Revision Phase
Hellbringers/Voiceguard Revision
A new division of the Voiceguard, the Hellbringers use Wind of Fire to scour the unworthy, the weak, and the foolish from the world. They use cylindrical projections of flame to annihilate sections of enemy armies, using powerful yet small and short cylinders to eliminate elite units or dangerous foes, while using a short and wide cylinder to burn the eyes and any exposed skin of larger formations, attacking from above in all cases. Similarly large cylinders, turned on their sides, can interfere with enemy archery. It's hard to shoot if your targets are hiding behind a vision-impeding circle of flame in the sky, after all.
Finally, we anticipate the enemy will develop protection from flames as fast as possible. Therefore, if direct application of fire through the previous methods is not capable of killing enemies, instead the Hellbringers will switch to very large areas of relatively little heat, just about 150*F for those that care. Not enough to light most things on fire, but enough to horribly exhaust anyone in the area, or kill them over long periods of exposure. The presence of this heat should debilitate enemies not protected against heat AND flame.
During combat only a few Hellbringers will deploy to help the skirmishers, most will be held in reserve to break enemy formations apart with the threat of fiery death. A few more will wait until the enemy's elite units reveal themselves, then smash them with fiery pillars from above. They don't even need to hit, just a close strike will burn, overheat, and exhaust an unarmored man such as a monk, while overheating and exhausting even the most heavily-armored soldier is also a valid tactic the Hellbringers will employ.
At night, a Hellbringer is assigned to every watch shift, prepared to send up a very large column of flame in the event of attack, denying our enemies the cover of darkness. Oh, and they can also set fire to any bushes that are full of archers or whatever. That's fine too.
Hard: 4 - 1 = 3
The new order of Voice Guard, the Hellbringers has been formed, much to the ire of the other orders. The order of Enkindlers, in particular, look enviously upon the Chant they feel should rightfully be practiced by their own order. This envy turns further to jealousy when several apprentices quit the noble order of Enkindlers to join the Hellbringers. Still such is the price of progress and the Hellbringers have increased in number quickly allowing us to deploy them to the battlefield with little difficulty. That the other orders shun them and refuse to work with those they describe as the agents of hell is likely just one of those factional problems that can be solved with time.
The Hellbringers for their part pray fervently to Eristria for redemption and forgiveness. That the unholy flames be turned to righteous purpose, sending the souls of the dead into her care. Swearing to ensure those they find burning by their own dark art, are slain. For such is the mercy of the Hellbringers.
Hell's GuardiansThey say the path to hell is paved with good intentions. If that is the case, then the Hellbringers shall guard it. Having felt their contributions have grown weaker with these flame-proof cloaks, they have proposed a temple to the gods be built using a great Spike Chant. A great Pyramid, which they shall carve with their flame day and night, using a High Powered Chant to do so. From this spike of earth to the Southwest rooms shall be carved with fiery spikes the shape of a diamond. Their control over wind and the concentration of their flames will bring them to work constantly to improve themselves is service to the Loji, separate from the Voiceguard. In this manner will the Loji be strengthened. And when they have completed this task, they shall be able to send a spike through solid walls, such is it's intensity, and lease it to their control. Until they choose to fan it, and the fierce flame expands to cover all. Needless to say, the intensity also makes it suited for downing the monstrosities of the Xi Shan, and traveling straight through enemy lines.
A pyramid birthed with a high-power spike rune and multiple chanters. Something that is fine for building, or carving, a structure out of. Hell's Guardians shall practice, and with each level shall their flames grow stronger still. Needless to say this removes them from the Voiceguard.Fate's GuardiansWith Wind of Cold are new aspirants to the Loji armed. A High-power chant in the shape of a spiral sphere, with which they seek to freeze the ocean itself into a great castle beneath the waves rising to the sky, two steps to the Southeast. This is not a task taken lightly, they will need to become in tune with the Cold Fate awaiting them. With each success will they be one step close to freezing Water, be it normal, the blood of their foes, or mana. Brews shall be frozen solid, Poisons rendered nothing more than frostsheets on weapons. The rain shall be as snowfall, or icicles as it enters their spell. Still, even with their task not completed they are elite in their ability. Not only must they freeze this castle into fruition, but carry the water and carve the ice by hand. A daunting task, but one fit to show their devotion.
A castle built on a layer of ice from the bed of the shore. They have a hard task before them shaping it to into a castle of rime. The challenge however will improve their own abilities. As with Hell's Guardians, this falls under a togglable infrastructure.Dedicated Chanting Course- Infrastructure: Hall of the [Unnamed]The Dedicated Chanting Course is held in a huge building made using Powerful Spike Chants, open to the air in the four cardinal directions and up above. It's based around a giant Geomancy circle with the entire base being a raised platform with a lip and smooth stone slabs fitted together. Stairs were also built.
The main goal of this building is providing an area for our soldiers to train in the use of Chants, and in the future that of Chanted Spells. For now it used for meditative purposes, along with teaching the old Wind of Cold and new Spike chant. The goal of this is to improve one's spirit to the point magic can be cast by any solider with trivial ease, other than the initial foray into teaching the spell to those who wish to learn it.
Of note on the current spells being taught. This list will be expanded in the future. Assume at least one person in the area who can cast them at Medium-strength. Low-strength Runes are more common, though no Powerful Rune users.
Cone of Chill: A chant designed for the many; allowing them to chill the enemy, sapping them of their strength. With better meditation comes greater concentration in battle, allowing it to be extended further than one might think. Those with the ability to cast at Medium-strength can possibly to freeze water sources on an enemies' person, though not blood.
Block of Spike: Rectangular blocks that the user angles to create slopes upward and downward, as well as across rivers. The spike is at the end, and extends out of the ground in that direction. Can double as a wall or makeshift fort in a pinch.
Chant Experiment: Form[Air], Control[Fate], Ward[Air]Plan is thus, take a loss on the Iqua front, gain Naming, then upgrade the meanings to Adept. After which we design a Hero, Name them, and add all the chimes. We got Boris in line to be one in fact.
For revision, make an amulet that boosts our soldiers Endurance and Solidity to go with the Psalmfront. And ammo that can crush the walls they make. Weight and WJD which has weight as it's thing should do nicely. And kill anything in it's path even more dead, armor doesn't help if your heart is crushed to paste. Or if you lose your spine.
After that, we pretty much have what we need to start making spells wholesale with this infrastructure. Experiment, then use revision to make a new option as we like.
Dedicated Chanters Course- Hall of the [Unnamed]: (1) TricMagic
Chant Experiment: Form[Air], Control[Fate], Ward[Air]: (1) TricMagic
As noted in discord, take an L from Iqua. We do these two to set up and grab Naming next turn, which has the side benefit of reducing costs of any spell we have to 1-4-7. 1-3-6 if we then grab the last meaning, then we are well set for medium magic.
DCC is meant to make revising new spells for general use easier, boosting the general soldier's ability to use them. It adds Spike too to allow bypassing of walls simply by going over them, or as walls.
For revision, WJD stillborn steel ammo with an aspect of Weight. Perfect wallbusters, and cheap enough to be in general use after we advance our meanings knowledge needed to grab Naming.
For the other revision, an amulet with the Endurance aspect, made of WJD alloyed with stillborn steel. It would cost 3 mana, but once we grab Naming, the cost goes down to 2.
Next turn, we grab Naming by upping form and Control to Adept. Then, make a hero with it, giving them a Name. Boris [The Goliath] seems a good start. I think Naming is also needed for Artifact work, and would suggest doing an Experiment for a Wood chant. Form[Wood], Shape[Wood], Control[Wood] seems decent for the jungle, and gives us that spell combination to see what it would be like, and with DCC we can revise it into the army if it's very good. Life, Experience, and Growth are also aspects we can give with that chant under our belts, and we'd only be missing fire and water. (Though a question on if we should even go for water.)