Nightwing

The Silent Watchers

Origin: Badlands/Darraknoir (ritualised)

Lifespan: 150 years on average, can live upwards of 300 years

Pros:

• Transformation into an owl

• Able to fly

Cons:

• A waning moon forces them to transform unless under shelter

• Sensitivity to air pollutants like smoke, smog, or strong smells

Origins

The Nightwing were spies and hidden agents from the lands of Darraknoir. They used to serve the vampire lords in their war, gathering information and spying on the other peoples of the land. Once the war came to a head, many Nightwing fled the vampire lands after they saw the horrors happening; some of those fleeing through the rifts when they opened, striving for a safer life in new lands. Some returned to their secretive ways, acting as information gatherers in the new lands, whilst others became more open about their nature, revelling in the new world. 

Traits

Nightwings are in-tune with their nature and take to the skies as though born to it. They are able to transform between their human and avian forms with relative ease, their bodies morphing through the magic that runs through their veins. They are easily able to blend in with their surroundings.

Weaknesses

Nightwing do not share the same weaknesses as members of the were-castes such as the werewolf, however they do share the same aversion to the phases of the moon. Their main weakness is that they are affected by the phases of the moon in the skies above, and during clear nights when the moon is waning, the Nightwing undergo a forced shifting of forms unless they are able to take shelter.

Because of their birdlike constitutions, Nightwing can become particularly sensitive to the air around them. Smoke and smog can cause severe respiratory issues if they are in it for too long. It is not uncommon to see Nightwing who live in crowded cities or camps to venture in the woods to get some “fresh air” for a time.

Background

Silent as the wind and unseen in the dark, the Nightwing are a secretive and elusive caste bound to the wisdom and keen sight of the owl. Gifted with the ability to shift between human and owl form, they have long served as watchers in the night, spies in the shadows, and messengers of hidden truths. Some whisper that they were once humans who made a pact with the spirits of the sky, exchanging their mundane existence for the gift of flight and an unmatched mastery of the unseen world

The Nightwing were once allies of the human kingdom of Ebonvale, serving as spies and informants for the empire. Their unmatched ability to move unseen and gather secrets made them invaluable to the ruling elite. However, one of Ebonvale’s most powerful figures, a Baron whose name was lost to time, grew obsessed with power. He hoarded the knowledge they provided, twisting it to his advantage rather than for the betterment of the realm. His hunger for dominion led him to delve into forbidden magics, and in time, he succumbed to the lure of immortality—becoming one of the first true vampires of Ebonvale.

As the baron and his kin embraced their bloodthirsty nature, the Nightwing saw the truth behind his ambitions. Many among them turned against Ebonvale, refusing to serve an empire that had become a den of monsters. Some fled back to Duskrhime Thicket, severing ties with the outside world, while others worked in secret to undermine the vampires who had seized control.

To this day, the Nightwing bear an unspoken vendetta against those who let their thirst for power consume them. Many still whisper of, and remember the Barons name in the shadows, watching for signs that his influence lingers, ensuring that no other shall repeat his mistakes.

Culture

After the Nightwing fled the service of the Baron, most returning back to the Duskrhime Thicket, they made homes within the trees, creating suspended walkways and secluding themselves high above the forest floor below. In time, these settlements became the caste’s most treasured of locations, keeping them safe from the perrials of the land below where the undead roamed.

Within the trees they formed their new society, raising their young secluded within their settlements. They told tales and myths of the great wars, passing down the knowledge of their past through stories around campfires.

Those that escaped the servitude to create these new settlements strive to stay out of the affairs of the vampiric race. Not wishing the dangers of the past to repeat itself. They teach their young to be wary of others, especially those that are undead in nature, and teach them how to survive out of sight in the wastes that is Darraknoir. 

When the Rift first opened, some Nightwing fled through into the new lands beyond. When the Badlands was officially formed in 1882 word got back to the Nightwing’s Parliament of Elders about this new land with the promise of freedom. Some settlements completely uprooted in the search of a new life without the constant fear of the undead or the oppressiveness of the vampiric nation.

The Nightwing that passed through the Rift and found themselves in the Badlands still remain hidden for the most part, preferring to watch from a distance. Some continued their work as spies and informants, whilst others integrated more with the promise of new lives far from their old ones.

More Information

Ritual

Nightwing originated as a magical species that were taken and used by the Baron’s war-host, turning them into spies for the vampiric cause. The few full-blooded Nightwing that survived the wars and conflicts that remained became the Parliament of Elders within the new settlements. These Elders are the story-tellers and knowledge keepers of all the secrets that the caste possesses. They are also the keepers of the sacred rituals that are used in order to create new Nightwings.

Not all of the Nightwing people are able to shift into the form of the owls that they are known for. Nightwing are not created by the scratch or bite of another of the caste, instead they are created by sacred rituals, the details of which are kept a close secret.

What is known about these rituals is they involve a rite performed by one of the Elders where the ‘knowledge of ages’ is spoken to the one undergoing the ritual, they partake of herbs found within the thickets of their home and breath in the smoke of smudge bundles which allow them to enter a trance-like state. During this state they are given an elixir imbued with magic, which allows them to spiritually seek out an owl that they bond with, becoming a being that is able to take both forms with ease.

Those who have been accepted as fully fledged Nightwing spend their first decade living within the confines of the settlements with the Elders, learning about their history and people so that they can keep the knowledge of their caste alive. 

Magical Proclivity

While not every Nightwing is easily attuned to magic, there are those that have utilized magic to assist in staying hidden and seeing the truth about them. Shadow magic is not uncommon among Nightwing’s with magical skills to stay out of sight, along with Truesight in order to see the truth of the world about them. 

As they became adapted to living in nature, some Nightwing began to study druidic magics, connecting with nature and the plant life about them. While these skills are not common, it is not unusual to come across a Nightwing spending time with nature or tending to the trees to ensure their home stays alive and safe.