Hemomancers (New guild idea or guild skills to be considered)

Post by **Lun** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:29 am

A new guild with no association with any town save for the guild headquarters, known simply as the Temple.

The Crimson Order, a guild of ancient origins who seek destruction and death through the ancient and terrifying art of hemolurgy (hemomancy?)

Combat
Acolytes of the Crimson Order have a variety of offensive skills, as well as spells that can debilitate and opponent while empowering themselves. Their ability to manipulate blood can significantly increase their combat prowess.
Promotion Points
Promotion points can be earned in the following ways:
Successfully completing tasks from the Guildmaster
Overall Pros
Excellent sustainability
Many offensive skills
Increased regeneration
Overall Cons
Mistrusted by all
Often in trouble with the law and other players
Many abilities require extra steps to perform and/or components
limited access to amenities
Many abilities require bleeding to be in place on the target

Abilities
Apprentice Hemomancy: Acolytes of the Crimson Order utilize Hemomancy to manipulate an opponent. A raw cast of hemomancy triggers minor bleeding upon impact, opening small lacerations similar to paper cuts on impact. A raw cast of hemomancy is a crimson blob that appears to sink into the impacted area, allowing the caster to cast certain abilities such as blood spike and transfusion.
Transfusion: Pulling blood from an open wound, an acolyte can absorb a target's blood in order to regain energy while causing bleeding damage on the target.
Blood Harvest: A time consuming task (And hence not a combat skill), the caster extracts blood from a fresh corpse, leaving it an exsanguinated corpse. The freshly extracted blood is imbued with hemomancy, allowing it to be used for certain abilities. Stored in a red orb which can be attached to the belt. Orb can contain up to 40 litres of blood, different bodies extract different amounts. Stored blood can be consumed to recover hunger.
Crimson Plague: Caster releases a cloud of enchanted blood into the room, affected enemies take additional damage from certain abilities and take damage over time.
Blood Torrent: Caster unleashes a torrent of enchanted blood at target, knocking them over and causing lacerations on random body parts, drenching them in blood.
Blood Spike: Caster pulls blood out of target, causing bleeding damage. Only applies to target with bleeding effect and damages that body part.
Frenzy: By imbuing their blood with hemomancy, the acolyte undergoes a rapid and terrifying change, restoring all energy and increasing damage and speed at the cost of increased energy drain and a chance to inflict bleeding on themselves on move. The caster cannot easily exit this state, and causes all creatures to be hostile while in this state (or creatures to all flee.)
Drift (direction): The acolyte sinks into a pool of enchanted blood, throwing the target off and allowing the caster to flee.
Note: Armor on target* will decrease probability of effects, which having no clothing on (period) will increase probability of effects.

I try to differentiate between enchanted blood, i.e. the one stored within the orb, and a targets blood. Enchanted blood has been imbued with hemomancy, allowing the caster to control it to a certain degree, such as in the case of crimson mist or torrent. It has also undergone changes that allow it to be consumed, blood being inherently nutritious. As far as the ability Drift is concerned, I like to think of it as an escape mechanism. It allows the caster to exit the room by breaking engagement and exiting in a certain direction. I was just entertained by the notion of an inherently evil guild that few would attempt to join aside from frenzied murderers and the like. Blood magic is also an intriguing topic, and while I do not expect this to be implemented in anyway (I was about to just close the window!) people told me I should post it just to get the juices flowing.

Other ideas: Nix the orb, acolytes consume blood from corpses, healing wounds and recovering energy in the process. Crimson mist and other abilities utilize the casters own blood, causing blood damage to the caster but triggering the ability.
Orb follows caster around similar to Utasa's orb. Makes for more realistic containing of large masses of blood.

Post by **Rias** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:52 am

Rook Parlour and sorcery in general have strong ties with blood, so stuff like this could go to them. I'd suggest you post ideas like these over on the Rook Parlour board. Your Blood Harvest/Orb idea is essentially the Rooks' Soul Harvest/Blood Talisman mechanic, while Transfusion is basically Essence Leech. The consuming of blood is also an existing mechanic, though rare, and Rooks can also consume energy from their Blood Talisman.

Note the ability description: http://wiki.contrarium.net/index.php/Soul_Harvest

Isiaa · Post by **Isiaa** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:28 am

Hematurgy.

KianTheArcher · Post by **KianTheArcher** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:25 am

I posted an idea for a disease/plague based guild that (seems) like people like it, so you might want to check that out Lun.

*Edited to add the following*

viewtopic.php?id=1492

That's the post I had made, and the general idea I had when I made it seems similar to you. A guild that's more focused towards the 'evil' side of gameplay, with ramifications (much like Claw of Shar) if people know you're a member.

Xzean · Post by **Xzean** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:54 am

See Rias, this is why I asked for the Sorcery lore stuff!

KianTheArcher · Post by **KianTheArcher** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:03 pm

Well, from what I understand Sorcery is so mistrusted because it's so inherently destructive and that those that study Nether, or are heavily tainted by it at least, tend to develop qualities that are not ideal for a peaceful society. But, I'd still love more overall lore on magic nonetheless!

Post by **Lun** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:15 pm

Yeah, the idea was heavily influenced by the Rook Parlour, hence the similarities. I know that sorcery is mistrusted because of the potential misdoings, but most people don't actually dislike members of rook Parlour. Both of my Rooks are played to be somewhat decent folk who are only expanding knowledge that they have as a scholar and a thinker.
Of course there are certain exceptions to the rule, I'm sure there's some evil rooks out there. I was thinking about an evil guild that pretty much has to be evil. It would create like a third major party, since there's outpost, shadgard, then these guys. Lake always stays out of things, and the little towns don't do much.

Landion · Post by **Landion** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:26 pm

I do like some of the blood based abilities, however, how most of them would work would have to be via the Nether, or some tainted form of hydromancy.

Having some sorcerer guild abilities utililize some blood based abilities is certainly an idea which can be explored. Blood and Nether work in interesting ways together, as evident from the bloodlust ability which the Claw has.

That said, Corvus is designed to be the more 'evil' side of things.

KianTheArcher · Post by **KianTheArcher** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:41 pm

Well, the problem I think that's inherent is that a lot of the guilds tend to promote being neutral or good over evil, so it'd be nice if there were one or two guilds other than Assassins that actively promote being evil. Rooks kind of sort of do, but like Rias said on the other thread, they'd prefer to maintain an air of neutrality so they can experiment more freely. Elemancers are, pretty much, a steadfastly neutral organisation as a whole. Same goes for thieves. Tse Gaiyan, it seems to me at least, seem to be focused more around neutral/good since they're supposed to be protectors. Dwaedn are neutral, as are the Coalition.

But there's really only the Claw of Shar that fit in with an "evil" feel, specifically.

Landion · Post by **Landion** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:46 pm

Hrm... I see your point.