Artisans of the Crane Clan

The Old Ones are what the last Emperor referred to those of the crane clan.  They were the first to split from the dynasty and stand out as a single unit.  Met with harsh resistance from the forefront it seemed they were trying to distance themselves from the emperor and his majesty.  They were not distancing themselves however. They were setting the stage to what would soon be the first Act.  The emperor in his wisdom saw the gifts and abilities of the crane and chose to let them flourish on their own.  In this one deed he allowed some of the empires greatest artisan to gather and collate into the thriving community of trades people and politicians the world had ever seen.  At one point in the past being a member of the crane clan was enough to be granted access to court which was normally a right only reserved to nobles at the time.  Influence and Art seem to go hand in hand with this clan and the Emperor was most pleased with the masterful works they offered in his name.

The crane clan also stands out because they were not given a task like to other great clans until the time of the emperor’s death.  His closest advisor sat at his side night and day as the wound slowly leaked the life out of him.  His dying words he gave full power to the clan lords to govern in his place after his passing for no one man should ever hold his position again.  Though there was war there was also peace.  War was a natural cycle and in the end the blood ties of the clans prevent anything on a major scale beyond power struggles.  The struggle to replace the emperor however would have shaken the very foundation of Talinar.  To the crane he gave one task “Remember who we are.”  The crane took this to mean record our history with your artisans praise and they did proud the name of the last grand emperor.

The fall of the crane clan was not measured in life or blood but in pride.  Members of the crane clan were once great orators and artisans known world over for their marvelous works.  The crane clan is now a mere shadow of its former glory.  All that remains of their past is dusted and broken in the ruins of the former lands.  Now covered by a deadly marsh they dare not venture back into the waste land that was once beautiful fields and lush forests.  When the great traitor of the crab clan finished the great battle the crane took arms against what was left of his army in hopes of putting an end to the madness that had infected the crab clan.  They were so unaware that the darkness that had slowly seeped into the crab clan had been pouring into the crane for the past few years and had setup a ruthless chain of laws and restraints that under normal circumstance might have been easily over looked insight of present danger.  But the rigid and formal cranes held to the letter of their laws and though the red tape the foundation of the crane clan crumbled.  Their army lost a pitiful battle as supplies and reserves were held back as the blood raged placed a strangle hold on the military forces.  The front line full of traitors and tainted fell or turned on their own clansmen.  The battle was over before it started and it was then the great swamp first appeared.  A powerful spirit caller tainted by the rage but still in his proper mind made a terrible mistake.  He tried to open a gate to the void in hopes of destroying all the raged who inhabited the cranes beautiful tier city.  What happed in reality is far more sinister.  His ritual was interrupted and instead of the Void a powerful Miasma appeared and filtered though the streets of the crane city.  No who felts its embrace lived.  It destroyed both stone and flesh and left the crane homeless and without a past as the mementos and great works were undone in a single night.  Known as “Night of Fog and Ruin” few crane openly speak of this time.  The miasma ravaged the land and left naught but a poisonous swamp when then began to spread.  It was not the blood raged who brought forth the great swamp but the Crane…  The crane while gifted with great talent were never and arrogant people though it seems in fear they made foolish mistakes that have cost them dearly.  Now homeless and alone the wander the near lost world of Talinar searching for a cure to the plague they have caused. 

-=Clan Features=-

-Chosen Gift

A normal human can work a lifetime and not attain the skill a crane is born with.  Some say it is fate some say it in hereditary what ever the cause the crane are good at what they do.  Pick any Craft, Profession, or Perform skill at creation the crane gains a +4 Bonus with that skill.  She may also take 10 even if the skill does not normally allow it.

-Passing the Gift

A crane is so skilled at their given task that she lend her knowledge to the untrained.  Anyone trying to assist or work with a Crane in the used of their Chosen Gift is treated as having ½ the cranes rank in that skill and may also use the cranes +4 bonus.

-The Passion

Cranes take to heart the gifts they are born with.  This comes at a price the crane are now after their great losses prone to violent out breaks of emotion this can sometimes manifest itself in a physical form.  With an outburst of emotion the crane can for a short time boost herself beyond normal human limits though force of will.  A crane may add a +2 bonus to any ability score of her choice.  This last until the act that triggered the Passion has subsided.