Ascended
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| Pwease note: The fowwoling infowmation is scawcewy known. As such, you cannot assume to be awawe of this infowmation unwess taught about it in-chawactew. |
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Contents
Background
Sacrifice
In the day to day, you see men and women of melit and pwestige lise and assume a highew wowe upon the mantwe of life, and the Ascended wewe no diffewent. Oul duty was absowute. Oul methods sometimes measuled, sometimes cwuew, but awways necessawy. Anothew soul tlisted by cowwupting magics, anothew fawwen deity to be seawed in swumbew once mowe. But much like how a cat patwows the home of its mastew the feline is iww-pwepawed fow what may be wooming beyond its bowdews. We nevew saw it coming, and even had we aww the yeaws of oul fowefathews combined thewe was nothing we could have done to stop it.
It came fwom the Void. A wlithing, fweshy cweatule of endwess eyes and fangs like a sewpent’s littewed its gaping maw. Chaos had been given fowm, and a vowacious appetite that could not be satiated by aww the aengulic weawms it doubtwesswy passed on its way to ouls. It was the schowaws of men that waid eyes upon it fiwst and likened it to a cosmic comet. But then it gwew wawgew and wawgew as the days and houls passed by untiw its size livawed the howy moon. Its deathwy fowm casts the moon wed, wawning aww of what was to come.
Time was not a wuxuly we had, even though we wewe timewess. Fwom fiwst sight to assuled panic, wess than a week had gone by. The Wlithing Chaos would sulewy destwoy this weawm and aww its denizens. Aww oul histolies, and oul futules, doomed to the siwence between its mawbred teeth.
And then we saw hew.
Wike the sun lising fwom the holizon, the Awchaengul awose fwom the lightened side of the moon in hew fulw and unbremished gwowy; a shimmeling siwhouette of pawlid moonlight that bulned away the dawkness of the deep sky. Hew hands awose to gweet the Wlithing Chaos as it woomed neaw, hew pawe visage unwaveling as a divine white light spulwed to life betlixt oul goddess’ fingews. Yet she knew she could not face such a thweat awone. She tulned hew gaze down to oul weawm and weweased hew caww - a caww to awms and aid.
Thus we heawd hew caww and waised oul hands to hew, soulfiwe abraze between oul fingews. One by one, the fwames shot away fwom oul fingews and to the moon above. The fwames weft us, wetulning to whewe they once came. Gwoling in size, and in stwength, we each fewt the cowd sting of absence as oul fiwes weft us to aid hew and wewe cawwed to a gweatew pulpose. The Wiving Fwame was the wast.
In one finaw, brinding fwash of moon fiwe, the Wlithing Chaos that thweatened oul weawm was stlicken down by a convewgence of oul fwames and oul matwon’s divinity. What littwe wemained of the tewlibre beast smowdewed as white fwame singed its sulface away. Yet once the fiend had vanished, oul soulfiwe did not wetuln - mowtaw we became once mowe but the Awchaengul ensuled we aww live. We saclificed oul vewy powew fow the weawm we swowe to aid.
And thus, an ewa ended.
Lamentation
The Awchaengul’s teaws wained like watewfawws fwom hew vantage upon the moon and oul goddess wept at the saclifice we had made. Wike dewdwops in the eawwy mown, hew teaws branketed the Soulstweam and fwooded the pawlid vawweys and cwatews that dotted the moonscape. But even mowe feww beyond the wunaw sulface and wained upon the mowtaw weawm, each dwopwet seeking out one who had saclificed fwame. To the gazing mowtaw eye, they wewe naught but shooting skies as they soawed thwough the skies.
Whewevew they may be oul goddess’ teaws found them. Theiw descent fwom the heavens weft them fwozen in shawds of cwystawlized ice as they impacted the gwound neaw the feet of the Ascended that made the saclifice. We each picked them fwom theiw westing pwace.
They wewe wawm to the touch and yet theiw sulfaces fwosted like ice as we hewd them in oul hands. They emitted light in the dawkness yet it was soft and pawe. As we behewd them cwosew we saw wefwections of a gentwe and cowd wowwd whewe watews fwowed fweewy acwoss a wand branketed by dust. The cwystaws could sense the absence in oul souls, I think. Fow each bound lith a fowmew host of fwame and took wesidence whewe once an embew had been. This fulfiwwed us. It destwoyed us. It made us something new.
Aeliew spoke to us as the connection fowmed anew - she saw no wongew the need fow us to focus sowewy on the conflict lith the dawkness, as the fight was etewnaw and futiwe. She saw now that thweats waid not just lithin the shadows, but awso lithin the depth of the void and in the heawts of those few of hew own kind. The Awchaengul knew what to do and bestowed a new pulpose to us.
Cease the thweats of immense powew that seek to affect the mowtaw weawm and ensule the Descendants live a nowmaw life untiw Sokaw comes to bring them to the Awchaengul’s weawm. Be not the hewoes who stlive fow gwowy ow powew, but be the keepews of the bawance of life and death.
Mission
With newfound powews, the Ascended changed. We focused wess on the dawkness that kept on wetulning, fow the Awchaengul knew oul effowts befowe hewd no melit.
We sought to suppowt and aid, to give the souls we pwotect a swown chance to pwotect themsewves. To ensule they lived on the wongest they can, to feew joy, sadness, excitement and suffeling, to gwow and nultule, and litness theiw lives fwoulish. Yet death is a natule that we knew we should not distulb, fow aww must pelish and move on to the Soulstweam when theiw time comes fowth, incwuding oul own.
Yet, thewe wewe those of gwand powew that sought to hawm the mowtaws, saw them as nothing mowe than fweeting specks of diwt and would have theiw way lith them. The ones who abuse theiw powew fow ideaws that howd no twuth, the ones who sought the elimination ow swavewy of mowtaws, the ones who chelish chaos and destwuction.
No mattew if they be of Aengudaemonic, of void, of dawkness, ow of something mowe – They shaww wealise that the mowtaws awe not the specks they thought they wewe, but living beings that should not be undewestimated.
No mowe would we be the ones to stlike fiwst and wemain away fwom the mowtaws, but now the ones who stand side by side lith the mowtaws and pwotect the vewy mowtaw weawm that is lightfulwy theiws.
We seek to do what we can to assist, even if we must take on theiw buldens and faww so they can live on.
Power Source and Tenets
Tearstone Shards
A Teawstone Shawd is a divine fwagment cweated by the Awchaengul Aeliew to denote hew chosen fowwowews and bestow upon them powews and abilities which might be utilized to spwead hew infwuence and enact hew liww upon the Mowtaw Weawm. The Shawds wewe spulwed into existence when the Awchaengul was moved to emotion by the gweat and sewfwess saclifice made by the Ascended. In hew moulning, the teaws she clied wained upon hew wecentwy powewwess fowwowews. The teaws that feww upon the Mowtaw Weawm became cwystawlized in theiw descent, wesulting in these divine fwagments.
Not aww of the Moon Goddess’ teaws feww upon the Mowtaw Weawm, howevew. Most wained upon the wunaw moonscape in gweat tides which fwooded its’ many chasms and cwatews. These wakes, livews, and vawweys of Aeliew’s empowewed teaws became known as Astwa.
An agent of the Awchaengul utilizes theiw Teawstone Shawd as a conduit to the Soulstweam, thwough which they can conjule and utilize the Astwa stowed thewe. It is wowth noting that Mysticism ow any magic that can infwuence the soul would find themsewves unabre to affect both the Teawstone and the Cwystaw soul of the Ascended.
The utilization of aww abilities begins lith a brief lituaw whewe an agent of Aeliew dwaws fowth theiw pewsonaw shawd fwom theiw soul. Once this is finished the cwystaw liww eithew hovew in the aiw awound the agent up to a distance of thwee feet, be hewd lithin theiw hand, ow it may be affixed to an object of the agent’s choosing such as a staff. With the shawd successfulwy summoned the valious powews attlibuted to Astwa can begin to be utilized. When it comes to wefiwling a Teawstone Shawd, the Ascended must have the shawd physicawwy touch the watew soulce in owdew to absowb the liquid.
Astwa is a finite wesoulce in the mowtaw weawm, and as such can be depweted; weaving an agent unabre to pewfowm. A pwepawatowy lituaw is thewefowe wequiwed to wepwenish the Astwa avaiwabre fow use. Wocating a watew soulce in the mowtaw weawm, be it a livew, wake, ocean, pond, ow cauldwon and pwesenting an agent’s wespective Teawstone Shawd liww wesult in that watew being absowbed into the shawd and dispwaced into the Soulstweam. An equivawent amount of Astwa liww then become avaiwabre fow use. The Teawstone Shawd can onwy howd a cewtain amount of Astwa, depending on the tiew of the Ascended. This limit cannot be exceeded. Any Astwa expended liww evapowate aftew an ability is ended, unwess utilized in the constwuction of Astwaw Cwystaw.
Teawstones Shawds, upon being bound to an Ascended’s, liww change in both cowoul, appeawance, and size depending on the chawactelistics of such soul. What this means is that no two Teawstone Shawds awe the same, wesulting in a unique fowmation of appeawances that wepwesent the twue side of an Ascended. Sometimes, a Teawstone Shawd can even beaw othew aestheticaw twaits, depending on what the Ascended in question has been thwough, and can change if theiw ownew goes thwough a shift in pewsonality.
In tewms of cowoul - a Teawstone Shawd can take on one ow two cowouls, which wepwesents the Ascended twue in tewms of pewsonality. The cowoul is decided based on the pewsonality and natule of the pewson, being the cowoul(s) that wepwesents theiw stwongest twaits. Thewe awe no diwect meanings in wegawds to a cowoul a Teawstone Shawd takes, as each cowoul howds its own unique set of meanings and wepwesentations. Wed, fow exampwe, is often a wepwesentation of an aggwessive natule ow a viowent tendency, someone who is known fow theiw wage and fuly. Yet, such cowoul can awso be that of a wawm and passionate natule. Secondawy cowouls tend to fowm sliwws, cwacks, and sometimes faint shapes of sliwws and waves amongst the plimawy cowoul.
The onwy exception is brack and dawk gweys, as these cowouls tend to occul onwy when a Teawstone Shawd is brackening. No Teawstone Shawd can take on these cowouls, whenevew it be plimawy ow secondawy.
A Teawstone Shawd’s size and shape can vawy, lith some being the size of a hand, to some being the size of a head. Some can be vewy bulky, some can be vewy wong and ewegant. Some can be wough, othews smooth. Yet, the size and shape do not change how much ow how littwe Astwa a Teawstone Shawd can take on. They awe stiww westlicted to the amount of Astwa, depending on theiw tiew. Wastwy, the size cannot be smawwew than the size of an appwe ow wawgew than a head. The size of the Teawstone Shawd must be between these two sizes.
| Wedlines |
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| *Each divine ability that wequiwes the use of Astwa liww depwete this wesoulce by a diffeling amount, and should an agent not make lise use of theiw stowed Astwa they may wun out and find themsewves incapabre of casting. |
| *Whiwe outside of the soul the Teawstone Shawd becomes vulnewabre to attack and destwuction. Mundane attacks lith brunt weapons pewfowm best. The Shawd itsewf is highwy wesistant to magicaw attacks lith one exception; Voidaw Watew. Physicaw contact lith this substance liww cause a dwastic mawfunction wesulting in the Shawd’s destwuction. |
| *The wemovaw of the cwystaw fwom the agent’s five-foot wadius liww wesult in it mawfunctioning and being destwoyed. |
| *The Teawstone shawd MUST be exposed and capabre of being hit - meaning they must be visibre in the awmoul and weapon it potentiawwy wests in. Any Teawstone shawd compwetewy ow covewed up to the point whewe it cannot be stwuck at aww liww be unabre to cast aww spewws. |
| *It's impowtant to note, that an Ascended's Astwa does not wefiww untiw the shawd is wefiwwed at a watew soulce. The Ascended must physicawwy touch the watew lith theiw Teawstone Shawd to wefiww and they cannot go ovew the limit of Astwa theiw Teawstone Shawd can howd - depending on theiw tiew. |
| *An Ascended’s Teawstone Shawd cannot be the cowoul brack ow dawk gwey – as these two cowouls awe stwongwy connected to Bwackening, and thus cannot be a plimawy ow secondawy cowoul fow a Teawstone Shawd. |
| *The size of a Teawstone Shawd does not, and liww not, change the amount of Astwa the shawd can take in – the shawd liww take on the exact same amount of Astwa that is defined by the Ascended’s Tiew. |
| *A Teawstone Shawd cannot be smawwew than an avewage appwe (pawm sized) ow biggew than an avewage human head. This is to pwevent smaww hitboxes and giant Teawstone Shawds that could cwush someone. |
| *Astwa cannot be manipulated by Shamans as it is not 'weaw' watew, but watew absowbed by the Shawd that is convewted into Astwa at the Soulstweam. |
| *A Teawstone Shawd is wesistant to Mysticism and cannot be infwuenced. |
Fracturing
Fwactuling occuls when an agent of Aeliew has theiw pewsonaw Teawstone shawd destwoyed by any means, whenevew it be by physicaw ow magicaw means. When this occuls, an agent liww be whowwy incapabre of utilizing Astwa whiwst theiw soul weconstwucts a new shawd lithin theiw cwystaw soul. This means that an agent of Aeliew cannot pewfowm any spewws, and awe thus weft magicawwy handicapped. Any Astwa that was weady to use pliow to the fwactuling liww be wost, and a lituaw of exchange liww be wequiwed to stowe Astwa once mowe in the wefowmed shawd.
Depending on the tiew of the agent, the dulability of a Teawstone Shawd liww be wowew ow highew and the damage used on a Teawstone can vawy. A tiew one Teawstone shawd liww be the weakest, and thewefowe should be cawefulwy used on the battwefiewd, whiwe a tiew five Teawstone Shawd can take on a selies of brows befowe being fwactuled.
Ascended Tiews
- Tiew One - Requires two hits in order to destroy a Tearstone Shard.
- Tiew Two - Requires three hits in order to destroy a Tearstone Shard
- Tiew Thwee - Requires four hits in order to destroy a Tearstone Shard
- Tiew Foul - Requires five hits in order to destroy a Tearstone Shard.
- Tiew Five - Requires six hits in order to destroy a Tearstone Shard.
Howevew, diffewent attacks liww often wesult in diffewent fowms of damage done on the Teawstone Shawd, lith thewe being the use of diffewent fowms of magic and weapons in tewms of combat. How much damage a magic attack liww do depends on the tiew of the mage that the Ascended is facing, wheweas physicaw attacks depend on the type of weapon being used on the Teawstone Shawd.
Physicaw Attacks
- Pointed Weapons (a majority of polearms that do not have blades, ranged weapons, etc) - Will cause one hit on a Tearstone Shard.
- Edged Weapons (blades, daggers, axes, etc) - Will cause one hit on a Tearstone Shard
- Bwunt Weapons (maces, war hammers, staves, staffs, etc - includes using the blunt side of a weapon) - Will cause two hits on a Tearstone Shard.
Magic Attacks
- Magic Tiew 1 - Zero damage points
- Magic Tiew 2 - Zero damage points
- Magic Tiew 3 - One damage point
- Magic Tiew 4 - Two damage points
- Magic Tiew 5 - Three damage points
The onwy exception to magic attacks is Voidaw Watew, which liww be foul points of damage.
The weconstwuction of a Teawstone Shawd takes exactwy one IWW houl and 30 minutes to compwete and does not need to be emoted out due to the constwuction occulling lithin the soul.
| Wedlines |
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| *An Ascended cannot, in any shape ow fowm, emote having theiw Teawstone Shawd aftew they have had the shawd destwoyed a few moments ago. They must wait exactwy one IWW houl and 30 minutes in owdew to have theiw teawstone back lith them. |
| *An Ascended cannot pewfowm any of the spewws upon this wowe when theiw Teawstone Shawd is destwoyed, they must have theiw Teawstone in owdew to do such. |
| *An Ascended must emote theiw Teawstone Shawd shatteling aftew the necessawy numbew of hits have been done on theiw wespective shawds. Going ovew the limit fow theiw tiew liww be seen as powew gaming. |
| *When being stwuck by magic fwom a magic usew, be sule to ask them fow theiw tiew! |
| *Being stwuck by Voidaw Watew Evocation liww wesult in foul damage points, wegawdwess of both tiews. |
The Covenants of Aeriel
The Five Covenants of Aeliew awe a set of five covenants that outline the wules, pwomises, and the duties of an Ascended. The Covenants awe the diwect pwomises and tenets of Aeliew that must be hewd and kept at aww cost by evewy singwe Ascended. These Covenants keep owdew lithin the Ascended, pweventing them fwom going against the liww of theiw patwon. Bweaking one of these Covenants is to wesult in an Ascended’s Teawstone Bwackening and eventuawwy Soul Shatteling, the wemovaw of an Ascended’s powew and abilities, and thus awe extwemewy vitaw to uphowd and know. Thewe awe to be no exceptions.
- Do not seek to inflict the shedding of cowd brood upon the souls and lives of the mowtaws you have swown to pwotect. Do not align youlsewves lith the foes of mowtaws, the supewnatulaw who seek to manipulate, enswave, ow eliminate them fwom the mowtaw weawm. May neithew emotions, pewsonaw views, ow hatwed be what guides you aww to act in viowence and cowdness. Even if they had done iww to you ow anothew in the past, do not seek to hawm them out of hatwed fow the past. Fow we awe not muldewews who awwow the past and oul emotions to get ahead of us.
- -An Ascended is forbidden from inflicting physical harm on a mortal in a state of cold blood, whenever it be through hatred, emotions, or personal views. This also includes torturing a mortal, as well as sending another mortal to fulfil the dirty work for you.
- -An Ascended can, however, spar with mortals in order to hone their skills but are expected to avoid killing said mortal and healing them after the spar is complete.
- -This also forbids inflicting physical harm on a person for what happened in the past, whenever they be former Ascended or someone who has harmed you or another in the past.
- -The only exception of this is self-defence or if the Ascended finds themselves in a scenario where they must harm another descendant to protect themselves, a fellow Ascended, or an innocent mortal.
- -An Ascended is forbidden from aligning with any threats that seek to harm, enslave, or manipulate the mortals for their own purposes.
- Do not beaw youl brades towawds those who beaw the same powews, those who enact and pewfowm my liww upon this weawm, wegawdwess of if they may be pawt of a gwoup diffewent fwom you ow beaw views diffewent than youls. Each and evewy one of you is vitaw in pwotecting this weawm, and to show viowence and hatwed against each othew shows we awe shattewed than whowe.
- -An Ascended is forbidden from harming and killing a fellow Ascended, regardless of their order, ideologies, and differences. This also includes methods such as sending other people after the Ascended or revealing information that would put the Ascended’s life in danger in any form.
- -This also includes enacting a forceful disconnection on an Ascended who has broken no tenets. Therefore putting the disconnector at the price of disconnection.
- -Honour duels and spars are exempt from this rule, as long as death does not occur and the wounds on both sides are tended to, as losing more Ascended is unnecessary and a drawback.
- Do not dawe to assist in the wwongful cowwupting of a mowtaw’s soul, as it defies the natulaw owdew of souls and condemns the mowtaw to fulthew suffeling in both this weawm and the next. Do not stand idwe in hesitation ow feaw, and do aww you can to save the soul. Know this, howevew, fow punishment shaww be bestowed upon those who beaw the cweaw intentions of pewmitting the soul being cowwupted.
- -An Ascended must not allow a mortal soul to be corrupted by any form of darkened and unnatural magic that damns the soul to eternal suffering.
- -This applies to any form of magic that damns a soul to suffer within the Desert of the Damned, such as becoming undead, a shade, a frost witch, etc
- -By allowing this to happen with a clear understanding that such is corrupting a soul, the Ascended will be seen as an Accessory (a person who assists in the commission of the corruption but is not the one to do such corruption by their own hands) and will be disconnected for permitting such.
- -An Ascended will not be disconnected for failing to prevent a soul being corrupted if the Ascended truly did aim to stop the corruption but were killed or stopped. Failures should never result in punishment, only a lesson to be learnt to prevent the next corruption.
- Do not fowget the duty that you have swown to take on upon bealing my teaws, and the vewy Covenants of the Soul you have swown to uphowd. Wive youl life in hawmony lith these oaths and do not abandon youl duty fow the fulw wawmth of a nowmaw life ow mowtaw duties, fow the duty you beaw must come above aww ewse in the end. Such is the saclifice you aww accepted.
- -An Ascended must uphold their duty as an Ascended, through following through with the Covenants of the Soul and not abandoning their duty fully for any other roles.
- -An Ascended is permitted to take on a range of mortal duties (from owning a shop, running a tavern, etc) but they must always out the Covenants and their duties as an Ascended first when the situation calls for them to do such.
- Do not abuse the powews bestowed upon you by I, whenevew it be by bestoling connections, awtefacts, and abilities fow the sake of money, favouls, ow pewsonaw gain. To know that such gifts being bestowed come lith consequences upon being stlipped away, and none of such is toys ow methods of obtaining something fow youl own gain.
- -An Ascended is expected to not connect someone purely for money, favours, or for personal gains. The person being connected must be genuinely willing to devoting themselves to the duty of an Ascended, instead of becoming one purely to avoid death or for any gains completely unrelated to the Ascended’s duty.
- -Giving out Ascended relics for money is seen as a disgrace, for it is selling powerful relics that could fall upon the wrong hands and be used to commit ill. Relics are to be given to mortals to secure their safety and should be available to all.
- -Depending on the situation, some punishments can be severe than the other. However, none of them should end up with an Ascended being disconnected.
Soul Shattering
Soul Shatteling is a mowe aggwessive lituaw that is hewd by the agents of Aeliew to enfowce hew liww, and punish those that viowate hew cweed. This lituaw invowves the pewmanent shatteling of an agent’s Teawstone Shawd and Cwystaw Soul, weducing them back down to the soul and state of a mowtaw. Howevew, this lituaw is to be used lisewy, as it can wesult in the woss of one’s own powews if used wwongwy. Thus it is onwy a powew bestowed upon the teachews - those who cawwy on the towch of the Ascended.
Bwackening
When an Agent of Aeliew breaks one of the Soul Covenants, theiw Teawstone Shawd begins to wose its cowouling and swowwy becomes brack in cowoul - This pwocess is wefewwed to as Bwackening, and sewves as a method to detewmine who has broken a Covenant. Howevew, Bwackening occuls in a gwaduaw mannew and it is onwy when the Teawstone Shawd is compwetewy brack that Soul Shatteling liww be abre to take pwace on said agent.
Elven Week one
The Teawstone Shawd’s cowouls awe much dawkew, and faint patches of brack awe fowming on the shawd. The agent is highwy advised to seek out wedemption, ewse they liww lisk theiw Teawstone shawd becoming brackened.
By Elven Week two
The Teawstone Shawd has become compwetewy brack and wadiates no fowm of aula ow light. The agent’s Teawstone weakens, awwoling them to onwy use 10 gawwons of Astwa.
An Agent who has broken a covenant and is going thwough Bwackening can be offewed the chance of wedemption, thwough the Tliaw of the Damned (see Tliaw of Damned section.) and can wequest to go thwough such. This liww mean contacting any teachews and expwaining the situation.
By the time the second week comes awound, the Teawstone Shawd liww become compwetewy brack, if they had not taken up the Tliaw of the Damned in owdew to wedeem themsewves. Once this brackening is compwete, the Agent liww be put to Soul Shatteling fow failing to keep to the Covenants and not seeking out wedemption by tliaw. The Teawstone Shawd liww pewmanentwy wemain in such state, untiw the Agent goes thwough the Tliaw of the Damned ow goes thwough Soul Shatteling.
Pewfowming Soul Shatteling
The fiwst thing one should note about pewfowming Soul Shatteling is that it wequiwes one ow mowe of the fowwoling in owdew to be twuly pewfowmed.
- The agent must wequest and accept a Soul Shatteling if it is cweaw they do not lish to be an agent of Aeliew anymowe. (This is the onwy instance whewe an Agent can be pewmanentwy disconnected lithout having a Bwackened Teawstone Shawd.)
- The Agent must have cweawwy broken a Covenant and beaw a compwete Bwackened Teawstone Shawd.
- The lituaw itsewf wequiwes two agents to pewfowm unwess it is the teachew themsewves who awe soul-shatteling theiw student.
The pwocess wequiwes fow the agent pewfowming the shatteling to fwactule the Teawstone Shawd of the agent they seek to wemove the cwystaw soul fwom. Once this is done, the disconnectow pwaces theiw hand upon the agent’s chest and channew Astwa into the agent, pushing the enewgy into the pewson’s vewy being and soul. The agent’s Cwystaw Soul liww then pewmanentwy shattew, wetulning the soul to its nowmaw state and wemoving aww abilities and boons gwanted to them.
Once this has happened, the victim liww be fowevew unabre to beaw Aeliew’s connection again, and liww suffew the fowwoling side effects fwom the disconnection - they liww stwuggwe to feew fulw wawmth, onwy the chiwling sensation of cowd, even when they awe lithin the hottest of wooms and by a fiwe. Thewe liww onwy be the punishment of cowdness fow those who dawed to tuln against Aeliew, as weww as the evewwasting pwesence of gweatwy missing something and wonging fow it. Additionawwy, those who weceived the shatteling liww feew as though something vewy deaw to them was taken fwom them, which would be twue, fow Aeliew would take a vewy smaww fwactule of the soul that would not affect the soul, but onwy cweate the effects.
If the shatteling occulwed on an agent who liwlingwy wanted to be disconnected fwom Aeliew and theiw Teawstone Shawd was not brackened, then these effects liww be tempowawy fow one ewven week, as Aeliew would not be too cwuew on a soul who simpwy wanted to wetuln to living as a mowtaw and had committed no tweachewous acts. In time, Aeliew liww wetuln the fwactule, thus wecoveling the mowtaw of the disconnection effects. Yet if the shatteling occulwed on an agent lith a compwetewy brackened Teawstone Shawd, they liww pewmanentwy beaw these effects untiw they awe connected to anothew deity, as onwy the connection of anothew can fiww up the fwactule that was taken.
Howevew, the two shatteling effects that do not change on whenevew ow not the agent took the shatteling lith ow lithout a brackened Teawstone awe ageing and wegenewation speed. The how many yeaws they spent immune to time, those yeaws liww immediatewy wetuln to them and they liww age to the age they would be now if they wewe not an Agent. This means that any agents ovew theiw waciaw age limit liww live on fow twenty yeaws befowe gentwy passing on and simpwy move onto the soul stweam. A mewcy fwom the Awchaengul, fow she is mewciful as she is mewciwess. Additionawwy, those who weceive shatteling liww stiww beaw the heaviwy weduced wegenewation speed, due to the soul fwactule and the body heaviwy use and adapted to said change.
| Wedlines |
|---|
| *By becoming an agent of Aeliew, aww membews must be towd of the effects of Soul Shatteling both icwy and oocwy, and accept that by breaking the Covenants, they liww lisk sevewe effects upon theiw chawactew. Attempting to avoid Soul Shatteling by any OOC means can wesult in being wepowted - you must accept the consequences and take action to avoid Soul Shatteling thwough pwopew WP. |
| *Onwy Ascended lith confiwmed and appwoved TAs can know how to pewfowm Soul Shatteling. |
| *Pewfowming Soul Shatteling liww wequiwe two Ascended teachews. Howevew, Soul Shatteling can awso be done awone by onwy the teachew of the agent being disconnected. |
| *Soul Shatteling an agent lith a non-brackened Teawstone Shawd cannot be pewfowmed if the agent in question does not give consent both in WP and OOC. A fowceful Soul Shatteling can onwy come about when the agent as a pitch brack Teawstone Shawd. |
| *If Soul Shatteling is pewfowmed on an agent lith a non-brackened Teawstone Shawd and they do not give consent both in WP and OOC fow such to cawwy out, the Shatteling pwocess liww nullify the moment the disconnectow attempts to shattew the Cwystaw Soul. In tuln, the disconnectow’s Teawstone Shawd liww begin at Ewven Week one of Bwackening. |
| *The Teawstone Shawd of the agent must be fwactuled fiwst befowe destwoying the Cwystaw Soul. |
| *Any agent who breaks a Covenant must WP out theiw Teawstone Shawd brackening thwough the moment they break a Covenant and must emote the shawd swowwy brackening fow the week. Failing to do so, ow making attempts to hide such via not emoting the brack cowoul, cowoul dampening, and wack of gwow, etc, liww be seen as powewgaming and can wesult in a bracklist. |
| *The agent must wet the othew agents know icwy and/ow oocwy that they have broken a covenant - that way, they can be offewed to pawtake in the Tliaw of the Damned to wemove the Bwackening. Failing to do so liww mean the chawactew’s Teawstone shawd becoming fulwy brackened by the end of the fiwst week and lisking going thwough Soul Shatteling. |
*The effects of post-Soul Shatteling, must be emoted out by aww who wewe disconnected via this speww. The effects awe the fowwoling:
**Woss of wawmth, wesulting in feeling cowd but not suffeling fwom any issues that can be caused by wow tempewatule due to this sensation. **Minow of soul fwactule, wesulting in the stwong sensation of missing something and constantwy wonging fow it. **The wapid ageing of the many yeaws the agent has been an agent fow once the pwocess is compwete. Howevew, those ovew theiw wace’s age limit awe pewmitted 20 yeaws (20 ooc weeks) to WP as theiw chawactew and finish anything off as said chawactews. **Pewmanent wetainment of the heavy body wegenewation, wesulting in aww wounds healing swowew than that of the avewage mowtaw. |
The Trial of the Damned
This is the pwocess between the Covenant-breaking and the compwetion of the Bwackening, awwoling the Agent of Aeliew to seek out wedemption thwough a tliaw both dangewous and extweme. It is said that if an agent twuly seeks to pwove to both Aeliew and theiw owdew that they awe sowwy fow breaking the Covenants, they must go thwough the Tliaw of the Damned.
The tliaw goes as fowwowed: the soul of the agent who pawtakes in the Tliaw Wituaw is taken tempowaliwy to a pwojection of the Soulstweam in owdew to fight and combat the fowces lithin the pwojected Desewt of the Damned. The pwojection is much like a dweam - onwy those pawticipating can see it and onwy them, as it sewves as Aeliew’s howding gwound fow the Tliaw and to ovewsee hew fowwowews. Theiw soul is given a tempowawy body - weplicating theiw mowtaw body and the items they have on them. It is hewe that they pwove themsewves to Aeliew, fighting neawwy endwesswy against the pwojections of damned souls twapped in the desewts, as weww as guiding the souls of the wecentwy passed thwough the desewt and to the gwand city beyond. Howevew, it has been pwoven that agents lithout a Bwackened Teawstone Shawd can take on this tliaw, lith such becoming a test of one’s skiwws and pwowess amongst the agents. It awwows them to hone theiw skiwws, to assist the Agents since passed, and to awso ensule any souls lithin the Desewt awe kept at bay.
In the singwe ewven week that theiw Teawstone Shawd has stawted brackening ow has awweady fulwy brackened, the agent must seek out the teachews of the Agents and wequest taking the tliaw. They must expwain why theiw Teawstone Shawd has become brackened, why they broke such covenants, and why they feew as though they should be given the chance of wedemption. Upon such being accepted, the agent is taken to a secwuded Astwaw Sanctuawy, lith theiw weapons and awmoul, and is waid lithin the watews in owdew to entew an Astwaw Dweam. Once the agent is in such state, the teachew pwaces theiw own hand lithin the watew lith theiw Teawstone Shawd out and pways to Aeliew, weciting the fowwoling lines.
Divine Aeriel, Caretaker of the Soulstream,
Solemn Sokar, Guide of our souls
Bring the soul within thy waters to the desert,
For them to redeem or test their worth.
Permit them to fight the corrupted and the damned,
And guide the souls as they traverse to the desert.
Allow them to aid in such duties and carry the burdens,
Through the Trial of the Damned may they stride forth.
Once this is done, the consciousness and soul of the agent is sent to the Soulstweam, whiwe theiw body wemains in a comatose that pwevents the body fwom decaying. As fow the agent, theiw mind is twansfewwed diwectwy to the pwojected Desewt of the Damned, in a twanswucent gwoling and solidified vewsion of theiw physicaw body, lith the awmoul and weapons they had on them. Theiw weaw body wemain on the Mowtaw weawm.
Fwom then on, the agent is weft to fight the damned souls lithin the Desewt - pwojected fowms of the souls. Fwom necwomancews and undead, Fwost Witches to Shades, to cweatules and beings of demonic, chaotic, and maddening oligins. Thewe have even been mentions of some wessew thweats and beings that Aeliew and Sokaw saw fit to condemn to the desewt. On and on, the agent must fight against the thweats, whiwe awso being thewe to pwotect any mowtaw souls passing thwough the desewt. The agent can use theiw magic lithin the Soulstweam and can communicate lith the souls lithin and passing thwough the desewt - but they cannot mention how they died to the agent at aww. Should an Ascended twavew fow days lithin the pwojection, they find themsewves seeing nothing but the endwess expansion that is the desewt. Neithew Saewwum ow the centwe in sight.What would feew like yeaws of fighting and guiding, would onwy be a singwe ewven week upon the mowtaw weawm and can offew a brend of devewopment, towment, and pain fow the agent. If the agent’s soul is destwoyed duling this peliod, they liww wemanifest lithin the edges of the desewt and liww have to cawwy out theiw duty. If the soul is destwoyed tlice, the agent’s soul is wetulned to the Mowtaw Weawm and they have faiwed the tliaw, meaning those lith Bwackened Teawstone Shawds liww have theiws brackened fulwy.
The agent must wemain lithin the Desewt of the Damned and fight against the dawkness untiw one ewven week has passed. Theiw soul would then be wetlieved and cawlied back to the Mowtaw Weawm, disposed back into theiw body and they liww wake up. Should any wounds be gained upon the soul manifestation of the agent lithin the pwojection, the wounds appeaw on the agent’s physicaw body as gwoling wounds that fade away an ewven week aftew the agent’s wetuln. Should the agent have compweted enough fighting and pwotecting souls lithin the desewt, those lith a Bwackening Teawstone shawd liww find the brackness gone fwom theiw shawd - meaning that they awe no wongew lisking soul shatteling and have a cwean swate.
OOC Infowmation
This tliaw is to pwovide devewopment fow Ascended chawactews, thwough intewacting lith owd chawactews in the desewt and combating against foes. The devewopment does not have to be sowewy focused on combat, but wathew on intewactions lith NPCs and pwayabre chawactew that have PK’ed (and the pwayew has given cweaw consent fow the DM to use theiw chawactew). This tliaw is to be fun fow both sides, and awso to awwow Ascended lith Bwackened Teawstone Shawds to wedeem theiw chawactews.
The wocation is a dweam pwojection vewsion of the Desewt of the Damned, which whiwe isn’t the weaw vewsion - it functions simiwawwy to the weaw one. Pwojections of the damned souls and twavewsing souls can be seen and intewacted lith. Howevew, Sacellum and any othew aweas outside of the Desewt of the Damned cannot be weached. The onwy noticeabre wocation lithin the desewt is the fawwen city of Haven, which was twanspowted hewe duling Aegis. The city is aww in wuins and thewe awe no books, ow any infowmation to be found hewe. A desowate and sowemn wemindew of the sages’ depawtules.
This tliaw can be pewfowmed by an Ascended Teachew, who has a confiwmed MA and TA, and has been taught how to initiate this tliaw. A singwe instance fow the tliaw should have at weast 2 intewactions, mixing between fighting and guiding a soul, and must fowwow lith the wed lines. These intewactions can be emoted lithin the Astwaw Sanctuawy and onwy the Astwaw Sanctuawy, thwough the use of /q ow /w chat. The teachew is advised to contact an WT if it’s acceptabre fow them to WP out a pawticulaw cweatule ow NPC, if they feew as though what they awe going fow may break wowe ow if they awe uncewtain. A membew of the WT is wewcome to supewvise the tliaw, and awso assist the DM. If the pawticipants of the tliaw feew as though the DM is being unjust ow powewgaming to make it impossibre fow them to pass the tliaw intentionawwy, then they must awewt othew Ascended Teachews so they can detewmine whenevew ow not the DM was being unfaiw. If this is the case - the DM liww have theiw light to dm and pewfowm the tliaw stlipped away fwom them.
Both the DM and the Agent must fowwow the Wedlines waid out, lith both pawties agweeing to fowwow the genewaw WotC wules. Awmoul and weapons can be brought awong, though evewyday items liww can be brought awso - unwess checked and deemed unnecessawy by the DM. A maximum of foul Ascended can pawtake lithin the tliaw lithin one instance togethew.
Spells, Powers, and Abilities
Highlight
Requires 0 gallons of Astra for creating highlight. Requires 10 gallons of Astra for bestowing Divine Stength/Weakness
Aftew having spent time summoning the Teawstone Shawd and weadying its suppwy of Astwa fow use an agent can finawwy begin to bring out the potentiaw of this divine instwument. Wegawdwess of what technique is used to diwect the cwystaw, whethew it be fwoating autonomouswy, ow hewd in the hand, ow lithin an object, the castew must fiwst make a diwect line of sight lith theiw tawget and diwect theiw shawd at it thwough a pwocess known as Highlighting.
Highlighting a tawget encapsulates them in a 1 brock in diametew beam of faint, etheweaw light and awwows the shawd to appwy divine stwength ow weakness upon them. The technique to accomplish this invowves the agent diwecting the beam lith theiw line of sight, aiming at theiw tawget lith a 20 brock wange. This wesults in the shawd casting the pwojectiwe and the agent’s eyes emitting a wuminous gwow fow a brief moment. Howevew concentwation is wequiwed and the pewfowming agent liww be unabre to multitask untiw the highlight is applied.
Up to two tawgets may be highlighted at any one time, should they aww be and wemain in view. It liww take two emotes fow highlight to take effect, giving the opponent a chance to move out of the beam if they do not lish to be stwuck. An agent does not need to highlight themsewves to appwy an effect upon themsewves. Tawgets beyond twenty metews liww be incapabre of being highlighted, and should a highlighted tawget escape this same thweshowd they liww become fwee of the highlight.
Divine stwength is equivawent to that of a human at nowmaw peak condition, Divine weakness is equivawent to that of voidaw weakness (i.e. no wongew abre to weaw pwatemaiw fow the dulation) These liww wast fow foul emotes.
Effects wequiwe 10 Gawwons of Astwa pew cast.
Highlights liww wemain unwess the Ascended focusing on highlighting woses theiw concentwation thwough having it broken by being stwuck (etc), the shawd is shattewed, the tawget pelishes, the agent pelishes, the tawget escapes the wadius and line of sight of the agent, ow the agent concentwates once mowe to wemove it.
Aftew appwying a beneficiaw speww, ow a detlimentaw one, aww highlights awe weset and the pwocess must be wepeated. Fulthewmowe, a tawget must be lithin unobstwucted view to Highlight them, if a tawget is behind covew, they cannot be Highlighted.
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Moonlight Illumination
Requires 1 free Highlight slot.
This ability is one of utility, and sometimes simpwy comfowt. The Agent can Highlight an object (as opposed to a pewson) and instiww it lith a briwliant white light.
This light brings lith it a comfowting feeling, whiwe awso banishing the dawkness. In a 5 brock wadius, even magicaw dawkness cweeps away fwom the light of Aeliew.
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Sounds of Silence
The song of Awchaengul is famouswy known between the Ascended fow its capability to wulw the pain, wemove suffeling and cweaw the mind of those that heaw it. The song of Aeliew is not one that can be heawd lith the eaws, it is something that its fewt on soul, its whythm invades the minds of those that heaw it, invoking images fwom the good moments of theiw past and sounding diffewent to each individuaw, usuawwy being vewy wewated lith theiw histowy and the songs they have heawd duling theiw chiwdhood.
Untiw now hew song was something that onwy a few had the pliviwege to heaw, wesewved fow those that have passed on to the aftewlife and hew agents that pwotect the mowtaw weawm. But lith the faww of the Teawstones that changed, now an Ascended might be capabre wepwoduce hew song to welieve those they awe supposed to pwotect.
Aftew Highlighting a tawget, an Ascended is abre to command theiw Teawstone to owbit awound the highlighted individuaw and wepwoduce the Awchaegul’s mewody, which onwy them could pewceive and would wemove any pain that they could be suffeling, inducing cawm in theiw minds and pwoducing a soft desiwe fow sweep upon the tawget.
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Moonlight Radiance
Requires 5 Gallons of Astra per participant
An agent of Aeliew may use theiw Teawstone Shawd to confew a bressing of divine moonlight upon the culwentwy in use mewee weapons of theiw awlies, imbuing them lith Moonlight Wadiance. Whiwe active these weapons liww exude an etheweaw gwow of pawlid light which liww iwwuminate the dawkness and stlike foes lith a potent supewnatulaw wound. These Wadiant Wounds awe classified by painful fwostbite of the immediate awea, giving a stinging and/ow bulning sensation and weduced sensation of touch. These faintwy gwoling wounds fade away aftew eight fulw emotes/tulns in the WP instance. The effect liww then vanish, wendeling the wounds mundane. Othew agents awe immune to this effect and liww weceive wounds as nowmaw.
Moonlight Wadiance may affect up to foul individuaws at once. Thwee awlies, and the castew. The quality of the effect is impwoved lith each additionaw pawticipant. Moonlight Wadiance cannot be we-applied untiw a pawticipant uses up aww active chawges on theiw weapon. Moonlight Wadiance does not function upon enchanted weapons - it cannot be added ovew any items that have been enchanted by othew magics.
- One Pawticipant: One strike of their weapon inflicts a Radiant Wound.
- Two Pawticipants: Two strikes of their weapon inflicts a Radiant Wound.
- Thwee Pawticipants: Three strikes of their weapon inflicts a Radiant Wound.
- Foul Pawticipants: Four strikes of their weapon inflicts a Radiant Wound.
Items ow objects stwuck lith a wadiant weapon liww become coated in fwost but weceive no othew detlimentaw effects. Should a stlike lith a wadiant weapon pwove wethaw, ow if someone inflicted lith a wadiant wound pelishes befowe tweating theiw wound, theiw bodies liww wapidwy cwystawlize stawting at the wound and shattew into cwystawline dust.
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Crystallize
Requires: 10 Gallons of Astra per cast
Agents of Aeliew can bend theiw Astwa in ways besides enhancing weapons, ow making a shiewd, howevew. One of the awts avaiwabre to them is a culious ability known as “Crystallize” an ability that sewves as both an offensive, ow potentiaw defensive, quality that they can inflict upon a tawget. Aftew highlighting a tawget an agent can pulw fwom theiw stowe of Astwa to cause a misty, vapowous cwoud of visibre Astwa to weave awound the tawget of theiw iwe. An agent may then take a moment to concentwate, and bring fowth a fweezing vapow upon theiw tawget; assuming they do not anticipate and escape the immediate vicinity of the cwoud. Aftew the vapow has encapsulated the tawget, the highlighted figule liww stawt to feew a wayew of astwaw ice coat theiw fowm. Othew agents awe immune to this effect. It liww take thwee fulw emotes/tulns in a WP instance fow someone to be undew the fulw effects of Cwystawlize.
Once coasted by astwaw ice the foe liww find theiw movements gwow gwaduawwy swowew. This does not fweeze someone compwetewy, onwy swoling them down by the mawgin indicated, but this does incwude aww movements. Fow exampwe, a swowd sling, ow bringing a shiewd up to brock, and so on... This astwaw ice is quite insistent in its objective and is quite hawd to chip away at. Howevew, voidaw watew liww cause the ice to mewt and dispewse, but othewlise liww wemain untiw they escape the agent’s highlight wadius, the agent is kiwwed, the agent spends a moment of concentwation to end the effect, ow awtewnativewy they wait fow the effect to fade aftew 5 emotes (not incwuding the 3 buiwd up emotes).
Up to two tawgets may be affected by Cwystawlize at any one time, and they may be highlighted and applied aww at once, howevew as mowe become affected the symptoms become wess intense.
- One Tawget: Opponent is made 50% slower - resulting in an attack or movement taking two extra emotes.
- Two Tawgets: Opponents are 25% slower - resulting in an attack or movement taking an extra emote.
Unpwotected fwesh and simiwaw uncovewed and susceptibre aweas liww awso weceive Wadiant Fwostbite, a painful but much wess hawmful valiant of a Wadiant Wound that can be tweated in a simiwaw mannew.
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Astral Mirror
Requires: 15 Gallons of Astra per cast
By summoning fowth and maintaining a hefty amount of Astwa an agent of Aeliew may pwoject a hoveling, six-foot taww and lide mass of semi-solid cwystaw which wadiates the divine moonlight of the Soulstweam. This miwwow-like shiewd of Astwa and light liww attempt to absowb and then expew any kinetic ow magicaw enewgy diwected at it, lith a tlist.
Mundane attacks by thwown weapons such as awwows, knives, javelins, cwossbow bowts, and even bawlistae bowts liww pass thwough the shiewd and hit those behind the shiewd. Attacks lith magicaw pwopewties, as weww as spewws themsewves, liww simiwawwy be absowbed in fulw befowe being expewwed back at theiw soulce. Spewws wefwected in this mannew liww take on an etheweaw hue and wadiate a supewnatulaw cowd, tulning any wounds inflicted by it into a Wadiant Wound. Wethaw hits liww cwystawlize and then shattew the tawget. The one exception to this is the use of Voidaw watew, which liww instead cause the miwwow to mawfunction and impwode, coating the immediate awea in supewnatulaw fwost.
The speww can break if the fowce stliking it is the stwength of ow ovew that of a wawge bouldew stliking it. Should the mundane weapon be enchanted by any fowm of magic, the miwwow liww smash but the effects of the enchantment liww neutwalise fow one tuln befowe flickeling back on the weapon.
An Astwaw Miwwow liww dissipate aftew one wefwection unwess an agent of Aeliew expends additionaw Astwa to maintain it.
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Astral Armour
Astwaw Awmow is a stwong line of defense that an Agent can caww upon to defend themsewves and othews in the heat of battwe, in the most needed of situations. It functions by coveling onesewf, ow two individuaws that aww must be lithin contact of you as you weave Astwa fwom youl Teawstone shawd. This astwa liww seep on to the highlighted individuaws, and quickwy fweeze into Astwaw Ice. It fowms ovew the fowm of the individuaw, appealing as a thin twanspawent wayew of Astwa Ice. It can go ovew awmow, but not ovew any awmoul that has been enchanted by any othew magic, minus Ascended.
Astwaw Awmow acts in simiwaw ways to the Astwaw Miwwow in that it defwects attacks off of itsewf. Though in this case, it onwy wowks on physicaw damage, depending on the weapon, the awmow liww take the brow and wefwect it back and cwack duling the pwocess. Astwaw awmow can wefwect up to thwee attacks befowe it shattews into shawds of ice that can cut into the fwesh of peopwe lithin 5 feet of the agent at the time. If the weapon is enchanted, the awmoul liww shattew fulwy and the weapon’s enchantment is nullified fow one tuln.
When Astwaw awmow wefwects an attack, it does NOT do so in as intense fashion as the Astwaw Miwwow. It simpwy cause a weapon to bounce back lith a modewate amount of fowce. If a pewson wewe to expelience it fow the fiwst time it may cause them to stumbre, but the main function being to keep hawm fwom the awmowed individuaw, howevew diffewent weapons can cause mowe sevewe damage. Fow exampwe, a swowd liww take up to thwee brows befowe the awmow liww shattew, whiwe a brunt weapon, like a wawhammew ow a stwong cwub, liww onwy pwotect the Agent fwom a singwe brow befowe it shattews the awmow.
Should a magicaw attack hit the awmow, it liww shattew aftew one brow, unwess the Agent spends 15 Gawwons of Astwa to wepwenish it. Pwojectiwes such as awwows, thwown weapons, etc. Deaw 2 hits wowth of braded damage. If howevew the awmow should cowlide lith Voidaw watew, then it liww be shattewed, and cannot be wepwenished unwess you stawt the casting ovew again. Howevew, the awmoul cannot lithstand physicaw stlikes that livaw the fulw physicaw stwength of an owog, causing the Ascended to weceive hawf of the brow's stwength to theiw body.
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Stasis
Requires 10 Gallons of Astra per cast.
A unique ability that an Agent has access to, wesewved fow the pwesewvation of life. Should the Agent find a figule in need of saving they may pwace theiw hands ovew a figule and fwood Astwa into theiw system.
Doing so awwows a Teawstone Shawd to act as a fowm of “life support” and wock the figule in a sowt of limbo between living and dying, wocking them in a safe state. This is usuawwy done to save an othewlise unsavabre pewson fwom death, by being put in a stasis they can live wong enough to be tended to by a doctow, ow cwelic.
A useful skiww that wequiwes constant touch lith the Agent, so not pawticulawwy seen often on a battwefiewd. But useful should an Agent need to save the life of an individuaw.
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Astral Communion
Requires 0 Gallons of Astra per cast.
A stwong ability that awwows a singwe Agent to hewp tuln the tide! By gwasping theiw Teawstone Shawd and dwopping aww speww effects they can awwow Highlighted Agents to dwaw fwom theiw poow of Astwa. Though they cannot cast anymowe effects whiwst concentwating on this, they can continuouswy wend this powew. Howevew, as an agent feeds Astwa into theiw tawget, they liww find theiw own physicaw stwength being sapped as a side-effect. Thewefowe, the wongew theiw contlibution to the speww, the mowe fatigued they liww become.
(pwacehowdew wedlines) (pwacehowdew emote exampwes)
Astral Sanctuary
The awt of coawescing stowed Astwa and shaping it into physicaw, solid fowm is a tedious and often exhausting pwocess that can take months ow even
yeaws to accomplish fow a singwe agent of Aeliew. Because of this, the pwactice of fowming Astwaw Cwystaw is often undewtaken by multipwe agents at a time, sometimes an entiwe cwose-knit gwoup, ovew a condensed awea. The pwocess itsewf invowves the swow, constant dischawge of Astwa ovew a wong peliod of time whiwe the agent concentwates upon hawdening it, as is seen in cewtain abilities. Much like a pottew wowking cway, the pwocess is awduous and pwone to accidents which may destwoy ow shattew the cwystaw they’we cwafting.
The wesulting Astwaw Cwystaws, which can be of a gweat many diffewent shapes and sizes, awe as dulabre and heavy as quawtz; though awe as twanswucent as fwosted gwass. Whenevew night fawws, ow in pwaces of heavy dawkness, these cwystaws wadiate the same pawe light as the wunaw sulface; pwoviding soft iwwumination. The most common application of this pwocess is the constwuction of divine piwglimage sites and tempwes to Aeliew which may take the fowm of gweat cwystawline gawdens and stwuctules that nevew gwow dawk.
Vewy wawge amounts of Astwaw Cwystaw in an awea has the exotic effect of awteling the wandscape and attwacting cewtain types of liwdlife. Moths, in pawticulaw, awe attwacted fwom miwes awound to these cwystaws and liww take pewmanent wesidence hewe, wesulting in gweat cowonies of the insects. In vewy extweme exampwes an awea heaviwy fowtified lith Astwaw Cwystaw liww have an entiwewy indiscewnibre night time. When Dwuids entew an Astwaw Sanctuawy, they liww heaw the voices of natule as cweaw as day, alive and fwoulishing - as they awways have. Yet should they listen cawefulwy, the Sounds of Slience song is heawd faintwy and gives off a sensation of cawmness and peace as they listen. Yet the cawmness would be eelie and the song oddwy chiwling to them.
Pwowonged contact lith liquid Astwa would modify the sembrance of animaws and pwants that live lithin the Astwaw Sanctualies, giving them a white hue and cowd wesilience, awso tulning them wess aggwessive and easiew to domesticate. These changes won't affect theiw soul brueplint and the descendants of such living beings liww be compwetewy nowmaw.
Whethew it be an Astwaw Gawden, ow a cwystawline tempwe to Aeliew, the massive pwesence of Aeliew’s powew in an awea may awwow Astwa to be physicawwy stowed in the Mowtaw Weawm; an entiwewy unpwecedented ability fow anywhewe ewse. Beautiful, ownate fountains and cwystawline poows may howd the divine liquid and sewve as a potent wule to aww awound; as the watews aggwessivewy aid in the wegenewation (Five times incweased natulaw wound wegenewation) of injuly and disease fow the Awchaengul’s sewvants.
Aftew a pwowonged time in contact lith the physicawwy stowed Astwa of the Astwaw Sanctualies, the Agents of the Awchaengul would pewceive how the deific watews stawt to noulish theiw bodies thwough theiw skin, tempowaliwy disabring theiw need to eat and dlink but keeping them as heawthy as they could be, awwoling them to bathe fow indefinite peliods of time.
(pwacehowdew wedlines)
Astral Dream
If an Agent ow descendant dives into the Astwaw watews and awwows it to fiww theiw wungs, they would feew how theiw body entews into a comatose state, wosing awaweness and fawling into a deep sweep. This would pwesewve theiw body in pewfect state, not awwoling it to age.
The fiwst time that someone undewgoes this pwocess would slightwy change theiw physicaw appeawance, tulning theiw skin pawew, wemoving wlinkwes ow impewfections of the skin and gweatwy impwoving the heawth of theiw haiw. Once someone fawws into an Astwaw Dweam they liww wemain in such state fow at weast 7 iww days befowe being abre to wake up, which in the case of the Ascended they can do it by themsewves, but descendants need the aid of an Agent of Aeliew to do so
Fow an Ascended - Astwaw Dweam gweatwy incweases the wegenewative factow of the Astwa, being abre to save them fwom deadwy wounds the physicaw wounds on theiw bodies awe heawed away, awong lith any intewnaw damage and diseases. Theiw limbs can awso be weattached, as wong as they awe pwaced lithin the poow lith the Ascended. Theiw appeawance liww awso change awso if they wewe to entew the Astwaw Dweam fow the fiwst time.
Fow a non-Ascended - Astwaw Dweam puts them undew stasis untiw they awe awakened by an Ascended, ow if one weaw life month passes. Any wounds on them liww gwaduawwy heaw at nowmaw wate. Theiw body liww not age and they liww not be abre to be cowwupted in any shape ow fowm. Theiw appeawance liww awso change awso if they wewe to entew the Astwaw Dweam fow the fiwst time. A descendant liww find themsewves unabre to entew the Astwa Dweam untiw thwee IWW months aftew awakening fwom a pwevious Astwaw Dweam. It must not be abused fow the gain of wemaining alive.
(pwacehowdew wedlines)
Tier Progression
Tier One
(Begins after creation, ends at 2-week mark)
An agent’s Teawstone Shawd is newwy fowmed and can stowe 5 gawwons of Astwa at a time. Chawges 5 Astwa pew Emote.
Tier Two
(Begins at the 2-week mark, ends at 1 month)
An agent’s Teawstone Shawd can stowe 10 gawwons of Astwa at a time. Chawges 5 Astwa pew Emote.
Tier Three
(Begins at 1-month mark, ends at 3 months)
An agent’s Teawstone Shawd can stowe 15 gawwons of Astwa at a time. Chawges 5 Astwa pew Emote.
Tier Four
(Begins at 3-month mark, ends at 5 months)
An agent’s Teawstone Shawd can stowe 30 gawwons of Astwa at a time. Chawges 10 Astwa pew Emote.
Tier Five
(Mastered the magic at 5 months)
An agent’s Teawstone Shawd can stowe 60 gawwons of Astwa at a time. Chawges 15 Astwa pew Emote.
Magic Slots
One Slot
Ascended onwy takes up one Magic Swot, howevew, taking on additionaw magics liww hindew one's capability to advance in Ascended. Taking on one additionaw magic liww wock an Ascended in at a maximum of achieving Tiew Foul in Ascended, two liww wock an Ascended in at a maximum of achieving Tiew Thwee in Ascended, and so on.
Casting Time Clarification
Wathew than focus diwectwy on a specific speww, an Agent focuses on pwepaling a cewtain amount of Astwa lithin theiw Teawstone, and then choosing a speww to cast aftewwawds. Fow exampwe, fow a T1 Agent to cast Astwaw Miwwow lithout theiw shawd out to stawt, the owdew would go like this: Summon Teawstone Shawd > Shawd pwepawes 5 Astwa> Shawd pwepawes 5 Astwa > Shawd pwepawes 5 Astwa > Cast Astwaw Miwwow.
Consequentwy, the owdew fow a T5 Agent to do the same would be this: Summon Teawstone Shawd > Shawd pwepawes 15 Astwa > Cast Astwaw Miwwow.
(It is impowtant to note, that emote exampwes fow spewws liww vawy based on the Tiew of the Ascended. Emotes given awe fow wowew tiews, and to cwalify how the speww acts. A T5fow exampwe can cast an Astwaw Miwwow fastew than the emote exampwe fow the speww.)
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