Pode ser " Os Runelords " série de livros por David Farland.
Um revisor tem o seguinte:
In Farland's world, there exists a magic that allows one person to take a physical or mental quality from another.
For example, a common man can grant his strength to his Runelord, living out his days as weak as a baby, while the Runelord becomes twice as strong. Noble children receive gifts from their subjects at birth: beauty, eyesight, brawn, wit or intelligence, hearing, and so on. In return, the Runelords use their talents to govern their people and defend them in times of danger.
The givers of the gifts, called Dedicates, live in luxury, pampered by full-time attendants -- but without whatever qualities they bestowed upon their lords.
So a woman who gives her beauty to a newborn princess lives out her days as a dried-up hag. A man who bestows his flexibility on his king becomes forever creaky and stiff. A gift of sight leaves one blind; a gift of wit leaves one a drooling idiot.
No Universo de Runelords, o sistema mágico é chamado de " Endowments " - e certamente cabe na sua conta. Mas sem detalhes adicionais, é difícil adivinhar se você leu algum desses livros. Mais sobre a série aqui e aqui .
qualquer coisa parece familiar?