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[✗] [Playable CA] The Graven


Sorcerio
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Foreword

Spoiler

This rewrite seeks to refocus Gravens - no longer making them as a nonchalant echo of the former character, but a more deep and tragic character which has a more significant impact on roleplay, and greater consequence to the path taken. Many of Gravens of the previous generation, and even the generation preceding that, we believe, did not truly express the inherent nature of the Graven adequately in their roleplay - after all, such a dedicated path is a lot to ask of an open race. Hence why, should this lore be accepted, Gravens would shift from an open CA to a locked CA made only by means of Mysticism’s Saturation Liturgy; a stepping stone into the occult. However, as to prevent the loss of characters, we will be allowing former Gravens to choose between transitioning to a poltergeist or a specter; or if they wish, simply permanently kill the character. Upon acceptance and implementation, all non-mystic Graven CAs will be denied.


 

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Art by Fanat08

 

THE GRAVEN

Echos of the Synod


Plagued by dubiety, the dead do not always rest, resisting the sweet embrace of demise which beckons their spirits hither to the Soulstream. Some among them would believe themselves to have a singular, unfinished task which would demand their presence to linger upon the Mortal Plane - remaining restless until that sole task is completed. All other motives are made obsolete, the spirit determined to enact their duty to whatever it is which demands their presence - whether that be the guardianship of a loved one, or some relentless plot of revenge against the foe that slew them. Yet there are some who would not come about solely as a product of will, but instead made as a servant of the damned.

 

 

Bound Beyond Death

(Creation / Manifestation)

 

Though once brought about as souls who persisted in a singular task after death, such extraordinary phenomena have not occurred in an age. There is still one means by which this may be achieved, although such a deviant invocation of occult sorcery is seldom to be had within the realm of Man, and is thus rarely heard of, let alone employed. Still, to even be unfortunate enough as to encounter an occultist alone is a tragic fate, though to be bound to further their will is an even graver one yet. While the direct slaughter of an individual by means of a saturated blade may bring forth a phantom, the more skilled occultist may even be capable of rearranging an existing phantom’s form to be more corporeal.

 

 

Fallacious Manifestation

("Physical" Description)

 

Gravens are less conventionally thought of as “phantoms” when compared to their more spectral cousins, the ghosts. While reanimated by means of the soul akin to other spectral undead, the Graven harbors a more tangible nature than other phantom creatures, by merit of the occult rite performed upon them which drives them to exist even still. Thus, Gravens are granted a physical form as to better interact with the world as they had in life, lest they be made unable to carry out their task. Remaining as shambles of what once was, the Graven tends to adopt a rather fragmented appearance, conjured of a flaking ectoplasmic where large portions of their general body once were. Though still significantly corporeal, this does often make them a lot more unsightly than one would expect. 


 

Their voices may bear an ethereal resemblance to the one they had in life, though often more guttural and perhaps parched, reduced to a echoing rasp which rings distantly; or perhaps a distant drowned mutter. No matter their appearance, the Graven will always be fully corporeal and visible, alike that to any other man, yet without the need to eat, or sleep, or rest. Their strength would be locked at the strength they held prior to their death, unable to be bolstered by exercise or diminish from sloth. However, though they feel no exhaustion or fatigue as mortals do, Gravens are still limited by the strength of their forms, and their vessels may only undergo so much stress before they would be obliterated by the opposing force. Graven’s forms are actually raver fragile and brittle, and may leave them to be rended easily by swords or other sharp objects, often provoking them to wear armor of a sort. And though the Graven no longer bears no true internal organs to uphold, would-be fatal blows to their head or chest may still disperse their forms for a time; and harsh forces like incinerating flame would still rend them as they would any other - for they are banished from death, not from defeat. 


 

But the will which prolongs the Graven is great, and were they to falter in their pursuits, they would soon reform themselves whether once, or thrice, or a hundred times - not ceasing until their deed has been met or they have been permanently banished from the mortal realm. Thus, over time, a Graven may slowly regenerate wounds sustained upon their vessel, whether the slashing of a hand or the severing of an entire limb. Should a wound be yielded by means of aurum, the Graven would have a more difficult time manifesting themselves, though inevitably would be capable of reforming such with simply greater strain than had they not been touched by the gilded weapon. 

 

TL;DR

Spoiler

Gravens are corporeal phantoms, having a physical body that may interact with the world to nearly the same extent as a living persan, though not appearing as such. Gravens tend to appear as poison-green or black, flaking fragments of their original form bearing a subtle phantom ambience/aura. They may be harmed by regular iron and steel, and may wield such in turn whether as armor or as a weapon, just like a descendant. However, since they are dead, Gravens have no need to eat, sleep, breathe, nor do they suffer from exhaustion as a living person might. They have no blood or internal organs, and upon being damaged, the Graven’s “flesh” would flake away into the air and vanish into mist. Their bodies may still be destroyed as any physical entity, whether through steel, or fire, or magic, etc. Gold in particular feels like hot iron and will wound them much more easily than other materials. Unless they are covered (i.e. armor, cloak), being in the sun is extremely uncomfortable, though not inherently lethal.

 

 

Upon Troubled Tides

(Mindset and Morality)

 

Gravens are the spirit of a Mortal which has been freed from its coil, though has been bound more substantially to the material realm. For the most part, they retain the most critical personality traits of the individual prior to their death, whether that be some obsession with money or poetry, or a disposition to be compassionate to others. However, due to their distance from Man, the phantom inevitably comes to focus solely upon those traits, festering slowly until they eventually manifest into the sole aspect of the Graven’s personality over the course of months, or even years. 


 

Though some might maintain their sanity more-so than others, they would find themselves to be cast into greater misery and woe, forced to watch the world around them move on without them, bound forevermore. Hence, Gravens are prone to gloom and depression, their prolonged separation from the living leading them to struggle with the replication of sympathy and positive emotion - lacking the comprehension of mortal feeling As a result, Gravens often manifest cold and distant demeanors, incapable of relating to human feeling and thus often being left confused at great displays of such. Even should they somehow manage to feign an emotion, which itself is an immense feat given their foreign nature, they would more often downcast due to their inability to truly feel said emotion.


 

Gravens who have existed for a particularly long time may even find themselves to grow wrathful and resentful of mankind, lashing out at even the least of sleights. They bear grudges endlessly, and those who find themselves on the wrong side of such a phantom would take well not to forget their ire; for as their spirits are ever enduring, their wrath may seldom be quenched in turn. 

 

TL;DR

Spoiler

Gravens retain most aspects of their former self, though are made more woeful and downcast in turn, often attempting to achieve happiness by indulging upon what they enjoyed in life. This would leave them to realize that they cannot achieve this respite and would leave them even more tragic and depressed. Over time, they will begin to find it difficult to express positive emotion, though they might still manifest it to a smaller degree should a situation particularly call for it. As well, Gravens may grow to be incredibly resentful towards the living, and may harbor grudges for long periods of time. This marks them as woeful characters, and not ones to be used for instances of “slice-of-life” roleplay. 

 

 


 

Affinities of the Graven

(Capabilities and Passives)

 

Endowed with a second chance to fulfill their innate desire, the Graven is granted new abilities by virtue of their phantom nature, and the will which binds them to exist still. These abilities may be employed actively or passively by the Graven, inherent to their being as spectral undead. 

 

 

Lugubrious Aura

(Passive)

 

Gravens are ultimately tragic characters, bound forever to roam the mortal plane in perpetual servitude to their occult masters. And as they tread upon the thin veil between the realm of the living and the dead, the wavering fissure formed would exude a dismal aura, which would leave those in a ten meter radius around it to feel more gloomy and cold, or perhaps even fearful and torn, depending on the Graven’s overall demeanor. Though such an influence is perhaps subtle at first, it would be quick to seed itself within the minds of those around the Graven, pressing at the back of their thought. And it is also not uncommon for Gravens to be accompanied by a thin veil of ectoplasm, like mist. 

 

Emote: As [Graven] approached the shopkeeper, a somber air seemed to be carried with him, and those nearby could not help but notice a cold tone linger subtly in the air. 

 

Spoiler

 

- The aura of a Graven is bleak and unnatural. It is not encouraging nor inherently ‘evil’.

 

- Lethargy may not affect a person’s health or combat capability. 

 

- The aura may not be used to immediately distinguish a Graven on its own.

 

- The aura is not an active emotional influence to those nearby at the whim of the Graven.

 

- A Graven covered in armor may condense the aura to a two meter radius. 

 

 

 

Veilstrider

(Passive)

 

Walking as one of the dead among the living, the Graven is granted the ability to more tangibly interact with the Elysian Wastes, which they exist partially in. Whilst a faded phantom could easily slip between the fingers of any mortal, to the Graven, they are made utterly tangible, as if they had manifested physically within the material plane. This is not to say that their raw strength against an ethereal spirit would be any greater by means of this ability, merely that a Graven would be capable of interacting with the phantom alike to any regular man interacting with another, even if faded. 

 

Emote: [Graven] would reach their hand out towards the incorporeal phantom, attempting to grab them by the throat and bash them into the side of the wall. 

 

Spoiler

 

- Gravens may only interact tangibly with other phantom beings. This ability does not extend to other immaterial creatures or undead that are not of the spectral variety. 

 

- A Graven’s strength against phantom is no greater than their regular strength. 

 

- Gravens may still not see through Mystical illusions, such as deadbreath, gleaming, etc. That is a feat reserved for Paleknights and those endowed with True Sight / Vivification.

 

- The Graven’s grasp may still be evaded by a phantom if possible RPly and mechanically.

 

 

 

Persistence

(Passive)

 

Bound forever to the mortal plane, the Graven’s desire to persist is absolute. With this, their vessels, even when struck down, will inevitably remanifest upon the mortal plane and mend the damage done to the phantom - thus leaving them to remain still. This occurs passively when a Graven is damaged or destroyed, their Ectoplasm reweaving itself to reform their body depending on the severity of the injury. A lost limb could realistically restore itself after twelve OOC hours, though for a Graven to remanifest fully (after being ‘slain’) requires a full twenty-four OOC hours to complete. As a result, the Graven is made incapable of receiving any benefit from medical aid or alchemic healing. 

 

Emote: Not applicable.
 

Spoiler

 

- Gravens may not ‘regenerate’ in the middle of combat. 

 

- Gravens may not instantly heal themselves. Several OOC hours are needed at the minimum.

 

- Being damaged by gold requires twice as long to heal. 

 

- Though a Graven may respawn at CT mechanically, RPly they may remanifest in the wilderness, or at the location to which their soulstone is bound. 

 

 

 

Phantom Weapon 

(Combative)

 

When in need, a Graven may weave their ectoplasm to create a weapon of their choosing which may be applied in a variety of ways, though primarily to aid with whatever their goal may be. This may be done over the course of two emotes, in which the Graven manifests their cytoplasm and solidifies it into a tangible weapon. The weapon or tool may be of any variety so long as it is melee, unable to exceed beyond one block in reach in the case of a blade, or one by two blocks in the case of a shield. The weapon or tool will not exceed the durability of common iron, and would be rendered more akin to copper when placed into contact with aurum. These weapons have the ability to make contact with other phantom creatures as if they were tangible, though not to the same degree as aurum might. 

 

Emote: [Graven] would extend their hand forward, as thin strands of grey mist began to weave themselves forward along his arm, extending out amidst his palm.

 

Emote: The mists would coalesce into the form of a murky, grey longsword; appearing as if it were made of some obscure phantom glass - which rested in the palm of [Graven]’s hand.

 

Spoiler

 

- Only one weapon/tool may exist at once. 

 

- Weapons conjured by the Graven act and weigh the same as their mundane counterpart.

 

- Should the weapon leave the Graven’s grasp, it will vanish.

 

- Weapons may dent with one direct hit from aurum, and it would shatter upon two. 

 

- No ranged weapons or armor may be conjured, only melee weapons or tools. 

 

 

 

Restraints of the Spirit

(Redlines and Limitations)

 

Spoiler

 

- Gravens are corporeal entities, meaning that their physical bodies may be damaged by regular means such as steel - though since they are not living, intense fire could perhaps melt the graven and their armor gradually, though they may not necessarily feel it. 

 

- The physical abilities of a Graven do not exceed the maximum capacity of their former race. Most typically, Gravens would not exceed the strength of a fully trained human knight, and that would apply only if they were exceptionally strong in life. 

 

- Gravens do not feel exhaustion or fatigue, though should they continually press themselves beyond the regular limit that one would typically have, their movement would gradually slow, until they would become unable to move entirely.

 

- Graven’s forms are somewhat more brittle and frailer than living mortals, easily slashed or torn; hence why they often wear armor to protect themselves. At the most, they would be able to be wounded with the same degree of ease as any other individual. 

 

- A Graven’s “fractured” appearance does not render them invisible by any means. If actively interacting, flakes of thin and pale smoke might manifest where the interaction is taking place, such as a hand reaching for a sword. No “invisible hands” or anything of the sort. 

 

- In addition, though their “fractured” appearance might rend certain aspects of it’s corporeal form less than solid in appearance, this does not affect the graven’s ability to sustain damage in any way. ie; if a portion of the Graven is “fractured”, the fractured section of the Graven is still as vulnerable to damage as any other portion of its body, regardless of aesthetic state.

 

- Any aesthetic of the Graven’s appearance has no effect upon their capabilities, strength, or other physical skills. They would still be the same as any other Graven. 

 

- Gravens may be harmed significantly by Aurum, Kani, Holy Magic, or Mystic Powers. Voidal Evocation may also be damaging to them, as well as Voidal Abjuration. 

 

- Upon receiving what would be a fatal blow, such obliteration of the head or the chest, the Graven would still be capable of dying. Though they could lose an arm without much notice. 

 

- Gravens are not invincible and they may still have their vessel destroyed.

 

- Two direct hits of aurum should be enough to disperse an unarmored Graven.

 

- Gravens cannot learn or teach magic, alchemy, and other such feats. 

 

- Gravens cannot become other creatures, though certain statuses of undead may be achieved through means of ascension, namely Paleknights, Pale Lords, Darkstalkers, etc. 

 

- The visual aesthetic maintained by a Graven has absolutely no effect upon their abilities, prowess, or their capability to evade damage. 

 

- Gravens, being undead, cannot sexually FTB.

 

 

 

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A much needed rewrite, and I'm happy that the good majority of active Gravens were given a heads up about it in the first place. 

 

+1 

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11 hours ago, Sorcerio said:

Phantom Weapon 

(Combative)

 

When in need, a Graven may weave their ectoplasm to create a weapon of their choosing which may be applied in a variety of ways, though primarily to aid with whatever their goal may be. This may be done over the course of two emotes, in which the Graven manifests their cytoplasm and solidifies it into a tangible weapon. The weapon or tool may be of any variety so long as it is melee, unable to exceed beyond one block in reach in the case of a blade, or one by two blocks in the case of a shield. The weapon or tool will not exceed the durability of common iron, and would be rendered more akin to copper when placed into contact with aurum. These weapons have the ability to make contact with other phantom creatures as if they were tangible, though not to the same degree as aurum might. 

 

Emote: [Graven] would extend their hand forward, as thin strands of grey mist began to weave themselves forward along his arm, extending out amidst his palm.

 

Emote: The mists would coalesce into the form of a murky, grey longsword; appearing as if it were made of some obscure phantom glass - which rested in the palm of [Graven]’s hand.

arcanism isnt coming back pundi, move on

 

good job writing though

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6 minutes ago, CaesarTheFirst said:

arcanism isnt coming back pundi, move on

 

 

I know, I'm very happy. 

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This lore has been denied. You will be sent a forum PM regarding the reasons for denial within the next 24 hours.

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