Thomas

1 hour ago, Kalehart said:

Very interesting idea, and beautifully presented. That said, I’m a little tentative about all these levels of transformation; I feel as though the idea of ditching your mortal body for something else is something that has become overly common on the server, and I feel as though voidal magic in particular is one which shouldn’t draw characters away from their mortality with its ‘ultimate form’, since it is the most widely available type of magic on the server. Archons were sort of cool while they lasted, but at this point I think I’d rather see well thought-out and thematically interesting lore like this put towards something other than glowy magic dudes. We’ve got, and more importantly have had, plenty of those.

 

Neither plus one nor minus one, I like the writing and I’m not smart enough to point out any balancing flaws, but as a concept I feel as though it could be made more interesting counter-intuitively by not leaning so hard on the idea of alternate states that the server seems obsessed with. Mages bound to the void and empowered as its protectors and servants would be a strong concept alone, without making them into arcane ghosties.

 

And uh, obviously I’m familiar with non-mortal states and such on the server, my own main character is a Wight. I don’t mean to say that having non-mortal creatures on the server is bad, only that I think at this point just about every kind of magic is trying to make you something other than the race you started as, and that really isn’t a trap I want to see the most accessible magic on the server fall in to.

That’s an interesting point, I like it. Again, as I’ve said to the other genuine feedback I’ve received, I’m going to take this on board. I don’t intend or want this post of the lore to actually be reviewed officially and accepted/denied as much as I’m trying to use this as an opportunity to gauge reaction and see what people do and do not want. That allows me to work on a second version which is an improvement of the original.

 

Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback!

7 hours ago, RugRatRew said:

I have three things to say

1) This is incredibly amazing and detailed and solid to a T.

 

2) How long did that take to write? I mean Homer at this point would be telling you to slow down ?.

 

3) Major +1

It was written back in June and tweaked since then. We've been asking people and LT to review it over the past 4 months to try and balance it to try and make sure it was fair. I wanted to post it so that I had the opportunity to see how a wider array of people felt about the lore so that I can tweak and improve it further. 

32 minutes ago, Krugalicious said:

Okay, here we go.

You’ve got some ideas here that work. You’ve got a lot of ideas here that do not work. At all. They’re dumb, no offense.

 

Positives

I like the idea of this cult-like organization that venerates the Void and seeks to spread its influence in the world. That has some great potential – really, it’s actually ******* cool, kudos to you for that concept, it’s fun to work off of and has some real potential for RP.

You got some cool fluff pieces – void gardens, the body being altered by the void on a fundamental level (which isn’t new at all, but it’s always been a cool idea, at least aesthetically), it’s, again, cool.

Your post is well-written, bravo. If I could give you a sticker for it, I’d give it to you. HOWEVER, I don’t fall under the popular server attitude of “if it looks pretty, it must be good”. I like to look at the core, the meat, the substance. And that’s where the problems come in.

 

Negatives

Oh my god.

Endgames are bad. We’ll expand on that in the end, but I’m gonna leave that here because it’s quite important. It’s possibly the most important thing I’m going to bring up here, but I’m going to dive into that last. Just keep it in mind.

“There may only be ten Guardians at time” – I see where you’re coming from. I really do – you’re trying to restrict it so that it doesn’t grow too widespread as both a power limiting measure and a measure to keep it from becoming so widespread that it’s downright annoying and detrimental to everyone’s experience. It’s completely understandable; however, there’s a big hiccup here. This opens up the very, very, very plausible and very likely event of this creature group being a sort of…

Well, Thomas, I don’t mean offense to your or anyone you associate with, but it opens up the possibility of these guys being “Thomas and his OOC mage friends get special powers”. Again, I don’t mean offense, but it just seems like it’s set up and easily made into (by any clique whatsoever that has 10 void mage players present) this “me and my friends get special powers, yippee” kind of thing. It’s a little hard to articulate without sounding more rude. It seems abusable, basically. Any creature group that happens to consist of players that are friends with one another can already restrict access from people outside their circle, I know, but this just seems like actual lore-justified reinforcement of the act of doing so. Again, no offense to you. Just seems abuseable, is all.

 

Now to get to the meat.

This is endgame lore. Endgame lore is bad, because LotC is not a vidya RPG, and it’s not a TTRPG, it’s a combined roleplaying experience. The goal is not, and should be, to “achieve endgame” – sure, your character probably wants to do something like that. Everyone seeks to master their trade, their skills – but endgame creature lore has always felt like a step further, because it is a step further. It provides a predominately OUT-OF-CHARACTER goal for a certain type of character. It feels game-y. If it feels game-y in this sort of roleplaying environment, it is not good. This is not WoW, this is not Pathfinder, this is not Elder Scrolls, this is not DnD. This is a combined roleplaying experience with the goal of simulating a fantasy world through combined roleplay elements. It’s theatre, really.

And why do I call this an endgame? It’s a buff. Regardless of what flaws they possess, the Iylderi are a buff to powerful void mages who qualify and have the connections to achieve such status. There would be no need for a player limit if they were not a buff. These guys, like Archons, are a form of “leveling up” that isn’t organic – it’s not characters becoming naturally better at their trade as time passes and they actively hone their skills with it out of IC motivation, it is this boring endgame nonsense.

Hell, that’s what it boils down to, anyway. It’s boring. Even though it’s a sort of “support class” (if you want to call it that, but it’s so game-y that it makes me nauseous), it’s still “my character is a badass special creature now, and now he has a big glowing weak spot scar, what a great flaw!”

Good characters are made good by their flaws. A big glowing physical weak spot (unless it is some form of symbolism for a character’s deep internal flaws, which it is objectively not in this context) and weakness to aurum, and all sorts of other physical flaws are nothing. They’re boring. They’re dull. It’s mechanical – not just from an “RP combat” or “this is how you kill him” perspective (because that’s perfectly fine), but from a character standpoint. The only interesting thing here is the motivation of the group OVERALL (this fascination with, veneration of, and deep connection to the void) with and the genuinely cool ideas like void gardens.

 

Solution

You’ve got some good ideas here. You’ve got some dumb ideas here. The dumb ideas ruin the overall proposal.

So do you fix the overall proposal?

Simple, you just cut out the dumb stuff and home in on the good stuff.

The idea of a cult that venerates the void and seeks to spread and strengthen its influence and application amongst existing sorcerers is a neat concept, ripe for really rich roleplaying.

You might think that it’s just a guild, at that point, but in order to see the concept fully realized, it requires lore behind it. Behind its members.

What if the Iylderi were a society of powerful void mages with a common fascination with, veneration of, and deep connection with the void, BUT they weren’t “Archons 2.0, Support Edition”

What if they were twisted in both mind and body in their pursuit of growing closer to the void and expounding its importance within the lives of the Descendants at large? Made into pseudo-void horrors of sorts, with some strengths giving them an edge over existing void-mages, maybe with the already existing focus on support, but a wide range of flaws both physical and mental that ultimately outweigh this and don’t amount to “look, I’m weak to commonly anti-spectral stuff and I have a big glowing weak spot”. Where the lore itself isn’t to provide a creature – it’s to supplement that organization. It fluffs them out. It might not even provide much on the “special creature” side, with only marginal differences from normal descendants outside of the aesthetic attributes. That has potential.

Oh, and get rid of the cap if you’re going to do that. Hell, get rid of it in general and just start punishing players who act out of character and start spreading this all around willy-nilly.

Massively appreciate this feedback, this is the kind of response I'm looking for. Thank you for taking the time to write this out. I'm going to take this on board and communicate with others who have worked with me on this to try and iron out some of these ideas and strengthen the weak points. I won't break down each of your points and respond to them because frankly everything you say has merit here and it'll all be taken into account when making edits.

 

Cheers again.

1 hour ago, ZachoSnacko said:

I cannot and never will support endgames with any caps in any form or inherent major empowerment. Archons didnt work before, Neither did the Ithaeral, Sage magic, Keepers, etc. Fat -1 from me, and always will be.

That's fair enough. I'm completely open to making changes wherever people wish to see them. Feedback is a vital part of making a Lore Submission that everyone can enjoy. I am not against raising, or even removing the cap on the Iylderi, though I kept it the way it was for now due to the conversation I had with the LT when I was first set to rewriting it. We wanted to give some kind of Voidal Creature a purpose and let them act more as shepherds instead of splitting apart and distancing themselves. I got into a brief conversation with another player today about possibly working on some form of Ritual that any Mage could undergo once they meet a set of requirements, and based on a series or rolls or factors they could become somewhat of a pseudo Guardian. They'd perhaps be slightly weaker or less capable in their abilities, and would be looked down upon by 'pure' Iylderi, but it would open up a way for Mages to 'ascend' to a higher level without the use of another Guardian. That way it would limit and hopefully negate, to a sufficient degree, the potential clique mentality a hard cap would place upon the lore.

1 hour ago, Elrith said:

There's a rewrite in the works, but I wouldn't solely count on it being accepted either. Should probably add another weakness or a few.

I'm currently spitballing further weaknesses. If you have ideas, hit me with them. Their void scar is their biggest weakness right now as it's literally a video game boss weakness. Hit it and they're screwed.

47 minutes ago, SuperDuckyGamer said:

Great writing, but even though it wasn't intended as some sort of rewrite for Archons, I still feel that the creature is just a way to make a stronger mage, at its core. Nobody carries Thanhium around, the last time I've seen a fi mage was early Axios, and the only auric weaponry I know is auric oil- something that is exclusively made by other voidal mages. The aesthetics are great, though, and the "sixth sense" thing is even better. But, in my opinion, the last thing this server needs is another end-game.

Gold is also incredibly debilitating and can kill them if struck in the Void Scar. Though I get what you mean, and I value your feedback.

This is not an official rewrite to Archons, but instead a lore piece meant to replace and try something new with the Voidal Mages. Iylderi are intended to be more of a Support Class to other Mages as opposed to errant god-tier mages who have no reason to care about the Void and so on.

 

((Just a quick thing. Because the forums formatting is absolutely terrible, I will link the Google Document here so that you can see it with some better formatting.))

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G4J4vS71ye8FiARZbLuaOiJ1j8F_RbO2iY_BJ_gni9w/edit?usp=sharing

‘I saw It in the night. I saw the starlight. The cobbles glowed purple. Glowed purple. I looked up and saw the hand that hovered over me, the hood filled with light. The hand beckoned. I have followed ever since, living on the sweet words of comfort that fall from Its lips. Its freedom is my freedom; my chains are broken.’

 

Wisdom can be handed from one generation to the next, as can hate and intolerance; ignorance and ineptitude. If we are wise, we can learn to distinguish good from evil, and discard the latter in favour of good’s guiding light. The wise might slowly multiply until their vigil protects the flock from ever falling into the darkness of evil. The Void sees all. The Void knows all that is and can be. The Void in all its infinite shadow is merciful, and has apportioned upon the descendants Guardians to shepherd them on their way to wisdom.

 

 

‘If the Void is an ocean, I am Her beach. Her waves break upon my ear as sweet poetry, Her rivers flow in my veins. I am privileged to lay eyes upon the breadth of Her love.’

 

Born from the Void’s chaos, the Guardians are a group of zealous practitioners of the Void’s arcane magic. Having witnessed the infinite splendour beyond our realm, the Guardians have become entranced by the Void and seek to spread its influence however they might. As the Void withdrew its presence from the Archons, a new breed of Voidal acolyte was born. Where the Archons had walked without the glory of the Void instilled within them, the Guardians have been enthralled by the Void. This enthrallment drives them to take an active role in the mortal pursuit of magic. As leaders and teachers, they walk throughout the land spreading their knowledge that other sorcerer's might benefit from their wisdom.

 

A Guardian’s primary trait is their Void Scar, a luminous, glass-like area on their skin that glows constantly with a dim light that mimics the appearance of their aura. This Scar exists both upon their mortal body, and upon their soul as a ‘hole’ that leads back into the Void. This hole constantly whispers to the Guardian with inhuman sounds. The whispering horrors are always in their ear. The sounds of potential energy rising and falling in the endless nothing. The sound of our own Veil warring against the tides that would seek to swallow us all. The Guardians share an intimacy with the Void that a sorcerer untouched by her love could never hope to achieve.

 

The Scar is the root from which all of the Guardian’s other abilities come. Through this latent gateway a Guardian is able to assume their various forms, and from the whispering of the Void, a Guardian is gifted the insight necessary to allow them true mastery of their craft.

• The Void Scar is sensitive to touch regardless of form, and if touched with the right material can even cause pain and burning or even more dangerous side effects if pierced deeply by said materials.

 

‘His palm rested gently on my forehead. I felt the pulse of blood beneath flesh I knew to be a falsehood. That pulse quickened. Soon, I could hear nothing else. Each beat blurred into the next until I heard nothing, and then, arising out of the nothing; serenity.’

 

The Bastion is the first and last of the Iylderi. Upon them, the Void places an energy that rises and falls with the presence of their fellows. When they are alone in the world, their energy is at its peak; with this great store of power, a Bastion is capable of creating an Iylderi without help. Once the second stands beside them, they will require their aid in the making of the third. Following this, all new Iylderi will require the presence of three others to be created. Should the number ever fall below three once again, the Bastion will find themselves once more in possession of the power required to act as more than one Guardian in the creation process.

 

The ritual of creation requires that a Guardian knows how to manipulate the energy that contains their Void scar. By flooding it with mana, a Guardian is capable of creating a temporary ‘spike’ that can pierce a mortal’s soul blueprint and generate a new Scar within their soul. Multiple ‘spikes’ are needed to craft the Scar in such a way that it doesn’t either collapse in upon itself, or kill the mortal outright as their soul is torn apart by the shoddy handiwork.

• There may only be ten Guardians at a time.

 

 

‘She needed no magic to convince me of the truth. I fell to the ground before her brilliance and threw my arms out towards her. I heard others tears, saw others crying out to the angel that walked the earth. She gave us hope. Her words welcomed a beautiful, flickering fire into my soul. It needed fuel.’

 

Perhaps the horrors minds spoke across the silent Void and called out for priests to lead the masses towards unity with the roiling chaos. Perhaps the Celestials yearned for more sorcerer's to spread the wonder of the Void so that other minds might take pleasure in its freedom. Which part of the Void the Iylderi serve is unknown. And yet each and every one of them feels that their purpose is to preach the greatness of the beyond, of their mother-realm, of their true home outside this simple realm into which they were born. The knowledge they have embraced hearkens them to the bosom of the Void. No matter how hard they might try to look away from the brilliance of their creator, they will be drawn to gaze into the nothingness with wonder. The compulsion to listen to the infinite is irresistible. To wait for the words that will spur them into action, the syllables that will charge their souls with enthusiasm. Their fanaticism can manifest in a number of ways. It might be a quiet, subtle thing that attempts to persuade others in ways so well hidden that they would not notice until their fingertips crackled with the presence of the mana. It might be a need to research all that is known of the nothingness and perfect our theories of it. No matter what form it might take, all Guardians are compelled to expound the importance of the Void in our lives.

 

 

‘With every moment, I felt the energy inside pouring out into the darkness. The light that had made my life bright with knowledge now flowed throughout all the world, that understanding might fall upon the shoulders of others.’

 

Embraced and blessed by the Void, the Guardians’ connection to the mother-realm is deeply rooted in their being. Due to this connection, they are granted a mastery over their arts that far exceeds what one might expect of other wielders of magic. This enables them to accomplish mastery over six magical arts before further efforts becomes pointless as opposed to the five that other mages are bound to.

 

Unlocked by the Iylderi through rigorous experimentation, meditation, and devotion, Iylderi may unlock various levels of transformation. Each form requires more effort than the last to achieve, a new mind bending revelation for the Guardian to realize. Every new transformation unleashes more of a Guardians’ mana, allowing them to create an ever more complex and potent connection the Void.

 

Scarred by the Void, the Mortal Form of the Iylderi is a tainted and stained cage for a soul touched by the infinite. A Guardian’s mana supply suffuses their body, filling their veins with life giving, ichorous mana that feeds their flesh. Such a facsimile of the mortal form might convince the unknowing bystander of a Guardian’s mortality; and yet to the Iylderi who requires no sleep or sustenance, their mortality has deserted to them. Mana is the only thing that a Guardian must consume to maintain their being. Whilst in their Enhanced Coil, a Guardian may consume the mana that they are able to redirect. Should a Guardian fail to consume the necessary amount of mana, their mortal form will quickly begin to degrade, leaving them as but a skeletal figure visibly glimmering with the presence of mana. Their powerful aura will leak from their skin, their eyes, glimmer on their tongues as they speak. Their presence will be obvious to all who lay eyes upon such a poorly maintained puppet.

 

A Guardian’s primary magical boost is found in their increased supplies of mana. Thanks to their Voidscar, they have the ability to slowly accrue dormant mana present within the Veil. In some sense their very soul is part of the barrier, and plays an integral role in the ongoing spell weaved by the stars that keeps the Void at bay. By tapping into this great magic through meditation, a Guardian can slowly increase the size of their mana pool by incorporating the power of the Veil into their being. The deeper, longer and more frequently that a Guardian is allowed to meditate, the greater the increase in their mana pool will be. This increase will only ever be slight, allowing perhaps another spell or two to be cast before a Guardian exhausts their supplies of mana. As a result of the extra mana present within a Guardian’s pool, their aura will become thicker and more easily manifested when they cast spells.

 

Additionally, an Iylderi finds the Voidal Arts surprisingly simple even whilst in their Mortal Coil. Their kinship with the beyond offers them a mind more able to comprehend the abstract powers of the sorcerer's. Where it might take a mortal sorcerer four stone months to learn a new art, a Guardian only requires three to reach mastery. Due to their innate connection to the Void, their students also benefit from their knowledge; Guardians are able to take an additional TA to spread their magical influence, and their students shave two weeks off of their learning time. Furthermore, while they no longer fear the crashing tides of mortality, they find increasing difficulty in the practice in any form of Deific or Dark Art, their soul having been scarred and claimed by the Void. This prevents an Iylderi from being afflicted with alterations to the Soul, though Blood Magic and Necromantic drains still affect them.

 

Their body is, indeed, Mortal, and so they are susceptible to damage that would usually afflict the descendents around them. They will die should their body be depleted of blood or mana, and their weaknesses remain even in their Mortal Form. Iconoclast Anti-Magic will still debilitate the Iylderi, and Thanic Alloy will cause searing pain the instant it pierces the skin.

 

• Deeply affected by Iconoclast Anti-Magic, Thanic Alloy, Arcanium, and a minor weakness to Auric Weaponry. This will daze and distort their focus.

• Their weakness to alteration remains; Should one discern the energy which composes an Iylderi’s very body, they would be able to physically ward them. This will disrupt the Iylderi.

• Iylderis are unable to perform Dark or Deific Arts. Blood Magic, Golemancy, and Runesmithing are exceptions, though any attempt to learn these magics will take 6 IRL Months to Master as opposed to 4, and any usage of these arts will come at a greater expense to one’s mana usage.

• In their Mortal Form, Iylderi are susceptible to necrotic and blood drains.

• They must maintain their body and sustain it when necessary, or else it will become acrid and feeble to the point of immobility.

• Just like any other descendent, the Iylderis still feel pain and are able to be killed in any way which you might kill another.

• Any non-Arcane Arts take an additional month on top of the usual learning process; This means that this will take a Guardian 6 months to master any non-arcanic art.

• The Void Scar is a very sensitive part of the body, and can be targeted by those who know are aware of it’s sensitivity.

 

The Guardians are peculiar in their nature, and their body and mind remains bound to the Void even when they are disconnected. The Void has claimed and blessed the soul of this entity, and they are granted boons for this symbiotic connection. By tearing open the cracks in their soul, they ascend to an enhanced version of their Mortal Coil. Their ichorous mana leaks from their flesh, infusing their body with the energy of the Void that flows from their Scar.

 

In this state, Guardians are granted regenerative abilities which aid in the healing and treatment of wounds they may have sustained. Consuming the mana stored within magical items or simply imbibing liquid mana will speed up the healing process. Through the use of their mana, or the consumption of magical items, they are able to concentrate upon their natural regenerative properties, and will recover from wounds more quickly than a normal person. This, however, requires the Guardian to be focused and concentrated on their injuries, and thus is impractical and nigh impossible amidst combat or when in serious pain. Should a Guardian receive a mortal wound that would kill a mortal outright, they will not be able to heal themselves of such a wound. However, should they be taken to a Voidal Garden, they will be able to enter into a coma-like state that allows them to regenerate such wounds over a longer period of time (normally four to five OOC hours/several IC days).

 

• The natural regenerative abilities may not be used in combat, and cannot be used to heal immediately life threatening injuries unless you are in a Voidal Garden.

• The regenerative abilities, when focused on harsh injuries, requires complete and total focus and concentration. The smallest distraction can prevent the healing process from working.

• Guardians are unable to ‘erase’ their injuries. They will still scar, they simply use their energy to force the wound closed.

 

Additionally, while in their Enhanced Coil, they appear as though their skin has been fractured and split apart by the latent energy brimming within. Due to their domain over the Void and it’s produce, Guardians are able to act as a ‘router’ for Mana Flow. Akin to Circling (or Coupling), Iylderi are able to establish a connection to willing participants, allowing them to direct their mana as they see fit as long as the participant consents. Line of sight must be maintained at all times; so long as it is maintained, a Guardian may redirect mana from up to three sources.

 

• Line of Sight is required to route mana between people, and a Guardian may only shift mana between 3 people at any one time. Any more than this will cause major strain upon the Iylderi.

• When routing mana between people in combat, the Guardian will be unable to fully concentrate on their own spells, thus weakening their magic by 2 tiers.

 

Furthermore, in their Enhanced Coil, Guardians are able to manipulate the active mana within the worlds flora. By hijacking the active mana within the targeted plant and tapping into the Void pure voidal energy flows through them before being secreted within the mana supplies of the plant. This leaves the plant permanently transfigured, simmering with arcane energy that feeds off of the plants mana.

 

• Manipulating Active Mana in organic matter is purely cosmetic in their Enhanced Coil, and may only do so to small objects.

• The Active Mana manipulation basically creates an arcane ‘ghostly’ hollow copy of the object.

 

By tearing their Void Scar open and allowing the mana that binds them together to flow through the cracks in their flesh, a Guardian may unleash their Transcendent form and adorn a shroud of pure Voidal energy. Once an Iylderi has unleashed their supplies of mana, their unbound energy will conform to their soul blueprint and manifest as a glowing, ethereal body. Flesh and bone is temporarily replaced, now comprised of swirling energy that encapsulates the Iylderi’s soul. Enchanted equipment retains its appearance, preserved by the magic inlaid within. Such a concentrated mass of Voidal energy casts a strange aura over the surrounding area. Though normally only sensed by sorcerer's, a Guardian now exudes a mysterious force that slowly tires the eyes of all who look upon them. This by no means blinds onlookers, but to look upon something as strange as the Void itself is dazzling to a mortal mind that has spent its life beholden to the mundane laws of the universe. As a truly unbound mystery through which flows the truest incarnation of the Voids blessing, a Transcendent Guardian gains the following powers.

 

An Iyilderi’s years of study and service to the Void have been in pursuit of this transformation. A Transcended Guardian is capable of maintaining their spectral state thanks to their constant Voidal connection, facilitating the manifestation of their spiritual body. Their skill with the creation of magical emanations now exceeds even the talents of the world greatest mortal Sorcerers. Additionally, a non-physical state such as this lends the Guardian resistances to most forms of mundane attack. In this state, physical, non-enchanted, non-aurum weaponry fails to interact with or harm a Guardian, though with this comes the disability to interact with objects which do not contain a magical element. The mundane item will simply phase through the body of the Guardian, whilst magical items or items with magical qualities will make direct contact.

 

• Guardians are unable to interact or touch any object unless it contains magical qualities or has been enchanted or blessed.

• Enchanted or Magical items will interact with the Guardian just as it would normally in this form.

• Their connection to the Void is constant, though this takes a lot of energy from their body. They are unable to live within this form, and must revert to their Coil to sustain their body.

 

With this state comes a greater weakness to Thanic Alloys and Iconoclast Anti-Magic, causing greater pain and debilitation when in direct contact. Should Aurum be used to puncture or pierce through the Spectral entity, they will suffer a great bout of disorientation and dizziness which will greatly disrupt their focus. As a Transcendent Guardian, their Voidal Scar is much more visible and pronounced, and is still just as sensitive as ever. The process of shifting from their Enhanced Coil to their Transcendent form is difficult and painful, and requires the physical manipulation of their Void Scar, and due to their new Spectral form, they no longer suffer from the weakness to Blood or Necrotic Drains.

 

• The Guardians are much more susceptible to Thanic Alloys and Iconoclast Magic while in this form.

• Aurum dazes and disorientates the guardian, though does not cause any major damage unless it strikes the Void Scar.

• Their Void Scar is very visible through their Spectral form, shining vibrantly like a web of veins through the body.

• Blood Magic and Necromancy no longer affect a Guardian while in this form, as their body is composed of pure mana and is not home to genus or lifeforce.

 

Additionally, due to their heightened connection to the Void, they are more directly able to manipulate and augment the Active Mana within plants. Where Guardians were able to carefully instill the presence of the Void within plants, performing rudimentary manipulations of the plants mana, a Transcendent Guardian can now perform more complex operations. By extricating the mana of a plant from its physical form and carefully wrapping it about its body, a Guardian can form a shell of mana that acts very much like a mana gem produced from liquid mana. However, the soul essence stored within the crystalline shell acts as a conduit that provides further, passive uses for these still living creations of the Void. Their spark of soul essence acts as a font from which can flow very small portions of mana; should a mage be close to exhausting their mana supplies, their soul will begin to accept the supplies of mana from nearby crystalline plants, as if those plants were reaching out to quell the pain of the sorcerer's’ soul. This trickle of mana is by no means enough to restore a mage to casting levels, but should a mage be close to a field of these flowers, they will surely provide enough to save them from death.

 

• The flow of mana from such flowers is very, very slow. It cannot be used to restore a mage to casting levels in a single ‘session’ (generally, waiting several hours is advised before starting to cast magic again, at the least).

• A mortal soul requires a reasonably sized field of these flowers to protect them from death.

• These flowers do not function when picked; they will continue to function as a mana gem, but their mana restorative properties will cease to function.

 

A Guardian is able to fully unleash their latent mana, pulling apart their Scar fully; this state can only be maintained for a short period of time before the soul requires significant rest. This unleashes their full potential, allowing for some truly marvelous feats of magic. The strength and adaptability of their spells increases whilst they remain Awakened. As if the full ocean of the Void’s power flowed through the Iylderi, they are able to manipulate large quantities of mana from sources of energy and output them as they wish, thanks to the power apportioned upon them. The more mana that the Awakened attempts to manipulate, the faster their ethereal form will deteriorate under the storm of mana that flows through them.

 

Additionally, thanks to their heightened connection, a Guardian is able to take hold of the active mana within plants and flora and produce liquid mana from them, as opposed to from their own being. To accompany this, Guardians are able to directly influence previously enchanted plants, weaving their energies together. This process allows for the creation of a ‘Voidal Garden’, a strange location that calls out to the Void and thins the Veil.

 

Due to the sudden surge of energy and power, the Awakened form is short lived. Such a bright flame requires an ocean of stillness to quench its heat; the Guardian will fall unconscious, and will suffer immense fatigue and energy loss. They will be forced to consume an otherworldly amount of energy to even reach this point, let alone recover from it.

 

• Their Awakened state only lasts a short amount of time.

• To even reach their Awakened state, they must imbibe or be fueled by a large amount of mana which pushes them over into their Awakened form.

• When coming out of their Awakened state, the Guardian will fall unconscious and once they awaken they will feel fatigued and famished, depleted of their mana supply. They will need to eat and provide enough sustenance to their body once again before they can use magic.

• Guardians are able to drain and manipulate large quantities of mana, though this energy must go somewhere. They must immediately redirect or absorb the mana flow, causing them great debilitation and pain which almost immediately shunts them out of their Awakened state.

• Any use of Thanic Alloy or Iconoclast Anti-Magic upon these creatures in this state will almost instantly cause them to perish.

 

A Voidal Garden is the culmination of a Guardian’s ability to manipulate the active mana of plants. Once a suitable number of plants have been collected and transformed, a Guardian can plant them before funneling further energy into them using their Awakened form. Once the ritual is complete, a true Voidal Garden will be formed, a location that draws upon the traits of the two different kinds of plants within. Firstly, all Void mages stood within the Garden will be treated as ‘connected’, just as a Guardian in their Transcendent form is always connected. Secondly, the mana manipulating properties of crystalline plants will allow Voidal mages to circle without touching one another, whilst all are stood within the Garden.

 

The Laws of Magic are a set of abstract rules that affect how magic functions within a Voidal Garden. These Laws can be manipulated by any Guardian within the Garden. Laws will remain in effect indefinitely once they have been brought to bear and ‘set’. All Voidal mages who draw upon the powers of the Void whilst within the Garden will find their powers under the effects of the various Laws set within the Garden.

 

 

• Magic is very easy to generate, but very difficult to maintain. Incredibly hot flames can be conjured for a handful of seconds, ice can be quickly formed and returned to the Void, transfiguration can cause incredible changes before the spell consumes the mana reserves of the caster. Incredible feats are capable at the cost of nearly all the caster’s available mana.

• Magic is very easy to maintain, but very difficult to generate. Flames take several emotes to evoke, and those flames will be but tiny sparks that need time to bloom. Though the flames might be sluggish as they arc lazily through the air, the sorcerer will be able to easily fuel those flames for tens of minutes. With enough time, a sorcerer's might be able to perform some miraculous rituals.

 

• Magic is very easy to control, but loses much of its volatility. Flames burn cooler, ice takes longer to form, transfigurationists find their abilities sluggish, yet incredibly precise. Flames might be carefully fashioned into burning sigils, ice might form beautiful jewels of a thousand faces that glitter in the sunlight.

• Magic is difficult to control, but more volatile. Flames quickly explode into blue heat before simmering out entirely, ice spreads in random threads, transfigurationists mold their targets into grotesque but wondrous shapes.

 

• Magic can be transferred between two sorcerer's, even if the receiving sorcerer does not know that form of magic. By handing off the mana anchor to the mana supplies of another sorcerer, that sorcerer can assume control of the spell. Should the sorcerer's step outside of the Garden, they would immediately lose control of the spell.

 

• Voidal Gardens are still very much gardens, and require proper care. Plants must be watered, fertilised and so on for them to continue living.

• Each stage of a Gardens creation must be roleplayed.

• A Voidal Garden can be ten blocks by ten blocks in size, if created by one Guardian. Every Guardian that aids in the creation of the Garden increases this size by another five by five blocks.

• Magic cast within the Garden cannot leave the Garden, unless that magic is being attached to a mana gem for enchantment. Should a mage cast a spell, its effects will be limited to the inside of the Garden.

 

‘Falling forever doesn’t even begin to describe it.’

 

 

A Guardian is immortal. Where a mortal’s soul may feel the embrace of the Soulstream, a Guardian’s soul is constantly pulled back to the precipice of the Veil where they slumber, until the Void sees fit to spit them back out into the world. However, even the power of the Void is not enough to mend their soul instantly. When a Guardian is reborn their Void Scar will temporarily grow in size and sensitivity. What might normally be easy to conceal will weep with their ichor and glow brightly with their aura. This glowing Scar will mark the Iylderi out as easy prey for those who might hunt them out of hate for the Void and its children. Once an IC year has passed, the Scar will return to its normal size, repaired by time and rest.

 

The growth of a Void Scar, caused by death, can stack up to three times. With each death the Scar becomes larger and easier to see, offering a target for any who would level their swords against the Guardian. Should a Guardian die a fourth time, when their Scar is at its largest, they will be forced into a longer rest as they wait near the Veil. This rest is normally a week long. Further deaths soon after their rebirth can extend this timer. Their soul will require significant mending. Once they have returned to the mortal world, their memories will remain in a somewhat fuzzy state for some years after their rebirth. Further deaths will slowly rip their life from them, making them forget their mortality as they spend more and more time trapped between the Void and the mortal realm.

• A Void Scar’s sensitivity remains constant no matter how large it might become; the larger the scar grows, the more easy it will be to damage a Guardian through their Void Scar. No part of a Void Scar will ever be ‘less’ affected by it’s weaknesses.

• For a Void Scar to fully heal, an IC year/IRL week must pass. Further deaths will reset this timer.

• Should a Guardian die three times without their Scar being allowed to heal, an IC year/IRL week will be needed for the Guardian’s soul to recuperate within the Veil. When they return after this year of rest, the timer will begin again.

• All debuffs must be roleplayed when a Guardian returns from the Veil following a rest.

• Further deaths beyond the fourth that occur before a Guardian’s Void Scar can heal will chip away at their sanity, their being, and even their very soul. This will lead to memory loss, loss of emotion, physical weakness, lesser control of magic, and should the killing continue, even permanent death.

• Iylderi retain no information of their death, as is standard for all characters.

 

“Then I looked up and in a haze, all I saw… was a madman with a box.”

 

A Guardian’s Transcendent and Awakened body are comprised of pure, condensed mana. They burn the colour of their aura, shifting constantly under a veil of ethereal energy. A Guardian’s body will conform to the ‘flavour’ of their aura; should a Guardian’s aura demonstrate the likeness of flame or perhaps water, their Transcendent body will appear equally non-physical, taking on the likeness of fire or water. Should a Guardian’s aura have geometric patterns hidden within it, the Guardian will find that their body conforms to these patterns and takes on a much more physical appearance. Alterations to a Guardian’s form have been known to develop with time as they become more accustomed to their ethereal state. The more time that a Guardian is able to spend in this form, the faster they will settle on their ‘true self’, the best image of their being.

• A Guardian’s Transcendent and Awakened forms are always ethereal.

• A Guardian must always appear humanoid in shape, as the basis for their transformed form is their soul blueprint, which will always remain the same.

 

The kinship an Iylderi feels towards the Void is unlike that of any other mage. When in the presence of magical artefacts, spells, or auras that interact with the Void, a Guardian’s ‘sixth sense’ may be triggered: a specific taste, or even the tune of a song, or a caress of the flesh. Each Iylderi is different in how the sensation affects them. This is limited to one of the major senses, and simply allows for a minor interaction with the object in question. They gain no useful information from the mystical presence, bar the strength of the magical presence. The stronger the presence, the more their sense will be affected.

• An Iylderi will only have one attuned sense; sight, sound, taste, touch or smell.

• Iylderi cannot be granted any information about what they are sensing. This is limited only to being aware of it’s presence.

• This does not function like a ‘detect magic’ spell, and they are unable to find out what the magic is or what it does. They can merely detect that something magical is nearby.

 

Even in the dead of night, an Iylderi’s connection remains rigid and firm. As they rest in their beds, the Void Scar laid upon them invokes and places pressure upon the thoughts and dreams of the Guardian. Vivid dreams of the infinite chaos beyond the Veil, these images may manifest in their aura once their slumber has reached its close. Strange shapes that spin and weave through their invocations, all the while providing a window into the mind of the Iylderi.

• This is a purely an aesthetic choice; whatever shapes that might appear in the aura of an Iylderi have no purpose whatsoever.

 

Through their enhanced connection to the Void an Iylderi may, when imparting spells upon an item, choose to invest a sliver of their essence within. When such an artefact is wielded by another sorcerer, the individual in question may be granted a sense of understanding of the item they now possess. This may not tell the person in question specifically how the enchantment is used, but instead draws upon the temperment of the Guardian to influence the usage of the artefact. Be that in a positive, neutral, or negative light, a sword might impart a sense of righteousness when held, whilst a shield might suggest the need to protect one’s own. This is by no means as powerful as illusion, though it grants an object a more personal or mystical feel once touched by a Guardian.

• The item is not granted any form of sentience; the effects of the Guardian’s will are best compared to a minor illusion that can be easily noticed and understood.

• Other mages may feel inclined to act in a particular way, but this effect is not powerful enough to force them to act in a particular way. Any individual may easily ignore whatever emotions they might feel as a result of this effect.

 

Due to their kinship with the Void, the Guardians bear a striking connection with entities born of it’s will. Celestials, Atronachs, and Conjured Animals share a bond with the Iylderi, and as such are capable of communicating with the Void-born through means of touch. They may not delve deep into the minds of the void-born, though such a connection allows them a more ‘human’ conversation with the Guardian when such may otherwise be impossible. No matter how shallow their minds may be, the experiences of these creatures fascinate the Guardians who find themselves in a position similar to the creatures born of the void.

• You cannot manipulate the mind of a creature in any way whatsoever.

• This allows for an Iylderi to have a normal conversation with a creature that it may not have been able to be had previously. It cannot access memories or thoughts, it cannot change the mind of a creature, and it cannot influence it’s choices.

 

Guardians have a particularly interesting quirk involving their aura that can interact with their evocations. While casting these evoked elements, the Guardians aura has the chance to seep into the spell, colourising the element to match. A streak of lightning evocation coloured the bright green of an Iylderi’s aura, and so on. If desired, the Guardian may consciously avoid this by repressing their aura from seeping into the magic, however, in their Transcended form, the sheer intensity of their aura causes the pigment to change regardless.

• A Guardian’s aura may be suppressed to stop it from seeping into their evocations whilst they are not in their Transcendent form.

• Once in the Transcendent form, this effect may not be suppressed.

 

---

Credits:

Writers: Tahmas, AssassinofAwsome, __Ohr__

Various Players and LT for reviewing the Lore for a few months prior to posting.

Yote.

7 hours ago, z3m0s said:

An old dwarf covered in gold and jewels claps loudly within his chambers as he reads the forum post

A bearded elf joins his jovial friend, chortling heartily. 

You're a good man. I never had personal problems with you and I always knew you had the right intentions. It just so happened we disagreed at times and even to this day I regret how much of a divide in our friendship it caused us. I hope, at the end of the day, you're happier now than you were. God speed, my friend.

Your Full Name: Crumena Corvin Iyliar
Race: High Elf

Age: About 150 ish.

Place of Residence: Anywhere, everywhere, nowhere.

A note appears to be attached to the bottom. "I don't really do Guard stuff but I'll help."

 

((OOC))
Username: Tahmas

Timezone: GMT

Discord: Tahmas#8719

Ye

Why would you die for me, padre?

 

Marco?

 

Let me be your hero baby, I could kiss away the pain.

 

Can you do Yo-Yo tricks?

 

If I proposed, what would you say?

 

Wiggle wiggle?

MC Name:

Tahmas

 

Character's Name:

Magnus

 

Character's Age:

28

 

Character's Race:

Human

 

What magic(s) will you be learning?:

Chi Manipulation by Way of Sun

 

Teacher's MC Name:

_Sug

 

Teacher's RP Name:

Shen-Xun

 

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

No

 

Do you agree to keep the MT updated on the status of your magic app by using the Magic List Errors topic?:

Yes

 

Are you aware that if this magic is undergoing an activity trial and fails said trial, that you will lose the magic?:

Yes

 

Have you applied for this magic on this character before, and had it denied? If so, link the app:

No

Madman with a box. +1

Honestly a legend, the dude know what's what and would serve wonderfully. +1

4 minutes ago, Weabootrash said:

You know, I love people named thomas. Love 'im. Always have. And this thomas? The best. Unbeatable. You can't find a better one. Other people? Not good. Look at Crooked Hillary. Full of lies. No meat. Can't trust it. Low energy. Sad!

 

+1

seriously dont trust this dude with any powers, remember what hedid last time he was na dmin? i dont really either but i just remember oreniars saying he was bad

-1

Love you, sport.

3 minutes ago, CosmicWhaleShark said:

 

Mind linking the explanation post

Trying to find it, though I'm pretty sure that the post was deleted by the Administration. I can PM you a link to t he Google Document if you like, though I'd prefer to not post it directly on the threat. It was likely deleted for a reason, I don't wanna get in trouble with the staff. I can private message it to you, though, I'm sure that should be alright. 

1 minute ago, CosmicWhaleShark said:

 

That explanation provides a completely different impression, with that said why then was  your relationship directly with the admins at odds? If the logs were taken out of context it seems like a simple matter to provide context. If accusations were thrown around enough to make the timing of your departure all the more questionable, why was there no announcement for clarification. I was on the GM team at the time, we were in the dark there too initially.

 

Appreciate the invitation as well, though I don't care where you end up, I just don't want it to be on LotC.

 

At this point I am just curious how it escalated to such a scale when you apparently had all the resources available to debunk the evidence.

My strained relationship with the Administration at the time was nothing to do with the whole 'predator' situation. The accusation came about during the start of April, and I left the team around the start of June. The reason I was at odds with members of the Administration was due to my strained relationship with the Dev Team at the time, and a growing difficulty I was having with communicating with the Dev Director at the time. That, coupled with the fact that I had recently been given a promotion at my, admittedly, shitty job, I was really trying to focus on my work so I could actually make my dues and meet my rent payments each month. As for why there was no announcement for clarification, that was on me for not explaining my departure more extensively. 

 

After leaving the Administration, I was contacted by a few choice players who wanted to know more about my disagreements with the Development Team and the Administration during my tenure, hence why I made a 'callout' post on the Development Team which attracted a bit of attention. This was what got my Blacklisted from staff for a few months and left my relationship with the Administration and Development Team strained and pressed for another 6 months. Eventually I appealed and I'm hoping that we kind of cooled off from that. 

 

There was a large post regarding the 'predator' claims, and I did debunk everything with evidence and a full explanation. It just so happened that that explanation was completely disregarded by some people who just didn't want to listen to it. The fact that it has continued to be mentioned, even often as a joke, has been something that's caused a slight amount of irritation for me over the past year, and I actively do what I can to explain the situation as fully as I can. People just don't always listen. 

12 minutes ago, CosmicWhaleShark said:

 

Because you got caught.

 

 

Because predatory practices on children is the same as pugsying, yes.

 

 

This means he knows how to not get caught as easily guys.

 

Considering I'm quoting what he's literally said I don't think this one is too fringe, thanks FM team.

 

As for the arguments regarding why I'm not reporting this and stating this publicly. This guy was an administrator previously. Another rather famous pedo was also an administrator. I was a GM longer in a single run than some people have done in multiple tenures, I ******* know, dumbasses. Community awareness is the weapon against this, not the staff that is just as corrupt.

I believe I've already explained absolutely everything on the last post about this that came up, but I'll be fair and reply to this. You appear woefully misinformed. There was no predatory behaviour towards children, and I was not removed or forced to step down from the Administration. I willingly left because my IRL Job was picking up pace and I had to focus on my real life, that is why I took such a large break from the server.

 

Regarding this 'predatory' behaviour, the individual you refer to was of Legal age in both States of Residence we were living in, and there was a 2 year age gap between us. Additionally, the 'logs' that were provided from the individual who 'leaked' them were taken severely out of context and should it be given an iota of thought, this would be plainly evident. 

 

When this whole ordeal went down and people began to throw around wild accusations, players from Lord of the Craft actively sought out members of my own family to 'tell them about' what had happened, wildly bending the truth when explaining it to them. The stories of the accuser's are inconsistent and invalid, and in fact my own family lawyer became involved with the situation by request of myself to evaluate whether or not I would be able to press a case against the accuser for blatant defamation and slander. The reason this proceeding never continued, was because I decided that the expense of court proceedings simply was not worth my time to deal with individuals who couldn't spare to grant a second of thought to the information they were being fed. 

 

If you genuinely believe that I am a 'predator', inform the authorities. Go ahead, I implore you to seek out the authorities. Predators are disgusting pieces of filth who do not deserve to be called human, and if you followed that same belief you would contact authorities to deal with that threat. If you need further information, or would like to escalate this further, I implore you to do what you genuinely believe is the right thing to do. I have nothing against anyone here who makes the accusation and dislikes me because they believe I am a predator, because that is the right attitude you should have to people who have been confirmed to be such. With that said, I just implore you to look into the situation a little further or escalate it to a level where actual justice can be brought against the accused should the accused actually be guilty.

 

All being said, I thank you for taking the time to reply and I respect and understand your adamant stance against the idea of something so foul, though I must again reiterate that the whole situation was an attempt to slander and stain my name by a group of people who were displeased with my ideas amongst the Administration. 

What is your Minecraft Account Name? Tahmas

Do you have a Discord account?  Tahmas#8719

How long have you played on LotC? Since April 2015.

How many hours per day/week are you available? I work 50 hours a week, sleep 6 hours a day. The rest of the time I am free.

What lore do you hold the most experience with? 

Most if not all forms of Voidal Magic lore, frankly. All Magic intrigues me greatly; As a Dungeon Master for Dungeons and Dragons, magic has always been a large part of my campaigns and I've worked with it incredibly closely. I study Physics in real life, and working ways to tie magic close to reality is something I actively pursue. I've written, accepted, denied, and moderated many different forms of lore, but the magical community is one I am much more versed in than that of others. History and Science is something that intrigues me more than anything, and incorporating that into lore is something I actively find enjoyable. 

 

With that said, the only form of magic I am incredibly unfamiliar with is Druidic Magic. Voidal Magic is more or less 'my forte', and it's something I keep up to date with closely and bind myself into to it very closely. Storylines and events concerning magic are some of the greatest times I've had on Lord of the Craft, and I'd like to think I have a pretty strong grasp on what is, and what is not possible through magic. 

 

Do you have a solid grasp on the existing lore of our server? Would you be comfortable moderating it in-game? 

Oh, most definitely. I've been involved in the Lore and Event Teams on Lord of the Craft before, and actively roleplay among the Magical Community of both Voidal and Dark Magics, and am well versed in most forms of Lore on the server. I've held moderating positions before, and I'm comfortable and happy to do what I need to do in situations which present themselves. I've learned a lot in the past year, especially with moving to a new job where I actively run my own restaurant. It's helped me become a lot more adaptable and understanding to the actions of others, and my own, and how best to handle them.

 

Give a Summary of any Staff/Lead positions you’ve held on any Minecraft Server in the past

MassiveCraft:

Game Manager

Community Manager

Administration

Direction

 

Lord of the Craft:

Wiki Member

- Joined the Wiki Team in February 2016 under Mitto and Croleo, and worked on updating as many templates and backbones as possible.

Wiki Director

- Became Director at the same time as Trial GM in March 2016, and worked closely with Croleo to update and work on assembling a team. 

Forum Moderator

- Under various FM Directors, I helped moderate the forums even whilst at work, though I likely should have been focusing on my job...

Magic Moderator

- Whilst on the Magic Team, I mostly voted on upcoming lore projects and helped contribute to discussions under various LT Leads.

Trial Game Moderator

- I joined the GM Team under Pandann, and worked closely with Fireheart, Dizzy, Ski_King, and other GM Leads and Directors across my time.

Game Moderator

- After I passed my trial, I was a Game Moderator for one month before I became Manager.

Game Manager

- I stood as Game Manager for a few months, even going so far as practically leading the team whilst the Admins decided on a Lead.

Game Director

- I became the Director of the GM Team after a month of leading the team despite the position, and stood as Game Director until the end of my term on staff.

Administrator

- I was Administrator on Lord of the Craft for a little over half a year, and I acted mostly on moderation and handling moderation teams. I left the Administration a year-year and a half ago, though my leaving terms were not the greatest. After many months, I'd like to think I've repaired the relationship I spoiled with the Administrators, and would hope that I'd be granted the opportunity to put into practice the changes and betterment I've made to myself over the past year after feedback from the community. 

 

I have been on staff teams on other servers before, but nothing terribly notable. It's been a while since my last staff position on Lord of the Craft, and in the year and a half or so it's been I have learned a lot about myself and where I went wrong, and have been able to learn from and correct those issues. 

 

Have you ever receive a Magical Blacklist, if so, please link it

No 

A lone High Elf surveyed the parchment with a piqued brow. "Interesting.."

7 hours ago, Tato said:

Oh, I guess so, probably ignorance on my part. Didnt mean it rudely ?

 

No no, I didn't mean it rudely in return either! I fully understand and just wanted to elucidate further. 

2 hours ago, Tato said:

Neat stuff,

though in regards to the matrix: "Cognatism allows the box to learn and develop itself to speak to you in a fluid way."

In the LT Announcement it said this isnt possible (I assume thats what ^ is)

"Cognatism: Artificial Minds are hereby removed. We had a discussion on the matter and have come to the conclusion that we don’t need AI type items floating around outside of rare circumstances. This is part of our measures to limit magi-tech so that we have a more stable setting."

 

Yeah, I'm fully aware. If you read it, though, it says 'rare circumstances'. Additionally, The Eldrad Matrix is a creation plausible with Mental Magic in it's current capacity with a few minor additions. This is why I have posted it as an MArt, which is specifically designed to implement items which slightly bend the normal restrictions of lore.