1. Abilities

Soulfire

Soulfire is one of the most pure forms of magic in Cenara. It earns its name not from being a type of flame or fire, but from its appearance and how it draws its energy from the user's soul. It's notorious for being one of the hardest forms of magic to learn, and most people who learn it will only master one or two aspects in their lifetimes.

Soulfire is invisible to the naked eye unless a person has learned how to use it, or unless they are a blank.

It holds the unique ability to stabilize magic in low quantities, but large quantities can actually completely neutralize ambient magical energy or a person's arcane veil for a short time. The effects this can have on people are devastating, but not necessarily harmful; being without a veil when used to having one can leave a person with strong fatigue and confusion, as well as severe weakness and inability to use their own magic.

Soulfire is often used in medical contexts to stabilize a patient who is lashing out, or to regulate their arcane veil so it does not harm the patient or people around them.

Soulfire Evaporation

In its flame form, Soulfire evaporates Arcane Veils. When a Veil is evaporated off a body, this leads to weakness in both body and spirit; one's soul thread will be exposed, and any sense of direction or balance will be offset. A hazy mind is also notable when being hit with Soulfire flames. Soulfire effects on living creatures are never permanent and in some cultures may be considered beneficial or cleansing.

To non-living things such as electronics, Soulfire has the capability to completely destroy any screens, lenses, and cameras on contact. Analog devices will be permanently distorted, and electronic devices will only act corrupted and glitched before ceasing to function entirely. It is possible to repair robots and cyborgs that have had contact with Soulfire, but computers, cameras, etc. will be destroyed.

Subset: Soulfire Inferno

Soulfire infernos are powerful bursts of Soulfire flames made from years of buildup. A true master of Soulfire is able to gather and store years worth of energy in their Veil, as a sort of "bide" until release. When the release is triggered, a massive spinning inferno will engulf the surrounding area, evaporating and destroying any and all mana threads floating in the air. Tech of all kinds, including lights, will cease to function and be unable to be repaired. If the inferno is powerful enough, weather will halt as well; the wind will not blow, and the sky will be permanently overcast. 

The largest recorded Soulfire inferno took place in the Eye Of Chronos, spanning several miles in diameter and creating an arcane dead zone that still lasts to this day. The only magic that will still work in the Eye of Chronos is chronos itself, the manipulation of time.

Soulfire Vision

Soulfire vision gives its caster an ability to develop a sixth sense; able to see and sense Veils, mana, and other Soulfire users within eyesight. Many of the users of this sense end up using it more than actual vision, due to how it gives more information than light-based sight.

Soulfire Reflection

Soulfire flames can be used to absorb and break down any form of mana into pure Soulfire energy, and thus add to the user's Veil as a boost, shield, or reflective attack. Soulfire Reflection is most often observed as taking on an electric state rather than a flame state, and may or may not be considered the most dangerous [and difficult to learn] form of Soulfire.


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Effects on the self and on machines

Overusage of Soulfire can lead to severe exhaustion and depletion of Veil mana in the user. This leads to the same effects and vulnerabilities as being hit by a Soulfire flame.

Soulfire is especially devastating on electric machinery. Since machines cannot typically regenerate their own veils, which they do have due to electricity, being struck with a Soulfire flame will permanently brick the machine. This means Soulfire can be deadly to creatures like Digidevils and it is forbidden to use in areas like The Dominion of Dusk, which is full of machinery that functions nearly entirely without magic.

Machines with regenerating magic - such as machines that run on Ellyrites and other enchanted crystals - are less susceptible to the destructive effects of Soulfire, and are becoming more commonplace as the number of Soulfire casters increases.

Manifestation/Visual

Unlike most generic spells, Soulfire is invisible to the naked eye unless the viewer can also use Soulfire or is a Blank. To those who can view it, it manifests as a warm, beautiful blue flame or electric charge. Notably, Soulfire flickers slower than a heat flame, and appears to move in slow motion.

To those who cannot view it, Soulfire leaves behind a warm, pleasant sensation when touched, and occasionally - if the Soulfire is powerful enough - heat distortion in the air.

Source

Soulfire's power is drawn exclusively from the user's own Veil, and not from the mana in the air around them. This makes it a viable magic to use in low-mana environments such as the Dominion of Dusk.

Discovery

Soulfire was first discovered by the Sorcerers aeons ago, specifically by a man named Kado, with their ruler Ganjifa being the first sapient being capable of studying and casting it at a significant potential. The true potential of this magic is kept under a deathly secret by Sorcerers and their knowledge; while Stickmen and dragons have since discovered it elsewhere, only a Sorcerer may carry the knowledge for what it can truly do, including the effects and casting of the Soulfire Infernos.

Legality of Soulfire

Soulfire usage has varying legality across the world.

Dominion of Dusk

In the Dominion of Dusk, it is illegal to use Soulfire for any reason, beneficial or not. Soulfire is especially devastating on their technology and is considered a Weapon of Mass Destruction, or a Vector of Terrorism. Usage of Soulfire anywhere within Dusk is punishable by law, leading to jail time if no harm was done, or death if used for terrorism.

While Soulfire itself cannot be used to inflict massive amounts of damage or harm by a single person, damage to crucial infrastructure is made simple with it and it must be regulated.

Despite usage of Soulfire being outlawed in Dusk, it is allowed to be taught to Dusk soldiers for self-defense against magical weapons. It is not illegal to know, learn, or teach Soulfire in private settings. Usage of Soulfire in war or other occupations has not been commonly reported.

Ch'chkun

Soulfire is similarly outlawed in Ch'chkun, much more so due to its infrastructure being even more delicate than Dusk's. Seeing Soulfire as more of a technological nuisance than a weapon of destruction, the government of Ch'chkun outlaws Soulfire - using, knowing, learning, or teaching - entirely.

A major part of tourist/immigrant border security is checking if people crossing the border into the country have energy of Soulfire in their veils, by having Ellyrite-based detectors set up across the borders of major settlements. If they have it, they are not allowed into the country and must be escorted out.

Sneaking past this border security or learning how to use Soulfire within the borders of Ch'chkun is a crime punishable by exile from the country and massive fines. 

Alumanate

With its infrastructure being much more resistant to Soulfire attacks, and instead being reliant on magic itself, Alumanate goes in the opposite direction of Ch'chkun and Dusk and instead not only legalizes the usage of Soulfire, but encourages it for self-defense. The basics of Soulfire is taught to all grade school students at a young age in order to be able to protect themselves from magical failures and attacks across the city.

Soulfire is frequently utilized in medical contexts and to stabilize malfunctioning magitechnology within the country.

As knowing Soulfire gives a person an immunity to the weakening effects of the magic, Alumanate is one of the most secured countries in the world regarding usage and defense against it.

Neo Hawa

Neo Hawa is on the more relaxed end when it comes to Soulfire usage within the city. While using it is in of itself not a crime, legal Soulfire flame usage is restricted to those who have received permits to do so. Advanced magitechnology gives Neo Hawa some of the best defenses against hostile Soulfire usage; while their technology is not particularly resistant to initial attacks, their technology is capable of recovering its arcane veil and therefore is also capable of recovering from Soulfire damage.

Unauthorized Soulfire use can lead to legal repercussions.