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The use of Ether to boost a body's performance and sharpen one's senses. Similar to the effects that can be gleaned with Devouring but without so terrible a cost. | The use of Ether to boost a body's performance and sharpen one's senses. Similar to the effects that can be gleaned with Devouring but without so terrible a cost. | ||
Revision as of 08:54, 24 March 2017
Contents
The Tatters of the First, The Original's Legacy
In the beginning, Ether was the unlimited power harnessed by the Original Beings. From Emea they came to Idalos, toting power that could defy the laws of fate and reality. Eight in number, none could challenge their strength, however, as they remained within this world, they slowly found themselves bound to it.
Though their power was great, they could not, or perhaps would not, permanently return to the formless chaos of Emea. Instead they committed to the world of Idalos, its maintenance, its care. From the Originals came the Immortals, children shaped of Idalos and Emea both, belonging to both worlds and tasked with the governance of Idalos and its phenomena. Through the Ether they shaped their power, but unlike the formless potential of the Originals, each Immortal developed Domains, channels by which the power of Ether could be controlled.
Then came the Great Shattering.
Seven of the Eight were gone in flashes of catastrophic brilliance. Force so immense it tore holes in reality and shook the very foundation of Idalos. Gone, without explanation, leaving behind only the scars of their passage...and the power of Domain.
The Power of Domain
Domain is a power understood best by Immortals. All Immortals have a Domain and most have several. Even their mortal offspring are born with the strange power. The Power of Domain is the ability to control phenomena within a specific field. The Immortal of Fury has unprecedented power to manipulate, create, or banish Fury as they encounter it. None master a Domain better than an Immortal, but when the Seven were destroyed, their power did not simply vanish. Instead, it suffused the world of Idalos and found new homes in the souls of men.
Domain Magic is the tattered power of the Originals taken into a body and grafted willingly to the soul upon initiation. Ether, then, is the clay by which one shapes miracles with the use of Domain magic. Ether is power beyond the grasp of mortals without the spark of Domain dwelling within them. This spark is given only upon initiation into a discipline of Domain Magic or through a mark from an Immortal.
As you grow in mastery and control, so does this spark within you. Those who have reached the pinnacle of their craft know that sometimes, this ember can threaten to overpower the identity of the mage it once belonged to, purging human frailties and leaving something else behind, something peerless and ambitious. Not necessarily better than a mortal, the creatures Mages can become are sometimes the greatest monsters on Idalos. Neither god nor man, some have whispered they are demons, ever hungry for more of a divine spark to fuel their transformation.
A mage inevitably seeks to become more than they are. No matter what discipline one originally chooses to pursue, all mages knowingly and unknowingly seek to transcend their mortal limitations. Why else would they seek so ardently to flout the laws of reality? One who takes the power of Domain upon themselves offer themselves as tribute to the power itself. As it grows the fundamental battle between being human and being...other becomes a centerpiece of a mage's existence.
Initiation
Only those who have learned magic can initiate those who have not. The process of initiation is vastly different throughout all disciplines of magic, but the similarity begins at the center. It begins with the initiator taking a bit of their essence, the essence transfused with that of the Originals, and using it to initiate a new mage.
Some have called magic an infection, communicable by choice and leaving monsters in its wake. Others have heralded magic as the only means to control one's destiny, to step out of the shadow of Immortals. Still others believe magic to be a tool by which any price is adequate.
Practices
Understanding the creation of magical runes, staffs, conduits, and the handling of wells.
Disciplines
When Ether is used to change one substance into another, or to memorize the 'qualities' of objects and temporarily imbue others.
The use of Ether and ground wells to imbue or enchant magical items or artifacts.
The use of Ether to control and encourage natural phenomenon.
The ability to conjure convincing illusions through the ether. While falling short of true creation, these fabrications can be advanced enough to fool an observer and even injure the gullible.
The use of Ether to restore things to their former state. This includes repairing broken items and injured individuals with the use of magic. Can also introduce new material to a body that was not present before.
The use of Ether to deconstruct the magic of others and the creation of shields and protective force.
The use of Ether to boost a body's performance and sharpen one's senses. Similar to the effects that can be gleaned with Devouring but without so terrible a cost.
The use of Ether to exert one's will with telepathic force and devastate defenses.
Practices vs Disciplines
The difference between Practices and Disciplines begins and ends with the Spark. Disciplines are those powers only attainable by grafting a spark to your soul through an initiation. Practices require no such ritual and are accessible to anyone who wants to learn. Although the Practices are heavily geared toward mages, anyone can theoretically pick up the basics and learn the skill, even if the skill isn't all that useful to them personally. As a rule, Practices require intense study but never threaten humanity (save for your safety. Some of them are dangerous).
The notable exception to this is Attunement. Attunement is the gift of Knowledge and grows out of an awareness exceeding a natural mortal's grasp on the world. Mages and Marked already have unique perception by dint of their brush with the divine and can independently develop Attunement. No one knows why this form of magic neither causes corruption nor requires teaching in order to develop. The only truth is that only the divine marked and mages can access this magic and its mastery does not corrupt or mutate, only informs and reveals.
What is Ether?
Ether is the formless chaos of Emea. Before it manifests, coalesces, becomes, it is Ether. This is just a word for the energy, a way to name the power where Domain draws its strength. Near and within Fractures, a mage's power is increased but at the real risk of overwhelming their bodies and minds. It is not known what a mage would be capable of in Emea, but if Fractures are any indication a mage would probably burn themselves out. In especially powerful magic, Ether manifests as the physical sensation of cool wind, somewhat electrified and carrying unique smell. For the purpose of this outline, Ether is like our mana equivalent. It exists. It can be used, and it is largely unknown...even by the mages who practice with it. Emea is boundless creativity, the Ether is untasked clay. Disciplines are the crafting hands and magic are the shapes.
A Primer On Initiations
So what is Initiation? How does it work? The answer is not uniform between disciplines. Each discipline has a unique initiation where part of the Spark is calved from an existing mage and placed within the prospective mage's soul. This act is always a painful and spiritually strange experience as the two existences merge into one. Some mages see the past or the future, others are granted curious and tantalizing visions steeped in metaphor. Some see only nightmares for days afterward...no mage experiences the same kind of awakening, although two may go through the same initiation. Most mages report feeling a presence ever afterward, a something-ness just over their shoulder or beating in their core. To date, no mage has ever reported communicating with this shard, this spark, but it doesn't stop some from trying.
A mage is limited on those they can initiate. The Spark can only be split so many times as it grows. For a competent user, only one student can be initiated. When they reach expert, two additional students can be added and at mastery, three additional ones thereafter. A mage can only ever teach his discipline a maximum of six times. This rule is ironclad. Many mages are very discerning when choosing students, knowing that each new prospective student is both competition and one less time the user can teach another.
Overstepping
The name for a mage who oversteps the bounds of their power, Overstepping is one of the consequences in magic. Whereas those who are marked usually have hard limits on the times they can manifest their gifted power, a mage has no such limitation and can Overstep their own stamina or mental fortitude wielding magic. Each discipline has a set of consequences for Overstepping. Many are temporary but a few can become permanent for particular egregious breaches of one's own ability. One must be careful with the fire they have awakened in their soul...flare it too high and it will burn a mage out, within and out.
Difference Between Mages and Marked
Certainly both are conjuring magic, so what makes a marked different from a mage? The answer is in ownership. A Marked has permission by the immortal to make use of their domain in predetermined ways. The Immortal regulates the amount of control a marked has on the domain of the Immortal. Marked magic is symbiosis with an Immortal while Domain magic is parasitic.
The No-Spells Club, Explained
Magic does come with its share of restrictions. Due to the unique physiological and spiritual makeup of Tunawa, none of them are capable of learning magic. It is unclear what exactly limits them from learning the Disciplines but some would say the Little Folk dodged a dark fate. Yludih, likewise, are not capable of learning all disciplines. A notable restriction is Becoming. A Becomer cannot become a Yludih under any circumstances and the Yludih cannot learn to Become something other than themselves. No magic works on obscuring or disguising their nature save their own transformation. Likewise, some aspects of Mirage are beyond a Yludih's grasp. Luckily, they can still shapeshift on their own. Likewise a Wisp, cut off from Emea by death, is incapable of learning magic. For the Ithecal, Gravitation, Abrogation, and Artiface are the only magical sparks that seem compatible with their unique spirituality.
The Halfbloods and the Spark
Mortalborns are a different being entirely when it comes to the Spark. Already awakened to their divine heritage, the Spark is something remarkably different and sometimes insidious when introduced to a Mortalborn. While any Mortalborn is capable of learning magic, initiating themselves into the Disiciplines begins a dangerous path that is difficult to deviate from. A Mortalborn receives double the Mutations at each level of mastery (explained below) than an ordinary mage. The nature of the spark grows exponentially in the fertile soul of a Mortalborn, steeped in divine energy. Ordinarily a Mortalborn is not capable of a Revelation as they are already awakened to their divine potential...but there are whispers of what could happen if a Revelation did occur ((Yes, that does mean no Legendary magic for Mortalborn...usually)). Apotheosis. Destruction...or worse, Descension. Some of the most dangerous beings in Idalos, The Fallen are rumored to be Mortalborn who failed in the Revelation, became something much darker and more powerful than the sum of their parts. Most Immortals do not condone their children deviating into arcana and have been known to intercede to caution progeny against it at times. No one knows what will become of a Mortalborn who reaches Revelation...few want to.
Immortals, Marks, and Magic...Oh My!
So how DO the Immortals view magic? The answer is not entirely universal as most Immortals have different opinions about the strange power taking shape in the world. Some view it as an immense affront, stealing the shards of their predecessors to play the parts of burgeoning Immortals across Idalos. Others see it as an interesting development, curious how the mortals will adapt to this new ability and make it their own. These Immortals see magic as a way to gather answers about themselves, answers their creators did not leave with them. Still others see magic and those who use it as a tool, a weapon for power plays in conquest or defense. Following is a list of the Immortals and the simple version of the opinion they hold on magic.
Zanik - Following his philosophy of strength and seduction, Zanik appreciates the allure of magic and the strength of those who wield it well, but will not tolerate those who lose themselves to it.
Faldrun - An Immortal who sides with other Immortals, Faldrun will not stoop to taking the service of a mage. To him, mages are scavengers...or worse, thieves.
Raskalarn - Raskalarn is not so bold as to make a claim for all mages under her domain, but she has been known to mark mages who work in service of the Eternal Empire. While she watches them to make sure they do not become a liability, she has been known to encourage arcane study to give her armies an edge over opponents.
Kata - Follows along with Mastes, but while the Lord of Compulsion focuses on what they can do for him, Kata loves the ruin mages often bring within the world.
Ilaren - While not categorically opposed to magic, Ilaren considers arcane power to be a dangerous tool that most mortals will misuse. While she will not stop one of her marked from exploring this path, she is usually cautious about newly marking someone who has been initiated.
Chamadarst - True to form, Chamadarst holds no strong opinion on the arcane either which way.
Vhalar - While Vhalar holds no particular animosity toward mages, the strong beliefs of Ashan influence Vhalar to be careful when choosing to mark mages. Vhalar first and foremost does not wish to give Ashan a reason to doubt his alliance.
Ziell - Knows magic is the harbinger of some grim prophecy. As Ziell has a more personal relationship with those he marks, Ziell rarely marks someone already on the path of the arcane and expresses concern over those tempted to study.
Yvithia - Mortals appearing after the destruction of the seven and now the shards of the seven manifesting in the mortals who came after has Yvithia intrigued. She marks mages to keep track of them, sway them to her side so that eventually she might understand all the mysteries they hold...from the Immortals, and themselves.
Vri - Vri holds no strong opinion on magic one way or another. He tends to mark those by their character rather than what they practice.
Pier & Pre - Scalekeepers, the Immmortals of balance do not care for the arcane. Unmitigated access to Domain brings chaos and inequality.
Syroa - Considers magic to be a useful tool for the type of chaos Aelig likes. Considering her often adversarial relationship to her marked, it is unknown how Syroa feels about magic, only that she will mark mages if they catch her interest.
Mastes - Magic is a compulsion, a vice in a way and Mastes considers mages to be under his purview...and influence.
Cassion - Is reticent to mark arcane casters, more interested in the stories of mortals who triumph without divine intervention, but has marked certain adventurous mages in the past.
Audrae - Galled by the Secret Famula and Treid keep from her, Audrae has no trouble marking mages and maintains a strong interest in their development, seeking what is hidden.
Moseke - The Goddess of Life is conflicted on the matter of magic. On one hand, it is the evolution of a new lifeform and on the other, it arms mortals with dangerous powers...powers once meant only for Immortals and their children. Moseke tends to disdain the more destructive magical arts. Moseke, like many Immortals, will mark a mage if their character aligns with her requirements.
Lisirra - The Plague-daughter understands magic to be an infection of sorts and thus considers mages under her purview and control, a point of contention between her and Mastes.
Famula - Virulently against magic, especially Necromancy. She seems to know something about arcane power that she isn't sharing, a secret that worries her.
Sintra - As mages have the power to manipulate and control others, it was only natural Sintra would be drawn to them. Sintra will never allow herself to be the fool of a relationship and only really marks mages within her own organization, The Webspinners.
Treid - The Immortal of Knowledge shares some terrible secret with Famula and will never mark a follower who embraces the arcane path.
Chrien - Chrien views magic as a cheeky insult to the Immortals. That humans and the like would dare to stand on even grounds with the Immortals is beyond insult. Chrien marks no mages and actively thwarts them when under her purview.
U'Frek - U'Frek champions the human spirit and their need to explore the open waves. He does not feel the same as Chrien about mortals meddling with the divine powers and views them as tools to help someone survive. If a mage catches his attention, he has no qualms marking them.
Xiur - Xiur, ever hopeful, wants to believe that this vestige left behind is some sort of gift from those who are now long gone. As mortals seem the only ones capable of interacting with the Sparks, he marks mages and non mages both based on the merit of their character.
Qylios - Qylios is not sure what to make of the birth of magic. She has seen it shatter the lesser and twist the strong but also has seen it used for great good. Like many, Qylios marks those who align with her personality and values, mage or not.
Ethelynda - More concerned with the individual than magic itself, Ethelynda will mark mages, but is careful to make sure her chosen don't lose themselves to the mutations.
Aeva - While Aeva understands the Ambition of a mage, she rarely marks an arcane caster that does not align with her interests, Artificers being an exception.. In contrast, she has a great appreciation for the Practices.
Ymiden - Ymiden accepts that magic is part of the world and understands the mortal wish to pursue it. He will mark his followers before and after they take this path, so long as they can keep control of the new power.
Karem - While she serves under Raskalarn, Karem is not sold on the use of magic. Mages live largely solitary lives and many tend to set themselves above or beyond their own race. Karem is cautious to mark a mage as her own and only tends to do so for the mages that do not exhibit troubling ambition and arrogance.
Edasha - Edasha tempers her opinions around Faldrun and although her support may be wavering, she does agree that magic can be a dangerous power to leave unchecked. She is capable of marking a mage, but it is not common.
Delroth - The mad hunger for power falls neatly in line with the Greed Brother's domain. Like some other Immortals, he considers himself to be a patron of the mages and the sole inheritor of their will and purpose.
Ralaith - Is cautious about the downfalls of magic and the hubris of mages. He rarely marks a follower who embraces it
Ashan - The Shaman Immortal is directly opposed to magic. As it requires one to graft an unknown power to ones soul, it's a breach and blasphemy of spirituality. Ashan has no trust for mages or their machinations and opposes them where they are encountered.
Aelig - Enjoys the chaos magic can bring, and views it as a tool in its grand machinations.
Thetros - Thetros has no particular bias or prejudice for or against mages, and marks individuals based on their personality and potential rather than any particular identity or characteristic.
NOTE: A mage cannot begin play with an Immortal Mark. Even the most favorable Immortal to magic necessitates a longer period of observation and judgement before extending their blessing. Blessings must be earned in character by mages. Also note that the opinions are not the hard rule. If you can somehow convince a reticent immortal that you deserve their mark anyways, some may change their opinion for notable exceptions.
What about the Conduits and Wells?
Conduits and Wells have not vanished entirely from the magical scope. While wells of power can still be mined from the Fractures, their uses are not essential to all magic. Instead, conduits are items that can store spells or even empower the ability of a caster who makes use of them. While far from essential, Conduits are items that many mages could not do without. Magical staves and wands are the domain of Ensorcellment now and the material used to make conduits, wells, are important for the practice of Artiface and Ensorcellment both.
Fractures
Fractures are the natural (and sometimes unnatural) schisms between Emea and Idalos. These Fractures always take the form of chasms, caves, and crevices in the environments they're found in. Within the Fractures, wells can be harvested from the walls. However, it should be noted that a physical link between Emea and Idalos is a dangerous place to be. From the swirling chaos of Emea beyond, unknown horrors could slip into Idalos. The rules of reality may be more suggestible in these places and only the most seasoned and prepared adventurer is advised to enter Fractures.
Minor Fractures - appear and disappear, sometimes in the space of a day. Can rarely be predicted, often small. Rarely very deep and never lead to Emea. The gate to Emea closes as soon as the Fracture is formed and lasts only a limited amount of time after.
Major Fractures - Last a long time, sometimes permanent fixtures, natural weak points between the worlds. There is a physical entrance to Emea deep within, but is usually a small entrance and difficult to crawl into as a regular sized person. Also never crawl into an Emea hole. Never. Please. It's dangerous guys. Seriously.
Grand Fractures - Only 7 Grand fractures, for the exploded Immortals Original Beings. These seven places have a huge hole to Emea deep in their cavernous recesses. Weird phenomena occur here and the laws of reality are not always absolute. Strange monsters and aberrations can enter from Emea into this world, although rarely last long.
Flaying
Almost all sentient beings are connected to Emea. When they sleep, their dreaming selves explore the world outside Idalos. While it is not completely understood why this is so, the fact remains. Each and every mage has the potential to abuse this relationship for their own benefit. Each mage can naturally sense this connection, the Ether in others and are thus able to rip it from another sentient being. This process is always fatal for the victim. A brutal and grotesque practice, a mage who kills someone sacrificially and calls to the Ether of that person at their dying breath is granted the ability to cast and control magic at a much higher threshold for the remainder of the Trial. This usually manifests in a mage by ignoring the restrictions of overstepping. Depending on the power of the individual flayed, the increase in ones magic potential will also sharply, but temporarily, increase. Alternatively, they can force the Ether to crystallize the organs of the individual and create new wells, harvested from the living. These wells tend to be of the moderate to high quality, but some mages have reported curious abnormalities arise using the new wells in their magic. Some call this an Echo, the will of the Flayed remaining in the products created of their essence.
Flaying taints a mage forever and if one knows what it looks like, feels like in another's presence...this crime can be identified. The rush of power is innately addicting and to Flay is to fall victim to the vicious cycle of compulsion. The Spark within you flares hungrily and it is difficult to resist the urge to indulge again thereafter. The more powerful the mage, the more addicting Flaying becomes. While similar to the Discipline of Devouring, this ability goes a step too far and meddles in the domains of the soul and the ineffable quality of sentient life. While many Devourers fall to Flaying, it is not a problem contained only in one kind of mage.
Supposedly, to flay a Mortalborn is to touch Divinity.
Corruptions
The process goes by many names: The Ascension, the Kenning, or the Falling. As a mage grows in magic power, they risk becoming something else, slowly transforming into something different from the race they were, the race anything is. They are Corruptions for some and Evolutions to others. Depending on one's mage instructor, they can go by different names and carry a different weight in how they are explained. Essentially they are changes that happen to the character as they grow in mastery. One does not risk an Evolution at novice level in a magic, their first change occurring when they reach competency.
Mutations
Witchmarks, Brands, Disquiet
These are the result of reaching competency in a magic or truly passing limits using magic. These changes are often harmless, cosmetic, and small enough to often be overlooked. Only the mage is truly aware that their very nature is beginning to change with the competency of their magic. Transformation of eye color into a shade unnatural for the race (including a spectrum of shifting colors), motes of light swimming in a gaze, silver scars, unnatural odor, curious colored blemishes. Often the Brands can be hidden, but not through magical or divine means. Brands and all other 'transformations' follow a mage in any shape they take and in most disguises they don.
Awakenings
Awakenings occur when a mage experiences another evolution in their mastery of a discipline. These transformations are often far more difficult to conceal and either physically or mentally change something about the mage's nature. Not always an advantage or disadvantage, these transformations are more indicative of a mage's changing nature, farther from what they used to be and what they are becoming. These will be defined by the Prophet and are often thematic of the magic one is reaching expertise in. An example for necromancy might be having skin the color of dead flesh that is more resistant to conventional damage or the ability to go much longer without food or water. A Devouring Awakening might be razor sharp teeth and the inability to deviate from an all meat diet, or even cannibalism. These changes are always unique to the player as no magic or transformation is quite the same. These Awakenings will follow a mage through any disguise or shape they take. At mastery, two additional Awakenings are added to the mage, often following the thematic line of the magic one is mastering and building on the changes before. Sometimes the witchmarks/brands evolve into the Awakenings and sometimes they are left unscathed. No one knows what determines these changes.
Revelations
Plaguementations
Revelations are the pinnacle of a mage's transformation. When a mage reaches legendary in a discipline, the spark within them matures and manifests within their body and mind. The arcane call this transformation a Revelation, because it is not simply a matter of transforming but being Revealed as you truly are...different and alien to the race you once were. Each Discipline has a specific sort of Revelation but so few mages reach the level of skill that it is poorly recorded. Most who reach this zenith lose themselves, becoming a facet of their discipline rather than the being they began as. If a mage has managed to keep his humanity this long, throughout the transformations, they might still cling to that last vestige of mortality, but few have the presence of mind to resist the semi-apotheosis that occurs. Some mages speak of secrets that forestall a revelation and even prevent it, others speak of a spiritual union with the spark within that allows one to coexist as themselves and the other, and still more say that some of the most dangerous monsters in all of Idalos once wore mortal skin and have since become lost to what they are. Those mages that lose themselves in the Revelation do not return. There is no mage or sense of self to return to. Nothing can save a mage lost to Revelation...save perhaps the intervention of an Immortal or secrets yet unknown. Only one Revelation can occur within an individual. A mage is only capable of becoming Legendary in one discipline. Once that spark matures, no other can mature to that level thereafter.
The scuttlebut: As Player Characters , you will not be destroyed or turned into an NPC by becoming Legendary in a discipline (Mortalborn are a possible exception, worked out with a Prophet). You will be expected to work with a Prophet on what the Revelation means for your character. Most likely your appearance will change and almost certainly aspects of your personality will shift. Consider magic to be a chrysalis and mastery to be when you emerge from that cocoon. You will gain power and certain strange abilities, along with curious drawbacks. While the Revelation of each discipline is internally similar, no two mages will reach Revelation the exact same way.
But I don't like being a mutant man. How do I get rid of Mutations?: Whaaaat? A player who doesn't want consequences for power? Oh very well, I'll bite. There is no straight conventional way to rid oneself of mutations. These are your body and soul changing as the spark grows within you. However, far be it from me to leave you with no options. It is rumored that some Immortals are capable of renewing a mage, erasing the Mutations from them while allowing them to keep their magic. There are even rumors of Emean artifacts or strange pacts with dark beings that may waylay the growth of the spark within you. These discoveries will have to be made in character and are at the discretion of the Prophets. A note here, Revelations can never be reversed. As a Mortalborn can never be made into a regular mortal, so thus can a Revealed mage never return to being what they were. While there are ways to conceal what you've become, you cannot un-be what you are. Awakening is a choice. You may choose to stop short at 99 and never go that extra step. We don't blame you. Mages who live long enough to become that powerful sometimes stop short there as well. You've been warned.
Out of Character
Player Character Restrictions
(The Lowdown)
1. Tunawa cannot learn magic
2. Wisps cannot learn magic
3. Yludih cannot learn Becoming or use Mirage to conceal themselves
4. Ithecal can only learn Abrogation, Gravitation, and Artiface
5. Only one magic can reach Legendary, choose wisely.
6. Save for special circumstances, a Mortalborn can never reach Legendary in any magic.
7. Only four magics per mage (Only one can be legendary)
8. Only three magics per Mortalborn (None can be legendary)
9. Starting mages may not begin with an Immortal Mark
10. Magic is not an applicable Fast Track skill. One can only earn experience for magic practicing magic. You cannot write a thread about using Attunement and suddenly become an Expert necromancer.
11. You may only begin with two magics upon start up. The rest must be learned in roleplay.
12. If a Naerikk tried to learn Becoming they would never be a Naerikk again.
Guidelines for Mutations
Witchmarks/Brands are player created. They must follow the thematic direction of your magic. They can be concealable but if you are a shape shifter these changes follow you through every form.
A player has some direction how mutation manifest. Please consider reaching out to a Prophet to plan these changes. They should build on the magic you're learning and even evolve out of your Brand. Some of these mutations can be advantages, special abilities, but we expect you to balance them out with drawbacks as well. Great stories are told with struggle. We are leaving the creative onus with you, but we hope you'll use these changes to build out the unique struggle your character is going through. There will be example mutations with each Discipline write up you can use for inspiration or directly copy if you like what we wrote better than your idea.
The Revelation
If you want to be a Legendary mage, Revelation is unavoidable. You will only be Revealed once (usually) and it always changes what you are at your core. Sometimes this comes with unique social disabilities for your character. As the staff, we understand that trading your ability to talk to other player characters or naturally exist in the world without being hunted is important. A Revelation in its true, undisguised state, is not human. No matter what disguise or magic you use to hide what you are...you will always return to this form at some point. It is who you and the spark are now. You are the Truth. That said, this is a roleplaying site. We build epic stories. If you're worried how the Revelation will effect your character, make your CHARACTER worried about how the Revelation will affect them. Go on a quest, talk to an Immortal, speak to the Prophets about your concerns and we will help you find a happy medium.
By the way, for you visual thinkers we have included the following examples for what a Revealed form might look like. These changes are supposed to be dramatic, coming with their own disadvantages and advantages...but as storytellers, everything is variable.
The NightKing- Game of Thrones
Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke (after transformation)- Atlantis
Hellboy (Especially that special arm)
Silver Surfer (Transforms with the Power Galactic)
The Abomination (Incredible Hulk)
Nero (DMC 4)
Arkham (DMC 3)