than not, the Lesser Loas, as well as the mightiest of them, are the most fickle ones, mostly due to either a ferocious nature or due to the arrogance they carry from the immense power they wield.

When casting spells in the name of the Loa they revere, it most often does not even require the mage to pay any of his or her own magic power in order to perform, as it is the Loa who casts the spell in their stead. To practice the magic and form spells with the loa's, the mage requires an idol. This item, whichever form it may take, is an item which has been gifted to them by the very Loa which they worship. This idol is the very means through which they cast their spells and without it, they will be worthless. In order to receive an idol, the mage has to begin by devoting themselves to a Loa. It doesn't matter which one, but they have to pick one and go through rigorous trials in order to come in to their good graces. Once the Loa has witnessed and acknowledged the efforts of the mage, the god will grant the mage the option to accept them as their patron Loa. If they accept, the Loa will bestow upon them with an idol to help them in combat. While a mage can procure more than one idol, they can only have one Loa as their patron, and the idol from said patron will always grant the mage their most potent spellwork and even grant them their most potent ability, something which will be detailed further below. However, just because an Idol has been acquired, does not mean that their work is over. If the mage does not continue to show their devotion and show respect to the Loa which has bestowed their idols upon them can and will result in the Loa's taking their Idol's back, leaving the mages with nothing.

The first chosen Loa is a most important decision, and is forbidden to be Chosen out of calculated desire and want for their power, and msut rather be put through a trial. This trial requires the mage to be placed within a tunnel system completely devoid of light. From here, they must follow the calling of the Loa which desires this individual. This calling is subconscious, tugging at the feelings and mind of the mage rather than being a wayward guide. The first altar they stand before will be the Loa whose favour they shall seek to aqcuire. To try and pick another Loa after this is equivalent of insulting them, thus invoking their ire.

Each Loa's can bestow their mages with unique abilities and/or properties in return for their devotion and sacrifices. While the more basic spells require little else than a mage's own magic power in order to function, the higher states of spellwork will require the mage to perform a worthy sacrifice of sorts in order to receive the Loa's boon to perform such a spell. The required means to perform a sacrifice can be gathered within the Idol, and the sacrifices required can vary as each Loa has their own preferred tribute, varying from remains of the creature or thing they represent, parts of oneself or others, all the way to more material things like gold and jewels, all of which can be gathered in a next to infinite amount within their idols.

First in line are the Lesser Loa, spirits whom have most recently been elevated to a realm beyond their own. Lesser Loas are the weakest of the bunch, but their might is still not to be underestimated. They became loas for a reason, which often boils down to that they were incredibly powerful in life already and even more so now in death. The lesser loas are often discredited and disrespected by most of the vodouists, as they do not see them as powerful enough to be worthy of worship. Lesser Loas are often regarded by many as the most ferocious and dangerous of the loa as they still have much of their primal instincts lingering within them, making it most ill-advised to anger these spirits lest you hold the desire to become their next meal. The Lesser Loas are often refered to as the beast kings, making them the rulers of a defintive species of creatures such a snakes, wolfs, cats and so forth. Should a Lesser Loa become powerful enough through the worship of their subjects, they may rise to become Prime Loa. Even so, they stand with considerable power and strength. Power comparable to mid to High-End S-Class mages.

The Prime Loa are spirits which have proved themselves capable of rising to a higher level, either through their ability to inspire respect and reverence or simply by their sheer power. The Prime Loa are the ones which every vodouist flocks around, believing them to be a fair compromise. Not as "weak" as the Lesser ones, but at the same time not as daunting and difficult as the Wild Kings. The Prime Loa are the beings with the more unique abilities and gifts to their subjects, able to bestow upon them various properties and knowledge for them to do with as they please. The Prime Loa are beings who represent more abstract entities and properties fo life, such as the grave, fortitude, wisdom, magic, life, western wind and so forth. The Prime Loa are extremely powerful beings, Standing of comparable strength of a High-End Guild Ace, The Prime Loa are among the less fickle of Loas, doing a bit as they please, but often still thinking of the well-being of their subjects and how their actions and decisions will affect them.

The Wild Kings are the supreme beings amongst the Loas. The entities which every Loa aspire to become and bows before. The Wild Kings are creatures of near incomprehensible might, going well beyond reasonable might. How a Loa accomplishes to become a Wild King is unknown as it is something they are not keen on sharing with their kin. The Wild Kings are the most prominently known beings amongst the loa, but also the least revered ones. Because of how powerful they are, they also tend to be the most difficult and daunting creatures to worship, with only a few in history to have ever gained their favour and affection. Because of this, together with their difficult and frightening trials, many Vodouists are afraid to even dare approach them. Those who succeed, however, are blessed beyond their wildest dreams as they regard their suibjects in a much better light than most of their other, lesser standing kin, and has thus come to be regarded as the most loyal of all Loa. Unlike their lesser statured Prime Loa who represents an aspect of life or reality, the Wild Kings on the other hand embodies that aspect, granting them near complete dominance of that.