Terrormancy

[Hemalurgic Headshot he/him]

Terrormancy is a magic form that draws its power from fear. The fear is drawn to the terrormancer, appearing like thin strands of darkness. The terrormancer can convert the fear into "phobic energy", which is bright blue-white. However, since fear is such a potent emotion, the amount of phobic energy created is too much for the terrormancer's body to contain. The surplus energy begins to arc over his skin, creating spiraling bands of blue energy that circle the torso. This surplus phobic energy also makes the terrormancer's eyes glow.

Once there is a significant surplus of phobic energy, the terrormancer can will the energy into different parts of his body, most likely the limbs. It should be noted that controlling phobic energy on the body is quick difficult, but movement helps force the energy in that direction. This is why it is easiest to transfer phobic energy to legs of arms. This movement of energy appears like a surge of the spiraling bands into that region. 

Phobic energy strengthens the body where it is concentrated. An experienced terrormancer knows how to concentrate energy in his legs, allowing him to leap walls. Phobic energy can also be discharged. This is done by willing the energy off of the body, in a similar fashion to willing the energy elsewhere on the body. However, discharging phobic energy requires extra force to free it from its host. Once airborne, a bundle of phobic energy becomes a lethal projectile. There is another way to discharge phobic energy, as a web. Forming a phobic web is more difficult than simply discharging it, because the energy must remain in a certain area. To do this, the terrormancer places his two arms, charged with phobic energy, close together, so that the energy begins to arc from limb to limb. Then, he must fluidly pull his arms apart, creating a net of arcing phobic bands. This net can block phobic blasts and large projectiles.

[Quiver he/him]

I freaking love terrormancy as a concept. I mean, fear is such a primal part of the human psyche, and we already have a lot of myths and egends associated with it; stories about someone getting such a fright that their heart stops, or their hair turns white. So I think this is a great concept.

I kind of like some of the effects of the magic do; it kind of makes terrormancers like a classic slasher villain; they can walk through a storm of bullets, they can strengthen their limbs for Jason-like strength... I like it.
Honestly, I'd suggest leaning more into that slasher villain vibe. The energy blast stuff didn't interest me quite as much; I'd prefer to see more playing with horror villain tropes, like maybe short range teleportation?

[Hemalurgic Headshot he/him]

3 hours ago, Quiver said:

Honestly, I'd suggest leaning more into that slasher villain vibe. The energy blast stuff didn't interest me quite as much; I'd prefer to see more playing with horror villain tropes, like maybe short range teleportation?

Having electric blue energy shoot from your fingertips is really useful as a showy tactic. Terrormancers usually have elaborate entrances designed to build terror, but among the common people, just a blue glow is enough to send someone panicking. Generations of tales of terrormancers have already woven themselves into the culture of the people, tales used to scare the children into bed at night.

Slasher villain... yes, but I'll put my own twist on it. Thanks for your input!

[StrikerEZ he/him]

I'm just gonna list off some questions that I have.

Can anyone learn terrormancy, or is it just you're born with/get the power? If there's control over fear, are there other emotion-based powers, such as love or happiness? Does Roseline have any power of any kind? Can a terrormancer use his phobic energy to enhance someone else? Are there any good terrormancers?

[Hemalurgic Headshot he/him]

22 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

I'm just gonna list off some questions that I have.

Can anyone learn terrormancy, or is it just you're born with/get the power? If there's control over fear, are there other emotion-based powers, such as love or happiness? Does Roseline have any power of any kind? Can a terrormancer use his phobic energy to enhance someone else? Are there any good terrormancers?

I'll answer your questions in order:

An individual is born with the power. Usually, when the power is manifested, then the individual is exiled from the settlement for fear of the child turning on the community.

I toyed with the idea of multiple emotion-based powers, because when you get down the core reasons why terrormancy works, there could be others, but I threw them out. So only terrormancy.

Roseline does not have any powers, just her wits and skill.

A terrormancer normally cannot enhance another individual with his own phobic energy, because he doesn't have any way to do that. However, a terrormancer could technically link with another terrormancer, so phobic energy could arc between them. An ordinary person could do the same thing, if there was a dampener of some sort to keep the high amounts of energy from killing the person.

There are good terrormancers, there will be one in the story. It is a common stereotype to assume that all terrormancers are evil.

[StrikerEZ he/him]

1 hour ago, Hemalurgic_Headshot said:

I toyed with the idea of multiple emotion-based powers, because when you get down the core reasons why terrormancy works, there could be others, but I threw them out. So only terrormancy.

Man, it'd be so cool if there were other emotion powers, but I guess it could get too confusing. Though I still think the idea of other emotion powers would be a cool concept to expand upon.

Edited March 26, 2017 by StrikerEZ

[Faceless Mist-Wraith he/him]

Sounds interesting. The imagery is really is cool.

Quote

An individual is born with the power. Usually, when the power is manifested, then the individual is exiled from the settlement for fear of the child turning on the community.

How does this power manifest? Is it outwardly obvious when it does?

If a terrormancer isn't using their powers can a person tell them apart from other people?

Does this phobic energy only have a physical effect, or can a terromancer use this power to induce fear in others?

[Hemalurgic Headshot he/him]

24 minutes ago, Faceless Mist-Wraith said:

Sounds interesting. The imagery is really is cool.

How does this power manifest? Is it outwardly obvious when it does?

If a terrormancer isn't using their powers can a person tell them apart from other people?

Does this phobic energy only have a physical effect, or can a terromancer use this power to induce fear in others?

The power manifests itself as the young terrormancer begins to draw upon other's fear on reflex. Once the townsfolk notice that someone has begun to glow, then they start worrying.

A terrormancer is practically indistinguishable from other people if he is not using his powers. There might be very subtle differences caused by the wear of phobic energy, but nothing that you would notice if you weren't looking for it, and possibly not even then if you were.

Phobic energy inducing fear is a thing of cause and effect, not directly creating fear in an individual. If you see someone summon a ball of violent blue energy into their hand, then it is perfectly rational to be afraid.