Lore Sketching $2

So, part of the lore we're thinking of is how magic works. There's a lot of thinking about pacts with spirits and between souls, and the use of gems as conduits, amplifiers, etc.

Here we see Nikiru experimenting on a 'Housegirl', a simple soul who is something more of a pet than a person. This is partly due to what Nikiru is trying out here, possibly for the first time- using crushed gems as a kind of henna-ink to spellpaint on her, the crushed power from the gem cut into Nikiru's collar, allowing her to channel energy through the symbols on her temples; washing the housegirls mind in pulsing pleasure that keeps her locked in the present; thoughts of future plans and past pains slipping through her notice easily as a result.

This process gets refined as time goes on...but it's fair to say it's a big part of Movement-style magics.

Here are our main girls; Nikiru on the left, Yi Lin on the right. They have a very complicated relationship that a lot of people misunderstand. This is partly due to Nikiru's efforts to maintain a certain level of mystery in what they're doing, thanks to her silver tongue and canny wit.

She's meticulous about this deception, and every now and then she has Yi Lin help out here and there...though more often than not, it's more her trying to *stop* Yi Lin from helping out...

Cuffs and collar don't have the same meanings as they do in our world.

Cuffs are seen more as things to stop spirits from intruding too deeply into bodies or for keeping a person's 'core' safe; items that prevent energies from progressing past the extremities that spirit try to gain anchor in. As such, cuffs are typically worn by those wary of spirits, or who tend to fight them.

Collars are actually items to denote prestige and- more often than not- those gifted in spellery; gems situated near one's vocal chords are activated more easily. Typically then, those with collars are known as tutors or teachers to others.

Here, Yi Lin is having something of an unusual reaction...perhaps this is because of her own burgeoning spiritual powers? Who can say...

As well as the other work I'm doing, I'm also converting the stuff I've written of the Movement on fiction.live into a more accessible Ren'Py format. A very rough-and-ready looking thing compared to what Thrallworks will be, but nonetheless, probably a better way of experiencing it than having to hunt it down and the monotony of scrolling vs. clicking.

Anyway. Enjoy!