The Fallen

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“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

- Friedrich Nietzsche

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[Becoming a Fallen Requires Acquisition Through an Event.]

As the inexorable tide of The Void corrupts across the land not all fight back; there are some both desperate and depraved enough to instead embrace the creeping destruction threatening to overtake the land in exchange for great power and, perhaps most temptingly of all, assurance of their own survival. The Fallen are those who have pledged themselves to the Void and become its conduit, a legion of the damned who are either compelled to or voluntarily work to bring about the end of the world as mortalkind knows it.

Physical Changes

Those among the ranks of the Fallen are quickly warped and altered by their binding to the Void. Their soul begins to slowly and visibly rot from within, blackening from inside much like a cavity to a tooth the longer they have been a fallen. In addition, the color of their eyes begins to be gradually overtaken by a creeping ebony darkness from the corners of their whites, that only grows greater the longer their service to the Void persists. Upon all Fallen located somewhere on their flesh is a glimmering brand of the void, an inexorable symbol that cannot be understood or deciphered, and looks different depending on each and every fallen.

Holy objects, holy water, silver, gold and other weaknesses plague their daily lives, causing them to err on the side of caution when facing holy materials such as those which cause damage to them in the form of heavy burns and ugly wounds which increase normal wounds by one tier of severity if they land. The fallen are easily able to tell when such a weapon or object comes within 5 meters of them, but the feeling that is given often tends to instill a sense of hostility toward anyone possessing it. Spells and abilities cast by fallen do not appear menacing or corrupted unless they desire it to have its true form shown.

Mental Changes

The changes that mentally affect each fallen are unique in their own ways, but all follow a strict doctrine. The belief that the world in its entirety is a cage, one that everyone who attempts to fight to "Save" are simply oblivious and unable to understand it. Every blade of grass, each tree and branch. All a gilded piece made to keep the rats within content and happy as they are experimented upon. A thousand attempts, with magic, shamanism, dragonmarks-even divinity itself all result in the same effect. The pantheon shall not see their pets free themselves from their gilded prison.

The despair they feel for what once was absence translates as happiness, for they are liberators, the ones who will break those too ignorant to understand freedom from their mortal coil that the gods force upon them. Those that fight back are seen to be too naive to understand the truth no matter what you try to tell them. Even if it must be done by force, the will of the Fallen is to show those blinded what the truth of the world really is. Feelings of family and love upon those that still fight for the pantheon turn to that of sourness and pity for their ignorance, sometimes even anger. Those that see the truth are brothers and sisters, and together they shall set the world free at any cost necessary.

Acquisition

Coming into contact with the void, whether it be through fighting or through willing encounters is always a gamble. The very words they speak are always littered with a litany of truths and horrors that the mortal mind is unable to properly sustain for very long, and even the blessed themselves struggle to try and resist its pull when they are cornered. The layered voices and hypnotic effects of their words are something many succumb to, whether willingly or not, and can occur at any time when near a void tear or coming into contact with any beings of Absence’s realm.

Willing Servitude

Few decisions have the same reverberating and permanent impact upon an individual as choosing to serve the Void does. Those who serve the Void are forever cast out by the Pantheon, unable to gain their boons and rejected from their favor. Nor will common society accept them; if someone recognizes a Fallen for what they are it is likely they’ll be burned at the stake or worse. The price of power is even greater than this alone, though. A Fallen is incapable of being revived by anything other than the whims of the destructive and intangible force that they pledged their soul to, and it does not take kindly to servants that have failed it. Perhaps the biggest consequence of all though is that pledging your soul to the Void is an inescapable fate. This trait cannot be lost once it is willingly acquired, nor can the contract one makes be broken. The Fallen are truly, completely, and irrevocably damned to their fate once set upon the path from a willing perspective.

Unwilling Servitude

Being forced into the servitude of the void means that you have fallen far from where you once stood. Most often then not, those falling into unwilling servitude have either been brainwashed when defeated in battle, or after being kidnapped and tortured for weeks on end to become a spy. Regardless of the outcome, those forced into servitude suffer the same fate as those willing. Those who are forced to serve the Void are cast out by the Pantheon; unable to gain their boons and rejected from their favor. Nor will common society accept them; if someone recognizes a Fallen for what they are it is likely they’ll be burned at the stake or worse. The price of power is even greater than this alone, though. A Fallen is incapable of being revived by anything other than the whims of the destructive and intangible force that they pledged their soul to, and it does not take kindly to servants that have failed it, though if freed from the curse, all of such horrors fade away and they are restored to their original forms. Breaking an unwilling servant’s perverted view of the world that was forced upon them requires intensive emotions and extremely difficult and painful rehabilitation. Freeing one who was broken requires breaking them again, often worse then ever before to purge the sickness in their mind.

Universal Effects

The boons that the Fallen glean are as unique as the other horrors that spring forth from the void. There are however some universal features that are shared by each among the ranks of the Fallen beyond the general alterations to their appearance. These come in a variety of aesthetics unique to each fallen, but all remain generally the same.

A Suitable Mask

Cast Time: Passive/Two Turns Cooldown: N/A Duration: Passive Range: N/A Effects: The Fallen uses what little humanity they possess left within them to place a veil upon their form that preserves their original natural form before they were turned. Their body, soul and otherwise is cloaked in a natural way that makes them unable to be discovered through detection spells and means, either then from other fallen. This makes them entirely mundane while in this form, but can turn back after a two turn cast to their true forms, and while in their disguised form do not get affected by their normal weaknesses. If searched with soulsight, the fallen appear to have their proper aurum that they would otherwise normally have, however still normal looking.

Damnation

Cast Time: Passive Cooldown: N/A Duration: Passive Range: N/A Effects: The natural forces of the world revolt against those who are among the ranks of the Void’s endless legions; they cannot inherit or gain any boon of the natural world or the Pantheon beyond what they already possess, but can still progress. Because of this, a secondary font of energy becomes available to them. Only holding a single charge, this powerful font can be drawn upon after a fallen dies which allows them to restore themselves in the place that is safest for them 24 OOC hours after their death. Suicide does not matter. Should a fallen perish without a charged font, they die permanently as their soul rots away into the void. To regenerate this charge, a fallen must kill a person who shares their aurum category, thus regaining their font of power.

Desperate Summons

Cast Time: 2 Turns Cooldown: N/A Duration: 20 Turns Range: Up to 3m around the Fallen Effects: Channeling their available font of power but not consuming it, the Fallen uses their strength to call forth either two Deprived with weapons of their choice, or two Rakavos, tamed to the Fallen automatically. Both are capable of receiving simple orders and their weapons be they natural or otherwise inflict void poison if it wounds into flesh. If a summon kills a person compatible with the aurum category of the fallen, their font is restored. Desperate summons cannot be casted multiple times to stack, it merely refreshes the duration should a fallen use it again while the ability is active. The fallen cannot use this ability if they do not have a font charge.

Sinister Reflection

Cast Time: 1 Turn Cooldown: 5 Turns. Duration: Instantaneous Range: Self Effects: The Fallen is capable of cutting through one ability that is not mundane in nature, such as but not limited to magic or divinity. They cut through it with their weapon or hand by striking at the magic being thrown at them and actively dispel it, working similarly to a counterspell. On top of this, the Fallen can roll a d20 to parry the ability back at the person casting it, needing to pass a 14 to launch the ability back at the original caster instead of dispelling it.

Inversion

Perhaps the most potent boon that all Fallen receive is a dark endowment to their own natural skills and talents. Each member of the Fallen acquires one of four Inversions, partly chosen and partly determined by the incomprehensible will of the Void at the moment of their corruption. These Inversions serve to increase the already immense strength of the corrupted so that they are capable of handling themselves when outnumbered.

The Path of the Profane

(This can only be selected by characters with Divinity or Demonbrands.)

Those who turn away from the Pantheon or higher masters to embrace the Void find themselves gifted in ways that they never would under them. Their former blessings do not leave them; instead they find themselves with greatly enhanced equivalents granted by their dark master. These dark boons are much akin to what they imitate with some key differences. They are almost always visibly distorted by the dark power that fuels them, and their beliefs twisted beyond recognition.

Followers of the Path of the Profane experience the following changes:

There are no longer any restrictions on the usage of their blessing, such as morality and the opinion of their gods. It can be used freely with no consequence and it can be used to target any creature. Those on the Path of the Profane find that their abilities treat all creatures equally as if they were weak or vulnerable to their effects as long as their target is not a servant of the Void. For example, a blessed of Sol's flame burns away the unholy just as horribly and severely as it does mortal or blessed flesh, as if the blessed or marked was also profane in nature.

Aura is forcefully purged from the form of the fallen and is replaced with Exia, the very corrupt resource of the void itself. The fallen gains 10 extra Exia on top of the amount of Aura they had previously, and if they drop below half of their Exia pool, they gain one tier of strength and speed that is considered temporary until their resource refills.

The Path of Chaos

(This can only be selected by characters with Shamanism or a Dragonmarks.)

For a marked of a dragon or a shaman, the act of turning to follow the Void is a far greater sin than most. It is not just a rejection of the natural world most of them once held dear; it’s open defiance of it. Fallen shamans and dragonmarked are rare indeed, but their power is not to be understated. They no longer channel just the element they were once attuned to; they channel the raw power and destructive fury of the Void itself.

Followers of the Path of Chaos experience the following changes:

Followers of the path of chaos gain access to an additional ability from the void. Instead of Shakti, the resource of creation itself is forced out and replaced with Exia. This power of despair does not replace their prior paths or their chosen spirit and instead merges with it, altering and twisting both the appearance and effects of their prior abilities. When a fallen on the path of chaos strikes someone not of the void, assuming it is not evaded, 2 of the resource they possess is removed from their pool. [3 for Mana.]

Followers of the path of chaos have their spirit or dragonmark immediately corrupted upon becoming such, and they are forced to evolve to their highest bonding/dragonmark level. If turned back, the spirit reverts to the level it once was. In addition, they also gain 5 extra Exia.

The Path of Entropy

(This can only be selected by characters with a lit spark,Magi, Runesmiths, or Feyspeak.)

Many magi and runesmiths finally understand what prices they’ll pay for power when they are greeted with the dark wares that the Void offers to its devout adherents. Spellcasters who give themselves to the Void’s dark machinations are granted foul and profane boons that aid and supplement their casting, granting them additional knowledge and perhaps most importantly of all, the power to use it without restraint. In addition, their dark masters ensure that they grow in power and tenacity as time wears on, making them still able to progress, albeit with slightly different criteria.

Followers of the Entropic Path experience the following changes:

Those magi, runesmiths and feymarked who serve the Void find themselves gifted with a dark font of power through which they gain ten extra mana.

In addition for Feymarked, all terrains barring their positive ones become neutral, and void terrain becomes positive.

Entropic fallen abilities have a unique trait which causes their spells and abilities to shatter shields, protection or armor that is blessed or of the same category of aurum as theirs with one spell, as opposed to the number needed to break it. For runesmiths, this also includes any materials modified by abilities, such as earthen wall spells.

Imbued with a supernatural mastery of the manipulation of energy itself, a mage who walks the Path of Entropy is capable of ripping the life essence of their foes as they die away. If they kill someone of the same aurum category of themselves, they regenerate all their resources, as long as their font is already full.

Followers of the path of Entropy can still advance in their progression, as long as instead of following whatever criteria they had before they instead use it toward furthering the voids deeds.

The Path of Severance

(This can only be selected by a Fallen who doesn’t qualify for any other path.)

Those warriors who offer their souls to the Void are granted the power necessary to finally put them on par with all foes they might face in its service, no matter whether their enemies wield steel or magic, no matter whether they be mortal or immortal. They become walking heralds of despair and a symbol of the impending end; capable of stealing and destroying the very energies that hold the world together. The very edge of their blades becomes fine enough to even slice through magic and even the souls of their enemies themselves.

Followers of the Path of Severance experience the following changes:

An individual who walks the Path of Severance treats all magic, shaman and other abilities as if they were solid. Any equipment they wield also treats them as solid. This allows a Fallen to strike and act upon these abilities as if it were as easy to target as an enemy’s blade. For example, a Fallen can swing their blade through a spell as a mage is forming, effectively destroying it and counterspelling it. Spells or abilities that are already casted and have no form, such as mind probing cannot be destroyed in this manner. Likewise, they can strike against magical wards built for non-physical means like butter, dispelling them instantly. Spells which have explosive or destructive after effects still trigger right away, even if cut down mid-flight.

To cut down projectiles mid flight requires the severist to roll higher than that of the person who rolled to hit, as well as be within range to do so.

Severists come with a small arsenal of 3 abilities that are used to even the playing field, forcing those of high power to be grounded by the severist as they try to defeat them.

Severance Abilities

Lockdown

Cast Time: 2 Turns Cooldown: 12 Hours Duration: 10 Turns Range: Target within 6m of the caster Effects: A Fallen on the Path of Severance possesses the ability to truly even the fight between him and an opponent. Channeling the power of the void, the severant targets a single person within range, and creates a alternate reality consisting of the target and themselves, which is an exact copy of the terrain around them 25m wide. Beyond a veil of darkness rests and cannot be traversed, as an impenetrable barrier blocks the way. In this abyssal arena no magical or supernatural abilities work, including the Severist’s own. Both are restricted to only their natural form and the weapons and equipment they fought along. The duel ends when either 10 emotes have passed or one of the two combatants has perished, sending them both rippling forth back into the real world. No intervention is possible while this duel takes place.

Extraplanar Form

Cast Time: 2 Turns Cooldown: 12 Hours Duration: 10 Turns Range: Self Effects: A Severist can tear themselves and their weapons between worlds, rendering themselves incorporeal. While incorporeal they are immune to all things physical for the duration. Any strikes they land in this state pass through all non-magical material as if it wasn’t solid. If they strike against flesh with their weapons they cause minor necrosis through the tissues where their blow passed through. While in this state a Severist may become corporeal again at will by tearing themselves back through after re-casting the ability.

The Marble Blessing

Cast Time: Passive Cooldown: N/A Duration: Passive Range: Self Effects: A Fallen on the Path of Severance naturally becomes corrupted and enhanced by the void energies flowing throughout their form. Their strength and speed are both enhanced by two stages up from what they currently are (this bypasses standard restriction rules), and their skin turns hard like a statue of pure marble. This makes them completely immune to slashing weapons, but extremely vulnerable to blunt and piercing weapons. Their raw flesh beneath such do not follow these rules.

The World of Aethius • The Multiverse of Aethier