Catrina

Forsaking Life to Preserve Life

Forsaking the ability to have children, the Catrinas are endowed by Armillaria with supernatural powers of healing. They wear the mask of death to signify they are servants of the circle of life and that death and life are eternally intertwined, and the concept that from death comes life itself. It is also a reminder to those who witness her that even though she is healing and saving lives, death is ever present, waiting for its time to claim its harvest.

Career

Qualifications

A young woman devotes herself to Armillaria while she is still a virgin.

Career Progression

After undergoing her dedication ceremony, the young woman remains an acolyte under the tutelage of a more experienced Catrina. After demonstrating her proficiencies, she embarks on her wandering. Many wandering Catrinas find opportunities helping other traveling bands and even armies. Eventually an experienced Catrina will find a community to call home and will look to develop new acolytes there.

Payment & Reimbursement

Catrinas will obtain whatever payment or reimbursement they can negotiate. However, they will not withold their services for lack of compensation.

Other Benefits

Catrinas are given supernatural powers of healing by Armillaria itself. A living portion of Armillaria resides in what was once their womb and provides them with their abilities. This acts as a kind of supernatural battery that can be recharged by coming into contact with the greater mycelial network that is Armillaria for an time depending on how much power needs to be recharged. (just coming into contact with the ground in most places is enough for the connection to be made).

Perception

Purpose

A Catrina serves to save lives in order to serve the greater purpose of Armillaria. The core belief is that saved lives have an opportunity to further their purpose in life, even though such purposes could be completely unfathomable to all but Armillaria Herself.

Social Status

Catrinas are welcome across North America except within the most strict coalition locations or anywhere the The Church of Man holds sway.

Demographics

There are several hundred Catrinas in North America.

History

Carinas are a relatively new phenomenon. The first Catrina was a young zealot who volunteered for the opportunity when one of the minders proposed the idea to Armillaria. Under his guidance, and the direct involvement of a curious Armillaria, she became the template and tutor for all further Catrinas until her death and union.

Operations

Tools

While their abilities are supernatural, they are perfectly willing to adopt technology to supplement their abilities and complement their weaknesses. They typically do not have the advanced medical education necessary to use technological means beyond those provided for basic first aid and trauma, however. They will rely on their powers for diagnosing and treating truly life-threatening injuries and illnesses. Katrina's are also proficient in survival and self-defense, often employing technological or technowizard equipment to these ends.

Materials

When a Catrina undergoes her initiation ceremony, Armillaria removes her womb and replaces it with a portion of itself. This is the source of her power and must be recharged by coming into physical contact with Armillaria's mycelial network at the rate other magic users would restore power on a ley line. Power can be restored on a ley line without coming into contact with Armillaria at half the normal rate and at a nexus at the normal rate.

Workplace

One common feature of a Catrina's workplace is access to bare earth. If a Catrina can perform her work with direct contact between the patient and Armillaria, she does not have use her own power reserves. The patient has to willingly accept this contact, however. If the patient refuses, then the Catrina can still perform the services but must use her own power if it is sufficient.

Dangers & Hazards

A catrina can bring a patient back to life after a lethal injury or illness. However, if the catrina tries to do this without contact with Armillaria, she will have to forfeit her own life to do so. Basically, she offers her portion of Armillaria to the patient and because it is so pervasive and integrated with her body, she can not survive its removal. When Armillaria migrates from the catrina to the patient in this manner, the patient is healed and offered an opportunity to become a Revoker. Patients who refuse this offer will also forfeit their recently saved lives. Such is the nature of the Circle of Life.
If a catrina who has sacrificed herself in such a manner is in turn restored to life by another, she will no longer have access to the powers and supernatural abilities she had as a catrina. An ex-catrina will never be offered the choice to become a Revoker because as far as Armillaria is concerned, her life-debt has been paid already; but some think it is also out of respect and honor of the choice she made and the life she lived. (An ex-catrina can become a Revoker if she requests it).

While they are dedicated healers, Catrinas are still capable of defending themselves with both technology and the divine powers granted them by Armillaria

Black Baccara II by Romeo Jonathon (a.k.a. Wen-JR)

Alternative Names

La Calavera, Santa Muerte, Death's Mistress, Sister of Mercy

Type

Religious

Demand

Communities are glad to have Catrinas settle with them, although the parents of girls in these communities are wary of their daughters becoming Catrinas themselves.

Legality

Carinas are illegal in Coalition territory and wherever the The Church of Manholds sway. The farther from Chi Town, however, the more this law is overlooked if it means saving one's life or the life of a loved one.

Other Associated professions