Perhaps there’s some truth to the idea that the real danger of forbidden magic isn’t that it draws its power from sacrifice, but that it tempts the greedy and ambitious into using the suffering of others to fuel their spells.
Forbidden magic is a broad umbrella term which has a generally accepted meaning. Forbidden magic itself usually refers to necromancy, hemomancy, and magic which alters a creature’s mind and dominates it to a caster’s will. However, this is an oversimplification as for example, not all necromancy spells are considered forbidden magic, it is only typically those that create undead that are forbidden. Forbidden magic also includes magic which summons fiends, Weave Aberration, and other dangerous extra-planar threats. While some necromancy spells are capable of bringing someone back to life, and few deny the use and positivity of these spells, it is the spells that focus on abusing and twisting creatures both living and dead that is taken issue with. Most find it to be unacceptable for a mage to make a mockery of a creature by raising it as an undead abomination. Examples of necromancy spells considered forbidden magic include Animate dead, Speak with dead, Danse macabre, Create undead, Magic jar, and Finger of death. Blood magic, known as hemomancy, is a school of magic that has received widespread condemnation from mages and commoners alike. Blood magic is capable of manipulating the life force of both its practitioners and targets alike in painful and cruel manners. Blood magic is strongly associated with pain, injury, slavery, and sacrificial rituals alike as blood magic is more powerful when one injuries itself or sacrifices another to cast its spells. magic which alters a creature’s mind and dominates it to a caster’s will, typically refers to certain kinds of enchantment magic. These kinds of magics are viewed as just as abominable as raising undead. Examples of these include Modify Memory and Dominate Person. Both forbidden magic is strongly associated with the Age of Blood, as all forms of forbidden magic were abused to devastate all the known world. Virtually all kingdoms, cultures, and races view the practice of forbidden magic to be an abomination. All those who practise forbidden magic are referred to as a maleficar (maleficarum as a plural), to which the typical punishment is death. While it is not fully understood why it is clear that maleficarum are particularly vulnerable to Weave Aberrations and becoming abominations through possession by them.
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There are depictions of racism, sexism, hom*ophobia, slavery, and bigoted violence found within Runetalras. These kinds of discrimation are abominable and repugnant. They are included within Runetalras to allow for interesting roleplay opportunities against unjust systems, this content is not meant to support these backwards views - just so we’re clear.
