Half-Bloods
A half-blood is precisely what it says on the tin: they are half-human, half-Other. At some point, in the near or distant past, their ancestors consorted with powers beyond human comprehension, beings who lurk in mythology, in darkness, or in other dimensions, and managed the seemingly impossible: viable children. In some cultures, to be a half-blood is considered a great blessing. In others, it is nothing more than a curse, a blight, and an invitation to strangeness. A half-blood’s ancestry always manifests as innate magical ability and physical features that mark them as inhuman, and they might also possess some inhuman tendencies. Unlike arcanists, half-bloods can call upon their powers with a thought—no need for components or incantations. In exchange, their mixed blood is useless, if not outright dangerous, for ritual magic.
The Half-Blood Path[edit | edit source]
Half human and half something else, the half-bloods possess incredible inhuman abilities. Often, their power is a matter of seeking their potential. Due to their inhuman bloodlines, more often than not, a half-blood will enjoy a longer lifespan than the average human. This is somewhere in the ballpark of 150-200 years before their body starts to fail them. Half-bloods look and function just like humans although their bloodlines may potentially have an effect on their physical forms. Usually, this is something small or hidden, allowing half-bloods to pass as human in their day-to-day lives.
Being half-human, it takes time for a half-blood to reach their full potential, whatever form that takes for their particular ancestry. For one, they cannot transform into the full shape of their inhuman ancestor until they have honed their powers significantly. While not guaranteed, some might experience a behavioural shift, but in the end they are still half-human. Typically, half-bloods run the gamut just like humans, although their non-human bloodline may influence their mindset to different degrees, especially when they suffer a Bloodrush.
If a half-blood is unlucky enough to be cursed by whatever means, the curse itself will not take root, but the half-blood will experience a significant period of time where they feel violently ill and be weakened. If a half-blood is infected with the shifter curse and does not find a way to cure it before they transform on the first full moon, their body will literally tear itself apart, unable to compensate for the two disparate magics. If a half-blood becomes undead, they lose all innate abilities
Codes of Conduct[edit | edit source]
Like other supernatural beings, the Half-Bloods are subject to some of the Codes of Conduct. Namely Oaths, Thrice Asked, and Favours.
Innate Magic[edit | edit source]
Unlike ritual magic, blood magic is innate and requires no materials. Instantaneous and able to being conjured with a thought, gesture, or word, it uses the user's body as the conduit. As such, blood magic is physically, mentally, or karmically taxing; a necessary trade-off when channelling otherworldly forces, even if they're inherent. The magical abilities a half-blood possesses are based entirely on the closest non-human ancestor. For example, if their grandmother was a mermaid, but their father was an oread, the half-blood’s abilities are attuned to earth rather than water. They can, however, possess minor physical features from both creatures.
Should a half-blood practice with their magical abilities, they could enhance and fine-tune their powers. Even if their inhuman ancestor is distant to the point of rumour, magic begets magic, and there is no upper limit to what a half-blood can accomplish with hard work and creativity. That said, magic remains dangerous even for those born with it. A half-blood could easily tear themselves apart should they push too hard. It is reaching into the aether, the void, the beyond—the very tapestry of reality—and weaving it to your will. The Cinder dice is used to activate all magic a half-blood might use, except for their boon. It can be used to determine success, failure, physical toll, or potency of the effect.
Central Features[edit | edit source]
- Half-Blood Abilities
- The traits and abilities a half-blood has thanks to their bloodline.
- Bloodrush
- The downside of using too much magic, a form of magical overload.
Creating a Half-Blood[edit | edit source]
As the product of a human and something more, a half-blood's possibilities are endless. Please be sure to select a creature found in folklore, mythology, or the Lovecraftian mythos, with appropriate sourcing. Half-bloods cannot be descended from a deity or near deific being as your character's ancestor, as half-bloods are not demi-gods.
When creating your character, refer to the Creation Guide for a step by step explanation of the whole process. Below is a quick reference guide to the first two ranks of the Arcanist Path.
Quick Creation[edit | edit source]
| Starting at Sanguine (Untrained) | Starting at Touched (Dabbler) | ||
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| ⚡Strike 5d6 | 🔥Cinder 5d6 | ⚡Strike 5d6 | 🔥Cinder 6d6 |
Additional Notes[edit | edit source]
Starting characters normally are only able to start at one of the two first ranks. To read more about the higher ranks, refer to Half-Blood Advancement for an overview.
Character Questions[edit | edit source]
Here are a few further questions you're welcome to answer as you create your character:
- How did this happen?
- When did this happen and how long has it been like this?
- How have you been coping and has anyone been able to help you? Have you sought help?
Half-Blood Examples[edit | edit source]
- Fenghuang
- Descended from the Fenghuang bird of Chinese mythology. Those in possession of this mystical blood manifest their abilities with delicate, birdlike features and brightly colored hair that is sometimes interspersed with feathers. Their magic is innate, based heavily on the elemental control of air.
- Djinni
- The potent Djinni blood can mark its people with dark or tanned skin, intense beauty, or warm vibrantly-coloured eyes. Or all three. They move like dancers, agile and flexible. Their magic is fire-aligned, allowing them to control the element or breathe smoke at will.
- Sidhe
- Native to Europe, a fey ancestry manifests itself as unearthly beauty and grace in those that possess it. Their skin can be pale or their eyes just a little bit too large and their magic is heightened awareness and empathy. For their boons, they are able to see auras, hypnotize people, sense feelings, or see in the dark.
Note: These are only our interpretations and not to be seen as rulings on how these half-blood concepts must be made.
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