Prowess

From Mizahar Lore

"War, war never changes." - Unknown

Prowess

Gnosis
War is the ultimate truth.
Granted by	Myri
Positive marks	The ability to endure great wounds in battle.
Negative marks	None
Pos. mark appearance	A stylized blade surrounded by bladelike extensions
Neg. mark appearance	None
Mark location	Chest and Shoulders
First mark	Upon Getting The Goddess' Attention

Prowess is the Gnosis power of Myri - Godess of War. Those marked by Myri are gifted with a greater understanding of their own abilities in battle. They know where and how to step, how to move their bodies and swing their blades in a way that grants them an advantage in combat. They can ignore the effects of wounds suffered in personal combat from minor to moderate and in some cases even severe ones. Their battle cries can inspire allies and enhance their ability to fight. When it comes to war and battle, the followers of Myri are considered the most brave, brutal and unyielding. Their prowess in battle is both feared and respected and should not be underestimated.

Aquiring the Mark

When marking someone, Myri looks for those who have displayed great bravery, brutality and/or skill in battle. However, the warrior need not always have survived the battle. If an individual engaging in combat performs in a way that fits what Myri is looking for in a true follower, she will appear before them at the battle's aftermath. Myri reveals herself as a woman of the warrior's race, covered in tattoos and wearing battle-worn armor fitting for the race and/or group the warrior fights for. She wields a variety of weapons, all stained with blood. Though baring the beauty of divinity, Myri will look as though she had just fought an epic battle. Covered in blood, sweat and the grime of war, she will offer the warrior a choice. They can accept her mark and embrace the ways of battle in her name or they can choose to deny her. Those who choose to deny the Goddess will be forced to fight her to the death; a fight that seldom lasts longer than a few breaths.

Those who have fallen in battle may also gain Myri's attention if their actions were worthy enough. In such rare instances, Myri will appear before the fallen warrior and offer her mark for their service in her name. If they choose the mark, Myri will restore the fallen warrior's health and bless them with her mark. If they deny her, Myri will grant them a warrior's death by quenching her blade with their blood.

The mark is placed upon the warrior's chest. It takes the form of a stylized blade with blade-like extensions that stretch outward from the center. As one acquires more marks, the extensions run upward to and over the shoulders.

How Prowess Works

Upon attaining the first mark of Prowess, a warrior will discover that their ability in combat is enhanced. With a single mark, the warrior will instinctively know how and where to step, how to move their body and swing a weapon in the most advantageous way. How this works is that the warrior will be considered as having 10 skill points more in Unarmed Combat and a single, favored weapon skill. This DOES NOT actually give a bonus of 10 points to these skills. It merely allows them to get the most out of their current training in said skills. It DOES NOT grant any extra knowledge, lore or skill. It only allows them to take greater advantage of the skill and knowledge they already have. For example, if a marked warrior has a 15 skill level in the use of a short sword and they are battling an opponent who has a 20 skill level in longsword, the warrior will be able to move and fight as if they had a skill level of 25 in the use of their shortsword thus granting them the advantage over their opponent. The single mark does not allow the warrior to cross a skill stage with such a bonus. Thus a novice cannot fight as if they were competent nor could a competent fight as an expert and so fort. If the bonus would put them into the next skill stage, the warrior instead remains just below that transition. A level 16 skill in sword gaining the 10 point bonus from the mark would only be considered fighting at skill level 25 instead of 26. Again, this is not an actual bonus to the concrete skill level. It is only reflective of a greater sense of how to use one's existing skills and knowledge. The mark does not grant the advantage bonus to other unarmed combat related skills such as boxing or wrestling, only the general Unarmed Combat skill.

A warrior with the second mark of Prowess is able to emit a battle cry that channels the might of their goddess throughout their body. This cry charges their body with the ability to ignore the effects (pain) of wounds suffered in personal physical combat. Minor and moderate wounds, while still harming the warrior, will not be felt for the duration of the combat scene they are engaged in. The mark affects non-magical, non-gnosis related physical wounds such as those suffered from burns (like being hit with a mundane torch), bludgeoning, slicing and stabbing attacks. These are wounds that are non-lethal and not otherwise serious. Stab wounds the the arms or legs are not considered serious but those to the torso, groin or head are as are exceedingly deep cuts or bone-crushing bludgeons. Once the combat is over however, the pain and adverse effects of these wounds will hit the warrior all at once in a combined flood. This may leave the warrior exhausted and in severe, potentially crippling pain. Attempts at healing or otherwise reducing the negative effects of these wounds will be pointless until after they have hit. It doesn't matter if the healing is mundane or magical/gnosis-related. Note that wounds caused by magic/gnosis are not affected by the mark. Warriors will still suffer the immediate effects of these types of wounds just as they would without the mark. Weapons with magical effects will still have their physical wounds ignored for the duration of the combat scene but any other magical wounds or effects are not covered by the mark. This mark only works during immediate combat and will not protect the warrior from wounds suffered outside of obvious personal combat with an opponent.

The third mark of Prowess grants priests and priestesses of Myri an enhancement to their battle cry. As leaders of other warriors, the priest(ess) can inspire their allies in combat and grant them a greater insight into battle. What this means is that the priest(ess) can grant any ally in combat and within earshot of the battle cry, the ability to benefit from the first mark of Prowess. The allies gain the 10 point advantage to Unarmed Combat and their favored weapon skill just like the priest(ess) possesses. This lasts for the duration of a combat scene. The priest(ess) also gains from this battle cry an enhancement to their ability to ignore the pain and adverse effects of serious but non-fatal wounds. The same restrictions apply to this mark's ability as the second mark save for the warrior being able to brush off the pain of broken bones, serious non-magical/gnosis burns, slices and stab wounds. Note however that when the combat scene is over and the effects of the wounds are delivered in an immediate, compounded manner, the priest(ess) may be left unconscious and/or near death. In addition to the restrictions placed on the abilities of the second mark, this third mark does not affect lethal wounds. Also, broken bones are still broken thus a broken arm cannot wield a sword or shield or be able to punch or grab. A broken leg will still mean that the warrior cannot walk or run and will likely have trouble standing. Broken ribs, fingers, and other non-essential for movement and function bones will gain the most benefit from this.

The fourth mark of Prowess, granted to her Champion, allows the warrior a near immunity from wounds inflicted by mundane, non-magical/gnosis related weapons and physical attacks from anyone other than another Champion or a deity of Rank 1-4. Those wounds affected by the Champion's mark simply bounce off of him with little more than a scratch. Magic and gnosis may still wound the Champion as they would if the warrior was not marked. The Champion also gains the divine ability to transport across great distances. The Champion may transport themselves to active battlefields where at least a dozen or more combatants are engaged. The Champion will simply disappear to the sounds of a blood-curdling battle cry and reappear some distance away to the sounds of the same battle cry.

Myri does not give negative marks. Those who would personally displease her to such a level are tracked down by one of her chosen warriors and forced into a fight to the death. If the offender somehow prevails in the fight, another warrior will be sent followed by another and another until the offender falls. If need be, Myri herself will cut the offender down herself.

Related Skills

Prowess relies on the skills of war and personal combat. Thus Unarmed Combat and/or a weapon skill is required to take full advantage of being marked. The first mark of Prowess is useless without one of these skills and Myri will never mark one who does not possess one or both.

Mark Progression