Shadeleaf

After a read-through, I really appreciate the focus on an endgame CA that seems both balanced and thematic for Necros, instead of just leaning into the Wraith angle for purely historical reasons. Presently, Mysticism handles most of the incorporeal nonsense so this is a very fun way of leaning into the physicality of the undead. Great formatting, chuffed to see where this goes.

Some big changes after a discussion with LT Management. The introduction paragraphs have been shifted for what this amendment is trying to accomplish. All of my feelings on subjects discussed still hold, and I'd like to revisit a clarification in the future. That said, after being informed that all rewrites to the core of the feat presented were not currently desirable, I've decided I'm more invested in providing the needed tools for RP than presenting a cohesive rewrite. An archive link of the former submission can be found here for anyone interested in what the document looked like prior to the 'trimming'. Accordingly, the following sections have been deprecated and ought not be considered in the mag. They're left in this document for posterity. Background / Origin Magic Explanation Connection Physical Effects For those not deprecated, changes have been made to the following sections. Their original forms may again be found at the above archive link. Aura Attunement - Removed redline condensation, changes to Attunement from Sensory persist. Magister Magnificus - Reduced the entire section to a single redline modification. Expulsion - Mostly unchanged. Clarified in the worldly modification that knocked up targets are rendered prone. Incanter's Flow - All rewriting has been removed. Only change present is to T2 connection to retool the wording to allow for Affectionate Casting to exist. Left two elements of redline clarification in since I cant help myself. Clarity of Mind - Removed all rewriting. Left the more direct redlines because god this one really does need it. Rationale for the things I left as they are: Mental Effects - Read the Why section. All of it still applies. Tier Progression - The tier progression rewording is harmless, and serves to incorporate the new abilities better than shoehorning it into existing. Up to ST on this one if they'd prefer the later. Both added features remain untouched.

Yea this is idiotic. I fully support the creation of a nuke. Pass this immediately. Next Dwarven settlement needs a Sampson Option.

"I suspect this one is trying to upstage the One True Dark Lord Ragthanatos." Spoke a lich receiving the missive, crumpling it in hand. "Flawed premise regardless. I'll never die... Again."

Thanks for your feedback! I'll address each piece of your concerns here for clarification on intent: Connection: Regarding your lore concerns, you'll note first here that Manifestations no longer refer to two different things, they refer to one thing - as I removed any wording about 'manifestations' from Eminent Affection lore. Artificer can keep it, it's relatively ill defined so don't want it. On your note regarding the self-sustaining element of the Affection, quoting myself, the "tiny tiny hole" notably goes away when destroyed or removed from an Eminent's possession. Its the conjunction of the Eminent's mana and the ritual modification of the Affection that causes the hole in the first place causing this glut of arcana. This is regardless better than the old version's suggestion that 'activa mana' pours from the Affection. Since you know the lore so well I'll let you assume why. On your final point of the 'connection' section, I believe you were referring to 'Aura Attunement', not 'Aura Sensory'. I appreciate your concern if that was the case, but notably Aura Attunement still has similar redlines and no enhanced 'meta-test(?)' abilities as the other two voidal feats. It has instead been amended with additional RP utility that Artificer and Voidstalker (Scion is here too) already have in droves. It demonstrates an ability to harness aura and the excess arcana flowing through the Affection with a sense of mastery. Aura Attunement Your opinion that 'The Affection does Nothing' is a neat one, and certainly was the case in the prior lore. Here, in this lore, we're defining new things it can do. One of those things is being so in-touch with the Eminent that's connected to it, that the voidal sensitivity (vis-a-vis the itty bitty little tiny hole in the veil it maintains) of the Affection can be shared by the Eminent. No Affection, no passive - hence the 1 emote activation (which then can remain on passively c:) that requires the Affection to be present. Creating more issues is actually the idea here believe it or not, if an Eminent doesn't have their Affection, now they can't do a lot of things. This is the one of the main points of the rewrite amendment. Regarding tagging 'Not working' and being more of a 'meta-test gimmick'. I don't think those words mean what you think they mean. What was removed from 'Aura Sensory' was a feature to determine if someone was magically exhausted (that wouldn't actually be usable outside of messaging, as you mentioned a 'meta-test'), and an extension of the still-present magical sensing that would allow an Eminent to determine things like 'aura-color' (that in red-lines could NOT be used for determining if someone was a mage or not). If anything, this ability has become less of a 'meta-test' in it's passive features. Given the active tagging features, I'm just going to say you're wrong? "What's stopping john normal mage from doing this?" Its not in the lore. That is whats stopping Mr. Normal Mage. I'm putting it in the lore. If you want to amend Voidal Connection to include this in core lore then by all means feel free to do so. I think it's neat and provides potentially interesting RP, and so it's going in Eminent. Expulsion Starting off strong - I'd argue I've managed to keep the same strength of this ability as it had previously, just provided it more utility. You're correct however in that I did NOT want to overtune expulsion, as Eminent as it is already exists in a fully CRP-complete state by the mere existence of Incanter's Flow. Regarding your question of magical rejuvenation, please take a look at Voidstalking's 'Arcane Replenishment' for an example of a temporary effect that would fit the bill. We'll go rapid fire on your next points for the sake of brevity: "Why encounter duration & OOC Time" - Big ability, hurts the Eminent, gotta get your mana back and that's not going to reset after 1 CRP "Why did knockback need nerfing" - Didn't get nerfed, got moved to 'worldly'. Combo big-knockback and damage got split apart. "Why did the range for Incanter's Flow 2 need a cap" - 20 meters from center is halfway to shout-range / LoS max. Seems reasonable. "Is there a difference between 10m radius and 10x10" - Yes! And I need to back to change that from 10x10 to a 10 meter radius, else we would only be operating as a 5 meter radius. This nerf wasn't intended, and was the result of a mis-type. "Force of a battering ram is a random metric and unused" - Agreed, we'll take that out and just leave the knockback I'll split off the last point because it actually worth looking into. To summarize "why am I a master mage if the only reason I'm "good" is because of some cool rock I poured mana into?". Not to 'The Master Mage was the friends we made along the way' this point, but in neither the prior nor amended versions of Eminent was one's own mana-pool or any casting prowess (outside of Incanter's - we'll get there) bolstered. At the end of the day an Eminent is a master mage not by consequence of creating an Affection, but by the sheer action of being able to go such lengths to create one. As written, the new mental effects section demonstrates the dichotomy of your exact question - splitting the true believers in their own ability to perfect the arcane (impossible) with those who accept the impossibility, but still try their hardest and suffer for it. It's to me a very interesting chance to explore an archmage type character, while allowing for the standard 'look at me Im so powerful' option as well. I'll leave your last point on Expulsion on read, and suggest you read it again. Really chew on it, and ask yourself when you'd want: More damage over knockback, more knockback over damage, and the ability to disable someone using enchanted items / voidal casters for longer than a knockback. If you can come up for a utility situation for each of these cases, I've done my job. Incanter's Flow I'm getting slightly tired so we're moving back to lower effort bullets. "Affection does the work" - Yes 🫃 "Ripe for abuse" - Redlines require enhanced tells. Read them or get blacklisted. "Moderate strikes is insane" - You're being a pedant again. I'll take this into account however and consider clarifying that IF YOU GET STABBED you still disconnect -- just for you, in case people don't want to read 'voidal connection' again. Overall I thank you for your input, as waiting for two threads to be posted while I've been clearly working on this rewrite amendment to voice your concerns instead of directly reaching out at any point is always a super constructive way to operate if you believe something is being changed in a way you don't like. I do however, think you're looking at this the wrong way if that isn't clear. The Affection plays a larger role now in eminence, as opposed to no role like it did previously. If this makes you feel uncomfortable - it should. You're still welcome to use the Affection as a super suped-up focus, your character is still a master mage but its the Affection that makes your character different from a Voidstalker, or an Artificer, or John Normal Mage. Addressing that difference gives a feat direction, and provides more opportunities to explore in RP (and future amendments) as I noted in my final two additions which notably you didn't comment on. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Introduction & Rationale Hello! Based on suggestions added to my previous post on Eminent and from some discussion with LT, this version of my attempt to modify Eminent has been formatted as an amendment with traditional strikethrough, italics, and bold formatting. That said, there will be two primary sections to this amendment. In the first, I’ll be modifying existing features. rewriting the flavor of the feat, clarifying feature text and redlines, and addressing what the Affection is and does. In the second there will be the addition of ‘new’ features (you’ve seen them before!) without this standard formatting. For all features and changes presented my rationale will be included in a helpful “WHY” annotation. I’m looking to change the wording and flavor in this first section for two primary reasons. The first is that the Affection is a poorly defined lore object for something so crucial to this feat. Presently, the Affection is a “Voidal manifestation” created by channeling a ton of mana into an object; this allows a character the abilities of Eminence -- ok how? Presently, there's no ‘Why’, no lore tie-ins, and only a vague suggestion towards something called the “inner void” that one masters. The inner void is not described anywhere I can find on the forums other than here and Voidal Artificery - and its corollary the ‘outer void’ is only mentioned once within voidstalking. Additionally, it’s my belief that the current aesthetic of Eminent are (compared to other character defining feats) flat, and direct characters into a single non-nuanced uber-smart perfectionist archetype with questionably implemented mental health issues. My additions to the feat’s “Mental effects” section allow a different style of play for those who want to look inwards, and wrestle with the difficulty that supposedly unparalleled power might afflict an individual with. I also believe that this lore suffers from ‘over-amendment-itis’ much like tawkin, where the lore itself has started to look like a Frankenstein(‘s monster) from the differing opinions that helped form it. This is a good and important part of LotC’s lore ecosystem, though much like a real ecosystem, things start to accumulate around the outskirts (grammar /spelling errors) and the water of the wetlands starts to get a bit murky (different writing styles clash and derail some style the piece had outside of its mechanics). As much as I'm changing flavor, I'm also adding consistency of voice throughout this piece. Primary modifications from my last post are simple: Affectionate Casting has been modified to remove tell blending, and instead just leaves aura and sound manipulation within the feature. All other features remain roughly the same as in the initial rewrite (with a few such as the time it takes for an Eminent to drop their second magnum opus “nerfed”) . With that said, please enjoy the re-read, this time with spoilers! Should this amendment not go through in its entirety, I’m happy for it to be taken piecemeal. Additionally, I’ve highlighted any of those aforementioned spelling / grammar mistakes of the original lore in red for the sake of maintenance. Standard Amendment Section Italicized or Bolded text has been changed. Text marked as strikethrough has been removed Mental Effects Abilities and Spells [Passive] [Noncombat/Combat] - Aura Sensory Attunement [Passive] [Non-combat] Magister Magnificus [Active] [Noncombat/Combat] - Expulsion [Passive] [Noncombat/Combat] - Incanter’s Flow [Passive] [Noncombat/”Combat”] - Clarity of Mind Tier Progression Additions Only Section No formatting rules here! [Noncombat / Combat] - Affectionate Casting [Noncombat / Combat] - Arcanic Manipulation Deprecated Section - Do not MAG References Voidal Connection Voidal Eminence Voidal Artificery Voidstalking Alchemy Core Potions Transfiguration Seers - Cozeners of Vaasek Credits Squak & Co. (Original Lore) Arzota (Writing) Esotericas (Inspiration) ClassyDryad (Inspiration & Consultation) RockyTheWolf (Review & Consultation) Blackhand7 (Consultation) Black_Drag0n (Consultation) Uhrara (Review) Keia (Review)

I will archive until it kills me from every source I can touch; I've made damn sure the 'archiving for the sake of preservation' folder is different than the 'had access to this IC' folder. I feel the pain here, but good lord have I seen too many books fall off this server even with the effort of Farglade and its contributors.

The Stillness gave way yet again. Sockets snapped up from ruined tablet - the third this saints day. It joined the pile of its fallen brethren, each born of slate with failing sheep-skin laid o're top as a medium of writing. Each had failed in its task. Each had failed to do its duty. Each was weak. And weakness is what the Lich Saw then, not just in stone, but in the tattered 'remains' - could they be called that - which were draped and mixed into the pile of unfortunate subjects of the prior day's reaping. The remains were not rotten (the cold made sure of that), but they were... darker than the others. Maybe frost-burnt, or perhaps charred traditionally? No... an ear-tip, sharp as a dagger (thats what they used to call us you know...) and the distinct features of a young elven face - barely clinging to fragments of bone for structure (what a waste). The Lich's fingers now free of stone tablet, free of logistics danced idly at it's side. It thought to the purgatory it had endured, the screaming souls writhing for a chance at being chosen for some unknown fate. It thought of Hell - the same all Mali'ker that did not follow their ancestral practices would find in demise. He could not save them all. What were the chances then that this poor corpse had venerated it's ancestors? (The creature's left hand had already begun to rise) What was the cost-benefit analysis of wresting a soul from eternal reward, verses saving it from eternal torment? (Lifeforce poured from unwilling finger-tips) Had this poor thing even seen it's first century? (The flesh knit with it's neighboring rot) It had been nigh three decades since the Lich-Draugar was risen (had the 'ker lived so long)? Nearly eight centuries now and still the corpse-mage felt it wasn't enough (it was never enough). What would ██████ think -- what would ███████ suspect of him should he find out (They never mattered... they'll forget you too). "Helun-Velulaeya maluan ra." it would pray to a power that would not listen. "Uhv'laht-urev a'nork." None would listen anymore... except perhaps... The being (the ghoul) that shuddered now atop the pile of corpses. With lungs borrowed from the other creatures it struggled to 'breathe' (what did you do to him?), not yet knowing it need not dabble in such laborious waste (did he have a family)? As a scream cut through the stillness of the sepulcher... once again did the Lich reconsider it's actions, and perhaps... for a moment, wish again for the sweet embrace of the grave.

you WHAT

Its rather obvious that present drama revolves not around the issue central to plugging one's ears, but for the fact that ears exist in the first place. My amendment is a simple one - and ought be voted by the administration post-haste. All new players to the Lord Of The Craft Premium Minecraft Roleplaying Server starting from the date of May 8th 2026, 00:01 Eastern Standard Time (God's True Timezone) will not be permitted ears on any persona's created through application process or in-game menu. Players currently with ear'd personas (hereby refered to as 'listeners') must submit an application to the Story Team as to why their specific character is worthy of not only listening but potentially becoming subject to lore breaking behavior in the modification of such devious organs. Acceptance of listeners will be put up to vote on the date of lore-mag distribution with a required 95% quorum of voting members participating. Its my personal opinion and that of many of my peers that 'listeners' do not further the identity of any characters played in present or in the history of our Great Server, so do me a favor and just chop em off for a real one. I'm willing to spend all my old-head cred to make this go through. Also I really liked Chapter 173 of Chainsaw Man and think that'd be a pretty neat thing to have go on in roleplay ok thank sbye.

The Stillness of the World - at times - brings peace to even the most decrepit minds. The depths of the tundra are kin to this Stillness, one so brutally honest as to recognize those that find their home within not-distant family. The creaking of long rusted gates broke the Stillness, and the echo of distant, clownish cackling ensured it remained shattered for quite some time. Nazkorhus had it's duties, and fulfilled them punctually; so for a time, it listened. The levity - could one call it that - continued for some time, groans of evident captives filtering through the iced metal grates, one... no - two, identified as the conversation droned on. They had a shepherd present, a necromancer, and what ever monstrosities the 'Meat-Circus' deigned to drag about on their horrid crusades. The job was simple then. From beneath aged wood suffused with the never-melting ice of the far north, the Lich would produce a ledger; a dusty thing, writ once, then twice, then thrice over rendering the damned thing looking as beaten as the corpse-mage itself. But like the corpse-mage, it had a job to do, and as the tally marks fell into each column of 'resources' derived from the living - Lifeforce, Available Genus, Soul-Fragments and so on, the Stillness of the world once again braced the mummified thing. It thought for a moment - ever so fleeting - what each tally mark meant. There was little emotion behind the action - and what a rare action it was indeed - but steeped in logistics as the Lich was it could not help but think of the families each tally left in their wake, the abandoned goods never to be found, the half-written and secreted letters to some hopeful paramour that would never be delivered. They were all just statistics of course - but statistics of a different kind... a kind that brought just the slightest fleeting feeling of discomfo- *SLAM* In the doorway of the frozen office stood two forms, those of the first Black Scribe, and the Witch King himself. The later smiled... he hardly had the vigor to smile anymore... perhaps the Lich had miscounted. The implication was clear , and with the Stillness forced once more back into the tundra, the damned thing took up its work and began to hover towards the door -- after all, the tallies only counted for 'theoretical' resources, now was time for the dirty work.

I appreciate the feedback! I'd be interested in how you believe it reduces the magic identity a bit more? My goal with the "identity" of Eminent with this rewrite was to expand on the classic archmage trope the original lore set forth. Instead of just pure proficiency - as with a lot of skilled professions - there's also an element of bluster and showyness that comes from being (and staying) at the top of your field. By using excess Arcana to bolster their spells either through the aura casting of Affectionate Casting (which was moved from old Stage 2 original Incanters) or via the audio/visual mods it provides, I feel it helps solidify that identity. I'll again defer to my comment on Luxury's concerns regarding my stance on IC confusion (good!) vs OOC confusion (bad!). With my experience with magic CRP on Lotc, I still feel the OOC confusion is kept to a minimum both through emotes appended with spell status: "* keep doing magic that looks weird [fire evo 3/?]", or casters helpfully linking / explaining the effects of a magic. All of that said in the feature's defence, I do intend for this rewrite to be a living document up until the loremag, so if you have any suggestions on something that might better sell the" identity" I'd love to hear them!

A totally fair observation! But once more this is going to fall onto the Eminent knowing their abilities, understanding their responsibilities with this feat, and ensuring all members participating in CRP are aware of whats actually going on. For a feat that requires 3 accepted voidal MAs, I don't think this is too much of a burden to place on these players. As with a lot of aesthetic modifications in this rewrite, Eminent now aims to be somewhat of a shock and awe spectacle - it's going to look scary if you're fighting it, its going to sound loud if they place sound on a spell, and it may cause confusion in character. All modifications to spells are aesthetic, a feature of excess aura being jammed into the casting on account of an Eminent's Affection having that extra bandwidth for audio visual effects. The main thing I'm concerned about is OOC misinterpretation and actual spell effects which - as outlined - are going to be function no more than at the base level of what a mage can already cast. It looks cool and it hits the same.

Fortunately the redlines do cover that! No combative enhancements, and the original spell must be made obvious. I'd thought of that concern as well - so hopefully folks will be cognizant and report any powergaming if this rewrite goes through.

'Wizard Overlord' by Grant Rutkowski ~2016, Cropped Background/Origin In the ego of each and every descendant there is a desire, no matter how dim, for perfection. This desire was not foreign to the first mage, as even the ‘greats’ of centuries long past sought fecklessly towards an unknowable perfection of craft and skill. No matter how much practice was had, how many spells were learned, or the depths of understanding a mage came to think they had ventured, it was only through outside sources of power and influence that one rose above another. Eminence changed that. Through direct access to the raw energy that once made creation, mediated through a self-structured ‘Affection’, the Eminent seeks a pure mastery of the Void as projected unto the material realm. Freed from the expectations of moral, political, and impure magical creeds now does the Eminent strain against the breadth of creation at their fingertips; all that perfection requires is the ability to harness it, and not lose oneself in the process. Magic Explanation To be a Voidal Eminent is to construct an ‘Affection’ - a Voidally imbued tether - through laborious arcane effort. Eminence is the mastery of this tether, a thing that is so imbued with energy as to maintain a minuscule puncture in the Veil once activated. In this mastery, an Eminent is granted access to droves of arcana when properly focused, and a steady stream of the same as they progress through life - whether they want it or not. Voidal Eminence requires 3 slots dedicated to Voidal Magic to learn. One’s Eminence will go dormant if they lose knowledge or practice of Voidal Arts. Voidal Eminence is self-taught, initiated through ritual. Voidal Eminence is a Feat and one would make an app for. Should a Voidstalker or other magi be used in the Connection ritual, they must link their MA/FA on the application. Voidal Eminence is mutually exclusive with other Voidal Feats (Eminence, Scion, Artificery, Veil Watching) Augmented knowledge and understanding of the Void as perceived through an Affection allow an Eminent preternatural understanding of the spells the cast, of active mana, and a means by which to imbue the former with the latter. Connection An Eminent is defined by their Affection. Regardless of their own personal prowess, it is the Void-soaked Affection - an object once so imbued with energy as to maintain a minuscule puncture of the Veil - that grants the would-be Eminent the energy source required for self, and local dominance. When properly harnessed the Affection simultaneously allows a means to access untapped droves of arcana, and indeed a quazi-consciousness wrought from, and in-sync with the Eminent’s intent. To create an Affection a mage would require a greater source of mana (three additional Voidal mages, a Mana Obelisk, a Voidal tear, or a Voidstalker), and an object intended to be imbued with such weight on-hand. The process would take hours as the Eminent would exhaust their mana-pool into the object, bolstered by their chosen mana source to condense the Voidal affinity of the thing to such a point as to blur the lines between reality and enigmatic creation. Upon completion of this freeform ritual, the newly minted Eminent, their selected mana source, and the area about each would show signs of heavy draining, with the shining point of excess existing within the Affection now created; this is now an object that pierces the Veil, and allows the energies of the space-beyond to mesh with mortal-reality.The Affection constantly threatens to overflow with a pregnant source of raw arcana, bolstering the standard maa-reserves of an Eminent with amplified potential. Through this artifice, now may the Eminent begin to poke and prod their way into boundless excess. Redlines: - The connection ritual for Eminence does not grant information relating to the creation of Arcanium. - Affections must be visible in the open air, or obvious if embedded within a body-part during use. - An Affection may be no smaller than 2cm3 (~2in3) , and no larger than 60cm3 (~2ft3). - An Affection physically does not grant a combat advantage, and may not be used as a weapon. - Affections are unique to their Eminent, and are useless in the hands of other Voidal magi. - An Affection may be re-made after 1 week of the Eminent losing control of it. - An Eminent without an active Affection for 1 month results in this feat being ‘dormant’. - An Affection can take the form of any object that Arcanium may be made from, in addition to organic matter originating from the Eminent themselves - provided such matter remains attached to their body during the creation process. - For the purpose of arcane-sensing abilities such as ‘Aura Sensory’ and ‘Arcana Flow’, the Affection is considered a medium-intensity Voidal effect of unknown origin. - Without possession of their Affection, an Eminent is unable to interact with their features and abilities unless specified in individual redlines. Physical Effects An Eminent that chooses to embed an Affection within their body would soon find the thrumming potential channeled by the artifact neigh unbearable. In time they will adapt to such, though not without additional stressors imparted onto the mage. For this reason, Eminents that choose to embed their Affections physically are urged to choose at least two mental effects from the following section, instead of the standard suggested one. Mental Effects The mind of an Eminent is one that inherently seeks perfection of craft - a state that is wholly unattainable. Accordingly, the Eminent will find themselves in one of two categories: convinced of their eventual attainment of perfection, or with an understanding of the futility of their task, but maintaining a veil of competence for the sake of outward appearances. A non-exhaustive list for traits in these categories may be found below, and such traits may shift as roleplay demands. - Mania & delusions of grandeur - Narcissism - Indifference towards others - General misanthropy - Predisposition to substance abuse - Impulsive behavior - Deep, thinly veiled insecurity - Lone-wolf mentality - Manipulative interpersonal tendencies - Martyr/god/hero complex - Anti-authoritarian ideological shift - Increasingly fragile ego Spells and Abilities 'Jace Beleren' by Richard Rullo ~2015 [Passive] [Noncombat / Combat] - Clarity of Mind A mage seeking to become Eminent may already have an inclination for the theoretical, the complicated, or the highly-complex; upon connection with an Affection however, these inclinations may root further than ever before. As a reflection of the Eminent’s intent, and with echoes of some distant warped desire, the Affection grants its Eminent an intensity and clarity of thought nigh unparalleled. An Eminent in possession of their Affection will find ease in highly analytical tasks, proficiency with split or situational awareness, and heightened awareness where once might have been confusion. Either in the heat of battle or an alchemical laboratory, the Affection’s ability to assist its Eminent in reflection and analysis often becomes a core element of these magi. Redlines: - Clarity of Mind exists as an aesthetic tool to reinforce the mentality of an Eminent, and not as a means of metagaming, or powergaming. - Use of Clarity of Mind in combat grants no direct mechanical advantage, but rather dictates how well an Eminent may synthesize an emerging situation. - Clarity of Mind does not grant an Eminent enhanced reflexes or other physical abilities. [Passive] [Noncombat / Combat] - Aura Attunement Awareness and Reaction. These two elements separate a dead mage from the living, and a successful scholar from charlatan. The Eminent - bolstered by their Affection - has these elements more than any other heightened by its presence, able not only to analyze the material world - but the world beyond with ease. An Eminent may - with a single emote - activate Aura Attunement by turning their Affection’s ‘awareness’ to the material world. In this state, the Eminent may identify sources of Voidal energy and their concentration out to a 10 meter radius. This ability may be used to identify prior casting in an area within 1 OOC hour, or 1 narrative day with OOC permission from the initial caster. With proper permission, spell-tier (intensity) and discipline (type) may be determined. At the second tier of Eminence, the Affection may be used over the course of two emotes to affix a low-power Voidal anchor to an object upon touch. This anchor persists for 3 OOC days, or until the Affection is disabled - whichever is sooner. Any Eminent during this time may identify the presence of this anchor via Aura Attunement; it is additionally visible to any features with ‘spell sight’, such as the 'Aura Sensory' of other Voidal feats or the 'Arcana Flow' potion. The third tier of Eminence allows the caster to permanently affix aspects of their aura to an object in a free-form enchantment ritual over 5 emotes via their Affection. The details and complexity of such follow guidelines set in ‘Arcanic Manipulation’, but are intended to allow for customization of arcane foci, clothing, or mundane objects such as tomes and scrolls. Redlines: - Aura Attunement’s detection works only on Voidal casting. - Aura Attunement may only detect if an individual is actively casting, not if they possess Voidal MAs. - Aura Attunement may not detect enchanted items, unless actively used. - Without OOC consent for area inspection, an Eminent may only determine IF Voidal magic was cast. - T2 ‘tagging’ requires OOC consent if the object is in possession of another character. - T2 ‘tagging’ must be emoted in at least ‘quiet’ range. - T2 ‘tagging’ and T3 ‘augmentation’ is additionally visible through Transfiguration’s T2 'Voidal Feeling'. [Noncombat / Combat] - Affectionate Casting One’s mastery of the Void need not be simplistic. Through the Affection, an Eminent finds another path to the Void, one to be exploited in tandem with their own. Though weak, this connection is what separates a truly proficient mage from the rabble. Affectionate casting uses the Affection’s passive stream of arcana to change the appearance and effects of the Eminent’s spells. This excess arcana allows an Eminent to enwreathe their spells in the aesthetics of other known Voidal arts, provided the original spell is still made obvious. Additionally, an Eminent may choose to instead imbue their spells with up two of their aura colors, as the Affection provides a second (lesser) conduit to channel through. At higher tiers (T2 and above) the Eminent may also apply ‘sound effects’ to their casting, often booming thunder or crackling energy to further sell the intensity of evocation. At the highest state of mastery (T3), an Eminent may extend this effect outwards to allies within a 10 meter radius of their Affection, allowing allied Voidal magi to take advantage of this aesthetic modification, but only those effects being presently affected by the Eminent. Redlines: - Affectionate Casting provides no mechanical combative advantage to oneself or their allies. - ‘Sound Effects’ can at no point be loud enough to affect disconnection of magi. - Spells cast must be made obvious if using the ‘dualcasting’ feature in an emote, or via OOC. This does NOT allow for spell veiling re: Seer. - No more than one additional visual ‘effect’ be applied to a spell at once to avoid confusion. [Noncombat / Combat] - Arcanic Manipulation The flow of arcana available from a newly-formed Affection is overwhelming. Spurts of aura and Voidal ‘hiccups’ are common in the early stages of Eminence, but much as a muscle - with proper training control of this raw energy may be honed - and turned into something beautiful... or terrifying. With a steady flow of active, nearly unusable arcana from their Affection, an Eminent may - with training - direct that energy outwards as a constant expression of aura. At first this may simply be diffuse energy, but with training (T2 and above) the Affection may be used to set low-energy Voidal anchors about the Eminent, sustaining them passively regardless of the Eminent’s connection status. The resulting effects of aura may manifest as incandescent streams of energy wrapped about the Eminent as a scarf, or serve to highlight specific elements of clothing. Ever-glowing eyes, hands enwreathed in aura, and halos of arcane-energy are other common uses for Arcanic Manipulation, furthering an Eminent’s projection of grandeur. Given the Affection maintains all Voidal anchors, traditional injuries or effects that would disconnect the Eminent would not interrupt the projection - only direct, physical strikes to the Affection may do so. Redlines: - Archaic Manipulation may be displayed in combat, but does not affect combat mechanically in any way. - Aura projected through this ability follows all redlines outlined in the Voidal Connection document. - Direct strikes to the Affection with the strength of a longbow, warhammer, or T3 offensive magic will cause the effect to end, with lesser strikes causing the effect to flicker. - Arcanic Manipulation does not ‘pre-connect’ an Eminent, who must emote appropriately with distinct casting-tells that may NOT be shared by this ability. - For the purpose of mana-sensing abilities such as ‘Aura Sensory’ and the ‘Arcane Flow’ potion, Arcanic Manipulation in all forms would count as a weak, but active effect. - ‘Customizations’ and projections via Arcanic Manipulation must be within 1 meter of the Eminent’s Affection, with creativity of projections highly encouraged. [Passive] [Noncombat] - Magister Magnificus Bolstered in their closeness to the Veil, invigorated by their Affection’s graces, and sent reeling into the annals of history as true masters of their craft, the Eminent may look upon the world and demand “More”. At the pinnacle of their craft (T3) an Eminent’s mind - expanded in both breadth and depth by a closeness to their Affection - becomes capable of creating a second Magnum Opus within their lifetime, replacing the slot of a ‘learned’ Opus which would otherwise be present. Redlines: - Created Magnum Opus / Spellforges follow standard redlines for such. - An Eminent’s FA must be posted on their second Magnum Opus / Spellforge. - Dropping the Eminent FA only frees up the second slot (if filled) after 1 OOC year of inactivity. - Second-slot created Magnum Opus / Spellforges are only accessible with an active Affection. [Combat / Noncombat] - Incanter’s Flow With unerring concentration, the rhythm of this world and the one beyond become clear to an Eminent. An ebb-and-flow relationship with the Affection develops, the suffusion of arcana becomes less of a hindrance, and more of a boon; The Eminent Approaches Perfection. Incanter’s Flow steps-up in effect depending on either the amount of emotes completed out of combat (NC), or the amount of completed spells successfully cast in combat (C). Effects for each tier of Incanter’s flow are as follow: 1 Spell(s) [C] / 1 Emote(s) [NC] - The physical effects of casting-exhaustion lessen on the Eminent; this reduction in exhaustion increases through each tier, with the mage feeling nearly nothing while close to Thaumburn at full-flow. 2 Spell(s) [C] / 2 Emote(s) [NC] - Expulsion becomes usable at a range of 20 meters (within line of sight). Additionally, any ongoing aura effects associated with the Eminent intensify in color, luminosity, and general grandiosity. 3 Spell(s) [C] / 3 Emote(s) [NC] - The Eminent becomes vulnerable to Voidal disconnection only through ‘moderate’ strikes and above (magical or non-magical), or effects that otherwise grievously displace them physically. Additionally, spells cast by the Eminent benefit from a 1 emote casting-time reduction (to a minimum of 1 connect + 2 casting) for spells of T4-equivalent and below. Additionally, entering this heightened state of connection reduces one’s physical ability by roughly half their usual. Redlines: - Moderate strikes are those defined with the strength of a longbow, warhammer, or T3 offensive magic. - Charges of Incanter’s Flow do not carry over between non-combat and combat scenarios. Charges accrued during one, are lost upon entering the other. - Reduced casting time still requires all elements of a spell to be emoted, simply with two ‘casting steps’ being condensed into one emote. - Each emote of Incanter’s Flow requires an additional magical tell be relayed to demonstrate the activation of this ability. - 3-charge ‘Unbreakable Focus’ may still be interrupted by non-pain/disruption disconnection triggers as outlined in the ‘Voidal Connection’ document. - 3-charge physical reduction disables a mage’s ability to sprint, use weapons above ‘light’ weight (1-ingot) offensively, and generally reduces mobility to below the baseline of a standard mage. [Combat] - Expulsion As water through a river, as light through a prism, as smoke through a flume - so too may an Eminent channel excess arcana from their Affection to ranchorus effect. Equivalent in consequence to some of the most heinous Voidal rituals devised, an Eminent may embrace the full volume of the energies coursing through their Affection in glorious calamity. Over the course of two emotes independent to prior casting, the Eminent may condense the arcana flowing through their Affection their own mana pool - disabling all visual effects of aura-modifying abilities - before expelling it in a grand, ill-conceived burst of energy-made-manifest. The force explodes out from the Eminent (or a location within 20 meters if having reached 2-charge Incanter’s Flow) in a 10x10 meter radius with the force of a battering-ram, resulting in a knockback effect of at least 2 meters for any caught within. This expulsion would knock standard combatants prone, and stagger extremely heavy targets such as golems or pale-knights. The Eminent may - on account of the active mana being channeled - apply one of three effects to this expulsion dependent on their available casting affinities; the ‘aura’ augmentation is only available at T3 Eminence. Eminents may also choose to leave Expulsion unmodified, for the base effect described above. Evocational - Requiring at least one evocational Void magic be known (fire, water, earth, etc), expulsion additionally deals moderate elemental damage to exposed targets (first degree burns, ice shards, rock-spray) caught in the blast while maintaining the standard 2-meter knockback. Worldly - Requiring knowledge of transfiguration or translocation, an Eminent may charge this ability to instead knock foes back 3 meters, or up to 2 meters into the air. Force would be applied to ensure a ‘rough’ landing for those affected by the second option. Aura - Active mana rips through those in the radius, resulting in no knockback, but immediate disconnection from the Void (if present), and the ‘short-circuiting’ of Voidal enchantments. Individuals caught in this radius would be unable to re-connect or charge their enchantments for two emotes thereafter as their bodies radiate with the color(s) of the Eminent’s aura in spectacular fashion. Following the completion of this ability, an Eminent and their Affection are rendered utterly drained of energy - both physical and metaphysical. This results in a heightened state of exhaustion or - depending on the prior amount of casting - unconsciousness. Redlines: - An Eminent may cast no spells after Expulsion is triggered for the remainder of the CRP it is used in and 1 OOC hour thereafter or be subject to Thaumburn unless magically rejuvenated. - After triggering Expulsion, an Eminent is no longer able to sprint, wield offensive or defensive weapons in any capacity, and has their mobility greatly reduced to below the baseline of a standard mage. This effect terminates after 1 OOC hour or upon receiving magical rejuvenation. - For the purpose of Thanhium and related effects, Expulsion in all flavors counts as a T5 spell. - Expulsion may not be used to damage the environment without RO consent, or unless part of the environment (i.e. a ballista) is actively being used in associated CRP. Tier Progression Tier 1 The fledgling Eminent is overcome with headaches and mild-distress as they adapt to the new-found energy flow from their Affection. Basic Aura Attunement and Arcanic Manipulation become available. This tier lasts for two weeks. Tier 2 The Eminent is now comfortable with managing their Affection, and begins to understand the minutiae of its operation. Affectionate Casting, and Expulsion become available. This tier lasts for two weeks. Tier 3 The Eminent and their Affection become one - echoing intent, and operating in tandem with little concern for self-disruption. Master Magnificus, Incanter’s Flow, and Clarity of Mind become available. References Voidal Connection Voidal Eminence Voidal Artificery Voidstalking Alchemy Core Potions Transfiguration Seers - Cozeners of Vaasek Purpose This piece aims to provide a more pure endgame Voidal feat for those characters seeking an ‘archmage’ or ‘master-sorcerer’ aesthetic. It seeks to balance that aesthetic with interesting roleplay tools both mechanically and in day-to-day RP. Regarding why this is a rewrite and not as an amendment, it stems primarily from the current iteration of Eminent severely lacking in non-combat / non-utility direction, as well as my desire to clarify what an Affection actually is, how it interacts with the feat, and why we should care about it. I view this version as more of a facelift than a full rewrite, I aimed to hone the vision of the original more than I did replace it. The vast majority of changes have been to non-combat elements, as I understand that Eminent is already balanced on a razor’s edge. Credits Squak & Co. (Original Lore) Arzota (Write) Esotericas (Inspiration) ClassyDryad (Inspiration & Consultation) RockyTheWolf (Review & Consultation) Blackhand7 (Consultation) Black_Drag0n (Consultation) Uhrara (Review) Keia (Review)

Fantastic work on this. Brings a breath of fresh air to a very, very old group. Elaborates on elements that were missing, keeps the feeling (mostly), and meshes well with the new direction the server has taken since the early 2010s. Complete and total approval, well done.

Ancestors smile upon you

A very old, very tired draugar stares at a copy of the missive. Feeling had left it's form some time ago, at least any that had mattered. As the wind swirled snow about it's decrepit pit-of-an-office, three croaked words would be all it offered in response, before preparing once again the logistics of war. "High elves... again."

Additional fuel to the fire to justify the current situation - who says days are 24 hours? Some nerd below do the math to vindicate me.

Arzota Des'nox, brother of Dakir, husband of Vierna, and father of Sathoro signs the charter. (IGN. EasilyTraced)