Avenger

Avengers are those who infuse their blood with baleblood, an energy that turns their blood into a burning boiling flow and gives them incredible strength, speed, and violence. They are known as "avengers" both because their original cultural purpose was as agents of revenge against rival nations and because they counter attack automatically. Most who are infused with baleblood either become uncontrolled killers, learn to avoid extreme anger, or learn to control the baleblood.

Baleblood

Baleblood is a form of infernal energy that turns blood into a burning substance.

Infusion

Almost anyone can use baleblood, assuming they have blood. If one can find it, one can simply inject it and be permanently on the verge of or in the midst of a violent rage. Finding baleblood is difficult. The commonest way is to get it from someone else who has it. Others generate it through ritual violence. And still others draw it from esoteric materials that have it in it.

Rite of Blood

Among TheBaleful, the priests of Beadu Feriend lead hordelings in a coming-of-age ritual that infuses them with baleblood by invoking the Boar Spirit Gnyrn-Wracau, who is the spirit of vengeance against the Horde's enemies, as opposed to the Bear Spirit Dom-Georn, who is the spirit of vengeance against the Horde.

Enragement

When someone infused with baleblood becomes angry, their blood begins to burn, then boil. This gives them strength and speed, and eventually turns into a wild rage and undiscerning violence. The more intense the anger, the more difficult it is to control the baleblood. There is a distinction, too, between emotions like frustration, hatred, and spite, and with anger, rage, and wrath. The latter trigger the baleblood. The former sometimes accompany or lead to the latter, but not always. Whether the anger is justified or not is irrelevant; the response cares nothing for justice. Only violence. Once enraged, the avenger gains fighting power for every attack they make and loses will power and fine control. Once their will power is gone, they pass out.

Modifiers

If a stat hits 0, the avenger is considered mortally wounded. Any stat that hits a negative equal to the base positive (i.e., an AWA of 16 hits -16) will incur permanent damage or complete loss of that stat. Stealth, presence, fine athleticism, and analysis/memory stop at 0. Other stats do not. Any stat that hits -25 means death. Any stat that causes the total of the stat to be 42 caps out for mortals who have not found a way to break the mortal barrier yet (or are not of larger size, re: STR).

As you can see from the chart, death can happen very quickly, as modifiers begin to stack up. An avenger usually has only a few rounds. The "cap" is the highest or lowest the modifer will increase or decrease per round, NOT the highest or lowest the total modifier can be.

Once analysis/memory hits 6 (total), the avenger loses the ability to tell friend from enemy.

Stat	Rate	Modifiers
Atheleticism (Fine)	-1/action	-1/2 actions per level of intensity, cap -3/action; -2/3 actions if beyond consciousness, cap -6/3 actions; -1/4 actions if controlled, cap -3/2 actions
Athleticism (Speed)	+1/action	+1/2 actions per level of intensity, cap +3/2 actions; +1/3 actions if beyond consciousness, cap +6/3 actions; +1/action if controlled, cap +3/action
Awareness (Analysis/Memory)	-1/action	-1/action per level of intensity, cap -6/action; -9/action if beyond consciousness, cap -9/action; -1/2 actions if controlled, cap -3/2 actions
Awareness (Broad Perception)	+1/6 actions	+1/9 actions per level of intensity, cap +1/3 actions; -3/action if beyond consciousness, cap -9/action; +1/6 actions if controlled, cap +1/2 actions
Awareness (Fine Perception)	-1/3 actions	-1/6 actions per level of intensity, cap -1/2 actions; -6/action if beyond consciousness, cap -12/action; -1/3 actions if controlled, cap -1/action
Awareness (Reaction)	+1/3 actions	+1/6 actions per level of intensity, cap +1/2 actions; -3/action if beyond consciousness, cap -12/action; +1/3 actions if controlled, cap +1/action
Presence (Intimidation)	+1/action	+1/action per level of intensity, cap +3/action; +2/action if beyond consciousness, cap +12/action; +1/action if controlled, cap +6/action
Presence (Other)	-1/2 actions	-1/2 actions per level of intensity, cap -3/2 actions; -3/action if beyond consciousness, cap -6/action; -1/3 actions if controlled, cap -2/action
Prowess (Broad)	+1/action	+1/action per level of intensity, cap +3/action; +2/action if beyond consciousness, cap +6/action; +1/action if controlled, cap +6/action
Prowess (Fine)	-1/action	-1/action per level of intensity, cap -6/action; -2/action if beyond consciousness, cap -6; -1/3 actions if controlled, cap -2/action
Stealth	-1/2 actions	-1/2 actions per level of intensity, cap -3/2 actions; -3/action if beyond consciousness, cap -6/action; -1/6 actions if controlled, cap -1/action
Strength	+2/action	+1/action per level of intensity, cap +3/action; +3/action if beyond consciousness, cap +6/action; +1/action if controlled, cap +6/action
Will Power	-1/3 actions	-1/3 actions per level of intensity, cap -2/action; -3/action if beyond consciousness, cap -6/action; -1/6 actions if controlled, cap -1/action

Intensity

Intensity of emotion is measured by the player with GM consultation. It goes from a scale of 1 (strong anger) to 6 (uncontrolled rage).

Temperature

For every 25 degrees below room temperature (75 degrees F), rates are slowed by +/-1/action, cap at +/-6/action.

Control

Once enraged, one may regain control briefly before passing out if one has spilled enough blood (of one's own), been cooled down physically, or if one drinks the blood of an innocent bystander. However, an avenger may also gain permanent control by ripping out an opponent's heart, then their own, then replacing their heart with their opponent's. This is magically possible only on the edge of unconsciousness.

Unconscious Violence and Explosion

If an avenger is in a cool place (or is otherwise cooled but not enough to regain control), the rate of loss of will power lowers, which means they may reach the upper limits of their physical improvement. If this happens, they will keep fighting well after losing consciousness. If this continues for too long (WIL at -25 total), the baleblood will grow so hot, despite the cold, and the avenger will explode in a ball of balefire, which will kill most and leave anyone wounded by it infused with baleblood.

Cure

It is possible to remove baleblood from a person. There are several ways:

1. Invoke their ancestral memory and guide them to reconnect with their actual "bloodline". This is the only way to ensure perfect removal and to keep it from coming back.
2. Use of very powerful curacion or ashar. This is the second best method, but reinfusion will still be possible.
3. Use of dumaqu, euphoria, or iremia directly targeting the blood. This requires very powerful energies that most users of the three mentioned do not achieve. Usually, they only temporarily quell it.
4. Complete exsanguination and replacement, over and over again, until all traces are gone. This requires either skilled magic or technology not available to most, and reinfusion is very possible.
5. Divine intervention, miracle, mercatorial or demonic contract, angellic intervention, or paradoxical idiom.

Combat

An avenger entering a rage loses fine control, will power, and discernment, making combat about brute strength, speed, and weaponry that does not require precision or dexterity.

Claw

Special clawed gauntlets, gloves, or other hand-coverings are often made for avengers, as they often default to fighting with their hands anyway. These speical claws respond to the avenger's increase lack of precision by automatically gripping when they meet resistance. That is, the blades contract, forcing the hand to close a little, when it strikes flesh or bone. This causes more tearing and can rip out organs, bones, or musculature. The basic damage of these claws is +4/+4 (for steel), and the modifiers for special and exceptional hits (greater impact) are +6/+6 and +9/+9 respectively because of the contraction of the blades.

Axe

A good chopping implement with the option for blunt trauma can do a lot of damage in the hands of an unconscious killing machine. Axes are often preferred to claws because they can be thrown (indiscriminately) or spun.

Warhammer

Much the same as axes, but with less chopping and more bashing. They love warhammers, too, because they are harder to break.

Club

A basic club, if made well enough, has as much resilience as a warhammer without any frills. Maces also work.

Flail

A flail, meaning a stick with a chain ending in a blunt or spiked weapon, is even better for spin attacks.

Tusk and Horn

Beings with either tusks or horns will use them instinctively at 6 awareness or below, if they have not already started using them.

Wrestling

If engaged in a wrestling match or a grapple, an avenger will not be capable of any rules of safety for themselves or others. Finer movements are impossible, but often, the opponent will be hurled about anyway.

Last Resorts

If one has nothing else, an avenger will resort to their hands and feet (and headbutting, biting, gouging, hair-pulling, etc.). They simply use anything as a weapon, including furniture or cookware or other people.

Raiding Parties

The Horde employs avengers in raiding parties, letting them be the first wave of an attack and the last, a total onslaught that can wipe out whole communities quickly. An avenger in the Horde, however, does not last very long. They are seen as disposable forces.

Boars

Some avengers raise boars, which they infuse with baleblood, and unleash them on targets. These boars are trained extensively, but often do explode into balefire.

Cultural Variations

Anyone around the world can be an avenger, but as something that is part of a culture, it is rare. Here are a few examples outside of the Horde:

• Badala Lenevaala: in subcontinental Dabusen, these are part of the cult that worships the Red Queen.
• Fukushu-sha: aquatic avengers (usually shark folk or samebito) who attack coastal villages and fisher folk.
• Tzukazi: the leader of TheBaleful is always a capable avenger and guarded by them as well.
• Ungna'kk: those who specialize in riding giant boars.
• Vengador: in Danuan-settled areas, these blood-thirsty warriors were often used during conquistador raids.

Legality

Use of baleblood is criminalized in many societies, save for under military supervision. In times where there is a semblance of international law, its use is often outlawed for war. In some cultures, having been infused with baleblood is treated as an affliction to be healed, while in others, the person is simply executed.

Skills

Skills vary greatly, but some useful ones:

• First Aid
• Sewing
• Hunting
• Tactics
• Weapon Care

Stats

PRO +3
ATH +2
STR +3
AWA /
WIL +2
STH -1
PRS -2