Words of Power/Incantations

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Words Can Do Much More

Reality is What You Say It Is.

The vocalization and audible control over Ei'tarnium that SoulBurners use to channel SoulEnergy without the use of hands or any type of Casting Aide or Artifact. While it's most commonly used for enchantments and Imbuement, it was first discovered in the immediate aftermath of the Burning of Souls by Malmutha, who was swearing and wished the worst upon the Talthorians the Heroes of Legend were sacking. This string of words, or Incantations as they became known as later, were the first Curses spoken by a Lislander, and before they had returned home, Malmutha had devised ways for both individual Words and phrases or sentences he spoke to cause a magical effect or physical manipulation on the reality around him.

Watch What You Say

Unlike HandSigns and other Schools of Burning, Words of Power took immediate effect on Lislow after the Sacking of the North. Within days of The Shard breaking inhabitants of Lislow across the continent accidentally began Burning for the first time as they said almost anything with any particularly extreme emotion. It didn't take them long to realize the source of the reality warps was them, nor upon the Hero's return to put together the finer details of what they were capable of.

While it took considerable trial and a lot of error in the beginning, most of the different nations of Lislow quickly categorized and devised their own ways to manipulate their newfound vocal powers.

Reality's Spoken Word

Incantations

The most common way to use Words of Power in modern Lislow, is mostly because it's been taught as a basic skill for several generations. While they is no singular most efficient technique or style to this type of Casting, like a language Incantations require specific grammar and/or punctuation to be coherent, but unlike Words of Power an Incantation can cause more than a single action or effect.
A proficient user can use an Incantation to string several Enchantments, Manipulations, or even Imbuement together with a single phrase, but most can only cause one or two before either their concentration will give out or they'll make a mistake.

Words of Power

Known secondly as the basis for Incantations, but separate from them as firstly Words of Power is an entirely different way of casting. Instead of stringing together several words to more directly give power and guide the Ei'tarnium and SoulBurning, one can simply state a single word and let their emotional and psychic connection do the guiding.
While in theory simpler, to be successful it requires the Burner to both be in very good sync with their BurningPool, but also know the action or effect they want to be taken intimately and thoroughly. Any unclear, unresolved, or confusion will cause either the wrong or an unintended effect from the Word of Power (I.E. saying 'serve' to a cup full of beer. It may not go to the intended person or drop and spill its contents.)

Utility

Due to its flexibility, its utility is great, and possibly even stalled the progress of making Artifacts as there was the biggest need in the beginning. It still depends on the Burner themselves on how the ability is used, but general and theoretical knowledge is much more widespread therefore is often still used in new and creative ways.

Social Impact

Upon first discovery it caused a great deal of commotion and disruption to everyday society (as much disruption as a war-torn continent could take), as at first, no one understood why the mad and angry people were literally warping reality around them and there was a slight witch-hunt, but it was quickly discovered that nearly everyone now had the ability to do so at will and was not linked to only angry emotions and reactions.
From there it was quickly integrated into every aspect of everyday life. Many simple and easy tasks were reduced to mere words (much to the eternal gratefulness of house-spouses everywhere), and both military and economical uses were abundant. It took a while to gauge how much Burnout it can cause and the limits of the reality-changing effects, and the boundaries are still being pushed in both good bad and very gray ways.

Parent Technologies

• Words of Power/Incantations

Children Technologies

• Words of Power/Incantations

Access & Availability

Being the first ability to be properly widespread, and only requiring a vocal and/or audible sound, Words of Power at the very least are available to everyone, and even those without the proper knowledge might accidentally cast one in the throes of intense emotion. Incantations require more academic study to utilize properly, and even more than that to be used to great effect, but over the generations on Lislow, it's become nearly a second language and is not only taught from young ages but impossibly to not hear constantly as it's one of the easiest ways to cast.

Complexity

The complex part of Words of Power and Incantations is often not the words or phrases themselves, but the intent behind them. Ei'tarnium shares a base and instinctual connection with its host, but it requires training and experience to get it to react precisely as the Burner wishes. Some can be born with near-perfect innate connections, or have an easier time forming one with the Ei'tarnium, but it's usually trial and error to learn directly, or the ability to use it will crop up during an intense moment of the Burner's life and will do something they are most familiar with.

Discovery

Like HandSigns, Words of Power was discovered right after the Sacking of the North by one of the Heroes of Legend, though accidentally unlike the aforementioned HandSigns by Malmutha as he was telling the Talthorians what he'd like to do to them. Delighted with the newfound power he went on to experiment loosely with it, evolving into being able to Cast full Incantations before they returned to the Shamrock Plains.
Unbeknownst to the Heroes at the time, Words of Power was the first side-effect of the Burning of Souls and hit the entire continent rather quickly as all over strange warps and effects in reality, both malicious and helpful, were cropping up. It took longer and required a great amount of teaching on Malmutha's part, but the theoretical knowledge of Incantations and Words of Power spread rather quickly and essentially became the Lislander's second dialect.

Related Species

• Lislander