Outsider
Mortals have always questioned the world around them. Forever in pursuit of knowledge both scientific and otherworldly. Evidence is strewn across history of just how ingenious and magnanimous the achievements of mortal scholars have been throughout the ages. Whether it is a scientist seeking to understand the depths of the human body, a warrior questing to discover perfect balance in pursuit of absolute mastery of their martial prowess, or a mage delving into the darkest reaches of forbidden sorcery, the reasons for these pursuits are endless.
And sometimes, every once in awhile, these individuals make revelations so profound that it grants them insight the very secrets of the universe. In those moments, they are offered glimpses into the very fabric of reality. They experience a breakthrough so powerful, they touch upon the mysteries of the Aetherium itself.
They awaken and become something not altogether what they were before.
They become touched by the fathomless realm of Ideas.
They become Outsiders.
What is an Outsider?
It begins with the Aetherium. This realm of infinite Ideas, where all realities, all possibilities, all truths and all lies, exist simultaneously at the same time. This realm where there is no distinction between one concept or another, is the realm that gods naturally exist in and can perceive on a whim. However, rather than becoming a being of divinity, Outsiders become…something else. Something not altogether mortal and not quite divine. Outsiders were never meant to catch a glimpse of this place. They were not made for it and as a result of that terrible revelation, they are never quite the same. For better or worse.
This stolen touch of the Aetherium has an effect on them and their soul, warping it into something not recognizable as mortal. Because of this transformation, the Outsiders step into a realm all their own.
The Obsession
Every Outsider is driven by a singular idea or concept. This is what moves them and pushes them to explore new depths of knowledge or serves as the focal point of the decisions they make during their lives. No two Outsiders are quite the same, with there being as many opinions on a singular idea as there are stars in the sky. This driving force in the Outsider’s lifelong quest is known as the Obsession. It touches upon everything they do in such a profound way that to separate the individual from the idea and their motivations becomes quite difficult for even gods to discern. Because of this grasp of the concept, with it suffusing their very soul so deeply, the Outsider is granted miraculous insight into how to tap into the concept in the Aetherium. It is through the lens of that understanding, that they warp the world to better suit their perspectives.
Where gods are capable of grasping the full breadth of their portfolios within the Aetherium, and thus are able to perceive the infinite perspectives that even other gods and lesser beings have on the idea, the Outsider is driven by THEIR pursuit of this idea. They are granted insight into the alternate realities and truths that exist within the Aetherium where what THEY believe to be the truth, is so. It is through this affirmation of their pursuits that the Outsider pulls the truths of those alternate realities into the material world around them, inserting things into this reality that do not quite belong.
Mark of the Outsider
Upon experiencing their first glimpse into the Aetherium and beholding the eldritch truths that lay there, far beyond what their mortal mind can comprehend, the Outsider experiences a shift. This shift takes place in their psyche, their body and their soul. Once experienced, there is no going back from it as they enter a state of being that perhaps not even the gods can turn them away from. This shift manifests in the physical world and changes them permanently. An example of it could be that an individual’s physical body cracks, fissures forming in places across their skin only to have eldritch fires burn beneath it. They will survive this change and may or may not experience pain from this transformation but regardless, it becomes a permanent part of them that no amount of alchemy, necromancy or healing can undo. This is known as the Mark of the Outsider and while an Outsider might be able to conceal it, it will never go away.
Path to the Outsider
The road to becoming an Outsider is not an easy one and one can just as easily be destroyed or driven mad by their revelations as they can come to grasp them. It is a precarious balance between pushing the boundaries of what they previously believed possible and inviting into the world something that should or perhaps, should not exist at all. Outsiders are not gods, but they can certainly ascend to godlike scales of power depending on secrets they unveil.
Stage One: The Revelation
Outsiders are driven by their Obsession. They might do this consciously or subconsciously. It varies from individual to individual. Regardless, at some point in time during their life they will experience a terrible revelation. This falling away of the curtain of mortality is a harrowing and haunting experience where their quest to pursue their Obsession drives them to look beyond the veil of the material realm. They behold the Aetherium in its raw majesty and in that moment one of two things will occur: they will survive or they will not. Those that survive become marked, changed by what they have witnessed. No matter who they are or what they have become driven by, every Outsider has a touch of something that is not quite normal following that event.
Mark of the Outsider - Immediately in the aftermath of their revelation, the Outsider is marked by the experience. They become something not quite mortal. This can manifest in whatever manner the player chooses but it is something that comes to define the aesthetic of their journey as an Outsider. The are able to perform the following with this eldritch appearance:
Conceal. The Outsider can conceal their eldritch appearance so as to appear somewhat normal. However, even in this state, they exude an aura of being…different. As though something about them is on the tip of an observer’s tongue. There will be at least one part of them that retains some semblance of their eldritch appearance. A part of their true nature that can never quite be hidden.
Terror. The Outsider can invoke terror in those who behold them in their true form. The mortal who witnesses this form cannot quite wrap their head around it, evoking a primal fear of what they are seeing before them.
Madness. An individual who beholds the Outsider in their true form can be driven insane by the experience. Weak willed individuals are most easily pushed toward this insanity. Strong willed individuals may experience a form of temporary madness that can eventually be shrugged off, it depends on the mental fortitude of the person. Entities that can naturally perceive the Aetherium (i.e. gods, demigods, elder dragons etc.) are unaffected by this madness as they are always partially plugged into the realm from which the Outsider draws their otherworldly strangeness.
Obsession [First Gift] - The Obsession is what comes with the Revelation. It is the underlying concept that comes to define the perspectives and actions of the Outsider. It touches upon everything that they do and infuses them and the world around them. With the awakening of their Obsession, the Outsider is granted the power to develop a singular ability that stems from this concept. It could manifest as anything but it is a power that is wholly their own.
Eldritch Object - Upon gaining awareness of the Aetherium through their revelation, the Outsider gains the power to infuse singular objects with a manifestation of their abilities. This singular token is granted an eldritch power that is capable of enacting some manner of enchantment related to the Outsider’s Obsession. It must be a solitary power that, once bestowed, will have a finite number of uses depending on how much of themselves the Outsider wishes to bestow upon it. At this stage, the Outsider is only capable of creating up to (5) of these objects with a maximum of (10) charges each. They can then gift this boon to anyone or perhaps use it for themselves. But be warned, such powers always come with a price…
Dark Demesne - The place where the Outsider experiences their Revelation is forever changed by the event. It becomes a place suffused with the Outsider’s Obsession and it is in this place that the Outsider can exert the most influence over the powers at their command. It becomes a place that is subject to the Outsider’s opinion on what the world should be like, filtered through the lens of their Obsession. At this stage, the amount of control that the Outsider can exert is minimal but potent enough that anyone and everyone who enters this realmspace certainly notices that things don’t quite operate the same way as they do elsewhere. Exactly how this manifests is dependent upon the Outsider. Tales of haunted mansions, unsettling forests that have paths that go in circles, and rumor has it even the Warrens of Karnor, are examples of places that might just be the Dark Demesne of an Outsider. The Dark Demesne can be no larger than 0.5 square miles (1.3 sq. km.)
Applying for Outsider Status
There is no clear-cut method to awakening to that first Revelation that begins one’s journey as an Outsider. Each journey is unique to the player making the request and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, the following should be kept in mind:
- All applicants for Outsider status must have (1) year of consistent play at a minimum.
- State clearly what is your Obsession. It can be any concept or idea but understand that once this choice is made, it becomes the defining aspect of the character’s journey as an Outsider. Outsiders do not gain new Obsessions, merely breakthroughs in their understanding of that Obsession’s reach.
- The player must be in good standing with the community as an individual who encourages participation and character growth not just for themselves but for others as well.
- Consider submitting a collection of examples where your character has, in-game, displayed qualities geared toward the Obsession that you are declaring. Give a clear explanation of how and why your character embodies this idea.
- What do you intend to do with your Outsider status? How are you going to use it to enhance the adventures and stories of other players and your own?
Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis and just because an individual meets certain requirements laid out here is not a guarantee that Outsider status will be granted. Only the Chief Author or a Regional Author can approve or deny an application for Outsider status. However, all staff familiar with the activities of a given player will be consulted before a final decision is made. If the need arises, even other players in the community may be approached for input.
The Revelation Quest
Once an application for Outsider status has been approved, access to the Outsider state will only be fully implemented in-game through a Revelation Quest. This will be a thread moderated either by the Chief Author or a Regional Author and in every instance, the awakening of a new Outsider will have far reaching consequences, for better or worse. Only upon the conclusion of the Revelation Quest will Outsider status be awarded.
Stage Two: Second Revelation
Outsiders continue to progress in their understanding of their Obsession. Through exploration either careful or haphazard, the Outsider continues to pull more far reaching understanding of the concept that drives them. As a result of this continued growth, they will eventually come to a point where they experience a second Revelation. This moment is an even more powerful one than the first, pushing the Outsider further away from the realm of mortality and into…something else.
Touch of the Far Realm - Having stepped even further away from the bounds of mortality or anything else for that matter, the Outsider becomes even more of a reflection of their Obsession. While they still possess the ability to conceal the majority of their true selves, more of it tends to leak through, creating a situation where no matter their guise, their otherness still manages to creep through. However, as a result of this distancing from the mortal realm, they gain Immortality, as the flow of Time no longer completely recognizes them as something wholly mortal. Additionally, they gain the ability to ignore the effect of magic at the scope of Apprentice or lower.
Obsession [Second Gift] - Having grown in their understanding of their Obsession, the Outsider gains a second ability stemming from this concept. More powerful than even their first ability, this power begins to epitomize the fact that the Outsider is not a being that completely belongs in the mortal realm, perhaps not even in other realms for that matter.
Eldritch Object - The Outsider is now capable of creating (10) objects with up to (15) uses each.
Dark Demesne - The reach of their demesne expands to that of 1 square mile (2.5 sq. km). The control they exert over this space is amplified to such a degree that it becomes unsettling and otherworldly to any who enter the space. The Outsider is now immediately aware of any who enter this space and can observe their movements on a whim. While they cannot conjure new things into existence within this space, animals that enter it and linger become twisted and warped by the eldritch truths of the realm. They fall under the influence of the Outsider and can be controlled and directed within this space on a whim. The Outsider can restructure their domain provided it still resembles its original form. A mansion will still remain a mansion. A forest will remain a forest. However, the Outsider can craft walls where none existed before. They can move trees to create paths that had otherwise been blocked. If they are in possession of magic beyond their Outsider powers, they can even imbue the domain with aspects of a given magic.
Applying for the Second Revelation
As with their first awakening, there is no clear-cut set of circumstances that definitively constitutes warranting the Second Revelation. Each application for the rise toward this status will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, players should keep the following in mind:
- There must be at least 6 real-life calendar months between an individual’s first awakening and their request to gain their Second Revelation.
- The player must be in good standing in the community and an individual who has utilized their platform as a means to enhance the stories of others through the lens of their eldritch status. Are you a villainous Outsider? Have you used that villainy to provide a platform for others to pursue a greater challenge? Are you a dark hero? How have you used that heroism to inspire and assist others?
- What have you done that makes it clear that your character is ready to accept the mantle of greater understanding?
- What has your character done to warrant this second awakening to otherworldly knowledge and abilities?
- Be ready and able to provide a listing showcasing the above points of consideration.
Once again, this request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and it should be expected that others will be consulted to weigh in on the matter. As before, just because an individual meets certain requirements laid out here this is not a guarantee that requests will be approved. Only the Chief Author or a Regional Author can approve or deny requests of this type.
Once the request to be granted the Second Revelation has been approved, the Outsider must actually embark upon the endeavor to experience the revelation. This should be a challenging experience that pushes the Outsider to question the boundaries of their understanding, forcing them to utilize many of the resources at their disposal in their question to expand their reach.
Stage Three: The Final Revelation
The Outsider at this stage has truly come into their own in their understanding of their Obsession. It is something they know intimately, across not just this reality but in several others, their awareness of its truths spreading across even alternate timelines and destinies. They are a being who has become synonymous with the touch of things weird and unsettling, a figure that is more myth or nightmare than anything conceivably real. For better or worse, many Outsiders at this stage have reached such heights as to be able to contend with even Lesser Gods and Demigods, few though there might be.
Obsession [Third Gift] - With their final breakthrough, the Outsider has achieved such understanding of their concept that they are able to craft a truly mind boggling ability. A power that has, of its own accord, likely been whispered about by those who may know of the Outsider, a gift that makes them terrifying to behold.
Mantle of the Outsider - Nothing about the Outsider can be considered mortal anymore. However, they now exert perfect mastery over their form…in a way. No matter their guise, there will always be something curiously off about them, whether it is because they are too beautiful or perhaps their movements seem like that of someone unaccustomed to a mortal body. No matter their form, they will never be taken for fully mortal. Their ability to Conceal themselves now lasts until they choose to shed off that concealment. While concealing their true form, they still require the typical things that mortals do, those being sustenance, rest, etc. While concealing the truth of themselves they can ignore the effects of magic up to the Journeyman level. However, when that concealment falls away, nothing short of a Master in any skill be it magical or mundane, can hope to have any effect on them.
Acolyte - People will invariably be drawn to the otherworldly power of the Outsider, especially as they have grown in reputation and ability. As a result of this, there is a form of reverence born within those who seek to emulate the Outsider which spawns a bond that the Outsider can exploit and explore to their own benefit. The Outsider gains the power to imbue living people with a sliver of themselves, much like an Eldritch Object. This person gains a lesser version of one of the Outsiders various abilities and becomes bound to the Outsider in ways that reach down to their very soul. But while the acolyte can use these powers, they remain the Outsiders and can be twisted or taken away at any time. Just as with the Eldritch Objects, the continued use of these powers takes a toll on the acolyte but such is the price mortals pay for consorting with such otherworldly beings. Only mortals can accept the powers of an Outsider as an acolyte.
Bleak Transformation - Requiring the creation of an Acolyte, the Outsider can at any time and across any distance, spark within the individual a transformation into a being completely beholden to the will of the Outsider. The toll this takes upon the mortal however, is one that is shattering upon the mind, driving them insane albeit still driven to uphold the whim and will of their master.
Eldritch Object - The Outsider can now create as many of these objects as they desire, provided they still have the strength to do so and are not incapacitated or severely weakened. Each object has a total of (20) uses before its ability is expended.
Dark Demesne - The dark realm of the Outsider has now expanded to a space of up to 5 square miles (13 sq. km) and the area is completely subject to the will of the Outsider. They can travel to any point within this space at will, appearing anywhere within it in any manner they choose. They are aware of all activities that take place within this space. They can build things that may not have existed there before, like a living dreamscape that is altered according to their whims. Animals there are completely under the control of the Outsider, becoming eyes, ears, and servants of the Outsider’s will. Even the magic of people who enter this space begins to behave curiously. While the Outsider cannot control this magic, it becomes touched by the properties of their Obsession in strange ways whenever visitors manifest it. Illusions by a Masquerader might suddenly have a deathly touch to them if in the realm of an Outsider obsessed with Death, going from lively conjurations to ghastly and ghoulish apparitions. The possibilities are endless and subject to the interpretation of the Outsider’s Obsession.
Uncanny Awareness - Once a day, the Outsider can peer across the veil and glimpse the Aetherium once more, receiving a miniature breakthrough that will provide them the answer to a question related to the realm of their Obsession.
Applying for the Third Revelation
As before, there is no clear cut path to the Third Revelation. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, the following can be used as a general guideline for consideration:
- There is no timeline between the Second and Third Revelation. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis but moderators are advised to use good judgment before approving a request.
- The individual must be a player in good standing in the community.
- Have they continued to use their platform as a means to enhance the world and stories of others? How has their Outsider status impacted their region of play? The world?
- What are the consequences of their ascension to this final stage?
Once again, this request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and it should be expected that others will be consulted to weigh in on the matter. As before, just because an individual meets certain requirements laid out here this is not a guarantee that requests will be approved. Only the Chief Author or a Regional Author can approve or deny requests of this type.
The Final Revelation
This final revelation should be a culmination of the consequences of the Outsider’s rise to power and prominence. By this point, they are a figure that is known not just regionally but their name is most likely known in other parts of the world as well. What enemies have they made? What allies have they made? How has the world been impacted by the rise of this new eldritch power? The awakening of a fully realized Outsider has rippling consequences. As a result, this final stage should be a test that challenges the Outsider’s perspectives on how to best enact their will in the world through the lens of their Obsession. It should test their morals, it should test their strengths and their weaknesses.
