The Blessing of Taithir
Known as Shield-Bearers due to the physical form of the Blessing, those who possess the Blessing of Taithir have an air of honor and nobility about them, giving them an almost immediate sense of trustworthiness at higher tiers. However, this honorable air is not a manifestation of the Blessing itself, but rather a characteristic of those upon whom it is bestowed, for Ethelynda requires that those who receive her Blessing be truly just and noble. The Blessing itself manifests as a symbol of a silver shield upon the back of the bearer's dominant hand. The stronger the Blessing, the more ornate the shield.
Favored
| Ability Name |
Ability Description
|
| Serpents Hood |
Named for the technique many snakes use to appear more threatening, Serpents Hood generates an aura around the user that makes them appear like significantly bigger threat than the people around them, drawing the attention of enemy combatants towards the Shield-Bearer and away from more vulnerable targets. This ability lasts until the Shield-Bearer deactivates it or is rendered unconscious or dead.
|
| Enduring Scales |
The Shield-Bearer's skin takes on a scale pattern, allowing them to absorb more physical damage than they could before. Poisons and toxins also take longer to effect the Shield-Bearer. The effect only lasts for a single Bit, and takes a Break to recharge before it can be used again.
|
| Protective Skills I |
The character is granted an extra three skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Any Weapons Skill, Shield Use, or Endurance. 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.
|
| Honor's Shield |
A skill that serves as a boost to the Shield-Bearer and their allies, Honor's Shield boosts the capabilities of the users own shield and those of their allies with a fifty yard radius, allowing them to block abilities that might otherwise shatter, pass through, or go around their shields, allowing them to defend against skills and techniques that would otherwise be much more dangerous.
|
| Inspire |
When this skill is activated, those around the user find themselves able to resist the fears and doubts that plague their minds, allowing them to act in spite of them when they might otherwise be unable to do so. This does not only apply to martial fears and doubts, but to fears and doubts in all facets of life.
|
| Nobility's Endurance |
A skill that requires a short sentence, of the Shield-Bearers own design, to activate, Nobility's Endurance grants all allies within hearing range of the Shield-Bearer, as well as the Shield-Bearer themselves, a boost to their endurance, allowing them to take more punishment than usual. The effect lasts three Bits and can't be used again for a Break.
|
| Calm Mind |
For a short period of time, the wielder of this skill is able to calm themselves completely, leaving them immune to taunts or other attempts to anger them or otherwise knock them off balance.
|
| Noble's Shield |
As the shield of the helpless and weak, no Shield-Bearer should be without their own shield. Noble's Shield will generate a golden tower shield when used and will last until shattered or deactivated, ensuring no Shield-Bearer is without this defense. However, these shields are no substitute for a real shield, as they cannot take too many heavy blows before shattering. In exchange, however, these shields have a cooldown of only a single bit.
|
| Second Wind |
A skill that activates when the bearer is on their last legs, this gives them a burst of sudden energy at the moment when they need it most. However, this ability has a large drawback in that it can leave the bearer bedridden for several Breaks.
|
Adored
| Ability Name |
Ability Description
|
| Iron Scales |
The shield bearers skin literally becomes hard and scaly, giving them a significant boost to the level of physical damage they can take to their bodies. In addition, poisons and toxins are slowed to an high degree and weak poisons and toxins will halt their progress completely while this ability is in effect. The ability lasts for three Bits and takes two Breaks to recharge. This ability does not share a cooldown with Enduring Scales.
|
| Serpent Manifestation |
A skill that allows the bearer to summon a Taithir Serpent familiar, a serpentine spirit that aids the user in battle. This familiar has no real mind of its own but follows the directions of the summoner, though it will act to defend its summoner in extreme situations. The appearance of this familiar is unique to each Shield-Bearer, but each is the size of an anaconda and can take significant punishment.
|
| Protective Skills II |
The character is granted an extra six skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Any Weapons Skill, Shield Use, or Endurance. 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.
|
| Serpent Tongue |
This skill is seemingly useless at first, as it only allows the bearer to understand the language of snakes. However, this gives the bearer access to all the information that snakes can gather undetected, allowing those who know how to listen to find information they might never have otherwise learned. There are myriad other uses to this ability, depending on the ingenuity of the Shield-Bearer.
|
| Serpents Interception |
Referencing the blinding speed of a striking snake, Serpents Interception creates a dome around the Shield-Bearer that extends in a five foot radius around them. This dome blocks all physical projectiles, no matter how strong. An opponent could, however, walk right through this shield to engage the Shield-Bearer close range. It is worth noting that this dome does not prevent ranged attacks from inside the dome. The dome lasts for three Bits and can't be used again for a full Break.
|
| Serpentine Awareness |
This ability allows the Shield-Bearer to detect the heat signatures of other people, causing them to appear fiery red in their vision. The real benefit to this ability, however, is mental in nature, as it also gives the Shield-Bearer an automatic awareness of everyone around them through this detection, even those who would normally be out of sight. This ability lasts until deactivated, but causes a migraine with sustained use.
|
| Detect Threat |
An ability that is passive in nature, Detect Threat allows the Shield-Bearer to know when harm is intended to them or their allies. This makes it difficult, though not impossible, to be caught off guard or backstabbed. However, knowing there is a threat doesn't allow the Shield-Bearer to know when or where it's going to come from, so it does not pay for them to get complacent and rely too much on this ability.
|
| Serpentine Venom |
A skill that seems out of place with the majority of Taithir's skills, Serpentine Venom is a skill that gives the bearer the same paralytic venom found within the bite of the Ithecal, however, instead of being limited to a bite this skill allows the bearer to coat their weapons in this venom. The potency of the venom and how long it lasts varies on how and where it is being used and the how familiar the user is with this skill.
|
| Protective Ward |
An ability that applies to both the Shield-Bearer and their allies, Protective Ward coats those affected in golden scales. These scales will endure any attack, no matter how potent. However, after enduring this one attack, the effect will fade. This ability can only be used once a Break.
|
Exalted
| Ability Name |
Ability Description
|
| Coiled Strike |
A skill that feeds off the damage the exalted has endured, Coiled Strike turns all the pain and suffering the bearer of Taithir has endured and turns it into strength to empower the user, giving them strength to rival the crushing power of the mightiest serpents coils. The skill only lasts a short time and can't be used more than once in a Trial.
|
| Immortal Scales |
The Shield-Bearers skin becomes the exact same chocolate brown scales that cover the tail of the Noble Serpent herself, allowing them to take an extreme amount of physical punishment. In addition, the progress of poisons and toxins slows to a crawl, while weak poisons and toxins will be cured. This ability lasts for five Bits and takes three Breaks to recharge. This ability does not share a cooldown with Iron Scales or Enduring Scales.
|
| Protective Skills III |
The character is granted an extra nine skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Any Weapons Skill, Shield Use, or Endurance. 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.
|
| Protect the Flanks |
An ability that affects only the Shield-Bearer, Protect the Flanks creates three golden tower shields, one on each side of the Shield-Bearer and one at his back. These shields have the same durability as the Shield-Bearers own shield and will last five bits or until broken. This ability has a cooldown of one break.
|
| Scales of the Noble Serpent |
The Shield-Bearer is surrounded by an aura that takes the form of scales when struck. Any magic that comes in contact with the outer edge this field is instantly nullified, however this aura is useless against physical attacks. This ability lasts for five Bits and can't be used again for a full Trial. It should be noted that while it makes the Shield-Bearer all but immune to most magic, it also makes most magic completely useless to them while the aura is in place.
|
| Great Wall |
Considered one of the most spectacular skills in a Shield-Bearers arsenal, Great Wall triggers when the Shield-Bearer invokes it and slams their shield into the ground in front of them. The ability then creates a chest-high wall on either side of the Shield-Bearer that goes until it either hits another solid object or reaches a point 150 feet away from the Shield-Bearer. This wall is impenetrable to all but the most powerful attacks and will last for as long as the Shield-Bearer stays anchored at the center of the wall. If the Shield-Bearer is moved from that spot by so much as an inch, the wall will dissipate instantly. This ability can only be used once a Trial.
|
| Form of the Great Serpent |
The Shield-Bearer takes on the form of a massive serpent with incredibly hard scales and a lethal venom. This form is roughly the size of a house and around thirty feet long, and this massive size combined with the general form makes it difficult to maneuver. In addition, no other Taithir abilities can be used in this form, so the effectiveness of this form can be very limited. The transformation can last for as long the Shield-Bearer remains conscious, but can't be used again for a full Trial.
|
Champion
| Ability Name |
Ability Description
|
| Perfect Shield |
This skill is only granted to those who become Ethelynda's Champions and requires the Ancient Language to activate. Perfect Shield surrounds the Shield-Bearer with a golden aura and lasts for up to 5 Bits and can't be used again for 7 Trials. The ability is considered the ultimate Taithir ability by many, as it makes the Shield-Bearer completely immune to all but the most powerful Divine and Arcane abilities, making them into the ultimate roadblock to any enemy force seeking to get past the Shield-Bearer.
|
| Last Gasp |
This skill is only granted to those who become Ethelynda's Champions. A skill that is automatically sustained upon the bearer sustaining a fatal wound, Last Gasp allows the bearer to fight at their full potential for a short time despite the inevitability of death. In addition, it automatically activates all the other Taithir abilities, with the exception of Form of the Great Serpent and Perfect Shield, and resets their cooldowns, allowing them to be reused instantly upon their deactivation, even if they have been recently used or would otherwise be unusable at the time, granting the Champion a strength to match the Immortals. However, this skill comes with a high cost as once this skill is triggered, the bearer's body will shatter as the Original Beings did and their soul will pass on from this plane, preventing them from being by most standard means. This is due to the Shield-Bearer's body being destroyed, so any attempt to revive a Shield-Bearer who has used Last Gasp will require creating a new body for the soul.
|
This category currently contains no pages or media.
