Favored Abilities
Early to Rise (Minor)
Add an extra three skill points to one of the following skills: Agriculture, Cartography, Meditation, Psychology or Swimming. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 100 point cap on skills.
Painted Sunrise (Minor)
The Blessed can enhance the color of anything with the colors of the sunrise. This can be used to conceal someone or something by making it the same sunburst color scheme as everything around it. This change will last as long as noon of the same trial.
Ray of Sunlight (Minor)
The Blessed one can, from any logical point on his body, emit a ray of sunlight. This can be used like a torch in a dark place, a flare for searchers, a dazzling blinder against an attacker, a flash signal to send messages over considerable distance, or any other creative use. This ray can be maintained for ten bits (minutes) for each ability the Blessed has in this Mark (so, 30 bits at first, etc)
Eye of the Beholder (Minor)
Once a week, the Blessed one can make one target truly put themselves in their adversary's shoes, allowing them to see things from their perspective. Regular skills like Persuasion and Negotiation are far more effective in conjunction with this ability. Negative based coercion, like Intimidation or Bribery however, can completely undo these benefits. Many an altercation or long-standing feud has been resolved through the use of this one power.
Dawn Sweeper (Minor)
Many magic effects are based upon a "once-per-trial" basis. The Blessed one can fold the time envelope of a spell to immediately cause it to reach the end of its duration. This is as if the rebirth of dawn, of a new trial, swept away the effects of one harmful domain magic spell on either himself or another willing target. This boon is nigh unstoppable at dawn. Otherwise, the Blessed one must have more points in Meditation or Discipline than the mage has in Meditation or Resistance (their choice). This does not grant the caster a "refund" of ether to reuse, nor any additional buffer against overstepping. The Blessed One can use this ability once per trial for each tier of the mark.
Warming/Cooling Trend:
The Blessed can impart an actual rise or drop in local temperature, to bring relief and encourage good moods. This can be up to a 15-degree effect in a single building; a 10-degree effect over a city block, or a 5-degree effect over a small village. At "Adored", raise the effect by an additional 5 degrees, and make the new 5-degree area be the size of a large town. At "Exalted", add another 5-degrees, and have the new 5-degree area be the size of an entire city. This effect will remain for an entire trial, but can not be generated again for another three.
Bright Eyes:
The Blessed is able to look into any level of natural brightness with no debilitating effect. This means no attempt to dazzle him with natural light will work. He is able to enjoy this resistance for ten bits (minutes) per trial for each ability he has in this mark. Magically created dazzling effects may work against him however.
Shimmering Blank:
The Blessed can generate the mirage-like shimmer that makes distant details or features unseen. But he can use it to make things much closer go unnoticed, by having the light rays that would expose them be caught up in an updraft of light refraction. This ability can affect an area of volume equal to one hundred (100) cubic foot for every tier of this blessing the Blessed one possesses. Technically, this effect will last as long as the sun is in the sky, but is less likely to be noticed during the hottest part of the trial.
Focus of Forgiveness:
The Blessed can apply an aura of compassion to a target he feels is genuinely remorseful over some deed he has committed. If this person surrenders to authorities, this aura will inspire compassion in those that are to judge him. This aura will last until either judgement takes place, or for one full cycle. This can only be cast once per season. At "Adored, it can be cast twice per season. At "Exalted", it can be cast three times.
Adored Abilities
Morning Watch
The character is granted an extra six skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Agriculture, Cartography, Meditation, Psychology or Swimming. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 250 (or 100 if fast track) point cap on skills. Within these skills, the points may be spent how the pc chooses.
Updraft:
The Blessed can generate a strong updraft to lift an object. He can lift one hundred (100) pounds of weight per tier of this blessing this way. This can be a single heavy object, or the cumulative weight of several small items. This can be used to lift the Blessed one himself, or at least as an aid to climbing by neutralizing a great deal of weight. It can also be quickly activated to significantly soften the impact of a fall. Once the full equivalent of weight has been lifted in this way, the Blessed one can not use this until the next trial.
Sun Spots:
The Blessed can strip the light from a target, so that visibility is impossible. This can be done to either a live, mobile target for up to ten seconds (trills) per ability in this mark. The target may resist this, lessening the effect by one second per point of their Resistance skill. The Blessed may also apply this to an area of five square feet, and for five bits, per ability in this blessing. This can be done once per trial. At "Exalted", it can be done three times per trial.
Atonement
The Blessed can instill, into a single belligerent target, the desire to right a single great wrong. If it is a wrong that cannot be undone, the target will be overwhelmingly compelled to surrender to those authorities that would rule on his wrongdoing. This can be attempted once per season, and can only be resisted when the target's combination of their points in Discipline, added to their Resistance points, exceed the Blessed's combined Psychology and Discipline points. If the target does not resist this power, the Blessed MUST also apply "Focus of Forgiveness" at the first opportunity.
Cleansing Dawn
Where "Dawn Sweeper" allows the Blessed to take away one existing harmful spell effect from a willing target; this allows him to block this hostile cast at its inception, and can affect unwilling targets as well. This means that the Blessed can also stop an enemy from casting enhancing spells on himself. Again, this ability is greatly enhanced at dawn. Otherwise, if contested, the Blessed must have more combined Discipline and Meditation points than the opponent has skill levels plus either Meditation or Resistance. Like "Dawn Sweeper", this does not extend any refund of domain resources, or buffer against overstepping, to the target. The Blessed One can use this ability once for every five abilities in this mark he possesses.
Flight Stream
Whatever means are being employed for flight, whether natural or magical, this boon enhances it, making the very air currents themselves lift and hurry the target along his way. This can double the target's speed, although the individual flying is still subject to the normal limits of endurance etc. In the alternative, the target can simply fly three times as far as usual at his normal speed.
Rays of Revelation
The Blessed one casts revealing rays of dawning truth upon one or more targets, showing them up for what they truly are. The number of times he can reveal a target's true nature this way depends on the targets' Domain, Disguise, Resistance or Deception skill, whichever is greater. The Blessed one essentially accumulates 10 points for each ability in this blessing he has and he "spends" these points to overcome this obstacle. His expenditure accumulates with each target.
Forgive or Forget
The Blessed one imposes the scales of one target's anger upon himself. If the target chooses the path of forgiveness and compassion, he unknowingly gains a boon which allows him to neutralize one harmful magic spell cast against him. The power of spell that can be neutralized is equal to what the Blessed is able to negate. If the target instead clings to his grudge, he himself forgets whatever hostile skill he would have employed in anger, whether a weapon skill or a magic domain, the next three times he targets that person. In accordance with the same spirit of forgiveness, this weight can not be imposed by the Blessed one on any person more than once. At Exalted, this works the next five times the subject targets that person.
Lazy Summer Trial
The Blessed one imposes a lethargic malaise upon anyone with angry, hostile intent; filling them with the desire to just kick back and relax for the rest of the trial. Armor becomes an unpleasant burden, if not an actual fear of heat prostration. Those affected may even decide to go for a swim to "cool off", regardless of the actual water temperature. Those with no anger or fear will not be affected by this lethargic mood. This can affect all targets in an area equal to 300 square yards per ability in this blessing. This can only be done once every three trials.
Exalted Abilities
Sunrise Tribute
The character is granted an extra nine skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Gardening, Cartography, Meditation, Psychology or Swimming. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 250 (or 100 if fast track) point cap on skills. Within these skills, the points may be spent how the pc chooses.
Eye in the Sky
The Blessed is aligned with the sun's position to be able to see anywhere upon which the sun is currently shining. The Blessed is able to "zoom in" on any spot the sunlight hits. Thus does not mean he can look into buildings, unless the sunlight is shining directly through a window or doorway or some similar opening. Still, he is limited to what can be seen from that spot alone. Also, if clouds cover the ground, the Blessed is NOT able to "zoom" through them. The further the gaze roams from 'high noon" dead center of the sunlight, the darker the vision becomes. The Blessed can not use any kind of dark vision spell or artifact to supercede this limitation. This sight can be enjoyed once per trial for 1 bit per 10 devotion points. No other blessing can be used at the same time.
The world was dim as the moons light shown down on the courtyard. For the young woman who sat dejected against one of the four walls that formed the make shift courtyard the world was brighter than it had been on many trials, she wasn't exactly sure how many had passed with her in this state. Her gaze traveled down her slumped form and for the her brain registered just how bad she looked. She couldn't have told anyone the last time she had taken a bath but couldn't find it in herself to care. She had failed so utterly and completely that such things like appearances and hygiene had lost their value.
Her focus instead turned inward towards the beast in her soul that hungered for more of the escape. To delve once again into heavenly bliss and drive away all the pain. She looked through her bags once again and for the tenth time that night was again confirmed that she had used her stash. She would have to buy more but with what cash she wasn't sure. She had sold anything of value that she had escaped with and used it to feed herself and purchase her hobby soon though most of her coins had gone to buying the drugs she had come to depend on. She grabbed a strand of her hair. It was dirty but with its length could still sell for a decent cost especially if she cleaned it first. She knew there was another way to earn money and while she had charmed a number of men into giving her coins she hadn't been yet willing to sell that.
"Gennadiya." A voice called in the darkness. The young woman's head shot up at both the sound of her name which she hadn't heard in a long time and the voice of the speaker. Her searching but still dulled gaze looked to one of the streets that came on to the courtyard and noticed the hooded lantern. The light drew closer and closer until Gennadiya could finally see the young woman who carried the light source. Elizaveta moved across the garbage strewed cobbles with a graceful pace. Her expression was sorrowful as she knelt next to her sister.
Gennadiya drew back farther into her self trying to shy away from that expression and that light. Her sister set the lantern and something else down. Elizaveta reached out her hand and touched her sister's cheek. The caress was tender and loving and was like a stamp to Gennadiya's heart.
"Please go away!" She said in her voice which now crackled.
"Don't be silly Adiya." Elizaveta murmured moving her hand from cheek to hair as gentle began to smooth it back from Gennadiya's face. The movement was tender and loving and reminded the wayward Gennadiya of happier times.
"Go. I am not worthy of your attention and love." Gennadiya said in a half chocking voice. She felt guilt eat at her soul knowing how much promise she once had.
"You where always stubborn dear sister." Elizaveta said in her soft voice. Gennadiya could hear a determination in that voice that said she wasn't going to budge. "I am here to bring you home. Quiet my dear sister I have found you and I am going to help you."
"How can you forgive my weakness?" Gennadiya said as she fought back tears.
"Ymiden teaches us that forgiveness should be freely offered as we all come short and hurt others." Elizaveta took her sisters chin in her other hand and turned the lost woman's face so that two sets of blue eyes starred into each other. Gennadiya's own eyes were tearing up. Before she had fled her sister had tried to talk with her then but Gennadiya had been to proud to admit her addiction. Now there was room for pride. "Gennadiya you can be reborn, you can change your life as Ymiden teaches us."
"Sister I can't break this. This monster has me and I can't climb my way out of it's lair." Gennadiya said speaking out loud for the first time that she was weak.
"Oh my sister you are right. Laying here will keep drawing you back to the beast, but I am your hero and can pull you out." She stood up then and took her sister hand. "Come .... ahh"
At that moment a blade had emerged from the shadows behind Elizaveta and pressed it against her throat. Gennadiya screamed even as her sister took a step back. She grabbed at the lantern and open its light to full extent. A boy stood there holding her sister. Gennadiya remembered seeing him on the streets with her these past months.
"Giv me you valuables." He said in slurred and broken common. Gennadiya looked on the ground frantically in front of her. There was a bag that Elizaveta had brought with her. She grabbed it, the way that he held that knife terrified Gennadiya. His hand shook from with drawls and nerves that he could accidentally slice her sister throat. On her knees know Gennadiya moved to stand and held out the bag pleading.
"Take it please just take it." Gennadiya wailed in her desperation. As she waved the bag it happened even as she had feared. His shaking had twitched to much and sliced inward. Gennadiya watched her sister as shock and pain crossed her face. Then the light flashed out of her sister's eyes.
With a primeval scream she hurled the pack at him and caught her sister even as collapsed. Sobs escaped from her throat as the blood began to soak the front of Elizaveta's dress. Anger and hatred broke in here and she grabbed the war fan at her sisters belt. Gennadiya couldn't ever have told you the details of the fight but her mind didn't clear until she was kneeling over the desperate boy.
The sharp blade of the fans spokes were pressed against the boys throat. Just slight pressure would end his life in the same way as he had ended her sister's. He was laying there and for the first time Gennadiya saw him. He was tall but he was nothing more the a boy, one who had grown in height but no other ways. He was balling pleading for his life. His body was trembling from the fear and the horrors of what he had just done. Gennadiya could even feel him wetting himself.
She prepared to finish it but then realized this wasn't justice just vengeance. Gennadiya would have blood on her hands. She looked more closely at the boy and felt her heart break. This poor child, and in that moment as she saw true sorrow and deep desperation she understood forgiveness. She gentle pulled the blade back. This boy had killed her sister but Gennadiya had brought her sister out and she knew she could beg for forgiveness for her part if she demanded death now. The anger was gone and replaced with sympathy.
"I forgive you." She said in a quiet sincere voice. Then she smacked the butt of war fan against the boys head and watched as his eyes rolled back and he blacked out. She may have forgiven him but didn't trust him.
She crawled back over to her sister's body and began to weep. After a time she said. "I won't let your death be in vain. I will go back and I will defeat this monster. You will be proud of me sister. I wouldn't stop there Elizaveta. I will work to help others defeat this monster." Deep within herself she felt the commitment take root as nothing ever before had.
"True Forgiveness and a rebirth." A voice said from one of the allys. Gennadiya's head shot up and starred at the face of a handsome man who smiled sadly at her. She then felt Ymiden's mark come upon her as dawn began to touch the horizon.