Kuma In Pink

Another foray into the exciting world of Bondtale! Huzzah! Last time, I made an overview regarding the many different kind of magic involved with this AU. You can read that here! As promised, I'll be going over one of the topics on that list. Since I got no requests, I'm going to start with The Foundations of Magic!

The subject matter is discussed a bit in Chapter Twenty-Four of Memories In The Void: Enter The Skeleton District ,

Intent - The direct goal or target of magic. Some Trait Magic and Colored Magic either rely on or have a prerequisite for successful utilization, though as an integral foundation, does tend to have an effect on all magic in one way or another.

Intent can be positive, negative or neutral, so long as there is a a motivation behind it. It is the most complex aspect of magic. In order to change utilization, one must be able to question themselves and change their goals on a whim.

Positive Intent - Magic with a "good" goal or purpose.

Negative Intent - Magic with a "bad" goal or purpose.

Neutral Intent - Magic with neither a "good" or "bad" goal or purpose.

Though far from the only one, a primary example of Intent-reliant magic is Healing Magic. Being a skill of Green Magic, Kindness and Amiability, Healing Magic is seen as magic with innately Positive Intent.

This is a misconception born of the Kindness Trait.

As most magic users see Healing Magic as a purely good thing due to Kindness being perceived as good, those who have Positive Intent tend to be the most common healers. They typically do not filter out Personality, Desire and Will.

While exceedingly more difficult, those who lack goodness can still be a very effective healer. Healing Magic tends to be less effective as those who are "bad" typically don't want to heal harmed individuals. Their Personality, Desire and Will actively fight the goal of healing. If the goal of Healing Magic is fought against, then it stands to reason that healing cannot be achieved.

In someone who has Negative Intent, healing can only be achieved if it is done for a "bad" purpose. Torture, for instance. If someone heals another to enable causing them more pain, or cause harm in another respect, Personality, Desire and Will are more likely to align.

In someone who has achieved a Mastery of Intent, Personality, Desire and Will don't play a factor. Most professional healers are required by law to have this skill. Those who prove their mastery receive a certificate to put in their inventory.

Personality - The free expression of one's unique nature through magic. The way one's magic takes shape is decided through this building block. The formation of weapons, special attacks and bullet patterns rely on the unique, innate quality of an individual's soul. This is true in both humans and non-humans.

As it a representation of one's nature, this is what gives bullet patterns, keys, summons, abilities and various other aspects of an individual's magic their unique flair. Due to this, no one has magic that looks identical - there are always nuances to be found.

White Magic in non-skeleton monsters is a shining example of how personality shapes magic.

Desire - Presents as an innate boost to the magic of a non-skeleton monsters and humans. It only applies when the user is being true to themselves and what they truly want. Personality, Intent and Will need to align in order to gain the boost. One can either obtain a minor desire boost or a major desire boost. Due to both the complex nature of Intent and the harsh conditions Will requires, instances of a major boost range from uncommon to rare. Minor boosts are more frequent, staying within the realm of uncommon for most monsters.

Desire works differently for each race, so I'll start with Monsters.

Minor Desire Boost - x1.5 effectiveness to any magic being used, be it offensive, defensive or something else. Are more likely to occur, so long as at least two of the foundations are in effect.

Major Desire Boost -x3.5 effectiveness to any magic being used, be it offensive, defensive or something else. Either all foundations must be in effect, or a critical condition must be met, (monster in question must be dealt a fatal blow and not immediately dust).

Boss Monsters, Demi-Boss Monsters - Due to having more resilient souls than most monsters, they have a much easier time utilizing Will than others. A full Boss Monster (such as Toriel or Asgore) have a 1/30 chance to access the major desire boost in a non-critical setting. Once Asriel becomes an adult, he too will have this feature. Demi-Boss Monsters, (such as Glyde and Muffet), have a 1/70 chance to access the major boost in a non-critical setting. In a critical setting, the effect of a major desire boost is increased is doubled in Demi-Boss Monsters and quadrupled in full Boss Monsters.

The Willowgales - Undyne, Coral and Reef, as the last of the fishpeople, have a 1/40 chance to access a major desire boost in a non-critical setting and always have a minor desire boost active.

Temporary Boss Monsters - Unlike the above mentioned, they can only access the major boost in a critical setting. Any ordinary monster can ascend to this in a critical setting, so long as Personality, Desire and Will are aligned.

Humans - Through the nature of their soul's natural resilience, don't have the same limitations monsters do. Instead, they rely on the nature of their soul. The more Determination a human soul has, the more likely a minor desire boost. A major desire boost must meet the same condition as monsters, however.

Determination, Foul Determination and Pure Determination - Minor boost is active 100% of the time.

Bravery, Confidence, Recklessness and Cowardice - Minor boost is active 80% of the time.

Justice, Righteousness, Arrogance and Vengeance - Minor boost is active 60% of the time.

Kindness, Amiability, Malice and Animosity - Minor boost is active 40% of the time.

Patience, Composure, Apathy and Sloth - Minor boost is active 30% of the time.

Integrity, Honor, Deceit and Dishonor - Minor boost is active 20% of the time.

Perseverance, Persistence, Destruction and Ruin - Minor boost is active 10% of the time.

Skeletons - Desire works drastically different compared to non-skeleton monsters and humans. To quote Gaster in Chapter 24 of Memories:

"Skeletons work a bit differently, due to having soul traits and a past connection to humans, desire becomes an extremely important factor in how they use their magic most true to them. The direct magic of their soul traits. It goes beyond parlor tricks and basics that all monsters can access."

Skeletons toss out the boost system of monsters and humans in exchange for a completely different ability. Inward and Outward Manipulation. Both forms of manipulation aren't quite mind-control, but rather control over perspective of oneself, based on the trait of the skeleton. Remember that typically, skeletons only possess Kindness, Bravery and Integrity souls. Different traits only have a chance to occur when mutations or outside alterations take place.

Inward Manipulation - Skeletons act on their Desire to genuinely embody their trait is expressed in a way that puts their mentality and emotional state more in line with their trait's virtue. Example: An Integrity Soul will strive to be more honest and earnest.

Outward Manipulation - The desire to appear to embody their trait in a way that makes themselves appear genuine. Example: An Integrity Soul will appear to be earnest and honest.

I will go over the intricacies of skeletons and their traits in a future post. Things are already getting kind of long here! Sorry! ^-^'

Will - Last, but definitely not least. Will refers to the magical manifestation of one's willpower. It allows one to shrug off a deadly wound and push past their body and soul's limitations temporarily. it is linked to Determination. Just as Personality is the major factor in White Magic, Will is the major factor in Red Magic. Due to the proximity to Determination, monsters and skeletons typically don't utilize it unless suffering a mortal wound - even then, it can often be fatal in monsters and most skeletons. There are some notable exceptions.

Webdings Aster Dingbat - Unique in that he is a skeleton born with two Soul Traits - Malice, and Foul Determination. As such, he can utilize Will... at will.

Willowgales - The last of the fishpeople. Due to the quirks of their race, they are Undyne, Coral and Reef are able to utilize Will after suffering a deadly wound. If healed in time, they can survive without consequence. If they aren't healed in time, they melt due to a build up of Determination.

Will and Humans - Will is the bread and butter of all magic in humans. It comes to them the easiest, though only Red Mages can use it beyond mortal wounds. Powerful mages of the past could easily utilize it and gain several boosts in combat. Weaker mages could only do it in dire situations, as Will tends to be activated through the body's flight or fight response.

Howdy, everyone! Week two of striving to share my crazy little world with y'all. Last time we discussed the unique properties of The Void Bob and before that, I gave you guys a summary of what to expect before jumping on board.

Today's topic, as promised, is an explanation of Bondtale's magic system. I'm just giving an overview here, but will eventually give specifics on everything down below. Let me know if you have a specific topic you want me to cover first. :)

The Foundations of Magic - Will, Personality, Desire and Intent. These are the building blocks upon which all magic is based on. How they are utilized and how they function differs between humans, monsters, and skeletons. Magic cannot be had without all aspects in some regard.

Trait Magic - Magic ascribed to virtues of humans and skeletons (to an extent). It is a deeper form of magic and expresses in drastically different ways. While there are many virtues that can become a primary, secondary or corrupted trait, the most well-known examples of this are Kindness, Bravery, Integrity, Justice, Perseverance, Patience and Determination.

Human Trait Magic - Expresses through an affinity for all special abilities that match the color of their soul. They are limited to that color spectrum only. A soul can be born with either a primary or secondary trait. Souls that have been corrupted develop a corrupted trait.

Skeleton Trait Magic - Most skeletons have access Kindness, Bravery and Integrity in regard to the trait they are born with. There are exceptions, such as mutation or happenstance. Skeleton trait magic expresses itself outwardly, inwardly or both. If expressed inwardly, their mental state shifts to match the virtue of the trait. If expressed outwardly, they exemplify their trait's virtue flawlessly.

Colored Magic - The title pretty much explains it all. Every virtue of magic has its own color associated with it. Each color has unique things it can and cannot do. Though a specialty of monsters and skeletons in current day, it could easily be used by human mages of the past.

White Magic - Magic that only monsters may use. It is what forms their unique bullet patterns and gives them their other unique characteristics. It is a wilder type of magic due to being primarily based in Personality. No two monsters will have the exact same bullet patterns, no matter their race, gender or any other factor.

Ancient Magic - Magic from times long past. Humans, monsters and skeletons each have their own rich histories with unique customs and traditions. Most have been lost to the devastation of war and the forward march of societal progress. All that remains are certain rites, rituals and spells that have been preserved from days long gone.

Ancient Human Magic - Almost completely undocumented, due to various religious sects eradicating all mentions and practitioners over time. Legends say they were able to summon otherworldly constructs, some of whom became the basis of many different mythologies. As one of the last scholars from before the Monster-Human War, Gerson believes the concept of angels and demons originate from this.

Ancient White Magic - Somewhat documented. As many species of monsters were out-right erased, and many elders died during the vast conflicts, most of these arts have been lost. Toriel, Asgore and Gerson are some of the last non-skeletons who have at least one of the Sacred Rites to call upon.

Ancient Skeleton Magic - The most well-documented of the three, likely due to average longevity of skeletons as a whole. It is believed they lost two-thirds of their vast array of rites and spells. Skeleton Keys and Golden Bones are considered the vestiges of the arts of yore. A handful of font families also gatekeep the knowledge of rituals and traditions.

Skeleton Key - A unique gift that is attributed to a font family. For instance, the Dingbats have Hands as their key, while the Serifs have Blasters as their key.

(Modern) Skeleton Magic - Magic that skeletons have the innate ability to use. The two properties it possesses are Skeleton Keys and the ability to summon bones of any shape and size.

And for added fun, here's a poll:

Bit of a silly question:

Kuma! How powerful is broomy? Scale from 1-10? 10 being Bob? /@i-send-you-random-asks

I wasn't going to do this, but I managed to snag a photo of Broomy and his big bro, Dusty. Together, they battle against the scourge that is dirty floors with ease!

In Bondtale their power is zero. They're not living objects, so they can't do crap. But in the real world? I'd give them a solid 4/10. They do the job, but dirt always comes back. Kinda weak in power but he's really sweet -

"Wh-wha? You don't want me anymore?"

What? No!

"B-but you s-said I'm weak!"

Aww, Broomy, it's nothing personal! I was just-

"Oh, Kuma~chaaaan~!"

Hmmmm.

That's an easy one!

banner by my good friend, Oreo. <3

Alright, so I'm a day late, but far from a dollar short! Here's my first bit of my planned Bondtale content! Specifically, the setting for a huge bulk of Memories In The Void and it's nine arcs.

The Void.

It is one of the most universally accepted bits of fanon, with different depictions in numerous stories fanworks. Regardless of various interpretations, it is commonly accepted as the place Gaster ended up when he got yeeted out of reality.

This holds true in Bondtale, but there is a lot more to it than that.

The void itself is a place beyond the universe. A place where no laws apply. Physics? Space? Time? Matter? Anti-matter? Reality? The Void laughs at such trivial things. And yes, I did say laughs, though I am getting way ahead of myself.

What does it look like - The Void is an ever-shifting, ever-changing abyss in it's most free state. Swirls of white, black and grey wriggle and dance like oil moving in water. It is a vast, endless place, lacking restraint or limitation. It never stops or starts, always swirling, always active.

What is it made of? - Magic. Pure, lawless magic that doesn't adhere to the normal rules and limitations of Bondtale's magic (More to come on this next post). It is pure and wild magic that can do anything at anytime. Nothing is impossible.

Is there any lore behind it? - You better believe it! The Void is integral to skeletons in the Bondtale universe. Back in ancient days, skeletons revered it as their god - The Originator. In myths and legends, stories are told about a being without body or voice that granted skeletons power in exchange for reverence and service.

Ancient skeletons had a deep and powerful connection to "The Originator", as the common belief among all factions (humans, monsters and skeleton), is that skeletons originated from dead humans, brought back to life with strange magic.

These ancient skeletons were considered as beings close to gods, having aspects from both monster and human magic to call on. In exchange for praise and worship, "The Originator" was said to bless them with ultimate power.

As skeleton generations became more and more of the world, however, they became more and more affected by reality and all it's limitations. Over time, most magic the ancient skeletons used became a rare art - ones that only a select few may wield. All that is left of their union are another unique thing skeletons have over other monsters - Skeleton Keys. That, and a some secret arts that very few can use.

To this day, The Void misses their connection.

Misses them? What does that even mean? - Exactly what I said. The Void misses the depth of connection it had with skeletons. The Void is alive, in a way. It has a consciousness. The ability to reason (though it's logic defies worldly logic), and so on. It has feelings, morality, thoughts and plans.

As to what those are? That remains a secret for now.

One way to anger it? By calling it The Void in it's presence.

It much prefers the name Bob.

How does The Void Bob feel about our cast so far? = I'll throw ya a bone and make a list. :)

Sans - Bob like Funny Bones. He sees Bob. He respects Bob. He shoes tasty. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Papyrus - Bob like Tall Bone Guy. He make funny faces and google eyes. Funny Bone love him! :3 :3 :3 :3 :3 :3 :3 :3

Gaster: Bob hate! Mean bone man! He no respect! He no fun! He rude and use! He no care. Bob no care. >:c >:c >:c >:c >:c >:c >:c >:c

Alphys - Bob like! Dino Lady cool! She best Mean Bone Man! >:3 >:3 >:3 >:3

Undyne: Bob like sharp fish lady! She cool too - not cool as Dino Lady, but cool. c: c:

Mettaton: He fine. :) :) :)

Grillby: He also fine. :) :) :) :) :)

Asgore: Meh. :/

Toriel: She make Funny Bones happy. Bob like when Funny Bones happy. Bob like. c: c: c: c: c: c: c: c:

Frisk: No like Determined Girl. Funny Bones like, but she hurt him. She try do better, no hate. >=P >=P >=P >=P

Chara: Loathe. No like Once Demon. Great dislike. Funny Bone like, but ve hurt him worse than Determined Girl. Ve try do better, but no forgive. >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[ >=[

Asriel: Goat boy not self when hurt Funny Bones. He get pass. :P

[Redacted]: ...

Leave.

Now.

Uh, you heard The Void Bob. Time to get lost!

I don't actually own one.

I use a broom.

His name is broomy.