The Ascendant

The progress of magic is a never-ending ardor for those who seek to advocate it. Throughout Atharen’s history, mages have broken boundaries one after another; they have discovered new magics, learned to channel and control ether, they have become experts and masters in individual arts. They have discovered abilities inherently inlaid within the Mark of Control, waiting to be found.

And some of them - more and more often since the advent of the Bleeding, but in small doses even before - have learned to evolve the Mark not independently, but through integration into the core of their being, melding it in a twisting dance with the center of their essence: their soul.

These mages, called Ascendants, are the apex of what that magic may become. They physically and spiritually evolve to something beyond human, though what they change to is often not easily determined. Often they become something in between man and divine, their magic descending from the Gods, and they in their new form inheriting the will of their arcana’s creator. Unbound by rigid and sweeping principles like the Adac, they appear to keep their mortal independence intact, though influenced by their Mark.

Some others become almost undefined, transcendent entities, much like the Dranoch Huntsmen. In this same vein there are those who appear simply to transmogrify almost into a different species, becoming the heralds of a new life form.

Whatever the case, Ascendant mages are mystifying and incredible beings. Though the erasure of much of their soul’s independence locks them from becoming or living as a Draedan, as well as Blighted entities, even those who surrender Godly inheritance for the Ascent often consider it a worthy loss. Ascendant mages are often classified as ‘divine,’ holding exceptional prescience over their Marked domain. They are like Gods of their chosen magics, and may influence and develop their magic to suit their will, empowering it as they grow into their role.

Ascendant mages may make new abilities for their magics. They may willingly choose their own mutations, minimizing negative drawbacks and structuring them to suit their fancies. Their ether reserves increase dramatically, and they may still perform other magics - even master ones - without hindrance, though they may never Ascend in another without a truly divine being cleansing their soul of their initial Ascent. Some have even learned to imbue their magical powers into enchanted weaponry.

The Ascendant continue to evolve, though each mage who Ascends does not gain all of their authoritative powers at once. They will learn and grow with time and understanding of their new state of being. Initially, all of them change in unmistakable ways, but these ways can vary dramatically.

In order to Ascend, one needs Support Forum approval after reaching 100 lores in a given magic and having been Master in it for at least a season. Once you do so, you will likely never be able to undo this decision, so all players should be judicious of this choice. Though Ascendant mages may eventually become almost God-like with their chosen magic, this takes time and depends largely on their development and other skills. The growth of an Ascendant is slow. Please keep this in mind.

With Ascensions, the mods have the right to deny a player an Ascension based on various reasons, typically in relation to the pace or behavior a player demonstrated in seeking the Ascension. Once a player achieves an Ascension, the moderators do have the right to adjust or rebalance aspects of the Ascension that are overpowered or abused.