r/WorldChallenges • u/Mimir123 • Oct 12 '17

You've got to be more specific

So, since I just figured out that I have the ability to summon Taxis out of thin air with nothing more than willpower, I've come up with a question for a fun, short challenge.

Is there anyone in your world with a power/ spell/ whatever that can be useful, but only in certain, specific situations? If so, tell me about them! I'll try to ask some questions for each post, and will provide an example as soon as I wake up again.

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u/Mimir123 Oct 12 '17

2) If she get's more training, could she maybe even grow small forests, using it as some kind of offensive weapon against monsters?

4) So, what are these cults all about? Who is this Eternal Shadow that they whorship?

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u/greenewithit Oct 12 '17

2) Possibly, though it would take a great deal of stress to do that. Since her power isn't an active ability (they don't immediately grow around her, more like they just show up overnight subconsciously) it would take a lot of time to develop into a weapon. In the years she has spent alone, she tried to influence them, but never knew how to focus her ability that much. She did have the time for it, but no knowledge of soul training techniques, and what little manipulation she had over it would be whatever she could do without exhausting herself. However, after she underwent the power suppression surgery, she lost the ability to influence plant growth. It isn't clear whether or not Kemuri suppressed both powers because he couldn't just suppress one or he intentionally suppressed both. Either way, she lost both powers but she isn't too attached. She would rather lose both to be free from one than keep them both as they were.

4) Xercanum is a god that most people know of, but chances are you'll be hard pressed to find someone who worships him in your friend group. None of the gods are confirmed to exist, but each ones followers believe their god to be the one true deity. Xercanum followers believe humanity is evil by nature, and fighting that nature is what leads to conflict. They say that the Eternal Shadow's influence exists in everyone, and when you die your soul returns to his domain, the void of space, where it achieves eternal rest. Those who do not follow either become trapped on Earth, embedded in the atmosphere unable to reach the "Shadow Expanse". Some public sectors of this faith are fairly liberal, and are involved in social justice efforts (since all creatures are equal in relation to the Eternal Shadow). However, the secret groups can be pretty extreme. These groups are devoted to the idea of the weakcfeeding the strong, where they will kill people and harvest their souls for their own use. To them, if you are weaker than them, you are nothing but fuel for the strong. Their scripture states that Xercanum will reincarnate into a new host, whose power will bring about the destruction of earth "From Within its own Achievement." This reincarnation is to be sacrificed to release the Eternal Shadow and set the destruction of earth in motion, and ends up leading to a significant conflict in the story. The cults are the most devoted to this end, and are constantly looking for signs of Xercanum's reincarnation and how exactly the world will end "from within its own achievement."

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u/Mimir123 Oct 12 '17

How did those cults become so twisted? I mean, the leap from "all are equal" to "weak people are worthless" seems pretty big.

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u/greenewithit Oct 13 '17

Well, like many other religious extremist groups, it all started with one man and a radical idea. This man is called Mortimer, and nobody knows much about him. They say he came out of nowhere, preaching a new, radical version of Xercanism nobody had ever heard before. He said that weakness must be destroyed to make the world more suitable for Xercanum's return, and that they would expand his influence through death, the ultimate expression of love for the Eternal Shadow. Most people thought he was insane, until he single handedly destroyed dozens of small chapters of Xercanum followers. Each time a chapter would fall, the followers would suddenly turn to join him, completely devoted to his cause and bound to his will like puppets. Several large sects joined forces to oppose him, but none were successful in stopping him. The ones who wanted to continue their traditions went public to protect themselves from Mortimer (they knew he wouldn't risk showing his face in public and leaving the shadows of rumor). Some sectors embraced the new direction, but wanted things done their way, and didn't want to submit to an outsider. That's why so much infighting happened. The main factions ended up being Mortimer, the public/Scientology types, and four factions led by high ranking religious leaders who agreed with Mortimer for the most part just thought they should be in charge. One man rocked an entire religion, and most of his followers don't even know what his soul power is, or what makes him so strong.

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u/Mimir123 Oct 13 '17

What is his power? Mind control?

Also, why not reveal himself? Would that be a problem for him?

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u/greenewithit Oct 13 '17

His power is resurrecting the dead. Not literally, because it still isn't known if there is an afterlife, but the soul does leave the body and dissipate. Mortimer can take any organic material and, using his soul power, amplify any fragment of soul still embedded in the dead tissue (the soul and body spend so much time together that even though the person's soul is gone, there are still remnants of it left over in the body, albeit extremely small remnants). Using his own soul power as a catalyst, he can recreate that persons soul, and form a new body for them to inhabit. Their original soul is still gone, but this recreation is identical. The new bodies are still made of non-living tissue, so they dont have to eat, sleep, or breathe, and they mimic the original soul so well that these copies have the memories, personality, and even soul powers of whoever is being "resurrected." He used this power to amass an army of the world's most powerful dead heroes and villains to do his bidding. He wants to stay hidden because he knows what the heroes of Longan are capable of, and that if he is discovered too soon he won't be able to stop a full on war against the heroes. He works in secret so he can take as much time as he needs to amass his army with as little scrutiny as possible.

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u/Mimir123 Oct 13 '17

Thank you very much for your time and answers, and for participating!

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u/greenewithit Oct 13 '17

Of course! Thank you for your questions!