Moonblaze

Hecatolite Geon are considered among the most radically pacifistic of the Geon. They live largely ascetic lives, and take great care to cause no harm to other living beings—especially inadvertently. They are few in number and spend most of their lives in solitude, preferring to meditate on a philosophical matter that they resonate with. Their communities are loose and spread out across large distances, but they are aware of each other's presence and are willing to provide assistance should the need arise. Moreso insular than their kin, the Hecatolite Geon were entirely unknown to the surface-dwelling Orochthan peoples until the Wealth Wars, during which time several individuals were extraordinarily moved to action by the events unfolding in the conflict.   As generations of Hecatolite Geon spent their lifetimes underground, those that emerged onto the surface during the Wealth Wars were the first to discover the Moonblaze. Although it is said that the transformation occurs under the light of the full moon, this is only partially true, as certain requirements need to be met before a Hecatolite Geon experiences the Moonblaze, namely: an emotional impetus strong enough to crystallize a Hecatolite Geon's opinion on the philosophical matter that they have spent their life ruminating.   The first Hecatolite Geon to emerge unto the surface in recorded history did so possessing no survival skills, no combat ability, and no affinity for magic. All they had was what they characterized as an immaterial and irresistible compulsion to do something. Compassion, the first Hecatolite Geon to experience the Moonblaze did so shortly after witnessing an outsider force burn down a village. After the wars, they described the experience as a moment of incandescent rage that culminated in a realization: that the answer to the question they had pondered all their life was that to defend oneself and one's loved ones with force in the face of an unprovoked, unjustified, and deliberately lethal attack was not an inherent moral evil, but rather a categorical moral imperative.   As the light of the full moon shone down upon them, Compassion experienced the Moonblaze for the first time. In moments, the moonstone that comprised their body, which had always been mildly cloudy, became crystal clear. Magical potential, unlike anything they had ever known, erupted within them. They grew stronger and taller, with serrated ridges growing along their elbows, knees, and jaw. Then, filled with a new sense of purpose, they joined the fray against the outsiders, singlehandedly turning the company of men away with a dazzling display of devastating magic.   Other Hecatolite Geon who surfaced during the Wealth Wars reported similar experiences as Compassion, and each one subsequently underwent a Moonblaze of their own. The effects varied based on the individual; in the case of Compassion they developed an affinity for powerfully destructive magic. In the case of Clemency, who emerged toward the end of the war, they developed an uncanny ability to wield martial weapons to the same degree of skill as some of the most experienced contemporary martial masters. Charity, who happened upon an Orochthan unit engaged with a platoon of soldiers from the Rowoon Kingdom that had already suffered heavy casualties demonstrated healing magics so potent it restored the most heavily injured members of the unit, and rendered the entire group practically immortal for the duration of the encounter.   Although Hecatolite Geon who experience the Moonblaze are capable of displaying superhuman ability, the power and potency of their abilities are strongest during their first transformation. They retain these abilities even once the physical aspects of the transformation revert, and become stronger when they enter the Moonblaze state again during the next full moon, but they are never stronger than they were during their first transformation. Whether this is an innate limitation of the Moonblaze, or simply a hurdle that the Hecatolite Geon might be able to overcome one day is a matter that requires further study.   Invariably, the Hecatolite Geon who experienced a Moonblaze attested to a changed outlook, and an aversion to the prospect of returning to the remote, solitary existence that they had before the war. Indeed, they expressed a determination to ensure that the horrors of the war would not happen again. To this end, they all joined the Araxepharoi, dedicating the abilities they had awakened to the cause.