[✓] [Mystic Amendment] Sacrificing & Hindering

[Sorcerio 4594]

 

Spoiler

 

Preface:

This addition serves to amend a critical aspect of Mysticism which has always raised a point of debate, that being the collection and application of souls in a menhir. Prior to this proposal, the collection of souls for rituals was done through the mere ritual slaying of the victim before the stone spire, encouraging mystics to simply wander roads and capture unsuspecting travelers to feed the menhir's power. With this amendment — hopefully the first among several upcoming edits to Mysticism and Phantom Lore — Mystics will be able to sacrifice victims in a way that prevents them from being metagamed and abused by the victim, whilst also allowing for more narrative to be opened, as opposed to merely cutting off the encounter at death.

 

 

 

Rite of Hindering

(Non-Combative | T1)

 

A cantrip heirloom of occult nature, by which the mystic may draw the veil around an object to grant it a greater affinity for the spectral plane, plunging it within the Elysian wastes. Objects may be hindered to grant them a mere aesthetic gleam, which would flicker ever-so faintly like some mirthless, dying flame. These objects, when worn, would be capable of attracting near remnant ectoplasm and maintain it — particularly that of will o’ wisps and phantoms, which may be drawn to the hindered item like moths to a light.

 

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

 

Mystics may perform hindering by bringing the Elysian veil closer to the material realm, granting objects an aesthetic spectral gleam. The object in question would engulf the object in a pale and misty glow as it becomes translucent and slightly decayed - gleaming with blanched hues of green, blue, or even violet - whilst idly trailing ectoplasmic wisps. The same may be done upon animals, causing them to have a more frightening and spectral appearance, with their bones glowing beneath a coating of ectoplasmic flesh. Though in this case, while they may appear ethereal, this does not grant them any unique properties such as intangibility.

 

When emanating ectoplasm, the very closest of one’s hands or body may temporarily transition into their spectral selves, yet upon the immediate passage of the mystic would lose their glow and return to appearing normal. However, none of these things cause any true functional effect. Hindered foliage remains as it is, plantlife - and an animal remains an animal, although perhaps a little brighter. Lesser and Inferior Souls, as with Soul Essence, have no beneficial or harmful reaction to being exposed to ectoplasm, and descendants also may not be affected by its touch.

 

Will o’ wisps and phantoms may be attracted to the passive gleam of hindered objects, inclined to remain nearby as the item emanates with a comforting sense of warmth.

• All mystics may perform cantrip-level hindering to no expense of ectoplasm.
• This aesthetic effect grants no benefit to spectral creatures, nor harm to mortals.

Though most any object may be hindered, some certain materials are more disposed to spectral influence, particularly stone and water, which are key in the formation of menhir. To create a menhir, at least three mystics must, in tandem, pull the veil inwards towards a naturally-formed stone spire, causing the spire to gleam with the ethereal light of ectoplasm. Upon the ritual's completion, the spire’s gleam would become more muted and subtle, trailed by a faint ethereal chorus. Such objects may be made capable of storing soul essence acquired through scavenging, and storing the souls of those slain by saturation within its immediate proximity. 

 

While they may vary in size based upon their purpose, all menhir are remarkably resilient to mundane forces, even more so than regular stone — requiring a heavy deal of blunt-force trauma to even so much as fracture these structures, let alone destroy them. This makes magic far more effective in the purging of menhir as opposed to mundane force and tools, demanding a moderate output of magical energy such as fire evocation, abjuration, or even soul-targeting magics such as malflame. Of course, large creatures such as ologs or golems could topple a menhir given time, though most mortals using pickaxes and warhammers would take some time longer.

• When a menhir is destroyed, any souls/soul essence bound to it is lost.
• Menhir must be mechanically present to be applicable in-roleplay, built as a pillar-esque object of prismarine. Menhir must also be approved by an ST-locked akin to other such magical locations (i.e. void tears, rifts, etc.)
• Destroying a menhir by hand requires at least one being of olog strength or three descendants to constantly bludgeon the menhir with warhammers or pickaxes.

 

 

Rite of Scavenging

(Non-Combative | T1)

 

Amidst the exigencies of occult rites lie the ability of mystics to draw forth the esoteric, spiritual essence of mortality, and store it within menhir to power their profane sacraments. It was in fact the First Synod, in their ambitions of immortality, who came upon the first menhir - imploring its unearthly nature to retain the souls of the dead within itself.

 

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

 

Mystics may forcibly drain the spiritual essence of a mortal, allowing it to be stored within a menhir. This is done through bringing a living victim before the occult spire, before proceeding to saturate their blade with ectoplasm. The menhir would then gleam in tandem with the mystic’s saturated weapon, before the mystic may plunge it into the core-chest region of the victim. Immediately, the mortal would be subject to a tormenting agony that surges through their veins like fire.

 

Yet while such a wound to the chest would normally render a mortal fatally wounded, if not dead, the blade would draw no blood - rather only spiritual essence. Amidst their agony, the victim would be overwhelmed by the perpetual threat of death, as if each breath they drew was their very last. Utterly racked by physical, mental, and spiritual anguish, the victim would watch their essence flood into the spire, their life flashing before their eyes before they are plunged into unconsciousness. 

 

As the spiritual essence is gleaned from the victim, the flesh of the wound would begin to knead back together, forming a pale white scar that appears to be deprived of all blood. The scar may be made less conspicuous with makeup, though its presence could never be repaired by any means short of deific healing.

 

Upon awakening, the former experience would be left as a blur in the victim’s mind, preventing them from recalling specific details involving the event — such as the general appearances, locations, and interactions that occurred prior to or during the ritual. However, the pale scar inflicted by the ritual would remain, and their daydreams and nightmares would be constantly plagued by unending recollections of the anguish they faced. Some may be driven mad by such visions, whereas others may seek out counsel amongst priests wisemen in hopes of reprieve.

• Those who have been scavenged will be unable to recall exact details of the encounter, seeming to them like only a feverish blur. They may still recall vague flashes of the interaction, but not enough that they could discern faces, locations, or other niche details to any accusatory extent. 
• Mortals who have been scavenged are immune to it for three IRL days after.
• The wound received from Scavenging does not kill the victim. Its presence may be lessened to some extent, but cannot be fully healed outside of deific magics.

Otherwise, the essence that was acquired from this ritual would have been imbued within the menhir, and would constitute as a single sacrifice proportional to the number of people offered to the spire. The amount of essence required within a menhir per rite is listed under each ritual's respective mechanics. 

• For the sake of other rituals, one scavenged person equates to one full sacrifice. 
• Apparitions may not be made through scavenging, and requires raw Saturation.

 

 

Rite of Orthostat

(Non-Combative | T1)

 

Damaging something as precious as the veil between realms is a great feat, requiring a grand amount of strain and with clear intent. To perform this, an intense concentration of energy must be provided to a menhir — the soul-energy within it slowly dampening the veil more and more as the realm of the dead slowly pours into that of the living.

 

Spoiler

 

Mechanics:

 

Menhir that have been imbued with at least five victims’ worth of soul essence may be used as channels, off-putting the souls’ syphoned energy into the nearby region, and thus weakening the strength of the veil through this grand feat of spectral undeath. This energy serves as fuel to incite a large-scale change within the veil, spreading a further eight meters in each direction with each soul sacrificed to the source-menhir.

 

These hindered areas become ghostly; with plants becoming translucent as a pale fog engulfs the region. Whilst strengthening the power of spectral beings within the mortal plane, such a disruption may also draw forth other beings from the Ebrietaes, scaring off creatures which may have resided within the now warped land as the veil is weakened. A passive mist of deadbreath would linger just above the ground, restricting mortal vision to a mere six meters in-front of them — as if some impenetrable ocean fog had rolled in upon the shore with the high tide. The sky will also become clouded and grey, only permitting a dim light to pass through as if the land were engulfed in a perpetual dusk. This immense Ebrieatael presence also empowers spectral entities, bolstering phantoms and apparitions while within the cursed region.

 

Different spectral creatures would experience different effects within the hindered region. Ghosts would be granted the ability to shift between corporeal and incorporeal states, though no longer gain the telekinetic advantage they once had within such regions. Greater phantoms, such as wights, however, will find their area of influence to be expanded by an additional four meters, and allows them to lift an additional ten kilograms of weight. Apparitions may experience this effect to a more profound degree depending on the general scale of their power and the region's overall size. 

 

This ethereal land may be purged through the use of Holy Magic or Lautaumancy, depending on its scale. Hindered land does not heed the effects of Druidic Blight Healing, as no true blight has been formed — for beneath the ghostly visage, nature continues to thrive as normal, albeit slightly more dreary due to lack of light.

• Hindered land should be have signs/builds effectively detailing its effects.
• Initially, hindered land will have a base radius of twenty blocks, and will spread outwards by eight blocks in each direction in proportion to each sacrifice.
• Performing mass-hindering in a settlement region requires PRO consent.
• Though no blight is formed, druids will still be able to sense an unease and somberness in nature around them, as the sunlight is blocked out by fog and many of the animals have fled from specters roaming the area.
• Other aesthetic phantoms or souls may wander hindered regions should they be big enough, and may be emoted as environmental NPCs. These creatures will not offer any combat capability or aid unless for some distinct event purpose.

 

---

 

Citations

Sorcerio — Writer

[✓] Mysticism Lore

[Epistile 856]

very cool

[IsaaKc 1225]

WOW PAL ADDING TO PRE-EXISTING LORE IN THE FORM OF AN ADDITION? SOUNDS LIKE POWERCREEPING

-1 CHOKE ON DRY AUTUMN LEAVES

Edited March 9, 2021 by Philposting

[Nozgoth 2897]

based and pun-pilled

[Valannor 6344]

mmm yes this lore indeed smells of lore.

[Jaelon 288]

gaming

[BobBox 3200]

hmm consume soul, yes

[TheWhiteWolf 1028]

Gimme ( つ ◕_◕ )つ

[rukio 8909]

Amendments exist?

[𝙻𝚞𝚟 XO 3062]

very nice, yessss, very nice +1

[squakhawk 7298]

This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly.

[Sorcerio 4594]

Lore has been implemented on the primary Mysticism post. This post has been moved to avoid lore clutter.