Holy Church of Argon

Holy Church of Argon
Tags	Factions, Faction, EYtO, Kaern
Members	Brother Caedmon, Sister Elsbeth, Brother Garret, Sister Mara, Commander Adelina, Saint Watcher, Shrine to Argon the Champion

Description

• Draws power from their blood, which hardens parts of their body into crystal
• The argonknights have special abilities called blood rites which allow them to draw upon the power of their blood to accentuate their powers. All of them have access to the rite of illumination, which then can use to light their weapons with radiant energy. Commander Adelina would have access to more powerful blood rites.

The Argonknights

1. [[NOTION_PAGE:"Commander Adelina"]] : A stern and commanding presence, Adelina is a seasoned warrior who has been with the Argonknights for over a decade. She is a human paladin who specializes in smiting undead with her holy longsword. Adelina is also skilled in defensive techniques, using her shield to protect herself and her allies.
2. Brother Caedmon: A half-elf cleric of Saint Sysia, Caedmon is a devout and pious member of the Argonknights. He is a skilled healer and his spells can turn undead, causing them to flee or be destroyed. In combat, Caedmon wields a mace, and his spells can bolster his allies or hinder his enemies.
3. Sister Elsbeth: A dwarven fighter, Elsbeth is a tough and resilient member of the Argonknights. She wears heavy armor and wields a warhammer, using her strength to deal heavy blows to her enemies. Elsbeth is also skilled in combat maneuvers, using her shield to knock enemies off balance and gain an advantage.
4. Brother Garret: A halfling rogue, Garret is a nimble and agile member of the Argonknights. He uses his small size to dart in and out of combat, striking from the shadows with his short sword. Garret is also skilled in stealth and infiltration, able to scout ahead and gather information about his enemies.
5. Sister Mara: An elven ranger, Mara is a skilled tracker and archer. She uses her bow to strike at enemies from a distance, and her knowledge of the wilderness allows her to navigate difficult terrain with ease. Mara is also trained in survival skills, able to forage for food and water in even the most inhospitable environments.

Health and Longevity

Using blood rites is a powerful ability that comes at a cost to the Argonknights. Here are some suggestions for negative effects that an Argonknight could suffer from using too many blood rites too often:

1. Exhaustion: Using blood rites can be physically and mentally taxing, and an Argonknight who relies on them too heavily may become exhausted. This could manifest as fatigue, weakness, or even passing out from the strain.
2. Blood Loss: The use of blood rites requires the Argonknight to draw on their own blood as a source of power. Overuse of this ability could lead to significant blood loss, potentially causing the Argonknight to become anemic or even pass out from the loss of blood.
3. Corrupted Blood: Using blood magic is a dangerous practice that can corrupt the user's blood. Overuse of blood rites could cause an Argonknight's blood to become tainted or cursed, potentially leading to long-term health effects or even death.
4. Magical Backlash: Drawing on the power of one's own blood to perform magic is a risky endeavor, and overuse of blood rites could result in a magical backlash. This could cause the Argonknight to suffer from magical burns, seizures, or other negative effects.
5. Addiction: The use of blood rites can be addictive, and an Argonknight who relies too heavily on this power could become addicted to the rush of power it provides. This could lead to reckless behavior, obsession with blood magic, and a potential downward spiral of addiction and self-destruction.
6. Blood rites corrupt the blood in the users veins, progressing along a track of severity. The 5th level of the progression of this corruption is death by petrification. The first level is cosmetic, where users experience mottled, stone-like patches of skin and occassional stiffness in their limbs. What symptoms might characterize the other 3 levels?

The progression of blood corruption in Argonknights due to overuse of blood rites can have various symptoms. Here are some suggestions for the symptoms that might characterize the other 3 levels of corruption, after the cosmetic level:

1. Mild Corruption: At this stage, the blood corruption would become more severe, causing the Argonknight to experience additional physical symptoms. These might include:
   • • Chronic fatigue or weakness
     • Muscle pain or cramping
     • Nausea or vomiting
     • Sensitivity to light or sound
     • Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
2. Moderate Corruption: At this stage, the blood corruption would become even more severe, and the Argonknight would experience more debilitating symptoms. These might include:
   • • Loss of coordination or balance
     • Extreme fatigue or weakness
     • Uncontrollable shaking or tremors
     • Hallucinations or delusions
     • Impaired vision or hearing
3. Severe Corruption: At this final stage before death, the blood corruption would have reached a critical point, and the Argonknight would be experiencing severe physical and mental symptoms. These might include:
   • • Total paralysis or loss of mobility
     • Seizures or convulsions
     • Extreme pain or discomfort
     • Profound confusion or disorientation
     • Respiratory failure or cardiac arrest

It is important to note that the exact symptoms and progression of blood corruption may vary depending on the individual Argonknight and the specific blood rites they use. However, these suggestions can provide a general idea of how the corruption might progress.