Merosh Devathor
Appearance
As an able dreadlord of House Virak, Merosh is treated well. So his clothes and weapons are of fine quality, as one quickly realizes upon closer inspection. However, he does not strive to show off his appearance, he just wants his clothes to be durable and of practical use. So he only wears clothes suitable for combat and tends to dark, inconspicuous colors.
Although from the subtle ornaments and decorations on his things that tailors and blacksmiths have left behind, you can tell that even the simplest coat in his possession is of upscale quality, that there was put some more effort and craftsmanship into it.
He wears his hair sometimes long, sometimes short. He usually keeps it growing until it annoys him and then cuts it short so he doesn't have to worry about it anytime soon.
Besides optical aspects, Merosh doesn't make a friendly impression, as is typical for a dreadlord. If it's not an authority or superior, he looks down on his fellow men, should he given them a glance at all. A fortiori, he would never seek conversation with such. His whole aura seems to express keeping distance from him. At least to most individuals.
Personality
Besides looking down on others – including other dreadlords, even those of the same house - he is very respectfull towards the personalities above him and obedient to those who can command him.
Merosh has a calm temper, rational and calculating. You won't see him raging around, even if he's drunk or/and angry, for he has learned to keep his emotions down in every situation and condition. Nevertheless he is quick to judge others, but rarely expresses his thoughts verbally. After all, that isn't what he is made for.
He is very loyal towards the House of Virak due in particular to his mentor. And he is very ambitious in climbing the ranks of the dreadlords. It's neither power nor might that he seeks, but self-determination, freedom even. The higher one is, the fewer people can command him. But he fail's to see the cell named dreadlord and that he can't never be free as such one.
Another reason for his will climbing the ranks is his dislike of the weak. He is aware that the second ranked Dreadlords of House Virak are anything but weak, but they’re still the lowest rank and are therefore relatively the weakest ones Virak has to offer. And Merosh don’t want to belong to the weakest.
His dislike of the weak has a lot to do with his training. He had to go through some hell but had survived it, so he can't stand it, when people struggle with lesser challenges, believing, they could do better. Above all, he can not stand it when those weak ones are comforted, for this is something he never has received himself in times, as he has needed it.
Merosh has a vague idea of friendship. He thought his comrades at the academy were friends, but some have died and to the others he lost touch when he graduated. He then considered the other apprentice as friends who had been assigned to the same mentor. But after the mentorship ended, he broke off contact with them, mostly due to a disagreement and maybe dispute.
Skills and Abilities
Non-magic combat skills
Riding: He can ride. He can ride and fight. But he prefers fighting on his foots, because he is more agile this way and his magic is hard to pair with a mount. It would be more of a disadvantage to him than a benefit.
Magic Skills
Magnetism: It's an ability that empowers him to use a physical energy with which he can push or pull something within his radius. Or himself to or from something. It doesn't need to be out of metal or containing it, though experience have shown, that metal and metallic do react better, possibly because of their atomic structure. This also applies to magically charged objects.
He isn't able to push or pull something that is heavier than him, in this case, he would rather pull himself to or push himself from it. Unless his body is fixed on place in some way. The same applies vice versa. If something is lighter than him, he isn’t able to pull himself to it or push himself from it. Rather he would remain on his place and move the object.
This magic can work on everything that has weight. He cannot influence fire or light with it. Small particles such as smoke are also difficult to grab. Furthermore it has its limits in how hard he can push/pull and how far. For example, he can manage a much higher jump by pushing himself against the ground, but he can’t fly.
Physiomancy:
Physiomancy itself actually doesn’t require any magic or mana, but can only be obtained by heredity, for it is a biological skill only. It enables one to mobilize physical resources at will that one would otherwise only be able to mobilize in extreme situations. It also allows one to adjust one's senses or speed up biological processes in the body.
Although this ability is not magical, it still seems to be bound by magical laws. Using it has its price. Any advantage you open with Physiomancy tips over into the exact opposite after use. You’ll suffer in the same way, duration and intense in which you took advantage of it. This is also called the balancing compensation.
It is possible to dampen the negative effects by will, this however, is only possible if the person has trained it to do so and if he is not completly exhausted at the moment. Dampen the intense of a compensation will lead into a longer duration of it. Using physiomancy for 10 minutes would normally lead to a backlash of 10 minutes. Would one dampen the intensity by half, it would double the duration, in this case 20 minutes. It is also possible to do it vice versa and to shorten the time, by increasing the backlash - in some cases this could be critical, since the backlash can end deadly.
Physiomancy knows different aspects one can use, they are called channels or flows. Although it isn’t magical in his natural state, the different channels of Physiomancy can be infused by magic, adding new features beyond what would be possible on an only biological level. This new output can differ from person to person and is draining additionally mana.
Physiomancy needs to be activated by will and due to the backlash it can’t be used permanently. But it can happen that some channels have a passive, positive influence. This only happens when one or both parents or grandparents of one have trained this channel and if it was ingrained in them.
Although this ability is not magical, it still seems to be bound by magical laws. Using it has its price. Any advantage you open with Physiomancy tips over into the exact opposite after use. You’ll suffer in the same way, duration and intense in which you took advantage of it. This is also called the balancing compensation.
It is possible to dampen the negative effects by will, this however, is only possible if the person has trained it to do so and if he is not completly exhausted at the moment. Dampen the intense of a compensation will lead into a longer duration of it. Using physiomancy for 10 minutes would normally lead to a backlash of 10 minutes. Would one dampen the intensity by half, it would double the duration, in this case 20 minutes. It is also possible to do it vice versa and to shorten the time, by increasing the backlash - in some cases this could be critical, since the backlash can end deadly.
Physiomancy knows different aspects one can use, they are called channels or flows. Although it isn’t magical in his natural state, the different channels of Physiomancy can be infused by magic, adding new features beyond what would be possible on an only biological level. This new output can differ from person to person and is draining additionally mana.
Physiomancy needs to be activated by will and due to the backlash it can’t be used permanently. But it can happen that some channels have a passive, positive influence. This only happens when one or both parents or grandparents of one have trained this channel and if it was ingrained in them.
Channel of Regeneration:
* Passive: Not gained.
* Active: Actively used, immunity and regeneration can be extremely accelerated, so that deadly toxins can be neutralized or wounds can heal faster.
* Infused: Merosh can infuse this channel. He never trained this actively but instinctively due the torture during his training at the academy. When his body was no longer able to withstand the poisons and wounds, accelerating regeneration with the help of mana often saved his life.
Channel of Strength:
* Passive: Not gained.
* Active: Actively used, this channel increases physical strength beyond what the body would normally be capable of. The backlash leads to muscle weakness and increased vulnerability. Since the heart is also a muscle it could probably stop by overusing this channel.
* Infused: Trying to withstand whatever the proctors had with his physiomancy in mind, he learned to infuse the channel of strength. It provides him with a magically soaked, rough skin that can withstand many cuts, heat, cold and acid.
Channel of Endurance:
* Passive: Merosh has a good metabolism and efficient use of energy. He is persistent, active, receptive and alert. He can pursue an activity for a very long time without getting tired or exhausted.
* Active: Used actively, this channel increases its passive effect and also allows the owner to stay awake beyond the natural waking phase without tiring. During the compensation, the body takes back the missed rest. It is possible to fall asleep standing up or to go into a comatose state. In extreme cases, one can also die from hypoglycemia.
* Infused: Not enabled.
Channel of Perception:
Flow of Vision
* Passive: None.
* Active: He can adjust his vision, seeing further or closer than he actually could. He is also able to adjust it to differ colours more precise. In a wood full of green colours, he could see more different layers this way. And spot inappropriate colours more quickly, like a hiding elf. Accordingly, his vision diminish during the backlash. But like all flows of perception, this is the only channel of which he can't die abusing it. In the worst case, however, his vision could permanently decrease or he could go blind.
* Infused: Infusing this Flow with mana enables him to see magic. He can see the mana in others person or artefacts and he can see it in use, including magic, you wouldn't actually see with normal vision, like his magnetism. When he infuses his vision with mana, his eyes glow slightly.
Flow of Sound
* Passive: None
* Active: He is able to use it, because the physiomancy itself enables him to do it. But he haven't trained this flow and is only able to use it at a low level.
Not in use:
- Flow of Haptic
- Flow of Scent & Taste
Weaknesses
Activating several channels simultaneously is pretty dangerous for him. Overusing just one can lead to death due to the backlash. But he doesn't need to push it that far if using more than one at the same time, because the backlash of several channels can lead to correlation between them, eventually causing even more damage to the body.
Merosh needs to watch his diet. He requires a lot more proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, trace elements and so on, than others, because his physiomancy is draining so much more of it, to actually take effect. Otherwise it won't work well and he'll suffer from nutrient deficiency, vitamin deficiency etc.
While you can always throw him in rough battles of physical damage, Merosh has little to oppose subtle, influencing and illusory magic. He is susceptible to it.
Biography & Lore
Like most of them, Merosh was taken as a kid from his parents after proctors have scanned him and thus discovered magical potential in him. He can't say how old he was back then, for he doesn't remember it now. His training was traumatizing enough, as it was for many, that the memories were buried deep. Even the first years in the academy are missing in his mind, like some parts in-between.
Although it wasn’t what the proctors had detected, as they had scanned him, his physical training quickly showed that he was very resistant and persistent, that he could last longer than others. They found out that Merosh was capable of physiomancy, an ability that could only be obtained through heredity. It enables one to temporarily mobilize physical capabilities beyond one's natural limits. But it also takes its toll in the aftermath.
Although it wasn’t what the proctors had detected, as they had scanned him, his physical training quickly showed that he was very resistant and persistent, that he could last longer than others. They found out that Merosh was capable of physiomancy, an ability that could only be obtained through heredity. It enables one to temporarily mobilize physical capabilities beyond one's natural limits. But it also takes its toll in the aftermath.
They adapted his training onto his ability, however, they didn't always took the backlash of it into account or they teased it out on purpose. Since Merosh could stay awake much longer without getting sleep deprived, they just kept him awake even longer, but therefore he sometimes fell into coma for days due to the backlash.
They did so likewise with his other physiomantic abilities. He can sharpen his senses, so the proctors exhausted them as far as possible, which led to him becoming completely blind, deaf or numb for the same time or even longer when he abused it too much. Capable of neutralizing toxins very quickly and accelerating regeneration, he was given poisons and critical wounds were inflicted on him, to see how much he could withstand. At the backlash, sometimes organs failed or he almost bled to death. He can push his strength and endurance beyond natural limits, another point the proctors teased out, leading him into a weakness and exhaustion, that he barely was able to move a muscle for some time. Even his heartbeat sometimes stopped. Luckily, he could always be rescued when things went too critical, but he had been very close to death not only once. Above all, he learned his physical limits very well.
While physiomancy is useful to improve ones condition, but doesn’t actually require magic, Merosh had another talent, that was more of use in actual combat and for what the proctors had drawn him once to the academy. They called it magnetism. A physical energy enabling him to push or to pull things inside his radius. The weapons he was taught were mainly sword and bow. He personally prefers swordsmanship and is better trained in it.
They did so likewise with his other physiomantic abilities. He can sharpen his senses, so the proctors exhausted them as far as possible, which led to him becoming completely blind, deaf or numb for the same time or even longer when he abused it too much. Capable of neutralizing toxins very quickly and accelerating regeneration, he was given poisons and critical wounds were inflicted on him, to see how much he could withstand. At the backlash, sometimes organs failed or he almost bled to death. He can push his strength and endurance beyond natural limits, another point the proctors teased out, leading him into a weakness and exhaustion, that he barely was able to move a muscle for some time. Even his heartbeat sometimes stopped. Luckily, he could always be rescued when things went too critical, but he had been very close to death not only once. Above all, he learned his physical limits very well.
While physiomancy is useful to improve ones condition, but doesn’t actually require magic, Merosh had another talent, that was more of use in actual combat and for what the proctors had drawn him once to the academy. They called it magnetism. A physical energy enabling him to push or to pull things inside his radius. The weapons he was taught were mainly sword and bow. He personally prefers swordsmanship and is better trained in it.
After the proctors knew about the heredity of his physiomancy, they had the idea of reproducing it. So as soon as Merosh got old enough, they arranged women for him to impregnate. He would have been forced to do so if he didn't wanted to. But even if it was somewhat awkward at the beginning, Merosh really saw no reason to resist, since he took his own benefit from it. This went on over the years, but Merosh never knew who the women were, where they lived, or what became of their children. He actually didn't cared about it, the training at the academy occupied him too much for that. But he is aware that he has some children who are out there somewhere. Possibly under observation of the proctors and some perhaps already at the academy.
After his graduation, Merosh was assigned to Dreadlord Barrin of the First with some others. He was pleased with this decision, as he got along well with Barrin, unlike his comrades. So far, the only reward for him had been the belief that the training had the aim to get the best out of him. That it would be for him. He needed that faith to be able to make sense of it all, to survive it.
But Barrin was the first who actually appreciated his ambitions. He was very strict, but fair. And that was more reward than he ever got from the proctors during his academy time. More than that, he was also materially rewarded over time by the house of Virak. It strengthened his sympathy and loyalty. Although he knew he was a weapon, it never had a negative connotation for him.
But Barrin was the first who actually appreciated his ambitions. He was very strict, but fair. And that was more reward than he ever got from the proctors during his academy time. More than that, he was also materially rewarded over time by the house of Virak. It strengthened his sympathy and loyalty. Although he knew he was a weapon, it never had a negative connotation for him.
After his mentorship, he swore to the House of Virak. And he, unlike his comrades, still remained in active contact with his former mentor Barrin. They didn't understood why he didn't just broke off with a demonic being like him. Merosh, in return, didn't understood what their problem was. Barrin had become something of an idol for him and he thirsted for further acknowledgement.
