TavernLich

Ancient Chinese proverb say. . . EDIT: Anyway, I think this magic should be restricted to non-combative RP, I wouldn't want another holy order running around preaching peace while also purging anything stereotypically considered evil. Additionally, with regards to Mephistophelian's earlier comment, this magic, while unique , does infringe on several sorceries.

The host's mind will triumph over any Druidic influences, thanks for the +1 :)

What this lad said!

Bryophites didn't have a concrete purpose, though. Most of them wandered around and acted like normal people. These guys have actual strengths, weaknesses, goals and mental/ social changes.

Sfriggat - The Woods’ Stooge Glossary Host: The descendant who harbors one or more sfriggae. Lineage: The chain of succession from the first sfriggat, Coren, down. The Uninhibited: Hosts who have been separated from the sfriggat they harbored -=O=- “It’s there, you sure?” The ‘ame demanded. A wizened man nodded in response, “Pure as the solstice’s snow, I’ll show you.” * * * Coren stalked the jungle floor beneath, his eyes flitted across the undergrowth as the hunter felt the rustle of brush against leather. The corpse of an elderly man littered the floor nearby, its chest bore several puncture wounds that still flowed with blood. It lay there discarded and bare, not unlike carrion amidst the remnants of a battlefield, left to permeate the earth with the scent of death. The forest remained still and patiently awaited Coren, whom in return took to the canopy above. Abruptly, the hum of nearby life ceased, the slightest sliver of alabaster shone through the nearby foliage and neared the corpse before it lurched forward and emerged from the shadows. Coren’s eyes were lit with passion, a concoction of throbbing dread and adamant respect, as the creature finally emerged. The wolf, returning to its previous skill, stood tall on all fours. The wolf, noble and proud with its snow-white fur, approached the elder’s corpse and sniffed at it just once before glaring up toward Coren’s shrouded, and visibly concealed, figure. The beast bared its fangs and surged forward, bypassing the corpse with a single, majestic leap, toward the now exposed Coren. The ‘ame rose to his feet and, in a single and fluid motion, drew its bow, nocked an arrow and took aim. The monster’s limbs rippled as it leapt up into the air and lunged Coren with a row of might fangs. Coren leaned to his right, forsook his armament, and narrowly escaped the monster’s maw; the sound of snapping bones echoed throughout the forest as Coren tumbled down on to the ground below. The monster met Coren beneath with a snarl, saliva frothed at and beneath its lips as it stared at Coren much like an executioner to a bound slave. The monstrous wolf greeting the crippled Coren with a piercing stare. -=O=- Current Folklore The myths behind sfriggae, or singularly sfriggat, hold much controversy throughout the realm, especially those ‘ames who are so closely associated with nature. During Orenian antiquity, sfriggae were thought to be the incarnate woes of children who were spirited away by bastard thieves and slavers; coincidentally Malin’s brood, to this day, remains adamant on this legend’s accuracy. Orcs, in comparison, believed the sfriggae to be the workings of deviants, Ixli’s bunch. And, the poor dweds who are so easily swayed by the thought of liquor and riches, haven’t noticed them at all. While most myths harbor a hint of truth, these do not. In truth, sfriggae are men and women, of all manner, who have fallen prey to a host of parasitic roots and vegetation. These plants, in reality, are the true sfriggae themselves, and those they so desperately cling on to are but mere, albeit extremely frail and sickly, descendents. -=O=- “Undaunted, unnerved and unbound. We are those befallen of strength and weakness. We are those purloined of vision yet granted a thousand eyes. We are Sfriggae, ever watching and ever seeking.” A covey of sfriggae gathering together. Vailor, modern times. Creation Sfriggae are a number of greater plants that are capable of an imperfect merging with descendants, including the kharajyr and halfling kind. These plants are subject to numerous appearances yet remain identical in purpose, meaning while a sfriggae may take the appearance of roots it will harbor abilities identical to that of another under the guise of a blooming orchid. However, in order to access their abilities sfriggae, like a common tick or intestinal worm, must find itself a host. A a potential host, whether or not willing, must come into direct physical contact with a stray and wild sfriggat, fortunately for the common ‘ame these are as uncommon as female dweds, or be purposefully exposed and inoculated by a sfriggat who has found already found a host. The latter resulting in a strong bound between the newly birthed sfriggae and its maker. Once either of the two methods are accomplished, sfriggae will pierce the skin and take root in a person’s skeletal structure, an excruciatingly and sluggish process. The sfriggat will then siphon it’s host’s strength and render it frail, limited with the strength and vitality of an already sickly sorcerer. -=O=- “It watched you? And then? . . . That’s it, then it spirited itself elsewhere and left behind this pagan idol.” Hadrian du Gevaudan conversing with a fellow. Athera, circa 1470s. Behavior, Habits and Tendencies Should a person be bound to a sfriggae, his or her mind will be forever warped and made anew in the image of a sfriggat. By nature, sfriggat believe in the altruistic and natural behavior of the realm. They believe this to be the realm’s will and, despite whatever obstacle it throws at them, think of it befitting them. So, in essence, their belief is that everything, including those malignant creatures and their fiendish deeds, is with a reason that will ultimately lead to a beneficial future. It is because of these beliefs that sfriggae will rarely act for or against others and will tend to merely observe. In addition, as a condition of their acceptance of their mortality and its ephemeral pleasures, sfriggae feel the need to record whatever they see or hear of. It is because of this habit that sfriggae are commonly found within scholarly establishments, at least whenever they are allowed entrance. Accordingly, the sfriggae, as historians and scholars, have a need to fill a void within themselves, perhaps a condition given rise to by their all-too human host. Sfriggae do so by planting memoirs or objects wherever they visit and will commonly gift children various boons and toys as a sort of legacy left to tell their story for those generations after them. Due to this, sfriggae often befriend the young and act as guardians, ironically contradicting their own beliefs of neutrality. Additionally, this need to stake their own claim of history may lead to selfishness and pride. Sfriggae, while at least neutral, may develop a condescending outlook for others, including other sfriggae. Such selfishness will inevitably lead to a sfriggae’s self destruction into obsession and, eventually, hatred and violent loathing. It is because of this most sfriggae are bound to and made by others of their kind, resulting in a dynasty that each follow strict and instinctive mindsets and bonds. This bond is commonly referred to as a sort of hive mind that follows a hierarchy in liaison to the chain of succession and creation; also, because of a wild sfriggae’s inevitable descent into obsession, bound sfriggae commonly hunt and destroy those not within their lineage. As a result, there remains only a single lineage, namely the first and only lineage of the first recorded sfriggae, Coren. Furthermore, should a host be separated from the sfriggat, for whatever reason, the host will reveal itself to be both mentally and physically crippled. Separation will render a host incapable of thinking for his or herself, detached from his or her social life and generally incontinent. Due to aforementioned symptoms, sfriggae have dubbed such hosts as the uninhibited. Uninhibited will remain such until their respective sfriggat returns. -=O=- “I found one, too, it looked like a savage dressed in vines.” A pub owner entertaining regulars with tales of his youth. Fringe, date unknown. Physiology Despite being riddled with roots and vegetation, hosts will maintain humanoid semblances and are subject to the daily motions of the descendants; they've a need to eat, sleep, drink and, even, age. The sfriggat, the actual plant residing within them, however, will look much like invasive roots and other vegetation that jut out and envelop a host’s flesh. It is because of this invasive appearance that results in hosts being considered monsters, while in reality, they are almost entirely like any other descendant of their kind. Under duress or assault, these sfriggae will shield and protect their hosts from harm. They maintain a sphere of influence, with a circumference of about four feet the equivalent of a man wielding a sword, where sfriggae may extend and puppeteer limbs of thorn-riddled roots and vines. These limbs are subject to the physical properties of wood and whatever plant matter they are composed of; thus, sfriggae utilizing vine-like whips are unable to don the durability and hardiness of wood and vice versa. The first sfriggat, Coren, amidst a field of brush. -=O=- Separation Separation may occur when the sfriggat is violently torn from its host, usually resulting in the host’s death. And because a host is still a normal descendant save their relationship with the parasitic sfriggae, they will be revived by the wilven monks. Upon revival, a host will undergo the uninhibited state. Fortunately, because the sfriggae root themselves within a host’s bones, traces of it are found within their blood. These traces may accumulate and eventually regrow into another sfriggae. The process of sfriggae revival may take anywhere between a seed week to an entire year, during this span of time, a host will remain as an uninhibited. Sfriggae revival will also come at the cost of the host’s strength and vitality, as they would siphon a great deal of sustenance from their hosts in order to mend themselves. -=O=- * * * Coren sat exhausted against a fallen tree with a struggling wolf standing before him. Even in its bloodied state, the wolf remained noble, almost pure, as it thrashed about in its death throes. In an act of primal defiance, the wolf lashed out at Coren with a lunge of its great paw and yet only met death at the tip of the hunter’s blade. “You aren’t a tame wolf,” Coren retorted as he grabbed the wolf by its hide and hoisted it atop his shoulders. Just before he’d rise to his feet, the ‘ame felt a pang of pain pierce his left side. He came to an abrupt stop and his grip over his trophy loosened as he fell face-first on to the ground. Like the thrashing wolf, Coren writhed in pain as he felt something bore through his flesh and into his very being. It, too, ran across his skin and he felt it dig behind his eyes and, as if, into the back of his skull. Roots and a myriad of vegetation enveloped him, his limbs began to give way as they grew wary and immobile as though another violently held them. Coren eventually became still as he laid in a puddle of his own blood. -=O=- Strengths Defensive Capabilities: Assaulting sfriggae within their sphere of influence is difficult and may result in the aggressor’s demise. Hive Mind: Sfriggae of the same lineage are able to share emotions with one another. This can only be put to use if two sfriggae are relatively close to one another; additionally, this ability is limited to generic emotions, restricting sfriggae to simple emotions such as anger and/ or happiness and so on and so forth. Weaknesses Natural Weakness: Sfriggae are composed of various plant matter and are thus subject to its vast weaknesses, including fire. Host Frailty: Sfriggae must constantly siphon vitality from its host and, as a result, greatly sap their strength, making them weaker than your average mage or sorcerer. It is because the host’s weakness that sfriggae often puppeteer them about, with or without their consent. Lack of Flexibility, Speed and Agility: Because a host is essentially bound by a myriad of roots and other vegetation, they are greatly encumbered and lack the dexterity of most descendants. Vulnerability to the Mundane: While aurum fails to affect sfriggae, it may still pierce and cut through their roots and into the host’s flesh. Separation: If, for whatever reason, a sfriggat and its host are seperated the host is made incapable of thinking for itself, detached and generally incontinent. Neutral Ability to Learn and Utilize Magic: Because a host is actually a normal descendant, it retains the ability to use all sorts of magic. However, because a host’s mind has been warped by the presence of a sfriggat, their ability to learn is greatly crippled and will result in a slower rate of mastery, usually taking an entire seed year to reach proficiency. Additionally, if separation occurs, a host will be unable to utilize their magical capabilities because of the listed weaknesses above. Voidal, deific and dark detriments still apply. Red Lines The process of revival will take at least an entire seed week, until then a host will remain an uninhibited. Sfriggae are usually neutral creatures, they will prefer to neither help nor impede another, but will still act to defend themselves. Wild Sfriggae are event creatures only, as they are much more animalistic and primal. Questions & Answers [More to be Added] Question: Can a person host more than one sfriggat? Answer: Yes, but this will only add to more weaknesses than strength and will make a host so frail they are unable to lift even the lightest of weights without assistance.

The images were from witcher but these aren't witcher creatures lol, perhaps read the lore?

I take it you didn't bother to read the purpose then?

Steampunk LotC! I'm calling it! +1, haven't seen submissions like this in a while.

Maenads - Bringers of Wrought Excesses [Music] Lore Terms Death Site: A series of deaths occurring in an area, wherein a maenad may potentially be made. Lodestone: A stone capable of ensorcellung and conscripting maenads. It harbors a stray spiritual vestige. Personality: The formal name of the numerous spiritual vestiges bound to a maenad. Spiritual Vestiges: The traces of a person’s soul after dying. Tattered: Another name for the maenad. Tending to / Tend: The bond between a personality and a descendant who they are attempting to influence, commonly referred to as hauntings. True Death: A ritual in which a maenad(s) may purloin another’s spiritual vestiges and either reduce them to a crippled state or permanently kill them, the choice being left up to the victim maenad. -=O=- The heavens above thundered as their envoys, a covey of gale winds, thrashed Ansel von Kraus’ ship. A seaman at heart, he endured the duration of the tempest with a fierce longing and vehemence and relished the thought of traversing the uncharted waters of the sea. However, these local waters, he thought, were far too well knowing of him as he was of them. Alas, after having sailed through the same tides along the same coasts and seas, boredom had finally rooted itself within him and so, too, did a fanatic yearning. * * * Ansel felt his body’s warmth wane as he slipped through a chasm in between two adjacent mountains. These seas were known to harbor the dwed and their kin, many of which Ansel caught sight of floating belly-up in the icy water. His crew, those who resisted the urge to turn tail and run, soon found themselves lacking in resolve as their persistent captain urged them to continue forward into the unknown. Darkness crept upon the chasm, like a raptor to a cowering mouse, and so, too, did Death. One by one, shipmates whom lacked Ansel’s will succumbed to His forces and embraced the icy, body-ridden waters below. This debacle of suicide persisted until all that remained of Ansel’s crew were his quartermaster and a moping deckhand. “Sir Ansel, we’ve to turn her around. We can’t survive another day.” pleaded the deckhand, practically sobbing as he beseeched his superior with desperate indignity. A shipmate having fled to a nearby bastion. -=O=- Common Mythos “The man did what? Well no wonder why he was exiled! Preaching this and that just before sinning.” A peasant mouthing off to a portly stablehand. Vailor, modern times. The origins of maenads have ceased to hold much truth, many tales already loaded with the ramblings of superstitious cut-wives and their ilk. One famous legend has it that the maenads were birthed from the loins of unfaithful husbands, another claims it to be the byproduct of a woman’s sorrows after having committed infanticide. These outlandish testimonies are spread all throughout the land, many originated from the yurt-dwelling savages of Aeldin and made their way to Athera and, now, Vailor like a sickness. Unfortunately, despite the various advances in education, mostly played out within Haelun’or and the other houses of Malin, these myths continue to thrive within the hovels of peasant folk. In truth, however, maenads, or the tattered (as referred to by dagger-ears), are the sister-spirits of the common graven and the occasional apparition. These maenads often manifest themselves as specters luring the unsuspecting commoner into committing vices and actions they’d normally never think of doing. -=O=- Origins & Creation “What is your craft? The cultivation of excesses.” Hadrian du Gevaudan interrogating an ensnared maenad. Athera, circa 1450. It is through the work of Death, much like other supernatural entities, that has given rise to the maenad. Accordingly, since Death has existed, so, too, have they. Recorded, albeit crude, appearances of maenads date back to Aegis and many continue to appear within Vailor today. The first maenad, ideally the progenitor, is said to have existed shortly after the emergence of the undead. Unknown to many, the first maenad was created within the sight of a massacre. A small troupe of a dozen actors, having been slain by the undead, rose up and became the first maenad, Xersei. However, while Xersei may have been birthed through death alone, the creation of future maenads will require the presence of another. For example, after a series of deaths, occurring relatively close to one another, a maenad must then linger within the nearby area and, through means unknown even to the maenads themselves, give rise to another. Otherwise, the deaths will be much like any mundane occurrence and will fail to produce a maenad. Unlike an apparition, which is bound to an area of death and puppeteered by a select soul or cluster of souls, a maenad is comprised of a single soul that will work in tandem with numerous spiritual vestiges, these being the traces of person’s soul after dying, which are often referred to as personalities. Each individual personality is allotted a specific amount of time to reign over his fellows, including the actual soul residing within a maenad. This range of time can be anywhere between a matter of hours or months at a time, usually depending on the amount of personalities bound to a maenad. While these personalities are bound to a single maenad, they each have their own, unique agendas. Much like gravens, they’ve the need to fulfill a task. One personality within a maenad, during its allotted time, must try their best to fulfill such as a means of sustenance. However, a personality’s tasks are not entirely similar to a graven’s, instead their tasks consists of attempting to influence or radically change a person’s demeanor, actions and so on and so forth. It is because of a maenad’s composition of multiple unique vestiges (manifested as personalities, as stated earlier) that a maenad must allot a single person to each of its varying personalities. Take note, however, that a personality is not entirely bound to this person, they may move on to another depending on the person’s will or resistance to temptation. The first maenad scouring the night. -=O=- Behavior, Habits and Tendencies A maenad will always have a plethora of habits and tendencies, each manifested in the form of their varying personalities. Their tasks of influencing and tending to mortals, however, is universal to all maenads and their respective personalities. Also, a maenad’s strength is not determined by the number of personalities it possesses but the length of its time spent as a maenad and how well it has tended to its tasks; a newly formed maenad that has taken its tasks lightly will be frail in comparison to another of its kind that has dutifully tended to their tasks. This gradience in power and strength has given rise to a loose hierarchy of sorts, which is furthered strengthened by laws made by the very first maenad, Xersei, itself. As creatures reliant on interactions with mortals, maenads instinctively abide to a series of fundamental laws known as the Six Tables. It is as follows: The Six Tables - Maenad kind shall not harm one another without given reason. - Those that do harm another of its kind, without valid reasoning or permission, will be stricken down and stripped of its being, that is the true death. - Maenad kind shan’t physically tamper with the fates of men unless duly wronged. - Maenad must obey and abide to a superior’s wishes, failure to do so will result in punishment short of the true death. - Maenad shall not tamper with another descendent already tended to by another of our kind, failure to do so will result in punishment short of the true death. - Maenad shall protect another of its kind without prejudice unless banished. An etching of the Six Tables. Lodestones Lodestones are rarities found within any given death site. These stones, while mundane to the naked or untrained eye, harbor stray spiritual vestiges and, accordingly, are able to summon forth maenad. This process is largely unexplored, but what is known is that lodestones attract any nearby maenad and conscript them through bribery. Conscripted maenads are inclined to forge a covenant of sorts with the bearer of the lodestone. For each lodestone an individual possesses, a maenad will grant them a single wish or command in return for the lodestone(s). It will then whisk these stones away into a hidden stash, kept secret even from its brood. And, while in a maenad's possession, will grant an additional spiritual vestige. However, should a person fail to meet their end of the bargain, the lodestone, in response, will shatter and alert the maenads of the realm of his or her treachery, most likely resulting in a hunt. A shattered lodestone. -=O=- [Translated from Blah to Common] “A phantom? Yes, it wailed about treachery and betrayal before it slew her.” Ulghan’Dom conversing with a fellow orc. Athera, circa 1490s. * * * “What do you have there, lad?” Spat out the quartermaster, eyeing the deckhand toil with a flat, blackened stone. “None of your concern,” he’d retort, evidently engrossed with this stone. “Don’t disobey your superior you damned child!” The quartermaster snatched the stone from the deckhand’s frigid digits and retreated to his quarters after reminding the young man of his place with a few kicks to the groin. “What’ve we here?” the quartermaster thought, fingering the stone’s various nooks. “That’s your salvation,” A voice whispered in the man’s ears. “Know your place, boy!” he’d snap, whipping back toward the voice. “Von Kraus won’t tolerate mischief!” The quartermaster awaited a response but eventually groaned at the lack of one. He released a defeated sigh as he looked back down at the stone. -=O=- Powers & Abilities “These are the seeds we oft sow. Watch carefully, For you’ll not know when they grow. We will linger in your dreams. So don't sit by, Come and greet us with your screams.” The homunculus Phinn reciting his troubled woes. Vailor, circa 1528. To further assist in their endeavors, hierarchy and tasks, maenad are capable of the following abilities: - Invisibility: Simply put, all those save farseers and moongazers are unable to see a maenad while they maintain this ability. - Change in Appearance: Maenads may cosmetically change into any of the following races (without their strengths nor their weaknesses): orcs, humans, elves and dwarves. However, this ability is not without limits; frequent physical and psychological interruptions will render a maenad’s guise null and leave them exposed. These disruptions can be anywhere from a sword to the gut or a hard slap on the shoulders. In addition, maenads are only able to don the guise of their personalities’ former descendant appearance; thus, they are incapable of conjuring up false disguises on a whim. - Touch: Maenads are semi-corporeal and may hold and move objects with strength no greater than an average dwed or uruk. - Myriad of cosmetic/ aesthetic abilities: No combat uses, usually performed automatically or without thought. - Magical Capabilities: As supernatural entities, they are naturally endowed with the capability to learn magic. Unfortunately, casting requires them to expend their own energy, which is their sustenance and makes up their vitality. In essence, while using magic they risk killing themselves, resulting in a permanent death. - Absence of Mortal Coil: They have no need to eat, sleep, bleed or even breath. - Imperfect Immortality: Maenad, while still vulnerable to death, are granted a form of immortality. This type of immortality has no uses during combat and is simply a substitution for Cloud Temple revival. After its death, a maenad will remain unmanifested for a period lasting at least a few seed days until it reappears elsewhere, typically a location it considers its home. Should a maenad, for whatever reason, choose to rush this process, it would be incredibly weak and frail, only capable of drawing on its invisibility for an entire seed week. - Administration of the True Death: Maenads are able to partake in a ritual which allows them to quite literally devour another’s spiritual vestiges. Enduring such a process will either leave a maenad a husk of its former self, weakened, unable to utilize the entirety of its powers and reduced to the vague semblance of an average poltergeist with all the weaknesses of a maenad or vanish from existence entirely, a permanent death. This choice is up to the player’s discretion. This process requires three maenads of equal strength and caliber or a single elder maenad, usually the maenad that assisted in its creation; additionally, maenads must be taught or observe such a process before attempting to do so. A maenad assuming the guise of a peasant woman. Weaknesses - Aversion and Vulnerability to Aurum: Aurum of any kind will bring both fear and pain to a maenad. As such, they are unable to cross aurum barriers of any kind. - Aversion and Vulnerability to all Deific Magic: Whether it be a spear imbued with moonbinding, the spiritual sorceries of a lautaman or the powers of a druid, maenads will falter and experience effects similar to gold and will result in their death. PK rules still apply when dealing with clerics and shamans, but require player consent. - Aversion to Sunlight: When exposed to direct sunlight, a maenad’s strength and abilities will be severely sapped. It will be restricted to T1 arcane spells and, during their exposure, are unable to utilize their invisibility. When attempting to don or maintain the appearance of a mortal, their forms will periodically flicker and, depending on their strength, may entirely collapse. In addition, when exposed to sunlight, a maenad will give off a shroud of ethereal mist that may reveal them to be otherworldly entities, the amount of mist is determined by a maenad’s strength. It is for these reasons that maenad don an array of heavy shawls, headdresses and robes. - Vulnerability to the Mundane: While they are unable to feel the pain and are resistant to a wound made by a ferrum blade, severe damage (i.e. spear through chest, severing of head, etc) will still demanifest/ kill them. - Consequences of not Performing their Tasks: A maenad, should it not properly perform its task, will be gradually robbed of its strength until it dies a true death. - Prayers, Mantras and other Religious Idols or Sayings: For some unknown reason, maenads are naturally pained by the uttering of certain religious texts and objects, these may repel or, should a maenad be in a state of weakness (i.e. exposed to direct sunlight), kill it. An exposed maenad no longer able to maintain its disguise. Quirks In addition to a maenad’s strengths and weaknesses, they also possess a myriad of non-combative and minor quirks. - Strange Thoughts: When in the presence of a maenad, a person may hear strange and foreign thoughts within their heads. These are usually incoherent babblings, and its strength is determined by the player RPing (not the maenad). - Gusts of Wind: A slight gust of wind, it can be used to identify the presence of a maenad nearby. - Disturbance of Wildlife: Animals and plants alike may act odd while near a maenad. Appearance Maenad, while undisguised, manifest themselves in a variety of forms. This includes a decayed humanoid figure, a specter wrapped in heavy shawls, etc. While disguised, maenad will appear to be any of the four descendant races. However, while weak, their disguises may falter, flicker or entirely collapse. An undisguised maenad taking refuge in the shadows. -=O=- * * * The quartermaster’s stock of supplies. A medley of dried fruits and cured meats hung by the quartermaster’s study. “What a catch,” he’d beam, stashing the food under the floorboards beneath. “Trade,” a familiar voice whispered in the man’s ear. “Aye, get me another batch and you’ll have it.” The quartermaster busied himself with a slab of beef and eagerly gnawed on it. “I'll entertain you this once, then.” A gust of wind billowed through a nearby porthole as the sound of squabbling gulls echoed in the distance. * * * The next week, when Ansel and his quartermaster’s belly were plump and their stash of food waned, they called upon the voice once again. “Did you dispose of that castaway?” Ansel inquired as he watched the quartermaster rap the stone. “Aye, by then he was as bloated as your mother, von Kraus.” The quartermaster’s laughter was drowned out by the sound of shattered glass. The two men snapped behind them as they shielded their brow from the onslaught of debris, rain and wind. Food rolled down from the heavens, it seemed, and onto their laps. “You've done it now, Klaus.” Ansel approached the pile of food and gorged himself before turning back to the quartermaster with half a cantaloupe in his mouth. “We’ll never starve again!” Klaus reached for a stray roll of pork and stuffed it in his mouth. “A trade,” the familiar voice whispered. “Once more!” The two men exclaimed in unison, still wallowing in the pile of food. “Trade,” mist gathered at the two men’s feet as the voice continued to beseech them. “We aren't finished yet!” The seamen began filling their pockets with bits of food, unknowing of the mist that now surrounded them. “Treachery! Greed! Damned pigs!” The voice wailed as it took on the appearance of a man draped in heavy shawls, its face was that of their familiar shipmate, the young deckhand from before. The maenad swept the room as it encircled the two men, wrapping them in its shawls. “Your greed will be the death of you.” It ran an icy, gnarled finger across Klaus’ trembling lips. “Take it!” Klaus pleaded, offering the maenad the now-shattered stone. “I've no need for broken things,” the maenad clutched Klaus’ nape and hurled him up and across the room. “*** for tat, seaman.” It abandoned Ansel and whipped toward Klaus with a drawn blade. “Know that this could have been avoided,” the maenad surged forward and buried the sword into Klaus’ abdomen. * * * Ansel awoke amidst a sea of sweat, he clutched his ears as though he could hear Klaus’ dying squeals once again. In the quartermaster’s death throes, he reached for the fleeing Ansel in vain, only to be afforded a look of terror. “I am truly sorry for your friend’s death,” whispered an all too familiar voice. -=O=- Purpose Ghosts, gravens and other spectral entities have been reduced to alt-like characters. They’ve become so bland, predictable and isolated that they’ve become rarities. When we see that occasional ghost or graven, they are either in one of the following situations: (1) shying away from people, (2) attacking or haunting random passerbies without reason, (3) getting slain by random passerbies or (4) deleting their persona. Currently, we’ve a select few playable spectrals (Ghosts, 1st and 2nd generation gravens) all of which are forced to adhere to one or more of the following limitations: (1) demanifested by sunlight, meaning little and strained interactions with others, (2) continue their afterlife in isolation, or risk facing the consequences of Supremacy's lore 3) and/ or flat, two-dimensional characters. Maenads are not bound to these limitations, instead their RP is based on interactions with others, and we've given them lodestones, various personalities, tasks that involve influencing, interacting and developing RP with normal players to further facilitate their interactivity. Even their weaknesses are designed to allow anyone to combat them, including mundane religious figures who’ve been largely ignored until now. Red Lines Maenads must give Out-of-Character consent before being permanently killed. No maenad is strong enough to be able to avoid the occasional flickers or “tells” of their disguise. A maenad can not tend to one person alone, they must each allot one person to each of their varying personalities. Maenads are unable to learn deific magic of any sort, the reason being obvious. In addition, due to their lack of a mortal coil, maenads lack the ability to learn and utilize necromancy and blood magic. A person must wait at least three IRL days before spawning elsewhere after his or her maenad’s death, failure to do so will result in an incredibly frail maenad only capable of invisibility for an entire IRL week. Maenads will always grant one favor in return for a lodestone. After transitioning to a personality, a player must wait at least three IRL hours before switching to another. It is in a maenad’s nature to abide to the Six Tables, so much so that it is incredibly rare for a maenad to act against these laws. Maenads must wait a period of six months before being able to assist in the creation of another. Questions & Answers [More to be Added] Question: What mechanical race would represent maenads? Answer: The necrolyte race will represent maenads, as they aren't geared for spectre pvp buffs. Question: If a maenad desires to assist in the creation of another, are they required to make a teaching application? Answer: Yes. Question: How and where may I find lodestones? Answer: Should this piece be implemented, lodestones will be shortly distributed to the player base via a series of events shortly. Future lodestones may be found within a maenad’s death site, but requires staff approval. Question: Because of their hierarchy and the need for a maenad’s presence regarding another’s creation, will these creatures congregate in groups? Answer: Indeed! That's a fundamental aspect of this lore, aiming to allow maenads to thrive off of each other’s activity. Question: Is there a limit to how many personalities a may be bound to a single maenad? Answer: Yes, a maenad is limited to a dozen personalities. If, however, a maenad comes to possess more than a dozen, either via devouring another’s spiritual vestige or by possession of a lodestone(s), a personality will gradually replaced and fade away until the limit is reached. Question: Is there a time limit regarding the transition from one disguise to another? Answer: Yes, that being a total of ten minutes. Question: If a maenad is made, will each death be equivalent to a permanent kill? Answer: No, only the single, actual spirit will require a permanent death. Question: If a maenad is robbed of its spiritual vestiges and reduced to a weak state, will they remain stuck there? Answer: No, they may either collect lodestones to replace the vestiges they lost or they may attempt to take another’s, the latter being highly unlikely due to the gap in strength.

+1 ur too good

I've just one problem about this lore, that being the Daeva. I generally dislike its entire concept, from its ability to manipulate shade magic on a whim to the transition from a spectral entity to a normal descendant. That ability, the one allowing a Daeva to switch in between forms, is incredibly overpowered. Why would they be unaffected by aurum and holy magic while in their mortal forms when they've given themselves to a shadow demon?! And why is the shadow demon's, aknu'gul, will a listed weakness? We all know becoming a "Morghuul-creature" won't happen unless you shades, who all seem to convene with one another in OOC, agree to such. And if that's the case, which it really is, then it's not a weakness but another condition made to LOOK like a weakness. And why are these things even necessary? You already have shade fathers, do you really want to hop on that "itharel-wraith-keeper-etc-etc" band wagon? If you want my support, either make Daeva an aesthetic form (lacking strengths) or give them actual unique weaknesses rather than cliche aurum-deific magic and a weakness that reverts them to a form unharmed by aurum and dark magic (which actually sounds more and more like an implied strength, I.e. Someone tries to figure out if another is a Daeva using aurum! Whoops, that guy's not affected). DISCLAIMER: This was not meant to be rude, I just thought blunt writing will help get my point across.

Can we have something similar with dark magics as well? I mean it seems sort of unfair that inactive deific users get knocked down to T1 while inactive dark mages get to sit on their magic

Yeah, I agree with Booklight's proposal about keeping physical bodies. I mean, if you want them to be unique, I'd say having transcendents keep their physical bodies would do you good, especially since many "transcendents" of both deific and dark sorceries involve an ethereal or vastly altered bodies, I'm sure you are aware of liches, wraiths (and, in the past, wights), itharel and so on and so forth.

I thought of that frustration as well, and it seems to be an unavoidable aspect, something I'd give for abundant RP, Halsey. Though, I do think that constant RP, especially conflict, would also do us good, at some level, in terms of activity. So many times I've seen villains fall inactive after a "golden period" because they can't be bothered to find others to interact with or are consistently made to fight a one-sided battle against holy users; with this, people will come to hags and there would be a steady flow of RP toward them, with variety of people, as well, given that they aren't just vulnerable to deific powers but all manner of spells and weaponry, meaning ordinary people may come to them too rather than a bunch of deific users.

We just expect RP dude, and no offense, if you are as active as you say you are then perhaps I would have seen you actually RP villainy in my three or so years in LotC, that's excluding all the various villain hideouts I went into as a DK cultist, lich, ghoul and so on and so forth. So, I mean, if I hang out with the villains AND played as a villain then, and if you are as active as you claim to be, then shouldn't I have seen at least ONE time when a frost witch was in action throughout my THREE years here? Here is one of your frost mothers also telling us of the frosties' inactivity: Sorry if I came off as blunt, but at least I'm giving you the decency of not sugar coating my words.

Of course not, though I suppose it would be very plausible given how little frosties there are... But, these creatures are made to be a unique villain wherein they can't really hide nor sneak around like most monsters/ dark mages. They HAVE to RP and ANYONE can RP with them. EDIT: For example, lots of times you see dark mages/ monsters walking around and drinking tea and acting all merry. You know they are villains in OOC but can't do anything about it since they RARELY get out of their shell and actually reveal their true intentions. And, if you wanna talk to them many of them complain about meta or if you want to find out IG, you have to go around stupidly asking if there dark mages or monsters nearby. "Hey, I'm looking for these Necromancers, know where to find them?" With these creatures, like I said earlier, we WANT you to come to us and RP and we want you to be able to RP as normal people without having to spend a month's worth of RP scheduling help from clerics cuz you know a normal person doesn't stand a chance or getting info to track them down

We need this because frost witches are inactive and terribly hard to find in RP, even they admitted to having to rely on OOC to recruit. With this lore, people can just go to a Druid or dryad or whatever and ask for help tracking them, meaning it's much easier to get a hold of them an: actually RP instead of waiting for that frost witch drinking tea in the tavern to come to you.

Oh! Great lore! Definite +1

Hags, Maidens of Blight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9F1lsULIA -=O=- “Hags, the word rolls off another's tongue and is grudgingly spat out with a hoarse escape. The meaning behind the set of letters is even more so putrid, the very word’s given meaning an insult to their existence. Alas, not many whom have personally understood its true implication are able to even whimper the word, much less explain it; for the encountered presence of such a fiend commonly led to one’s inevitable demise. Such a demise, fortunately, is likely the best escape from the dreadful situation. It is only through the bitter-sweet kiss of fate that these abominations live in isolation, in which only their own kin may provide them with company. They do not hide amongst our own, but, instead, amidst the shadow that is the unknown and uncharted; where no descendant of rational thought dared cast themselves askew from their merry trail to home. Among the rare eccentric thinkers, there are those who let curiosity dominate their uninhibited impulses, guiding them to their possible demise.. or possible quenched thirst of simply knowing. To those, I say: please, go, take your death wish elsewhere; be buried with its sated state in these wretched lands, away, unable to whisk others unto your fruitless endeavors. I beg you, allow your woes of distraught to lack a response, lest the responder fall prey to agony just as you.” The worn slice of paper delivered only these words, the majority of its shape obscured by thick blotches of mud dousing its corners, the author's name inscribed upon one of them: the name “Kreleniel” concealed from plain sight; lying in detriment solitude, far below the peaks of twisted branches that occupy the swamp’s territory. -=O=- “Crones within this damned swamp? There are crones everywhere, boy... Why the tone of surprise? Take a look at your mother, for instance.” Marius Sill’crux and his estranged nephew, Hadrian. Athera, circa 1469. The edges of Embermoore. The murky waters of Embermoore writhed as a lonesome ‘ame trudged through them. Her sun-kissed skin glistened as she passed the occasional breached foliage, of which a bounty of creatures bathed beneath the sunlight’s rays. One such creature, sporting glazed, spotted skin and many orbiting whip-like tendrils approached and stood before her, she didn’t tardy in responding to it with a sharp cry before readily running away. It is through this act of cowardice that her top met with a coarse, scarred thick line of bark and a dull, throbbing pain which plagued her forehead. She felt around within the shadows and hugged the wide girth of the tree, which she had assumed to be a large mangrove, and gave it a harsh kick with her iron-tipped boots in retaliation for her earlier humiliation. She felt the vibrations of the water as various unseen objects fell into the swamp’s nebulous depths, from which she recognized the sound of glass against the consuming surface of water, not unlike the sound made when she gathered water, with a vase, by the nearby river of her homestead. “You damned girl!” the harsh voice rang all throughout the swamp. -=O=- [Translated from Blah to Common] “Beseech the spirits so that we are not beseeched, in turn, by hags in that hellish swamp, else you may arrive within the spirits’ domain early.” Ulghan’Dom and his plethora of children, nearing their voyage across Embermoore. Athera, circa 1480s. Mythos A lone soul passing through Embermoore. It is through the unrestrained gossip of commonfolk that the legends behind hags, those women of the swamps and such, emerged from. Tall tales whispered in children’s ears, in return for their obedience, assume the hags’ origin is a result of the spawn of feminine demons, taking the form of unwed harlots, and sinning men. These stories, based atop antiquity’s sickness of stupidity and backwards logic, traversed all throughout the realm and thrived within peasant dwellings and the hovels of the impoverished and proclaimed the consequences of premarital consorts. Fortunately, such lore lacks accuracy. In truth, hags, otherwise known as Crones (interchangeable dubbings), are “devolved” women having been cursed with Embemoore’s varying sorceries. Studies have sorted them into various, loosely defined categories, namely the elders and said elders’ maidens. -=O=- * * * A newly-anointed hag lurking near her homestead. “No!” The she-’ame cried out as she was thrown across the splinter-ridden floor of the hag’s hut. “Mryttle, why have you so persistently encroached upon my land?” The ghastly hag croaked out, eyeing the broken ‘ame, as she clutched her bleeding breast, the rendered flesh surrounded by rot, a convenient boon of the hag’s touch. The ‘ame refused to respond and, instead, scurried off toward the gaping doorway. As she reached out for the open air, a short-sought freedom, a pang of pain surged throughout her body as a lurking shadow slammed the door shut against her now crippled digits. A covey of shadows quickly rushed the ‘ame. She felt talons, akin to those the hag bore, rake her skin and besmirch her beauty with further rot. The maidens dragged her across the floor and presented her, once again, before the hag, whom now held a crude, rusted knife. -=O=- “We are equipped to fight men bearing blades, not deviants and their sorceries.” The High Sage Mukar, advising the late Tlatlanni Atl. Origins & Synopsis It is through actions of folly that hags were birthed from. A volley of womenfolk, upon arriving within Athera, just so happened to stumble upon Embermoore and, in accordance to their dimwitted matriarch, they decided to settle within the swamp’s heart. Over the years, their children and their children’s children were conceived and washed with the swamp’s waters throughout their days . Each generation, the swamp’s sorceries were woven into the children’s blood. The matriarch of the third generation, the third daughter of a third daughter, finally reached peak deterioration as she devolved into the horrid fiend now dubbed as Hags. As the progenitor of her horrendous race, she was given the ability to anoint others with Embermoore’s sorceries and they, too, would be made hags in her image. Their bodies dried up with age quickly and their skin was soon littered with lesions, blights and various other growths; however, such grotesque looks did come with a boon of sorts. The hags were granted powers of unimaginable kind, only rivaled by other beasts of yore. Fortunately, for those descendants who dwelled nearby such creatures, the destruction of Athera, and with it Embermoore, sapped the hags’ powers and left them weak in comparison to their former glory. Powers & Abilities - Considerable Strength: While cursed with an elderly woman’s body, hags are given strength to compensate for this. A hag could, possibly, rival a strong, large man in terms of strength. - Elongated Claws: These claws forever replace their nails and may reach half a foot in length depending on their age. While not able to match steel and aurum blades, these claws can certainly tear and rend flesh with ease. - Accursed Touch: Whatever a hag touches, whether with her claws or her hands and feet, are made rotten and grotesque. Wounds from a hag’s touch will begin to fester immediately and would be painful to the touch. This not only applies to others but inanimate objects as well. The earth that they tread on will pale and crack and so on and so forth. It is likely because of this ability that common beliefs depict hags within disgusting, roach-infested hovels. In addition to this, whatever concoctions and potions hags decide to make are made volatile and unprecedentedly chaotic. Potions will offer powerful effects but crippling consequences (i.e. a blighted potion of swiftness will gift the user with the abundant speed and dexterity of the gale winds but will soon result in extreme frailty and brittleness of the bones). Naturally, hags are resistant to these detriments but are far from immune. - Petrifying Breath: Like the famed mandragora plant, found coincidentally within swamps, a hag’s breath can potentially knock a person unconscious, depending on their size (smaller people will be affected faster and easier while larger folk will be more resistant). Men have made jests about this uncanny ability of theirs, assuming it is due to their lack of hygiene. While, in truth, your average hag will lack common hygiene, this ability is actually made possible due to bulbous glands within their windpipe that release a substance very similar to a mandragora’s spores. - Corruption of Wildlife: In liaison with their touch, a hag’s very presence will disturb any nearby lifeforms. Both plants and animals will cease to behave rationally. Dogs may bark at thin air and birds may collide and crash into things without any apparent reason. - Sturdy Skin: A hag’s skin is hardy, like riveting chainmail, and can be tough to pierce through but not impossible. What little amount of hags remain only boast a mere fraction of their past power and now thrive within the underbellies of society, living off their respective taproots, a piece of petrified wood originating from Embermoore itself. These taproots, although sturdy, are vulnerable to all manner of destruction. And, with their destruction, the hag bound to it, too, shall be rid of their powers, and collapse into a puddle of rotten flesh. For at least a handful of seed weeks the hag will remain reduced to a puddle of flesh, enough time for their taproots to mend itself and reappear elsewhere. As a measure of precaution, elder hags surround themselves with lesser or younger hags, most being called maidens or handmaidens. These maidens protect their elder and one another by a bond made through a process known as anointing. Usually reserved for an elder hag, anointing a mortal is a secretive ritual that many maidens themselves do not know much of. By whisking a woman away into their clandestine ranks, an elder hag would then bind a piece of wood across their victim’s bosom. By pairing it with her elder taproot and soaking the wood in her own blood, the wood is made corrupt and will slowly be made into a taproot. This is a lengthy process and will take at least a seed month to be made into a standard taproot. This is process is quantified into three stages: fledgling, maidenhood and elder ascension. Stages Fledgling: At this time, the young soon-to-be fully-fledged Hag has but a fraction of their powers, the ones they harbor usually being diminished and weak. Maiden: During this stage, the woman would have fully-manifested as a Hag, her powers having grown away from sheer impracticality, and her visage now infested with the many deformities that their kind bear. Elder: After years of maidenhood, a maiden may be taught the anointing process and be made an elder. Whereas the maidens make up the bulk of the sisters,the elders take on the guise of their godmothers, reigning from the top of their respective group, or coven of hags. She often appears to be larger, stronger and far more appaling than her lesser kin. Appearance An elder hag stalking a nearby field. Hags, much like antiquity's tales, appear as grotesque women aged beyond their years, physically. As a hag grows older, they come to bear the appearance of a monster. Their flesh sags, various growths and lesions, including plantlife (moss, weeds, shrooms, etc) are dotted all over their body, skin pales and their bones become brittle despite their strength. A coven of hags, two maidens at their elder’s side. Behavior, Habits and Tendencies Hags are naturally volatile creatures. As such, they tend to lurk in the nearby woods of a town or settlement, rarely venturing out far from their dwellings for fear of persecution. It is because of their natural, craven natures that hags are able to survive in their current states. Along with their obvious physical changes, once a woman is made into a hag, their minds are forever warped. While their personalities may remain, a hag will always veer toward villainous, or at least chaotic, tendencies. In addition, hags are considered blights of the forest by all those who associate themselves with nature (druids, dryads, fae and so on and so forth). Those who are closely associated with nature are able to somehow track and find these hags quite easily. It is because of this that hags often make enemies with druids and their ilk, often hunting them along with the fae and dryads. Due to persecution, hags dwell and make company with others hags nearby, effectively forming a coven. A coven of hags, compared to their lonesome variants, are far more aggressive and confident in their skills, making them a stacked threat even against the most skillful of marked-men and hunters. Weaknesses - Aversion to Aurum & Silver: While they do not share the same weaknesses to such substances like most vile creatures, the mere sight of aurum or silver will pain a hag and strike fear into them. - Vulnerability to all things Mundane & Immundane: Hags can be slain like any descendant, whether it be through the arcane, deific or by a sword through the heart. - Destruction of Taproot: The taproot is the source of their powers and should it be destroyed, so too would a hag. A hag will be reduced to a puddle of flesh for multiple seed weeks until their taproot is mended and reappears elsewhere, without the memories of their deaths. - Tracking: Hags can be tracked by those who are closely associated with nature (fae, druids, dryads, etc). Purpose Hags are playable creatures meant to easily provide villainous or chaotic interactions with anyone, whether that be through combat, trickery, or anointment. Additionally, they are damaged by weapons of all shapes, sizes and types, you do not need to be a paladin or a cleric to fight them; furthermore, to enable their accessibility to the populous, Hags can be tracked down by “those associated with nature” (Druids, Dryads, etc). The purpose of this is to give everyone a chance to find them, especially Druids and Dryads, who have risen in activity and thus provide plenty of potential for abundant RP. In conclusion, we WANT people to come and interact with us and we've given people the tools to do so, saving them the time of having to gather a month’s worth of information only to have to continue chasing creatures. -=O=- * * * Mrytle struggled against the combined efforts led by the Hag’s maidens to no avail. She lashed out in desperation and bore her teeth in predatory vehemence. “Release me!” She pleaded as the hag strapped a fragment of wood across her breast. “You shan’t be so impudent to your elders, girlie.” The hag retorted, contorting her finger inward to prick at her palm, as she lathered the shard of wood with her own blood. “Please,” Mrytle began to ball, globules of tear and sweat collecting just beneath her chin. “You needn't struggle, dear.” the hag turned to her side and placed her own taproot beside Mrytle’s, it's dreadful pores lit with a malignant, green light. Myrtle twitched and contorted in pain, her jaw unhinged to allow out a pent-up scream, her irises previously filled of both vigor and fear, now d the positions of the maidens’ shadows promptly inching towards her feeble form. Alas, Myrtle’s vision waned as she felt a darkness envelop her. She laid there, limp and unmoving, her life now at the complete mercy of the Hags. -=O=- Red-lines -Due to their corrupted nature, they are unable to be truly “good”. -Accursed touch takes a while to fully infect the wound, no rapid spreading. -A tainted potion’s drawbacks still affect Hags, just not as much as they do regular mortals. -They may not “Corrupt” animals & wild-life to their will, only provoke them to disorder. -Hags are largely incapable of magic altogether. This is due to their newfound bodies having been corrupted by Embermoore, thus severing their bond with genus, mana and so on and so forth. -They are disease ridden, and thus thoroughly infertile. Co-written by: Matheu3 & Tavernlich

Yep! +1

Okay, since you said you're making the Elder person NOT in your group of friends, then make me an elder or whatever. This is not a meme.

There is no specific ‘gas,’ it can be steam, mist or even smoke. However, this gas, acts like any other gas. It will eventually spread and thin out. This means that the homunculus must be entombed in an air-tight container, perhaps a glass tube? It is all up to the player playing the homunculus.

I fixed the font size.