Life and Death

Life and death are opposing forces in Icarian cosmology.

Life energy and death energy are both forms of presence. Neither is Void, and neither is inherently good, evil, darkness or light.

Energy and aspect

Arcane energy can be shaped with a life or death aspect without becoming native life or death energy. A power's resource, origin and aspect are separate facts.

Holy or divine power is not automatically life energy. A spell or tradition described as dark is not automatically death magic.

Death magic and souls

Death-aspected magic does not necessarily manipulate a soul. Animate Dead moves soulless remains, while Soulbind crosses a separate boundary by acting upon an actual soul.