Magically-Binding Contract: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''Hah! You see? The contract's legal, binding, and completely unbreakable, even for [[Physical God|you]].''|'''Ursula''', [[Disney]]'s ''[[The Little Mermaid]]''}}
In fiction, particularly fantasy fiction, normal [[Leonine Contract
Where a normal contract is bound by the rule of law, this contract is bound by the rule of magic. Rather than being enforced by threat of punishment by a lawful governing body, this contract is simply physically impossible to break. Sometimes it is implied that the magic punishment for breaking a clause is somehow contingent on the permission being given by the one who signed the contract.
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Most of the time this is how the [[Deal with the Devil]] works. In all likelihood, this started out as a subtrope of [[Deal with the Devil]] but branched out as writers found they could apply the same basic concept to any magically-empowered contract-maker, not just Satan.
Note that another sub-trope of [[Deal with the Devil]], the [[Faustian Rebellion]], is rarely if ever presented as viable countermand to a
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]'''s Kyubey makes contracts with girls to become [[Magical Girl
** Sort of. While someone who makes the contract will be forced to hunt witches, it's not because the contract itself is forcing them to. The whole thing is closer to surgery than a contract.
* ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' had a magical item that makes contracts magically bound so that they ''have'' to be followed through. Fate attempted to use it; he nearly got Negi to promise not to interfere with his plans. {{spoiler|The girls later use it against Dynamis, making him promise to stop trying to interfere with ''their'' plans. Dynamis only agreed because he thought he'd already won anyway, and because while conductive to the Fatettes, it wasn't conductive to the Averrunci.}}
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** Turns out {{spoiler|Haku}} also signed one, and Chihiro has to free him by [[I Know Your True Name|giving his proper name back]].
* In ''[[Black Butler]]'' Ciel has a contract with his demon butler, Sebastian, which basically means that when he has accomplished all of his endeavors his soul will be devoured by said demon. In the meantime, Ciel gets a multi-talented butler and bodyguard who will follow his every command.
* A requirement for [[Familiar
** In a reversal of the usual bindings, Fate's Contract with Arf is much more open ended. Arf is contracted with Fate to "live her life in any way that she pleases, for as long as they both live."
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== Film -- Live-Action ==
* In the second ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean]]'' film, Davey Jones is under a
* In the film version of ''[[Ghost Rider]]'', the Devil presents Johnny with a contract for his soul in exchange for his Father's health. Where this moves beyond [[Deal with the Devil]] is that Johnny cuts himself on the contract while reading it, and the Devil takes his blood on the deal as agreement. But because he never actually agreed, Johnny eventually is able to resist Lucifer and keep the Rider's powers.
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** The modern [[The Magocracy|Aes Sedai]] use it in their [[Initiation Ceremony]] by taking three oaths: to speak [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|no word that is not true]]; to make no magic weapons; and not to kill with magic except against [[The Usual Adversaries|Shadowspawn]], or when she, another Aes Sedai, or her [[Bond Creatures|Warder]] is in danger.
*** The second has been adhered to, but the third is typically circumvented by running directly onto a battlefield to put themselves in danger so they can [[Stuff Blowing Up|start blowing things up]], and as for the first... well, they've gotten so good at working around their "not lying" oath that they have a reputation as [[Literal Genie|literal genies]], able to twist words and use ambiguous phrasing that distorts meaning without technically being falsehood. Thus, an oath meant to ensure that Aes Sedai were always trustworthy has resulted in every sane person in Randland not believing a single word they say. And among themselves, they take pride in their skill with words. They tend to completely miss the point of taking magical oaths not to do this stuff.
* The ''[[Young Wizards]]'' series has the "Binding Oath", which if broken permanently strips you of all supernatural energy. This version of the
** The person extracting the Oath can only do it once in their lifetime.
** The person extracting the Oath will eventually suffer a backlash from the Oath, with the backlash being worse the more powerful the Oath is.
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** Spells ''geas / quest'' and ''mark of justice'' can be construed to be a type of contract without paper, as well. Also, people don't have to agree to it, so you can just use it to force people to do your bidding. Though it has a ten minute cast time, so unless they're restrained you'll be long dead before you finish casting it.
** The 2nd Edition ''Tome of Magic'' sourcebook had the Contracts of Nepthas. Anyone who breaks such a contract is struck deaf, dumb and blind. Ambiguities in the contract's language can be exploited.
** ''Al-Qadim'' has "Oathbinding" and "Genie Contract" spells. It also mentions that genies use contract magic all the time, including marriage contracts, and while not fond of fine letters, they frequently include rather strange clauses. Also, genies and ins (mortals) can have children together only if linked by such a contract... which is supposed to be the main reason why Zakhara is not teeming with [[Half-
** Sareshan Oaths in the ''Living Arcanis'' third party setting for 3/3.5 are another D&D example.
* In ''[[Exalted]]'', Eclipse Caste Solars can sanctify any sort of agreement to be magically enforced by Heaven.
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