Ascended

[James 424]

 

Ascended

 

Forged by their patron in the days of need,

the white ones did their deeds.

As time passed the world grew and changed

but they forever remained the same.

Slowly one by one they returned

to see what they had left unburned

The world had shifted, never sleeping

and lacked a need for keeping.

Their patron seemed to ignore

the plight they now bore.

 

The Ascended

 

Originally created in the times of the long-lost homeland the Ascended were at one time entities of great faith, Stalwart mages who bore a holy magic that had never been seen before. They assisted where they may, travelling out into the world and helping to guide those who needed such. They helped fight back the great enemy of mortals in this golden era, dutifully fulfilling their purpose. Throughout this their Patron, Aeriel, never abandoned them and they enjoyed their lives.

Such was not to remain the case forever however. After the fall of Aegis the Caretaker of Souls vanished, leaving the Ascended in a state of desolation. They had sealed the nether, they thought, so their purpose had been fulfilled. Some of them took comfort in this, others did not, but they all waited patiently for her return.

Slowly the Song returned later in the years, the old immortal faces that had been gifted such a boon slowly heard the pull of it. They had hope, they had faith, and gradually they gathered together to see the rebirth of the ancient Order of the Mongoose. They were small, and uncertain of their direction but several of them took up their banners and headed out to make changes in the world they had found themselves in.

However, now the dusk approached the Ascended as their numbers dwindled. The Ascended lost contact with their patron once more, the former Sages and Ascended alike left in confusion as to what was occurring, forced to wait upon the side lines while their patron vanished once more. Unbeknownst to them a force was working that would shake the old foundation of who they were.

This was the start of a new Ascended, of a great Rebirth.

 

The Caretaker

 

Aeriel was and is the Caretaker of souls throughout the mortal realms of the children of Aegis. Throughout the travels of the sons and daughters of the great brothers she has even in a weakened state maintained the bridge that souls traverse to reach the soul stream. When a soul reaches a state that it cannot find the will to have the monks restore their breath they find a second path available to them. This path to most is lined with gold and gentle flowers, giving off a scent that reminds them of home. To those who follow this path, they eventually enter the Realm of Aeriel, a gentle haven as a halfway point between the mortal world and the Soul Stream. Here they meet loved ones, fallen heroes and beggars alike meet as one as they gather, the cares of the previous life slipping away.

Some choose to stay here forever, never passing through the final gate of her realm in order to enter into the great soul stream. Others never stay for long, finding a smile upon their faces and braving the gate to leave. Even when Aeriel herself does not occupy the realm it is carefully maintained, always there to ease the departure of the lost.

Aeriel’s ward were the souls of the fallen, and she would see to her duty to make certain those souls would reach their goal. However as time passed she began to grow unsettled, doing the infamous action most Divines were warned against - observing the mortal realms too closely. She turned her vision down upon the realm and noticed something that grieved her heart greatly, mortals actively destroying and capturing souls so that they would never reach her. She was appalled by this, a deep sadness and even a low level of anger forming within her at this and she spent a while considering it. Eventually she drew a plan up but it wasn’t until Iblees finally reared his head again that she would instill it.

Thus the Ascended were born.

 

Now, however the times had changed. The world needed less guidance as other Aenguls had followed in the path of the Ascended and given boons to the mortal races. As Aeriel awoke from her long time within the dwarven halls she sat about recovering, but opened the link to the Ascended she once called her own in the meanwhile. Now, she has finished her long recovery from the two-hundred years of being the jailor of the fallen Daemon and has turned her gaze to the world below.

The world seemed to lack a need for the Ascended as they were, she observed - their hearts had hardened to the words of peace and mortals had even increased in their manipulation of souls, perverting and destroying them. She debated for a while as to what to do on this issue and eventually an idea formed within the great Aengul’s mind, and she saw it was good. She drew without warning her boons back from the Ascended, pausing their magics as she worked to craft something new to better suit the world they were in. Finally, as she finished, she would meet once more with those Ascended and the horizon of rebirth would occur.

Thus the Ascended were reborn.

 

The New Ascended

 

The Ascended’s function has turned from a mix of actions that made them from some form of “Super Cleric” to a more active grouping.

 

The Ascended link to Aeriel’s realm by the ever present Anchor she has set in the world. This Anchor is the Tree of Life, and even in it’s sapling form it is capable of such, although often needs to be planted properly in order to properly allow communication with their Patron. The tree is pivotal for the Ascended, being required to be present nearby for the birth of each new Ascended.

 

The Order’s new abilities revolve around the usage of Holy Fire, or in the proper term Aengul Fire. This fire is one of the “unique” abilities of the order, born from a deep understanding and connection with the mortal soul the fire is designed like one might imagine an anti-biotic would be. The fire attempts to remove “impurities” from the soul as if it were sick, looking for spots of corruption, tampering, or improper use. At it’s standard form the fire is a white hot image of a flame, conjured by the Ascended in the immediate area around them.

 

First and foremost however a definition of what exactly meets the criteria of being “Taint” or “Corruption”.

 

Taint/Corruption

 

At it’s core Aeriel considers souls sacred and pure. It is her intention that they remain such. Taint is the term used to refer to when a mortal soul, body, or part of the world has suffered unnatural perversion through magical means, circumventing the natural life of a mortal and injecting in something else. This refers to both the subject of such perversion and leaves an internal mark upon the conductor, leaving them with vestiges of this taint as well and thus subject to punishment.

 

Examples of “Taint” are as follows.

• A necromancer reviving a body. The body is perverted through magical means and the “zombie” will be burned away entirely given enough holy fire and time. The Necromancer, having revived it, would have a mark of taint within him. This mark lasts very briefly, however (only directly after reviving a corpse or during).
• A Golemancer forging a soul-bound core. The core is tainted due to the sealing of the soul within and the golemancer who performed the sealing is “marked” with his deed.
• A shade. The parasite in itself is one of the prime examples of internal taint.

 

Magic Summary

 

Aengul Fire

 

Those subject to the effects of holy fire will suffer pain as it attempts to burn away corruption. The fire’s life is determined by the tier of the Ascended relative to the level of “corruption” - e.g. Tier 5 shade vs Tier 1 Ascended, the holy fire will burn for a short period but fail to do any damage, more causing pain than anything else. Whereas Tier 5 Ascended vs Tier 1 Shade would likely leave the Shade convulsing under extreme pain and the fire will do massive damage.

 

In an equal footing (Tier 3 shade vs tier 3 Ascended) the fire would cause pain but no damage for the start although the longer it would be on the shade the more damage it would do.

 

Aengul Fire cannot be put out by water, but can be squelched by dark magic should enough of it be present (aka preferably at least one “tier” above the Ascended, or if both are T5 then enough time is given to create something to do so.)

 

Aengul Fire can:

• Be used from a distance if sent like a projectile, although the longer it travels the more it dissipates until it vanishes.
• Be used to attempt to “burn” away things like minor shades or minor curses, almost like healing although this will cause the recipient to receive a large amount of pain.
• Burn Undead (and cremate corpses.)
• As a one exception it can be used to seal surface wounds on someone.
• Spread warmth and comfort through someone if it comes in contact with them and does not find taint.
• Cleanse corrupted or tainted land
• Gold can hold the flame for an extended period, causing some unique interactions you will see later
• Be squelched out by excess dark magics.

 

Aengul Fire cannot:

• Be conjured more than an arm’s length away from the Ascended (No looking at people and setting them on fire).
• Be maintained by the Ascended if it is not present on the Ascended (AKA No going and lighting a torch with holy fire then leaving it lying at base while still lit.)
• Cannot be put out by water
• Burn anything which does not hold or interact with some form of taint. To a normal mortal the fire at it’s brightest will feel slightly warm and be somewhat hard to look at. It will not burn anyone or anything.

 

Example emotes:

Kalen looks at the figure with a furrowed brow, moving to extend his hand as if cupping something and taking a breath.

 

After a moment a light illuminates the inner side of his palm, followed by a small white flame sparking within.

The flame would take a few moments to grow until it forms a gentle flame flickering in his palm. The flame seems to lick at the air for a few moments, idly waiting in his palm.

 

Kalen would move his hand forward, the flame jumping from his palm in a small stream to meet with the figure.

 

Wards

 

Wards are one of the things that have persisted over the years with the Ascended. Originally massive rocks of blue stone that formed a beacon in the night sky against those who would attempt to assault the keeps of the Ascended warding has been simplified greatly and made so all Ascended, once they learn the basic technique, can perform.

 

Ascended wards will weaken or negate nearby “tainted” magic dependant upon the level and effort put into the ward. Referring to the previous definition of “Taint”, “Tainted” magic would be magic that manipulates souls in a foul way, e.g Necromancy, Soul Contract, or Shade magic. Wards will not interfere with any other form of magic.

 

An Ascended ward takes the shape of a floating symbol of white fire. This is a mere representation of the ward and does not actually function as holy fire, it will not burn someone who is tainted should they touch the mark. The mark can be dispelled externally with metal being put into it, dark magic squelching it, or some form of decently sized stone. This will dispel the ward.

 

The ward is placed by an Ascended by drawing the specified shape out of fire at the location, leaving behind the ward and the mark.

 

Warding can:

• With enough Ascended investing into it block usage of “tainted” magic in the area whose user is less than tier 3. Anything higher will just be weakened.
• Weaken (most) dark magic creatures/users within ~15 blocks.

 

Warding cannot:

• Be done in an area which already has corruption, such as a necromancer drained location. It must be purified first, not after.
• Hurt anyone. It will not cause pain, just discomfort.

 

Example Emotes:

 

Kalen reaches the stone wall where the woman directed her and looking over it doesn’t find any clear signs of an issue. He decides, just incase, to leave behind a ward for fear that her concerns held merit.

 

He would close his eyes, bringing a hand up to hover in front of him as he would extend a single finger, a spark heralding the beginning of a flame.

Kalen would begin to concentrate, recalling the shape he had memorized before. He would drag his finger in a pattern, leaving behind a remnant of the white fire.

 

After a few moments of this Kalen would withdraw his hand, opening his eyes as the fire on his finger would fade. What would be left behind would be a small hovering mark.

 

Side note: City sized wards etc., would need to be maintained every 2 weeks. If not the ward would fail. 

 

Healing

 

Ascended are capable of healing wounds by taking the wound onto themselves, turning a cut into a pulled tendon, or a broken bone into a cut on themselves. Ascended can do this due to their natural regenerative properties, and will recover from it more quickly than the average person However the regeneration is not combat relevant, and would not stop an Ascended from dying from blood loss if the wounds are too severe.

 

Healing can:

• Heal a wound within the first week of it occurring.
• Seal cuts, Mend Bones, Remove bruises, re-attach removed small appendages (e.g. ears/fingers) (reattaching must be done within 1 day of the separation)

 

Healing cannot:

• Repair brain damage.
• Revive someone.
• Fix an issue that has persisted over 1 week (1 year IC). The monks can’t do it, clerics can’t do it, we can’t do it.
• Heal anything tainted, not even a paper cut. However the corruption can be purged and than the wound healed.
• Heal anything non-mortal like a tree, we aren’t druids.
• Be used to heal oneself.

 

Grungron Irongut looks at the figure with a furrowed brow, moving to extend his hand as if cupping something and taking a breath.

After a moment a golden light illuminates the inner side of his palm, the light growing brighter as he moves his palm towards the open wound on the mans arm.

The golden light would shine towards the wound, the open flesh would begin to seal as the a white flame would spew forth and lick the wound as the palm passes over it.

Grungron Irongut  would give a grunt,  taking his hand back as the wound seals on the mans arm, a similar, but smaller version of the wound would begin to appear on his own arm

The golden light shining from his palm would begin to fade before him, before dissipating completely

 

Aeriel's Blessings (Holy Alteration)

 

Aeriels blessing is the act of engraving a symbol of aengulic flame upon an object or weapon. This symbol allows you to channel the song of Aeriel into the item, and only is usable and activate-able by a connected Ascended. It would have no effect on a descendant with no connection to the song whatsoever. The symbol upon the object would glow a bright white when activated, the flame would slowly dissipate when in use until the object is no longer imbued. Imbuing objects takes large amount of time, and doing so in a combat situation would be impossible. Due to the amount of time it takes, creating a stockpile of such objects would also be impossible.

 

Aeriels Blessing can:

The most common forms are listed here:

• Aeriel’s Wrath:  Imbuing a weapon with the ability to channel Aengul Fire, this is done by focusing on the song of Aeriel and channeling your mana into the blade. The symbol would look similar to a brazier lit ablaze with white flame. Use of the sword would enable the user of the blade to damage those with taint more easily, the Aengul fire would actively seek taint where the stab occurred. However this would not be as powerful as using Aengul fire itself, as it would only do more damage and inflict more pain to the dark arts user which is stabbed/cut and the area where the fire spreads.
• Aeriel's Touch: Imbuing an amulet or other object with a gem capable of containing corruption. When this amulets gem overloads, the object will explode and all the corruption within it will spread from the object. The item can be destroyed through the use of a hefty amount of Aengul fire, along with all the corruption sealed within. (This has no difference from purifying with Aengul fire other than aesthetic, and the fact it contains the corruption rather than destroying it completely.)
• Aeriel’s Voice: Enhances the voice of the user to sundering volumes, the engraved symbol looks similar to a mongoose. Use of this blessing allows its user a mighty, mountainous voice to shake the will of the Dark. (This has no effect other than creating fear, and has no damaging effect. This is also an aesthetic.)

 

Aeriels Blessing cannot:

• Create permanent additions or modifications to items without attempting to create lore approved relics. Maintenance of the engraved symbol must be replaced every day to week depending on the amount of use. Depending on the skill of the user, one combat situation could be sufficient enough to completely degrade and dissipate the symbol if the creator is inexperienced. The only exception to this are the current relics of Aeriel, and new relics that are passed.
• Be used by someone without the song of Aeriel, as it requires a connection to the song to work.
• Be used on anything other than an object or weapon.
• Be used for a prolonged use of time. Depending on the skill of the holy alterationist, the applied enchantment could fade very quickly.

 

Sealing

 

Sealing is one of the abilities of Ascended working together in the original lore. It allows an Ascended to seal a corrupted object within the realm of Aeriel, and with this rewrite will be edited and expanded upon. Depending on the extent of the object, and how powerful it is it can require 1 to 3 Ascended, varying skill. Sealing serves no combat use, and is done to usually get rid of a more powerful tainted object, without uncorrupting it. This can be used to seal lower objects as a training method, however using Aengul fire to cleanse the object is a much more common method.

 

Sealing can:

• With enough Ascended, seal a powerful corrupted/tainted object within Aeriels realm.

 

Sealing cannot:

• Remove corruption from a creature/entity that is not an object. You cannot seal things such as a golem as the object would be too large, and contains a soul.
• Harm anything, as it only pertains to sealing non-sentient tainted objects.

 

Example emotes:

 

Grungron Irongut would swiftly extend his golden staff towards the darkened object, the royal blue sapphire upon its head would have a large light shine brightly off of it towards the object.

 

A white flame would spew forth from the light upon the head of the golden staff, engulfing the small object on the oak table.

 

Grungron Irongut would inhale deep breath as the object would seem to disappear from sight, the object have had dissipated on contact of the flame to the taint.

The white flame would fade with the object, the silver light upon his staff would begin to dim before diminishing completely.

 

 

Divination

 

Ascended are capable of using the art of divination to receive communication from Aeriel, the most common form being the ability to receive visions. A Gold or Silver Sect Ascended would light multiple braziers with Aengul fire, and meditate before them. Using the connection to Aeriel would be an attempt to recieve information from her, and depending on the skill and urgency of the message it may be conveyed more quickly. (Would require LM/GM/Admin permission pertaining to Aeriel.)

 

Quote from the old lore: “Divination: An Ascended may very rarely glimpse the future as a vision from Aeriel. Be that vision of a coming threat, or a hint towards their next actions.. ((Intended purely for RP purposes and most of the time is distributed by a moderator or lore team member.))”

 

Divination can:

• See visions granted by Aeriel, specifically for threats to the Descendants or the order itself. These usually and almost always must be deciphered and are not as easily seen as communicated information.  

 

Divination cannot:

• Be done without a Lore Masters permission or presence. The magic is purely used for event/antagonist purposes such as an approaching threat to the Descendants.

 

Ascended Sects

 

Black Sect- Master Sage can teach every sect as per divine instruction from Aeriel, though is limited to one sects magic.

 

Red Sect- Red is known as the ‘Caretaker’s Sect’, This sect is dedicated to the Creation of Relics and the occasional Construction as necessary.

• Aengul Fire
• Warding
• Aeriel's Blessings

 

Blue Sect- Blue is named the ‘Sect of War’, this sect is designed to be the most active in seeking out those who Violate the Tenets of Aeriel. They are the forward Line, who works most actively with the Descendants and rally them against Mortal Threats.

• Aengul Fire
• Healing
• Aeriel's Blessings

 

Silver Sect- Silver is known as the ‘Sect of Knowledge’, This Sect is the one dedicated to the collection of Knowledge and Relics, Upkeep of Relics, and Understanding the finer points of Magic.

• T1 Aengul Fire
• Void Magic
• Divination

 

Gold Sect- Gold is known as the ‘Sect of Theology’, This sect is majorly dedicated to the Religious and Healing Aspects of the Ascended, Divining the will of Aeriel, Healing the Wounded, and the creation of blessings.

• Aengul Fire
• Healing
• Sealing
• Divination

 

Ascended Race

 

Pros

An immortal life given by Aeriel

Ascended, holding a link with Aeriel, can pass on souls that are trapped on the world using holy fire. (Requires owner’s consent.)

Natural resistance to internal corruption. (No Ascended-Shades.)

The Ascended have regenerative capablities, however this is in no way applicable to a combat situation, as this takes time and would not prevent an Ascended from bleeding out unless left alive by her enemy. This is moreso in-tune with the fact that an Ascended's healing takes a wound from another and puts a less-damaged product onto themselves, our regenerative capabilities allowing us to sustain the transferred wound and live.

 

Cons

An Ascended may not raise their hand with harmful intent against a mortal with a Pure, Untainted soul. (You cannot kill, however self-defence is allowed)

An Ascended cannot involve themselves directly in politics between the mortal races

An Ascended must give their whole to protect the mortal races, their very existence is to be a barrier against the darkness that seeks to devour the souls of the sons

An Ascended must enforce the laws of the caretaker of souls.

Void magic can not be learned by any Ascended other than Silver Sect, however Silver Sect is limited to the tier 1 equivalent of Ascended magic and does not retain the strength kept by a regular Ascended as is with the strain of a connection with the void.

 

 

 

Smaller portions and relics will remain hidden, as well as history besides that of the wiki.

 

The guild post can be found here: