MALEFIC ALIGNMENT

 

Behold, the infinite malignity of the stars!

Due certain actions, the eldritch radiance of a distant, Abyssal entity has befallen this region of Mid-Atla. Under the malefic pseudo-light of “Gibbeleth the Enchained Emperor”, the physical laws of the locale quiver. It is as though a baleful eye has glanced passingly upon this reality and in that dire, fleeting moment, the insignificance of humanity is made manifest.

 

  • WHAT? This is a side-plot wherein a cataclysm bears down upon the Snakewater locale. This involves damage to the region’s infrastructure (i.e. Town Expansions). This is in addition to the normal plotlines and storylines that are happening and may even touch upon them.

    WHEN? occurring from March 2025 to July 2025,

    WHO? Players are not required to participate, although their decisions may bring ttheir characters into this storyline. Furthermore, regardless of a Player’s choice, Malefic Alignment will negatively affect Snakewater’s infrastructure and may remove the bonuses that this infrastructure grants (e.g. bonuses to Market hour, bonus ATN slots, ability to self-Train Erudite skills, etc)

    As per usual, if you have any questions, contact Staff on Discord or via BTFgamestaff@gmail.com

 

The GOOD

  • As Reality becomes malleable, enterprising individuals can access an unnatural strength at some cost.

  • The Player Base may VOTE for 1 of three options: Mad World, Abyssal Anger, or Reality Infection.

  • The poll is open now and will remain open until 03/02/25. The options will be described in greater detail below.

 

THE BAD

  • For the next three Events, an escalating amount of Infra damage will be sustained by Snakewater’s Town Expansions and the surrounding towns. This starts at -100 per Expansion and culminates at the 3nd Event (July 2025).

  • Certain PC activities during Event can mitigate this.

  • The Stormbringer Spire helps with this as well

    • As per normal, PCs can dedicate NPC shifts and CMP to the Spire to help it.

  • Due to this eldritch astronomical circumstance, there will not be a Magna-storm after May though there will be one after November as per normal.

 

THE UGLY

  • Certain scenarios will occur such as the opening of “World Wounds” or certain occult activities.

  • If enough of these go unchallenged or unstopped by the end of July 2025, Eldritch Energies will inflict an Anathemic Curse (cure: 3 Pure CMP) upon certain PCs such as those:

    • those who benefited from a Malefic Boon

    • those who have toyed with Abyssal energies (including Xenotheurgy and Unholy items)

    • those PCs with 100+ XP AND have one of the characteristics below:

      • have the Abyssal Tether ATN

      • have Alien Whispers spell sever.

      • Diabolists

      • Spellcasters without an Arcane Tradition

MALEFIC BOONS

Here are the three options that the Player Base can vote on via this Google Form. The deadline is 03/02/25. Take note that only the option with most votes will become accessible to the Player Base, the other options will not be available even if a Player voted for them.

The bonuses from these Boons only apply during Malefic Alignment (March-July) unless otherwise noted, such as the Unholy quality from Reality Infection.

  • During Malefic Alignment, you feel your consciousness expand like some kind of demi-god. This is the least complex of the options.

    • You may have up to 10 ATNs and your Max HP is capped at 15 HP, overwriting your normal HP limit whether 10 or 7.

      • If your HP or ATN breach their normal caps, they count as Accepting the Boon. 

      • Accepting this Boon is MALIFICA except as below.

    • You can opt to gain the MAD WORLD Attunement (1 ATN) which lasts until the end of Malefic Alignment.

      • This increases your Maximum HP by +1 or +3 if you have less than 100 XP.

      • You also gain Temporary use of one Erudite skill that you have the requirements of.

      • If you (the Player) choose to allow MAD WORLD to infest your PC against their will, it is Curse instead and it is not Malifica. (Incurable Curse; 2 ATN, expires Sept 1 2025)

  • You may accept a spark of Gibbeleth, who is also known as the Cosmic Grudge, into your spirit. his occupies 1 ATN (labeled “Abyssal Anger). This has the following effects and is Malifica (or a similar taboo). These are not Augments.

    • Damage: Preface the name of a Spell or a Smite with “By Gibbeleth” or “by the Cosmic Grudge” to increase its damage by 1 point. This also increases its Cap to 7.

    • Resolve: Preface the name of a Spell or Skill with “By Gibbeleth” or “By the Cosmic Grudge” to increase the cap of the Resolve you grant to “Resolve 7”. This is not a bonus to imbued Resolve. 

    • Heal: Preface the name of a Spell or Skill with “By Gibbeleth” or “By the Cosmic Grudge” to increase the Healing you grant to others by +1.

    Alternatively, you (the Player) can have the Cosmic Grudge’s hatred infest your Character against their will.

    • This increases the damage, healing, and Resolve of your Spells and Skills upon others by +1, but manifests as “COSMIC GRUDGE” (Incurable Curse; 2 ATN, expires Sept 2025).

    • Since it is against your Character’s will, it is not Malifica (or a similar Taboo)

  • Strange, inimical essence has infiltrated this reality and can even infest items and rites, making crafting/upkeeping items cheaper or strengthening certain rites. This is the most complex of the options.

    After a Conc-10, a PC may grant themselves the UNHOLY ART quality (0 ATN). This must be labeled on their Character Sheet and allows them to use Unholy Craftsmanship and Unholy Rites below.

    Unholy Craftsmanship: When you Craft or Upkeep an item during Malefic Alignment, you may choose to Infect it with this essence.

    • This lowers the cost by 3 Basic CMP for Advanced items or 1 Rare CMP for Superior items at that moment but it is FOREVER Unholy (and marked as such on the Item Tag) 

    • Unholy Items prevent their carriers from negating or self-curing Frenzy/Dominate effects unless they have an Unholy ATN (see below) or the Resist Warp skill, or are attuned to Xenotheurgic Anchor.

    • The Unholy item is cheaper to Upkeep (as per above) but only during Malefic Alignment

    • Using Unholy items is not Malifica (or a similar Taboo) but making/upkeeping them is. There may be future instances or occasions which specifically affect Unholy Items or their users.

    • If you decide to instantly Fortify a newly created item, it normally costs x5 the item cost. In a similar fashion, this discount counts 5 times (e.g. Superior Fortification is 5x the cost minus 5 Rare CMP)

    Unholy Rites: You can infect a Skill with unholy energy.

    • When you use a Skill to imbue an ATN to a person (or yourself) that would increase the damage they inflict, the HP/Aegis, or the healing they grant, you can increase that value by 1.

    • However, that ATN takes up double the ATN, is prefixed by “Unholy” (e.g Unholy Battle Bond of Oaths or Unholy Infuse Spirit), and only lasts 1 Event if it lasts longer than 1 Event and thus must be re-applied every Event.

    • Individuals who are Unholy cannot negate or self-cure Frenzy or Dominate effects. Their HP is not reduced by using Unholy items.

    • This cannot be used on Training ATNs.

    • Imbuing others with an Unholy ATN is Malifica (or a similar Taboo) but being a recipient of this is not Malifica (or a similar Taboo).

    Latent Unhallowing (1 ATN, Basic Curse): A Player may choose to inflict this upon their PC, representing an initially undetected infection of their spirit by the Abyss. This allows them to craft/upkeep Unholy items or perform Unholy Rites without knowingly doing so until informed of such.

    • Since this is against the will of the individual, it is not Malifica.

    • However, once an Unhallowed individual discovers or is informed that their items or rites have been corrupted, they become aware of their status and become culpable.

    • An Unhallowed person may donate their Craft-Ritual to another or assist others in their Crafting (see Mercado Tier 1) without corrupting the others’ work.

 

  • Malifica (aka Malefica) is a term used by the Templars referring to the willful use of unholy or forbidden magics or rituals as well as association with forbidden and dangerous entities. Some faiths have similar bans on the use of forbidden magic but few are as strict as the Templars are.

    Unless they are under the effects of a Deotheurgic Anchor or a similar effect, a person has no immediate penalties from participating in Malifica. Templars who are discovered to have committed Malifica will need to submit and explain themselves to the proper authority, who may bestow upon them the proper contrition, chastisement (i.e. loss of Loyalty tier), or execution.

    Except with Templar Deotheurges, Malifica is a social construct and has no inherent mechanical punishments. So if such an act is undiscovered, then it is not punished.