Bestial Combat
Innate Bestial Combat: +1 HB, add strength damage to all attacks.
Deadlock: holds, strength vs. strength.
Leaping Snapkick: +10 damage, knock down for -1 AR.
Feral slam: +10 damage, knock down and stun.
Blurring Swipe: +3 claw damage, +1 HB block.
Leaping Tackle: knock down and stun for +1 AR, +1 per ace.
Wound: aggravated damage for +1 turn, +1 turn per ace.
Deadly Strike: vital claw tear for +2 damage per level, deadly on a crit, deep torpor to vampires, throat, heart and liver tears.
Fatal Bite: vital fang tear for +2 damage per level, deadly on a crit, deep torpor to vampires, throat and femoral artery.
Tackle and Pin: dex vs. same, strength vs. same, strength damage.
Deadlock and Decimate: Claw, Fang and Strength damage per AR held. Dex vs. same, strength vs. same.
Live Feast: +1 damage per level per AR, pin and feast on target (blood or flesh) if dex and strength checks succeed. Heals by damage done and restores strength and stamina by +2, +2 per ace.
Whirlwind Frenzy: all around attack hitting +1 multiple enemies, +1 per ace with wounding attack, damages +1 turn, +1 per ace.
Vicious Riposte: lash out while blocking to do wounding damage if block succeeds.
Battle Roar: increases critical hit by +2 HB for +1 turn, +1 turn per ace, also affects allies in radius of +5 feet, +1 per level.
Bestial Presence: passive, shakes courage of enemies for -1 HB, -1 HB per ace, to all enemies in +5 foot radius, +1 per level.
Majestic Prowess: passive, +1 HB, +1 d6, +2 mental checks, +2 physical checks.
Brain Gouge: gouge out eyes to impale brain with claws. Deadly on a crit, blinds and damages on a normal hit. Deadly on a crit of 21+, or severely brain damaging.
Blood Rage: the smell and sight of blood sends warrior into a rage whereof his/her strength doubles and attacks become extremely focused (+2% critical chance per level, +1 AR); trouble is, defense suffers as warrior loses all fear (0 HB on defense, use no powers until rage is spent). Rage lasts until combat ends or warrior is calmed. If blood is consumed during this time, stamina is regained.

Archery
Archery: can use longbow, shortbow, crossbow, compound bow, great bow, recurve bow, state draw weight on drawn bows (strength x 2 = max draw weight = damage)
Multi Shot: +1 AR, hit up to +1 target, +1 per ace for each attack with a bow, uses -1 stamina per target in addition to AR stamina cost.
Arrow Flurry: Attack all nearby with arrow volley, -1 HB penalty, a 1-2 on hit dice misses and gets no HB, cost of 2 AR. Radius of up to 10 feet, +1 foot per success.
Longshot: range of +10 extra yards per ace.
Armour Piercing Shot: +2% chance of piercing armor per level, max of 80%.
Critical Chance: improves chance to make a critical hit by +2% per level on any hit. Maxes at 90%. -1 additional stamina to use.
Mounted Archer: use bow from mount without penalties.
True Aim: +2 HB
Crippling Shot: target is crippled and cannot attack until healed from crippling wounds.
Pinning Shot: target is pinned against the ground, a tree, or wall until a strength check succeeds against strength of archer for each arrow. Archer strength determines how deeply the arrows are buried and how hard to dislodge. -2 AR per arrow without check roll.
Whistling Arrow: distracts or draws attention to arrow and away from archer.
Strafing Archer: use bow in flight.

Items

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Magic Items
Vambraces of Might: doubles strength, quilted deerhide intended to wear under gauntlets or more substantial vambraces.
Collar of Enslavement: The runes read: 'What hand bonds this collar to him masters him...' The collar is secured by a lock which has a peg-key. When the collar is removed, the one who places the collar back on a chosen subject reactivates it. Whoever places the collar on the subject controls the wearer and must speak the commands they wish imbedded before they let go of the collar again. The collar is made of rounded bone and platinum with bronze rivets. It is actually a beautiful thing, as are the Mythemym runes which power it. A beautiful... WICKED thing.
Ring of the Guarded Traveler: gates ring bearer back to set location when activated, will also relocate bearer to any known, chosen location via a shadow phase. Its main function allows Byron to gate ring bearer to his present location or a location chosen BY him on his command. Ring, once worn, can only be removed by Byron and actually protects the bones of the bearer from dismemberment while worn. Gold braid ring with a blue opal cabochon.
Shadow Flask: a flask he transfers blood to via a shadow shift which preserves the blood in a shadow void within the flask.
Shadow Pack: a leather knapsack which can hold untold items inside of a shadow dimension inside the pack. He keeps every belonging he does not wear inside the pack. It also has an imperceptible shadow string which attaches it to him, and allows him to recall it at will, in the event it gets misplaced or stolen. Those with shadow vision can see the string. The pack can also project a fixed gate on command with pathways to the shadow realm, Redmoon Chateau, Serhaubren, and Haashqotaan.
Belt Pack of Holding: holds any number of items. Those which do not fit through the opening can be gated inside its shadow fold of holding. Morgriff made and enchanted one pack for each of his trueborn siblings and a few spare in case 'more' brothers or sisters show up. Beautifully hand-crafted of leather and fur, the belt which attaches to the pack is crafted of hand rubbed and decorated rawhide from a wild ox he killed.
* Phylactory Ring of Desaph: this ring has a star sapphire cabachon at the center ringed by cut emeralds set into a pair of wings which flare out from the sapphire. The band is braided platinum
..... Stamina +40
..... Intelligence +25
..... Willpower +35, a shrouded extension of Desaph's will and spirit which is hidden within the will augmentation itself, which he can trace back to the ring bearer, and through this 'joined' will he can transfer the will of the ring bearer to himself almost without notice. Once he has weakened the ring bearer's will, he can command them through his spirit telepathically.
* Amulet of Desaph:
..... Strength +25
..... Ranged Critical 90% chance

Wealth and Property
Liquid Wealth:
..... Haashqotaan Gems: value 1,600,000 (100,000 each)
..... Haashqotaan Coins: 160,000 (10,000 each) diamthrill, gold, and platinum
..... Glass Bottom Revenue: clears approx. 1,750,550 in gold value yearly after prophets have been split between Byron and Azturel who have equal shares.
Property:
..... Eagle Watch Cottage: a small, run down house on fifty acres of land in Eagle Watch forest on the northeast side of Eagleroost Lake, 150 miles southeast of Serhaubren. The house is at the edge of the forest tucked well beneath the trees by the northern central plains open savanna.
..... Glass Bottom Mine: crysallite mine rich in valuable crysallite and other gems and minerals. Half owner with brother Azturel who handles most of the business end. Mine is 125 miles south-south west of Midland and spans all three forks of Glass Bottom Creek for about 100 miles. Morgriff makes sure the working conditions are safe and helps in hiring employees. Mine is an open excavation quarry and sluice type. Both Morgriff and Azturel pay out half of their prophets (a third of the mine's revenue) to pay off the property and mining equipment. Byron sold the land and equipment to Morgriff and Azturel after Morgriff discovered the gems on the site.

Weapons
* The Gloves of Tsul: Pairs of white, leather gloves. Once worn by the guards of Haashqote, founder of the city and father of Erontus.
..... Disk or martial style lazer blades which shoot out of a pair of dark blue, white diamthrill studded gloves (+180 AC protection for hands). Gloves protect wearer from lazer and light attacks or spells. Unlock Lazer Bow as well.
..... Palms of gloves bear a white symbol shaped like a disk with curved blades while back of glove has a white sword symbol like a cross on it.
..... Inexhaustable thrown disks or duel lazer swords (or bow and arrows, unlock).
..... Gloves recharge on spirit energy of any living thing the blades or arrows contact.
..... Disks have Dimensional Phase which lets disks phase past armour or allies.
..... Quantum Divine Lazer Light of disks or swords vaporizes anything touched for clean, cauterized wounds.
..... Flash Burn on crits sends an explosion of light through target to do massive damage or to vaporize target entirely with triple crit.
..... Extremely accurate, these weapons rarely miss target area (only miss on hit roll of 1-2, normal hit bonuses do not apply).
..... Damage +150, triple damage to creatures with sun bane. Double damage to evil with divine light.
..... Flex each hand palm up to activate duel disk throwing, palm down to activate duel swords (or melee weapon of choice).
..... Unlock: Lazer bow by taking an archer pose with gloves on. Lazer bow appears in hand. Lazer Arrows load when bow is drawn, Multishot, arrow splits into multiple lazer arrows when shot (+1 arrow per 5 levels of archery). Bow itself can be used as Melee Weapon.
..... Strength of Gloves is +1287 (Your Roll: Tsul succeeds to cast the Spell, with TRIPLE CRITICAL POWER!!! With a Natural Twenty!!! of 1287. The spell roll was 12 aces and 27 successes with a power check of 87.) Glove power can only be disabled by destruction of the gloves themselves.
* Crystal Sword of Haashqote: Divine sword of Haashqote. (Morgriff)
..... Sword; white diamthrill and cryssalite composite, normal damage +125, sword strength 1286 (Your Roll: Tsul succeeds to cast the Spell, with TRIPLE CRITICAL POWER!!! With a Natural Twenty!!! of 1286. The spell roll was 12 aces and 26 successes with a power check of 86.) Power can only be disabled by destruction of sword.
..... Divine Flare; sword unleashes a radious of powerful divine light when thrust to the ground which can do no harm to the good but sends a spreading, explosive sphere of divine light upward from the ground through any target of evil or chaotic alignment, doing triple damage to evil and double damage to chaotics. Normal damage to straight neutral or lawful alignments.
..... Flare or Bolt Throws enemies and knocks them down no matter what alignment they are, stunning for -1 AR, +1 foot distance -1 or +1 per ace, time and distance doubles on crit, triples on triple crit.
..... Divine Bolt: like flare but a ranged bolt which can divide and strike multiple targets when sword is thrust towards target area center.
..... Flare blinds all caught within its radious for -1 HB, -1 per ace, for -1 turn, -1 per ace. HB losses doubling and tripling with crits. (good idea to warn allies to cover their eyes). Blindness can be permanent to evil alignments until healed.
* Raulheneg Ivorywood Bow: +50 dmg., 200 yard range, -1 HB at max range.
Hunting Knife: +15, +1 HB balance.
Bound Longsword of the Flame: +38, +1 HB balance, longsword;
..... Fire damage (aggravated +1 turn, +1 per ace) equal to level of combat +3;
..... Quickfire area damage (if blade is revolved above head) area dependant on walls or wall of fire with area and range of 100 yards, +10 per success and height of 10 yards, +10 per success.
..... Flame element activated when unsheathed.
..... Fire will not burn blade bearer or his/her allies.
..... Once weilded this blade becomes bonded to the bearer until death, or until the bearer gives the blade to another willingly.
..... Sword Strength 200.
Bound Vambraces of Ice: AC-200; Combat HB apply, +1 HB;
..... Ice Weapons to self and allies if one arm is thrust straight up;
..... Quick-freeze if one arm is thrust towards a target;
..... Ice Gate (if arching gesture is made with arms), gate quick-freezes and harms enemies if entered;
..... Ice Shield, AC same as damage (if arms are struck arms against the chest).
..... Ice elements activated when vambraces are worn.
..... Power can extend to allies in a 25 foot radious if vambraces are clapped together.
..... Once weilded these armguards becomes bonded to the bearer until death, or until the bearer gives them to another willingly.
..... These gloves are imbued with abyssal ice which;
..... damage (normal ice damage is double level of combat +6, critical damage is combat level x 10 +60);
..... slow (by -1 per success) or stop movement for 1 turn, -1 per ace (on crit);
..... and lower stamina (-1, -1 per ace, doubles on crit).
Winter Storm; Sword of Power: longsword +50, +1 HB balance, +22 d6 power;
..... electrical damage of power roll and stuns -1 AR, -1 per ace;
..... drain strength -1, -1 per ace;
..... and ice damage to slow (-1 per success), stop movement (w/crit), and damage of power roll.

Skills

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Ranger & Survivor
Aboriginal Stalking Technique: +3 stealth, +1 per ace while
Ambidexterity: take no penalty when using either hand.
Animal Handling: +1 called action per ace succeeds with animal.
Campfire Chef: good eats cooked over a camp fire, +1 stamina, +1 per ace, +10 health, +10 per ace.
Climbing: +1 dexterity when climbing vs. falls or slips.
Desert Survival: find food and water, take shelter, maintain health.
Detect Traps and Snares: Detect traps, manmade or natural, and snares. Level vs. level of trap.
Digging: understanding how to dig tunnels without collapsing them and how to excavate without damaging whatever is being exposed.
Direction Sense: know what direction is being traveled, reduces chances of getting lost immensely, +5% chance of finding way per level up to 85%, or Level vs. LoD of challenge.
Duel Blades Adeptness: +1 HB dual wield any one handed blades.
Feline Balance: +1 dexterity per ace vs. trips and being unbalanced.
Long Range Stamina: +2 Stamina per ace.
Find and Remove Hidden Doors and Traps: +1 perception. skill vs. concealment (LoD) level.
Find Fresh Blood: know where to find blood even under difficult circumstances, get blood from animals and people. Ace required to find blood, +1 stamina's worth of blood found, +1 per ace. Roll up to 3 times a day.
Find Safe Shelter: find safe places to sleep or squat. +5% chance per level.
Hide in Shadows: +2 stealth, +1 stealth per ace in shadows
Hunting and Tracking: +1 perception, hunt and track animals, including people. Perception vs. stealth.
Internal Compass: know which direction is being traveled, Level vs. LoD of terraine, conditions, and climate.
Move Silently: +1 stealth per ace vs. perception
Pathfinder: +2 perception (stacks with mapping, hunting and tracking) find and navigate routes even in unknown country when traveling by land.
Perfect Balance: +2 dexterity, +1 per ace vs. trips and unbalancing.
Quick Escape: jump fences, walls, etc. and know what alleys and woodlands to use to make a quick getaway, +1 mvm, +1 dexterity per ace.
Reading Signs: +1 per ace to all tracking and scouting skills.
Rope Making: +2 d6 length and strength of rope per success.
Rope Use: +10% chance per success of knots holding, Rope Strength = Total Roll. Level of Rope Use vs. LoD of obstacle or challenge.
Roughing It: make fires, leantos, find springs, and general camping knowledge and abilities.
Set Snares and Traps: +1 intelligence, Level (LoD) vs. detection
Tanning and Leathercraft: tan and craft hides into clothing, blankets, rugs, etc. Terrain Mapping Sense: +1 perception and stamina per ace, Keen Sense of direction, tracking, and scouting when traveling by land while following 'signs,' from animal movement, disturbed plants, rocks, even dirt. Track by perception as well, or lack thereof. Skill vs. stealth of target being tracked, or LoD of environment.
Vanish: +3 stealth, knows how to vanish without a trace without being noticed, there one moment, gone the next.
Vigilant Scout: +1 per ace each on perception, stealth, movement, and sixth sense. Sense ground vibrations and ascertain target movement and numbers, read and understand signs, see far, move silently and unseen, cover a lot of ground quickly, comprehend and identify combat formations.
Weapon Specialization: edged, melee weapons only with one ranged weapon +2 HB, +1 AR, +1 dexterity and movement.

Magic
Area Targeting: up to 10 yards, +10 per success, x 10 w/crit
Artifact Spells: adjust spells so that they 'consider' the conditions of a spell within its parameters so that it does what it is intended to do. Spell can also 'learn'. Gives a spell a will of its own. If spell does not like their caster, it could backlash on caster. If spell likes who it is targeted for, it may skip a target and hit someone else. Intelligence of 25+ required to use. Mental Checks = to caster's.
Gruag Lore: study and knowledge of goblin runes and glyphs.
Layer: layer power to create spells or enchantments with multiple affects.
Multitarget: up to +1, +1 per ace
Mythemyn Lore: study and knowledge of Achonian based runes and glyphs.
Mythaen Lore: study and knowledge of elven runes and glyphs.
Power Sharing: borrow power from or channel power to up to +1 target, +1 per ace.
Seal: makes a power permanent and protects a spell until seal is broken. Roll Total = LoD of Seal.
Silent Casting: cast spells without speaking
Smart Spells: adjust spells so that they 'consider' the conditions of a spell within its parameters so that it does what it is intended to do, without a will own its own. Spell can also 'learn'. Intelligence of 17 + required to use. Intelligence = to caster's.
Stable Power: +1 HB, +3 d6 towards spell check.
Weave Power: weave up to +1 power together per AR spent. Even single powers are woven to create a stable power. Powers that are woven together can only be dismantled and are impervious to dispell. Normal stamina cost +1 stamina per AR used.

Common Skills
Read and Write: Esurian and Cenys
Learning: math, science, history, literature, geography, geology, language (Mythemyn, English, French, Gaelic)
Combat Riding.
Play Instrument: elven flute and native drums
Chop Wood
Sculpt: animals from wood and soft stones
Basic Ettiquette: +1 charisma
Housekeeping
Gardening

Base Abilities Set

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Running: -1 stamina per turn
1-5: +1 mvm, +25% chance of tripping over roots and rocks.
6-10: +1 dex, less likely to trip while running (10%).
11-15: +1 stealth - lightfoot, only slight chance of tripping (5%)
16-20: +2 dex, not likely to trip while running (2%), +2 mvm quickness.
21-25: +2 strength fitness, no chance of tripping anymore.
26-30: +2 stamina fitness, +3 movement swiftness, +2 stealth quietude.
31-35: 50% less stamina loss at these levels, -1 stamina per two turns.
36-40: No stamina loss for running, +5 mvm haste, featherfoot grants +3 stealth and 72-80% chance of not triggering step on traps.
Climbing: +10 feet per level, -1 stamina per turn, level increases chance of making a climb without falling by +2% per level.
1-5: clamber; up and down walls and trees, +1 dex and balance vs. falls per level, up to +5.
6-10: scale; buildings, high walls, tall trees, strength +1
11-15: mountaineer; climb steep slopes, stamina +1
16-20: ascend and descend; cliffs and fortress walls, +1 dex and +5% chance when attempting.
21-25: rescue; others from falls, +2 strength while attempting.
26-30: burdened climbing; climb with another on your back or carrying a lot of weight without penalty.
31-35: expert climbing lets you find the best route up or down any obstacle climbed, increases chance of making climb by +10%.
36-40: improved climbing increases all climbing skills.
Basic Hand to Hand Combat: +1 added damage per level, -1 stamina per AR used. If character takes Martial Arts, get +1 Level bonus in Basic Hand to Hand per 5 Martial Arts levels.
1-5: punch for +1-5 damage or eye gouge to blind for -1 turn, -1 per ace for negative 5 HB and half damage while blinded (negated with Blind Fighting)
6-10: snapkick, damages +6-10
11-15: defend; use any hand to hand style to defend instead, driving combatants back, stunning them or blocking their blows as called. Drive back for zero damage and gain init next turn if roll crits, or block for total roll = less damage, or stun for -1 AR per ace.
16-20: round house kick, kicks thereby damaging everyone in close range for +11-15 damage each.
21-25: combination; +11-15 damage per AR spent on any combination of punches and snap-kicks.
26-30: Whirlwind Assault: damages all enemies within +5 feet, +1 foot per ace range.
31-35: Wounding Assault: does aggravated damage to all enemies within +5 feet, +1 foot per ace range.
36-40: Deadly Assault: can kill all enemies within +5 feet, +1 foot per ace range if attack triple crits with a roll of 20+, otherwise does critical damage.
Jumping: jump distance of up to 1 d6, +1 foot per level, -1 stamina per jump (AR), +1 Dex per level vs. falling.
1-5: Spring: jump onto and over low things like fallen trees and rocks.
6-10: Leap: over, onto, and down from fences, walls and rocks.
11-15: Long jump: leap across to clear small ravines, gaps, and ditches, Use less stamina, -1 per two actions.
16-20: High Jump: jump up to or down from fairly high places with +3 feet bonus.
21-25: Bridging Jump: jump across wider ravines and gaps with +3 feet bonus.
26-30: Air Hike: jump up high and remain airborne for a moment. Perform combat while in this mode of jumping.
31-35: Daredevil Jump: jump up to, into to, across to, or down from an area with a +5 feet bonus.
36-40: Featherfoot: jump down from, across to, up to, or into places without any fear of injury. Use no stamina jumping.
Riding: -1 stamina per mile traveled to animal while running.
1-5: Ride Mount: (type) gain mvm of animal type.
6-10: Jumping: clear fallen trees and normal fences without incident
11-15: Command Mount: mount will come when whistled or called for, and stay or retreat when commanded to.
16-20: Combat Riding: +2 HB while mounted.
21-25: Hard to Unhorse: 50% chance a dismounting attack will fail.
26-30: Jump Gaps: jump over small ravines and other gaps.
31-35: Traverse Dangerous Paths: without injury to horse and rider
36-40: Daredevil Riding: difficult to catch on horseback with a 72-80% chance of making a clean escape (to a called destination). Also a hard target to hit with ranged weapons, riding roll with +1 Ace bonus vs. attack.
Swimming: +1 stamina, -50% combat levels while swimming. -1 stamina per turn (10 seconds) underwater, surface before stamina is at 0 to recover stamina. When Stamina is at 0, character can no longer move and is at risk of drowing with -25 health loss per second. When health is at 0 character drowns.
1-5: Dog Paddle: -50% mvm, -3 stamina per turn w/high chance of drowning.
6-10: Tread Water: -25% mvm, no stamina loss above water anymore and far less chance of drowning.
11-15: Diving: dive into water safely, avoiding rocks and diving shallow as needed, remain under water for up to 3 turns before having to surface, -50% movement under water.
16-20: Underwater Swimming: for brief periods of time, until stamina gives out, -50% movement.
21-25: Expert Swimmer: tread water on the surface and underwater at full movement.
26-30: Underwater Combat: take no penalty for underwater combat.
31-35: Expert Diver: navigate underwater for longer period of time, -1 stamina loss per two turns, 1 d6 find underwater treasure (find treasure with roll of 6).
36-40: Aquanaut: navigate underwater without stamina loss forcing you to the surface for up to +1 turns per success, gain +1 HB for underwater combat and 10 d6 find underwater treasures (find one treasure per ace). Botches negated to re-rolls.
Drowning: occurs if stamina runs out because character can no longer move due to exhaustion, or breathe. Water is then inhaled to incur -25 damage per second, or -250 per turn. If roll botches, stamina runs out, and health loss is at -50 per second, or -500 per turn. If 0 successes are rolled, then drowning may also occur as stamina loss becomes severe, with -5 stamina per turn on a 0 success failure.
Flying: winged characters only, -2 stamina per turn, land when stamina is at 0 to recover stamina. Use normal movement and add bonuses where they apply.
1-5: Glide: short distances up to 15 feet, combat interrupts, cannot swim with wings.
6-10: Take Wing: novice flying using twice the stamina of normal actions.
11-15: Flight: skill has improved and now uses normal stamina of -1 per turn, while movement increases in flight by +1, +1 per ace.
16-20: Winged Adeptness: can swim with wings and perform winged combat with +1 HB.
21-25: Hover: catch strong thermals to hover momentarily, use no stamina while hovering.
26-30: Soar: glide between wing beats to use 50% stamina and fly further.
31-35: Aerial Manuevers: +1 dex, perform intricate flight manuevers granting +1 HB combat and defense, and +2 mvm, +1 per ace on escapes.
36-40: Aerial Master: fly without any stamina loss for up to +1 turn per success without landing. Movement increased in flight by +5, +1 per ace.

Advantages

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Iron Will: +10 wp.
Innate Instincts: +12 perception.
Haste: +5 mvm
Fantastic Agility: +4 dex.
Alluring Scent: +2 charisma
Innate Sense of Honor: +1 willpower
Logic Driven: +2 intelligence.
Uncorruptable: corrupting Morgriff is extremely difficult insasmuch as his heart is so strong, his virtue so genuine and his ability to resist the negative forces of chaos so completely innate to him. Willpower +10.
Chaotic Ascension: It took Morgriff awhile to realize that he had gained some unusual abilities and a great deal of power when he underwent an unexpected ascension in Haashqotaan triggered by a massive release of chaotic energy by Sarku. Among the things he gained was the ability to Eat Food, and a rare feat called Converse-Force which allows him to control anyone who attempts to control him. Reborn into a first generation vampiric sephiroth.

Disadvantages

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Alluring Scent: attracts predators, -2 repell evil and stealth (unless dampened)
Bluntly Honest: -2 charisma when being blunt, -5 subterfuge.
Androgynous: attracts deviant predators and slavers, some people also may view him differently if bigender state is discovered, -4 charisma in some cases.
Clan Enemies.
Unique Perception: Morgriff sees things through a looking glass of uncorrupted logic, and as such others may tend to misunderstand him, or believe he is cold hearted when he is in fact the opposite.
Bestial Tendencies: he is often animal-like in his behavior and demeanor which can result in people believing he is evil.

Innate Power

Feats

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Instinctive Shapeshifter: he can shapeshift into any animal or person he has observed for as long as 24 hours to undergo a bonding of spirits. He can also shapeshift into any being he has killed.
Chameleon Phasing: +10 stealth, take on exact appearance of surroundings, +5 stealth while moving.
Shadow Planar: character is a shadow planar who can access any shadow by nexus of the shadow realm, bypassing most obstacles that might otherwise block access to an area by following a path around obstacles to a shadow which can then be manipulated from the shadowrealm side. As long as there are shadows in an area, a shadow planar can almost always access them. Shadow planars have innate shadow walking, phasing and path of shadows
Umbral Riposte: special shadow ability, does aggravated damage and staggers -2 AR, -1 per ace on successful blocks.
Shadow Quarter: the ability to tear someone apart by pulling called parts of them into multiple locations in the shadow realm at once. Deadly.
Animal Kinship: understand, communicate with, and control animals
Haste: +5 mvm.
Will of Sarmedes: the ability to dominate the will of others to control them in any one way as called (tranquilize, terrify, rage, sleep, stillness, servility, etc., or adds will to Presence (charisma or will vs. will). Includes the ability to possess a 'host' if will can overpower the will of the target host. The vampire's body lies dormant while possessing another, or divide power with spirit to possess (willpower is shared but levels are split as called). Cost of -1 Stamina per 5 levels of willpower used to possess. These feats were passed onto him by a demon named Sarmedes who possessed him for awhile before a spectral union with Sarmedes occured.

Umbramancy

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Path of Shadows

Stamina 1
1-Manipulate Shadows - Cause shadows to shift, bend and move as called.
2-Shadow Veil - Hides target in shadows.
3-Shadow Stalk - sneak around unseen and unsensed while maintaining a physical form. Shadows disperse when an action is taken against another. Unseen for one action.

Stamina 2
4-Shadow Cloaking - Cloaks target and their presence.
5-Shadow Door - create a doorway of shadow where no doorway exists that opens and closes only to creator.
6-Shadowy Concealment - Make a called target take on appearance of shadows.

Stamina 3
7-Shadow Walking - close distance through shadow realm.
8-Shadow Bridge - Create a solid bridge of shadows 4 feet wide.
9-Shadow Perception - Allows for detection of shadow forms and active shadow applications.

Stamina 4
10-Gate of Shadows-which caster can take others through via the shadow realm.
11-Trap Door of Shadows - a trap door opens under someone and drops them into a cell of shadows which holds them captive.
12-Intercept Path - Allows shadow elemental to intercept other gate paths, even select ones with higher power (roll).

Stamina 5
13-Phasing-Phase out of material realm into corporeal form of shadows.
14-Aura of Shadows - nothing about subject protected by this gift can be sensed by any means.
15-Gateway of Vision - Allows shadow elemental to pierce the temporal layers of the shadow realm to see present, past, and future incidents. Elemental must be able to identify which subject of information sought by a name or location involving subject.

Stamina 6
16-Corporeal Assimilation -1 Form per 5 levels. Corporeal Disguise, can be any living creature.
17-Corporeal Shadow Form - Ability to take actions in shadow form.
17-Rive - with this command, target is seized by a multi-dimensional gate of shadows which then pulls target's called body parts to disparate locations, tearing them apart as body parts are shifted to separate destinations. Can dismember or kill, crit required.
18-Shadowy Keep - a tower or room of shadow is raised which can only be accessed by creator or those he selects to enter or leave the keep.

Stamina 7
19-Shield of Shadows - A dome of shadows surrounds called target/s and any powers or attacks aimed at target/s will pass into the shadows without hitting target. if attackers step through the shield, they come out on the other side of the shield past the shielded targets. Lasts until dispelled, protected targets cannot attack while guarded by shield, they too pass into the shadow veil if they step into the shield and another stride delivers them on unprotected ground.
20-Sanctuary of Shadows - Call the shadows into a lair, castle, manor, compound, or even a woodland area, to conceal those within. Very hard to detect. Also protects from sunlight..
21-Shadow Planes Walker - cross any distance and into any realm, world, alternate plane, or demi-plane. Phase in and out of the shadow plane, hide in the shadow viel, cross distances through the shadow plane. 50% Chance of getting lost in the shadow plane if umbrancer looses sight of land area being traveled, -2% chance per level. With 20% chance per day of finding way out again.

Stamina 8
22-Shadow Escort: (1) shadow walk taking others along through contact. 80% Chance of others getting lost in the shadow plane if physical contact with them is broken, -2% chance per level. With 20% chance per day of finding way out again.
22-Black Oracle - Part the shadow veil to reveal those clan members selected, and use Shadow gates to intercept subjects within shadow realm and to intercept shadow gates.
23-Shadow Planes Gate - like a walker only shadow elemental can take others with them.
24-Eclipse in Shadows - Eclipse an area in the shadow veil, up to 10 feet per success. Protects from sunlight.

Stamina 9
25-Shadows and Stone - Haven, or even a select chamber, room, cave, etc., can be overlapped by the demi-plane of shadows to conceal overlapped area in an isolated fold of the shadow realm. Cannot be infiltrated without specific knowledge of Shadows and Stone, and intercept path abilities. Only higher power using correct applications can invade protected area/s.
26-Dungeon of Darkness - Sinks a subject or select area within the demi-plane of shadows where the shadow lands overlap an underworld, creating solid walls. Very hard to detect without the ability to find an overlap. Area is hard to escape as well where no gate can be formed to escape without specific knowledge of Shadows and Stone.
27-Dark Creationist - create any called, tangible, shadow effect, object or scope (such as shadow-bridges, doors, gates, keeps, castles, weapons, trees, ropes, ladders, vines, forests, lakes, etc.) with called effects which include selection of who creations are tangible to, and ethereal passage only to select subjects through doors and tunnels.

Stamina 10
28-Shadow Catalyst - Allows caster to create a contingency, that triggers a shadow affect if catalyst is triggered. Caster calls catalyst, with power of up to +300 as called.
29-Protection from Shadows - Protects from any rivaling Shadow Effect
30-Shadow Scape - Create a corporeal scope of shadows that is ethereal and invisible to anyone not select to enter corporeal zone. Area is created via quantum visualization to create material wilderness, buildings and grounds, etc., all cast in a night-like scope of shadows. Moonlight and sunlight can penetrate area to create a filtered light effect if called. Up to one acre.

Stamina 11 (31-35)
Improved Power

Stamina 12 (36-40)
Improved Power

All Shadow walking, cloaking, and gate powers in this path either fail or succeed on their roll. Checks cannot be rolled against them unless Sixth Sense or special Shadow Sight powers are applied. One phases through material things while in shadow form or cloak thus an Umbramancer cannot attack while phased into shadows.

Phantasmancy

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1-{1} Confuse - Mage confuses a target's perception, -1 AR, -1 per ace.
1-{2} Illusion - Mage creates a minor illusion.
1-{3} Visual Projection - Subject sees glimpses of things that are not there which mage projects from his mind.
2-{4} Sending: send mental images which are received as a vision of something happening as the mage sees it.
2-{5} Dream Walker - pass through the illusory shroud to cross distances on land, over creeks, rivers, beyond walls, past fences as each stride covers a distance of up to +1 mile per success.
2-{6} Alter Image - alter the image of something seen.
3-{7} Sensory Illusion - Mage causes another to smell, feel, hear or sense things that are not there.
3-{8} Illusory Monster - conjure an illusory monster which becomes quasi-real if enough power pours into its creation (if a crit is rolled).  The monster is controlled by the illusionist of course and any damage it does is real if the monster becomes quasi-real, otherwise any damage it does reverses itself the moment the monster is dispelled. Levels +1 per success.
3-{9} Fractured Reality - Vampire causes another to lose all sense of reality while altering reality as they see it, leaving some elements of reality in the scope.
4-{10} Deluded Perception - Subject's perception is deluded by FALSE visions, scents, sounds, and touch.
4-{11} Alter Reality Gate - Vampire can pass through the shroud to journey into Alternate Dimensions.
4-{12} Alter Reality - the curtain between Illusion and Reality is brought down and those who enter an alter reality area cannot decifer between reality and illusion as the illusionist reshapes the surrounding reality as they see fit.
5-{13} Phantasm - Mage creates a livid illusion which seems very real.
5-{14} Alter Perception - Subject perceives of visions, scents, sounds, and touch sensations vampire creates.
5-{15} Shroud Gate - Vampire can pass through the shroud to cross extreme distances
6-{16} Livid Reality - Subject perceives of whatever sense of reality mage creates while blinding subject's perception to their presence.
6-{17} Following: lock onto a target and see what they are experiencing, even feel it, and to some, degree mimic what is seen if power is critical.
6-{18} Impressionist: imprint upon others impressions of how reality and truth is perceived by you, to make others see things and believe in the same things as you do. +1 perception, +1 per ace controlled by phantasmancer. Affects anyone within range of 5 square yards, +1 per level. Lasts as long as phantasmancer maintains impression within that area.
7-{19} Dreamscape Weaver - weave dreams into an alter reality.
7-{20} Dreamscape - Mage traps subject in a dream world.
7-{21} Controlled Reality:  formulate alter-reality contingencies through catalysts and the effects that they trigger using and combining illusory powers.
8-{22} Nightmare Reality - Victim lives a nightmare of their worst fears and is unaware it is all a delusional manifestation of their deepest dread.
8-{23} Daydream Walker - cause someone to act out the alter reality of a daydream illusionist controls.
8-{24} Nightshade Entrapment - trap someone in their own dreams or in dreams woven as called.  Person subject to this power lies in a deep sleep while they live out the duration in their dreams.  Person can only be awakened when the dream ends.
9-{25} Illusory Gauntlet - Create a dangrous maze or path in which a subject or subjects encounter a variety of challenges as called, with up to +1 challenges to complete per success.  Damage done seems real, and can injure or kill if logic of one subject to the gauntlet fails against realism of the illusion, but when the illusion is finished, all damage, even deaths reverse themselves as reality returns.
9-{26} Phantom Rabble: conjure up to +1 quasi-real illusory creatures per stamina spent. Creatures last until dispelled or the illusion is broken. Levels 9 d6, +1 level per success.
9-{27} Reality Scope - entrap subject in a precreated alter reality world.
10-{28} Land of Enchantment - Realistic land where imageries can interact with subject and other aspects within that illusory-reality weave as illusionist directs. Seems as real as life in every aspect as the master illusions makes it.
10-{29} Lost in Reality: reality becomes unreal to a target and they cannot trust anything they see, whereby any illusions they encounter become the only reality they will except. Also called-Urik's Insanity.
10-{30} Incredible Feats: the illusionist can entrance target to fly, move incredibly fast or slow, jump extremely high, have incredible strength, etc. by making them believe they have that ability. Relevant checks increased by +1 per success, check acts as level if needed.
11- {31-35} Architect of Reality - Mage invents subjects sense of reality, dictating every aspect of their mental, physical and emotional perception.
12- {36-37} Formulation of Commands - Use phantasmancy with other gifts, improvise spells, create artifacts, phantoms, creatures, and items with phantasmal effects, and use phantasms for wards or Improved Power - Use any power in this path, at these levels, as mastered.

Astraeus Clan Information

Physical Traits

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No Undead Blood: Acheron Astraeus cannot drink the blood of other vampires or of the dead unless they are blood kindred to them. Their own blood is poisonous. They will purge any intake of "tainted" blood with a 45% chance of going into torpor.
Heart Beat: these vampires are living creatures, whereby they have a pulse and heart beat, thus heart wounds cause critical blood loss and can result in torpor.
Breath: because Astraeus are living creatures, they also need to breathe, although they can hold their breath for very long periods of time (up to ten minutes per level). When they take shadow, wraith, or vapor form, then they no longer rely on breathing. Because they can hold their breath for so long, or need no breath at all in ether forms, it is widely and inaccurately believed as a myth that they do not need to breathe at all.
Warmth: as living creatures Astraeus have warm bodies, unless they go too long without feeding or have lost blood, in which case their body temperature drops and their flesh grows cold. When chilled they can feel it.

Immunities: Primogens and Arch Elders 1-4th gen. who have faced the ordeals of Acheron to attain their immunties are immune to sunlight and fire. Crosses, garlic, silver, wooden stakes, other holy artifacts and holy water have no effect on Astraeus UNLESS they are religious. The primogen vampires of faith are immune to holy attacks either way, and their progeny of faith are resistant. Their immunities weaken by 10% per subsequent gen reborn of their blood line from 2nd gen. on down. Their souls cannot be taken. Their Souls are marked and are taken by The Morning Star as they die. Two of the Living Primogens, Byron and Valis, cannot be decapitated or dismembered. Though these two first born may seem invincible they are not invulnerable, just hard to kill.

Special Advantage: w/Acheron GM only. Some have certain rights of command in Acheron granted by The Morning Star himself, including passage, residence in Arcador, the city of vampires, and the use of power within Acheron.

Special Clan Abilities

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Siring and Bondage: Astraeus differ from many other clans in that they can bond someone by drinking their blood (called the blood link) as well as sharing their own blood with them (called blood bonding). In this way, they can 'pick up the trail' of a subject they have fed from in the past, maintaining an important link if they are in the process of choosing a progeny or to track down those who may have escaped them so they might protect themselves from being exposed as a vampire to mortals. The blood link fades more quickly, in a matter of a few weeks to a month unlike the blood bond which can last for years if a vampire is of low generation. Continual feeding reinforces a blood link, and if a subject is fed from as many as a dozen times the link becomes more permanent and may last as long as two or three years.
Progeny: See vampire information.
Blood Thralls: See vampire information.
Slave Bondage: Similair to Blood Thrall but more blood is drained from victim and half a pint of blood imbues the subject as vampire performs 'Rites of Domination' over subject as his blood is consumed (by force, will or domination) by the intended slave. Commands are imbedded in the slave during this rite by vocal designation. Blood Slaves are utterly obediant to their vampiric masters for their will is no longer their own.
Blood Purification: Permits vampire to purify blood so it is not poisonous to those they sire, bond thrall, or to progeny when bonding them.

Charm by Gaze: Success dependent on whether intended victim meets their gaze when they apply this power, and whether the vampire's willpower and power in this combined can overcome the will of the one subject to this power.

Vampiric and Shapeshifter Forms

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Shapeshifter Forms

Sarmedes:
Stats: Strength-26, Stamina-38, Mvm-19, Dex-21, Leap-8 d6 feet. HP: 988, Lifespan of up to 260 years.
Information: Maelvannor elf who possessed him for a while. He can not only shift into but split off into Sarmedes as a second spectral being. He was fused with the spirit of Sarmedes while undergoing a chaotic ascension, and as that happened the entire spectral embodiment of Sarmedes, which mirrored the gothelf as he had been in life, fused with Morgriff, creating a split spectral embodiment and identity. Sarmedes has long, thick, partially braided white hair, pale rose eyes, long white lashes, and sharp but extremely handsome facial features with high cheekbones. He also bears several faded clan tatoos in indigo, one on his chest, another on his back of tree roots forming a cavity where an elf and cave wolf crouch together.

Assimilated Forms: These are the forms of animals or creatures he has assimilated the embodiments of either by killing or a spirit union; Salt Dragon, Dune Antelope, Great Stag, Banded Deer, Red Tiger, Maned Wolf, Tiger Wolf, Red Wolf, White Throated Prism Bird.

Vampiric Forms

Silver Maned White Lion:
Stats: Strength-22, Stamina-16, Mvm-17, Dex-15, Leap-6 d6 feet, Claws+14, Bite+16. HP: 374, Lifespan of up to 260 years.
Information: Vampiric animal embodiment. Very large white lion, with sky-blue eyes and silver mane.

Vaporous Form: Chilling mist with dread presence

Shadow Form: Shadowy Form that drains life and chills on contact

Swarm of Bats: HP divided by 40, or 20 = Number of bats. Bats have 40 HP each. Each bat has +10 d6 attack. If even one bat survives an attack, the vampire can shift back into another form with remaining HP of; number of bats x 40 = HP. Bats also cause combined Distraction of +3 d6 each, vs. Perception, and have +3 flight save vs.death or capture.

Physical Traits

Senses of the Beast: Preturnatural Perception +5, +1 per five levels.

Vampiric Prowess: Supernatural;
Strength: +5, and +1 per level.
Stamina: +5, +2 per level
Dexterity: +3
Stealth: +5
Regeneration: Level 30, +1 per level.
Fortitude: +20.
Supernatural Haste: see inborn powers.
Devour Life: (Valis clan only) drain -1 stamina per 5 levels, and -1 called level

Vampiric Temple

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1-[1-3] Fangs:  +1 damage per 100 years of age with max damage of +5.
2-[4-6] Claws:  +2 damage per 100 years of age with max damage of +8, or +15 with large claws and hands and huge vampire form.
3-[7-9] Wings:  If Winged; Massive, bat-like wings, vary in color from black, grey, brown to white if vampire is albino, retractable, can shield from attacks but ability to fly is compromised if wings are badly damaged. Flight must be learned and perfected. Flight Level = Vampiric Temple Level. Wing Fortitude is 50% of fortitude.
3-[7-9] Improved Prowess:  +2 Fort, Strength and Regen, take with or without wings.
4-[10-12] Partial Shifts: Fangs, Claws, Wings, half animal form, and Height.
5-[13-15] Animal Form: Immortal, large predator - Cannot speak in animal shift.
6-[16-18] Bestial Vampiric Form: Stature and muscular increase in complete shift of Fangs, Half Animal form, Height, Claws, while Fortitude and Strength: +6, and Stamina is enhanced x 2 with tough flesh, and quicker regeneration +6. Height up to +3 feet, with +1 HB range bonus per foot height increase.
7-[19-21] Vampiric Menace:  Shadows spread around vampire and presence emits an aura of terror in full form shift. Level = # d6 +7 vs. Constitution.
8-[22-24] Physical Majesty:  Vampire can use vampiric temple with supernatural haste in combat combinations for +1 HB or AR per ace, or haste winged flight. All physical checks increased by +8, Stamina enhanced by  x 2 + 10.
9-[25-27] Arcane Prowess:  Vampire can imbue their claws and fangs with their blood to inflict a gift effect on a victim, and have great command of presence, their inborn gifts of haste are at the highest level, their strength phenominal with +2 d6 bonus on all PA or MA rolls and all other gains of majesty.
10-[28-30] Godly Presence:  Vampire can enhance in height and increase presence dramatically, their shadow spreading to eclipse an area up to 50 yards in perimeter, while their presence radiates their chosen state of mind so potently that the will and mind of those who fall under their shadow crumbles, -10 d6+10 to Subject's Willpower and Constitution.

Inborn Powers

Telepathy: Inborn powers
Telekinesis: Inborn powers
Presence: Inborn powers
Vampiric Haste: Inborn powers
Phantasmancy: full path, innate

Arcane Paths: Any but Light and Wizardry
1st gens - 6 paths
True Borns - 5 paths
2nd-3rd gens - 4 paths
4th-5th gens - 3 paths
6th + gens - 2 paths

Presence

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Inborn Spell Book

1 {1-3} Infatuation - Subject becomes intrigued with the enchanter and desires them.
2 {4-6} Induce Fear - Subject fears mage and compelled to retreat from enchanter's presence.
3 {7-9} Respect - Subject is awed with the enchanter and trusts what the enchanter says to them.
4 {10-12}) Euphoria - Enchanter can induce others to feel excessive euphoria with a loss of mental faculties, -1 all mental check, -1 per ace.
5 {13-15} Berserk - Subject goes berserk and will attack anyone in sight but the enchanter and anyone enchanter blinds from the subject?s sight, and gets +2 HB, +4 damage, +2 on all rolls, but -4 HB and -4 on all defenses.
6 {16-18} Induce sleep - Enchanter charms subject into a deep, restful sleep. Lasts up to +1 day per success as called.
7 {19-21} Subdue the Will - Enchanter's presence overpowers the will of another and brings their will under their command for up to +1 days per success as called.
8 {22-24} Command the Will - Used with Subdue the Will, the subject is under absolute command of enchanter until subject can overcome the LoD of the power over them, each attempt to break free exhausts -8 stamina for 12 hours. Stamina loss accumulates over a 1 day period. Lasts as called unless subject breaks free of power.
9 {25-27} Enslave the Will - The subject's will is enslaved to enchanter until the enchanter releases them. Lasts as called unless subject is freed of total power by a higher roll.
10 {28-30} Master of the Horde - Induce multiple targets within an area of a city with any emotion and influence that emotion towards an end. Lasts up to +1 day per success as called.
11 {31-35} Master of Presence ? improvise powers of presence, imbue items, walls or the atmosphere of an area with presence to create wards, create charmed artifacts, create phylacteries to protect the souls and powers of subjects, make a power permanent, improve power of presence.
12 {36-40} Improved Power - Use any power in this path, at these levels, as mastered.

Supernatural Haste

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Inborn Spell Book

1-{1-3} Superhuman Movement - Two times faster than a human sprinter.
2-{4-6} Blurring Movement - Phasing speed which makes subject blur from vision.
3-{7-9} Phasing Movement - Surpasses tangible and material objects.
4-{10-12} Phasing Gate - Phase out of one place and into another.
5-{13-15} Twain Haste - Ability to haste another with self, hasted subject must physically pull other with them.
6-{16-18} Ultimate Phase - Phase past anything.
7-{19-21} Twain Phasing Gate - Phase past anything with another, hasted subject must physically pull other with them.
8-{22-24} Active Applications - Hasted actions, weapons and combat. +1 AR per Ace, -1 stamina per +1 bonus AR used. Hasted movement still applies if movement vs. movement.
9-{25-27} Shared Haste - Haste another by power of roll by channeling the ability to another.
10-{28-30} Blind Eye Movement - Quicker than the eye.
11-{31-35} Formulation of Commands - in creating improvised haste effects, blending haste with other gifts, creating haste imbued artifacts and items at level used.
12-{36-40} Improved Power - Use any power in this path, at these levels, as mastered.

Telekinesis

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Inborn Spell Book

1-{1-3} Up to 1 pound.
2-{4-6} Up to 10 pounds
3-{7-9} Up to 50 pounds.
4-{10-12} Up to 200 pounds.
5-{13-15} Up to 500 pounds.
6-{16-18} Up to 1000 pounds
7-{19-21} Up to a ton.
8-{22-24} Up to five tons.
9-{25-27} Up to 10, 000 tons.
10-{28-30} Formulation of Commands-Blend with other powers, create artifacts, items, wards, etc.
11-{31-35}, 12-{36-40} Improved Power

Telepathy

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Inborn Spell Book

{1-3} Touching subject.
{4-6} Within 30 feet of subject.
{7-9} Within visual range of subject.
{10-12} Within same city/borough as subject.
{13-15} In same state/providence as subject.
{16-18} In same country as subject.
{19-21} In same world as subject.
{22-24} Able to contact various subjects at same time anywhere in the world.
{25-27} Able to contact subjects anywhere and at any distance.
{28-30} Able to create mind gates to see, hear, and influence subject through a telepathic connection.
{31-35} Telepathic Visionary - connect to someone met before telepathically and see them as well as hear them and their thoughts within their surroundings. See and hear those around them as well. Area of vision is +1 yard per success radius around target.
{36-40} Formulation of Commands - Formulate and Improvise telepathic effects and powers, and make telepathic items, wards, or artifacts.

Familiars

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Haadja and Lucio :: Pair of Mumaaqu

Levels: 1 & 2 (age = level)
Strength: level x 2 + 2O
Mvm: level +10
Dex: level +5 up to 30
Will: level +10, -5 to handler if raised correctly from young, -3 if desert breed.
MR: 100%
Heat Resistance: (desert and tropics breeds) 60%
Trample: level x 10 + Strength
Charge: Tusks + Strength
Tusks: level x 5
Trunk: +1 damage per level, +50% strength, able to toss up to 100 pounds per level with trunk up to 1 d6 feet per 5 levels. 
Lifespan of up to 120 years.

Information: Mumaaq are very large (mastodon-like but larger) animals with one pair of massive tusks and a secondary smaller pair of curling, or in case of the desert breed, curved, corkscrewing tusks.  They are very aggressive if confronted and are very likely to attack in force, often forming circles or taking a back to back stance, with young at the center.  They dwell in grasslands, planes, tundras, and this desert breed is called a Mumaaqu. 

The desert Mumaaqu are the most agreesive of the mumaaq breeds. They have a thin soft pelt like mole-skin covering their thick hides which matts easily with the sand, dirt and mud which keeps them cool and protects their skin from the sun. They are dun in colour  with brown heads, amber manes, and breasts, and have dark brown striping on their sides and legs. Their smaller tusks curve inside the larger tusks and are handsomely corkscrewed, while the outter tusks are very long and heavy. Shaamae shamans and Ariad mages alike value the smaller spiraling tusks as staffs when they can find straight ones, which they intriquitely carve; and where the Shaamae only ever take the tusks off of dead animals which died of natural causes, the Ariad elves ritualistically hunt animals which lack the curve in the spiral tusks, which is rare. The Ariad also protect the herds in their territories. Some Ariad mages will occasionally buy such rare tusks off of traders for a hefty price, which invites poaching of these animals, much as poachers have perfected methods of straightening the tusks with pressure steam and presses.

All mumaaq have soft valuable fur with thick hides beneath. A muumaq blanket can sell for roughly eleven hundred gold marks, which equals ten-thousand silver dollars. The value of their fur also invites poaching of these amazing animals. Mumaaq feed on brush, leaves, fruit, nuts (thin shelled), grains, and grasses.  These animals originated in Mhas Andoreth where the largest herds still roam but can be found in Morendor as well which was once part of the same land mass as Andorath.

Background

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Morgriff was a trueborn vampire whose father was possessed by a devil named Mog when Mog spurred Morgriff's birth with his sephiroth mother who consented to have the triplets by Byron through the powerful devil possessing him. Morgriff was born the eldest of those triplets who were separated a month after birth. His born with siblings were Serxal and Aari, whom he was later reunited with. While Serxal and Aari were sold into slavery, Morgriff was kidnapped by his nanny Delenna Calistori who raised him in the wilderness near Eagleroost Lake in Seumir as her foster child for three months, at what time she was killed by Mog. Morgriff was spared but Mog left him to fate which for Morgriff was to fend for himself as a four month old trueborn, whose rapid aging gave him the appearance and for the most part, the maturity of a four year old. Though Morgriff was not exactly raised by wolves, he was a wild thing who raised himself in the small house tucked away in the jungle and grassland surrounding Seumir's three hundred mile wide lake. He had shelter and once he had gotten over his foster mother's death, he was in fact content as a child in his little slice of paradise. He avoided people. A person had murdered his 'mother' in front of him. But he did watch people, those who lived near the lake or who passed through the area. He learned from them from the shadows of the trees, all manner of verdure and the tall grasses of the plains, and he also cloaked himself in the darkness he instinctly gathered around himself, or sank himself into that he conceal himself more completely. Even as a toddler he and the shadows were close companions. As he aged he learned to speak by listening to people and practicing the languages he picked up alone. He spoke to nature, to the animals, insects, trees and plants. He learned from nature as well, and the three main things he learned were, to beware people and other dangers, to take from the world only what you need, and... how to take on the shape of those he came to understand and feel a deep connection with. He shapeshifted into his first animal when he was five month-years old. It was a colourful White Throated Prism Bird which came often to the grounds outside his little house to visit him. He actually learned his first words AS this bird, from the little friend he flew around the rainforest with. Prism Birds could learn a vocabulary as vast as any humanoid. Holding that bird, petting it, speaking to it, eating and drinking with it, he had learned what it was to BE that bird, and willed himself into its shape. He had become one in spirit and then in body with the bird. He loved flying, singing to the other birds, hearing the songs they returned.

Morgriff was eight months old when he shifted into a lion for the first time. He had always felt the lion in himself, and once he made the shift he maintained the lion embodiment for long periods of time. He even encountered other silver maned white lions like himself and spent periods of time with them. At one point he considered remaining a lion for the rest of his life... but it was lonely and becoming part of a pride was not for him because they sensed he was different. The lions barely tolerated him.

He was eleven months old when a pack of Red Wolves attacked him and he was barely able to defeat the animals, but he survived and in doing so also became one with the wolf. One of them he'd had to kill and learned to tan its hide by asking a local hunter to show him how. This was the first time he communicated with an actual human being. He did not let the hunter do it for him but show HIM how to do it FOR himself. In time Morgriff became an excellent tanner. He was a vampire and it was the blood of animals he survived on, though he only killed them when he had to, and when he did their skins became his clothing, bedding and shelter when traveling, which he did often to explore the world around his small home and to hunt.

By the time Morgriff was fourteen months in age, he was speaking fairly well and approached his first village, Albiraath. He was strange but the people there, a mix of elves, weyr and human-sorts mostly, treated him quite kindly. He traded some of his fine leather craft and furs for food. Morgriff was happy with very little. One elf instructed him in how to protect himself from people taking advantage of him. His furs and leather were exceptional and valuable, and the elf made sure he knew it and their worth. Morgriff also carved beautiful animal figures out of wood, ivory-nuts, and soft stones. In time he made his way to the city of Serhaubren, the capital of Seumir, to trade, but he never stayed long. It was too busy and crowded for his temperament. He liked the quiet and isolation of the wilderness. Came a time when he got into some trouble. A man in the city attacked him during one of his visits and Morgriff killed the man in self defense, but the law there came after him and he ended up being captured and placed under arrest by the kingdom rangers, one ranger in particular handled his case, Traerson Denveth. Morgriff was taken back to the King's Chateau nearly seven hundred miles south-west of Serhaubren. Morgriff was three years old by this time, and for the first time, met his father... the vampire who had murdered his mother. By this time Byron was dispossessed of the devil who had compelled him to commit so many crimes... crimes which had in fact thrown his country into a state of civil unrest which soon led to war. Morgriff was found innocent of any crime and was freed, but also offered a home with his father at the chateau. There Morgriff met other trueborn offspring whom he quickly bonded with. Among them were Azturel, Fioren, Urruti, Loghaire, and his triplets Aari and Serxal.

Byron, once dispossessed of Mog, was an honorable creature who not only acknowledged Morgriff as his child, but embraced him as his son the moment he was sure of their blood ties. Without hesitation he treated Morgriff as he did any of his sons. In fact... Byron had been 'collecting' the trueborn children Mog had forced him to conceive. All of the trueborns' mothers were dead, murdered by Mog who had used Byron as his sword to kill them, with ONE exception... The mother of Morgriff, Serxal and Aari. She lived still. A few months after Byron had found Morgriff... Aari came also into his keeping, and not long after her, Serxal. The triplets were reunited under the vampire who had murdered and raped so many to build his army of offspring while possessed by the powerful formless one, and yet Byron was NOT the one who had commited those terrible crimes. Morgriff and his siblings all came to love and respect Byron. None of them doubted Byron's allegations. A devil really HAD made him 'do it'. He proved himself a good father, albeit a very busy one much as his duties and a kingdom in conflict spilled his cup over. They did what they could to help... but always in the back of everyone's minds was the question... WHY had Mog arranged their births? Was it only to corrupt Byron's reputation and tear down his kingdom? Or had Mog a USE for the trueborn he had cultivated? None of them could imagine every betraying Byron... but would they have a choice? Because of these questions few trusted the 'Mog Sleepers' as the trueborn came to be called by those who suspected they were secret weapons. Morgriff only knew that he would die before betraying his father. If he was part of some agenda by Mog he planned on NOT cooperating.

Morgriff discovered just how horrible it was to be used against his father and how many enemies Byron had and how determined they were the hard way. Slayers had possessed Morgriff with a very powerful summoned spirit named Sarmedes. Even the slayers had no idea how powerful this phantom was. Through Sarmedes whom they were able to command for a short time, the slayers used the trueborn as an assassin in an attempt to kill his father, and he had come closer to succeeding at doing just that than anyone really understood. While being controlled by Sarmedes Morgriff had been less than a second away from ripping his dearly loved father apart via the shadows... It was a rare application of umbramancy, one of the few ways the shadows could be used to actually harm someone. Shadow Quarter was a technique he had figured out on his own, just as Octavian had realized he could use the shadows to kill. It was the act of pulling someone apart by sending pieces of them instantaneously to separate locations in the shadow realm. Fortunately his father's ranger Denveth had seized Morgriff and plunged him into a warded cell before he could kill Byron. Sarmedes had controlled Morgriff then it was true, but only because he was likewise being commanded by the slayer which had summoned him.

The incident with Byron had shaken Morgriff who decided to travel overseas to the desert continent of Mhas Andorath where he hoped to return Sarmedes home; a tomb in the mountain kingdom of Peladrius. Before ever finding Peladrius however, Morgriff, who was traveling with his brothers Serxal and Fioren, and two guardians named Celiandar and Vhanna, met up with King Octavian of Esscha Endor and joined up with his party for a grand adventure which took them to the lost city of Haashqotaan. It was all related to the Maelvannor spirit Sarmedes within him, who in life had played a part in the destruction of the city via haphazard means. It felt like their destiny to travel to Haashqotaan. An ancient Tsularian hermit named Afaier had met Seth in the desert and begged the foreign king and his people to find and deliver a scepter of power to him. It was that goal which carried the party Morgriff had joined three months across the desert's dunes and salt flats to the site the hermit said they could enter the buried city.

It was during this journey across the desert that Morgriff found the elephants who came under his care. They were Mumaaqu desert mastedons who had been orphaned as calves by ivory hunters. Morgriff brought the mastadon calves with them, sinking them into the shadow realm with plenty of food and water whenever they had to leave them alone for their protection. (The Mumaaqu live at Morgriff's cottage now in a shelter he built for them out of dead fall, with a thatched roof. They graze and range in the grassland near the cottage but always come immediately to his call of 'moooooo-'MAH'-koo. The quickly growing elephants love Morgriff who they see as their mother.)

Once they entered the city buried beneath the sand they explored the ruins for three weeks that normal time would have made three days of, before finding the scepter they had set out to locate. Morgriff had thought about separating from the large and motley company he had joined but his love for adventure and exploration, and the fact that Sarmedes was so deeply connected to what had happened to Haashqotaan and its inhabitants, held him to the task until it was done. Practically all the Tsularian people who had died when the city was swallowed by the earth survived as all manner of spirits and undead, many of whom they had to fight as they made their way through the lost city.

While in Haashqotaan the party was assaulted by a massive backlash of pure chaotic energy unleashed by one of their most powerful party members Sarku. What should have killed them all caused a chaotic ascension instead, which resulted in a cosmic rebirth for anyone the blast did not destroy, ally and enemy alike. Morgriff became extremely powerful overnight. They all had. And if Sarmedes was not powerful enough, he too ascended, and more than that, Sarmedes merged with Morgriff to become a distinct embodiment within the trueborn. Morgriff could both shift into him and project him as an independant being. Sarmedes lived again, but inside of Morgriff unless he let Sarmedes out to play. But they were always connected. One. Morgriff was the kingdom Sarmedes lived in and took sustenance from. Morgriff was his home plane. Morgriff had also gained a lot in Haashqotaan in the way of treasures, wealth, valuable secrets, knowledge and experience.

Once the scepter had been found, they went to the world of the Tenjin outlanders who had also joined Seth's party not long before Morgriff and his small party had encountered them. Morgriff wished to remain on the Tenjin's world for awhile after leaving Mhas Andorath. All the while he cared for his elephants, got them accustomed to being ridden and when it was time to leave Aenguard, he did so with whistful reluctance. The Tenjin's home world was one Morgriff hoped to explore one day and he made sure the Tenjin knew it.