[✗] [Feat + Magic Lore] Vivification & Exorcism

[christman 3529]

 

Vivification

[Feat]

 

Explanation

 

The Elysian Wastes

The Mouth of the Soul Stream

When freed from its mortal coil the soul travels much. Most are fortunate enough to trace the Soul Stream from this world into the next. The fates, be they the Seven Skies, Stargûsh'stroh, Ebrietaes or elsewhere are the final rests (or torments) of the mortals in death. Some, however, do not transition so smoothly. The Elysian Wastes are not a ‘location’ in the conventional sense, but a veil upon the mortal plane that bridges it to the Soul Stream and fates beyond. 

 

Its geography is nonexistent; the beings caught in the Wastes dwell in the same towns, forests and mountains as those still present in the lands of the living, albeit only as spectators. Ever unseen, incapable of touching or influencing the world to which they once belonged. This is a curse shared by all residents of the Elysian: watching the living world move around them as they scream at deaf men, are trampled by blind horses and squat amidst the ruins of their spent lives until the end of time.

 

The Elysian Wastes are inhabited by the stray souls of the dead as well as oblivious phantoms whose undead souls are anchored more closely to it than the physical world. Geists are also known to dip into the Elysian Wastes on occasion, being prisoners of Ebrietaes; the largest and closest fate to the lands of Aos and Eos. This only occurs when they have been coaxed from their torment by the workings of necromancy or the opportune presence of a medium, as they are empowered in either circumstance with brief respite from their torture to instead be inflicted upon others. 

 

Stray souls are the only permanent residents of the Elysian Wastes. These are the souls of mortals too stubborn, afraid or distraught to accept the tug of the Soul Stream and whatever fate awaits them, yet too meek to return through wild necromancy as phantoms might. Ordinary men and women burdened with unfinishable business, ineffective, unseen guardians that loom over their living kin or simply those too fearful of what fate lies beyond the Soul Stream’s metaphorical gates. 

 

Though strays are free to roam as they please in line with living limits of travel - as physical obstacles still obstruct those within the Elysian Wastes - most are quick to succumb to dementia and delusions of a mortality long lost, lingering in the place of their death or burial as they fail to comprehend that their life has ended. 

 

• Stray souls in the Elysian Wastes are always NPCs or ST Event creatures, and though they may be handwaved as fitting certain cultures or castes from various periods of history (e.g. a Felsen guard) they may never represent actual player characters or reveal information deemed lost or secret; this requires the Seance spell.
• Though multiple characters with Soulsight may see and interact with the same stray soul this can only be done at the same time. Strays are inherently distraught and forgetful and cannot be used to teach magic/feat processes, be given complex instructions or be used to relay messages between characters.
  • Whilst interacting with a character with Soulsight strays are bolstered with temporary clarity in their presence, though are also fixated by them and are incapable of diverting their attention elsewhere. In this regard a stray cannot act as a second pair of eyes for a character with soulsight and would never look somewhere they can't already see.

 

The Curse of True Sight

Soulsight is the burden of mediums and exorcists, who are uniquely exposed to the Elysian Wastes that remain otherwise obscure to even the most astute magi, necromancers and undead. This affliction, the curse of ‘true’ sight, is spread amongst mortals in two ways:

 

The first are those who were cursed within the womb to be born with innocent eyes pried open. This curse, known to some as ‘Vivification’, is only ever found in children who were marked either during their gestation or within the first [5] years of their life before their fundamental senses and worldly perception is solidified. Vivification is inflicted by a wight or by one who is ‘barrow-born’; those who were themselves cursed and have since discovered how to spread their affliction to future generations. Characters afflicted with vivification have their underdeveloped psyches attuned to a higher awareness and perception apart from most living mortals, which causes them to witness the Elysian Wastes and the otherwise invisible phantoms and strays that linger in it. 

 

These people - called mediums - are fodder for the torments of the Elysian Wastes and the Soul Stream beyond. Every waking hour those wrought with vivification witness the living alongside the dead, and struggle to differentiate between the two; stray souls, phantoms (visible or not) and living mortals all appear as ordinary denizens of the mortal plane. It is common for strays in their desperation to stalk and haunt mediums, as rare conduits through which they might affect the living world they are no longer a part of. In their sleep mediums are also offered no respite, as their exposed minds are raided nightly by geists. Ebritean souls which descend on the vulnerable, dreaming minds of mediums to find relief from their damnation redirected as nightmares for the cursed. With age, mediums are able to adjust to these effects, becoming numb to nightmares and typically adopting cautious, introverted approaches to those they encounter until they have been confirmed as living or dead. There is however no known cure for vivification, for even in transcendence or undeath, when one was once a medium, they are always a medium.

 

The second way in which one may be afflicted with soulsight is through exorcism. These magi are not borne to the Elysian Wastes, but actively attune to it through casting implements called ‘icons’, which serve as a temporary keys into the realms of death from which they draw anima to fuel their spells. Unlike mediums, exorcists are only briefly exposed to Soulsight whilst they are channeling deliverance, and as such are not haunted by the likes of geists when they sleep. Further, whilst exorcists draw anima in their deliverance their icons serve as a ward to most strays in the Elysian Wastes, which shy away from the exorcist unless approached directly.

 

Through either method, soulsight also allows invisible phantoms - namely revenants, poltergeists and spectres - to be perceived clearly, as well as reavers hidden by the Fade spell.

 

• Soulsight is subject to the limitations as specified under in the Necromancy Hub: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/245477-hub-necromancy/
  • Soulsight cannot see through physical barriers, meaning mediums/exorcists could not identify geists within hexed objects nor disguised pale knights or wights or phantoms currently husking into or possessing bodies or objects.
• The Vivification [Feat] may only be spread to characters that are under [5] or not yet born. In that sense, a character can only be cursed with it before they become playable. This curse is an integral part of a character’s outlook and personality, as it sculpts their worldview effectively from birth. 
  • The Vivification [Feat] may only be spread by characters with the Wight [CA] or characters with a Vivification [TA]. This may be attempted by touching a pregnant woman or child under [5], at which point the wight or medium teacher may offer the feat to the player due to roleplay as that character when it comes of age. The curse succeeds or fails at this player’s discretion. In the case of twins, triplets or so on, all or multiple may be cursed at player discretion.
  • Characters over [5] / already played cannot be cursed with the Vivification [Feat].
• There is no cure for Vivification and as a result the Feat cannot be dropped under any circumstances.
• Characters with Soulsight that are also wights, inferi, or naztherak sow fear amongst the strays they encounter and are incapable of maintaining conversations with them. This fear is placated if other characters with soulsight are nearby and cannot be used to reveal said creatures/mages.

 

Compatibility

Vivification is a miscellaneous [Feat].

 

Mediums have inherent Soulsight as well as the ability to perform Seances from the age of [16] onwards. Due to their exposure to the Soul Stream, all mediums are capable of witnessing Prophecy.

 

Having been exposed to the Curse of True Sight, mediums have a higher mental awareness and passive, mundane perception of the Elysian Wastes. This is not ‘madness’ as though to other characters a medium may seem to be hallucinating, they are in fact perceiving stray souls which are literally present.

 

In this regard the Vivification [Feat] is not fuelled by (and has no unique interactions with) lifeforce/ectoplasm/anima nor is it to be conflated with any sort of dark mark/corruption/spell upon the body or soul. 

 

With that in mind, the Vivification [Feat] is intended to be compatible with any and all other Feats, MAs, or CAs that a mortal character may learn or become. 

 

• Vivification can only be cursed upon living mortal creatures with anima, as specified under the Resources table in the Necromancy Hub: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/245477-hub-necromancy/
• Vivification is incompatible with non-transcendent constructs and alchemic aberrations. All other player creature or magic types are compatible. 

 

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Abilities

[T3] Seance - Noncombative

Once they have conquered their soulsight, a medium may ritualistically pour their mana into peering past the Elysian Wastes, to delve into the Soul Stream and beyond through a Seance. This ritual requires complete concentration, and may be done without coordination or direction to coax a soul from Ebrietaes at random or with the proper words or relics to delve into deeper fates.

 

Spoiler

Seances may be conducted by mediums who have matured to the age of [16] or older, or by exorcists of [Tier 3] or above. This rite requires the medium/exorcist’s absolute dedication and focus, and is a fragile, if not volatile process. A character may only lead [1] seance per OOC week, as after delving into the Soul Stream they become vulnerable to geists who will hijack their attempted bridge and afflict the medium/exorcist with major hexes, causing more frequent attempts to fail. 

 

Depending on the fate of the dead character, additional measures may be required to beseech them beyond the grave. Certain characters may be called upon at random or by name, though others require a relic; an object with which the target of the seance was affiliated in life, such as an item of clothing, jewellery or armour they wore, a letter or book they wrote (including copies of them), a weapon they wielded, a tool they worked with or an object they created. The furthest planes require a deeper link to call a dead character with, namely their remains; a corpse or bodypart constituting a hand or larger. 

 

These fates and their criteria are as follows:

 

• Characters whose souls are in Ebrietaes or Aeriel’s Golden City may be reached at random, or sought by their names, relics or remains.
• Characters whose souls are in Moz Strimoza may only be sought with their names, relics or remains within [1] OOC month of their death, after which their soul is lost as it is immolated by the infernal climb into an inferis or maleus. 
• Characters whose souls are in the Seven Skies as well as Stargûsh'stroh, the Eternal Forest, Val’garis, Kavenjuh and other fates assigned to deific mages or creatures may only be sought with their relics or remains.
• Characters whose souls are in the realms of fallen or withdrawn deities such as the followers of Xan, Metztli, and Iblees may only be sought with their remains.
• Characters whose souls have been corrupted into the geists of reavers, occultist talismans, hexed objects or wights cannot be sought.
• Characters whose souls have been transformed into witnesses of Vaasek cannot be sought.

 

If successful, the medium/exorcist may engage in a silent, telepathic conversation with the dead character or may project the dead character’s image and voice onto a reflective surface such as a mirror, crystal ball or body of water, or into a painting, mundane flame or plume of smoke to enable group interactions. In these cases, the dead character can only speak and hear in [#q] range.

 

Dead souls are no longer as sharp or perceptive as they were in life, and as such are mentally absent and vague regarding the details of their death and afterlife. Beyond this they remain as passionate and astute as they were in life about topics with which they were familiar, and may be curious about or comprehending new topics and concepts at the beseeched player’s discretion. 

 

Seances have no set durations but may be ended at will from either end, or will fail if the character conducting it moves more than [8] blocks or enters combat. As soon as a seance is concluded the dead soul is returned to its fate in full and forgets any instance of the seance; unable to recall details of past seances if called upon multiple times or by multiple characters.

 

• Only player or ST event characters can be reached with a seance. This requires the willing consent and participation of the player behind the dead character to succeed, as well as the aforementioned names, relics or remains where applicable.
  • Dead player characters will never be able to recollect or share how they died, subject to the same amnesia caused by Cloud Temple revival. 
  • Dead player characters will be aware of multiple seances made to reach them, though can never recollect or share the details of who conducted them or what was discussed. In this regard a seance could not be used to relay messages between mediums/exorcists.
• Mediums do not require a casting implement to perform a seance, however exorcists would require their icon or equivalent.

 

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Exorcism

[MA - 1 Slot]

 

Explanation

Mystic shepherds, hunters of demons and the dead, as well as pale remnants of the Yatl Knights and Judges of Atlas, exorcism is a subtype of necromancy dedicated to the guidance and culling of spiritual and divine forces through the manipulation of the stagnant, mortal anima of the Elysian Wastes. 

 

Exorcists, unlike darker reavers and occultists, practice necromancy not through the consumption or shackling of a damned geists but a passive communion with the countless stray souls of the Elysian Wastes and beyond. They have no inherent command over lifeforce or ectoplasm, instead wholly reliant on their own mana bolstered by the anima of the Soul Stream. 

 

Icons

The realms of the soul are invisible to the average descendant; locked away by deific designs from the meddling of mortals. It is only through icons - relics, totems, rosaries and other objects of emotional fervour - and the blessings of anima already laden upon them that exorcists are capable of breaching the heavens. These sacred keys are attuned uniquely to each exorcist; blessed by the anima of their predecessor in a line of succession traced back to the Ascended who were first granted dominion over the Soul Stream as the Aengul Aeriel’s favoured apostles, or the Second Synod who stole and mimicked such powers in the centuries to follow. 

 

The first icon of an exorcist is always bestowed by their teacher, and re-attuned to their mana pool through extensive meditation. Thereafter, exorcists are capable of blessing future icons for their own use. This is done by funneling abundant anima into an object that is no smaller than a ring and no larger than a staff; an extensive, pain-staking process that can only be achieved once per OOC week by an exorcist. 

 

Exorcists must attune themselves to icons in order to use them, interweaving their own mana and anima with that which is dormant in their chosen icon. This requires the exorcist to carry the icon on their person for [12] OOC hours before it becomes usable. Icons may only be attuned to by [1] exorcist at a time, and if lent to or stolen by another exorcist who attunes to it, the original attunement will be lost. Once attuned to, an exorcist’s icon may strike revealed darkspawn with the same effects as pure aurum, however this effect only applies when the icon is wielded by the exorcist currently attuned to it; it will lose this effect if passed on to another character who is not an exorcist or an exorcist who has not had time to attune to the icon in question. Exorcists who also practice occultism may substitute their icon for a talisman.

 

From their first attunement onwards an exorcist’s mana and soul become bound to the mortal planes of the living and the dead and are wholly tethered to their icon as a bridge between such; losing the ability to reach beyond them and establish Voidal or deific connections for as long as they are an exorcist. This does not apply to seerdom, as their witnesses (through whom seers receive the powers of Vaasek) are already present in the physical plane and do not require an extra-planar connection.

 

In this regard if an exorcist is stripped of their icon either by theft or destruction, they are incapable of invoking anima for their spells until it is recovered or replaced and re-attuned. All spells of exorcism require an icon to be worn or touched before an exorcist may begin deliverance. 

 

• All exorcism abilities require their icon to be held visibly in the hand(s) they are casting with. This can be done during their Deliverance emote.
  • Icons are ST Signed ‘Significant Magic Items’, which cannot be soulbound. The anima within an icon necessitates [12] OOC hours of physical contact with the exorcist before they are attuned to it and capable of using it for their Deliverance.
• Icons may not be smaller than a ring or larger than a staff, nor may they be made from thanhium or be already imbued with Voidal, dark or deific magic/enchantments. 
  • This does not apply to animii prosthetics or Seer sown items, which are compatible. 
  • Icons are just as durable as the material they are made from and may be destroyed by mundane means. 

 

Deliverance Casting

The spells of exorcism require power beyond the scope of mere mana, which they attain via ‘deliverance’ for the powers latent in the mortal afterlives; invoking the souls of the Elysian Wastes, Soul Stream, and the fates through which they may siphon the mortal energy of anima into their abilities.

 

All exorcists are afflicted with Soulsight and are haunted by the strays of the Elysian Wastes as mediums are, though they cannot draw from the ambient potential of these souls or the broader Soul Stream without proper use of their icon. Deliverance is the ‘activation’ every exorcist must undergo before casting their spells, similarly to the connection of a Voidal mage or the Gleaming of an occultist/reaver as they align their own souls and pierce their mana through the veil separating the land of the living from the dead realms beyond. 

 

Only whilst touching their attuned icon may an exorcist pour mana into it, causing it to shine white or gray and exude thin, luminescent wisps of similarly hued smoke. This allows them to open a temporary rift between the physical plane and the Elysian Wastes (and subsequently the Soul Stream and beyond), through which they can channel anima into their spells. Exorcists who are simultaneously reavers or occultists may instead access their spells by gleaming.

 

Deliverance takes [1] emote to begin. An exorcist may incite deliverance indefinitely thereafter, though must dedicate their focus to such; deliverance cannot be maintained by an exorcist who is simultaneously attacking, dodging, blocking, performing actions or sprinting. Whilst active, the exorcist’s icon is always visibly glowing and exuding smoke, which permeates through clothing, illusions and any other attempt to obscure it. 

 

• Deliverance requires concentration to maintain, and will be disrupted by any ability, harm or disruption that could disconnect a Voidal mage.
  • This does not apply to exorcists who are simultaneously reavers or occultists, who may maintain a more stable ‘connection’ via Gleaming. These exorcists would still require a talisman or icon to cast exorcism spells.

 

Compatibility

Exorcism is a [2] slot miscellaneous magic [MA]. This is lowered to [1] slot for necromancers also practicing the Reaving [MA] or Occultism [MA] as the burden of anima is shared with their bound geists. Tier 5 exorcists may make a [TA] to teach other exorcists, helping to create and attune their initial icon.

 

Though they are not borne to or permanently cursed with Vivification, exorcists have activated Soulsight whilst invoking deliverance, and may also be taught the Seance spell at Tier 3. Due to their exposure to the Soul Stream, all exorcists are capable of witnessing Prophecy.

 

Having sealed their mortal souls to the planes of life and death, exorcists have their mana pools stained by the abundant anima of the Elysian Wastes as described under Soul Sorcery. Their tampering with the essence of souls, regardless of Aeriel and Sokar’s ordination or rebellion against them, invokes hesitation from most patrons of deific magic that wish to keep their gathered anima for themselves. This extends to the greedy Zar’rokul, who would not deign to risk their precious maleus in a pact with an exorcist.

 

Alongside other arts in the school of necromancy, exorcism remains compatible with most Voidal magic, blood magic, housemagery, bardmancy, seer, kani and alchemical feats. 

 

Exorcists cannot cast any magic outside of the school of necromancy whilst invoking deliverance (‘connected’), requiring a [1] emote gap to signify the cessation of deliverance before another magic’s tells can be emoted.

 

• Exorcism is incompatible with Naztherak and Templarism, as well as all MAs and Feats listed as Druidic or Shamanic.
  • Voidal Feats which wound the soul, such as Arcane Scion or Voidstalking, are incompatible with exorcism. This does not apply to Voidal Feats that do not affect the soul such as Artificery or Eminence, nor Voidal [MA]s, which remain compatible with exorcism.
• Exorcism is incompatible with all but the Wight, Klone, Machine Spirit and Kharajyr CAs.

 

Abilities

[T1] Soul Sorcery - Passive

[No Deliverance]

Even when not invoking deliverance, the mana pools of exorcists or at all times exposed to the abundant anima of the Elysian Wastes and the Soul Stream beyond it. This diminutive baptism bathes all applications of an exorcist’s mana in the vibrant white hues of unblemished mortal souls, causing spells even beyond the traditional arsenal of exorcism to appear pale like those cast by the Silver Sect of yore.

 

This is an inescapable side-effect of practicing exorcism and cannot be avoided. Though Soul Sorcery causes all spells from other schools of magic to resemble deliverance, exorcists can never invoke deliverance alongside connection to a second school of magic. 

 

As exorcism is part of the school of necromancy, Soul Sorcery does not affect spells from the arts of exorcism, reaving or occultism on their own. Further, should an exorcist who is simultaneously an occultist wield their talisman whilst casting non-necromantic spells, the effects of the Dark Sorcery effect will always supersede Soul Sorcery. 

 

Spoiler

Whilst there is no functional difference between the ordinary spellcasting of Voidal arts and spells borne of an exorcist’s anima-stained mana, the visual distinction is striking. That is to say this aesthetic overhaul may at best mislead opponents into conflating Voidal spellcasting with exorcism, though otherwise the practical outcome or power of these spells remains unchanged.

 

Though largely freeform, chief examples of soul sorcery are as follows:

 

Fire Evocation - fire may appear white and dazzling, mimicking the colour and texture of Ascended soulflame and at times host to shifting streaks of platinum.

 

Earth Evocation - stone may appear bright and pristine, resembling a hallowed, otherworldly marble.

 

Water Evocation - water may appear milky and ethereal, as well as moving in a graceful, silken manner akin to natural ebb and flow of the Soul Stream. Ice becomes prismatic and gem-like, resembling the crystalline Tears of the Order of the Mongoose.

 

Air Evocation - Elysian air loses its transparency, instead becoming a spectral ripple of white incense like that of Sigismund’s Candles.

 

Life Evocation - flesh, flora and creatures borne of life evocation resemble mundane biomass with a saintly, pale presence not of the living world. Their appearances faded into a mildly translucent, angelic parody of their mortal representation. Flesh and bone in ‘living’ conjurations must still maintain its structural integrity, however, and will never literally be made from anima nor ‘spectral’ flesh but rather viscous and translucent re-texturing of otherwise opaque matter. 

 

Translocation - when shifting through the Void, a priestly translocator may leave behind an afterimage of their soul; a white, spiritual silhouette of themselves that dissipates completely in the emote following the shift.

 

By their freeform natures, Sensory Illusion and Transfiguration are not affected by soul sorcery in any meaningful fashion. Nor are Voidal Feats.

 

• Spells cast via soul sorcery are only ‘blessed’ by diminutive manifestations of the Strays found in the Elysian Wastes, and are by no means inherently weaker or stronger, more or less effective or imbued with any additional qualities over their usual variants. 
• Spells cast via soul sorcery utilise mana and the Void in the same ways specified in their respective lore pieces. That is to say, anima-hued spells are still subject to the same potency and detriments as written in their lore, and do not receive any additional boons or banes (For instance they will not cause more harm to the undead).
• Translucency and spectrality applied to spells cannot make them any less visible to the naked eye.
• Soul Sorcery may only be applied in tandem with the [MA]s listed above. Magics not mentioned would require an amendment. 
• Soul Sorcery is not dual-casting and is aesthetic flair wrought through their talisman alone; an occutlist may not cast both Voidal and necromancy spells at the same time, as per the Gleaming section. 

 

[T1] Anoint - Noncombative

An exorcist with access to a mortal corpse may sanctify it with their spellwork, binding it in an unseen veil of anima that suspends and clogs the lifeforce within it to enchant flesh and bones with magical embalming.

 

Spoiler

Anoint is a freeform ritual that requires one to three exorcists weaving anima into a corpse over a minimum six shared emotes. For example, it may manifest as a medical adjacent embalming, or a fantastical sewing of energies. 

 

This anointment has two key purposes: Suspension and Sanctification, both or either of which can be applied by the Exorcist leading the rite.

 

Suspension seals the corpse’s lifeforce to become unnaturally stagnant through the efforts of [1] exorcist, preventing decay and keeping corpses as fresh as they were upon suspension for up to [1] OOC month, at the end of which skin and flesh is instantly reduced to dust, leaving only the skeleton.

 

Sanctification imbues the corpse with a ward of anima requiring the shared efforts of [3] exorcists to safeguard a body or body part against the profane spells of other schools of necromancy. Sanctification cannot be lifted from remains once placed, nor can a sanctified corpse be possessed or husked into by phantom creatures. The remains are blessed against being raised in undeath, as well as enchanting them to be searingly hot and painful for undead creatures to touch as well as non-exorcist occultists and reavers to handle whilst gleaming. Sanctifying a corpse blocks the character in question from being raised as a zombie or any variant of undead CA, as well as rendering the remains immune to any spell or ritual in Necromancy with the exception of Exorcism spells. 

 

• Sanctification can only be cast on the corpses of player or ST event characters which have been PK’d, and cannot be used on NPC bodies. In addition, applying Sanctification to a corpse requires the OOC consent of the PK’d player.
• Suspended bodies or body parts must be validated by a sign at a tomb or a player-signed item as appropriate. Signs and item descriptions should include the name of the character the corpse was known as, as well as an expiration date for the Suspension.
  • Though a wight may still husk into a suspended corpse that has not been sanctified, unhusking from it will still cause it to decay as with a normal corpse. Sanctified corpses cannot be husked into.
• Sanctified bodies or body parts must be validated by an ST Sign at a tomb or an ST signed item as appropriate. ST signs should include the name of the character the corpse was known as, as well as ‘Sanctified’.

 

[T2] Consecrate - Noncombative

Through a shared, sacramental invocation of the Elysian Wastes, a trio of exorcists may collaborate to spread the sanctifying effect of their Anoint spell over a small area. This thins the walls between the unseen realm of the dead and the lands of the living to impede the other abuses of necromancy. 

 

Spoiler

Consecration requires [3] exorcists of [Tier 2] or above to collaborate in an amplified, anima spreading rite which draws the Elysian Wastes closer to the material plane over a static [15x15x15] area, which gains the following passive effects:

 

• Invisible phantoms and reavers using the Fade spell are revealed upon entering its perimeter.
• The geists of gleaming reavers and occultists are shaken as they enter its perimeter, causing gleaming to end and requiring [2] emotes to restart. Exorcists are immune to this in their own consecrated area. 
• Hexed objects and cursed idols go dormant, losing their effects whilst new ones cannot be made in its perimeter. 

 

An exorcist may only sustain [1] consecrated area at a time, which is personal to them as the leader of the consecrate ritual when it was created. Though they may aid in another exorcist’s consecration ritual, leading one themself would cause any prior area they led the consecration of to lose its effects. Specifically when in their own consecrated areas, exorcists gain the following abilities whilst invoking deliverance:

 

• Out of combat they may telekinetically move their icon throughout the perimeter.
• Out of combat they may cast the Anoint spell on a living character or themselves to lift any ailment, malady or curse inflicted by a reaver’s Taint spell. This does not allow them to cure other curses or diseases.
• Out of combat they may telekinetically move the smoke of candles or incense throughout the perimeter.
• Outside of combat they gain the ability to Hexbreak; allowing them to disenchant hexes or cursed idols without damaging the object in question by casting the geist or maleus within it out into the sky, returning the unnatural soul essence to the Soul Stream in an arch of white lightning.

 

The consecrate rite is freeform, though always involves the channeling of pale, miasmic anima from the two supporting exorcists into the icon of the exorcist leading it. Once consecrated, an area will stay that way until the exorcist leads a consecration ritual elsewhere to move it or if they stop practicing the Exorcism [MA], in which case their consecrated area returns to normal. In addition, reaving’s Blight spell at any size will always deconsecrate an area, so long as it overlaps with the consecration’s perimeter.

 

• Though they can participate in any number of consecration rituals, an exorcist may only lead one to create their own consecrated area once per OOC month. This area must be represented by an ST sign and tracked with a comment on the exorcist’s MA.
• Hexbreaking erupts as a loud bolt of lightning that disappears into the sky. This must be emoted in #Shout.
  • Hexbreaking does not give exorcists the ability to sense, detect, or otherwise identify hexed objects or cursed idols.

 

[T3] Choir - Combative

[Deliverance + 2+ Emotes]

By weaving anima into their words, an exorcist can rally strays from the Elysian Wastes against paranormal forces and creatures invading the land of the living. Utilising their congregated zeal, Choir burdens warlocks, demons, and the undead with the convoked ire of the Soul Stream.

 

Spoiler

Through commands empowered with deliverance, an exorcist can invoke a choir of stray souls to overwhelm creatures and forces that do not belong in the land of the living. This invites the hunger of the Soul Stream toward the affected area, amplified by senseless strays from the Elysian Wastes which are rallied to the spell in hopes of escaping their purgatory. This well of souls undoes fragile summons and puppets completely and hinders the capabilities of stronger demons and undead as their maleus and anima is gradually sapped.

 

This requires an exorcist to be invoking deliverance, at which point they may weave anima into a spoken litany. A hushed, unseen Elysian choir of strays joins them thereafter, echoing whatever words the exorcist spoke from their icon in a harrowing hymn reaching [8] blocks in every direction from the exorcist, or [#Q]. Once Choir begins with the first stray rallied an exorcist may expand their chorus to a maximum of [5] strays. These grasping, unseen servants assail all paranormal targets the exorcist can identify within the affected area.

 

Emote Example:

 

• [Deliverance] + First Emote: the exorcist speaks a litany, hymn or order aloud, invoking the aid of whichever strays may hear them. This cannot be done whilst attacking, dodging, blocking, performing actions or moving more than [4] blocks in the same emote, which would cause the spell to fail from this point on.
• Second Emote: the exorcist’s words are repeated verbatim by a voice that is not their own, resonating from their icon as [1] stray begins to assail any paranormal creatures the exorcist wishes within [8] blocks. The exorcist may speak freely over this.
• Third Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [2] strays across the area.
• Fourth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [3] strays across the area.
• Fifth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [4] strays across the area.
• Sixth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [5] strays, repeating the words spoken in the first emote and assailing any paranormal creatures the exorcist wishes within [8] blocks. No more strays can be added, though the exorcist may maintain this indefinitely so long as they do not begin attacking, dodging, blocking, performing actions or moving more than [4] blocks in the same emote, which would cause the spell to fail.

 

With time, their chorus grows with the combined scorn of stray souls whose voices enhance the effects of Choir within the area until the spell’s cessation. Multiple exorcists may also dedicate themselves to channeling Choir across overlapping spaces, which accelerates the speed at which strays begin assailing characters in the affected areas and enhances the spell beyond its usual solo limits. This scales accordingly:

 

• [1] stray incites ineffectual discomfort in all undead or infernal creatures, as well as reavers, occultists and naztherak. 

• [2] strays soothe and placate geists within hexed items and temporarily disrupt the maleus of cursed idols, causing them to go inert. Living characters in the affected area are cured of and become immune to the effects of hexes/cursed idols. NPC zombies and gravens raised by occultists and reavers, as well as the pets and summons of a naztherak including striiths, NPC zevnka and zekulka, will also be banished within the area, crumbling instantly and preventing reavers, occultists and naztherak from raising or summoning more in the affected area.
• [3] strays hinder player zombies as well as players with the Ghoul [CA], Phantom [CA] or Zevn [CA] with pain and confusion that prevents them from being able to move more than [4] blocks within a single emote or turn invisible and doubles the amount of maleus required in their spells. Cooperating exorcists may use [6] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities (including invisibility) of these creatures in the affected area, and [9] strays will banish them outright.
• [4] strays hinder the Pale Knights [CA] and Zar’ei [CA] as well as the maleus-rich souls of non-zar’akal characters with the Naztherak [MA] and non-wight characters with the Occultism [MA] or Reaving [MA]s. This prevents them from being able to sprint, and strains their spells from the specified MAs to require double the usual amount of maleus or wither. Cooperating exorcists may use [8] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities of these creatures in the affected area, and [12] strays will fully paralyse them until the spell’s cessation.
• [5] strays hinder the Wight [CA] and the Zar’akal [CA]. This prevents them from being able to sprint, and strains their spells from the specified MAs to require double the usual amount of maleus or wither. Cooperating exorcists may use [10] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities (including invisibility) of these creatures in the affected area, and [15] strays will fully paralyse them until the spell’s cessation.

 

An exorcist must always begin by speaking with deliverance, compelling their victim from the material plane in the anima-empowered radius, though the content of their speech - including language and religious imagery - is freeform. Crucially, the Elysian choir will only target creatures within range that the exorcist has directed them to, meaning a creature or character the exorcist does not know for certain to be infernal/undead or a reaver, occultist, or naztherak cannot be affected. In this regard an exorcist could choose not to affect specific characters within range that are vulnerable to this spell, including themselves.

 

This does not require sight, affecting all within [8] blocks of the exorcist and as such Choir can be used to attempt to reveal invisible phantoms or necromancers using Fade (both of which an exorcist can see during deliverance) for others.

 

• Choir only affects characters with the Ghoul [CA], Phantom [CA], Zevn [CA], Pale Knight [CA], Zar’ei [CA], Wight [CA] and Zar’akal [CA] as well as the Reaving [MA], Occultism [MA] or Naztherak [MA] and raised/summoned undead or demonic NPC companions.
  • These characters will only be affected if the exorcist correctly believes them to be one of the aforementioned and targets them with their choir. In that regard, Choir could not be used to test if a character is one of the aforementioned as the spell’s success hinges on the exorcist’s prior knowledge of such. 
• A single exorcist may only invoke a maximum of [5] strays affecting [8] blocks from their held icon. In that regard if [3] exorcists were collaborating they could invoke a maximum of [15] strays in their overlapping ranges. If any of these exorcists stopped casting or moved so that the target was out of their range, [5] less strays would be affecting them; Choir’s effect being lowered to [10].

 

[T4] Damn - Combative

[Deliverance + 3 Emotes]

An Exorcist can imbue their own anima into the soul of a living descendant to leave a lingering, unseen curse or blessing upon it which destines the recipient’s soul to Bliss, Atrophy or Doom as the exorcist dictates. 

 

Spoiler

Emote Example:

 

• [Deliverance] + First Emote: the exorcist raises their icon on high, placing a hand on the recipient.
• Second Emote: the pale light of deliverance spreads from the exorcist’s icon to cover their entire body in ethereal white. 
• Third Emote: the vibrant gleam of anima flashes briefly over the body of the recipient from the exorcist’s touch. The recipient begins to feel agonised by Doom, anxious with Atrophy or peaceful with Bliss, and receives a vision correlating to each.

 

Each form of damnation yields differing effects, both as a vision of what lies ahead given to the recipient in the moment as well as a lingering predetermination activated upon the recipient’s final death (PK). 

• Bliss will cause a dead character’s soul to go to the Seven Skies if they are a human, or Aeriel’s golden city if they are another race. 
• Atrophy will cause a dead character’s soul to fall into the purgatory of Ebrietaes. 

• Doom will cause a dead character’s soul to be swallowed into the hellfire of Moz Strimoza to eventually be regurgitated amongst the demons of the infernal climb.

 

The predetermination inflicted by Damn can be changed or lifted entirely by the Exorcist who inflicted it by using the ability a second time on the same person, though there is an extended period of [1] OOC week after damnation until any other exorcist could undo or overrule the it. If damnation is lifted completely, the recipient is given a vision of uncertainty and ambiguity.

 

Damn will always be undermined by the recipient should they go on to establish (or already have) a deific connection or undeath. For instance someone marked with bliss that later becomes a naztherak would still be condemned to Moz Strimoza in death. This would require the Last Rites spell to supersede.

 

It is for this same reason that Damn cannot be used on undead creatures nor those with active deity connections of any kind. In these circumstances, Damn would still be cast as normal though the recipient would not receive the vision in question and trajectory of their soul will remain unchanged.

 

• Damn is only applicable to living creatures with anima, as specified under the Resources table in the Necromancy Hub: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/245477-hub-necromancy/
  • In addition, characters whose souls are already claimed by a Feat, MA or CA are immune to Damn’s effects. This includes all undead creatures, reavers, occultists, devils, machine spirits, druids, shamans, templars and naztherak. 
    • Exorcists have no inherent knowledge of this limitation and have no way of gleaning if Damn has been successful or not, and therefore cannot use the spell to identify any of the above magic or creatures types. 
• Damn may only be performed on a new target once every [1] OOC week, however this limitation does not apply on lifting/ changing a damnation the exorcist has already cast on someone.
• An exorcist cannot lift another exorcist’s Damn from a person until [1] OOC week has passed.
• The vision inflicted by Damn is not debilitating in any way; recipients can still perform actions as usual.

 

[T5] Last Rites - Combative

[Deliverance + 4 emotes]

A far more potent variant of the Damn ability, in which an exorcist pours abundant anima into the soul of a descendant, tearing it from their body to be steered through the Soul Stream, killing the judged in exchange for securing their fate. 

 

Spoiler

Requiring OOC consent to perform, this ritual would PK the target, allowing the exorcist to bestow Bliss, Doom or Atrophy upon the target irrespective of all other claims on their soul, including the damnations of other exorcists.  This means that even practitioners of deific magic may be seized and sent to one of the aforementioned afterlives. In addition, this soul-steering would overrule any revival mechanics the recipient had in place such as klones or machine spirits.

 

Emote Example:

 

• [Deliverance] + First Emote: the exorcist raises their icon on high, placing a hand on the recipient.
• Second Emote: the pale light of deliverance spreads from the exorcist’s icon to cover their entire body in ethereal white. 
• Third Emote: the vibrant gleam of anima spreads over the body of the recipient from the exorcist’s touch. The recipient begins to feel agonised by Doom, anxious with Atrophy or peaceful with Bliss, at which point the exorcist asks the recipient player for their OOC consent to undergo Last Rites and be PK’d, specifying which afterlife their soul will be sent to.
• Fourth Emote: If the recipient does not consent, the white light fades and the exorcist is staggered back as they cease deliverance and the spell fails. If they do consent, the recipient feels their body shut down and fail, going limp as an arch of white lightning erupts from the exorcist’s icon and into the sky as they die and are sent toward the exorcist’s chosen fate.

 

The reach of Last Rites is potent and instantaneous, sending the target to one of the afterlives specified in the Damn spell, regardless of whether the target is living or undead. This spell is not sufficient to undo or undermine the claims of creatures who have become fully vessels of the divine such as azdrazi, soul trees, or any variant inferi, the souls of whom are too entrenched in their fates.

 

• Last Rites is only applicable to creatures with anima, as specified under the Resources table in the Necromancy Hub: https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/245477-hub-necromancy/
  • Though they fit within this criteria, the likes of tree lords, azdrazi, zevn, zar’ei and zar’akal CAs cannot undergo Last Rites.
  • Last Rites requires OOC consent to be performed and will fail upon the third emote without such. If refused at this point, then the spell ends and the Damn spell is cast on the recipient instead (if applicable; all restrictions of the Damn spell apply as normal).
• Last Rites cannot be used on a corpse. The target must be ‘living’ (within the confines of their CAs where applicable) from the spell’s onset and remain so until the third emote for it to succeed.

 

[dev_clark 284]

+1 my kings

[amongus 816]

cool lore

[winterblood 11181]

I offered some feedback to Zarsies over some missing features of vivification that feel like should remain in the feat with this rewrite and I'll reiterate them here to ensure it's not lost:

 

The origins of the curse of truesight aren't really explained as to how it really effects the soul/why it is exists compared to the original lore.  It's no issue if vivification is to not longer be a product of Vaasek's secret meddling, but for narrative purposes it feels like something should be clarified - even if it may never be understood/learned by descendants

 

Unless I've missed it, there's no more ties to prophetic visions in this rewrite - I am unsure if this is something forgotten, or intentionally left out in an effort of altering the identity/purpose of the lore as a whole.  Experiencing potent visions, both meaningful and not, feels like added flavor to a cursed and haunted character and melds well in their theme of transcending reality by being able to reach out to the soulstream

 

There's not many drawbacks to seances anymore either, compared to the original lore.  After a medium would conduct a seance originally, they're incapacitated for 12 IRL hours - being left unable to walk from the amount of fatigue that takes over them.  It's very limiting for how its currently written to be able to pursue more RP after a seance is had

 

A change from what already exists into something more dynamic would be welcomed, though just any sort of drawback or general fatigue to encourage more weight in an RP narrative beyond the threat of geists inflicting hexes upon the medium if they over-do it

 

A final thing is just a request for how I've RP'd with vivification before on my characters (two of them have the feat) and it would be a clarification on how the sight is more of a burden than anything else.  Cities or battlefields should be overwhelming, or at least places that make it difficult for a medium to see far - given they stand in the middle of a crowd of both strays and living people.  For others who have the feat, I've not really seen anyone else acknowledging the curse in such a way - but I guess only so much can be done to encourage people to write their RP differently

 

Overall, this is an interesting rewrite and I'll be looking forward to see what comes from it.  I've not read all of exorcism yet, but from what I've heard from friends it should be very fitting to shorewalker stuff if I ever get the drive to get back on the project

 

I've always viewed mysticism as a "gray area" magic that's only regarded as dark and taboo for how it mimics a fraction of deific power in utilizing souls

[PrimnyaQuorum 4003]

1 hour ago, christman said:

Icons are ST Signed ‘Significant Magic Items’, which cannot be soulbound. The anima within an icon necessitates [12] OOC hours of physical contact with the exorcist before they are attuned to it and capable of using it for their Deliverance.

This feels a bit harsh - you have to wait a unknown amount of time for a Icon to be ST signed, then wait 12 IRL Hours while carrying the item after its signed to even begin using it? Definitely feels like a redline that exists to make things hard for its own aura rather then be a consequence of losing a Icon.

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

Exorcists must attune themselves to icons in order to use them, interweaving their own mana and anima with that which is dormant in their chosen icon. This requires the exorcist to carry the icon on their person for [12] OOC hours before it becomes usable. Icons may only be attuned to by [1] exorcist at a time, and if lent to or stolen by another exorcist who attunes to it, the original attunement will be lost. Once attuned to, an exorcist’s icon may strike revealed darkspawn with the same effects as pure aurum, however this effect only applies when the icon is wielded by the exorcist currently attuned to it; it will lose this effect if passed on to another character who is not an exorcist or an exorcist who has not had time to attune to the icon in question. Exorcists who also practice occultism may substitute their icon for a talisman.

While this describes how many Exorcists may be bound to a single Icon, I can't find a reference to how many Icons a Exorcist can produce and bind themselves to. If the Icon is meant to be a weak point and the point of disruption for the magic, it feels cheese-y to be able to spam produce and bind to Icons - same boat as Naz spam producing Grimoires so they can go back to Naz-ing if someone breaks their book. It's also not clear [unless im blind] if you cant just make a weapon thats not void enchanted/anti magic a Icon and go to town with a Aurum-Property Bearing ST Metal weapon

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

From their first attunement onwards an exorcist’s mana and soul become bound to the mortal planes of the living and the dead and are wholly tethered to their icon as a bridge between such; losing the ability to reach beyond them and establish Voidal or deific connections for as long as they are an exorcist.

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

Alongside other arts in the school of necromancy, exorcism remains compatible with most Voidal magic, blood magic, housemagery, bardmancy, seer, kani and alchemical feats. 

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

Exorcism is incompatible with Naztherak and Templarism, as well as all MAs and Feats listed as Druidic or Shamanic.

• Voidal Feats which wound the soul, such as Arcane Scion or Voidstalking, are incompatible with exorcism. This does not apply to Voidal Feats that do not affect the soul such as Artificery or Eminence, nor Voidal [MA]s, which remain compatible with exorcism.

 

Firstly, the Icon section states they cant get a Voidal Connection while the compatibility states they can. I think that should just be one or the other and in one place. I'm unsure if its intended that Exorcism is compatible with Heraldry given how the redline is written. Artificery and Eminence both entail a mage focusing their connection through a medium [A Affection for a Eminent, a Masterwork for a Artificer] and I personally think total void feat incompatibility would be fine. Veil Watching is Veil Watching I have no idea how binding oneselfs to the Veil would effect their soul and its connections.

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

Deliverance requires concentration to maintain, and will be disrupted by any ability, harm or disruption that could disconnect a Voidal mage.

I personally think and will always say that XYZ "is like a void mage/void weak" is a crutch that depends on Void Magic not changing at all. The mechanic text kinda outlines clearly if your doing anything BUT casting, you'll be DC'd. Im not certain if Deliverance serves as a "connection" which does not require re-doing for any subsequent spellcasts. 

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

[T1] Soul Sorcery - Passive

[No Deliverance]

Even when not invoking deliverance, the mana pools of exorcists or at all times exposed to the abundant anima of the Elysian Wastes and the Soul Stream beyond it. This diminutive baptism bathes all applications of an exorcist’s mana in the vibrant white hues of unblemished mortal souls, causing spells even beyond the traditional arsenal of exorcism to appear pale like those cast by the Silver Sect of yore.

 

This is an inescapable side-effect of practicing exorcism and cannot be avoided. Though Soul Sorcery causes all spells from other schools of magic to resemble deliverance, exorcists can never invoke deliverance alongside connection to a second school of magic. 

 

As exorcism is part of the school of necromancy, Soul Sorcery does not affect spells from the arts of exorcism, reaving or occultism on their own. Further, should an exorcist who is simultaneously an occultist wield their talisman whilst casting non-necromantic spells, the effects of the Dark Sorcery effect will always supersede Soul Sorcery. 

 

 

In general, how would this interact with things that can alter or change one's casting tell [Quietus Crystals/Seer are primary examples]? How would this effect the MAs and FAs it is compatible with, like Kani, Bardmancy/Housemagery, and (?) Heraldry? 

 

1 hour ago, christman said:

[T2] Consecrate - Noncombative

Through a shared, sacramental invocation of the Elysian Wastes, a trio of exorcists may collaborate to spread the sanctifying effect of their Anoint spell over a small area. This thins the walls between the unseen realm of the dead and the lands of the living to impede the other abuses of necromancy. 

 

  Hide contents

Consecration requires [3] exorcists of [Tier 2] or above to collaborate in an amplified, anima spreading rite which draws the Elysian Wastes closer to the material plane over a static [15x15x15] area, which gains the following passive effects:

 

• Invisible phantoms and reavers using the Fade spell are revealed upon entering its perimeter.
• The geists of gleaming reavers and occultists are shaken as they enter its perimeter, causing gleaming to end and requiring [2] emotes to restart. Exorcists are immune to this in their own consecrated area. 
• Hexed objects and cursed idols go dormant, losing their effects whilst new ones cannot be made in its perimeter. 

 

An exorcist may only sustain [1] consecrated area at a time, which is personal to them as the leader of the consecrate ritual when it was created. Though they may aid in another exorcist’s consecration ritual, leading one themself would cause any prior area they led the consecration of to lose its effects. Specifically when in their own consecrated areas, exorcists gain the following abilities whilst invoking deliverance:

 

• Out of combat they may telekinetically move their icon throughout the perimeter.
• Out of combat they may cast the Anoint spell on a living character or themselves to lift any ailment, malady or curse inflicted by a reaver’s Taint spell. This does not allow them to cure other curses or diseases.
• Out of combat they may telekinetically move the smoke of candles or incense throughout the perimeter.
• Outside of combat they gain the ability to Hexbreak; allowing them to disenchant hexes or cursed idols without damaging the object in question by casting the geist or maleus within it out into the sky, returning the unnatural soul essence to the Soul Stream in an arch of white lightning.

 

The consecrate rite is freeform, though always involves the channeling of pale, miasmic anima from the two supporting exorcists into the icon of the exorcist leading it. Once consecrated, an area will stay that way until the exorcist leads a consecration ritual elsewhere to move it or if they stop practicing the Exorcism [MA], in which case their consecrated area returns to normal. In addition, reaving’s Blight spell at any size will always deconsecrate an area, so long as it overlaps with the consecration’s perimeter.

 

• Though they can participate in any number of consecration rituals, an exorcist may only lead one to create their own consecrated area once per OOC month. This area must be represented by an ST sign and tracked with a comment on the exorcist’s MA.
• Hexbreaking erupts as a loud bolt of lightning that disappears into the sky. This must be emoted in #Shout.
  • Hexbreaking does not give exorcists the ability to sense, detect, or otherwise identify hexed objects or cursed idols.

This is a cool spell - my only concerns in that given Cursed Idols/Hexes just stop working, would one be able to metacheck for these things by putting a Consecration over a gatehouse or path of travel as a autodetector? Is there a limit to how many cursed idols/hexes they can Hexbreak within this area within a given timeframe or a "cost" to the Exorcist?

 

As a general point for references to Cursed Idols/Hexes as they appear elsewhere, would disabling these items instantly revitalize the victim if such was applicable? Would someone with a Pestilience Cursed Idol whom has it rendered inert instantly become better and require re-doing the 3 OOC day period or would it simply toggle on/off?

2 hours ago, christman said:

[T3] Choir - Combative

[Deliverance + 2+ Emotes]

By weaving anima into their words, an exorcist can rally strays from the Elysian Wastes against paranormal forces and creatures invading the land of the living. Utilising their congregated zeal, Choir burdens warlocks, demons, and the undead with the convoked ire of the Soul Stream.

 

  Hide contents

Through commands empowered with deliverance, an exorcist can invoke a choir of stray souls to overwhelm creatures and forces that do not belong in the land of the living. This invites the hunger of the Soul Stream toward the affected area, amplified by senseless strays from the Elysian Wastes which are rallied to the spell in hopes of escaping their purgatory. This well of souls undoes fragile summons and puppets completely and hinders the capabilities of stronger demons and undead as their maleus and anima is gradually sapped.

 

This requires an exorcist to be invoking deliverance, at which point they may weave anima into a spoken litany. A hushed, unseen Elysian choir of strays joins them thereafter, echoing whatever words the exorcist spoke from their icon in a harrowing hymn reaching [8] blocks in every direction from the exorcist, or [#Q]. Once Choir begins with the first stray rallied an exorcist may expand their chorus to a maximum of [5] strays. These grasping, unseen servants assail all paranormal targets the exorcist can identify within the affected area.

 

Emote Example:

 

• [Deliverance] + First Emote: the exorcist speaks a litany, hymn or order aloud, invoking the aid of whichever strays may hear them. This cannot be done whilst attacking, dodging, blocking, performing actions or moving more than [4] blocks in the same emote, which would cause the spell to fail from this point on.
• Second Emote: the exorcist’s words are repeated verbatim by a voice that is not their own, resonating from their icon as [1] stray begins to assail any paranormal creatures the exorcist wishes within [8] blocks. The exorcist may speak freely over this.
• Third Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [2] strays across the area.
• Fourth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [3] strays across the area.
• Fifth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [4] strays across the area.
• Sixth Emote: the exorcist’s icon resonates with the voices of [5] strays, repeating the words spoken in the first emote and assailing any paranormal creatures the exorcist wishes within [8] blocks. No more strays can be added, though the exorcist may maintain this indefinitely so long as they do not begin attacking, dodging, blocking, performing actions or moving more than [4] blocks in the same emote, which would cause the spell to fail.

 

With time, their chorus grows with the combined scorn of stray souls whose voices enhance the effects of Choir within the area until the spell’s cessation. Multiple exorcists may also dedicate themselves to channeling Choir across overlapping spaces, which accelerates the speed at which strays begin assailing characters in the affected areas and enhances the spell beyond its usual solo limits. This scales accordingly:

 

• [1] stray incites ineffectual discomfort in all undead or infernal creatures, as well as reavers, occultists and naztherak. 

• [2] strays soothe and placate geists within hexed items and temporarily disrupt the maleus of cursed idols, causing them to go inert. Living characters in the affected area are cured of and become immune to the effects of hexes/cursed idols. NPC zombies and gravens raised by occultists and reavers, as well as the pets and summons of a naztherak including striiths, NPC zevnka and zekulka, will also be banished within the area, crumbling instantly and preventing reavers, occultists and naztherak from raising or summoning more in the affected area.
• [3] strays hinder player zombies as well as players with the Ghoul [CA], Phantom [CA] or Zevn [CA] with pain and confusion that prevents them from being able to move more than [4] blocks within a single emote or turn invisible and doubles the amount of maleus required in their spells. Cooperating exorcists may use [6] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities (including invisibility) of these creatures in the affected area, and [9] strays will banish them outright.
• [4] strays hinder the Pale Knights [CA] and Zar’ei [CA] as well as the maleus-rich souls of non-zar’akal characters with the Naztherak [MA] and non-wight characters with the Occultism [MA] or Reaving [MA]s. This prevents them from being able to sprint, and strains their spells from the specified MAs to require double the usual amount of maleus or wither. Cooperating exorcists may use [8] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities of these creatures in the affected area, and [12] strays will fully paralyse them until the spell’s cessation.
• [5] strays hinder the Wight [CA] and the Zar’akal [CA]. This prevents them from being able to sprint, and strains their spells from the specified MAs to require double the usual amount of maleus or wither. Cooperating exorcists may use [10] strays to completely disable the spells and abilities (including invisibility) of these creatures in the affected area, and [15] strays will fully paralyse them until the spell’s cessation.

 

An exorcist must always begin by speaking with deliverance, compelling their victim from the material plane in the anima-empowered radius, though the content of their speech - including language and religious imagery - is freeform. Crucially, the Elysian choir will only target creatures within range that the exorcist has directed them to, meaning a creature or character the exorcist does not know for certain to be infernal/undead or a reaver, occultist, or naztherak cannot be affected. In this regard an exorcist could choose not to affect specific characters within range that are vulnerable to this spell, including themselves.

 

This does not require sight, affecting all within [8] blocks of the exorcist and as such Choir can be used to attempt to reveal invisible phantoms or necromancers using Fade (both of which an exorcist can see during deliverance) for others.

 

• Choir only affects characters with the Ghoul [CA], Phantom [CA], Zevn [CA], Pale Knight [CA], Zar’ei [CA], Wight [CA] and Zar’akal [CA] as well as the Reaving [MA], Occultism [MA] or Naztherak [MA] and raised/summoned undead or demonic NPC companions.
  • These characters will only be affected if the exorcist correctly believes them to be one of the aforementioned and targets them with their choir. In that regard, Choir could not be used to test if a character is one of the aforementioned as the spell’s success hinges on the exorcist’s prior knowledge of such. 
• A single exorcist may only invoke a maximum of [5] strays affecting [8] blocks from their held icon. In that regard if [3] exorcists were collaborating they could invoke a maximum of [15] strays in their overlapping ranges. If any of these exorcists stopped casting or moved so that the target was out of their range, [5] less strays would be affecting them; Choir’s effect being lowered to [10].

Despite referring to a "duration" several times, no actual upper limit or emote count for max time up is given and seems like a oversight. The spell is complex, but readable if you really stare at it for a while. I think some of the effects are harsh [particular that you can just turn off multiple MAs and CAs ability to function for a indeterminate amount of time in a specific area] and that it hinges on what is, in essence, a meta-gamey gimmick of "correctly knowing" your target can be affected. I wouldn't want to venture if that passed as is how many "correct" guesses happen - I feel this should be replaced by something more concrete and less-metagameable.

 

2 hours ago, christman said:

[T4] Damn - Combative

 

This entirely ability feels like it should require informed OOC consent and be non-combative - the ability to literally tell someone "lol ur fcked when u pk" MID COMBAT without giving the PLAYER a actual say or any non-Exorcism means to undo it is insane. 

 

This feels really neat, all things considered - having a MA that focuses around life/death as a observer instead of a direct manipulator feels like something previously only obtained through ignoring everything else mysticism does. 

[molly molly molly 1329]

i like it! +1, great stuff and nice work. it’ll give players some really interesting storytelling tools to work with. thematically, i really fw the torturous nature of vivification and soulsight, and i can see that becoming a central dynamic for some characters. also, i really like the white sorcerer aesthetic/vibe achieved here. its cool. i hope it passes so the new dark elf sorcerer lady i have in the works can commune with her ancestors and have spooky soul powers :3

[Rhettthecoldone 252]

As much as I don’t prefer the other necromancer MAs (occultism and reaving) this one is super super cool. I really love the haunted aesthetic of it and especially the “Choir” spell. Its ties to Aeriel and Ascended of the past is so so amazing and I think this would make to be an awesome magic of its own should the new necromancy get denied. I still stand on my distaste for the other two “necro” MAs, but I absolutely love this one. 

[marsloll 1384]

forgive me if i'm simply blind, but there's nothing stating how exactly to get CONNECTED to the exorcism magic? that, and no clause stating how or if one can be DISconnected.

[StingyParrot 1595]

who ya gonna call?

[Morigung-oog 5697]

I love exorcism, I do. I'd even drop mystic to take it up, but I hate the fact it's not more compatible with things. I can see a soul-tainted voidstalker trying to take this on in their search for redemption and locking soul tainted folks out seems to deny them a pretty interesting niche, no?

[Pallodium 3775]

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