A Difference in Soul Capturing between Humans and the Races of Beast

A Difference in Soul Capturing between Humans and the Races of Beast
by Lubert Remen, Elwas University of Magic

The act of capturing souls of a living creature is fundamental to a few magical arts and schools, namely the Art of Enchanting and the School of Necromancy.

The process involves a soul stone and the sacrifice of a creature. However, there exist no known method of capturing the souls of humans (Races of Elf and Races of Man). The Races of Beast, however, who are also considered to be of the Great Races, can be captured.

There are two hypotheses on this phenomenon:

The first hypothesis suggest that the Races of Beast are intellectually lesser than humans. This hypothesis stems from the fact that soul captures on a linear level. The greater the intelligence of a creature the greater the power of the soul, and therefore the stronger the magic extracted from the soul can be.

This theory lies on the fact that all the Races of Beast already contains the highest level of souls, so intelligence of humans must be greater than the Races of Beast.

It is needed to state though, that this hypothesis is proposed by Archmage Vistigius who is known to be highly critical of the Great Races.

The second is that the soul capturing, and soul stones only respond to creatures under the domain of Lady Spring. This theory stems from the work, *The Book before the Sky was Laid* which accounted the various creation stories of the Great Races. Though regarded as partially mythological and potentially corrupted over generations of retelling, it was revealed that Man and Elves lacked any myths rooted directly on Kaelarad, unlike the Merlings, Harpies, and Haiyins had no such stories.

Another distinction is in the lifespans of humans, Races of Man usually lives up to 80 years old, and while most Races of Elves, High and Ash elves live up to 300, the existence of the Dark Elves who live to only 250 suggests that the other Races of Elves lifespan are likely coincidences.

This has relation to the concept of the Dragon Hour, a core aspect of Lady Winter who granted true life to the creation of Lady Spring. Every other living creature lives and dies are a full or half Dragon Hour (Merlings lives to 120 years, two Dragon Hour; Harpy lives to 30 years, half Dragon Hour; Haiyin lives to 60 years, one Dragon Hour).

These evidence suggest that humans lives outside the boundary of and governed by Lady Spring and Lady Winter, thus beyond the scope of soul capture as understood in the current magical theory.

The theory of humans not being the creation of Lady Spring is currently more widely accepted as the reason for why human souls cannot be captured. Though Archmage Vistigius is a highly acclaimed scholar and mage, his bias detoured most from accepting his point of view.