[✓][CArt] [15] [The Black Nexus]

[Zarsies 6795]

Name of the Artefact:

The Black Nexus

 

 

Effects of the artefact:

Any necrotic or phantasmal undead may be ordained by Mordring, the King Beneath and master of the Black Nexus, to embolden their innate mortal Dark and bless them with the mantle of wraithdom. Enwraithed characters benefit from the following effects:

 

Shadowform

The given undead’s form stains soot-black and becomes wreathed by a smoky cloud; necrotic undead remain physical and phantasmal undead remain ethereal. The wraith may appear on a spectrum between skeletal to ghostly with or without legs, may float up to 1ft from the ground, and may adopt shadowy drapes that obfuscate their body. Lastly, wraiths may disincorporate into shadow to travel at the speed of dark, soulstoning.

 

As a consequence of their shadowform, enwraithed undead suffer an extreme vulnerability to aurum due to its conductive properties to their dark essence. While strikes are white-hot, they disrupt their form and disable the use of Silence Divinity and Death Rattle for [3] emotes once wounded. Too, if slain by aurum the undead suffers the inability to utilize combative spells and abilities for [2] OOC days following their revival.

 

-The given undead’s original mechanical form does not change, only the aesthetic. For example, a draugar cannot be ethereal and a ghost cannot be physical but both may look shadowy. These CArt wraiths do not possess strength, resilience, or revival mechanics separate from their base CA and thus must follow all the normal red lines and parameters of their lore. Thus this shadowform does not grant any increase in stealth, the ability to actually enter or become shadow, or otherwise perform an action other than aesthetic in nature. An enwraithed ghost mechanically behaves the same as another ghost. Therein, disguise mechanics are still accessible.

-Wraiths cannot float above 1ft and it provides no combative or mechanical advantage.

-Wraiths must follow all normal soulstone rules when utilizing their reskinned ability. The disincorporation involves melting into darkness, a cloud of smoke, a black bolt of lightning, or another harmless effect and streaking away.

-Wraiths cannot change their new shadowform, only hide it. For example an enwraithed wight cannot will themself to return to their shining teal form but could still hide through husking.

-Being repeatedly wounded with aurum refreshes the timer of their disrupted form to 3 emotes, it does not stack. Striking armor is not a wound.

-All wraiths, no matter their underlying undead CA, are treated as spectral undead for the effects of shadegrain.

  

 

Rest In Peace

As vested conduits of the Abyss, wraiths may share the unfettered Banks to fellow undead to both soothe and sober. At the touch of their shadowy hand any necrotic or phantasmal undead may saturate in the mortal energies within and the likes of starving ghouls, mad phantoms, desolate paleknights, bloodthirsty darkstalkers, manic wights, and so on may bask in an onset wave of peace that subdues the pains of their state and lays it aside. It sobers them from any influence their undeath or dark magic has on them for a brief stint.

 

Rest in Peace requires [2] emotes to cast including one emote for touching the subject undead and another emote for a flow of black that feeds into them and grants the described relief.

 

-The peace invoked by this ability is a panacea to the mental illness of undeath but has absolutely no effect on the sobered mind; it gives them reason, not commands. For example a wraith who pacifies a rampaging ghost can only guarantee the ghost will have autonomy from its hate and hunger linked to its state and the same ghost may continue its rampage if it has any other reason to do so. This ability is not mind control and it cannot forcibly end conflict or aggression outright; the subject undead makes that choice upon being calm.

-This pacifying effect does not permit the override of undead given commands such as darkstalkers or ghouls.

-The pacifying effect of this ability lasts for 30 IRL minutes or 1 narrative hour, whichever comes first. 

 

 

Silence Divinity

From their connection to the Black Nexus enwraithed undead may glean facets of the primordial art of Darkening. When drawn the wraith will produce a prismatic yet black flame that does not burn in their hand(s) to then grapple a victim. Once held long enough any deific magic user would suffer a gnarled black wound, inking of the skin, ashen decay, or another such occult brand where held which suffocates their divine connection.

 

Silence Divinity requires [4] emotes to cast including one emote of paradoxical black fire lighting the wraith’s hands/gauntlets, one emote for grappling the victim, and two sustained emotes of holding where the victim’s grappled areas become stark black as if dipped in ink; this may appear as a clawed handprint of soot, infection, or tattoo-like ink. If the victim is a templar, shaman, haruspex, herald, druid, sycophant, seer, or naztherak they become temporarily unable to access their respective magical abilities as the looming Dark consumes and nullifies sources of godly influence. Azdrazi are inflicted with [3] points of corruption per cast. Concentration and connection with the target must be maintained over the two emotes in the form of a grapple, the wraith becomes unable to defend themselves as they must focus the entirety of their efforts to seal the divine influence else it fails to contain it properly. Suffering an attack would break this focus.

 

-The silencing effect of this ability lasts for [1] IRL day or [1] narrative week, whichever comes first. However, should players opt to, the mark may last longer or otherwise be permanent until cured. Silence Divinity cannot silence CA abilities, meaning azdrazi, tree lords, and zar'akal may not cast their respective magics but can use their given CA-based abilities. Cures would constitute shamanic farseer cleansing, druidic blight healing, or templars’ purification rites and abilities, and azdrazi purging.

-The wraith must maintain their grapple meaning it breaks if they are pried off. As well, they must maintain absolute focus and cannot attack or defend themselves, only hold. Being attacked would break this focus, including if attacked by the victim.

-

 

 

Death Rattle

Mustering the traumas of undeath, a wraith may smoke with lifeforce and emit a shrill ramping whirr to then scream and rattle those nearby. The sound induces a chill wave. Those unaffiliated with death may be shaken by its raw sound.

 

Death Rattle requires [4] emotes to prepare wherein the wraith smokes and whirrs during which they cannot attack. Upon the fourth emote the wraith screams and those within [8] blocks are shaken by the traumas of the dead and are rattled. Rattled characters tremble, unable to properly direct their attacks as they become uncoordinated and inaccurate for [2] emotes whilst defensive maneuvers are unaffected.

 

-The scream does not break concentration unless within the 8 block radius.

-Those immune to this effect include Templars (and relevant courage-granting abilities), mystics, necromancers, constructs, and undead as well as those with sufficient ear covering such as earplugs, earmuffs, etc

-Wraiths cannot attack while charging this ability. While charging they can block, move, and cast normally, however they cannot cast offensive or damage-dealing spells in doing so.

 

 

Artefact Redlines:

-Only ghouls, draugar, darkstalkers, archliches, ghosts, paleknights, pale lords, and wights can be ordained as wraiths.

-The given undead cannot be a seer or naztherak.

-OOC consent is required to apply for this CArt because being stripped of it results in a PK.

-The underlying CA has the core mechanics for how the wraith should operate and behave; it does not give effects not detailed here.

 

 

Explanation of the effects:

In the elder days the Black Nexus was the dragaar Mordring’s lexicon within which he stored the primordial knowledge of Darkening, therein creating the Nexus as it has been known. From enwraithing the four Old Lords to being split by one such Lord to sunder necromancy, the Black Nexus has been a looming presence in occult history with an intimate link to the art of necromancy and wraiths. Its restoration marks the return of the wraith mantle.

 

Wraithdom is given to undead as a symbol of their allegiance and dedication to the King Beneath and his cause. It is a boon not given lightly and as such its revocation is not removal but oblivion. An enwraithed character may be stripped of their mantle and have their soul consumed by the Black Nexus.

 

ET Responsible for this Artefact:

Zarsies

 

 

Purpose:

I believe the LotC-ified wraith motif is a staple to our setting. Therein I don’t believe there’s enough oxygen in the community currently for a full CA like we’ve had in the past nor do I have the stomach to draft such a thing in the shadow of its previous iterations. Instead I see power-light, flavor-rich, event-attached form of wraithdom being its best format. The pillars are still there without the mechanical baggage with safety nets and levers of control.

 

Credits:

christ2man

Venomous_Pup

Zarsies

 

[squakhawk 14044]

Approved.

[wowj 9778]

grub-bucket

[TheCaptain 639]

Oh this is cool!

[alexmagus 959]

look at it