Bloodpriest

One who has communed with the restless souls of the damned dead and harnessed their power for good, bloodpriests are known and respected among Shifters as powerful mages and tasked with leadership in spiritual matters within their clans.

Requirements

A Bloodpriest must be experienced in the art of Blood Magic, able to commune with damned souls through personal blood sacrifice and use that power to positive ends. The priest must be of a certain age, old enough to have a long life experience but young enough to still be sound of mind -- so usually around middle age.

Appointment

Bloodpriests are usually selected from the strongest mages within their clan, based on their age and the amount of living family they have. The fewer living relatives they have the better, as the position will often end in honourable execution due to the corrupting power of the magic they wield.

Responsibilities

Responsible for all rituals involving the dead, Bloodpriests usually take care of funeral rites including force-shifting the dead to their animal form to allow their fur, feathers, skin and/or bones to be harvested and their soul to be transferred to the weapons and tools created with their body. They are also responsible for severing magical bonds and protecting their clan from potential spiritual attacks.
As extremely powerful mages, they are also often entrusted as warriors to protect the general populace in the case of Kalka'shar attack, but this is often left as a last resort or final stand as bloodmages are considered too valuable to be risked without great necessity.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Once a Bloodmage is appointed they are generally understood to be beholden to that title for the rest of their life. A Bloodmage can only end their career through two means:

• Forcible separation from their skills by another qualified Bloodmage
• Death by honourable execution

Executions are usually performed by the clan's most revered warrior, with the mage's apprentice overseeing the process ready to remove the corrupting influence from their teacher's body and lay them to rest.

Type

Religious, Special