LeviathanTempest:NatsarDevotion

The School of the Reef

(Natsar’s Devotion, The Blazing School)

[Picture: The Symbol of Natsar’s Devotion: A rock rises from tempestuous seas. Broken chains hang off of it. Three tablets are chained to its face. The skies are black. This serves as a watermark]

[Picture: Central. A muscular Caribbean woman in a white tank top, camo pants, and boots, back half-turned from the viewer. A bandana holds her hair out of her face. She is standing in front of a stone pillar like a totem pole, depicting the faces of monstrous beings with wide maws, protruding tongues, and bulging eyes. She is looking at one of the faces. Held up as a comparison in her left hand is a severed head, matching the one she is looking at. Her hand and forearm are coated in gore. Her right hand rests at her hip, where a long obsidian dagger is shoved through her belt. Both arms are covered in sharkskin, with the hint of fins at the elbow. Her exposed back is parted by a shark's maw, which rests between her shoulderblades. At her feet is a blood-covered empty sack.]

The Leviathans have always been beset by enemies, and the severing of the world from its primordial state has done nothing to prevent that. The School of the Reef embraces the role of the Tribe as the soldiers and tacticians of the struggles that led to the Tempest, ever-vigilant in the destruction and observation of the Tribe's enemies. Knowing their enemies and protecting their Cohorts, Natsar's Devotion finds purpose in conflict and an outlet for their simmering rage.

The primary interest that the Blazing School has in the relics of their past, as a result, are the catalogues of their military triumphs and the identities of their enemies. They see knowledge as a valuable currency in an ongoing war, and ruthlessly pursue the edge that it gives them, reclaiming their predecessor's warrior legacy.

Natsar's Devotion places survival and self-preservation foremost among their concerns, but they also have a philosophy. They have experienced the barely submerged fury that their bloodline instills in them, fueled by the restraints and annoyances of everyday existence, and have found an outlet for that energy - the annihilation of their foes. Through triumph and activity, they seek Tranquility.

Membership

The School of the Reef is, unsurprisingly perhaps, composed of those individuals for whom self-defense, war, or violence were parts of everyday life. Gang members, former soldiers, or career criminals are all common - but they do not form the whole of the Devotion. The beliefs of the Devotion extend to the defense and protection of their fellows, after all - you are as likely to find an ambulance technician or fireman in the Devotion's ranks as you are a mob legbreaker.

What the School of the Reef does share is a certain degree of personal energy. This is the Devotion of people that can't sit still or hold back - adrenaline junkies or the deeply principled. The Blazing School is about doing things, standing up, striking back. Even the sagest and most reserved tactician won't hesitate to throw herself into the fray if that's what's necessary.

Transformation

Natsar's Devotion is interested in strength, protection, and victory. Their transformations lead them towards forms that emphasize these traits - great rows of ivory teeth, thick, armored hides, and rippling muscles. They take on predator's forms, and have the aesthetic of a bunker or fighter jet - there's no mistaking their purpose and power. Some of the Blazing School actually blaze - their eyes burn with inner light, or scales ripple with stark, strong colors.

Character Creation

Even if it is not their primary focus, the members of Natsar's Devotion do not neglect their Physical Attributes. In particular, their interests across all groups lie with Power Attributes - they measure virtue by effect. The average Devotee of the Rock has a sharp analytic mind in an athletic body. They're not afraid to give orders, and shun restraint - Presence is usually higher than Composure.

Each member of the Devotion develops at least some of the Physical Skills necessary for combat. By tradition, they favor the natural weapons provided to them by their lineage, and practice Brawl to make best use of them. Tacticians and the biologists that plan against the Tribe's enemies develop Academics, Occult, and Science. Naturally disposed towards command, the Blazing School tends to favor Intimidate over other Social Skills.

Physical Merits are obviously prevalent, but Mental Merits aren't shunned, either - the Devotion is about knowing your fight as much as it is about winning. Devotees of the Reef tend to have small Cults with devout members, especially those with some sort of military background - soldiers in the war. Social Merits provide assets, but Devotees rarely stay in one place for long - they're always trying to stay one step ahead of a counterattack.

Role

Natsar's Devotion finds its service to a Cohort in its strength and preparedness. Driven to survive and to defend the Tribe, the Devotees of the Reef devastate threats, plan for eventualities, and keep escape routes in mind - they are the soldiers and bodyguards of their kin. This has given them a bit of a reputation for aggression and bossiness, but they know it's all for their Cohort's own good. The war never takes a break, after all.

The Cohort, in turn, checks the rage and paranoia of the Devotee. There are fights that don't need to be fought, and only an outside perspective can check that impulse in a Devotee of the Rock. He might grumble about the Cohort's cowardice, but living in a constant state of predatory excellence isn't sustainable, even for the most stalwart of Natsar's Devotion. Countless Typhons mark the eventual fate of Leviathans that lost themselves to an endless lust for destruction.

'Vestiges

The Blazing School is made up of warriors, first and foremost. They manifest the gifts that give them an edge in a fight, expressing the natural weapons of the Tribe and pushing themselves to the edges of power to defend themselves.

The School of the Reef grants a discount on purchasing Evolutions to the Vestiges of Might and Predation.

Traditions

Members of the School of the Reef may select a free specialization for one of the following Skills: Science, Brawl, and Intimidation.

Concepts

Beat cop, former mafia heavy, survivalist icon, marine biologist, military historian, gun dealer, bouncer, heavyweight boxer, disgraced soldier, veteran guerilla

Quote

"If you believe we know better because we're bigger and tougher than mortals, then you've got to figure the Primordials knew best of all. Now those were big, f*ck-off critters, and so clever no human can wrap their heads around them. Don't tell me they didn't see this world coming, and don't tell me they left no clues for us."

Stereotypes

• School of the Abyss: "They'd be better off if they spent less time gazing at their navels and more time listening to their gut."
• School of the Sun: "I know the progenitors gave us a purpose - it's to win."
• School of Clay: "Watchers rarely know when they're being watched."
• School of Fog: "Cooperation's a great idea, as long as you all do what you're told."

• Typhons: "Casualties are inevitable given the stress of our condition. Give 'em a quick death and an honorable sendoff."
• Hybrids: "Those we can control are able soldiers. The rest of the lot are obstacles to be knocked down."
• Other Creatures: "Anything that's a threat is going to find out the hard way how much we know about 'em."
• Mortals: "We're not like these guys anymore, and that's just as well. I'd rather die on my feet with my eyes open."

Back to the Main Page