Conatus

In the Centurion Universe, the energy used that is required to summon weapons is called “**Conatus**”. The concept of Conatus is akin to the concept of Chi. Conatus flows all throughout the world, and, with enough training, one can absorb enough Conatus to summon their weapon. Conatus can also purify natural environments. Through the use of Conatus, the world was eventually cleared of Nuclear radiation, except for a few areas.

Through technological advancements, scientests have found a way to crystalise Conatus, and thus use it as ammunition for weapons. Weapons that fire Conatus shards have been shown to be several times more effective on Centurions than regular bullets, and has a burning effect on their flesh.

## Armas, Arma Types, Aces and Ascensions

### **Arma**

An “Arma” is a weapon that everyone has the capability of summoning. It can be summoned when, with sufficient training or meditation, someone manages to merge their soul and body with the Conatus that flows throughout their body. This allows one to emit Conatus from their bodies and thus form their Arma. However, everybody has a unique Arma, and although some Arma may be similar, no two Arma can be the same.

The amount of time someone can have their Arma summoned is dependant on the user's stamina and synchronization. The more worn down the user is, the more straining it will be to use their Arma. The less the user's Synchronization Level, the less potent their Arma will be. If someone lacks sufficient stamina or runs out of energy, their Arma will disperse and cannot be resummoned untill the user is re-energized.

### **Arma Types**

There are 4 different categories of Arma types, each with their advantages and disadvantages.

#### **Blade-Type**

Blade types are the jack-of-all trades of Arma weapons. Although they are primarily melee ranged attacks, most Blade-Type users have at least one of their Abilities as a ranged attack. Their physical attributes tend to be well-balanced. Their weapons include longswords, greatswords, broadswords, rapiers, straight swords, katanas, daggers, axes, lances, or any other piercing/cutting weapons.

**Notable Blade-Type users:** Lamina Acies

#### **Ranged-Type**

As their name imply, these are the ranged fighters of the Centurions. Their physical attributes tend to be more on the speed and agility side, however they usually have low physical strength and stamina.Their weapons include, but are not limited to, bows, crossbows, rifles and pistols.

**Notable Range-Type users:** Winchester Dupre

#### **Blunt-Type**

The brute force of the Centurions. Although they are rarer than the previous two types, their Blunt-Type weapons grant them great physical strength. Their weakness, however, is that they are heavily reliant on their melee abilities, as it is extremely rare to come across a Blunt Type with ranged abilities.Their physical attributes usually lean towards strength and stamina. Their weapons, as the name of this type implies, come in the form of blunt weapons like hammers, wrecking ball and chain, polearms, or any other type of weapon that can cause blunt force damage.

**Noteable Blunt-Type users:** Lumen Caestu

#### **Object-Type**

Object Types are the rather bizarre category of Arma Types. Their Arma are ones that take the form of not a weapon, but rather a natural or man-made object. These objects can range from furniture or objects you would find in your home, such as a drawer or a piece of string, to a twig on the forest floor. Their physical attributes vary depending on their Arma and its Abilities, though they tend to be quite low, thus they must use their Arma creatively in order to defeat their opponents.

**Noteable Object-Type users:** Flavian Glaz

#### **Hybrid-Type**

Hybrid types are incredibly rare variants of common Arma types, such as a combination of blade and ranged Armas. There are so few of these in number that they are thought to be extinct, save for certain bloodlines. It should be noted that a Hybrid-Type Arma is still considered to be only 1 Arma, as no one can ever weild two Armas at once.

**Notable Hybrid-Type users:** Elizabeth Teach

### **Arma Abilities**

An Arma can only have 3 abilities maximum, each with their strengths and weaknesses.

E.G., Ability 1 is a fireball, ability 2 grants a speed buff, and ability 3 grants flight. Each ability is unique to the Arma.

#### **Ascension**

The “Ascension” of a Centurion is when a Centurion’s Arma ascends to an "evolved form”, in which the properties of the Arma, as well as the Centurion themselves, is increased drastically from its base potency, and also will change the appearance of the Arma.

However, Ascensions require the Arma wielder to be 100% in sync with their. Arma In this form, they gain a fourth ability.

Most of the time, this newly acquired ability will be the strongest ability that a Centurion wields.

An Ascension can only be gained is one absorbs an absolutely absurd amount of Conatus - so much so, that their arma is forced to evolve to its maximum potential to be able to store it. There are only 4 objects in the world that can grant such power, all of which are held captive by the 4 nations. Once gained, a Centurion can access their Ascended form at any time, however, they need at least 5 seconds to achieve their Ascension, and said Ascension will last for a limited amount of time, and will usually leave the practitioner completely drained of energy afterwards. The first time a Centurion achieves an Ascended state, the after effects wreaks havoc upon their bodies, causing their muscles to tear and gain fever-like symptoms. This is knowns as COS - Conatus Overuse Syndrome.