Oathbound System -Core Rule
All magic in this world flows from The Primordial Pact, an ancient law that governs reality.To gain power, one must bind themselves to an Oath, which is recorded in the Oath Ledger — an invisible, divine record that cannot be altered once made.
How Oaths Work
Oath Declaration
Must be spoken aloud or inscribed in special Oathscript (magical writing).
The Oath Ledger "hears" the vow and forces you to take a trail. Complete it, and your oath is made. If you can't finish your trial, you'll die.
A Sigil (magical mark) appears somewhere on the upper body as proof.
Oath Blessing & Burden
Every Oath has two parts:
Blessing → the magical ability or advantage granted.
Burden → the condition, limit, or cost.
The power only works when the Burden is honored.
Oathbreaking
Breaking the Oath triggers an Oathbrand (a curse mark).
The Blessing is instantly stripped, and the curse mirrors the ability but in a harmful form.
Example: Healing Oath becomes constant bleeding.
Curses can only be removed through a Vow Trial — a dangerous quest given by the Oath Ledger.
Multiple Oaths
Anyone can take multiple Oaths, but each one increases Oathstrain — magical and mental exhaustion.
Too much strain leads to Madness — paranoia, hallucinations, and eventual death.
Types of Oaths
Lesser Oaths
Nature: Minor promises bound by small amounts of power.
Benefits:
Small boosts to physical stats or specific skills.
Slight resistance to breaking under stress.
Risks if Broken:
Temporary weakness, headaches, loss of stamina.
Reduced trust from Oath spirits, lowering future acceptance rates.
Greater Oaths
Nature: Strong vows that alter how a person fights, lives, or thinks.
Benefits:
Noticeable physical or magical enhancement related to the vow.
Passive abilities tied to the Oath's nature.
Risks if Broken:
Severe physical damage.
Mental instability and vivid nightmares from Oath backlash.
Prime Oaths
Nature: Life-defining commitments that become part of the soul.
Benefits:
Large boosts to all stats tied to the vow's nature.
Immunity to fear, charm, or mind control if they conflict with the Oath.
Ability to call upon Oath Surge — a burst of supernatural power once per day.
Risks if Broken:
Soul scarring, permanently reducing max Oath capacity.
A permanent curse tied to the broken vow.
Mythic Oaths
Nature: Ancient-scale pacts often involving higher powers or cosmic forces.
Benefits:
Reality-bending powers related to the vow.
Extended lifespan or partial immortality while upheld.
Risks if Broken:
Certain death.
Catastrophic magical backlash affecting large areas.
Eternal Oaths
Nature: The ultimate vow, binding the user to the laws of existence.
Benefits:
Vast, godlike abilities tied to the Oath's theme.
Ability to influence fate itself in limited ways.
Risks if Broken:
Erasure from history and memory.
Potential collapse of the reality tied to the Oath.
Example
Oath of the Iron Shield
Blessing: Your skin turns to living steel when defending someone.
Burden: You cannot harm an enemy directly.
Oathbreaking: Your body becomes brittle like glass.
Increasing the limit of Oaths
To increase the number of oaths a person can handle, you need to train physically and mentally. After a certain point, a person can't take more Oaths, no matter how much they train their body and mind; at that point, they need to train their soul
Number of Oaths you can take at each level
F Rank — 2 Lesser OathsBarely awakened to the Oath's power. The body strains under each vow, and even minor Oaths feel like chains on the spirit.
E Rank — 4 Lesser Oaths or 1 Greater OathThe body can now handle layered commitments, and the mind adapts to holding more than one purpose at once.
D Rank — 6 Lesser Oaths or 2 Greater OathsMental discipline and physical reinforcement merge; the bearer begins to sense the weight of each Oath on the soul.
C Rank — 8 Lesser Oaths or 3 Greater Oaths or 1 Prime OathThe Oathbearer's spirit starts resisting outside will, granting stability in more complex, conflicting vows.
B Rank — 10 Lesser Oaths or 4 Greater Oaths or 2 Prime OathsA B Rank can channel power from Oaths without constant strain, and even partially twist an Oath's terms in their favor.
A Rank — 12 Lesser Oaths or 5 Greater Oaths or 3 Prime Oaths The bearer's soul is now strong enough to bind to forces that could shatter entire cities if the terms were broken.
At this point, you need to train your soul.
S Rank — 15 Lesser Oaths or 7 Greater Oaths or 4 Prime Oaths or 1 Mythic OathsEvery Oath resonates with the soul, turning the bearer into a living conduit of power — but each broken vow threatens total annihilation.
SS Rank — 20 Lesser Oaths or 10 Greater Oaths or 6 Prime Oaths or 2 Mythic Oaths or 1 Eternal OathOnly legends reach this level. Eternal Oaths are bound not to time or death but to the core truth of existence itself.
??? Rank — ???