Editing Forsworn (section)

=== Becoming Forsworn ===
Generally, a person becomes forsworn when someone formally accuses them of it, naming the oath they have violated, and the [[Spirits]] agree. If the spirits judge the accusation false, the accuser becomes forsworn instead.<ref name=":0" /> The process of arguing someone foresworn is heavily legalistic.<!--

Nicolette shook her head.  “The open future clause.  Is there a feasible future where you could fulfill the oath?”

“The clause you name,” Alexander said, voice harsh, “is not about feasible futures.  It’s about reasonable futures.”

“Depends on the book you read,” Nicolette said.

“I’m sure it does, but I would challenge Seth.  Seven times seven times seven times, he’s been given a chance.”

“Can you name those times?” Nicolette asked.

“Yes,” Alexander said.  “I could.  I keep meticulous notes.  Can you name a plurality of sevens, where Seth has risen to the spirit of the oaths?  Name seven and I will name seven times when he did not.  But challenge this forswearing in this way, you cannot make another defense.”

“Seth,” Nicolette said.  “This may be your best chance.  - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/11/28 Excerpt] from [[Cutting Class 6.z]]</ref>-->

Failing to accuse someone successfully can lead to the accuser being foresworn in turn.<ref name="H&A">The brother finds her again, and he names her forsworn.  She made promises, sober and of her own mind, that contradict oaths she made as Arietta, not truly herself, inebriated on chemicals, less binding.  On the one hand, she is to repay family, she is to honor father and mother, she is to wed one of her brothers.  That last extracted in a moment of desperation.<br><br>On the other, Arietta has sworn heart and body to Edward.  She swore to repay him for being her savior, to wed him.<br><br>These contradict.<br><br>The Carmine Beast has not been invited to this scene of forswearing, but in the clashing of two promises, spirits aren’t readily equipped to act.  She judges.<br>[...]<br>“Can I like… just say no?” Lucy asked, looking at the three.  “Forswearing not granted, fuck you, eldest brother guy, you eat the forswearing instead?”<br>[...]<br>Henrietta and Edward together.  The eldest brother dropping to his knees.  Hairs on Lucy’s arms stood on end as she saw the look on Henrietta’s face change, realizing what had happened.  From defeat to joy, to a victory she’d never thought she’d have. - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2021/08/07 Excerpt] from [[Summer Break 13.2]]</ref> Alternatively the accuser can withdraw the accusation at a cost.<ref> If there was even a glimmer of hope, resolution, or something, I could withdraw the forswearing.”<br><br>“Can you?” Nicolette asked.<br><br>“At a cost. - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2020/11/28 Excerpt] from [[Cutting Class 6.z]]</ref>

The one naming the target forsworn gains some control over the consequences,<ref>“I promised you I’d avoid hurting him too much,” I said.  “Not to kill him if- I think I said I wouldn’t kill him if I could help it.”<br><br>“My uncle is dead.  It doesn’t look like it was clean,” he said.  “I could call you forsworn.  The spirits will get around to it if it’s deserved, but I could call you on it right here, decide how it plays out.”<br><br>I nodded slowly.<br><br>The older girl said, “Nothing to say?  No words in your own defense?”<br><br>“If you’d name me forsworn,” I said, “I’d challenge you to walk through the last ten minutes in my shoes.  See what I saw, feel what I felt, and then decide I was out of line and that I didn’t ''try''.”<br><br>“The wording was, with minor differences, that you’d avoid hurting him too much, ''full stop''.  You’d avoid killing him if you could, circumstances allowing, ''full stop''.”<br><br>I did what I could to avoid flinching or showing doubt.<br><br>I even did what I could to avoid ''thinking'' about my doubts.<br><br>I needed to sell this, not just to them, but to the spirits that were observing.<br><br>“In terms of quantity of blows, it was only the one,” I said.  “In terms of the pain inflicted… I think it was a very low number on a scale of one to ten.  I offered him some help after the fact.”<br>[...]<br>“Maybe I can’t call you forsworn,” he said.  His voice was small, and it sounded like it might break.  “Don’t want that backlash.  But I can say I wish you suffer ''everything'' bad that’s coming to you.  I can appeal to the greater powers and the least powers, and tell them that if you have upset things, if you’ve got something bad coming your way, then they should make you lose whatever it is that made you feel happy and- and ''safe''.” - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/06/21 Excerpt] from [[Void 7.8]]</ref> such as being able to [[bind]] them<ref>“I’m doing both.  Will you move out of my way or will you be forsworn?”<br><br>He didn’t respond.<br><br>She kept walking, even though the position of the page blocked her view of the goblin.  The smell of him was thick in the cold air. If she happened to trip over him, there might even be a solution in that.  The question was, how fast could she name him forsworn, demand he obey her and sic him on the other, smaller goblins?<br><br>Was it faster than another goblin would reflexively respond to her weakness and attack her? - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/07/15 Excerpt] from [[Signature 8.3]]</ref> or their entire bloodline in exchange for them not suffering the normal consequences of being forsworn.<ref name=":2" />

The spirits themselves may also judge when you blatantly violate an oath, generally accompanied by an environmental aberration such as a crack of thunder, earthquake, or similar.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>“I’d kind of expected a… clap of thunder?” I said.<br><br>“Barring the ''exceptional'' moments of idiocy, such as the breaking of an oath, you typically only discover what you’ve done when you reach for power and find it gone.” - [https://pactwebserial.wordpress.com/2014/01/28 Excerpt] from [[Damages 2.4]]</ref> Other times assumptive forces such as [[judge]]s step in to arbitrate exactly who becomes foresworn in a given scenario.<ref> - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2021/07/10 Excerpt] from [[False Moves 12.6]]</ref><ref name="H&A"/>

Some practitioners are intentionally targeted for forswearing given they're seen as a threat or a valuable source of power and knowledge.<ref>“He’s talented,” Miss said.  “Many are.  People like Alexander who treat forswearing as a way to get a prize like to go after threats, or people who’ve accumulated more to forfeit.” - [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2022/09/10 Excerpt] from [[Let Slip 20.8]]</ref>