Smaw

Good job.

Any movement on the PK clause since this was last discussed? It would seem reasonable to have two types of Spirit Walking. One could be induced by a concoction that works more like a shared “trip” and has no real consequence. Another would be more literal, in-keeping with the PK clause but offering an equivalent gain: allowing you to glean something of significance from the Spirit World, for instance. Perhaps at T1 a visit would endanger the prospective student (PK) as they first encounter the Spirits. I would argue that subsequent visits should present less of a risk, given the familiarity and experience (power?) afforded to the Shaman. Otherwise, looks good.

I mean, they’re literally called Dark Elves. If you ban the word and people come up with another one, would it not have the same inference? It’s easier to moderate excessive use of a phrase than to ban it altogether where it may be applicable in certain RP circumstances.

+1 if you add Void Rats and Spirit Frogs.

You should end this map with some kind of plague.

Don't reveal the secret. 🙊

Preface: Sien'ii and The First Souls "those that toil with souls of men, how you feast on the fruits of our labour, the tools of harvest, we have found again now the "gods" will pray for our favour" Indeed, the Mortal Soul was not always imperfect; at least not in its essence. It was the Creator himself that found an unforgivable darkness in its first iteration, forcing a dim light to sunder the perfection. This debasement formed the feeble souls and their subsequent mana observed today; a fraction of the true mortal potential. It is this bastardisation of the soul that causes the deaths of our bodies; they were not made for one another, not complete in their symbiosis. Yes, it was when the perfect light of the immortal AenguDaemonic soul was cast that nature's duality reared its head and bore the first shadow, the first of mortal souls. Sien'ii, they call it, the realm forged from the Creator’s very hands. A prison, littered with the coffers of these souls, entities of the first mana deemed erroneously as failures. Those souls remain in Sien'ii, trapped away inside towering monoliths, prisons of vantablack in the darkness. Of course, they could not be destroyed, instead condemned to exist without the bodies they were made for, or the land they were to inhabit. Yet the marriage of time and power leads inevitably to progress, and the First Souls have found a means through which to escape. Once in every blue moon, a stygian bolt strikes our earth, a temporary hand reaching from the otherworld. In its wake it forges within the land a material capable of containing a fraction of the original mana, for a time... You know of it. It is the stone that Mortals have happened upon over the ages, referred to with caution as Zalitz. We have finally discovered the true nature of this material, and with it, the true nature of our souls. Zalitz, Stones of the First Souls Xionists have recently discovered the deeper nature of the Zalitz stone, harnessing its raw energy in a bid to rediscover the progenitors of mortal kind and reclaim the power that had been stolen from them. These Xionists have adopted the name of the realm where they source their power, subsequently referred to as The Sien’ii. Properties of Zalitz Zalitz is a dark rock that on the surface appears to be quite ordinary, yet casts a shadow on all sides. It can never be larger than the size of one block, and cannot be combined with other stone, even of its kind, quite naturally; excluding the Heart Stone detailed later on. It is formed when a black lightning strikes the earth, an attempt by the First Souls to anchor themselves to the mortal realm. They are unsuccessful without fail. However, they do leave behind material that holds some of their energy. This process cannot be used to open a gateway to Sien’ii, and the First Souls cannot fully materialise in the mortal realm or float around as formless souls. When Zalitz is first found, it functions much like a battery, in that it stores the energies of the First Souls (dark mana) for a period of time. This length of time depends entirely on the amount of mana available to it through direct contact. Zalitz has the ability to passively consume mana in order to lengthen its lifespan. When it does not have any mana to consume, it will last for two hours before crumbling. It can serve as a conduit for the dark mana, which will be detailed below in the ritual section. It is for this reason that most Sien’ii attempt to store Zalitz within their bodies, where it will slowly consume the light of their soul in order to morph them into the mortals they were originally made to be. This is achieved through two states, both with different stones that aid the transformation process. Zalitz is for all intents and purposes stone and so offers all of the same weaknesses and susceptibilities. Additionally, the properties of the stone may be weakened by holy magic. The Core The first of the two stones, the core stone is essential for a Sien’ii to use any of the powers available to them. It can be of any shape and any size within the redlines, though is usually cut into a small stone so as to not impede the Sien’ii. The core houses a fraction of a First Soul, which will slowly take over the Sien’ii until body and soul become one perfect machine. Subsequent to grandfathering, this process will be detailed in the symbols/rituals section. The Sien’ii, Core Stone Progress (Month 1 & 2) In the first month, the core stone begins to consume the mana of the mortal, which causes any Magic they can use to be half as effective across the board. When mana is consumed, it allows room for the original darkness of the soul to spread, which makes a Sien’ii progressively more powerful. There are very few physical changes that occur within a Sien’ii during their transformation, as the bodies that they inhabit are perfectly capable of containing the powers of a first soul; if not originally designed for them. However, if a creature warped by other Magics houses a core stone, the Zalitz will eat away at the energies that made them unlike mortal men, and will cause them to revert back to their original form. For example, a Dryad that was an Elf would once again become an Elf if embedded with a core stone. As the core stone strengthens the soul, several features of the mortal body begin to return to their “original” fortitude. Hair and nails cannot be trimmed without considerable force, and for this reason many Sien’ii sport long, flowing locks and clawed hands. The skin begins to push out any tattoos, and heal any scars, freckles, warts and blemishes. Any need to use glasses is no longer necessary as eyes strengthen, and any loss of sight and hearing returns; note, missing limbs cannot be regrown during this process, including eyes. Typically at this stage, Sien’ii can be hard to tell apart if of similar stature. In the second month, the Sien’ii’s mana has been totally consumed, preventing them from using any other available Magics. It is at this point that they are given Dark Insight, which is a knowledge of symbols that may be etched upon Zalitz to give it various additional properties. Sien’ii at this point in their progress are capable of calling further strikes upon the earth so that they may produce more Zalitz with which to fashion tools. Month 2 Abilities & Rituals Dark Insight - Sien’ii gain the knowledge to use dark symbology, and may etch these symbols into Zalitz in order to call upon certain powers and features. These forms of Zalitz are not compatible and cannot be held together at the same time. These are as follows: Ozzokith - This symbol is used on a Zalitz stone in order for it to become a Core Stone. Core stones are inactive until the ritual of The Calling has been performed. When the ritual is complete, the Core Stone will house a fraction of a First Soul, where it will develop over time. Ikoth - Used on rods of Zalitz in order to perform the ritual of The Calling, detailed further. Enihot - This hastens the mana consuming properties of Zalitz, causing it to last only one hour without a source from which to draw energy. When passive, it causes anyone in a five block radius to use only half of their typical magical potential; this includes magical creatures. When in contact with a mortal it completely disables their ability to use mana, and prevents magical creatures from using their inert abilities, but requires the complete focus of the Sien’ii.; again within a five block radius. In other words, this causes both parties to be unable to perform any Magics, putting them at an equal playing field. Enihot stones are typically fashioned into arrows that can be shot into a target, or can sometimes be seen fashioned into rings or jewelry as items of trickery, where a Sien’ii could subdue a targets mana without them knowing; they must be within a five block radius for this to take effect. Please note that the degradation of mana will take place over the span of 5 rounds of emotes or dialogue, where a reduction of 20% potency occurs every emote. Calit’oz - The nature of Zalitz allows it to cast a shadow on all sides, even in the presence of light. It is within these shadows that a Sien’ii may call forth the imprint of the First Souls, horrific shadow creatures with humanoid form, that may only exist within the shadow cast, and cannot be larger than the size of the Sien’ii or, before awakening, cannot be larger than the size of the shadow which is cast; at maximum one block of mass. Initially, Imprints are not typically capable of throwing punches or holding any kind of weaponry, but can restrain their targets and strangle them. They can only exist within the parameters of the shadow that is cast until a Sien’ii is awakened. Typically, low level Sien’ii will throw rods large enough for a hand to emerge, so as to help them hold down a target. Imprints are weak to fire, piercing and holy magic, but will prevent the use of mana when holding their target. They are not susceptible to crushing or punching damage unless in a hardened state. When a Sien’ii is awakened, they may bolster the strength of the Imprints to change shape and form, and wield weapons. Ilinialon - This symbol is etched into piercing Zalitz in order to complete the ritual of the Deific Purge, and crumbles when the ritual is complete. Ualoth - On the last day of the second month, a Sien’ii is capable of hosting the Heart Stone, and learns how to etch one with the use of this rune. A heart stone must be the size of the heart being replaced, and Sien’ii will often harvest organs so that they can get the details correct. (A Sien’ii and Imprint producing a horrific form) Rituals The First Prayer - A Sien’ii may call to the First Souls so that they may strike the earth and allow the Sien’ii to harvest the Zalitz that subsequently forms. This ritual may only be performed once every two weeks, per Sien’ii so as to limit the amount of material they can work with. This requires an ET in order to strike the land in question with an actual bolt and change its appearance. The Sien’ii must then emote harvesting this material like they would if they were typically mining. The Calling - In order to become Sien’ii, a ritual of The Calling must be performed, where a core stone is implanted into a host, as well as four rods of Zalitz with the Ikoth symbol impaled each into both of the hands and feet. A Sien’ii will then call to their realm of darkness. If the ritual is successful, four bolts of lightning will strike the rods of Ikoth, awakening the core stone into action. This ritual MUST be performed in an open environment where the sky may reach the ritual altar. The Sien’ii must recite the following chant in individual sentences as outlined below, and must have an ET present to perform the lightning strikes so that the surrounding population may investigate. The lightning strikes must follow each sentence of the chant in a 5 second delay after the Sien’ii speaks. The Calling: Oketh itz ob tuur etz ek Oketh itz ob iil etz ek Oketh itz ob ton buur lig Oketh itz ob shon buur lig Deific Purge - The ritual of purging requires three Sien’ii, and is used to reverse any process which has changed a mortal into something other than its original state. The three Sien’ii must produce rods of Ilinialon capable of piercing the body, and all three must strike into the torso of the victim at the same time. The three core stones present will then begin to consume the energies that shaped the creature until they are mortal once again. During this process, the Sien’ii cannot perform any other abilities and must each chant the following ten times in shout to complete the process: Deific Purge: Olob oz tulon Heart Awakening - On the last day of the first two month period, a Sien’ii is eligible to have their heart replaced with the heart stone in the awakening ritual. This requires three Sien’ii to perform the ritual alongside the Sien’ii undergoing the it. The Awakening requires one of the Sien’ii to literally cut out the heart of the one undergoing the ritual. Additionally, the wrists and neck must be slit to drain their blood entirely for the new heart to function. This will clearly cause the Sien’ii to die momentarily. If the ritual is interrupted, they will die and will have to try again later. The heart that is cut out must be smashed with the Heart Stone as all three Sien’ii chant the following. The heart must be struck with the stone five times, each with the sentence below chanted. With every strike, an ET must call down lightning to once again notify the surrounding populace, and must be performed in an open space with the sky above. The heart will then be struck, crackling with a dark energy as it is placed where the Sien’iis heart once sat, where the Sien’ii will awaken, born anew. After this, the Core Stone must be removed as it is not compatible with the Heart. However, the Heart Stone allows one extra Zalitz to be used by an awakened Sien’ii. The Awakening: Ghuul ob etz tenn hohraak otez The Awakened Sien’ii As the new heart awakens, the Sien’ii’s veins are filled with a black substance akin to blood. Due to its coluration and the pale skin of the Sien’ii, veins become more apparent across the body, as if the Sien’ii is covered in tattoos or black veins like lightning. The awakened Sien’ii is now an anchor for the world beyond, a mortal of cold calculation no longer burdened by the weak nature of the heart. It is now at this final stage that the Sien’ii is complete; a perfect host for the will of the First Souls. The Dark Will Indeed, the centuries deprived of true purpose have driven the First Souls mad and impatient. Finally, with a tool through which to work, the energies they have spent their imprisonment strengthening and perfecting may influence the world. With the blood of the First Souls, a Sien’ii is now capable of using a Magic referred to as The Dark Will. An awakened Sien’ii will never become a fully fledged First Soul, however, they may work in symbiosis with one in order to enact their will. The blood that courses through the Sien’ii may be transformed into a fine mist that may escape through the skin and call upon the energies of the world beyond. Without the blood or mana of typical mortals, an awakened Sien’ii’s blood serves as its mana. Kuuroth An awakened Sien’ii may produce a fine, black mist that crackles with energy. It may spread to a radius of 5 blocks and drain the mana of anything within that vicinity. Kuuroth cannot shock anything like typical electricity, but may cause significant pain similar to electrocution as the victim has their mana drawn upon. If a Sien’ii focuses Kuuroth into a finer stream they may corrupt a victim to serve as their thrall. They will be able to influence their motor controls but the victim would still be capable of their own thought and speech. This version of Kuuroth cannot influence anyone to kill or harm themselves unless consent is given. This mist may be dispersed by strong winds and holy magics. Imprint Empowerment The Sien’ii may use the fine mist of Kuuroth to serve as a vessel through which an imprint of the First Soul may take a full, humanoid form. These creatures and their limitations/weaknesses are detailed in the Calit’oz symbol. When an Imprint is brought to full form, it may shape one of its limbs into a weapon that is limited by the total mass an Imprint can form as; a copy of the Sien’ii. For example, an arm may take the shape of a weapon provided it is no larger than the size of the original arm. An Imprint could in theory sacrifice a leg in order to allocate more of its form to a weapon. The weapons formed take on a similar substance to rock, and therefore offer crush damage with little to no ability to pierce or slice. Additionally, they will be quite weighty for the Imprint, leading to fairly average movement or swing speeds. A Sien’ii may choose to summon an Imprint specifically as a weapon instead, limited to all of the previous red lines disclosed. If so choosing, an Imprint can instead enshroud the Sien’ii to bolster their defenses. They may corrupt themselves into a substance akin to Zalitz which serves as an armour to the Sien’ii. It may crumble under heavy, blunt damage but holds up fairly well against slicing and piercing. When a Sien’ii protects themselves with an Imprint, they are incapable of producing any other Magic they can use and the typical consuming nature of their magic is significantly reduced in lieu of personal protection. It also becomes fairly heavy, causing the Sien’ii’s movements to slow. Prosthetic Limbs An awakened Sien’ii may create for themselves a prosthetic limb from Zalitz which is compatible with the Heart Stone. They may only have one at a time, but it will function more or less like an average limb would due to the new blood within the Sien’ii. They are hard like rock and fairly light in their nature so offer little in the way of significant damage outside of general collision damage; a slight buff over the average fist. Animal Magnetism Animals have always been the pawn of mankind, and such a rule of nature is not remiss for the Sien’ii and their ways. Unlike other mortals and the sphere of limited influence the Sien’ii have over them, the animal kingdom is far easier to manipulate. An awakened Sien’ii may corrupt wildlife by embedding them with rods of Zalitz, which they may influence through the powers of the Kuuroth; the mist that they produce. Typically, a Sien’ii will fashion the stone into arrows, to strike animals from afar. If a Sien’ii decided to sow some chaos within a small town, or cause an affront to the Druids, they may corrupt the nature of an animal in order to make them more ferocious. Due to their weaker nature, a Sien’ii may influence an animal from a distance of 10 blocks. The Dark Craftsmen When a Sien’ii awakens, they bear a greater understanding for the intricacies of the Zalitz. Where before they would have only known how to etch symbols, they may now harness their latent energies to shift and manipulate the Zalitz with three specific purposes. Perhaps the most common example of this comes in the form of jewelry, where a Sien’ii will make a necklace or ring for an unwitting victim in order to drain their mana. Of course, if the item is crushed or purified it will no longer have the intended effect. Secondly, a Sien’ii may fashion an interesting type of Zalitz which is used to strengthen the radius at which their magic may extend. Generally, these are small in nature and embedded within the skin. They allow the radius of the Sien’ii to extend to 10 blocks, however, this type of Zalitz, like most others, is incompatible with anything but the Heart Stone. Lastly, and with significant time and effort, a Sien’ii may utilise his or her energies in order to produce a type of Zalitz used in building; represented as an obsidian block. This effort leads to large, stygian forts and castles that have beset on all sides an odd and everlasting shadow that defies the persistent sun above. Typically, these constructions do not have doors or even windows at times, as an awakened Sien’ii is capable of manipulating the Zalitz to move so as to make an entryway. While strong as a reinforced version of Zalitz, they are not much more resistant than a typical stone fortification. Red Lines:

Everyone wants to do something and staff want them not doing anything.

Quite right, because of the cosmic void our galaxy is in. It's real, man.

Do you think the idea that we live within a void in space could be the reason we haven’t been contacted by extraterrestrials?

Having had a previous feature doesn’t necessarily make it passable in today’s climate. If the recent lore passed without it, we can assume it was needed in order to prevent the Necro lore from being too overwhelming.

Don’t Necros have enough in their arsenal already? Curses are for Witch Doctors; curses that have been nerfed heavily. Can it be justified here as well?

We can assume in most cases that these creatures would simply assume any mana blob in their vision to be a threat. I could see this resulting in a lot of trigger happy confrontations which just wouldn't be fun for anyone. Really, arrows and the like aren't exactly a weakness in their inability to perceive them because it reads like they would do little to no harm to the creature anyway. It seems like you could shoot them with a barrage of arrows, but they wouldn't bleed out, they don't feel pain and they don't have the musculature to keel over. If as you stated in a later response they're held together magically (clearly) then what, besides from water (assuming submerging) would actually break them apart? A Ugr'sil with broken arms and legs, or even no appendages at all seems irrelevant to their overall ability to cause harm. I appreciate the blindness conveyed here and the agility being hindered by the aforementioned, but if they really do end up being bumbling creatures stumbling into everything then what RP would be gleaned from this? I can see it being largely ignored. This one was less a critique than a general enquiry to understand the lore. If they can speak and hear magically, why can't they smell and taste? Point being that there are some clear drawbacks here that could be expanded upon to make the creature more viable. Not being able to communicate traditionally, or even hear would be huge weaknesses. You could forgive many of the overpowered features in light of something like that. Let's be fair, they're just not. I've read through it and from what I understand there really aren't any weaknesses to this creature apart from blindness. It's far too immune to so many world aspects that tacking on the fact that they suffer all traditional void red lines just isn't sufficient.

The formatting is brilliant, and the general idea and imagery follow suit. However, these appear to be horrendously overpowered. If I were to write a summary for such a creature, based on the various features presented here, we would have the following: ----- Ugr'sil are traditionally blind, skeletal creatures that do not feel pain. They are unharmed by swords, arrows and general sharp weaponry. Additionally, they do not need to breathe, are mostly fireproof, cannot bleed and are immune to poisons, diseases, venoms, voidal corruption, blight, taint and mana that would ordinarily harm or kill a descendant. These creatures have superhuman agility due to their light weight, allowing them to move one extra block in RP. Despite their lack of musculature, they are capable of wearing light plate armour and can wield weapons, often negating the drawbacks of their physical form. Despite being blind in the normal sense, they are capable of perceiving mana and therefore the descendants that inhabit the world. They are adept at using voidal magics, and can learn one extra voidal art over the average descendant. Due to their affinity for this magic type, they also do not need to emote a connection, hastening their offensive capabilities. ------ Basically what we have here are absolute units of magical proficiency that can only be harmed by crushing blows that they can avoid quite easily. I do have some questions and concerns which I hope can be answered here. - Although unable to see in the normal way, they can see mana and we can assume they can see descendants. If this is the case, they are more than capable of avoiding combat that would actually cause them harm; heightened agility and magical prowess. We can assume in the case of projectiles that most will cause little to no harm. - If Ugr'sil cannot taste or smell, why can they hear and communicate? - Apart from the blindness that has some clear loopholes, what real weaknesses do they present? In many ways they seem to have exceptional immunity to most mortal concerns. Considering they would have 6 magic slots available for voidal arts, is it really a drawback not to have access to other (most likely inferior) magics? - If voidal corruption is what causes their deterioration and consistent pain, why are they immune to it elsewhere?

RP is a medium many use to escape the ills of the normal world; it's a fantasy setting of high intrigue and adventure. In the same way we avoid particular RP scenarios, I think the majority of mental illnesses should be avoided where possible. It just presents muddy, often ineffective roleplay. Do you RP a consistent knee pain? Do you RP hayfever? Some things are better left alone.

- Added end-game stage of corruption to Artists - Added section on becoming an Artist and possible process - Additional red lines introduced

- Added abilities to some of the stages of corruption, as well as the Shambler concept.

The Artists & Shamblers (A depiction of an Artist's true painting) In all reaches of the world, the Kabalees keep a watchful eye on the events that unfold within the mortal realm. In the mountains and the toiled fields and amidst the deserts of sand and snow they have observed civilisations rise to power and crumble beneath their own weight. It is understood that there is always a threat on the horizon worthy of a watcher. However, the many oceans of the world seldom offer cause for concern. These vast and untamed seas, wholly devoid of intelligent life; save for the fragile Descendant ilk who could not dwell there lest ships bore the weight of their shortcomings. It was here that the Kabalees would conspire. For though decreed to observe all corners of the world, they were not told how to do so, or to what extent. Her Origins Ghorigbulag started life as humble as any natural creature. She was an Octopus of average size and shape. She swam through the seas locating food and safety in equal parts, with little intelligence or ability for anything else. Perhaps it was in her familiar form that the Kabalees saw potential. If one could see them, they would not find it amiss to associate her with their kin. Whatever the case was, it would not be long before they had befouled her of mind and spirit. As if some terrible creature balanced on a fine point between mortal and other she had been born anew. Her form had been warped and changed to suit her new purpose. Her skin had turned immaterial, yet black as her ink when she rose above the waves. Where once suction cups had lined the creatures' tentacles there were now myriad eyes, with which to observe for all eternity. She had the mind of Man and Mer alike, a contemplative imagination that kept her from ever leaving her prison beneath the depths. A prison it was, for the Kabalees had made it so. Even if she had wished to, she could never have explored the surface without being exposed for the abomination she had become. Ghorigbulag would be fit for nout but to explore the oceans, her unlimited life span sustained by the abhorrent energies that pervaded her very essence. Her Children As with all creatures of unnatural origin, it was not long before she began to show unexpected traits. In time it was revealed that she was capable of self-replication, children birthed from the ink she released in moments of panic. The Kabalees had not expected this, yet their curiosity cessated any will to action they might have had. Over the centuries, Ghorigbulag would birth an incredible number of children. They too scoured the oceans with watchful eyes, yet in them was yet another bastardised concoction of mortal and daemon. They were small like their mother, yet they were only capable of growing three or four tentacles, all without eyes or the suction cups that they might have replaced. Their skin was black as the stygian depths they roamed, yet out of the seas they were completely invisible, a stark and intriguing contrast to their mother. They were curious of mind, yet less fearful than their parent or those that had spurned their existence. In their years they came to observe the nature of the Descendants, who would wage wars upon the seas, and ravage the oceans of its inhabitants. Perhaps it was their batardizes nature that set them off the original course the Kabalees had bestowed unto Ghorigbulag, or perhaps it was her quiet plan. Whatever the cause, the children yearned to discover more of the world, and had found in the Descendants a tool through which to satisfy their starving minds. Under the blanket of the night sky the children crawl from the depths, their forms invisible outside of the waters. They most often meander into nearby fishing villages, affixing themselves to the slumbering Men and Elves who appear not to have the luck of sailors. They are also known to leap from beneath the waters on dazzled prey, manipulating their forms to draw attention. However it is that they make their way, it is on the very first touch to the cranium that the children take hold of their hosts. It is already too late. The Artists When a host is claimed, their mind becomes one with the energies that mold the Artists. They can be felt to the touch and exposed with water or holy light, but are otherwise invisible to onlookers; save for the Seers of the world familiar with Vaasek’s touch. In this form the Artists pursue their specific curiosities with diligence. Whether Herbalism, Magical Arts or even Flint Knapping it does not matter. They risk the life and limb of their host for their perverse obsessions, and this is often shown in their actions. As an example, they may ingest poisonous plants to the detriment of their host in order to gain a better understanding of them. In many cases they will even force them upon others with no concept of remorse. Through their keen abilities, they allow their host's personality to spill through into their communication, making them rather difficult to notice with otherwise untoward behaviour. This is a form of passive control that allows them to hide among the Descendants, as any forced communication would convey their unfeeling nature. In the absence of any onlookers, or in the company of other Artists or Seers they recognise, they may speak in their natural, robotic manner. Of course, the stages of the host's corruption will influence how consistent or even possible many of the features listed above are. Stages of Corruption (An Artist of 4 weeks progression) Any Stage The Kabalees do not consider the Artists to be any considerable threat to Vaasek or his nature, and see them as disposable pawns in a larger game. They may approach them in either an antagonistic or helpful nature, and this depends entirely on the event actor playing the Kabalees at the time. An event team member may appear at any moment as a Kabalees, in order to toy with the Artist. They may create any manner of illusion in the area, or may even expose the host’s true appearance to onlookers. They may also assist the Artist in times of duress, maintaining its illusion even when exposed to water or holy light. - Artists will always be felt when touched; either on the head in early forms or the entire body in later stages. They will always be exposed by water, holy light and the vision of Seers; they are not harmed or influenced by aurum. 0 - 2 Weeks At this point, the Artist has taken hold of the host's mind and is coming to terms with how to navigate in the world. Due to this, there are times where the host may break through. For every hour of active RP, a /roll 20 will determine whether or not the host may plead for help. This does not necessarily have to be an obvious message, but any roll below 11 will result in either spurts of random nonsense, or sincere cries for assistance; this depends on how the player wishes to progress with the affliction. Due to the Artist's new connection to the host, they will be unable to use any Magic the host had known/will be incapable of learning or utilising any Magic until their connection is complete at the 6+ week period. During this period, the Artist will have no concept of protective clothing, and will be exposed to the elements. In the case of rain falling upon them, or any water making contact, the area will expose their black skin to onlookers. 2 - 4 Weeks The Artist will have better control over their host's mind, and they will no longer be able to communicate for themselves in moments of anguish. The energies latent to the Artist will begin to corrupt the host, and the lack of sleep and nutrition will begin to show in the body as the bones and muscles weaken, eyes sag and skin turns pale. Additionally, hair will begin to fall out of the host and fingernails will begin to rot. At this point the Artist will become aware of the need for protection and clothing, and will try to cover the host as fully as possible. This is often achieved through sprawling robes, gloves and other materials that do not impede upon the Artist; hosts cannot wear helmets for clear reasons. Generally the Artist will not have the capacity to use illusion of any significance at this stage. The need for clothing serves not only a protective purpose, but also to hide the clear illness and decay of the host while the symbiosis continues. Furthermore, the Artist is capable of recognising the influence of Vaasek in a Seer, and may attempt to communicate with them. They will be able to read any of the writings that Seers use to communicate with one another as well. As the keen perceptions of the Artist develop, they are capable of seeing other clandestine figures in the world, particularly, they may perceive Ghosts and other Spectres. Abilities The Artist will develop the need to create Art and the ink required for such a process. This will be expanded upon in a later section. This ink is used for the express purpose of illusion and does not have the same qualities as the ink produced by 4+ week hosts as detailed below. 4- 6 Weeks As if healed from some terrible sickness, the host will appear healthy to the general population as the Artist has developed the ability to manipulate their host's appearance. In reality, their skin has turned the feel of an Octopus, and their arms have been replaced by horrible tentacles; all of which can clearly be exposed by previously mentioned means. This would have clear implications in the way they interact with the world. If someone were to throw an item at them, they would be unable to catch it and would fumble quite clearly. Such an action would distort the illusion momentarily, and an onlooker would see a blur where the hand would once have been. This level of corruption would mean that the Host would have a constant and faint smelling miasma, one that they could cover with excessive perfumes; however, this level of masking would need to be noted very clearly in RP. Abilities At this point the Host would be capable of producing an ink from their corrupted arms that can temporarily blind the target. This can be fired a distance of three in-game blocks in any direction, but can only be used twice per day. The ink produced at this stage in the hosts development contains some of the latent energies of The Artist they are attached to. It does not have the capacity to fully form into another Artist, nor the ability to produce illusion, but it does have corrupting potential. This ink can seep into the skin of the victim if it is not cleaned within the first 60 minutes. If the ink is absorbed, it will twist and taint them into a creature referred to as a Shambler; this will be mentioned in the following section. Additionally, the Artist may tap into its natural abilities to change the appearance of the host entirely, though this too can be exposed in the same vein as previously mentioned. This is limited to a duration of 30 minutes and cannot be used more than once per day. Late Stage - 6+ Weeks In this final stage of corruption, the host and the Artist have fused completely, to a point that is irreversible. It is here that the hosts hands return to a humanoid appearance, more prehensile than they were in the stage prior. In their palms would sit a beak, similar to the mouth found in an Octopus. This would now become the source of their inky corruption. Strangely it would also serve as a retractable feature, allowing the Artist to ball a fist or hold traditional weaponry if the need should arise. The hosts blood would now turn into an inky substance similar to the Shamblers. Due to the complete symbiosis of host and Artist, this would not cause the creature to slow in movement, but would allow the benefit of not bleeding to death or dying from amputation; aside from cutting off the head. Additionally, the Artist is now capable of using any Magic the host may have had, and may indeed learn new forms of Magic as their connection to the body is now complete. Artists will not be compatible with any Magics that change the physique of the player; such as Vampirism. Shamblers Those unfortunate enough to come across an Artist and suffer an attack may be afflicted by a tainting of the blood, causing them to turn into a Shambler. This heinous debilitation occurs when an Artist of 4+ weeks of progression sprays ink directly onto their skin, which is then absorbed after a period of 60 minutes if not wiped or washed away. This ink and the latent energies within it begin to corrupt the organs of the victim, eventually replacing their blood with a thick, inky substance. Naturally, this darkens the appearance of the Shambler, and causes their movements and thoughts to slow considerably. As their name suggests, they are typically found walking awkwardly and in a languid fashion. When they do attempt to communicate, they do so in a slow and often nonsensical manner. For all intents and purposes they become a mindless husk, their only will inherited from the particular Artist who turned them. This means that they take on the obsession that the Artist has, and in many cases they have been witnessed serving as thrall’s to them. Shamblers cannot be cured by typical means as their corruption is so intrinsically tied to their survival. There is no recovery or respite outside of death, and they can be killed in the same manner as an Artist. Due to their slow and stygian blood however, they are incapable of bleeding to death and can survive most amputations outside of removing the head. If a Descendant suffering from the illness is killed, the Monks are capable of remaking them prior to their affliction. The Art After 2 weeks of corruption, the Artist will feel compelled to produce works of art. It achieves this by painting or writing with the ink that it produces. This ink appears completely as normal to the general population, often as beautiful works of art and poems of intrigue. In reality, however, this ink forms horrible images and sentences that confuse the minds of Descendants and slowly lull them into madness, anxiety, depression or any combination of the three. It is unknown where this compulsion comes from, but the Artists will create at least one piece of work per week, which they will attempt to peddle until it has been passed on. When these paintings or poems/stories are made, they must have their general description or wording, as well as the corrupted form and its ill effects for the purpose of RP. Art that is hung in the home will begin to cast an illusion on the rest of the interior. A home may fall into disrepair and clutter without the inhabitants being aware at all. Eventually the occupants of the home will stare into the paintings during their entire time they are home, only moving or leaving when other duties call for them; working etc. They will often forgo sleep and food when at home, but will be more capable of this outside of the Arts sphere of influence. Seers who look upon the Art will see it for its true nature, and water and holy light will expose it as well. Any writing will begin to enrapture the minds of those who read it. They will find themselves turning back to the book or poem several times over until they begin only to speak in the sentences found on the pages. At first they will speak the typical words, but this will progress into them speaking the tainted language. The tained language merely changes the vowels as listed below, as well as with an example: A - Hest E - Zos I - Ong O - Prak U - Bliir Illusion: The clouds have covered the stars. Actual: Thzos clprakbliirds hhestvzos cprakvzosrzosd thzos sthestrs. Becoming an Artist In order of fairness, I personally believe that the circumstance through which one could be afflicted by an Artist should be dictated by both the event team and an application process. Preceding the affliction that comes with an Artist attaching to a host, the Artist should be played by an approved staff member. It should not be possible for a player to uncover an Artist through their own means, such as scouring the ocean for the possibility of being attacked or sleeping on the coast. In a similar manner to a magic application under tutelage, I believe a player with an approved CA should follow a process of recording their RP and the requirements therein of each stage of corruption before moving onto the next stage. This would mean that a designated member of staff would effectively serve as the teacher. An example of this during weeks 0 - 2 would be proving that they have /rolled 20 and have practiced any subsequent RP that would ensue during a failed check; rolling less than 11. I will provide an application format below that I think would be applicable in the event that an event is experienced by a player: ----------------------------- Name: Joe Bloggs Artist Name: Boe Jloggs IGN: Smawton Artist Obsession: Herbalism Summary of Lore: Octopus guys and such.... Event Actor: Eventguy666 Event: Eventguy666, playing as the Artist, jumped out at my fisherman character and I became a host! ----------------------------- Becoming a Shambler In a similar vein to becoming an Artist, a Shambler is made through a specific set of events. However, in the case of the Shambler this is done through player interaction. I would suggest that it is decided during the application process whether the Shambler in question will become a thrall to the Artist, or an independent body. It is incredibly likely that the lifespan of a Shambler consists of a few hours or days if left to their own devises. Example: ----------------------------- Name: Joe Shambler Creator: Boe Jloggs Dependency: Independent or Thrall; in this case, Thrall Obsession: Herbalism Summary of Lore: Shambolic Lore... Scenario: Boe Jloggs captured Joe Shambler and sprayed him. He did not remove the ink and subsequently became a Thrall to Boe. ----------------------------- Weakness & Red Lines - The Artists are fragile creatures that can be torn from their hosts with considerable force prior to their 6+ week fusion. Their tentacles have a good strength to them, however the creatures themselves can be killed with the ease of any other animal. Pulling them from a host causes them to die within an hour unless they latch onto another host. - Artists will always be felt when touched, either on the head in early forms or the entire body in later stages. Both themselves and their art will always be exposed by water, holy light and the vision of Seers. However, only water and holy light can expose their appearance to others; this includes paintings and writing. - They are not harmed or influenced by aurum. - The Artists are self-sustained and after 4 weeks the hosts too are self-sustained, requiring no food or sleep to function. - All Art must have both their illusionary descriptions/wording AND tainted versions, as well as their ill effects for the purpose of RP. - The Artists’ late stage illusions may only last for a maximum of 30 minutes and cannot be used more than once per day. - In stages 0 -2 weeks, for every hour of active RP, a /roll 20 will determine whether or not the host may plead for help. This does not necessarily have to be an obvious message, but any roll below 11 will result in either spurts of random nonsense, or sincere cries for assistance; this depends on how the player wishes to progress with the affliction. - Artists do not know of the Kabalees or of Vaasek, nor can they perceive the Kabalees. - Any knowledge, memories, skills or magics learned by The Artist do not translate to the host if the Artist is removed, and the Artist cannot transfer magical affinity to another host; they must start again. - Due to the Artist's new connection to the host, they will be unable to use any Magic the host had known/will be incapable of learning or utilising any Magic until their connection is complete at the 6+ week period. - Artists and Shamblers can generally be killed in the same vein as any mortal. Shamblers however are not capable of bleeding, nor Artists of 6+ weeks progression. - Seers are not compatible with Artists and may not become hosts to them. - Seers cannot be corrupted by any art and cannot become Shamblers. - Artists will not be compatible with any Magics that change the physique of the player; such as Vampirism. - Artists cannot create more Artists. Sources & References:

Law? In a medieval fantasy setting? I won’t have it.

Okay, but can we remove tax first?

A Dream of Ikuras Craft With the smell of salt did he awaken, his clothes soaked in days old perspiration. Gubbin threw his sheets aside as he rose from his bed, pulling his damp hair back and out of his face. As he stood the same scent as before pervaded him; he could smell and taste salt, and feel it on his skin. By some strange inclination he was drawn to the nearby shore. Perhaps it was a sign, that the coastal air would offer some respite from the illness that had shaken his core of recent days. He pulled off his shoes and sunk his feet into the sand, the swirling hues of red and orange on the horizon lulling him from his discomfort. In those moments his senses dulled as his body guided a mind that could no longer think but could only observe. He saw the sun set upon the waters afar, an attraction that pulled Gubbin forward and into the sea. It was warm and light and Gubbin felt no need to exert any force as he swam toward the horizon. For what felt like hours his body carried him through the waters as he fixated on the eventide. At some point in his journey he stopped, his body floating in the endless expanse around him. Suddenly the star before him sank below the ocean and colour departed. As quickly as the world around him had fallen to darkness, his senses began to return. He could feel the cold waters on his skin and the tension in his muscles as he worked to keep himself afloat. He felt his heart awaken from it's slumber, his eyes darting for anything at all to focus on. Before long the moon rose and in its presence offered not solace but despair. Gubbin recognised in the dull light the endless waters to his left and to his right and far below. The waters themselves did not crash and dance as usual, but were smooth and still. A fright and anticipation rattled his nerves as his mind began to race. He conjured images of what may lurk below in the darkness, a sense that at any moment he could be pulled beneath. Yet little happened outside of his own internal chattering and churning. The ocean was so deathly silent that Gubbin could hear nout but his own beating heart. At last something occurred before him, albeit confusing, and unbeknownst to him some phenomenon not yet recorded. The waters began to rise slowly at first, individual drops reaching for the sky, followed by marine life of all shape and size. It was not long before the sea level itself began to rise, though Gubbin himself did not follow suit. He could move his body, yet could not swim up to match the waters. The cold sea soon enveloped Gubbin as he felt it rush past him, and in those moments he began to drown. He felt the desperate need to breathe tug at him as the waters continued to swathe over him. For many hours did they wash over Gubbin and for many hours did he suffer an endless torture between life and death. All of a sudden he felt his legs swing free, and turned his body in a horrible disorientation. His head broke the surface of the water that was below him as he gasped to breathe. As life swelled once more within him, he saw before him the endless ocean floor without its water, where the sun that had escaped him before was present and blinding white. It was not long before whichever force had held his body in place released him, and he crashed down into the open expanse. A fall that would kill an ordinary man had offered no injury to Gubbin as he sunk into the sands around him. As he rose to his feet he saw abound a graveyard of ships and wrecks, and noted a silence so pervasive that his brain offered a ringing in his ears to abate its terrible overwhelm. The blinding environment offered a stark contrast to the black ocean that hung above him in place of the sky, where fish broke the surface only to fall back in. The sands at his feet seared at his flesh, his tongue and eyes drying as he looked desperately around him for some semblance of normality in this Desert beneath the sea. Yet nestled in the wrecks around him he saw only writhing organisms of flesh and nerve so confusing that he had little response aside from vomiting and shaking in a terrible cycle. Some were purely bundles of nerves that dragged themselves around, where others were horrid, blistering mounds of flesh with arms and legs so numerous they could skitter along the sands at incredible speed. Before Gubbin could make sense of what was happening, the ocean above descended onto the landscape. He felt only weight and pain and a deep cold before his head broke through the water and he was once again on the oceans surface. The moon revealed once more the endless expanse, which slowly filled with the writhing nerves from below that seemed to float now like nightmarish jellyfish. They soon were so numerous that it was difficult to see the water they were wading in; so numerous that before long the reaching tendrils of nerves enveloped Gubbin as he was torn and made one with them.

27, married, like to check the forums occasionally. I assumed most people would be 20+ now since we grew up with the release of the game. I’m surprised Minecraft still brings people in; especially younger generations.