Dranoch

Introduction

Though they are called one, the Dranoch are not truly a race - but rather, some would say, a blessing. And some a curse. It is the gift of life unending, but also of abject hunger and a suffering extreme. Power unlike that of mortals, with the potential for so much more — but only through extortion and grim indulgence.

The Dranoch began long ago. In fact, it is unknown from where exactly the curse originated, only that it was the Mist Lord Xarakses who first offered it to a mortal who many claim he dearly loved. Whether that brief rumor is true and whether that individual still yet lives, these ancient histories are far from evidenced. In fact, it was not until the collapse of the Clockwork Empire that genuine examples of these beings appeared, in the form of the Court of Dusk.

The Dranoch are fairly rare in the world, save for in Silfanore where the most prominent of their kind reside. As such they are generally the black sheep of whatever society they reside in, though they will often have secret societies that often seek to benefit their species as a whole. Due to their violent nature they are hated and feared, even by many worshipers of Xarakses who believe they are cursed by him rather than blessed, and ultimately cannot be trusted.

It is no misconception that the Dranoch are cruel, extortive, hungry and profane. That they are vicious and merciless, willing to eat both old and young without regard for pain or death. What is worse to many is that they are not truly evil, but that their species simply requires sustenance from the mortal races to exist. They are predators and are treated as such, and their nearly indistinguishable appearance has led many in the world to lash out in fear even when they are not really there… though, unknown, they often are.

Changes

When a Dranoch is born, their eyes seem to be clouded in a white-colored mist, though more an overlay to their original color than a solid and opaque hue. Their teeth all become sharper and more razor-like, like a beast, and their skin grows a touch paler as if they are ill. In truth, not much about the individual changes from their life as a Botchling all the way to Huntsman - at least, not at first glance.

It is important to mention that there are three levels of Dranoch, each divided by a fairly noticeable gulf in power. The Botchlings are the young and inexperienced, the Cardinals are those well-adjusted to their position, and the Huntsman are those who have truly mastered their hunger and have been given immense power through their feeding.

When the Dranoch progresses into the status of Cardinal, they will begin to develop changes that may situationally appear; that may be repressed at will or revealed at will. Mosquitos will constantly appear to accompany them even in cold climates, though not as a swarm. Black quills will appear at the back of their neck and hands, though on many they will be featherless. Their skin will appear to grow fairer and within their white-misty eyes will resonate a crimson, smoldering shade from the core of their iris.

As a Huntsman, little changes. The eyes become a pure crimson, with the smoldering aura within the irises expanding until it consumes the eye into the outer corners. Rather than pale and almost sickly, the Huntsman appears… healthy. Their skin is like porcelain - perfect, peerless, without singular flaw or irregularity. Their body is always utterly at ease and they stand with poise. The most prominent changes of this evolution, however, are best seen in the thick of battle and will be detailed in the Abilities section.

All Dranoch cease to age upon acquiring the affliction, unless it is somehow removed. Other development of their body may continue, such as the growth and expansion of muscles and even the conception of children, but the process of aging can not be naturally resumed. If one becomes a Dranoch as a five year old child, they will be confined to the restraints of that body for the remainder of their life as a Dranoch. The only exception to this is Dranoch born as such, and they tend to develop to full adulthood at a quicker pace before finally ceasing aging upon full maturity.

Growth and Hunger

One of the common misconceptions of the Dranoch is that their evolution is solely defined by age. While age may seem to lead to the growth of the curse over time, it is not the primary qualifier. In fact, Dranoch do not depend on age at all. Instead, it is simply that time has allowed many of the Cardinals and Huntsmen the opportunity to fulfill the obligations necessary of them to evolve.

Generally, the Dranoch evolve through sacrifice. Whether they claim their sacrifices to be for some imaginary being of theirs, or to themselves, or even purely to their hunger - the result is the same. Xarakses is offered blood and bounty and from their own lips he ravenously feasts. It is said that the moment of Tribute, as it is so called, is the most vile and grotesque of all as the Dranoch manifests the primitive voracity of their progenitor. When Dranoch feed it is brutal, bloody and inconsiderate of the flesh of the victim. Many are left mangled from the exchange.

As Dranoch are considered pure manifestations of hunger and starvation, they feed on every single aspect of their prey. Their blood, bones, flesh, even their magic. For the Huntsman, what becomes their sustenance is ultimately the thing most covetous to man and Gods; their victim’s soul - the thing that offers the Dranoch their most pure nourishment.

Thankfully, as they provide Xarakses with his bounty he provides them one in return - evolution. Slowly, through time, the Dranoch will evolve through their feast. They will move ever closer to their next step towards mastery, seeking to become Huntsmen for the sheer power and influence they bear.

Or they may not feed at all. And to do so invokes the opposite reply - they are deprived, weakened by Xarakses and thrown into misery. They will feel that they have been made fragile and starved, and eventually as their functions falter one by one they will decay and wilt, and die.

It cannot easily be quantified just how much feeding is necessary to become a Cardinal, or a Huntsman. Many believe that sheer number is not the only requirement - perhaps more valuable than ten thousand souls is the soul of a legendary figure, or perhaps they are the same.

For IC purposes, becoming a Huntsman will not require a thousand years of progression or a million souls or any specific thing. Players who wish to progress as Dranoch can do so by playing through their ‘affliction’ accurately and developing within the species, generally by the devouring of others but with the potential for other venues or even the same venue but to an extreme, with moderator assistance.

Blood Sickness

The Dranoch, early in their transformation, develop a horrific illness known as ‘Blood Sickness’ that has led many Botchlings to suicide. The Dranoch in question will feel constant pain and malnourishment, a hunger that cannot be sated save temporarily through the consumption of blood. The blood of their progenitor is especially soothing in this regard, and so many quickly learn to become dependent upon the one who turned them.

Those who do not have such an option will often murderously patrol dark sections of their city and seek out prey to still their suffering. Even then the symptoms are severe, and so many greedily pursue more blood and are often slain young as a result.

Aside from pain and hunger, blood sickness manifests in other horrific ways. Extreme itchiness that cannot be managed, a feeling of bitter cold that will lead many to shake and shudder for days at a time, migraines that force every heard sound to echo in painful repetition. A young Dranoch suffers greatly, and this pain can last anywhere from a fortnight to half a year depending on how frequently they feed.

Spread

The affliction may be acquired by a variety of different methods. First, it must be noted that Dranoch are not undead. Dying is not a requirement to become one and one may not be resurrected by means of affliction unless through Xarakses.

One can acquire the affliction through the Mist Lord and it will manifest immediately, typically as a Botchling though some have been gifted with Cardinal status at the beginning. Aside from that, Cardinals may convert others into Botchlings through the blood, and this may occur in a variety of different ways; transfusion, the consumption of Cardinal blood, smearing Cardinal blood into one’s wounds and even - rarely - sexual intercourse.

The result of such a bond is that of progeny and progenitor, a deeply compelling bond between the two individuals that may often manifest with affection and intimacy so much as it may develop into a sort of paternal or even sibling-like bond. As most Dranoch are reviled by society, their progenitor and fellow progenies are typically the most valuable bonds carried.

When a Huntsman converts someone into a Dranoch, the progeny immediately develops into a Cardinal. There are also several interesting ways in which Huntsmen can interact with their progenies, to be further elaborated on in the Abilities section.

As mentioned earlier, an alternative method of producing a Dranoch exists via reproduction. This can be done sexually or by the transmission of blood, by either gender to either gender, and acts almost as a transmitted disease. The infected, as a result of the blood and genetic material of the Dranoch, will acquire a weakening blood sickness for no longer than ninety days. During this time period, a swollen tumor of blood will form usually on the abdomen or back of the victim, and will act as an incubation chamber for the Dranoch young. Obviously, most desperately attempt to cull the child before it is born, but to do so can easily result in the host's death.

Once the body of the progeny matures, it will sprout from the tumor it was formed in and will quickly develop into something akin to a small child, its muscle tissue forming and hardening around it. This child, a Botchling, will seek to escape shortly afterwards if it feels it is threatened - with the host typically weakened beyond any ability to act or move for a period of days.

Abilities

Botchling

A Botchling, as a young Dranoch, does not possess all too many benefits afforded to the more advanced of their species. Their teeth are sharper, they manifest fairly improved strength, speed and stamina, and they appear to regenerate at a somewhat unnatural - but unspectacular - speed. They have improved night vision and can see through darkness, even pitch black darkness, fairly well and this only improves as they evolve.

Furthermore, a Botchling’s sense of hearing and smell is somewhat improved, though most notably the smell of blood will become incredibly pronounced - some Botchlings even report being capable of smelling exposed blood miles away, which can become fairly distracting until properly integrated into daily life.

Cardinal

The Cardinals are where the true ferocity of the Dranoch take place. Their physical attributes including their reflexes are dramatically increased and they become more durable and capable of quick regeneration. They can perfectly blend into shadows and cannot be blinded by… seemingly anything, capable of sensing and seeing blood and using it as a light source whether in perfect darkness or gleaming light, on top of having naturally nocturnal vision.

Cardinals can infuse their teeth and claws with shadows that will appear to burn like a black flame, though in fact they are cold. This makes their strikes far more damaging, capable of penetrating nearly anything with single swipes of their claws or lunges with their maw. They may also bind their own shadows to their form to create a light armor coating that will mitigate damage dealt to them, though only partially.

Finally, a Cardinal may manipulate stray blood within fifteen feet of themselves and craft it into a sharp or piercing weapon, or array of weapons, such as shaping it into multiple spears and launching them at an enemy. The blood can be neutralized through being recoiled by weaponry, shields or even intense heat exposure, but stands able to puncture even heavy armor and so can quickly result in unexpected death for most victims.

Huntsman

The Huntsmen are the apex of Dranoch and are where their true strength lies. All Dranoch wish to eventually become Huntsmen due to their incredible power, innate to the very functions of their being.

A Dranoch Huntsman, now reaching their bloom, no longer needs to consume others - ever. To stray from doing so will result in a gradual progression towards weakness and fragility (at least comparatively to their peak) but they may forego food for thousands of years without fatal repercussions.

Huntsmen are difficult to hurt - let alone kill. They have durable skin, bones and flesh and regenerate incredibly quickly, almost immediately, as well as displaying greatly enhanced strength and speed, with nearly unlimited stamina. They can survive virtually any wound save for the destruction of their body and many have even lived through decapitation, though any injuries of the brain may still possibly incapacitate them and therefore leave them vulnerable. Regardless, their bodies are natural weapons and they wield their biological tools with perfect proficiency.

A Huntsman’s fingers have the ability to become extremely deadly, long black claws stretching up to three feet, the fingers shifting to look almost like pointed metallic rods. These claws are nearly impenetrable and have great piercing and cutting power. Additionally, long black insectoid legs appear to be capable of protruding from any part of their body at a whim and skewering those near to them with immense precision and speed.

This is not nearly the limit of a Huntsman’s power. A Huntsman may obscure the sky around them for up to five miles in a crimson vapor, appearing to turn the area into a realm engulfed in a red colored night. This is their hunting ground, and is the source of their name. In this hunting ground, sight is extremely strained even for nocturnal creatures, though the Huntsmen carry an innate ability to see through the vapor, providing them with a considerable advantage.

Huntsmen may also perform one of their signature abilities, Shadowrend, with consistency. Shadowrend is among their most potent abilities and it allows them to disappear in a burst of shadowy energy, the black mist appearing to rain down afterwards as a shower of bile-like blood. Then, within a blink they may reappear up to fifty feet away, quickly capable of perceiving their surroundings and fluidly following into attacks.

As there seems to be a half-second ramp-up period before each leap, it is possible to injure a Huntsman and interrupt Shadowrend as a result. However, it is incredibly difficult and this appears to be one of the many reasons they are labeled extremely dangerous and nearly impossible to kill.

Huntsmen also have a monstrous form they may transform into at will, a manifestation of their voracity. These forms are typically large, powerful, terrifying and must be approved in the Help Desk. Portions of this form may be blended with their more human-like appearance outside of transformation, such as sprouting wings upon the Huntsman's back in order to fly. Many consider the Huntsman, in this true form of theirs, to be at their peak. They are known to be much stronger, faster, more durable and more while consumed by this primitive body, many even gaining access to additional innate powers while they are transformed. In this state, a Huntsman is something like a Demigod, and they can maintain this form for as long as they wish.

Finally, Huntsmen are capable of manifesting as a red, bloody projection of themselves to all of their progeny and kin, as well as to other Huntsmen that allow them to appear. They may engage in full communication in this way and - in the case of their progeny - may implant strong compulsions into their mind amidst these conversations, such as to come to their side or to fulfill a task for them. While these compulsions are possible to resist, it is not an easy feat to do so and will typically result in exhaustion by the progeny attempting to avoid these compelling thoughts.

Limitations

As Dranoch progress more towards the status of a Huntsman, their ability to perform magic recedes and they begin to lose some of the arts they may be keen to. While as a Botchling all magics remain available, a Cardinal may only have access to four, and while a Huntsman may be incredibly powerful, they lose access to all Personal Magic slots but one. The exception to this is Vitalis, which can be learned regardless of restriction, and does not count towards a Dranoch's limit.

Regardless, there is an exchange for this loss of arcane potential: a Dranoch gains noticeable resistance to magic the further they develop - all except for one type.

Pyromancy, which is the great vulnerability of the Dranoch. If there is one tell-tale way to determine a Dranoch’s identity other than their eyes or the paler shade of their skin, it is perhaps their aversion to fire. Dranoch will almost exclusively bear caged lanterns when illumination is necessary, and many societal elite prefer to rely on electricity for illumination, despite its relative youth within the world’s technological framework.

While fire does not instantly kill a Dranoch or immolate them rapidly, it drastically reduces the regenerative properties of the area cindered and causes a great deal of unnatural pain.

Interestingly, the magic used by a Dranoch Huntsman changes dramatically to reflect the purity of the accursed: all aesthetic aspects of that magic that take physical form are overridden by a fury of blood. A Necromantic construct will not appear to be a hush of flesh but instead a closely conjoined terror of walking crimson ichor. Water will flow dark crimson and even kinetic force would carry a red tint. Fire will remain ablaze, but with its color changing and leaving behind a hot rain of bloody grit.

Finally, as a restriction, a Dranoch Huntsman cannot be a Draedan of any level; Highborn or otherwise. If they are one during the evolution towards Huntsman, their divine heritage will be shed and likely lost forever.