Is there an alternative to using soul gems for enchanting? Doesn't have to be something used in a previous game, just something that if someone was so inclined/against the use them they could.

Kill the person fresh as soon as you need the soul to enchant?
Real bodies do count as soul containers.

Hah, interesting, but not exactly what I meant. It's for a mod that implements an alternative to enchanting with soul gems with things like Fire Salts. Anything in lore like Varla Stones that hold magical energy?

Oblivion had sigil stones. They offered a random effect for enchantment, iirc

Wow, how did I forget about that I used them all the time lol.

I can't think of anything other than varla stones, and perhaps also the standing stones, which apparently connect to the aether when activated. It might be worth researching the Ayleids- IIRC, they also 'charged' their stones from the night sky. Also, since a gem is a vessel, apparently always mineral, that holds magical power, I see no reason in principle why a soul gem could not be charged by the moon, a spell, being shouted at, sat on by a dragon, or any number of other things.

Here's to the Ethical Gems Campaign.

Daedra can be bound to weapons. For example, binding a Flame Atronach to a sword would give it a fire enchantment. This is done through offering a weapon with a Sigil Stone, as previously stated.

The mana wells of Arcana Restored offer an alternative way to recharge items, even if they weren't in the games that featured the book. Possibility of finding knowledge enough to use them to create items?

Wouldn't that basically be the same principle however? You may not actually capture the soul in a soulgem, but you still bind it to the weapon. Same thing, only with one less step.

Speaking of previous games, enchanting without soul gems was quite possible in Daggerfall. They didn't explain how it worked, but only the pros could do it (as with making potions) and a soul could be added in order to increase the objects potential. Also nordic weapons in Morrowind are enchanted by 'witch-warriors' using runes, or at least they imitate them. I imagine the school of Julianos does something like this, but that's just speculation based on a pre-Redguard game .

There's some good suggestions in here, the rune thing especially. Thanks guys!

Liminal Bridges kinda explained Sigil Stones as similar to very powerful charged soulgems minus the soul. But involves contacting a daedric prince?
So those sound very close.

So we have soulgems charged by other means than soul-trap. Witch Runes. Varla Stones.

Which of these makes most sense being used to craft magical weapons by someone who is not an enchanter? My main goal is to invent a system of magical weapon crafting independent of the enchanting discipline.

I personally like the Witch Rune idea best. Admittedly, it still seems magical, but it fits lore-wise, and it tickles my Norse Mythology fancy.

Dagon's Sigil stones are a special soul gem found only on Oblivion. They are soul gems. Can't be bothered to find source, but i'm sure someone with lightning fingers will find it.

They're similar to soul gems, but capable of holding much more power. They're also much rarer. http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Liminal_Bridges

Daedric artifacts. Very powerful beings can just make magical items.
Conjured weapons. Normal dudes can temporarily forge a daedric soul into a weapon.