Celestial Warriors

Those who use celestial or popular magic to fight.

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Damnatus

Type: Gladiator

NPC only.

In Lupposto and Nuoposto, the ancient sport of gladiatorial combat has been revived due to their glorification of the ancient, fallen Talunese Empire. Among the gladiators are those who have been arrested and convicted of a crime and forced to fight as slaves. These are the damnati, the condemned, and while many of them never attain any sort of special magic or come from a background that already has a different kind of magic, some tap into their circumstances and find magic within resistance to the cruel tyranny that has put them here.

To wield the magic of the damnati, one must not only defy their circumstances, they must do so in solidarity with others who have been condemned, enslaved, or otherwise coerced into gladiatorial combat. There are many who join freely, usually tapping into imperial magic, and those can be fought without consequences, but the damnati who gain celestial magic must never fight other damnati or enslaved in a way that brings actual harm. They may stage a fight or rig a fight, but they cannot kill, maim, or significantly injure their fellow damnati.

The damnati usually start to gain their magic when they refuse to fight, rig a fight, attempt to sacrifice themselves, or help someone in an unfair fight. They feel the spark of resistance and defiance, and they figure out in the moment how to channel it. Then they begin to gain more and more abilities as they fight on their own terms within an unjust system:

• Defiant survival: if the damnatus defies the rules of the combat to make them more fair or to refuse to engage in cruelty, no matter the response of the authorities or crowd, they will be protected from death.
• Performative strike: if the damnatus is facing another who does not deserve to be coerced into combat, they may make it seem like they are fighting without actually causing harm.
• Resilient aura: after the fight, the damnatus may reduce their own wound levels and that of others coerced into combat.
• Just declaration: the damnatus may address the crowd with a declaration of condemnation that invokes the power of justice to empower themselves to face an imperial or other worthy foe.
• Sacrificial power: if the damnatus sees someone coerced into combat about to die, they may replace them, giving up their own life to free or rescue them.

Their magic is not adequate to overthrow the cruel system - not unless they unite somehow - but it is enough to help them survive.

PRO +2 ATH +2 STR +2 AWA +1 WIL +2 PRS +1 STH -2

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Demonslayer

Type: Warrior

In the world of Shem, demons are seen to be by most of the population simply as profoundly powerful evil spirits, sometimes forced by greater powers to act as the agents of perdition and punishment in some realm of pain and torment. But those who know the truth know that demons are the souls of people who, after their death, chose the Path of Power in the afterlife to become demons, and from there, they seek in the infernal realms to gain power and raise to conquer, destroy, or exploit by stealing or buying or trading for souls from mortals. However, all demons have the power to rise, redeeming themselves, just as angels may fall.

Many demons come to Shem from the infernal realms, either seeking power or escaping the exploitations and torments of other demons, and in the imperial world, they embed themselves, posing as mortals, and gaining enormous power. Among the oppressed and exploited, there are those who know of demons, know the lies of the imperial powers and imperial churches, and know how to fight and face demons. These warriors, demonslayers, come from different backgrounds, but always among the oppressed and exploited.

Some demonslayers belong to secret orders. Some belong to various resistance movements or special warrior groups from free communities. And some are simply among the oppressed and exploited and come from a family or community tradition. They learn from mentors, other demonslayers, the many ways to fight demons, and pass down special equipment to do so. They train for years, learning combat, magic, and routines. Some belong to a popular or celestial faith, others do not, but they all draw from the celestial magic of wars of self-defense and resistance to tyranny, oppression, and exploitation. They often couch their fight in terms of holiness or sanctity, but it does not have to be nor does it necessarily derive from any higher plane or power. In fact, its root is in the hearts of the people.

After years of training, demonslayers are tested in a series of trials: combat, principle or virtue, truth, justice, and lore. If they fail any trial, they must train another year and a day before trying again. If they fail too often, they are eventually turned away, but kindly and usually relegated to a support role (unless the failure exposes some egregious treachery or failing). But if they pass them all, they are deemed ready and granted their abilities and given the hand-me-down equipment:

• Shielding aura: a demonslayer can extend their armor or shield bonuses to anyone nearby who is threatened by a demon or infernal forces.
• Unbinding and rebinding: a demonslayer can break the bonds of a demonic contract by sacrificing some of their own magic; they can rebind the contractee to themselves by imposing upon them a quest for redemption that binds the contractee's redemption to their magic.
• Repelling command: the demonslayer may abjure a lesser demon with a command that invokes the resistance and defense of the people or some celestial power.
• Demonsbane: the demonslayer may give their weapon bonuses against demons or infernal powers by using up some of their magic to do so.
• Soulsight: the demonslayer may see souls once per day.
• Oath of resistance: the demonslayer's oath to resist the power of demons and all forms of tyranny, oppression, exploitation, abuse, etc. will give them magic as long as they live up to it.

The more they fight demons, the more magic they gain. Other abilities will come.

The equipment they gain varies by their traditions and mentors, but some common ones include the following:

• Greater shield: a large and magical shield that repels demonic magic.
• Demonslayer weapon: any special weapon handed down to them with magic to fight demons.
• Soul salve: some kind of ointment, medicine, tincture, solution, or something similar that they can use to heal the souls of those harmed by demons.

Demonslayers come from many different combat forms, but most in the region use weaponry either given to common soldiers or improvised from common labor.

PRO +3 ATH +1 STR +2 AWA +1 WIL +2 PRS / STH -2

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Macchiatore

Type: Warrior

A warrior wearing leopardskin who is empowered by acts of valor. They gain power by choosing the most fearsome opponents and draw strength from doing so.

Traditionally, their first time drawing on this power is killing the leopard whose skin they wear, but only if that leopard has attacked their people. If not a leopard, it might be a bear, wolf, or other large predator. If their first act is not against one of these, they are often given a leopardskin from a retired macchiatore, often their mentor.

In order to tap into the magic of bravery, they must be acting without desire for personal gain. They must be acting against an oppressor, exploiter, or abuser - or for the protection of their people - and they must be acting with intention to help others. They must feel both fear and confidence, and they must act in spite of the former. These feelings become their fuel. They tap into them as they fight, and the emotions manifest as scarlet flame. To do this, they must act purely from feeling, letting it guide them, and they must become completely focused on their targets. If they can achieve this, their weapons ignite in the scarlet flame of valor.

Mechanically, this requires them to spend their first round against an opponent with 3 or more above their scores in PRO, ATH, and/or STR attacking without bonuses while feeling their emotions (AWA roll with their attack). Their next round must be spent focusing (WIL roll along with their attack). On the third round, their flames will come, giving them bonuses to PRO and/or stun/wound equal to how much they are outmatched in PRO, ATH, and STR, and another +3 if the opponent has infernal powers (+6 if that power is fear-based). On each subsequent round, another point of bonus will come to their stun/wound or PRO.

If they are attacking multiple opponents, their average scores are used, but the necessary gap goes down by point per opponent, even going into the negative if there are four or more.

If they defeat an opponent who is 6 or more above them in PRO, ATH, or STR, they gain a special power:

• Scarlet plume: scarlet flames erupt from their weapons and lash out at a single target within 20'.

• Bold arrival: a surprise attack against a more powerful target gives them two rounds of uninterrupted attacks before the enemy may act.

• Rallying call: they can give everyone around them greater morale with a rallying call, cancelling fear or intimidation effects and giving +1 to reaction, dodge, or parry rolls.

• Direct strike: calling a shot to an opponent's strong point gives them +6 stun/wound instead of targeting a weak point.

• Ferocity: on the sixth round of combat, if their scarlet flame is present, they may take on the form of a large predatory animal.

• Leopard strength: leopards are a symbol to the macchiatores of the most fearsome of animals, and thus, they revere them. They wear their skins as a symbol of their bravery, and in wearing them, gain magical strength when they are most wounded - +3 STR for being deep wounds, +6 for exceptional, +9 for critical.

If the macchiatore is in a group that is a third or more macchiatores, all of these powers and abilities may be applied on a whole-group level.

They are usually champions of the people and demonized by the ruling class.

PRO +3 ATH +2 STR +3 AWA +1 WIL +2 PRS +1 STH +1

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Ondataguer

Type: Naval

There are many dangers on the high seas, and on fisher boats especially, there are often those whose entire work is to be on lookout for those dangers and have the ability to fight them. Ondatagueri are warriors who wield special tridents and other naval weaponry in defense of their boats and ships and have magical abilities to sense and look out for dangers on the waters.

Ondatagueri are an ancient tradition amongst those who work at sea. They are those whose role on the ship is defense of the people on it. Not of the ship, not of its cargo, but the fishers, sailors, and workers. They gain their power by caring for and wanting to protect them. They learn from their mentors how to recognize different threats at sea, how to wield the power of defense and vigilance, and how to sense the mood of the ship. They learn the work of those on the ship - every job from deckhand to fisher to rigger to cook to carpenter - and know a little bit of how each of these works. And they learn the ship they work on very well, as well as lore of the seas.

While the ship they work on may be owned by or even serve imperial powers, the ondataguer will only serve those working on it. Their priority will be the people, nothing else, and they will even fight the owners or the imperial powers themselves if need be. They may operate openly or in secret upon the vessels they work on.

After years of training and mentoring, the ondatagueri is tested, eventually being allowed to work solo on a voyage, during which their abilities come to them:

• Vigilant presence: just being near the ondataguer makes all other sailors or workers on the vessel more alert to dangers.
• Alert lookout: the ondataguer can sense dangers to the people on the ship magically, and this is amplified if they are in the crow's nest.
• Sailor's warning: the ondataguer can magically warn every sailor or worker on the ship of dangers to them.
• Sea legs: the ondataguer has ATH bonuses while their vessel is at sea or on the water.
• Heart anchor: being near the ondataguer can raise the resilience, resoluteness, and courage of the workers on the ship.
• Checking the wind: the ondataguer can sense the mood of the ship's workers and know if they are nearing some dangerous action, and can aid them in avoiding it or tackling it more safely - including things like mutiny.
• Masthead guidance: the ondataguer can stand at the fore of the ship, touch the deck or the masthead directly, and guide the ship through rough waters, storms, or other dangerous situations, though this is exhausting.

Ondatagueri have no loyalty to imperial powers and may support a mutiny if it helps the workers on the ship. They may support slave rebellions, put out fires, help avoid doldrums or storms, and help with rationing. Their weapons - usually a trident, belaying pin, or hook - will break if they try to harm a sailor or worker on the ship who is not a threat to the others.

PRO +1 ATH +2 STR +1 AWA +3 WIL / PRS / STH -1

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Ottimocolp

Type: Ranged

Ottimocolpi are warriors who use long-distance weaponry of any kind - bows, guns, slings, thrown weapons, siege weaponry, or more - to make impossible shots. Ottimocolpi are believers in miracle shots, the million-to-one chance, and rely upon it in ways that alarm other warriors.

To become an ottimocilp, one must truly believe in the impossible. One must believe in miracles sincerely, usually taught from birth, and have a naive, absurd, and defiant belief in the fact that if they rely upon a miraculous attack to succeed, it will succeed. They cannot do so without knowing how to use their weapons - they must understand the odds they are against for this to work - so they still train as warriors, focusing on their specific chosen ranged weapon. And they do not artificially raise the stakes, with one exception - they often close their eyes or blindfold themselves. This is because they believe the impossible is found in the dark.

Because theirs is a magic of faith in miracles, they are constantly tested in their faith. But every failure should only strengthen their resolve - it just tells them the odds increase the next time (this may not even be true, but it is how they see it). Mechanically, their odds of hitting a target go up the harder the shot is, though simple shots are not penalized. Instead, called shots give them bonuses to hit instead of penalties if and only if they are not artificially increasing the difficulty other than perhaps blindfolding or closing their eyes. The occasional backward shot is not unhead of, too. But mostly, they simply try for things that are improbable or impossible. But they must be able to see a path to it - ricochets, bounces, lucky gusts of wind, unexpected movement of the target, etc. Plausible miracles. Truly impossible shots will happen occasionally, at the GM's discretion, but most shots must be narrated by the player.

If the ottimocolp succeeds at a miracle shot of difficulty 8 or more above their skill, they gain points of magic that they can apply to later attempts. If they fail normally or tie on such a roll, they also gain magic. Greater failure does not do so. These magic points can be applied to make a later miracle shot easier, make a non-miracle shot more damaging (with celestial energy, so strong against infernal), or build up enough to narrate a truly impossible shot - slinging a stone miles away, firing an arrow through a castle wall, flinging a trebucheted stone at the moon, throwing a dagger such that it boomerangs, firing a hand mortar twice in a row without reloading, etc.

Ottimocolpi do not serve imperial powers. They are usually protectors of the oppressed and take the odds of fighting tyranny into account in their beliefs and combat styles. Oftentimes, they are outlawed.

PRO +1 ATH +1 STR +1 AWA +3 WIL +1 PRS / STH -1

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Piatteroe

Type: Morrigan / Deviant

(Note: "matriarchy" is used here in the correct context of an egalitarian community, not the misuse as a woman-led community.)

There is an ancient community amongst the islands of people who have resisted the patriarchal powers of the empires for millennia. In these cultures are a trans masculine caste of warriors known as the piatteroi who gain magical energy from connecting with their ancestors, dating back before the rise of empires and patriarchy.

Piatteroi always and only come from cultures that have not fully assimilated into patriarchy. They may be from a family that still recognizes a non-class non-patriarchal viewpoint toward gender and gender roles, a whole community that lives matriarchally, or a subculture that refuses to accept patriarchal mores. They accept and honor those whose gender does not match that which they were assigned at birth, and those who are trans masculine are offered the chance to become piatteroi as they socially, medically / magically, and/or otherwise transition. Part of the process is a ritual top surgery, so those who do not seek this do not become piatteroi.

Those who do choose to transition and become a piatteroe train as warriors, learn the philosophies of their ancient cultures and resistance to patriarchy, and learn some forms of witchcraft. They also learn to connect with their ancestors, engaging in meditative and hallucinatory practices to do so. They train for years and are tested magically in special rites. Eventually, they perform a final ritual of witchcraft, ancestral bonding, and trial by combat that allows them to connect to a special ancestor who was also trans masculine and possibly also a piatteroe. This ancestor guides them in a vision that shows them their true self and potential, and they come out of it with a quest to attain this true self. They also gain special abilities:

• Ancestral communion: the piatteroe can meditate and connect to their ancestors daring back to ancient times, drawing one skill or lore from them for 24 hours.
• Guide's wisdom: the piatteroe can speak directly to their main ancestral guide and ask them questions regularly, though the guide will not always be able to answer.
• Strength of true self: the further into finding their true self and living that way, the more bonuses to their STR they can take on magically and temporarily.
• Equal skill: if challenged by a patriarchal figure (an abusive man, a lord, an oppressor, etc.), they may temporarily have one score equal to that figure's skill, base stat, substat, lore, or complementary ability if applicable.
• Matriarchal heart: the piatteroe can bond emotionally with others who are subject to patriarchal oppression and share emotional support with them magically.
• Defiant soul: the piatteroe can resist imperial magic directed at their soul if they stand up openly against patriarchal oppression.
• Chosen name: if they use invoke their own chosen name, they may give bonuses to anyone standing with and supporting them temporarily.

Piatteroe also gain magic from defending those harmed by patriarchal oppression directly - a child harmed by an abusive parent, a trans or gender non-conforming person being discriminated against, a witch being burnt at the stake, a woman harmed by sexual violence, etc. If they stand up for them, fight their abusers, or defend them in any way, they gain bonuses to their base stats temporarily - if they do it enough, it can become permanent.

PRO +2 ATH +2 STR +2 AWA +1 WIL +1 PRS +1 STH -1

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Pugnottore

Type: Martial Artist

Pugnottori are martial artists who learn to draw power from their ability to focus on their self-discipline, self-awareness, and self-determination; they draw power from being principled and conscious.

Pugnottorri are an ancient and secret group of martial artists who train their minds as a source of strength. They have a specific set of principles they must follow, always involving resisting imperial powers, defying tyranny, and standing in solidarity with other oppressed and exploited people. They come from a tradition that started among the enslaved thousands of years ago and has continued through serfs and workers to the current day.

There is no formal organization of pugnottori; this is a tradition passed in secret from one oppressed person to another, passed on to those chosen because of their fierce hearts and deep anger at the oppression they live under. One who is chosen must accept the training. If they do, they are trained in the principles of the pugnottori: being true to onself, sticking to a disciplined regimen of training, being aware of one's own faults and weaknesses and strengths and virtues, not allowing others to encroach upon your culture and values, and always being in solidarity with others facing the same or similar oppression. Pugnottori are not revolutionaries, but they come awful close.

Their regimen of training includes combat training, learning how to use improvised weaponry, unarmed combat, and ungentlemanly tactics. They do not believe in fair fighting; they believe in using any means necessary to take down the servants of imperial violence. There is nothing unfair about standing up to the oppressors and exploiters. Their principles are about being accepting of different cultures, standing in solidarity with those facing oppression, and not buying into imperial lies. It says nothing about not kicking a knight in the groin.

After years of training, pugnottori are tested on their principles, and if they pass the trials they face from their mentors, they find in the ensuing combats against tyranny that magical abilities come to them:

• Focused fist: the pugnottore can replace their STR with WIL when engaged in unarmed combat.
• Principled strength: the pugnottore can replace their STR with WIL if they are engaged in principled resistance to tyranny.
• Ready weaponry: the pugnottore can make anything into a weapon and have a bonus to hit by using something unexpected to attack an appropriate foe with.
• Equalizing strike: the pugnottore can hit an agent of imperial power with a PRO, ATH, or STR/toughness +3 or more over their own in a vulnerable spot to bypass defenses or bring them down to the same level of skill or PRO as the pugnottore.
• Inner enlightenment: the pugnottore can meditate upon their own self, their principles and being, and gain magical connection to their selves for temporary bonuses to any combat-related skill.

Pugnottori often have common jobs, sometimes living as serfs, slaves, or common workers, and a reputation as a brawler or problem for the authorities.

PRO +2 ATH +1 STR +1 AWA +2 WIL +3 PRS -1 STH -2

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Sanctuarist

Type: Guard

The virtue of sanctuary is the act of providing protection, safety, support, and help to those who are in danger. It is valuing helping those fleeing danger, abuse, exploitation, tyranny, oppression, or trauma. Taking in an abused child, hiding a fugitive slave, standing in front of the target of a mob, defying an order to harm an innocent, etc. are all acting on the value of sanctuary. Many people do these things every day, but sanctuarists practice it and draw magical strength from it.

To become a sanctuarist, one must live this virtue every day. One must never fail to live this virtue - one must not turn away from protecting others, refuse to give refuge, or let another come to harm (or at least try to protect them). If one does fail in this intentionally, one will lose all their magic. It is a magic that demands near perfection. If one lives up to this standard, the magic will manifest, even without training, but most are trained in the virtue, the belief in it, and the means to live up to it martially. Sanctuarists are a tradition among those who resist tyranny and seek to fight against it. They are people who build homes that can hold refugees and fugitives, find ways to feed the hungry, unify the divided, and soothe the beleaguered. But mostly, they learn the arts of self-defense and combat.

One who trains to be a sanctuarist will be tested every day in it, but as they live it, the longer they do, the more abilities begin to manifest:

• Protective aura: the sanctuarist may extend magical defenses 30' around themselves, defending against magical energies.
• Defender's will: the sanctuarist may exchange their WIL for their toughness when resisting mental attacks.
• Sheltering mark: the sanctuarist may invoke their magic on their home, giving it magical protections, hiding people within it, and keeping it sealed from infernal powers.
• Shield of the meek: the sanctuarist may choose up to three people with lower toughness/defense scores than themselves to take damage for.
• Sanctuary return: the sanctuarist may return to their sanctuary once per week at will, bringing up to ten people with them.
• Voice of advocacy: the sanctuarist may speak up in defense of others with a bonus to PRS.

They may only invoke these abilities to protect the oppressed, exploited, meek, weak, ill, injured, abused, traumatized, enslaved, imprisoned, or others who are harmed by or threatened by imperial, infernal, or industrial powers - though they may do so in defense of non-infernal threats. I.E., they cannot defend an emperor from an assassin, but they can defend a slave from lightning.

PRO +2 ATH +1 STR +3 AWA +1 WIL +2 PRS +1 STH -2