Brand

The Origins

Evitrix. WIP.

Concepts

The Axis: The origin of the name 'Brand' arrives from a process known as Soulbranding, wherein which the exterior layer of the initiate's soul becomes crystallized and therefore physically interactable. For this reason, the mage becomes known as a 'Branded', forever marked by the process of initiation. The Axis is the word for that crystallized encasement, and rather than a purely interior detail, it acts as a conduit through which the Brand mage may manipulate, view, and channel raw ether. The Axis is also where a Branded's weapons emerge from, crafting them rapidly within its structure before allowing the mage to pull their weapon through their body.

The Armory: In order to craft weapons with ether, the Branded must memorize their shape, and know them as innately as their own skin. For many Branded, this means becoming a weaponsmith and learning to forge their own weapons. For others, it means carefully studying and detailing every aspect of a weapon, and understanding how each curve and edge relates to the weapon's applicability within war. Once a weapon is understood wholly, it may be forged within the Axis, and added to a Branded's Armory. The Armory is a collective of memorized weapon templates, typically built from exact replicas of physical weapons and reforged with ether. All weapons in a Branded's Armory are incapable of harming the mage, passing through their body like air as they're pulled through to be wielded. Armory weapons are the focus of much of Brand's abilities, and seem to serve as a sort of foci.

Initiation

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Overstepping

The drawbacks listed below do not always come in pairs, and certainly not simultaneously. Some may come and others may not.

Lesser: Nausea, fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, dehydration

Moderate: Bleeding through the nose, eyes and ears, intense cramps, seizure-like shocks and spasms, internal bleeding, vomiting and weakness

Severe:

Abilities

Glyph: Novice. WIP. Create glyph for extending control range.

Devise: Novice. WIP. Create ethereal blades.

Arbiter: Apprentice. WIP. Control ethereal blades.

Galvanize: Apprentice. WIP. Control base ether.

Replica: Journeyman. WIP. Replicate current blades.

Ethersight: Journeyman. WIP. See ether.

Huntersight: Journeyman. WIP. See traces of living ether; used to trace activity and follow tracks.

Transmutation: Expert. WIP. Copy and connect glyphs, including underground.

Disband: Expert. WIP. Dispel ether, break it down.

Myriad: Master. Myriad is among the Branded's most powerful tools - all ten of their Pact Weapons will circle around them in powerful aethereal form and can be transitioned to instantly, dematerializing and rematerializing in fractions of a second. The Branded can therefore exchange the weapon they are wielding and utilizing fluidly. They can even switch mid-motion, as well as dual wield these weapons if they desire. Thrown weapons will immediately return when willed to, and the Pact Weapons surrounding them can even be made to violently dance around them, placing vast pressure on any nearby foes. There are effectively two versions of Myriad, and each has their own associated costs. The Myriad in which all ten Pact Weapons are persistently dancing, chasing after foes and attacking in formation is certainly far more powerful, but expends considerable aether and over-use can quickly lead to overstepping. The Myriad that allows for constant weapon-swapping, more commonly utilized by master Branded, can be sustained for much longer periods of time and tends to be a part of a master Branded's general arsenal of abilities.

Arsenal: Master. A Branded's "Arsenal" is the manifestation of their ethereal armory - materializing at their disposal - only to duplicate them en masse, creating at first tens, then hundreds of these fabricated weapons typically overhead and beside themselves to be launched at a foe. Arsenal is often an ability that moves in a straight line, launching these weapons at a high velocity within the designated radius. Its area of effect, however, is versatile; it can be conal, can follow multiple straight lines, and can even launch in odd formations such as variating crescent shapes. The weapons of the Arsenal can be guided to briefly follow after individual or multiple targets, making evasion and defense more difficult. Arsenal's weapons fade a few seconds after impact is made, though the ten original pact weapons may return to the Branded's side, allowing for a smooth transition into the next ability.

Descend: Master. WIP. A colossal blade descends.

Templar Abilities

Reaver: WIP. Dispel the ether in a body.

Reach: WIP. Turn blades into ethereal lines, akin to lasers, which endlessly pursue foes.

Ascension: The Templar

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