Cambion

> “A crossroads child, born of a crossroads man. The father walked among us and shared our form, but in truth he was a demon born of the shadow. The child is half human” - Cecilia, Legendborn
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**Cambions** are part-human and part-demon. Aetheraffinity in demon blood is dominant, so all of Merlin's descendants are cambions too. Because Merlin's father was an **incubus**, all Merlins are technically part sex demon.

## Traits

At their level of genetic distance, their seductive traits are passive, but effective. Those passive traits are unnatural eye color, unnatural beauty, and distinctive voices. Their hearts like long-distance runners, pumping a leisurely thirty beats per minute; core temps a toasty one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit-hot enough to cook a human brain like chicken fried steak, but it means they burn away any human viruses or bugs. Enhanced metabolism, speed, strength, vision, hearing, self-healing, and sense of touch. The only weapon against Campions is incapacitation by overwhelming their senses. They will heal, but it takes a little bit of time.

When a Campion is born, they are essentially human. When they turn seven years old, they begin to display their demon heritage and traits. As they get older, Campions become more powerful and have a stronger connection to aether. Each year they also lose a bit more of their humanity, called "**succumbing to the blood**." They become untrustworthy if grow too powerful. Even Kingsmages can fall prey to delusions and paranoia

## Balance

### Between Demon and Human Blood

Cambions are born on the human plane, so they don't need human energy or aether to survive. But demons are chaotic creatures, and chaos favors imbalance. As cambions grow older, their demon blood grows stronger and, even though it’s a very small part of the makeup, if they want to maintain control over their demon natures, they need to consume human energy to counterbalance it. For Merlins they have the Oath, which are beliefs and intentions combined. Protecting others from harm is one of the most human things someone can do, the very antithesis to demonia. The Oaths are the counterbalance for Merlins.  Cambions outside the Order have the same abilities as Merlins without the limitation of the Oaths. Balanced cambions, like Valec are rare.

## Aether Abilities

Cambions have a powerful affinity for aether. They can mesmer people, a form of mind control, memory manipulation, and illusion casting, and create constructs, which are physical manifestations of aether that take the form of objects or animals. Cambions can cast aether remotely. A Merlin can feel the Oaths they cast, or their absence. They can see other Cambions' mark inside someone's mind if that person has been mesmered before. They must hold their aether constructed objects' shape in place, which causes the objects' light to pulse in a slow rhythm. Even a Master Merlin can't keep a construct going for more than five or six hours. Cambions can detect a demon from miles away.

An excessive use of aether, such as when administering Oaths, can make them "**aether-drunk**." They become intoxicated and can be more emotionally sensitive, aggressive, and more likely to lash out.

They have an enhanced metabolism, speed, strength, vision, hearing, self-healing, and sense of touch. Their vision is so strong that they have night vision and they move utterly silently. Merlins can call aether into flames from the air and shape it into constructs, but cannot absorb aether to heal, but luckily they can heal their bones in a matter of minutes.

* **Aether Affinity:** The ability to control and use aether.
* **Mesmerwork:** The ability to erase, manipulate, and replace someone's memories and to cast illusions.
* **Ward Casting:** The ability to create magical barriers used for protection.
* **Constructs:** The ability to create physical manifestations of aether that take the form of objects or animals.
* **Sight:** The ability to see magic and Shadowborn.
* **Enhanced abilities:** Super strength, super speed, enhanced endurance, self-healing abilities, and super senses.
* **Attraction:** The ability to make others feel attracted to them.
* **Shapeshifting:** A rare ability only capable by the most powerful Merlins that allows them to change physical forms to an animal. Like Selwyn Kane.

## Cambions

* All known Merlins
* All known Morgaine
* Valec