The Zealots of Aetolia
The Daru Monastery was founded in year 94 MA by a group of Sentaari monks who wished to walk a path of righteousness in the Light, and was formally recognized as a guild in the year 98 MA, following conflict with and division from more moderate Sentaari elements. Finding strength in the heat and light of holy fire, they followed Lord Rahn's tenet of Perfection until His demise. With the subsequent genesis of Lady Auresae, the guild refocused itself on the path of Purity, which became its highest ideal, and the Zealots looked to banish their Corruption from within. Devout seekers of self-improvement, they likewise strove to perfect themselves in Mind, Body, and Will.
Sharing a common tradition with both Sentaari and Illuminai, the Daru - now Zealots - had retained the skills of Tekura and Telepathy - the former a martial art, rendering its practitioner a deadly weapon. The latter, honing the mind to a precision instrument, capable of striking at enemies from a distance. Finally, the ancient art of Illumination expressed the will of the Zealot, allowing them to channel their Inner Spark, unleashing fire and light as both an awesome weapon and a formidable defense.
On 13th Khepary, of the year 452 MA, the prophet Kayalenki, condemning the leadership of the guild, ordered the Daru dissolved as an independent monastery. Those loyal to their Illuminai heritage were bid to join with the Luminaries under a new Illuminai order. The Daru legacy is that of a structured, disciplined approach; one in which the Light is found by the slow and careful elimination of flaws. Though the guild itself is ended, the teachings live on within the Illuminai.
Zealot Skills
Part Tekura, part Duamvi martial arts, the Zealots make use of hands, feet, and chain, each complementing the other aspects of Zeal. It is an efficient and uncompromising style of violence, unhindered by notions of mercy or fairness. The Zealot's enemies have eschewed these things; so, too, does the Zealot in hunting them.
Zeal
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Pummel
DescriptionSyntax: PUMMEL <target> [LEFT|RIGHT]
As long as you possess a free hand, you may pummel an opponent's arm. This will deal blunt damage and inflict trauma to the arm in the process.
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Wounds
DescriptionSyntax: WOUNDS [target]
This ability will allow you to determine how badly damaged the limbs of your opponent are. If you specify no target, then you can check your own limbs.
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Mindset
DescriptionSyntax: MINDSET <type>
The mind holds dominion over the body. Depending on your chosen mindset, you can receive a damage boost to a subset of abilities within the Zeal skillset.
The following mindsets are available to you:
Star: Increases the damage of fist-based abilities.
Sun: Increases the damage of foot-based abilities.
Moon: Increases the damage of chain-based abilities. -
Fending
DescriptionSyntax: FEND <limb> or FEND NOTHING
With quick hands, you can fend off attacks aimed at a specific limb. Both your hands must have nothing in them in order to fend off an attack.
You can fend either the head, torso, left arm, right arm, left leg, or right leg.You will be unable to fend off attacks if you become prone (see HELP PRONE). Being fallen is excluded from this list.
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Sprint
DescriptionSyntax: SPRINT <direction>
Your trained physique allows you to quickly dash in a particular direction until there is no where left to go.
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Endlink
DescriptionSyntax: ENDLINK <chain> <WEIGHT|POINT>
Providing you have a bar of iron in your inventory, you can attach either a weight to your chain in order to deal blunt damage, or a point to your chain to deal cutting damage.
Without this ending link you will not be able to attack with your chain.
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Palmforce
DescriptionSyntax: PALMFORCE <target> [STRIKE]
By striking an opponent with an open palm, you can knock them solidly to the ground.
You may choose to follow up with a strike after knocking your opponent to the ground. This is a channeled action, and if they remain upon the ground when it completes, you will strike them in the face and daze them.
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Wanekick
DescriptionSyntax: WANEKICK <target> [LEFT|RIGHT]
Send a powerful waning kick towards the leg of your opponent, causing blunt damage while dealing trauma to that limb.
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Anklepin
DescriptionSyntax: ANKLEPIN <target>
A sudden spiraling motion will allow you to deliver a low blow with precision, directly into their ankle. This will strain the ankle, causing trauma to both of their legs when they move between locations.
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Sunkick
DescriptionSyntax: SUNKICK <target>
Make use of your feet and launch a spinning kick that strikes their head. This will leave them dizzy, stupid, and plodding, and then will deal trauma to the skull.
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Flow
DescriptionSyntax: FLOW <target> <[ab] [param]> <[ab] [param]>
Your budding zeal allows you to release a barrage of flowing blows at a reduced balance cost. You may optionally include a secondary parameter, such as left or right, when the ability requires one. Only two abilities may be used at once.
Example: FLOW VALINGAR PUMMEL LEFT PALMFORCE STRIKE
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Jawcrack
DescriptionSyntax: JAWCRACK <target>
Aim for your opponent's jaw and strike it with your chain. This heavy attack will give them watery eyes.
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Clawtwist
DescriptionSyntax: CLAWTWIST <target>
By shaping your fist into a claw, you can drive it into the torso of your opponent and twist the muscle and flesh of the abdominal wall. This will deal trauma to the torso and should it be broken, it will aggravate the wound and cause extra bleeding.
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Haste
DescriptionSyntax: HASTE [OFF]
Your physical prowess has grown to a point that you can increase your celerity greatly, allowing you to move quickly across the land. This will slowly drain your endurance while it is active however.
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Wrath
DescriptionSyntax: WRATH [EXTEND]
Unleash your zealous wrath upon those around you, granting you supernatural instincts. When someone changes their parry within your location, you will see to which limb it is shifted to.
If you choose to extend this ability, the length it'll remain in effect is doubled, however it will drain your strength temporarily by 1 point as an additional cost.
If your strength is lowered by 4 points or more, then your arms will become weak and you will no longer be able to make use of Zeal strikes that utilise the fist.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
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Descent
DescriptionSyntax: DESCENT <target>
Aim your chain to strike their back by having the length of the chain wrap upon their shoulder and swing downwards into their spine. The pain inflicted will place a strain upon their back, dealing trauma to their torso when they stand up from the ground.
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Disunion
DescriptionSyntax: DISUNION and REUNITE
Splinter the spirit into multiple offshoots of yourself. These offshoots retain a small amount of intelligence and will help right your balance and equilibrium every so often. Be wary however, as maintaining a splintered spirit will drain your health slowly over time.
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Dislocate
DescriptionSyntax: DISLOCATE <target> [LEFT|RIGHT]
Move in close to your opponent and grab one of their arms in a tight grip. Once grasped, you will apply a practiced amount of force that will pop the arm right out of its socket. If the dislocation is not healed, eventually it will suffer permanent damage and become broken.
While this deals no damage or trauma from the attack itself, it cannot be parried by your opponent.
This skill has no effect upon a limb that is already damaged.
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Risekick
DescriptionSyntax: RISEKICK [target]
If you have been tripped or otherwise fallen to the ground, you may rise up with a swing of your legs and use the momentum to deliver a kick to stomach. This will upset their balance and deliver a small amount of trauma to the torso.
If you supply no target, then you can simply kick yourself up from the ground, regardless if you were tripped or not.
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Wristlash
DescriptionSyntax: WRISTLASH <target>
Lash your chain in such a manner that it will strike the wrist of your opponent, straining them from the impact. When that opponent parries an attack, it will cause trauma to both of their arms.
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Swagger
DescriptionSyntax: SWAGGER
This ability will allow you to bolster your confidence, curing the paresis affliction or granting you a defence against it if you are not afflicted. However, this act requires some serious physical training, and will strain your body in a way that it will reduce your strength temporarily by 1 point each time this ability is used.
If your strength is lowered by 4 points or more, then your arms will become weak and you will no longer be able to make use of Zeal strikes that utilise the fist. Swagger will also become unusable.
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Caeveir
DescriptionSyntax: KATAS
DEMONSTRATE CAEVEIR
GRADE <person> CAEVEIRFlow through the techniques of the Zealot martial arts, drilling in motions through practice and repetition. Once mastered through grading, this will grant your fist and foot techniques extra damage against adventurers when used.
Only someone who has mastered the Caeveir kata already may grade you.
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Heelrush
DescriptionSyntax: HEELRUSH <target> <bodypart>
Execute three consecutive kicks against an opponent, damaging the body part of choice in the process. You may not perform any action that utilises balance or equilibrium during this sequence, otherwise the attack will be interrupted. Each strike will deal more damage and trauma than the last, and the final hit will leave them stunned.
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Twinpress
DescriptionSyntax: TWINPRESS <target>
Thrust two fingers into your opponent in order to disrupt their spirit with a pulse from your own. This resonance will stiffen their limbs and cause a ripple of spasms through their muscles. While this deals no damage or trauma, it cannot be parried by your opponent.
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Hackles
DescriptionSyntax: HACKLES <target> <[ab] [param]>
What better way to use your chains then to do it hands free? With this ability, your chains will rise up like hackles and can be commanded to strike utilising a secondary balance to do so. You may only use chain-based abilities with this skill and only one at a time.
Example: HACKLES VALINGAR UPRISE
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Trammel
DescriptionSyntax: TRAMMEL <target>
Coil your chain tightly around an arm that is currently mangled, then with the power of your trained strength, rip it completely free of its socket. This will amputate the arm in question, starting with the left.
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Rive
DescriptionSyntax: RIVE <target>
Coil your chain around your opponent, and then pull it back with a sharp yank to shred their flesh. This motion will deal some damage and cause them to bleed.
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Respiration
DescriptionSyntax: RESPIRATION [HOLD]
Relax your mind and enjoy the benefits of deep breathing, allowing you to quickly heal wounds and recover your health when using this ability.
You can also choose to hold your breath. This is a channeled action that, if uninterrupted, will heal you for additional health and restore your strength back to its original might.
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Edgekick
DescriptionSyntax: EDGEKICK <target>
Thrust the solid edge of your foot into their throat, crippling their voice and leaving them a stuttering mess.
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Uprise
DescriptionSyntax: UPRISE <target>
Whip your chain toward your opponent's chin, snapping their head back and causing whiplash. This will cause damage to the head each time they sip an elixir.
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Whipburst
DescriptionSyntax: WHIPBURST <target>
Send your chain directly at your target in order to whip them. If used in tandem with the Hackles ability, then the tip will burst into flame upon contact and deal fire damage instead.
Please see AB ZEAL HACKLES for more information on the Hackles ability.
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Direblow
DescriptionSyntax: DIREBLOW <target>
By forming a rigid hand, you can deliver a deep and terrible blow to your opponent. This is a channeled action, and should it succeed, it will deliver a deep wound that will turn ordinary bleeding into deep bleeding. If it is interrupted by your own fault or other means, a weaker blow will occur that will leave behind a light wound that will slightly increase the amount of bleeding caused when bleeding occurs.
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Welt
DescriptionThis ability is passive.
When striking with a fist or foot, there is a chance your blow will leave behind a welt. If it does and you strike that body part with your chain, your chain will deal a small amount of trauma to that limb.
In order to gain the bonus effect from a welt, you must use:
Sunkick -> Uprise : for a welt on the head.
Palmforce -> Descent : for a welt on the torso.
Pummel -> Wristlash : for a welt on either arm.
WaneKick -> Anklepin : for a welt on either leg.Only one welt will appear on an opponent at a time, and it will naturally heal itself after several seconds if the welt is left alone.
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Dropkick
DescriptionSyntax: DROPKICK <target>
Send a vicious kick into the side of the head of your target. They must be fallen and both arms must be amputated so that they cannot protect their head.
If you meet the requirements necessary, you will crumple their head and instantly kill them.
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Rebuke
DescriptionSyntax: REBUKE <LEFT|RIGHT> <ARM|LEG>
Utilise the defensive properties of your chain and have it coil around one of your arms or legs, protecting it from an attack that would target that limb for a single use. Upon being struck, it will emit a bright light that will knock over and stun your opponent.
Using an attack that requires your chain while a limb is protected will remove the effect.
Cooldown: 10 seconds
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Litheness
DescriptionSyntax: LITHENESS [OFF]
When using an ability that requires a channeling motion, you will no longer suffer a malus to your dodge chance while you remain lithe. There is an endurance drain associated with this ability.
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Blitz
DescriptionSyntax: BLITZ
Push your body to its limits and enter a blitz, allowing you to quickly strike up to five different enemies within your location and adjacent to you over a short period of time, crippling limbs and dealing damage in the process.
During the blitz, others will not be able to target you directly until your blitz comes to an end.
You only begin this ability with at least one visible enemy within your location.
Cooldown: 8 seconds
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Roleplaying a Zealot
Zealots are martial artists, emerging from the mainline of the Sentaari and journeying southeast in the year of Sahmie Rhashye's Revelation, 97 MA. Forsaking the spirit-based arts of Kaido in favor of Illumination, the Zealots first organized into a guild known as the Daru before later, in the year 452 MA, joining with the Luminaries to form the Illuminai reborn. Over time, their arts have evolved into a tradition that is noticeably distinct from its Sentaari and Luminary forebears, fusing internal and external disciplines into one unified whole.
Who were the first Illuminai?
The Illuminai first emerged in the epoch prior to the Midnight Age, a southeastern movement founded in Shallam - the city that is now Enorian. Their monolatrous faith was one of fire, centered upon the Goddess Mebrene, though they also drew inspiration from Idar Karif and his warriors of Light. As the first practitioners of Illumination, they succeeded in overthrowing the Sultan's corrupt rule and instituting spiritual and political reforms under the governance of Kayalenki, their leader and high priestess. Eventually, however, a combination of internal dispute and outside threats crushed the Illuminai and their temple, and the sultanate was restored.
What is the Spirit Plane?
Rewh'va, the Plane of Spirit, is the source of the element of spirit, which is an essential component of the Zealot's arts. The element of spirit crosses into the Prime through the sun, which is itself an immense portal connecting the two planes, and is found in all living beings - from the smallest grasses to the mightiest beasts. Without the Spirit Plane, neither life nor the Zealot's discipline of Purification would be possible. The Duamvi, a symbiotic race created by the Triad of Angels, originate from the Spirit Plane.
The sources of the Zealot's arts include:
Martial tradition, consisting of training in punches, kicks, and the use of a chain. The chain is made from silver, in spite of its low durability, because of its superior ability to conduct the element of spirit.
Mental conditioning to develop willpower, psionic might, and extrasensory perception.
The manipulation and structuring of ambient spirit in the world around them.
The Inner Spark, a wellspring of elemental spirit and fire possessed by all living, sentient beings, and its expression through the focalmarks they wear on their hands and feet.
The Grand Flame, a sacred fire within Enorian which serves as a point of communion between mortality and the Gods of Spirit.
Visual style of the class
The Zealot's martial arts are characterized by powerful, precise strikes, augmented by their Inner Spark and spirit to enact brilliant displays of white fire from their focalmarks. By contrast, their psionic manifestations are deceptively subtle, consisting in self-defense techniques, telekinetic movement, various forms of extrasensory perception, and - at the higher levels of the art - the ability to shrive off their physical bodies and project their wills into an astral form.
Light and sparks often linger about them during, as well as after, enacting the disciplines of fire and spirit characteristic of Purification.
Side effects of the class
Spirit, being the most lively and energetic of the elements, may, over time, shift the personality of any practitioner who draws upon it frequently - and Zealots are no exception. Even calm personalities may be rendered more excitable, extreme, or volatile by its influence, a quality which often exists in tension with their highly structured arts.
Owing to the discipline, repetition, and conditioning the Zealot practices to master their techniques, there is a strong tendency to ritualize everyday behavior. Whether this manifests more usually, as in speaking a blessing before meals, or extends to particular ways of washing hands, walking home, or preparing for bed, Zealots often rely upon these routines in order to remain grounded.
Roleplaying the class
Zealots are martial artists, defined as much by the ceaseless mastery of their skills as their alignment with the Light. Their arts have been honed to oppose the enemies of Spirit, particularly undead and vampires, to such an extent that an unfocused or careless Zealot is capable of injuring themselves with the power of Purification and Psionics.
The exacting attention which their path demands produces focused, determined warriors, who are often alienated from the people they defend. The art of Purification in particular is tied to Enorian and its Grand Flame, meaning that Zealots are universally devoted to the Light, seeking to bring about the end of the Midnight Age and usher in the prophesized Age of Dawn.
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