Valannor

Howdy howdy, Fate. Welcome back. Feel free to come vibe in Haense whenever. Don't cause trouble OOC, all is well in the world. <3 Edit: Also hmu on discord whenever you can, it's been too long and I'd like to chat with ya!

An Elfess would smile upon reading the newspaper, though her cheer would vanish as she neared the end of the article. "If I get my hands on them, I swear, I'll be throwing them to Ira!" She would growl, still incredibly wroth over the whole affair. @MangoManMini

I, too, am a man of culture. +1 Gib more shiny aesthetics.

Man you're just cranking these out. +1, I look forward to your eventual ST Lore sect application.

IGN: altiar1011 SKIN/S: Ruby Red DISCORD: Salty Alty#7030 BID: 60

An 'Ame of Haeseni persuasion smiles upon the missive, and the future it represents.

Treants, as much as I love my community, did definitely need the shelf given the lore problems. Working w/ Timbers, we found that this just wasn't it, chief.

Good stuff. That's p much everything I was concerned about. Loremag will decide the rest. <3

In the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, a Mali'Ame of repute would appreciate such a fine ballad. "A song for the ages!"

1. Lunarite is the strength of normal steel. With no cap on physical strength, armor limits, etc. this is not even a rebuttal. I have a lunarite poleaxe and I'm in full plate, with my spellbook firmly attached to my side via leather straps, concealed beneath a cloak. In this time, if you interrupt me casting, you will be getting hit directly in the face with the blunt end of a poleaxe head. 2. This is all preparation elements, and again not even a 'weakness' as defined traditionally. If you are fighting an Astral mage, they already have their ink and tomes prepared, with access to a lineup of powerful combative abilities that outshine many other magic's contemporary abilities in comparison, with a complete lack of any limiting factor other than spell slots and the need for a spell focus, either a tome or an implement of Lunarite. If you are not already fighting them, you need to have knowledge of what Star Wells are, the necessity of Ink to the casting of Astral Sorcery, etc., which would require knowledge of this magic to be publicly available unless you want to encourage meta. You then need to locate a star well, and know with certainty that it belongs to a particular Astral mage. These structures, from the description, are rather small in comparison to Menhirs, Chanceries, and other such 'necessary' altars for other magics, requiring that in addition to finding the knowledge of what they even are, the task of locating one in the first place is incredibly arduous, as they can be kept within observatories, open-roofed buildings, etc, behind many locked doors and in cities if they wish, or even out in the middle of the wilderness. In the theoretical event of a starwell being destroyed, this does not negate any books they already possess, lunarite implements, etc. You stop further production for a time, this is true. But what already exists is not rendered powerless. 3. If your magic does everything well, then the incompatibility is a non-issue. And what magics are compatible with it will result in a powerful combination. For example, Kani. 4. Perhaps not physical, but your magic having few drawbacks overall, and those drawbacks being incredibly hard to exploit, is also something I am firmly against. 1 (Healing Spells). Per your redlines, (Absolutely positively CANNOT be used to heal or restore: Missing Limbs, Organs, broken bones, very large gashes, heal the dying or bring back the dead,) many things that would otherwise spell fatal in eventuality are able to be mended in comparison to things like Paladinism Mist Healing, Fire Evo Cauterize, etc. with absolutely no drawbacks afterwards. Whereas Witch Doctor curses you in exchange for swift healing, and IIRC Necro leaves the area horribly disfigured, this is a clean slate, squeaky clean replacement and fixing of Injuries. 2 (Shield spells). Similar to Paladinism, yes. And Mystic Walling. Except this does these things better with none of the associated baggage of either magic. Nor did you mention the point on a lack of redlines or explanation regarding energy-based attacks, which is rather important when it comes to magical shielding. Does this block all energy based attacks? A certain amount? Not at all? Clarification is needed, because at current, the shield spells do everything that Pally and Mystic shields do, but better for less a price. 3. (Firesord). So you've still got a Holy Affinity-esque powered weapon capable of damaging things weak to magical energy, rather than holy energy, and regardless of weakness it still physically burns things, meaning anything weak to fire remains on the chopping block. The only similar ability that I know of offhand would be the Graven's Summon Weapon, which comes with a hefty amount of redlines, weakness to Aurum, and can only make contact with Phantoms as mundane steel would effect a normal person. 4. (Con. Field). 3 emotes is still incredibly fast for such a heavy debuff in an action economy wherein you can only move four blocks, and you didn't address any of the other points I brought up regarding the ability; if gravity is manipulated, everything slows down unless it is uneffected by gravity. 5. (Bolt). Fire Evocation's basic firebolt takes three emotes to conjure, and unless one uses a T5 ability, is an impact-less ball of mundane fire that is easily blocked by armor. In comparison, Star Bolt is a similar number of emotes, and if they would utilize a t1-accessible feature, this projectile hits with the impact of a warhammer wielded by a person of undefined strength. In comparison, a Combustive firebolt only hits as hard as a baseball. 6. (Tier gate.) By tier 3 I can utilize every spell in the spell list at least once, under the current system. Meaning I can utilize Supernova if I so wished. I'd advise tier gating them properly. Much obliged.

While I enjoy the theme of the magic, I do feel that it perhaps falls a bit short, though that can be forgiven depending on IC culture. My primary issues with the magic come from the mechanics employed, and the spells themselves. 1. Complete lack of any genuine 'weakness.' While it is true of this magic that stellar ink and magical tomes are required, these casting foci can be very easily circumvented through use of the magic itself, and the fact that Wands only necessitate having the tome on your person will eventually lead to a plate-armored star-mage with the tome secure in a bag, pouch, etc. such that it may not be easily ripped away from them. It was brought up in a private discord that it is true you can only carry a limited number of spells at any given time, the relative power of these spells handily patches the 'weakness' in such a limit, which will be expanded on further down. This magic completely lacks contemporary drawbacks, such as Voidal Weakness, Naztherak's physical weakness, etc. Only exhaustion as you expend spell slots, which is swiftly recovered out of combat. 2. Powercreep. From Tox's own admission in a private discord, many of these abilities are lifted from Arcanism; a magic which was explicitly shelved for its versatility and bloat, lack of counterplay, relative power compared to other voidal evocations and magics, and its widespread nature with little drawback. We can see much of these qualities reflected in Astral Sorcery, wherein the following abilities are present: A set of two healing abilities that stand as some of the more powerful among magic in general, surpassed (to my knowledge) only by Necro and Witch Doctor. These healing abilities are capable of immediately regenerating major wounds with no drawbacks, or in the case of the ritual version, entire limbs, organs, etc. The minor healing spell, mind you, only taking 3 emotes to cast, 2 if one has already connected. A set of three shield spells, which are more powerful than the shielding capabilities currently possessed by Paladinism, which is, in comparison, a three slot magic powered by the Aengul of Guardianship. Paladin shields may be destroyed quicker than Astral shields, last for a shorter amount of time, and are far less versatile in the current iteration than the likes displayed by Astral Sorcery. Indeed, there isn't even a clause on energy or elemental based attacks, E.G Azdrazi dragonflame, Fire Evo, etc. A conjurable weapon, which possess capabilities on par with Holy Affinity, in Paladinism. Taking 3 emotes, 4 spell slots, and a sword hilt, an Astral mage is now directly on-par with a Paladin of Xan in regards to melee-based enhancements with steel-strength weapons. I see no redlines regarding whether or not Astral Sorcery effects the likes of Phantoms, but I would assume such. For 4 spell slots, and a one emote cast-time, a 5x5 area can cut a person's movement speed directly in half. In this case, 2 blocks. For comparison, to produce a similar effect, Mystic Blades utilizing Enervation require two emotes of direct physical contact with the individual they seek to slow. For obvious reasons, Constellation Field has numerous benefits over comparable spells possessed by other magics. A magic bolt spell, that in comparison to Fire Evocation or other voidal sorceries, possesses distinctly powerful amounts of physical force when placed next to similar abilities, with the ability to enhance such further to possess the strength of a warhammer when colliding with a target. Now, perhaps this could be a negligible issue, if not for the following... Spells are not tier-gated, merely spell slot gated. Nowhere on any of the spells is it stated that you must be a certain tier to cast the magic, meaning that so long as your mana pool is sufficient, you may cast any of these spells should you have been taught. 3. General lack of redlines. While I like the fact that the magic is largely freeform, the lack of redlines will lead to definite abuse in the future. E.G, Con. Field could be used to slow down projectiles mid flight in its current iteration, the speed at which swords are swung, etc. No stipulations on weapon size are given for Cosmic Blade, either. I'm sure I could grab more examples if I tried. I definitely enjoy the concept of a non-voidal arcane magic, the execution here frankly falls short and has the potential for great abuse, given its vague redlines, powerful mechanics, and the ability to be gained through self-teach Altars. I appreciate the effort that has gone into this magic, but it seems relatively rushed to me, and the lore itself has more than a few mechanical pit-falls and hedges in on a lot of other territory that has been covered by contemporary magic lores with none of the interesting depth or shine that comes with it. I will be holding off on leaving a +1 until the above issues are fixed, but I do think the concept of an astral-based magic lore does have merit and a place within current LoTC.

Tarathiel Asul'onn, an 'Ame of only a century of age and matriarch of her family, would blink upon reading the missive. Ne'er had she known the era of Malinor, nor the Dominion, and had only heard but rumors and fairytales during her adolescent years. Things too good too possibly be true; a home for all Mali, mighty and strong, opulent and imperial in its domain... surely farfetched tales of hopeful minds, wishing to be alleviated of burdens by hearkening to the tales of yore. Yet... Something tugged at her, from deep inside. A faint glimmer of hope, that perhaps, just maybe, there was such a place once upon a time, and that with the unified efforts of Malin's kin, those days could be relished by all of Elvenkind once more. From within her cozy home in the City of Crows, on a bed of wool and her head cradled by pillows of down, she, too, dreamed of Malinor. "Better times there were, and will be again."

So too, then, would that man find that in the paragraph he seeks to rebuke, that the paragraph said 'In the eyes of the Father.' With but a rudimentary knowledge of the Red Faith, one would swiftly surmise that if one would stoop so low as to aid in the undoing of all creation, that they are not, in fact, 'worthy.'

In the far north, a phantasmal crow would deliver such a missive to an aged Keeper of the Flame, tending to her Flamebrand in spite of the biting cold of the frigid domain she sought refuge in. Looking to it curiously, she would pen a response to such slander of the Father's name. "Fictitious diction makes for poor lessons, follower of the Crossed God. Allow me to enlighten you, as a Keeper of His Flame, and one of the only individuals qualified to speak of the Faith in detail. This fabrication of the foulest sort is... humorous, in a way. Perhaps the first mistake in such publication is thus; Only the Keepers, those entrusted with the Holy Flame of His Light, would be delving deep into matters of the Faith such as this. It is something of a taboo, among those of the Flame, for non-clergymen to attempt to explain that which they do not fully understand. For a metaphor a Canonist could understand, the Keepers are the shepherds, tending to our Northern flock. The flock does not shepherd itself. On your musings of the first tenet, I am left with but a scoff, as this was written by someone with no true grasp on Norlandic culture, the ideals we truly stand for, nor why we worship the Father. While this will tie into my stance on the third tenant later in this missive, I shall leave the greater details on that for further on. For now... If you had bothered to pick up a Primer, which are sold plentifully and cheaply, you would know that in ancient days of yore, when Thoromir and the first of our people wandered the Frozen Wastes, it was the Allfather who, in his pity, made pact with the Herald. In return for the eternal fealty of the Norlandic people, the Allfather, in his august mercy, delivered unto us the First Flame; that which all Hearthfires and Flamebrands is descended from. This is but a single reason why we worship the Father. The second reason, that which I personally subscribe to, is much different than what you've claimed. We do not worship the Father because he is the strongest of all. Such would be outright falsehood. We worship the Father because despite his weakness in the face of the encroaching darkness, that which seeks to consume all things and undo the very essence of creation, he fights on. In his eternal quest to drive back the Long Dark, he would stand alone against the odds, and fight on until it would be his own damnation. He is not all powerful, for if he were, the Void would be undone with but a minute flex of his will. But even still, even without power over all things, he continues his stand against that damnable Void which seeks our very undoing. Is such a cause then not admirable, to follow in his stead, to stand against the Long Dark? Many of Norlandic stock would think so. Moving on, the fact that you failed to understand the First Tenant in your falsified ramblings is truly awe-inspiring, given that such can be surmised rather easily. Worry not, my crestfallen rat, for I shall enlighten you as to its true meaning. A good number of Keepers define Unworthiness as the refusal to fight for one's own livelihood. It is not Unworthy to be weak, but it is Unworthy for one to refuse to strive to greater heights, to overcome the obstacles set before them in their crusade against a world which seeks only to break them of their will to fight. To be worthy, then, is to rage against that darkened night, and ascend beyond one's limits to become Worthy in the eyes of the Father. True weakness is not a lack of strength, but a lack of will to seek such strength. This is what we deem 'Unworthy.' True weakness, not of body, but of mind. The musings given on the Third Tenet sicken me, as a woman who has fought the Long Dark and emerged from such scarred and beyond marred by my battle with it. The Long Dark, in Norlandic culture, is the end of all that is, and would be. The totality of creation, wiped out by the hungering maw of darkened jaws. Our stand against the Long Dark is to scourge the world of all that would bring about such an end, not to usher in such an end ourselves. To bring the mage, the heretic, and the darkness to heel beneath our boot, and redeem them in Holy Flame so that they may be judged by the Father... this is what the Third Tenant truly means. I would expect not of racists and weak men to understand this, hiding in your cathedrals and basilicas of polished marble and gold. Your final 'rebuttal' of Faith scripture confuses me, truly. The only publically available religious text that we offer to the world is that of the Primer, which explains in simple terms what we believe, and how we go about our lives. Is this truly too much for a feeble mind to grasp, or was this another oversight in your pedantic ramblings? Truly, if I were a busy woman, I would not have replied to such trite, slanderous words, but my fellows of the Flame would likely only ridicule and demean you for your ignorance. I would be remiss not to offer a proper rebuttal to such gross misunderstanding. To finish this missive, I must say that the gross mis-representation of Norlandic culture is appalling. Those of my former home of Haense sought to understood us, and in doing so, they published an article exquisitely detailing our culture, beliefs, legal system, so on and so forth. You insist we are but craven dogs seeking war eternal, yet the truth could not be further from such, as war only distracts us from our stand against the darkness. Seek the Flame, ye of Unworthy stock, so that ye may be saved in the Father's Embrace. -Signed, A Keeper of the Father's Flame." [!] Such a missive would be delivered by Elysian crow, such that a response might be given by those who wish to do so. The letter itself scribed in crimson ink, etched with aged quill upon tattered parchments, it would look distinctly time-worn, despite it being newly written.

Amidst the gloom of a starry night, within a bastion of silver hue, that which had escaped the grasping jaws of death would look to the starry night, corporeal in its domain and tormented by the ever-present cacophony of wails. In its misery, left alone with its thoughts, it would muse thus; "What is God, truly? And to what extent must one go in order to reach such likeness?" That Raev hound would query of itself, grasping tendrils of phantasmal ilk coiling about its form, akin to a great serpent in their likeness. "In an epistile to the sons of Joren, it was said that the hand of God is the greatest weapon that one may bring to bear, and that His word is the paramount strategy, beyond reproach by even the most fabled of mortal tacticians. Is God, then, to be found in the thrill and din of battle? Within the eternal war of the heavens and hells, shall we find our promised land, unveiled by the blood of Aengul and Daemon alike?"

Owlcats

A garish hound, wrought of blackened fur and Elysian Ichor, would regard the notice curiously from its domain. "Va Krusae Zwy Kongzem..." That Raev wolf would mutter, paws lifting as it began southward, heeding the call of those terrible voices resounding in awful cries as it walked.

I can agree that heavier weapons should not be able to be used, but this limitation on light weaponry is nonsensical, given the types of armors mages are capable of wearing freely. Allow the free use of light weaponry, within reason, given that mages are also being handicapped a bit more in this connection rewrite. I'd also argue that lighter polearms should be allowed, but I'll leave that to your discretion. #MakeStavesGreatAgain I'd also argue that, as per previous lore, high tier mages should be able to perform minor dodges without breaking connection. Nothing like huge combat rolls, but smaller movements to evade blade strikes and such should be on the table. Otherwise, p good lore. I just think it has some issues that need rectified.

would laugh as it regarded the notice, remembering well its time as master of the Basilica. "How quaint..."

would look at the missive and frown, having just woken up for the morning, a cup of black tea in hand as she crossed her arms, a gown of furs serving to keep her warm in the harsh northern morn. "And somehow, I can't even find a husband..."

would receive the news while wiping down the bar, a shocked gasp escaping her lips as tears streaked down her cheeks, ruining what little makeup she had applied. In her bed that night, clutching the statuette of a majestic silver stag, she would lament the loss of yet another friend. "Life is fleeting... human life even moreso. Please, llir... I hope you're in a better place now." In her prayers that night, Solenne's name would be uttered many times; endless pleas to return that which had been lost, falling on deaf ears.