Acolyte

Shadow Hyder in their Feral form

Servants to different deities, or perhaps simply those who align with a deity's powers, Acolytes are individuals who are granted supernatural abilities by a certain deity. One of the few ways a human can gain magical abilities, Acolytes possess ten specific powers related to their deity as well as minimal control over that deity's associated element. In day to day life, Acolytes may be admired and valued or shunned and feared depending on what deity they have aligned themselves with. Acolytes are also the only case where the power is tied to the soul of the individual, rather than the body, so they retain their abilities even if they die and are reincarnated into another species.

# Description

## Markings

Each Acolyte displays glowing markings across their skin, bearing the color associated with their deity. Unlike other glowing markings, such as those of element wielding lifeforms, these are fewer in number but more intense, with their hands glowing with pure light and similar light emitting from within their chest, outlining their ribs and sternum. In extreme cases, the pupils will turn pure white. A band around their bicep signifies the associated element, while the Acolyte bears their deity's symbol on their chest and forehead.

The element symbols are shown below.

## Power Acquisition

### Birth

While there are two ways to acquire Acolyte powers by birth, one is far more common than the other. When a lifeform has demigod status, they automatically get their godly parent's Acolyte abilities, which have greater potency thanks to their god-blood. An example of this is Valarie Riddick of the Red Raider Rageryan clan. The other, far less frequent birth acquisition method, is if the second soul in a Split *Mera Ki* was an Acolyte before they died. The best known case of this is Finbar Stronem, whose second soul, Ethan, was an acolyte of *Kayrtir* before he died.

### Favored Selection

Sometimes, an idividual will catch the eye of a particular diety. This can be either by living their life in a way that aligns with the diety's values, or by befriending a diety while the diety is visiting the mortal plane.

### Trials

The most common method by far of becoming an Acolyte is by Acolyte trials. Usually structured in five stages, after completing the trials set forth by their chosen diety, an individual will be granted Acolyte status and thus acquire the associated powers.

# Deities and Abilities

Acolytes are granted access to many abilities associated with their deities, but they also gain the ability to manipulate the element associated with their deity.

## Kelusian Deities

1. Osmotic Retention: Allows them to absorb any knowledge from any medium
2. Projections: Allows them to project their thoughts into visible auroras
3. Compel Truth: Allows the user to force any target(s) to tell the truth
4. Detect Truth: Allows the user to detect if someone is lying
5. Script Read: Allows the user to read any language, even ones lost to time
6. Interpretation: Gifts the user with the ability to decipher any riddle without fail
7. Insight: Allows the user to see a past event at a location
8. Forbidden Knowledge: Shields the user against madness borne from forbidden knowledge
9. Recall: Allows the user to recall any memory or past knowledge without fail
10. Prophecy: Gifts the user with visions of the future
 Maxolyn | Water
1. Adventurer's Protection: Protects user or target from damage or death while adventuring.
 Kayrtir | Darkness
1. Stupify: Confuses the target (s)
2. Projection: Formation of objects from the users mind. Stronger users can create physical manifestations
3. Mind Break: Causes temporary madness in the target(s)
4. Manifest: Similar to Projection, a stronger magic that can create temporary locations
5. Augmentation: Augments different parts of the user (ex. height)
6. Duplicate: Allows user to briefly clone themselves
7. Evaporate: Allows the user to briefly vanish into smoke and become invisible for a certain amount of time.
8. Trick: Allows user to deceive even the shrewdest individuals
9. Shift: Allows the user to temporarily change their appearance into anything.
10. Charm: Gifts the user with a silver tongue to charm their target(s)

## Rageryan Deities

1. Siren Song: Enables the user to hypnotize the target with their voice.

# Known Acolytes

* Fredrick Bloodsmoke
* Finbar Bloodsmoke
* Shadow Hyder
* Valarie Riddick