Soulbonding

As a Soulbonder, I want to strive not to see myself as a "master", but just as someone who is open to these fictional friends, should they want a companion or a listening ear, with all the warmth and magic that Soulbonding has always had...

''...Because not even Reality is a boundary to Friendship. That's all you need to know.''

—Laura Gilkey Soulbonding (or SoulBonding) is a phenomenon in which one holds a connection to an external entity, via emotional, mental, or other such bonds.

A soulbond is the external entity whose connection brings them to communicate with their soulbonder. This connection can be made willingly or unintentionally, and the soulbond may either reside in the mind of the soulbonder or simply be able to communicate with their soulbonder from their own world. A soulbonder may also have multiple soulbonds they hold a connection to.

Soulbonds are often derived from "fictional" sources, such as canon or AU versions of fictional characters, one's own original characters, or characters one has roleplayed as and/or seen others roleplay as. However, there are no true limits on what sort of entity a soulbonder may bond with, so long as they exist in a world that is not our own.

A soulbond's connection to their soulbonder can take a variety of forms:


 * Permanent Soulbond: A soulbond who resides in the soulbonder's world permanently, whether it be willingly or unwillingly. This typically shows itself as the soulbond becoming a part of the soulbonder's system.
 * Day-Tripper: A day-tripper is a soulbond who can come and go from the soulbonder's world as they please. This coming and going may be at random or scheduled, depending on the soulbond.
 * Telephone Connection: In which the soulbond still exists within their own world and can communicate with their soulbonder in their own world, much like a shared mental telephone line. (See exolink.)
 * One-Way Mirror: Taking from the more traditional definition of soulbonding, in which the soulbond cannot see and does not communicate with their soulbonder. The soulbonder merely has a connection to, and a view into, the soulbond's world.

Whether or not soulbonding is a form of plurality is up to the discretion of the soulbonder and soulbond, and the terminology surrounding it, as well as the ways soulbonds come to be connected to their soulbonders, is fluid.

There are no limits to the ways a soulbond can become connected to their soulbonder, or vice versa. Examples include:


 * Soulbonds who are in-between incarnations, having passed on before becoming bonded.
 * Soulbonds who may simply travel between worlds and choose to reside with their soulbonder.
 * Soulbonds who have been misplaced from their original world for whatever reason and now reside with their soulbonder.

Bonds may also be achieved via deliberate astral projection by the soulbond, or by the soulbonder putting out a "beacon" via concentrated attention that serves to attract the soulbond in question.

A notable form of soulbonding is that of what some authors experience upon writing their characters; to them, their characters will take full form within their minds, some going so far as to correct the author on how they've been written. In these accounts, however, the word soulbonding typically isn't used and likely wasn't known by the authors; rather, they were often referred to as muses.