This section will serve as a compendium of knowledge on the system and world of Deathmark. New information that appears in the novel will be documented here for ease of access. However, keep in mind that there will be spoilers within this chapter.
✧ Mana and the Nature of Existence in Deathmark
Mana exists in all living beings. Humans, sorcerers, demons, and even Horsemen carry it by virtue of being alive. The difference is not whether mana exists, but how much of it there is and how densely it is held.
A cursed spirit, however, carries none at all, since it isn't truly alive.
Most ordinary humans possess only a faint trace, so small it is barely worth noting. This amount is insufficient to activate relic items or sustain techniques.
Sorcerers are defined by their mana. Even a low-tier sorcerer possesses enough mana for it to visibly manifest. Their reserves are stable enough to power relics and endure prolonged combat.
However, mana is not a measure of raw strength, but of endurance and control. A sorcerer's limit is reached not only when they are wounded, but when their mana can no longer sustain their abilities.
To those trained to perceive it, mana appears as an aura surrounding the body. This aura reflects the current state of a person's reserves. A thin, wavering aura can indicate their mana has decreased, or that they never had much to begin with.
A dense and stable aura signals fine control and sustained output. By observing aura behavior, one can estimate how close an individual is to exhausting their ability to fight at full capacity.
When an aura begins to overflow, it indicates an abnormally large mana reserve. While this allows for powerful and repeated use of abilities, it also carries risk. Overflowing mana is difficult to regulate and can lead to rapid burnout if overused.
✧ Relic Items
Relics possess innate abilities bound into them. These abilities do not activate on their own and must be powered by mana supplied by the user.
The relic determines what the ability does, while the user's mana determines how long and how effectively it can be used. Without sufficient mana, a relic remains inert, no matter how powerful its ability may be.
✧ Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Their Laws.
Horsemen of the Apocalypse are bound by Laws, with each Law defining what they cannot do. The Laws shown within the story so far are:
✧ The Law of Human Sanctity, also know as the First Law. It states: A Horseman of the Apocalypse shall not take the life of mankind, no matter how far they fall."
✧ The Second Law has not yet been revealed in the story, so it will remain blank.
✧ The Law of Mutual Annihilation, also know as the Third Law. it states: Horsemen Of The Apocalypse are forbidden to strike one another, for such a conflict invites the annihilation of existence itself.
✧ Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Their Curse.
Each Horseman is bound by a curse woven into their very existence. When a human stands on the brink of being slaughtered by a demon or a cursed spirit, the compulsion to intervene becomes overwhelming.
While a Horseman may choose not to act in theory, remaining nearby while able causes an intense, mounting pressure to form within them.
✧ Demons
Demons are fundamentally different from both humans and sorcerers. By nature, since they are mimickers. They imitate their prey in order to deceive and consume them. Their ability to disguise themselves varies greatly depending on their strength.
Weaker demons struggle to mimic humans and often fail entirely, leaving obvious tells that make them easy to identify.
Stronger demons, however, can imitate humans almost perfectly. Even so, their disguises are never flawless. There is always something wrong, a missing finger, distorted eyes, an unnatural feature that quietly betrays their true nature.