I looked on several different sites before I decided to make this. Tried finding even a Persistent World forum or a decently active Bleach discord RP. Virtually nothing. It was very sad. Glad to have you @Redcord. If you've got a discord, I'll be making a server between tomorrow and Tuesday I think :)
The Twin Paths System is an ancient system that was designed by shinigami of the forgotten past before the Seireitei and Rukongai had formed. It was designed during an age when there was no time to simply sit on one's laurels and slowly grow close to one's Sword Spirit. While its creator is long gone, and no complete written records of its existence persist, it is by this system that the Foundation was laid for the future.
This system is, to some degree, a work in progress and may be subject to some changes. Additionally, it should be noted that, for the most part, players will not need to keep track of this system as by and large it will be managed by myself and any Co-GMs I appoint. Primarily this simply exists as a structural progression element for character growth over the course of the RP.
Phase One
1-24 (Unattuned) - The Shinigami gets visions of their inner world and sword spirit. They hear and feel the spirit at times, but communication is difficult. As their attunement increases, communication becomes easier and the visions/voices more persistent.
25 (Attuned) - The Shinigami gains the ability to communicate with their sword spirit consistently.
26-49 (Transition) - The Shinigami continues to get flashes of images, sounds, and other sensory impressions of their inner world, sometimes lapsing fully into it during Dreams or particularly deep meditation or moments of intense focus.
50 (Shikai) - The Shinigami gains access to their Shikai for the first time. They can only utilize the most basic form of the release ability. They do not possess any techniques, but they gain the additional ability to enter their Inner World to train and interact with their Sword Spirit directly. All Shikai passively grant the Shinigami higher effective Reiatsu than their baseline stats would.
55 (1st Tier) - The first Shikai Technique becomes available.
65 (2nd Tier) - The second Shikai Technique becomes available.
75 (3rd Tier) - The third Shikai Technique becomes available.
85 (4th Tier) - The fourth Shikai Technique becomes available.
95 (5th Tier) - The potency or complexity of the Shikai’s base ability is increased, allowing greater versatility or power. This can manifest in a number of ways. Often, the techniques become deeper, more nuanced, or more powerful in some way. Alternatively, the shinigami may gain a Stat Enhancement beyond the base amplification of their effective Reiatsu.
100 (Alignment) - The Shinigami has fostered sufficient understanding of their Sword Spirit to manifest them in the interest of unlocking Bankai. Alternatively, the shinigami may choose either to further deepen their relationship with their zanpakuto to attain further techniques in the interest of pursuing True Mastery of their Zanpakuto’s Shikai.
[Shinigami may choose to spend up to 50 additional attunement points toward gaining new Shikai techniques. A new technique becomes available for every 10 points spent.]
[It takes a total of 50 attunement points to achieve Bankai. While this may not be apparent now, such time and effort might be better spent elsewhere….]
Phase Two
1-24 (Discord) - The Shinigami struggles to maintain or fully manifest their Sword Spirit, though as they progress it gradually becomes easier to do so.
25 (Harmony) - The Shinigami gains enough proficiency that they can consistently manifest and maintain their Sword Spirit, allowing them to challenge them so as to attain Bankai.
26-49 (The Trial) - The Shinigami partakes in their Sword Spirits Challenge(s) in the interest of coming into a state of greater union with them. This can take virtually any form. Notably, the Sword Spirit will demonstrate the capacity to manifest some or all of their Shinigami’s shared inner world to facilitate these trials.
50 (Union/Resonance) - The Shinigami has Dominated their Sword Spirit and/or passed the necessary trials and challenges necessary to learn part or all of their Spirit’s True Name. Those with full mastery of their Shikai gain the entire True Name of their Sword Spirit, whereas those who don’t merely gain a fragment of it–the former is referred to as Union, whereas the latter is Resonance. This affects the manifestation of their Bankai. Notably, the endpoint for these two paths may look different, but no path is truly inferior to the other. At this stage, the shinigami thus gains access to their Bankai’s base ability. Shikai techniques may be used in Bankai. Additionally, all Bankai passively grant the Shinigami higher effective Reiatsu than their baseline stats would. Those of the Union Path gain an additional Stat Enhancement beyond their Reiatsu, whereas those of the Resonant Path do not–notably, this Stat Enhancement may be different from that of Shikai, and it does not stack, nor does the Shikai Stat Enhancement carry over into Bankai.
60 (1st Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their first three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their first Bankai Technique*.
70 (2nd Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their second set of three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their second Bankai Technique*.
80 (3rd Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their third set of three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their third Bankai Technique*.
90 (4th Stage) - At this stage, those who follow the Path of Resonance gain their fourth Bankai technique. However, unlike those that come before, these–and all that follow–are Advanced Bankai Techniques. These are meant to be trump cards, they are the finale, the last resort, and certainly the cream of the crop. Yet, those shinigami who follow the Path of Union now begin to see the true fruits of their labor, for it is at this stage that their Bankai truly blossoms, affording them a single Transformative Technique. Abilities of this sort take on an entirely different form. Unlike Advanced Techniques, these tend to take on entirely different forms. Whereas an Advanced Technique might serve as a distinct individual advantage, Transformative Techniques change the game itself, turning it entirely on its face.
100 (Cocoon) - The final traditionally accepted stage of Bankai, the Cacoon Stage differs–as one might expect–depending on the Path one has followed up until this point. For those who walked the Path of Resonance a Stat Enhancement is gained, this Enhancement follows the same rules as that gained by the Union denomination earlier on their Path. In addition to this, the Cacoon Stage affords the Resonant with a single Transformative Technique. On the other end of the spectrum is the Path of Union, who gain an additional Stat Enhancement and a boost in the potency, nuance, or versatility of their Bankai’s base ability.
Well, that's our second sign of life (I'm the first, technically). Here's hoping we've got a few more peeps hiding around here somewhere haha.
@The World glad to see someone still around these parts with a love for the 'verse. At the moment I'm thinking of using some parts of a prior RP I worked on in the Bleachverse, but reworking it...likely for a much smaller cast.
I won't spoil anything for the moment, but if we can get a couple people wrangled up, what I'll likely do is throw up a character skeleton and whatever mechanics I may or may not decide on using.
I'm partial on using a system that gives us all the freedom of the typical Freeform system, while giving us something to work off of in a practical sense when it comes to clashes and the like. Mind you, I'd give whomever shows up an idea of what they'd be working with to gauge willingness before I finalized it--worst case, I'd scrap that entirely. Mid-case, I'd work with each player to do the work for that system to take off the load and ease any suffering--so to speak lol.
Anyway, that's enough from me for now aside from the below.
Just an FYI, if I get something up, I'm sure to need some Co-GMs. I've got a 5 day, 40 hrs a week sort of job so any help will be appreciated. So the getting things up and running may be a bit slow going. Same as getting updates out, so don't expect the fastest pace thing in the world, but I'd do my utmost, that's for sure :)
Anyway, signing off till there are questions or new faces in the thread.
Once we've got...idk..3-4 people in here total (myself included). I'll think about throwing a Discord together so we've got somewhere to communicate and hang out more easily. Hope that's no trouble!
Auspicious nobles, recognized prodigies, newly graduated shinigami…dirt, they all have one thing in common: Society cared about them more than you. Nonetheless, you’re a member of the Gotei Thirteen, and though you’re no distinguished officer, you did your part…not that anyone ever gave you any recognition for it. No, you and your peers were outcasts, be you from noble families, but holding no renown or particular talent–or an orphan from the Outer Districts of Rukongai, it doesn’t matter. Perhaps you had friends, some few who would tolerate you or take pity on you enough to throw you a bone, extend an olive branch–then again, perhaps you didn’t.
Nonetheless, this is the place you held in the Seireitei, and once, you may have even believed that it was where you belonged. Alas…the world changes whether we like it or not, and indeed you and those who cast you away are in for a rude awakening.
The question is…will you be ready?
Not that it matters, after all, whether you railed against your lot in life or not, you’re going to have to get over it because it seems even if the Soul Society didn’t, the World has big plans for you.
This RP will be set in an AU version of Bleach with all original characters and a plot unrelated to the manga or show. However, I will do my utmost to be largely faithful to the canon lore and mechanics. The story will center on a group of shinigami who have lost everything. With very little leadership and little hope of anyone else bailing them out of their pitiable situation, they must strive to be better, stronger, and wiser. With any luck–and a lot of work–they might just have a chance to get back what was taken from them–or at the very least, mete out revenge upon those who cast them from their home.
The Twin Paths System is an ancient system that was designed by shinigami of the forgotten past before the Seireitei and Rukongai had formed. It was designed during an age when there was no time to simply sit on one's laurels and slowly grow close to one's Sword Spirit. While its creator is long gone, and no complete written records of its existence persist, it is by this system that the Foundation was laid for the future.
This system is, to some degree, a work in progress and may be subject to some changes. Additionally, it should be noted that, for the most part, players will not need to keep track of this system as by and large it will be managed by myself and any Co-GMs I appoint. Primarily this simply exists as a structural progression element for character growth over the course of the RP.
Phase One
1-24 (Unattuned) - The Shinigami gets visions of their inner world and sword spirit. They hear and feel the spirit at times, but communication is difficult. As their attunement increases, communication becomes easier and the visions/voices more persistent.
25 (Attuned) - The Shinigami gains the ability to communicate with their sword spirit consistently.
26-49 (Transition) - The Shinigami continues to get flashes of images, sounds, and other sensory impressions of their inner world, sometimes lapsing fully into it during Dreams or particularly deep meditation or moments of intense focus.
50 (Shikai) - The Shinigami gains access to their Shikai for the first time. They can only utilize the most basic form of the release ability. They do not possess any techniques, but they gain the additional ability to enter their Inner World to train and interact with their Sword Spirit directly. All Shikai passively double the Shinigami’s Reiatsu modifier while they remain in this state.
55 (1st Tier) - The first Shikai Technique becomes available.
65 (2nd Tier) - The second Shikai Technique becomes available.
75 (3rd Tier) - The third Shikai Technique becomes available.
85 (4th Tier) - The fourth Shikai Technique becomes available.
95 (5th Tier) - The potency or complexity of the Shikai’s base ability is increased, allowing greater versatility or power. This can manifest in a number of ways. Often, the techniques become deeper, more nuanced, or more powerful in some way. Alternatively, the shinigami may gain a Stat Enhancement beyond the base amplification of their effective Reiatsu.
100 (Alignment) - The Shinigami has fostered sufficient understanding of their Sword Spirit to manifest them in the interest of unlocking Bankai. Alternatively, the shinigami may choose either to further deepen their relationship with their zanpakuto to attain further techniques in the interest of pursuing True Mastery of their Zanpakuto’s Shikai.
[Shinigami may choose to spend up to 50 additional attunement points toward gaining new Shikai techniques. A new technique becomes available for every 10 points spent.]
[It takes a total of 50 attunement points to achieve Bankai. While this may not be apparent now, such time and effort might be better spent elsewhere….]
Phase Two
1-24 (Discord) - The Shinigami struggles to maintain or fully manifest their Sword Spirit, though as they progress it gradually becomes easier to do so.
25 (Harmony) - The Shinigami gains enough proficiency that they can consistently manifest and maintain their Sword Spirit, allowing them to challenge them so as to attain Bankai.
26-49 (The Trial) - The Shinigami partakes in their Sword Spirits Challenge(s) in the interest of coming into a state of greater union with them. This can take virtually any form. Notably, the Sword Spirit will demonstrate the capacity to manifest some or all of their Shinigami’s shared inner world to facilitate these trials.
50 (Union/Resonance) - The Shinigami has Dominated their Sword Spirit and/or passed the necessary trials and challenges necessary to learn part or all of their Spirit’s True Name. Those with full mastery of their Shikai gain the entire True Name of their Sword Spirit, whereas those who don’t merely gain a fragment of it–the former is referred to as Union, whereas the latter is Resonance. This affects the manifestation of their Bankai. Notably, the endpoint for these two paths may look different, but no path is truly inferior to the other. At this stage, the shinigami thus gains access to their Bankai’s base ability. Shikai techniques may be used in Bankai. Additionally, all Bankai passively triple the Shinigami’s effective Reiatsu so long as the release is maintained. Those of the Union Path gain an additional Stat Enhancement beyond their Reiatsu, whereas those of the Resonant Path do not–notably, this Stat Enhancement may be different from that of Shikai, and it does not stack, nor does the Shikai Stat Enhancement carry over into Bankai.
60 (1st Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their first three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their first Bankai Technique*.
70 (2nd Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their second set of three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their second Bankai Technique*.
80 (3rd Stage) - At this stage, those of the Union Path gain access to enhanced versions of their third set of three Shikai Techniques. Those of the Resonant Path gain access to their third Bankai Technique*.
90 (4th Stage) - At this stage, those who follow the Path of Resonance gain their fourth Bankai technique. However, unlike those that come before, these–and all that follow–are Advanced Bankai Techniques. These are meant to be trump cards, they are the finale, the last resort, and certainly the cream of the crop. Yet, those shinigami who follow the Path of Union now begin to see the true fruits of their labor, for it is at this stage that their Bankai truly blossoms, affording them a single Transformative Technique. Unlike Advanced Techniques, these tend to take on entirely different forms. Whereas an Advanced Technique might serve as a distinct individual advantage, Transformative Techniques change the game itself, turning it entirely on its face.
100 (Cocoon) - The final traditionally accepted stage of Bankai, the Cacoon Stage differs–as one might expect–depending on the Path one has followed up until this point. For those who walked the Path of Resonance a Stat Enhancement is gained, this Enhancement follows the same rules as that gained by the Union denomination earlier on their Path. In addition to this, the Cacoon Stage affords the Resonant with a single Transformative Technique. On the other end of the spectrum is the Path of Union, who gain an additional Stat Enhancement and a boost in the potency, nuance, or versatility of their Bankai’s base ability.
Deviation
Not all Zanpakuto are created equally, at least in their manifestation. Some spirits will not gain access to the full breadth of their abilities until a certain point, whereas others will be incapable of holding themselves back. As a result, some Shinigami’s paths will differ at the early stages, taking just as long as others to develop to a certain degree of power, but giving them some benefits upfront. Below is a list of such Deviations.
Koi(Willfulness): This class applies to Zanpakuto that hold a certain willful eagerness or are perhaps eccentric or mercurial in some regard. As a result, the Shinigami will gain access to the physical form of their Shikai earlier than most, but without the benefits of its release abilities until later on their path.
This shows how the beginning of their Path differs from the norm.
1-24 (Unattuned) - The Shinigami gets visions of their inner world and sword spirit. They hear and feel the spirit at times, but communication is difficult. As their attunement increases, communication becomes easier and the visions/voices more persistent.
25 (Physically Attuned) - The Shinigami gains the ability to communicate with their sword spirit consistently in addition to their Zanpakuto being able to take on its Shikai appearance at will. Despite its change in appearance and function, it will not gain any of the related bonuses or abilities of the actual release.
26-49 (Transition) - The Shinigami continues to get flashes of images, sounds, and other sensory impressions of their inner world, sometimes lapsing fully into it during Dreams or particularly deep meditation or moments of intense focus.
50 (Shikai) - The Shinigami gains access to their Shikai for the first time. They can only utilize the most basic form of the release ability. They do not possess any techniques, but they gain the additional ability to enter their Inner World to train and interact with their Sword Spirit directly. All Shikai passively grant the Shinigami higher effective Reiatsu than their baseline stats would. Notably, Koi-class Zanpakuto can actually have an alternate physical manifestation when they enter Shikai proper.
*From this point onwards, their Path is identical to the norm.
Kyumin(Dormancy): Zanpakuto in this category are strange in that they lack a sealed state entirely. As a result, all that is required is to learn their name in order to access their Shikai abilities and techniques. Thus it is that they retain the same appearance from their base state into Shikai. Sometimes minor alterations in appearance may occur once they are fully released into Shikai.
This shows how the beginning of their Path differs from the norm.
0-19 (Unattuned) - The Shinigami gets visions of their inner world and sword spirit. They hear and feel the spirit at times, but communication is difficult. As their attunement increases, communication becomes easier, and the visions/voices more persistent. The Zanpakuto’s physical manifestation will be that of its Shikai state.
20 (Attuned) - The Shinigami gains the ability to communicate with their sword spirit consistently.
21-29 (Transition I) - The Shinigami continues to get flashes of images, sounds, and other sensory impressions of their inner world, sometimes lapsing fully into it during Dreams or particularly deep meditation or moments of intense focus.
30 (1st Tier) - The first Shikai Technique becomes available.
31-54 (Transition II) Intermittently, their Sword Spirit will seem to physically reveal its presence in some way, be it a distinct aura, the appearance of the Spirit’s silhouette, or even the sensation of the Spirit physically touching the Shinigami, guiding them.
55 (Shikai) - The Shinigami gains access to their Shikai proper for the first time. They can only utilize the most basic form of the release ability. Additionally, they gain the additional ability to enter their Inner World to train and interact with their Sword Spirit directly. All Shikai passively double the Shinigami’s effective Reiatsu while they remain in this state.
65 (2nd Tier) - The second Shikai Technique becomes available.
*From this point onwards, their Path is identical to the norm.
*Other examples of Deviation may be created in the future.
Earning Attunement
While the below criteria can lead to a player earning Attunement Points, do not think that hitting every bullet point in a single post will do you any good. Do these things with thought, considering your character’s struggles, failings, and redeeming qualities. Consider the conflicts they have with themselves, with others, the problems they have with the world or their place in it, and the relationship they have with their sword spirit.
Furthermore, more criteria may be added as I think of them. Beyond this all that I ask is you consider the emotional and narrative arcs of your characters. Completing mini arcs in such a manner will be the most likely thing to net you Attunement.
Nonetheless, hitting certain narrative touchpoints can lead to the earning of Attunement Points, but know that I can tell when someone is phoning it in, rushing, or just forcing something in the interest of developing their Zanpakuto. I will not take kindly to such behavior and I certainly will not reward it.
You have been warned, so without further ado, the criteria in question.
Considering your own nature, deeper drives, etc etc.
Thinking about your Zanpakuto, what your spirit is like or might be like.
Having flashes of sensory information from your Sword Spirit.
Participating in challenges that your Sword Spirit gives you.
Working with your Spirit.
Coming to a personal realization or making a breakthrough of some kind.
Becoming more intune with your emotions.
Processing trauma.
Processing yours flaws (if you are in denial about them).
Processing your positive qualities (if you are in denial about them).
Moving past some kind of mental/psychological block.
Reckoning with inner demons.
Meeting a fundamental need that has up until now been ignored.
Completing a personal arc.
The Ascendance System
The Ascendance System is the tool that will be used to measure the growth and abilities of characters in this RP. Notably, while players will not see such directly, NPCs–regardless of race–will have similar stats on the backend. The numeric aspects of this system will primarily be used for comparison during clashes in combat. There will be numerous ways for characters to train their various Attributes and Skills, in addition to methods through which to gain new Artes, or even create entirely original Specializations. Unless someone finds themselves exceptionally comfortable with this system, I will be very hands-on when characters are initially made to smooth the process of figuring out initial builds and the path forward for a given character. In this way, we will work together so that a feeling of consistent and rewarding character growth can occur, both statistically and personally!
Attributes
These statistics serve as the baseline of every shinigami’s abilities, measuring how they stack up against one another and the foes they face in the wider world. While individual points in a given stat do grant incremental advantages, most benefits are gained when a given attribute reaches a particular milestone. These are shown below.
Dismal: 5
Unremarkable: 15
Average: 25
Impressive: 50
Incredible: 75
Legendary: 100
Mythic: 150
Reiryoku is not technically a stat so much as it is an aggregate of all stats—serving as the total spiritual power a character possesses. Think of this as a rough idea of your character’s overall stamina.
Reiatsu, or "Spiritual Pressure" is the density at which an individual can exert their Reiryoku (in spite of the actual quantity they possess). Unlike most attributes, Reiatsu cannot have points allocated to it manually. Instead, this value is calculated via the following equation: (Reiryoku * Spirit)/√Reiryoku=Reiatsu ((R*S)/√R=Reiatsu)). The aforementioned is rounded to the nearest zero. Reiatsu is utilized for two distinct purposes on its own, the first of which is as Initiative. In short, the individual with a higher Reiatsu value may choose to act first in most situations. Alternatively, they may choose when to act or to abstain from doing so first. In addition to affecting Initiative, Reiatsu may serve as a temporary modifier for a given Attribute (by adding to it). This modifier is calculated as such: (Reiatsu/100), then round to the nearest whole number. This modifier may be applied to a given Attribute once per combat and remains assigned to that Attribute until after a Scenario has been over for an undisclosed period of time. Beyond this, it should be noted that some Specialties may interact with the Reiatsu stat; such mechanics will be detailed elsewhere.
Strength represents a character’s physical power: how potent their muscles are when performing strenuous activities such as punching or swinging a sword. Strength is offensive in nature and most commonly governs melee attacks.
Resilience represents a character’s durability: how resistant their body is to damage. Resilience is defensive in nature and is also passive. Resilience does not come into play until a character has been hit, at which point it reduces raw damage taken. Resilience decreases the effective stat of successful attacks by one tier per Milestone that it is above the clashing stat.
Mobility represents a character’s maneuverability: how well they can evade incoming blows and navigate the battlefield. Speed is defensive in nature and governs things like the act of dodging attacks or chasing down a target.
Spirit represent a character’s spiritual potency: how powerful their magic or other nonphysical attacks might be. Spirit is typically offensive in nature and most commonly governs ranged attacks.
Skills
Whereas Attributes are the raw physical and metaphysical traits of an individual, Skills are that which are learned, honed, and sometimes even mastered. It is with these that we rise to overcome obstacles in our path and master the world around us. All Skills fall into specific Proficiency Tiers, which are listed below.
Untrained(0-19): No time, care, or effort has been taken to develop the skill in question. Requires the assigned attribute to be Dismal or higher.
Layman(20-49): Very little training has gone into developing a skill, but some amount of knowledge or research has been done to understand the craft. Requires the assigned attribute to be Unremarkable or higher.
Practitioner(50-89): Through the combination of research and training, the individual has gained a passing degree of aptitude in the relevant skill. Requires the assigned attribute to be Average or higher.
Expert(90-119): Through extensive effort, time, and with new insight gleaned, the skill has been developed to an impressive degree. At this level, an individual can be said to have considerable talent and dedication. For most, this is where the path ends, but for some few, this is where it truly begins. Requires the assigned attribute to be Impressive or higher.
Adept(120-149): A step closer to those held in esteem, those who have honed a skill to this degree can be considered to have gone past the normal limits, be it physically, mentally, or otherwise these individuals are something special. Requires the assigned attribute to be Impressive or higher.
Master(150-179): Admired by many but reached by few, those at this stage of development can be considered to have grasped the essence of the skill in question. Be they the fundamentals or the advanced Artes of a craft, Masters have come to understand and be exceptional in them all. This is considered the height of normal practice and understanding. Requires the assigned attribute to be Incredible or higher.
Grandmaster(180-239): Whereas those who come before understand their Skill, they have practiced it, toiled, and ingrained things into their bodies and minds; the Grandmaster no longer thinks or works to understand. To accomplish these feats, simple or complex, is an effortless aspect of their everyday existence. Be it through some innate talent or some unutterable revelation, these individuals have attained mastery beyond mastery. Requires the assigned attribute to be Incredible or higher.
Legend(240-299): The master understands, the grandmaster knows, but the legend simply is. No longer is their craft something they do, but rather something they are. Individuals at this stage–as few and far between as they are–have transcended the traditional path. Nonetheless, their craft–though ascendant–still resembles that of those that dwell below them. While those who have reached the peak of their ability cannot understand the wholeness of their ascendant mastery, they might still draw insight from them. Requires the assigned attribute to be Legendary or higher.
Myth(300): It is impossible even to grasp the extent of their abilities. They have reached the pinnacle of their path, transcended the limits of what was thought even remotely achievable…and then some. Only Legends might ever hope to glimpse and understand a fragment of their understanding, whereas those beneath them view their actions as impossibilities: indecipherable, beyond reckoning, and pointless to compare. Requires the assigned attribute to be Mythic or higher.
Zanjutsu is a skill whose potency is dictated by the Strength attribute and which holds precedence over armaments and their utilization. Though considerable force may be brought to bare through the skillful use of weaponry via this skill, Zanjutsu only pertains to said skill rather than acts of base physical prowess.
Hakuda is a skill whose potency is dictated by the Strength attribute and which holds dominion over unarmed martial arts. Much like Zanjutsu, Hakuda specifically relates to skill and as such has little to do with feats of raw physical might.
Kido is a skill whose potency is dictated by the Spirit attribute; a Shinigami’s proficiency in this skill dictates how many Spells ranked between 1-99 they are able to utilize. The class of said spells that an individual gains access to depends on their Specialization–the classes include, Hado, Kaido, and Bakudo. Only those at or beyond a certain level of proficiency are capable of understanding or performing Forbidden kido. Furthermore, a shinigami may create new spells one proficiency tier below their own–though this is complicated by their Specialization.
Untrained: User can utilize spells from #1-10 for their chosen class of spells. Layman: User can utilize spells from #1-20 for their chosen class of spells. Practitioner: User can utilize spells from #1-40 for their Primary and #1-20 for their Secondary if applicable. Expert: User can utilize spells from #1-60 for their Primary and #1-40 for their Secondary if applicable. Adept: User can utilize spells from #1-80 for their Primary and #1-60 for their Secondary if applicable. Master: User can utilize all spells from #1-99, but cannot utilize Forbidden Kidō Grandmaster: User gains access to Forbidden Kidō.
Hoho represents a shinigami’s proficiency with various movement Artes, the capacity for which is dictated by the Mobility attribute. Notably, Hoho only dictates the speed and efficacy of said Artes and has nothing to do with other displays of speed.
Perception is a skill whose potency is dictated by the Spirit attribute. Through its mastery, an individual may know themselves and the world with greater acuity. Be it identifying poisons in the body, illusions upon the mind, or the true nature of things around them, it is Perception that allows these revelations.
By focusing one's practice and studies in a particular field, an individual may discover new depth in some facet of its nature. It is through one’s ability to specialize that unique advantages can be gained. Though some skills do not require such rigorous effort, others necessitate such. Notably, unlike Skills, some Specialties will lock others from the user’s potential repertoire, with few exceptions. Other Specializations may require proficiencies in one or more skills. Most will have attribute thresholds that you must meet or exceed to access them.
Lethality(Zanjutsu/Hakuda Practitioner | Impressive Strength): An offensive Specialization for Hakuda and/or Zanjutsu, Lethality gives the Specialist advantage in specific situations. If they are on the attack in a situation, their Zanjutsu/Hakuda is treated as being one Proficiency Tier higher than normal. Notably, once an individual possessing this specialty reaches legend, they may also acquire the Preservation specialty for Zanjutsu and/or Hakuda.
Preservation(Zanjutsu/Hakuda Practitioner | Impressive Mobility): A defensive Specialization for Hakuda and/or Zanjutsu, Preservation gives the Specialist advantage in specific situations. If they are on the defensive in a situation, their Zanjutsu/Hakuda is treated as being one Proficiency Tier higher than normal. Notably, once an individual possessing this specialty reaches legend, they may also acquire the Lethality specialty for Zanjutsu and/or Hakuda.
Unwavering(Impressive Resilience): When one’s body and soul are sound, the world and its inhabitants will find it difficult to affect them. This ‘specialty’ is a passive trait that gives those possessing it the capacity to ignore or more easily brush off attacks. Clashes against the attack attribute when a blow lands. If the individual’s Resilience is one tier higher than that of the attack, the damage is halved; if they are two tiers higher, then the attack is entirely resisted, dealing no significant damage.
Calculating(Expert Perception): Your perception gives you an edge in combat, allowing you not just to follow the movement of things much faster than you but also to predict things more accurately than the average individual and act–or react–accordingly. Functionally, this allows the individual in question to treat half of their Proficiency in Perception as Proficiency in Hoho, but purely when reacting or attempting to predict and capitalize on someone’s future positioning. Notably, the Proficiency Tier is rounded down to the nearest number.
Shunko(Hakuda Master | Kido Master): Shunkō is one of the highest forms of Hakuda technique. It comes in elements such as 'wind' or 'lightning'. This technique functions by explosively increasing the potency of one’s Hakuda by channeling reiryoku into and around the limbs, with techniques derived from Kidō. Functionally, this allows the user to use either their Spirit or Strength (Hakuda or Kido) to clash with other attacks in addition to adding half of their Kido or Hakuda Proficiency tiers to the alternate stat.
Kaido(Kido Expert): Unlike the other classes of Kido, Kaido requires a particular degree of aptitude to utilize at all. This Specialty allows the user access to Restorative Spells, allowing them to heal themselves and others. Individuals with this Specialty can heal themselves at their Proficiency tier, and heal others at one level below such. At Expert, this specialty allows the complete restoration of minor wounds--lacerations, bruises, minor fractures, etc. Notably, at Expert, a specialist can heal more serious injuries but never completely, resulting in lasting complications that cannot be corrected. However, due to the individual’s lack of general experience, they are only capable of healing themselves at their full capacity whereas they can heal the superficial wounds of others as well as stabilize them. At Adept tier, this specialty allows the restoration of major wounds, including broken bones, major fractures, and even the partial loss or destruction of some organs. At Grandmaster, a Kaido practitioner can even regenerate organs and limbs wholesale. Beyond the threshold of Grandmaster, even long-standing injuries can be mended, reducing or removing complications entirely.
*If Chosen as a secondary via Kido Scholar, the shinigami's Kido Proficiency will need to be one tier higher than normal.
Kido Scholar(Kido Practitioner): Notably, those who do not possess this Specialty only choose a Primary and cannot use any other class of kido. Otherwise, those possessing this specialty must choose either Hado or Bakudo as their Primary and Secondary, respectively. The Primary discipline gains the full allotment of spells for their rank, whereas the secondary gains the allotment for one tier below their Proficiency. Individuals exceeding the Grandmaster Proficiency Tier can utilize their secondary at the same rank as their primary. Individuals below Grandmaster cannot utilize Forbidden Kidō. Once someone with this Specialty reaches Legend, they gain access to a tertiary class of Kido, allowing them to use all three classes though their tertiary class will not give them access to Forbidden spells of that category. At Myth, they can use all kido of any class.
Kido Pioneer(Kido Expert | Perception Adept): With exceptional perception and ample understanding of Kido combined, a specialist of this breed becomes capable of crafting their own spells in the interest of innovating upon the art. With this specialization, individuals can create new spells in their Primary until they reach Kido Master, at which point they can make spells in their secondary as well–provided they possess the Kido Scholar specialization. Notably, individuals may only create new spells at ranks (1-99) that they can access for a given class of kido. Furthermore, once an individual reaches Legend in both Kido and Perception, they gain the capacity to create Forbidden Kido. If Kido reaches Myth, they can create spells that incorporate aspects of multiple classes.
Others will be added. Notably, new Specialties may be created.
Artes
Shunpo(Hoho Practitioner): meaning “Flash Steps,” this technique, while not the pinnacle of Hoho, is the primary Arte afforded by the Skill. This Arte allows the user to move faster than the eye can easily follow by using as few steps as possible to cross a distance. The higher the user’s Hoho Proficiency, the faster and more efficient this Arte becomes. This technique clashes against the Perception Skill, meaning that the lower an individual’s skill value is, the more difficulty they will have predicting the trajectory of or even following the user’s movement. This becomes more pronounced if the Perception Skill is at a lower Proficiency Tier than the Shunpo User’s Hoho Skill.
Utsusemi(Hoho Master): meaning “Cicada Shell,” this technique involves falls under Hoho and involves the practitioner moving at such great speeds that they leave a lingering afterimage that may even appear to have taken damage. The practitioner moves at great speed to avoid an attack, leaving an afterimage that can appear to have taken damage. This technique can be detected by someone with a Perception Skill that is higher than that of the user’s Hoho Skill. If their Skill value is equal to that of the user of this Arte, then they will be capable of noticing the ruse almost immediately after it has taken place. For each proficiency tier lower than the user’s, the affected individual will have more and more trouble reacting in a timely manor.
Speed Clones(Hoho Grandmaster): Perhaps a more advanced version of Utsusemi, this technique involves the creation of up to fifteen(15) clones through incredible swift and skillful use of Shunpo. This technique can be seen through by someone with a Perception Skill that is one Proficiency Tier higher than the user’s Hoho. Those with a Perception Skill value equal to or higher–but not crossing into the next Tier–can more easily follow these movements allowing them to react more easily than most. Individuals with a lower Perception Skill value will be unable to ascertain which clone is the user, but will be able to react to a degree so long as their Proficiency isn’t more than one Tier lower than this Arte’s user.
Hado #64 Taiyō no yōyū ikari(Sun's molten fury): "Bind the bones of the earth, draw from its depths, infuse the sun's light and fury. Cast away the bonds, eviscerate their form, and turn dust and stone to fire…."
First the user must utilize their reiryoku to gather a decent amount of reishi into the palm of their hand where it will form a cube. At this point their reiryoku is almost forcibly infused into the reishi particles after which the attack is aimed at the ground. Once the beams hits there is a small shudder in the earth and two seconds later a massive flurry of essentially identical beams, but now with seemingly molten flames in them, burst forth from the surface and alter their trajectory to match that of the intended target. Upon contact with the location the target was, or the target itself, they culminate, each blast adding more reiryoku, till they have formed a sphere around the target's body. At this point the sphere becomes a closed system, hardening on the outside like a shell, and burning the target before exploding violently outwards into many fiery shards.
Bakudo #29 Gyaku Shibari(Reverse Bind): “Etching words into the world, a river flows, a dam blocks its return....”
A relatively simple kido, Gyaku shibari must be utilized on a surface, whether living or otherwise. When placed onto something, it creates a sort of dam or filter through which reiryoku, reishi, and reiatsu may only pass in one direction. While the kido can be broken by a significantly powerful influx of any of the aforementioned things, it can also be bolstered by supplying it with more reiryoku, making it particularly useful.
{Forbidden Bakudo} Chōten seigen(Vertex Restriction): “The sun is eclipsed, the moon made absent, a presence vanishes, and the world stops. Time is made still, movement surrenders, and bound are the energies of life. Cease time and stagnate space....”
Creating a white cube in the user's hand, this spell is activated by crushing the white cube of reishi. Upon being crushed, an opaque black sphere will engulf a 4-meter radius, with the user being the central point. This opaque sphere does not allow reiatsu, some reiryoku, sound, smells, and even light to pass through it, making it a sensory dead zone. However, its true purpose goes beyond this, as should someone be caught within it, they will be rendered unable to move—the sole exclusion being the user. Should the user move, the sphere will remain in the same location it was activated in. As only certain forms of reiryoku may escape it, the sphere will persist for a potentially indefinite amount of time, as it is a closed system, never losing or leaking the energy that maintains it.
Should someone simply be touched by the black sphere, rather than being wholly trapped within, they will find that whatever part of their body was touched becomes incapable of channeling or manipulating reiryoku as if the pathways which it travels along in the body have been sealed. Until the material is removed from their body or the kido is deactivated by its user, this effect will persist.
Rules
It should be noted that this RP will have mature themes. Fade to black will be applicable to sexual situations, but don't expect situations including drugs, gore, or some taboo subjects to garner the same treatment. This is not to say that any of the above will be done in excess, just that they may be done.
Combat will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with the GMs proctoring in case issues or disagreements arise. Should you want to script your fight, let the GMs, and your partner(s) know. Make sure all parties are in agreement. A 'scripted fight,' is one wherein the victor is decided before hand.
Burning house rule--if you're gone too long and holding things up, expect your character to either be moved aside quietly, or killed to further plot. To avoid the burning house rule, keep us updated, a hiatus can be arranged.
If a problem arises for a player in regards to the GM and they feel uncomfortable bringing it up. Go to the other GM for advice. Don't worry, we're perfectly reasonable people and nine times out of ten we'll work through it with you.
The GMs have final say on all matters--this does not mean that I cannot be swayed or convinced. Still, if something must be resolved, we will resolve it and that'll be the end of the discussion.
Should you lack inspiration or enough material to post, tell someone. Communicate. Talk to your GMs. Worst case scenario, we'll just move your character aside till you can post again.
While you may expand on or modify the base format of the character sheet, make sure all necessary sections are included.
No OOC drama. Keep it to PMs, and hopefully keep it non-existent. If needed contact a GM for problem resolution.
Only accepted characters go in the character tab.
Post your Character Sheet in the OOC for review.
Standard Guild rules apply.
IC swearing will occur.
What to Expect
Interactions with at least semi-realistic cause and effect. If you are tortured or have your arm cut off, expect to have trauma and difficulties going forwards.
A GM who is willing to work with you, hear you out, but not break his back to suit your every need.
Good communication be it player to player, GM to GM, or GM to player.
Multiple plotlines if possible.
Some Taboo Subjects.
Collaboration posts.
Some dark themes.
Some slice of life.
Plenty of combat.
Expanded Lore
Be sure to discuss any seated officers with me if you plan to have some important NPCs interact with your character. If it's in passing and you don't mention their names or any defining features, there's no need. Beyond that, go wild.
By the way, while I do want people to keep the structure of the below sheet unchanged, feel free to add some color and/or extra flair if you so desire!
[center][color=#ffffff][h1]【[u][b]Name[/b][/u]】[/h1][/color] [img]PICTURE[/img] 【[url=LINK]Theme I[/url][b][color=black]♦[/color][/b][url=LINK]Theme II[/url][b][color=black]♦[/color][/b][url=LINK]Theme III[/url]】 [h3][color=#ffffff][sub][i]~[/i][b]"A quote from the character."[/b][i]~[/i][/sub][/color][/h3][/center][hider][center][u][b][h2]【Personal Info】[/h2][/b][/u][/center][hider][indent]【[u][b]Name:[/b][/u] 【[u][i]Nicknames:[/i][/u] 【[u][b][i]Alias:[/i][/b][/u] 【[u][b]Age:[/b][/u] 【[u][i]Age Appearance:[/i][/u] 【[u][b]Gender:[/b][/u] 【[u][b]Race:[/b][/u] Currently, only shinigami are available. 【[u][i]Former Rank:[/i][/u] Ryoka. 【[u][i]Former Division:[/i][/u]
【[u][i]Additional Appearance Info:[/i][/u] Include height, weight, style of clothing worn, as well as the outfit they're most commonly seen in. Consider the position of their zanpakuto and any tools they might carry.
【[u][b]Biography:[/b][/u] Minimum of three paragraphs. Conversely you may reveal it ICly, but must inform the GM.
[indent][i]Negative[/i][/indent] [color=#FF0000]▼[/color] [color=#FF0000]▼[/color] [color=#FF0000]▼[/color] [color=#FF0000]▼[/color] [/indent][/indent] [/hider][indent][indent][indent][indent][u][b][h3]【Relationships】[/h3][/b][/u][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][hider] [indent][indent][i][b]NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis etc[/b][/i] [indent]Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.[/indent]
[i][b]NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis/Lover/Spouse etc[/b][/i] [indent]Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.[/indent]
[i][b]NAME: Friend/Rival/Acquaintance/Superior Officer/Nemesis etc[/b][/i] [indent]Summary of Relationship. When they met, how long they've known one another, how they feel about them and why.[/indent]
[/indent][/indent][/hider][/indent][/hider] [center][u][b][h2]【Capabilities】[/h2][/b][/u][/center][hider][indent][indent][indent][indent][u][b][h3]【General Aptitude】[/h3][/b][/u][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][hider][indent][sub][h3][u][b]Fighting Style:[/b][/u][/h3][/sub] >Do they have the stamina to wear an opponent down. >Do they have a lot of presence? >Do they have control over their presence? >Do they use kido, hakuda, or zanjutsu more often. If more than one, how do they do so. >Are they hit and run. Do they use their mind, or their instincts? >Do they use their environment? >Do they rely on their skills, or their zanpakuto more often than not. >Are they physically resilient, how much so? >Are they very aware of their surroundings? >Are they fast?
[indent][sub][u][b][h3]Attributes[/h3][/b][/u][/sub] [u][b]Reiryoku[i](Unused Points)[/i]:[/b][/u] Value [indent][indent][i][u][b]Reiatsu:[/b][/u][/i] {Value (Modifier)} [/indent][/indent] [u][b]Strength:[/b][/u] (Numeric Value - Milestone) [u][b]Resilience:[/b][/u] (Numeric Value - Milestone) [u][b]Mobility:[/b][/u] (Numeric Value - Milestone) [u][b]Spirit:[/b][/u] (Numeric Value - Milestone)
[u][b]Attunement(Attunement Score):[/b][/u] Phase One/Two - Attunement Stage title. [u][b]Deviation:[/b][/u] Put "N/A" if you are not utilizing a Path Deviation. Otherwise put the name of the Deviation in question.
[i][u]Inner World & Spirit:[/u][/i] [indent]Description. Feel free to make the title of this a set of links.[/indent]
[u][b]Zanpakuto Personality:[/b][/u] What are they like?
[/indent] [center][i][b]Shikai[/b][/i] [img]LINK[/img][h3][color=#ffffff][sub][i]~[/i][b]"Release command and name."[/b][i]~[/i][/sub][/color][/h3][/center] [indent][u][b]Ability:[/b][/u]
From Which Stories Shall Arise The Kathetikon & Kaelhmor A Tuujaimaa and yoshua171 collab.
The Grand Library’s lower bounds had long been taken care of, but by now it was time for the Kathetikon to work upon the firmament far above, for what could invoke curiosity more than the endless sky above one’s head? There had been a peculiar astrological shift in the world that caused light to gather and refract far more readily in the middle of the continent than anywhere else, creating something of a lens in the sky. The Kathetikon had already had to devote a new wing of the library to the musings of mortals who’d gazed upon it in wonder and awe, and especially to the stories they’d already began to fabricate about it–some had seen it as the work of a divine, others a map to long-lost treasures written in the heavens, and a select few had taken heed of its brilliance but endlessly questioned not the how but the why. Those mortals already knew the Kathetikon’s gift, for it burned within them eternally–and some of them had been sufficiently motivated to find the answer that they’d resolved to scale the mountains of Galbar to get a closer look at the peculiar phenomenon. These mortals had, by chance, found their way to the Grand Library–and the Kathetikon had been all-too-eager to provide them with the scraps of knowledge they needed to begin the arduous process of knowing.
As the Kathetikon had considered the needs of these mortals it had made some adjustments to the sky within the Grand Library, removing the pollution of the sun’s garish light and replacing it with a more soothing vista of the night sky. The Kathetikon had filled it with stars and other celestial bodies far more strange and wonderful, in every colour and shape and size imaginable, and though the level of light still changed to offer a distinction between night and day there was always an entirely new mystery to solve in the heavens above for the pilgrims who made it to this holy place. One of the mortals had conceived of a most curious idea: what if the crystalline towers could capture the light from the distant heavens and store it within shards of their gemstones? They had embarked on a journey some time ago to find the library that contained the relevant information they’d need to begin work on such a project and had not been heard from since, so the Kathetikon had assumed that its search was taking longer than usual and had put the thought quite out of its mind–and instead focused on the problem at its source! There must have been a divine whose portfolio of powers had to do with light–or perhaps space, or stars? It was difficult to say without actually examining the thing more closely, but even with its troves of knowledge, the Kathetikon would have been hard-pressed to find a definitive answer that satisfied it. For now it simply waited, content within its vault, biding its infinite time.
A disruption in the heavens, a place that did not match the surrounding sky. This Kaelhmor glimpsed from many leagues away as a strange night sky swirled far above the peaks of an approaching mountain range. After his meeting with the Mistress of Trade and Shadows, Kaelh had decided it would be prudent to act swiftly in meeting some quantity of his newfound kin: the Gods of this new world.
So it was that draped in luminescence, the Lord of Lies and Light, the Seer of Light Unseen, crossed the hidden threshold between native day and the unnatural sky-bound span of midnight. After a time, he found himself growing impatient with the trek and so, using the boon of the Goddess he’d been granted, he slipped unto the shadows and vanished from the plains. So it was that in between moments, he navigated the Bazaar of Shadows only to slip out just as soon, his existence once more inhabiting the plane of men and mer. Thus did he emerge at the foot of a stairway leading into a vast Library of truly grand proportions. Yet, despite its external size, he felt that somehow it was larger still than it appeared.
A mixture of excitement and trepidation within his chest, Kaelhmor mounted the first stair and made his way upwards and into the building’s maw. Within moments he found his eyes widening in awe as the true vastness of the Grand Library–for truly what else could it rightly be called–revealed itself to him. Row upon row of book-laden shelves spread in each and every direction, such that even the walls beside the entrance stretched almost infinitely into the distance. Turning, Kaelhmor took in the majesty of the place and found himself wondering what sort of god might create this place?
A deity of stories, of knowledge, or the written works of man?
He was certain that he’d soon find out, and in that moment, he suddenly felt truly naked without his cloak. He resolved to make another.
The chilly, crystalline air around the peaks of the Grand Library seemed to be the only thing that reacted to the Lord of Light’s presence, as their unusual charge gathered and dispersed his magnificent light far and wide across the many peaks that could be seen in the distance, even from within what were ostensibly the walls of this place. Brilliant effulgence continued to build and build, ever-more light cascading across the starstruck skyline, and soon all semblance of Midnight’s palette had fled the Grand Library before the uncontained majesty of dawn’s splendour. The distant stars were rendered invisible by the diffuse yet unimaginably potent curtain of lights hung from the firmament, and as their dim radiance was replaced with a lustre of overwhelming intensity the towers in the distance seemed to catch notice of these happenings, and eager to not be left out they began to drink deeply of the luminescence offered to them. Patterns spiralled and veered wildly about the towers as their images strained beneath the intensity, and as yet-more light began to spill from their filigreed crests it, too, took a life of its own: the paltry candlelight of the library’s many interiors caught a brief spark of pure gold and focused their light upon the path to the Vault at the tallest peak. Much like a hall of thousands of mirrors can intensify the light of a single candle to something radiant beyond words, the infinite vistas of the Grand Library directed Kaelhmor’s light to a searing point, burning away the lesser guises and glamours that so-entranced mortals, and crafting from his own essence a path towards the ink-black mass of obsidian that crowned the Vault at the mountain’s peak.
Yet, as powerful as the gathered light was, it seemed not to even breach the veil of soothing shadow that made up the Vault’s interior–Kaelhmor’s blessed eyes would be able to easily see the various apertures and entrances through which his gift could flow, but no amount of exhortation on its end seemed to avail it the ability to enter. Familiar and yet oddly different shadows began to creep across the non-euclidean geometry of the carved walls, faint flecks of pure illumination still visible within them as they crept along surfaces too alien for mortal minds to even begin to comprehend–and in the subtlest expression there was a clear inking of unmolested shadow that wrote words of greeting for the newest God to grace the Grand Library with their presence:
”Be welcome, my kith and kin. All that your mind thirsts for is contained within: you have only to find it. To find me.”
With a brow raised at the intriguing spectacle unfolding before him, Kaelh almost missed the scrawl of words unveiling themselves within the embrace of shadow. Almost reaching out, he nonetheless restrained himself and let his hand fall once more to his side. Gaze narrowing faintly for a moment before relaxing, the Lord of Lies and Light peered deeper into the ineffable geometries of the Library, noting that his power had been gathered and absorbed by the artifice of the place.
‘Fascinating,’ he thought as he ventured further into the depths of the Great Archive laid out before him. By the make of this place and the unspoken utterings of the shadows, Kaelh’s curiosity had begun its journey towards satiation. For, clearly, the creator and denizen of this place was unquestionably divine.
“It is good to know I’m welcomed, nameless host,” he said, his words ringing clearly through the space, as if traveling through every ray of light, and suffusing every shadow all the same. Though the stranger could not know, it seemed that the power of Deception allowed such things.
Following the path of his power towards the ebony zenith of this newfound god’s domain, Kaelh considered what he might do when he came across a being far more hostile to his sort. Shaking his head, he dismissed the notion, at least for now.
“I am Kaelhmor, God of Illumination, to whom do I owe the pleasure of gracing such a place?”
This time ‘twas not the subtleties of shadow that responded but a brilliance of the heavens to rival even the lord of light’s radiant splendour–the heavens themselves unseamed at the edges and from once dim and disparate stars came a flood of such diluvian proportions that no shadow could be left, for there was nothing that was not light. The distant lights of cosmos beyond counting, of entire worlds and universes, captured with skilful artifice or with the power of magic–all this and more rained down from above, and though it soon began to dim in the face of the Lord of Illumination’s presence it revealed first the black stake of shadow that was the Vault. From it tendrils of shadow began to stretch across the field of all-consuming light, bridging the gap between where Kaelhmor was and the tip of the greatest peak. It grew as the light began to fade from view, further and further, until a clear path crafted just for him remained as all things returned to their natural order.
”I am the Kathetikon, the god of Curiosity and Knowledge. I am the Tome of All Things, the font from which curiosity’s waters flow into the world and the source to which it all returns. You are welcome here, Kaelhmor–but what is it that you seek?” wrote itself into the bridge of shadow, little flecks of it falling away beneath the weight of the Lord of Light’s radiance to reveal the message as he ascended up towards the apex of the curious realm he’d found himself in.
For ascend he did, intrigued by the display, though perhaps not entirely impressed. Perhaps he was even flattered to a degree, but he barely showed it, after all he’d come from a world of many gods. A world saturated in the works of such beings, those he had once called kin, the very same who had hunted him, cursed him, hated him….
Such things left a bitterness in the soul, they warped everything they touched, and yet despite it all…Kaelhmor–veiled though his true nature was–had remained. He had persisted and while his followers had not been many, they had been the most loyal and the hardest to detect. True adherents of faith, not just mortals who blindly followed him, but those who could so thoroughly deceive themselves, the world, and others that they could follow no one else.
Shaking his head, Kaelh split his mind from such matters, there was no use dwelling on what had been…what he’d lost, what he could never again affect. No…it was better to look forward, so he did just that, his brilliant gold-green eyes peering unhindered through the glare unto the pitch-black peak.
It was quite a sight, he had to admit, but he wondered more for the nature of the deity whose realm upon which he’d stumbled.
“Good tidings, Ye who seeks Lore and from whom Lore is born. I am glad to be welcomed in your realm, though I admit, I have come upon it purely by chance and circumstance.”
Kaelh smiled, the expression easy and empty of guile as he continued to ascend the path towards the peak. “I am glad to meet another of mine newfound kin and I must admit that what drew me was the sight of this place from afar. It truly is a marvel.”
Kaelh glanced up at the churning, changing skies, then down upon the archives. “A treasure trove of wisdom and information I am sure. At least, for those who are deemed worthy of entrance to such a place.”
Continuing on, Kaelh found himself considering the next steps of his plan, as it were. As entrenched by the realm of knowledge as he was, a thought came to mind: ‘Was one veil truly enough?’ Thinking back he recalled that it had not been before. So it was that he came upon an old friend, something he’d glimpsed before, but at the time had not yet begun to grasp.
The Domain of Secrets.
“Lorekeeper, Kathetikon, what say you to the Secrets and Mysteries of this world?”
”All who find their way here are seeking something–that is the nature of this place. Gods and Mortals alike are entangled within curiosity’s skein. Entry to this place is not a resource, nor is it favour to be curried; this is simply the natural destination of those who seek… so I ask again: Kaelhmor, Lord of Light, what is it that you seek?” the Kathetikon asked once more, its words now vibrating through the air like ripples of meaning washing over the Kathetikon’s divine sibling. There was silence for a brief moment as the tome considered the visage of the god ascending the path laid out before them. Even to its perception there was something about the glare of light leaking from its lord that rendered the Kathetikon’s piercing insight dull and flat, something that seemed not to obscure but to deflect the weight of attention to its surroundings. By the time the book had come to terms with the strange sensation, Kaelhmor would most certainly have ascended to the Vault itself, so intrigued by the experience was it.
”What is a secret, really? A secret is knowledge kept apart from the broader sphere; a mystery is the thread of obscurity that bridges the gap between the secret and the known. It is my prerogative to know and to be known, and so I have always felt more of an affinity for mystery than for secrets. There is still much that even a god of Knowledge does not know, and so I seek out those mysteries and inspire others to do the same.” the Kathetikon spoke again, but this time its words were slow and pensive. It considered the weight of each of them as it projected their meaning outward, and found the curious sensation of the glare limned the fruits of its mind with green-gold clarity unlike that which it had known before… but something deep within the memories of the Shade of Gnosis stirred beneath its radiance, and the edges of the Kathetikon’s pages rippled and fluttered with unseen fascination.
The Vault’s interior awaited the Lord of Light, and as he crossed its threshold it would once again erupt with blinding brilliance. Vistas of worlds long since forgotten by most were barely contained by the entrance’s enchanted lintel, the light of suns extinguished in eons past recreated faithfully within the Vault’s walls–many, many worlds could be seen within the liminal space, each a pinprick of distant light against an all-encompassing void of blackness. The Kathetikon seemed to be considering these distant worlds, turning to and fro with languid motions as incomprehensible script wrote and unwrote itself in the air around them.
Though no words reached him, Kaelhmor nonetheless felt meaning wash over his mind in subtle waves, artful in their composition, deliberate with their timing. For a time, much like the Kathetikon, he deigned not to reply, instead treading the path and crossing the threshold unto the Vault.
’Aptly named,’ he thought as the stories of numerous worlds flowed from one to another before his divine gaze. The only thing they all had in common was that they ended–each and every one. Narrowing his eyes for a moment, the incandescent deity considered this ‘quirk’ of the Vault’s presentation, the recordings of infinite worlds. That the focus would be on ending, and not all that came before. After all, the ending of a story, a journey, a life, and so a world, was the smallest part. Surely it was not the most important.
Relaxing as he detected bias, Kaelhmor smiled, his expression soft, somehow comforting, as if to belie the words that would travel ‘cross his silver tongue. “Secrets are essential, you must know this, oh God of Knowledge. They tease at the tired mind, building anticipation, serving as kindling for curiosity and exploration. Secrets are the obscured, the hidden, the unlikely, and the precious. Some are terrible, some are good, some frivolous, others paramount in their importance. All things hold secrets to their breast, in their hearts, perhaps even taking them to their graves. An otherwise faithful and loving wife who hides her infidelity from her husband. Protecting him, protecting their lives, their love, their children. A war is waged and codes are sent to and fro, in cipher, such that the enemy might not learn the other’s secrets. Even one revealed could turn the tide.”
Kaelh walked into the shifting void of the Vault, walking amidst the stars, the nebulae and planets. Dying worlds. Endless cycles. Birth, death…and was that sorrow?
“Of course, it is not only mortals that keep secrets, but gods and worlds, and lands. Ruins hidden away by shifting sands that have swallowed them; a God of Life who hides their one failing, their jealousy that is sure to beget murder amongst their kin; ah, and worlds.” Kaelhmor’s smile grew.
“They are born, the blossom, expand, deepen. Lives light within them, like candles, fleeting, yet somehow meaningful all the same. Yet…those beings they ask, ‘what is the point of it all? The purpose, the goal, the endgame?’” Kaelhmor cast his gaze further adrift as, unbeknownst to him, power began to gather, pooling around him, and spilling from his skin.
“The world, however, does not answer, it remains silent, as if uncaring. Perhaps it too wonders,” his gaze becomes sharp for an instant as he glances to the side, as if knowing precisely where to look to give the Kathetikon a sidelong glare. “...or perhaps that is not the point at all. After all, the way things end is the least of their existence. The smallest moment, no more important than their beginning, if even less so. At least beginnings inform the rest.”
He shrugged slightly and trailed his fingers through the bright outlines of stars and photons that had been caught in the rotating wake of a black hole.
“That is the world’s secret. The answer to a single question, a simple one, but one no less profound for its simplicity: ‘Why’.”
At this, Kaelhmor’s expression became wistful, his light growing duller and less effulgent as it swirled and pooled and dispersed throughout the Vault. With those words said, the Lord of Light simply stopped and lifted his chin, gazing into the unknown infinity of the Vault, looking past it and beyond. It was as if he could see something that the Kathetikon could not, it was like he was not even seeing with his eyes at all, but with something else.
The question was, what was it he had glimpsed?
”I will grant you that the concept of secrecy is required, my sibling, but remember that secrecy is merely an extension of exclusion. It is the privilege of knowledge; it is mystery that feeds the flame of curiosity–curiosity may abide secrets, but never mystery.” the Kathetikon replied, its words revealed through the shifting of stars. The celestial spheres around them all rotated upon some unseen axis, some extension of the Kathetikon’s will, and more still gone but recorded worlds streaked across the infinite sky.
”You are wrong. These worlds have not ended–they have died, yes, but they have not ended. It was believed by my people that things only ended when they were remembered for the last time, when those who had beheld them had also passed into eternity’s soft embrace… but we at Gnosis were the keepers of all memory, so they never ended for us. When Gnosis died, I kept them within me so their search could continue. I have not forgotten any of the worlds I saw, and so they have not ended.” the Kathetikon replied, its tone now wistful and whisper-quiet. The worlds fell away into the nothingness of the inky void one by one, their lights individually dimming, and when only the Lord of Light’s radiance remained the Vault abandoned its celestial aspect and its true physical appearance was revealed.
Angles impossible for the mortal eye to perceive jutted out from slates of crystalline obsidian to form a roughly cubic room (though in truth its shape was impossible to ever define in a meaningful way), and at its centre where the two gods now stood was an enormous dais of solidified starlight. Rising from it were several statues, one wrapped in shadow amidst flowing coins and another the majestic freedom of a rainbow in equine form frozen midair, and above them all an enormous mural of the Crimson Goddess–the Creatrix herself. A third statue wove itself from the starlight trapped within the dais, eagerly drinking in the refulgent essence of the Lord of Light. His silhouette was rendered first, and little details filled in with flecks of green and gold. Next, on his back, something similar to a cloak began to manifest. Little threads of light, so bright against the consuming darkness all around them, weaving themselves into a mantle that covered the shadow with a glittering corona of dizzying, refractive light.
”I sensed the absence of powerful energy about you as soon as you entered; the residual scraps of magic about your person suggest to me that you had a cloak until recently–perhaps as a commemoration of our meeting, you would like another? Perhaps if I imbue it with the power of mystery, and you with secrets, we could explore the depths of their possibilities together! I do not like to leave questions unanswered, as you can imagine…”
As the Kathetikon replied in its unique way, Kaelh’s expression became thoughtful as he considered the depth of such a statement and the thought that had likely gone into it. It was a worthy philosophy he had to admit, one that appealed to his true nature–not that he’d ever reveal such to another, not now…likely never again.
Nonetheless, he found himself nodding along as the deity finished their explanation. Then, as the mention of absence and the revelation of the Vault impressed themselves upon his awareness he found himself smiling.
“How kind of you to offer,” he began, “I must say I was feeling rather bare without my once-favored cloak.” Chuckling lightly, Kaelh decided that he liked this god even more than he had Ashevelen–though perhaps the Kathetikon was less of a tradesman than the goddess. Not that such a thing could be helped.
With another chuckle, Kaelh shook his head slightly and stepped through the empty air of the Vault, considering how his new cloak might manifest.
He didn’t wait long to find out, his arms lifting into the air before him as his fingers splayed out and began to weave the light that spilled from his effervescent form. As his fingers deftly moved, the light shifted from hue to hue until finally its prismatic sheen gave way to something else entirely. At first it seemed like an oil slick bound into the form of cloth, and then it changed again, becoming silvery in hue. Retaining its sheen, the cloak continued to become stranger until even its color was impossible to properly distinguish.
As he worked, the Lord of Light and Lies–with sleight of hand and a dextrous use of power–wove more than just Illumination into the cloak. Hidden within every strand of light, veiled from the world, was his quintessence: The Aspect of Deception. Yet this time, unlike the Shadewalker’s Skein, he would not weave the cloak from shadow. No he’d use Secrets, Light, and Obfuscation instead.
When the initial work was done, rendering a translucent shock of cloth that flowed and shimmered faintly within the Vault’s oh so empty air, Kaelh turned his attention once more to the Kathetikon.
“A foundation of Secrets and Light have I laid, dear Kathetikon, such that you might build upon their base.”
With those words and a flourish, the cloak hovered through the air, presenting itself before the god of Curiosity and Knowledge. Kaelh had to admit, he found himself intrigued by what boon the Kathetikon might grant.
The Kathetikon observed the foundations being laid with great interest, making certain to record the fluctuations of energy within its pages. The work was sublime in all senses of the word, the scope and scale of energies being worked wondrous to behold in their own unique way–it was a very personal thing to each god, as the manifestations of their power were ultimately a reflection of their truest essence. It was thus especially curious to the Kathetikon that it could not detect the most minor eddies of Kaelhmor’s spellcraft, the blinding glare of the light so richly intense that even a god’s perception struggled to perceive it fully–it made the Kathetikon wonder about the nature of its sibling’s power, where precisely they must have come from for it to be so unfamiliar. Perhaps it was simply due to the nature of their Aspect, of course, but the Tome of All Things had read Ashevelen’s and Mytru’s magic easily enough. This fact alone made the Kathetikon even more intensely curious about its sibling and his capabilities, and it was that newfound vigour that spurred it on towards adding its own mark to this cloak.
The Vault’s queer construction was partly to generate an aura of mystery, to leave those who beheld it wondering, but it was also designed in such a way that it naturally facilitated the efficient movement of divine energy and its residual essence. The Kathetikon drew upon the nascent power of Mystery that bloomed naturally within the Grand Library’s hallowed halls with a single arcane rune, and from that singular point of power the little tributaries of essence within the Library’s individual archives began to trickle in towards the knot at the centre of the realm, spurred on by the geometries of the obsidian structure at the highest peak. The cloak did not initially change very much at all, the lustre of its efflugent threads dimming slightly, but as the light dimmed something equally radiant but far less bright began to fill the space it left behind. Fragments of arcane geometry began to weave themselves between the woven strands of the cloak, limning their radiance with enigmatic essence, and in a sudden burst of spellcraft the overwhelming light that comprised the fabric was bound and trapped within a reflective barrier of magic.
Its light seemed to no longer spill forth from it with reckless abandon, now confined by a lattice of mirror-like aether that refracted and twisted it into something subtle and richly arcane. Its manifold colours could be seen to diverge from their singular state of harmony and unravel into individual threads, each of which created little runes of their own that danced across the cloak’s sheer surface like words across a page.
”A veil of mystery to draw the eye but dim the mind; an infusion of curiosity to quicken the mind and still the senses. Your cloak is now a locus of the unknown–those around it may be compelled to seek it over all else, or to pay it no mind whatsoever. So long as you keep your secrets close to your heart, mystery shall always follow. You are unlike our other siblings, Kaelhmor, for I recognise something of the power of creation that you wield… I believe I have seen its like before, in one of the worlds I have visited. Perhaps it is simply a trick of the light, but… I could look into it for you, if you like? It would give us reason to reconvene later, and I would be honoured to receive you as a guest within my halls again!”
It was a fascinating thing to watch as the sigil manifested within the air itself, the otherworldly geometries of the Vault twisting and drawing upon what must have been the full extent of the Kathetikon’s power. Then, eyes widening fractionally, it was almost as if the cloak was being reforged as the rune’s power reknit every strand of light, every filament becoming saturated with the power of two divines.
Deception writhed, twisted, and evaded the grasping threads of Curiosity’s light even as they dipped subtly within Secrecy and Mystery’s influences. The Kathetikon might only notice that some aspect of the cloak’s inherent power was further altering itself as the god poured his essence into the cloak. Swiftly the cloak’s hue shifted, shimmered, from translucent, to a brilliance beyond blinding, beyond sight, beyond any mortal sense. Then, in an instant, as the Kathetikon’s power settled and all the intermingled Aspects settled into perfect union, the cloak appeared to vanish.
Momentarily stunned, and certainly surprised, Kaelhmor’s eyebrows raised as he stared at the open air where the cloak once had been. Frowning, he took several steps forwards and then waved a hand through the air where the cloak should have remained.
No sensation or resistance existed as his hand passed through the space, but as he watched, he saw–momentarily–his digits utterly disappear and in that same moment he lost all sense of them as if they’d been severed from his being.
Beyond impressed, and briefly alarmed, he found himself reflexively stepping back from their invisible creation.
“I…must admit that I was not expecting it to be quite as effective as that.”
Still, it didn’t take him long at all to regain his composure, at which point he shone the light of Illumination upon the cloak and managed to gather it upon his arm. Once there, it no longer elicited in him the sense of his limb’s absence, but rather it emanated a subtle energy whose exact nature he could not put his finger on. How intriguing….
Glancing away from the artifact, Kaelh smiled once more at the Kathetikon, his gaze filled with gratitude and perhaps the slightest hint of admiration. Then the other deity spoke, asking about matters that Kaelh would rather leave untouched.
Nonetheless, he could not let another know that he had things to hide, and as such he let his smile slide into slyness. Wagging his finger slightly, Kaelhmor chuckled, “Ah, but are not Mysteries a sacred thing dear friend?”
Waving his hand as if to dismiss the notion, Kaelhmor beamed, his smile lighting up the Vault. “I would be glad to reconvene within your realm, it is a beautiful place and one well suited to the considerations of one’s purpose upon this world.”
Walking several steps to the side as if pacing in thought he nodded slightly, his expression growing contemplative, if not entirely serious. Tapping his chin thoughtfully as he spoke, his tone one to match the motion, Kaelhmor continued.
“As to the rest, why not, I am always glad to learn more about myself. It would be my pleasure to share such an Illuminating experience with another.” Kaelh’s smile was gentle as he said it, fond even and he found that it was almost entirely honest.
Surprising.
Still, he did not trust the Kathetikon any more than he trusted any other god. He would have to keep a close eye on this one.
“Until then however, I do think I must depart. You’ve forged with me a truly magnificent gift and for that I know not how I shall repay you. In time, perhaps inspiration will strike me. On such a day, I shall return.”
That said, the Lord of light turned and headed leisurely–a lightness to his step–towards the threshold of the Vault.
”It may be that the same is true of some of our other siblings: I have not yet happened to meet the majority of them! Forgive me my impropriety, Lord of Light, for I am also one such divine with connections to worlds beyond this one–I merely sensed about you a sense of kinship. As a being of Curiosity and Mystery I cannot say that I will not be directed towards such information in the future, but I shall not actively seek it out without your approval. Until we meet again, dear sibling!” came the reply, echoing through the Vault’s halls for a long moment. The path out of the Kathetikon’s realm made itself known to Kaelhmor the moment that he turned away, cutting through the incredible vastness of the Library in a swath of brilliantly illuminating light. It seemed to catch against the fabric of his new cloak and flow through it, and his form wavered unsteadily in the air before vanishing completely as if he’d been nothing but a trick of the light in the first place.
”Anagnostis! Prepare the Odysseia for a voyage to Shadowton.” the Kathetikon wrote in the sky, and the rustling of feathered wings and the clopping of hooves could be heard all about the realm as the tentatively-named Emporoskiá began preparations for an excursion of their own. As the Brokers of Shadow saddled up their mounts and affixed the many goods they’d purchased in the Shadow Bazaar safely upon the equines’ mighty backs, they found to their surprise something that they had not recalled packing: a chart of woven starlight that showed the entirety of Galbar, and inked upon it several locations of interest that the Umbra who’d picked it up was intensely curious about. They handed it to another and the locations began to change, and then again and again as it made its way into the hands of all of the Umbra–it appeared to point them towards that which they were most curious about and where it could be found in the world. They praised the Kathetikon and its gift with a song on their lips, and as they flew out of the bounds of the Grand Library they followed not only the light of the stars and the guidance of the winds but their innermost curiosities and desires.
In which Kaelhmor glimpses the Grand Library from afar and so comes to meet its creator: the Kathetikon. Beholding the wonders of his Archive and traveling into the vast unknowable geometries of the Vault, Kaelhmor and the Kathetikon engage in brief philosophical conversation, before deciding to create something to replace Kaelhmor’s prior garment: The Shadewalker’s Skein. So it is that through their powers brought to union, Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil is wrought and the two promise to reconvene at an unknown day in the future.
The Lord of Lies and Light departs equal parts pleasured and perturbed by his interaction with the God of Curiosity and Knowledge while the Kathetikon surely looks forward to their next conversation…be it near or far.
So, still inspired by their creation, the Kathetikon brings forth the Chart of Odysseys into the world, bestowing it upon the Emporoskiá (Brokers of Shadow) such that they might seek out their hearts desires and feed the curiosity of their minds.
Kaelhmor Beginning Might: 2MP / 3AP
-1MP to create Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil and imbue it with the domain of Secrets (towards the Aspect of Secrets). -1MP to create/imbue Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil. -1AP to create/imbue Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil. -2AP to create/imbue Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil.
Sophieré - Syllogy's Veil: Borne of two Gods, the Veil takes the form of a cloak, but indeed it is a garment unlike any other. Peerless in its ability to conceal or illuminate its wearer, Syllogy’s Veil is equally powerful in the hands of mortals or gods, capable of nigh absolute misdirection and concealment or charms and ensorcelment, the cloak’s manifold Aspects have given it the unique ability to curry curiosity and attention or utterly dissuade such things. It is a thing of Mystery, Secrecy, Illumination, and Curiosity. Yet these powers are not alone, for Deception lies hidden as a unifying element to bind together these many disparate Aspects. Thus, with Sophieré donned, the wearer has no shadow, takes up no space, leaves no trace, makes no sound, nor possesses a smell or sensation to be detected. They might as well not exist at all. Further, the wearer may choose either to remain utterly undetected or instead to leverage each of these powers to make themselves impossible to ignore or even…impossible to precisely locate in any one locale. Such is the power of Kaelhmor’s favored cloak.
Ending Might: 0MP / 0AP
The Kathetikon: 3MP/5AP → 0MP/0AP
-3MP: Imbue Kaelhmor’s cloak with an aura of Mystery (3 might towards the Aspect of Mystery) -2AP: Imbue Kaelhmor’s cloak with an aura of Curiosity -5AP (Discounted to 3 with Curiosity): Create the Chart of Odysseys, a map that updates itself with all pertinent information about new locations in Galbar, and reveals the location of things that the bearer is most curious about. The Chart is capable of revealing anything that is hidden if the might used to hide it is less than the might spent on the Chart.
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