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Description

The Mystic Battle-maidens are a class of Clepathian mystics who use their magical powers and vast wisdom to aid fellow crusaders on the many battlefields fought by the Holy Nation of Truth's Angorvosen.

Mystics are typically peaceful, however, studying higher mysteries in the shelter of their isolated stone temples, or offering religious and healing services to civilians and soldiers alike in places far from regular churches and hospitals. They are most often a female-only organization, with Clepathians having a long tradition of females taking the role of religious leaders, whilst men handle the more "tangible" matters. That said, it is not impossible or forbidden for a male to become mystic, but it is taboo in Clepathian culture.

Most female Clepathians take a few years of their lives in their teenage years to spend time learning from mystics. In this time, they do not learn spells, for even simple spells are dangerous for the undisciplined to wield, but they do learn matters of self-discipline, humility, and faith in the Creator on a more personal level they may not find in a typical church(given that most churches are led by Klannphayar males, which Clepathian females may often have a difficulty relating to.) Most young Clepathian women will leave the mystics and return home after this "coming-of-age" practice, but some might stay and continue to devote themselves to the study of reality and its maker.

It is only when a mystic reaches a rank of adept that they are taught spells by the elder mystics. At first, it is simple harnessing and channeling, but gradually evolves into manipulation of reality's base structure itself. Over their lives, mystics will often experience several ego-deaths, a constant cycle of killing the old inner self to wash away the cloud of bias and preconception. An individual mystic may have be one person for one century, but in the next may seem like a completely different person entirely through this ritualistic sacrifice of the inner self.

Eventually, they get to a point where the concept of "I" in the sense of body and place in spacetime completely evades them, and they describe it as a perpetual out of body experience, standing at the brink of oblivion, with only a thin barrier of awareness keeping them from falling within. They see their own bodies as little more than tools or devices to interact with the physical universe, so much to the point where their very consciousness is often disconnected with senses like pain or pleasure; their body feels it, but their mind does not "register" it. The glowing glyphs perpetually floating over their foreheads are their very spirits projected outside of their bodies, growing with complexity as they cycle through the life of an ego and its death over and over. When one looks a mystic in the eyes, they are only staring into a fleshy vessel, but looking upon the glyph of pure energy is looking directly at their soul.

Their disregard for the flesh means martyrdom is how most meet their end, be it through a knowingly suicidal practice to pursue knowledge, such as entering a plane where mortal flesh cannot walk, killing the body instantly, or it may be through servitude to others in times of great danger. Such is the fate Battle-maidens inevitably find for themselves.

Battle-maiden is a term not adopted by mystics, but by the Angorvosen. These mystics are usually those of at least a few hundred years of experience, practice, and study of discipline, and have long lost fear of physical suffering. It is a voluntary role, and each one who becomes one knows that their flesh will die, often painfully, in such a role; they do not retire from it, serving until death. On the battlefield, they possess a stoic grace, like a river of tranquility amidst a storm, unfettered by the roars and battlecries, screams of hate and death all around them, with focus as sharp as a diamond razor. They smite foes with destructive and reality-warping spells, while healing wounds and invigorating allies with holy magic. They cast great barriers over entire starships or cities more powerful than any energy shield, and can smite entire armies with mere thoughts.

However, Battle-maidens have their weaknesses. They go into combat with little on their person: a simple robe of chainmail, sparse ornamental plating, a simple shield, and a mostly ornamental sword. The mail is of a very lightweight material, while as strong as high-tensile steel, but it is likewise only enough to protect from cuts and slashes. Their shield is, likewise, is only silver-plated steel. Even the claws of of a lowly demon drudge can rip through steel as if it were paper. Mystic armor also has no self-shielding. By contrast, the standard body armor of normal crusaders is of a Retanium alloy woven with nano-generators projecting a high-velocity impact shield over the body, nullifying high speed impacts, and protecting from slower physical blows.

Additionally, battle-maidens have little to no experience in melee combat. Their shield, their sword, and their armor can largely be considered more of a symbol, as they rely almost entirely on spells for protection and offense.

The reason they use a chain robe instead of standard body armor is the same reason they insist on only wearing robes in the first place: vows of chastity. The vows of chastity is not just eliminating lust from oneself, but also eliminating it from the eyes of others upon them. Loose-fitting robes are the best clothing to conceal their figure, lowering the risk of others looking upon them with lustful eyes. Of course, this has become more of a tradition than a useful practice, as the wearing of long and large robes has become an established symbol of femininity among Clepathians, and is often deemed as very attractive among the males as a result. However, mystics spending so much time in temples away from the rest of the universe has this effect of "disconnecting them" from trends and perceptions.

Mystics, battle-maidens or not, are often very soft spoken. Almost all of their speech is laced with references and allusions to ancient scrolls and religious texts. Their manner of speaking is often considered archaic and ancient, almost in a perpetual state of sermon, to others even in casual conversation. Humble as they are, they are not as silent, socially aloof, and self-kept as Knights; they enjoy and partake in conversations and gatherings(so long as it does not break discipline), as at the end of the day, they are still just regular Clepathians, for it is not the death of self that the mystic embarks on in their spiritual journey, but the full understanding of self and all selfs, and their relation to the Creator. They are women of many lives, many deaths, many joys, many sorrows, and many mysteries.

Description

The Mystic Battle-maidens are a class of Clepathian mystics who use their magical powers and vast wisdom to aid fellow crusaders on the many battlefields fought by the Holy Nation of Truth's Angorvosen.

Mystics are typically peaceful, however, studying higher mysteries in the shelter of their isolated stone temples, or offering religious and healing services to civilians and soldiers alike in places far from regular churches and hospitals. They are most often a female-only organization, with Clepathians having a long tradition of females taking the role of religious leaders, whilst men handle the more "tangible" matters. That said, it is not impossible or forbidden for a male to become mystic, but it is taboo in Clepathian culture.

Most female Clepathians take a few years of their lives in their teenage years to spend time learning from mystics. In this time, they do not learn spells, for even simple spells are dangerous for the undisciplined to wield, but they do learn matters of self-discipline, humility, and faith in the Creator on a more personal level they may not find in a typical church(given that most churches are led by Klannphayar males, which Clepathian females may often have a difficulty relating to.) Most young Clepathian women will leave the mystics and return home after this "coming-of-age" practice, but some might stay and continue to devote themselves to the study of reality and its maker.

It is only when a mystic reaches a rank of adept that they are taught spells by the elder mystics. At first, it is simple harnessing and channeling, but gradually evolves into manipulation of reality's base structure itself. Over their lives, mystics will often experience several ego-deaths, a constant cycle of killing the old inner self to wash away the cloud of bias and preconception. An individual mystic may have be one person for one century, but in the next may seem like a completely different person entirely through this ritualistic sacrifice of the inner self.

Eventually, they get to a point where the concept of "I" in the sense of body and place in spacetime completely evades them, and they describe it as a perpetual out of body experience, standing at the brink of oblivion, with only a thin barrier of awareness keeping them from falling within. They see their own bodies as little more than tools or devices to interact with the physical universe, so much to the point where their very consciousness is often disconnected with senses like pain or pleasure; their body feels it, but their mind does not "register" it. The glowing glyphs perpetually floating over their foreheads are their very spirits projected outside of their bodies, growing with complexity as they cycle through the life of an ego and its death over and over. When one looks a mystic in the eyes, they are only staring into a fleshy vessel, but looking upon the glyph of pure energy is looking directly at their soul.

Their disregard for the flesh means martyrdom is how most meet their end, be it through a knowingly suicidal practice to pursue knowledge, such as entering a plane where mortal flesh cannot walk, killing the body instantly, or it may be through servitude to others in times of great danger. Such is the fate Battle-maidens inevitably find for themselves.

Battle-maiden is a term not adopted by mystics, but by the Angorvosen. These mystics are usually those of at least a few hundred years of experience, practice, and study of discipline, and have long lost fear of physical suffering. It is a voluntary role, and each one who becomes one knows that their flesh will die, often painfully, in such a role; they do not retire from it, serving until death. On the battlefield, they possess a stoic grace, like a river of tranquility amidst a storm, unfettered by the roars and battlecries, screams of hate and death all around them, with focus as sharp as a diamond razor. They smite foes with destructive and reality-warping spells, while healing wounds and invigorating allies with holy magic. They cast great barriers over entire starships or cities more powerful than any energy shield, and can smite entire armies with mere thoughts.

However, Battle-maidens have their weaknesses. They go into combat with little on their person: a simple robe of chainmail, sparse ornamental plating, a simple shield, and a mostly ornamental sword. The mail is of a very lightweight material, while as strong as high-tensile steel, but it is likewise only enough to protect from cuts and slashes. Their shield is, likewise, is only silver-plated steel. Even the claws of of a lowly demon drudge can rip through steel as if it were paper. Mystic armor also has no self-shielding. By contrast, the standard body armor of normal crusaders is of a Retanium alloy woven with nano-generators projecting a high-velocity impact shield over the body, nullifying high speed impacts, and protecting from slower physical blows.

Additionally, battle-maidens have little to no experience in melee combat. Their shield, their sword, and their armor can largely be considered more of a symbol, as they rely almost entirely on spells for protection and offense.

The reason they use a chain robe instead of standard body armor is the same reason they insist on only wearing robes in the first place: vows of chastity. The vows of chastity is not just eliminating lust from oneself, but also eliminating it from the eyes of others upon them. Loose-fitting robes are the best clothing to conceal their figure, lowering the risk of others looking upon them with lustful eyes. Of course, this has become more of a tradition than a useful practice, as the wearing of long and large robes has become an established symbol of femininity among Clepathians, and is often deemed as very attractive among the males as a result. However, mystics spending so much time in temples away from the rest of the universe has this effect of "disconnecting them" from trends and perceptions.

Mystics, battle-maidens or not, are often very soft spoken. Almost all of their speech is laced with references and allusions to ancient scrolls and religious texts. Their manner of speaking is often considered archaic and ancient, almost in a perpetual state of sermon, to others even in casual conversation. Humble as they are, they are not as silent, socially aloof, and self-kept as Knights; they enjoy and partake in conversations and gatherings(so long as it does not break discipline), as at the end of the day, they are still just regular Clepathians, for it is not the death of self that the mystic embarks on in their spiritual journey, but the full understanding of self and all selfs, and their relation to the Creator. They are women of many lives, many deaths, many joys, many sorrows, and many mysteries.