[CA + Creature Lore] The Infernal Compendium

[Pallodium 816]

Spoiler

 

 

In the event of this rewrite’s acceptance, I would like to give all inferi players the chance to re-select their class, due to the vast changes to each of them. This is a one-time thing that may be RPed as the hells shifting drastically similarly to the Naztherak rewrite, and is not something that may be accomplished again later. Furthermore, all evolved Zar’ei will revert to their pre-evolved forms, and have to re-collect souls for the new evolution process. 

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THE INFERNAL COMPENDIUM

 

It all starts with a deal. Yet what continues it?

 

The Infernal hordes of Moz Strimoza burst into existence in an innumerable and wicked variety. From the meager yet numerous, the cunning and wily, to the brutal and gigantic, they are all born from a seething cauldron of chaos and as such reflect the many facets of eternal conflict. Each are soldiers in an unending war, played out across Moz Strimoza by the Pentacle, and more recently upon the realm of Arcas. In such skirmishes and sieges many new corrupted forms of monstrosity were observed, but there are a few consistent Inferi who are known to servants of the Light, demonslayers, witch hunters and practitioners of dark magics.

 

Of these more commonplace abominations, only few seem to manifest upon the mortal world without the assistance of a Naztherak. Those few who roam free without a warband, quickly fall prey to the unwavering zeal of those Descendants with the courage to hunt them, or False Princes with a desire to fill a vacancy in their court. It is not unheard of for these Inferi to attempt to bargain for their lives, but surely only a fool would believe the forked tongue of a demon to be capable of producing any words with meaning more than ash.

 

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THE INFERNAL CLIMB

Lesser Ascension

 

The Infernal Climb refers to the ladder upon which all inferi exist, a hierarchy which these demons lust to ascend when not reveling in debauchery, violence, and sin. Zevn, Zekul, and Zezimar make up the lesser inferi, each a breed of increasing danger yet of meek stature in comparison to those above them. The greater inferi- Zar’akal, Zentherak, and the titanic Zar’rokul themselves each stand at the higher rungs of this ladder- each a class of demon whose innate hellish powers make them increasingly volatile and ravenous.

 

It is said that chaos is a ladder, and the demonic denizens of Moz Strimoza are all too familiar with such a concept. The drive to climb higher, surpass and consume those above them and crush those who fall beneath them, is intrinsic to the nature of an Inferis. It is of little surprise then that the Infernal Ladder consists of traps, schemes and plots of demonkin attempting to climb to greater rungs of power. This is how the Zar’rokul acquired and keep their position, and ensures their rule of law:

 

“Ra’drakurz raht roknoth kuul ra’vaznan amol tul.”

“The weak are meat and the strong do eat.” 

 

The urge to ascend up the rungs is inherent to every inferi- as such, is the desire to do whatever it takes to ascend. The Infernal Climb is how Inferi may move up the stages of being an inferi, slowly ascending from Zevn to Zevn’kiel, from Zevn to Zezimar, or even the immense rarity of True Ascension- the process of a Zezimar ascending to the pinnacle-state of Zentherak.

 

 

RAKIR HARVESTING

All infernal beings hunger for Rakir. And thus through that, their bodies latently hold some of it- in no means enough for them to access it whilst alive, yet their dead forms can be harvested of the materia- be it through needle-extraction, or be wringing a limb loose of it. The counts gained by harvesting Rakir are as follows:

— A Zevnka may be harvested for 1 unit of Rakir upon death.

— A Zar’ei may be harvested for 3 units of Rakir upon death.

— An evolved Zar’ei may be harvested for 4 units of Rakir upon death.

— A Zar’akal may be harvested for 5 units of Rakir upon death.

 

Redlines:

— Solely CA-played creatures can be harvested for Rakir; NPC summons cannot.

— An inferi must be completely dead to be harvested for Rakir.

 

SOUL-SAPPING

The devouring of lessers is both symbolic and literal, as the consuming of souls and cannibalism are also intrinsic to Inferi nature. In order to ascend the infernal hierarchy, an inferi must consume the souls of mortals untouched by Infernal corruption, consuming soul fragments via Soul-Sapping. The Inferis may do so by either killing a mortal and snatching a fragment of their soul as it departs its vessel, or stripping away chunks from the whole soul of a living victim, consuming the fragment whole as it melds within their very soul and form.

 

Rending away the fragments of the soul by force is merely one way- an inferi may bargain or forcefully extract soul fragments with soul-bearing individuals, to sup upon their soul essence, leaving the victim alive through a pacting handshake or other gesture over [1] emote of continuous contact with either a restrained individual’s flesh or one a deal has been forged with. In such a case, the victim receives a malflame-burn scar at the site of such siphoning and will periodically be subject to nightmares as a lasting reminder of their deal- feeling a weakness set into them akin to a sickly malaise, for [1] IRL week whilst the soul regenerates. If a living being is restrained, however- they may have a fragment of their soul forcefully sapped without a bargain, taken by force.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Soul-Sapping may only take from creatures with a Greater Soul and those untainted by infernal influence; it always yields [1] Soul Fragment.

— Soul Fragments may only be consumed either by forcefully killing a mortal and pillaging the remnants, or forcing a soul-bearing individual into a deal by bargaining, where they must willingly IRPly consent to it.

— All inferi inherently know how to Soul-Sap, able to do so with intent to ascend up the infernal hierarchy.

— Soul Fragments harvested must be logged with dates, players, and RP of the souls being taken in order to be properly proved to be utilized for Ascension/Evolution.

— Players receive no additional benefit in Soul-Sapping should a victim PK, and should not goad the other player into PKing whatsoever.

— No IRP nor OOC consent is needed to Soul-Sap if one is forcefully restrained.

— An inferi player may choose whatever aesthetic they see fit for Soul-Sapping, be it a handshake with fiery runes, or a sudden swathe of gaseous substance pulled from the chest, or even the manifestation of pulling energies from an effigy.

 

ZEVNKA ASCENSION

The most common segment of the Infernal Climb is the central method of ascension between the lesser stages, how a Zevn may slowly climb the ladder through the consumption of soul fragments. A Zevn can ascend to become a Zevn’kiel- an imp lord. To do so, [5] soul fragments must be consumed- requiring a sole Naztherak to enwreathe the Zevn with [30] maleus, permitting it to go through the horribly painful process of morphing into this greater state.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— One can only evolve starting from [1] month after their CA has been accepted.

— Whist the Infernal Climb overall encompasses all forms of evolution and progression of the Inferi, this portion of the Infernal Climb does not account for a Zezimar’s Lesser Evolution or the True Ascension of Zentherak- those follow their respective portions further down in the lore.

— The Infernal Climb is a concrete method for the lore-existent concept of it to be usable- permitting Zevn to ascend to a Zevn’kiel.

— It requires a Zevn with [5] Soul Fragments and [1] Naztherak with [30] Maleus to undergo ascension into a Zevn’kiel- resulting in a comment on their Zevn CA application.

— Can not be done in combat.

 

ZEZIMAR ASCENSION

A form of ascension rarer, yet not uncommon- a Zezimar’s ascension unto an ‘evolved’ form through the consumption of soul fragments, climbing slowly further up the infernal hierarchy. A Zezimar may partially ascend to a more augmented form of their subtype, be they Malda, Kozun or a Rakaal. To do so, [5] soul fragments must be consumed- requiring a sole Naztherak to enwreathe the Zar’ei with [50] maleus, permitting it to go through the horribly painful process of morphing into one of the two. Despite such, by doing so they gain far greater prowess, and the ability to use unique spells augmented to aeach sub-class.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— One can only evolve starting from [1] month after their CA has been accepted.

— Whist the Infernal Climb overall encompasses all forms of evolution and progression of the Inferi, this portion of the Infernal Climb does not account for a Zezimar’s Lesser Evolution or the True Ascension of Zentherak- those follow their respective portions in other places within the lore.

— The Infernal Climb is a concrete method for the lore-existent concept of it to be usable- permitting Zar’ei to ascend to their evolved state, following all redlines under the respective subtypes of ‘False Evolution’.

— It requires a Zevn with [5] Soul Fragments and [1] Naztherak with [50] Maleus to undergo ascension into an Evolved Zezimar- requiring a comment written on their CA stating such. 

 

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GATROV

“Flora” of Moz Strimosa

 

An infernal corruption and warping of the mortal flora of the world- the Gatrov are the only infernal beings that are known to be stagnant in the infernal climb and incapable of ascending into higher demons. With little to no sentience or consciousness, Gatrov are the warped products of soul essence once under the Aspects’ jurisdiction as plants, fungi, and fae, commonplace within the vast bloodied fields of Moz Strimosa. Gatrov may be represented by burned and warped looking trees with little to no leaves. Animals will not be found naturally in areas corrupted by Gatrovs, and Druids who attempt communion will be met with an unsettling silence from the pseudo-flora. Naztherak and other creatures of infernal origin would find peace within these regions, and the Gatrov would even go as far as to speak fragmented Ilzakarn to creatures of the infernal origin or to Naztherak. 

 

Whilst Gatrov are commonplace within the High Hells, they may be created upon the mortal planes in two central ways. Firstly, botanicals of all sorts may be burned by a steady stream of malflame to create Gatrov, each burned tree requiring [4] emotes of malflame exposure to be turned. Secondly, Gatrov may be created by watering a growing sapling with [5] counts of rakir, allowing it to sprout into a Gatrov. No matter what, once a sapling or tree is fed the required counts of rakir or shifted via stream of malflame, it will reject water and other normal means of sustenance, though should it be watered mundanely before all counts of rakir are given, it will revert back to a normal sapling and require 5 counts once more.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Requires OOC permission should the trees being tainted be on an owned tile.

— Gatrov may be stronger or weaker within events should they be utilized by ET to varying degrees, yet Gatrovs by default are strictly noncombative.

— Gatrov are impervious to mundane and magical flames- incapable of burning.

— The Ilzakarn spoke to those whom understand it cannot be used to metagame or be useful in any fashion.

— While only the trees will become Gatrov, other plants around may be changed for aesthetic, ie grass or bushes.

— Gatrov do not require an ST sign, but should have player signs denoting what the region is / its effects.

— One may not infer that Gatrov trees are inherently infernal in nature without proper RP or IC knowledge to back such a reasoning. 

— While players may be able to acquire Rakir from cisterns or other means, they would not be able to infer that dumping it onto a sapling creates a Gatrov. This must be learned from a Naztherak or someone else who is already aware of the fact.

 

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ZEVNKA

Closed Playable [CA] + Independent Summon

 

The most diminutive of all Inferi, Zevn are typically thought to be a minor nuisance when alone, but can be more dangerous when appearing in a flock. Together a flock of winged imps may be able to carry an unwary individual off into the night, while a lone imp may otherwise serve as a distraction or sabotage various efforts of mortals. Although they are a perversion of their long-gone Faeish counterparts, they do seem to share a proclivity for mischief and mayhem. One should not be surprised to find the origins of housefires, destroyed machinery or other apparent acts of misfortune to be the work of the demonic imps.

 

PHYSICALITY

Although zevn come in a colorful array of wicked appearances, they often appear emaciated, or conversely very fat. Perhaps the most significant difference however, are those sorts with and without wings, although all imps have been observed to cause equal disruption and mayhem, regardless of their predispositions. The profane and mutated bodies of all Inferi are almost exclusively carnivorous, with very little sustenance gained from plant-based foods. Were an Imp forced to survive only upon vegetation, they would grow sluggish and weary. Among some covens, it's thought to be a convenient means of disposal to cut up the corpses of victims drained of maleus and the pieces thrown to a Naztherak's Imps and beasts to fight over, as neither have any reservations about eating sapient beings, such as Descendants.

 

Imps may either bear a pair of wings, or a stinger-like appendage that attaches upon their tail or finger- they may not have both. Bearing wings will permit them to fly up to [5] meters  high in combat, yet their ability to ‘hover’ in flight is clumsy at best. On the other hand, bearing a stinger will permit them to inflict pain through impaling flesh with it. A stinger can pierce solely cloth and flesh- unable to pierce leather gambeson or anything of further durability; yet bears a significant toll. For the first hit it lands in an encounter on flesh, it inflicts a poison-like pain on the area it struck for [2] emotes, equivalent to a malflame burn in levels of pain.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— INFERI MAY NOT FTB.

— Zevn may be no taller than 2 feet in height.

— Zevn must appear ugly and goblinesque. There are no pretty imps.

— Zevn may not spit acid, or spread infliction with their claws and so on.

— Scales or fur etc. may not provide protection from heat or attacks etc.

— Stingers may only be placed upon a finger or a tail’s end; they must be clearly emoted if they are to be used combatively.

— Tails are not strong nor dextrous enough to operate weapons or deal any real harm.

— Claws are only strong enough to cut into flesh and tear through cloth. Leather and upwards will protect from them.

— Zevn may possess either wings or a stinger- they may not bear both.

— Only CA Zevn may have a stinger- NPC Zevn and those summoned externally may not bear one.

— Zevn with wings may not fly more than [5] meters  off the ground in combat.

— Zevn may not use flight to bypass settlement defenses or reach any place which they cannot otherwise mechanically reach or bypass(e.g. parkouring inside) unless an RO permits so.

 

MENTALITY

The intellect of a Zevn is far inferior to that of their faeish counterparts and greater inferi alike. Imps are known to produce vocalizations and even to taunt their adversaries with seemingly witty and snarky jabs, but their capacity for speech is best described as ‘broken,’ as is demonstrated in their use of both Common and Ilzakarn.

 

Imps are incapable of reasoning cause and effect to a complex degree. Where a Descendant can foresee a stream of thought, imps are otherwise all too often preoccupied with immediate chaos and turmoil to be very capable in foresight. Indeed many would overlook a zevn and presume it too easily pleased to harbor sentiments of backstabbery, but they would be poorly mistaken; like all Inferi, imps constantly seek to climb to greater rungs of power, but frequently squabble over the first few steps.

 

 This interest in immediate gratification also means they are easily distracted, and could be lured away from their pranks and sabotage by certain promising rewards, such as vials of rakir. One is unable to ‘tame’ an imp, and even those Naztherak who bind them will find their chaotic energy can often disrupt otherwise carefully laid schemes. Suffice to say, one may take the imp from the chaos of Moz Strimoza, but may not remove the chaos from the imp.

 

Although zevn possess a degree of trickery and cunning, they are not particularly intelligent. They may speak in broken Common, but are prone to repetitions such as “Good-good” “Yes-yes” and “Boom-boom!”, and so on. Imps struggle to understand how their actions impact the world, beyond the immediate. They may harbor regicidal feelings for their Prince, and can attempt to deliberately sabotage the Warlock's own plans. Zevn may be distracted from their current actions, if something particularly enticing catches their eye, or ear for that matter, but players should not hope to placate an imp simply by waving food at it. Zevn do not have familial connections and so on. Any relationships they foster are merely of immediate convenience, such as a group working together to set a house on fire.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Imps are not capable of fluent speech in any language.

— Imps are prone to disorganized thinking and cannot see far beyond their immediate actions- they are incompetent with much foresight.

— They may however employ backstabbing, betrayal and bargaining to acquire that which they covet. In such cases Zevn are extremely shrewd and unfair in their deals.

— Any relationship an imp creates is of immediate convenience. They will not desire to be ‘adopted,’ nor do they have familial connections.

— Imps may be distracted from their task by the right bait, but it is up to the player to determine what would tempt their imp adequately.

 

CASTING

Although Zevn are incompetent of much streamlined and precise Malflame control, they may create small and crude balls of Malflame no more than once a combative encounter- launching them forth.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Zevn are capable of using the Naztherak spell [T1] Rok-Dhurz - [Combative].

— They may only use this once per combative encounter; this ability follows all redlines of Naztherak lore. If this spell is changed in any way by the Naztherak lore, changes affect Zevn as well.

 

GENERAL MECHANICS

Non-playable Independant Summon imps may be summoned using the Naztherak spell “Invocation — Zevn [T1]” and all imps may be bound by the spell “Subjugate — Shackle [T1]”. CA imps should accompany their party into combat mechanically, and may not be summoned. If an imp is slain, it may be resummoned by its Naztherak, but not during the same combat encounter in which it was slain; in combat, bound NPC Zevn will de-manifest after eight emotes, unless their Naztherak spends an additional [10] maleus to extend this by a further eight emotes. A Naztherak may only bind [5] total Imps, whether CA or non-CA; furthermore, Imps are considered a ‘category B’ CA.

 

Spoiler

General Redlines:

— Zevn may not be more than 2 feet tall.

— Zevn have [0] magic slots, nor may they learn any feats- their mind is far too chaotic and lesser to do so.

— Only CA Zevn may bear stingers. Zevn may only have either a stinger or wings, they may not have both.

— They must possess hellish and monstrous appearances of some kind.

— Tails may not be used to cause substantial harm or to hold weapons, etc.

— Claws may not tear anything greater than cloth and can be negated by leather and more substantial armor.

— Should thanhium or thanhic steel weaponry be used against Inferi, it will not be able to cast for the rest of the combative encounter.

— Zevn may still be affected by Malflame and any Malice used, solely immune to their own Malflame; are still prone to being cursed by Naztherak curses or those of other magics.

— Holy magics are more effective against the imp, causing a burning sensation upon mere contact and additional pain and burns when struck with spells.

— Holy objects, artifacts, and auras additionally elicit spiteful scorn from all Inferi.

— CA Zevn are subject to all normal resurrection rules, even if resummoned by their Naztherak. This requires [4] units of Rakir.

— Zevn may not be revived during the combat encounter in which they were slain.

— CA Zevn may not be summoned into or out of combat.

— An accepted CA is required to roleplay a Zevn.

— Although Zevn are meant to cause chaos and turmoil, if imp players use the creature to OOCly harass others, or for excessive ‘troll RP’ or ‘meme RP’ it is considered an abuse of the CA, which is grounds for a blacklist.

 

⛧

ZEVN’KIEL

Closed Playable [CA]

 

When the climb has just started truly. These are the imps that do not dawdle in their lowly state. These are the imps that have ruthlessly or otherwise have become greater and thus command a greater respect and strength over the weak meat they once used to be. These imps are no longer just pawns, they are not kings either, they are lords in their own right and hold themselves in such a regard; Zevn’kiel.

 

PHYSICALITY

Upon Evolution, the physical form of a Zevn’kiel often stays the same to that of a mundane Zevn- with a few exceptions. The first, is that their form elongates, stretching upwards up to  [1] foot in extra height, giving them a stretched, somewhat distorted appearance- as if they were not made to be such a height. Furthermore, a Zevn’kiel gains full mastery over both domains of an Imp’s trickery- they gain both a vast pair of gaping wings and a stinger; these follow all rules for such set within the above Zevn section. One may change their physical form to connote their more ‘advanced state.’ A lengthening of horns, a one-time regrowth of severed limbs, additional muscle mass are smaller ways to do so, yet ‘form overhauls’ to connote this new form are permissible as well.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— INFERI MAY NOT FTB.

— Zevn’kiel must appear ugly and goblinesque. There are no pretty imps.

— Zevn’kiel may not spit acid, or spread infliction with their claws and so on.

— Scales or fur etc. may not provide protection from heat or attacks etc.

— Tails are not strong nor dextrous enough to operate weapons or deal any real harm.

— Claws are only strong enough to cut into flesh and tear through cloth. Leather and upwards will protect from them.

— Zevn’kiel possess both wings and a stinger.

— Zevn’kiel wings may not fly more than [5] meters  off the ground in combat.

— Zevn’kiel may not use flight to bypass settlement defenses or reach any place which they cannot otherwise mechanically reach or bypass(e.g. parkouring inside) unless an RO permits so.

 

MENTALITY

The intellect of a Zevn’kiel is much akin to their lesser kindred- greatly chaotic and still focused upon trickery and sowing chaos within the many- yet with that too, does that mentality slowly boil over into fixating over another aspect that they start to find enthralling- Pride. While Imp Lords will often default to causing chaos and turmoil much akin to mundane Zevn, they will constantly try to elevate their status and assert their dominance over others- especially lesser Zevn. This fixation on pride drives them to craft their schemes and trickery a bit further than the mundane Zevn, aiming to outwit and hold chaos not only over their enemies- but also their peers.

 

A Zevn’kiel's speech patterns slowly become more coherent through the years that pass after Evolution. Whilst somewhat more understandable than that of their lesser kin, their usage of Ilzakarn and Common is more comparable to that of a toddler still than of the fluent usage of both that Naztherak and Zar’ei are capable of. They take great pleasure in delivering what they think to be verbose monologues, yet rather are often just random tangents in crudely-delivered Common. For the most part otherwise, a Zevn’kiel’s mentality is similar to that of a normal Zevn.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Zevn’kiel are not capable of fluent speech in any language, but are more coherent than Zevn.

— Zevn’kiel are prone to disorganized thinking and cannot see far beyond their immediate actions- they are incompetent with much foresight.

— Zevn’kiel are extremely prideful; wanting to gain appreciation and infamy for their actions of chaos and rancor.

— They may however employ backstabbing, betrayal and bargaining to acquire that which they covet. In such cases Zevn’kiel are extremely shrewd and unfair in their deals.

— Any relationship a Zevn’kiel creates is of immediate convenience. They will not desire to be ‘adopted,’ nor do they have familial connections.

— Zevn’kiel may be distracted from their task by the right bait, but it is up to the player to determine what would tempt their imp adequately.

 

CASTING

A mundane Zevn’s casting capabilities are muted; weak. Despite this, whence a Zevn becomes a Zevn’kiel; they gain a small pool of maleus, capable of casting the most basic spells of malflame manipulation- and furthermore, even some rare aspects unique to itself.

 

Zevn’kiel have a Maleus pool equivalent to [25] counts, and can cast the Naztherak spells Vhiit and Rok-Dhurz upon Evolution. Furthermore, they gain the unique spell Rok-Matrhagor.

 

Rok-Matrhagor [Zevn’kiel]:An evolved Zevn’kiel may in a macabre depiction of chaos, may create a false mannequin of themselves through malflame; bearing the same proportions, yet unable to combatively move. This costs them [5] counts of Maleus, created over [2] emotes of concentration- and lingers until the end of the interaction. Non-combatively, this mannequin may move around and interact with the surroundings freely, as to assist the Zevn’kiel with chaotic trickery.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Rok-Matrhagor creates a ‘mannequin’ of malflame which acts as a pale mimicry of the Zevn’kiel. This is always visibly made from flame, and clearly does not look akin to the Zevn’kiel.

— The flame ‘mannequin’ created by Rok-Matrhagor cannot combatively move- yet within combat stays static until the end of combat.

— Non-combatively, Rok-Matrhagor can be utilized to create a mannequin that can properly move around and assist the Zevn’kiel for ploys and trickery- yet if combat starts, the ‘mannequin’ instantly stops moving.

— When sued non-combatively, Rok-Matrhagor’s created mannequin can freely move around, able to touch and interact objects- yet cannot do anything to incite combat.

— If hit by anything which abjures spells or by antimagic, the ‘mannequin’ harmlessly dissipates.

 

GENERAL MECHANICS

Only CA imps can evolve into Zevn’kiel; they must always accompany their party into combat mechanically, and may not be summoned. Zevn’kiel, similarly to mundane Zevn, may be bound by the spell “Subjugate — Shackle [T1]”. If a Zevn’Kiel is slain, it may be resummoned by its Naztherak, but not during the same combat encounter in which it was slain. A Zevn’kiel still takes up only [1] of a Naztherak’s total binded [5] Imps, be they CA or non-CA.

 

Spoiler

General Redlines:

— Evolution into a Zevn’kiel is to be documented as a comment on the Zevn application.

— Zevn’kiel may not grow more than [1] foot in evolution.

— Zevn have [0] magic slots, nor may they learn any feats- their mind is far too chaotic and lesser to do so.

— Zevn’kiel bear both stingers and wings, capable of utilizing both.

— They must possess hellish and monstrous appearances of some kind.

— Tails may not be used to cause substantial harm or to hold weapons, etc.

— Claws may not tear anything greater than cloth and can be negated by leather and more substantial armor.

— Should thanhium or thanhic steel weaponry be used against Inferi, it will not be able to cast for the rest of the combative encounter.

— Zevn’kiel may still be affected by Malflame and any Malice used, solely immune to their own Malflame; are still prone to being cursed by Naztherak curses or those of other magics.

— Holy magics are more effective against the imp, causing a burning sensation upon mere contact and additional pain and burns when struck with spells.

— Holy objects, artifacts, and auras additionally elicit spiteful scorn from all Inferi.

— Zevn’kiel are subject to all normal resurrection rules, even if resummoned by their Naztherak. This requires [4] units of Rakir.

— Zevn’kiel may not be summoned into or out of combat.

— Although Zevn’kiel are meant to cause chaos and turmoil, if imp players use the creature to OOCly harass others, or for excessive ‘troll RP’ or ‘meme RP’ it is considered an abuse of the CA, which is grounds for a blacklist.

 

⛧

ZEKULKA

Independent Summon

 

Perhaps the most plentiful of Inferi, of greater stature and strength than their impish lessers- Zekul. Resembling a vast array that mimic the mortal fauna of the mundane, exotic and magical varieties, Zekulka roam the ashen plains of Moz Strimoza as gruesome game, or appear as monstrous beasts of burden and mounts in the eternal conflict between the numerous warbands of the High Hells. Like their natural counterparts, these infernal beasts possess instinctual behaviors- inable of competent common sense nor thought, both of which make them equal parts dangerous and desirable in twain for a Naztherak’s court.

 

PHYSICALITY

Beasts collectively occupy a variety of size, stature and build, such that they resemble any existing natural animal. Typically Zekul bound to Naztherak manifest in canine, feline, equine and ursine forms, although always grotesque in appearance. In place of a coat of fur, the Beast will have wiry hair growing in loose tufts, scarred or charred flesh, or even lack flesh entirely and appear as if only muscle, bone and sinew. A Zekul resembling a horse may possess horns, such that they resemble a mockery of Faeish unicorns, or bear-like Zekul may have overdeveloped jaws and so on.

 

Zekul resembling canines are often dubbed ‘hellhounds,’ for their likeness to many Canonist and occult imagery, and make for deadly pack hunters. Felines may instead stalk in quiet, while an equine might bear their Naztherak as a thoroughbred ferries its Prince. All Zekul, no matter their shape or form, possess an ugly demonic appearance of sorts- such as lacking fur or skin, bearing tumorous growths, donning insectoid mandibles or eyes, many eyes, no eyes, tails or no tails, and so on. Zekul may be no larger than a grizzly bear or a warhorse, and no smaller than a housecat- yet their height, mass and so on must resemble their animal counterpart. One may not have a dog-sized Beast with the muscle mass of a grizzly bear, and so on.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— INFERI MAY NOT FTB.

— Zekul must appear ugly and monstrous. There are no pretty Infernal Beasts.

— All must bear some resemblance to an IRL animal, or lore-compliant magical animal of sorts.

— They may not spit acid, or spread poison with their claws and so on.

— Scales etc. may not provide protection from heat or attacks etc.

— Chitin or bone-like plates will protect from slashing attacks, but may be crushed with blunt weapons such as maces, or penetrated with arrows or crossbow bolts. These bear the strength of ceramic.

— Zekul can be destroyed like any other combat summon/mount. They are by no means unstoppable.

— Tails are not dextrous enough to operate weapons nor bear shields.

— Claws are only strong enough to cut into flesh and tear through cloth and leather. Chainmail will protect from slashing attacks, while plate mail is sufficient protection from claws entirely.

— A Zekul’s strength will mirror that of its animal counterpart, and is unable to surpass such. For example a dog-like Zekul is unable to bite through platemail; a horse-like Zekul will be able to carry a rider etc.

— Beasts may possess wings, but may not fly if they are larger than a housecat. Beasts of this size may fly no more than [3] meters  off the ground in combat.

— Flight may not be used to justify bypassing defenses in settlements or anything akin to such; Zekul with flight may only fly to places one may reach mechanically.

 

MENTALITY

When compared to the Imp, a Zekul has a similar level of mental acuity, but excels in differing capacities. Able to understand Ilzakarn, yet solely to the level that a dog understands ‘sit’ or ‘speak,’ the Zekul may be trained to act on certain commands, which is bolstered by the Naztherak’s binding of them. This means that a pack of ‘hellhounds’ could feasibly be sent to harry one’s foe, or brought to heel should they prove too aggressive.

 

Despite this capacity to be trained akin to their animal counterparts, the Zekul cannot be described as tame. They will still obey their base instincts for food, rest and survival over their Prince, but are not necessarily prone to ‘biting the hand which feeds them’ so to speak. One could not possibly have a panther-like Zekul draped over their lap for example, but a housecat-like Zekul is more feasible.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Bound Zekul may be commanded in Ilzakarn by their Prince and no other.

— A Beast may not be docile and ‘cuddly’ unless it is housecat sized. In which case, it is still rather ‘wild.’

— Although they are not totally mindless, they do not possess foresight beyond the immediate task before them and their survival. They are not able to understand what comes after a ballista is loaded by their foe and aimed at them, for instance.

— Any connections with other Zekul are purely pack-based, with a dominant over its lessers. They are Inferi after all.

— Zekul are not capable of speech in any language.

— Zekul are bestial in their intellect and will typically act on instinct akin to their animal ‘base’. Equine Beasts may kick and flee from a foe for instance, while a feline Beast may stalk its prey.

— Beasts may not be docile. Even housecat-sized, they are untamable and cannot demonstrate affection.

— A Zekul may not be turned against its Prince, or commanded by another Naztherak.

 

CASTING

The more powerful, but simple of Malflame conjurations. Breathing it in great tongues and gouts from the mouth or nose, this ‘flaming breath’ is capable of burning any living skin which it touches, yielding a painful wound which bleeds off Maleus- sometimes lapped up by the Beast, as a predator gorges upon its prey. These breathing gouts of malflame are raw and powerful- yet limit movement of the Zekul.

 

Rok-Skramutna [Combat]:

A Zekul may breathe a cone of Malflame, projected out in front of them as a crude flamethrower. This funnel is no larger than a block in diameter, and cannot exceed five meters  further than its point of origin, that being the Beast themselves. This requires [2] emotes to perform, and may be sustained for up to [4] emotes.

 

When casting, the Beast must have some manner of ‘tell’ to telegraph its attack. Such tells may include glowing beneath chitin plates, the body becoming wreathed in flames or embers, or smoke pouring from the mouth. No matter the case, casting Rok-Skramutna has one critical downside, that being that whilst the flamethrower of malflame is active- the Zekul cannot move more than [2] meters  an emote.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— These may be cast up to [3] times per combative encounter- with a [1] emote cooldown between each cast.

— The cone must have its point of origin as the Zekul themselves, and cannot be conjured anywhere else in proximity.

— Cones of Malflame may extend no further than [5] meters  ahead of the user, no wider than one block in width or height.

— This is to say Rok-Skramutna may reach a maximum size of [1x5x1] meters.

 

GENERAL MECHANICS

Non-playable Independent Summon Beasts may be summoned using the Naztherak spell “Invocation — Zekul [T2]” and may be bound by the spell “Subjugate — Shackle [T1]”. If a bound Zekul is slain, it may be resummoned by its Naztherak, but not in the same combat encounter. Outside of combat, players may have multiple beasts for flavorful roleplay, though only one may be permitted to enter combat, should they be summoned beforehand. While only one beast or two imps may enter combat with a Naztherak, one may summon the other mid-combat should you perform the required amount of emotes; one may not presummon a beast larger than a big cat. In combat, Zekul will demanifest after six emotes of invocation, unless the Naztherak spends an additional [10] maleus to extend this by another six emotes. A Naztherak may only bind [5] total Zekul in total.

 

Spoiler

General Redlines:

— Zekul may not be smaller than a small cat, nor larger than a grizzly bear or warhorse.

— Should a Zekul be used as a mount, it should be mechanically represented with a horse mob and follow all redlines of combative mounts, functionally exactly like a horse.

— They must possess hellish and monstrous appearances of some kind.

— Zekul should ideally adhere to one of three archetypes: wolf/big cat, bear, horse. They inherit the strength and vague appearance of whichever they adhere to. Creative variation is allowed, so long as it is not used to justify invincible combat summons.

— Tails may not be used to hold weapons nor to do any significant damage.

— Claws may not tear anything greater than leather, and can be negated by more substantial armor.

— Winged Zekul possess a wingspan permitting only themselves and small burdens, nothing greater.

— Zekul of any sort may not be used for ‘scent-tracking’ or similar roundabout means of metagaming.

— Should thanhium or thanhic steel weaponry be used against Inferi, it will nullify casting for the rest of the combative encounter.

— Zekul may still be affected by Malflame and any Malice used, solely immune to their own Malflame; are still prone to being cursed by Naztherak curses or those of other magics.

— Holy magics are more effective against zekul, causing a burning sensation upon mere contact and additional pain and burns when struck with spells.

— Holy objects, artifacts, and auras additionally elicit spiteful scorn from all Inferi.

 

⛧

ZAR’EIKA

Closed Playable [CA]

 

Perhaps the most unnerving of all Inferi, even despite the massive stature of those demons occupying greater rungs of power, the Zar’ei are a perversion of Descendants in all capacities. For mortal virtues such as kindness and patience are corrupted when a Zar’ei is made, and instead the appearance of charity is but bait for a trap, while restraint is employed to await the perfect moment to backstab another. Indeed it is woefully fitting then that these Inferi originate from the damned souls which descend into Moz Strimoza, too hurt and despairing to believe they deserve respite and healing.

 

Even those Zar’ei created by the dark ritual of Naz’kuthun are no less spiteful, devilish and perverse in their mimicry of all the worst facets of Descendant mortality. Regardless, these humanoid Inferi are a perilous foe to mortalkind and even those steeled against the worst of Moz Strimoza- for what more dangerous an opponent is there, than a creature as capable and calculating as its hunter?

 

Zezimar, or Seraph, also known as Zar’ei, are the most obscure of Inferi to the average Descendant, but typically the most sought-after by False Princes. For the capacity of intellect within a Zezimar is on par with that of man, Elf, Dwarf and Orc, making for uniquely equipped members of a Naztherak’s court. These humanoid monsters are equally devoid of goodness and selflessness as any other Inferi, but are crucially capable of both high-level thought processes and survival instincts to manipulate others to their benefit.

 

PHYSICALITY

Easily the most insidious of all Inferi, for their close resemblance to mortal Descendants, and their uncannily sharp mind. Their appearances typically harbour a perverse mimicry of Elves, Dwarves, man and Orcs, where hair and beards are substituted with tendrils, tusks are twisted and accompanied by horns, and whatever beauty their counterparts possess is mirrored as an unnervingly vile facade.

 

Whilst some Zezimar resemble a corrupted specimen of Descendants, while others have totally alien forms. Insectoid mandibles, eyes, limbs and antennae are not unheard of, while other Zar’ei are known to resemble a rotting statue with great clumps of flesh falling off in sloughs. Their stature similarly varies, but always more closely mimics those of Descendants and are easily sorted into the three ‘archetypes’ of Malda, Kozun and Rakaal.

 

The profane and mutated bodies of all Inferi are almost exclusively carnivorous, with very little sustenance gained from plant-based foods. Were a Zar'ei forced to survive only upon vegetation, their muscle mass and strength would wane, but they could survive in this diminished state. Woe to those who fall victim to these Inferi however, as they are known to consume the flesh, blood and bone of Descendant races. Nothing can disguise or conceal their forms from what they truly are- be it alchemy, magics, illusions, mundane dyes, or even the arcana of Vaasek.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— INFERI MAY NOT FTB.

— Their general appearance must be somewhat humanoid, and may resemble one of the four main races if one so chooses. All Zezimar must however, be monstrous and demonic in appearance. They may not be smooth and beautiful.

— Demonic appearances may not be used to justify unreasonable durability of the character. They may be slain, die from blood loss, starve to death and so on.

— Like all Inferi, a playable Zezimar must be hellish and monstrous in appearance; snouts, elongated teeth, additional arms, chitinous exoskeletons, horns, fiery eyes, tails and so on are permitted.

— Horns are made of bone, but are not exceptionally strong. If broken they will regrow steadily over time.

— Any limbs beyond two arms and two legs are oft crippled and harder to control by the inferi. Strength is still split equally among the limbs, yet two of those limbs cannot combatively wield any weapons or items and can merely do pushing/slapping blows, and may merely don light armor on these extra appendages. Non-combatively, these can still be used freely to any extent.

— Tails may be swung as an attack and so on, but may not be prehensile enough to grip weapons for example. Tails cannot feasibly crush a person to death.

— Natural ‘armor’ may not be more resilient than ceramic and although may protect from bladed weapons, will still be harmed by polehammers and other blunt weaponry, or penetrated by crossbow bolts etc. This natural armor/carapace cannot be over joints, or otherwise over places were you could normally not have regular armor.

— Swords and axes will chip off pieces of this armor, without getting into the flesh beneath, while hammers, maces, high-density volatite, and so on will instantly shatter through it, directly impacting the flesh beneath and rendering it useless.

— Weapon-like limbs, teeth, claws etc. are on par with bone. They may not penetrate anything stronger than light armor.

— Zezimar may be slain just as any other playable character, they are not invulnerable. They may be starved to death, beheaded, die from blood loss and so on.

— Nothing can disguise or conceal their forms- alchemy, magics, illusions, mundane dyes, and Slotted Seerdom alike are unable to hide their forms.

— Furthermore, infernal malflame, embers, and maleus constantly leak from their bodies.

— Although Inferi do not die of old age, as a Zar’ei ages it will gradually take on a more ‘ashy’ appearance, like a fire burning low. Those in their first 100 years will be akin to a bright flame, those reaching 300 will begin to accumulate soot upon their body, and those around 600 will be cloaked in ash and cinders.

— Zar'ei require a high protein meat-based diet to remain at their peak strength, and will wane should they be forced to subsist only upon plant-based foods. They may substitute animal protein for Descendant meat and so on without risk of parasites, diseases, and so on.

— A slain Zezimar will take 1 IRL week of feasting upon its own maleus to reconstitute its body, unless the Naztherak it is bound to willingly casts “Invocation - Zar’ei [T3]” to revive them manually.

— Zar’ei cannot produce Rakir under whatever conditions.

 

MENTALITY

When these creatures do emerge onto the mortal plane, they gain little opportunity to explore, before their very presence incites servants of the Light, and hopeful witch-hunters seeking to purge the Infernal from amidst the innocent. It is not uncommon then, that to satisfy whatever drives the Zezimar to escape Moz Strimoza, they may agree to pact with a Naztherak purely for self-preservation- although like all demonkin, their prices are far from fair. Even should they be bound, Zezimar will use their intelligence and cunning to sabotage the schemes of a Prince who pulls too readily upon a short leash, best placated by giving them at least the illusion of freedom. Similarly to Zevn, these beings hunger for Rakir; doing what they can to consume more of it.

 

Zar'ei are incapable of forming healthy, reciprocal relationships. Even if they conceal their hostility for their Prince or his allies, they do so out of what they gain from the interaction. Whatever relationships they form with Descendants are inherently toxic, and usually marked by manipulation, exploitation and eventual discarding of these accomplices to preserve oneself. Whatever niceties a Zar'ei fakes are entirely to get what they want, as they are utterly incapable of genuine affection nor friendships.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Zar’ei lack the mortal ‘lens’ of perception and comprehension. They are monsters with little regard for mortals who they see as souls to devour or playthings to manipulate.

— Zar’ei are inherently selfish and self-serving. All relationships are innately toxic, unless with individuals of similar goals and mentalities; even then a Zezimar’s cooperation is merely for their own convenience.

— All Zar’ei are able to understand Ilzakarn by sheer ‘virtue’ of being Inferi. They may speak, read and write it freely, even if they were subjected to Naz’kuthun and have no prior experience with it.

— Playable Inferi may not outright refuse orders or attack their Naztherak.

— A Naztherak should be wary of assigning Inferis mundane tasks, or holding their leash too tightly.

— Should the Prince not give the Zezimar enough free reign, the latter will surely look for other means to ‘stretch their wings,’ such as loopholing commands to avoid busywork and so on.

— Playable Zar’ei possess an intellect on par with Descendants.

— If a Zezimar is forced to subsist upon plant-based foods, such as while captured, they may not maintain their peak physical strength. Their appearance may deteriorate to connote this.

— Zar'ei may not form healthy, fulfilling relationships. Any comraderie or companionship they create is inherently exploitative, toxic and a vehicle for their own gain. Gaslighting, manipulation and abuse will be rampant in these exchanges, should they occur.

— Although Inferi are meant to cause chaos and misery, if players use the creature to oocly harass others, or for excessive ‘troll/‘meme RP’ or poor-quality villainy or banditry roleplay it is considered an abuse of the CA, which is grounds for a blacklist.

 

GENERAL MECHANICS

Zezimar are playable CA Inferi of the Zar’ei class, meaning that they are humanoid and possess intelligence and physical prowess on-par with the stature of Descendants they most resemble. No Zezimar may be roleplayed without an accepted CA and must be bound to a Naztherak with room in their court for a Zar’ei. In the case of Naz’kuthun, players must post the CA after the ritual is successfully performed, listing the Naztherak as the creator.

 

In terms of arcana- each Zezimar bears differing counts of Magic Slots depending on their subtype. Malda bear [4] slots, whilst Kozun have [2] and Rakaal [1]. They are capable of learning blood magic, feat and slotted seerdom, bardmancy, housemagery, the voidal arts, and any other compatible magic- yet their souls, far too altered by Moz Strimosa, are incapable of properly learning Mysticism, or Kani. The minds of the Zezimar are savage and chaotic- even the most well-versed Malda is incapable of the true focus and potency of the mortal world that descendants are. Thus- they are incapable of learning Alchemy nor Arcane Displacement, their minds not capable of understanding the intricacies of the world that are needed to garner such.

 

Spoiler

General Redlines:

— Zar’eika may learn blood magic, feat and slotted seer, bardmancy, housemagery, voidal magics, and other magics listed specifically to be compatible with inferi.

— Malda have [4] slots, Kozun have [2] slots, Rakaal have [1] slot.

— Zar’ei may not learn Alchemy, Arcane Scions, nor Arcane Displacement.

— Zar’ei may still be affected by Malflame and any Malice used, solely immune to their own Malflame; are still prone to being cursed by Naztherak curses or those of other magics.

— Holy magics are more effective against Zar’ei, causing a burning sensation upon mere contact and additional pain and burns when struck with spells.

— When casting, a Zezimar must have some manner of tell to telegraph its attack. Such tells may include glowing in the chest or throat, glowing underneath chitin plates, smoke or cinders peeling off from their body, incantations, flaming eyes and so on.

— Zar’ei do not need a grimoire to cast Malflame spells, yet still need to chant the infernal spell-name.

 

INFERNAL SUBTYPES

The Infernal Hordes

 

Just as there is a multitude of diversity amongst the demonic hordes, so there are specializations amongst their ranks. Specializations not unlike the castes of Descendants, but of far more devilish and unsavory professions than yeomen, merchants and scholars. These castes possess three archetypes, the Mage, the Knight and the Brute, named so by False Princes either for the roles they occupy within a Naztherak’s court, or perhaps for their counterparts in mortal society.

 

Whatever the case, each of these three subtypes of Zezimar excel in a capacity where its kin does not, but also possesses their own shortfall. Thus warbands of the Pentacle usually combine more than one type of Zezimar to compensate for their individual weaknesses in the field of cataclysmic infernal warfare.

 

MALDAKA

[Mage Type]

Maldaka, or ‘Witches’ are slimmer and less physically robust than their peers. Typically originating from mortal souls privy to magic and sorcery before their death, or transformation, they excel at infernal pyromancy and may wield Malflame spells much like a Naztherak. Crucially however, like the rest of their infernal kindred, they do not require a Grimoire.

 

Spoiler

A Maldaka type Zezimar possesses physical stamina and strength on par with a modern Voidal Mage, with exception to armor. They may not be taller than 6 feet in height, and may not possess significant muscle bulk. These Zar’ei in their base form may use Malflame spells from [T1] to [T4], and possess a maximum usable pool of [55] maleus. Aesthetic Malflame, such as cinders burning off from skin or embers escaping the nose while breathing etc. do not consume maleus. Maleus refreshes fully every [12] IRL hours. Furthermore, they gain access to [T2] to [T3] Non-Combative spells under Naztherak.

 

Redlines:

— Malda typically possess slimmer, less physically muscular builds. They may not weigh more than 150lbs. They may be no taller than 6 feet in height.

— Malda may cast Malflame spells from [T1] to [T4] as per the Naztherak lore.

— Malda have a max maleus pool of [55] units.

— Malda cannot cast at all when wearing armor; disconnection from their malflame spells function similarly to a casting Naztherak.

 

KOZUNKA

[Knight Type]

Kozunka are the footsoldiers and lieutenants of Inferi hordes, capable of tactical insight and martial strength comparable to their mortal counterparts. ‘Knights’ possess the peak strength of a human, with wits and wiles to match, making them a dangerous foe to confront alone or in groups. Their capacity for sorcery is reduced over their Witch cousin however.

 

Spoiler

A Kozunka type Zezimar possesses physical stamina and strength on par with a fit and healthy human. They may not be taller than 7 feet in height, and must generally be equatable to at most peak human physicality. These Zar’ei in their base form may use Malflame spells from [T1] to [T3], and possess a maximum usable pool of [35] maleus. Aesthetic Malflame, such as cinders burning off from skin or embers escaping the nose while breathing etc. do not consume maleus. Maleus refreshes fully every [12] IRL hours. Furthermore, they gain access to [T2] Non-Combative spells under Naztherak.

 

Redlines:

— Kozun typically possess physical stamina and strength on par with a fit and healthy human. They may not be taller than 7 feet in height, and must generally be equatable to at most peak human physicality.

— Kozun may cast Malflame spells from [T1] to [T3] as per the Naztherak lore.

— Kozun have a max maleus pool of [35] units.

— They may wear full plate mail and cast with no physical inhibition.

— Disconnecting from malflame spells requires severe pain equivalent to a limb being discombobulated or a puncture right through the torso.

 

RAKAALKA

[Brute Type]

Rakaalka, or ‘Tyrants’ refer to the heavy shock troops of Moz Strimoza’s eternal strife and battle. Comparable to mortal Orcs, their strength and stature make them considerable adversaries, as walls of meat and muscle who absorb damage from enemy warbands and deal it in equal measure. While Knights and Witches will employ tactics, cunning or sorcery, the Rakaal knows brute strength is its greatest weapon, and will utilise it almost exclusively. As a result, their ability to manipulate Malflame is crude and limited at best.

 

Spoiler

A Rakaalka type Zezimar possesses physical stamina and strength on par with the average Orc warrior. They may not be taller than 8 feet in height and no heavier than 400lbs. These Zar’ei in their base form may use solely the Malflame spell Vhiit, and possess a maximum usable pool of [20] maleus. Aesthetic Malflame, such as cinders burning off from skin or embers escaping the nose while breathing etc. do not consume maleus. Maleus refreshes fully every [12] IRL hours. Furthermore, they gain access to [T2] Non-Combative spells under Naztherak.

 

Redlines:

— Rakaal typically possesses physical stamina and strength on par with a fit and healthy uruk. They may not be taller than 7 feet in height, and must generally be equatable to at most peak human physicality.

— Rakaal may cast the Naztherak Malflame spell Vhiit.

— Rakaal have a max maleus pool of [20] units.

— They may wear full plate mail and cast with no physical inhibition.

— Rakaal may not be disconnected from malflame casting by anything except for antimagic such as Thanium and Null Arcana.

 

⛧

FALSE EVOLUTION

Zar’eika Ascension

 

Once primed for their transformation, and through the funneling of a Naztherak’s maleus within their body- the souls and form amalgamate, a cruelly painful rending shift in their form. In a truly abhorrent mimicry of nature’s butterfly, the flesh cracks and scars rapidly as their form shifts, leaving them vulnerable as agony racks the Inferis’ form- morphing into a ‘False Evolution’- . Their prior appearance will grow more grotesque and unnatural, and their bodies advance to compensate for the weaknesses of their archetype; the Mage augments their malflame further, the Knight inherits a greater competency for sorcery, and the Brute gains the minute control of Malflame needed to rend it into crude projectiles and combustive blows.

 

Upon achieving such partial evolution, the ST should be notified so the corresponding CA can be updated. They may ask for confirmation of acquired souls. CA Zezimar who achieve evolution remain as Zar’ei, but may change their physical form some to connote their more ‘advanced state.’ A lengthening of horns, a one-time regrowth of severed limbs, additional muscle mass are smaller ways to do so, yet ‘form overhauls’ to connote this new form are permissible as well. Evolved Malda and Kozun may gain no more than [1] foot in height- however, Rakaal who go through False Evolution gain [2] feet in height instead. All Zezimar are forced to either pick a Malice from the base list, or may adopt the Pact Malice of their Prince. In the case of the latter, their appearance will shift slightly to resemble the animal of the Pact Zar’rokul. Furthermore- an Evolved Zar’ei may stand in for any Naztherak during any Naztherak Ritual.

 

EVOLVED SUBTYPES

Malda may have their counts of Maleus increase to [65], and gain [1] T5 Naztherak Malflame spell of their choice on Evolution. Furthermore, they gain the unique spells Algz-Hikizt and Rok-Kulzael.

 

Kozun may have their counts of Maleus increase to [50], and gain [1] T4 Naztherak Malflame spell of their choice on Evolution. Furthermore, they gain the unique spell Rok-Vrakank.

 

Rakaal may have their counts of Maleus increase to [30], and gain the T1 Naztherak Malflame spell Rok-Dhurz on Evolution. Furthermore, they gain the unique spells Rok-Hazak and Rok-Odzar.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Reaching Zar’ei evolution follows all redlines of “Zezimar Evolution” under “The Infernal Climb” above on the lore page.

— The choice of spell that the Malda and Kozun gain must be stated on the CA when the SREQ is made to mark it has been evolved. This chosen spell cannot be changed.

— Evolved Zezimar do not become Zar’kiel, they remain as Zar’ei.

— This evolution should not be used as an excuse to break redlines and powergame the CA.

— Players may ‘puff up’ and otherwise develop the appearance of the Zar’ei via transformation, but must still be hideous, grotesque, and monstrous in appearance.

— Regrowing limbs through evolution may be used only once, and may also regrow tails, wing stubs, etc.

— Evolving permits the Zar’ei to Curse their malflame with Malices- be it the base ones, or the Pact Malice of their Naztherak, following all redlines of Naztherak Cursing.

— However, Evolving also inflicts a Malice onto the Zar’ei; one must choose a Malice from the base list, or may adopt the Pact Malice of their Naztherak, if their Prince possesses one.

— An Evolved Zar’ei may stand in for any Naztherak in a Naztherak Ritual.

 

UNIQUE SPELLS

Aglz-Hikizt [Malda]:

An evolved Malda may extend and wrap their maleus about another Zar’ei or Naztherak, augmenting their compatriot and permitting for accelerated casting for a period of [6] emotes. Doing so creates a funneling stream of maleus from one to another as a sort of ‘tether’, which as long as it is impeded permits the linked Zar’ei or Naztherak to have casting timefor all spells reduced by [1] emote, to a minimum of [2] emotes per spell. This requires [3] emotes to perform, consuming [20] maleus.

 

Constant line of sight must be maintained from the Malda to the linked Zar’ei or Naztherak- if the ‘tether’ is  broken, be it by a physical object blocking it or anti-magic such as Thanium, Dragonsflame, or other equivalent antimagic slashing through it, the spell is instantly broken. Constant concentration must be held on the Malda’s part, leaving them unable to cast or sprint until the [6] emote duration ends or the spell ceases earlier.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— The ‘tether’ has a [20] meter range. If the distance between the Malda and the Zar’ei or Naztherak exceeds that range, the spell immediately ceases.

— Anything that would cause the Malda to break concentration instantly ends the spell.

— Algz-Hikizt’s augmentation effect cannot stack. That is to say, a Naztherak or Zar’ei cannot benefit from more than one instance of this spell’s effect at the same time.

— No casting emote count can be brought under [2] by Algz-Hikizt, no matter what; all spells must take at least [2] emotes to cast for the linked Zar’ei or Naztherak.

— If a physical object, such as a wall, shield, or person comes between the Malda and the other individual for more than [1] emote, the tether snaps.

 

Rok-Kulzael [Malda]:

An evolved Malda may conjure sharpened and constrained malflame, hewing them into the shapes of arrows to launch in devastating volleys. A pricy ordeal, it requires [10] maleus at base offered to form the first arrow over the course of [3] emotes- yet for every further arrow conjured, it requires solely [5] maleus, amassing to a maximum of [3] arrows and [20] maleus for a full volley.

 

These all may be shot at once to different targets, or the same target altogether- having physical force as if shot by a hand crossbow. Upon impacting they linger for a moment, inflicting Malflame burns to whatever soul-bearing material it touches, before dissipating [1] emote later.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Up to [3] arrows total may be held by this spell. Casting this spells requires both hands to be free, and not clasping any objects nor weapons.

— Rok-Kulzael’s arrows will cause burns where they contact, yet the flames dissipate alongside the arrow [1] emote after contacting.

— If interrupted, the spell is canceled and all maleus is returned.

— The arrows are fired with the range/strength of a hand crossbow, yet are composed of maleus. They have physical impact equivalent to such.

— All arrows may be shot at the same target, or different ones.

 

Rok-Vrakank [Kozun]:

An evolved Kozun may collect and compile malflame into a streamlined object- forming a weapon of condensed malflame that bears a physical impact to it. By spinning [10] units of maleus into the shape of a weapon, they may condense it over [2] emotes into a physical apparatus of malflame, able to be clutched and wielded by the Kozun as if a normal weapon. Rok-Vrakank may not create a weapon smaller and lighter than a dagger, nor may it create any weapon longer than a javelin or more dense than a battleaxe.

 

Weapons made from Rok-Vrakank function as if bearing concussive impact equivalent to a steel weapon of the same type, yet furthermore bear the effect of malflame if it is to touch skin. Malflame imparted by Rok-Vrakank does not spread, solely burning the area of contact with soul-bearing material.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— A weapon created by Rok-Vrakank bears all physical durability and properties of one of steel, except for the fact that it consists of malflame. 

— Similar to malflame from Rok-Krimth, it does not spread on flesh, solely burning the area of contact with soul-bearing material.

— By concentrating for [1] emote any time after it has already been summoned; one can change the shape of Rok-Vrakank to any other weapon's form. This can only be done [1] time per combat.

— Weapons made by Rok-Vrakank cannot be weapons that launch projectiles; it cannot create bows, crossbows, slings, etc.

— There is no duration for how long the weapon lasts for- yet if it is ever dropped by the Kozun, it harmlessly dissipates.

— The size constraints maximize the conjured weapon to carry the physical size and weight of a battle-axe or javelin, and its proportions of size and weight at smallest can be that of a dagger.

 

Rok-Hazak [Rakaal]:

An evolved Rakaal may crudely compress malflame similarly to Vhiit to a more volatile and combustive state- capable of releasing a burst of malflame upon a single blow. Over the course of [2] emotes, malflame can be wrapped and compressed around a single fist- augmenting the next strike to volatilely erupt, creating a sphere of malflame [1] meter in diameter that encapsulates all within it with malflame and hitting with force enough to dent metal.

 

Rok-Hazak requires [10] maleus, and cannot be used whilst Vhiit is active on any of the Rakaal’s limbs. The palm clasping the combustive flames cannot bear any weapons nor hold anything else whatsoever. The hand can be enwreathed for up to [8] emotes, after which it dissipates harmlessly; pon striking anything the spell’s combustive blast instantly triggers, the one-time combustion running its course.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Rok-Hazak’s combustive effect can tear through cloth and leather, yet at most can only dent plate.

— The [1] meter diameter sphere is of solid malflame- enshrouding whatever is inside for a steady stream for that one emote of combustion.

— Rok-Hazak’s combustion triggers instantly on the first time the enwreathed fist impacts something.

— Whilst Rok-Hazak is active, neither Vhiit nor Rok-Odzar may be cast.

 

Rok-Odzar [Rakaal]:

An evolved Rakaal may with crude ease send a hapless trailblaze of flame in front of itself. Requiring [3] emotes to cast and [10] maleus, on the final emote of casting the Rakaal must slam both palms unto the ground as a [5x2] rectangle of space erupts in malflame, rising up [2] meter off the ground. 

 

Rok-Odzar has a maximum duration of [6] emotes, yet the trailblaze only continues to remain lit as long as the Rakaal keeps both palms on the floor. Rok-Odzar may only be used once per combative encounter. Whilst the trailblaze is aflame, no other spells, movement, nor actions can be made.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— Rok-Odzar may last up to [6] emotes, but requires the Rakaal to keep both palms flat upon the ground.

— If either a palm moves off the ground or the ground crumbles/moves away, the trailblaze ceases.

— The trailblaze has to move forwards from a direction away from the rakaal; it may not be used to create a defensive wall tangent to the inferi.

— The [5x2] rectangle of malflame has a steady stream upwards, similar to Rok-Norrvut.

— Rok-Odzar may only be used once per combative encounter.

 

⛧

ZENTHERAK

[MArt] + ET Handoff

 

To achieve the pinnacle of a Zezimar’s form, after the steady climb to their evolved state- only one thing can be done to reach the penultimate state of being: True Ascension. Unparalleled to the mortal limits that a Zar’eika’s lesser evolution impose on them, True Ascension is the inner feast of gluttonous desire to ascend up the Infernal Climb- to ascend into a Zentherak. The process of undertaking such a feat is rare upon the mortal planes- the ritual itself is vague, the contents lost to time- yet Zezimar and Naztherak alike may infer it would require copious amounts of souls to be consumed.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— The creation of a Zenthrak may solely be done either through a [MArt] following the redlines of the Naztherak rite “[T5] Zentherak - [Summon] [MArt]”, a custom ritual done solely by the soon-to-be Zentherak for a MARt, or through an ET-handoff ritual.

— True Ascension is a freeform ritual either done for a MArt, or ET-supervised in case of it being an ET-handoff ritual.

— Zentherak evolution can be a way for a player to place an end to their story by handing it off to ET usage instead of shelving it or playing it, turning the Zentherak into an ET character henceforth. For this to be done, reaching out to contact ET via an SREQ is necessary.

 

⛧

BANISHMENT

[Disconnection Rite]

 

Inferi are eternal. Even if they perish, they rise time and time again within the legions of Moz’strimosa, unending warriors of conquest, and abhorrent fury. They do not need to be bound to a mortal Naztherak or Zar’akal to remain in this realm; for such is their very birthright. And yet, there comes a time where those abhorrent must be culled. Banishment is the rite of taking any inferi except a Zar’akal, and forevermore binding them within the High Hells, unable to ever return to the mortal planes.

 

Banishment is a rite of inherent knowledge to all Naztherak; requiring [3] Naztherak or [1] Naztherak and [2] Evolved Inferi to complete- by conjuring a spiked chain of Malflame in unison, an Inferi can be dragged down to Moz’strimosa, irrevocably PK’d. However; if an inferi is bound to a Naztherak or Zar’akal, they can only be banished by that sole Naztherak’s participation; other Naztherak cannot banish them.

 

Spoiler

Redlines:

— This ritual is inherent knowledge to all bearing the Naztherak MA.

— This rite can be done on Zevn, Zevn’kiel, Zar’ei, and Evolved Zar’ei.

— Those who go under Banishment are irrevocably PK’d; they cannot be brought back no matter what.

— If an inferi is bound to a Naztherak, they cannot be banished unless that binding Naztherak participates within the Banishment ritual.

 

⛧

PURPOSE:

It goes without saying, that the current lore for Inferi is old. It predates almost all other portions of modern infernal-adjacent lore, and with it- is not only bearing of an older style of writing and all, but even still further has a lot to it which just doesn't work well with modern lore. When Naztherak was given its rewrite last year, the Inferi rewrite made alongside that didn't make it through the system- leading to the current inferi lore having to go through shoddy changes, creating a vast imbalance. Furthermore, almost every individual of the community is vastly unhappy with the CA as a whole; as such, this rewrite is created with aims to fix it all. I contacted numerous members of many different Naztherak/Inferi groups to discuss over this, getting consultation and review from them all- in order to ensure that this stays well. I'd like to also give thanks to @Turbo_Dogfor helping me go through ideas and a lot of brainstorming help from them overall, and especially @Minth_11 for giving a lot of critical review which helped make this possible. Furthermore, many thanks to @The King Of The Moon for giving a lot of feedback over the full lore piece.

 

⛧

CREDITS:

PALLODIUM - WRITER

 

PALLODIUM, TURBO_DOG - BRAINSTORMING

LEYD, PRIMNYAQUORUM, DOCTOR_RIBS, MINTH_11  - CONSULTATION & REVIEW

IBLEESIAN, THATFUNKYBUNCH, BAKEDPOTATO  - PROOFREADING & REVIEW
 

LORE PIECES:

[✓] [CA Creature + NPC Lore] The Infernal Compendium

[✓] [Magic Lore + Playable CAs] Naztherak

[✓] [Naztherak Addition] Gatrov Creation

 

⛧

CHANGELOG:

Spoiler

— Added Banishment.

— Added Rakir-Draining.
— Reverted Malda; they now have [4] Magic slots and can oncemore use Voidal Feats (with exception to Scion).

— Removed Zar’ei Boons/Banes.

 

[graveyard_bones 89]

Pallo coming out with even more sick lore

 

KEEP IT COMING!!!!

[Tav 1537]

[The King Of The Moon 5501]

Long overdue.
thank god

(prayer emoji)

 

Some important notes of feedback I have are:
 

52 minutes ago, Pallodium said:

— Kozun may cast spells from [T1] to [T3] as per the Naztherak lore.

 

I. Wording on spells from different tiers of naztherak lore should probably clearer if this is meant to encompass all naz spells within those tiers or just malflame spells in those tiers. I'm assuming the latter but that's not how it reads.

 

52 minutes ago, Pallodium said:

Malda bear [3] slots, whilst Kozun have [2] and Rakaal [1].

II. Lowering the magic slots on zar'ei from the current seems a little needless. It was amended so recently I'm unsure why the current slot numbers would need changing already. I can maybe see the reason for lowering them for the evolved versions but it feels like an unwarranted limitation for the base CA(s).
 

52 minutes ago, Pallodium said:

their souls, far too altered by Moz Strimosa, are incapable of properly learning any Voidal Feat, Mysticism, or Kani.

III. In a similar vein to the above removing voidal feats from malda seems like a needless limitation (with the exception to scion which should stay inaccessible). Currently malda suffer all of the detriments that void mages suffer plus the additional limitations involved with being an inferis, so balance-wise they'd always be worse off than any descendant void mage with or without the feats. In addition much of the chaotic voidal aesthetic that works so well with malda (i.e. making tears) relies on accessing these feats. The Void also does not discriminate in the way a deity would; being altered by Moz Strimoza shouldn't really disable access to it and worldlore implies otherwise. 

IV. Sorry if I glanced over it but I can't seem to see any mention of PK clauses in this rewrite. Is that to say the old version (where 2 weeks after not being bound makes you die for, uh, reasons) is no longer applicable? Honestly that's an improvement if so, though I still think some sort of PK method should be applicable.
Maybe multiple naz/ inferi coming together could banish a demon, in a similar vein to the disconnection ritual? Just a thought.

V. Can we please get clarification on:
-if inferi feel pain normally
-if inferi feel fatigue normally
-if inferi need to breathe
-if inferi need to sleep
-if inferi feel temperature and if so do extreme temperatures effect them normally
-if inferi have internal organs and circulatory systems
-if inferi can be killed by bloodloss or organ failure (assuming they have them) and if not what can kill inferi

VI. ADD A NO FTB REDLINE PLEASE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Otherwise thank you for rewriting a very dated and messy piece. Above all else inferi need clarity due to the vagueness borne of a naz rewrite passing with the accompanying inferi rewrite failing, leading to inconsistencies between the two, and I appreciate you trying to address these!

[rathat 693]

Omg Turbo dog my dog who is turbulent and a dog

[wowj 3059]

dragon drones

[BenVader 46]

Yes

[Karina 556]

Sorely needed rewrite. Very thankful someone took on the task of it. Love the fact they get custom spells, and can buff naz. Also imp lords!!! IMP LORDS!!!

[ErikAzog 3347]

pretty cool

[Unwillingly 11836]

inferi are definitely a piece of lore that's needed some love, glad to see this out. hopefully this will make them more interesting to both engage with and play as a CA, as I think they have a lot of potential for storytelling that just unfortunately got neglected and nobody really had the energy to tackle

[ToodIes 1483]

i’m mageposting but there shouldn’t be any armored titans slinging T5 voidal magic who can’t be disconnected by normal means. i think they should have the same limitations on magic that they did in the old lore- ie only malda can do void 

 

edit: it's been suggested to me by people who aren't the lore-writer that they'd still have to follow voidal connection guidelines (eg a rakaal with water evo has voidal mage strength) but that should definitely be specified in the lore.

[PrimnyaQuorum 1082]

1 hour ago, The King Of The Moon said:

-Similar to the above, I can't see any mention of a death/ revival timer or a revival mechanic. Is this also meant to be removed and just standard 'you respawn after 30 mins as per rules' now applies in its place? 

1 hour ago, Pallodium said:

— A slain Zezimar will take 1 IRL week of feasting upon its own maleus to reconstitute its body, unless the Naztherak it is bound to willingly casts “Invocation - Zar’ei [T3]” to revive them manually.

I think the PK redlines are already contained within the Naz lore page, but respawn timer is here.

 

1 hour ago, The King Of The Moon said:

-In a similar vein to the above removing voidal feats from malda seems like a needless limitation (with the exception to scion which should stay inaccessible). Currently malda suffer all of the detriments that void mages suffer plus the additional limitations involved with being an inferis, so balance-wise they'd always be worse off than any descendant void mage with or without the feats. In addition much of the chaotic voidal aesthetic that works so well with malda (i.e. making tears) relies on accessing these feats.

 

I don't entirely agree with this - you don't need any Voidal Feats to partake in any voidal creation or further Voidal Chaos such as Tearmaking. Also, Malda are capable of wearing any armor of their choosing without suffering a penalty to their ability to cast, which a Voidal mage cannot do. If a Inferi really wanted to be involved in the whole chaos-void mage vibe, theres nothing in this write preventing that since Voidal Posioning would overwrite any physical strengths the malda has left per Voidal Connection redlines.

[sam33497 3528]

keep malda at its current adjusted level

[The King Of The Moon 5501]

13 minutes ago, PrimnyaQuorum said:

I think the PK redlines are already contained within the Naz lore page, but respawn timer is here.

 

Even if that's the case, if a CA is on its own page (separate to the magic) its PK clauses should be included on its respective page, not a separate magic that at this time users of said CA cannot access and therefore have no reason to read. Though also after talking with Pallodium I think the PK is being rethought anyway as a lot of people have gripes with the current/ previous system.

 

13 minutes ago, PrimnyaQuorum said:

you don't need any Voidal Feats to partake in any voidal creation or further Voidal Chaos such as Tearmaking.

My mistake if that's the case, though the rest of the points on this limitation feeling a bit needless, due to the disadvantages malda already have compared to ordinary descendants with magic, still stand.
 

13 minutes ago, PrimnyaQuorum said:

Malda are capable of wearing any armor of their choosing without suffering a penalty to their ability to cast

I think you misread the lore here. Yes they can wear armour but it also renders them incapable of casting which, due to their permanent voidal weakness, renders them all around worse off; A 'knight' with the stamina of a void mage but none of the magic.

1 hour ago, Pallodium said:

— Malda cannot cast at all when wearing armor;

13 minutes ago, PrimnyaQuorum said:

theres nothing in this write preventing that since Voidal Posioning would overwrite any physical strengths the malda has left per Voidal Connection redlines.

I don't fully understand what you mean by this. Malda are written to be as weak as voidal mages with or without the magic though - which is fine and should stay. 

1 hour ago, Pallodium said:

A Maldaka type Zezimar possesses physical stamina and strength on par with a modern Voidal Mage

[Turbo_Dog 1593]

Hand it over. That thing, your dark soul. 
 

IMP