Defiance

The audacious few marked with Defiance are known as Catalysts — nothing stays the same in their presence for long. The bearers of this mark tend to be the already restless, already unable to stand idly by as their lives are trampled. It is a gift for the underdogs and the bearers of change, especially when that change is to come by force. Only those who act with brazen determination are considered worthy of becoming Catalysts, and with it, they become champions of their cause. Catalysts are also bringers of balance, in their own way, between the order and chaos of civilization, by continuing to establish and re-establish the dynamics of power in the world. More importantly, Catalysts are bringers of freedom.

Defiance is always visible. It takes the form of golden or silver scars — usually along the face, chest, or arms. These scars can come in a variety of forms, from a scratch, to gilded cracks, to even filling in the scars already on the marked with the glimmering metallics. When the mark is used, it almost shimmers, catching any available light.

Attracting Divine Attention

A newly divine being, Florian is particularly selective on who is granted the mark of Defiance, and particularly why they are granted it. He holds those who have nothing left to lose especially dear; and those who have given everything towards their ideal of righteousness, those who truly believe in their cause, may one day find themselves in the bowels of a prison only to be given the tools to free themselves and continue their fight. Those marked by him are not just outcasts, not just wronged and downtrodden, but those who actively pursue the change they desire in the world so that they may no longer suffer such fate. Those who seek to free themselves and others at any cost, and who actively strive to do so, are those who are most likely to catch his attention.

The mark is not currently known well enough to have any widespread negative or positive connotations.

Applying for Defiance

Those interested in bearing the mark of Defiance must apply in the Support Forum and receive permission from the Staff. The following should be kept in mind:

• The Demigod of Rebellion is only in his first tier of divinity. As such, he is not yet capable of traversing across the veil, through the Land of Nod and thus able to be anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. With that in mind, acquiring the mark of Defiance requires that interested parties actively seek him out. He possesses a limited divine awareness of things performed either in his name or invoked through the domain of Rebellion. This range is a 150km radius. Feats performed outside of this radius remain outside of his awareness unless invoked by an individual already in possession of his Emblem.

• Interested players can submit a Support Forum application requesting a thread wherein they are granted the Emblem. Provided the act takes place within the above radius, the demigod will be able to come to them and bestow his mark.

The Tenet of Rebellion

Rules are made to be broken. To live a life constrained by what others consider "right" or "wrong", to live a life under the control of any other — it is antithetical to Florian's view. The world is in a constant cycle of those who control and those who are controlled, the powerful and the powerless. Rebellion is a middle ground, a compromise between both justice and vengeance. Where justice cannot be found, rebellion brews. When vengeance must be enacted for many, revolution comes.

The first gift that is given to a Catalyst is one of the most precious of all: the chance at freedom. Freedom is not a permanent thing, it is a status that is hard-fought and harder-won.

The Gift of Rebellion: Chainbreaker

Chainbreaker must be actively used, but because of the way this gift functions, it sometimes provides a passive effect when certain requirements are fulfilled. This gift of Chainbreaker is one that allows the Catalyst to see and break physical and mental bonds binding themselves, and eventually others. Locked doors and iron shackles may crumble at the hinges, while ropes may fray and split apart. Even mind control and brainwashing struggles to take hold in the mind of a Catalyst, and they are far more resilient to such effects.

Viewing and breaking shackles is not the only gift of Chainbreaker, however. After becoming a Catalyst, one must first free themselves of their own metaphorical chains so that they may finally be fully able to help others do the same. They are able to perceive these metaphorical chains in whatever way they may manifest to the Catalyst, and these chains may be followed and inspected, revealing more and more information about the circumstances that bind them. This knowledge can come in many forms, but it is always pertinent to allowing the Catalyst to free themselves from that chain.

The criteria of "freedom" is highly personal to each Catalyst, but once they consider themselves wholly free, their Destiny is protected from unwanted viewing and manipulation. The final breaking of chains for a Catalyst also alerts Florian, immediately if he is within range, or as soon as he is in range. When a Catalyst frees themselves, they are almost always considered worthy of becoming Avowed.

Catalysts may also view the chains of others, and assist them in the same way. They can gather information and present it to the bound, and even assist them in breaking the chain. For the helpless or incapable, and with permission, they may even be able to break the chain entirely by themselves.

The chains that bind people to their oppressors are far different than the strings that bind the same people to their loved ones, and a Catalyst must be fervently aware of the difference, lest they become overzealous and free themselves or someone else of the connections in their life. They may also reveal uncomfortable or hidden truths as to the sources of control in one's life.

Faith of the Catalyst

The belief in Florian is not necessarily required to have faith in his domain. Defiance is a gift intended to free those who need it; knowledge or worship of him before receiving it is not required. Florian requires his followers only to wholeheartedly believe in their cause that brings them to Rebellion, and in his ideals of freedom from control. Those who follow his ideals and receive the mark are at risk of losing it if they put themselves in a position of unnecessary power — he is a fickle, impulsive being, and he does not abide by those who abuse his assistance. But those followers who truly believe in him and what he stands for will find themselves an intensely loyal friend.

Acolyte | The Acolytes of Florian are typically those who need the most help. They usually have a fervent desire to enact change and rebel against their circumstances, but before being marked, they may not have had the tools or knowledge in order to make real progress. They must truly believe in their cause, and must act on it before attracting his attention. However, this is not always the case, and those who have already made great strides on their rebellion are also likely to draw the necessary attention. Those first marked with Defiance are always given a quest, a task, that they must complete before they may fully unlock the powers of their emblem: free themselves. Those granted the first mark of Defiance are able to perform the following:

Chainbreaker: An Acolyte of Defiance is able to view and break non-magical restraints binding them or others, as long as they are able to touch the restraint in some way. It does not matter the material of the restraint — it must only be non-magical. This only applies to things that are controlling them, or preventing them from freedom. They may break the lock on a door of a prison, but they may not break the lock on the door of a random home.

An Acolyte is also able to perceive the metaphorical chains that bind them and others, but they may only free themselves from these chains. They are able to inspect the chains, and the longer they inspect their chains, the more information they gather, and the more pertinent that information becomes to their situation. It is a highly individualized power, but it all comes to the same effect — finding and breaking these unwanted bonds.

Once an Acolyte has achieved their own freedom, two things happen. The first is that as long as they maintain this freedom, their Destiny is protected from nonconsensual view and manipulation. Seers of Avowed level and below may not divine the future Destiny of a Catalyst, and no magical effects may change their Destiny if they do not choose to allow it. Their Destiny is in their hands. The second is that Florian is made aware of their freedom as soon as possible, and may actively seek out the Acolyte to raise them to the status of Avowed.

Avowed | The Avowed of Florian are almost always those who have completed their personal quest for freedom. No matter the length or difficulty of that quest, it is a substantial enough sign of devotion that he sees them fit to wield the second level of the mark. It is his belief that one cannot truly free others until they have freed themselves, and those with the second mark find themselves now able to assist others in their rebellion.

Chainbreaker: An Acolyte of Defiance is able to view and break magical restraints of Expert level or lower binding them or others, as long as they are able to perceive the restraint in some way, as through touch, hearing, or vision within 60 feet. It does not matter the material of the restraint. This only applies to things that are controlling them or others, or preventing them or others from freedom. They may break the lock on a door of a prison, but they may not break the lock on the door of a random home.

An Avowed is now able to fully perceive and inspect the chains that bind others, not just themselves. They may gather the full breadth of information as they could for themselves, but it takes twice as long to do so. They may be able to physically follow these chains as well, and can provide some measure of assistance to the one who they are helping to free themselves, including presenting the information they have gathered and even directly assisting the bound. However, it is up to the individual on whether they act or believe what the Catalyst has told them, and they may not interfere unless given permission and consent.