Silakrov
From Mizahar Lore
Silakrov is the ability to absorb another's memories and eventually skills through the drinking of their blood. Blood can also have healing properties for the marked one. It is the Gnosis granted by Viratas.
A negative Gnosis mark from Viratas results in physical disorders of blood.
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Viratas and The Mark
Viratas is a god of dichotomy, rewarding both the shedding of blood and the preservation thereof. For his followers, ends often justify means.
The god values loyalty to one's community and family, and will look favorably on acts of violence that are done to preserve the sanctity of the collective, such as fighting an enemy to save one's people or personal sacrifice to protect a family member. Viratas is known to award those wounded in struggles defending others. Those who are alone in the world with allegiance to nothing will never draw the god's favor.
However, Viratas abhors the pointless shedding of blood. He will weigh intents and consequences and judge the one who shed blood accordingly before contemplating the award of a gnosis.
What creates variation in his followers is the disagreement between what is a worthy cause to shed blood for and what is an unworthy cause.
Mechanics
Viratas appears personally to grant his marks, usually with an additional caution or commission for his follower.
When the follower experiences or performs something worthy of a mark, a flat gem like shape appears on his pulse point. This summons Viratas, who then either chooses to award the Gnosis or remove the summoning gem. At this point, the gem will either vanish or dissolve and reform in the chain that comprises Viratas's mark.
The god expects the positive Gnosis bearer to use the abilities for endeavors of which Viratas would approve. Once given, Viratas's Gnosis is not permanent. Unlike many other gods, Viratas will manifest to break the Gnosis chain should the marked one wield his abilities in a way that blasphemes the god. This has rarely happened due to Viratas's somewhat ambiguous position regarding morality.
A negative Gnosis will also merit a visit from the god, in which he gives the cursed one a slight beating. What is slight to a god, though, is extremely unpleasant to a mortal. When the god draws blood, the violence ceases.
Appearance
Viratas's Positive Gnosis is a glass like chain circling the bicep of the recipient's arm. Upon receiving the first mark, the entire chain appears, but most of it is inactive. The chain is a literal object, not just a mark on skin. The links lie close to the flesh, unbreakable, immovable and weightless. Every chain has twelves links and with each gnosis, three of the links are activated. An active link takes on a living hue. The color shifts, clouds and swirls between all the deep shades of red.
A negative Gnosis's appearance directly stems from the god's violent encounter with the cursed one.The first bleeding wound the god makes never fully heals and counts as the initial negative Gnosis. Any further encounter results in an additional beating and wound. Viratas tends to make these marks on the cursed one's limbs, but has been known to improvise.
Mark Progression
| Marked [Cursed] - 1 Gnosis Mark | |
| Marked: With the first mark of Viratas, one is able to use blood to temporarily read minds or hasten the healing of wounds. At this level, the blood must be given "willingly" from a living vessel.
When blood is flooded with too many taints that are a byproduct of fear or rage, the blood is garbled and the drinker is unable to filter out any benefits. A calm vessel gives the clearest experience. Also, drinking a victim to death or drinking blood from a dead body has painful consequences for the marked one. The drinker will be wracked with pain for three days and experience flu-like symptoms, similar to food poisoning. None of the benefits of the Gnosis can be gained from this tainted blood, either. An unconscious or sleeping vessel can be found "willing" as long as they continue in a moderately peaceful state. While a marked one drinks from his vessel, he can read her thoughts or memories. They can either be random or what the vessel is fixating on at that moment, the will power of the vessel usually dictates which. Those with greater will and less fear can guide the drinker to a particular time. However, this is difficult considering the marked one is sucking the vessel's life force. The drinker will be overwhelmed with the emotions and sensory perceptions of the vessel, making the marked one almost blind to the outside world while he drinks. Drinkers would describe this experience as a forced and powerful empathy or reliving another's memory. For healing properties, the marked one must drink from the vessel's wrist, after consecrating the event to Viratas with a short prayer. The drinker will not share in thoughts or memories. He will only receive the healing benefit of the vessel's blood. With one mark, the drinker will improve strength and vitality and heal minor wounds.
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| Favored [Despised] - 2 Gnosis Marks | |
| Favored: A favored follower will be able to exert greater control over what they glean from their vessels. They can choose between overhearing the vessel's current thoughts, or absorbing knowledge from their memory. This past knowledge can now begin to translate into a skill or lore (no more than 1xp in a skill), while current thoughts tend to be jumbled and piecemeal.
However, the drinker is still unable to fixate on a particular point in the vessel's memory, so he may either learn how to hold a dagger or how to make an amazing pastry crust. Memories that are clearer and have strong emotional impacts on the vessel will bestow the most knowledge. These also tend to be the memories and skills more easily found. Blood must still be willingly given, and the amount required for gaining knowledge prohibits using a vessel for this purpose more than once every lunar cycle. Healing powers become more effective at this level. While the process is the same, deeper wounds can now be mended. These are wounds or injuries that are not mortal, but are very painful.
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| Priest/Priestess [Adversary] - 3 Gnosis Marks | |
| Priest or Priestess: A Priest of Viratas can choose what thought or memory he will gain from the blood he drinks by fixating on what or when he wants to see. The experience is a deep, powerful event for both the vessel and the drinker. The Priest will leave an echo in the vessel and inhabit a strangely intimate place. Vessels describe the drinker like a ghost in their memories or a companion associated with that particular emotion. This position can be used for good or ill by the Priest.
The gain in knowledge now grows becoming more concrete and varied. A Priest may glean several thoughts and memories in a single drinking. Also, the current thoughts grow clear and perfectly audible. In regards to healing, a Priest can mend mortal wounds, sparing himself from most violent deaths. Most notable is the transition of willing to unwilling in a vessel. A Priest may draw from any vessel, regardless of their state of mind. Calm vessels will always be a superior experience, but those unwilling can be rendered useful. Adversary: | |
| Champion [Nemesis] - 4 Gnosis Marks | |
| Champion level and a very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very long description.
And a second paragraph. | |