Haema

PROFILE Name: Haema Bloodborn Nickname: "Granny" by the hatchlings. Gender: Female Pronouns: She/Her Age: 44 Profession: Mentor, Specimen Creator Interests: Beadwork, music & singing, study & reading, spending time with her children. Personality: Compassionate, caring, considerate, firm, grandmotherly. Virtues: Caring and considerate, clearly expresses the love she feels for those around her. Flaws: Holds her emotions close and doesn't always express things to avoid hurting or pushing others. TREASURES Garnet Flourish Eye Piece Apparel A finely-wrought garnet eye piece. 1400 Uniquely enchanted by Porcelain and Herculanea, this eye piece allows her to see disease. Garnet Flourish Anklets Apparel A pair of finely-wrought garnet anklets. 1400 Originally given to her to bind her Ghoul-plague, these are no longer required, but she keeps them as a fond reminder of her first freedom. Wooden Flute Trinkets A fantastic instrument, provided one has lips. 27 Since gaining her good health, Haema enjoys practicing music, now she's not likely to start coughing and wheezing with no warning. Auburn Woolly Pelt Organics The texture is somewhat coarse, but it is undeniably warm. 44 Intricate Weaving Dragonmade These blankets are prized for their craftsmanship. The pattern is too delicate for most dragons to reproduce. 32 Haema's favourite, favourite cosy-warm blankets. Despite the heat of the Wastes, Haema still feels the cold keenly. TRINKETS Bloodstone Minerals & Ores No one knows quite why, but the ritual of squeezing a bloodstone is often used to relieve stress after long and drawn out arguments. 45 Silk Spool Organics A strong, soft thread used in the creation of fine garments. 20 Analogous Pigment Blend Organics This peculiar pigment blend has the unusual ability to match the tint of whatever it is applied to. 42 Crushed Petals Organics A gorgeous pile of red petals, ready to be ground into pigment. 42 Long Form Poetry Trinkets An impressively long poem telling the legend of the First Four dragon gods. Generations have colored the tale to be more cynical and critical. 41 Obsidian Gryphon Staff Trinkets Apprentice mages will craft staves of black stained wood and gryphon feathers to focus their magic. 27 Weathered Grimoire Trinkets If holding just one of these makes you feel knowledgable, imagine how wise you'd be if you had a hoard filled with them! 35 Multimist Mask Trinkets A fascinating mask that was carved of whorled walnut and polished until it gleams. 53 FAMILIAR Familiar: Stormcloud Harpy Name: Procella Personality: Stubborn, strong, supportive. Independent. Deeply protective of those she cares about.

"Strength," says a calm and steady voice, "Is what you make of it." PERSONALITY Kindly, clever, considerate and compassionate, most of the clan thinks of Haema Bloodborn as a grandmotherly figure, kindly to each and every hatchling, patient and more than happy to teach and educate. She is also known, amongst the clan's administrative branch, for her keen perception; she is often painfully aware of those around her and turns her compassion to understanding others and their motivations. While historically unwell, only recently strengthened, her carefully considered opinion has long been well-regarded; there is a reason that Tethys and Telchine will defer to her insights. ABOUT Plagueborn with a weak immune system, Haema left her birthclan as a hatchling in order to move to the Fire Flight in hope the warmer air would prevent continual infections - or, if not, the poisonous gases would kill her quicker and more painlessly. On joining Tethys' clan Haema formed a close bond with Aerugosanguis, the Earthhborn Priest of Plague, who's spores helped to bolster her immunocompromised system. Over time, the two became closer, first as mates and then as a formally recognised marriage. Despite Haema's ill-health, the two had several nests. Despite all of Aerugosanguis's efforts, and those of other researchers in the clan, there were no improvements to her chronic pain and immunity issues. Consequently she attempted the Necromantic Trials, in hope of mastering herself. Though she failed and became a Ghoul, she did not go feral as many Ghouls do, and, if anything, became stronger and healthier for the plague that laced her body. Once given amulets to bind the plague to her body she took back her old place and then some, becoming a far more active grandmotherly figure within the clan. When her husband began to doubt the Necromantic Order she listened to his concerns and joined him in writing letters to others who thought likewise. As the clan's Seers came to a drastic conclusion, she joined her voice to her husband's and the vast majority of the clan's Necromancers together chose a new path. Some few did not and departed or went their own way with the well wishes of the rest, but Haema remains at her husbands side and joined him following Ague's suggested path. They no longer seek to conquer and command disease. Instead, they seek it's very genesis. RELATIONSHIPS Aerugosanguis | Husband Sang loves her, this Haema knows. She also knows how he can struggle to express it, long feeling guilt for his inability to cure what ailed her. Now she is strong he knows at times he feels useless - but he loves her and is caring all the same, never turning his own anxieties on her. Together they support each other as much as they can. Intestinum | Beloved Son Called Testy by herself and Sang, Intestinum, Haema knows, has given up much for her sake. She did not begrudge him leaving when the clan's researchers made their choice - in truth, she is glad that he no longer feels shackled to help her and that he may, at last, find his own way, and his own happiness. Porcelain | Doctor; Friend During Haema's long illness, Porcelain was her most constant companion, offering salves for sores and potions for pain. The two struck up a friendship and it has lasted even after her nigh-miraculous help from the trials she underwent. For the first time since her hatching, Haema has the only power she's truly wanted - to be, as she wishes to be - and she is glad to share it with the friend who helped her through the worst of times. Olecrana | Coffee Companion Not everyone expects the friendship struck up between Olecrana and Haema but there it is. The two mothers like to sit together - sometimes with Porcelain too - and to simply enjoy their lives. Both found freedom from terrible circumstances in drastically different ways and both adore young Hecate, Olecrana and Alarics foundling, adopted daughter. Reginn | Estranged Son Power was why ConTam had left them, in the end. The power to help her, his mother, the power to do what Aerugosanguis could not. Testy had sought power too, also the power to help her and to do what Sang could not. Haema wonders, sometimes, how many of their children took the Trials and sought power for her sake, to help her or to avoid the fate she had when finally she took the Trials. But the Trials gave her freedom in a way. As a Ghoul she did not ache. As a Ghoul she was not so fatigued. As a Ghoul she could do each day all she wants to do - she has a clarity she had lacked at times before, has a strength denied her her whole life. She wishes her missing son could see it.

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The goal of a Necromancer is to cure, as well as to curse. Oh cursing is important, it is what makes them what they are, but in the Plaguelands where she was born, Necromancers were not only feared, not only seen as Her Hand Sinister, but they were respected, loved.

Because as well as cursing, they could cure.

She knows it pains Sang that he cannot cure her. That he takes her well-being as one of his highest duties, even though his Charge is the health of the whole clan and not just hers. But: she is the one ever-unwell, and so it is she who is his Charge more than most.

It worries her, sometimes, how obsessive he is. How he blames himself. Testy blames himself too, but in a different way. He is different from his father, and she's glad of that. Her son is a gentle soul, and one who has found a way to cure despite what he has become. She likes that - even if the First Necromancer of the clan cannot cure her, their First Necroservus can cure others in a way never seen before. It gives him a confidence she thinks he sorely needs.

Aerugosanguis though...

He blames himself for her ill-health, even though she was born like this, long before they met. A Plagueborn born weak, and so she left and so she travelled. He travelled for different reasons - not for his own failings, but for the failure of his mentor to be a good mentor. Sang does not take failure - his own or others - well.

And yet: he never sees his inability to find a cure for her case to be any failure but his own. He doesn't blame her, as she once did, he doesn't blame her parents, as she once did. He doesn't even turn and ask Plaguebringer why she was born this way as she has done more times than she can count.

He believes, wholeheartedly, that if it is an illness then it is in his scope to cure.

Maybe one day he will. But Haema is content to wait.

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Features: Haema (Mate to Aerugosanguis), Aerugosanguis "Sang" (Necromancer), Intestinum "Testy" (Necroservus, son of Haema and Aerugosanguis).

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1. Aerugosanguis' group, focussed on serving the clan, defending it, and making allies outwards.
2. Pleurisy's research group, focussed on developing new disease, curing complex curses, and similar.
3. The Oddballs, consisting of several Mercys and a few independent dragons and subtypes.
4. Something new...