Evantia

From Mizahar Lore

"Knowing is half the battle." - Joseph Colton

Evantia

Gnosis
The movement of the world is yours to read and react too.
Granted by	Wysar
Positive marks	The Ability To Anticipate An Opponents Movements In Battle
Negative marks	None
Pos. mark appearance	A blue flame burning brightly with a strange glow.
Neg. mark appearance	None
Mark location	Back of Neck
First mark	Upon Getting The Gods Attention
Champion	Tavinsal & Ivokus - Whereabouts unknown.

Evantia is the Gnosis power of Wysar - God of Integrity, Conviction, and Discipline. This gnosis is the ability to generate an aura around a battle scene and thus allow the user of the gnosis to anticipate the movements of an opponent or a group of opponents based on how those individuals move within the aura. As the gnosis bearer increases in marks, the area effect and clarity of this anticipation spreads out to include more area and more individuals within that area. Someone with one mark might only sense one or two opponents while someone with multiple marks might be able to process everyone in a crowded bar . The ability to focus and filter a lot of information is definitely required to use this gnosis effectively. It is not something that comes instantaneously like most gnosis abilities. Wysar demands his followers be dedicated to their artform and train with its use to perfect its ability. Evantia is a powerful tool for the warriors of Riverfall and others who follow Wysar. However, it must be used carefully and with integrity or else the ability can be lost or muddled. Because Wysar is the god of conviction as well, higher level mark bearers can often determine the ‘intent’ and level of conviction behind actions made within an Evantia Aura. This ability does not come without practice and dedication, however. It comes over time and through the course of years. See the Gnosis Table below for more details.

Wysar will not mark someone with questionable ethics or values. He won’t mark a lazy man or someone who’s rash and undisciplined. He requires his marks to be utilized and worked with as part of a mortals overall strength. Wysar won’t grant any negative marks.

How Evantia Works

When someone marked with Wysar’s blue flame taps their mark, they expand an invisible aura about themselves that allows them to note movements that might be considered either out of the ordinary or might reflect fine muscle control – tensing, slight twists, etc. This movement sensing allows the aura to automatically translate into the marked person’s brain what that movement is going to be. If say an assassin standing across the room from a marked Evantia slowly draws a knife and places it in position for a throw to assassinate someone, the Wysar follower will be made aware of this if the person is close enough to be in their Evantia Aura.

There is no delay in perceiving this motion. It is instantaneous to when it happens. It is, however, the responsibility of the bearer to react or not react based on their own reflexes and desires. Also, actions can be easily misinterpreted as well. A person who has a dagger at their belt and reaches for a money pouch beside it can be easily mistaken for going for the dagger instead. Some moves are easily anticipated and interpreted, other moves are not.

Evantia can be used, as well, for other things besides battle anticipation. Card enthusiasts have been known to expand their auras to include the members of a card game and watch for ‘tells’ indicating how cards will be played out during the course of the game. Wysar, however, frowns on this kind of use as it is counter to his realms of influence; Integrity, Conviction, and Discipline. Bearers misusing their gnosis may be subject to negative gnosis or loss of their marks completely. Horseman can anticipate the moves of their horses and those of the horses around them if they have their aura expanded.

Evantia auras can be draining so expansion is not full time. It is a conscious tap of the gnosis mark to invoke the Evantia. While invoked, the Evantia aura will not tire a warrior any faster than normal battle will. However, afterwards, exhaustion can sometimes double and recovery time from after a battle can be increased to two-fold depending on the number of marks and the number of opponents fought or sensed.

It is important to note that just because an Evantia Aura is present doesn’t mean the marked can indeed counter moves he or she sees coming. Their speed, reaction time, and skill level at their unarmed, martial arts, or weapon all contributes greatly to their success or failure. No one, no matter how well practiced in this skill, can evade a superior skilled opponent or overwhelming numbers even if they likely know what those opponents or numbers are going to do. Those aware of an Evantia Aura can also ‘fool’ those who are utilizing the aura by ‘faking’ alternative moves or motives.

Assisting Skills

Evantia does not exist alone. It can, but the skill is far more effective when coupled with a martial art/hand to hand, or promoted via a weapon use. Wysar believes, wholeheartedly, that the body is a weapon in and of itself, so along that line it is thought that martial arts and/or unarmed combats are by far the most easily coupled with this gnosis.

Mark Progression

Marked [Cursed] - 1 Gnosis Mark
	The singularly marked individual can expand an Evantia Aura and begin sensing the motions and movements - even intent - of the person within the Aura. The Aura’s range spreads out from the individual at its center to upwards of fifty feet. Processing time is slow for the marked individual initially, but within a season of working with an Evantia Aura or through continued practice, a marked individual can easily anticipate the movements of those within the aura. At first, one on one combat is the strongest most easiest to read. Gradually, as seasons pass, more opponents can be added and anticipated as the wearer of the mark grows accustom to the increased perception. The rule of thumb for this gnosis is simple. Add one opponent carefully sensed and perhaps anticipated for every season the gnosis is in active use. These opponents still need to be within the aura’s influence to be sensed. True intent is very difficult to sense at this level unless the marked has held their mark for years and is comfortable using the Evantia Aura. For example: An individual with one gnosis mark from Wyser who’s worn that mark for a year and practiced faithfully with wholehearted dedication can track at the top end four individuals at the end of one year. Wysar does not give Negative Gnosis Marks.
Favored [Despised] - 2 Gnosis Marks
	A favored follower marked by Evantia can expand their aura out to two hundred feet at this level. Processing time increases and so too do the numbers an individual with an Evanthia aura can sense at a single instant. While mark 1’s are best at one on one scenarios, secondarily marked individuals suddenly and easily come into their own in group situations. Singularly marked individuals can deal with groups in battle, but their artform must be honed with dedicated practice rather than have it come ‘easily’ as it does for a second marked follower. At the second mark, followers can also begin to sense intent and weed out what might be considered ‘deception’ or ‘faked moves’ verses real planned action. The marked tends to know when an opponent has made a decision and is attempting to follow through with that decision, sometimes even before the opponent truthfully understands. This ability takes practice as well. Wysar is big on dedication, so he requires his faithfully marked to practice their abilities to sharpen them. At this level, the favored can track an additional two individuals per season of practice that stacks on top of the practice the individual has already done and the number he or she could anticipate for previous dedicated practice. For example: An individual with two gnosis marks from Wyser who’s worn that second mark for a year (and earned the second one after only a year) can track their initial four individuals ( from the first mark ) and upwards of two more a season for a total of twelve individuals at the end of their first year wearing a second mark. This upward increase in ability only comes with continuous practice and dedication on using the Evantia Aura. Wysar does not give Negative Gnosis Marks.
Priest/Priestess [Adversary] - 3 Gnosis Marks
	At this marked stage, the follower becomes an actual priest or priestess of Wysar. Their power expands accordingly, stretching out to two hundred feet from themselves to cover a circle more than four hundred feet in diameter. Their ability to note more than one individual expands as well and they can track five individuals a season with dedication and practice. These numbers stack on previous marks so its possible that an individual can gain awareness of eight more individuals a season as their training progresses. Priests and priestesses of Wysar are incredibly hard to fool with fake-out moves and deception. They have an acute sense of someone’s intent; even beyond what the individual they might know. As with other levels, these intentions stretch to creatures both great and small and aren’t restricted to just sentient beings. Wild animals and even plants can have intent a Evantia Aura can sense. Wysar does not give Negative Gnosis Marks.
Champion [Nemesis] - 4 Gnosis Marks
	Truly staggering in their power, Champions can expand their awareness out a full four hundred feet and can track unlimited individuals. They are keen in knowing what is real and what actions are deceptive. And by this time in their journey at Wysar’s side, they have the training and dedication needed to counter as many opponents as possible in the heat of battle. Champions can be fooled. Champions can be defeated. But they are by and large some of the hardest individuals to outsmart on the battlefield or in one on one personal combat. There is currently one Akalak who is Wysar’s champion, but his existence is more myth than reality since he hasn’t been heard from in a great length of time. It is said this individual, whomever they are, can anticipate even the actions of Gods if they stand in their Evantia Aura. Wysar does not give Negative Gnosis Marks.