Wizards who channel magical energy to control living flesh are known commonly (and with great distaste) as "Skin Dancers." Skin Dancers are feared for their powers. They have the ability to paralyze, sicken, mutate, or slay the living with but a touch. They are also cable of radically altering their body shape, either to impersonate someone, give themselves fantastic strength, or to grow tentacles, jaws, claws, or worse, as needed. Common folk are wise to shun them.

In more ancient times, these Wizards were viewed the same as all other Wizards ... they were valued for their skills, if not always trusted. Over time, however, those with twisted minds or an unusual fascination for the more morbid side of the craft became the norm. Scholarly approaches to such magic became unusual. Pain, Pleasure, Mutation, and an ever-shifting concept of body image led to a negative reputation for such Wizards. Now, no "respectable" Wizards pursue the Art, because of the fear and anger hurled their way. Over time, therefore, the habits and desires of those who have become "Skin Dancers" have served to reinforce and validate the common (negative) view. The average person will consider a "Skin Dancer" to be something two steps short of an abomination, and some even consider them to be as hated as Necromancers. Certainly, many historical events would indicate that the Skin Dancers deserve their negative reputation. To classify them as universally evil would be inaccurate, but Skin Dancers have sometimes been subjected to mob justice, or openly hunted by some Holy Orders.

One other thing that sets Skin Dancers apart from most Wizards is that the Scholarly approach to their Magic has been de-emphasized. Therefore, Skin Dancers are more likely to be Illiterate than most kinds of Wizards. Keep in mind that being Illiterate does make learning new spells harder, even for Skin Dancers.

Required Advantages Magical Awareness (5 Points) AND       Skin Dancing 1 (10 Points) OR       Skin Dancing 2 (20 Points) OR       Skin Dancing 3 (30 Points) Social Effects -3 Reaction from Decent Folk -4 Reaction from Holy Orders -1 from Other Wizards +3 from other Skin Dancers Common Advantages High Pain Threshold (10 points) Will (Attribute) (5/Point)

Common Disadvantages Addiction (Variable) Callous (-5 Points) Lecherousness (-15 Points) Common Skills Acting (Variable) Body Language (Variable) Climbing (Variable) Detect Lies (Variable) Escape (Variable) Jumping (Variable) Mimicry (Variable) Running (Variable) Stealth (Variable) Survival (Variable) Swimming (Variable) Wrestling (Variable)