Celestial Passagers

Gothauler

Wagoners empowered by their loyalty and faith to the people, gothaulers are workers who have rejected loyalty to the bosses, nobles, and wealthy in favor of loyalty to the people they carry or their fellow workers if they are carrying cargo and not people.

The process of becoming a gothauler begins with their consciousness breaking out of the indoctrination of the empires, and it develops as they begin to actively work against the power of the bosses and in favor of the people. As they do, they begin to notice their loyalty and faith in the good in people becomes palpable, and they gain certain powers relating to their work:

• Continuous movement: the faith of the gothauler can drive the wagon, cart, or carriage without their presence on the reins so long as they are conscious and faithful.

• Loyal protection: if any passengers or coworkers are under threat within eyesight of the gothauler, they can deflect one attack on each of them during a combat.

• Defiant strike: if they are standing up to a boss, oppressor, abuser, exploiter, cop, or other agent of the empire or institutions of imperial power, they take +3 to attack on their first strike.

• Will of the people: if the other coworkers or passengers are consciously on the side of the gothauler, they can draw power from them and do one of the following:

  • Hit as many times as there are coworkers/passengers in one turn, once per combat

  • Add up the STR of all coworkers/passengers for a single hit, once per combat

• Good care: if their wagon, cart, or carriage is pulled by animals (and most are), the animals are considered coworkers and must be taken care of well. If they fail at this, they start to lose their powers. If they succeed at this, the animals will count as coworkers for all above rolls. The gothauler will take high die on all animal handling rolls.

Other powers are possible. Consult the GM.

Gothaulers lose their powers if they ever betray the people, their coworkers, or their passengers to enemies of the people.

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

Kobkalaban

Kobkalabans are those who fly on massive kites (capable of carrying 2-3 average-sized people) using celestial winds.

To do this, they must be devoted to protecting those they carry, mostly people they are helping flee terrible circumstances. They all swear an oath upon their own souls to serve in this capacity for their entire lives, and any betrayal of, deviation from, or departure from this will result in the loss of their powers - and their souls. They make this very clear to anyone who wishes to join them in the work, but they also make clear the positive sides of it. Anyone who makes this vow and lives the life is guaranteed "salvation" from the powers of the authorities (and possibly the Beyond). None who do this work may be enslaved or imprisoned, and the winds themselves may obey their will. However, this only works as long as they are engaged in the work of protecting the meek, the poor, the enslaved, the imprisoned, the oppressed, the exploited, or the abused. While they can engage in other, related work, certain abilities are not in place when they are not transporting people to protect them. The vow they make is sworn on an angel's feather, and if they knowingly lie, they burn.

Any kobkalaban who has sworn their vow must still prove themselves worthy by working for at least a year and a day at transporting people. After this is done, they are sent to a secret location, alone, in a small kite, where they meet a celestial figure who tests them. If they are found truly worthy, they are given a pair of blue wings made of celestial power, giving them certain abilities:

• Flight: kobkalabans can fly on the celestial winds with their kites. This spends no points.

• Uplifting breeze: a light breeze tinged with blue light flows from their kite, giving strength to any oppressed grazed by them. This spends 2 points per use.

• Swift gust: the kobkalaban is moved by a fast gust of wind for one turn, moving 100' in any straight direction. This spends 3 points per use.

• Windwall: a blue-tinged wind forms around them, protecting them from missile attacks. This spends 3 points per round of use.

• Enduring gale: a strong wind gives extra strength to the kite, allowing it to carry an extra passenger. This spends 3 points per round of use in combat (or high-pressure situations) and 3 points per minute out of combat.

Other powers may be possible around the themes of salvation or wind. Consult with the GM. They have 20 points of celestial wind energy at a time. They get replenished every night, assuming the kobkalaban has not violated their vow. The number of points increases the more they work.

PRO / ATH +4 STR +1 AWA +2 WIL +1 PRS +1 STH -1

Kobmalvan

Kobmalvans are sailors who have magical celestial water that helps them sail safely.

To become a kobmalvan, they must swear an oath to serve for their whole lives to keep safe those they carry across the seas, assuming those they carry are not a danger to the world, the other passengers, or the other crew. They all swear an oath upon their own souls to serve in this capacity for their entire lives, and any betrayal of, deviation from, or departure from this will result in the loss of their abilities - and their souls. They make this very clear to anyone who wishes to join their crew, but they also make clear the positive sides of it. Anyone who makes this vow and lives the life is guaranteed "salvation" from the powers of the empires (and possibly the Beyond). None who do this work may be enslaved or imprisoned, and the waters of the seas obey their commands. However, this only works as long as they are engaged in the work of protecting those fleeing persecution in the imperial lands. While they can engage in other, related work, certain abilities are not in place when they are not sailing. The vow they make is sworn on an angel's feather, and if they knowingly lie, they burn.

Any kobmalvan who has sworn their vow must still prove themselves worthy by working for at least a year and a day at sailing people fleeing persecution. After this is done, they are sent to a secret location, alone, in a small boat, where they meet a celestial figure who tests them. If they are found truly worthy, they are given a decanter of celeste water, a pure blue magical water with many powers:

• Droplet of calm: a single drop will calm the seas for 20' around the vessel they are sailing at a power of 14.

• Controlling touch: if they wet their hands with the celeste water, they can place those hands into the ocean and control the currents at a power of 14 for 10 minutes per dose.

• Stream of salvation: a steady stream of the celeste water poured on chains, shackles, bars, or other imprisoning objects at a power of 14.

• Purifying shower: a full shower in the celeste water will wash away infernal energies from anyone at a power of 14.

• Steam of repelling: if boiled to a steam cloud, the steam will repel infernal powers and beings at a power of 14.

• Obscuring wave: if poured out onto the ground or into the water, it will ripple out and cleanse away signs of their passing at a power of 14.

• Celeste icicle: if frozen into a sharp point, it is a dagger of +7/+7 against infernal beings until it melts (usually 2-3 uses).

Other powers may be possible around the themes of salvation. Consult with the GM. Their decanters have 13 doses at a time. They get replenished every night, assuming the kobmalvan has not violated their vow. The number of doses increases the more they work.

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

Pax Rider

By refusing actively to use a weapon in the face of major conflicts, a pax rider gains use of celestial magic. They ride from place to place, negotiating peace between warring factions, feuding families, or arguing friends, and as they do so, they build up the power of peace, which rides with them.

To be a pax rider, one must take a sacred vow of peace and non-violence, up to and including self-defense. Any act of violence, no matter how justified, will violate their vow and strip them of powers. They do not gain powers until a year into their vow. Accidents do not violate the vow unless they were plainly avoidable, but the vow does include actions that may not seem like direct violence - voting to support war, doing nothing to try to stop it, supporting exploitation or oppression, etc. Even things such as causing hunger or illness can violate the vow if one is not careful. The vow must be made on a blood oath spilled on untilled earth. They must then live up to the vow, including eating only that which has not died by anyone’s hand.

As this vow is extremely difficult to live up to in a world of violence, there are very few pax riders.

After a year, the pax rider begins gaining powers. The more they live up to their vow, the more powers they gain:

• Aura of peace: they have an aura of PRS+6 that prevents violence from targeting them, even natural violence such as disasters or accidents.

• Bonded mount: the pax rider has a mount - usually a horse - that they ride without bridle, bit, or saddle. Their bond is weaker than that of a ranger, but it allows them to sense their steed’s emotions. The mount has the same aura of peace as the pax rider.

• Negotiation: a pax rider takes the high die when negotiating a peace. When they succeed, they gain more magic, which follows them as they ride.

• Following peace: the more magic they gain from negotiations, the more peace they draw with them as they ride. This does not last long if the peace they brokered was between two random people, but peace between two countries could spread a great deal of peace. This peace will create a magical white flag if powerful enough.

• Dance of cranes and flags: any flag they have empowered by the following peace can be used in a magical dance if they find themselves between two warring groups. This dance will call to them cranes and other birds of peace, using up all of their magic, but it will end a battle.

If war is inevitable or otherwise too difficult for a pax rider (on their own or with help) to stop, a pax rider may sacrifice themselves by blocking the first attack with their own bodies, dying from it. This will prevent the war for upwards of a year and a day, often longer.

PRO -6 ATH +3 STR +1 AWA +1 WIL +1 PRS +3 STH -2