Name: Bassal Theosisk
Age: Timeless
Appearance:
An entity of pure consciousness, Bassal exists in a broad spectrum(^1) of planes between Actualization, Oblivion, and the Neutral ‘in between’- amidst nonexistence and realization. A nonlocal entity, she/he interacts with the world of Althanas via possession of a medium. Shy and secretive in nature, she usually prefers to appear in the ambient sounds and white noise of the setting, and communicate through the collective actions and dialogue(^2) of weaker-willed individuals (Sub-Zero Level NPCs) and animals. When she needs to be blatant, she possesses a more visible medium such as smoke, dust clouds, shreds of leaves and class A fire refuse(^3), or abandoned tattered pieces of textile.
Bassal has a miniature ‘stupa’ which acts as his point of contact with the story. Wherever his intention resides, the stupa materializes amidst the setting. If his stupa were destroyed, he would no longer be able to interact with the story until it re-materializes. (Appearance is vaguely specified, but is constrained in accordance with the abilities listed below)
Rarely,(^4) generally only when severely provoked or desperate, she possesses a tattered yellow shawl which resides in the umbrella of her stupa which she uses to resemble a faceless hooded figure.
Personality: Bassal has recently become self aware, and is attempting to understand the nature of reality. She can sense emotion and intention, and spends her time monitoring the caretakers of infants. She invades the minds of those responsible for infant mortalities, and drives them mad. She understands principalities and concepts, virtues and dominion; however, emotion, logic, metamorphosis and forgiveness are ideas she is striving to learn about.
Equipment: Tattered Yellow Shawl made of spun yarn, Animal tallow, Spark Rocks
Skills: None listed
Abilities:
Possession(^5) - His primary means of interacting with the world, Bassal is able to continually possess unbound inanimate objects to express his will. Unbound materials are objects which other PCs have no attachment to or association with. The materials Bassal continuously possesses cannot cause harm to any PC or storyline-essential NPC. (i.e. Bassal can NOT possess any inanimate objects that belong to other PCs without their asking, Bassal can only continuously possess objects to act as a level 0 humanoid figure would- as if it were his body at the time he is possessing it.). Bassal can only continually possess one object (or group of pulverized material, dust, shreds of paper, etc.) at any given time.
Once per post (or 15 minutes ic), Bassal can possess an inanimate object to cause a minor impact on the attention of other characters (i.e. possessing a mug of ale and causing it to spill, possessing the moisture in the air, willing it to slow its kinetic energy and cause ice to freeze on a window, possessing the medium through which sound passes to make somebody’s voice sound abnormally(^6) deep or high pitched for a sentence or two). Once every 2 posts, Bassal can possess objects to cause a ‘minor accident’ resulting in the death of 1 sub-zero level non-essential NPC (i.e. possessing a chandelier mount and causing it to yield whereupon it falls on the bartender and severely injures her, possessing the puddle on the road and causing it to freeze so that the passing cavalryman’s horse loses footing and throws the soldier, etc.). The accident cannot endanger any PC, but may aggravate or scare local NPCs. Once per thread, if aggravated, Bassal can possess an object to potentially induce minor catastrophe amidst the local NPCs. A D20 from the dice hack is rolled. If an Even number is rolled, the catastrophe fails, and nothing happens. If an Odd number is rolled, the catastrophe fails, and results in the death of 3 sub-zero level non-essential NPCs. If a 14 is rolled, a minor catastrophe ensues because 14 year olds are generally evil. All weak willed zero-level NPCs on the scene will begin panicking, stronger willed NPCs will attempt to comfort the hysterical, etc. This minor catastrophe cannot directly harm any PC, but may cause annoyance or hindrance (i.e. 14 was rolled, so the axle on a passing transport wagon gives, causing it to topple! Imported chickens go running all over the streets of Nauplez!- PCs aren’t directly affected, but have a new obstacle to navigate, etc.).
Aura - Bassal can use her aura to influence the thoughts and behaviors of NPCs to a very limited extent. She can induce strong impulses, desires, or urges in weak-willed Sub-Level 2 NPCs. Generally Bassal influences NPCs who were already planning on acting in a certain way, but may cause them to ‘go too far,’ or ‘temporarily lose control’ (i.e. a bitchy librarian was already going to harass and berate somebody, but Bassal’s aura may fill her with such desire for dominance that she banishes someone from the library for no reason, or a shopkeeper is a softie and usually gives alms, but Bassal’s aura may place such an impulse on his heart that he gives a special heirloom to a stranger, etc.). This only influences NPCs; however, attentive characters will notice yellow ‘shimmering,’ or ‘otherworldly’ light radiating from the eyes of somebody who is acting under the influence of Bassal’s aura. Animals, reptiles and fish may be influenced by Bassal’s aura, but only one at a time, and the larger the creature’s willpower, the less influence the aura has. Insects, fungi, small flora such as grass and perennial vascular plant life may be influenced to move, sway, dance, grow to maturity unnaturally fast, blossom, or wither under Bassal’s aura, but only 1 swarm of insects, or a single circle of 5 meters in radius of flora can be influenced at once. Naturally occurring colonies of eubacteria, archaebacteria, cyanobacteria, and nonliving cellular entities such as viruses and airborne pathogens may be influenced under Bassal’s aura, but only to colonize more rapidly, spread to naturally occurring environments, or to cease their existence. Animals and sub-willpowered species cannot be influenced to attack PCs. Animals and sub-willpowered species can only cause fatalities in non-essential NPCs.
Bassal can only actively influence one entity at a time with her willpower; however, her aura itself is influenced by the collective emotion of the NPCs in the vicinity of her attention. Upon sensing the collective emotion of the vicinity, Bassal’s aura will change itself to synchronize with the collective emotional frequency. Bassal’s presence amplifies these ‘collective emotions’- making NPCs feel more passionate, intense, depressed, belligerent, loving, aloof, etc. Again this does not sway NPCs to act out of character, rather, it amplifies and exaggerates characteristics that already exist- making them ‘out of place’ or invoking ‘inappropriately timed or scaled reactions(^7).’ (i.e. Beinost is mourning the death of a noble, bereaved citizens begin breaking down and crying at even the simplest losses such as ‘spilled milk,’ etc. when Bassal is in the city).
Stupa - Bassal has a small knee-high stupa wrought of granite. As he/she is formless, this monument is the closest association that she has with a ‘body.’ If it is struck or damaged, she experiences diminished concentration and pain. If it is destroyed, she will be incapacitated for the rest of the thread until the stupa can ‘spawn’ itself somewhere else. The monument appears in the setting of the thread, and anonymously moves itself to follow Bassal throughout the story unbeknownst to NPCs unless they are looking for it. In competition threads, the stupa appears in one place and remains there for the duration of the story or until destroyed. The stupa contains her listed equipment and the remains of an unknown local deceased entity, whom her spirit guards. Upon noticing the stupa, and approaching within 4 meters of the monument, an apparition will appear to all characters. Depending on the roll of a D12 with the dice hack, one of 4 illusions will appear. A bereaved mother, a deranged beggar man, an emotionally abusive child, or a hostile teenager(^8). The specters have no power over the physical world, but will use illusions of grotesque images and demeaning soul-dismemberment in attempts to drive the character away from the stupa. The psychopathic and those lacking empathy are totally immune to the effects of the illusions (i.e. most characters on the site- again, it’s mostly a function for terrorizing NPCs).
Background / History:
If Bassal could describe his background in his own words, he would compare himself to a cosmic jellyfish(^9). Until becoming aware, he drifted about nonexistence- waiting, contemplating, wondering. ‘Wondering about what?’ You ask? He asked himself the same question. ‘What am I wondering about? What am I waiting for? What a good question! What have you, etc.’ Not much to go off of, he says. But that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll make it up as I go along.
*1: https://fiftyshadesofsnail.files.wor...-review-ig.jpg
*2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5rjEuWno4
*3 https://www.firetrace.com/fire-prote...lasses-of-fire
*4 https://external-preview.redd.it/8b6...=webp&d24ae6aa
*5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nN90-yljaY
*6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=essEdbEYPdU
*7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAiE9fJbVd4
*8 https://youtu.be/VtxcN4mSEUY
*9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuCn8ux2gbs
