Clan Mage

A user of banaru who uses emotional bonds to draw people together to create magical protections that connect "families" (literal or metaphorical). They do this through special marks and symbols of their clan (chosen or not).

Terminology

Clans exist in many cultures around the world, and figurative clans exist everywhere communities and people are together. Though the Innesian clans use the words "clan" and "clan mage", the terms are used generically herein and have many cultural variations around the world that use different words for different aspects of the occupation.

Clan

A clan is a group of closely inter-related families of any kind. The most famous clans are those of the Innesian highlands in Lyrilla, which are mostly based on blood-relations, heritage, law, and tradition. There are clans that generate informally among chosen-families around the world. There are clans of kinship and kithship, clans of street gangs, anarchist communes, political dynasties, queer found families, or mystical cabals. Clans are founded upon emotional bonds, cemented via blood rites, and carried forward by tradition.

Clan Magic

Clan magic is formed via fundamental, often automatic emotional bonds between clan members. Special members of each clan can wield these bonds. Those whose primary occupation is wielding these bonds are clan mages, though there are many variations. These emotional bonds allow them to communicate over impossible distances, share skills, protect one another, sense via each others' senses, share powers, and do other things if they are trained in these arts and perform the correct traditional rituals.

Tradition

An existing clan will practice certain traditions that only the clan knows and follows. These reaffirm the emotional bonds of their family and maintain the magic at the heart of the clan.

Family

The commonest families within the clan are blood families, people who are related to each other genetically, but even in these families, practices such as adoption, marriage, vassalage, or other forms of non-genetic association create an extended clan. There are always multiple families within a clan.

Emotional Bonds

The basis of clan magic is the emotional bond created between members of a clan. These bonds are stronger and weaker based on the emotional connection between clan members. A mother and son will have a strong bond (unless something breaks it); tenth cousins will have less of one if they never knew each other. But a tenth cousin who grew up in the household with their tenth cousins will potentially have a strong one. Best friends have powerful clan bonds; friendly rivals can have strong bonds; people who have never met, even if they be identical twins, have weak ones. They form automatically between anyone who has performed the same blood rite of initiation into the clan.

Familial Love

To form the emotional bond, a feeling of love must be felt between members of the clan. While anger, rage, and even spite may exist between them as well, the bond will hold so long as hatred is not present. Love is fundamental. If there is no love, if the family bond is based on power, control, manipulation, exploitation, or some other negative relationship, it is not love, and the clan magic will not be present. Other magicks may develop (hollow magic) that are disguised as clan magic, however. Because this is a prerequisite to accessing the power of the clan, those who rely on this magic fiercely guard against domestic violence, abuse, or betrayals within the clan.

Blood Rites

Every clan's initiation ritual is different. It can be a formal coming-of-age tradition, a baptismal rite, a gang initiation, a sexual rite, or a simple sharing of blood, but blood must be involved, and the intention to recognize the one being initiated into the clan must be there. It cannot be accidental, even if it is informal or even if other words are used. The basic common ingredients are

• Blood shared with or spilled in the presence of an existing clan member - always the initiate must give blood; it is best if the initatior also does
• An oath of membership and vow of protection ("Do you swear to protect...?")
• Agreement of all parties, explicitly expressed
• An act of service to the clan as proof of intention and commitment
• An invocation of the clan's symbols

Children

The child of someone who is part of a clan is automatically part of the clan without being initiated. However, they only may partake in the defensive powers provided - that is, they have the magical protections of the clan. Until they are formally initiated they do not have the other powers of the clan.

The most important part of clan magic is the preservation of the clan, and that means the protection of children. A clan mage or even just a member automatically has bonuses to protecting children, and special rites exist to protect them.

Multi-Clan

It is possible to be in multiple clans at once, but one's powers will be limited to the clan one is engaged with directly at any given time. For instance, if a clan member shares protection with you, that protection can only be extended to members of the same clan. You cannot use it to protect members of the other clan you are in. Clans can, however, be united into one bigger clan.

Socially and traditionally, many clans require exclusivity in part because of long-standing feuds, rivalries, or for more practical matters (limited resources), but those that do allow for multi-clan connections do so usually with an eye to later uniting clans. This is usually politically motivated, or driven by a need for survival.

Generations

Every new generation of a clan builds up greater clan power as their ancestors' power remains in their blood.

Changing or Leaving Clans

Sometimes people change clans - usually because of a marriage or break-up. Some leave clans for many reasons. Departures can be automatic (if one's emotional state so profoundly alters that the clan bond is broken), or they can be intentional and directed by tradition (usually, marriage ceremonies involve a ritual of breaking the bond and a new blood initiation). These vary clan to clan, but the main ingredients include a ritual of symbol-breaking and a new blood rite. If one is not changing but just leaving a clan, all it takes is the appropriate breaking of symbols.

Symbols and Marks

Every clan has a set of symbols and marks that represent them. These vary by clan and can be very simple (certain colors), complicated (very precise patterns of colors or objects - i.e., a flag), general (a kind of animal), specific (an animal species), concrete (a unique rock carving), or abstract (a motto). The symbol will reflect the nature of the clan, though the symbology might not be universal. A clan whose symbol is an eagle may claim it because of the eagle's ability to soar so high and to hunt; others may see it as regal; others may view it as a symbol of freedom, war, or conquest. The significance is determined by the emotional value the original clan founders placed upon it. If the clan changes over time, the symbols may change, but a rite involving a majority of clan members must be performed to do so.

The formation of a clan involves invoking their original symbol - whatever the clan chooses - and channeling the love between clan members into that symbol to give it power. So long as this original symbol exists, the clan exists and has powers. Clan mages carry simulcra of this original symbol to invoke their powers.

Living Symbols

Animals and plants are the commonest symbols after colors. These are often kept by the clan. If they have many such animals (for instance, if their symbolis a horse, or a chicken, or a dog), they choose one specific one to represent the living symbol. If their living symbol dies without a new one lined up to replace it, it is a dire omen. Marking a living symbol also requires a blood rite.

Unique Symbols

Sometimes the clan will have a very specific object as their symbol. One example is a unique stone formation that has special significance to the clan's founders (for instance, if the Blarney Stone were a clan symbol). Another example would be a weapon like a specific sword or an heirloom like a valuable piece of jewelry. Or it could be a house or even plot of land. Creating such a symbol involves a blood rite, usually a rite of founding.

Rites

The rites of invoking a symbol always requires the symbol be present either in actuality (an actual tiger, oak tree, or something of the right color) or in image (i.e. the picture of a tiger, an embroidered oak tree, the stone sculpture of the clan's founder). Common rites include

• Rite of Founding: the founding of a clan requires a series of blood rites that bond the founding members to each other and to the symbol of their clan.
• Rite of Initiation: see above.
• Rite of Departure: this requires symbol-breaking.
• Rite of Protection: the primary purpose of a clan bond is mutual protection, especially of children. Rites of protection require the clan mage spill blood into a circle within which is the clan symbol, thus offering up blood to the clan itself to avoid others' bloodshed. If a symbol of a specific clan member (either a personally associated symbol or a part of the person such as a lock of hair or piece of clothing) is in the circle, the spell will target them specifically. If it is just the clan symbol, it will be a weaker protection over the whole clan. If a specific attack is associated via symbol (fire to protect from fire, arrow to protect from arrows, etc.), only that attack will be defended against.
• Rite of Messaging: communicating over vast differences requires a symbol of the target clan member or the whole clan, and a mirror, a dash of blood, and a magic circle.
• Rite of Union: uniting two or more clans requires all their symbols be in a circle of power, multiple clan mages and members provide blood, and vows and oaths be made, and a new symbol anointed for the new clan.
• Rite of Deliverance: if a clan member is captured or taken captive, they can be released via a rite of deliverance by their clan's mage. This requires a piece of them being burnt in the blood of the enemy or a symbol of the enemy, within a magical circle, and the symbolic breaking of a chain, rope, or other bonding agent.
• Rite of Many Hands: sharing skills, lores, powers, etc. between clan members is done via a ritual wherein symbols of each individual are bound to each other with the hair (or other sinew) of the clan mage within a circle of magic, washed with blood, and the clan symbol invoked.
• Rite of Finding: to find a missing member of the clan, the clan mage need only something of theirs, some clan blood, a mirror, and a bowl of water.
• Rite of War: the most dangerous of rites, this rite calls the clan to war, empowers them in the fight, and unleashes the clan's protections as manifest in the fight. It requires blood of either 13 clan members (including the mage and chief) or of 50%+1 clan members (if there aren't 13 members). It requires oaths to fight and an invocation of the clan symbol that will destroy it if the clan falls. And it involves the enemy's blood or symbol if possible. Finally, it requires the clan mage's own body, mind, heart, and soul be invoked.
• Rite of Preservation: the protection of children is utmost. The rite of preservation protects children, pregnant people, new parents, and new grandparents from mundane and magical dangers by invoking the clan mage's own body, mind, heart, and soul. They take damage for the protecteesor designate someone to do so.

Invocation

To invoke a clan symbol varies by symbol and clan. A motto may be invoked by writing or speaking, but only one method works. That is, a clan motto may be invoked via speaking in one clan, and a different clan a different motto may invoke it by writing it. Invocation of an animal symbol may require mimicking it, spilling its blood, using a part of it (wool or fang, for example), eating it, feeding it, drawing it, etc. Invocation of a symbol must be tangible. For example, reading a motto silently cannot be perceived by anyone but the reader, and thus, does not invoke it.

Symbol-Breaking

To break the clan symbol is to revoke a bond. Breaking can be as simple as burning something symbolic of the clan (paper in the right colors), killing the living symbol or one of its kind, etc. or as complicated as violating an oath or strange as speaking a motto backward or in a different language. Intention matters - the intentional destruction of a symbol is a right. Dropping a vase won't force you out of the clan, but it will be seen as a bad omen and give the one who broke it penalties (-1) for upwards of 13 days if it is a minor symbol and upwards of 13 generations if it was, say, the founder's own symbol. These penalties can be rectified by a ritual of re-initiation after a quest to make up for it.

Quests

Clan quests always are acts of service to the clan. A quest can be invoked to empower a warrior or chief, initiatie or re-initiate a member, grant a new power, or find a new symbol.

Powers

These are the effects of the above rituals and other rites:

Protection

A clan mage may take wounds for other members of the clan after they have been initiated by marking themselves with that person's symbol or blood. Or they may do this rite by marking different clan members with blood and thus giving one or the other the wounds of the other.

Clan Blood

Anyone in the clan may call upon the blood of the whole clan by spilling their own onto a clan symbol and asking for strength. Clan blood is sacred and powerful, and if it touches a child (in the clan or not), the child will gain +1 protection of any kind the giver of blood intends per wound-level's worth of blood given (+1 flesh wound, +2 normal, +3 special, +4 exceptional, +5 death by blood loss).

Bloodfire

A clan mage may spill their own blood into a bowl, invoke the clan symbol, and then drinking the blood. The clan mage's blood will then burn within them and allow them to hurl bloodfire from their bodies, usually channeled through a weapon. It is a celestial flame that only harms infernal targets or those who have had war invoked against them via the rite of war.

Communication

There are a few forms of clan magic communication:

• Direct message: a single, simple message sent via rite.
• Continuous messaging: a maintained bond of communication that requires the mage reaffirm the bond repeatedly with hourly blood (their own or a donor-member of the bond).
• Announcement: a brief message to the entire clan - chiefs often use this.

Trading Powers and Skills

To share powers, skills, stats, and other qualities magically through clan magic requires willingness on the part of all parties and great power. A clan mage may only do this temporarily, and the consquence of not ending this on time means loss of power or skill for all parties involved. A warrior given temporary prowess bonus will lose their bonus and the equivalent of their bonus from base score if the mage fails to rescind the bond in time, for example. To break the bond, the bindings on the symbols must be cut or broken. The duration of sharing is determined by success of the spell (tie - 1 second; normal - 1 minute; special - 1 hour; exceptional - 1 day). Failure of the spell can mean penalties for greater time (normal - 1 hour, special - 1 day, exceptional - 1 week). Multiple failures can lead to permanent losses. A clan mage may decide to trade duration for higher bonuses, but the risk of backlash increases significantly.

Clan Beast

The living symbol of a clan can be invoked by a clan mage such that they take or give qualities of the living symbol to themself or clan members, up to and including taking the creature's form. Those who specialize in this risk losing themselves to becoming the creature in question. See also doodem.

Healing

A clan mage may use their blood to soothe trauma, fear, pain, or other emotional damage just as they would use it to protect someone. To heal physical wounds or sickness, they must take on that sickness or wound themself. Their magic will make them better able to heal from it (turning a mortal wound into a special wound) but not quicker at healing. Thus, they have penalties for longer, but it is less likely to kill them or permanently damage them. If the damage is otherwise permanent (a lost limb, permanent lung damage, paralysis, etc.), they can heal it only with equivalent and permanent exchange and weakening of their clan magic.

Duties

Clan mages have certain duties within the clan that are required to keep the bonds strong:

Clan History

The clan mage must record, remember, and/or recite clan history in order to root the clan in its traditions.

Genealogy

The clan mage is required to keep track of the legacies, ancestries, and connections of all clan members, whether blood-related or not. This can mean tracing emotional connections or simple genealogy.

Scribing

In many clans, the clan mage is also the one who reads and writes, and thus, they take on the role of scribe.

Recording Clan Deeds

As well as tracking clan history, they must record it as it happens around them. They are the ones who preserve the story of the clan as it happens so future members may keep it.

Tracking Inheritances

If the clan owns property of substance, the clan mage will be the last voice on who controls and owns it.

Inventory

The clan mage will always have these basic tools or some variation thereof:

• Vessel for blood: clan mages always have jars, bottles, bowls, or some other object to carry blood in.
• Channeler: a wand, staff, sword, spear, or other object that can channel energies is often used by a clan mage, depending on their clan traditions.
• Symbol: the clan symbol is always present on a clan mage's person.
• Robes or equivalent: clan robes always have the symbol on them and give protection, often marked with blood.
• Cap or headgear: a clan mage will usually have a cap, hat, headdress, bandana, or other headgear that symbolizes the clan somehow and is a symbol of their office.
• Mirror: a clan mage will always carry a mirror or reflective surface for spells.
• Fire: a clan mage will always have some means of making fire for spells.
• Salt: salt is a vital tool of magical protection that all mages, especially clan mages, carry.
• Records: clan mages usually keep records of clan histories, genealogies, and deeds.

Variations

Among the akka in the far north of Ranu, there are some very specific variations among the heimot (clans, sing. heimo):

• Etsiva: among the akka, if something happens in the clan that requires investigation, such as a crime or a strange event, a clan mage will mark someone as an etsiva and have them look into it. They are given powers of insight, finding, and empathy.
• Korin kutoja: some akka clans use basket-weaving as their primary occupation, and they create baskets with clan magic such that they can hold banaru and familial love within the baskets themselves, preserving anything in them (these baskets are often used to carry babies).
• Meille: there is a group of multi-clan clan mages who have taken a secret vow to protect children around the world from enslavement and trafficking. This conspiracy goes beyond the akka, but takes its name from them as it originated there.
• Nayttelija: some clan mages among the akka use theatrical performances to bond the clan and share clan history. They exist only in some more artistic clans.
• Neuvonantaja: during times of national oppression of the akka, one clan turned to clandestine, organized crime. The Viinimaki Clan thus calls their clan mages neuvonantaja, and they serve the same role as a consigliere in other organized crime groups.
• Opas: in some akka clans, their symbol is the land controlled or owned by the clan, and their clan mages are actually rangers bonded to that land.
• Puutarhuri: in some akka clans, their symbol is a plant of some kind, and their clan mages work as specialized gardeners to care for it.
• Sanansaataja: a clan mage among the akka clans who specializes in rites of messaging. These are usually secondary or lesser clan mages working for a primary clan mage.
• Taidemaalari: in a few akka clans, the blood rite involves invoking the power of the clan through painting family portraits, in part with clan blood. This makes the paintings sources of love and banaru.

More generic variations include

• Barterer: a clan mage who does the trading for the clan.
• Geneticist: a clan mage who uses genealogy or genetics to study their own history, or vice versa.
• Scribe: a clan mage who focuses on recording histories.

Other Clan Roles

Some roles within a clan that involve using banaru include

• Aos-Dana: among the Innesian clans, the aos-dana are always also clan mages and often replace them in the clan.
• Beastfriend: those who use clan magic to specifically bond with a clan of mammals, such as someone raised by wolves or bears.
• Chief: the head of the clan is always empowered by the clan mages.
• Dollmaker: those who use clan magic to create dolls to protect children. The dolls are always annointed with clan blood.
• Midwife: a person, usually a woman, whose medical skill focuses on pregnancy and birth, or women's health in general. Midwives are always users of banaru, even if it is not necessarily clan magic.
• Tietaja: a shaman of the akka uses aemoa as well as banaru.
• Umuririmbyi: a clan mage of the abarinzi who uses music in their magic.
• Warrior or Archer: the warriors of the clan who are empowered by clan magic.

Societal Role

Clan mages play similar roles to bards or shamans more often than not, but sometimes, they are simply another adviser alongside those. Other times, they are more strange and powerful, seen as aloof protectors, and sometimes, they are just seen as elders in the clan.

Persecution

Almost all users of clan magic are subject to national oppression, though there are some rare exceptions to this in matriarchal, socialist, and/or communist societies, or in places where the clans aren't nation-based (i.e., found families). These latter are often subject to gendered or other oppressions, due to informal or non-patriarchal family structures. It is rare that a clan exists such that it is acceptable to the ruling class, and those that are often have weak clan magic due to assimilation into patriarchal values that are oppositional to true familial love. Those who maintain clans within oppressive societies are often targeted for using clan magic, as it is seen as a threat to the ruling class.

Skills

Clan mages often have these skills:

• Clan history
• Good memory
• Storytelling/recitation
• Performance
• Healing/medicine
• Tactics/strategy
• Politics
• Genealogy
• Reading/writing
• Arithmetic
• Singing/music/dancing
• Riding
• Animal care
• Botany/gardening
• Esoteric lore

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

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

Modifiers may vary by clan, symbol, nation, or species due to cultural variation.