This is part of an idea I am tossing around for my Son of Thor character, but I thought it would be nice to talk about it in the forum and get the perspective of others. I want to try to hammer down things a bit more solidly than Soulfire is in the book (and also make a 4 and 5 point version).
Soul Lightning, Thor's Lightning, Zeus's Thunder, this special magic has many names. Like Soulfire, it can be used to empower magics with the user's soul. Replenishing your soul after drawing deeply requires good deeds, quality time with loved ones, and other nice things. Alternatively, it is possibly to have this ability powered by another source, but they typically have similar good agendas (such as those of Heaven). In either case, evil is not well tolerated, and users will be strongly inclined to eradicate true evil.
Cost: Greater Soul Lightning costs 5 refresh. Lesser Soul Lightning costs 4 refresh. Evocation and Thaumaturgy each reduce the cost by 1 (or similarly, having either Greater or Lesser Soul Lightning reduces the cost of Evocation and Thaumaturgy by 1 each). If you have Evocation and Soul Lightning, then you must take Air as an element (if you do not have air as an element and gain Soul Lightning, you must change one of your elements to air).*
Benefits: Standard sponsored magic benefits, with a potentially gentler agenda. Greater Soul Lightning downgrades the Toughness ability of any supernatural creature by one step when employed (Mythic Toughness becomes Supernatural, Supernatural becomes Inhuman, Inhuman goes away). Both Greater and Lesser Soul Lightning fully satisfy the Catch (page 185) for creatures vulnerable to “holy” sources of damage. With some creatures (even those that operate on a “plot device” level), it’s still potent enough to get their attention (though obviously less so for Lesser Soul Lightning).
In Evocation, Soul Lightning (Greater or Lesser), allows you to use certain aspects of air. Lightning may obviously be employed to attack, maneuver, defend, etc. Thunder-like noises may also be created. If you have access to evocation, Soul Lightning's benefit (such as being considered holy) carry over to any element you use, so long as you have access to Soul Lightning.
In Thaumaturgy, Soul Lightning (Greater or Lesser) allows pretty much everything except dark magic and curses. (Hmm, should veils be disallowed too?)
Breaking a Law of Magic (but not dispelling the effects of a broken law, such as undoing a transformation or restoring someone's mind), automatically gives a user of Soul Lightning (Greater or Lesser) three debt (this represents the displeasure of the entity providing Soul Lightning and/or the stain on one's soul).
*Feels unbalanced to not have that clause.
I feel like Thaumaturgy and perhaps "dark magic" needs to be pinned down more. I am worried about balance a bit. Anyhow, I'd like to flesh this out some more and get it pinned down fairly well as a 4 refresh ability (Lesser) and a 5 refresh ability (Greater). I THINK it is sufficient to have the difference be Lesser not degrading the catch of things it affects (except when the catch is Holy power). Thoughts?
