Promises as a MAGIC SYSTEM?

[NolanMcknight-pg]

My paladin in DnD: "My powers come from the fact that i promise to kick your ass"

[Alexis-bzkl]

That was a good loop. Now I have to rethink some of my DnD characters

[Zyzzyva]

That loop was so smooth i got confused for just a moment that i was going crazy seeing the same thing again

[AndersonNSilva-mwkl]

When your worldbuilding runs on JavaScript.

[augustomoreira]

moms be the ultimate oathbreaker.
"we'll get it on our way out"
"i wont get mad"

[airkarmasart]

I always loves these shorts b/c they tell us a topic of Fiction or non-fiction that can be essential for the reader and know how important that topic is. Like the power of promises and how it can impact the hero or the villain through a story

[nickcampbell]

In Lord of the Rings the only reason Isildur was able to curse that army of ghosts that faught for Aragorn was because they broke their oath.

[arenkai]

Nen in Hunter X Hunter works like that for one aspect of the system.
You can put a limit on your own power by swearing to respect it, and you choose a consequence for breaking the promise.
The greater the limit and the consequence, the more powerful you get.

For example a character has a promise that makes it so he can't use his power unless it's on someone from a specific organisation, and if they break the promise they die as a consequence.
This makes them basically a god when fighting someone of the organisation, and otherwise they have to rely on other aspects of their power.

[seastilton]

Maybe an odd place to look for this, but Jujutsu Kaisen uses a system like this in addition to it's insanely complex power system - these are called 'binding vows'. A sacrifice / promise that results in a bonus to the user. For example, sharing what your technique does makes it more powerful because it creates a kind of binding vow where you give your opponent inside knowledge of how you fight which would be a disadvantage - so as a result of this binding vow you're able to power up

[jcorey]

I feel like a really interesting take on this would be if the loved one that was the collateral became no longer loved...

[homebrewedthoughts]

The inheritance cycle with Eragon had a magic system that worked off the idea that a certain language was always inherently true when spoken so if you could channel your strength into what you said it would warp reality to fit your words.

[CiaranTyre]

The best version of this trope is the stormlight archives, Imagine if self help books came in the form of emotional support deities

[quinnkukk]

I created a D&D-like world with some friends where people chosen by an emissary of a Promise Queen could make a promise they HAD to fulfill, regardless of what the Queen needed to do to make them achieve it. Turned out to be a pretty interesting tale, as protagonists, antagonists, and background characters all had to face the consequences of fulfilling their promise.

[eliyaxue]

Pact/Pale by Wildbow does this very well

[saadat]

That is honestly such a smooth loop! Plus, the magically binding promises are among some of my favorite parts of magic systems, especially when they have really bad consequences. It adds interesting tension!

[henryhere]

A common misconception about D&D paladins is that they draw strength from the gods they serve when in reality they actually just get strength straight from their oaths. they technically don't even have to be religious at all to be a paladin, they just need to hold to their oath with undying devotion

[omoriperocondrip]

The moment I read "promises as a magic system" the more I think about Brandon Sanderson.


I finished Oathbringer two months ago and now I'm simping for him.

[pyrometheus]

"I will protect those who cannot protect themselves"
"I will protect even those who i hate, if it is right."
"i accept there will be those who i can not protect"

[faleilham]

That's something we called "Term of contract"

[John_lock]

Why is his voice so relaxing and why do i LOVE this artstyle