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event 18 wip
Apr. 12th, 2024 08:47 pm
+ LORE
Associated with eagles, libraries, shadows, the wind and (weirdly enough) apples, Altaïr has no formal worshipers; rather, knowledge of a god who walks the earth and sky unnoticed and can reveal absolute truths and forbidden knowledge is spread in whispers from person to person. Those who seek him out tend to be scholars, rulebreakers, and those who transcend the boundaries built by mortals in power.
In what Altaïr would think of as the better times, he grants favors and knowledge to those who have a love of learning — as it applies to the world and to people. Prayers to the Eagle are not swiftly answered, but those who invoke him may find a book close at hand that happens to contain exactly the information they need, or a useful object on a shelf that they never noticed before.
In worse times — periods of strife, conflict and ill omens, among small or large groups of mortals — it is much more dangerous to call upon Altaïr. Those wish selfish motivations, even unconsciously so, who would treat people as things may find themselves besieged by shadows, wracked with paranoia, or simply blinded. They also say that the Guardian of Soaring Heights is capable of revealing the absolute truth of one's self — a far more terrifying experience than many would ever have guessed.
+ DESCRIPTION
Much of the time, Altaïr appears as a normal man, with a faint golden glow in his eyes serving as the only sign of his true nature. When he calls upon his power and reveals himself as a god, that glow becomes more piercing and spreads across much of body; eagle feathers run down his shoulders and arms, and semi-transparent white wings (or are they robes?) billow behind him as if there is an eternal breeze about. His hidden blade is now a part of him, built into his very arm, though this is very difficult to even notice until he chooses to release it.+ DOMAIN
Masyaf Castle has only grown over the years, along with the mountain it rests upon, becoming a sprawling complex that is as much labyrinth as it is fortress. The weather changes with Altaïr's state of mind; in darker times, a howling wind whips through the grounds, and there is an eternal twilight.+ POWERS
Blessing; True sightA gift of knowledge;
Altaïr can grant a boon of knowledge or wisdom, guiding the faithful to items in the real world that represent what they seek — whether they know it or not.
True sight; his eagle vision has grown massively in power, enabling him to look into a mortal's very soul and see the truth of their intentions, now or at any time in the past.
Blade of truth; He is capable of plunging his hidden blade into one's flesh and, instead of harming them, compelling truths, even those a person may not consciously acknowledge.
Affliction; False vision
Blindness; He is capable of taking away the sight of those he deems unworthy. This could be true loss of eyesight or an inability to see a particular thing; ex. a mortal could be cursed to never be able to see the person they love, however sharp their vision is otherwise.
Inflict paranoia; Those who have plotted against others, depriving them of choice and free will, may find themselves endlessly paranoid, seeing only schemes and distrust among those they would otherwise have called friend.
Self knowledge; discovery In addition to compelling truth, Altaïr can compel a mortal to truly know themselves, completely and totally, with absolute clarity down to the smallest detail: every virtue, every secret wish, but also every flaw, every bad deed. It is unsettling at best and at worst, enough to drive one to madness.
Self knowledge; dispel Once a mortal's true self is revealed, Altaïr is capable of cleansing them of thoughts, traits or beliefs. At best, this "purifies" them, giving them a second chance; at worst, it burns away pieces of their mind, never to recover, leaving them living shells.
Over the centuries, though, his desire to set humanity on a better path and fix things grows to a dangerous extent, even as the specifics of his commitment to the tenets of the Assassin's creed wanes. The more he is called upon as a god, the more he is called upon to judge mortals and serve as a divine arbiter of truth, the greater the temptation to embrace his inhuman side and purge mortals of the aspects of their nature that lead to strife, bloodshed and cruel use of power over those who have none. More than once, Altaïr seems to have turned his affliction on himself, paranoia paving the way to false judgment.
What's the point of keeping a semblance of humanity when his nature is otherwise? Why not force the truths he sees on others, and purge mankind of the ability to deceive at all? Pockets of adherents have given way to small cults over the centuries, driving him further into godhood. It's the people he knows and cares for that always bring him back, but it's become something of a cycle that may eventually stop on one extreme or another.
