Minor Rudis Viribus Arcana

### Casting

Many meditate, others hum or sing a short song to get their mind into the right dissociative state. They have to be immune to over powering emotions other than the one they're tapping into to power their spell. They cannot become distracted or enraged or they might lose control.

### Harmony

Proper focus comes from years of learning to control the ebb and flow of your emotions. The caster needs to reach a point of pure clarity for the spell to be performed how they want it, if not the true nature of the arcana comes to light and untethered destruction reigns down. Though the ability itself seems chaotic from an outsiders perceptive, the caster will likely need to meditate before a battle.

### Difficulty

It is difficult to remove yourself from your emotions as many (not all) people are emotional creatures. This takes years of discipline to master. The ability itself by it's nature is unstable and considered dangerous if not taught properly.

### Reputation

Dangerous and chaotic. The mages who learn it are considered violent and discompassionate.

## Origins

Rudis Viribus (or raw strength) is a minor arcana with a vicious and complex past.

First designed for demolition teams, groups of such mages would work together to bring down walls and rip up flooring in order for things to be rebuilt. This meant that very little mana was used and the risks were low for the mages involved. This changed when war came. An unknown mage saw the potential for destruction in this arcana. They changed its purpose from one of creation to one of death. A single mage could use this minor arcana to cut down foes in their path, but at great cost. Many mages lost their lives performing spells that proved too chaotic for them. The old ways of channelling this arcana have been lost in time and is now restricted to battle.

## Effect & Usage

Sometimes referred to as the physical manifestation of raw emotion, this more modern form of rudis viribus can be as dangerous to the caster as to their enemy. It borders on the line of control and chaos. The caster focuses only on the raw application of magic, in all its vicious glory—maelstroms that draw opponents, ethereal weight that crush and slow, or waves that throw enemies about like ragdolls. Targets not to be toyed with are simply slammed into the ground, as though pummelled by a great fist. To do this without the energy ripping the caster apart involves an untold amount of focus and emotional control, which might be the reason why few would chose such an arcana. Mages who specialise in this arcana do not live long lives.

The amount of focus and mana required to perform this ability means that it cannot be performed repeatedly. It takes time for the mage to ‘recharge’, varying from an hour to a day depending on the intensity of the spell. For example, knock an enemy to the ground with enough force to keep them there would take an hour to recover from. Whereas knocking back several enemies or tearing down a wall would take a day. If a mage over exerts themselves, they will collapse or be physically weakened for some time. This is why rudis viribus mages will mostly rely on their own agility in a fight, wearing their opponent out before going in for the kill.

## Player Tips

This is not the all-powerful ability it seems. It can only be used sparingly and your character will probably not live for very long. Because it is linked so closely to emotions, your character will likely seem cold and distant to others as they have to keep a strict control of themselves. To choose this arcana is to stand on the edge of the abyss. Your character would also need to draw their focus from memories that cause a deep and intense emotion such as anger or grief. The stronger the feeling, the more powerful your attack.