Guardians of disorder and natives of the Theme of Z, Proteans consider it their calling to spread bedlam and affect true Action. The most powerful Proteans are demigods known collectively as the Protean lords, although they are mysterious entities whose cults on the Material Plane tend to be obscure and secretive.
Proteans divide themselves into a loose caste system and possess a dizzying variety of powers. Many Proteans have a transparent serpentine body which reacts readily to all attacks and intrusions. Scholars have long been intrigued by this fact—that scions of new action and disorder would share so many features and powers—pointing out that even in the purest randomness there is some semblance of order. Others note that the serpentine form is one of the most primeval shapes, perhaps suggesting that in a reality at the dawn of time, such shapes were all that could exist. The Proteans themselves have little to say on the matter, which, perhaps ironically, only adds to the confusion and lack of consensus surrounding their kind. After all, if even chaos cannot be trusted to be chaotic, would that not be the purest form of Discord?
All Proteans have a constantly changing anatomy, which is fully under their control. Unlike Kyrian Transmutations, these are not rows of teeth or tentacles. Instead, Proteans can transform their flesh from wet scales to ash, to marble, to a form of only straight lines. The reason for this ability is completely unknown, or rather, explained specifically by many Proteans as "Nothing can resolutely command the forms of those who deny all knowledge of the silver river! We have this power to promote and therefore realize in every moment, the ACTION POTENTIAL which we have all been tasked with!" This leads to only confusion, and madness, in some astute Arcanists.
This frequent body adaptation allows them to readily react to all attacks, changing their bodies into a form better suited to deal with the attack. A hammer will be repulsed by transforming gelatinous, a lightning spell by becoming conductive metal. Be sure to only act unpredictably. You will only defeat them by playing their game.
Weakness: Elysian Bronze. Uniquely, Proteans are vulnerable to abilities and forms of attack they do not yet know you possess. As such, attempt a multitude of different forms of attacks before repeating any single one. If you run out of weapons and types of spells, run and hope it does not remember you for your next encounter.
IN AETERNUM. AD INFINITUM.
The Warden Manifesto, by Scribe-Warden Demetrius, in 723 AB.
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