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==Transformations== | ==Transformations== | ||
Marken have a number of Transformations, which may alter the way a Marken Character is played, particularly in Combat Roleplay. During combat, a Marken can never revert once transformed, meaning that a Marken can Transform into Quartermarken, then into Halfmarken, then into Fullmarken, but never | Marken have a number of Transformations, which may alter the way a Marken Character is played, particularly in Combat Roleplay. During combat, a Marken can never revert once transformed, meaning that a Marken can Transform into Quartermarken, then into Halfmarken, then into Fullmarken, but never "go back" any phase until the combat is concluded. Only one Transformation can be active at any time: | ||
* '''Quartermarken Form:''' Is when a person who is a Marken only applies some aspects of Markenism, but their head is still very distinctly humanoid and they are still recognizable as their normal self. | * '''Quartermarken Form:''' Is when a person who is a Marken only applies some aspects of Markenism, but their head is still very distinctly humanoid and they are still recognizable as their normal self. | ||
* '''Halfmarken Form:''' is when a person who is a Marken has a Marken head and some qualities like claws and a tail, but still walks in an upright humanoid stance, more akin to an Asha. This is a Disguise. | * '''Halfmarken Form:''' is when a person who is a Marken has a Marken head and some qualities like claws and a tail, but still walks in an upright humanoid stance, more akin to an Asha. This is a Disguise. |
Revision as of 21:20, 10 December 2023
Marken, Soul Marked, God Marked or God Cursed, is an Alorian-based Affinity that has plagued rare individuals and even some families for centuries. Marken and the God Cursed have for centuries been hunted down and killed due to a lack of understanding about their condition, and fear over the violence and killing that usually goes in their wake. Marken are normally very mundane individuals who suffer a condition that causes them to violently change during certain specific conditions that may vary from person to person into enlarged, more beast-like versions of themselves. The reason why Marken are often also called God Marked or God Cursed is because this Affinity frequently occurs at the hands of a divine entity or some sort of God belonging to a religion. In recent centuries, Marken were victims of the Darkwald, now Lothar Order in the Regalian Empire. Understanding of the Marken has grown in recent times alongside a sense of sympathy, though wariness surrounding them has never diminished; the God Cursed pose a constant, considerable, and incurable risk to society that often incarcerates them for life. After all, when Gods come to punish mortals, they don't just do that for any a reason that is easily dismissed. Sometimes the monster is not in fact the transformation.
Playing a Marken in Regalia
Marken are simply put monsters, and so many characters will react with disgust and potentially violence when seeing them. Though by nature illegal for most of history, a strenuous agreement in the Imperial Court has recently led to Empire-wide Marken legalization. Marken can report to a Knight of any Order for a short series of mental fitness tests, and upon being declared sane, have their name and Marken Form recorded. This legalization is entirely dependent on the Marken keeping a good reputation, to sustain the razor-thin Imperial favor keeping them from being hunted again. Player Marken should take care not to lose control or attack those around them for this reason.
Becoming a Marken
Marken are considered so dangerous, not only because the ones who cannot control themselves murder a lot of people, but also because being attacked by one caused infection to a high degree. The most obvious infection that can occur by a Marken, is to be bitten or scratched by one, and to survive an attack. Another method of being a Marken, is to be born to one, as Marken always pass their curse on to their children. Another method of being a Marken, is to be cursed into being one by a God, which is common for those who defile holy sites and Temples dedicated to specific gods. There are however also more benign infection methods, Marken may infect a willing person by choice, while some Gods may also grant Markenism as a blessing. Finally, Cannibalism always results in a Marken infection. Markenism takes a few days to fully take hold of the Host, after which they are permanently and incurably a Marken. A Character that is Afflicted cannot become a Marken, and Marken also cannot become Afflicted.
Infection Changes
Markenism can cause physical changes in the Host even outside of Transformation. Hosts can become more muscular, broader, larger, hairier (or scales?), more aggressive, their hair color can change, their eye color can change, they might become more sensitive to loud sounds or bright lights, or lack concentration. Markenism also causes further mental changes in the host, depending on how much in control of the curse they are. Each person who is infected with Markenism always starts out completely out of control, they are beset with rage and violence and will attack even loved ones. The longer an Infection exists however (and the more the Host becomes in-tune and accepting of their Curse, perhaps even liking it), they gain control over the Curse, and become able to Transform at will, and retain in control entirely. Markenism in general however always worsens bad personality traits, while suppressing good ones. There is a wide range of ways people deal with Markenism, some embrace it, some are ashamed of it and try to minimize the damage, while others become emotionally crippled at the loss of memories and hurt they cause.
Marken Types
There are six distinct types of Marken, each with their background stories and each with general cultural niches. All the art depicted on this page shows Marken at their default design, but players have more creative freedom to tweak aspect of it is (more further down). Choosing one type of Marken is also not permanent, each Type is strongly attached to a particular personality trait or quality of a person, if their personality shifts greatly, or they experience major events in their life, the Type of Marken may also shift along with it.
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Marken Designs
As mentioned above, the art provides a "Default" Marken design. By default all Marken have a predominantly black-color scheme, with purple eye colors. However, there is a wide range of customization options:
- Eye Colors: Eye Colors can be whatever the player wants them to be, from dark sclera to bright, and from unnatural iris colors to natural ones. These have a great degree of freedom, including but not limited to multi-color eye shades, solid black eyes, or even eyes that look like a starry night sky and glow in the dark. It is recommended not to mimic Afflictions.
- Colorings: Fur or Scale Colors do not need to be Black. They can be based on natural hair-color, monochromatic white and black patterns, have stripes and spots and shapes, have inverted patterning, and even have other colors, though the colors should in general be somewhat muted and never become blaringly vibrant, nor can fur be glowing.
- Aesthetics: Additional thematic Aesthetics may be added, for example: a Suvial Marken may have crater-like formations that emit lava glows and volcano fumes, a Dragon Worshiping Marken may have electric sparks in their fur, a Velheim Marken can have rune tablet bone plates, there is a great deal of freedom here so long as the animal is recognizable.
Transformations
Marken have a number of Transformations, which may alter the way a Marken Character is played, particularly in Combat Roleplay. During combat, a Marken can never revert once transformed, meaning that a Marken can Transform into Quartermarken, then into Halfmarken, then into Fullmarken, but never "go back" any phase until the combat is concluded. Only one Transformation can be active at any time:
- Quartermarken Form: Is when a person who is a Marken only applies some aspects of Markenism, but their head is still very distinctly humanoid and they are still recognizable as their normal self.
- Halfmarken Form: is when a person who is a Marken has a Marken head and some qualities like claws and a tail, but still walks in an upright humanoid stance, more akin to an Asha. This is a Disguise.
- Fullmarken Form: Is when a person who is a Marken fully transforms into a more bestial Marken Form, becoming more monster like and hunched over, and becoming considerably larger. This is a Disguise.
Fullmarken Mechanics
Fullmarken Form is the only Transformation that has functionally different mechanics. Quartermarken and Halfmarken Forms can still make use of weapons like normal, and so do not function differently.
- No Weapons: Firstly, Fullmarken Forms cannot make use of weapons or armor at all. They must use Unarmed, though their claws act like steel weapons, and they gain +2 Strength and +2 Constitution that breaks cap up to 11. Additionally, any Dexterity or Arcane Proficiency the user has is converted to Strength, capped at 7.
- No Armor: Secondly, Fullmarken Forms break out of armor and clothes when they Transform. They are always without armor, but their hides are as durable as if they were wearing armor.
- No Abilities: Thirdly, Fullmarken Forms cannot use any Abilities. However, they gain the Abilities Sinistral Leap Pack and Sinistral Rage Pack (Abilities found in the Packs) while Transformed, which they can use. These abilities are not classified as magic at all, but mundane expressions of the Marken's strength.
- Fight Anywhere: Fourthly, Fullmarken Forms are not constrained by any environment they have to fight in, whether that be Underwater or in frozen wastelands, they can use Attack Emotes or Abilities like normal always.
- Marken speech: Lastly, Fullmarken Forms are unable to speak languages (they can still understand them). They can produce bestial noise Marken Speech, which any other Marken can understand, even while untransformed.
Trivia
- Many people think a Brawl Marken turns a person into an actual bear. Don’t be like that. It’s just a humanoid body with bear-like hands and feet, and a bear-head. It remains Humanoid in every other way.
- Arken have in the past also given Arken Pacts, gifts, and curses to people that they called Marken or Marked. These have never been the same as actual Marken or God Cursed, and more often than not was just Arken being uncreative and mimicking pre-existing Afflictions.
- Opiates and alcohol work as a depressant to a degree. Because many Marken involuntarily transform due to emotional distress or anger, opiates and alcohol are able to numb those preconditions. As a result, many Marken end up addicted to either substance to try and cope.
- One of the most infamous Marken was Narsil, the giant Strangle Marken pet of Regalian Arch Chancellor Morgann Kade. Killed after his master died, Narsil's boody was preserved, and a fang stolen, to create the Artifact Narselendis.
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