17.17 ASCENSION
Ascension to Divinity is a spectacular and rare achievement, known to very few. The ancient and enigmatic Elder Gods have existed since before recorded history, but there exists no way for any mortal to ascend as an Elder God, for they were created by the power of Dynara and the Nameless Son of Yudhe. During the Vernal Wars, many Vernal Gods and Goddesses were raised through the great Nexuses of Power across the lands. Although in modern times, mortals have once again learned to channel a nexus's power into apotheosis, the route to Vernal Divinity has been lost due to events which created the Threshold Abyss. Instead, a mortal imbued with a nexus's power rises as a Vernal Ascendant, or a True Ascendant if they pass through the Nine Challenges of Ascension (see HELP ASCENDANT). Once every generation, the Nine Seals which imprison Almighty Kethuru must be recharged by the lifeforce of a mortal, the power of which burns away their being and grants them ascension to a True Ascendant. When the Seals are weakened, Avechna, the Avenger awakens and challenges mortals everywhere to compete in Nine Challenges (see HELP ASCENSION CHALLENGES) to select those worthy of representing each Seal (see SEALS). Those Sealbearers are awarded a Medallion of their respective Seal and are eligible to compete in the Ascension. Medallions offer the following boons: - has the utility of a cubix (TOUCH MEDALLION) - allows picking a Seal-related demigod power at no weight cost - can be traded-in for 2000 credits (irreversible!) - destroys spawns of Kethuru effortlessly - attracts spawns of Kethuru while Ascension is underway ASCENSION Ascension takes place upon the Astral Plane and all those participating in the event are subject to increasing levels of insanity accrued there (see HELP INSANITY), with the staff holder gaining it a lot faster than everyone else. During that time all Astral Spheres remain connected and everyone can ASTROGLIDE to get to their nexii on Astral and can ASTROGLIDE NEXUS while on Astral in order to leave. The Nine Challengers compete for the Staff of Ascension which is released upon the Astral Plane. Only a Sealbearer may pick up the Staff of Ascension and they must bring it to the astral node on the right Astral Sphere. Location or holder of the staff and the correct sphere is displayed in EVENT STATUS. For every second the staff is held, a point is gained, which can be tracked in EVENT SCORE. The first Sealbearer to reach 3600 points becomes the True Ascendant. Features of Ascension: Rotating Nodes - The Staff of Ascension has to be brought to the right Astral Sphere's node for points to start accruing. Every few minutes the node will switch and the staff holder will have 2 minutes to get to the new node or the staff will vanish. Node Effects - Kethuru assaults the node if the staff holder is on it. Every 2 minutes either tremors or winds will hit the node and affect a random amount of people on it. Tremors will cast people out of the room (staff holder is immune), winds will strip shields and stun. Transplanar Limitations - While on Astral you will not be able to use bixes, medallions, and similar instantenous means of leaving the Astral Plane. Prime Assaults - During Ascension Kethuru will direct attacks against the Prime Plane as well. Powerful monstrosities can be found in the Basin of Life at the time. Slaying them and dropping their corpse in front of one of the Seals on Avechna's Peak will yield points for the Sealbearer and cure some of their insanity. One cannot win Ascension (cross 3600 points) that way, you must still hold the staff to cross from 3599 to 3600.
