What's going on with 'Illwill', as per Curses? What is that, if not magick? Is it channeling actual energy from the Spirit Realm - if so, are Shamans robbing spirits of this power or are they bargaining for it?
The Curses skill is complicated to answer from a lore perspective because it's gone through different iterations over the history of the game. The word "illwill" no longer appears anywhere in the attack messages, etc, and doesn't apply as a modern concept.
In the current incarnation, the Curses skill (like all shamanism abilities) has to do with the (if you want to be harsh) interference with or (if you want to be nicer) manipulation of the Natural order around a particular individual. (Nature with a big N, which is a specific, real thing in Aetherius).
Shamanism as a class draws its power from a connection with Nature.
Cool on that 'Nature' bit. Any chance you could (or will) expound on that? Are you implying Nature is enough of a metaphysical force in Aetherius that it has 'gravity' over Diachaim, deliberately or accidentally?
It's complicated. Yes, it has some influence over Diachaim (and Shattered Diachaim (in part through things referred to as Earth magick, in part through abilities of Druids, etc)). This has to do with several things in-lore. The largest of them has to do with (for lack of a better word) "aspects" that were governed over by different Divine. Not to be confused with Aspects of the Moons. This goes deep into Imperian's creation myth, which is largely untold.
When you say aspects, you are probably referring to what some 'deity-heavy' worlds refer to as 'portfolios'? Abstract example: the God of Trickery having 'Trickery' as his literal portfolio and thus having agency/stewardship over it as a powerful concept. If so: is it a viable assumption that, without stewards, that 'power' just went unchecked and decided to do its own thing?
Man, Imperian lore is better than I give it credit for sometimes.
Yes, more or less. "Unchecked" is a bit hyperbolic, but otherwise you have it. Nature (big N) doesn't fall into this, though; it's existed as a concept for a LONG time (and was responsible for, for example, forest enemy being a thing).
When you refer to the last story of Thanatos, what do you mean? EDIT: NVM, I believe I have had this clarified for me - 'what happened after he stepped through?', i.e the Gandalf vs. Balrog moment.
Also, any chance we'll ever know why he paused/what he was thinking before leaving to chase the demons? Is that lore relevant, or was it just hesitation?
<div>Message #2062 Sent By: (imperian) Received On: 1/20/2018/2:59</div><div>"Antioch has filed a bounty against you. Reason: Raiding Antioch and stealing Bina, being a right</div><div>ass, and not belonging anywhere near Antioch till he grows up."</div>
When you refer to the last story of Thanatos, what do you mean?
Also, any chance we'll ever know why he paused/what he was thinking before leaving to chase the demons? Is that lore relevant, or was it just hesitation?
I was just alluding to what happened after he disappeared from view (and leading up to his eventual death).
Your question falls into the above. I don't have the answer (that was written before my tenure doing heavy lore work, and the answer is probably only in one person's head) but I like to think he knew his eventual fate, and was looking back, and thinking back, one last time.
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Also, any chance we'll ever know why he paused/what he was thinking before leaving to chase the demons? Is that lore relevant, or was it just hesitation?
Your question falls into the above. I don't have the answer (that was written before my tenure doing heavy lore work, and the answer is probably only in one person's head) but I like to think he knew his eventual fate, and was looking back, and thinking back, one last time.
Now that we're back up and running, I'm going to close this thread (and go to bed). See you all in-game!