MOTIF: EBON DUELIST
Introduction
Taelian's Rune of Sigilic Pyromancy -- or the Black Sigil -- follows a thematic assembly of traits, known to him as a motif. This motif has been titled 'the Ebon Duelist' by Taelian, due to the focus of his quirks on exceeding the capabilities of a singular foe. They have trained his body and Rune to go toe-to-toe with the quicker and deadlier Dranoch, forging him into a Pyromantic duelist of little comparison.
Rune Location: Taelian's Black Sigil is on the back of his neck, more visible with shorter hair, though the bottom part of it is always visible unless concealed.
The Black Sun - Apprentice
The Black Sun is a melodramatic name for a fairly unspectacular quirk. Taelian's eyes, still ivory in color, are now surrounded by a perpetually lit and vibrantly colored ring of flame, acting as an outer glow. While this normally has little effect, it allows him to see much better in the dark, as his eyes act as a self-sustaining form of illumination. As a downside, stealth and subterfuge become more difficult for the Ebon Knight, whose eyes cast a directional light on whatever he is currently looking at.
Affliction of Ash - Journeyman
Taelian's Beacon acts much like a sun. While it provides him with warmth and illumination, it is as likely to overreach and burn him as a partial-Famished. This Quirk is an almost physical interpretation of that unfortunate polarity. When Taelian sustains considerable physical damage, and particularly heavy damage dealt to internal organs, his Beacon begins to churn vividly either due to a loss in control or as an internalized attempt to reach out and protect him. What this does is emit what is essentially a soul-effecting solar flare, the Beacon extending beyond its boundaries and cindering the edges of Taelian's essence. While this can be recovered from, the immediate effects are starkly grim.
Taelian will quite literally appear to flake into what looks like ash. Large sections of his skin will become dead and will begin to peel from his flesh, which itself is weakened by this backlash. His bones will become more brittle and his Sigilic Pyromancy unstable, thrashing out in indeterminate directions as likely to thrash an ally as a foe. Healing for Taelian is an arduous process and one that requires his Beacon essentially be rekindled after surging wildly out of control. Wounds inflicted upon Taelian after this condition takes effect can only be healed through the use of fire or cauterization. While it will not cause scarring, the Beacon inside of Taelian draws in the power of the fire using it to heal Taelian's soul and body, it will not lessen the pain of quite literally being burned alive. A lesson in the cost of power, while grueling to endure, it will ensure a complete recovery for him. A 'glass cannon', some would call him, Taelian burns brightly but ultimately becomes stunningly easy to kill with a well-placed attack, the Affliction nearly guaranteeing his death if he is not extricated from the field.
Gallow Warrior - Expert
The premier thematic Quirk of Taelian's motif, Gallow Warrior allows Taelian to manipulate his Enkindled weapons almost freely, and with great precision. He embeds nearly every fiber of their metal with Enkindled properties, allowing him to manipulate them as if they were cinders of flame through Pyrokinetics; suspending them at will and precisely controlling their movements. Though they keep their shape and appearance, cindered cracks will run across their form like with all Enkindled weapons. Taelian can seemingly perform this on any weapon with carbon in it, which he welds with particles of Shrivenflame in order to manipulate the weaponry. He can only manipulate these Enkindled weapons up to twenty feet away from him, and only up to six at once. Emblem cannot be channeled through these weapons, as it requires a physical grasp. Finally, these weapons and their dexterity are predicated upon the weapon skill they're based on.
This Quirk comes with a permanent physical change. A fiery-red, searing line will run across the length of Taelian's spine, permanently glowing warmly. This ends not far above his tailbone in height.
Ebon Paladin - Master
Ebon Paladin applies a singular but notable change to Taelian's Sigilic Pyromancy: as a warrior meant to lash out against the undying, his Sigilic Pyromancy techniques will now home in on the foes he has designated, so long as they fit certain criteria. All Dranoch, Liches (including proto), Strigoi, Necromancy-constructs, other undead and mortal entities who have lived beyond their natural span of life may be designated as 'targets' by his Enkindled weapons and Shrivenflame. This will not only force his weapons and techniques to follow after them with greater alacrity, including the swings and lunges of his wielded weapons, but to follow after them for a radius of up to fifty feet, enhancing the range of Gallow Warrior if in pursuit of such targets. Even with sharp turns and pivots, his weapons and flame will continue to follow their chosen foes aggressively, forcing them to fight on the backfoot of an escalating series of coordinated assaults.
Knight of the Pyred Bedlam - Master
The final Quirk of the Ebon Duelist, Knight of the Pyred Bedlam allows for Taelian to manipulate the carbon within his Enkindled weapons by superheating it, allowing him to change its composition. This enables Taelian to dramatically increase the durability of his Enkindled weapons by increasing their carbon density, making the weapons he wields nearly impervious to damage. As a result, Taelian gains an advantage in parrying, blocking and countering with his Enkindled weapons. This change is so profound that they appear to be able to block and reflect nearly anything, including weaker or more concentrated arcane attacks. He may additionally alter their carbon to become less dense, increasing sharpness and mobility at the cost of durability. While this appears a simple alteration to his Sigilic weaponmastery, it has profound effects on his dueling capabilities.
As a downside to all of his Quirks, now -- a sweeping trend overlaying his motif -- Taelian must now pursue and kill all undying so long as he is aware of what they are. Dranoch, Liches, specters haunting the physical world and others who have unnaturally extended their lives far beyond what is normal; Taelian's Beacon commands him to kill them and he will not relent in his violent pursuit of such individuals. The mental compulsion is strong enough to override almost any factor, reason or sense of self-preservation.
As a final change, the most dramatic aesthetic difference comes now with the motif. Taelian's body appears to change somewhat like an Enkindled weapon; cracks of flame are scattered at random throughout his body, isolated scars, almost molten in appearance. Most prominently these scars appear to line directly beneath his collarbone, along his sides above his waist and adonis belt, and coiling around his upper legs like a crown of cinders around each limb.
