The Emissary's Mark

A Gift From the Divine

The Cleric's eyes burnt like molten gold, her arteries and veins shining a clear gold, even through her dark brown skin. For the life of him, he couldn't remember which Order wore pale blue, silver-trimmed overrobes and, setting eyes on an Emissary for the first time, he knew it wouldn't be coming back to him now.

The Emissary's Mark is the condition which turns a normal Cleric or Paladin into an Emissary of the Divine. Those with the Mark are imbued with extraordinary powers and a uniquely large reserve of Divine magic, giving them the ability to perform incomparable feats of magic and channel large amounts of Divine magic from an external source through their own body. In exchange for this Blessing, the Emissary must serve the Divine who gave them the Mark for the rest of their life.

Treatment & Prognosis

There is no treatment or cure for this condition. The only way an Emissary's Mark can be removed is if the Divine who Blessed the Emissary chooses to remove their Blessing. This is usually as a reward, because they have no more use for that particular Emissary, the Emissary's job is done, or, in rare cases, as a punishment for an Emissary who continuously acts against their Divine's wishes.
However, whilst there is no way to cure yourself of the Mark without the cooperation of a Divine, the Emissary's Mark is typically non-fatal. All recorded cases of the Emissary's Mark becoming fatal have been due to loss of control, overuse of magic, or Divine Retribution.

Cultural Reception

While some Clerics and Paladins spend their whole lives working to try and earn the Emissary's Mark, there are those who fear this calling. Some dread the power they would hold once Blessed with the Mark, others are haunted by the idea that their entire lives would be controlled by the Divine who Blessed them.
Those who do not belong to any of the Seven Orders, and thus cannot become an Emissary themselves, have rather mixed feelings on those Blessed with the Emissary's Mark. A minority of the general populace revers the Emissaries for their direct connection to the Divine, treating the Emissaries as though they were a Divine themselves. However, there are also those who fear the Emissaries' connection to the Divine, believing that Emissaries possess too much power and that to offend an Emissary would be to offend a Divine. 

Atheists typically hold no particular opinion of Emissaries, neither fearing nor revering them, merely acknowledging their innate powers and talent with magic. 

Type

Divine

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Extremely Rare

Affected Species

• Human
• Valkyrn

Affected Ages

Most commonly 27-40 year olds. There have only been 3 recorded cases of a baby being born with the Mark, 2 of whom were born to parents who had the Mark

Symptoms

• Gold veins, arteries and eyes
• Large internal magical reserve
• High resistance to Divine magic
• Ability to commune with the Divine
• Increased magical sense
• Increased sensitivity to Affliction, Infernal and Demonic magics

Prevention

There is no going against a Divine's wishes. If a Divine has chosen you to become an Emissary, there are no known magics or technologies which can prevent you from being Blessed and becoming Marked.