Hemovis

Quite literally translating to ‘blood power’, Hemovis is a supernatural energy that is prevalent in all living things. Hemovis is the embodiment of the living, and exists on par with such forces as the Veil and Surge. The exact reason for Hemovis’ existence is unclear, but it is at the very least heavily tied to the existence of life as we know it. At first Hemovis was completely hidden from sight, and no one knew that it even existed. However, that changed with the onset of the Day the Sun Stood Still. Across the galaxy, some beings began to see the fickle strands of Hemovis around them. Experimentation by the more unstable of these individuals slowly led to the discovery that Hemovis reacted to death and tragedy, drawing out from the dead, and for a split second that fickle essence could be grabbed. Those that grabbed those fleeting strands of essence from another become the first of the Hemothurges. By the very nature of its beginnings, Hemovis is a dark art, and the Hemothurges that practice it fully embrace that mentality. No agreement is sacred, and backstabbing is one of the most common acts in the world of the Hemothurges. To a Hemothurge, power is everything, and to attain more power is to steal the Hemovis of others- chief among them being other Hemothurges, for they have far more Hemovis than other beings. The powers that Hemovis has are many, and the majority of them are cruel or forbidden arts that bend the boundaries of morality or go right past it.

Hemothurges aren’t chosen at birth, or created through cybernetics and dogma, but instead through sheer brutality. When someone kills a Hemothurge in a brutal way, they become a Hemothurge. The collected Hemovis of the Hemothurge flows into them, unlocking the powers within them to begin wielding their new found Hemovis to perform the various arts that go alongside it. Hemovis, although it still coalesces in Surgers, Magus, and Warlocks, isn’t capable of taking on the dirty and corrupted Hemovis of a Hemothurge, making it impossible for them to become Hemothurges.

Hemovis, for most of its various disciplines, don’t require any tools except for one’s own hands, claws, or whatever implement they have for grabbing. Nor is there a chance to overcharge, as what a Hemothurge is capable of is prepared beforehand through various rituals that they conduct using Hemovis. A Hemothurge is built up on preparation and improving themselves beyond the capabilities of their enemies. An unprepared Hemothurge is dead in the water, while those who take preparation to heart are some of the most deadly adversaries one can find on the battlefield, both in their dedication in removing their target from existence, and how many tricks they have to get the job done. A Hemothurge’s power cannot flow through cybernetics, and because of that they very rarely replace any limbs with cybernetics, only adding cybernetics onto themselves instead of replacing.

The use of Hemovis is split up into Rites, various methods that are passed from Hemothurge to Hemothurge via teaching, or directly stealing that knowledge through killing them. Hemothurges aren’t bound to only one Rite, but they have to find a Hemothurge that knows another Rite if they want to know multiple Rites, and that sort of arrangement almost always devolves into a fight. When a Hemothurge uses too much Hemovis in multiple Rites, it causes a noticeable deviation in the ‘natural order’, potentially causing the formation of the Sinsir nearby, unknowable entities tied to the nature of life itself. All Rites can use blood as an amplifier, but Amplio is one that specifically requires it for its higher tier abilities.

Hemovis within the living is split up into three distinct parts. Communis, which is ‘standard’ Hemovis with no specific properties. Wezen/essence, which is the part of Hemovis that represents the spiritual part of a living thing. And Inanis, the dark matter equivalent of Hemovis, filling up the metaphysical ‘spaces’ within a living thing, which is tied to both the mind and is what binds Hemovis to the living.

Rites
The various Rites of the Hemothurges are results of experimentation with Hemovis on themselves and others. Rites know no such thing as moral boundaries, as that only serves to impede the effectiveness of Hemovis’ use.

Amplio
The Rite of Enhancement, Amplio is a Rite centered around the improvement of the physical body. Meditation fueled through Hemovis, with the proper symbology scribed onto the flesh and the nearby ground beforehand, can gradually strengthen the body to superhuman heights through multiple sessions. While on the surface Amplio is simply about improving the body to supernatural extents, it can also be used to sculpt the user's body in various ways. Already existing appendages can be modified, such as improving an eye with night vision, or forming simple nails into claws as hard as steel. It can also be used to form new appendages, such as gills or wings. While most things in Amplio can be achieved through application of Hemovis and enough time, the use of blood in rituals can further enhance the effects and allow for more outlandish modifications. Chief among all types of blood that can be used is the blood of the Sselth, as they are beings used to modifying themselves, their blood is especially powerful for Amplio. Because of that, illegal markets for Sselth blood are common in areas home to many Hemothurges, or in pirate fleets.

Hemothurges experienced in Amplio are known for their peculiar habits of hoarding blood, and requesting to obtain the blood of others. They often have syringes and blood bags on hand, as to always have a supply with them to perform further Amplio rituals when they feel the time is right.

Ousia
The Rite of Essence, Ousia is a Rite that allows its user to conquer the supernatural and wield it as their own. Ousia, unlike most Rites, functions exclusively through the use of Wezen, otherwise known as Essence. Essence can be used to improve a Hemothurge’s ‘spiritual side’, such as making them more resistant to immaterial attacks, and building up resistance against immaterial effects. However, essence can also be used to transform a Hemothurges’ spirit into a potent weapon. Forming invisible spiritual ‘limbs’ that can strike at enemies, directly sapping the essence out of an enemy through direct contact, or sapping the will of those that look upon the Hemothurge. All things Ousia require essence, but there is a certain essence which allows for stronger and more outlandish enhancements. So called ‘Otherside Essence’ is the essence of Voidborne, which is exceptionally potent and alien. While this Otherside Essence is found at its strongest in the Voidborne, the descendants of the Voidborne contain it to a more minor extent.

Hemothurges experienced in Ousia generally have a high amount of spirituality. While they very rarely are ever religious- as the nature of being a Hemothurge goes against most of those teachings- Ousia Hemothurges often take care in trying to preserve ‘spiritual well being’ alongside physical and mental wellbeing. For themselves and those they care about, that is. They don’t care much about an enemies spirit, for they’ll claim that as their own.

Sinnie
The Rite of Mind, Sinnie is a Rite that focuses the capabilities of the mind to a supernatural extent, and eventually unleashing the mind's innate potential to unleash so-called ‘psionics’. Sinnie, unlike most Rites, functions exclusively through the use of Inanis. Adding more Inanis to a Hemothurge’s mind improves nearly all aspects of the mind, allowing it to process faster, store more, and resist illusions and other mental effects. At some point, the mind undergoes a dramatic change, where it will begin to actively take in stored Inanis and convert it into Psi, a measurement of a being's capability to perform Psionic feats. Psi is not an independent force of its own, and is instead tied to Hemovis, and more specifically Inanis. Psionics, unlike how they were traditionally understood back in the ages before its existence, is very limited in its uses. For the most part, only psychokinesis is a viable power that a Sinnie Hemothurge can use. Only with more application of Inanis can further Psionics be unlocked.

Hemothurges experienced in Sinnie find the mind to be the most powerful tool. Their brain and ability to think simply surpasses those of others- and if any of them claims that the hemothurge is messed up in the head, they’ll have hell to pay for such an insult. Strategy and mind games are also a favorite tool of theirs.

Marionet
The Rite of Puppets, Marionet is a Rite that allows the creation of ‘proxy spirits’ in an object. These proxy spirits, while not a true sentient being- with the exception of Exalted spirits- are still capable of acting on their own accord to a limited extent. Proxy spirits have three mains forms, ‘slave’ spirits, ‘full proxy’ spirits, and ‘exalted’ spirits. Slave spirits require the lowest amount of Hemovis, and are fully bound to the will of the Hemothurge. Full proxy spirits require a higher amount of Hemovis, are more powerful than slave spirits, and have a small amount of free will. Exalted spirits require a monumental amount of Hemovis, including some sort of fragment of a person’s being. Exalted spirits are by far the most naturally powerful, however they have a fully intact free will as they qualify as true sentients, and they are not bound to the Hemothurge, requiring some amount of bargaining to get an Exalted spirit on one's side. Outside of simply creating the spirits, Marionet can also be used to strengthen these proxy spirits, allowing them to better maneuver themselves and take advantage of what is at their disposal.

Hemothurges experienced in Marionet have a habit of being manipulators, trying to find ways to worm their way into controlling those around them instead of simply trying to bargain or earn favors with them.

Kuznitsa
The Rite of Forging, Kuznitsa is a Rite that imbues Hemovis into an item to give it certain supernatural effects, effectively creating a Hemovis equivalent to a Visage. Immense amounts of Hemovis can be packed into an item, and with enough Hemovis within it certain effects can be forcibly added to it. Kuznitsa is a very Hemovis intensive Rite, requiring dozens of dead beings to fuel one minor effect in an item. However, the potential to create items with supernatural effects is an incredibly tempting ability to be able to wield. So-called Bloodforged items are the result of Kuznitsa, most of which take on a dark red tint. Items that have blood incorporated into them in some fashion typically have an easier time holding onto the Hemovis put into them. Although the exact method isn’t widely known, a subset of Kuznitsa is the ability to create Soulforged items, which take on a ghastly white coloration. Soulforged items have the distinct ability to directly absorb Hemovis and then grow stronger from it, allowing non-Hemothurges to use these items and have them still grow in power.

Hemothurges experienced in Kuznitsa typically are craftsmen at heart, usually picking up different hobbies that involve making things- even if they don’t intend to. Other Hemothurges often poke fun at this, claiming the Kuznitsa are cursed with finding interest in meager arts.

Symfonia
The Rite of Deals, Symfonia is a strange and relatively rare Rite that allows a Hemothurge to form a bond between them and unknown beings from beyond known existence. Symfonia starts with contacting one of these beings, which requires a Hemothic Shrine, a specialized stone tablet inlaid with the blood of a magical entity. With the Hemothic Shrine, three candles are arranged on the tablet, with an offering in the middle. After injecting a substantial amount of Hemovis into the shrine, the offering will be consumed and connection will be established with a being that is in some way related to the offering put on the shrine. The Hemothurge has seven questions to ask, the last of which the being is required to answer with the utmost truth. After the questions, the Hemothurge will either call off the connection, or will inject a second dose of Hemovis into the shrine to trigger a pact between the Hemothurge and the being. What benefits this being may bring is up to its nature and its power. Boons and benefits may be granted by the being as it sees fit, donations of Hemovis can also strengthen or weaken the bond depending on what the Hemothurge wants. Symfonia Hemothurges may only have one being bound to them at a time, and their bond to these beings are exceptionally hard to break. The three candles that adorn the shrine serve as pointers to the power and nature of the being, but what exactly the candles convery is up to the interpretation of the Hemothurge, as they have no concrete meaning.

Hemothurges experienced in Symfonia are experts in deal making, the nature of their Rite ensuring that they know at least something about making a good deal. A broken deal with a Symfonia Hemothurge will ensure a grudge from them, which may last for their whole life, depending on how good their memory is.

Koldun
The Rite of Sorcery, Koldun is a Rite centered around the preparation of blood based spells. Koldun takes three main forms, Charms, Runes, and Vials. Charms are symbols scrawled in blood, usually on something disposable such as paper. Charms can be used three times, but are rarely ever intensive on materials. They can range from such things as bolts of superheated blood, to forming a line of crystalline spikes. Runes are more permanent fixtures, which are carved into the user’s own body. Those that have blood require no form of recharging, but those that do lack blood will require occasional application of blood onto the runes to keep them functioning. Runes are typically used for more defensive or utilitarian functions, such as forming a shield of crystalized blood, or forming a weapon of crystalized blood. Runes struggle to maintain offensive blood spells, but it is possible. Vials are, as the name implies, vials that are filled with blood. The cap is adorned with the symbol related to the spell that will trigger. Vials are single use, but provide devastating effect for their large cost in Hemovis. Vials may trigger multiple effects, such as initially causing an explosion of blood, and then crystalizing that blood. Or it may simply pull off one devastating effect, such as boiling the blood of those that the blood in the vial touches.

Hemothurges experienced in Koldun take their time in preparation. Even the most insignificant of events they make sure to prepare quite the amount of backups for. While not really paranoid, they give off the presence of someone who is through their actions.

Allabari
The Rite of Sacrifice, Allabari is unique among the various Rites because it doesn’t technically require preparation. However, the costs of using Allabari are among the highest of all the Rites. Allabari has the ability to both perform rudimentary blood manipulation and temporarily strengthen its wielder through using their own blood and a constant stream of Hemovis. While this increases their power dramatically, overuse has the potential of either causing them to pass out from blood loss, or die from Allabari consuming their own original Hemovis. Because of that, Allabari does require considerable amounts of built up Hemovis, and if possible, a way to intake more blood into the Hemothurge’s system so that they can continue to use Allabari. Those that don’t have natural blood in their bodies will have to find a way to contain it within themselves or close enough to their body that Allabari can actually consume it, otherwise it will simply refuse to activate.

Hemothurges experienced in Allabari are often among the most mentally questionable of Hemothurges, as their need to take in large amounts of Hemovis requires them to slaughter innumerable animals, and if that fails, killing other sentients.

Tekio
The Rite of Adaptation, Tekio is a Rite by which a Hemothurge can imbue a living non-sentient with Hemovis and Blood to create an abominable, yet powerful, war beast. The most important thing about Tekio is that the Hemothurge must already have some sort of connection with the creature for the Rite to work, a Tekio Hemothurge can’t just scoop up some random animal and make it into a beast of war. If the animal is not hostile to the Hemothurge, then they can undergo the process of Tekio. Tekio Hemothurges begin the process by adorning the creature with some symbols of blood, and then placing them at the middle of a runic circle. If the process is successful, the creature will be surrounded by a sphere of crystalized blood that is commonly referred to by Tekio Hemothurges as the Chrysalis. While the creature undergoes the process, the Tekio Hemothurge can input additional ‘doses’ of Hemovis to attempt improving certain parts or aspects of the creature inside. Even without the intervention of a Hemothurge, the process will still strengthen the creature far past what it once was through subsequent applications of Tekio. Standard creatures that become imbued by Tekio become War-Beasts, however there are other forms of creatures that can be born from Tekio. Chimera, which are the result of combining two creatures together by putting them in the same Chrysalis. Chimera are rare because the process is more often than not lethal to the creatures instead of succeeding. There are also Homunculi, which are creatures that were suffused in so much blood from a specific sentient species, that they start to take on the traits of that sentient species.

Hemothurges experienced in Tekio are fond of just how useful the numerous creatures of the galaxy are, and often are accompanied by one or many pets. Aside from being faithful companions and emotional support, Tekio Hemothurges see them as fantastic weapons.

Morbus
The Rite of Disease, Morbus is a Rite that allows a Hemothurge to cultivate an arcane disease. Morbus creates these arcane diseases through already diseased cells, separating the actual virus, bacteria, mutated cells, or whatever may be the cause, out from the sample and ‘translating’ it into Hemovis. Using these fragments of Hemovis, an arcane disease can then be made through the combination of this diseased Hemovis and blood. Morbus Hemothurges can mix and match these fragments of Hemovis as if they were fragments of DNA, however it allows for much more strange and otherworldly combinations, that simple genetic engineering wouldn’t be able to reproduce. Morbus is also capable of extracting diseases and afflictions that are caused by more otherworldly sources, such as creatures spawned from the Veil- making it the only Rite that is capable of interacting with another arcane energy. Morbus can obviously create harmful afflictions, but it can also create helpful ones, if the Morbus Hemothurge wishes to. The arcane diseases of Morbus can only be cured by either surviving its effects, finding a warlock or magus that is capable of removing the affliction, or finding a Visage that can cure it. Morbus Hemothurges can remove the diseases they create from people with relative ease, but rarely do they have a reason to.

Hemothurges experienced in Morbus are fascinated with microorganisms, as they are the main source of their powers. They are often very knowledgeable with biology and microbiology, and are always looking for new sources to fuel their powers.