Lurking Shadow

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

Name: S’Hraa
Time of Day: Morning
Location: Kitchen--Hallway
Interacting with: @CaptainMarvel
----
S’Hraa was puzzled by the foreign words the orc uttered. An unfamiliar language that proceeded a familiar one. Why would he mix them together? Was S’Hraa supposed to understand it? Was he not? Perhaps the Orc may have uttered it incidentally, occasionally uttering incomprehensible words unwittingly. Regardless, S’Hraa was a bit disappointed at his rejection, Hunting is a favored activity and he likes to see the techniques and habits of others in order to find methods he can use to improve his own.

It was then that Orky threw a portion of his steak towards S’Hraa, who only detected something small moving towards him. Reacting instinctively rather than consciously he bared a clawed hand and catching it successfully. S’Hraa was confused at why the orc tossed a slab of meat at him, did he not hear his request for live meat? What would he even do with it, maybe as bait for hunting? After some thought he threw it towards the wolf “Maybe you’ll find the satiation from this that I won’t, I require fresher sustenance than this for my palate. I’ll just have to find something later.”

S’Hraa decided to sneak out to the forest later in the day to hunt down a meal, dusk being the best time as the darkness will help to hide his movements though it may make it harder to track something if the fauna tends to be diurnal. It would also give him an opportunity to collect alchemical ingredients, perhaps even some of the more… illicit substances for his experiments. First, however, he would need to procure more paralyzing poisons to augment his own, and perhaps a stimulant to keep himself alert. With that in mind, he elected to leave the kitchen and go to the dormitory where what ingredients he did have is stored along with what few personal items he has.

On the way, he mentally gathered the ingredients he needed, reciting it quietly though others may hear and, without an understanding of the agents, would likely dismiss it outside of some rather frightening names. …Foxglove….Deadly Nightshade….Rock Zinnia…Blue Cress… Prairie Cap… a miniscule amount of Weeping Plague, wouldn’t want death to come to quickly…” S’Hraa is too lost in thought to notice anyone, though the red stains from having a steak hurled at him may rise some concerning glances.

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

Name: S’Hraa
Time of Day: Morning
Location: Kitchen
Interacting with: @Shard@CaptainMarvel@OrkytheOrc
----

S’Hraa quickly turned towards Thalia, annoyed by her remark and ascending to normal height and towering over her. He sized her up for a moment, considering something before speaking.

”Preferably? Yes, preferably. You know what I resemble, right? A snake. A serpent. One of nature’s most deadly and feared predator and I did not come here to abandon my traditions and consume carrion like the lot of you. You see these fangs? S’hraa ranted, opening his maw. ”They don’t exist for chewing plants, they inject venom. The venom kills things and starts the digestive process. Kind of hard to consume something without veins spreading digestive enzymes. Finally, things get killed and get consumed. That is life, I’m sure the wolf you have killed a few rabbits before. Oh, and don’t worry. I’m not going to eat it because of the fur, as stated before and that you already laid your claim on it. I know my boundaries.”

Turning back to Willow and keeping a little more distance this time.

”The meat they sell in the market is not fresh enough for me. Like I said, I will have trouble digesting it unless I synthesize a compound to break the carapace apart. While I could create such a concoction it requires some rather dangerous ingredients that I doubt this guild will just hand over, assuming they have them that is. Either way, unless there is something around here suitable for my needs I think I’ll have to sneak over to the forest to satisfy my hunger.”

Right after finishing, S’Hraa sensed the green skin coming back. He turned towards the entrance before Orky could even be seen coming. Moments later Orky indeed came through with a large, bloody cut of meat. There’s that green skin, still covered in fear but it is faint. Whatever he was afraid of, it must have been settled. Good for the both of us, I doubt I can eat him anyway. Much too large, He’ll rot faster than I can digest. Plus, it is just embarrassing to have to vomit up your meal for being too large. The short one was unable to accommodate me, perhaps this green skin will know where I can find something fresh enough.

After staring at Orky for a moment, wondering why someone would eat something so little cooked like the others seemed to enjoy. Why not eat it raw? Or better yet alive? He responded to Orky.

“I apologize but I am not aware of your name, mine is S’Hraa. I would join you but I have not eaten in nearly a month and coming here has not procured the required sustenance. I need something alive. If you would happen to know where I can find something I would appreciate it, otherwise I will hunt in the forest for a suitable meal. Your welcome to join if you wish.”

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

Name: S’Hraa
Time of Day: Morning
Location: Outside, then the kitchen
Interacting with: @Shard@CaptainMarvel
----

That’s it… just a little clossser… S’Hraa thought, concealed partially in the ground a few feet from an oblivious fawn. A few feet from breakfast… and lunch and dinner for the next two weeks. Normally S’Hraa would elect to spend the morning resting on a rock, relaxing and absorbing the heat rocks tend to store from the sun, but he spied on a heard of deer. One of his favored prey. For one as experience as he, it was simple to get the fawn separated from the rest, and to lure it towards him. Coiled tight like a spring, he waited on the fawn. 30 feet. 20 feet. 8 feet, when suddenly the fawn showed a change in it’s movements and S’Hraa’s senses were assaulted by a familiar and beloved smell. Fear. Wasting no time he sprung forth opening his maw and in one fluid motion wrapped tightly around the fawn and bit into it’s flesh, injecting his venom into the fawn and crippling it within minutes. Knowing the fawn would attempt to wrestle free he loosened his grip slightly letting the fawn move around more, pump blood faster, and accelerate the effects of the poison. Within seconds the fawn stopped moving altogether and S’Hraa adjusted to ingest it whole. Until it exploded and put S'Hraa's sleep to an abrupt end.

Awakened by what sounded like an explosion, S’Hraa was confused and a little bit upset over being awakened from his nap on the roof and elected to go find the source of the noise. Slithering along the ground silently and cloaking himself with illusion magic, a precaution in case the source of the noise proved hostile, he saw one of the smooth skins carelessly run past. A large specimen with green skin who was caked in fear. Still a little confused, the intoxicating aroma lured him. Remembering that he has not eaten in nearly a month (having spent most of that time getting to the guild), S’Hraa switched gears from an irate reptile to a hungry one and followed the green one to his destination.

Hiding just beyond the threshold, S’Hraa detected several within the area and waited …observing as he always does. Though he is unable to hear most of what is being said within the kitchen, he could sense the movements they make. The green skin grabbed something before bolting out of the kitchen with such speed that S’Hraa felt unable to match.

Tricky smooth skin, speed will be difficult to match. Incapacitation necessary to catch. Perhaps a poison to cripple movements or a hallucinogen to distract…. S’Hraa thought, before having a moment of clarity.

Wait…no. Need to find alternative source of food. Can’t let hunger get control of me, plus harming another guild member will make studies…. difficult. Perhaps one of the others may be able to accommodate me.

Dispelling his invisibility he walked in the kitchen and noticed two Enuri and a wolf. Noticing that the smaller one was preparing a dish, he might be the one to ask. Hopefully there would be a deer or something around. Moving towards Willow, and lowering himself to eye level and stared with a hungry look in his eye for a moment.

”Need meat, preferably alive. I have not eaten in nearly a month and it is starting to get problematic. I considered eating that smooth skin that just left, the fear he emitted was intoxicating and I momentarily lost my senses to my hunger. Do you happen to have any live animals around? Preferably not something like that, S’Hraa said, gesturing towards the wolf too much fur, hard to digest and it messes up my digestive tract."

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

I'm indifferent about uniforms though S'Hraa might object if it is constricting in movement as he switches regularly between walking upright and slithering on the ground.

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

S’Hraa

S’Hraa

Nicknames:Hunter of the Unknown
Race:Tosuri (Ophidian humanoid)
Gender:Male
Age:20

Appearance:S’Hraa stands 5’ 10” (Though, head to tail, he is 7’ 6” long) tall and weighs 225 lbs. He has green scales with the occasional black splotch. He has a few ritualistic markings on his head and body written in an ancient language. He has blood red eyes inset on the sides of his triangular head. In tropical or desert environments he is largely devoid of clothing, otherwise he wears a simple black robe for insulation. Like others of his race, he is venomous and has retractable fangs for injecting crippling toxins in a creature or, thanks to a specialized equipment implanted in his maw that can store crafted poisons to be delivered through his fangs, various poisons for a different effect. Like the snakes he resembles, he also lacks eyelids and, to the casual observer, appears to never sleep but actually takes regular short naps throughout the day.
Personality: S’Hraa is a quiet and passive individual, rarely starting a conversation and usually found silently observing others. In conversations he may initially appear cold and distant, but this is just a guise for those he does not know. He is slow to trusting others but quickly becomes amicable and loyal when someone does. He inherits his tribes’ morals, and strives to display honor, courage, and subtlety whenever possible.

Biography: S’Hraa comes from the Hri’Saa tribe renowned, by those who have heard of them, for being some of the best hunters in the world. Taught virtually after hatching how to hunt, few develop skills that have no practical use in hunting with alchemy being the most common. Almost everything the tribe does revolves around hunting. Though there is the occasional competition during hunts, it is not to see who can catch the biggest animal but rather the rarest. This is where S’Hraa excelled.

At only the age of seven, and on his first hunt, S’Hraa has somehow managed to catch a legend. The elusive Pochak. This cold-blooded creature is not rarely caught because it is particularly large or fearsome or agile, but that it is almost completely invisible, with all knowledge of it’s existence gleamed from the occasional tale of a ghost or the tracks that led to no animal. When questioned how he found such an animal, S’Hraa simply stated that he just knew it was there. It was later determined that this was his natural affinity for Animancy manifesting and enhancing his senses. This is a rare ability as nearly everyone else in the tribe develops an affinity for Illusion.

There were some conversations over this strange development with many considering this to perhaps be a blessing or a curse of some sort. Regardless of the meaning, S’Hraa quickly became one of the best hunters as his affinity allowed him to sense the aether and its interactions in the environment and essentially allowed him to see the ‘aura’ of any living creature. As a side effect, this was also a boon for his poisons as it led to a deeper understanding of how his alchemical concoctions reacted with a live animal. While initially he was only able to see the aether, it was not long before he developed an understanding of how to manipulate it and quickly became the most valued healer in the tribe and was able to heal virtually any non-fatal wound or disease. S’Hraa did eventually developed an affinity for Illusion, but to a lesser degree than his peers.

It was not until recently when Brood Minder Sha’His died from natural causes did S’Hraa start to question the limits of Animancy. He started to wonder if there was a way to prolong life, perhaps even indefinitely, without all the effects that come with being undead but rather staying alive in the first place. Is there a way to live without time claiming your body? Asking around got little more than a worried look and conversations ending abruptly. Only one of the village elders, the Keeper of the Esoteric, actually give some information. It was little more than a tale of an ancestor many generations ago, another Animancer as it turns out, seek the same question. This individual did something so grievous that it led to exile, and to never be heard from again. It was clear to S’Hraa this tale was meant to deter, to inform this path would likely lead to despair, but he was not shaken.

Knowing he would learn nothing here, S’Hraa elected to venture elsewhere for his answers and left the tribe. From one of the smooth skins that occasionally trades with the tribe, he heard of a guild of mages. Perhaps there he may find the answers he seeks. Perhaps S’Hraa will only end up as another legend like the nameless individual before him, or perhaps the tribe will come to hear from him again. With the question burning in his mind he sets off for either glory or doom.

Affinities: Animancy and Illusion
Craft: Alchemy, specializing specifically in debilitating poisons
Magic: S’Hraa being a capable alchemist and animancer has blended the two into a singular art. He is able to quickly discern an affliction and a suitable remedy in most cases. Using restorative magic for wounds and potions to ease the pain as well as speed up recovery. When hunting he can locate major arteries and veins and inject toxins for faster acting symptoms, using this method for defense or offense would not be much of a stretch. He can also sense any living creature from up to 30 feet away, even through barriers up to three inches thick (assuming said barrier does not block magic in any way) and this may be further refined through further training. He can detect the identities of those he sense if he recognizes the aura. This sense is independent of his sense of sight and he can detect others even while blinded, in low light conditions, or other instances that may impair him visually.

As far as Illusion, he can make himself and up to two other creatures similar in his size almost completely invisible (though this does not make them quite, remove their scent, etc). This also requires some concentration and if he were to be surprised or otherwise distracted he might drop the effect). He can hide his tracks (such as footprints) and of those with him for up to an hour. He can also create visual illusions up to 10 cubic feet big.
Skills:Excellent hunter and tracker

Stealthy

Shares many characteristics of snakes, details in other

Other: Being cold-blooded, he suffers in environments lacking sufficient heat, normally in cool environments he off sets this by wearing an insulating robe this, however, provides little mitigation for extremely cold temperatures incurred naturally or magically.

He is carnivorous and hunts prey when needing to feed, swallowing it whole. Depending on the size of the prey, he can go up to nearly three weeks before needing to hunt again.

Compared to other races, he has poor vision and poor sense of hearing.

He is fond of snakes and tries not to injure one when possible and dislikes those who do not do the same.

The Mage Guild of Alsijan

Well, this took me a bit longer as I was doing some research on snakes but I finally finished. Somehow it still ended up Herbert West-y as I was writing it so I think I got that cheeky reference in.

S’Hraa

S’Hraa

That is not dead which can eternal lie
So that with strange aeons even death may die

Nicknames:Hunter of the Unknown
Race:Tosuri (Ophidian humanoid)
Gender:MaleAge:20
Appearance:S’Hraa stands 5’ 10” (Though, head to tail, he is 7’ 6” long) tall and weighs 225 lbs. He has green scales with the occasional black splotch. He has a few ritualistic markings on his head and body written in an ancient language. He has blood red eyes inset on the sides of his triangular head. In tropical or desert environments he is largely devoid of clothing, otherwise he wears a simple black robe for insulation. Like others of his race, he is venomous and has retractable fangs for injecting crippling toxins in a creature or, thanks to a specialized equipment implanted in his maw that can store crafted poisons to be delivered through his fangs, various poisons for a different effect. Like the snakes he resembles, he also lacks eyelids and, to the casual observer, appears to never sleep but actually takes regular short naps throughout the day.
Personality: S’Hraa is a quiet and passive individual, rarely starting a conversation and usually found silently observing others. In conversations he may initially appear cold and distant, but this is just a guise for those he does not know. He is slow to trusting others but quickly becomes amicable and loyal when someone does. He inherits his tribes’ morals, and strives to display honor, courage, and subtlety whenever possible.

Biography: S’Hraa comes from the Hri’Saa tribe renowned, by those who have heard of them, for being some of the best hunters in the world. Taught virtually after hatching how to hunt, few develop skills that have no practical use in hunting with alchemy being the most common. Almost everything the tribe does revolves around hunting. Though there is the occasional competition during hunts, it is not to see who can catch the biggest animal but rather the rarest. This is where S’Hraa excelled.

At only the age of seven, and on his first hunt, S’Hraa has somehow managed to catch a legend. The elusive Pochak. This cold-blooded creature is not rarely caught because it is particularly large or fearsome or agile, but that it is almost completely invisible, with all knowledge of it’s existence gleamed from the occasional tale of a ghost or the tracks that led to no animal. When questioned how he found such an animal, S’Hraa simply stated that he just knew it was there. It was later determined that this was his natural affinity for Animancy manifesting and enhancing his senses. This is a rare ability as nearly everyone else in the tribe develops an affinity for Illusion.

There were some conversations over this strange development with many considering this to perhaps be a blessing or a curse of some sort. Regardless of the meaning, S’Hraa quickly became one of the best hunters as his affinity allowed him to sense the aether and its interactions in the environment and essentially allowed him to see the ‘aura’ of any living creature. As a side effect, this was also a boon for his poisons as it led to a deeper understanding of how his alchemical concoctions reacted with a live animal. While initially he was only able to see the aether, it was not long before he developed an understanding of how to manipulate it and quickly became the most valued healer in the tribe and was able to heal virtually any non-fatal wound or disease. S’Hraa did eventually developed an affinity for Illusion, but to a lesser degree than his peers.

It was not until recently when Brood Minder Sha’His died from natural causes did S’Hraa start to question the limits of Animancy. He started to wonder if there was a way to prolong life, perhaps even indefinitely, without all the effects that come with being undead but rather staying alive in the first place. Is there a way to live without time claiming your body? Asking around got little more than a worried look and conversations ending abruptly. Only one of the village elders, the Keeper of the Esoteric, actually give some information. It was little more than a tale of an ancestor many generations ago, another Animancer as it turns out, seek the same question. This individual did something so grievous that it led to exile, and to never be heard from again. It was clear to S’Hraa this tale was meant to deter, to inform this path would likely lead to despair, but he was not shaken.

Knowing he would learn nothing here, S’Hraa elected to venture elsewhere for his answers and left the tribe. From one of the smooth skins that occasionally trades with the tribe, he heard of a guild of mages. Perhaps there he may find the answers he seeks. Perhaps S’Hraa will only end up as another legend like the nameless individual before him, or perhaps the tribe will come to hear from him again. With the question burning in his mind he sets off for either glory or doom.

Affinities: Animancy and Illusion
Craft: Alchemy, specializing specifically in debilitating poisons
Magic: S’Hraa being a capable alchemist and animancer has blended the two into a singular art. He is able to quickly discern an affliction and a suitable remedy in most cases. Using restorative magic for wounds and potions to ease the pain as well as speed up recovery. When hunting he can locate major arteries and veins and inject toxins for faster acting symptoms, using this method for defense or offense would not be much of a stretch. He can also sense any living creature from up to 30 feet away, even through barriers up to three inches thick (assuming said barrier does not block magic in any way) and this may be further refined through further training. He can detect the identities of those he sense if he recognizes the aura. This sense is independent of his sense of sight and he can detect others even while blinded, in low light conditions, or other instances that may impair him visually.

As far as Illusion, he can make himself and up to two other creatures similar in his size almost completely invisible (though this does not make them quite, remove their scent, etc). This also requires some concentration and if he were to be surprised or otherwise distracted he might drop the effect). He can hide his tracks (such as footprints) and of those with him for up to an hour. He can also create visual illusions up to 10 cubic feet big.
Skills:Excellent hunter and tracker

Stealthy

Shares many characteristics of snakes, details in other

Other: Being cold-blooded, he suffers in environments lacking sufficient heat, normally in cool environments he off sets this by wearing an insulating robe this provided little mitigation for freezing temperatures incurred naturally or magically.

He is carnivorous and hunts prey when needing to feed, swallowing it whole. Depending on the size of the prey, he can go up to nearly three weeks before needing to hunt again.

Compared to other races, he has poor vision and poor sense of hearing.

He is fond of snakes and tries not to injure one when possible and dislikes those who do not do the same.

Just a few ideas

@TaliPaendrag

I'll probably go with that for the sake of simplicity as long as you are fine with me having a few things different about the culture which I'll justify them by maybe being separate from any 'main' tribe, . I'm at a convention right now so I prob won't get a sheet filled in till early next week after I get ba k home on Sunday.

Just a few ideas

...
Also, I'm glad that you like the idea of healing magic being able to animate objects. :D It always seemed to be a natural way to extend the idea of healing magic to me....

@TaliPaendrag

having an occupation of animating things makes kind of makes me want to name my character after a certain scientist *cough cough*

Hider

but that wouldn't really fit the nomenclature I've been sticking to so far among a few other reasons. A good lesson in 'Just because we can, does not mean we should' though.

You did not really specify what details you need (physiology? culture? a brief history of thier existance and what they as a race have accomplished?) So I'll just have a quick summary of a few of the things I think would be important in no particular order. I am willing to budge a bit on anything to make it fit better for the RP if needed.

Serpent people are essentially very large snakes with limbs and share many traits including venomous fangs and a keen sense of 'smell'. Culturally they are fond of alchemy and have crafted all sorts of manner of potions and poisons for nearly any purpose. They are carnivorous and, only possessing fangs, are incapable of chewing and swallow prey whole to digest over several days. Normally they eat something nearly as large as they are and can go a few weeks before requiring any more sustenance. As a society they value hunting above nearly all else and are all taught to abide by a set of ethics valuing stealth and a clean kill. They are generally friendly to those of other races and may help others if they are able to.

That's all I can really think of right now, if I missed something let me know.

Just a few ideas

@TaliPaendrag

I'm cool with beast races, especially as I was going to use one I prototyped a bit from the Serpent People in Lovecraftian mythos. Anatomically they are essentially the same but I do differ on the society and culture. Still working on the character but am thinking going with an Animancer would be fun. Was wanting to do something with healing and the added bonus of animating things allows for some interesting writing. If you'd like a quick overview of the race's physiology, culture, etc let me know. They look like this and average slightly taller than the average human

Serpent people

Just a few ideas

@TaliPaendrag

I'm interested in the mage guild, I have a custom race I might use that might fit in a guild setting.