Blackbloods

The black-bloods are a group of magically modified humans. A young boy would be taken up under the wing of his Mort-Father. The Mort-Father was given this name (death-father) because of his role in the modification of black-bloods. Essentially the sorcerer kills the old child (or at least his identity) and gives him new meaning as a warrior unrivalled by any other. The boy spends the entirety of his childhood living and learning alongside their Mort-Father and thus the candidate is often only chosen if he lacks a parent or guardian. However, true to the dark nature of these magic users it is not uncommon for the child to be orphaned by his new found father.

The training that the students go through is intense, and in some cases could be considered brutal. War and combat are their way of life and the Mort-Father passes on his wisdom in all aspects of knowledge. The fathers of Black-bloods are almost exclusively modified themselves and often gathered the majority of their knowledge from their own Mort-Fathers.

The term black-blood comes from a very literal root. The magic used in the process reacts with the blood and turns it black. The actual scientific reason for this transformation is a mystery but the quality is a constant throughout all black-bloods. The majority of the children receive a jet black hair color which is also assumed to be attributed to the magic’s affects.

Once a Black-blood reaches adult-hood he leaves the refuge of his Mort-Father and travels on his own accord. He often turns to mercenary work and bloody jobs for his daily income but the primary joy of a Black-blood is the adrenaline rush that one receives from the battle that decides the fate of nations. The conflicts that shape borders and the skirmishes that slay kings. These are the moments that the Black-blood lives for and they are the sustaining satisfaction for his thirst.

Once he reaches old age, and Black-bloods lead long life’s when they aren’t cut short, he will look for a fitting apprentice of his own and take up the title as Mort-Father. This path is one that is taken by nearly every member of this exclusive group and it is considered a Black-blood’s duty. However, it is not completely unprecedented for one to settle down with a lover or convert to a religion banishing violence. However, taking into account the violent nature of one’s life, few choose these alternate paths as they seem beyond reason.

The process of turning is rather simple but its details elude all those who do not require the knowledge. It is a process in which a series of magic conductors are placed at points of magical significance and the Madness element is harnessed (often for hours at a time) and infused into the subject. The madness element includes the things such as darkness, fear, insanity, death, and those things that strike uncertainty into the human heart. The energies of this element steels the subject for the pain and suffering he will endure throughout his life and teaches him to laugh at the things that make others cower. It is thought that the black colors come from these negative energies but this is just speculation.