Godcard
- Thread starter Birdsie
- Start date
- Original
Chapter 20 - Shadow of the Mother
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Shadow of the Mother
All of the school halls were annoyingly packed and tight, hundreds of teenagers swarming around like a sea of human locusts. A quagmire of life and activity, buzzwords, and constant motion that Zane had to wade through.
Ms. Whateverhername, his homeroom teacher, had given him a scrap of paper with the locker number and rough location. It was at a major intersection of halls.
"Hey." A brief pause - it was probably caused by the fact that Zane wasn't paying the slightest attention to the small band of rowdy delinquents approaching him with grins on their faces, too occupied with putting his geography books away in the locker. "Your name's Zane, right? Zane Li?"
"No," he answered firmly.
"Don't play coy," the boy said, voice smarmy. "I'm Spike. These are Brick, Hammer, Plank. We'd like for you to-"
"Join a gang, right?" He twisted the knob on the locker, producing a thunk as it locked firmly. He banged a fist against it, twice, testingly. He turned around to face the boys, a glimmer of violence in his eyes. He was bigger than all of them, broad-shouldered, with only a pair of wireframe glasses to show any kind of vulnerability. "No."
"What's your fucking problem, asshole?" said the biggest of the bunch, probably Brick.
A push came to a shove. A shove came to a punch. Since they didn't take 'no' for an answer, he didn't take them seriously. A fight broke out in the middle of the hallway, but ended before anything serious could happen to anyone. In the aftermath, however, Zane had realized something important.
It'd keep happening. Again and again. He wouldn't have peace, ever.
So he stopped fighting and joined them, instead. He found a measure of friendship, there, even.
But what he wanted, truly, was freedom.
---
Around him spanned the oriental forests of some endless realm, in a kaleidoscopic confusion of intermingling growths and fields; verdant forests and jade-colored plains; pink rivers and sapphire gulfs of water like tear-blurred smears on the horizon, shown as distant landscapes. Closer to himself, Zane could see the details of the plants, and name the species of the flora: Japanese beech, chrysanthemum flowers, and black pines spread in some kind of primeval glory. The experience was overwhelming and ecstatic to the point of mental orgasm; the world's beauty laid bare in a whirl of impossible magnificence, all colors of the rainbow arrayed to delicately caress his senses.
It was an environment better and more fulfilling than sex, and yet ritualistically pure. Everything here was so unutterably close to perfection - it had some quintessential je ne sais quoi that rendered exposure to it into an experience better than any on Earth.
And now he knew, with deep certainty, that his mother's gardening advice had been - if not false, then useless on an objective scale. No human gardening technique could approach this sheer magnitude of beauty; even if he dared to try in the future, he'd compare his efforts to this, and always find them lacking.
As Zane breathed in the air, he found that it was clear and balmy-pure, as if unstained by pollution, and yet filled with an indescribable, electric capacity for animation and vibrant life. Every moment spent here, simply breathing and thinking about nothing in particular, was a sweet paradise.
But he couldn't spend eternity here. There were matters to attend to, ones of great import, and he could feel the land himself working to break him out of his reverie and gently push him to move, at the same time as it displayed its unearthly charm to delight him. It was indescribable, beyond mortal words or comprehension.
He walked the distant fields. His hand was stained by cinder and ash - he brushed it against the infinite, flaxen stalks of wheat and found it cleaned.
A path of cobblestones neatly led up the mountain and circled around it like a wide spiral. He chose to ascend.
Out in the distance, climbing the mountain, he could see endless mountains and the forest valleys surrounding them, with not a sign of civilization in sight. All of the divine tapestry of this nameless land was a feast for his eyes. Above, clouds hung serenely and orderly in the sky as if shaped into puffs by the hands of invisible air-gods. The air itself tickled his skin and cleansed it of its impurities; wiped away the sweat and dirt, filled his lungs up like a holy nectar, and repaired the damage he'd done to them over the course of his reckless life.
As if traversing in a dream, Zane continued up the mountain.
He slowly walked through sheaves of comfortingly-warm pink leaves and cherry blossoms, emerging in a sacred demesne - a small, radiant landlocked cove, with a pool of turquoise waters in the center. There was an eastern-style pagoda off to the side, constructed from gentle but noble materials; firm walnut wood, golden plating, silver hand-carved finishes, and vast slabs of engraved jade. There was a crescent of tall rocks and boulders, carved not by hand, but elemental erosion, made to form granite pillars.
A single, perfect lotus flower of rich, pink-white color rested within the sacred pond at the center of this demesne, a powerful halcyon ray of zenith sunlight shining down on it like a beam from heaven. He fell in love instantly.
Almost instantly, Zane understood there probably wasn't a more perfect spot for meditation in the world.
He'd never believed in his uncle's practice of feng shui - sacred geomancy - but now he did, and now he understood its use, its practicalities.
All of this place had been constructed. Here, every rock and every tree had been placed with painstaking attention to detail, to best channel the energies of the beyond and create a place so sacred a church would burn away into dust if forced to behold its holiness at its full, unsurpassed radiance. There was a deep reign of serene emotion and peace in the air, filling him and making him feel as if he was receiving a shoulder massage.
Zane could sit down here and rest, and never stand up again, and he'd be perfectly content with that fate. He wondered, if maybe this was heaven.
"Welcome! I don't recognize you."
He turned to the person speaking to him, a few meters to the side, in front of the pagoda. A young man with short white hair and sparkling blue eyes, a bow strapped across his shoulder. A pair of draconian prismatic wings the color of crushed gems were sprouting from his back, splayed and resting on a backrest of bushes, and there were pristine white fangs in his mouth, but none of those features seemed to detract from his appearance. He was sitting on a rock, lounging around, as if casually waiting for something.
"I'm Zane. What..."
"Is this place?" The man chuckled. "Don't fret. I think she summoned you here. Do you see that lotus flower in the middle of the pond?"
"Yes," Zane answered, eyes locking on the flower mentioned.
"There is drinking water in its center. Go ahead and drink from it. Don't worry about the water, it's perfectly warm."
He didn't know why, but he complied with the proposition. He shouldn't have been so trustful, so idiotic as to do whatever a stranger tells him to, but something deep in Zane's heart told him the man wasn't lying. It was the same force that administrated this realm.
He went into the lake, swam across its length, and drank from the petals of the Lotus.
---
And there, he met the Maiden, and she gave him a blessing.
13 Ambrosia to spend. If you desire a powerful boon - and to survive - then I suggest conscientious spending and choices.
You may select one of the boons detailed underneath.
[ ] Refuse Kindness - All of your wounds are healed instantly and you leave this dream.
*I'm not sure why you'd do this after having come this far.
*You can use Godcards as normal. Are they really worth it, though?
[ ] Lotus Child - A single lotus flower, with a sweet fragrant aroma. Above it shines the light of the Isle, and from its waters, you can slake any thirst. Even a thirst for freedom.
*An immediate gain of superhuman strength, constitution, and dexterity, sufficient to crack stone with your fist and to move as fast as a speeding stallion. Also grants bio-thaumaturgical immortality and immense regeneration of injury, sufficient to call yourself "bulletproof."
*A comprehensive suite of moderately powerful but versatile 'superpowers'/spells all centered on the same themes, in the vein of a classical druid: read the stars to divine and rewrite the future, command nature to do your bidding, and heal the broken world with holy light. All of these are a stage above normal Godcard powers.
*All of your capabilities will rise as you perform good deeds, and you can unlock new capabilities over time, not limited by your starting powerset.
*You can still use Godcards, but your compatibility may never rise above 60%, and rarely above 40%. Can't do a quest for Exalted Compatibility.
[ ] Knight's Arm [12 Ambrosia] - Often, the foolish believe the Lotus Maiden to be someone who shies away from war. None of them have ever seen her don the suit of her terrible armor, and pick up the baneful sword that she wields against her enemies in the endless cosmic expanse. Blood like silver dust; a banner like a golden crown.
Allow the Maiden to outfit you with a baneful sword. Violence begets violence, but in the end, it has to be this way.
*Allows you access to a Knight Arm, a highly personalized and customizable magical weapon.
*Unlike a Godcard, this weapon is a part of your own soul and mythos. It cannot be disconnected from you, stolen, or disabled. Anti-magic effects offer, at most, only a modest reduction of power capacity - the only direct counter for a Knight Arm would be highly esoteric magics.
*A Knight Arm starts off as a relatively weak artifact (but surpassing the powers of most Godcards,) and slowly progresses to become a world-shattering implement.
*Next chapter will instead be a Knight Arm Customization vote, choosing its powers, forms, etc.
*You can still use Godcards, but your compatibility may never rise above 60%, and rarely above 40%. Can't do a quest for Exalted Compatibility.
[ ] Esoteric Assumption of Responsibility [25 Ambrosia] - And now, power - to vanquish and to save.
As you arise from the ashes of transformation, the world itself swells and shares in your bounty of holy water. Across Earth, the leylines and nodes shine with newfound vigor. And your soul is at the center of it all - the terminal of the planet which links together the boundary of Golden Truth to Ensilvered Falsehood.
*Become a true magician, and the first - de facto native - magician of Earth.
*Yours is the providence of domains, concepts, and ideas. In the cradle of meditation and knowledge, forge new spells and magics to impose your will on the world. Start with simple and instinctive applications: solid energy blasts, telekinesis, future-sensing, physical reinforcement, etc. All potent enough to combat most physical Cardbearers.
*Eventually, lets you create a novel magic system to express your connection to the world.
*A power with immediate starting potential, and immense endgame might. At the conclusion of this "game," you will be an entity shining with limitless power and omnipotent reach, far above the highest and most exalted of Gods... assuming you survive.
*The Olympus Corporation will attempt to assassinate you with extreme prejudice for interfering in their plans. This is already the case, no matter what you pick, but this option doubles this factor.
*Permanently seals away your ability to use Godcards. As soon as you attempt to connect to one, it will burn into cinders by the might of your soul.
All of the school halls were annoyingly packed and tight, hundreds of teenagers swarming around like a sea of human locusts. A quagmire of life and activity, buzzwords, and constant motion that Zane had to wade through.
Ms. Whateverhername, his homeroom teacher, had given him a scrap of paper with the locker number and rough location. It was at a major intersection of halls.
"Hey." A brief pause - it was probably caused by the fact that Zane wasn't paying the slightest attention to the small band of rowdy delinquents approaching him with grins on their faces, too occupied with putting his geography books away in the locker. "Your name's Zane, right? Zane Li?"
"No," he answered firmly.
"Don't play coy," the boy said, voice smarmy. "I'm Spike. These are Brick, Hammer, Plank. We'd like for you to-"
"Join a gang, right?" He twisted the knob on the locker, producing a thunk as it locked firmly. He banged a fist against it, twice, testingly. He turned around to face the boys, a glimmer of violence in his eyes. He was bigger than all of them, broad-shouldered, with only a pair of wireframe glasses to show any kind of vulnerability. "No."
"What's your fucking problem, asshole?" said the biggest of the bunch, probably Brick.
A push came to a shove. A shove came to a punch. Since they didn't take 'no' for an answer, he didn't take them seriously. A fight broke out in the middle of the hallway, but ended before anything serious could happen to anyone. In the aftermath, however, Zane had realized something important.
It'd keep happening. Again and again. He wouldn't have peace, ever.
So he stopped fighting and joined them, instead. He found a measure of friendship, there, even.
But what he wanted, truly, was freedom.
---
Around him spanned the oriental forests of some endless realm, in a kaleidoscopic confusion of intermingling growths and fields; verdant forests and jade-colored plains; pink rivers and sapphire gulfs of water like tear-blurred smears on the horizon, shown as distant landscapes. Closer to himself, Zane could see the details of the plants, and name the species of the flora: Japanese beech, chrysanthemum flowers, and black pines spread in some kind of primeval glory. The experience was overwhelming and ecstatic to the point of mental orgasm; the world's beauty laid bare in a whirl of impossible magnificence, all colors of the rainbow arrayed to delicately caress his senses.
It was an environment better and more fulfilling than sex, and yet ritualistically pure. Everything here was so unutterably close to perfection - it had some quintessential je ne sais quoi that rendered exposure to it into an experience better than any on Earth.
And now he knew, with deep certainty, that his mother's gardening advice had been - if not false, then useless on an objective scale. No human gardening technique could approach this sheer magnitude of beauty; even if he dared to try in the future, he'd compare his efforts to this, and always find them lacking.
As Zane breathed in the air, he found that it was clear and balmy-pure, as if unstained by pollution, and yet filled with an indescribable, electric capacity for animation and vibrant life. Every moment spent here, simply breathing and thinking about nothing in particular, was a sweet paradise.
But he couldn't spend eternity here. There were matters to attend to, ones of great import, and he could feel the land himself working to break him out of his reverie and gently push him to move, at the same time as it displayed its unearthly charm to delight him. It was indescribable, beyond mortal words or comprehension.
He walked the distant fields. His hand was stained by cinder and ash - he brushed it against the infinite, flaxen stalks of wheat and found it cleaned.
A path of cobblestones neatly led up the mountain and circled around it like a wide spiral. He chose to ascend.
Out in the distance, climbing the mountain, he could see endless mountains and the forest valleys surrounding them, with not a sign of civilization in sight. All of the divine tapestry of this nameless land was a feast for his eyes. Above, clouds hung serenely and orderly in the sky as if shaped into puffs by the hands of invisible air-gods. The air itself tickled his skin and cleansed it of its impurities; wiped away the sweat and dirt, filled his lungs up like a holy nectar, and repaired the damage he'd done to them over the course of his reckless life.
As if traversing in a dream, Zane continued up the mountain.
He slowly walked through sheaves of comfortingly-warm pink leaves and cherry blossoms, emerging in a sacred demesne - a small, radiant landlocked cove, with a pool of turquoise waters in the center. There was an eastern-style pagoda off to the side, constructed from gentle but noble materials; firm walnut wood, golden plating, silver hand-carved finishes, and vast slabs of engraved jade. There was a crescent of tall rocks and boulders, carved not by hand, but elemental erosion, made to form granite pillars.
A single, perfect lotus flower of rich, pink-white color rested within the sacred pond at the center of this demesne, a powerful halcyon ray of zenith sunlight shining down on it like a beam from heaven. He fell in love instantly.
Almost instantly, Zane understood there probably wasn't a more perfect spot for meditation in the world.
He'd never believed in his uncle's practice of feng shui - sacred geomancy - but now he did, and now he understood its use, its practicalities.
All of this place had been constructed. Here, every rock and every tree had been placed with painstaking attention to detail, to best channel the energies of the beyond and create a place so sacred a church would burn away into dust if forced to behold its holiness at its full, unsurpassed radiance. There was a deep reign of serene emotion and peace in the air, filling him and making him feel as if he was receiving a shoulder massage.
Zane could sit down here and rest, and never stand up again, and he'd be perfectly content with that fate. He wondered, if maybe this was heaven.
"Welcome! I don't recognize you."
He turned to the person speaking to him, a few meters to the side, in front of the pagoda. A young man with short white hair and sparkling blue eyes, a bow strapped across his shoulder. A pair of draconian prismatic wings the color of crushed gems were sprouting from his back, splayed and resting on a backrest of bushes, and there were pristine white fangs in his mouth, but none of those features seemed to detract from his appearance. He was sitting on a rock, lounging around, as if casually waiting for something.
"I'm Zane. What..."
"Is this place?" The man chuckled. "Don't fret. I think she summoned you here. Do you see that lotus flower in the middle of the pond?"
"Yes," Zane answered, eyes locking on the flower mentioned.
"There is drinking water in its center. Go ahead and drink from it. Don't worry about the water, it's perfectly warm."
He didn't know why, but he complied with the proposition. He shouldn't have been so trustful, so idiotic as to do whatever a stranger tells him to, but something deep in Zane's heart told him the man wasn't lying. It was the same force that administrated this realm.
He went into the lake, swam across its length, and drank from the petals of the Lotus.
---
And there, he met the Maiden, and she gave him a blessing.
13 Ambrosia to spend. If you desire a powerful boon - and to survive - then I suggest conscientious spending and choices.
You may select one of the boons detailed underneath.
[ ] Refuse Kindness - All of your wounds are healed instantly and you leave this dream.
*I'm not sure why you'd do this after having come this far.
*You can use Godcards as normal. Are they really worth it, though?
[ ] Lotus Child - A single lotus flower, with a sweet fragrant aroma. Above it shines the light of the Isle, and from its waters, you can slake any thirst. Even a thirst for freedom.
*An immediate gain of superhuman strength, constitution, and dexterity, sufficient to crack stone with your fist and to move as fast as a speeding stallion. Also grants bio-thaumaturgical immortality and immense regeneration of injury, sufficient to call yourself "bulletproof."
*A comprehensive suite of moderately powerful but versatile 'superpowers'/spells all centered on the same themes, in the vein of a classical druid: read the stars to divine and rewrite the future, command nature to do your bidding, and heal the broken world with holy light. All of these are a stage above normal Godcard powers.
*All of your capabilities will rise as you perform good deeds, and you can unlock new capabilities over time, not limited by your starting powerset.
*You can still use Godcards, but your compatibility may never rise above 60%, and rarely above 40%. Can't do a quest for Exalted Compatibility.
[ ] Knight's Arm [12 Ambrosia] - Often, the foolish believe the Lotus Maiden to be someone who shies away from war. None of them have ever seen her don the suit of her terrible armor, and pick up the baneful sword that she wields against her enemies in the endless cosmic expanse. Blood like silver dust; a banner like a golden crown.
Allow the Maiden to outfit you with a baneful sword. Violence begets violence, but in the end, it has to be this way.
*Allows you access to a Knight Arm, a highly personalized and customizable magical weapon.
*Unlike a Godcard, this weapon is a part of your own soul and mythos. It cannot be disconnected from you, stolen, or disabled. Anti-magic effects offer, at most, only a modest reduction of power capacity - the only direct counter for a Knight Arm would be highly esoteric magics.
*A Knight Arm starts off as a relatively weak artifact (but surpassing the powers of most Godcards,) and slowly progresses to become a world-shattering implement.
*Next chapter will instead be a Knight Arm Customization vote, choosing its powers, forms, etc.
*You can still use Godcards, but your compatibility may never rise above 60%, and rarely above 40%. Can't do a quest for Exalted Compatibility.
[ ] Esoteric Assumption of Responsibility [25 Ambrosia] - And now, power - to vanquish and to save.
As you arise from the ashes of transformation, the world itself swells and shares in your bounty of holy water. Across Earth, the leylines and nodes shine with newfound vigor. And your soul is at the center of it all - the terminal of the planet which links together the boundary of Golden Truth to Ensilvered Falsehood.
*Become a true magician, and the first - de facto native - magician of Earth.
*Yours is the providence of domains, concepts, and ideas. In the cradle of meditation and knowledge, forge new spells and magics to impose your will on the world. Start with simple and instinctive applications: solid energy blasts, telekinesis, future-sensing, physical reinforcement, etc. All potent enough to combat most physical Cardbearers.
*Eventually, lets you create a novel magic system to express your connection to the world.
*A power with immediate starting potential, and immense endgame might. At the conclusion of this "game," you will be an entity shining with limitless power and omnipotent reach, far above the highest and most exalted of Gods... assuming you survive.
*The Olympus Corporation will attempt to assassinate you with extreme prejudice for interfering in their plans. This is already the case, no matter what you pick, but this option doubles this factor.
*Permanently seals away your ability to use Godcards. As soon as you attempt to connect to one, it will burn into cinders by the might of your soul.
[X] Refuse Kindness
[X] Knight's Arm [12 Ambrosia]
WHEN THE LOTUS WAIFU CALLS THE SORD SHALL BE OUR ANSWER!
WHEN THE LOTUS WAIFU CALLS THE SORD SHALL BE OUR ANSWER!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Knight's Arm
Not a big fan of the Eternal Truth vote, but now that we're here may as well.
Not a big fan of the Eternal Truth vote, but now that we're here may as well.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Every point of debt adds a cumulative -10 to every roll you make, so Zane would have a -120 penalty to each roll. Of course, the alternative is that you post and discuss like crazy to work up a huge Ambrosia multiplier. It's not completely inconceivable that you might be able to afford EAR if you work hard enough, but it seems like most people prefer Knight anyhow.
- Location
- Poland
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Knight's Arm [12 Ambrosia]
Honestly, even if we had the ambrosia, would we want Zane to become a *gasp* NERD?!
This is the way. Not being a druid, nor a mage- just a dude with a sword. Or a knight, if you want to get fancy.
Also, it has something of thematic significance, honestly. Zane wants peace, but keeps finding people and problems who can only be swayed by violence.
It's something of a logical conclusion that he'll only find serenity in the world once he cuts a path to it.
Honestly, even if we had the ambrosia, would we want Zane to become a *gasp* NERD?!
This is the way. Not being a druid, nor a mage- just a dude with a sword. Or a knight, if you want to get fancy.
Also, it has something of thematic significance, honestly. Zane wants peace, but keeps finding people and problems who can only be swayed by violence.
It's something of a logical conclusion that he'll only find serenity in the world once he cuts a path to it.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Last edited:
Knight Arm Construction
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
Anyway, it seems like, since the majority of the thread is voting for Knight's Arm (aside from They Who Watch, who's voting for Refuse Kindness as a joke,) I don't see a reason to drag this whole process out. Let's skip to the fun stuff, hm?
Knight Arm Mechanics
"It's something of a logical conclusion that he'll only find serenity in the world once he cuts a path to it."
A Knight Arm is a magical weapon crafted from divine and aetherial essence, entrusted to the Knight-Champions and Knight-Aspirants of the Lotus Maiden. When not in use, it can be hidden within your metaphysical heart ("Xin.")
There are six Ranks of Knight Arm: [Common], [Noble], [Royal], [Imperial], [Divine], [Heroic]. Rank defines the power level of a given Arm. It's not possible for the Knight Arm of an Aspirant to fall below Noble Rank, nor is it possible for the Knight Arm of a Champion to fall below Heroic. At the same time, an Aspirant can't access the Heroic Rank. Although this holds true in every universe and regardless of the central paradigm, not every user of a Knight Arm has to be an Aspirant or Champion. Random mages who use Knight Arms usually can't access Imperial Rank, and can never hope to reach Divine Rank, which is reserved solely for the greatest and most faithful Aspirants.
If you can't tell, you're an Aspirant.
A Knight Arm also has:
*At least one [Form] which defines its physical aspect. It's uncommon for a given Arm to have more than one; rare for it to have more than two; almost unheard of to have more than three, outside of specific circumstances. It's often not worth it to develop too many Forms - choose instead one which is close to your heart!
*At least one [Concept] which defines its metaphysical aspect. It's rare for an Arm to have more than six, and most users prefer to condense their Arm to a pool of no more than three Concepts to draw on. There is some wisdom to such a choice, as too much metaphysical diversity can dilute the powerbase unacceptably.
*At least one [Inspiration] which defines the source of its providence. Almost 90% of the cases will have, "Self" or "Maiden" as their source, but some Knights prefer an external source. It's generally not recommended for people who value rugged practicality to use an external source. It's unheard of to have two.
*Any number of [Invocations] which are derived from the interplays of the elements above, and are, quite simply, the superpowers a given Knight Arm grants. Often, more can be developed via further extrapolation of the elemental interplays or simple training.
Here are several functional examples of Knight Arms. The Invocation descriptions are short for brevity, they'd normally have more complete write-ups. Also, Invocations often have an associated cost, limit, cooldown, etc, which have also been omitted for brevity. The below is only meant to illustrate how this system works.
---
As of this moment, you have 3 Ambrosia. A paltry sum.
Knight-Aspirant, please, select the [Rank] of your Knight Arm.
[ ] Noble - A level of power appropriate for the rookie-Aspirant. A Noble Invocation, trained to the uppermost level of mastery that pushes the bounds of this Rank, might wipe a building from the face of the earth, or perfectly defend against such an attack.
[ ] Royal [25 Ambrosia] - A level of power that sunders civilizations which have been deemed unworthy. Although its lowest capacity is barely any higher than a moderate-power Noble Invocation, its uppermost level of mastery will allow you to sunder a city like a nuclear explosion, and shrug off a blow of similar might. A particularly crafty and adept Knight of Royal Rank might be able to push this even further beyond, although this would require truly exceptional workloads and mastery, which might be better directed for attempts to reach a higher Rank.
[ ] Imperial [100 Ambrosia] - The Mangler stands no chance and perhaps never did. Even the lowest of Imperial Invocations can often provide a challenge for a strong and competent Knight-Aspirant of the Royal Rank; decimate entire city blocks with individual and overtly casual swings of the blade, and when focused and serious, cleave a whole planet in half and turn its surface into an ashen wasteland of dead civilizations and city-tombs. Its uppermost level provides a capacity of power that contests solar systems and rivals the powers of similar entities.
[ ] Divine [250 Ambrosia] - Indescribable power, with almost no upper limit. At its lower level, affect individual star systems, and then build yourself up to affecting whole galaxies and regions of the universe. At a high level, a flick of the kingly rod immediately creates a small galaxy, complete with teeming life; a strike of the blade undoes it in a conflagration of supernal and impossible force; a shield perfectly defends against such an attack while letting its user yawn; a ring grants awesome power to assert one's will over the uncaring universe and force it to care.
And there is, of course, the Heroic Rank, but I'm afraid it is barred to you for now - even in theory, let alone in practice.
And now comes the fun part:
Design your Knight Arm. The voting for this section is to be done by plan, and is completely write-in.
[ ] Name:
-[ ] Form(s):
-[ ] Concept(s):
-[ ] Inspiration:
Recommendations for Zane Li Black. Use and discard as you please.
Form: Cestus, Gauntlet, Armor, Zweihander, Angel Wings, Rocket Launcher, Airship
Concept: Martial Arts, Combat, Freedom, Conviction, Willpower, Ruthlessness, Wrath
Inspiration: Self (if you desire external entities, the QM can provide fitting examples)
All Invocations will be invented/practiced later, and the starting number of Invocations will be rolled for. However, if you desire, you can put down propositions to be endorsed. Any such propositions will also count as fanwork for the purposes of Ambrosia generation but must have a cohesive theme as instructed in the sections above.
Knight Arm Mechanics
"It's something of a logical conclusion that he'll only find serenity in the world once he cuts a path to it."
A Knight Arm is a magical weapon crafted from divine and aetherial essence, entrusted to the Knight-Champions and Knight-Aspirants of the Lotus Maiden. When not in use, it can be hidden within your metaphysical heart ("Xin.")
There are six Ranks of Knight Arm: [Common], [Noble], [Royal], [Imperial], [Divine], [Heroic]. Rank defines the power level of a given Arm. It's not possible for the Knight Arm of an Aspirant to fall below Noble Rank, nor is it possible for the Knight Arm of a Champion to fall below Heroic. At the same time, an Aspirant can't access the Heroic Rank. Although this holds true in every universe and regardless of the central paradigm, not every user of a Knight Arm has to be an Aspirant or Champion. Random mages who use Knight Arms usually can't access Imperial Rank, and can never hope to reach Divine Rank, which is reserved solely for the greatest and most faithful Aspirants.
If you can't tell, you're an Aspirant.
A Knight Arm also has:
*At least one [Form] which defines its physical aspect. It's uncommon for a given Arm to have more than one; rare for it to have more than two; almost unheard of to have more than three, outside of specific circumstances. It's often not worth it to develop too many Forms - choose instead one which is close to your heart!
*At least one [Concept] which defines its metaphysical aspect. It's rare for an Arm to have more than six, and most users prefer to condense their Arm to a pool of no more than three Concepts to draw on. There is some wisdom to such a choice, as too much metaphysical diversity can dilute the powerbase unacceptably.
*At least one [Inspiration] which defines the source of its providence. Almost 90% of the cases will have, "Self" or "Maiden" as their source, but some Knights prefer an external source. It's generally not recommended for people who value rugged practicality to use an external source. It's unheard of to have two.
*Any number of [Invocations] which are derived from the interplays of the elements above, and are, quite simply, the superpowers a given Knight Arm grants. Often, more can be developed via further extrapolation of the elemental interplays or simple training.
Here are several functional examples of Knight Arms. The Invocation descriptions are short for brevity, they'd normally have more complete write-ups. Also, Invocations often have an associated cost, limit, cooldown, etc, which have also been omitted for brevity. The below is only meant to illustrate how this system works.
Caduceus, the Arm of Healing [Noble]
Form: Wand
Concept: Life, Nature
Inspiration: Self
Invocations:
*Heal - A simple charm: point and heal. As this Invocation is used, a stream of bubbling sapphire energy gushes forth to envelop the target, slowly mending broken tissue and counteracting the effects of most poisons, diseases, and toxins.
*Full Heal - See "Heal." However, instead of healing over time, this Invocation causes all physical insults on the target's form to disappear instantly as their inner nature reasserts itself in a flash. This includes not only wounds and common diseases, but other afflictions: mutation, curses, cancer, which Heal doesn't normally repair.
*Enhance - A simple charm: point and buff. As this Invocation is used, a stream of roiling emerald energy gushes forth to envelop the target and sinks past their skin. A comprehensive physical reinforcement, roughly doubling the physique of an average human and considerably improving that of a peak-human.
*Fivefold Enhance - As "Enhance." However, instead, its beneficiary finds herself five times stronger, faster, and more durable than a baseline human.
Make note of how the Form of a given Arm affects how its Invocations work. A "Wand" is an inherently subtle but also relatively straightforward implement; it 'points,' and therefore, is excellent at casting Invocations that aim for a specific target. It's also small, easily concealable; trading away power for additional finesse, and so can be used as a 'tool' for adjusting precise workings, much like a wrench can be used for adjusting the elements of a machine. It can still be used for 'area' effects of all sorts, or even as a dumb brute weapon, but perhaps with less efficacy than something like, say, a microphone and war-banner or a club and sword.
It's also possible for a Knight Arm to have multiple Forms. In any such case, the number and type of Invocations remain the same.
So, "Heal" remains a healing Invocation, but its application might shift. If the Form of Caduceus were to be a motorbike, its exhausts might spew sapphire fumes into the air, which boost the recovery of those who breathe them.
An example of the phenomenon above: (with most Invocations omitted for brevity)
Armigierre, the Arm of Steel [Royal]
Form: Bracelet, Longsword
Concept: Metal, Amplification, Craft
Inspiration: Self
Invocations:
*Amplify (Bracelet-Form) - A passive Invocation. All of the user's parameters are elevated one level (average human -> peak-human -> low-superhuman, etc.)
*Amplify (Longsword-Form) - A passive Invocation. When using his Knight Arm for offensive purposes, the user's physical parameters are elevated two levels (average human -> low-superhuman -> high-superhuman, etc.)
*Savior Swarm (Bracelet-Form) - A passive Invocation. The Knight Arm is on the wearer's forearm, and it acts as a central replenishment-and-command nucleus for a swarm of metal nanobots that inhabit his bloodstream. All of the nanobots collectively work as a hivemind in order to repair damaged tissue, maintain cellular and genetic integrity, slow aging, and destroy toxic substances. As a side effect, the Aspirant's physique also receives a slight but noticeable amplification.
*Savior Swarm (Longsword-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant swings the Knight Arm in a wide horizontal sweep, and when he does so, its blade sheds a minute portion of its outer layer, leaving behind a gray afterimage lingering in the path of the swing. This gray afterimage is actually a swarm of nanobots that promptly attacks anything that touches any of its edges. The Knight Arm slowly regenerates lost mass, often recovering it faster than it can be lost even when this is spammed.
*Web of Steel (Bracelet-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant raises his dominant hand with the Knight Arm on his forearm, and the Knight Arm unleashes a lashing tapestry of steel wire and strings, which often entraps enemies or stops ranged or melee attacks dead, sometimes disarming the foe.
*Web of Steel (Longsword-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant raises his blade into the air and then stabs it into a surface. A further distance away, wires of hard steel pounce up from the surface and entangle a chosen enemy, crushing them slowly.
As you can see, the Bracelet is a mostly passive Form (although it can be used for active effects,) while the Longsword is a mostly active Form (although it can be used for passive effects). Although their Invocations have the same name and source, the execution differs with the Form.
It's also possible to develop new Invocations; for instance, Web of Steel could be used to create a dome barrier of steel wire around a given area, to create Dome of Steel.
An Inspiration affects what kind of Concepts and Forms can be taken, often limiting options, but granting better results depending on the source. It's generally recommended to pick one's Self or the Lotus Maiden herself as the Inspiration, as those Inspirations grant the best long-term versatility without limiting power.
Form: Wand
Concept: Life, Nature
Inspiration: Self
Invocations:
*Heal - A simple charm: point and heal. As this Invocation is used, a stream of bubbling sapphire energy gushes forth to envelop the target, slowly mending broken tissue and counteracting the effects of most poisons, diseases, and toxins.
*Full Heal - See "Heal." However, instead of healing over time, this Invocation causes all physical insults on the target's form to disappear instantly as their inner nature reasserts itself in a flash. This includes not only wounds and common diseases, but other afflictions: mutation, curses, cancer, which Heal doesn't normally repair.
*Enhance - A simple charm: point and buff. As this Invocation is used, a stream of roiling emerald energy gushes forth to envelop the target and sinks past their skin. A comprehensive physical reinforcement, roughly doubling the physique of an average human and considerably improving that of a peak-human.
*Fivefold Enhance - As "Enhance." However, instead, its beneficiary finds herself five times stronger, faster, and more durable than a baseline human.
Make note of how the Form of a given Arm affects how its Invocations work. A "Wand" is an inherently subtle but also relatively straightforward implement; it 'points,' and therefore, is excellent at casting Invocations that aim for a specific target. It's also small, easily concealable; trading away power for additional finesse, and so can be used as a 'tool' for adjusting precise workings, much like a wrench can be used for adjusting the elements of a machine. It can still be used for 'area' effects of all sorts, or even as a dumb brute weapon, but perhaps with less efficacy than something like, say, a microphone and war-banner or a club and sword.
It's also possible for a Knight Arm to have multiple Forms. In any such case, the number and type of Invocations remain the same.
So, "Heal" remains a healing Invocation, but its application might shift. If the Form of Caduceus were to be a motorbike, its exhausts might spew sapphire fumes into the air, which boost the recovery of those who breathe them.
An example of the phenomenon above: (with most Invocations omitted for brevity)
Armigierre, the Arm of Steel [Royal]
Form: Bracelet, Longsword
Concept: Metal, Amplification, Craft
Inspiration: Self
Invocations:
*Amplify (Bracelet-Form) - A passive Invocation. All of the user's parameters are elevated one level (average human -> peak-human -> low-superhuman, etc.)
*Amplify (Longsword-Form) - A passive Invocation. When using his Knight Arm for offensive purposes, the user's physical parameters are elevated two levels (average human -> low-superhuman -> high-superhuman, etc.)
*Savior Swarm (Bracelet-Form) - A passive Invocation. The Knight Arm is on the wearer's forearm, and it acts as a central replenishment-and-command nucleus for a swarm of metal nanobots that inhabit his bloodstream. All of the nanobots collectively work as a hivemind in order to repair damaged tissue, maintain cellular and genetic integrity, slow aging, and destroy toxic substances. As a side effect, the Aspirant's physique also receives a slight but noticeable amplification.
*Savior Swarm (Longsword-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant swings the Knight Arm in a wide horizontal sweep, and when he does so, its blade sheds a minute portion of its outer layer, leaving behind a gray afterimage lingering in the path of the swing. This gray afterimage is actually a swarm of nanobots that promptly attacks anything that touches any of its edges. The Knight Arm slowly regenerates lost mass, often recovering it faster than it can be lost even when this is spammed.
*Web of Steel (Bracelet-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant raises his dominant hand with the Knight Arm on his forearm, and the Knight Arm unleashes a lashing tapestry of steel wire and strings, which often entraps enemies or stops ranged or melee attacks dead, sometimes disarming the foe.
*Web of Steel (Longsword-Form) - An active Invocation. The Aspirant raises his blade into the air and then stabs it into a surface. A further distance away, wires of hard steel pounce up from the surface and entangle a chosen enemy, crushing them slowly.
As you can see, the Bracelet is a mostly passive Form (although it can be used for active effects,) while the Longsword is a mostly active Form (although it can be used for passive effects). Although their Invocations have the same name and source, the execution differs with the Form.
It's also possible to develop new Invocations; for instance, Web of Steel could be used to create a dome barrier of steel wire around a given area, to create Dome of Steel.
An Inspiration affects what kind of Concepts and Forms can be taken, often limiting options, but granting better results depending on the source. It's generally recommended to pick one's Self or the Lotus Maiden herself as the Inspiration, as those Inspirations grant the best long-term versatility without limiting power.
---
As of this moment, you have 3 Ambrosia. A paltry sum.
Knight-Aspirant, please, select the [Rank] of your Knight Arm.
[ ] Noble - A level of power appropriate for the rookie-Aspirant. A Noble Invocation, trained to the uppermost level of mastery that pushes the bounds of this Rank, might wipe a building from the face of the earth, or perfectly defend against such an attack.
[ ] Royal [25 Ambrosia] - A level of power that sunders civilizations which have been deemed unworthy. Although its lowest capacity is barely any higher than a moderate-power Noble Invocation, its uppermost level of mastery will allow you to sunder a city like a nuclear explosion, and shrug off a blow of similar might. A particularly crafty and adept Knight of Royal Rank might be able to push this even further beyond, although this would require truly exceptional workloads and mastery, which might be better directed for attempts to reach a higher Rank.
[ ] Imperial [100 Ambrosia] - The Mangler stands no chance and perhaps never did. Even the lowest of Imperial Invocations can often provide a challenge for a strong and competent Knight-Aspirant of the Royal Rank; decimate entire city blocks with individual and overtly casual swings of the blade, and when focused and serious, cleave a whole planet in half and turn its surface into an ashen wasteland of dead civilizations and city-tombs. Its uppermost level provides a capacity of power that contests solar systems and rivals the powers of similar entities.
[ ] Divine [250 Ambrosia] - Indescribable power, with almost no upper limit. At its lower level, affect individual star systems, and then build yourself up to affecting whole galaxies and regions of the universe. At a high level, a flick of the kingly rod immediately creates a small galaxy, complete with teeming life; a strike of the blade undoes it in a conflagration of supernal and impossible force; a shield perfectly defends against such an attack while letting its user yawn; a ring grants awesome power to assert one's will over the uncaring universe and force it to care.
And there is, of course, the Heroic Rank, but I'm afraid it is barred to you for now - even in theory, let alone in practice.
And now comes the fun part:
Design your Knight Arm. The voting for this section is to be done by plan, and is completely write-in.
[ ] Name:
-[ ] Form(s):
-[ ] Concept(s):
-[ ] Inspiration:
Recommendations for Zane Li Black. Use and discard as you please.
Form: Cestus, Gauntlet, Armor, Zweihander, Angel Wings, Rocket Launcher, Airship
Concept: Martial Arts, Combat, Freedom, Conviction, Willpower, Ruthlessness, Wrath
Inspiration: Self (if you desire external entities, the QM can provide fitting examples)
All Invocations will be invented/practiced later, and the starting number of Invocations will be rolled for. However, if you desire, you can put down propositions to be endorsed. Any such propositions will also count as fanwork for the purposes of Ambrosia generation but must have a cohesive theme as instructed in the sections above.
Last edited:
So, just a few preliminary questions.
I assume having too many forms makes it harder to rank up, as you have to divide attention between them, but I found the part about Inspiration a bit vague.
Like, what is the difference between the inspiration being Self or the Lotus Maiden? And as for external sources, I'd guess that's stuff like stars or electricity, etc. but would assigning a God as an inspiration work as a makeshift Godcard? And could you use the same concept as your inspiration, for example? Stuff like that.
I assume having too many forms makes it harder to rank up, as you have to divide attention between them, but I found the part about Inspiration a bit vague.
Like, what is the difference between the inspiration being Self or the Lotus Maiden? And as for external sources, I'd guess that's stuff like stars or electricity, etc. but would assigning a God as an inspiration work as a makeshift Godcard? And could you use the same concept as your inspiration, for example? Stuff like that.
OctarineShrike
Avatar of Mandos
Besides the option of using ourself or the Lotus Maiden as inspiration, there's the 6 knight champions of the Lotus Maiden that are probably valid options though they are likely to have their own drawbacks. (Drawn from Birdsie's Game's In Silver CYOA, the Reine Magd choice that lets a character mantle knight champions).
Also, if you for some reason want to do the Cavaliere from Devil May Cry 5, you'd want Motorcycle and Chainsawcycle forms.
Also, if you for some reason want to do the Cavaliere from Devil May Cry 5, you'd want Motorcycle and Chainsawcycle forms.
Last edited:
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
It doesn't make it harder to Rank up, but it does make training Invocations more difficult as the user has to divide their time mastering the Invocations of every Form individually and simultaneously spends a minute portion of the Knight Arm's essence to maintain that Form. It's like wasting CPU due to a background process.
If you derive it from Self, you can't use or make Invocations which go against your essential nature. However, this is already a limitation for most beings (you wouldn't make an Invocation that eats souls if you're against eating souls, even if you can,) and the Lotus Maiden's Inspiration lets you use any Invocation so long as its ultimate purpose is to better the world in some manner, which is rather vague (killing an opponent, when you are generally a good person, is a form of betterment; so an Invocation that kills someone evil is possible.)
Other derivatives exist in the form of higher entities or Knight-Champions. Specific examples will be provided if desired, although I see Octarine already provided some above.
Alright, I think I've got something. Would appreciate any feedback, but I'm trying to go for stuff that links back to Zane's core self.
[X] Name: Pax Bellum, the Suppressed Strike
-[X] Form(s): Tekko, Flower
-[X] Concept(s): Willpower, Cultivation, Martial Arts
-[X] Inspiration: Self
This is what I came up with. So, going in order, for the forms I chose the Tekko and the Flower. I came across the Tekko when I was looking up hand-to-hand weapons for inspiration, and I knew it was perfect for Zane. The site I came across said it was used by Japanese farmers who weren't allowed to own weapons to defend themselves from rogue samurai (or not, I've seen conflicting stories, but I choose to stick to the first one cause it fits my narrative). It's adapted from a horseshoe and not originally meant as a weapon of war, fitting as Zane originally didn't even want to be a part of all this and just own a flower shop.
The second form is a lot more obvious- a flower, as it represents his mother's love for him, which is a huge part of his backstory.
The concepts are Willpower, for Zane's huge amount of discipline and self control. Cultivation, representing both Zane's flower backstory, as well as his habit of perfecting his martial arts to the highest degree he can. And finally Combat, from the martial arts as well as the apt observation from Zephyr which states that Zane will only find peace once he manages to fight his way to it. I think they all work together well, with Willpower, Cultivation and Combat serving to both augment himself to fight his way out of problems, but still being content during the time conflict isn't needed. The strength to maintain the peace.
The inspiration is of course self, which comes from Zane's habit of relying upon himself, and his desire to stand on his own two feet. He isn't opposed to friends and allies, but he values that which he accomplishes by himself.
Finally, the name comes Zane's duality- Pax Bellum, which means Peace and War. The Suppressed Strike part comes from his ability to hold himself back until someone threatens him or his.
Anyway, I really went for the duality theme, and I'm really happy with what I'm came up with. I hope this plan is viable, and any feedback yall may have would be great.
[X] Name: Pax Bellum, the Suppressed Strike
-[X] Form(s): Tekko, Flower
-[X] Concept(s): Willpower, Cultivation, Martial Arts
-[X] Inspiration: Self
This is what I came up with. So, going in order, for the forms I chose the Tekko and the Flower. I came across the Tekko when I was looking up hand-to-hand weapons for inspiration, and I knew it was perfect for Zane. The site I came across said it was used by Japanese farmers who weren't allowed to own weapons to defend themselves from rogue samurai (or not, I've seen conflicting stories, but I choose to stick to the first one cause it fits my narrative). It's adapted from a horseshoe and not originally meant as a weapon of war, fitting as Zane originally didn't even want to be a part of all this and just own a flower shop.
The second form is a lot more obvious- a flower, as it represents his mother's love for him, which is a huge part of his backstory.
The concepts are Willpower, for Zane's huge amount of discipline and self control. Cultivation, representing both Zane's flower backstory, as well as his habit of perfecting his martial arts to the highest degree he can. And finally Combat, from the martial arts as well as the apt observation from Zephyr which states that Zane will only find peace once he manages to fight his way to it. I think they all work together well, with Willpower, Cultivation and Combat serving to both augment himself to fight his way out of problems, but still being content during the time conflict isn't needed. The strength to maintain the peace.
The inspiration is of course self, which comes from Zane's habit of relying upon himself, and his desire to stand on his own two feet. He isn't opposed to friends and allies, but he values that which he accomplishes by himself.
Finally, the name comes Zane's duality- Pax Bellum, which means Peace and War. The Suppressed Strike part comes from his ability to hold himself back until someone threatens him or his.
Anyway, I really went for the duality theme, and I'm really happy with what I'm came up with. I hope this plan is viable, and any feedback yall may have would be great.
Last edited:
- Location
- a place
I really love this, but I feel Martial arts fits the character as a concept a lot better then Martial Arts.
Birdsie
Sharp Talons Cleave The Worthy
- Location
- Poland
A valid possibility - the naming scheme usually goes, "X, the Arm of Z," but this name is also acceptable!