Archipelego

first (i think its good lore)

Yes I'm reading it at the moment. Im glad ar least one other person saw it

:) God help us all

ty

Confessors The Hallowed Progeny ♚ `̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ To salvage.+̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠ -̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ To restore.+̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠ That which will be will not be what once was.-̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ ~̷̰̯̊̈\̷̹͙͍̾̇̄̍}̷̨̣̝̐̄͝[̷̲̳̮̪̉̌+̷̡̞̐̐̈͠_̸͓͂̔̾̈́~̴̛̳̱͋.̶̛̛͕̱̋̌/̵̬͈̕͘:̴̜͇͓̪̓̔͝͝'̵͎̲̍͠:̸̧͇̰̤̆̉͆͠ The portrait was incomplete, effigies of corruption walking amongst the divine.`̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿ +̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠It was never complete.-̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ -̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ That which is new shall be granted wholeness.+̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠ ~̷̰̯̊̈\̷̹͙͍̾̇̄̍}̷̨̣̝̐̄͝[̷̲̳̮̪̉̌+̷̡̞̐̐̈͠_̸͓͂̔̾̈́~̴̛̳̱͋.̶̛̛͕̱̋̌/̵̬͈̕͘:̴̜͇͓̪̓̔͝͝'̵͎̲̍͠:̸̧͇̰̤̆̉͆͠ I shall take what is needed to complete my grand work.~̷̰̯̊̈\̷̹͙͍̾̇̄̍}̷̨̣̝̐̄͝[̷̲̳̮̪̉̌+̷̡̞̐̐̈͠_̸͓͂̔̾̈́~̴̛̳̱͋.̶̛̛͕̱̋̌/̵̬͈̕͘:̴̜͇͓̪̓̔͝͝'̵͎̲̍͠:̸̧͇̰̤̆̉͆͠ -̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ Touched by the insignia of another,`̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ `̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ they shall bear my crest and heed my name.]̵͎̑̈̚{̵̢̀̑͊̅|̵͉͖̗̎͆/̶͉̑̎̋̉.̴̯͕̳̊̎͑'̶̟͉͠:̸̡̺̝̋]̴̡͍̌ͅ\̸̡̗̹͈͆̊́͛[̴̢̹͉̬̌̐̀_̷̖̊͠=̴̧͓̞̓͑̀̈ͅ_̷̤͐̃̀ `̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ Now, the portrait is complete.-̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ ]̵͎̑̈̚{̵̢̀̑͊̅|̵͉͖̗̎͆/̶͉̑̎̋̉.̴̯͕̳̊̎͑'̶̟͉͠:̸̡̺̝̋]̴̡͍̌ͅ\̸̡̗̹͈͆̊́͛[̴̢̹͉̬̌̐̀_̷̖̊͠=̴̧͓̞̓͑̀̈ͅ_̷̤͐̃̀Now, we begin.-̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ Integration of Divinity The forces of purity have always stood as a bulwark against the natural state of the universe: a constant degradation. It is entropy, a simple force that breaks down all things. All things are eventually broken by the passage of time, but it is rather the loss of integrity that betrays purity. To remain steadfast, even as you go quietly into that good night, is the true way to stand against the corruptive force of darkness. To wither is mortal. To settle is divine. This is not to say that change is bad. Change itself stands as a counterpoint to entropy, the only way one can save themselves from falling apart into something incorrigible. To change, as contradictory as it seems, is often the only way to subsist as a unique and whole being. Whether it is fighting for survival, changing your opinions, or something much more cosmic, change is a force of that which is good and pure. It can be said simply as such: Purity comes in the form of necessary change. It is this idea that would lead to a completely new definition of a holy descendant, one blessed by a burgeoning, twisting ideology of purity. Tahariae exists as a manifestation of purity, seeking to see it wrought onto the mortal plane, to correct existence to be a pure thing. This pursuit, sought through the clerics of old, proved fruitless. Some caveat was missing, some fatal flaw in the idea of instilling Tahariae’s pure might. So, in pursuit of true purity, change was brought and forged into the world. Aeriel stands often in opposition to Tahariae, a fact that remains unchanged. Yet, as the weakened Archaengul crouched over her realm, Tahariae sought a small modicum of her power, taken without consent. This small spark of Aeriel’s purity of the soul completed the connection of Tahariae, leaving Aeriel largely helpless to prevent the use of her power in such a fashion. As such, a new kind of servant was created, bearing the Agrestal Connection: the eternal, warm flow of Tahariae’s power with a chaotic variable of Aeriel’s spark. These servants of purity are known as Confessors, the Hallowed Progeny. Tahariae, the Father, maintains the connection of the Hallowed Progeny and brings most of their boons. Strength, independence, and clarity are traits of Tahariae, fulfilling his divine and pure connection of the soul. This is a restraining force, representing the organizational tendencies of the Confessors. Aeriel, the Mother, brings a spark of compassion and bounty to the Hallowed Progeny. This is a chaotic variable, and leads to the relatively unstable condition of the Agrestal Connection. This is what truly completes the Confessor’s power, however, creating a servant in pursuit of true purity in both war and in compassion. These two aengudaemons, as opposed as they might be, are both essential to the continued existence of their Hallowed Progeny. The Confessor is a descendant of the utmost standard of purity, the absolutism of Tahariae met with sudden bursts of compassionate morality. The influence of Tahariae and Aeriel will clash often, creating the unique physiological and psychological state of the Hallowed Progeny. However, this fighting is required, too, for a creature of true change and true purity. ♚ Table of Contents The Agrestal Connection Physiology & Traits Psychology & Mental State The Vows of Purity Euphony & Disunion Exhaustion & Augmentation Cantrips & Blessings Charms & Solemnities Tier Progression Purpose Citation ♚ The Agrestal Connection A Confessor (Known as Hallowed Progeny) hosts a unique element to their aengudaemonic connection; the subtle, isolated influence of a second aengudaemon. The spark of Aeriel creates a strange and never before seen connection. It is still a single connection, tied to Tahariae, but with a funnel of power granted from that which has been stolen from Aeriel. The Confessor is completed with this spark, the influence of both aengudaemons occupying their minds, bodies, and souls. This unique connection is known as the Agrestal Connection. The Agrestal Connection has many strange quirks and requirements, active detriments that must be made up for via the tools and options available to a Confessor. However, this comes with some added benefits as well, such as the united front of purity in both the body and soul. The Agrestal Connection comes with some protection from both the Mother and Father patrons. Aeriel, with her spark of purity, protects the souls of Hallowed Progeny. Confessors are immune to Naztherak idols, but not malflame, nor the curse of a malice that may be imbued in it. Confessors are also immune to the maledictions of shamans and the hexes of mystics, but not to the plagues of a Necromancer. Confessors cannot gain any other connection to a deity (No Druidism, Paladinism, Shamanism, etc), they may not learn voidal magic, and they cannot become hexed or cursed. Additionally, Confessors can not learn any sort of dark magic. This includes necromancy, mysticism, blood magic, or anything else under the consensus of what is dark. Confessors can also not become any sort of creature such as a Machine Spirit, Tree Lord, Wight, or anything else. Tahariae also enacts his will unto the Confessors, pouring his focus into guarding the purity of the body. Confessors cannot take on an afflicted symbiote, catch natural diseases, or become intoxicated or poisoned through mundane means. A necromancer can still cause a Confessor to suffer from horrific necrosis, and an enchanted drink can still get a Confessor drunk. However, the natural occurrence of these things does not affect the body of the Confessor. Given the peculiarities and strain of the Agrestal Connection, the general priority that becoming a Confessor is supposed to take, and the scope of the abilities, Hallowed Progeny is a 3 slot magic. Additionally, there are many restrictions listed above for what other things a Confessor can learn. Alchemy, Kani, Animii, Shunting, and other activities that do not affect the body or soul can be learned and practiced. ♚ Physiology & Traits A Confessor is subject to several physical changes due to the effects of the Agrestal Connection on the body. These are relatively minor things but are present in most Confessors. First, universal to all Confessors, those with the Agrestal Connection are limited in their physical strength. Every Confessor, given the strain of the Agrestal Connection and their intended combative role, can only maintain the average strength level of their race. While not weak, any individual that actively improves their strength like a warrior or soldier would be able to outclass a Confessor in a contest of pure strength. This would not prevent a Confessor from wearing armor or utilizing melee weapons but would make them less versatile and effective when using such things compared to a warrior. Additionally, there are other reasons that a Confessor would not want to use a great deal of armor, outlined below in the relevant section. Additionally, there are some minor secondary characteristics that a Confessor may gain throughout their progression of Hallowed Progeny. The recommended progression of these traits can be found in the section Tier Progression. As a Confessor’s connection strengthens, they may find their eye color changing. This is an optional trait but is common among Confessors. A Confessor’s eyes may either turn to dark, cobalt blue to reflect the influence of Aeriel or to light, shining silver to reflect the influence of Tahariae. The silver of Tahariae is more common, yet some Confessors may feel the influence of Aeriel’s spark particularly strongly. The transformation to either of these is a permanent trait gained by the Confessor unless they become disconnected and is a permanent replacement of their previous eye color. A Confessor also cannot switch between these two and must stick with whatever choice they make if they choose one of these two eye colors at all. Additionally, many Confessors find their hair changing color as well. While not a mandatory or enforced thing, most Confessors their hair slowly turns to a pure white or silver color that reaches its conclusion by the time they reach tier 5. This is in no way a required thing for a Confessor, and they can still maintain their original hair color, but it is recommended for a Confessor to have at least one or both traits of eye color or hair color. The tell or tells of a Confessor vary greatly. However, the coloration is always silver, white, blue, or somewhere in-between. The exact tell a Confessor wishes to use may vary from ability to ability, but it is recommended to have some consistency. Whether it’s a light tether when connecting to another to heal them or glowing eyes when using a Cantrip, a Confessor must have a visible magical tell. ♚ Psychology & Mental State The influence of Tahariae and the spark of Aeriel can be felt within every Confessor, a subtle tug of war within their mind. Within each Confessor is the capacity for empathy and selflessness tied with the capacity for anger and righteousness. The righteous rage and restraint of Tahariae battles endlessly with the small, vocal influence of Aeriel advocating for compassion and love. This creates a strange dichotomy within each and every Confessor, the two distinct and conflicting aenguls pulling the Confessor in two different directions. This means that a Confessor’s behavior can sometimes change on a dime or seem erratic as a Confessor feels an equally strong pull for two very distinct reactions to a situation. This will never completely define a Confessor or the extent of what they’re capable of but is a constant pull within each Confessor. A Confessor can, over their tier progression, nurture or suppress Aeriel’s influence into being weaker or stronger within themself. Tahariae’s side cannot be manipulated in this way, given how it is the warmth and purity of Tahariae that maintains the greater portion of the Agrestal Connection. However, no matter how much the voice of Aeriel may be suppressed, it will never fully leave, an enduring, smoldering ember of compassion. The two will always fight a conflict within a Confessor, drawing them in both directions simultaneously. This is why you may see the most compassionate Confessors suddenly seem stiff or callous and the most furious Confessors suddenly seem kind and caring. Ultimately, how a Confessor acts is up to them. However, there is this constant dichotomy, this constant tug of war, going on within their mind and soul. By the time a Confessor’s power is at its full strength, the general state of Aeriel’s influence has stabilized to reflect the behavior and actions of the Confessor; more compassionate, or more righteous. This may be how a Confessor OOCly chooses what eye color change they want, depending on if they want to be more or less Aeriel-minded. ♚ The Vows of Purity Tahariae controls and directs his Confessors through a set of ideals known as the Vows of Purity. Though dictated by Tahariae, these Vows each have an element of Aeriel within them to reflect the inflamed nature of the Agrestal Connection. Each of the three Vows is a promise made by the Confessor to uphold for themselves and in their interactions with others. Vows must be taken when progressing as a Confessor. The Vow of Duty must be taken up upon connection. The Vow of Peace must be chosen upon advancing to Tier 3, and then the Vow of Temperance must be chosen upon reaching Tier 5. When a Vow is broken, a Confessor is knocked down to where they would be when they took their previous Vow. A Tier 5 Confessor that breaks the Vow of Temperance would be knocked down to Tier 3, and a Tier 3 that breaks the Vow of Peace would be knocked down to Tier 1. Given how these Vows are built on top of each other, a Tier 5 Confessor who breaks the Vow of Peace would also be knocked down to Tier 1. The Vow, once broken, must be done once again, and it takes the Confessor one week from reaffirming their Vow to regain the tier they had lost. Abilities do not have to be learned again, but a week must be taken to regain each tier. For instance, a Tier 5 that was knocked down to a Tier 3 must take two weeks to reach Tier 5 again. Breaking the Vow of Duty qualifies a Confessor for disconnection and cannot be renewed, elaborated upon in the below section on Connection & Disconnection. The Vows are as follows. Vow of Duty: All Confessors, whether they are tier 1 or tier 5, uphold the Vow of Duty. It is the first Vow that a Confessor agrees to, and is an essential part of the connection process. It makes up the core of the duties of the Confessors and serves as the primary directive of Confessor culture. The Vow of Duty is the only Vow that cannot be renewed if broken. The Vow of Duty is as follows: "Under the eyes of mine Mother and Father above, would that this vow be held true, 'lest I abandon mine covenants and post. I am charged to pursue Purity unblemished in all quarters, and never shall I sully myself through dealings of the unhallowed. Naught of mortal dealings will ever eclipse this duty mine, and never will the blade of treachery be raised against mine kindred. Let this promise be held true, from now, until the end of days." Vow of Peace: The Vow of Peace is an essential aspect of being a Confessor. It manages values of peace and pacifism that are essential to being a Confessor. The Vow of Peace is as follows: "Under the eyes of mine Mother and Father above, would that this vow be held true, 'lest I abandon mine covenants and post. I am charged to pursue Peace in all quarters, and never shall I harm another without great necessity. Never shall I initiate violence, yet I shall give no quarter to those who prove they wish to harm the fellowship of the Hallowed Progeny. The foul and corrupt creatures of this world I can slay, yet even to they I shall naught bring unnecessary cruelty. Let this promise be held true, from now, until the end of days." Vow of Temperance: The Vow of Temperance is another cornerstone of Confessor life. It enforces values of honesty and moderation within every Confessor. The Vow of Temperance is as follows: "Under the eyes of mine Mother and Father above, would that this vow be held true, 'lest I abandon mine covenants and post. I am charged to pursue Temperance in all quarters, and never shall I reduce myself to meaningless bellows of insult or groundless accusations. The traps and failings of mortal society shall never befall me, and I shall hold both myself and others in high regard. Let this promise be held true, from now, until the end of days." ♚ Euphony & Disunion It is through the Solemnity of Euphony and Disunion that a Confessor is connected or disconnected from their magic. They are opposites, with Euphony representing the discordant harmony of the Agrestal Connection and Disunion representing the stripping of it. Both of these Solemnities are only available to a tier 5 Confessor with a TA. They do not need to be recorded anywhere, but you should absolutely learn how to do both of these things. If you do not, then you should not roleplay them. This will be enforced. Euphony Euphony is a beautiful, harmonious thing. By drawing on the power of Tahariae with the compassionate spark of Aeriel, a new student can be imbued with the Agrestal Connection. This process requires two Confessors, with at least one being T5 and holding a TA. The other Confessor must be at least T3 but does not need to be holding a TA. One Confessor draws upon the spark of compassion instilled into them by Aeriel and grants it to the student. The other Confessor draws upon the reserves of strength granted to them by Tahariae and simultaneously pours the light into the student. These two forces, with the dominant force of Tahariae, twist and bend together into a single band of light; pure silver light, with a streak of blue running through it. Before the process can properly begin, the prospective Confessor must make the Vow of Duty, promising to uphold their duty, witnessed by the two Confessors doing the Euphony. After this is done, the Solemnity can begin. After the two Confessors begin channeling, two manifestations of light emerge from their bodies: from the one channeling Tahariae, it is a silver tether of warm light. From the one channeling Aeriel, it is a single shimmering spark of deep cobalt blue. These two forces, Tahariae’s light dominant, wrap around each other and twist into a single force. Tahariae’s silver light gains a single streak of blue that runs through it, the spark of Aeriel that completes the Agrestal Connection. Then, with a sudden movement, the tethers shoot down into the chest of the targeted student. The one undergoing the Euphony will then be lifted off the ground, as if gravity no longer applied to them, with their chest thrust out towards the heavens. The intense energy tether continues spreading throughout their body, temporarily turning their veins, eyes, and hair a blue-ish silver. The Agrestal Connection is a unique, fickle thing. The process can occasionally go unexpectedly as the expectations and desires of two aengudaemons fight within a single connection. At this point in the Euphony, the prospective student should roll 1d20. This determines how drastic the effects of the Euphony are on their wellbeing. 1 - The prospective Confessor is rendered unconscious and is weak in the body for one full elven day, needing to take time to recover. The Euphony, while successful, proves to be a very painful experience. The pain ceases upon the conclusion of the Solemnity, however. 2-10 - The prospective Confessor remains conscious, but will collapse to the ground upon the conclusion of the Euphony with the breath stolen from their lungs and their limbs weak. They would take a full narrative hour to recover from this experience, and the Euphony itself would prove to be a somewhat painful ordeal, an ache deep in their chest that fades after the Solemnity. 11-19 - The prospective Confessor retains full awareness, and may only stumble a bit upon the conclusion of the Euphony. There is no pain, only a vaguely dazed sensation. The Euphony itself is pleasant in its own alien sort of way, the student feeling the conflict of both compassion and righteousness from the Agrestal Connection. 20 - The prospective Confessor retains full consciousness and control, feeling no pain or exhaustion from the procedure. They prove to be well suited towards the Euphony and embrace it within their soul easily. At this point, they fall to the ground and land perfectly on their feet, and are capable of walking, talking, and experiencing the world as normal. Throughout the Euphony, they feel the disjointed, yet whole nature of the Agrestal Connection. At this point, the student has become a tier 1 Confessor and should make their MA. No magic or physical changes should happen until the MA is accepted. Gradually, should the Confessor wish, the possible physiological changes can begin to happen as they increase in tier. By tier 5, these changes should be in full effect. . . . Disunion The Disunion is the dark mirror to the Euphony and is an essential function of maintaining a divine order. The Disunion is the process of stripping the Agrestal Connection from a Confessor, removing the divine presence of Aeriel & Tahariae from their souls. This leaves a person broken and depressed and is reserved for only the most extreme circumstances. For this reason, the Disunion can only be used on one who has broken the Vow of Duty. Should it be tried on any others, it shall not work and will fail utterly. The process begins much the same, with two Confessors. Unlike Euphony, Disunion requires two T5 Confessors with a TA. The two will begin the grim task, calling upon their deities. One calls upon the spark of Aeriel to remove itself suddenly from the unstable Agrestal Connection. The other calls upon Tahariae to strip the Confessor of the greater part of the connection, made of his influence. These two are pulled out of the chest of the Confessor, leaving them screaming even as they are pulled into the air in a mockery of the pure Euphony. The tether of light splits as it leaves their chest, once more pure silver with a separate spark of manifested blue energy. These two forces disperse into the air. After several minutes of this sobbing agony, the magic of the Agrestal Connection has fled the Confessor entirely, leaving them gaunt, pale, tired, and hollow inside. At this point, the Hallowed Progeny MA (and TA if applicable) should be stripped from the player, being moved to denied. Over the course of an elven year, the features they might have gained from being a Confessor (eye color, hair color) will fade away and return to their original color. ♚ Exhaustion & Augmentation The Agrestal Connection is a unique and difficult thing, with heavy restrictions and specific requirements to be used well. This comes in two things that every Confessor needs to know of and use to their advantage: Exhaustion & Augmentation. Exhaustion Like all magic users, Confessors become tired as they use their abilities. Mechanically, Confessors have a simple spell slot system. However, the amount of spells a Confessor can use is limited, with a T5 Confessor only having 5 spell slots. This limitation can be overcome, however, by taking on wounds. As a Confessor casts and exceeds their limit, the Agrestal Connection within them grows more unruly and the power they control begins to lash out. This culminates in thin, non-life-threatening lacerations on the skin of a Confessor that grow more intense the more they push their power. A Confessor can take up to 5 wounds before going unconscious, and each additional wound causes them to grow more exhausted and makes concentrating more difficult. A Confessor gains a spell slot with each tier, up to 5. It is recommended that a Confessor keep track of their number of spell slots, and be aware that when they reach 5 they must stop casting spells or begin taking on wounds. The number of wounds taken on for casting a spell is the same as the number of spell slots, i.e. casting a 3 slot spell would cause 3 wounds if the Confessor was out of spell slots. If a Confessor had 1 spell slot left and used a 3 slot spell, then it would carry over and the Confessor would gain 2 wounds. Wounds exude a visible energy, that is the color of the Confessor’s aura (either blue, silver, or white). It exists as a form of light that seems to pour out of the wounds. It is purely an aesthetic effect meant to symbolize the unbalanced Agrestal Connection, and a Confessor will bleed as normal. The use of spell slots makes a Confessor tired but does not mechanically hinder them. However, once spell slots are used, a full 12 hours are needed for them to regenerate. Wounds stack until they are fully healed, i.e. a Confessor with one wound from an encounter an hour ago would start with 1 wound already. Given that wounds are surface level, it is a somewhat trivial matter to allow them a 12 hour period to heal. Strangely, the healing abilities of Confessors do not work on these exhaustion wounds caused by the Agrestal Connection, nor do the healing abilities of alchemy or other magics. Gaining the first wound is a minor inconvenience. The Confessor feels the pain of it, but it is manageable and superficial. There is likely no blood. Gaining the second wound is a distraction. The Confessor is still able to cast, but they would be compelled to tense up, wince, or otherwise express the pain as their flesh rips. There is a trickle of blood. Gaining the third wound is a major distraction. The Confessor may have a hard time focusing on a target, may have blurred vision, and is experiencing a significant amount of pain. The blood from this wound should be significant. Gaining the fourth wound is dangerous. The Confessor’s movement becomes limited to two blocks per emote, and they are incapable of dodging all but the most extreme attacks. They are close to becoming unconscious and are barely staying on their feet. The bleeding from these wounds should be extreme and the cut should be painful. Gaining the fifth wound renders a Confessor unconscious. The Confessor blacks out immediately after casting their spell, requiring a full elven day to recover their strength and wake once again. In this time, their now drastic wounds must be treated lest they bleed out. Dying from this is not considered a suicide unless the Confessor specifically wishes it to be; there is every reason your fellows would help you once you go unconscious. . . . Augmentation The Agrestal Connection is a fickle thing and it struggles to express its full strength without assistance. Luckily, the Hallowed Progeny have found a way to extrapolate the strength of their connection to its full potential through the use of augmentation. Augmentation is the use of fibers charmed by a Confessor when making clothing that allows for them to make outfits and articles of clothing that work as a conduit of their power. Without an augmented outfit, a Confessor’s power is capped at that of a Tier 3, including both spell slot limitation and ability limitation. However, with an augmented outfit a Tier 4 or Tier 5 Confessor can reach their full strength. It must be cloth, soft leather, or a similar soft and pliable substance to be conducive to augmentation. Armor, whether it’s hard leather, chain, plate, or any other kind does not work with augmentation. Additionally, armor can not be worn over or under augmented clothing as it serves to interfere with the Agrestal Connection and utterly negates the benefits of wearing augmented clothing. This clothing could be a one-piece dress, robes, tunic and trousers, or many other things. Just the majority of what a person is wearing, i.e. torso and legs, needs to be one or more pieces of augmented clothing. Shoulder pads, jewelry, gloves, socks, shoes, etc. do not need to be augmented. Traditionally, all Confessors that follow the establishment own an augmented white dress or set of robes. This is the traditional color of purity, and Confessors are expected to wear this white clothing for official functions. This is merely cultural, however, and other colors and types of clothing can be augmented so long as they follow the above restrictions. Augmented clothing is expected to be represented with an ST signed item, and the roleplay is expected to follow the process laid out in the Charms & Solemnities section. As well as having an ST signed item, the Confessor should be wearing the relevant article of clothing as their MC skin as well. Without both of these things, a Confessor can not make use of augmentation. ♚ Cantrips & Blessings The arsenal of a Confessor is split into two categories: Cantrips & Blessings. Cantrips are simple, defensive combat abilities. Blessings are a Confessor’s specialty, being abilities of enhancement, augmentation of another, healing, and more. Cantrips Confessors have five Cantrips available to them. They are as follows. Lock - Combative (T1) 1 Spell slot A Confessor can cast Lock on a target, causing their body to momentarily lock up and become unresponsive. By reaching out with the spark of Aeriel within the Agrestal Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target into momentarily causing their locomotive functions to cease. This can cause someone to freeze mid-swing, fall over if running, stumble if walking, or drop something if held loosely. Beyond temporarily locking them in place and causing some mild muscular pain, this ability does not harm the target. The target is locked for one full emote round, after which full locomotive response returns in its entirety. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was raising his sword to attack Fann would find his body freezing suddenly, body clenched. It was as if every muscle in his body were held very tight, and the man was suspended momentarily with his sword only half raised. The effect would last only for one emote round. Blur - Combative (T2) 2 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Blur on a target, causing their vision to temporarily blur into a mess of colors and vague shapes. By reaching out with the spark of Aeriel within the Agrestal Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target to cause their eyes to go out of focus and become hazy. This can cause someone to become distracted, lose sight of a target, miss an arrow shot, or otherwise have their visual ability hampered with. The effect of Blur lasts for two full emote rounds, and full ordinary vision returns at the end of the second emote. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was raising his bow towards Fann would find his vision suddenly clouding, to such a significant extent that he could only make out the general colors and shapes around him. Any arrow shot made in this state would surely miss, lest a target did not move. The effect would last for two full emote rounds and would be gone by the end of the second emote. Lethargy - Combative (T3) 2 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Lethargy on a target, causing their strength to leave them and causing them to become temporarily weak. By reaching out with the spark of Aeriel within the Agrestal Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target to cause their muscles to grow temporarily weak. The target becomes as strong as a ten-year-old, capable of only lifting a gallon of milk with every ounce of strength in their body. This can cause a target to drop something heavy, cause the swing of their weapon to do very little, make their armor feel incredibly heavy, or make them incapable of pulling back a bowstring. The effects of Lethargy lasts for two full emote rounds, and full ordinary strength would return at the end of the second emote. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was holding the heavy safe would find his strength draining quickly, to such an extreme extent that he could no longer carry the heavy metal box and was forced to let it drop. This feeling of weakness was akin to the strength of a child and would last for two full emotes. Push - Combative (T4) 3 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Push on a target, causing someone grappling or holding them to be pushed back with intense fierceness. By reaching out with the tether of Tahariae within the Agrestal Connection, a Confessor can cause their connection to push out suddenly. This has little effect on the Confessor themselves, but anyone within a one block range of the Confessor would be met with a sudden and intense concussive force. This can cause a target to be pushed back up to 3 blocks, lose their grip on a Confessor, or suffer minor concussive trauma. The effects of Push take place over one emote and have no lasting effect beyond pushing someone away from the Confessor who casts it. However, possible minor injuries may be sustained. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was attempting to grapple Fann suddenly found himself subject to an outward pushing force, thunder without sound. It was concussive, knocking the man back several meters from the Confessor and causing him to become dizzy. Orison - Combative (T5) 3 Spell slots Orison is the final Cantrip available to a Confessor and is a remnant of the old power of the clerics of Tahariae. By reaching out with the tether of Tahariae within the Agrestal Connection, a Confessor can manifest a condensed ball of silver light. This ball of light is roughly the size of a basketball and is extremely bright. It can be given one simple direction (straight ahead, down, one of the cardinal directions, somewhere in between) so long as it’s in a straight line. The ball of light then travels with roughly the speed of an arrow towards its destination. Whether it makes contact with a person or object, the Orison explodes with silver light and a concussive force. A direct hit can break a bone at the point of contact and otherwise causes ringing in the ears, eye floaters, and general concussive wounds such as bruises. Orison takes place over three emotes, one for connection and two for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] Above the woman’s clasped hands and web of blue light, silver light begins to manifest. It seems to be coming from everywhere and nowhere, coalescing above Fann’s hands. This eventually forms a silver ball, both made of and exuding a great deal of light. It almost hurts to look at. [!] The ball of light then speeds off in a straight line, heading directly towards the unarmored man that was charging towards Fann. Should the Orison make contact, the man would find himself stopped in his tracks. Given that he is unarmored, it may break or fracture a bone at the point of contact, and would otherwise leave his eyes watering and ears ringing. The point of contact and the surrounding area would develop a nasty bruise. . . . Blessings Blessings are the true strengths of Confessors, allowing them to help others and bolster their allies. The Blessings are as follows. Sacral Flame - Noncombative (T1) 1 spell slot The Sacral Flame is a modern incarnation of the once-powerful Soulfire, yet much more regimented and moderate under the Agrestal Connection. A Confessor can, using both parts of the Agrestal Connection, manifest an arcane flame of blue, silver, white, or blue-silver coloration. This flame functions like a mage light, and while the Confessor can keep it in the air or otherwise move it, this flame can not be used as a weapon to harm others. Even a dark or spectral creature (Abyssal creatures, liches, corrupt dragonkin, frost witches, inferi, wight, phantoms, Boggarts, etc.) touching the flame would feel mildly uncomfortable, and other descendants feel nothing at all beyond a general sense of deific warmth. The Sacral Flame works to ward off darkness, fog, and miasma. Of arcane creation, the Sacral Flame completely nullifies eldritch darkness or blankets of fog cast by others. While not outwardly dispersing these things, the effects become naught and they become semi-transparent, allowing those within the radius of the Sacral Flame immunity to these effects. Otherwise, the Sacral Flame only works as a very effective, very bright light. Additionally, a Confessor can cast Sacral Flame with the use of a specifically charmed implement. A staff, a torch, a lantern, et cetera. Something charmed with Sacral Flame allows for a Confessor to conjure the ability on or in the implement without the need to use a spell slot, allowing Sacral Flame to function as a free spell. Sacral Flame takes two emotes to cast, one for connection and one for casting. The range of the effect of Sacral Flame is five blocks. The Sacral Flame is considered to be on the same block as the Confessor, as it must be something they hold or something that is directly next to them. Implements must be held by a Confessor to be used, and can not be used by non-Confessors. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] Above her hands, a ball of light begins to manifest. A serene yet bright thing, it takes on a blue glow that emanates light outwards. The encroaching unnatural darkness would find it had no effect within a five block radius of the Sacral Light, the darkness fading into a translucent mist and its effects nullified. Aeriel’s Spark - Noncombative (T2) 2 spell slots Aeriel’s Spark is among the most essential functions carried out by a Confessor and is a Blessing used to heal others. This allows a Confessor to easily set bones, knit flesh, repair damaged veins and blood vessels, heal burns, and otherwise restore a target. This act favors the compassionate flicker of Aeriel within the Agrestal Connection. Anything besides serious internal damage, missing limbs, or mental complications (brain damage, internal bleeding, failing organs, a missing arm, eyes) can be healed this way. Additionally, this can only heal active or fresh wounds. A Confessor can not heal wounds more than an elven day old, and no chronic wound such as liver failure or cancer. Wounds healed by Confessors in this fashion will gain a silver sheen over the scar tissue. Should the wound be small enough that the scar tissue fades and goes away, so does the silver sheen. However, large wounds with more permanent scar tissue retain the silver-effect for longer. Areas that are covered by this silver sheen cannot be healed again by a Confessor, as they lose the ability of the Confessor to manipulate that part of the soul blueprint. This means that small wounds and cuts will lose their silver sheen quickly (24 OOC hours), while a moderately sized wound like a large cut or minor burn will lose the silver sheen slower (1 OOC week), while the largest wounds such as missing fingers and third-degree burns will take much longer (1 OOC month). Aeriel’s Spark takes four emotes to cast, one for connection and three for casting. This can only be done on one target at a time, and the regulations for what determines a small, moderate, and large wound are listed in the redlines below. There is a more sophisticated version of Aeriel’s Spark, explained below in the section on Solemnities. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A tether of blue light emerges from the woman’s hands, growing and stretching out. It extends effortlessly through the air, before slowly spiraling downwards and making contact with the chest of the wounded man next to her. The man had a deep gouge in his left arm, tearing through tendons and leaving the arm lame and vulnerable. [!] The man would feel a subtle sense of surprise as a feeling of warmth and love flows through his body. It feels as if something invasive, but not unpleasant, is traveling through to his left arm. When the sensation reaches the location of the wound, a web of cobalt blue light begins to emerge from the edges of the wound, knitting it shut and beginning to pull it shut. This creates a certain, itching sensation that continues throughout the rest of the process. The man can feel this happening on internal layers as well, tendons and muscles being knitted back together. [!] Soon, the web of light has pulled itself together, hiding it beneath his skin. In its place, the surface of the freshly healed skin has taken on a silver sheen that is entirely the same as normal flesh beyond being somewhat reflective. Fann sits back, breathing heavily and rolling her shoulders. Touch of Divinity - Noncombative (T3) 2 spell slots A Confessor can imbue a portion of their own power and their own protection into another, allowing them a temporary form of the same immunity that a Confessor enjoys. This does not come with the protection of the body (i.e. from poisons) that a Confessor has, but does have the effect of giving the target an immunity to Naztherak idols, shaman maledictions, and mystic hexes. This can be used to augment one’s allies, work as a temporary solution to a curse that is affecting them, or to allow said individual to be capable of disposing of a dangerous artifact by themselves. The target of Touch of Divinity gains an immunity to Naztehrak idols, shaman maledictions, and mystic hexes which lasts for 24 OOC hours. After the fact, the target cannot benefit from the effects of Touch of Divinity for a full OOC week. This protection functions the same as a Confessor, but only has the protection of the soul and is without the protection of the body from toxins that a Confessor enjoys. The target will also experience a general sensation of warmth and love yet also internal conflict, the small remnant of the Agrestal Connection that touched them when they were being blessed with Touch of Divinity. Touch of Divinity takes four emotes to cast, one for connection and three for casting. Only one target can be done at a time, and if you wish to do the Blessing on another target you must cast it again. Touch of Divinity does not give any of the other aspects of being a Confessor, exclusively just the soul protection against hexes, curses, and similar malicious effects. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A slowly gathering collection of cobalt mist begins to congregate around the hands of the woman, a small shimmering field of twinkling energy. This energy grows and grows, enveloping both of the woman’s hands. [!] Then, the mists stop growing. With a flourish of her hands, the mist seems to surge forward, engulfing the young man who stood before Fann. It seemed to twist and curl around him, taking up his vision and his senses. [!] The mists suddenly sink into his skin, absorbing into the young man and granting him a sense of warmth and love from the two aenguls of Aeriel and Tahariae. For the next 24 elven hours, the young man would be immune to hexes and curses. Aengul Fire - Combative (T4) 3 spell slots Aengul Fire is a leftover of the Ascended of old and allows one to coat their blade and the blades of their allies in pure white flame. This flame is entirely harmless to the touch, and only pleasantly warm. However, any dark or spectral creature (Abyssal creatures, liches, corrupt dragonkin, frost witches, inferi, wight, phantoms, Boggarts, etc.) will experience extreme, searing pain. The flame does not burn them, but the casting of it on a weapon allows for one to swing their weapon through the flesh of dark creatures as if it were butter. This allows them to cut and dice such creatures with frightening ease. For spectral creatures that could not be cut by default, this allows them to make concussive contact and harm such creatures. Aengul Fire takes three emotes to cast, and can be cast on three currently equipped, in-use blades. A Confessor can cast it on their own blade, but it may prove more effective to do so on their allies. Additionally, the three currently held blades and their holders must be within 5 blocks of the Confessor in question. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A sudden and intense white flame suddenly lights, directly above the woman’s hands. Fann, concentrating heavily, cast her arm out with a flourish. [!] The white Aengul’s flame went with it, flying out in three directions to land on the swords of her allies. The swords of her three allies seem to absorb the white flame, and even as the flame disperses, the three blades become covered in a brilliant white, licking flame. Final Oblation - Combative (T5) A Confessor can give the full breadth of their existence towards preserving their allies, restoring any and all wounds of those they wish to heal within a 5 block radius. However, this will kill the Confessor in what is considered a PK death. This is a way for a Confessor to grant their allies a second wind, at the expense of their own life and wellbeing. This is an irrevocable clause, a permanent sacrifice. This consumes the Confessor in Aengul Fire, exuding their essence all around them in a bright light. Final Oblation has no spell slot requirements, and will simply take every spell slot a Confessor has remaining, whether it is 1 or 5 and 5 wounds. Either way, the effect will be the same, and the Confessor will be PK’d at the conclusion of the spell. Final Oblation takes four emotes, one connection emote and three to cast. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands [!] A bright white fire begins to manifest on the woman, a gasp coming to her lips as the white Aengul Fire begins to spread across her body. [!] The woman begins to sob softly, seemingly something she can’t control as the Aengul Fire consumes her body entirely. Bright cracks of silver and blue begin to split the woman apart, as her essence begins to spread and coat those within a five block radius of her. [!] With a bright flash, the woman is consumed entirely, rendered into a pile of white and silver ashes on the ground. Yet her essence remains, imbuing itself into those around her that she wished it to. Those chosen would find every wound on their body, no matter how grievous, healed and repaired near instantaneously. Additionally, their exhaustion would be virtually gone. It was as if they had just entered this encounter, without the wounds and exhaustion they had received. ♚ Charms & Solemnities Beyond the most basic functions of a Confessor’s abilities (Cantrips & Blessings), there are other supplements that a Confessor can do in order to maximize their potential and to function as a community. This comes in two forms: Charms, which are a form of enchantments, and Solemnities, which are rituals and rites. Charms Charms, which are created via the act of “charming” an object, are simple enchantments and effects that a Confessor can give an object. The objects charmed by a Confessor are jewelry, gems, or other items of widely accepted beauty or lustre. Anything charmed by a Confessor must feature a precious metal such as silver or gold, or at the very least have a semi-precious gemstone. The exceptions to this are Sacral Flame, which can be done on implements, and Augmentation, which can be done on clothing. Sacral Flame - Noncombative (T1) Charming an object with Sacral Flame allows for a Confessor to cast the spell exactly as outlined above in Blessings. However, an implement charmed with Sacral Flame causes the spell to be isolated on or in the implement. For instance, a lantern would allow for the flame to manifest inside of it, or a staff could allow the flame to manifest on top of it. The benefit of charming an object with Sacral Flame is that it negates the spell slot cost, allowing a Confessor to cast Sacral Flame without spending the required 1 spell slot. Objects that can be charmed with Sacral Flame include lanterns, staffs & staves, torches, candles, and other forms of lighting device. If you are unsure if something would be valid, ask the lore holder or the ST. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Sacral Flame requires an ST signed item to be used. Fann knelt next to the lantern, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the lantern. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the lantern. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the lantern, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The lantern has now become a Sacral Flame Lantern. Augmentation - Noncombative (T3) Charming a piece of clothing or multiple pieces of clothing with augmentation allows a Confessor to achieve their maximum tier potential. The exact details of how augmentation works can be found in an above section titled Exhaustion & Augmentation. Without augmented clothing, a Confessor’s power is capped at Tier 3. With it, a Confessor of Tier 4 or Tier 5 can access the full span of their abilities. Augmentation can only be done on clothing. This can be one piece, two piece, etc. However, to get the benefits of augmentation, the majority of what a person is wearing (i.e. torso and legs) must be augmented. Further redlines and clarifications can be found in the above section on augmentation. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. Clothing charmed with augmentation requires an ST signed item to be used, as well as a relevant and equivalent MC skin. Fann knelt next to the folded up white dress, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the dress. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the dress. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the dress, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The dress has now become augmented. Tithing - Noncombative (T3) Charming a piece of jewelry with Tithing allows Confessors to communicate with each other over distances, the jewelry bearing a small modicum of the soul energy of a Confessor. By wearing or holding such jewelry, Confessors can send small and simple messages to one another telepathically. This is, mechanically, an alternative to birding. No full conversations can be had, and only brief messages a few sentences long can be exchanged. Mechanically, this functions exactly like birding, and follows all of the server’s rules on exchanging messages this way. An object charmed with Tithing must be a piece of jewelry, made of gold or silver or featuring a semi-precious gemstone. Bracelets or necklaces are the most common jewelry used. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Tithing does not require an ST sign. However, an item should still be made. Fann sat in a chair next to a bracelet on the table, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the bracelet. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the bracelet. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the bracelet, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The bracelet is now charmed with Tithing. Ward - Noncombative (T4) Charming an object with Ward turns the object into what is considered a ward. A ward is a piece of jewelry that has been enchanted to protect a non-Confessor from one specific force of corruption. This must be chosen during the creation process, and clearly labelled on the ward item. Possible protection includes Naztherak idols (but not malflame itself, nor the malice it may carry), shaman maledictions, or hystic hexes. An individual could be protected from hystic hexes, but still suffer the effects of a Naztherak idol. The ward only protects against one specific source of corruption, which must be clearly defined. Additionally, an individual cannot stack wards; only one can be worn or active at a time, and wearing more than one causes them to cancel each other out. Possible ward items include pieces of jewelry, made of gold or silver or featuring a semi-precious gemstone. Bracelets or necklaces are the most common jewelry used. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Ward requires an ST signed item to be used. Fann sat in a chair next to a necklace on the table, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the necklace. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the necklace. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the necklace, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The necklace is now charmed with Ward, and will protect any wearer against mystic hexes. Memorandum - Noncombative (T5) An object charmed with Memorandum allows a Confessor to instill a story into an object. This is like a memory, except it is something entirely forged by a Confessor and could very well be fabricated or unrealistic. It is intended as a storytelling tool, an alternative to writing books. A Confessor’s palace could have a library full of gold and silver memorandums, which can be touched to grant the target something that is part story, part vision. A memorandum must be made of gold or silver, or some sort of metal featuring semi-precious gemstones. It could be a golden plaque, a silver handle, a locket, a ring, etc. It is recommended that the memorandum by a physical object in the world be marked with a sign that could take an individual to a forum post or google doc where they can read what story is connected to the memorandum. Memorandums are intended to function as a book alternative and cultural storytelling method for Confessors. The contents of a memorandum are as trustworthy as the words or claims of a Confessor, and is purely a created story intended to grant others the same experience. Memorandums do not require ST oversight or signage. Fann sat on the ground next to the golden plaque, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the plaque. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the plaque [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the plaque, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The plaque is now a memorandum, and will tell a specific predetermined story to those who touch it. . . . Solemnities Solemnities are rituals and rites that Confessors can do that function as necessary and beneficial aspects of a magical, religious order. The Solemnities are as follows. Euphony - Noncombative (T5) Euphony is the process of granting others the Agrestal Connection, and it is considered a Solemnity. Given how Euphony & Disunion are clearly defined above in their own section, they will not be repeated here. Euphony is considered a Tier 5 Solemnity, but that only means that one of the two Confessors need to be Tier 5. The other one that is simply participating and not leading the Solemnity need only be Tier 3. Disunion - Noncombative (T5) Disunion is the process of removing the Agrestal Connection from others, and is considered a Solemnity. Given how Euphony & Disunion are clearly defined above in their own section, they will not be repeated here. Euphony is considered a Tier 5 Solemnity, and both participating Confessors need to be Tier 5 in order to disconnect someone. Asseverate - Noncombative (T5) Asseverate is a method by which a Confessor can take on new Vows as they progress in tier, as well as how a Confessor who has broken a Vow can renew it. This is a simple process that requires only one other Confessor. This Confessor should be the teacher marked on the Confessor’s MA, but another TA holder can be used if proven to be necessary. The process begins with the Confessor in question bowing their head and connecting to their magic, doing a connection emote. Their teacher should then also do a connection emote, and tell the student to repeat after them. After the teacher says the Vow in question, the student then needs to repeat the Vow verbatim. After this, the teacher can reach out with their connection (via mist, a light tether, etc.) and touch the student. The rest of the details and aesthetic are freeform, but the end result is that the Confessor can now progress through the next part of the magic. At this point, such a thing should be marked on the Confessor’s MA. The Vow of Duty comes first, and is part of Euphony. Then comes the Vow of Peace to reach Tier 3, and finally the Vow of Temperance to reach Tier 5. When a Confessor has broken a Vow and had their power limited, they must undergo Asseverate to renew their broken Vow. Further details on the subject can be found in the section The Vows of Purity. In case of a Confessor with no teacher breaking a Vow, such as a Tier 5 Confessor, any other Tier 5 TA holder can be the one to help them renew the Vow. Aeriel’s Light - Noncombative (T5) Aeriel’s Light is a more advanced form of Aeriel’s Spark. Three Confessors can work together, under the cover of moonlight to heal an individual. Unlike Aeriel’s Spark, Aeriel’s Light can heal all things except death. Those near death, those with torn out bowels, etc. can all be healed. So long as an individual is still alive breathing, they can be healed with Aeriel’s Light. The three Confessors kneel or stand around the injured individual, and begin casting as they would with Aeriel’s Spark. However, instead of casting directly onto the target, the three merge their casting into one vast weaving web of light or mist, that is then lowered onto the injured individual. Almost immediately, silver flesh will begin to knit over wounds and repair the body. Chronic illnesses, cancers, cut open intestines, and any other illness that is not psychological or otherwise mental will rapidly begin to heal. Unlike Aeriel’s Spark, wounds healed by Aeriel’s Light will never lose their silver sheen. They will remain silver and shining for the rest of a person’s life, and those wounds can never be healed by a Confessor again. Additionally, participating in Aeriel’s Light will fully drain a Confessor’s spell slots for 3 OOC days, or 72 hours. That means that if a Confessor wishes to cast, they will immediately start taking on wounds until their spell slots regenerate. Absolution - Noncombative (T5) Absolution allows a group of Confessors to purify a corrupted being or object. The amount of Confessors required varies depending on the size of the being. This allows unnatural and dark corruption to be purged, purifying a being. This only works on beings that can be purified; a shade can be purified, but a darkstalker cannot. There is nothing for a darkstalker to become if purified, as the darkstalker is all that they are. A shade, however, can be reverted back to their pre-corruption state. The following are things that can be purified by Absolution: Corcitură, Shades (If ever applicable), corrupted Azdrazi & corrupted Dragonkin, Silit Thralls, general/event curses, and cursed items (Ilzakarn circuit or the curse of a poltergeist). The minimum number of Confessors for Absolution is 2, but can go up to 10. A small being or object (a halfling, cursed idol, etc) can be purified by two Confessors. A person-sized being, i.e. a corrupt Azdrazi, can be purified by three Confessors. A large being, i.e. a cursed orc, can be purified by five Confessors. A massive being, i.e. a drake, might be able to be purified by ten Confessors, at event and ST discretion. They could also require more depending on the target. Anything larger than a drake might be able to be purified, if following event standards and with all criteria met. The target must be restrained. For something such as a corrupt Azdrazi, very strong restraints are recommended. If the target leaves the circle of Confessors, the purging will fail. It must be a noncombative event. The three or more Confessors kneel or stand around the corrupt individual, and begin with casting emotes. However, instead of casting directly onto the target, the three merge their casting into one vast weaving web of light or mist, that is then lowered onto the corrupt individual. The magic hums, and then hisses, and sinks into the skin of the corrupt individual. A great deal of discomfort and pain follows, before whatever corruption that was in their soul is washed away. After the corruption fades, they are filled with a sense of warmth and cleanliness. Upon participating in Absolution, a Confessor’s spell slots will be fully drained for 3 OOC days, or 72 hours. That means that if a Confessor wishes to cast, they will immediately start taking on wounds until their spell slots regenerate. ♚ Tier Progression Confessors progress through the 5 tiers of their magic over a 5 OOC month period, unlocking different abilities as they go. Tier 1 is achieved upon Euphony and the acceptance of the MA. Tier 2 is reached after one full month after the acceptance of the MA and continued lessons. Tier 3 is reached after an additional 1 month with continued lessons, for a total of 2 months. Tier 4 is reached after another additional month with continued lessons, for a total of 3 months. Tier 5 can be achieved with another two months and continued lessons, for a total of 5 months. ♚ Purpose Holy magic has become a rare thing on LotC. Primarily, the torch has been carried by the Paladins of Xan, a holy warrior archetype. The once prevalent magic of the Ascended of Aeriel and the Clerics of Tahariae has been missing from the server for a substantial amount of time. This is due in no small part to how inherently similar the two magics were: casting magics from aenguls of purity. Clerics and Ascended always occupied parts of the same territory, even if the semantics were different. Yet the removal of both has left the entirety of that niche bereft, leaving Paladins as the only holy and divine magic to carry the torch. Hallowed Progeny, sponsored by Tahariae yet influenced by Aeriel, manages to neatly solve this issue. Influenced by both Clerics and Ascended, the Confessors serve to walk a path of both parts of purity: both the body and the soul. Thus the niche is neatly filled for largely noncombative holy roleplay, without oversaturating it with two different kinds as in the past. This also leaves Paladins to their own niche, that of a combative physical warrior. Additionally, Hallowed Progeny serves to address the condition and facets of a modern LotC, something that dated ideas such as Ascended or Clerics could not have done without significant overhaul. By taking the best of both and creating something altogether different, a new and prosperous holy magic can be established on LotC for the first time in years. ♚ Citation

lotta effort for a shitpost

thanks king

The entire intention is for confessors to be noncombative. Plate armor is the most combative thing that exists. The original intention of augmented outfits is to create a unique system that encourages confessors to be support based individuals in a conflict

yes. i just had it beat into my head over the last hour that such a concept will never be accepted on lotc. so ill have to look elsewhere without having to rewrite every fundamental in the piece. thanks for the feedback king

no trash, **** your modern lore formatting standards this is OG **** thanks tho king

banger tbh

they would be able to become a confessor, as they no longer had the voidal connection

OUTDATED! GO TO NEW SUBMISSION!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Yx90pytqs Confessors The Hallowed Progeny ♚ -̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ The coming, the passing, that which will be. To go and to leave and warp and twist into that which is new and old.`̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ ~̷̰̯̊̈\̷̹͙͍̾̇̄̍}̷̨̣̝̐̄͝[̷̲̳̮̪̉̌+̷̡̞̐̐̈͠_̸͓͂̔̾̈́~̴̛̳̱͋.̶̛̛͕̱̋̌/̵̬͈̕͘:̴̜͇͓̪̓̔͝͝'̵͎̲̍͠:̸̧͇̰̤̆̉͆͠ We will never fully understand this realm. No, but we do not need to.+̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠ ~̸͎͚̅̍̋\̶͉̖̑̕|̴̝͖̂́̊:̸̧̛̼̉̕[̸͎̜̄̀̀͂]̴̫̠͚̙͆;̴͙͍̳̐͋.̸͖̭̐͜͜'̶͇͌͋͆͠.̸̪̖̤̔͛͋̇[̶̹̠̿̽͛"̷̡͓͑̅̄{̸̦̑̔̈́̅]̴̐͆̿̚͜ The time has arrived. We shall both stretch into that wondrous, terrible breach one again. One day, we shall be what we once were. Begin.-̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ `̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ To this, to You, I offer forgiveness and patience. To this, to You, I offer strength and dignity.~̷̰̯̊̈\̷̹͙͍̾̇̄̍}̷̨̣̝̐̄͝[̷̲̳̮̪̉̌+̷̡̞̐̐̈͠_̸͓͂̔̾̈́~̴̛̳̱͋.̶̛̛͕̱̋̌/̵̬͈̕͘:̴̜͇͓̪̓̔͝͝'̵͎̲̍͠:̸̧͇̰̤̆̉͆͠ -̴̼͖̒͊̚=̶̥̱͒͑̃ͅ-̵̣̣̈̐͠=̵̪͕̘̰̃-̸͖̣̟̭̏]̴͈͓͍̾̎̆͜[̵͕̊͋ͅ`̷̧̝͔̈̀]̵̘̎[̸̠͗ͅ`̸̳̦̩̮̉͆̈́=̵̦̖̺̜̈́̅̕ To this, to You, I offer kindness and understanding. To this, to You, I offer preservation and rage.`̷̧̻͘͝?̸̠̑͝ͅ.̴̱́̓?̶̥̹̂̇͒,̷̠́̈͠͝>̶̮̟̑̅̃̽?̴̡̞̤̼̿~̵̡̛̛̭͚͛͆"̴͇͖̣͕̽;̷̬̮̒̑"̴̡͇̩͎̿̅ +̴̟̖̌͊̈́-̶̨͇̫͇͠}̵̬̓͊[̷̢̻̀:̴̼̗̲͌͂̕̕.̷̭̣͕͙̇̇/̴̬̾̄"̵̙̟̇:̷̛̤̓̈́̀}̴̪͈͙͗̈́͐͛͜{̴͚̉͐́'̸͚̮͆;̴̠̲̤̞͂̿̍~̵̲͈͐͑̀̾`̸̢̛̤̖͖͘͠ To this, to You, I offer the Purity of Soul. To this, to You, I offer the Purity of Body. {̴̲̈\̵͖̋́͌[̷̙̟͊̔̿|̸͓̱̀̇́:̶̜̲̝̈́́͜͝[̴̧̙͖̎̈̽.̵̙̍̆̆̕-̷̺̘͙̕+̷̩̹̓̌-̷̳̊+̶̟̉̐́̈́_̴̫̗̟͒̍͝ _̷̧̙͈̪̈̕=̷͓̬̯̋́̈́_̶͍̎[̷͌͜\̸̣̲̆]̶̯͚̰͇̔͋͘:̸̛̬͈̯̻͛͂'̴͇̈́.̴͓̤̰͉̒̈̔͠/̶̤͙̼̿͒̆͝|̵̞̬̣̕͜{̵͔̻̾̿͑̕]̷͕̣̑͛̊͜And so it shall be, until the turn of Life and Death itself.̶̛̱̈̑̌]̵͎̑̈̚{̵̢̀̑͊̅|̵͉͖̗̎͆/̶͉̑̎̋̉.̴̯͕̳̊̎͑'̶̟͉͠:̸̡̺̝̋]̴̡͍̌ͅ\̸̡̗̹͈͆̊́͛[̴̢̹͉̬̌̐̀_̷̖̊͠=̴̧͓̞̓͑̀̈ͅ_̷̤͐̃̀ Accord of Gods The forces of purity have always stood as a bulwark against the natural state of the universe: a constant degradation. It is entropy, a simple force that breaks down all things. All things are eventually broken by the passage of time, but it is rather the loss of integrity that betrays purity. To remain steadfast, even as you go quietly into that good night, is the true way to stand against the corruptive force of darkness. To wither is mortal. To settle is divine. This is not to say that change is bad. Change itself stands as a counterpoint to entropy, the only way one can save themselves from falling apart into something incorrigible. To change, as contradictory as it seems, is often the only way to subsist as a unique and whole being. Whether it is fighting for survival, changing your opinions, or something much more cosmic, change is a force of that which is good and pure. It can be said simply as such: Purity comes in the form of necessary change. It is this idea that would lead to a completely new definition of a holy descendant, one blessed by two conjoined forces of Purity. The deific forces of Aeriel and Tahariae, two parts of the same whole of Purity. Two distinct aenguls that have had conflict in the past. However, the modern-day has left them both weakened and bereft without their legions of mortal servants. To rival the strength they had once wielded individually, the two carefully worked their expertise together. Aeriel, the Mother, brings the Purity of the Soul. With it comes innate protection against that which would corrupt. The Mother is a force of compassion and caring, bringing about the selfless tendencies of the Confessors. Tahariae, the Father, brings the Purity of the Body. With it comes an innate strength and steadfastness against that which would wound or kill. The Father is a force of independence and cleanliness, bringing about the self-restraint and organizational tendencies of the Confessors. These two Twin Gods, between their power, created the Confessors. The Confessor is a descendant of the utmost standard of purity, of both the soul and body. The influence of both Aeriel and Tahariae sometimes fight one another, but the result is a being dedicated to the finally whole, united concept of Purity. ♚ Table of Contents The Twin Connection Physiology & Traits Psychology & Mental State The Vows of Purity Euphony & Disunion Exhaustion & Augmentation Cantrips & Blessings Charms & Solemnities Tier Progression Purpose Citation ♚ The Twin Connection A Confessor (Known as Hallowed Progeny) hosts a unique aengudaemonic connection, that of two separate aenguls working together to weave a single connection. It can be considered, perhaps, most similar to the connection of the druids and their three aengudaemonic patrons. However, the Aspects are connected and conjoined, working in tandem. Thus, the druidic connection is strong and stable and functions like any other aengudaemonic connection. The Confessor’s connection is different. Tahariae and Aeriel, while both servants of purity, are inherently different and separate entities. It is only through an active will of corroboration that the twin connection of a Confessor can be maintained. Given this unique connection to aengudaemonica, the Twin Connection sometimes behaves in odd ways not seen in other aengudaemonic connections. Primarily, this comes in the form of active detriments that must be made up for via the tools and options available to a Confessor. However, this comes with some added benefits as well, such as the united front of purity in both the body and soul. The Twin Connection comes with some protection from both the Mother and Father patrons. Aeriel, in her quest for purity of soul, guards the soul of every Confessor. Confessors are immune to the effects of malflame or malices and are also immune to other soul-based damage or attacks. Confessors cannot gain any other connection to a deity (No Druidism, Paladinism, Shamanism, Golemancy, etc), they may not learn voidal magic, and they cannot become hexed or cursed. Additionally, Confessors can not learn any sort of dark magic. This includes necromancy, mysticism, blood magic, or anything else under the consensus of what is dark. Confessors can also not become any sort of creature such as a Machine Spirit, Tree Lord, Wight, or anything else. Tahariae also enacts his will unto the Confessors, pouring his focus into guarding the purity of the body. Confessors cannot take on an afflicted symbiote, catch natural diseases, or become intoxicated or poisoned through mundane means. A necromancer can still cause a Confessor to suffer from horrific necrosis, and an enchanted drink can still get a Confessor drunk. However, the natural occurrence of these things does not affect the body of the Confessor. Given the peculiarities and strain of the Twin Connection, the general priority that becoming a Confessor is supposed to take, and the scope of the abilities, Hallowed Progeny is a 3 slot magic. Additionally, there are many restrictions listed above for what other things a Confessor can learn. Alchemy, Kani, Animii, Shunting, and other activities that do not affect the body or soul can be learned and practiced. ♚ Physiology & Traits A Confessor is subject to several physical changes due to the effects of the Twin Connection on the body. These are relatively minor things but are present in most Confessors. First, universal to all Confessors, those with the Twin Connection are limited in their physical strength. Every Confessor, given the strain of the Twin Connection and their intended combative role, can only maintain the average strength level of their race. While not weak, any individual that actively improves their strength like a warrior or soldier would be able to outclass a Confessor in a contest of pure strength. This would not prevent a Confessor from wearing armor or utilizing melee weapons but would make them less versatile and effective when using such things compared to a warrior. Additionally, there are other reasons that a Confessor would not want to use a great deal of armor, outlined below in the relevant section. Additionally, there are some minor secondary characteristics that a Confessor may gain throughout their progression of Hallowed Progeny. The recommended progression of these traits can be found in the section Tier Progression. As a Confessor’s connection strengthens, they may find their eye color changing. This is an optional trait but is common among Confessors. A Confessor’s eyes may either turn to dark, cobalt blue to reflect the influence of Aeriel or to light, shining silver to reflect the influence of Tahariae. The transformation to either of these is a permanent trait gained by the Confessor unless they become disconnected and is a permanent replacement of their previous eye color. A Confessor also cannot switch between these two and must stick with whatever choice they make if they choose one of these two eye colors at all. Additionally, many Confessors find their hair changing color as well. While not a mandatory or enforced thing, most Confessors their hair slowly turns to a pure white or silver color that reaches its conclusion by the time they reach tier 5. This is in no way a required thing for a Confessor, and they can still maintain their original hair color, but it is recommended for a Confessor to have at least one or both traits of eye color or hair color. The tell or tells of a Confessor vary greatly. However, the coloration is always silver, white, blue, or somewhere in-between. The exact tell a Confessor wishes to use may vary from ability to ability, but it is recommended to have some consistency. Whether it’s a light tether when connecting to another to heal them or glowing eyes when using a Cantrip, a Confessor must have a visible magical tell. ♚ Psychology & Mental State The influence of both Aeriel & Tahariae can be felt within every Confessor, a subtle tug of war within their mind. Within each Confessor is the capacity for empathy and selflessness tied with the capacity for anger and righteousness. In equal measure, rage and compassion occupy the mind-space of a Confessor as Aeriel & Tahariae both exercise their influence over them. This creates a strange dichotomy within each and every Confessor, the two cooperating yet distinct aenguls pulling the Confessor in two different directions. This means that a Confessor’s behavior can sometimes change on a dime or seem erratic as a Confessor feels an equally strong pull for two very distinct reactions to a situation. This will never completely define a Confessor or the extent of what they’re capable of but is a constant pull within each Confessor. A Confessor can, over their tier progression, nurture one of these sides into being stronger than the other. One could train the pull of Aeriel’s compassion to be stronger than the call of Tahariae’s righteousness, and vice versa. However, the voice of the other never leaves them entirely, always pulling at them to tread the other path. This is why you may see the most compassionate Confessors suddenly seem stiff or callous and the most furious Confessors suddenly seem kind and caring. Ultimately, how a Confessor acts is up to them. However, there is this constant dichotomy, this constant tug of war, going on within their mind and soul. By the time a Confessor’s power is at its full strength, one of these voices usually comes out stronger than the other. This may be how a Confessor OOCly chooses what eye color change they want, depending on if they want to be more Aeriel minded or Tahariae minded. ♚ The Vows of Purity Aeriel and Tahariae control and direct their Confessors through a set of ideals known as the Vows of Purity. Each of the three Vows is a promise made by the Confessor to uphold for themselves and in their interactions with others. Vows must be taken when progressing as a Confessor. The Vow of Duty must be taken up upon connection. The Vow of Peace must be chosen upon advancing to Tier 3, and then the Vow of Temperance must be chosen upon reaching Tier 5. When a Vow is broken, a Confessor is knocked down to where they would be without the Vow. A Tier 5 Confessor that breaks a Vow would be knocked down to Tier 3, and a Tier 3 that breaks a Vow would be knocked down to Tier 1. The Vow must be done once again, and it takes the Confessor one week from reaffirming their Vow to regain the tier they had lost. Abilities do not have to be learned again, but a week must be taken to regain each tier. For instance, a Tier 5 that was knocked down to a Tier 3 must take two weeks to reach Tier 5 again. Breaking the Vow of Duty qualifies a Confessor for disconnection and cannot be renewed, elaborated upon in the below section on Connection & Disconnection. The Vows are as follows. Vow of Duty: All Confessors, whether they are tier 1 or tier 5, uphold the Vow of Duty. It is the first Vow that a Confessor agrees to, and is an essential part of the connection process. It makes up the core of the duties of the Confessors and serves as the primary directive of Confessor culture. The Vow of Duty is the only Vow that cannot be renewed if broken. The Vow of Duty is as follows: "Under the eyes of mine Mother and Father above, would that this vow be held true, 'lest I abandon mine covenants and post. I am charged to pursue Purity unblemished in all quarters, and never shall I sully myself through dealings of the unhallowed. Naught of mortal dealings will ever eclipse this duty mine, and never will the blade of treachery be raised against mine kindred. Let this promise be held true, from now, until the end of days." Vow of Peace: The Vow of Peace is an essential aspect of being a Confessor. It manages values of peace and pacifism that are essential to being a Confessor. The Vow of Peace is as follows: Vow of Temperance: The Vow of Temperance is another cornerstone of Confessor life. It enforces values of honesty and moderation within every Confessor. The Vow of Temperance is as follows: "Under the eyes of mine Mother and Father above, would that this vow be held true, 'lest I abandon mine covenants and post. I am charged to pursue Temperance in all quarters, and never shall I reduce myself to meaningless bellows of insult or groundless accusations. The traps and failings of mortal society shall never befall me, and I shall hold both myself and others in high regard. Let this promise be held true, from now, until the end of days." ♚ Euphony & Disunion It is through the Solemnity of Euphony and Disunion that a Confessor is connected or disconnected from their magic. They are opposites, with Euphony representing the harmony of the Twin Connection and Disunion representing the stripping of it. Both of these Solemnities are only available to a tier 5 Confessor with a TA. They do not need to be recorded anywhere, but you should absolutely learn how to do both of these things. If you do not, then you should not roleplay them. This will be enforced. Euphony Euphony is a beautiful, harmonious thing. By drawing on the power of both Aeriel and Tahariae, a new student can be imbued with the Twin Connection. This process requires two Confessors, with at least one being T5 and holding a TA. The other Confessor must be at least T3 but does not need to be holding a TA. One Confessor draws upon the well of compassion instilled into them by Aeriel and funnels it into the student. The other Confessor draws upon the reserves of strength granted to them by Tahariae and simultaneously funnels it into the student. These two forces conjoin and work together, granting the new one the Twin Connection. Before the process can properly begin, the prospective Confessor must make the Vow of Duty, promising to uphold their duty, witnessed by the two Confessors doing the Euphony. After this is done, the Solemnity can begin. After the two Confessors begin channeling, two tethers of pure light emerge from their chest: from the one channeling Tahariae, it is silver. From the one channeling Aeriel, it is a deep cobalt blue. These two tethers twist and curl through the air, wrapping around each other and weaving together until the colors begin to blur. Then, with a sudden movement, the tethers shoot down into the chest of the targeted student. The one undergoing the Euphony will then be lifted off the ground, as if gravity no longer applied to them, with their chest thrust out towards the heavens. The intense energy tether continues spreading throughout their body, temporarily turning their veins, eyes, and hair a blue-ish silver. The Twin Connection is a unique, fickle thing. The process can occasionally go unexpectedly as the force of two aengudaemons fit within the soul of a descendant. At this point in the Euphony, the prospective student should roll 1d20. This determines how drastic the effects of the Euphony are on their wellbeing. 1 - The prospective Confessor is rendered unconscious and is weak in the body for one full elven day, needing to take time to recover. The Euphony, while successful, proves to be a very painful experience. The pain ceases upon the conclusion of the Solemnity, however. 2-10 - The prospective Confessor remains conscious, but will collapse to the ground upon the conclusion of the Euphony with the breath stolen from their lungs and their limbs weak. They would take a full narrative hour to recover from this experience, and the Euphony itself would prove to be a somewhat painful ordeal, an ache deep in their chest that fades after the Solemnity. 11-19 - The prospective Confessor retains full awareness, and may only stumble a bit upon the conclusion of the Euphony. There is no pain, only a vaguely dazed sensation. The Euphony itself is pleasant in its own alien sort of way, the student feeling the love of Aeriel & Tahariae through the Euphony. 20 - The prospective Confessor retains full consciousness and control, feeling no pain or exhaustion from the procedure. They prove to be well suited towards the Euphony and embrace it within their soul easily. At this point, they fall to the ground and land perfectly on their feet, and are capable of walking, talking, and experiencing the world as normal. Throughout the Euphony, they feel the perfect loving chorus of two divine beings coursing through them. At this point, the student has become a tier 1 Confessor and should make their MA. No magic or physical changes should happen until the MA is accepted. Gradually, should the Confessor wish, the possible physiological changes can begin to happen as they increase in tier. By tier 5, these changes should be in full effect. . . . Disunion The Disunion is the dark mirror to the Euphony and is an essential function of maintaining a divine order. The Disunion is the process of stripping the Twin Connection from a Confessor, removing the divine presence of Aeriel & Tahariae from their souls. This leaves a person broken and depressed and is reserved for only the most extreme circumstances. For this reason, the Disunion can only be used on one who has broken the Vow of Duty. Should it be tried on any others, it shall not work and will fail utterly. The process begins much the same, with two Confessors. Unlike Euphony, Disunion requires two T5 Confessors with a TA. The two will begin the grim task, calling upon their deities. One calls upon Aeriel to withdraw her love and affection from her child the Confessor. The other calls upon Tahariae to strip the Confessor of his strength and fierceness. These two are pulled out of the chest of the Confessor, leaving them screaming even as they are pulled into the air in a mockery of the pure Euphony. The tether of light splits as it leaves their chest, two separate strands of blue and silver once more. These two stands disperse into the air. After several minutes of this sobbing agony, the magic of the Twin Connection has fled the Confessor entirely, leaving them gaunt, pale, tired, and hollow inside. At this point, the Hallowed Progeny MA (and TA if applicable) should be stripped from the player, being moved to denied. Over the course of an elven year, the features they might have gained from being a Confessor (eye color, hair color) will fade away and return to their original color. ♚ Exhaustion & Augmentation The Twin Connection is a unique and difficult thing, with heavy restrictions and specific requirements to be used well. This comes in two things that every Confessor needs to know of and use to their advantage: Exhaustion & Augmentation. Exhaustion Like all magic users, Confessors become tired as they use their abilities. Mechanically, Confessors have a simple spell slot system. However, the amount of spells a Confessor can use is limited, with a T5 Confessor only having 5 spell slots. This limitation can be overcome, however, by taking on wounds. As a Confessor casts and exceeds their limit, the Twin Connection within them grows more unruly and the power they control begins to lash out. This culminates in thin, non-life-threatening lacerations on the skin of a Confessor that grow more intense the more they push their power. A Confessor can take up to 5 wounds before going unconscious, and each additional wound causes them to grow more exhausted and makes concentrating more difficult. A Confessor gains a spell slot with each tier, up to 5. It is recommended that a Confessor keep track of their number of spell slots, and be aware that when they reach 5 they must stop casting spells or begin taking on wounds. The number of wounds taken on for casting a spell is the same as the number of spell slots, i.e. casting a 3 slot spell would cause 3 wounds if the Confessor was out of spell slots. If a Confessor had 1 spell slot left and used a 3 slot spell, then it would carry over and the Confessor would gain 2 wounds. Wounds exude a visible energy, that is the color of the Confessor’s aura (either blue, silver, or white). It exists as a form of light that seems to pour out of the wounds. It is purely an aesthetic effect meant to symbolize the unbalanced Twin Connection, and a Confessor will bleed as normal. The use of spell slots makes a Confessor tired but does not mechanically hinder them. However, once spell slots are used, a full 12 hours are needed for them to regenerate. Wounds stack until they are fully healed, i.e. a Confessor with one wound from an encounter an hour ago would start with 1 wound already. Given that wounds are surface level, it is a somewhat trivial matter to allow them a 12 hour period to heal. Strangely, the healing abilities of Confessors do not work on these exhaustion wounds caused by the Twin Connection. Gaining the first wound is a minor inconvenience. The Confessor feels the pain of it, but it is manageable and superficial. There is likely no blood. Gaining the second wound is a distraction. The Confessor is still able to cast, but they would be compelled to tense up, wince, or otherwise express the pain as their flesh rips. There is a trickle of blood. Gaining the third wound is a major distraction. The Confessor may have a hard time focusing on a target, may have blurred vision, and is experiencing a significant amount of pain. The blood from this wound should be significant. Gaining the fourth wound is dangerous. The Confessor’s movement becomes limited to two blocks per emote, and they are incapable of dodging all but the most extreme attacks. They are close to becoming unconscious and are barely staying on their feet. The bleeding from these wounds should be extreme and the cut should be painful. Gaining the fifth wound renders a Confessor unconscious. The Confessor blacks out immediately after casting their spell, requiring a full elven day to recover their strength and wake once again. In this time, their now drastic wounds must be treated lest they bleed out. Dying from this is not considered a suicide unless the Confessor specifically wishes it to be; there is every reason your fellows would help you once you go unconscious. . . . Augmentation The Twin Connection is a fickle thing and it struggles to express its full strength without assistance. Luckily, the Hallowed Progeny have found a way to extrapolate the strength of their connection to its full potential through the use of augmentation. Augmentation is the use of fibers charmed by a Confessor when making clothing that allows for them to make outfits and articles of clothing that work as a conduit of their power. Without an augmented outfit, a Confessor’s power is capped at that of a Tier 3, including both spell slot limitation and ability limitation. However, with an augmented outfit a Tier 4 or Tier 5 Confessor can reach their full strength. It must be cloth, soft leather, or a similar soft and pliable substance to be conducive to augmentation. Armor, whether it’s hard leather, chain, plate, or any other kind does not work with augmentation. Additionally, armor can not be worn over or under augmented clothing as it serves to interfere with the Twin Connection and utterly negates the benefits of wearing augmented clothing. This clothing could be a one-piece dress, robes, tunic and trousers, or many other things. Just the majority of what a person is wearing, i.e. torso and legs, needs to be one or more pieces of augmented clothing. Shoulder pads, jewelry, gloves, socks, shoes, etc. do not need to be augmented. Traditionally, all Confessors that follow the establishment own an augmented white dress or set of robes. This is the traditional color of purity, and Confessors are expected to wear this white clothing for official functions. This is merely cultural, however, and other colors and types of clothing can be augmented so long as they follow the above restrictions. Augmented clothing is expected to be represented with an ST signed item, and the roleplay is expected to follow the process laid out in the Charms & Solemnities section. As well as having an ST signed item, the Confessor should be wearing the relevant article of clothing as their MC skin as well. Without both of these things, a Confessor can not make use of augmentation. ♚ Cantrips & Blessings The arsenal of a Confessor is split into two categories: Cantrips & Blessings. Cantrips are simple, defensive combat abilities. Blessings are a Confessor’s specialty, being abilities of enhancement, augmentation of another, healing, and more. Cantrips Confessors have five Cantrips available to them. They are as follows. Lock - Combative (T1) 1 Spell slot A Confessor can cast Lock on a target, causing their body to momentarily lock up and become unresponsive. By reaching out with the Aeriel portion of the Twin Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target into momentarily causing their locomotive functions to cease. This can cause someone to freeze mid-swing, fall over if running, stumble if walking, or drop something if held loosely. Beyond temporarily locking them in place and causing some mild muscular pain, this ability does not harm the target. The target is locked for one full emote round, after which full locomotive response returns in its entirety. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was raising his sword to attack Fann would find his body freezing suddenly, body clenched. It was as if every muscle in his body were held very tight, and the man was suspended momentarily with his sword only half raised. The effect would last only for one emote round. Blur - Combative (T2) 2 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Blur on a target, causing their vision to temporarily blur into a mess of colors and vague shapes. By reaching out with the Aeriel portion of the Twin Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target to cause their eyes to go out of focus and become hazy. This can cause someone to become distracted, lose sight of a target, miss an arrow shot, or otherwise have their visual ability hampered with. The effect of Blur lasts for two full emote rounds, and full ordinary vision returns at the end of the second emote. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was raising his bow towards Fann would find his vision suddenly clouding, to such a significant extent that he could only make out the general colors and shapes around him. Any arrow shot made in this state would surely miss, lest a target did not move. The effect would last for two full emote rounds and would be gone by the end of the second emote. Lethargy - Combative (T3) 2 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Lethargy on a target, causing their strength to leave them and causing them to become temporarily weak. By reaching out with the Aeriel portion of the Twin Connection, a Confessor can subtly manipulate the soul of their target to cause their muscles to grow temporarily weak. The target becomes as strong as a ten-year-old, capable of only lifting a gallon of milk with every ounce of strength in their body. This can cause a target to drop something heavy, cause the swing of their weapon to do very little, make their armor feel incredibly heavy, or make them incapable of pulling back a bowstring. The effects of Lethargy lasts for two full emote rounds, and full ordinary strength would return at the end of the second emote. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was holding the heavy safe would find his strength draining quickly, to such an extreme extent that he could no longer carry the heavy metal box and was forced to let it drop. This feeling of weakness was akin to the strength of a child and would last for two full emotes. Push - Combative (T4) 3 Spell slots A Confessor can cast Push on a target, causing someone grappling or holding them to be pushed back with intense fierceness. By reaching out with the Tahariae portion of the Twin Connection, a Confessor can cause their connection to push out suddenly. This has little effect on the Confessor themselves, but anyone within a one block range of the Confessor would be met with a sudden and intense concussive force. This can cause a target to be pushed back up to 3 blocks, lose their grip on a Confessor, or suffer minor concussive trauma. The effects of Push take place over one emote and have no lasting effect beyond pushing someone away from the Confessor who casts it. However, possible minor injuries may be sustained. This is done over two emotes, one for connection and one for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] The man that was attempting to grapple Fann suddenly found himself subject to an outward pushing force, thunder without sound. It was concussive, knocking the man back several meters from the Confessor and causing him to become dizzy. Orison - Combative (T5) 3 Spell slots Orison is the final Cantrip available to a Confessor and is a remnant of the old power of the clerics of Tahariae. By reaching out with the Tahariae portion of the Twin Connection, a Confessor can manifest a condensed ball of silver light. This ball of light is roughly the size of a basketball and is extremely bright. It can be given one simple direction (straight ahead, down, one of the cardinal directions, somewhere in between) so long as it’s in a straight line. The ball of light then travels with roughly the speed of an arrow towards its destination. Whether it makes contact with a person or object, the Orison explodes with silver light and a concussive force. A direct hit can break a bone at the point of contact and otherwise causes ringing in the ears, eye floaters, and general concussive wounds such as bruises. Orison takes place over three emotes, one for connection and two for casting. This Cantrip requires Line of Sight. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] Above the woman’s clasped hands and web of blue light, silver light begins to manifest. It seems to be coming from everywhere and nowhere, coalescing above Fann’s hands. This eventually forms a silver ball, both made of and exuding a great deal of light. It almost hurts to look at. [!] The ball of light then speeds off in a straight line, heading directly towards the unarmored man that was charging towards Fann. Should the Orison make contact, the man would find himself stopped in his tracks. Given that he is unarmored, it may break or fracture a bone at the point of contact, and would otherwise leave his eyes watering and ears ringing. The point of contact and the surrounding area would develop a nasty bruise. . . . Blessings Blessings are the true strengths of Confessors, allowing them to help others and bolster their allies. The Blessings are as follows. Sacral Flame - Noncombative (T1) 1 spell slot The Sacral Flame is a modern incarnation of the once-powerful Soulfire, yet much more regimented and moderate under the Twin Connection. A Confessor can, using both parts of the Twin Connection, manifest an arcane flame of blue, silver, white, or blue-silver coloration. This flame functions like a mage light, and while the Confessor can keep it in the air or otherwise move it, this flame can not be used as a weapon to harm others. Even a dark or spectral creature (Abyssal creatures, liches, corrupt dragonkin, frost witches, inferi, wight, phantoms, Boggarts, etc.) touching the flame would feel mildly uncomfortable, and other descendants feel nothing at all beyond a general sense of deific warmth. The Sacral Flame works to ward off darkness, fog, and miasma. Of arcane creation, the Sacral Flame completely nullifies eldritch darkness or blankets of fog cast by others. While not outwardly dispersing these things, the effects become naught and they become semi-transparent, allowing those within the radius of the Sacral Flame immunity to these effects. Otherwise, the Sacral Flame only works as a very effective, very bright light. Additionally, a Confessor can cast Sacral Flame with the use of a specifically charmed implement. A staff, a torch, a lantern, et cetera. Something charmed with Sacral Flame allows for a Confessor to conjure the ability on or in the implement without the need to use a spell slot, allowing Sacral Flame to function as a free spell. Sacral Flame takes two emotes to cast, one for connection and one for casting. The range of the effect of Sacral Flame is five blocks. The Sacral Flame is considered to be on the same block as the Confessor, as it must be something they hold or something that is directly next to them. Implements must be held by a Confessor to be used, and can not be used by non-Confessors. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and standing with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] Above her hands, a ball of light begins to manifest. A serene yet bright thing, it takes on a blue glow that emanates light outwards. The encroaching unnatural darkness would find it had no effect within a five block radius of the Sacral Light, the darkness fading into a translucent mist and its effects nullified. Aeriel’s Hand - Noncombative (T2) 2 spell slots Aeriel’s Hand is among the most essential functions carried out by a Confessor and is a Blessing used to heal others. This allows a Confessor to easily set bones, knit flesh, repair damaged veins and blood vessels, heal burns, and otherwise restore a target. This act favors the compassionate Aeriel side of the Twin Connection. Anything besides serious internal damage, missing limbs, or mental complications (brain damage, internal bleeding, failing organs, a missing arm, eyes) can be healed this way. Additionally, this can only heal active or fresh wounds. A Confessor can not heal wounds more than an elven day old, and no chronic wound such as liver failure or cancer. Wounds healed by Confessors in this fashion will gain a silver sheen over the scar tissue. Should the wound be small enough that the scar tissue fades and goes away, so does the silver sheen. However, large wounds with more permanent scar tissue retain the silver-effect for longer. Areas that are covered by this silver sheen cannot be healed again by a Confessor, as they lose the ability of the Confessor to manipulate that part of the soul blueprint. This means that small wounds and cuts will lose their silver sheen quickly (24 OOC hours), while a moderately sized wound like a large cut or minor burn will lose the silver sheen slower (1 OOC week), while the largest wounds such as missing fingers and third-degree burns will take much longer (1 OOC month). Aeriel’s Hand takes four emotes to cast, one for connection and three for casting. This can only be done on one target at a time, and the regulations for what determines a small, moderate, and large wound are listed in the redlines below. There is a more sophisticated version of Aeriel’s Hand, explained below in the section on Solemnities. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A tether of blue light emerges from the woman’s hands, growing and stretching out. It extends effortlessly through the air, before slowly spiraling downwards and making contact with the chest of the wounded man next to her. The man had a deep gouge in his left arm, tearing through tendons and leaving the arm lame and vulnerable. [!] The man would feel a subtle sense of surprise as a feeling of warmth and love flows through his body. It feels as if something invasive, but not unpleasant, is traveling through to his left arm. When the sensation reaches the location of the wound, a web of cobalt blue light begins to emerge from the edges of the wound, knitting it shut and beginning to pull it shut. This creates a certain, itching sensation that continues throughout the rest of the process. The man can feel this happening on internal layers as well, tendons and muscles being knitted back together. [!] Soon, the web of light has pulled itself together, hiding it beneath his skin. In its place, the surface of the freshly healed skin has taken on a silver sheen that is entirely the same as normal flesh beyond being somewhat reflective. Fann sits back, breathing heavily and rolling her shoulders. Touch of Divinity - Noncombative (T3) 2 spell slots A Confessor can imbue a portion of their own power and their own protection into another, allowing them a temporary form of the same immunity that a Confessor enjoys. This does not come with the protection of the body (i.e. from poisons) that a Confessor has, but does have the effect of giving the target an immunity to hexes and curses. This can be used to augment one’s allies, work as a temporary solution to a curse that is affecting them, or to allow said individual to be capable of disposing of a dangerous artifact by themselves. The target of Touch of Divinity gains an immunity to all hexes and curses that lasts for 24 OOC hours. After the fact, the target cannot benefit from the effects of Touch of Divinity for a full OOC week. This protection functions the same as a Confessor, but only has the protection of the soul and is without the protection of the body from toxins that a Confessor enjoys. The target will also experience a general sensation of warmth and love, the small remnant of the Twin Connection that touched them when they were being blessed with Touch of Divinity. Touch of Divinity takes four emotes to cast, one for connection and three for casting. Only one target can be done at a time, and if you wish to do the Blessing on another target you must cast it again. Touch of Divinity does not give any of the other aspects of being a Confessor, exclusively just the soul protection against hexes, curses, and similar malicious effects. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A slowly gathering collection of cobalt mist begins to congregate around the hands of the woman, a small shimmering field of twinkling energy. This energy grows and grows, enveloping both of the woman’s hands. [!] Then, the mists stop growing. With a flourish of her hands, the mist seems to surge forward, engulfing the young man who stood before Fann. It seemed to twist and curl around him, taking up his vision and his senses. [!] The mists suddenly sink into his skin, absorbing into the young man and granting him a sense of warmth and love from the two aenguls of Aeriel and Tahariae. For the next 24 elven hours, the young man would be immune to hexes and curses. Aengul Fire - Combative (T4) 3 spell slots Aengul Fire is a leftover of the Ascended of old and allows one to coat their blade and the blades of their allies in pure white flame. This flame is entirely harmless to the touch, and only pleasantly warm. However, any dark or spectral creature (Abyssal creatures, liches, corrupt dragonkin, frost witches, inferi, wight, phantoms, Boggarts, etc.) will experience extreme, searing pain. The flame does not burn them, but the casting of it on a weapon allows for one to swing their weapon through the flesh of dark creatures as if it were butter. This allows them to cut and dice such creatures with frightening ease. For spectral creatures that could not be cut by default, this allows them to make concussive contact and harm such creatures. Aengul Fire takes three emotes to cast, and can be cast on three currently equipped, in-use blades. A Confessor can cast it on their own blade, but it may prove more effective to do so on their allies. Additionally, the three currently held blades and their holders must be within 5 blocks of the Confessor in question. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands. [!] A sudden and intense white flame suddenly lights, directly above the woman’s hands. Fann, concentrating heavily, cast her arm out with a flourish. [!] The white Aengul’s flame went with it, flying out in three directions to land on the swords of her allies. The swords of her three allies seem to absorb the white flame, and even as the flame disperses, the three blades become covered in a brilliant white, licking flame. Final Oblation - Noncombative (T5) A Confessor can give the full breadth of their existence towards preserving their allies, restoring any and all wounds of those they wish to heal within a 5 block radius. However, this will kill the Confessor in what is considered a PK death. This is a way for a Confessor to grant their allies a second wind, at the expense of their own life and wellbeing. This is an irrevocable clause, a permanent sacrifice. This consumes the Confessor in Aengul Fire, exuding their essence all around them in a bright light. Final Oblation has no spell slot requirements, and will simply take every spell slot a Confessor has remaining, whether it is 1 or 5 and 5 wounds. Either way, the effect will be the same, and the Confessor will be PK’d at the conclusion of the spell. Final Oblation takes four emotes, one connection emote and three to cast. Fann paused, pressing her hands together and sitting with good posture. After a moment’s pause, her eyes come to light with a cobalt glow as interweaving tethers of blue energy begin to manifest around the woman’s clasped hands [!] A bright white fire begins to manifest on the woman, a gasp coming to her lips as the white Aengul Fire begins to spread across her body. [!] The woman begins to sob softly, seemingly something she can’t control as the Aengul Fire consumes her body entirely. Bright cracks of silver and blue begin to split the woman apart, as her essence begins to spread and coat those within a five block radius of her. [!] With a bright flash, the woman is consumed entirely, rendered into a pile of white and silver ashes on the ground. Yet her essence remains, imbuing itself into those around her that she wished it to. Those chosen would find every wound on their body, no matter how grievous, healed and repaired near instantaneously. Additionally, their exhaustion would be virtually gone. It was as if they had just entered this encounter, without the wounds and exhaustion they had received. ♚ Charms & Solemnities Beyond the most basic functions of a Confessor’s abilities (Cantrips & Blessings), there are other supplements that a Confessor can do in order to maximize their potential and to function as a community. This comes in two forms: Charms, which are a form of enchantments, and Solemnities, which are rituals and rites. Charms Charms, which are created via the act of “charming” an object, are simple enchantments and effects that a Confessor can give an object. The objects charmed by a Confessor are jewelry, gems, or other items of widely accepted beauty or lustre. Anything charmed by a Confessor must feature a precious metal such as silver or gold, or at the very least have a semi-precious gemstone. The exceptions to this are Sacral Flame, which can be done on implements, and Augmentation, which can be done on clothing. Sacral Flame - Noncombative (T1) Charming an object with Sacral Flame allows for a Confessor to cast the spell exactly as outlined above in Blessings. However, an implement charmed with Sacral Flame causes the spell to be isolated on or in the implement. For instance, a lantern would allow for the flame to manifest inside of it, or a staff could allow the flame to manifest on top of it. The benefit of charming an object with Sacral Flame is that it negates the spell slot cost, allowing a Confessor to cast Sacral Flame without spending the required 1 spell slot. Objects that can be charmed with Sacral Flame include lanterns, staffs & staves, torches, candles, and other forms of lighting device. If you are unsure if something would be valid, ask the lore holder or the ST. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Sacral Flame requires an ST signed item to be used. Fann knelt next to the lantern, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the lantern. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the lantern. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the lantern, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The lantern has now become a Sacral Flame Lantern. Augmentation - Noncombative (T3) Charming a piece of clothing or multiple pieces of clothing with augmentation allows a Confessor to achieve their maximum tier potential. The exact details of how augmentation works can be found in an above section titled Exhaustion & Augmentation. Without augmented clothing, a Confessor’s power is capped at Tier 3. With it, a Confessor of Tier 4 or Tier 5 can access the full span of their abilities. Augmentation can only be done on clothing. This can be one piece, two piece, etc. However, to get the benefits of augmentation, the majority of what a person is wearing (i.e. torso and legs) must be augmented. Further redlines and clarifications can be found in the above section on augmentation. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. Clothing charmed with augmentation requires an ST signed item to be used, as well as a relevant and equivalent MC skin. Fann knelt next to the folded up white dress, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the dress. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the dress. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the dress, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The dress has now become augmented. Tithing - Noncombative (T3) Charming a piece of jewelry with Tithing allows Confessors to communicate with each other over distances, the jewelry bearing a small modicum of the soul energy of a Confessor. By wearing or holding such jewelry, Confessors can send small and simple messages to one another telepathically. This is, mechanically, an alternative to birding. No full conversations can be had, and only brief messages a few sentences long can be exchanged. Mechanically, this functions exactly like birding, and follows all of the server’s rules on exchanging messages this way. An object charmed with Tithing must be a piece of jewelry, made of gold or silver or featuring a semi-precious gemstone. Bracelets or necklaces are the most common jewelry used. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Tithing does not require an ST sign. However, an item should still be made. Fann sat in a chair next to a bracelet on the table, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the bracelet. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the bracelet. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the bracelet, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The bracelet is now charmed with Tithing. Ward - Noncombative (T4) Charming an object with Ward turns the object into what is considered a ward. A ward is a piece of jewelry that has been enchanted to protect a non-Confessor from one specific force of corruption. This must be chosen during the creation process, and clearly labelled on the ward item. Possible protection includes malices (not malflame itself), hexes, necromancy curses, or any other specific source of corruption and cursing. An individual could be protected from hexes, but still suffer the effects of a necromancy curse. The ward only protects against one specific source of corruption, which must be clearly defined. Additionally, an individual cannot stack wards; only one can be worn or active at a time, and wearing more than one causes them to cancel each other out. Possible ward items include pieces of jewelry, made of gold or silver or featuring a semi-precious gemstone. Bracelets or necklaces are the most common jewelry used. The actual charming process is freeform, so long as the object is valid and a Confessor does the roleplay while doing a visible tell. An object charmed with Ward requires an ST signed item to be used. Fann sat in a chair next to a necklace on the table, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the necklace. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the necklace. [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the necklace, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The necklace is now charmed with Ward, and will protect any wearer against mystic hexes. Memorandum - Noncombative (T5) An object charmed with Memorandum allows a Confessor to instill a story into an object. This is like a memory, except it is something entirely forged by a Confessor and could very well be fabricated or unrealistic. It is intended as a storytelling tool, an alternative to writing books. A Confessor’s palace could have a library full of gold and silver memorandums, which can be touched to grant the target something that is part story, part vision. A memorandum must be made of gold or silver, or some sort of metal featuring semi-precious gemstones. It could be a golden plaque, a silver handle, a locket, a ring, etc. It is recommended that the memorandum by a physical object in the world be marked with a sign that could take an individual to a forum post or google doc where they can read what story is connected to the memorandum. Memorandums are intended to function as a book alternative and cultural storytelling method for Confessors. The contents of a memorandum are as trustworthy as the words or claims of a Confessor, and is purely a created story intended to grant others the same experience. Memorandums do not require ST oversight or signage. Fann sat on the ground next to the golden plaque, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. As her eyes open, they begin to exude an intense cobalt blue light. She turns her palms upward, as interweaving tethers of blue light begin to manifest and create a web. [!] With a gesture, Fann motions her hands out. The web of pure light floats through the air, landing over the plaque. With a slight hum of energy, the web begins to bind to and connect itself to the plaque [!] Over the course of several seconds, the web of light seems to become absorbed by the plaque, fully sinking into it and disappearing. The plaque is now a memorandum, and will tell a specific predetermined story to those who touch it. . . . Solemnities Solemnities are rituals and rites that Confessors can do that function as necessary and beneficial aspects of a magical, religious order. The Solemnities are as follows. Euphony - Noncombative (T5) Euphony is the process of granting others the Twin Connection, and it is considered a Solemnity. Given how Euphony & Disunion are clearly defined above in their own section, they will not be repeated here. Euphony is considered a Tier 5 Solemnity, but that only means that one of the two Confessors need to be Tier 5. The other one that is simply participating and not leading the Solemnity need only be Tier 3. Disunion - Noncombative (T5) Disunion is the process of removing the Twin Connection from others, and is considered a Solemnity. Given how Euphony & Disunion are clearly defined above in their own section, they will not be repeated here. Euphony is considered a Tier 5 Solemnity, and both participating Confessors need to be Tier 5 in order to disconnect someone. Asseverate - Noncombative (T5) Asseverate is a method by which a Confessor can take on new Vows as they progress in tier, as well as how a Confessor who has broken a Vow can renew it. This is a simple process that requires only one other Confessor. This Confessor should be the teacher marked on the Confessor’s MA, but another TA holder can be used if proven to be necessary. The process begins with the Confessor in question bowing their head and connecting to their magic, doing a connection emote. Their teacher should then also do a connection emote, and tell the student to repeat after them. After the teacher says the Vow in question, the student then needs to repeat the Vow verbatim. After this, the teacher can reach out with their connection (via mist, a light tether, etc.) and touch the student. The rest of the details and aesthetic are freeform, but the end result is that the Confessor can now progress through the next part of the magic. At this point, such a thing should be marked on the Confessor’s MA. The Vow of Duty comes first, and is part of Euphony. Then comes the Vow of Peace to reach Tier 3, and finally the Vow of Temperance to reach Tier 5. When a Confessor has broken a Vow and had their power limited, they must undergo Asseverate to renew their broken Vow. Further details on the subject can be found in the section The Vows of Purity. In case of a Confessor with no teacher breaking a Vow, such as a Tier 5 Confessor, any other Tier 5 TA holder can be the one to help them renew the Vow. Aeriel’s Light - Noncombative (T5) Aeriel’s Light is a more advanced form of Aeriel’s Hand. Three Confessors can work together, under the cover of moonlight in a pure location (a marble hall, a clean observatory, a place of worship, etc) to heal an individual. Unlike Aeriel’s Hand, Aeriel’s Light can heal all things except death. Those near death, those with torn out bowels, etc. can all be healed. So long as an individual is still alive breathing, they can be healed with Aeriel’s Light. The three Confessors kneel or stand around the injured individual, and begin casting as they would with Aeriel’s Hand. However, instead of casting directly onto the target, the three merge their casting into one vast weaving web of light or mist, that is then lowered onto the injured individual. Almost immediately, silver flesh will begin to knit over wounds and repair the body. Chronic illnesses, cancers, cut open intestines, and any other illness that is not psychological or otherwise mental will rapidly begin to heal. Unlike Aeriel’s Hand, wounds healed by Aeriel’s Light will never lose their silver sheen. They will remain silver and shining for the rest of a person’s life, and those wounds can never be healed by a Confessor again. Additionally, participating in Aeriel’s Light will fully drain a Confessor’s spell slots for 3 OOC days, or 72 hours. That means that if a Confessor wishes to cast, they will immediately start taking on wounds until their spell slots regenerate. Absolution - Noncombative (T5) Absolution allows a group of Confessors to purify a corrupted being.. The amount of Confessors required varies depending on the size of the being. This allows unnatural and dark corruption to be purged, purifying a being. This only works on beings that can be purified; a shade can be purified, but a darkstalker cannot. There is nothing for a darkstalker to become if purified, as the darkstalker is all that they are. A shade, however, can be reverted back to their pre-corruption state. The minimum number of Confessors for Absolution is 3, but can go up to 10. A person-sized being, i.e. a corrupt Azdrazi, can be purified by three Confessors. A large being, i.e. a red golem, can be purified and turned blue by five Confessors. A massive being, i.e. a drake, might be able to be purified by ten Confessors, at event and ST discretion. They could also require more depending on the target. The target must be restrained. Something such as a red golem that has not been depowered or similar situation, very strong restraints are recommended. If the target leaves the circle of Confessors, the purging will fail. It must be a noncombative event. The three or more Confessors kneel or stand around the corrupt individual, and begin with casting emotes. However, instead of casting directly onto the target, the three merge their casting into one vast weaving web of light or mist, that is then lowered onto the corrupt individual. The magic hums, and then hisses, and sinks into the skin of the corrupt individual. A great deal of discomfort and pain follows, before whatever corruption that was in their soul is washed away. After the corruption fades, they are filled with a sense of warmth and cleanliness. The kinds of individuals that can be purified include shades, corrupt azdrazi and other dragonkin, red golems, and practitioners of dark magics that can be dropped. This means necromancers cannot be purified, as their magic cannot be dropped. Upon participating in Absolution, a Confessor’s spell slots will be fully drained for 3 OOC days, or 72 hours. That means that if a Confessor wishes to cast, they will immediately start taking on wounds until their spell slots regenerate. ♚ Tier Progression Confessors progress through the 5 tiers of their magic over a 6 month period, unlocking different abilities as they go. ♚ Purpose Holy magic has become a rare thing on LotC. Primarily, the torch has been carried by the Paladins of Xan, a holy warrior archetype. The once prevalent magic of the Ascended of Aeriel and the Clerics of Tahariae has been missing from the server for a substantial amount of time. This is due in no small part to how inherently similar the two magics were: casting magics from aenguls of purity. Clerics and Ascended always occupied parts of the same territory, even as clerics focused on purity of the body and Ascended focused on purity of the body. Yet the removal of both has left the entirety of that niche bereft, leaving Paladins as the only holy and divine magic to carry the torch. Hallowed Progeny, sponsored by both Tahariae and Aeriel, manages to neatly solve this issue. Influenced by both Clerics and Ascended, the Confessors serve to walk a path of both parts of purity: both the body and the soul. Thus the niche is neatly filled for noncombative holy roleplay, without oversaturating it with two different kinds as in the past. This also leaves Paladins to their own niche, that of a combative physical warrior. Additionally, Hallowed Progeny serves to address the condition and facets of a modern LotC, something that dated ideas such as Ascended or Clerics could not have done without significant overhaul. By taking the best of both and creating something altogether different, a new and prosperous holy magic can be established on LotC for the first time in years. ♚ Citation

But I must try to tell what I thought I saw that night under the mocking yellow moon—saw surging and hopping down the Rowley road in plain sight in front of me as I crouched among the wild brambles of that desolate railway cut. Of course my resolution to keep my eyes shut had failed. It was foredoomed to failure—for who could crouch blindly while a legion of croaking, baying entities of unknown source flopped noisomely past, scarcely more than a hundred yards away? I thought I was prepared for the worst, and I really ought to have been prepared considering what I had seen before. My other pursuers had been accursedly abnormal—so should I not have been ready to face a strengthening of the abnormal element; to look upon forms in which there was no mixture of the normal at all? I did not open my eyes until the raucous clamour came loudly from a point obviously straight ahead. Then I knew that a long section of them must be plainly in sight where the sides of the cut flattened out and the road crossed the track—and I could no longer keep myself from sampling whatever horror that leering yellow moon might have to shew. It was the end, for whatever remains to me of life on the surface of this earth, of every vestige of mental peace and confidence in the integrity of Nature and of the human mind. Nothing that I could have imagined—nothing, even, that I could have gathered had I credited old Zadok’s crazy tale in the most literal way—would be in any way comparable to the daemoniac, blasphemous reality that I saw—or believe I saw. I have tried to hint what it was in order to postpone the horror of writing it down baldly. Can it be possible that this planet has actually spawned such things; that human eyes have truly seen, as objective flesh, what man has hitherto known only in febrile phantasy and tenuous legend?

Bro literally come be in a ******* minecraft video, you'll realize how much more fun that stuff can be than lotc. Good luck with your break Also Atlas was the worst map ever created

cool rock enjoyers

Amongus

Daeltonium originates in this realm

aye

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ty absolutely should, banger podcast

Ty Its almost entirely unrelated to his previous writings. But good point I'll add his credit when I get home :) Based? Ty