Soulbonding Information

What is soulbonding?

Soulbonding is when a person, often after forming a strong connection to a fictional character or world, can communicate with characters in their mind. They can originate from various sources such as books, movies, original characters, roleplaying, daydreaming, personal stories, and more. Soulbonding can be experienced in many different ways and people have varying beliefs about the origins of these connections.(Note: We know the site is broken, we're working on the neocities version of the site so we don't have to pay for carrd.)Click here for the neocities website

Examples

(Disclaimer: This list doesn't cover everything, and some people may see their bonds differently.)

  • Some bonders see it as a psychological phenomenon, like the illusion of independent agency.

  • Some bonders see their bonds as beings from other worlds that become attached to them.

  • Some bonders develop an emotional connection to a character and one day they start talking back.

  • Sometimes after writing about a character they'll come alive in the author's mind.

  • After someone develops a strong emotional connection with a character, that character might suddenly appear in someone's mind.

  • Someone who daydreams a lot might notice that the characters in their daydreams start developing their own personalities and making their own choices.

  • A person might intentionally try connecting with a character by reaching out or inviting them to bond with them.

  • Sometimes a character from a dream sticks around after a person has woken up and maintains a sense of connection.

History

Soulbonding was coined by Amanda Flowers in 1998~ on the Just For Writers (aka JFW) mailing list (though since it was a mailing list, the exact date is hard to pinpoint). Originally it was spelled as SoulBonding; based off the title of the rpg SoulBlazer. The term got spread to more people and in 2002 the first Live journal community dedicated to soulbonding was created. When the community came in contact with the multiplicity community on LJ, the two began intermixing, which caused infighting in both communities about the nature of soulbonding and plurality. As time went on, information about soulbonding became harder to find as websites were taken down, and (from what we have seen, so take this with a grain of salt) the community became absorbed into the plural and fictionkin communities.

Basic terms

Daytripper-
A bond who can travel to and from their world, they can sometimes be both a telephone bond and a daytripper. (Synonyms: Visitors)Permanent Resident-
A soulbond who stays with the soulbonder permanently, they may be unwilling or unable to return home. (Synonyms: Resident, permanent, live-in)Soulbond-
The person a soulbonder bonds with. It can be shortened to bond(s).Soulbonder-
The person (normally from this world, but doesn't have to be) who bonds with a soulbond. Can be shortened to bonder(s).Telephone Bond-
A bond who stays in their world, but can still communicate with the bonder in this world. It's like communicating with a bond through an internal phone line. (Synonyms: Internal cellphone, long distance, caller)

Subterms

Cosmabonding-
A subterm under soulbonding for soulbonders who's bonds are made through reality shifting, soulbonds that shift from their realities or can shift back and forth from their realities to this one, etc. This is usually seen as a magical or spiritual experience but can also be psychological. (coined by @soularsys on Tumblr)Fatum- A subterm for a spiritual soulbond who shares a source with their soulbonder with emphasis on their connection through a shared source or past life memories. (coined by @watched-kettle on Tumblr)Munbonding-
A subterm under soulbonding that denotes a psychological phenomenon where a person develops a connection to a fictional character and begins to interact with an autonomous version of them in their mind. Pronounced "moon-bonding" (coined by @winreyplace)

Experiences

(Note: There are more links on our resource doc. It's linked in the "more reading" section.)

.s o u l // alternate perpectives
By .s o u l // whispersRobert E. Howard & Conan the Barbarian
By Astraea ^ AndyEdith Wharton on Soulbonding
By Edith Wharton and transcribed by Astraea ^ GabrielSoulbonding 101: Etiquette and SafetySoulbonds & RP muses: what they are and how to tell the difference
By FromfictionSoulbonding vs being kin
By FromfictionThe difference between soulbonds and gateway systems
By Fromfiction

How do I soulbond?

Community guides on how to soulbond
From r/pluralHow to soulbond tutorial
By WinreyplaceOur soulbonding guide
By the Interstellar SystemOur soulbonding technique (for permanent residents)
By the Sparks SystemSoulbonding tips
By FromfictionIs it possible to become a soulbonder?
By FromfictionAccidental Soulbonding
By Fromfiction