Cambion
Overview
The Cambion are infused by the realm of Autumn, a realm of naked ambition and intrigue where complex webs of wealth and influence connect the Eternals. They are ambitious, driven individuals who are never satisfied with what they have and always striving for greater mastery of themselves, their peers and their world.
Cambion are comfortable in almost any role but is especially appropriate to characters with political or economic motivations – senators and mercantilists are obvious, but a general driven to take The Throne or a priest who wants to reshape The Synod to better suit their idea of faith are also examples that might appeal to a cambion.
The cambion lineage is intended to appeal to players who want to play driven, goal-oriented individuals, and touch on some motifs associated with ruthless devils or manipulative supernatural creatures. This lineage gives players free reign to touch on expedient or ruthless roleplaying, but also encourage them to set themselves goals and achieve them. They are also fertile ground for roleplaying about concepts of politics, ethics and expediency – do the ends justify the means?
Inspirations for Cambion might run the gamut from students of the writings of Machiavelli and Sun Tzu, through spies such as Mata Hari and George Smiley to powerful figures such as Shakespeare’s Richard III and Lady McBeth and Lord and Lady Acquitaine from the Codex Aleria.
What cambion are not
- Devils. Despite their name and their horns, the cambions are not associated with traditional devils or demons. The Eternals of Autumn are political entities who wield and embody ideas of power and confidence rather than being evil.
Sobriquets
Caliban, nephelim, rakshasa, the mazed
Iconic trappings
- Curved horns. Most cambion possess a pair of horns. These horns are similar to those of goat, sheep or bulls. They usually have a curved or spiral shape, often with ridges or fluting. They are likely to be either bone-coloured or metallic. Cambion horns do not branch like a stag's antlers - only changelings have stag's horns – they always occur in pairs and as a single continuous horn.
Additional trappings
- Additional horns. Cambions may have more than one pair of horns, although these additional horns still appear in pairs. Horns need not be on the forehead – they could be attached to the chin or cheekbones, for example. They can even be attached to the forearms or elbows to create a dramatic appearance, but in these cases extra care should be taken to ensure they are combat-safe.
- Metallic eyes. Cambions may have exotically coloured eyes. Cosmetic contact lenses can be used to simulate this. Examples of effects appropriate to cambions might include pure black or white eyes without visible pupils; or eyes with a metallic colouration.
- Metallic skin. Cambions may possess metallic skin colouration - in gold, silver, bronze or copper. This can range from patches of mottling or discolouration to a whole body effect. Make-up can be used to create this effect. If you are adopting this trapping for your character you should either paint or cover all visible skin or else design the areas that are coloured to make it clear that you have mottled skin - do not paint your entire face in one solid colour and then leave your neck and ears unpainted.
- Taloned fingers or toes. Cambions may have clawed fingers and/or toes. These claws are never large enough to be used as a weapon. They are commonly either bone-white or glossy metallic, and often shaped like the talons of a bird.
- Metallic hair. Cambions may have fine hair in metallic colours, often complementing their eyes or skin colour. Common colouration is bronze, copper, gold or silver. You can use a wig to phys-rep this or colour your hair.
- Labyrinth marks. Cambion regularly possess birthmarks or scars that take the form of branching, maze-like or web-like shapes. Some cambions are entirely covered in a network of lines that shifts imperceptibly over time.
- Dominant demeanor. Cambions might express their drive and confidence by seeking and maintaining eye contact, making physical contact with those they are talking to, modulating their voices to inspire trust and using all sorts of simple tricks to define themselves as being in charge of any interaction.
Roleplaying cambion
Cambion blood influences the character of the one who possesses it. Not every Cambion expresses these effects to the same degree, but characters who demonstrate these roleplaying trappings possess stronger lineage than those who do not.
- Cambions are driven. Their blood pushes them to achieve all that they can achieve. They are never content to rest on their laurels, always looking to the next thing they can achieve. They tend to have no patience for laziness or complacency, and may become frustrated with peers – or worse, superiors – who express these traits. They also tend to be goal-oriented, although a Cambion is likely to have many goals she wishes to advance at any given time. Cambions are dissatisfied.
- Cambions are opinionated. They find it difficult to accept the status quo, they seek to improve things – although each cambion will have their own idea what constitutes improvement. They also tend to doubt received wisdom – hearsay and the opinions of others are useful to know, but a cambion would prefer to make up her own mind than take another’s opinion as their own.
- Cambions are political. They seek to gain influence over others, and often view social interactions in terms of favours to be offered or called in at a later date. They’re not incapable of altruism, but when prompted to do something out of the “goodness of their heart” they remember it and may bring it up at a later date. People who don’t appreciate the idea of trading and owing favours frustrate cambions; people who consider themselves apolitical or above political manoeuvring often annoy them.
- Cambions are competitive. They love testing themselves against other politically, mentally and socially. To a cambion, winning and losing is less important than a challenging contest with a worthy opponent. They tend not to hold grudges if they are bested in these sorts of contests, but dislike people who try to avoid playing their games. A cambion will often end up with a roster of rivals, friends and enemies made up of all the other people who engage in political manipulation in their sphere of influence.
- Cambions may degenerate into madness. Some cambions become increasingly ruthless, potentially to the point of megalomania. They come to regard others as tools or pawns to be moved into position, they see morals and ethics as unnecessary straitjackets on their activities and amibitons. Some have the best of intentions – they simply know what is best for everyone around them. They see no problem with using and even expending their pawns in pursuit of their goals.
The blood
Cambions are born dead. It’s a strange fact of their lineage that they appear lifeless when they are born. Within a few moments of birth, however, they cough and sputter and their eyes open and they seem to flow with life. Yet even as they grow older, their pulse seems to be weak and fluttering, and they will often stop breathing for minutes on end when they are asleep. Yet they are no more or less healthy than any human. Many of them claim that it is their willpower alone that keeps them alive, although there is no medical evidence for this.
The children of two Cambions will be a Cambion nine-times-out-of-ten. A child with one Cambion parent will be a Cambion around four-times-inten. A child with no Cambion parents but with a Cambion grandparent will be a cambion around one-timein-ten. Children with no Cambion parent or grandparent are almost never Cambions, but it is not unknown.
All Cambions have horns. At birth they are little more than tiny nubins, but they develop as the child gets older, usually reaching their full adult size when the child reaches physical maturity. Cambion blood is reasonably strong, in that kids of Cambions are usually Cambions themselves. I’m not sure it has the “recessive gene” of the Changeling blood – I think if you get an unexpected Cambion its because someone has shagged someone they ought not to have. I think that potentially “creates game” (albeit soap-opera game) on the field if it is well known (OOC or IC).
Advantage: Dreadful Wrath
Like Changelings, a Cambion who is exposed to a roleplaying effect that creates fear or doubt can respond by becoming angry instead.
Lines of the cambion
Cambion often rise to positions of authority, or become sworn enemies of authority with which they disagree. Cambion children are often difficult to raise for parents without lineage and frequently leave home early to “seek their fortune.”
- A Freeborn Cambion will often find a position as a scrivener, appreciating the “middle man” role such a position offers them.
- Many Cambion find a spiritual home in League where they are especially encouraged to enter the priesthood.
- Great deeds are expected of Cambion in Dawn, where lineage is a mark of distinction.
- The 'Unveiled' of Highguard include a few Cambion, their horns sawn off in shame at their blood.
