Hello! This is a special chapter that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I have always had fun with character creation/power creation, so I want to take this opportunity to explore the Aspects of some of the characters from this novel.
The following are the Runes of Caster, Milo, and Oskar. This will just be their Base Runes, Aspect Abilities, and Attributes. No Memories will be covered here because frankly that is a pain in the ass.
There are a few other characters who I have mentioned by name/have mentioned their Aspects, but these are the ones that I have given the most thought into and the ones that will play the biggest role in the story going forward.
At the end of each section, I will add on some miscellaneous details for fun/to flesh out things. I hope you all enjoy :)
As a side note, due to us only ever getting the Runes of Sunny and Neph in the original Novel, we don't really know how the actual "Soul Fragment"/Soul Core saturation thing works (as far as I know, if G3 answered in a Q&A please link it if you can). For the purposes of this, the following will be the Fragments required for each Rank. Dormant/Sleeper: 1,000Awakened: 3,000Ascended: 5,000Transcendent: 10,000
I don't make them exactly 1,000 to match in order to draw a difference between them and how Gehrman and Sunny saturate Soul Cores. For them, no matter the Rank, they maintain the Soul Cores they have and the level of saturation (an often overlooked benefit). For normies though, they have to re-saturate the Core every time they Rank up, so there is a difference.
As for how many Fragments one gets from an individual Soul Shard, it seems to be a flat amount that doesn't change depending on what your Rank is. The reason we get up to 10,000 for Transcendents is in order to make it clear why saturating with just Awakened Shards (while theoretically possible) would take forever. Anyway, here is the system I came up with for how many Fragments one gets for each Shard.
Dormant: 5Awakened: 10Ascended: 50Transcendent: 500Supreme: 1,000
These are just numbers I came up with on a whim, but I still wanted to include them
since it felt like a good detail to make. Anyway, on with the show.
Caster Base Runes
Name: Caster Han Li
True Name: Honor Fell
Rank: Transcendent
Soul Fragments: [1,204/10,000]
Attributes: [Sage], [Defiant], [Unnatural Rune Witness], [Marble Armor], [Infested]
Aspect: [Accelerator]
Aspect Rank: [Ascended] [Transcendent]
Aspect Description: [A creature whose movement through the world is twisted by their desire, separated from all others. Your soul brims with energy that will bring you to a realm of empty power.]
Caster Attribute Descriptions
(Innate Attribute, similar to Gehrman's [Sixth Sense]) [Sage]: Honed through training, you have access to a stable mind and body that endures against adversity.
[Defiant]: You have resisted Fate, and are thus marked by it. Struggle against the end written for you.
[Unnatural Rune Witness]: A genius once parted the veil between the dream and the cosmos. Despite being unable to understand it, she brought with her knowledge of the great beyond. As a witness to this knowledge, you can imbue unnatural power from the [Unknown].
Runes Memorized
Oath Rune: [Hunter Rune]
Rune 1: [Eye]
Rune 2: [Anti-Clockwise Metamorphosis]
Rune 3: [Lake]
[Marble Armor]: In the deep darkness of the underworld, a prideful demon forged seven suits of splendid armor for his favorite creations. The intricate shells were both a boon and a test since only those worthy of his regard could unlock the mantle's true potential and bear its weight.
[Infested]: You are infested with Vermin.
Caster Aspect Abilities/Flaw
Flaw: Time's Chain
Flaw Description: [The use of your Aspect causes accelerated aging.]
Dormant Aspect Ability: [Internal Acceleration]
Aspect Ability Description: [You have the ability to accelerate your body and its functions to the limit of what your body can physically endure without ill effect.]
Awakened Aspect Ability: [Accelerant's Imbument]
Aspect Ability Description: [You can accelerate inanimate objects based on the Essence provided.]
Ascended Aspect Ability: [Accelerants Aura]
Aspect Ability Description: [You can deploy an aura effect that provides any within the space acceleration based on the output of Essence provided.]
Transcendent Aspect Ability: [Taowu]
Aspect Ability Description: [You can transform into the Peril known as Taowu, allowing you to decelerate all things in the immediate vicinity.]
Notes on Caster:
So first I want to talk about his Transformation ability since I doubt anyone saw it coming. For a while, I wanted it to be an Eastern-style dragon, but I felt the clash against Kai would be too heavy to ignore, so I did some research and came up with this.
One can look up the Taowu and figure out in a matter of seconds that the Spell chose this form as an insult. The creature in mythology is described as being (in my words) a stubborn little shit. And I feel that works pretty well here.
Other things of note are his True Name. I feel like it's probably the weakest of the three, but I still like it. Naturally Caster received it after running away from the Forgotten Shore, thus making the name all the more painful.
The [Defiant] Attribute was something I figured the Spell would give, though there is no real precedent for it, It felt cool to add.
The wording of his Dormant Ability is important. Basically it indicates that so long as he can move that fast without the friction and wind resistance actually damaging him, then his Dormant Ability can make him move that fast with no Essence restrictions. Naturally, we are going to be seeing some crazy shit from him soon.
Guy is OP, I know. Frankly making this an Ascended Aspect was crazy, but this was VOL 1 stuff, and there was no way for G3 to have known how insane such a power would end up being, so I don't blame him.
I'll get into the practical application of his Aspect Abilities in a future chapter, because I have a lot of fun ideas. Let me know if you have any additional questions. Otherwise, we are moving on.
Oskar Base Runes
Name: Oskar
True Name: Eye of Bedlam
Rank: Ascended
Soul Fragments: [3,050/5,000 10,000] (This is due to his Flaw)
Attributes: [Fallible], [Uncanny Rune Witness], [Vileblood]
Aspect: [Anarchy's Principle]
Aspect Rank: Supreme
Aspect Description: [Born of simmering conflict, the desire and capabilities to cause upheaval run deep in your soul. Molded by your desire, you are a wicked dealer of death and hope alike.
Oskar Attribute Description
(Innate Attribute) [Fallible]: Worn down by the trials of reality, you are more susceptible to Mental interference.
[Uncanny Rune Witness]: I'm not repeating the description
Oath Rune: [Corruption Rune]
Rune 1: [Anti-Clockwise Metamorphosis]
Rune 2: [Eye]
Rune 3: [Great Deep Sea]
Below is a unique Attribute in that it is temporary. So long as the [Corruption Rune] is activated, any who have been infested with Vermin will have this Attribute. If they do not currently have the Corruption Rune memorized, the Attribute will be changed to [Infested], which has no practical use.
[Vileblood]: Vermin thrive inside you, fed by your Sin, they breed and spread. Your blood is thus more vigorous and willful.
Oskar Aspect Abilities/Flaw
Flaw: [Rusted Soul]
Flaw Description: [A layer of ethereal rust coats your Soul, doubling the requirement to saturate the Soul Core]
Quick Side Bar:
(I can't find where exactly it is stated but I am pretty sure Innate Abilities are very rare, and something only those of higher Aspect Ranks get. Again, hard to say since we never got the Runes of anyone normal. I may be wrong on this, I looked at early chapters where Sunny first got his Aspect and he didn't make a fuss about an Innate Ability…but I swear I heard somewhere that most people don't have them.
If you can find out where I got that idea I'd appreciate a comment.
Anyway, Caster doesn't have one. However I am giving one to both Oskar and Milo.
Innate Ability: [Component Breakdown]
Aspect Ability Description: [You have the ability to break down Memories and Echoes into their raw materials. These materials will be classified as "Components" and will maintain the basic functions of Memories and Echoes]
Dormant Aspect Ability: [Hand of Anarchy]
Aspect Ability Description: [Anything you touch may be imbued with the qualities of Components stored within your Soul Sea. The Components will be lost upon use.]
Awakened Aspect Ability: [Anarchists Harvest]
Aspect Ability Description: [You may harvest Components from applicable sources.]
Ascended Aspect Ability: [Anarchist Decree]
Aspect Ability Description: [You may create Components using Essence]
Notes on Oskar
This is probably my favorite Aspect from this whole Fic. Those of you with elite ball knowledge may recognize the inspiration of "Anarchy" and the thinly veiled reference to The Eye of The Bedlam Bride, to figure out the inspiration behind this Aspect is Carl from my favorite piece of media of all time - Dungeon Crawler Carl. Seriously, if you haven't already heard of it, definitely check it out. The premise sounds like something a 5 year old on crack made up but I promise it is one of the single most beautiful, heart wrenching, hilarious, and well written pieces of literature I've ever read. (Note for the future, Book 8, A Parade of Horribles just came out, so in the highly unlikely event the ending sucks or something else ruins the series (again, highly doubt) just know I only know the good stuff right now).
His inherent Attribute is quite fun in my opinion, because it actually does have benefits. Kai and Effie's Ascended Abilities, for example, will offer a greater boon to him because of this Attribute.
There are a lot. A LOT of clever ways to use this Aspect, and it will be one of the most fun things to work with going forward. Of course, to keep things from being to OP, the Essence requirements for the Awakened and Ascended Abilities will be steep. Seeing how he gets around that will be very fun.
I'm not going to go in depth with potential applications since you will see that in the actual chapters. So let's move on.
Milo Base Runes
Name: Milo.
True Name: Scarred Canvas
Rank: Ascended.
Soul Fragments: [4,590/5,000]
Attributes: [Unbroken] [Unnatural Rune Witness], [Vileblood]
Aspect: [Salient Artist].
Aspect Rank: [Sacred]
[Aspect Description]: A practitioner of the primordial Old Arts whose power lies in twisting the Spirit of the world. In invoking such powers the world becomes your canvas and your Soul a most vital instrument.
Milo Attribute Description
(Innate Attribute) [Unbroken]: Your spirit holds great resolve and strength. You have a resistance to Mind and Soul attacks.
[Uncanny Rune Witness]: See above
Oath Rune: [Corruption Rune]
Rune 1: [Anti-Clockwise Metamorphosis]
Rune 2: [Lake]
Rune 3: [Great Deep Sea]
[Vileblood]: Again, see above
Milo Aspect Abilities/Flaw
Flaw: [Sewn Shut]
[Sewn Shut]: You can not communicate with others.
[Innate Ability]: Eyes of Total Spectrum
[Eyes of Total Spectrum]: Your eyes peer into the colors and dimensions that only Great beings and gods can meddle with. The Spirits of the world are laid bare before you.
[Dormant Ability]: Vital Instrument
[Vital Instrument]: From the depths of your Soul you may conjure whatever you may need to complete your art. Any manifestation will be able to perform the Old Arts.
[Awakened Ability]: World Canvas
[World Canvas]: The Old Arts you create can be made and projected on any surface. The surface will take on certain qualities based on the Art provided.
[Ascended Ability]: Reality Resonance
[Reality Resonance]: Certain completed works may have the ability to align with reality, creating elements and manifestations no different than the real thing.
Notes on Milo
Despite Oskar having my favorite Aspect, this one is pretty awesome in my humble opinion. However, it is also pretty confusing and also kinda impossible to clarify in the normal dialogue of the novel, so I'll dive into it here.
The Old Arts are my own fan creation. Essentially the first, ancient humans (that I believe originated from the Heart God's Realm?) created art. These creations were fairly unique to humans as they were steeped in emotion and thus the artist's spirit and soul.
Back then, it did not have any special impact. But eventually a resonance with the spirits of the world (like what Rain's Aspect deals with) created a phenomenon in which they could perform small miracles.
The spontaneous acts of reality warping was a pale imitation of what the gods did with their Will, but the Heart God found it favorable, as the emotions and thoughts stoked by the Art were very much in line with their expanding Domain/self.
However, other gods deemed it an act of blasphemy, and eventually the people were driven to extinction, and their ways were lost.
It is worth noting that the characteristics of the Old Arts are somewhat separate from what Milo does with his Aspect. Really, his Aspect just makes him a prime vessel for the practice. It is more akin to a Sorcery than anything else (but not quite, since it relies more on emotion than a set of determined rules).
Technically others can learn the Old Arts, but (similar to Weaving in the original novel) very few have the aptitude/ability to perform it.
So, what is in his Aspect and what is the Old Arts? For the most part, how he creates the Art ([Vital Instrument]/[World Canvas]) is his Aspect, but the result is the Old Art's inherent properties.
What any given piece of Art can accomplish is actually pretty open-ended, and really just stems from Milo's creativity. His emotions that lead to the creation of the piece will dictate its effects.
Furthermore, since the Old Arts are so entrenched in this style of emotional and spiritual release, much of the Art is created differently. While in the real world a lot of attention and time must be given to any piece, the Old Arts allow for the emotions to fill in things like shading, coloring, etc. (I know, what a bunch of cheaters).
Anyway, the exception to the rule about "the end result is the Old Art, not his Aspect" is obviously his Ascended Aspect. In the lore, actual physical manifestation is not something the Old Artists could do. Instead, they twisted the world and spirits to fit their image. A lot of times they could perform feats like healing an incurable disease though the Old Art, in cases like that, nothing was created, the disease was just warped.
I know this is all very confusing but it's a good exercise in creativity, so I hope it's not too overwhelming.
I guess that's really all there is at the moment, looking forward to making Transcendent and maybe Supreme abilities with these Aspects!