The Harrowed
Hybrid of Miurag and the Greylands: Dual Loyalties to Nyx the Grey Maiden and Soraveri, Miurag Goddess of Creation.
Named Characters:
TRANSFORMATION
Unlike the Deathwalker, the Harrowed only goes across once on its own, an initial spirit journey before returning to Miurag, where they stay for the rest of their existence. The Harrowed will have a personal catalyst from their life which forms the singular drive to return to the place of their soul's birth. In overall purpose, they are primarily meant as protection for the Deathwalkers on the prime plane, for Nyx's agents have ample protection in the Greylands.
CHANGED APPEARANCE
The Harrowed remain recognizable to those who knew them before death, though they have either paler shade of skin that might also seem to have a light blue 'glow' at times. Eyes have an ice-blue iris with black sclera like the Deathwalker, though a gold ring around the iris distinguishes them at a glance.
LIVING DEAD
A Harrowed does not eat, drink or sleep as a human does. They must meditate as a similar function to sleep; the “newer” they are, the longer they must meditate at once, up to 8 hours in a mimic of the living, but this will shorten over time. A Harrowed cannot eat normal foods as they can no longer digest them, and will find the taste disgusting and uncomfortable. A Harrowed can drink plain water without trouble but does not really benefit from it; it will pass through the skin over time without notice.
The Breath of Life is always what brings them back, so it is the breath of the living upon which they 'feed' to replenish their life essence. This feeding process is relatively slow and somewhat intimate as the subject must either be willing or restrained in order to properly draw out the breath. This process takes either minutes or up to an hour and leaves the living being somewhat dazed and tired for a while.
An alternate source of life essence can be found ingesting fresh blood, a method already known by the Ma'ab and their Ascended. But this method feels unclean to a Harrowed, who may feel revulsion from the act even if circumstances demand it. To this being, if breath is a fine wine which one may savor, then blood is like taking shots of vinegar. Blood drinking is far more wasteful as well, requiring amounts that may be dangerous to the health of the donor.
A Harrowed does not need to feed day-to-day like most mortals, and can survive up to two months on a single feeding.
The Harrowed must still breathe and can suffocate or drown. However, they do not possess the same vulnerabilty to silver harbored by many touched by the Greylands.
POWERS:
Where a Deathwalker is enhanced as a caster, the Harrowed focus their magics internally. Like a Deathwalker, further powers and transformation are possible overtime.
Sense the dead- like a Deathwalker they can more clearly see the auras of life and death.
Regeneration -The Harrowed has superior recuperative capabilities to its mortal state. Small wounds and fractures can heal in hours or a day, while grave wounds will take a few days - assuming the Harrowed avoids aggravating its wounds and stay well-fed. Feeding always speeds the healing.
Immunity- to silver, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, and effects that cause the sickened condition.
Unfailing- can function normally even when dying or severely wounded.
Ghost Flame- The Harrowed's signature is the manipulation of its own spiritual energy that can be used for multiple effects. The blue energy appears very similar to a flame, but has a chilling quality rather than burning.
Wraith form— The flesh becomes composed of blue spirit energy and is translucent enough to reveal a black skeleton beneath. Their form appears gaunt, the teeth become sharp, and their voice now has a whispery echo to it. Physical objects smaller than the Harrowed now pass through them while their aura bleeds one of dread to the living around them.
This state uses most of their life essence and can only be maintained for short durations unless the Harrowed is also able to feed between bursts of this transient state. The longer the Harrowed maintains this state, the sooner they must feed or possibly suffocate.
-take less damage from corporeal sources, energy/magic is unaffected
-partially phase through things (can't walk through walls, etc.) mostly allows it to ignore tough terrain or minor obstacles.
-touch carries the chill of the grave which can stun an enemy with lesser willpower and/or mastery over their aura.
-quieter movement due to partially insubstantial nature
From Beyond- The ghostly energies of the Greylands stretches through body and even onto armaments and the harrowed is always considered to attack with a 'magical' weapon for purposes of bypassing defenses and protections. All kills count as being Marked for Nyx.
Light- The 'flame' can be used to shed light.
Future Uses: Form weapons out of Ghost Flame as an extension of 'From Beyond'
