Soulshatter

This article has a lot of funky terminology. Come see Magical keywords for a 2-minute crash course on what these mean.

"We tend to think that no matter what happens, our souls are the same. They remain unchanging until death. It's not true. Souls can fracture, break, and even shatter, with terrifying results"

— S

Soulshatter is the result of damage to a soul. It manifests itself through anything from odd behaviour, memory loss, or occasionally death. Notable people with soulshatter include Jay Spinner and Duke Richard Atlin, both known for their eccentric personalities and distrust of others. Both are examples of people who have been afflicted and still managed successful lives, living with their affliction rather than rejecting it.

Causes

Soulshatter can often occur as the result of the breaking of chords within a soul. This can happen at some point within the afflicted's life, or from birth.

Symptoms

Soulshatter, in its mildest form, can result in eccentricity or strange attractions/hatreds towards certain things. However, they can often be far worse, including mania, paranoia, or even death.

Affected Groups

Most people afflicted with soulshatter are mages. Inexperienced mages who choose paths through chords of a soul can sever the chords or alter the nodes (although this is rare as souls generally reject these paths without damage).

History

Soulshatter has been a known (but not necessarily understood) phenomena throughout history.

Cultural Reception

Beliefs about soulshatter vary wildly between cultures. Among Cordaintines, those afflicted with it are often persecuted, thought of as a dangerous monster in human form, hence their odd behaviour. Discrimination also persists among Mainland Erdants, less linked to beliefs of monsters than fear of the different or unknown.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Extremely Rare