LunarTotems/Jaguar

Introduction

Elpidian's laughter rang across the camp site.

"I mean, really, they wield little more than clubs. How can they expect to defeat us? We lost almost no one, and they retreated when they had dealt but a few wound to us."

The crackles of a hundred fires where spread across a south eastern plane, still warm in the night. The young legionaire chewed on his ration for a bit before continuing.

"This will be over before you know it. I thought we were supposed to be afraid of this Nustakew."

An older legionaire lifted his head to glare at the stripling, eyes reflecting the burning light of the fire before them. "You don't get it, do you?"

Elpidian swallowed hard as the man told his story.

"They call Nasketew the Blood-spotted one for a reason. He doesn't want to kill you, he wants to drink your blood. Those who follow him use clubs not because they are foolish, but because that want to capture you... alive. Then you can be sacrificed to their dark gods voracious appetite. And his "children" are worse. Hundred of creatures, half jaguar, half man, each strong enough to rend your armor from your body, or to tear a man in half. And THEY use REAL weapons, boy.

"It is said that he was human once, and that when he murdered the king to his tribe, when the blood splattered against his body, he was forever changed, and he still bears the marks from that murder he did."

The veteran cast his eyes across the camp to where the slim figure of their leader lounged, jade armor glittering in the firelight, eyes working furiously over a map, and shook his head.

"When the time is right, I supsect the demon will reveal hismelf in all his twisted glory. I hope only that our commander is as good as he is touted to be. He may well be our only chance."

Silence feel when the veteran finished speaking, and then grimly, each thought of their own fates.

Nasketew the Blood-Spotted

Symbology : Wholeness, divinity, rebirth

Native American tribes of North, South, and Central America consider the jaguar, especially it's black-panther form, to wield powerful magic. Shamans would invoke jaguar power to heal diseases, or to exact revenge on an enemy.

The cross in a circle design of this painting is an anciet motif that has represented divinity or eternity in many civilizations; the depiction of jaguars among the Mayan and Olmex civilizations of highland mexico often incorporated the cross framed by a cartouche. This iconography was a symbol of sky, heaven and divinity.

The painting also shows a white human face appearing below the black jaguar, which suggests a polarity -- a tension of opposites -- within the framed whole. Olmec art forms often showed two jaguars together, suggesting a similar polarity or a dual nature. At times, the jaguar was shown in intercourse with a human -- a reference to the mythical origins of the "jaguar people."

Charms :
Finding the Spirit's Form: Jaguar
Deadly Beastman Transformation (2)
Ox Body: 4 x -2s
Bowing Reed Technique
Bending Before the Storm
Sensing the Deadly Flow
Tiger Claw Swat
Body Weapon Technique

Jaguar Form : Strength 5, Stamina 5, See well in dark, lethal attacks, climb well.

Beastman Form : +3 Strength, +2 Dex, +1 Stamina, Terrible Beast Claws, Resilience of Nature, Fearsome Appearance.

Tell : Spots the color of blood

When I think jaguar, I think aztec, some of the most bloodthirsty native americans I can imagine... and the jaguar only more fully emphasizes this. Thus, I chose to make a Lunar that speaks of every negative stereotype imaginable: a bloodthirsty war-monger that is good only at battle and leads entire tribes to war.

Why should the abyssals have all the fun, hmmm?

Further, the reference to jaguar people suggests a large number of beastman kin. Thus, this character is likely to have a great deal of backgrounds: Cult and Followers. Perhaps even an artifact goremaul.

As usual, other options are possible. Jaguars are also seen as possessing CURATIVE powers, suggesting a more benevolent bent. The concept of a dual nature suggests that both playful kitten and powerful predator can be find beneath this creatures spotted hide, allowing a full range of characters, from clever tricksters (the spots are meant to hide the hunter) to the dark shaman (Jagaurs were thought to possess magic... both to cure AND to kill)