CREDO
“Each death is a step forward.”
WHO THEY ARE
Vanquishers seek to challenge themselves in all things – as long as it involves laying their lives on the line. While death is a common occurrence for Hands, Vanquishers are more foolhardy than most… or are they? What have they to fear when their Rings will bring them back? Vanquishers live for the rush of battle and the glory of conquest. They’re uninterested in bullying the weak or the defenseless, and keep their attention on those who brag or bluster. As long as you offer up a challenge, a Vanquisher will take it and they won’t stop until one of you has fallen.
JOINING
Unlike most Guilds, the Vanquishers require a test before welcoming someone as a new member. The test is simple: face the Guildmaster in single combat and do not run away from your death at their hands. Win or lose (and no one has won yet), being able to accept death is more important than any amount of combat ability.
POWERS
All powers are once between Rests and take an Action to activate unless otherwise stated.
THE BODY, THE FORM (LEVEL 1)
The Vanquisher may mold their flesh into a weapon that will use the STAT and TACTIC of their choice. It replaces the current melee or ranged weapon – whichever TACTIC it uses. This improvised weapon lasts until the Vanquisher is killed or the end of the encounter.
TAKE WHAT WAS THEIRS (LEVEL 3)
Once per encounter, the Vanquisher may use a bite attack (STAT of their choice + MELEE) against an enemy and heal half of their max HP if the attack is successful. If the attack fails, the power is expended.
HOLD (LEVEL 5)
For the rest of the encounter, the Vanquisher may reduce all forced movement by half (round up).
SABOTAGE THE VESSEL (LEVEL 7)
You may select one opponent’s basic weapon, if it has one, and take it for your own until the end of the encounter. It uses the same STAT and TACTIC and behaves the same. This does not replace your own weapons and acts as a third. The enemy loses access to this weapon – you’ve truly taken it from them.
LEGEND (LEVEL 9)
Upon reaching 0 HP, the Vanquisher may choose to RESUSCITATE themselves.
GOALS
To win, to sing through bloody teeth, to consume fear, to treat courage as your dog, to outwit, to wander, and to never surrender.
REALITY PHILOSOPHY: CONQUER
The strong will not attack the weak, but they will triumph. A Vanquisher consumes the reality of others to make it their own. They see it as their right – the strongest World has the best chance to survive, after all. Rampant destruction is not their goal, but replacement. Whenever a Vanquisher seeks a solution to an Anomaly or stabilization, the result will ideally resemble the Vanquisher’s desired reality.
STRUCTURE
The Vanquishers are the youngest of the Guilds despite their Guildmaster being one of the first Hands, and barely function as an organization at all. Any member can recruit new members and as long as they’re willing to face Witchjack, admission is simple. Unfortunately, since no one wants to do paperwork, Vanquishers are forced to their desks every so often to keep records up-to-date and information moving along. The only real structure within the Guild is Witchjack > everyone else.
GUILDMASTER
Witchjack, Abdicant of the Devouring White, Anaesh, UH10
Cousin to the first Hand, Aii Marndoix, Witchjack refused to stay back while others took on the risk of saving reality. It’s said she forced the first Ring she saw to bond with her even though it was found by another. A skilled fighter from the House of Devouring White and no lover of bureaucracy, she left her House and is only attached to CORSAIR through the Guild, which she reluctantly founded after discovering she could train others in the Guild’s special techniques. She’d abandon her position if she could, but no one has been able to best her in combat. Her reputation is for causing and resolving conflict in equal measure – agency, she insists, belongs to those willing to fight for it. Unlike most Anaes, Witchjack has no dead to serve her.
Being freed from death was like removing her leash, allowing her to fight and die again and again, wearing away the enemy to nothing. She will win not because she is stronger, but because she is more tenacious.
She is very very strong, however, and as broad-shouldered as a minotaur.
Witchjack is around 8’ tall with long white hair – the end of her braid is discolored from getting dipped in gore as a trophy. She has grayish-brown skin, no eyes beneath her eyelids, and no obligant tattoos. No one has ever seen her laugh or smile.
She takes joy in a fight well-fought, however, and is not unkind.
BENEFITS
Vanquishers are always up for a fight. If you encounter a Vanquisher out in the Worlds, you may ask for their assistance and get it most of the time (unless they are badly injured or on a critical Mission). In return, they will take a share of the spoils at the end – commensurate with their support, of course.
TITHES
New weapons and the trophies of Legends are always accepted, but not required. Witchjack thinks dying is enough.
ACCORDS/TABOOS
MARK YOUR VICTORY
ACCORD: You may carve your mark into the flesh of a defeated foe.
TABOO: You may not take anything else off that corpse (others can) or wind up with any of their spoils before your next REST.
TROPHY
ACCORD: You may take a piece of a fallen enemy with you.
TABOO: If you want to throw it out, you have to eat it.
EVER READY
ACCORD: You will clean all weapons after a combat you participated in.
TABOO: You must also clean any weapons your team takes as spoils before your next REST.