Blundermore

Mc name:

Blundermore

Character name:

The Wizard Blundermore

Character race:

Ascended

What magics do you wish to teach?:

Transfiguration

Link your accepted student application:

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/131673-ma-arcane-blundermore

I believe it was this one though I often get confused now days because of how the magic app system has changed and the multiple different magic apps I have. I just know that when I went through the process of getting all my magic reinstated by the magic team not too long ago that I was given back my transfiguration again along with Air Evocation, Arcanism, Illusion and Ascended magic. And that my name has been readded to the magic list under those items of magic. Really perhaps if I was given the opportunity to write a token app or something that outlined all the magics I knew and have that accepted then it would make filling in this part monumentally easier. 

Briefly summarize the lore of the magic:

Transfiguration is a complex utility magic that helps Mages and practitioners of the arcane to manipulate and change the world around them in a more meaningful and more permanent manner than what you would be able to do with say an evocation or the likes.

Transfiguration is split into three main sub-practices:

-Enchanting

-Transmutation

-Wards and Abjurations

Enchanting is the art of taking another magic you practice, or a magic practiced by another, that is Arcane in nature and binding it to an object in order to adapt the properties of the magic specifically to the object in question. For example you could take say, fire evocation and bind it to a stave, allowing that stave to shoot fireballs on command.

However enchanted items have their own limited supply of mystical energy or “Mana”, that is depleted through use of the enchantment or over a very long period of time without being used similar to how batteries slowly lose their charge in real life even when not being used. This mystical energy is stored within a manacrystal or Gemstone that is attached to the object that has been enchanted and must be refilled every so often to ensure that the magical charge will be sufficient to cast the enchantment.

Mana crystals and enchantments can only be refuelled by experienced Alterationists and requires the sacrifice of their own personal mana in order to make sure that the gemstone is filled. Also the size of the mana crystal and the power of the enchantment will determine how many “uses” it may have before needing to be recharged and how much mana will be depleted from a single alterationist trying to refuel the enchantment again. Enchanting also allows you to rely on the knowledge of another Arcanist in order to create a desired enchantment using their knowledge of a magic you do not know instead, working together to create a fully fledged enchantment, this includes making wards against certain magics you would otherwise not know how to create yourself due to lacking the practicing knowledge required.

Next we move onto transmutation, which lies the most technical aspect of the magic in question. transmutation is the art of manipulating the base structures of an object in order to change properties of an object or material using complex rules of equivalent exchange. Transmutation is quite a complex magic because it’s limitations are mainly time and the material you are specifically working with. So for example you couldn’t turn a piece of coal into a diamond because as per the laws of equivalent exchange you need to have a material of equal worth in order to create such a thing. Neither can you change the state of a material from a gas to a liquid to a solid unless otherwise per the laws of nature that material would be capable of doing that normally i.e. Ice turning to water which turns into steam. You can use Transmutation to reinforce the durability of certain materials but again this is only to the extent of the fact that the material in question will have a limit of how feasibly durable it could be made, so don’t expect to turn fine silk into platemail armour. It also allows you to partially change the state of certain materials such as making them hotter, or colder.
However all of what transmutation does requires that you fulfill these requirements:

That you have an absolute understanding of the material you’re working with, you can’t just run up to Iron without knowing what it is and expecting to immediately start manipulating it.

That depending on how complex the material is and what you’re trying to do with it that the cost of mana will significantly increase, also depending on how wide of an area you are transmutating, the larger the area the more mana it will also take.

Finally time. Time will factor in heavily as transfiguration is not instant nor even can it be done in a few emotes unless you are working with something incredibly small and insignificant like say a glass goblet or something. Time will be a factor in how complex the transfiguration is and how large of an area is being transmutated. The more complex or the larger the area the longer it will take and thus will factor into earlier points about mana depletion.

As a final note Transmutation cannot be done over long distances, it is very much an up close and personal ordeal, requiring that you are at least within contact or at most 3 blocks away from whatever you are transmutating and even in my books that would be pushing it quite frankly.

Finally we move onto Wards and Abjurations.

Wards and Abjurations is the art of Arcane defence against the Arcane arts. There are two versions of defence as mentioned already, one is almost immediate but single use whilst the other permanent but much more powerful. Wards and Abjurations require knowledge of the magic you are trying to ward in order to create a successful defence against it. This requires that you are practicing the magic yourself in order to be able to create a ward against it. So a warder would be able to create a ward against fire evocation if they knew fire evocation themselves but would not be able to create a ward against air evocation if they did not know Air evocation themselves. As an additional note wards cannot be created to ward against non arcane magics, that is beyond its ability to do so even if you have the knowledge required or practice a non arcane magic.

Wards are created through the use of binding one or several large arcane mana crystals with the energy required to sustain a ward over a large radius. Wards do not cancel out a magic entirely but instead weaken it as per the tier level of an alterationist and the power of the ward in question. Wards require that they be recharged regularly in order to make sure they are still active and suffer from similar effects to enchanted items when used or left unused for long periods of time. Wards require a lot of time in order to create and cannot be created in a matter of moments, a lot of preparation must be involved in order to make sure that the ward is made correctly and charged accordingly.

Abjurations on the other hand is the art of creating a defensive “dispell” against magics you specifically practice, taking the form of a discoloured bolt of mystical energy when thrown at incoming magical projectiles or spells/enchantments that you can affect specifically you can effectively cancel out that spell or enchantment as the energy used to create and anchor that spell to reality is drawn back into the infinitum. However casting is not instantaneous and requires careful planning in order to make sure the dispell is ready before it is needed or else you will end up in a rather awkward situation where that incomming stray fireball has already hit you before you are ready.

Abjurations can also be formed into small shields in front of you in order to catch incoming projectiles if required.
Abjurations can also be used to deflect incoming spells back upon themselves or at least away from you.

All wards and abjurations require that you have knowledge of the magic (i.e. you practice them) in order to make use of the defensive abilities against that magic. For wards you can use the practicing knowledge of another mage in order to create permanent wards against that magic.

All wards or abjurations can never be used against non arcane magic as stated before hand.

Lesson Plan:

I will be linking an example of a sort of show and tell lesson to two of my friends explaining how exactly transfiguration works in the enchanting aspect. I find it a lot easier to write lesson plans when I have someone to actually bounce RP off of because lets face it, I could write you a wonderful story about a lesson plan and how I would do this and that but really in reality most of the time it isn’t going to work that way when we get down to the brass tacts of it, so instead I will give you an example of proper RP instead as my lesson plan to show you how exactly I go about teaching others magic, which is usually a lot of explanation and show and tell, filling in the blanks where the magic lore is somewhat lacking with some thematic text of my own in order to make the magic easier to understand for the uninitiated.

https://gyazo.com/2b20bf9f4b9f501380767396cedda2d2
https://gyazo.com/9430b4682650910e1294309b2efe73f9
https://gyazo.com/4b6aa8d5427f46e8f55d7519d1317940
https://gyazo.com/96a8fe48aa6e935ca3fca5ee2bbdc079
https://gyazo.com/af8c4678d4f58f7984f8e6daff3b7b3d
https://gyazo.com/0b2744843580bf48d2ebc41b341f2971
https://gyazo.com/cbd862f2db8dd981c34d9de7cc2b723d
https://gyazo.com/e69dc08ed763dd78df226fe3dbddad06
https://gyazo.com/d61c21b112720a9a5a799a15ab085008
https://gyazo.com/4db9f1987be52b410c111294946b969f
https://gyazo.com/9438b9aa643ab9c9f7faa0a51d759377

I think the idea that the nations aren't doing too well and people are enjoying not being under the thumb of the nations somewhat indicates that perhaps the way the nations are being run and the amount of power that they have over the player base has been slowly strangling LOTC for a long while... if a nation is failing let it die, let new people organically rise to lead new groups of people who actually want to be in that group. Not because some OOC shadow council has been hogging the nation lime light for the past 5 years and just hasn't done anything to innovate from what they had 5 years ago really... 

People want to do new things, all you guys are doing is trying to stop them from creating new things, and lets be honest, all the nations started off as freebuild places of small groups of people anyways. Actively stopping that organic Dynamic rp from happening is just stifling our server and keeping these long since failed nations on life support machines. 

Honestly I don't see why nations are held in any higher regard than any other player's shitty little village or anything, we shouldn't be giving special privileges to a bunch of players just because they happen to have ooc privileges that say they're a nation. Yet I bet if a big enough freebuild settlement came together and tried to form their own nation you'd deny them for being freebuild even though they've fulfilled all the requirements to be one /and more/ by also being fun and successful as well, that town at Whispering Crossroads is already doing better than most nations and I fully support a shakedown of the nations currently in play as some have been run by the same people now for 5 years in some cases. 

Not only that but the elitism present, I'm sorry that freebuilders didn't cheat all their materials in with creative and instead had to go out and gather those resources themselves, and then build without the aid of fly or anything. I'm sorry that these successful towns are actually being run by people who worked for what they have instead of just expecting it to be given on a silver platter and the people who want to destroy freebuild just because it's freebuild really just need to get their heads out of their asses and just let people have fun. 

A letter sealed in purple wax dotted with a rather strange symbol would be found in the possession of several leaders of nations penned in fine Gothic and swirling patterns, as you break the seal and unravel the letter you would find within:

((Why not take the opportunity that now without fast travel present, we could actually make use of Minecarts/railways to actually build something pretty interesting and friendly to the idea of travelling using a system of tracks that could take one from one nation to the other through a series of stations etc that people would have to pass through. Something like this however would pretty much require the better part of the server to get on board with the idea of a railway though because quite often than not in the past when a railway was proposed it always never really got of the ground properly because one person or one group of people don't have the ability to get all the nations on side or otherwise the resources/ drive to build across entire continents alone. It would be a massive project in order to get it done but one I think with a bit of teamwork and effort could be pulled off by the nations.))

*Reading the letter the Old Wizard would merely say in a dismayed voice of anguish*

"Oh no, not again."

-Secretly a ploy by the thieves guild for intel in the next map of who to hit first- 

5 hours ago, Sporadic said:

So what I'm hearing is

- make emeralds/diamonds available still for RP purposes

- ensure you can get enough food from breeding animals

- have a resource island for some common construction materials.

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Some sort of means to get large amounts of sandstone, gravel, Clay, Stone, Quartz, glowstone, pulpur etc for the sakes of building without huge landscarring or something like that. I always wondered why ezotic materials like magma blocks and all sorts were consistently left out of normal resource gathering and could only be obtained through creative spawns, obviously I'm not asking to open up the nether again right now due to the lore implications behind doing that with iblees and all but it always feels like we actively restrict the decorative blocks we are allowed to use for no other reason than just "because". I feel like it shouldn't be a massive chore to gather nice looking blocks in order to make a nice looking structure, and ultimately with freebuild being a thing you will want people to be able to get easy access to these nicer decorative blocks that minecraft provides such as all the new terracotta and concrete blocks as well or else everyone in the freebuild areas will just resort to going back to cobblestone fortresses again because the server artificially makes it far too much of a bother to actively go and collect these materials. Hopefully with the removal of nexus that will change a bit and make vanilla collection much less of a painstaking chore as it once was but artificially limiting the decorative blocks we may have access to I feel, especially with the removal of Local creative for players, a detriment for players and builds on LOTC in general. I mean, why should only nations be allowed to have access to some decorative blocks whilst normal players can only play with the barebones basics all the time. Every time minecraft updates with new decorative blocks I've noticed they are always withheld purposefully by staff behind a wall that you can't access for the better part of no reason other than so they can be artificially special just like it was with quartz when that came out, or how purlpur is at the moment the purple coloured blocks and magma blocks. 
"FREE DECORATIVE BLOCKS FOR NORMAL PLAYER USE! DOWN WITH NATION BUILD FAVORITISM!" 

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Keeping Diamonds and Emeralds as rp items, perhaps also the block variants such as diamond blocks and emerald blocks for decoration purposes. Perhaps the inclusion of diamond pickaxes, axes and shovel and hoes as well for with their damages reduced for the sakes of providing tool variety, same with gold tools and weapons in general as well I hope all of those stay in because people use things like diamond and golden hoes for RP magic staves and the sorts all the time. Or Golden helmets for circlets and crowns. There are several items that are used entirely for noncombative rp purposes that I feel removing will serve to merely cause more harm than good. Is there no way to just take away diamond armour and sword recipes instead? Because I feel like that is the crux of the matter and though I have no opinion on those being taken away other than it sometimes helps to diversify RP and PVP so not everyone is just in iron armour all the time, actively punishing all players with the removal of everything diamond related just because in a heavy handed blanket ban is far too over the top. Get rid of that which you have a personal gripe with if you must, i.e. armour and swords, but don't remove every single item even remotely related to it, because you're just hurting RP for no other reason than because you can. 

Really if there was a way to limit the production of Diamond weapons and armour so that by the end of the map not every single person had a set without creating a drastic need for diamonds to the point that RP diamond jewelry , staves, crowns etc inflating the price of diamonds and the like that would be perfect.

Maybe create a separate kind of diamond that has a chance of dropping from collecting diamond ore extremely rarely, and this diamond wouldn't be able to be used in normal crafting recipes but instead could only be used in the creation of diamond armour and weapons. But it is so rare to find that a miner could spend weeks mining and only end up with maybe  a couple at most, enough to make a sword but to make a suit of full on armour it would take months of gathering. Perhaps you could use a diamond ore block to represent this item mechanically for the purposes of crafting and in order to craft it you would need to gather enough of these special diamond ore blocks that drop extremely rarely in order to make any combative diamond gear. 

This way, diamond armour will be only affordable by the extremely rich, extremely rare and because of its rarity people will very rarely risk the chance of losing it in the fires of war where a few seconds count between being alive and suddenly being dead. Thus solving the issue of diamond armour being too common which was the main complaint, whilst still providing that depth to pvp and actively rewarding those people who spend time mining for hours on end with something they can be proud of whilst at the same time allowing normal players like myself and others to still have access to normal diamonds and noncombative items likes pickaxes, axes, hoes, diamond blocks and the diamond item for the purposes of RP. 

It's just a thought really, obviously the implimentation of Diamond armour will come up again in the future as it always has as people get bored of everyone constantly having iron armour up the wazoo and it simply comes down to how many men you can have in iron armour VS how many men they can field with iron armour and the cycle just repeats itself with diamond armour being artificially rare at first then becoming too common because the way in which it was purposefully kept rare didn't account for the fact that nations actively have a higher chance of finding these things percentage wise compared to a single player statistically speaking because they have maybe 40 people they can call upon to collect these things for them making the drop rate much higher for them. You need to develop a system that takes this large quantity or groups of players working together into account when actively coming up with the percentage drop rates for anything that could allow the creation of diamond armour in order to keep it /as rare as humanly possible/. 

 

I wanted to ask, in instances for materials gathering such as the collection of gravel, sand, stone amongst other materials such as clay and the likes, materials that usually require heavy landscarring in order to gather enough material to be used in large building projects, will the mining worlds suffice in providing these materials instead so that we can keep our rivers sandy and full of clay and our world less stripped mined for stone to create cities and towns with? Or else the Orcs are going to have a rather rude awakening with half the desert mysteriously vanishing overnight at the same time a rather nice looking sandstone city shows up on the map.

In aegis for example The Ascended had a Sandstone/sand mine for the specific intent of trying to reduce landscarring. 

Diamonds and Emeralds as items serves a use in enchanting and roleplay aspects beyond merely creating armour and weapons from them and are integral to certain kinds of magic. 

20 hours ago, Swgrclan said:

I suggest a form of risk should be implemented if other people are allowed to carry these null variants for up to a week. Why not allow others to turn the Null Embers against the intended use, similarly how other utilities like Draughts of Incite can be weaponized against Undead to "mortalize" them by force? I would recommend that if others were to use these, that they cannot inflict actual Disconnection, but rather repeat the same debilitation of chaotic/uncontrollable power as is described.

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I mean it's been established in a lot of pieces that Ascended artifacts for the past six years usually require Ascended blood/the Power of Aeriel in order to properly activate them, and though that has changed a little bit for some of the new infusions this specifically isn't an infusion. Anyways the purpose of all this is for internal Ascended management, not to write another weapon amongst all the copious methods and weapons that exist to murder Ascended and things similar to it already. As it stands anyways there's no point giving it the ability to be used by non Ascended, as most likely than not you will never even see one of these things, the need and will to disconnect Ascended rarely if ever comes up, and when it does come up the affair is entirely internal, and handled with the utmost discretion. There's no point really, that and again, there are already several other methods to screw with Ascended without us writing in our own thing to screw with ourselves as well really. There's already enough in the Ascended lore that serves to be a detriment without adding more. 

The Old wizard would sit in his study wondering how many Phoenix have been found so far, and how many more have found a new master to call their own.

RP Information: 

Name: The Wizard Blundermore

Age: Private

Race: Ascended Human

Title and topic of your book for application:

The Wings of Fire (Delivered icly to the library already)

OOC Information:

MC Name: Blundermore

Skype [If you're wanting to be added to the chat]: Blundermore

*A book would seem to be published wrapped in regal red leather and bound with a strange enchantment that causes the book to glow when touched*

Before we begin as an author’s note I’d advise that the Phoenix, though great in majesty is not a mere pet, and can be very dangerous when roused to anger. These creatures as beautiful as they are can cause great harm to those not equipped with the knowledge and skill necessary in order to properly handle this mythical creature. Saying this however, with the proper training and care a Phoenix is much more than a pet can ever be, it is a loyal lifelong companion once bonded, and an intelligent one at that. As a keeper of a Phoenix for several hundred years I can tell you that she has brought much happiness and joy to this old man’s heart. I can only hope if you are fortunate enough to gain the trust of your very own Phoenix that it brings you as much happiness as it did to me.

Introduction:

What is a Phoenix you may ask yourself? To begin, a Phoenix is  largest bird of prey in the known realms, with a wingspan of over 15ft across in some instances. There are several species within the Phoenix family, each with their own colour, style and behavior. However the Phoenix is not merely your average valley Eagle or hawk, it is imbued with a magical essence of the element they are born into so much so that each species of Phoenix become living embodiment of the elements they represent.

Phoenix possess razor sharp claws and beaks capable of breaking bone and tearing flesh. However their main diet consists of usually small vermin, such as the common hare, to fruit and nuts. Phoenix possess a fiercely keen sight and an intelligence unlike any common animal in the realm.

A Phoenix possesses the rarest of all traits unique it seems only to them, for they possess the ability to rebirth themselves into the world once more once they’ve lived to a certain age or have suffered from grievous wounds. Shedding their mortal coil in a blaze of elemental fury, their ashes giving form to a Golden egg which will eventually hatch into a young Phoenix, reincarnated from the ashes of its predecessor. Why exactly these strange creatures do this it is unknown, though I’ve always suspected it is the natural life cycle of these creatures to reproduce through the ashes of their deceased to begin anew. Whatever reason as to why this event I call ‘The Anatalisa’ or ‘ The Rebirth’ occurs, eludes even the most learned of scholars. However those whom have the honor to witness such an event are said to gain good fortune.

From what I was told by the mysterious stranger that gave me my Golden Egg, there are only ever 12 Phoenix in existence at any one time, why this phenomenon is apparent alludes us to this day, I suspect it may have some sort of AnguelDaemonic Deity involved manipulating the  inner workings of how the Phoenix operate as a species, and may explain their unique gifts and elemental powers.   

Phoenix are capable of bonding to the Descendants of this realm, however you cannot forcibly tame such creatures as you would with a horse or a dog. Phoenix are intelligent enough to understand when one displays the prominent attributes that are considered desirable amongst their kind, they will not bond with those they considered weak willed or physically incapable of protecting themselves or the Phoenix in question.

Phoenix above all else desire those whom either possess the physical prowess of a champion or the intellect of the wisest of scholars and are drawn to such beings, seeing them as a sort of leader to which they can follow and be protected by. The Phoenix are also drawn to the element of their birth, favoring owners that exemplify a similar aspect of the same element as themselves.

Behaviour:

Going onto their behaviour I’ve found that a Phoenix’s behaviour is as complex as some Descendants I’ve known in the past. Phoenix are most comfortable within their own element or climate, however a Phoenix can potentially live anywhere without any impact to their physical health. However this tends to cause the Phoenix to have very common and violent moodswings when forced to live in an unsuitable environment for long periods of time, potentially causing them to lash out at others or perhaps even their own owners if they feel as though they’ve been mistreated or otherwise believe that their owner is considered an inadequate protector. Eventually perhaps even causing them to leave their owner in search of a more adequate one. A Phoenix is willing to take orders whilst still under duress however an unhappy Phoenix will make its complaints known if it feels as though it is being mistreated.

Species of Phoenix:

The Ignis Species:

The Ignis Phoenix is the most common Phoenix that exists within our realm, as well as being the most well known variety of Phoenix. An Ignis Phoenix’s element is the raw power of fire, it’s plumage a mix of yellow and crimson as the feathers themselves would ignite into sparks of white hot flames that would continue to burn for its entire life from the moment they first appear. Growing more powerful as the Phoenix grows older until eventually the flames become so strong that the inferno eventually consumes the Ignis Phoenix during its Anatalisa, starting the whole process all over again. They prefer much hotter climates compared to the other variety of Phoenix for obvious reasons, preferring to live in deserts or even in some rare occurrences, active volcanos.

The Ligno Species:

The Ligno Species of Phoenix has a plumage ranging usually from dark green to dark brown in colour, however if you were to take a closer look you would see that the Ligno Phoenix’s plumage was in fact more like leaves and twigs, earning its nickname as ‘The Flying Bush’, even its tailwings are made from Vines, twigs and branches. The Ligno species is most comfortable within the forests and glades of the woodland realms, resting commonly amongst the large oak and sequoia that can be found dotted around the wilderness of the forests of the realm.

The Glacium Species:

The Glacium species of Phoenix is a Phoenix of ice, its plumage varying from a dark blue to a light blue. If you were to approach this creature you would find the air around you visibly getting colder as this species of Phoenix radiates the element of ice and water, its feathers heavily encrusted with what seemingly looks like permafrost. Snowflakes can be seen trailing behind such creatures when they take flight. They are most commonly found within the icey tundras and cold seas of the Northern areas of the realms, preferring the cold climate and the bitter elements of those desolate places.

The Aether Species:

The Aether Phoenix, or the Phoenix of Air, is the rarest of all the Phoenix family within existence. Usually seen soaring constantly at high altitudes, only the sharpest of eyes would be capable of even catching merely a glimpse of this rare creature with the aid of a spyglass. Usually found circling the peaks of the tallest of mountains these Phoenix are known as being the fastest of all the species. Their plumage ranging from a crisp pure white to a slate grey colour, its wings always generating an unseen draft of wind from under its wings allowing it to soar ever higher than the other species.

How to look after a Phoenix:

A baby Phoenix once hatched cannot fend for itself and requires years of careful nurturing in order to help it fully grow to its adult size. A diet of carefully chopped nuts and insects grounded up with a pestle and mortar is the best method I’ve found to feed a baby Phoenix. Continue with this diet until they are able to fly, after which switch to a diet of dead mice and walnuts. I’d suggest at this stage as the bird becomes more curious and quicker to become bored to invent unique methods of reproducing it’s need to hunt and forage in order to teach it the skills it will need once it is older.

An adult phoenix once matured is capable of feeding itself though it will still accept the occasional treat once in awhile.

How to treat your Phoenix:

Always treat your Phoenix with the utmost of respect. Though it has chosen you as its master it is not a subservient beast like a dog. When greeting it you must always do so with a small courteous bow, you must show it kindness and most importantly, you must continue to show that you are a worthy leader for it to follow.

I hope with the help from the information within these pages you will capable of retaining your very own Phoenix within the future.

Though if you need any help regarding the matter I would be more than happy to provide my services.

The Wings of Fire

By The Wizard Blundermore

With special thanks to a life long companion, Aeternus the Aether Phoenix for making this book a reality. 

((Given Phoenix are coming back I thought I would develop an in RP guide for budding new Phoenix handlers to take note of  and as general flavour text. I hope I'm not stepping out of line doing so, I've always found the Phoenix rp fascinating to do))

We were told in the most recent Ascended rewrite by the lore team that the Soulstream, aka the Realm of Aeriel exists on the moon. Hence why I made the comment about the AnguelDaemonic Beach resort on the sun. Because it was certainly news to us that Aeriel's Soulstream is on the moon.

I'm not quite sure on other deity based lore for magic but I'm pretty certain that under the current rewrite for the Ascended a Divine Scoundrel would be able to steal the magic of an ascended, but would lack the means to use it.

In order to use Ascended magic, a Descendant must go through a process of rebirth, that has them being taken by Aeriel in both soul and body and effectively rewritten to become a physical extension of herself. 
Because of this, the powers the Ascended actually wield are not theirs to call their own, the Ascended instead are merely borrowing power from Aeriel however this power in order to be utilized requires the means that only an Ascended can produce. As they act as conduits in which the powers of Aeriel are drawn through using their own ember.

Effectively, though perhaps a Divine scoundrel could perhaps steal the power of Aeriel, which in itself seems a little silly how you would divert that power to yourself from a literal Anguel connecting to a physical extension of herself, you'd effectively have the nail but not the hammer to use it. I.e. without the extreme soul and body changes an Ascended goes through during rebirth, a divine scoundrel would never be capable of using Ascended magic. Divine Scoundrels lack the Ember within them to even call forth the power of Aeriel to begin with at will, meaning they lack the means of which to use Ascended magic even as a Demi Ascended, whom possess a small Ember in their current state. 


This also pretty much makes Demi Ascended and their weaknesses completely nonsensical if this lore is passed. You're pretty much Demi Ascended but better really. 
A Demi Ascended being a being that cannot produce a full ember within themselves but instead can learn Arcane magic. Limiting their abilities within the Ascended quite significantly. 
From what I'm reading you do not gain any such debuffs at all. So effectively under this current write up your lore makes the entire purpose of the Demi Ascended pointless, everyone in the Demi Ascended might as well be Divine scoundrels. Which is silly because Divine scoundrels lack an Ember completely yet somehow are better at Ascended magic than a Demi Ascended? That's just nonsensical nonsense sorry.


So to end, this lore pretty much completely writes around the issues faced by Demi Ascended without being impeded at all in the same way Demi Ascended are. If Divine Scoundrels are to gain Ascended abilities without any sort of debuffs then I do not see why the restrictions on Demi Ascended should be imposed at all. One rule for us and one rule for everyone else is not how it works. 

This lore, questionable whether or not you could even steal the power, does not give you the tools to use the powers of an Ascended, meaning that a Divine scoundrel could not ever steal the powers of an Ascended and use them
 

Looks good. They keep changing astrological lore so often at this point that I'm not sure if my telescope is pointed at the stars or if it's pointed at some anguel daemon's beach holiday resort.

The old wizard mull over this as he sits in his study, going over to a large white bird perched upon a great stand he would stroke Aeternum as he says to his old Aether Phoenix companion

"I had always wondered what happened to the others of you kind... What do you say, old friend?" 

The Phoenix would merely coo quietly, rubbing its feathered beak against his old hand, as the wizard merely stares on in wonder, wonder of what was to come.

I hate hashtags.

#Whatsright
The player input that the staff should hopefully be taking account of and acting upon is a step in the right direction

#whatswrong

The apparent and frequent amount of staff bias and abuse of the rules because of their staff rank in order to serve their own purposes and not the purposes of the server as a whole seems to be becoming a much more frequently mentioned topic among most of the people I've spoken to. From the Lore team to the GM team, FMs to Admins, it seems no one can truly stay professional and not abuse the 'power' given to them in order to either get what they want for themselves and a certain playergroup they're involved in but casually manipulating others or forcing other groups into doing what they want under threats of having lore changed/removed/rewritten to be a detriment to them or otherwise directly affect IC conduct with ooc actions. Also the fact that whenever this is brought up, staff become extremely hostile and defensive opting to attack the player in question instead of actually doing something about the matter, heavily suggesting that what has been said was true and that they do not like the fact they're being criticized about that fact.

Just now, meg said:

 

for you, probably, for either being completely blind or willfully ignorant of widespread abuse and server issues.

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There is a lot of assumptions on my position and my opinion despite not saying what exactly my position or opinion actually is...

Just now, meg said:

 

brushing off legitimate feedback and criticisms as a flavor of the week because you aren't personally impacted by it is a rrly good look for you my dude

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The award for seeing things that just simply aren't there goes to...

I see this is the theme of the week. I wonder what will be next weeks theme.

Could not think of a better name really?

Connor never was any good at making names

you could start by trimming the fat on the 20-30 different kinds of dark magic and dark creatures... or at least allowing holy magic to be a bit more interesting than it is at the moment. Lore team denys us from expanding into more creative ideas because either the dark magic lot already have it or the idea is apparently unworkable. We're kinda in a corner here and not by our own actions, staff has purposefully written us into a corner and won't let us do anything interesting with what we have.  

I mean people say holy magic is boring an unimaginative because all it comes down to is: HOLY FLAMES STRIKE OUT AGAINST THE DARKNESS, BLWAAARGH! But the thing is whenever we try to do anything else we're simply told no. Not through lack of trying either, I've submitted about 20 different ideas to the lore team in the past and all have been denied on account of either being already done by a dark magic or because the idea is unworkable or apparently doesn't make sense in their mind etc. 

On the note of Holy orders doing more when it comes to other things, the Ascended is already doing so, it may not seem like it because you personally aren't witnessing it but we are developing our own culture and method in RP again and have grown to the point now where we rival some nation's active playerbases. 

"Covert Organisations would do well to not advertise themselves to every person under the sun. They should know that this is a most dangerous game best played beyond what the general public is aware of." -An Old Man would say as he reads 

Reading over the letter in his study his eyebrows would furrow and his lips would twist as he finishes the letter

"He tarnishes the name of the Ascended and threw us to the curb when it suited his interests, now he wants us to outwardly attack a group we have no inkling to commit a witch hunt against? This is a domestic dispute that has far gotten out of hand, I thought we heard the end of it after he was disconnected. It would seem I was mistaken in the matter.

He already burnt the bridges between us when he chose to wound our family and our Order despite being given every chance to make amends, chances I fought tooth and nail for with the order for countless years. Not this time however, he can be the one to attempt to rebuild these bridges, not ask us to walk across a bridge aflame in his hour of need at his beck and call.

I for one have heard more than enough about the Hawksong's continuing domestic dispute to last a lifetime, they should learn to not hang their dirty tunics where everyone is permitted to see it." 

Scrunching up the letter he would snap his fingers before the letter would suddenly evaporate into a mystical and aetheric energy, before returning to his studies.