Supplementary Information Sheet for
Sire Frauz van de Sneeuwveld
The Preening Shark.
❝One is spurred to action by a myriad emotions, no matter how long one mulls over it. No morals could justify whether it is correct or reprehensible. Only in self-reflection can we determine the righteousness of our actions.❞
Stories that spur the soul, and drives Frauz onwards.
The Maelstrom that is Frauz's world, Argant Masch.
The Powers that propel Frauz to his current status.
Retrotemporal Anomaly
The Praeteritum Codex is a powerful grimoire which holds the Mysteries of Retrotemporal Studies, known also as Past-Time Observations. It has been modified to act as a diary of sorts, authored by Frauz that appends his personal life as well as additions to the study.It accounts of methodologies that allows the user to peer moments in time with great accuracy, though with severe limitations where it can only return to what the user has experienced in their whole lifetime, and cannot alter it in any form, via conventional means.
Frauz's trained and studied form of Understanding, Frauz can extract water from the air, soil and objects, manipulating them to Ice or Water-based constructs.Though his Understanding has been limited to basic shapes, advanced constructs and sublimation as well as deposition; when combined with Retrotemporal Studies, his basic Understanding suffices to craft his own Mystery - Retropresent Constructs.
Aquakinesis
Retropresent Constructs
Combining Retrotemporal Studies and Aquakinesis, Frauz project moments of his life to his constructs to an uncannily accurate degree. An example of this process is firing a gun. To the degree replicated, he could merely copy the bullet and its trajectory.The gun could be fired in mid-air whilst maintaining the velocity or his past self firing the gun altogether. The granularity of this power can be improved as well as its utility with enough Understanding, mana and wit.
Mystery and Understanding
Those who pursue the unravelling of the universe (whether as a profession or a byproduct of their studies) divide knowledge to two categories - Mystery and Understanding.Mysteries are the universe's greater secrets - whether due to unappetising studies, lost Understanding or a highly secretive study. In combat, Mysteries are valuable for increasing strategic depth and choice as well as exploiting the element of surprise when applied correctly.Mystery can also be created from Understanding when studied long enough - manipulating known concepts and subtly adjusting ratios for spells for an undocumented effect.Understanding are foundational studies that are widely studied within populaces, whether generalist topics in certain cities or preferred studies for certain species. Understanding can be learnt as well as innately known.
Mysteries and Understanding can be attuned to objects - whether as an existing codex of the topic, or psychometric transference of the topic. It can also be attuned to locations, such as temples where Mystery could be becqueathed from a deity.The greater goal of most practitioners is to compile all Mystery and Understanding to the Library of Houx; the authority that governs and records all knowledge, and is the lawful operating body that sponsors most guilds that focus in broadening the depth of Knowledge. Some of the most well-known are the Fyriss Foundation, the Sunken Archives and the Preened Veil. There have been rumours that some departments of Houx have been supporting less-than-stellar entities in secret..
Career and Status
Frauz is what many in Argant Masch consider to be a 'Non-regular magus', ones who are not tied down by location, let alone with any of the major guilds. This way of life is attractive to many magi for settling down in their personal ateliers.Non-regulars aren't necessarily viewed with disdain. In fact, several non-regular guilds are highly respected. An example is the Boh-Tin Enclave, a group of practitioners that fuse Botany and Enchantments to further increase effectiveness of medical reagents, potions and salves.Frauz was formerly a recordkeep for the Sunken Archives, a nuanced job that dealt with archival work, preservation and restoration of manuscripts ranging from obscure foreign recettes for reagent preparation to documenting manipulation causes and effects on basic spells.It also tended rather heavily with intelligence and secret decipherment. Although quite mundane, it is a role he enjoyed and a foundational keystone to his repertoire and knowledge, as well as the ability to subvert and befuddle expectations in combat, a rare skill to see. Of course; for reasons only known to him, he had to abandon his post, and pursue the art of Retrotemporal Studies..
Argant Masch
A maelstrom in the shattered realm of creation. Boundaries between realms, minds and the greater universe are torn to pieces. Continents and regions rise and fall to turbulent disharmony that is the status quo of nature. Although such conditions are predisposed to unstoppable chaos, the torn earth has exposed the inner core - an azure gaseous substance that inhibits space-time; a protective mist that prevents extradimensional travel inside, allowing the Argant's residents to defend itself and assert sovereignty - to an extent.This sovereignty is recognised in the major cities within; Fyriss, home of the Fyriss Foundation. A governing body that administrates all the guilds, major and non-regular alike. Serosae, bastion of the Sunken Archive where precursor knowledge is deciphered and recorded. Chaaruis, the Preened Veil's established Feathered Order.The co-operate triumvirate specialises in their own expertise; Governance, Research and Defense to protect Argant Masch. Outside of these cities are wildlands, where non-regulars seclude and practice their craft. Although defense of the realm is not the first thought to each guild, it is certainly within the hearts of its inhabitants.
The Beginning
This story occurs several years before Frauz obtained a Sirehood; an established order of those responsible to the defense of the nation. Differing from the three guilds' protection, this collective uses their means and their works to protect Argant Masch.---“I await the seas of eternity to split apart and reveal thy grandest stage. Until then, walk this broken world with stride.”---In moments of quiet tranquil, Frauz often ponders the meaning - if any, of those off-hand comments from [REDACTED]. Almost as if seeded to be scrutinised long after he had been lost to the machinations of time gone by, fragments to a nigh-impossible riddle that would break any spirit who challenges nature itself.In the odd times that his guild requests a protectionery quest, Frauz happily obliges to return the favour, so long he can bring some spoils back.The objective was to secure a small shrine, where potential looter activity was rumoured. Located in a grove, the flora had been meticulously sculpted in that no maintenance were ever needed, the pathway always open to worshipers of this nondescript entity. Its centrepiece a humble wooden sculpture of a feathered being, its detail was too basic to be whittled down to an exact deity.Although Frauz worships no deity, he feels compelled to at least genuflect and respect its abode, before performing his duties.“Maschan deity, I thank you for offering spiritual nourishment to your followers, how little they may be. Under the commission of the Sunken Archive, I shall do my utmost best to protect this grove.”Standing up and turning away, the shark began to secure the surrounding area. Arcane sigils formed underneath as enchantment after enchantment was uttered. Meticulous as always, it consisted of words of protection, blaze-choking works, occluding illusory and a direct ley line to his abode. Only those who seek this place in their mind's heart will find it.Not long after his work had finished, a band of looters; the Archive's bane, had arrived in confusion as they attempted to seek out the shrine. It was no sooner than he realised that these were not a moment sooner that these were not run-of-the-mill opportunists, but they were extradimensional in origin.Frauz could tell; for they reeked of Fragmentation, where sufficiently powerful beings whose frequencies sometimes pierced the protective Argant mists that stupefies space-time. Not powerful enough to manifest directly, but enough that they can hear and seek those like Frauz. This group was composed of ten of them, a worrying number that Frauz would need to handle quickly before they began to prey on his mind..Frauz watched with attentive tension in his hand, ready to unfurl his tome and blade to strike first as he observed. The hunters used familiar spells to try and deobfuscate the shrine.Incantations that pointed to their destination spun in endless circles.
One babbled in unknown tongues as they continued to scry the location, but to no success. The closest one came to using a form of clairvoyance to reveal the shrine, but the occluding mockery kept the whole grove cloaked in darkness.Frauz stood idly as he watched for what felt like an eternity as they vibrated in anger, before a dispatch team would join them, before leading them to another location. Whatever that may be, it was not this location.The shark sighed in relief before a voice reached out from behind.“Frauz. Sneeuwveld child.” It called.“..What? Who calls my name?” The shark perked up nervously, turning around.“My gratitude in protecting this humble shrine. Had you not intervened in such a manner, I fear for the safety of my flock, how little they may be.”“The shrine..? You have enough to manifest?” Frauz questioned in scepticism. Most recorded instances of shrines manifesting a deity would require a large congregation. This shrine.. defied working knowledge.“Quite the surprise is it now? I convene not with faith alone. In moments of great potential for paradigm shifts do I make use of my own power.”Frauz was confused. Paradigm shift? This shrine? It was either full of itself, full of deceit or truly unique.
“Paradigm shift..? This moment..?” Frauz was.. befuddled. The Archives never mentioned its importance once, yet.. the circumstances that transpired...“I need not say more. Those band of hunters you cleverly misdirected without bloodshed away from these sacred woods. A pack of ten.” The shrine spoke back.“Yes, an anomaly. Either the dispatch was a moron who overvalued this shrine, or you have credence.” The shark hummed as he mulled the situation.“What do you wish of me, exactly?” The shark would continue.The shrine contemplated over said question, careful to not reveal too much, whatever its true intentions might be. Perhaps bound by contracts beyond understanding. “Allow me to reveal who I am first. I am the deity that your friend [REDACTED] worships. I am Alyrreon. Deity of Argant Masch.”“...Argant Masch? As in the whole..?” The shark clarified.
“Indeed.” It responded without hesitation.The shark pondered this piece of information. Already there was massive doubt in his mind about this deity, yet the revelations only piqued his curiosity.. and the scope for scrutiny increases. Before he could speak again, the shrine had resolved to reveal its goals, as far as it could.“What I need of you; child, is your powers. Your craft passed from [REDACTED] was a study of my power. The Orthodox mist that protects us from those from beyond, it is the crux of the design of my work.”“What I need of you, is to harness your craftwork in replenishing the mist.”“Replenishing..?” The shark stammered. “I understand that it is not infinite, and that the three major guilds had been developing a similar magic to eventually supersede the mist.. is it not powerful enough?”“That it is not, indeed. I fear the end for the Argant Masch should the vapours end. I have reserves plenty, yet I need the guarantee of someone, should another piece of the land be hollowed out, and this reserve escapes.”The enormity of the task slowly dawned on the shark, his nerves certainly in overdrive. This was no ordinary calling, or plea from a deity.“And you best believe I to be your Deity-Speaker? To be your champion; Argant Masch's champion, me?” Frauz balked, frenetically trying to scope the moment.“Understand; most divine Alyrreon, that the task you have thrust upon me, a mere nomadic mage with barely a breakthrough in borrowed craft and mere Archival Aide, is highly unsuited for your grand task. My fighting capabilities are limited; I am best designated as a support-class specialist, to the three guilds' Canon Index. I cannot, in good conscience, fail a task this important with my limited set of skills.”A soft chuckle reverberated from the shrine. Almost as if that response was expected. The shark only felt his breathing become difficult as the tension choked his lungs of air.“Truly befitting the mark of a Sire. I offer this not without change to your life, of course. At this moment, the threads of fate of your life is taut, and yourself seems to know this well. You may chase and cry for [REDACTED] back, but he is lost in that moment. Shattered to granules in the cosmic aether, I am afraid that he is forever lost.”“Yet shed not more tears of his passing, and ease your frail heart. I may yet be able to bestow what others consider a blessing, many a curse. The Invertas Paradoxica.”For a moment, the shark trembled in shock at such an offer. His eyes' gaze were broken, and felt as if he was dragged out of his body. He unwittingly zoned out as he grappled with the shrine's suggestion.“...An ancient Mystery that dissected one from the temporal umbilical cord.. You would break natural order for this to occur?” The shark clarified. What was offered was a performance of Mystery upon his soul, in turn becoming a minor aspect of Mystery, itself. To become unable to be understood by conventional magic, to be cut off from Understanding.“We who were the first natives of the Argant before the Shattering. Our love for it has not waned.”“I don't.. believe I share the same zeal and long-term thought for these lands. I had prepared myself a quiet life, until the end. You offer far too much to change my life, I cannot begin to fathom why..”“Oh Sneeuwveld child, you continue to impress. An offer of power unimaginable most would take without consequence, yet here you scrutinise such offer with abated breath. You worry of past, present and future, all at once. Such foresight cannot be cultivated.”The shrine's glimmer felt warm and radiant, truly pleased with the shark. Though that shimmering warmth faded quickly.“It is a tall ask. I give no guarantees of your success in your studies, and a bane cast upon your heart to protect lands you affirm not with love, but only with survival. To shift from the present mindset to the far future, perhaps as the Argant's sole custodian.”“You will become powerful of your own right, yet your foes moreso and in countless droves. You will slaughter them, shred them to nothingness, and under your eternal vigil, the Argant shall prosper. It is a contract I can offer once, and its repercussions permanent. All parallel selves will converge in this moment, and with it your right to true self-determination shall disappear.”“..Shall we contract ourselves to fate?”