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Venomancer — Description
Venomancers begin with magic users who enjoy working with poisons, toxins and venom. They study them, brew them and use them. Venomancers can be mistaken at this stage for witches and wizards, who also use a variety of ingredients to create some product. A possible clue may be the set up of a Venomancers abode, as it involves more glassware and several small brewing jars, rather then the cauldron of a witch. Also their work involves the infusion of magic within the ingredients and product. They use magic to help stabilize the poisons, aid with mixing and to keep it from breaking down. It is true that nature can create some pretty nasty poisons, but the toxins brewed through magic are much more potent and can be used in many different ways. With a variety of chemicals, toxins and strange concoctions, Venomancers at an early stage work as drug dealers, assassins, sellers for assassins or alchemists. They use the money they gain to experiment more and more. As they advance, Venomancers will gain a stronger and stronger immunity to poisons and toxins. This is because the magic they use will infect their natural mana and slowly turn it to the element of poison. This change in their internal mana will cause alterations throughout the body, creating natural wards and effects that cover every inch of their being. It will eventually get to a point where any liquid consumed, injected or immersed in will not kill them, their body will merely absorb it and store it. With these stores of chemicals and liquids, Venomancers can secrete them from all parts of their body, creating acidic sweat, poison tipped finger nails and strange boils and blisters that can spray out toxins when broken. In close quarters, Venomancers can be very lethal, with a single scratch from them being deadly. Poisonous secretions are often rubbed onto weapons and tools of theirs, so that is another thing to worry about. But like all Mancers, this is not the final stage. Their true form emerges when a Venomancer ingests more and more chemicals into their system, consuming them like water and using their bodies to absorb every drop. When they ascend to this level, their muscles and bones will begin to dry up and crumble, as their organs, veins and nerves suck them dry. As their bodies turn to dust, a new form will emerge, a wet, slithering abomination that embodies the deadliness of the venom they love.

In this form, Venomancers are lethal beings that should be avoided at all costs. Every liquid in their bodies are poisonous, toxic and venomous to all organisms. Their slick, wet bodies kill vegetation and insects as they slither and squirm. In some forms, a new organ may be created that stores large quantities of poisons within. This organ can be deliberately burst to spray attackers with a wave of death. Strange, black protrusions emerge from their organs and veins, mainly from the brain, heart, hands and feet. These black spikes are capable of injecting a random stew of toxins and poisons, with each jab shooting in a new combination. The effects of these injections vary wildly, but all end in painful deaths. Inside their bodies, new concoctions and recipes are being created, and the Venomancer is eager to try them out. Their boneless bodies can collapse into a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing them to crawl and squirm through small openings and obstacles. Venomancers can also change and choose their form at will, usually taking on the shape of some poisonous or venomous creature that they adored during their human years.

Like many mancers, the final stage has fully robbed them of their humanity, and they become obsessed with poisoning other creatures and watching their venom at work. Any further desires and wants will vanish, and they will become fully focused on their next target. The craving to inject another being with a lethal dose of venom is like an addiction to them, to the point where they seem to be in agony as they seek out new prey. When they do jab a victim with their deadly barbs, it is an extremely pleasurable act. The time it takes between injection and death is like heaven to them, as they get to watch the victim die. They will watch to the very end, taking in every detail and symptom with glee. When their prey dies, though, they are back on the hunt, lusting for another living thing to kill.

Venomancers are difficult to catch and attack, but they are extremely easy to kill. Their exposed organs can make almost any strike lethal to them, though I highly discourage anyone from attacking them physically. Venomancers are extremely fast, and they only need a single jab in order to deliver a killing blow. Fighting one of them is like a duel to the death, all one side needs is a lucky shot and then the battle is over. Instead I recommend the use of fire or ice. Their exposed tissues are vulnerable to desiccation, so heating up the environment and drying out the air can put them in a lot of pain, or kill them outright. Freezing attacks are especially good since their bodies are constantly wet. A solid blast of ice energy can freeze them solid, and then all one needs to do is shatter the statue. If one is not a magic user, I recommend a long range battle. Use bows, slings and hand thrown projectiles. Never take them on one-on-one. A good way to lead a Venomancer into an ambush is to leave out victims as bait. Best thing to do is roundup a bunch of livestock and place them in an open area. The attackers should hide themselves away and wait. Sooner or later the sheer amount of bodies to envenom will be irresistible to the Venomancer and they will go in for a strike. Do not attack before it can kill an animal, as this will be the time they are most cautious. Rather, wait for them to jab a victim and take them down as they are absorbed in the dying process. While in ecstasy over the suffering animal, they will not be as attentive and will be more vulnerable to a well placed attack. Do not try to save the animal, or prevent the creature from killing. When looking to kill a Venomancer, one must be willing to let another being die in order to slay it. If you cannot bring yourself to do that, then find someone else to do it. You will just get more people killed trying to be heroic.

My recommendation for Venomancers is to eliminate these poisonous mages before they reach the final stage. Those who are at the point of consuming and secreting the chemicals should be taken out before they can make the final step. At this point they are too invested in the art, and will not be able to resist the urge. Their internal mana is too far gone for cleansing, and their obsession has already taken root. Eliminating the earlier stages will work too, and is another option I recommend. Those who brew venom and deadly poisons is already sold on the idea of taking lives, and thus taking theirs should not be seen as cruel. Rather it should be seen as a preventative measure.

Cavarious Shaid
"Monsters in Magic"

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Redoing and adding some stuff to my old mancers. There will be old, and there will be new ones. And also another voice comes in to talk about mancers and magic.

Also changing the last name of Englorious (and Cavarious) Shade to Shaid. I am looking to have a species called Shades and I feel that it will get confusing if they are both spelled the same.