Venenum

From Mizahar Lore

Venenum is the name of Siku's Gnosis ability. It grants additional protection against poisons and venom, particularly that of which is snake-based, but also those that come from plants. At higher levels, the user of this Gnosis can become poisonous themselves... as much as the goddess they worship.

Mechanics

Venenum is, for the most part, a perpetually active Gnosis. The poison defense is always there. It does not need to be invoked to protect whoever has the mark. While its immunity starts off pretty weak, as the person collects more Gnosis marks, the protection grows in strength. Most Dhani have at least one of Siku's marks. But to see outsiders with them... that is something else. But Siku will sometimes mark those who show themselves as allies to the Dhani, if they exhibit the characteristics she prizes - ruthlessness, brutality, mercilessness. After that, though, they need to start proving themselves.

Siku has no problem issuing negative Gnosis marks - in fact, she has plenty of fun doing so, as opposed to killing or destroying them out right. She enjoys stretching the torment out.

Mark Progression

Marked [Cursed] - 1 Gnosis Mark
	At this level, the one who has been marked favorably has a very minor resistance to poisonous snakebites. One who has been cursed, that is, given the first negative mark, now finds that they speak with a particular 'ssss' to their wordssss.
Favored [Despised] - 2 Gnosis Marks
	A favored of Siku has a better resistance to snakebites, however moderate, and begins to develop a minor resistance to plant-based poisons as well. Someone who is despised (has two negative Gnosis marks) finds their skin is always dry and itchy.
Priest/Priestess [Adversary] - 3 Gnosis Marks
	At this level, if someone is bitten by a snake that has non-lethal venom, the venom is merely absorbed into the blood. A normally lethal bite will make one sick, but it will not kill them. The resistance to non-snake-based poison increases exponentially. An adversary who has received three negative marks becomes bald, and is unable to regrow hair, as well as losing all body hair (eyebrows, etc).
Champion [Nemesis] - 4 Gnosis Marks
	At the champion level, poison from any source has no impact, and is absorbed into the bloodstream. A champion's blood itself becomes an extremely potent poison, often a culmination of all of the poisons and venom that they have absorbed before, with no natural antidotes. When someone has received four negative Gnosis marks from Siku, they become one of her many serpentine attendants... a snake.