Soul Trap (or Soultrap)[1] is a soul magic spell used to capture an entity's soul within a soul gem upon death. Some variations of the spell could also directly harm the target as well.[2] Although traditionally categorized under the School of Conjuration,[3][4] it was historically considered to be a Mysticism spell during the Third Era.[5][1][6] When cast, the spell is generally purple or blue in color.[5][2][7]
The origins of soul-trapping can be traced back to Mannimarco and Vastarie, former Psijics who departed Artaeum in the early Second Era to pursue their studies of necromancy and soul magic. Together, the two conspired to enter Coldharbour and steal the secret of soul-trapping from Molag Bal himself. It was Vastarie who entered Coldharbour and first discovered the existence of black soul gems. She returned to Tamriel with a cache of these crystals, which Mannimarco then began to study in earnest.[8]
The main use case for soul-trapping is to fill soul gems for the purposes of enchanting.[9] Many practitioners of magic oppose the ethics of this practice. Although responsible for the discovery of black soul gems, Vastarie deemed them to be deeply flawed creations and set about creating the first ever Sigil Geodes to enable mages to trap souls in a way that prevented them from being used for enchanting.[8] Some mages prefer to use ammonites imported from the Systres as a more moral way to obtain extra magicka.[10] Vanus Galerion, founder of the Mages Guild and contemporary of Mannimarco and Vastarie, introduced guild strictures against the use of soul-trapping on sentient mortals. This resulted in the categorization of souls into the legal White Souls of animals and beasts, and the Black Souls of fellow mortals.[9] In time, it became impossible for standard Soul Trap spells to capture a Black Soul within a regular soul gem, instead requiring the use of the more dangerous and elusive black soul gems.[11]
Daedric vestiges can be capturing using Soul Trap in the same manner as other souls.[2] Souls are sometimes captured without a soul gem, such as through the use of an animus geode.[12]
With his apotheosis in 3E 417,[13] Mannimarco gained a divine body known as the Necromancer's Moon.[14][15] This moon began to block the light of Arkay from reaching Tamriel every eight days, allowing for the creation of black soul gems through the application of Soul Trap magic.[15][16]
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls Online articles.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b Soultrap effect in Morrowind
- ^ a b c Soul Trap skill in ESO
- ^ Proposal: Schools of Magic — Gabrielle Benele, Daggerfall Mages Guild
- ^ Soul Trap effect in Skyrim
- ^ a b Soul Trap effect in Oblivion
- ^ Soul Trap spell in Daggerfall
- ^ Soul Trap, Orchid Purple skill style in ESO
- ^ a b The Legend of Vastarie — Afwa, a Student and Friend
- ^ a b Guild Memo on Soul-Trapping — Vanus Galerion, Archmagister Emeritus
- ^ Mysteries of the Eltheric Ammonite — Kaladiran, Arcane Naturalist
- ^ Souls, Black and White
- ^ Captive Souls quest in ESO
- ^ The Warp in the West — Ulvius Tero
- ^ Lives of the Emperors — Niso
- ^ a b Necromancer's Moon
- ^ Shade of the Revenant in Oblivion