@Revache Alright, I get the sense that you now have a strong grasp on what you wish to accomplish with this story. So I’ve done a little bit of brainstorming on a few aspects of this WIP that I believe are important and, possibly, foreshadow certain aspects of the lore and overall world that is being built. Apologies for the long post, thoughts/speculations that have already been addressed and overall drunken rambling. Now then…
Retirement from Magic
Summary
Why would a Warlock so powerful that the world of Magic felt the need to grant him/her the title of God Killer would abolish the use of magic at all, let alone years? It is certainly an interesting thought exercise and one that begs a few questions. It is possible that something extremely tragic has happened to the MCs life that has forced them to relinquish their past as a Warlock or perhaps the murder of the God as stated in the prologue did not sit well with the other deities of the ruling pantheon and so the MC is now hiding their true identity as the God Killer.
Rowan
Summary
I wonder what sort of character he will turn out to be. My gut feeling tells me that he will be a fellow Warlock that has also decided to cease practicing magic for whatever reason it may be and thus the MC felt a sense of camaraderie which bonded the two together. However, if Rowan is also a Warlock how is it that he failed to notice/figure out that the MC is the God Killer? And if he did figure out, what sort of fall out that revelation had? Perhaps Rowan was the MC’s partner in the Warlocking days and, maybe, the two have called it quits at the same time over a certain tragedy as stated previously.
On the other hand, if Rowan is simply a normal human (even if an aspiring magician), I find it odd that the MC would purposefully engage in a partnership with a person without any magical inclination whatsoever and on a profession such as a stage magician. It would be wiser for a person who is trying to stay away from magic to not pursue a career that resembles magic, no matter how fake it might be. It just strikes me as odd.
The Godform
Summary
I’m sorry but I call shenanigans on the MC casually brushing off the absence of their Godform as something to not be given too much thought. It is stated during the narrative that Warlocks use the powers of their Godform during extremely dire situations and I simply fail to believe that a Warlock powerful enough to kill a God has not been in a plethora of dire situations throughout their life. The MC should’ve been painfully aware of such a fact for a very long time and not to suddenly realize it once they’ve stopped practicing magic only to then not mind it whatsoever.
Deep Breath
Rant aside, the lack of a Godform might be tied to the MC’s attunement to the Shroud which might make the use of a Godform impossible or irrelevant. If the Godform is a more potent manifestation of the Shroud while using the body as a conduit or catalyst then the MCs inability to achieve it could be due to a different kind of blockade. If the Godform is the unlocking of a Warlock’s full potential in manipulating the Shroud then the MC might not benefit from it all that much, which could lead to their base form already being equivalent to the Godform of a less powerful Warlock.
Or the Godform could be the manifestation of a Shroud entity in the Mortal plane while using the Warlock as a host.
Which leads us perfectly into…
The Shroud & Their Entities
Summary
If the Shroud was just a form of Arcane energy that the Warlocks are able to manipulate then this wouldn’t be a possibility. However, the fact that it is an entirely different dimension leads to some interesting speculations that can be drawn:
Firstly, it is not too crazy to believe that there could be ridiculously powerful entities that have been born in the Shroud dimension and, not only would be perfectly in tune with the Shroud’s energy but also, possibly, be made entirely out of Shroud energy.
Secondly, having a vast number of Warlocks tearing holes in the fabric of reality to draw a connection to the Shroud could have severe consequences such as opening gateways for these creatures to sprout forth into the mortal realm. Plenty of crazy nonsense abound from this scenario. It would also explain the high scrutiny, monitoring and general policing that is done on Warlocks to ensure they are never too powerful or too unstable.
Thirdly, if any of these is true then it is not hard to imagine that perhaps these individuals who are constantly open to the Shroud can manifest some sort of Shroud entity and gain a significant boost in power from it. Could that be the origin of the Godform? Ominous.
The Dark Side to The Eye of Horus
Summary
It was an interesting choice to make the Eye of Horus as the symbol for a Warlock’s power and status as a Warlock. While it is true that the Eye of Horus is the symbol for knowledge and protection, which explains why a Warlock is capable to see the fundamental lines of the Shroud’s magic, it is also a symbol of Sacrifice.
Now, let us extrapolate the possibilities of the Eye of Horus having that connotation as a symbol of Sacrifice. What could a Warlock be giving up to achieve their powers? The Trials of Ra come to mind. Every Warlock needs to pass the trials in order to unlock their potential as a true Warlock. Failure leads to death and every trace of memory regarding the Trial is erased. Why would this be? Why would a Trial so crucial to the life of an individual be erased from their memories? It must be a painful and grueling ordeal, yes, but it is also extremely important. It is the single most important event in the life of a Warlock yet nothing of it remains besides a familiar.
Could it be that the pantheon of Gods have something to hide regarding the Trial? Or does something more incisive happens during the Trial? Perhaps a Shroud entity invades the body of any Warlock that attempts it and either consumes them, leading to their death, or the two bind together to create a stronger being. If that’s the case, then the Shroud entities should have a reason as to why they do so. Are they fighting some sort of threat? Are they preparing for said threat? Is it just for shits and giggles and their amusement from messing with mortals a la H. P. Lovecraft?
Closing thoughts:
I am not trying to completely demystify this WIP and shed light on every single aspect of it. I just enjoy these thought exercises - it is a way to flex creative muscles. If there is anything I wish to achieve with this is to give the author a novel idea they might have not thought of before reading these posts. If by rambling we can, together, create a fantastic piece of fiction then that’s a great reason as any to do it.
Sorry for the rambling, if I’m wildly incorrect then feel free to chuckle. All in all, good luck and godspeed in creating a great story.
Or do you just want to play as David Tenant? Because that’s also an acceptable answer.
)
The Wit one could be something like Quick Thinking? Then we have the intelligence-perception-wit from old World of Darkness, and my brain likes that.
What if I dress up a lizard and give it a fancy hat? Maybe one of those cocktail umbrellas too! Fair?
