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Pact - Acquired at Novice. The foundation of a reaver’s powers is the ability to form the Pact. A Pact should only ever be performed on a mundane weapon or soul cairn artefact. Attempting to form a Pact with a pre-existing runeforged artifact and other such objects is a recipe for disaster and something only the most esteemed masters can hope to achieve, even then there is only a slim chance of success. Reavers gradually grow to be able to maintain several Pacts as they progress in power. Pacts can be formed with: Blades, Bows, Maces, Polearms, Arrows, Shields, even Guns. If a player has a question about whether or not an object can be formed into a Pact Weapon, ask a moderator. The rule of thumb is that it should be something that is intentionally designed to be an instrument of war and battle. Pact weapons are an extension of the reaver. They spend a considerable amount of time doused in the wizard’s aether and even being housed within their very soul. As a result of this, they are very unique magical objects. Over time, a pact weapon’s appearance will begin to take on physical traits that reflect beliefs that the wizard may hold or certain attributes about them. While purely aesthetic, a reaver’s pact weapon says a lot about them and their journey as a reaver in general.
Materialize - Acquired at Novice. By tapping into the power of their rune, the reaver opens the door for their weapon to manifest in the physical realm. It costs a reaver next to nothing to simply manifest their individual pact weapons. A materialized pact weapon will remain in the physical world until it is actively dismissed by the wizard, shattered or dematerialized.
Dematerialize - Acquired at Novice. The wizard recalls their pact weapon into themselves. Many reavers brace themselves as the weapon instantaneously dematerializes in totality once recalled. They are then subject to the full force of the pain induced by the act. If able, most reavers meditate before recalling their pact weapons into themselves in order to mitigate the severity of the experience. As a result of this, most reavers build up extensive meditation skills and develop a high tolerance for pain. A pact weapon will dematerialize on its own if too far from the reaver.
Returning - Acquired at Novice. Pact weapons are continually tied to the wizard they are bonded to. By reaching out across this bond, the wizard can return their pact weapon to their side at will unless unable to do so. The pact weapon does not inherently possess the ability to pass through solid objects and thus it can be blocked from returning to the wizard’s side if summoned in this manner. It does not dematerialize and then rematerialize in the wizard’s hand unless they actively will it to do so. Dematerializing a pact weapon will induce its effects on the reaver, always.
Projection - Acquired at Apprentice. Projection is a means by which the reaver can channel their awareness through their pact weapon. It becomes a proxy for their sight and hearing though they are only capable of perceiving up to a limited range. The pact weapon must be placed wherever they are attempting to project their awareness. While projecting, the wizard is blind and deaf to their immediate surroundings until such time as they cease projecting.
Sanctuary - Acquired at Apprentice. An evolution of dematerializing but one that requires a specific set of circumstances, the power of sanctuary was developed to lessen the effects of dematerialization with pact weapons. The reaver initiates this by stirring their aether into motion and slowly opening up themselves to recalling their pact weapon into themselves. In order to mitigate the experiences written upon the aether of the blade and thus reduce the amount of pain one feels upon recalling it, the reaver must give the weapon new experiences. This is achieved by entering a slow, meditative series of steps with their weapon. The sanctuary lasts as long as the wizard has the strength to sustain it but must be undertaken for double the length of time of the fight in which the pact weapon was used. It is a strong tool but one that must be balanced with the mage’s own fatigue and overall wellbeing. There is a time and place for this technique and in the heat of battle is not one of them.
Varnish - Acquired at Apprentice. The ability through which a reaver can channel other forms of personal magic through their pact weapon. The reaver must be touching their pact weapon in order to first bestow a varnished ability upon it. Channeling the power of the Rune of Reaving, the reaver partially dematerializes the pact weapon. They then subject the pact weapon to the magical effect they wish to varnish it with. The aether of the weapon will retain this arcane form of programming and will then be able to reproduce that specific ability until it is fully dematerialized. The varnish will only allow the weapon to manifest the specific ability it is varnished with. The properties of dragonshards can be applied in this same manner. All varnishes will dissipate once the weapon is next dematerialized and must then be reapplied upon being materialized again. Activating a pact weapon’s varnished ability is the same as using the ability oneself in terms of aether expenditure.
Morphosis - Acquired at Apprentice. A Reaver's relationship over the weapons with which they form a Pact is a unique thing. Nothing quite displays this uniqueness than the ability of Morphosis. Through Morphosis, the reaver can alter the physical structure of the weaponry they have formed a Pact with. The reaver partially dematerializes their pact weapon and morphs its physical form into the shape desired. The caveat to this is that it must be of the same family of weaponry and it must be a weapon that the reaver has knowledge of in terms of use. For instance, a reaver can take a basic longsword and introduce a serrated edge to the blade provided they have used or studied a longsword with a serrated edge. This ability, above all, is a key reason why reavers tend to be so diverse in their knowledge of weaponry and fighting styles.
Transmute - Acquired at Journeyman. Through Transmute, the Reaver can alter the composition of the weaponry they have formed a Pact with. This is done by meditating over the desired pact weapon and partially dematerializing it. The reaver then takes the material they wish weave into the makeup of their pact weapon and carefully begins to channel it into their weapon. When done successfully, the chosen material will become part of that specific pact weapon and the reaver will be able to transmute their pact weapon into that material at will. At more advanced stages, the reaver can even blend together the properties of different materials they have integrated into the makeup of their pact weaponry. For instance, giving a sword the appearance of wood while retaining the sharpness and sturdiness of steel.
Duplicity - Acquired at Journeyman. The power to create duplicate copies of their pact weapon is an iconic ability among reavers. The mage must be physically touching their pact weapon. They then extend their aether and use it to replicate a copy of the pact weapon. Duplicated pact weapons always manifest as mundane weaponry and behave as such. They are not the original pact weapon and thus lack any of its inherent abilities and strengths, they are merely copies. As they are not the original pact weapon, dematerializing a duplicate is akin to simply dismissing an aether construct.
Dancing - Acquired at Journeyman. A reaver and their pact weapon are as one, nothing displays this more than the ability to Dance with those pact weapons. As previously mentioned, a bridge exists between the reaver and their pact weapons at all times while it is materialized. By extending their power and awareness into this bridge, the reaver can manipulate their pact weapons remotely. Dancing requires extensive amounts of practice and training to truly master and the further the weapon is from the reaver, the more draining it is to Dance with.
Rebuke - Acquired at Expert. The power of Rebuke is a passive ability with great impact to the Reaver. It is less of a power and more a result of the reaver’s bond with their pact weaponry. The reaver’s pact weapons have been doused within the aether of the wizard’s soul, housed within the essence of their very being. As a result, some level of rudimentary sentience has bled off into the pact weaponry at a reaver’s disposal. The power of Rebuke manifests as the pact weapon actively working to protect and defend the reaver. Each instance of this manifestation counts as casting a spell or using an ability and thus is draining upon the reaver. However, a pact weapon that enacts Rebuke may very well save a reaver’s life. Through this ability, the pact weapon may move itself into the path of an oncoming blade, it may deflect an arrow that might have been lethal, or it may even activate a varnished ability that it has been imbued with. In any instance, the Rebuke works toward protecting the mage from harm. A Rebuke is a single, immediate, life saving action that once performed, is finished, with its purpose having been served.
In order for Rebuke to take effect, the pact weapon must already be physically materialized. A pact weapon will not materialize as a result of this ability. It must be within the wizard’s immediate vicinity where the action provoking the Rebuke takes place. In order to activate a varnished ability, that ability must have already been applied to it. In the case of a soul cairn artefact, the soul within the pact weapon can even go so far as to Dance in defense of the mage.
Arsenal - Acquired at Master. A Reaver's "Arsenal" is the manifestation of their Pact weapons - all at their disposal - only to duplicate them en masse, creating at first tens, then hundreds of these fabricated weapons typically overhead and beside themselves to be launched at a foe. Arsenal is often an ability that moves in a straight line, launching these weapons at a high velocity within the designated radius. Its area of effect, however, is versatile; it can be conal, can follow multiple straight lines, and can even launch in odd formations such as variating crescent shapes. The weapons of the Arsenal can be guided to briefly follow after individual or multiple targets, making evasion and defense more difficult. Arsenal's weapons fade a few seconds after impact is made, though the ten original pact weapons may return to the Reaver's side, allowing for a smooth transition into the next ability.
Myriad - Acquired at Master. Myriad is among the Reaver's most powerful tools - all ten of their Pact Weapons will circle around them in powerful aethereal form and can be transitioned to instantly, dematerializing and rematerializing in fractions of a second. The Reaver can therefore exchange the weapon they are wielding and utilizing fluidly. They can even switch mid-motion, as well as dual wield these weapons if they desire. Thrown weapons will immediately return when willed to, and the Pact Weapons surrounding them can even be made to violently dance around them, placing vast pressure on any nearby foes. There are effectively two versions of Myriad, and each has their own associated costs. The Myriad in which all ten Pact Weapons are persistently dancing, chasing after foes and attacking in formation is certainly far more powerful, but expends considerable aether and over-use can quickly lead to overstepping. The Myriad that allows for constant weapon-swapping, more commonly utilized by master Reavers, can be sustained for much longer periods of time and tends to be a part of a master Reaver's general arsenal of abilities.
