Mysticism Magic Spell Headcanons
All the spells you’re given in any Elder Scrolls game have to have some sort of game mechanic attached to them. Therefore, we do not actually know all the spells in TES. My character is a mystic, so I’ve been trying to develop more spells for her that have effects that couldn’t possibly have been implemented in the game, either because they’re too complex, or because they do things that are completely outside of the scope of the games.
First, I should probably define what I mean by “Mysticism” here. I’m not just talking about the school of magic that got disbanded sometime between Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. I’m also talking about things that Velothi Wise Women or Khajiiti Clan Mothers or any kind of tribal shaman would practice.
The Morrowind Game of the Year Game Manual has this to say about mysticism:
Mysticism involves the manipulation of magical forces and boundaries to bypass the structures and limitations of the physical world.
The spells of the School of MYSTICISM shape and focus otherworldly forces to bind souls in gems, teleport the caster’s body, manipulate the world with telekinesis, absorb, or reflect magical energies, or sense unseen objects at a distance.
Personally, I don’t find that exact enough, so I’m just gonna swipe @ratwhisperer‘s definition of spiritual mysticism (written about here), because it’s what I used as the basis of my understanding of mysticism magic:
Spiritual mysticism is the branch of mysticism that specializes in the supernatural; in afterlives, ghosts and spirits, souls, the Otherworld and their manipulation. Spirit mysticists are often wise witches, seers, mediums, and otherwise people who tend to the spiritual health of the plane or people who interact with it.
Just as a refresher, here’s all of Morrowind’s mysticism spell effects:
Absorb Skill
Absorb Magicka
Absorb Health
Absorb Fatigue
Absorb Attribute
Spell Absorption
Reflect
Mark
Recall
Detect Animal
Detect Enchantment
Detect Key
Soultrap
Dispel
Almsivi Intervention
Divine Intervention
Telekinesis
I’m operating on a few basic premises:
The spirit plane exists in the same space as the physical plane, overlapping all of Mundus and bleeding into Aetherius and Oblivion. It’s how ghosts exist on Nirn and how spirits without bodies travel to their afterlives.
Every living organism has a spirit without which they would not be alive. (Yes, even vestiges. It’s complicated; I’ll make a separate post for them.)
The Dreamsleeve is one of the realms of Aetherius. Living spirits travel to the Dreamsleeve to dream, and dead spirits without an assigned afterlife travel there to be eventually “recycled” and reincarnated. Living spirits are prevented from being “recycled” by a spiritual tether to their living bodies on Nirn.
The difference between “schools” of magic has to do entirely with conceptualization. For example: there could be a “detect life” spell for literally every school, based on how that school views life, magicka, and the caster’s interaction with magicka and life. However, most spells cannot be efficiently cast through the conceptualization of every school, so they are not explored or taught. Therefore I am limiting myself to the definition of mysticism magic as given above unless I have a good reason.
Here’s the spells I’ve developed so far. Spells with the word “ritual” require reagents to perform, and may be performed on another person.
Password: A locking spell crafted through the school of Mysticism. Bars entry to any who do not utter the correct password. This is the only exception to basic premise four on this list. Directly inspired by this quote:
I had developed some small skill in mysticism. Not enough to be a Psijic, of course, but in telekinesis, password, and spell reflection I had some amateur ability. - Charwich-Koniinge Letters, v3
Identify Object: Basic Mysticism spell that allows the caster to identify what an object is intended to be used for. Works by allowing the caster to detect the emotional and/or spiritual impression of the crafter and any subsequent users upon the object. For extremely complex or extremely old objects, such as ancient Ayleid or Falmer technology, it may take multiple castings to receive any sort of impression, and quite a bit of foreknowledge of similar technology to discern the object’s use.
Special note: this spell does not work on most Dwemer technology because whatever the Dwemer did with Numidium and its world denials prevents the spell from picking up any impressions from them. The spell only works if the object was crafted or used by someone of a race other than the Dwemer.
This spell is directly inspired by this quote:
“There are layers to understanding all things,” said Sotha Sil. “The common man looks at an object and fits it into a place in his way of thinking. Those skilled in the Old Ways, in the way of the Psijic, in Mysticism, can see an object and identify it by its proper role. But one more layer is needed to be peeled back to achieve understanding. You must identify the object by its role and its truth and interpret that meaning.” - 2920 Sun’s Dawn, Book 2
Detect Traps: Basic Mysticism spell that allows the caster to see all traps in the immediate area. Works similarly to the Identify Object (and Detect Key) spell in that it allows the caster to detect the emotional and/or spiritual impression of the crafter and anyone the traps may have been triggered by in the past. May or may not detect Dwemer traps. The spell only works on Dwemer traps if the trap was crafted or triggered by someone of a race other than the Dwemer.
Astrakinesis: The spirit plane analogue of Telekinesis. Allows the caster to remotely manipulate intangible spirits or spirit objects in the immediate area. Yes, you can shove ghosts out of your way. Warning: Do not use on a living person’s spirit unless you really know what you’re doing because you might put them in a coma.
Telepathy: Allows telepathic communication with someone while in direct physical contact with them. Usually enchanted onto a pair of rings or amulets to allow communication to take place while further away.
Clairvoyance: Basic Mysticism spell to allow the caster to see into the spirit plane and to see the spiritual connections between things. Makes ghosts and spirits visible to the caster. Allows the caster to tell if objects or organisms have been dedicated to a Divine, Daedra, ancestor, or other spiritual force.
Commune: Basic Mysticism spell to allow the caster to communicate with the lingering spirits of the dead in the immediate area, even if they are not visible.
The Ritual of the Waiting Door: Velothi ritual to awaken and speak to the spirits of specific Velothi ancestors.
The Ritual of Rest: Velothi ritual to return awoken ancestors to the Waiting Door.
Ritual of Dreaming Memory: Gives the dreamer a dream of a specific memory to allow them to accurately recall forgotten details.
Ritual of Dream Catharsis: Allows the dreamer to re-experience a traumatic memory in dream form, making strategic changes that give the dreamer agency to take control of the dream memory in a way they could not in life, ultimately providing a cathartic effect.
Ritual of Dreamless Sleep: Prevents the dreamer from remembering any dreams upon waking.
Ritual of Sweet Dreams: Gives the dreamer a dream that elicits positive emotions.
Ritual of Nightmares: Gives the dreamer a dream that elicits negative emotions.
Ritual of Lucid Dreaming: Allows the dreamer to engage in personal dream crafting.
Ritual of Shared Dreaming: Allows the sharing of a dream with another person within the Dreamsleeve.
Ritual of the Dreaming Dead: Allows contact with any deceased still within the Dreamsleeve.
Ritual of Dream Walking: Allows the dreamer’s spirit to explore the Dreamsleeve at will. Dreamer becomes a dreaming ghost, connected by an invisible thread to their point of entry into the Dreamsleeve. Warning: Dreamer runs the risk of getting lost or stuck and being unable to return to the point of entry into the Dreamsleeve, or, if they stay too long, of being “recycled” like the spirits of the dead within the Dreamsleeve.
Astral Projection: Allows the caster’s spirit to explore Mundus via the spirit plane. The caster becomes a living ghost, connected by an invisible thread to their body. Warning: The caster runs the risk of getting lost or stuck and being unable to return to their body. The caster may also encounter hostile ghosts or other spiritual beings and be hurt or killed.
@chameleonspell and @sunderlorn, I’d like to hear your thoughts, because I know you got Opinions about these things.
Everybody else, let me know if you have any suggestions for new spells, or if you have any thoughts on these!
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