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[✗] [Playable CA] - Praetors, The Voidscarred Transcendents


Johann
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Praetors, The Voidscarred Transcendents

 

 

 

Spoiler

Preface:

This is a collective merge of the Archon and Spellforged writes conceived by myself and Isaac, and is by no means identical to old Archons beyond aesthetic. With an emphasis on the extension of transfiguration as a means of power, Praetors are fundamentally different in mindset and abilities; much effort has been invested into ensuring all aspects of this lore are properly balanced without unnecessary, abusable vagueness which was a shortcoming of First Generation Archons. Like any other magical group and niche, the Voidal magic community is deserving of an “endgame” due to its lack of flavour for a variety of reasons. Praetors are a solution to this issue by acting both as an expansion to the darker aspects of the external Void, while also encouraging interaction between void mages. The flavour options provided in this lore also contribute to character development, as well as the development of a more defined culture for the Void magic community, something that is sorely lacking in a landscape where the magic is perceived as a tool.

 


 

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”Power... wrought with curses, much like living – how quaint.”

– Avenel Synalli, Former Primarch.

 

Origins

 

Power. Power is pursued by the competent and learned in the elusive practise of magic, a temptation that indiscriminately afflicts the hearts of the righteous, the vainglorious and the malevolent. It was this pursuit of power that throttled magi of old, self-proclaimed masters of the art, and rediscovered that which was forsaken, scorned and feared - the esoteric; decrepit tomes that detailed unnatural means for a descendant to transcend their arcane capabilities for a price. 

 

Yet they took it, whatever the cost was, for such is the vanity of mortality.

 

Their humanity, these magi centuries ago delved in where no Man dared delve. Tenacious in their pursuit of this unnatural knowledge, just like their forebears, many failed to achieve the transformation, the attainment of what sanity would think impossible, the embracing of the antithesis of existence, the Veil - the void. 

 

Yet they persisted, whatever the cost was, for such is the strength of mortal convictions.

 

But in due course, one succeeded. He who dubbed himself The Primarch, first of his Kind, the pinnacle of arcane prowess, the first Archon. The transformation, however, came with a price that he slighted in the heat of passion; it would take away the blissful ignorance that pervaded the minds of even the most learned magi, rendering him privy of what the ancient basin of power he so admired truly was - something beyond the comprehension of the mortal, perhaps even the divine psyche. It was all and it was nothing, a paradoxical oxymoron that he came to embody. Henceforth did this newfound awareness, a glimpse into infinity, begin gnawing at the sinews of his sanity and the fragile fabrics of his humanity, emboldened by the immortality he had now been cursed with as a vessel of the eternal, the Void.

 

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Woe. Over his ceaseless years, cursed with immortality, he found a means of procreating that which he had seen. It was a vain yet enduring effort to share his woes in the midst of his dwindling humanity, the compassion that he once held for descendants of his ilk dripping from his soul, progressively consumed by the entropic energies that he had offered it to.

 

“Man has sought immortality in many ways… sought to transcend mortality; yet none dared touch the void.” - The Primarch, first of the Archons

 

Thus came the day when the Primarch prevailed, creating what is now known as the lost art of forging the “arcane trinket” by imbibing it with the energies of the void that had consumed him, for the purpose of allowing it to consume another. It is ironic, the unfathomable capabilities of such a feeble device--yet, it served those capabilities. The cursed gift of embracing the void was offered by the Primarch only to those of competence; those that accepted the price they had to pay for the power they wished to attain. And thus arose an order of Archons who projected their arcane aptitude and wisdom across the realms - marvelled and dreaded by the naive.

 

The rise of the Archons came as swiftly as their fall, for even the immortal cannot transcend the neverending march of time. They vanished, the Primarch and his many pursuivants, to a place no mortal soul can ever conceive. To the anguish of many, the departure of the Archons was as traceless as the disappearance of the manuals of the craft. Perhaps it was for the better that their cursed legacy was put to rest. Thus followed many generations without question - until there arose a question. 

 

Even though there remained no evidence of the lost art of malforming one’s soul with the energies of the void to become a fabled Archon, it did not stop the neverending pursuits of the righteous, vainglorious and malevolent.

 

They persisted, whatever the cost was, for such is the strength of mortal convictions.

 

And the cycle continued; against overwhelming odds, the becoming of an Archon, now dubbed Praetors was revitalised and rediscovered by contemporary alterationists, fundamentally changed from their spiritual predecessors. It was proof of the remarkable ingenuity of mortality, the pride of the Creator. This restored generation of Praetors offered descendants the same unnatural transformation that had afflicted and empowered their forebears, but with the original art lost to time, the strength was diluted, the process meticulous and unforgiving. Regardless, the allure of transcendence was enough for many of their ilk, who took to embracing it once more like their forebears, blissfully naive of the price they had to pay - they paid, and the Praetors returned, wrought of the mastery of transfiguration, of mana. 

 

Truths endowed, Perceptions ordained - The Void, touched.

 

Description

 

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“Great truths hide behind your eyes, carve them out and see.” - Doviculus

 

The Praetors are a product of something unnatural that flagrantly defies the bounds of the mortal coil, for it is where the soul of a descendent is scarred by the void, malformed by the fragments of the veil and void. Where this inseparable link brands one’s being with curses does it also provide numerous boons bestowed upon transfigurationist willing to make the sacrifice - the augmentation of their arcane abilities and immortality. It is only by virtue of their profound understanding of the art of transfiguration that Praetors are able to preserve their very own integrity, for the turbulent currents of mana that bless and afflict are unsuitable for the common Man.

 

The Boons of Transcendence

 

Exemption from the burdens of the mortal coil

 

Though the soul is claimed by the void, and the descendant’s being coursing with the essences of the void, the mortal vessel remains ever-present and needy. Akin to the life they once had, the Praetor is still subject to the burdens of the mortal coil, bearing blood, bone and muscle that must still be sustained through nutrition and sustenance. However, as their being is powered by the void, neglect of these mortal needs will no longer lead to death, while disease becomes redundant, null. One may hunger, but never perish to starvation. One may thirst, but never perish to dehydration. One may suffer, but never perish to suffering. The Praetor may feign ignorance for these bodily needs, as the survival of their souls are no longer dependent on their adherence to addressing mortal suffering, but the mortal vessel will most certainly weather the consequences. If one does not sustain the integrity of their muscles, then one will certainly pay the price of a compounding weakness. 

 

A curse that accompanies the virtues of this immortality are the ramifications of crossing a point of no return for the body, rendering its integrity sundered with the burdens of vesselhood and the base ignorance of the Praetor towards their mortal needs. 

 

It is for the very same reason that a Praetor would lack a need for sleep, unlike the common Man, for the very mana that flows through their veins provide a source of sustenance for the Transcendent - this allows them to passively recuperate their energy over the same extent of time a mortal would require sleep. Akin to any other functions of mortalkind, it is not effectively impossible, simply a hardship for one that has transcended from mortality, demanding meditation for its indulgence where a Praetor temporarily casts their frame of mind back to humanity in emulation of the act.

 

Breathing is unnecessary in both of the Transcendent’s vessels, as the Mana surging with their blood keeps their mortal coil alive. Although air-chokes won’t hinder the Praetor, blood-chokes can still prove effective, as it cuts off blood flow to the brain, leaving the Transcendent unconscious. Should a Praetor take water into their lungs, it wouldn’t do much besides prevent them from speaking or weigh them down. Removing the water completely may require assistance via CPR (this is not to say that the lungs are completely redundant, damage to the lungs will still be just as painful as before and will undoubtedly handicap the Transcendent. If their lungs were removed entirely, the Praetor would die, as it’d be impossible to remove them without damaging major blood vessels around the organs). Due to this, the Praetor would be fully capable of surviving within the Void in both of their forms.

 

Transcendent Proficiency

 

This state of being endows the Praetor with boons beyond simply immortality, for the void, after all, is the age-old source of all voidal magics. It must be borne in mind however, that time weathers, and the once-formidable strength of Praetors has been no exception to this, weakened by its throes. Relative to ordinary descendant magi, Praetors are still capable of casting voidal spells with relative ease, naturally able to effectively manage their latent mana pool. This rids the Transcendent of any negative emotion decreasing the potency of their casting and significantly lessens the mental strain of high tier spells. 

 

Unlike their predecessors, who dabbled in manipulating the essence of spells, contemporary Praetors have abandoned this reckless practise, for transcending that which is beyond the capabilities of one’s soul is foolish and detrimental. Instead, it has been understood that the innate potentialities of transcendence lie in the augmented manipulation of mana, thus enabling Praetors to extend this understanding of transfiguration to perform feats unthinkable to their mundane ilk.

 

The intimate and now wary association of the soul of Praetors to the void, however, has awakened what was once inert capacities. Being souls scarred by the void, claimed by its entropic energies, Praetors are now able to practise lesser variants of certain magics with similarly close associations to the void, namely a weakened form of blinking and telekinesis. This profound understanding also endows Praetors with the ability to interpret Moonspeech, the enigmatic tongue of the very entities that aimlessly roam the primordial planes of the Void. 

 

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A transcendent Praetor possessing red aura.
 

Perhaps the most defining trait of Praetors would be their uncanny ability to surrender their mortal vessels at will to the otherwise suppressed energies that course through their being, be it within combat or otherwise, immobile, a risky but rewarding process. The transformation culminates in the removal of their mortal vessel as it disintegrates into the void, thereafter replaced by a fluid, humanoid body encased in a strange arcane hide, allowing them to flow freely without the hindrances of the vessel - hovering becomes plausible, though not to any combative extent but simply as an alternative means of locomotion.

 

This transformation also awakens all their otherwise dormant combative capabilities, with the exception of being able to rend advanced spells with ease. Becoming eddying currents of the very energies they harness, aura and passive mana, Praetors in their transcendent forms are able to supplement twice fold the mana compared to a normal magi in voidal rituals, with this channelling of mana further extending to arcanium forging, wherein the roll threshold will be reduced by 4 for a Praetor. 

 

The Curses of Transcendence

 

Regarding the Mortal Vessel

 

As is a recurring motif, the acquisition of unprecedented power in the beings of mere descendants comes with a price that is to be paid - curses that are to torment the Praetor, perpetual afflictions. As the soul has already been scarred, consumed and inebriated by the vices of the void, the Praetor will be unable to wield any deific magics, with nearly every dark magic with the exception of Pale Blood Magic being impossible to practice and master. The mortal vessel, as established prior, also remains susceptible to the consequences of harm, rendering it pervious to abilities such as necromantic draining, and other forms of physical trauma. Naturally, if the mortal vessel is subject to fatal trauma - the excessive loss of blood - mana will begin to drain out of the body, slowly but certainly spelling the demise of the Praetor, unless the wound is healed in some way. 

 

Alchemical substances applied upon the epidermis of the mortal vessel will still yield function, but any ingested elixirs will prove obsolete for the Praetor as the voidal energy and active mana that courses through their being nullifies any effects contrived by the material alphabet - intoxicants are no exception, with their effects largely diluted to a negligible extent. 

 

If two Praetors were to procreate, conception would be impossible; however the procreation between a Descendant and a Praetor brings about a pitiful creation. The unborn child is likely to die before deliverance (possibly creating complications for the carrier) and, if born, will suffer from permanent Voidal Weakness—a reduced amount of stamina and an inability to gain steadfast amounts of muscle, also plagued by an unstable form of Magical Alteration out of the offspring’s control. Objects that the cursed child touch and hold have a minor chance horribly deforming in shape once they have made physical contact with it for long enough, or occasionally items around them shifting through the Void erratically, reappearing a few inches off from where they once were. This is not a controlled form of Alteration, nor may it be used to gain any utilitarian or combative advantage - it is an erratic, pervading curse that will forever afflict the progeny.

 

Regarding the Transcendent 

 

In their transcendent form, being entirely composed of turbulent currents of passive mana, the Praetor acquires newfound and magnified weaknesses which are the bane of their empowered being. Incurring a direct laceration of a thanhium-alloy weapon, the antithesis of magic, will render the Praetor’s arcane capabilities debilitated to Tier 3 capabilities for the rest of the combative encounter and disrupt their concentration for three emotes as the Praetor agonises in the excruciating pain of thaumburn, unable to recover their focus from the disruptive mana. Severe strikes will kill the Transcendent in the matter of a couple seconds: a thanhium-alloy sword plunged into a vital area, such as the torso, will surely lead to their demise. Auric Oil and Aurum-based weapons incur a similar, albeit less magnified effect upon Praetors, disrupting its concentration for one emote, leaving a burning sensation at the site of its wounds - evidently more effective than mundane weaponry. 

 

Other forms of anti-magic that may prove perilous towards the capabilities of the transcendent Praetor, such as Unsound Mages. Their mana-draining aura will be twice as potent on the Praetor versus the average Descendant. The Confusion spell will last for four emotes rather than two, and the Sunder projectile spell will last for five emotes in contrast to its average three emote length. Should a Transcendent be hit with Negate Mana, it will prevent them from casting entirely for two OOC hours.

 

Regardless, mundane weapons still pose a threat, although to a lesser caliber of anti-magical means. The Transcendent form possesses no bones, organs, nor skin, yet are still subject to the pain of steel clashing against their otherworldly vessel, equivalent in durability to their Descendant body. The damage dealt to their Transcendent form will reflect onto their Mortal Coil. If a warhammer were to strike the Transcendent form’s arm, it would be just as painful and handicap the arm as if they were in their Mortal Coil. Once they revert to their physical form, the bone would be fractured. Should a limb be severed in their Transcendent form, it will reflect onto their physical body. In place of blood, their Mana internals will leak from the wound in misty bodies should they be cut with any sort of blade, anti-magical or not. This is just as painful as regular blood loss. Incurring harm from flames or frost will still inflict the same extent of damage as it would upon a normal body, however, being set aflame or contracting frostbite is a non-factor due to the nature of mana.

 

The amount of mana held within the Transcendent’s being is numbingly immense, and thus their presence can be easily detected by any Magi within a four meter radius, the magical power unable to be concealed. While those Magi may not understand the Praetor, feeling a similar sensation to that of a powerful spell being cast, should a Transfigurationist come near enough to cast Voidal Feeling upon the Praetor, they will gain a level of understanding as to what the Transcendent is and the nature of their soul’s intertwining with the void. This grants the Transfigurationist with the ability to Abjure Transcendents, should they so choose to.  The use of an Abjuration projectile on a Praetor will stun them for two emotes, rendering them stationary beyond their current position for that duration. Ward Shields will act as physical barriers to the Transcendent, incapable of being passed as if they were steel shields.

 

Strengths Abridged

Spoiler

 

- Praetors are immortal beings, showing no signs of age, that have surpassed the need for food or hydration. They may feel the urge, but it can be repressed. As a consequence, their Mortal Vessel will thin and erode unless they take in necessary nutrients.

 

- Praetors do not require sleep, instead, like any other metabolic function, utilise the surging passive mana within their body for sustenance - their stamina actively naturally regenerates over the same extent of time overnight, rendering sleep incredibly difficult.

 

- Praetors do not need to breathe, though they are still susceptible to unconsciousness via blood chokes.

 

- Praetors can manage their mana more effectively and negative emotions will no longer affect the potency of their spells, leaving them with less mental strain regarding higher tier incantations, as well as and allowing them to perform augmented spells regarding Alteration.

 

- Praetors can practice a lesser form of Brisk Step and use non-combative Telekinesis.

 

     - This lesser variant of Brisk Step can only be utilised twice per combat encounter, possessing the same redlines and mechanics as the original spell, though only capable of shifting the Praetor by 3 blocks.

 

- Praetors may not speak, but rather interpret and understand Moonspeech.

 

- The Praetor gains access to a second form, swirling with passive mana taking on the hue of their aura. This form allows them to perform their augmented Alteration abilities, and contribute twice as much Mana to a Circling Ritual than the average Magi. In Arcanium Forging, their presence reduces -4 to the roll threshold.

 

 

Weaknesses Abridged

Spoiler

 

- The Praetor is locked into voidal Magic, unable to practice any Deity or Dark Arts with only Pale Blood Magic being an exception. Knowledge-based feats such as Animatii Crafting, Sorvian Crafting, and other Further Alchemy processes that do not affect the state of mind or the soul.

 

- The Praetor is still susceptible to necrotic drains in the Mortal Vessel, along with physical damage and blood loss.

 

- Alchemical concoctions taken orally will no longer affect the Transcendent. However, surface-level elixirs and solutions will remain effective in their Mortal Vessel.

 

- Procreation between two Praetors is impossible, but through a Transcendent and a Descendant, a child with permanent Voidal Weakness and unstable Magical Alteration is born.

 

- Thanhic Alloy will yield no special effects to their Mortal Vessel, affecting them just as it would to any other Descendant.

 

-Praetors, in both the mortal vessel and the transcendent form, may not wear plate armour to any extent beyond singular armour pieces (platemasks, pauldrons, gautlets, etc.), though armour with protection equivalent to gambeson are acceptable. 

 

- Their transcendent form is required for all rituals and combative spells.

 

- In their Transcendent form, blood will leak out as fumes of their Mana internals, just as severe and painful as normal blood loss.

 

- In their Transcendent form, thanhic-alloy will feel as if the wound was lit on fire, disconnecting them for three emotes and limiting their ability to Tier 3 for the rest of the encounter.

 

- In their Transcendent form, Aurum/Aurum alloys and Auric Oil will leave a mild burning sensation, disconnecting them for one emote.

 

- In their Transcendent form, Combative Unsound projectiles will last for an additional two emotes and the AoE Negate Mana spell will prevent them from casting for two OOC hours.

 

- In their Transcendent form, Abjuration projectiles render the Praetor stationary and stunned for a single emote while Ward Shields will act as physical barriers to them, impassable. These Abjuration spells will only work if the adversary Transfigurationist has voidally Felt the Praetor.

 

- In their Transcendent form, strikes from mundane weapons are still effective and reflect upon their physical body. If their arm is struck with a mace, it will be just as painful and will remain limited in movement until tended. The Transcendent must revert to their Mortal Vessel to tend to these wounds, otherwise, they will not heal.

 

- The presence of a Transcendent can be felt by any Mage within four meters. These Magi will feel an immense amount of mana radiating off of them.

 

Creation and The Rite of The Trance

 

When a descendant voidal mage has mastered two Voidal Magics and become Adept (T3) in Transfiguration, nearing the limits of their definite capabilities, they may seek to continue desiring the succour of acquiring power and transform themselves into perhaps the pinnacle of voidal mastery - a Praetor. To do so, they must first seek out an Elder Praetor, which in itself may perhaps be a trial and tribulation. Every Praetor may hold a variegated opinion towards the prospect of bestowing their boons upon a mortal, as is dictated by their psyche. An example would be that Praetors who reject their humanity may be more predisposed to scorning mortals that seek them out to join their ranks - the direction of responses is entirely dependent on the player’s character.

 

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“Embrace the change, let your soul nevermore be slain, let truth be gained.”  

 

Time weathers all, and the means of becoming a Praetor are no exception to this rule. With many centuries of neglect and shifts in mentality, the method in which the fabled mana trinket can be created has been lost to the ages. The process of becoming a Praetor remains hinged on the mediation of an Elder Praetor, for it is they who must perform the rite of the trance upon an aspirant magi without risk. Voidal heaths, hollows and nodes possess the most profound connection to the void - thusly, with the absence of the mana trinket, Elder Praetors must substitute this need by performing the rite upon these enigmatic planes. 

 

Upon this desirable site, the Elder Praetors must situate himself before the imminent Praetor, embracing their transcendent form for the process. Refined Focus Crystals, at least five should be laid out in a polygonal manner around where the target Mage will sit, upon relatively level ground with no moving or unstable structure. The mentor Transcendent will thereafter imbibe their own mana towards that of the focus crystals, concentrating it in tandem with the latent energies of the environment, ultimately directing this conglomerate of mana into the initiated Praetor. In the process of this ritual, the Elder Praetor will chant a cryptic, esoteric incantation in an obscure tongue of the void which will only be discernible as unintelligible, distorted reverberations originating from within the Praetor’s being. These sayings mark the advent of the descendant’s soul becoming malformed by the void as an unprecedented quantity of voidal energy is channeled into the mortal vessel - the strain of this process upon the target’s soul causes one to instantly fall unconscious at its onset. The trance begins.

 

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The departure of the soul from the mortal plane as it is claimed by the void.
 

It is following this unconsciousness when the unnatural effects of this ritual begin to seep into the forthcoming Praetor’s being, an effect of the voidal energies that overcome their mortal vessel. As the soul begins to be scarred, malformed by the void, physical changes begin to appear upon the Praetor’s body in indication of this terrible transformation. One’s body mass would dwindle, tissues and muscles degrade and skin pale, the consequences the mortal vessel suffers for transcendence. The coursing of mana through a Praetor’s veins shifts their eye colour to a mixture of their aura and that which they once possessed, yet that is not all for the transformation, for the mortal vessel is not the only component of one’s being.

 

Much to one’s surprise, the duration of the ritual is when the Praetor experiences perhaps the final tranquility of their lives, before it is superseded by a traumatizing, perhaps even scarring barrage of visions before consciousness is recovered - sights of the void, the truths of existence, the futility of mortality, among other irrevocable axioms of the void and the veil that one may witness in this ensuing delirium. The sights will be accompanied by maddening, hallucinatory and psychedelic whispers, the void’s terrible symphony of cacophonous, eldritch shrieks. 

 

In this sensory surfeit, wherein all five senses are sunk into complete immersion, they will experience the Void and the apparent, yet minute creation of the Material World. If the scholarly Mage’s understanding was the tip of the iceberg, then the initiating Praetor would be plunged beneath the water into the dark abyss to gaze up at what the rest of the cold mass offers. It comes to understanding how fickle they are in comparison to the metaphysicality beyond the Material Realm: shapes without form, colors indescribable to the Descendant mind, and the insignificance of time; the Void’s infinite potential becomes apparent. To the initiate, it may seem like years have passed by, but in reality only fifty seconds, precisely. In short, a Mage experiencing the Trance is an ant that comes to the revelation that they are, infact, an ant, but could become the size of an elephant through the infinite potential that lies in the Void.

 

Every soul has a differing reception to the void, thus the experience of Praetors will naturally differ, however it is needless to say that the experience follows a common thread of comprehending that which is beyond the thresholds of mortality.

 

Creation Red-lines:

- The target Mage must be Tier 3 in Transfiguration and at least Tier 5 in two other Voidal Magics.

- The target Mage must not be a Machine Spirit. Their soul must be contained in a natural mortal vessel.

- The target Mage may not possess any Magic or art affecting the soul or mind that isn’t Voidal, including Kani but excluding Pale Blood Magic. Exceptions to this are knowledge-based feats, like construct creation such as Sorvians or Automatons. Unsound Magic may not be possessed either due to its anti-magical properties.

- The aesthetics of the ritual is mostly up to the participants as long as the prerequisites are met and the required changes proceed.

- An Elder Praetor is required to start the ritual. It is unachievable without them.

 


 

Forms

 

The Mortal Vessel

 

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Humanity is perhaps the Praetor’s greatest boon, the preservation of one’s original form a testament to the persistence of the soul. One’s former being and soul are inextricably linked, for the body has been the vessel of the soul ever since inception, a fundamental tie defining of the mortal’s very existence on its plane. Upon the becoming of a Praetor, the body remains, now acting as the mortal vessel of the immortal soul, permanently altered in form, reflective of the voidscarred it houses. 

 

The complexion of the mortal vessel is pale, the hue of its eyes shifted to a mixture of the Praetor’s aura and its original, with areas of visible veins giving off a glow of the Praetor’s aura as mana becomes infused with one’s sanguine lifeforce, the crimson ichor of blood. The mortal vessel will experience some physical weakness in consequence of the voidal energies that degrade one’s vessel, only further exacerbated by one’s disposition to neglect bodily needs; a Praetor’s strength will be comparable to that of a mundane mage, unable to proficiently utilise heavy weapons, with their body incapable of enduring the strain of plate armour.

 

The Transcendent

 

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Transcended, the Praetor embraces the latent, suppressed energies of the void as they permit it free reign over their very being, unlocking that which is usually restrained for the purpose of preserving their mortal visage. The transformation is an agonising process for most, an expected result of allowing arcane to overcome the mortal vessel, burning and searing away bones, sinews, skin, and other aspects of the mundane body, shifting to a surreal, turbulent mist of arcane energy in the colour of their aura which is mildly encased by an invisible, but tangible hide. Naturally, the innate nature of one’s soul will cause the transcendent Praetor to adopt a humanoid form, identical to that of their original being, however the prominence and definition of features is under the discretion of the Praetor. A discernible outline of a maw, eyes, and other bodily features can be replicated by the reforged through the utility of various textures and shades of their aura, though the alteration of one’s being does not change the nature of one’s voice, which shifts to a distorted, deep tune.

 


 

"In my fatigue, I gazed upon it -- An angel, yet it spoke no words of virtues nor flames of righteous fire. 

 

I looked and peered upon great whirlwinds, a hailing frost; One made of apathy and of no remorse, great hurricanes of flame clashing as a brilliant ethereal light veiled it. In the center of this primordial chaos was the angel, azure eyes gazing at my own. Their whole body, their rims, and their spokes; Their wings, the same cyan embers bathing their divine form. 

 

I questioned my sight, my voice and mind -- For whenever GOD had to slaughter or punish, he had sent an angel. I couldn't perceive what laid before me; Even now, the features seem so dream-like, yet I am sure -- An angel fell from the heavens and came to punish the wicked. 

 

I repented -- Clutching the cross that guided me; The blind faith that gave me reason. My knees cradled by the freezing snow, yet it mattered not. My whole life praising GOD to see an angel, wings dipped in blood. 

 

It went ahead, caring not for me; The great power followed, without turning it passed me."

 

- The Ravings of A Witness.

 


 

Transformation

 

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Becoming:

 

The figure begins to sporadically twitch and shudder, the veins about his eyes and arms beginning to radiate a brilliant violet aura.

 

[!] The flesh and bones of the figure begins to sear away with an audible hissing, his extremities replaced by plumes of purple aura. The mist-turned flesh would remain in place, an intangible arcane hide beginning to manifest.

 

[!] As the arcane hide concludes its manifestation, the figure’s being now purely composed of packed arcane energy, a plume of violet aura rising from his head, a spectral fog replacing his legs.

 

Reverting:

 

The violet Praetor shudders and convulses in place, a cacophonous crackling emanating from his being as bones, begin to manifest within, the transformation shroud by a veil of purple fog.

 

Muscles and sinews form about the bones, the mists shrouding the figure gradually absorbed inwards, converted into flesh with time.

 

[!] With time, the transformation completes, the Transcendent now fully reverting into his original form, body twitching from the strain of the transformation as he took heaving breaths, the soul accustoming itself to the burdens of the mortal vessel.

 


 

Rituals

 

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Rite of Designation - [N] – Greater

A Praetor may empower an obelisk, turning it into a conduit of voidal energy, showcasing the Praetor’s augmented capabilities

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

The Praetor, along with themself, requires two other voidal mages who have grown to be at least T3 in any voidal magic. Using two mundane focus crystals, the mages will help the Praetor (who doesn’t require a focus crystal) to channel energy, and imbibe it into the obelisk. The Praetor afterward overwhelms the residual mana of the voidal mages, fully empowering it so that the obelisk transforms into a conduit of voidal energies which becomes linked to the Praetor.

 

Properties:

Upon completion, the obelisk would begin to levitate- dripping liquid mana pigmented in the Praetor’s aura. Radiating arcane energy would be visibly coursing through the obelisk, perpetually flowing through its crevices. Should mana obelisk lore be accepted in the future, the functionality of a Praetorian Obelisk would be identical in nature to such with an effective radius of 20m, asides from the additional aesthetics of levitation liquid mana.

 

All those within the vicinity of the obelisk would easily sense and feel the power which the obelisk resonates with, seeing as it is directly linked to their voidscarred soul.

 

Redlines:

Obelisks are only for aesthetic purposes, they do not empower magics in any way.

If the ritual is performed again, the previous obelisk will be rendered unusable and obsolete.

Should mana obelisk lore be accepted, Praetorian obelisks will follow the same redlines as such.

 

 

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Hollowing - [N] - Greater

The Praetor releases copious amounts of Mana with bizarre properties into the area surrounding them, scarring the terrain to create a smaller iteration of a Voidal Hollow. This is often cast because the Transcendent naturally finds comfort in Voidally-scarred lands.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This ritual takes 1 connect + 2 charge + 1 cast. After the ability is used, the Praetor will be unable to cast any magic for one narrative day and may not Hollow anymore land for another 24 hours. The Transcendent may Hollow a region up to 5x5 meters in size each time the spell is cast. RO consent is required to cast this in nations or charters. As the mana sweeps the area, grass and vegetation become cyan, purple, or pink; trees may deform in absurd shapes and rocks will churn into Focus Crystals. Flora and fauna within the area will deform and emerge with never-before-seen properties. Any water within the area will shine with the Praetor’s Aura and hold a slightly acidic taste. Following the Voidal Hollows lore, Descendants who spend extended periods of time within the Hollow may succumb to mental decay, emotional outbursts, and other unpleasant symptoms. These effects aren’t permanent unless the Descendant spends several days within the Hollow with no departure.

 

Red-lines:

- Aesthetic leeway is granted with this spell so long it does not violate any lore or grant a combative advantage.

- Descendants will fall victim to mental decay and other unpleasant cognitive symptoms should they spend several days in a Hollow with no break.

- Hollowing Nations/Charters requires RO consent.

- Land may only be Hollowed once every 24 OOC hours.

- The Praetor may not cast any spells for a single narrative day after the land is Hollows.

- Focus Crystals may be harvested from these Hollows and will grow in small patches every few days.

- A sign must be placed down to represent the effects of the Hollowed land in a clear and cohesive way.

 

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Voidal Communion - [N] - Greater

A Praetor can perform a ritual in which they seek knowledge and insight from the deep void.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

The Praetor must concentrate arduously, channeling their energy upon their palm before making contact with a monolith found within a voidal heath, or a mana obelisk within voidal nodes and hollows. Interacting with such a volatile, enigmatic structure is unpredictable, a game of metaphysical chance, and will result in one of the four outcomes below.

 

Roll a 20 with an ST present;

1-5; Failure with consequences, the Praetor will have a portion of their mana siphoned, inflicting excruciating pain upon the Praetor and rendering combative spells unusable for 3 OOC days.

5-9; Failure without any side effects

10-14; The Praetor will hear cryptic moonspeak within their mind, which will cause lasting mental damage, regardless of yielding some manner of vague information.

15-20; The Praetor will hear clear and concise insight within their mind.

 

A Praetor might choose to do such for a number of reasons, possibly to foretell what is next to come in a line of events or to steer themselves clear of impending disasters.

 

Redlines:

Requires ST mediation

After communion is attempted, the Praetor cannot perform the ritual for 10 OOC days.


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Sacraments of Sealing - [N] - Greater

A gathering of Praetors and voidal mages may seal and purge a voidal tear from the veil.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

Sealing a voidal tear within the mortal plane is no easy feat to perform, perhaps arguably more difficult than creating one in the first place. When entropy is brought upon the world, its very nature renders it a hardship to purge, thus requiring a formidable assembly of voidal magi to reverse its effects. Two Greater Praetors and 6 voidal mages, with at least 2 T5 and the rest at least T3 (Praetors count as voidal mages). The gathering must first summon their voidal energy and aura, channeling it amongst and within each other whilst in close proximity to the tear. After a few moments, the tear would begin to deeply resonate, like that of a heartbeat. At that point, the gathering must expel their mass amounts of mana and energy into the very air and environment around them, effectively leaving them exhausted. Yet the process is not over, they would then need to connect to the tear, drawing as much mana and voidal energy from it, until the tear itself becomes exhausted- dissipating and withering away.

 

Effects:

The voidal tear would become frail, withering, and trembling- before immediately closing, due to a lack of energy. The absence of the tear naturally purges any ailments inflicted on the surrounding environment, the process occurring over a period of two OOC weeks as the voidal energies imbued within gradually languish, then fade.

 

Redlines:

Requires ST approval and supervision.

The ritual must proceed uninterrupted.



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Rite of the Trance - [N] - Elder

Once a Praetor has mastered their augmented ability and become certain of their transcended being, they may pass the torch down to another trusted Transfigurationist, should they wish.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell requires 1 connect + 2 charge + 1 cast emote. The Praetor can create another of itself so long they meet the criteria mentioned earlier. After the ritual, the Praetor will be unable to cast Magic for a single narrative day. For more details regarding the ritual, see Creation.

 

Red-lines:

Cannot be performed in combat.

OOC consent is required by the player to become a Praetor.

Follows all information and red-lines mentioned in Creation.


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Severance - [N] - Elder

Just as a Praetor may be created, they may be denied their Transcendence. Through the power of multiple Praetor and Transfiguration Magi, a Transcendent may be deposed of their accumulated power and ability. This could be for a myriad of reasons, such as abuse of power, betrayal to allied Transcendents or simply because the Transcendent desires a return to humanity.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This ritual requires 1 connect + 3 charge + 1 cast emote. In order to disconnect a Praetor, three Transcended Magi and three Tier 5 Transfigurationists must be present. Unlike the Rite of the Trance, no prerequisites are required bar the presence of the Transcendents and other accompanying Magi. It begins with the Praetor either willingly or unwillingly restrained. The circle begins after each Mage connects. With the three Praetors leading the Circle, they begin to pull at the Mana within the Praetor, siphoning the turbulent energies within the transcendent. During these three emotes, the target Praetor will feel a similar sensation to when they were connected except in a reverse-fashion: the memories of the Trance will slowly fade from their memory as seconds go by, the ritual ending on the final emote with a burning sensation lasting for around ten seconds. 

 

Red-lines:

Aesthetic leeway is granted with disconnection so long it doesn’t stray from the requirements.

Three Praetors and three T5 Transfiguration Magi are required to enact the ritual.

Only one Praetor has to be capable of the disconnection ritual; the other two accompanying Transcendents are not required to know it.

A PRAETOR MAY ONLY BE DISCONNECTED THEN RECONNECTED, TWICE.


 

Spells and Abilities

 

The Transcendent is capable of incredible feats surrounding an enhanced form of Transfiguration. They are much more effective when transmuting materials and can put up a threatening defense against adversary spells.


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Psychometry: Non-Combative

Your average Transfigurationist’s basic tool, however the Praetors possess the ability to view the history of the changes an object has undergone, such as figuring out the forging process for a recently crafted sword.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell follows the same emote-count scale for the Voidal Feeling spell (see Transfiguration lore). By Feeling an object, the Transcendent can choose to look deeper and see up to seven OOC days back to view all physical changes that the object has undergone, such as changes in temperature, shape, color, fusion/fission with/from another substance, mana content, and whether or not the object had been enchanted and the specifics of said enchantment.

 

Red-lines:

You may not see an object’s history further than seven OOC days.

Cannot be used to gain a combative advantage.

You are only viewing the changes conducted upon the object. It may not be used to metagame who or what enacted these changes.

You cannot figure out the exact processes for creating magical/unusual materials. For example, a Praetor will gain some insight into the composition of Arcanium, but they will not be able to completely understand how the material is forged; experimentation will be necessary.

Abides by all red-lines in Voidal Feeling.


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Passive Telekinesis: Combative

Alteration includes the forgotten art of Telekinesis, which allows one to apply gentle amounts of momentum to influence an object’s location. Although its combative use has dwindled in power, minor cantrips are still possible.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell takes 1 connect + 1 charge + 1 cast emote. The total weight is capped at 20 lbs (9kg) and may be distributed among several objects with the exception of fluid substances or particles of sand, dirt, or gravel. The speed of these lifted objects are dependent upon its air resistance. Something such as a paper or father could be moved with immense speed, while anything wooden or iron may not be maneuvered with great velocity. Out of combat, this spell is mostly freeform, though of course one must still bear red-lines in mind when using this ability. Even though one may very well use this ability in combat, it would most certainly be impractical.

 

Red-lines:

Out of combat, aesthetic leeway is provided, this ability being mostly freeform with a maximum range of 10m.

Though passive telekinesis is majorly ineffective in combat, if use is attempted regardless, the following guidelines must be followed:

Cannot lift more than 9kg/20 lbs.

Maximum speed that an object can reach is 1m/s

Only ONE object can be manipulated within a 2m range

 

 

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Minor Brisk Step: Combative

A bastardization of a method created by Translocationists, a Praetor may skip through the Void to evade attacks and incoming threats, although not nearly as freeform and open as the average Translocationist.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell takes 1 connect + 1 cast emote. It doesn’t leave a significant strain on the Praetor’s Mana reserves, but the Transcendent may only use it twice per combative scenario. They may only move up to three blocks per Brisk Step and may not attack in the same emote.

 

Red-lines:

Cannot be used more than twice per combative scenario.

Cannot Brisk Step more than three blocks.

May only Brisk Step linearly (diagonal, north, south, west, east).

Follows all red-lines of Brisk Step unless specified otherwise.


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Enhanced Transmutation: Non-Combative

With such an extensive understanding of their Magic, the latent mana in objects can be manipulated more efficiently than the average Transfigurationist.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

The Praetor can transmute objects with more potency and speed, subtracting one emote from any given Transmutation spell. Additionally, their range and scale are increased, capable of transmuting objects up to twenty meters around them and objects up to 3 cubic meters in size with an additional emote (see Transfiguration lore).

 

Red-lines:

Cannot be used to gain a combative advantage.

Follows all red-lines of Transmutation spells.

This does not apply to combative uses of Enhanced Magelight.

 

Alter Appearance: Non-Combative

Their expansive understanding of the Material Realm and beyond allows them to alter their physical form as if they were transmuting an object. The options surrounding this are fairly freeform.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

The Praetor can cast spells such as Alter Shape and Alter Color all around their body to change skin color, make minor modifications to bone structure such as jawline, fat placement, and skin, etc. At any time, the Praetor may revert the changes over the course of a single emote, returning them to their appearance that they adopted once they became a Transcendent.

 

Red-lines:

Alter Appearance cannot be used to gain a combative advantage.

You may not alter the appearance of other people or other Praetors: yourself only.

Alter Appearance follows equivalent exchange. You cannot use it to transmute fat into muscle.

Alter Appearance excludes the following Transmutation spells: Alter Temperature, Fusion, Fission, Alter Density, and Enhanced Magelight.

Alter Appearance cannot be used to heal wounds.

Alter Appearance cannot change the Praetor’s height.

Alter Appearance cannot be used to modify the constant Aura shining in the Transcendent’s eyes or veins.

 

 

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Reinforce Mana Pool: Non-Combative

The Transcendent reaches out to an ally Mage’s Mana Pool and funnel energy from themselves to the Mage, stabilizing their casting. This would often be used when a Praetor is guiding a student in spell casting and wishes to put in a safe guard to prevent them from passing out or losing a significant amount of Mana.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell requires 1 connect + 1 charge + 1 cast emote. The Praetor supplies Mana from themselves in order to sustain the ally Mage’s Mana Pool. Exhausting spells become only a quarter as fatiguing in the perspective of the target Mage. This spell can last for up to twenty emotes on the accompanying Mage before the Praetor’s mana reserves near their end, leaving the Transcendent incapable of casting for one narrative day. Fifteen emotes leaves them incapable of casting for roughly half the narrative day, ten emotes a quarter of the narrative day, and any less has virtually no effect.

 

Red-lines:

- Cannot be used in combat. This is a spell intended to assist a learning Mage.

- Maximum casting time of up to twenty emotes on the ally Mage.

- This spell does not function on other Praetors

- This spell does not increase the tier of the target Mage.

- The Praetor will be incapable of casting for a narrative day should they use the entire duration of the spell.

 

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Purvey Spell: Non-Combative

Most instructors of the Arcane present a spell to their student as a demonstration to aid their casting; however, a Praetor may plant the makeup a spell itself into the mind of the learning Mage, giving them a clear and cohesive image of what they must cast and how it must be cast.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell takes 1 connect + 1 charge + 1 cast emote. The mentor Praetor must have a TA in the Magic they are projecting the spell of, otherwise, they cannot perform this ability. This doesn’t grant the accompanying Mage any clear advantage aside for understanding the makeup of a spell right off the bat.

 

Red-lines:

- Cannot be used in combat. This is a spell intended to assist a learning Mage.

- This ability does not allow the Mage to cast spells above their tier.

- This spell does not work on other Praetors.

 

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Revitalisation: Non-Combative

Almost every Mage has experienced an event in their life in which they have an incredible amount of Mana, putting great strain on their body and often knocking them unconscious or leaving them in a handicapped state. A Praetor can aid a Mage befallen in such peril by forwarding Mana from themselves to the ally Mage’s soul.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell requires 1 connect + 3 charge + 1 cast emote. The Transcendent can increase an exhausted Mage’s wellness by funneling Mana into their soul. Although the Mage will be incapable of casting for two hours after the fact, it will bring them to their senses and allow them to function better should they be faced with physical labor, critical thinking, or other tasks that require one to be in a healthy state of mind and stamina. The Praetor will be incapable of casting for one narrative day after the spell has been cast.

 

Red-lines:

- Cannot be used in combat.

- The target Mage will be incapable of casting for two hours after the ability is used, though it will bring them to a healthy state of mind and stamina.

- The Praetor will be incapable of casting for one narrative day after the spell has been cast.

 

 

 

 

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Impede Projectile: Combative

By reaching out to the active mana around a projectile spell, the Transcendent can freeze it in its path. This could be used as defensive technique to evade adversary spells.
 

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This requires 1 connect + 1 charge + 1 cast emote.  It may be stalled for upwards of two emotes before the Transcendent must either dispel the ability or use it. Once the Transcended Mage has frozen a projectile spell, it will drain an amount of the Praetor’s Mana proportional to the tier of the spell, capable of freezing projectiles up to Tier 3 in power. Should multiple projectiles be fired off in a burst, such as a spell like Ice Projectile, Flame Projectile or Pebbles/Rock Spikes, it’s possible for the Praetor to impede all of the projectiles, though it will require an additional half of the singular projectile’s original mana cost, as these Evocation based barrages of projectiles oft lose power the more that are conjured in unison. The frozen projectile cannot be dispelled by the Mage and the Praetor may only keep the projectile frozen for upwards of three emotes before they will resume their intended path. While the projectile spell is frozen, the Praetor is confined to a slow walking speed and may not use any form of melee combat; however, they are capable of simply moving out of the projectile’s path so long they keep it in line of sight.

 

Red-lines:

- You cannot freeze projectiles past Tier 3 in power (clarification: “Tier 3 in power” assumes the base spell is learned at Tier 3. A spell that increases in potency/effects as the Mage increases in tier may still be frozen [a Flame Projectile with Combustion applied to it]).

This spell will consume as much mana as it would take to normally cast the impeded spell (if I freeze Flame Projectile, then it will subtract as much mana from my pool as Flame Projectile consumes).

- Only projectiles may be frozen. “Projectile” being any spell that is fired off towards the Transcendent such as a Flame Projectile, Sand Blast, Gust or Ice Projectile. Area of Effect spells may not be impeded.

- The adversary Mage cannot dispel their projectile while it is being impeded.

- While a projectile is frozen, the Transcendent may not move incredibly fast, but is capable of movement of no more than three meters per emote.

- While a projectile is frozen, the Transcendent is incapable of any melee combat.

- The Transcendent can impede bursts of projectiles, but they cannot freeze the path of projectiles cast by more than one Mage.

- A projectile cannot be frozen for longer than 3 emotes.

- After the spell completely finishes and the projectile resumes its course, there is a one emote cool down until you may begin charging Impede Projectile again.

- The Praetor must be in their Transcendent form for this spell to be cast.

 

 

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Debilitate Mana: Combative

By reaching out to the soul of a Descendant, they can “grip” the Passive Mana gathered around their soul and restrain them, restricting their ability to move for a short period of time.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This requires 1 connect + 2 charge + 1 cast emote. It may be stalled for upwards of two emotes before the Transcendent must either dispel the ability or use it. The Praetor restrains their adversary from moving anything beyond the faint wiggle of their fingers or the slight bob of their head. This can be held for an upwards of three emotes and renders the Transcendent stationary, requiring all of their concentration and limiting them only to speech. While the adversary is being restrained, they may struggle and roll a d20 for each turn, with the threshold starting at 19/20 and decreasing by an integer of three each turn until the spell has ended. If the roll is successful, they will break free from the Transcendent’s immobilization. This spell will consume one-fifth of the Transcendent’s Mana reserves. 

 

Red-lines:

- The Transcendent may not move whilst casting Debilitate Mana.

- The adversary is incapable of movement for upwards of three emotes unless they meet the roll threshold.

- This spell will drain one-fifth of the Praetor’s Mana Pool.

- The Praetor must be in their Transcendent form for this spell to be cast.

- Only creatures the size of descendants or below can be debilitated by an individual Praetor – anything larger requires a circling ritual.


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Expropriate Projectile: Combative

An evolved form of Impede Projectile, the Praetor can hijack an adversary Mage’s projectile spell and tear their grip from the incantation, using it for their own doing.

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

This spell requires 1 connect + 1 charge + 1 impede + 1 hijack + 1 cast. The charging of the spell may be stalled upwards of two emotes before the Transcendent must either use it or dispel the ability. The first emote will be the preparation of Expropriate Projectile, the second being the freezing of the spell, the third being the hijacking of its Mana and the fourth allowing it to be cast. Only projectiles Tier 3 or lower may be impeded. If the stolen spell is not used within three emotes after its hijacking, it will return to the Void. The adversary Mage is incapable of dispelling the Projectile while it is being impeded, but is free of its focus once it has been hijacked. The Mana consumed will be twice the cost of the hijacked spell, making it a risky trick to use if the Transcendent is not making efficient use of their Mana. While the spell is hijacked, the Transcendent may not move more than three meters per emote. Similar to Impede Projectile, barrages of projectiles may be hijacked, though it renders the Praetor stationary and will consume a third of their Mana regardless of the spell’s original Mana cost. 

 

Red-lines:

- You cannot hijack projectiles past Tier 3 in power (clarification: “Tier 3 in power” assumes the base spell is learned at Tier 3. A spell that increases in potency/effects as the Mage increases in tier may still be frozen [a Flame Projectile with Combustion applied to it]).

- This spell will consume twice as much Mana as it would take to normally cast the hijacked spell (if I hijack Flame Projectile, then it will subtract twice as much mana from my pool as Flame Projectile consumes).

- Only projectiles may be hijacked. “Projectile” being any spell that is fired off towards the Transcendent such as a Flame Projectile, Sand Blast, Gust or Ice Projectile. Area of Effect spells may not be hijacked.

- Barrage projectiles may be hijacked, but they will consume one-third of the Praetor’s Mana Pool regardless of the spell’s original cost and will render the Praetor stationary.

- The adversary Mage cannot dispel their projectile while it is being impeded but may disconnect their focus from it on the emote of its hijacking.

- While a projectile is hijacked, the Transcendent may not move incredibly fast but is capable of movement of no more than three meters per emote unless they are hijacking a barrage.

- While a projectile is being hijacked, the Transcendent is incapable of any melee combat.

- The Transcendent can hijack bursts of projectiles, but they cannot hijack projectiles cast by more than one Mage.

- A projectile will remain hijacked for three emotes. If nothing is done with it, it will return to the Void.

- The Praetor must be in their Transcendent form for this spell to be cast.

 

 

 

Tier Progression

 

Lesser (T1)

The Praetor has only recently performed their transcendence, thus inexperienced in effectively harnessing the surplus mana of their transcendent being for practical purposes. Transformation from the mortal vessel to the transcendent will inflict a searing pain upon the Praetor, akin to being baptised in a fire; given a singular week of practise, the pain will begin to subside to merely a stinging sensation upon transformation. Returning to the mortal vessel will drive the Praetor to an ineffable exhaustion, breathless as a result of the exertion one requires to remanifest their original being.

This stage lasts for two weeks.

 

 Features: 

Ease of casting (Available for mortal vessel) 

Spells: Psychometry, Enhanced Transmutation, Alter Appearance

Going out of transcendent form will incur debuffs for 9 emotes (major exhaustion, magic temporarily weakened to Tier 3 for this duration) 

 

Greater (T2)

The Praetor is moderately experienced, having exercised their capabilities for two full years. With this time comes a natural growth in proficiency as the Praetor is better able to tap into the mana reserves of their being, in addition to experiencing little actual pain in the process of transcending, but instead merely an odd sensation that is more of an out of body experience. When reverting, the Praetor will be out of breath at most, though their capabilities will still be limited for some time. After a month as a greater Praetor, the effects of transformation will decrease in magnitude, though their capabilities remain relatively the same.

This stage lasts for 2 months.

 

Features:

Ease of casting (Available for mortal vessel)

Spells: Psychometry, Enhanced Transmutation, Alter Appearance,

Passive Telekinesis, Minor Brisk Step, Reinforce Mana Pool, Purvey Spell, Revitalisation, Impede Projectile, Debilitate Mana, Expropriate Projectile

Can aid and perform rituals

Going out of transcendent form will incur debuffs for 7 emotes (minor exhaustion, magic weakened to T4)

Rituals: Rite of Designation, Sacraments of Sealing, Voidal Communion, Hollowing

 

Elder (T3)

The Praetor has become seasoned with many years of experience, with practise in manipulating their mana and performing rituals. Upon this stage they become an Elder Praetor, one who can lead the rituals of transcendence and severance. Transformation becomes a trivial affair, however reversion will still incur debuffs upon their being.

 

Features:

Ease of casting (Available for mortal vessel)

Spells: Psychometry, Enhanced Transmutation, Alter Appearance, Passive Telekinesis, Minor Brisk Step, Reinforce Mana Pool, Purvey Spell, Revitalisation, Impede Projectile, Debilitate Mana, Expropriate Projectile

Can lead rituals 

Going out of transcendent form will cause incurrence of debuffs for 6 emotes + minor exhaustion (breathlessness)

Rituals: Rite of the Trance, Rite of Designation, Hollowing, Sacraments of Sealing, Voidal Communion, Severance


 

Mental Description

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The Rite of Trance exposes one to the true preternatural--an untamed and foreign wild contra to the understood and documented voidal connections of the typical magi. One becomes truly immersed in the void, drowned in a sea of infinite expanse and blank nothingness. Innumerable visions are received, their contents paradoxical, a realm where the natural laws of the Descendants seem quixotic. Incomprehensible and unfathomable, one finds themselves a malleable entity in a plane of entropy. Nonexistence becomes visible, its character beyond simple unending blackness and unable to be articulated in the mortal tongue. Likewise, one bears witness to a more encompassing existence, shapes and colors indescribable and impossible, objects formed yet formless. The passing of time itself becomes meaningless; the visions will feel as though they occur over fleeting seconds and concurrently over a thousand millenia.  It is in this oxymoronic realm, terrifying and beautiful, that a Descendant becomes aware of their child-like naivety, that their understanding of the material realm is no more than that of an ant. And, it is here, that they climb the first rung on the ladder of truth.


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The depicted visions of a Praetor during transcendence.
 

Such experience is an enlightenment in its term, as the mage has bore witness to a higher realm far beyond the perception of the masses. As the ritual itself is transformative of ability and understanding, so too may it become transformative in personality. Praetors may gradually develop a condescension towards descendants, viewing them as transient and ignorant while they have become eternal. Yet, as no two magi experience these voidal connections the same, and indeed the personalities of the thinking races being numerous in their own right, the extent of this effect will vary. Some may preserve their old character while others will  reject it entirely. Immortality begets limitless time to philosophize, and thus those that receive its boon will view and understand it uniquely and evolvingly. 

 

In the Transcendent form one becomes an indecipherable mass of magical being, the physical manifestation of one’s own mana. Though they may vaguely take on a humanoid form, their mentality may not. Indeed Praetors in this state often adopt a disposition unlike that of a mortal vessel, perceiving themselves as near deity. Finding themselves less susceptible to the typical human emotions they may act more scornful and condescending, a consequence of the empowerment that surges through, and demonstrably alters, their being.


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Although Transcendent minds mostly retain personality prior to connection, the forbidden truth they’ve experienced will undoubtedly dictate their future perceptions. They’ve experienced the infinite potential of the Void, the creation of the Material Realm, and the revelation that Descendant-kind are unimaginably small, mere ants compared to what lies beyond the Veil and even further; however, they’ll find that the exact details of this revelation are unable to be committed to words to share their forbidden knowledge with other Descendants, existing as a “third eye” or sixth sense. This is the cold and unforgiving reality that plagues the Transcendent’s mind and represents the true transition between Mage to Praetor.

 

As for the Praetor’s motives and drive, anything pertaining to the Arcane will draw fascination to them, be it a large and intricate enchantment, unique materials infused with Mana such as Arcanium, or Voidally-influenced land, such as Hollows, Nodes, and Heaths. In particular, Transcendents will feel most at ease and comfortable in these magically scarred lands. What most find bizarre and unsettling would be a state of equilibrium in the eyes of a Praetor. Their interest in thaumaturgical phenomena and enchantments would likely drive a sense of innovation in them, intent on pushing the Arcane’s abilities to their limits for the purpose of expanding on its potential or increasing their own powe, possibly both.

 

The rejection of humanity entails grave consequences for the Praetor - corruption.

 

Psychology Red-lines:

- Change in mindset must be roleplayed. Although this doesn’t mean that the Praetor must become an inherently evil or malevolent character, they will not be of average mentality in comparison to a Descendant and will always elevate themselves above others regardless of whether or not they hold onto their humanity.

- It is impossible for a Praetor to accurately describe what they see in their Trance to another Descendant. They may say that they’ve experienced creation in its purest form and seen the scale at which everything lies, but further details may not be elaborated on, as the Descendant mind cannot comprehend what is seen in the Trance and it’s truth cannot be worded through common language.

 


 

Do you know of insanity?

 

I have glimpsed it; I have grazed it. I have been in the throes of its reach. One minute I knew peace; the next, I was plunged into a horrid hellscape. There were voices in my head. Incessant, itching, aggravating, pulsing, and cacophonous voices ringing out in a sickening symphony; they launched a painstaking and torturous assault on my mind. I did not know even a moment of rest. 

 

I peered into the void and witnessed horrors I could not and still cannot put into words. Maddening, maddening, maddening sounds, sights, scents, and tastes filled up my senses with one feeling translated into many: insanity. I heard the conversation of fiends and bore witness to a psychedelic onslaught of visions - I questioned the existence of a GOD. 

 

Those feeble, shallow fools lust for longevity--for immortality. They fail to understand; they cannot comprehend what it means to be immortal. To be immortal is to be imprisoned. I am doomed to a ceaseless existence full of suffering, madness, and detestable knowledge. Immortality is a curse, not a boon. 

 

I wander the fields of existence alone - I am neither here nor there. If I was asked who I was or what I was, I would not be able to answer. I am a damned being of endless torment. I am everything and nothing.

 

- The Ravings of a Praetor.

 


 

 

Corruption

Heavily inspired by Zarsies’ Original Lore

 

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”Sometimes, insanity comes knocking. Other times, it tears down the walls.”

 

For a Praetor, frailty lies not only in the body, but irrevocably in the mind. Vulnerability lies in eternity; the eternal, susceptible. For time may wear one callous and grim. Endless and unfathomable like the Void they embody, a Praetor is susceptible to the throes of madness, for their existence is a paradox and can be mildly remedied by the ways of the world. The soul of a Praetor, orderly constructs that embrace the very antithesis of its being, is an enigmatic one, a living contradiction, a persistent paradox. It is the reason every Praetor, as time weathers their consciences, walk on a tightrope over the endless entropy they have embraced within themselves. To fall, all it takes is a little push. In the abyss, humanity fades and insanity ensues.

 

Effects of Corruption

 

Those that choose to fervently reject their humanity, the foundation of their existence, are more susceptible to becoming the subject of the fading humanity all Praetors experience. Over time, they may become throttled into madness and mania through the hubris they garner, or the condescension they cultivate, unnatural traits that only gnaw at their mortal integrity with the passage of time. Soon enough, as this persists… the tipping point comes, the fall begins and the spiral consumes.

 

It is in this descent that a metaphysical seed of corruption is planted within the malformed soul, of those that incessantly submit or entertain their follies. Over the duration of a year, the seed will slowly bud, causing perversions in the mind of the transcendent Praetor. As the seed continues to sprout, an inflaming madness supervenes until the transcendent Praetor possesses a unique personality which antagonizes, dissociates and disdains the Mortal Vessel. This can, for example, include a violent, abusive transcendent form or a depressive, self-harming transcendent form.

 

When the transcendent fully develops its own personality, the soul of a Praetor is figuratively split, wherein the transcendent will seek control of the Mortal Vessel, wedging a rift between the struggling forces within one being. If left untreated, the objective superior, the Transcendent will continuously weaken the Mortal Vessel until their sanity is crushed, humanity lost - the transcendent persona becomes across both forms, a singular being.

 

The only means in which this condition can be remedied is through holy magics that can remove diseases and sickness, for the means in which the Praetor's mana can be drained have been lost to time. 

Spoiler

Redlines and Guidelines:

Corruption is simply a voluntary avenue for Praetors that wish to explore the rejection of humanity and incur its consequences.

Corruption does NOT empower an Praetor in any way.


 

 Death

 

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Where death is so final for mortal souls, a curtain’s call, the final closing of a lifelong story, the ultimate embrace of dark that beckons upon all… it is but the beginning of another chapter for the malformed soul of an eternal being, a Praetor. Woe, to not be endowed a finality in one’s existence is a cursed blessing, an inseparable dichotomy that empowers and torments. For a Praetor, every death appears to be a final tune of life’s symphony, yet it is but a deceptive diminuendo, a faux calm that is only followed by the Praetor returning to the world through the void’s energies, remanifesting upon a designated obelisk, or the Cloud Temple, reborn in the mortal plane. Upon their return, a Praetor will possess no memory of the events that lead up to their death, though the trauma of the event will still be felt for some time. Every death a Praetor experiences entails the subsiding of their soul, the process of replication siphoning one’s very essence purely for the purpose of ensuring one’s continuance. It is said that after three deaths, a Praetor loses their sense of ego, of oneself as they truly descend into something beyond madness, ultimately rendering them incapable of returning to the mortal plane, casting their soul forever sundered in the abyss of the void.

 

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Spoiler

 

Guidelines:

3 lives given, regenerates every 4 weeks of no death, when fatal wounds are sustained in CRP, the Praetor’s body disintegrates into a flurry of wisps that seemingly blink out of existence, shunting to CT for reformation over one OOC day.

Every death causes the counter to be deducted by one, and the pain of death will still be felt upon remanifestation, though the Praetor will have no memory of the events that lead up to it, following rules of Monk Revival.

The Praetor’s CA must be updated accordingly by the ST to indicate how many lives remain, be it after a death or lack thereof for a month. This information should obviously NOT be metagamed.

 

 

General Red-lines:

 

- This lore is not common knowledge and the existence of Praetors is only known to those that have previously witnessed their kind. One cannot simply say they have “read” of Praetors or “heard” of their properties.

- Praetors do not have larger Mana Pools than average Descendants. Their only “battery boost” lies in their ability to transmute substances with more potency and a higher scale and range.

- Mental change MUST be roleplayed. A Transcendent does not necessarily become an inherently evil or emotionless character, but they have a constant elevated superiority in comparison to Descendant life, regardless of whether or not they hold onto parts of their humanity.

- To become a Praetor, the player must be Tier 5 in two voidal magics and at least Tier 3 in transfiguration.

- Praetors may not practise deific or dark magics, with the exception of Pale blood magic.

- The Transcendent’s abilities may not be bound to enchantments. They are unique to them and them only.

- Physical changes MUST be roleplayed. Praetors may not wear any sort of plate armor and incredibly stamina heavy weapons such as poleaxes, maces and warhammers are not practical and combat.

 

 

Pros:

- Offers Magi a way to reach a peak in their ability and obtain immortality through advancements in Voidal Alteration.

- Spells dedicated to countering adversary magic projectiles.

- Immunity to extreme climate and most mundane illnesses.

- Sleep and breathing are redundant and not required by the Transcendent.

- The Transcendent’s powerful connection to the Arcane prevents negative emotion from impacting their ability to cast.

- Encourages interaction with other Magi surrounding Circling, Arcanium Forging, the non-combative support spells and rituals

 

Cons:

- Weakness to anti-magical means such as Thanhic Alloy, Auric Oil, Abjurations and Unsound Magic.

- Requirement to shift to Transcendent form for the utility of combative abilities, which also exposes you to a whole host of weaknesses.

- No dark or deific magics with the exception of Pale Blood Magic.

- Exclusive to Transfigurationists.

- Limited lives before an unconditional PK

- Drastically changes the character’s mindset, barring off a lot of “slice of life” roleplay from the character.

- Immunity to alchemical elixirs that are ingested.

- Alcohol is significantly less effective, requiring three times the potency for a Praetor to experience its effects in the Mortal Vessel.

- Unable to swing stamina intensive two-handed weapons.

- Prosthetic limbs outside of Arcane origin will fail to work.

- Procreation between a Praetor and Descendant brings about horrible defects.


 

Changelog

- Added changelog

- Removed functionality of designated obelisks as “respawn points” to prevent complications.

- Nerfed passive telekinesis

- Added additional “con” regarding the inefficacy of alcohol

Added three new aesthetic abilities: Revitalisation, Reinforce Mana Pool and Purvey Spell.

- Clarified that Praetors can only debilitate descendant-sized creatures at most.

- Nerfed debilitate mana

- Clarified Praetor transcendent form interaction to fire and frost

- FINALLY added Authors’ Notes.

- Clarified Praetor armour guidelines

- Added a limit to a Praetorian connection and disconnection, where a Praetor may only ever be connected and disconnected TWICE.

- Specified debuffs and risks for transformation (vulnerability and immobility), and that it can naturally be done during combat.

- Expanded on designated obelisks to incorporate it better to forthcoming mana obelisks rewrites.

 

Authors’ Notes

 

Isaac: 

I’m very satisfied with how this lore came out once me and Johann agreed to merge our projects into one. My main motivation behind this piece is to raise the ceiling of potential for Voidal Magic, and, encourage roleplay and synergy between Praetors and other Mages. I want to thank Johann for throwing this whole thing together. Although a lot of the ideas present in this lore also exist in my Spellforged lore, Johann gave all of my spells and descriptions a more fancy and tonally solid writing style, further stapling what this lore is all about.

 

Johann:

Praetors essentially an answer to the prevailing issue with void magic, a dire lack of rp substance for it to truly be interesting lore that is to be perceived by the playerbase as something beyond “spellbook” magic. By combining the flavour and aesthetics of my own write with Isaac’s mechanics, the piece genuinely felt more complete than each of our writes individually. Both our writes blended cohesively into a singular lorepiece that showcases the roleplay potential void magic could have, and that there is still a potential for a “cool factor” if void magic is portrayed as something far more profound than how it is usually perceived on the surface. 

 

I hope this lorepiece will set a good precedent for future void lore pieces to also begin looking towards incorporating actual rp substance and flavour, while also, if accepted, act as a means of setting higher standards for void magic roleplay in the community. This is a concept myself, Isaac and I’m sure many others have discussed extensively over past months, so I do hope, with all the balance that has been conceived in lore piece, that our efforts will come to fruition in the end, that void magic can be made far more compelling than what it currently is.


 

Citations

Phil's Original Lore 

Changes to Archons

Zarsies’ Corruption Lore 

Isaac's Spellforged Write 

My Archon Write

 

Credits

Johann and Isaac (Co-Authors)

Zarsies (Corruption Lore)

Phil (Original Lore)

...and all those that myself and Isaac consulted over the duration of this write.

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Man.

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30 minutes ago, Johann said:

Psychometry: Non-Combative

Your average Transfigurationist’s basic tool, however the Praetors possess the ability to view the history of the changes an object has undergone, such as figuring out the forging process for a recently crafted sword.

Hot.

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Maybe the real archon rewrite was the friends I made along the way.

 

Was fun working on this with Johann. I like to think merging our ideas was beneficial in the end.

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5 minutes ago, CaesarTheFirst said:

Maybe the real archon rewrite was the friends I made along the way.

 

Was fun working on this with Johann. I like to think merging our ideas was beneficial in the end.

 

‘Twas a wild ride bro

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Very nice lore; I do think voidal magic is a bit stale and could use an endgame for characters that focus on it, but I have a few qualms about some of the mechanics.

 

  • It’s not so much a voidal endgame as it is a transfigurationist endgame. It’s exclusive to transfigurationists, but its abilities seem to dabble in transfiguration, translocation, illusion and telekinesis. I think the quite heavy use of telekinesis would probably require its own lore, as it is borrowing from a shelved magic. Had this been purely aesthetic like Seer’s invisible hands I don’t think this’d be an issue, but it is combat focused.
  • Seizing a projectile in mid-air is a really cool idea, but that may not work the way you intend it to;  you would either need to have a very fast reaction time, or know specifically that a projectile is about to be sent your way. I appreciate that these Praetors are powerful – they are an endgame, but this may be dancing a fine line between appropriate power and powergaming.
  • I would expand/reword your description of ‘brisk step’ – I’m not sure hopping into the Void itself is feasible, it would mean piercing the Veil to get there, and then again to get back in a matter of seconds, this is something even Aengudaemon’s don’t do. I would search for a more viable reason and also heavily red-line it; teleporting around even locally is a very exploitable thing in the wrong hands.
  • I also think alter-appearance needs some more redlines. Make it clear you can’t disguise as an already existing Descendant on a whim. And then just generally, this is a particularly easy way to avoid consequences of your actions – with some traits still remaining visible like aura and eyes despite the disguise, I can see metagaming arguments arising where people argue they would recognise you anyway even with the changes. I would personally avoid this spell entirely as I think transforming between normal descendant and Praetor form is enough forms to take.
  • Not sure I like the ‘3 lives’ mechanic. It relies on a lot of player-honestly, and it introduces an OOC motivation to win if you are on your last life, in turn potentially leading to powergaming.
  • And just being super nitpicky but I’d make all the redlines red and everything else not red, just so they’re easier to find and reference when in the middle of RP.
  • I really like the use of rituals, I think that’s a mechanic you could get a lot of use/fun rp from, but communing with things in the Void to gain knowledge of future events is dabbling a little too much into Prophecy magic, and prophecies are a deity focused thing rather than a Voidal magic.
  • Just in general, I think it could be fine-tuned to transfiguration as it takes from fragments of a variety of already existing lores. Alternatively, you could allow for Praetor’s to have a unique set of skills depending on the already known/mastered magics rather than letting all Praetors cast all spells.

 

Overall, really good work. Voidal magics could definitely do with some more RP substance. +1

 

EDIT: so brisk step going through the void is translocation so isn’t a problem with this lore I was mistaken, but I’m still not sure it could be learned without knowing translocation first.

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39 minutes ago, Wretched said:

Very nice lore; I do think voidal magic is a bit stale and could use an endgame for characters that focus on it, but I have a few qualms about some of the mechanics.

 

  • It’s not so much a voidal endgame as it is a transfigurationist endgame. It’s exclusive to transfigurationists, but its abilities seem to dabble in transfiguration, translocation, illusion and telekinesis. I think the quite heavy use of telekinesis would probably require its own lore, as it is borrowing from a shelved magic. Had this been purely aesthetic like Seer’s invisible hands I don’t think this’d be an issue, but it is combat focused.
  • Seizing a projectile in mid-air is a really cool idea, but that may not work the way you intend it to;  you would either need to have a very fast reaction time, or know specifically that a projectile is about to be sent your way. I appreciate that these Praetors are powerful – they are an endgame, but this may be dancing a fine line between appropriate power and powergaming.
  • I would expand/reword your description of ‘brisk step’ – I’m not sure hopping into the Void itself is feasible, it would mean piercing the Veil to get there, and then again to get back in a matter of seconds, this is something even Aengudaemon’s don’t do. I would search for a more viable reason and also heavily red-line it; teleporting around even locally is a very exploitable thing in the wrong hands.
  • I also think alter-appearance needs some more redlines. Make it clear you can’t disguise as an already existing Descendant on a whim. And then just generally, this is a particularly easy way to avoid consequences of your actions – with some traits still remaining visible like aura and eyes despite the disguise, I can see metagaming arguments arising where people argue they would recognise you anyway even with the changes. I would personally avoid this spell entirely as I think transforming between normal descendant and Praetor form is enough forms to take.
  • Not sure I like the ‘3 lives’ mechanic. It relies on a lot of player-honestly, and it introduces an OOC motivation to win if you are on your last life, in turn potentially leading to powergaming.
  • And just being super nitpicky but I’d make all the redlines red and everything else not red, just so they’re easier to find and reference when in the middle of RP.
  • I really like the use of rituals, I think that’s a mechanic you could get a lot of use/fun rp from, but communing with things in the Void to gain knowledge of future events is dabbling a little too much into Prophecy magic, and prophecies are a deity focused thing rather than a Voidal magic.
  • Just in general, I think it could be fine-tuned to transfiguration as it takes from fragments of a variety of already existing lores. Alternatively, you could allow for Praetor’s to have a unique set of skills depending on the already known/mastered magics rather than letting all Praetors cast all spells.

Overall, really good work. Voidal magics could definitely do with some more RP substance. +1

At school on my phone so the formatting will be shite, will clean up later

1: The magic's based off Transfig because Transfig is kinda the apex of voidal magic, allowing you to permanently influence and bind magic to the world. The reason it takes scraps from other magics is mainly because the writers like the flavour of these shelved magics but think the magics themselves were a little unbalanced.

2: Catching the projectile works off knowing it is coming, you need to see the shot and have prepped the spell. It's in a similar vein to wards but altering the spell rather than deleting it, Transfiguration taken to a new height. It isn't really reaction time though, more so being able to just manipulate mana to a finer degree.

3: Brisk Step is already a Translocation spell and this is simply a weaker version. Brisk Step works less as a "I walk through the void" and more as a violent shunting. Praetor are the apex mages, them being able to do this at a weaker level shoes that. 

4: The not disguising as someone redline could be added, leave that to Isaac and Johann. However, the metagaming thing is iffy I admit although I'd honestly recommend just seeing how it goes as I don't think it is too likely but oh well.

5: Playing to win will always be an issue even if this is removed, people on LoTC hate losing no matter what.

6: Future telling has no reason to be diety magic and this isn't being told the future, it's just knowlege. Transfiguration needs knowledge to function and so this is once more linked into that base.

7: Praetor are the apex of the void, them being able to channel fragments of forgotten knowledge reflects that.

I'll format and refine this later, probably.

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