The Law of the Night: Pacts and Power

Welcome to Worldbuilding Wednesday! Now that you know magic is real in The Night Chronicles, I want to explore the rules that govern it. This isn't a world of flashy spells and fireballs; it's a world of contracts, law, and order.

The core of my magic system is the Binding Pact. In the world of Lunaria, a formal agreement, especially one sealed with blood, is magically absolute. It transcends time, and even death. It’s less like a spell and more like a supernatural contract where the terms are absolute and the penalty for breaking it is catastrophic. Margaret's deal wasn't just a promise; it was a rewriting of her daughter's destiny at a contractual level.

This system creates a rigid Chain of Command. The society of Lunaria is a feudal hierarchy: The First King is the absolute ruler. Daemon is his Prince. His associates are his agents. And Liz, as the subject of a pact, is considered property—a debt to be collected. Daemon acts with the authority of a prince because he is one. This clash of modern sensibilities and ancient, magical law is a central theme of the series.

Finally, there's a chilling loophole in this system: Coerced Consent. In the magic of this world, coerced consent is still magically valid. As long as a person performs the required act, their reasons for doing so are irrelevant to the magic itself. This gives immense power to those without morals, and it’s a terrifying rule that makes Daemon’s brand of villainy particularly insidious.

Mind the fine print,

June Skye