Conduits

A Conduit is an immortal being with a seemingly divine connection to one of the Eldritch avatars. They are capable of channelling immense quantities of their associated Eldritch's elemental energy without need for a crystal or other such tool. As the name implies, they themselves are living conduits for their element, and some people view them as living altars.

Conduits are better known by the common man as Champions due to how often they make a name for themselves performing great acts of power or service. They're seen as champions and voices of the people, and have often been deified throughout history.

Long ago, there used to be many of these artificial demigods roaming the world, but in the past milennium, their numbers have dwindled, and their names have been relegated to little more than myth and fantasy. Some are still worshipped as gods.

Ascension

Every Conduit was once a mortal, granted immortality in a process called ascension that transforms them on a physical and spiritual level. Asension occurs in one of two ways: artificial and chosen.

Artificial Ascension

The most common form of ascension for Conduits. Giants are capable of imbuing mortals with the power of the gods and shaping their bodies as they see fit. This tends to be the reason why a Conduit is referred to as a Champion: giants are immortal, proud beings often possessing high standards for what makes a mortal worthy of their gifts.

Chosen Ascension

It's incredibly rare for a mortal to catch the genuine, undivided attention of an eldritch. It's even rarer for the eldritch to choose to make someone immortal and directly gift their powers to them. Chosen Conduits are more powerful than their artificially ascended peers, but the unadulterated connection to their associated eldritch comes with a higher risk of them losing themselves to their abilities. The increased primordial strength gives these Conduits a far more uncanny air.

The Price

Immortality of this nature comes at a cost. To rob Decay of one of its collection and remove someone from the cycle of life and death for a prolonged period of time makes it impatient. In addition, granting that person more power than many know what to do with also risks throwing the world off-balance. A payment must be made to death in order for a Conduit to be created, regardless of the means.

The cost?

All memory of your mortal life. Not only does a Conduit forget who they were before ascension, but they are wiped from the memory of anyone who ever knew them beforehand. All that will remain is a feeling of something being missing, items that belonged to someone you don't remember, and pictures of a face you swear you should know, but can't put a name to. In artificial ascensions, only the giant who sponsored the Conduit's ascension will remember who they once were, should they care to do so.

It is highly unlikely for a Conduit to ever remember their mortal life. Some believe this to be a kindness. A way of preventing the grief that comes with outliving everyone you loved.

Ascending Children

It's not impossible for children to be ascended into Conduits, but the few recorded cases often end in tragedy. Child Conduits are left 'frozen' at the physical and mental age at which they were ascended, and have not been known to mature. According to records it mirrors cases of what's now known as Neverland Psychosis in vampires who were turned in childhood.

Notable Physical Traits

Conduits undergo many physical changes when they ascend to immortality. While they tend to keep the core traits of their species, they are viewed to possess a more 'primordial' strength that sets them apart. All Conduits will obtain wings or some other means of flight and high-speed travel, their bodies will usually increase in size (believed to be a means of housing the immense energy they now channel), and artifically ascended Conduits will often be 'customised' to some degree by their giant sponsor.

A Conduit's height usually averages at around 10-12 feet tall.

The Importance of Vows

Disciples

Conduits are capable of creating soul-binding contracts with mortals, granting them immortality and a piece of their power in exchange for loyalty and obedience. Individuals working under Conduits in this manner are called Disciples.

Disciple contracts can be written on paper or other writing implements, but only really work when given verbally or with an in-person gesture*. The exchange of oaths has to be genuine, and giving one under false pretenses can lead to their power backfiring and seriously injuring the deceiver if not killing them. Particularly unforgiving Conduits (of which there are many) may dole out severe punishments for such things.

* Note: It may be possible for a Conduit to enchant paper so that a contract written on it can be used as a valid Disciple contract, but this is an incredibly rare skill.

Disciples do not experience memory wipes unless one is stipulated in their oath or contract, and one may sever their contract at any point, removing any abilities that come with it. Conduits may choose to end the contract themselves, or forge such tightly-constructed contracts that breaking them will automatically rid the Disciple of their aiblities and dismiss them from service.

Disciples will lose their power should their Conduit retire or be separated from them for a prolonged period of time.

Wedding Vows

It’s rare for Champions to fall in love with someone to the point of wanting to marry them, but when they do, their wedding vows form the basis for one of the truest bonds between a Champion and their ‘Disciple’, provided the love is true between both sides. Disciples of this nature aren’t treated as standard Disciples, rather they are their partner’s equal with a duty towards one another.

A Champion’s partner will only lose their power if the Champion dies or they mutually sever the bond. Time apart does not have an effect on them.

Vows Between Equals

If two (or more) Conduits exchange genuine vows of devotion with one another, it is considered a marriage between them. Conduit marriages create shared abilities but may risk their souls being so tightly bound to one another that if one perishes, then so shall the other. If it doesn't kill the partner, then the damage to the soul may be irreparable.

Children of Conduits

While rare, it is possible for a Conduit to have children. Unfortunately, many Conduits struggle to conceive due to how much energy their bodies contain. A large portion of that energy will always be passed down to their children, but it often leaves a pregnancy unviable. If two Conduits attempt to have a biological child together, the resulting energy levels make it impossible for conception to occur.

Offspring of a Conduit will inherit a lot of their parent's powers and even some unique ones, but may struggle to control those powers without proper guidance.

Wards

Due to difficulties conceiving biological children, most Conduits who seek to raise families of their own will choose to adopt instead. A child who has been adopted by a Champion will experience a similar bond to a Disciple contract, but lacking many of the restrictions that a contract with an adult will entail. This contract will usually last until the ward is well into adulthood, and then the ward will get the opportunity to form a permanent Disciple contract.

Some Conduit wards may choose to try gaining the attention of a giant so that they can be ascended into a Conduit alongside their parent even if they may not remember each other afterwards.