Soul

Everybody has heard the term Soul before. Most people have used the term Soul before. It's something we all possess. Something that makes us, well, us. Something that moves to the afterlife or gets reincarnated when we die. A soul can be claimed by something, a fiend or fey for example. Its also important to keep ones soul safe from corruption, otherwise it will make us sick. It can also be pulled from the afterlife, to bring us back to life, even though our body has technically died. Furthermore we can get "Soulmates", people who we share an inherent and natural link with. Dwarves also have a concept of the "Soulforge", meaning that anything created by a dwarf has a part of their Soul in it. Woodelves have the Soultree Yggdrasil, the place all their souls go to before reincarnating. Tieflings have a Soul made of fire while Halflings have a Soul made out of love. At least that's what people say.

So it's immediately clear, it is unclear what exactly a soul is. Sure, it's many things, but so many vague things that all overlap and sometimes even contradict each other. How can we put part of our Soul into things we create when we need our Soul to survive? How can we share an inherent connection with people if we each have only one Soul. How come Elves are reincarnated, but most other races are not. Do they just not create more Souls for Elves anymore? Or is there another reason for that?

This book will deal with all these questions and even more. It will give everyone who reads this a clear overview over the Soul, so one only needs one book to understand the different concepts and ideas. Now it's important to keep in mind that this book will try to include everything, it is not fallible. I am only a single person trying to write everything down. I have studied this topic for most of my life, so I am not ashamed to call myself an expert, but even then, when someone is as deep in the topic as I am, it is simply impossible to get everything right.

The Soul, after all, is something deeply personal and the only thing we have, against the cold heart world. So it's important to keep ones Soul safe.

## What is a Soul

The first question you are probably going to ask yourself after reading the introduction is "What is a Soul? They've been talking so much about it, but didn't come to any conclusion." and to that I have to say, be patient young reader. Explaining a Soul is like explaining magic. Technically? It's easy. Magic is something inherent, something some people can do and others can't. There's also the Weave that is somehow involved that is kind of like a web? But not always? There's also a spider on that web that kind of controls magic, but it's only theoretical? There's also divine magic, which is different from arcane magic because of the gods? Or is it the same and it's just the gods manipulating the weave? Do the gods listen and use the weave? What even is the weave?

As you can see, if we start simple, only more questions open up. The problem with topics like these is, that words have become so ingrained in normal life, that they have lost their true meaning.

Séo-Uhjl is a primordial word, roughly translating to "Life Force". It's widely accepted that the word Soul, which we use today, stems from that word. That implies that even the Primordial forces of the world had a concept of Souls. That brings us further, it implies that Souls have always been around, even before gods, humans and others came about. The Elves say "Quarlani", meaning "Those that is us". The dwarves use "Zylvum", which is similar to their word for forge, "Zyvalium". Devils in the hells use a term which roughly translates to "currency", implying the only way they truly care about mortal souls. While the linguistic side may be interesting to research, it doesn't bring us closer to the question at hand. It gives us many different implications, but nothing we can truly work with.

Allow me to put forth a definition for "Soul".

"A Soul is something every living being carries within itself. It is that, which makes them a Person."

Now, that is a simple definition that many people can understand, but it also carries flaws. "every living being", does that mean animals have souls? Does a fish carry the same soul as an elf? What about plants, those are clearly alive, yet nobody would say those have a soul. So let us rework that statement.

"A Soul is something every living humanoid carries within themselves. It is that, which makes them a Person."

Okay, that's already better. It clearly states that only Humanoids can have Souls, which ensures people won't get weird ideas about plants. But now there's another issue, what about gods? Fey? Fiends? Those are clearly not humanoid, but do they have a soul? Or is there something else that drives them? To be fair, it is hard to say if a god has a Soul, but a fey clearly has one. So, time to rework it again.

"A Soul is something every living Person carries within themselves, no matter if humanoid, fey or other. It is that, which makes them a Person."

Right! That's not looking too bad. We got most things involved and it easily explains what a Soul is. But what about the fact that you can lose a Soul? Or that it can be broken? One more try.

"A Soul is something every living Person carries within themselves, no matter if humanoid, fey or other. It is that, which makes them a Person. A Soul can be bartered with and it can be broken. If the Person dies, their Soul moves to the afterlife."

We even got the afterlife involved now! So that's perfect. It's starting to look complicated though and we're not even done yet. Have you ever heard of sentient Magical Items? Those carry somewhat of a soul within them. What about a Lich? Does that thing still have a Soul? Or what about Spirits, Elementals and even the forces of nature? We just explained that even the primordial spirits had a word for Soul. So what? Do we just involve all of those points and make the definition complicated again?

No. We don't. We actually use all of this to make the definition simpler.

"A Soul is a different word for Sentience."

That is the definition I would use if I had to explain the term simply, but it is in the inherent nature of the Soul that it will be impossible to describe. My Soul is different from your Soul and that Soul is different from the Soul of your neighbour. We can never find a perfect definition for what a Soul exactly is, because it is nothing specifically.

Is is what makes us a Person.

It can be used to barter and can be sold.

It moves on after Death, but it can also linger.

My Soul is different than your Soul.

And that is the beauty of the topic. It lies within the clear uncertainty with anything it deals with. You may have read this far and thought to yourself "This person is insane. How can they think any of this makes sense?" and I have to agree. How can I think any of this makes sense? I just do. My Soul tells me that it is correct. And if you are already disliking this book by now, I can only recommend you put it away and grab yourself a different one, perhaps something less philosophical. A cooking book perhaps?

## Who has a Soul?

We have already brushed this topic in the previous chapter. "Who has a Soul?", well not plants, that's for sure. But what about Treants, those big walking trees that protect forests? (You really thought I was done posing questions you can't reply, did you?) Do they gain a Soul when they awaken, or did they always carry one that just needed to be 'activated'?

Humanoids carry a Soul, that much is clear. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Tieflings, Orcs and all of the other races have a Soul within them. For some it's more important than others, but every culture and every race has ideas about Souls.

A druidic community might say that a plant doesn't have a Soul, but the forest it grows in has one. That the nature spirit inhabiting it is the Soul it gains until it's not awakened anymore.

Dwarves say that everything forged has a Soul in it, a small one, but a Soul nevertheless. From the tiniest nail to the mightiest of weapon, everything gains a Soul as it is forged. (A topic we will explore further in later chapters.)

Let's keep it simple. before we lose ourselves in strange questions once again.

Everything sentient has a Soul.

If we ignore the fact that that doesn't answer where those Souls come from, the answer is quite satisfactory.

## What is the difference between a Soul and a Spirit?

To answer this question, let me quote "Spirits - Souls without a Body" by Erathin I'Quani.

"Both are technically the same thing. While a Soul is stuck to a body, a Spirit doesn't have one."

I'Quani goes on to explain different kinds of spirits.

"Elemental - Spirits created through one of the four big Elements gaining a soul. They're different from true Elementals as those have a permanent physical body.

Fey - Some Fey's are Spirits

Undead - Restless Souls that have lost their body and cannot move to the afterlife or were summoned back from it

Nature - Connected to Fey Spirits, but nature spirits are their own thing.

Infernal - Infernal Spirits are similar to Undead ones, the Soul of a Devil that was not fully destroyed. Most tend to regain their body as they travel back to the Hells.

Many more unkown forms of Spirits exist, but it's a rather new field of study. Spirits don't tend to be evil, good or even neutral. They can be anything and everything. Celestial Spirits might be inclined to do good, but so can Infernal Spirits."

I personally like this explanation. I'Quani does not bother with asking unnecessary questions, but gets right into the thick of it. He's a person one can look into if they have an interest in Souls, but you won't need any of his works after finishing this book, but I still recommend reading them.

So to put it simply, a Spirit is a Soul without a Body.

## The Three Assets of Life

This Theory has been widely accepted, though it's still highly debated. "The Three Assets of Life"-Theory states, that every living being has three components attached to itself.

"The Body is a shell, keeping the Mind and Soul safe.

The Mind thinks, dividing between rationality and creativity.

The Soul feels, enabling one to realise Emotions."

To quote Kindreth Loraro from their book "The Soul, the Mind and the Body":

"You cannot have one without the other two, as that would lead to imminent self destruction.

A Body without a Mind and Soul drops to the ground. Neither awake nor asleep, it's forced to wait for death.

A Mind without a Body or Soul is an energy that can only think, but not interact. Like a lightning, it explodes into a load of ideas, before it disappears into nothingness.

A Soul without a Body or Mind is a raging Spirit, unable to control itself and burning up in the process.

Two without one can work, but it rarely does, depending on the combination.

A Body with a Mind, but no Soul, is basically an Undead Servant. Forced to do anything a Person tells them to. They might be able to think, but without any Willpower, they cannot go against it, even if they could argue against it.

A Body with a Soul, but no Mind, is cursed to never grasp anything. They might be able to achieve great things, but without a way to understand what they are doing, they are doomed to die without any memory.

A Mind with a Soul, but no Body, is a classic Spirit. While they are able to interact with their surroundings through their Magical Abilities, they will never be able to truly sense anything."

   The Three Assets Theory (From now on called "TAT"), also has a symbol it uses. Using this symbol in addition to arcane runes can give them more strength than they would normally have. The Triangle represents the Body, housing the Mind and the Spirit. The Mind is symbolised by the Circle, divided into Creativity and Rationality. The Soul is represented by the curved lines, reaching towards the World to experience things.

### The Soul

In this theory, the Soul is a sort of antenna, enabling one to interact with their surroundings. It is the thing that makes us a person, because we are the experiences we make in life. Now it is important to mention, that we are also made out of memories, which is where the other parts come in, but it's clear that the Soul is the driving factor within this theory.

### The Mind

The Mind enables us to think. To make decisions based on experience we gathered through our Body and Soul. To make memories and keep them within us. To be creative and rational.

The mind is the thing that helps us be ourselves. It's not a catalyst, neither is it a shield. It is like the knowledge needed to cast a spell, while the Soul is the Spell itself and the Body are the components needed.

### The Body

The Body is, well, the Body. Our shell, the thing we see in the mirror. We control the Body through Mind and Soul and the Body helps us keep those two things safe. We might see it as an armour, but it is more than just that. While an armour keeps us safe, it doesn't help us feel, see, touch or smell. The Soul craves Stimuli, the mind processes these Stimuli, but the Body? The Body collects those. Without the Body, tea would be nothing more than hot water that is steaming. The fresh Autumn Breeze would be nothing but a rustling of the Leaves and the hug of a close friend would be nothing at all.

We need all three of these components to be what we are.

## Soul Magic

Also known as Soulmancy, Soul Magic is a powerful but extremely dangerous form of magic. Oftentimes linked with Necromancy, it can be used for many different things. It is important to distinguish the two things though. While Necromancy deals with the forces of life and death, Soulmancy is more focused on using the Soul itself.

Soul Magic is not arcane, hence it's strength. While most other spells need the Weave to work, Soulmancy uses the inherent power within each of our Souls to create powerful effects.

An example here would be "Soul Resonance".

Soul Resonance describes how in tune one's soul is with their body, their mind and the world surrounding them. The more in tune it is, the higher the Soul Resonance. Strong emotions can also cause a higher Soul Resonance, though those tend to be more dangerous and can lead to Soul Zeniths. The higher ones Soul Resonance, the more abilities they are able to use through their Soul alone.

A Soul Zenith, the peak of ones resonance, will lead to damages to the Soul. Some of these damages can be permanent. But if one reaches their Soul Zenith, they are capable to achieving great things, beyond anyone's normal capabilities.

An example of one such abilities would be a "Soul Echo". Creating a spectral version of one's Soul that fights alongside them. A rare ability that one is either born with, or they have to train years to gain it. Even when they are born with it, only few will ever find out, as a high resonance is needed to even activate it.

One important thing to mention is, that while a Sorcerer is born with magical abilities within their Soul, what they are using is not Soulmancy. The magic of a Sorcerer lies within their blood and it clings to their Soul, but they rarely use their own Soul in the process of using magic. Henceforth Sorcerers can lose their magical abilities without losing their Soul.

Powerful, Magical Souls can be used to gather Arcanium, a substance that is filled with incredibly power. Though, that is a topic for another time. (Probably until the next fool decides to research it, sigh.)

## Souls in different Mythologies

(This chapter deals with Souls in different mythologies like the concept of the Soulforge in dwarven culture or Yggdrasil in Woodelf culture I am really sorry I will write this out another time if you want it.)

## Can a Soul truly break?

Yes. As mentioned beforehand, a Soul Zenith is a point where one's Soul can take damage. If someone pushes themselves beyond their normal limits, their body can take damage, but so can their Mind and their Soul.

A shattered Soul is a rare occurrence, as many things have to happen before a Soul can shatter, but it is not unheard of. These Souls can be stitched back together by nothing less than divine intervention. Even the strongest of magicians would be amiss trying to repair something as complex as a Soul.

Though, if the damage is not too bad, there are a few ways to heal a Soul. The first one is to take a break. The Soul is part of a person and each person has regenerative abilities, some more than others. There is no point in forcing magical healing into a Soul and risking more damage, when a week of rest can do the trick.

Now it does depend on the kind of damage. Some minor problems? Rest.

But if it is something that does hinder one from sleeping? Then it might be best to look into ways to heal a Soul. A few will be described in this chapter, but most of them are only theoretical, as I never had to heal my Soul beyond the occasional Trauma/Heartbreak/Fusion of both. (Yes I am fine don't worry.)

Except rest, one can perform a ritual which is supposed to Repose the Soul. It will make you tired and, depending on how severe the damage is, force you to sleep for a certain amount of time. That can be one hour, but also multiple weeks. The ritual should be done carefully, as if a mended Soul won't help someone who's starved to death. For the Ritual you'll need:

- Sunny Yarrow and something to burn the Yarrow in

- Two copper coins

- A pinch of salt

- The Spell Greater Restoration, though it will not need the diamond dust

- Gem dust worth 15 gold that has been added to a drink of choice

Burn the Sunny Yarrow to cleanse the air of any negative energy. The person who wants to have their Soul healed needs to drink the drink of their choice with the gem dust, before lying down. The two copper coins are put above each of their eyes (If they have one eye you'll only need one coin, if they have more you'll need more) and the salt is sprinkled over their upper body, the place where the soul is said to be resting the most. Then someone has to cast Greater Restoration on them. This spell will then, instead of using the gem dust the caster is holding normally, use the gem dust within the body of the person the Spell has been cast on. This process is not pleasant at first and will make the person feel uncomfortable, but it should not hurt. Then they will fall into a dreamless slumber. When their Soul has healed, they will wake up again.

Another possible way to heal a Soul would be the "Heal" Spell. This is a bit more extensive on the Healer, but if one expends more energy than normally, the Healing capabilities will not just reach the Body, but also the Soul and Mind. (Another slot used that is at least level 6.) Though, two people can work together to reach the needed amount of energy to cast that spell.