You did it!
Understandably, you might have some questions. Questions like sorry, who the fuck just woke up??, or what the hell happens to the Ascended? and when can I post?
Let us explain, in case you need a summary.
Back before there was anything at all, there was Dygra and there was Caido. Not two halves of one whole, nor ying and yang, the pair were simply what Was and What Wasn't. When Caido grew listless and decided to dwell on the top of a mountain while all manner of life bloomed across the continent, Dygra went to sleep and was forgotten.
Or, almost forgotten. Clever in so many ways, the Voice knew all about this ancient goddess and where to find her. Realizing that, despite the strength of her children and her love for them, they might lose the war, the Voice set up a contingency plan. If they were to lose, she would sacrifice herself to Dygra that her children could live. She would give the goddess a wealth of nourishment and food for her own children before ultimately transferring her life force as a worthy trade for the survival of her bright ones. This is why all those bloodless bodies have been appearing. This is what made the Mountain's Roar run red.
This is what woke Dygra up and saved the Ascended.
Saved though they are, however, there are consequences. The results of losing the war is not death for the Ascended, but an inability to level. They can no longer buy anything with MP, cannot quest, but can exist. So if you enjoy writing your Ascended as they are, you can continue to do so! However, there is another option: Become an Ancient. Ancients are our new demonic race, and you can read about them below.
For the time being, we're going to put the site to sleep for a bit while we make all the necessary updates and changes, but don't worry - you can keep posting! We've created a temporary board for you to host all your immediate aftermath threads. To make it easier on us, please put the location of your thread in the description-field so that once everything is up and running, it can be archived/moved to the appropriate place. Posting in this board will count toward your post-count, and normal posting rules apply within this board.
During this time we encourage you to start all your narrative threads, hosting your weddings, funerals, reunions etc. that would normally follow a big disaster like this. But because of what's coming up, we do request that you refrain from beginning any PQs (you'll see why shortly).
We have more detailed descriptions of what the world looks like post-war on the way, but for now, when you're writing, keep this in mind:
- The Fangs in Halo have collapsed and the region is extremely unstable.
The tremors during Dygra's awakening have caused half of the Climb to crumble into the sea, separating it from the Halo region.
Torchline has broken up into several islands with half of it hovering in the air.
Stormbreak has risen completely up and into the sky and is now only reachable by flight.
The Hollowed Grounds is ON FIRE.
The Greatwood has completely flooded.
Sunjata's Refuge is still pretty chill, but is now open again and people may enter and leave at will.
At the end of the maintenance period, we're going to do a ONE-YEAR TIME JUMP into the future. Because of the extensive damage in some regions, we don't want everyone's posts to be constantly taken up with "I fix this" "I clean this" "I rebuild this". The one-year jump will allow us to handwave away those inconvenient upgrades that need to be done.
Questions we think you might be asking
1. Can I make an Ancient now?
You can make your character, absolutely! But we aren't going to accept any of them until the site is back up and running (probably a few days).
2. What happens to the Ascended?
Because of the Voice's sacrifice, all of the Ascended will remain at their current level indefinitely, or be made into an Ancient!
3. Can my character become an Ancient?
Yes, any race can become an Ancient! Because this is a new race, transitioning stats and abilities and such will be done on a case-by-case basis.
4. Can I hand in quests/channel a god/pray at a shrine?
Unfortunately no, as we will be frantically getting the site up and running again.
5. Is there anywhere I can't post?
Nope!
6. I don't remember the board names or descriptions.
That's unfortunate, maybe ask a friend.
7. Why are all the links gone?
Because we're updating things.
8. Can you please just quickly do x for me?
No.
The Ancients
The Ancients are just that: the oldest race in all of Caido. Forged from molten rock and pure energy when the world was still young, this race is an amalgamation of all things primal and enduring. Because of this, the Ancients have an innate weakness to the cold (they are cold-blooded, more or less) and are impervious to fire. Distinguishable by their tails, horns, and fangs (though at higher levels, these traits can be hidden), this race is the longest-lived.
The Ancients must satisfy a carnal craving called Bloodlust. When they ignore this impulse, Ancients’ turn into feral, demon-like creatures incapable of rational thought until the need is satisfied. If an Ancient goes too long without satisfying their Bloodlust, they will feel their limbs slowly turn to stone. This does not kill them, but puts them into a period of stasis until they can feed again or until they're bathed in fire/blood.
At level 0, Ancients start out with innate heat resistance and one of the following shifts: Fyrhund, Molten Tiger, Lial, Lava Wyrm, Gore Crow, or Rock Slider.
Custom Ancient Magics
- Bloodboon (basic) | Can injure themselves for basic damage to heal themselves or others at an upgraded level with a range of 10ft.
Bloodboon (upgraded) | Can injure themselves for upgraded damage to heal themselves or others at a mastered level with a range of 20ft.
Bloodboon (mastered ) | Can injure themselves for mastered damage heal themselves or others at 1.5x their mastered level with a range of 30ft.
- Bloodbane (basic) | Can injure themselves for basic damage to weaken others at an upgraded level with a range of 10ft.
Bloodbane (upgraded) | Can injure themselves for upgraded damage to weaken others at a mastered level with a range of 20ft.
Bloodbane (mastered) | Can injure themselves for mastered damage to weaken others at a 1.5x their mastered level with a range of 30ft.
- Statuesque (basic) | Can turn to stone for one turn to defend against an attack. If the attack is melee, the attacker takes double your unarmed strike in damage. Has a three-post cool-down.
Statuesque (upgraded) | Can turn to stone for a turn to defend against an attack. If the attack is melee, the attacker takes triple your unarmed strike in damage. Has a two post cool-down.
Statuesque (mastered) | Can turn to stone for a turn to defend against an attack. If the attack is melee, the attacker takes 4x your unarmed strike in damage. Has a one post cool-down.
- Hearthstone (basic) | When in the Climb, can teleport up to 5ft within the current board. Requires a 3 post cool-down.
Hearthstone (Upgraded) | When in the Climb, can teleport to any board within the Climb. During a PQ+/KQ, can only be used once per thread. Requires a 2 post cool-down when used within a board.
Hearthstone (Mastered) | Regardless of location, can always teleport back to the Climb. When in the Climb, can teleport to any board within the Climb. During a PQ+/KQ, can only be used once per thread. Requires a 2 post cool-down when used within a board.
- Glamour (passive) | Can hide all or selective racial traits.
- Fire Resistance (passive) | Cannot be harmed by heat or flame.
What’s it like being an Ancient?
- You cannot be harmed by fire.
- You receive one ‘ancient-animal’ shift: Fyrhund, Molten Tiger, Lial, Lava Wyrm, Gore Crow, or Rock Slider. These are the only animals Ancients may ever obtain as shifts.
- You cannot use magic while shifted. Unlike the Attuned, Ancients cannot partially shift or use attuned-telepathy.
- Ancients have access to race-specific Custom magics, but cannot gain or purchase custom magics that are unique to individuals. They can acquire regular magics.
- Your Bloodlust does not sneak up on you, but occurs at regular intervals based on when you last satisfied the need. Bloodlust can be satisfied by killing another creature (bugs are poor substitutes, small animals are okay, larger animals are better, NPCs are better still, and PCs are the best). There are no manufactured ways of satisfying this need. Ancients who do not feed turn into feral, demon-like creatures incapable of rational thought until the need is satisfied. Too long like this, and their limbs will slowly turn to stone. This does not kill them, but puts them into a period of stasis until they can feed again or until they're bathed in fire/blood.
- Ancients are all born with two horns, though these horns can be broken or damaged over their lifetime. Horns can be spiralled, pointed, nubs, etc., and can be made from either bone or rare gems. Tails are prehensile and leathery with a spade-like end.
- When in 'stasis' some describe the experience as a long sleep, while others vividly dream.
- If an Ancient is exposed to the cold for too long, their limbs will get exceedingly heavy, they will get sleepy, and their bodies will go into stasis. Only being bathed in hot blood or fire may awaken them.
- Ancients often prefer their food raw when they are near the start of their Bloodlust.
- It's entirely up to you whether you hide your racial traits using your glamour. Some find it easier not to be so easily identified, while others are proud of what they are.
- Your horns can be almost any sort you’d like, from ram-horns to small nubs or spiky protrusions! They can be made out of bone or out of rare gems. (Note: Ancients have horns as opposed to antlers. They do not shed their horns, and their horns continue to grow slowly throughout their lives).
- The majority of Ancients are not upset by their Bloodlust or find the idea of being doused in hot blood or fire upsetting.
- It’s up to you whether or not your character retains any of their animal instincts when in their human-forms. Similarly, it’s totally fine to never experience any of your animal-instincts while in human-form as well. When shifted, your shifts may retain your eye colour and any scars your character has, though they don’t have to.
- There is no set time it takes for a character to shift, but try to be realistic about it. For instance, shifting from an adult into a small bird should take longer than an adult into a large wolf.
- Shifting looks very much like the animorph book covers from back in the day.
- Shifting is not painful but can feel awkward or uncomfortable.
- Unless there is a good reason for it, all Ancients should be on good terms with Dygra.
- Because Ancients spent so long in stasis within the Climb, many feel like it’s their second home, regardless of where they decide to ultimately settle.
- It should be quite rare to find an Ancient in places like Halo because of how severely they are affected by the cold. Similarly, Deepfrost is a difficult time for the Ancients unless they reside in places like Torchline.
- Ancients can be born or made. Currently there is no canonical preference amongst characters as to which is best.
- The Ancients have been in stasis for centuries and would have no knowledge of any current events, nor will anyone in the world really remember who they are.
