THE EBON ARTILLERIST
INTRODUCTION
Oliver’s Black Sigil develops into a creator of ammunition, supporting Oliver’s use of firearms for the price of Shrivenflame burning within the pyromancer’s veins. The mutations are focused around augmenting Oliver’s Enkindled Firearm as well as introducing a mechanic which requires Oliver to regulate his body heat when Oliver uses Shrivenflame as ammunition.
Mark Location: Oliver’s Black Sigil is located on his back, situated where his spinal cord would sit.
MUTATIONS
Sigilic Bloodline - Apprentice
Oliver’s body starts adjusting to the heat of Shrivenflame, so much that he lets his body encompass the heat that flows within his veins. Additionally, Oliver gains access to the ability to create ammunition from flame using the ability, Flare. This allows the pyromancer to conjure flame pellets that can be placed into Oliver’s enkindled firearm. When fired, they will unleash a spray of fire similar to the ability of Flash. The spray will increase in range and intensity as Oliver progresses in Sigilic Pyromancy.
The detrimental side-effect of this mutation is that Oliver must watch his own body heat in which the heat threshold will increase depending on Oliver’s skill in the magic. Overabusing this feat can leave Oliver in immense burning pain and may exhaust his own body functions by overclocking as Oliver becomes overheated rapidly depending on Oliver's ammunition creation.
Sigilic Artillery - Journeyman
Oliver’s chosen weapon mastery becomes a beneficial development to his fighting style, so much that Oliver’s firearm chooses to evolve, becoming a sentient part of Oliver’s pyromantic development. When Oliver casts Emblem, the pyromancer will receive new upgrades for his rifle, including a scope used to detect the heat signatures in ghosts, undead and Dranoch, allowing them to be easily detectable.
Additionally, Oliver’s firearm is upgraded with the ability to rapid fire ammunition at faster paces; although the drawbacks of heat overload will apply upon using Shrivenflame ammunition and may reach rapidly dangerous levels if Emblem is overused, through extensive rapid fire Emblem may begin to overwork Oliver's body which may cause him to experience heat at a faster degree; a measured danger is required by the Pyromancer to determine the amount of Shrivenflame ammunition he can use as the Shrivenflame expunges are rapid amounts. Because of the overall heat production of the blast, it will begin to effect the Pyromancer based on each round fired, meaning that intense heat around his body can fire up quickly, damaging internal organs and eventually exhausting bodily functions.
Additionally, Emblem increases the weight to the weapon and increases recoil when at the beginning of mastering this ability. Overtime, the recoil will decrease with Oliver’s development in Sigilic Pyromancy.
Sigilic Overload - Expert
Oliver’s body begins to adapt to extreme heat, raising his tolerance and stamina to blistering hot flaming conditions slightly. However, his body will pay a price that he becomes more susceptible to damage due to the molten condition of his organic matter, eventually Oliver' fiery ammunition creation becomes an crucial part of his Enkindled weapon, meaning that the vital source of his weaponry relies on conjuring flame pellets as conventional bullets are unable to become Enkindled at this stage, due to the sensational heat now radiating from the weapon, meaning that they will melt instantly if inserted into it's ammunition slot.
Because of this, there is a price on creating bullets using the ability, Flare and that is the intense stages of overheating. At this stage, Oliver's body is tolerant to high levels of heat as his body has developed a tolerance to Shrivenflame. However, it is not completely immune to the effects of burning flame.
Oliver's body will begin to become frail and brittle with the amount of Shrivenflame ammunition he may use; it may worsen his condition if he decides to use Emblem due to the high impact and rapid fire. Because of this, whilst he is in this condition his movement alacrity will be increased for the price that he would not be able to heal himself through Exigency whilst under this form of flame exposure; his body will be more vulnerable to blunt strikes and arrows as they will penetrate straight through him or leave his bones brittle. In this case, Oliver is a 'glass cannon' and will be vulnerable in this stage. Using Exigency may also worsen the current conditions of heat exposure, if Oliver's heat levels are at an extremely high threshold.
Doomsday - Master
Oliver’s Beacon burns brightly inside Oliver’s soul, eventually giving him the ability to survive even the intense heat conditions; Shrivenflame seems like a natural revitaliser of his body, giving him stamina and strength in moderate levels. Oliver must still regulate his body heat still, but it becomes less of a requirement as his body is more stronger and capable of tackling even the highest levels of heat, before he reaches a point where his body becomes frail and brittle.
The final active ability that Oliver gains through this mutation is the ability to create a flaming rift of bullets. In this case, Oliver will choose to go through the process used in Sigilfall; he will lift his firearm in the air, channeling the inner flame into his weapon, before shooting a channeled ball of fire into the sky; it will continue to arc towards the area of impact, before exploding and raining down a sky of meteoric bullets.
Similarly to Sigilfall, Oliver’s strength of impact will benefit from other Pyromancers supporting this; however this will mean that Oliver may take on more blistering heat conditions, which may render Oliver weak, dehydrated and extremely vulnerable to damage. The cooling process may take days depending on the environment he's in. In blistering hot conditions such as Searing weather, it may exasperate his condition, meaning that a Baptism mage will be required to cool him down from within.
PS. This was inspired by my suffering, I hope you enjoy.
