III. Background
Mage History, as Recorded by the Elders
In the beginning, humans were weak. The world was a dangerous, violent place; monsters roamed the earth and dominated the seas, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions were constantly threatening new settlements, and the gods' newest creation was quickly dwindling in number. So, the deities convened and decided to add guardians to protect their infantile people while they grew, evolved, and progressed. Working together in trios, each of the gods and goddesses came down and formed their protectors out of the elements themselves. They named these humanoids "mages" and granted them wonderful powers based on which deities had made them so that they could keep the chaos in check.
Their plan worked, evil was driven back, and humans began to flourish. The mages took human mates, and their lines were born. Thousands of years passed in exponential prosperity. Every once in a while, young adult descendents of the first mages would display abilities, and once that happened, they would take on the roles of protectors of mankind. The bloodlines of the original mages were recorded carefully so that any descendent would be trained from childhood to potentially become an enhanced warrior. They were often made nobility, thus ensuring that the leaders of the humans would be held to the gods-given charge of defending humanity's well-being.
Nearly 300 years ago, this dynamic turned rotten. One young mage made a grave mistake, and the monsters of old suddenly came sweeping back in droves. The bejeweled, glistening empires of the humans began to crumble, being overtaken by all manner of beasts. Society's opinion of magic-holders shifted dramatically, and in an attempt to save themselves, they forced the mages to leave or be killed. Most of them were wiped out, noble families were murdered, and chaos reigned once again. Thousands of years of innovation and progress were dashed, technology was lost, and humans were plunged into a fantastical Dark Age.
No new mages had appeared since that time until now. Across the land, a handful of young humans have obtained their powers, placing targets on not only their backs, but those of their families as well.
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Mage Appearance and Stats
Mages are human hybrids, but they appear fully human until their powers are manifest, at which part they look more like elves or Fae. It is common for their eye color, hair color, or skin to change. Some gain markings, extra appendages such as horns or wings, or new forms. These changes cannot be truly hidden, though mages with shifting or othersise appearance-altering abilities may be able to conceal them.
Many mages are taller than average, but they all possess a slight increase in capabilities all humans possess: strength, speed, agility, etc. are all enhanced, though some will be greater than others.
They have longer lifespans, with most living to be around 500, though some with time-related abilities have lasted much longer. Mages begin to display their powers between 18 and 24 years of age, which is the age range the Forsaken group will have.
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Mage Abilities, Deities
A mage has three abilities. No two mages have the same combination, though certain powers (i.e. fire manipulation) might occur in more than one mage. These abilities reflect the powers of the different deities. The list of gods are as follows, and abilities will stem from their dominion:
Na'atag, the older twin: goddess of water, storms, and blood
Shovira: goddess of fire, volcanoes, and precious metals
Karaq: god of earth, animals, and plants
Xynji: god of time, forces, and energy
Reynu: god of light and dark
Ezirit: goddess of birth, death, and warfare
Ziva, the younger twin: god of air, storms, and temperature
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Other Playable Character Types
The "immortal" mage that the group will be seeking lives among monsters. Monsters will not die of old age; they must be killed somehow. Since the catastrophe, these monsters have integrated deeper into the human world, and the following humanoids are becoming more commonplace:
Changelings: They appear mostly human, perhaps with the occasional elvish oddity, but can shift their appearance. These are particularly formidable opponents in the sense that they gain the attributes of whatever they have shifted into. For instance, if a changeling were to become a Hellhound, they would then be able to walk through shadows.
Kelpies: Another kind of shapeshifter, these humanoids have two forms: one looks to be a person, but their teeth are sharp, their ears are long, and they always look wet. Their other form varies, but the sharp teeth and glistening sheen remains. They can breathe under water and have a siren song as well.
Grimms: They're dead. Sort of. They are ghosts, but they are attached enough to the mortal realm to act in it. They can telekinetically move objects, speak, and interact with others, but they lack a physical body. They rarely remember how they died or their life before, and they will eventually fade fully into the afterlife after varying amounts of time.
Halflings: These creatures have the upper body of a human and the lower body of an animal. Common examples are centaurs and nagas.
Humans are also playable, though they will only be within the ranks of the Camp.
**Note: shifting mages and monsters can turn into mythical creatures, but they will only reach 10 feet at the shoulder maximum. Dragons only come in air/water/earth/fire.