Tag Archives: Unholy Talent Set

The Holy Talent Set

Of all the Talent Sets in the Champions of Battle universe, the Holy Talents are the most powerful.  This has led many an unwitting Adventurer to the monasteries seeking the power to crush opponents.  However, unpredictable and seemingly unending journeys await all who start the path of a Holy Warrior.

Relatively few who begin learning about the Holy Talents study long enough to learn a single skill from that set.  Most regret ever hearing about the Holy Talents as they are often side tracked while on quests.

Champions using the Holy Talents enjoy great boosts to whatever other talents they have chosen.  Stat increasing skills can be increased tenfold and last much longer.  Effects that last seconds can last minutes.  Effects that last hours can last days.  Attacks rarely miss even if the target turns invisible and the Holy Champions often get extra hints on how to complete quests.

However, the great power has a cost.  Any player using the Holy talents cannot in anyway take part in dishonorable actions.  Any holy buff on any character dissipates if they do so.  That means no stealing, no needless killing, no cheap shots, and no field burning or random acts of mayhem.  To some, these are the actions that make free roaming games fun but a Champion using the Holy Talents may suffer severe consequences if they take part.

Holy Warriors that commit too many dishonorable actions would be under attack by their own skills.  The Champion’s attacks become untrustworthy and often backfire.  What would have been a devastating hit to an opponent may heal them instead.  A spell that would have been a stat increase may instead set that stat near zero.  The Character may uncharacteristically fall during a chase or become clumsy while trying to be stealthy.

Another major downside to the Holy Talent Set is that the Champion must aid other players or NPCs.  A player that sees a Holy Talent user can ask for help with a difficult (or simple, or impossible) quest at any time.  If an NPC asks for help, the player will have to help them unless the Champion already has a priority quest.

NPCs knowingly take advantage of Champions and occasionally give quests with high risks and low rewards.  Most Champions can deny these requests but for a Holy Warrior, denying too many requests will start to count as dishonorable actions.  The Holy Talent user does not know the point where they have done too much harm or too little to help.  There is no status bar that says when the Holy abilities start to backfire.  The only meter is the outcome of an attack or buff.  Frightened by possible injury, the Champions usually take and finish every quest no matter where they lead.

In the stories, the Holy Talents were discovered alongside the Unholy Talents.  The two talent sets are relatively new with a large, completely unpredictable, duality themed story.  Both sets can be in use at the same time as they are not polar opposites like the names suggest.  Of course, the Unholy Beast becomes a much larger problem so the player has to be extra careful.

Holy Champions on their random quests interact with many more NPCs than the average player cares to look at.  Left with a great impression, the many touched citizens are often grateful enough to tell tales of a Holy Warrior long after the warrior has moved on.

Tales of their power reach the ears of new Adventurers that often want to pursue this power.

Characters known to use the Holy Talents:

Neely Yin, Hachiro Tai, Justice He

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #027

Jaquan stared speechless as Catlin and Neely rush off at Catlin’s whim.  He, Liana, and Justice had nothing to say that would help the two or change Catlin’s mind.  Understandably, Catlin felt a great deal of responsibility about Brisa’s situation.  She was going and Neely was going too; just… because he was.

As they watched Catlin and Neely run into the distance, one of Catlin’s abandoned bags fell over.  Neely left his bag as well.  Distracted from the spectacle, Liana grabbed both of Catlin’s larger bags.  It only seemed right since her suit greatly increased her already considerable strength.  This left Justice and Jaquan each of the remaining bags.

“Well, that just happened,” Jaquan said as he watched half of the BigBad Crew run off in frenzy.

Watching them run through the street, Justice couldn’t help but comment, “expected.”  He learned a little about Jaquan’s companions but expected was the best fitting word.

“Ironic,” Liana chimed in.  She added a few mechanical modifications to Neely’s armor during the shuttle trip.  It should help them in their task.  She had also seen Catlin modify Brisa’s armor in a fraction of the time with her enchants.  Catlin’s used immense power and concentration to help Brisa become a “warrior” in a few hours.  She used Neely’s Holy Talent boosted Empowerment Aura through the work and still almost changed into a dreaded Unholy Beast with all her work.  Brisa must have meant a lot to her.

Jaquan paused again watching Catlin and Neely run.  They were almost out of sight still frantically looking for the reporter.  The two that usually got into side adventures were off on another one.  Each adventure made them stronger so it made since to let them be for now.  “They should be fine,” Jaquan added.  Still, he’ll give them a call in a few hours.

The three followed the attendant to their assigned resting area to sit and relax.

—–

Brisa followed the mysterious warrior through the city.  It seemed he knew where he was going.  She learned his name was Kiley Qu and that he’d lived and trained in this city for a few years.  That was good because she was completely lost.  At best, she could find her way back to the Sword Mastery School.

Kiley was from a clan called Sour Grapes.  His clan was powerful though not the strongest.  His clan’s symbol, a black diamond with a bright yellow-orange circle in the center, was displayed proudly on his cape.  He was aware of Brisa’s recent escapade into the city.  Though he knew all the shortcuts, he made sure to stay on the main paths so she felt most comfortable.

As they walked, Brisa noticed that he disappeared from view every now and then.  She’d get distracted by something on the street and he’d be fading back into sight as she looked forward again.  It was a little disturbing.  It happened a few times before she had to stop and ask what was going on.

Kiley looked at her as though she should already know.  “There’s a cloaked tracker droid following you,” he said slightly annoyed.

Brisa looked behind her and all around.  There was nothing.  No evidence of anything, only the wind and traffic.

Kiley’s eyes flashed open with a sudden revelation, “You’re a new Adventurer aren’t you?”

“Well…  Umm…” Brisa was speechless.

She tried to hide it but, it was the only fact that could possibly explain everything.  She had awesome gear including a large powerful weapon that told all would-be attackers to be afraid, very afraid.  If she learned to use the gear, they would have great reason to be very afraid.  However, no part of her gear had been marked or repaired.  Therefore, it was unused.

Sour Grapes usually helped others in need.  Besides, he had nothing better to do today.  “Don’t worry,” Kiley said, “Just don’t charge off around some building at an enemy,” he smiled at Brisa’s confused look, “We should be fine.”

#1 – Opportunity #26 – Opportunity #28

Champions of Battle: The Very Best – Opportunity #21

Catlin sat back down and looked passed the empty seat across from her.  The others ate in silence.  Brisa was walking up the stairs towards her cabin still wearing the armor and enchanted gear Catlin had made especially for her.  Catlin knew exactly where Brisa’s cabin was, but it was best not to force a conversation right now.

Catlin had approached Brisa’s door with a powerful disguising enchant to keep Brisa from freaking out on site.  The event at the shuttle platform had affected Brisa much more than Catlin had wanted.  There was no way to know Brisa would be so ill-equipped for life outside the news room.

She slowly got to know Brisa.  Honestly, she was easy to get along with.  As they bonded, Catlin slowly weakened the enchantment but Brisa was still not ready to know the truth.  She had thought that eating with the person she was hired to follow would be enough of an apology.  Perhaps it was working for a while

Catlin had dropped the disguising enchantment at the table some time ago.  Her mask also had a perception enchant making it easier for her to see through disguises.  With all that, Brisa was still under the influence of Catlin’s spell.  Which meant one thing: Brisa wanted to believe the lie.

Once her eyes were open, they saw how she reacted to being tricked.  She didn’t like it.  No one does.  No one ever does.  Catlin knew that from the start but she was assured that things would turn out for the best.  They were following an “inspired” plan after all.

Catlin turned to Neely, “You told me to hide myself.  Now she doesn’t trust us at all.”

“It was better than the alternative,” he rebutted calmly after taking a drink.  It was water this time, “Or would you have liked her to run, scream, and call security on you.”

His distant calm bugged her and his tactics were unfeeling.  All of her hard work was wasted.  She’ll be recovering from performing those enchantments for at least a day.  The fruit of her labor walked away along with Brisa.  Catlin had lost a friend and they still needed to find someone to report on Jaquan, all because of Neely.  “What do we do now,” she asked Jaquan.

“We continue on our way,” he answered with his mouth full, “You said she was only going to stay in the town for a little while, right?”  He chewed a bit more then he swallowed, “We just have to wait for the replacement team.  Then we check them.”

They continued their meal.  Everyone ate their fill except Catlin.  She wasn’t hungry.

—–

Brisa reached her cabin still a little shaken.  It seemed that the BigBad Crew was fine eating without her.  They seemed not at all hostile to her this time.  Still the tricks and betrayal were a different type of hostility.  They had attacked her before.  No matter if they were remorseful, they wouldn’t get another chance.

Catlin’s impromptu meeting was a good trick.  The Crew may have wanted her to join them on their trip.  However, after telling them her secrets, she didn’t feel safe around any of them.  Catlin could use her fears and weaknesses for any purpose.  The “Catlin” she met could have also been a smokescreen.  She just didn’t know.

Duard would probably call her a fool for leaving like she did.  But he wasn’t here.  Only she was here with no backup.  Still, Brisa had surpassed him on one note.  She had, after all, gotten as close to Jaquan as he did; and without getting stepped on.  Duard was probably just leaving the hospital after his three day reminder that Jaquan ‘hated’ reporters.

All the same, the shuttle was landing.  It was time to call South Coast.

#1 – Opportunity #20 – Opportunity #22