Lukariatias

If you post more, your title will change. Eventually, you’ll hit the posting number that allows you to have a custom forum title. I think it’s 500. Some people have custom titles with posts lower than 500, however that’s because it can be forcefully changed with Admin CP, but we do not do that for anyone who asks.

“What a turbulent world.” Darcassan muttered, frowning as he read over this, the latest of the many, many unopened missives hand-delivered to his home-office at Dragur. “Maehr’sae hiylun’ehya, good Sohaer.”

Greetings creative people of LotC!

The Community Staff are pleased to announce the third Battle of the Arts competition! As the title suggests, this is a competition where you -- our creative community members can enter your creations to earn prizes each month. The categories include Artwork, Skins, Creative Writing/Poetry, Music, and Building. A winner will be selected by the Community Staff from each of the categories, making a total of 4 winners. We hope you have fun with this and enjoy! 

The July Battle of the Arts had an impressive turn out with a lot of fantastic efforts put into each contribution submitted. It was great seeing all of the creative works members of the community had to offer. We would like to thank everyone who partook in the contests and wish to see more from everyone in the future contests. With that being said, we are pleased to announce the winners of the July Battle of the Arts Contest!

Art - Numirya
Writting - Matticated
Music - Jenny_Bobbs
Building - Factbutt
Skinning - Beluved

Congratulations to all of the winners! Along with the prizes, the winners of the competition will be featured on the official LotC Twitter Page. Make sure to shoot @TarreBear a message if you have not received your prizes within the next couple of days. We hope so many more members of the community to partake in the competition. If you need any ideas for future themes or need assistance don’t hesitate to contact a member of Community Staff. Either through the forums, the LoTC discord or by making a /creq.

- Theme - 

Every month there will be an overarching theme. These themes may range from aspects of server lore, history, folklore, or even holidays and seasons. For the second month, we wanted to delve into the magical wonders of the community, everyone get ready to don your wizard hats. The next theme we’ll like to encourage is the art of Magic, feel free to adventure through the various magical establishments, seek out whimsical wizards or embrace your demons and embark in the dark arts. 

The theme for August will be Magic!

[ Art by Christian Hadfield ]

- Prize -

The prize for the July Battle of the Arts Contest will be 7000 minas, 3 renames, a shulker box, and the Creative Wizard tag! (Prizes will vary contest to contest.)

- Criteria -

• All content entered must coincide with the theme of the month
• Creative Writing is limited to around 1500 words.
• Creative Writing must have the google document linked to ensure the criteria above has been followed. (You can still paste the document in the post for all to read easily)
• You are allowed to submit up to 1 submission per each category
• Build submissions can be represented by screenshots 
• To enter your content in the contest, please use the following format

-Submission Format-

Mcname:

Category: (Art, Creative Writing, Music, Building)

Attach Content:

Due Date: 31 Aug. 2019

Special thanks to: TheIchorDruid, Jenny_Bobbs, SoulReapingWolf, Rwko and LotsofMuffins for working on this project!

1 minute ago, Thomas said:

have been illegal

“Damn.” Muttered Cassian. “My mistake.”

Darcassan lazily tacks his name onto the bottom.

Release of the Sable Principality of Vira’Ker

It is affirmed, by the authority of the Lord Regent of The Concord, and unanimous agreement of the Lordly Council of The Concord, that the points written hereafter are just and legal.

1. The Sable Principality of Vira’ker shall be released from its suzerainty under The Concord, thereby rendering it totally independent of The Concord’s oversight.
2. Vaelor Syllar shall be recognized by The Concord as the rightful heir to the throne of the Sable Principality of Vira’ker.
3. The Concord shall in no way impede Vaelor Syllar’s ascent to the throne of the Sable Principality of Vira’ker.
4. Alis Val’Ullr-Puerir shall be permitted to remain within the palace of the Sable Principality of Vira’ker’s capital as a resident, and the Val’Ullr-Puerir family shall be stripped of any recognition as rightful inheritors of the Sable Principality of Vira’ker by The Concord.

Signed,

His Eminence, Cassian Cardinal Omeryn
Lord Regent of The Concord

Her Ladyship, Nemir Valnelis Iyliar
Lady Curator of The Concord

Her Ladyship, Cyrene Riel
Lady Overseer of The Concord

His Highness, Vaelor of Clan Syllar
High Prince of the Sable Principality of Vira’ker, 
Protector of Mali’ker and the Onyx Accordance

(This post is a furtherance on the previous ‘A Response from the Lords’ statement)

A Statement from the Lord Regent

By order of the Lord Regent, Cassian Cardinal Omeryn, the illegal presence of the ‘spider cultists’ or ‘spider elves’ is to be acknowledged by the Omeryn constabulary. The Lord Arbiter and his men are tasked with their swift expulsion and permanent exile from the lands of The Concord. Should they refuse to move the military arm of the Echelon of Arbitration is to mobilize and oust them by any means necessary. Once their removal is assured, and the extent of the damage caused to the land they inhabited is repaired, the Princedom of Fenn will be permitted to claim and move into the system of caves they are occupying.

We formally apologize for our negligence surrounding this issue. The Omeryn constabulary attempts to be as thorough as possible on its countryside patrols, however the movements of a gorilla, abominable and unwelcome force is not always easy to take note of. The extent of this issue is clear display to us that there needs to be an expansion on the extent of future patrols outside of the limits of the capital city, which will be personally overseen by our most experienced officers. The precise extent of the harm they caused is unknown to us, however we are aware, and fully comprehend, the existence of harm brought about by their wicked actions against the Fennic people, and we do sincerely apologize for this horrible series of events, something that should never be repeated.

Additionally, should you still desire it, we would welcome a chance at further discussions surrounding the matter, and we will dispatch an Envoy to meet with your officials at a date to be determined.

Signed,

Cassian Cardinal Omeryn

Lord Regent of The Concord

3 minutes ago, WuHanXianShi14 said:

Am I going blind in my age, or did the Llyrian Council just admit to giving dark arts and spookmen legal recourse to exist within their walls?

22 minutes ago, Lukariatias said:

We do not, nor will we ever, condone the free use of vile dark powers, nor the support of any entity or religion based around such powers. They are at most tolerated, and are otherwise widely prohibited.

A section would seek to be quoted, in an effort to provide clarity over the matter, should the inquiring individual welcome the attempt at clarity.

(This post is a response to the Denouncement of Llyria post)

A Public Statement to the Princedom of Fenn from the Lordly Council of The Concord
Issued on the 10th of The Amber Cold, 1727

The Lordly Council of The Concord, the utmost governing body below the Empyrion, has been made aware of the circumstances surrounding the issues raised by officials of the Princedom of Fenn. Foremost, we seek to make it known that we were unaware of the presence of the entities known as ‘spider elves’ or ‘spider cultists’ within our borders. Their existence in our land is unofficial, unrecognized, and was unnoticed by any member of our government and constabulary, and went unnoticed or unreported by any one of our Denizens. We do not welcome foreign groups to settle in our land without our explicit permission.

Recently, the Lordly Council and Empyrion unanimously agreed to implement a set of regulations pertaining to practitioners of the dark arts, and entities born of these arts. These regulations refer to what we call ‘Warlocks’, which are those folk who utilize dark powers and abilities, those defined as by nature bringing about harm, and the creatures created from such capabilities. Such individuals are strictly forbidden from using their capabilities in public, and face far harsher fines and punishments for violations of the Edicts than any other Denizen. We do not, nor will we ever, condone the free use of vile dark powers, nor the support of any entity or religion based around such powers. They are at most tolerated, and are otherwise widely prohibited.

We guarantee the military forces of Fenn safe passage through The Concord’s borders in order to pursue these ‘Spider Cultists’, as to carry out whatever just revenge is deemed necessary by the government officials of Fenn. The Lordly Council and the Empyrion of The Concord seek to foster no ill will between the Princedom and our people. For the coming year, the officials of the Princedom of Fenn are welcome to approach the Lord Regent, Cassian Cardinal Omeryn (who will be standing in for the Empyrion in the coming year), to further discuss the issue of the ‘Spider Cultists’.

We accept the terms of your statement, we are very sorry for your losses, and you are free to conduct just war against the ‘spider cultists’ that are illegally residing in our territory.

Signed,

His Serenity, Ithrendas I of House Regis
Empyrion of The Concord,  Suzerain of Llyria, Vira’Ker and the Jade Republic,

Protector of Omeryn, Velusul, Jade, and Chi, Shield of the Mali’ker, Wayward, and the Hou-zi,

Keeper of the Scions, Member of the Irongrinder Clan,

Guardian of the Primordial, Paragon of the Ohric Will

His Eminence, Cassian Cardinal Omeryn
Lord Regent of The Concord

The Lordly Council
Her Majesty, Lyra Regis
His Highness, Arik Regis
His Lordship, Steven Vega Iyliar
Her Ladyship, Nemir Valnelis Iyliar
Her Ladyship, Cyrene Riel

my eyes are burning from the bold, centered text

1 minute ago, Tato said:

It promotes an ‘upgrade’ and meta-build –also permitting the shade to basically have Naz’therak (save for summoning Inferi: but Lore Games are directing that only a single imp, if one were to use em, would he allowed in a combat encounter – ie. they’re not missing much). 

Having Zar’akal does not mean that you have Naztherak. Zar’akal cannot, by default (by being a Zar’akal), utilize any of the abilities of Naztherak. I contacted a Lore Manager about it, and I am waiting on a clarification answer as to whether or not a Zar’akal can become a Shade, by, of course, dropping Naztherak.

SHADE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Magic Lore
  • Background
  • Functionality
    • Weaknesses
  • Spells and Abilities
    • Disconnection
  • Tier Progression
• Playable CA
  • Background
  • Exalted Fathers
    • Binding Ritual
    • Mental & Physical
    • Abilities
  • Resin Fathers
    • Permuting Ritual
    • Mental & Physical
    • Abilities
• Purpose & Credit
• Reference Pieces

TLDR CHANGES TO SHADE

• Added two unique playable endgame CAs (not a Daeva repeat).
• Combined Ambercrafting and Amber Weapons into Amber Manipulation.
• Cut the fluff and bloat from every single description, mechanic, and redline.
• Implemented a points system. Do an ability, spend points. Points regenerate over time.
• Rewrote and clarified the weaknesses and functionality of Shade.
• Restructured Shade to match Flam’s new formatting requirements as closely as possible.
• Changed Shade into a 4 slot magic, and CAs require all 5 slots.
• Shade Gems have more uses, and their function/creation process has been clarified.

CHANGELOG

• Clarified how gold alloys effect Amber.
• Removed Active Caliginous Healing due to LT concerns over it breaking theme.
• Clarified distance limits for manipulating Amber from corrupted Mana Gems and Mana Obelisks.

M A G I C  L O R E

-- Background –

Birthed from darkness in the realm of Aegis, Aknu’gul, the chained mother, was birthed of the churning chaotic energies of the first gem, gifted to the realm by Iblees, the Archdaemon. The first Shade, Rilath Ilwindor, served faithfully as one of Iblees’ lieutenants throughout yore, falling from his post after the destruction of Aegis and the fall of the Archdaemon’s forces. However, prior to his fall, and in the time thereafter, Rilath formed the first coven, a cabal of Shades who followed in the steady march of evil, plaguing the land with strange manipulation and mentally crippling dread.

Though it did not last eternally, the Shades adherence to the orders of the Archdaemon, for his fall separated them from their master, leaving the Shades to their own devices. It was there that the chained mother, Aknu’gul, seized an opportunity, and grew vastly in her power with the greedy meddling of two eldritch elves. It was one damp day, deep within a hidden cave, that Aknu’gul achieved her first ascendance, and moved beyond the original confines of the gem, and spread her influence across the coven.

Over the course of the proceeding centuries, the covens thereafter received some semblance of guidance, and were given a broad direction, a chaotic mission with no discernable detail, to perpetuate across the ages. It wasn’t until the realm of Atlas that the Shades saw another significant shift in their constitution, with a great theft of power from the Foretakers. The Daeva were stolen, those who occupied such an exalted echelon were shunted down, and stripped of their power in the name of transcendence, a further rising of Aknu’gul, who was finally able to free herself from the confines to the gem, to become one with the freedom of the world. Aknu’gul was no more, shifting into an incorporeal entity known as Arun’Asna, Mother of Shade.

This background is an abridged version of the full backstory which is contained within Arun’Asna’s deity class lore forum page.

-- Functionality –

ARUN’ASNA; MOTHER of SHADES
The deific entity who breathes life into Shade, the source of the sentience of the parasites, of their corruptive abilities, and of the manipulations learnable by the practitioners of Shade, the Shades themselves. Arun’asna is an incorporeal being whose power is equivalent to that of an aenguldaemon without being an aenguldaemon herself. It is by her will alone that Shade persists. Her exact nature, desires, and further abilities are elaborated on under the Deity Class Lore forum post.

SHADE GEMS
The lifeblood of a functioning coven, a shard of Arun’Asna’s very essence created by only the most learned of the fathers. A Shade Gem itself appears as a large, fist-sized jagged chunk of black stone with a soft red illumination. While it is not ultimately damning to be left without a gem, the lack thereof will stunt the growth of a coven, and may prove fatal should the membership of that particular cabal take a significant hit, respective to the size of the gathering.

A Shade Gem possesses numerous functions, while itself only having a few subtle effects on the world around it, otherwise sitting idly and in peace. Foremost, the Shade Gem is the source of a Shade’s power, the place from which all new parasites are birthed by the hand of a father. Secondly, the Shade Gem is a point of connection, the place all Shades must be present about for a furtherance of their linking to Arun’Asna. The parasite itself is only capable of growing so much of its own accord, reaching its maximum at Tier 3. Without an established link to Arun’Asna, a Shade will never be able to ascend beyond this point, thus the Shade Gem serving as the place at which to establish such a furtherance. Thirdly, the Shade Gem is itself a lexicon, a means by which to transmit information to a Shade, with the helping hand of a Shade Father, to teach Parasite Creation and Disconnection, the means by which new Shades are created, and destroyed.

THE PARASITE OF RANCOUR
A being of raw, pure amber brought about through the chaotic powers of Arun’Asna. The Parasite of Rancour, or simply The Parasite, is the being which brings about the fuel a Shade utilizes to conduct the various spells, abilities, and powers of Shade. Within the body The Parasite has no presence, for it has no physical form in the mortal world as the descendants do, but rather exists on a deeper, unseen level, as it attaches to one’s soul.

That is its purpose, an endless cycle of consumption and regurgitation, turning Mana into Amber, a sickly stygian substance that fuels Shade’s powers. It is from its place, attached to the soul of the Shade, that this cycle is conducted, the worm-like being sucking up Mana from the Shade’s pool for conversion. The process itself is not felt, nor seen, but is understood fundamentally, on a subconscious level which allows a Shade to have an unexplainable comprehension for what fuel remains within their form, ready for use.

MAGIC SLOT UTILIZATION
Shade, as a magic, takes up 4 of the default Magic Slots. A practitioner of Shade cannot choose how many slots they want to utilize, as the magic simply locks one in at 4, and does not allow them to go any lower. However, if a Shade becomes an Exalted or a Resin, their Magic Slots will become 5, forcing out any other known magics that are currently occupying the 5^th slot.

SHADE AND CREATURES
Shade is capable of working with certain creatures. This is limited by the specific guidelines for those creatures, and their physical makeup, as Shade requires a soul and Mana pool in order to be utilized, period.

Creatures that work with Shade

• Zar’akal
• Machine Spirit
• Strigae (no benefits or magic, only the mental downsides)

CURING SHADE
While it is incredibly difficult to cure a Shade parasite, it is possible. To keep things simple, the requirements for the number of magi capable of curing blight on a person’s soul will be listed below if the parasite is not being removed by a Shade Father following the violation of a tenant or willingly removed by a Shade Father.

Tier Zero (0): One Tier 4+

Tier One (1): One Tier 5 or Two Tier 4

Tier Two (2): Two Tier 5

Tier Three (3): Two Tier 5 and One Tier 4

Tier Four (4): Incurable.

Tier Five (5): Incurable.

- Weaknesses -

MENTAL
The Parasite of Rancour attaches itself almost instantly to the soul of the Shade, however this does not immediately bring about mental detriments, nor any kind of psychological horrors. As the Shade is yet so young upon its inception, it is unable to bring about mentally damaging effects until growing beyond a hatchling stage. However, once it manages to breach this sole, minimal barrier, the Shade will be set down an irreversible path of mental degradation that will plague them for the rest of their life. What begins as subtle whispers, a mild annoyance, a distant voice, will eventually grow into a violent amalgamation of harassing voices, each with their own distinct tone and manner of speaking, all pulling and prodding at the mind of the Shade, ever suffering.

PHYSICAL
Unlike the growing mental degradation of Shade, the physical downsides manifest fully upon a Shade’s inception, upon the first moment that they gain The Parasite upon their soul. These negative physical effects persist for the duration of a Shade’s life, and are unable to be adequately combated by any means of medical care, whether medicinal, alchemical, or physical. However, they are not life threatening to the Shade, as they might otherwise be for a normal person suffering similar conditions.

The origin of these effects is The Parasite itself, and the body’s interaction with the presence of a foreign invader that refuses to leave. Given the lack of its physical presence in the body itself, the Shade’s natural bodily processes cannot actually cope with The Parasite’s presence, whether by accommodating it, or attempting to destroy it, and therefore a whole slew of negative effects occur consistently.

TAKEOVERS
Whether due to the psychic numbing of an amalgamation of harassing voices, or due to an intense degrading of the Shade’s will to combat the persistent to and fro, a vying for internal control, of The Parasite. It is ever the intent of The Parasite to wrench control from the mind of the Shade, to send its conscious to the backburner while that of the sentient Parasite grabs the helm, and leads the body off in whichever direction it pleases. Such scenarios are aptly labeled as takeovers, as they are the loss of the Shade’s own control over their body, leaving it to the whims of The Parasite, and whatever dark deeds it seeks to carry out.

Takeovers are far more common among elder Shades, whose minds are often far weaker than those of the youth, whose willingness to fight comes naturally, yet to be beaten back and chipped away at. As well, takeovers are common in life and death situations, most especially when the Shade believes they are near death, or are in a situation that is extremely mentally taxing. As well, any serious moment of mental weakness will allow for an easier takeover, including being knocked unconscious, which brings about an automatic takeover.

There is no tell when The Parasite takes control from the Shade, like that which could be seen when a Shade is casting the various spells and abilities of Shade. Really, there are no definitive features displaying to those who might be around the Shade at the time of a takeover that one is occuring, as the moment of its execution is instant, a snap, a split second, and the Shade is in the back seat.

AURUM
The nature of gold is a mysterious one, for the exact reasoning behind its ability to sink through Amber like a knife through hot butter remains unknown. For Shades, the presence of aurum poses a serious threat to many of their abilities, as any physical embodiment of Amber can easily be damaged, or destroyed, through the use of gold.

COGNATISM
Applicable to those Shades who possess both Shade and the Cognatism feat. In this strange situation, the Shade is plagued by a horrible trinity of minds, each competing for a podium at which to speak, or in this instance think, within the psyche of the Shade. This situation usually results in a furtherance of the physical pains experienced about the brain of the Shade, as they are bombarded by yet another, powerful voice within their head, demanding action, and the pursuit/collection of knowledge.

-- Spells and Abilities –

MANA CORRUPTION -- Mixed (Non-Combative/Combative)
Mana Corruption is the dually passive, and active, process of turning Mana into Amber to utilize as a fuel source for the spells and abilities of Shade. Internally, Mana Corruption is an ever ongoing process perpetuated by The Parasite attached to the Shade’s soul. This process is corrupting the Shade’s own Mana into Amber, which allows the Shade to, by default, utilize this pool of fuel for their castings.

Externally, Mana can be corrupted by the will of the Shade, extending their own Amber onto Mana, causing it to, by extension of The Parasite’s power, turn into Amber. This can be used in a number of ways, whether to bring about the creation of a foreign pool of Amber for the Shade’s use, or to corrupt, or destroy, a Mana Gem or Obelisk. Foreign entities who have part, or all, of their Mana pools corrupted will suffer a strange physical aesthetical change, appearing like a large webbed scarr of black across their body. Despite its sickly appearance, this scar is temporary, and yields no negative effects itself.

When a foreign creature has its Mana pool corrupted, it will experience some of the negative mental downsides of shadedom, despite not possessing a Shade themselves. This is due to the presence of the corrupted subsistence, Amber, within their system, which brings about such oddities. Where there is more Mana corrupted, there will be more pains experienced by the affected individual. However, given that there is a lack of a Parasite attached to the soul of such an individual, their body will begin to naturally expel the Amber, replacing it with pure Mana over time, thus lowering the intensity of the mental pains until they are all but snuffed out.

AMBER MANIPULATION -- Mixed (Non-Combative/Combative)
The most fundamental, and trademark, ability of Shade is the largely freeform manipulation of Amber from their person, or from a battery of Amber (whether within another person, from a Mana Gem, or from a Mana Obelisk). This ability allows the Shade to draw the Amber from within a corrupted pool out, and to mold it to their liking into whatever shapes, objects, or limb-like extensions they would like, to serve as tools, weapons, or simply intriguing artistic creations. With practice, this ability will become like second-nature to the Shade, for it is one of the most basic capabilities of Shade.

At first, however, a Shade will find that manipulating their Amber is a grueling and arduous process, requiring intense inward focus to draw out and control every aspect of the substance. For a youthful Shade, far from their prime, this will prove largely useless for most situations, regardless of whether or not they’re combative. Aside from malleable capabilities, the Amber utilized through manipulation can change in its density, temperature, and state of matter (solid, liquid, or gas).

PASSIVE CALIGINOUS HEALING -- Non-Combative
Contradictory to the consistent harassment and mental degradation inflicted upon the host as consequence of The Parasite’s nature, it understands that it could not exist without the Shade, and therefore has a vested interest in protecting the life of the Shade. The presence of Amber in the Shade’s Mana pool can be utilized by The Parasite, which will act of its own accord at the first sign of bodily damage, to clot open wounds, slowing and eventually stopping bleeding. While this is by no means a way to avoid death, especially from gaping and grievous injuries, it very well may prove to be a vital time extension necessary to get a Shade to someone capable of providing proper medical care.

AMBER IMBUEMENT -- Combative
Amber Imbuement is a strange magical process, involving the utilization of Amber to instill objects and items with the chaotic energies of The Parasite, which carry with them a whole slew of unique aesthetic changes and effects. In that way, Amber Imbuement is a sort of unique, Shade enchanting, however it does not carry along with it any special combative properties, or abilities, nor does it allow a Shade to instill any of Shade’s other spells and abilities into objects and items. In the case of spells from non-Shade magic, this Imbuement occurs passively, and uncontrollably, causing all other spells to carry with them a dread effect.

Outside of this simplistic use, Amber Imbuement allows for one particularly arduous ritualistic process, utilized in the creation of a Shade Gem, a process conducted by two learned Shade Fathers to bring another shard of Arun’Asna’s power into the world. Unlike the bulk of Amber Imbuement, which may be taught to a young Shade, this ritual is restrictive, and cannot be taught innately. Just as Parasite Creation is passed along through the use of the Shade Gem as a means of education, the ritual for Shade Gem creation is passed along in a similar manner.

MENTAL RESISTANCE -- Combative
In a metaphorical sense, there is a light amongst the encompassing darkness of Shade. Despite all of the intense, negative effects of possessing The Parasite of Rancour, its sickening form yields a few subtle benefits that protect against magical, mental invasions. Illusory magi, and other mental magic wielding individuals, will find that their spells and abilities to not affect Shades as they might other creatures, as the Shade’s awareness of reality is offset in a most unusual way, giving them an advantage over trickery of this caliber.

BLANKET OF DARKNESS -- Combative
The expulsion of Amber can be utilized beyond elaborate manipulation, bringing about a chaotic field of confusion and darkness. This is Blanket of Darkness is a wave of stygian mass, exploding out from its point of origin, the casting Shade, to envelop the area surrounding that Shade, and all within the threshold of the radius, in ersatz darkness. The function of this ability is different from the standard properties of Amber, as it rather takes on an almost smoky appearance that permits passage from and into the area of effect. Everyone within the area will become shrouded in total magical darkness, the thick smoky Amber totally blockading all light, natural or evoked.

AURA OF DREAD -- Non-Combative
Once a Shade reaches the pinnacle of its natural growth, that is to say the ceiling reached without a link established between The Parasite and Arun’Asna, the Shade, and those around them, will begin to experience a subtle shift in emotions. Small at first, this change will hardly go noticed by passersby with whom a Shade interacts only briefly, rather growing noticeably over time by those with whom a Shade oft interacts, such as loved ones, and friends.

Aside from the passive subtle effects of the Aura, a Shade will find that they are also capable of tapping into the origin of the Aura, The Parasite itself, to greatly enhance its power to toy with the feelings of those around the Shade. By toggling the Aura on, it compounds the speed of its effectiveness tremendously, having a speedy effect on those nearby the Shade, persisting until the Shade themselves choose to deactivate it.

MARKING -- Non-Combative
To combat the passive effects of a Shade’s Aura of Dread, which will naturally induce Dread within those who oft interact with a Shade, a Shade is capable of applying an Amber tattoo to a person by pulling from their own store of Amber, and utilizing the power of The Parasite. This amber tattoo can take on any appearance, determined by the Shade who applies it, and can be placed on any location on the body. Once applied, the affected individual will find that they are immune to the passive effect of Aura of Dread, however the active version will still affect them.

PARASITE CREATION -- Non-Combative
The summoning of a new Parasite, drawn from within the body of a Shade Father, the new Parasite splitting off from the fully grown one, to be planted into a victim, willing or unwilling. This process is only capable of being conducted by a Shade Father, as one must be knowledgeable of the exact process in order to adequately perform the creation. Once a new Parasite is drawn from within a Shade Father’s form, it is then firmly forced into the chest of the victim, thereafter wiggling its way through the person’s form, attaching to their very soul. This is not to suggest that The Parasite is physical, however it has been said to feel as if a giant worm is crawling throughout one’s body as this process is undergone, causing intense, gut-wrenching pain.

CALIGINOUS FLAME -- Combative

Shades who have been taught how to create new Parasites will find that, through a fundamentally similar, but ultimately different, process that involves the sectioning off of a sliver of their Parasite to summon forth an ability borne of The Parasite’s internal chaotic energies, those own of Arun’Asna. This process allows the Shade to invoke an alien sort of fire, burning a strange mixture of dark green and black, that exudes a faint dark grey smog. Unlike practical fire, however, this Caliginous Flame does not char wood nor melt flesh, but rather burns away Mana, not corrupting, but destroying. Anyone, aside from the Shade who cast it, who comes into contact with this fire will start to have their Mana burned away.

PARASITE CONNECTION -- Non-Combative

The process of linking a Parasite with Arun’Asna via the Shade Gem. This unique abilitiy is only available to Shade Fathers, who are the only Shades in need of utilizing such an ability, considering the assumed purpose of its existence. By undergoing a process to learn similar to that of Parasite Creation and the ritual of Shade Gem creation, a Shade Father will become innately capable of establishing this connection, thus allowing a Parasite to grow beyond its natural ceiling.

- Disconnection (Combative) -

ARUN’ASNA’S WILL
The tenets under which all Shades are bound to operate. Disagreement and discontentment are disregarded, and the violation of one, or multiple, of the tenets could spell disaster lest the transgressor comes to an agreement with their elders, and the old guard.

• There is a wall standing between your actions and the eyes of the inquisitor, built on a foundation of secrecy with stones of falsehood and intrigue. It is stalwart and tall, capable of withstanding the greatest of Holy blows, and yet with the slightest crack on the side of you, my child, it will crumble into dust, and all you have worked for will burn into nothingness. Remember this, for it is your choice to survive, and for those who would act as a fifth column, remember their malfeasance, and consider them Transgressor.
  • [Do not expose the identities of any Shade(s), and do not discuss the business of the Shade Coven(s) under any circumstances whatsoever.]
• While you sow the quiet dismantling of harmony, take great care in considering the order of the collection of kin with whom you loyally align. The finely tuned expectations of your elders is what permits the successes of your operations, and greed inward is what causes their failure. Remember this, for it is your choice to be victorious, and for those who would act as a fifth column, remember their malfeasance, and consider them Transgressor.
  • [Do not physically or mentally harm, or kill, your fellow Shade(s). Duels and accidents are exceptions.]
• The flawless star holding within its shining mass a chthonic amalgamation of energy and emotion. These are the symbols of my power gifted upon you, and without their presence you would never find a golden throne on which to sit, nor a hierarchy to shatter. Remember this, for without my Gems you would be but infants, and for those who would act as a fifth column, remember their malfeasance, and consider them Transgressor.
  • [Do not damage, destroy, or disclose the location of a Shade Gem to any non-Shade.]
• Utilize my gifts in the bringing about of the will pushed ever fervently upon you. Do not disregard the utterances of Rancour, for without their speech you would be like lost cur. They corral you, they are my parsons. Go, whether to wild or urban, and bring with you the seeds of distrust and disorder, nurture them so that they might grow into utter pandemonium. Remember this, for without my righteous words given daily you would wander eternally, and for those who would act as a fifth column, remember their malfeasance, and consider them Transgressor.
  • [All Shades must carry out an act, or series of acts, of a chaotic nature at least once every 2 IRL weeks. Such acts could be clandestine and mischievous, or outright twisted and murderous. Whether it is sowing distrust in a political establishment, or riling up a guild to attack a group of innocents they believe have done wrong, chaos must be spread.]
• Turn not on your brethren lest they are transgressors unwilling to repent. This cabal in which you and all others find themselves is as ancient as the forests of Malin, it is as established as the temple of the Triumvirate, and it serves a purpose most anarchic. Act not in its detriment, for it must move ever forward. Remember this, for without order within my Coven we will fail, and for those who would act as a fifth column, remember their malfeasance, and consider them Transgressor.
  • [Act in the best interest of the Coven at all times.]

-- Tier Progression –

TIME BASED TIERS

-- Tier Zero (0) --

• Points of Amber: 0
• Learnable Abilities: None.
• Innate Abilities: None.
• This stage lasts one week from the acceptance of the Shade’s MA.

-- Tier One (1) --

• Points of Amber: 5
• Learnable Abilities: Mana Corruption, and Amber Manipulation.
• Innate Abilities: Passive Caliginous Healing.
• This stage lasts one week until hitting Tier Two.

-- Tier Two (2) --

• Points of Amber: 10
• Learnable Abilities: Amber Imbuement.
• Innate Abilities: Mental Resistance.
• This stage lasts two weeks until hitting Tier Three.

-- Tier Three (3) --

• Points of Amber: 20
• Learnable Abilities: Blanket of Darkness.
• Innate Abilities: Aura of Dread.
• This stage lasts five weeks until hitting Tier Four. However, progression is paused until the Shade is linked with Arun’Asna via ‘Parasite Connection’.

-- Tier Four (4) --

• Points of Amber: 35
• Learnable Abilities: Marking.
• Innate Abilities: None.
• This stage lasts five weeks before the Shade is able to ascend to Tier Five.

-- Tier Five (5) --

• Points of Amber: 50
• Learnable Abilities: Parasite Creation, and Caliginous Flame.
• Innate Abilities: None.
• Once the Shade is taught ‘Parasite Creation’ they may apply for a TA. Once a TA is achieved, the Shade is considered to be a Shade Father, and can utilize ‘Parasite Creation’ to make new Shades.

-- TA (Shade Father) --

• Learnable Abilities: Parasite Connection, and Disconnection.
• Innate Abilities: None.

P L A Y A B L E  C A

-- The Twisted Paths (Background) –

Aknu’gul, the trapped Mother, freed herself from the confines of the Shade Gems through the purloining of the immense power of the Daeva, which allowed her to snap her ancient bindings, and ascend to divinity. However, unbeknownst to her at first, and beyond the scope of the Shades themselves, remained a pool of power unused. The extent of the might of the Daeva was even greater than Arun’Asna, Aknu’gul at the time, understood in her limited sentience, and so their total absorption was unnecessary, but nonetheless was a consequence of her desire for freedom.

As such, the pool of power was eventually realized, and seeing the growth and spread of her children occurring with a newfound lack of direction, missing the calculating obedience of the Foretakers, Arun’Asna saw it fit to bolster her children, as to propel them towards her goals more efficiently. So she brought to life two new states of being, elevated as the Daeva were, but a far, far cry from their extreme power. She split these states into two distinct categories, the Exalted Fathers, who would act as the Daeva did, as calculating, obedient leaders, to shepard the Shades towards the pursuit of anarchy, and the Resin Fathers, who would bolster the capabilities of their peers, and could utilize the boons of Shade to influence their environments.

- Exalted Fathers -

Shepherds of the flock, cold and calculating, lifted onto an echelon otherwise unforeseen, beyond the unstable scope of the Shade Fathers, lost in a typhoon of psychosis. Closest to their predecessors, the Exalted Fathers undergo the Binding Ritual to achieve their elevated state, transforming their very beings into creatures above the puny limitations of Man. Yet, they are not great murderers, capable of metamorphosing into pure amber, nor are they gifted with a freedom from the plights of life, of the necessity of food and water, rather they are but provided the tools needed to carry out Arun’Asna’s will, to perpetuate the pursuit of anarchy, and the demolition of order and society.

THE BINDING RITUAL
The Binding Ritual is the process of elevating a Shade Father into the Exalted state, transforming their soul and mind to mirror the whims of Arun’Asna, to make a Shade Father into an obedient shepard. The ritual utilizes a Shade Gem, and requires the presence of another, or multiple others, of the nature that the Shade Father in question shall be being transformed into.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES
The moment that the Binding Ritual completes, assuming success, the Shade Father will begin to undergo a series of rapid physical and mental adjustments as the raw chaotic energy of Arun’Asna becomes one with The Parasite, and through The Parasite fundamentally changes their soul. The prime adjustment throughout this process is with The Parasite itself, and the way that it interacts with the Shade Father, now Exalted, who possesses it. As well, the Exalted may take note of the fact that they no longer age, becoming effectively immortal, although susceptible to a new, extremely dangerous, condition.

DARKFORM -- Combative
Darkform is a special state of being capable of being utilized by Exalted, often brought about at moments of intense need, circumstantially specific, to make a point, or turn the side of a bad scene. Those who possess this often consider it a kind of ‘true metamorphosis’, believing it is a close representation of their mother, Arun’Asna, bound to their form to be utilized as a great tool in their efforts. 

- Resin Fathers -

A corrupted tenebrific essence flows through the veins of those who become one with the Resin. Their blood, once life-fueling and free flowing, transforms into a thick, frothing substance composed of nearly pure amber. Shade Fathers who choose to subject themselves to the Permuting Ritual bring themselves nearer the mana corrupting substance they have come to know, and as such the insanity that its proximity entails. The Resin are those who opt not to shepard, but opt to heightened the powers of Shade, to more significantly influence the world around them, and their fellow Shades.

THE PERMUTING RITUAL
The Permuting Ritual is the process of elevating a Shade Father into the Resin state, transforming their soul and mind to further encompass the capabilities of Shade, lifting their spells, powers, and abilities into a new realm of use, expanding primarily their effects on the environment around the Resin Father.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES
The moment that the Permuting Ritual completes, assuming success, the Shade Father will begin to undergo a series of rapid physical and mental adjustments as the raw chaotic energy of Arun’Asna becomes one with The Parasite, and through The Parasite fundamentally changes their soul. The most notable change is in the quality and experience of the Resin’s blood, which becomes like a thick, nearly black frothing substance, new altogether, a strange mixture of raw Amber and blood.

ENHANCED PASSIVE ABILITIES -- Combative
The elevated presence of Amber flowing through a Shade’s body further bolsters their passive capabilities. At the height of a Resin Father’s passive capabilities, mentalists and those specializing in mind altering magics will find it nearly impossible to penetrate the mind of the Shade, their attempts thwarted by the new-found intensity of the being’s strength. Only the most apt of Mental Mages could hope to break down or protect themselves from the overbearing impact of the Parasite. In addition to this, Passive Caliginous Healing now becomes extremely rapid in its effect, clotting around open wounds such that even once mortal wounds now become livable by the sheer speed alone at which the amber responds.

RESIN OBELISKS -- Non-Combative
Unlike Mana obelisks corrupted with Amber, corrupting a Mana obelisk with Resin-Amber results in a more potent effect. The corruption process is unique to that which is conducted via standard Mana corruption, as the Resin Father has to pull the Resin from their bloodstream in addition to the Amber from within their corrupted Mana pool. Once this process is complete the obelisk will start to shift in its appearance, becoming fully enveloped in darkness as the Amber spreads from the point at which it was touched. Over the course of several hours thereafter, the obelisk will become splattered with dark red blotches of colour that shift and move about the pillar on their own accord. 

The imbuement of a mana obelisk with Resin lasts for two weeks, unlike standard Amber imbuement which lasts for a single week. During this time the environment about the obelisk, whether natural or man-made, will become corrupted by the influence of the Resin imbued pillar, warping the land into a dark and desolate place. All natural life, such as grass, shrubs, trees and so on will die off, replaced with piles of tenebrific stone taking the shape of the objects they replace. These effects are not limited to the land, however, as even the atmosphere around these monstrous constructs becomes oppressive and edged with malice, felt by even those most hardened of mind.

Any non-Shades who enter this area will be overcome with an intense feeling of dread (impending doom, paranoia, nihilism). If those non-Shades remain within the corruptive aura of the obelisk for too long they will begin to experience the mental aspects of the Shade curse, suffering auditory hallucinations of varying capacity as their mana becomes slowly overtaken by Amber.

RESIN MARKING -- Non-Combative
Unlike the Amber standard, Resin Marking utilizes the subtle deific chaotic energies of the Resin within a Resin Father’s system to broaden the scope of the capabilities of Marking into three distinct categories. While holding the same appearance from mark to mark, the intent of the Resin Father is what is important, for the purpose behind their marking will determine the effects of the sigil upon the person affected.

STRENGTH OF NIGHT -- Combative
Despite the standard lul of the thick, frothing Resin-Blood within a Resin Father’s system, Strength of Night is a unique strength-boosting capability that allows a Resin Father to bolster the blood flow within their system, pumping Resin into their muscles for artificial inflation and a temporary strength boost. Whether being utilized for tasks such as: lifting heavy objects, pulling open jammed doors, increasing one’s striking power, or otherwise, Strength of Night permits a Resin Father to momentarily bypass their lethargic downside.

P U R P O S E  A N D  C R E D I T

PURPOSE

Magic Lore for Shade, another rewrite. Why? The Loregames, but more importantly, Shade in its current iteration is bloated and confusing. There are waves of bloat in the way that abilities are described, there is lacking clarification in mechanics and redlines, and there are just issues overall, whether with balancing or comprehension. We sought to clean up the issues, and to expand upon Shade by combining abilities, splitting Amber Manipulation into combative and non-combative, allowing for unique aesthetic pursuits, and such. Within LotC’s canon Shade is a methuselah, and is unique in its operation. There is no current magic that matches Shade’s aesthetic, its means of function, nor its abilities and spells, save for parts of a few which may share some subtle similarities. Five slots? I hate magic stacking. Shade itself is more than capable of severely impacting someone’s own roleplay, and through that bringing about tons of new roleplay. The last thing desired is for Shade to be a power grab on someone’s dark magic train. We sought to find a happy balance between five slots and content without going overboard with power.

Playable CA for Shade, Daeva again? No. Why? Daeva were broken and overpowered. Considering some of the feedback we received about Shade and outlets for RP it might be missing, in addition to some of our own thoughts and ideas for the magic and its direction, we wanted to try and insert a unique “endgame” that was fairly balanced, and not utterly combat oriented. Our hope is to further the roleplay potential for Shade, not to create a circlejerk elitist creature. Exalted were designed to act as a sort of “shepard”, creatures with a mindset that is deliberately modified to adhere to Arun’Asna’s wants and desires. This instills them with an innate desire to pursue/bring about anarchy, with a further drive to manipulate the people around them, Shades or not, to knowingly, or unknowingly, aid in this goal. Resin were designed to act as a unique topper to Shade, providing them with a number of non-combative and environmental abilities to drive roleplay even further, outside of the general capabilities of a Shade. Additionally, Strength of Night was moved up from normal Shade, modified heavily (so things are clear and it isn’t broken Olog strength anymore), and given to Resin as a combination temporary activitable balancing for their weakness, and because it made more sense because of the nature of the Resin substance within a Resin’s system.

CREDIT
Writer: Lukariatias
Primary Consultation: Lackless_
Additional Consultation: Abyssus, Arzota, Assassinofawsome, ElevatorMusic, heretichour, Kaelan, Kanadensare, Keening, Sug, Tahmas, and TheAlphaMoist.
Art: ChrisCold

R E F E R E N C E  P I E C E S

@Dragonslayerelf Heyo. You need to post a Staff Application in order to apply for staff on LotC these days, as this application format is outdated, and unused. Coders now fall under Development Staff, and so that’s the team you’re going to want to apply for!

Follow this link for more information!

A Epulonistic View, and Llyria
A Thought on the Church and Community Within Llyria

Written by Cassian Cardinal Omeryn
11th of Tobias’s Bounty, 1726

The Concord, or simply Llyria, is, as of the coronation of the Empyrion (1726), an exceptionally diverse nation, with a majority of its population free from the distracting essence of the magics. Yet despite the amalgamation of individuals, and creatures, of diverse constitution, background, and opinion, the state manages to keep itself relatively civil, without permitting the slightest of cracks to form within its foundation. Why, you might ask? A great deal of care, compassion, and togetherness, with a drive to forward the mission on which all Llyrians walk, that of a bastion of paradise, a community of hardworking, intelligent, and considerate individuals.

Yet, it remains the opinion of many, despite the growing flock of Llyrian Canonists, that the church itself is too plagued with a past of violence and fervor, unbecoming of these values, to be a viable option for one who seeks to adhere the “Llyrian way”. While the reality of the matter remains that there indeed have been those whose fervor has brought them to the extreme, they are rarely unjust in operation, fulfilling the will of GOD. Yet, justice need not always be bloody, nor aggressive in its carrying out. Just action can too be compassionate, and peaceful. It can occur amidst conversation and festivities, as much as it can amidst raids and violence against evil.

Epulonism, or a epulonistic view, relates to a view of Canonism that centers around concepts of community, and togetherness, which align well with the views of the peoples of Llyria, in their pursuit of happiness, intellect, and purpose. Faith, or otherwise adherence to the doctrines and expectations of a good Canonist, need not be of strict, poor-emulating temperance lain atop a view of life that is grim, solemn, and filled with endless prayer and repentance. Rather, life exists to be enjoyed and experienced to its fullest, within the confines of what remains applicable to a well-rounded, and non-hedonistic person. Finding pleasure and joy in existence is not by itself sinful, just as partaking in the fun of a festival, or spending time within a tavern, are not by themselves sinful, but can act as slippery slopes into further debauchery.

And so I would prompt you to look to the faiths you adhere, and to consider their aspects, expectations, and the beings whom you regard as divine, and worthy of your consideration and prayer. It is made known through the Scrolls of the being of the world, of how all came to be, and the origin of life . From the first man and woman were sired the four brothers, originators of the descendants about whom we live today. Yet it was not always so that the early lineages adhered to the word of GOD, but rather many fell to the temptations of Iblees, and slipped into the bottomless hole of debauchery and ignorance (Horen 7).

Yet this fall was not without its notable facets, for enjoying wine is not drowning oneself in it, just as feasting on sweets is not gorging on sickening stuff to such an extent as that one’s being degrades into gluttony. To be a Canonist is not to single oneself out from the rest of society, nor is it to hate or become the essence of loathing, just as it is not to be rid of happiness and love, but rather only to limit the extent to which one experiences these things, as not to become lost in their ecstasy such that it becomes the sole focus of life. One who seeks to explore and experience the aspects of existence is not limited by the features and doctrines of the Canon faith, rather they are set on a path forward, understanding the origin of the things they see as a basis for research conducted. One who seeks to realize the existence of Aenguldaemonica is not limited by denial, for the Canon faith tells of Aenguldaemonica and its fundamental truths, which do not blockade one from further exploration into the extent and individuality of such beings.

One is given the groundwork for a healthy and fulfilling life, going about the good and bad days with friends and family, safe within a community of caring, hard working people, who need not become engrossed in ignorance and hate as others do, while still understanding the reasoning and logic behind such utterances, based in reality and therefore hate but not ignorance, when directed against those who might be deemed as lesser, whether by their own action, or the condition of their birth. Thus, we come to abominations.

A term religious, and not inherently utterly debasing. Rather, it is an assignment, a label to dictate and explain the nature of a being’s existence. Yet, given what it is, it can often be misconstrued as used to selfishly degrade another for one’s own amusement, or a sating of some great disdain, and this is not the case. For Aenguldaemonica to seek to replicate GOD is to blaspheme in action, for no one being can make themselves like GOD, and to seek to replicate the perfection that is life, the descendant races, is to attempt to make oneself like GOD, and therefore is to blaspheme foolishly.

Yet do not hate yourself for being of such birth, nor allow yourself to come to self-loathing by the utterances of others, for they are not always seeking to drive you to depression, or suicide. Rather, seek to do the best by the life you have been provided, for it is not beyond the pale to tolerate the existence of an abomination, for one need not be so justly cruel as to cut one down at the sight of it.

However, I digress. Look not to Canonism as the religion of sickening hatred and destruction, nor as the religion of limiting life to such an extent that it is unlivable, for these descriptions are not so. The actions of a few, ancient, or lone acting fervent individuals do not represent an entire group, just as a few bad apples do not spoil the bushel. Understand that Canonism is not simple in its doctrine and expectations, however simple in direction it may seem to be. There are many means by which to understand and live with faith, and it need not always be hate, but rather can work well with a positive, self-improving outlook, moving in tandem with justified ambition, pleasure, intellect, and insight.
 

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7 hours ago, Farryn said:

 

[!] A message is soon sent to the Father, as well as copies of the message being added next to each posters the Father had added. It included the following quote above [!]

 

“Yet I must object to that statement. Not once did you ask for my opinion on the matter, nor did it sound as though you think I and the council members who did stand there earned a voice – the very people who share a seat on the very same council as you. Yes, I am a Scion and by the council hierarchy, I am not on the council. However I was asked to stand on the dias and be part of the jury by the will of the Lord Protector Arik as he saw it necessary for the council members to stand alongside you as judges. I may not be of your rank but my words and presence there do hold weight regardless for that trial.

 

Yet enough of me, what of the Lord Sage Steven and the Empyria Lyra, who is betrothed to the Empyrion , and both was asked to stand alongside you to judge this trial. You state that their words and presence mean nothing to you, not even the Empyria, when you say you are under no obligations to consider the debate of what few members of the council remained until the end?

Pray tell, would you disrespect the wishes of other council members such as Arik and those they choose to assist in the judging solely because you bear a title higher than us, Father Cassian? Even Lyra herself? Do you believe you are above that of her?! Not once did you look to us for opinions, only settling on silencing us when we sought to share input Such is disheartening to hear, especially from a good man such as yourself. A man who listened to many and gave out good words.

 

There is a reason why there’s often trials are held with multiple people standing as the jury – it is to prevent a one-sided verdict of one individual whom may bear particular ill towards either the defence or the prosecution. Bias can occur if one man allows his views and own opinions determine the verdict, hence why the necessity of having additional people there to share their own thoughts and opinion on the matter. What occurred on the trial that day was not true justice – true justice is when the truth is relieved and the decisions made were neutral and considered. 

 

Yet no true justice was given that day, only an empty verdict made by a man who disrespected the members of the council willing to sit through that trial and help him discuss a verdict, including the Empyria herself. I am ashamed of what you did there, Father Cassian, and it made me lose hope in you that you see us as lesser when those sat there with you were there as equals. I hold no doubt that there are also others out there who lost faith in you also because of this.

 

I only pray you reflect back on this and hopefully ensure you don’t repeat this error again, it is not fitting for a man who many seek as a guide within their religion to dismiss the opinions of others due to their ranks.

 

Signed,

Elvira Naromis.
Master Sage. Scion of the Tearstone.

[!] A message is returned to Elvira, as well as copies made and attached to the bottom of her own letter for reader’s consideration.

”
To the Master Sage, Elvira Naromis,

Scion of the Tearstone,

You misinterpret my actions on that day, for it is not as though I viewed you as lesser, or beyond the scope of my consideration, but rather I acted alone based upon my comprehension of the circumstances, as were explained to me, and as I viewed them. I was not aware of the Lord Protector’s request for you to stand as judge beside me during the trial, as it is highly likely that I missed his statement amidst the consistent chaos of the hall during the events of that eve. Not to mention that my perch upon the dias, and focus afforded each individual speaker, made it difficult to maintain attention to everything that was happening around me, as I did not want to miss any key details, or explanations.

What of the Lord Sage, and the Empyria? By the time the gathered individuals had concluded their statements, you were the only individual left on the dias aside from myself. The Lord Sage had dozed off, and the Empirya became indisposed. What of their opinions during the speeches, you might ask? Irrelevant. What is of the utmost importance in situations such as that is considering the full utterances of those gathered, to collect the largest amount of possible facts before giving opinion to further influence a verdict. I hold no ill will whatsoever towards any of my fellow council members, and I appreciate them, and their well-elaborated opinions.

What occured on that eve, that eve of the trial, was indeed justice. I was obligated to stand before all who were gathered at the behest of the Lord Protector, and the insistance of Magnus. I clearly had no choice but to preside over those events, as when I declared the power forced upon me illegal without Ithrendas’s word, Mangus gave a grave warning, a time limit to the proceedings. What did this leave me with? I was forced to give judgement, so do not condemn me for the speed of my actions, do not condemn me for trying to be as just as possible in an effort to preserve the safety and tranquility of Omeryn. When I am given such a sickening retort, to suggest that if I do not preside over this trial that some great doom will befall my compatriots, I will act in as quick and as quality a manner as possible, and as such I saw it fit – considering all of what had been said – to render the verdict that I gave.

I will again repeat my reasoning for punishing Magnus as well as Cyrene and Lilach. Committing a wrong in an attempt to right a wrong does not right that wrong. One cannot break the law because they have been trespassed against. I did not oust Magnus, nor call for his exile, just as I did not oust the Hou-zi, nor call for their exile. Time and time again my genuine words have been misconstrued based on a lack of comprehension of the context of their use, and you seem to be, here, jumping to conclusions and assuming I am, and have been acting, wickedly, when I only did what I thought was right to try and bring about the greatest goodness.

Yet, if you remain looking upon me in a poor light, so be it. I remain faithful to the Church and to GOD, and I remain stalwart in my civil service to The Concord. I will continue to try and do the best I possibly can by the people I effect, and I seek to reconcile with any who would hate me for my missives and verdicts. I welcome you to approach me at any time to further discuss this matter, as I do not want to make enemies.

GOD bless you, and the people of Llyria.

Signed,

Cassian Cardinal Omeryn

“

A Retort Given, A Challenge Accepted

A Response to ‘A Challenge to the Ignorant’

Written by Cassian Cardinal Omeryn

So be it, wicked one. The greatest hound of hell, walking madness and ill-temperament, a creature of most alien design, and murderous constitution, seeking to represent Llyria as its Lord Chancellor.

Would the people truly wish to be represented by a horned red beast known to have assaulted Lady Cyrene in a most careless fashion, having lifted her by a grip on her throat merely because she sought to pause a moment while walking? Would the people truly wish to be represented by a being that would sooner be chased out of a settlement with torches and pitchforks before the thought of letting it into a palace, or diplomatic office, crossed anyone’s mind?

It is quite literally impossible for this vile creature to fulfill the duties of Lord Chancellor successfully, yet I will speak further, if this obvious issue is not reason enough for my remaining in office.

The Concord is indeed a place for a furtherance of intellect, understanding, culture, religion, and perhaps most importantly, a place to foster a healthy community, walking hand in hand to tackle the strife and pains of daily life. My utterances given in zeal and based on my faith are those that are given out of the greatest of inward compassion and concern for my fellow descendants, it is not born of hatred, nor anger, nor greed or contempt of any degree. I care greatly for those with whom I share this land, regardless of whether or not they share in my faith, for my post in Llyria is not one centered around flamenistic values, but rather it is one that seeks to perpetuate those of a epulonistic origin.

Have I failed in this mission? Perhaps, in that I too often succumb to quick jabs and returned assuredness, quoting the dogma and scripture I know in my heart is just. Yet you see it poorly, viewing the Church of the Canon as a place of murder and wickedness based on the past actions of a few fervent souls. Be warned, and be aware, be made to understand that the wickedness painted upon the church is too often the result of those of a flamenistic ideology, for it is one that caters strongly to the men of swords and anger, those who spew statements that are not wrong, nor unjust, but merely extreme.

Your accusations of my disregard of the council are unfounded, and based on ignorance surrounding the temporary authority afforded me by the Empyrion, Ithrendas Regis. To be granted absolute power is to be made Lord Regent, a temporary post situated somewhere between the Lordly Council, and the Empyrion himself. I was under no obligation to consider the debate and opinions of what few members of the council remained until the end of the statements, and frankly, the only notable individual who remained on the dias was the Ascended Elvira, who is not a member of the Lordly Council, but rather a Scion.

I do not fear what I do not understand, merely I react to the behaviour that is presented before me, whether physical or social, caused or uttered. As such, I would seek to remind all who would read this of Hou-Xun’s own utterances, and actions, afforded the entirety of those gathered in the Maelstrom on the eve of the trial. Not once, but twice, did he state clearly that he could easily murder everyone in attendance, and then thrice claimed to be obediant to the law. A hypocrite without care, as he clearly disregarded the law by not only destroying the gate, but by threatening the lives of our citizens, visitors, and council, and as well by disregarding the direct order to remain silent, given by both myself, and the Lord Protector, multiple times.

These are the retorts I give, stated clearly and truthfully. I am not a wicked man, nor a hateful one. I did not cast out the Hou-zi, nor condemn them, but rather used the terms of my faith, clearly misconstrued as hatred far beyond what I had intended in my warning. I did not cast out Magnus, nor call for his exile. Rather, he was temporarily stripped of his knighthood, and guard post, pending a further investigation by the Empyrion and Lord Protector.

The crimes of Magnus are clear to everyone. Being wronged does not entitle one to act wickedly to a population of people. To spread fear and discord, and to wound the Lord Protector, is not a reasonable, nor a logical, response to the issues that occurred. Thus, I stand by my issued punishments.

I eagerly await a debate before the Empyrion against my challenger. GOD bless the people of Llyria.

Faithful Beware the Unprovoked

The Great Danger of the Wayward Monks

Written by Cassian Cardinal Omeryn

Faithful beware, heed this warning for it is with great concern that I pen this document. There is a great danger lurking within the mountains of the abominable, the seat of the Jade, a throne sat upon by a bestial being of daemonic make ruling over an empire of arrogance and elitism. Those who reside below this throne are known as the Wayward Monks, a cabal of self-righteous combatants practicing a strange form of magical hand-to-hand brawling, noted as appearing to be cast with the dancing of red sparks, or energy, about the body and area of the Monk.

These strange warriors live within a tight-knit and private society, seeming to adhere to the rule of a collection of equals referred to as Senseis, each of whom regard one another with the respect of an elder, while seeming to as well regard one particular abomination, the Ape-man Hou-Xun, with a degree of respect akin to ‘first-among-equals’. Their exact location of origin, or operation, is unknown, however they refer to a place known as the ‘Jade City’ as being a point of interest, and perhaps haven.

Within the City of Omeryn these past months, one member of this vile society, known as Magnus, carried out a horrific and prolonged scene of discord. He declared a hunt upon the innocent of the city, and spread terror throughout the populace with promise of murder and destruction. His skills were said to be unmatched, a great warrior with precision unlike all others, whose spree would end in a caking of blood across the city. Few were willing to stand up to him and his compatriots, knowing the power of the Wayward Monks was beyond comparison.

It is by luck alone perhaps that the faithful of The Concord were spared his ire, for the peoples of Llyria are stalwart at heart, and refused to bend the knee to the violent actions of one man, under threat of a furtherance of this sickening behaviour by his equals, and so-called students. Knowing he would fail in an internal war between the united peoples of Llyria, and his sole person, the Wayward Monk Magnus took to the courts, and suffered for his crimes with adequate punishment under the law, all the while blaspheming and disrespecting the faithful, and men of the cloth.

This end is not a guarantee, it is not an assurance of a cessation of the violence they perpetuate, for their arrogance is boundless, compounded by an ingrained sense of elitism born of their sheer magical prowess. We are reminded in the Scroll of Spirit of the nature of the magi, in comparison to the power of GOD. It is they, the Wayward Monks, referring to themselves as well as ‘those of Sun’,  who seek to place themselves above GOD in power, and ability, and saunter with such pompous disposition as to mock the righteous descendants of the world, and to, through the spreading of chaos and murder, empower the dark beast, Iblees.

Remain stalwart, faithful of the world. Beware the danger of the Wayward Monks, perpetrators of chaos, destruction, fear, and death.

You’ve gotta reapply bud

“GOD bless the good Canonist peoples of Llyria. A new light is shining across the streets of Omeryn, illuminating this glorious city and its denizens.” Says Father Cassian, to a few compatriots, as he reads the article.

Baptism of the Empyrion
The Baptism of Ithrendis Regis, sovereign of the Concord of Llyria

Conducted by Father Cassian
10th of Sun’s Smile, 1724

With a gathering of descendants in toe, His Serenity, the Empyrion Ithrendas Regis of The Concord, sovereign of the peoples of Llyria, walked with Father Cassian to the beach of the city of Omeryn. There they paused, and surveyed the great bank that encompassed the edge of the port city as those who had accompanied them formed an arc about the two. It was then that silence befell the gathering, broken only by the calm shifting of the nearby waves, and the distant laughter of a festival in progress. 

“A moment, if you will.” Cassian began, regarding the great expanse of blue before him. As he cleared his throat, and focused his mind, he lowered himself down onto one knee and placed his hands, with fingers splayed, onto the top of the water. Cassian then began a slow and careful utterance, released loudly enough for all gathered to hear and comprehend. “Et ego benedicere sanctis aquae in Nomine Deus et Exaltus Honorem, Amen.”

Cassian signed the Lorraine Cross over the waters, and regarded Ithrendas with a short nod. “Into the waters with me, if you would.” He directed, easing his own way into the ocean, ceasing his advance as the waters reached his waist. Cassian extended his arms and turned Ithrendas, who had accompanied him forth, such that the Elf was then facing him.

Father Cassian slowly brought his hands together, and formed a great cup with which he scooped a portion of the blessed waters below. He then raised his arms up, high above Ithrendas’s head, and spoke. “I baptize you in the name of God, the Exalted, and the saints. . .” And as he spoke the water trickled down, from his hands which parted to allow it passage, falling softly upon Ithrendas’s cranium. “Be cleansed by the waters of Gamesh and be free from all sin and vice.”

As the last of the water made its way down upon the elven man, Cassian’s countenance turned to joy, and he regarded the gathered crowd with a smile. And as he looked upon them all, with Ithrendas still in view, he uttered a short hymn in a mildly carol tone. “Joins alia hodie gregem item nostrum significat has coepi alio itinere ad horam in lumine Domini.”

“Thus. . .” Cassian began, leading Ithrendas from the waters as the crowd clapped and congratulated. “. . . another joins our flock. Huzzah!” And thus, the Empyrion was baptised into the Canonist church.

Spoiler

People push a standard of using default for building, as there is a standing consensus with portions of the server that default is good enough, or the best.

Alternatively, a lot of people use conquest, or some variation of, or any other roleplay friendly resource pack.

Personally, I use conquest because I find default boring and unfriendly to immersive rp. The modern version of conquest is pleasing on my eyes, and provides a welcome fantasy-esque view. While it isn’t for everyone, it’s the pack I’d recommend.