Krivas

From Mizahar Lore

Out of character note: This is not a gnosis available for starting characters. Even the lore of the Goddess Ssena is to be learned only in the course of gameplay.

Krivas

Gnosis
Your Worst Fear Personified
Granted by	Ssena
Positive marks	Know and Manipulate the Fear of Others
Negative marks	Easily Scared
Pos. mark appearance	Stylized symbols that cause unease
Neg. mark appearance	Stylized symbols that cause unease
Mark location	Neck or Shoulder
First mark	Terrorizing or Causing Fear in Others
Champion	None

Krivas is the name of the gnosis granted by Ssena, Goddess of Fear. Krivas is symbolized by Ssena's mark: a stylized tattoo located on the neck or shoulder of the marked. This tattoo causes those who see it to become uneasy and look away, a feeling akin to standing at an open door. On the other side of the doorway there is only darkness. From that darkness, the feeling that one's greatest fear is about to jump out at them creeps in. The only way to save oneself is to close the door. In the case of Ssena's mark, the feeling of impending terror comes from looking at the mark. Looking away makes the feeling subside.

Ssena takes particular notice of those who terrorize or cause fear in others. Thus, the Zith represent her largest body of followers, for they greatly enjoy terrorizing their prey and toying with their victims before killing them. She gives her mark as a reward to such individuals so that they may help spread her influence throughout the world. Through her mark, she actively keeps tabs on her followers as it can often lead her to more opportunities and greater influence.

Those initially marked by Ssena and thus possessing the first level of Krivas experience a great blessing, the removal of fear. While they still recognize the dangers and threats that fear would normally cause them to avoid, they no longer react to those dangers with fear. No longer will the marked feel nervous, hesitant or afraid to do things in life that before would cause them pause. The barriers that fear created in their lives are destroyed and their maximum potential is realized. This is even apparent to others they meet in the form of the marked exuding an aura of extreme confidence. The marked, without trying, comes off as being very confident to those around them. This confidence and lack of fear becomes such an ingrained part of the marked that their senses become heightened to the fear of others. By looking at a person, the marked can see the person's fear; they can smell fear in the air and feel it upon another's flesh. In addition, the marked can identify the greatest fear of a single person at any one time while in their immediate presence.

Someone with Krivas can increase their command over fear by doing things that please the Goddess. After the initial mark, it takes a bit more to please Ssena than just a few random acts of causing fear. One must do things that instill long-lasting fear in more than one or two people. Terrorizing a family or families, group, neighborhood or any collection of people that numbers more than a couple is a good way to gain Ssena's greater favor. The key, however, is to avoid using excessive amounts of pain or murder to cause fear, as it encroaches on the domain of Krysus, Goddess of Pain and Murder. Assuming the marked does well enough to gain Ssena's attention and please her, the Goddess may grant another mark. This second mark enhances the first as well as enhances the Krivas. The second mark allows the person manipulate the fear of others to some extent. The marked can cause others to feel as though the marked is the center of fear or safety; which one is up to the marked. The marked can make a target avoid him at all costs out of fear or cause the target to fear everything but the marked; thus they see the marked as being safe to be around. This only works on a single person at a time. The target may be affected for as long as the marked can see them. However, the target is completely unaware that anything unnatural is taking place. They simply feel as though the marked is either the safest person for them to be around or the absolute last person they would ever want to be near.

In order to be chosen as one of Ssena's priests or priestesses, the marked must literally scare a person to death. The target must become so frightened that they take their own lives in hopes of escaping fear, suicide being seen as one of the ultimate consequences of uncontrolled fear. If Ssena is pleased with the outcome, the marked will receive another mark and enhanced abilities with Krivas. With the third mark, they are effectively owned by Ssena with all the benefits that brings. The priest gains such control over fear that they can trigger that fear in others with a word. The priest can already identify a person's greatest fear and now may speak the name of that fear and cause the target to experience it as if the source of that fear was upon them. If the target is for example, afraid of the dark, they will no longer see the light. If they are afraid of spiders, they will suddenly be attacked by a swarm of spiders. Only the target will see these things, while other, non-affected onlookers will only see the target reacting to something that isn't there. The target has no idea that it is all in their mind and will act as though their greatest fear is actually unfolding. Only a single person at any one time can be affected in this manner. In addition, the priest may spread their confidence temporarily to those around them. So, for those in the direct presence of the priest will feel their fears diminished. While they are not immune to fear, they are less hindered by it.

Ssena's champion is the master of fear second only to Ssena herself. With the fourth mark comes the greatest level of Krivas. The champion can ignite fear in others at varying levels. With a thought, the champion can cause a target to feel nervous, hesitant, uneasy, fearful and terrorized. The level of fear is up to the champion and can be progressive, growing slowly and creeping in or erupting instantly. The champion holds such mastery over fear that they can go to such extremes of making a target wet themselves or ultimately cause a person's heart to stop from fear. The champion can affect a single target or anyone in their direct presence. Not only can they cause this varying level of fear in their targets, but those affected are, in fact, infected with fear. Dead or alive, those who have been affected by the champion's control over fear will cause those who encounter them to suffer from heightened levels of fear. Those people then spread the fear, at lesser levels, to others. In addition, the champion can give a single target a specified phobia of the champion's choosing. This is a permanent phobia that cannot be removed by any means other than the will of the champion.

Mark Progression

Marked [Cursed] - 1 Gnosis Mark
	Immunity to fear, aura of confidence, sense fear in others, know a person's greatest fear. Those cursed by Ssena find themselves easily frightened by the simplest of things.
Favored [Despised] - 2 Gnosis Marks
	Cause a target to either fear the marked or feel safe with them, the outside world being scary. Those who are despised see things that they fear in places where they do not exist. If someone is afraid of their father for example, they see their father's face on random people.
Priest/Priestess [Adversary] - 3 Gnosis Marks
	Trigger a target's greatest fear, inspire confidence in those in the immediate vicinity. Adversaries are unable to move out of fear. Everything they see or hear frightens them to such an extent that they freeze. These people often die shortly after.
Champion [Nemesis] - 4 Gnosis Marks
	Complete fear mastery. A Nemesis is not possible for Ssena.