Descendant of a Thunderbird Concept Test

THUNDERBIRD Rash and warlike, these rainbow-winged elementals bring lightning out of storms. Thunderbirds fi nd slain enemies’ fl esh delicious, and enjoy mastering new weapons and strategies. All fi nd ways to make war: some lead bel- licose mortal cults; others hunt water elementals for fun or for the approval of Wind Master Black Grinning Bear (see p. 91). The Western Bear manages his thunderbird guests handily. He gives them alcohol and marijuana, allocates plenty of land for their wild dancing and bonfi res and has instituted an island hierarchy that they climb by killing water elementals. Those with the most status are sent on challenging quests, assigned stints as Black Grinning Bear’s bodyguards or granted the privilege of leading visitor tours of his vast trophy halls, where they extol his virtues as a leader and brag about their own accomplishments. Known also by the name of wind makers, thunder- birds can call thunderous blasts of air by fl apping their wings. They all know a second language of thunder. Simpler than the spoken one, it sends warnings and requests echoing across Creation, and these elementals can thus communicate to siblings up to 1,000 miles away. Their actual voices are fl utelike. A newborn thunderbird breaks out of its black egg as a huge many-colored raptor (hawk and eagle forms are common). It shakes static from its wings, stretches and soon stands tall as a powerfully built, dark-skinned bald human. Having found both forms, it’s immediately respected by its fellows as a true thunderbird. Normally, this process takes only a few hours, but some wind makers—for whatever reason—have needed to com- plete long vision quests to achieve human form. Western mortals worship these elementals for their beauty, power over storms and especially for the war-blessings they give. Thunderbirds demand human sacrifi ces, to eat and take as concubines, and follow- ers must go raiding fi ve or more times a year and take battle-captives to sacrifi ce—lest they be required to sacrifi ce some of their own people. The mortals of- ten suffer mild poisoning as well, since their masters command them to wear white war paint laden with lead. Still, thunderbirds protect their cults. Though their prismatic eyes are sharp enough to gaze through any physical thing, wind makers can hardly see water elementals, and often bring human helpers on the hunt. (Without assistance, a thunderbird takes an external penalty of -2 to rolls against water spirits that require sight; with it, this penalty is reduced to -1.) An especially talented and loyal worshiper can earn a war club just like her master’s own: forged of orichalcum and ironwood in the heat of lightning. (Such clubs are level-2 artifacts with statistics as shown in the notes below.) Thunderbirds’ lusty passions are legendary. They’re most attracted to warriors, and an ancient Western adage advises anyone who seeks a thunderbird’s love to defeat it in battle. They’re also incredibly jealous; these elementals won’t hesitate to slaughter anyone who makes a move on an object of desire. However, love won’t stop a thunderbird from continuing to visit its harem during a relationship, and if accused of hypocrisy by an infuriated lover, a thunderbird will be perplexed. After all, if the loved one hates its harem so much, why doesn’t he just slaughter all the concubines out of hand? All this leads to a lot of children, and thunderbird blood is one of the most common divine infl uences on Creation’s mortal population. Thunderbird males rarely take an interest in their kids, and thunderbird females often abandon their own eggs with the father—though naturally, if a wind maker’s child grows into a famous fi ghter, the proud parent will take all the credit. Although thunderbirds can formulate astound- ingly sneaky battle-stratagems and certainly love to exaggerate, they are uncomfortable with deception and elaborate social maneuvers. The typical thun- derbird is blunt and won’t consciously lie—though it might “overstate itself” in the heat of passion: “Of course I love you!” Summoning: Calling a thunderbird requires that a sorcerer, just as its worshipers, paint her face white and wear white feather garments. As long as the thunderbird is being summoned to do battle, the elemental will be perfectly fi ne with its servitude. In fact, the elemental will act as if it’s freely doing the sorcerer a good turn; a thunderbird whose term of service has ended might even visit a summoner later, demanding a return on the “favor” it did her. But if ordered to back down from a battle or given too few opportunities to indulge in fi ghting, a thunderbird’s resentment will last long past the end of its binding. These elementals adjust well to becoming Killers, Wardens and Ecstatics. Motivation: Show great battle-prowess. 98 Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3; Cha- risma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4; Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 1, Valor 4 Abilities: Athletics 2 (Flying Maneuvers +3), Aware- ness 3, Craft (Fire) 1 (War Clubs +3), Dodge 4, Integrity 3, Linguistics 2, Lore 0 (War Club Artifact Crafting +3), Melee 4 (War Club +3), Occult 0 (War Club Artifact Crafting +3), Performance 3, Presence 3, Resistance 3, Survival 3, Thrown 0 (Thun- derclap +3), War 3 (Thunderbird Formation +2) Backgrounds: Artifact 2, Contacts 3 Charms: Benefaction—+1 to combat rolls Blessed Air Body—Lightning Dematerialize—Costs 45 motes Impromptu messenger—Language of thunder Landscape Travel—Fly at normal movement speed Material Tribulation Divestment—Only to dodge attacks Shapechange—The shape of a human Sheathing the Material Form—+7B/+3L in storms Stoke the Flame—Inspire fear Tracking—Tracks its Intimacies Weather Control—Storms First (Ability) Excellency—Athletics, Melee Join Battle: 5 Attacks: All Forms: Thunderclap: Speed 6, Accuracy 11 Damage 12B, Range 100, Rate 1 Raptor: Talon: Speed 4, Accuracy 5 Damage 5L, Parry DV 3, Rate 3 Man: Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 3B, Parry DV 3, Rate 3 Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage 6B, Parry DV 1, Rate 2 Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 2, Damage 3B (P), Parry DV –, Rate 1 Warclub: Speed 5, Accuracy 13 Damage 19B/4 (pierc- ing), Parry DV 7, Rate 2 Soak: 7L/15B (Naturally armored, 6L/12B) Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap Dodge DV: 6 Willpower: 6 Essence: 3 Essence Pool: 60 Other Notes: As men, thunderbirds must use Landscape Travel to fl y, but as birds, fl ight comes naturally with their wings, and their fi ght speed is doubled.