In regards to what I like and use, mine is definitely a soft system. It’s nature based in the 5 elements of earth, water, air, fire, and spirit/energy. I thank Robert Jordan for planting that seed years and years ago. I chose this specifically so people would be awed by nature, but able to manipulate it as well. People (or in the gaming case, players) either have a natural aptitude for magic or they don’t. Some have very little spark and must fan it into flame through years of careful study and practice. Others have dangerous, raging torrents of magical ability and strive to control it so it doesn’t kill them. The realm of Spirit is entirely unexplained/unexplainable. A very rare few are gifted towards this “element” and it allows them unpredictable powers like telepathy or an ability to see the dead. If they practice practice practice they can eventually commune with the dead via their thought process. This is never entirely clear; however, as the conversing with spirits leads to flashes of premonition either waking or in a dream state. One character/player in particular must meditate long and hard, which is both physically and mentally draining, to reach the necessary trans-trance.

Such practices are revered by some and absolutely forbidden by others. The spirit world knows no sense of time or physicality, but recently passed spirits remember more of their living lives. Ancestral spirits recall less an less as they “age” (while not actually aging) on the other side. This meshing of the incorporeal spirit realm and the tangible physical reality is very mysterious even to one who has devoted their life to its workings.

Sorry for the super long comment, but I figured bloggers love feedback and dialogue.