Stiggur Ashe

Tsurara Seer
Baro te Devlesa Jani
Master of the Kadukiyi

Description


~Timeless, Stiggur exudes an air of antiquity, secretiveness, and unflagging determination. The Caucasian gentleman appears to be in his 30s or 40s, but stands tall and confident like an athlete who trained all his life. His smooth features indicate lasting vigor and longevity. The stature of the man fills out a custom-designed tweed suit in earthy colors. Often a heavy winter overcoat in gray or black engulfs the man's form regardless of the weather. Sometimes a matching wool sports snap hat covers his bald head. Sometimes Stiggur lets his dark-brown hair grow back, buzzed short. Sometimes a pair of circular sunglasses conceal the man's brown eyes. But even when the glasses are missing, his gaze is cold and reflective. A menacing hidden nature swirls just behind the Seer's vision, mocking and teasing the world. While somewhat impressive, Stiggur also seems self-contained. He is holding something back and that knowing smirk is laughing at you. It could have something to do with the strange fact that in his immediate presence, clocks spin wildly and watches display nonsense. Do you know what time it is?~

OOC: Appearance 3; Arcane 3, Blood Purity 4; Echoes

 "You think 'God is dead'? That's about the sort of trendy drivel I would expect from your impure lips, ignoramus."
History


Youth

Destiny produced Stiggur Ashe in 1863. The Zokas Clan traveled all over Romania: Gypsies of the Phuri Dae family. Renowned especially for the skills of the Knife Dance as well as the Sight, this kumpania was largely left alone. The self-sufficient camp swept through the mountains and forests of Eastern Europe by horse and by foot. Stiggur learned from all of his Romani brethren as a young boy. He learned the steps to the Dance of the Knife from his skilled father, Beval. His mother, Choomia, a talented durriken, taught him the lore and ancient ways of the Gypsies. At first, however, Stiggur displayed no peculiar magical talents of his own. But the blood of the Rom flowed purely through Stiggur's veins, so it was only a matter of time.

His mother handled his personal education. She passed along the stories and folktales of the Romani. She shared literature with the youth. From his mother, Stiggur learned a bit of cooking and weaving. From his father, he learned how to hunt and how to fight with a knife and without one. Outside of his family's tent, Stiggur made friends easily with the other children in the kumpania. A few were his age and so he found plenty of mischief to get into, proving to be a spritely and clever boy. And even more shrewd was when Stiggur and his pals would get caught. For Stiggur's manipulative tongue and clever words always insured the other boys got in trouble and he got off free!

But both his parents, and the other elders in the kumpania, made sure Stiggur understood proper moral standards. The Zokas Clan practiced a blend of Eastern Orthodox Catholicism with a number of "mystical old ways". Stiggur was taught to respect and honor the earth in which humanity lived. He was instructed to seek harmony with all life, that violence was always a last resort. Trickery was a favorable alternative, although they insisted he stay honest with his own kumpania. Unfortunately, a rebellious young Stiggur continued to deceive and trick others in the camp to get what he wanted. He was often punished for this infidelity. Perhaps in the hope to frighten him into behaving, his mother warned him of the many "boogiemen" beyond the family he had there. Vampires and sorcerers and demons all sought to harm the Romani and steal their secret knowledge and powers. He was warned that gaje, outsiders, would also hunger for his secrets and hate him for it. The ancient histories of persecution that the Romani suffered was proof of that.

Sometimes though, Stiggur wondered if it was just the strangeness of Romani magic that frightened the gaje. On several occasions, the boy witnessed innocuous and blatant displays of strange and magical workings alike. From divinations to the summoning of the elements themselves, Stiggur came to accept magic as a normal part of everyday life. But with the existence of the magic brought other supernatural facts to life for Stiggur. As he got older, he overheard and understood more worried conversations between the kumpania elders. They were constantly on the move to avoid enemies, and they were picking up camp much more regularly to elude the wrath of vampires, it appeared. And one night, the kumpania didn't move fast enough. A band of ghouls in service to their vampiric foes -- Bratovitch revenants -- assaulted the campsite. Fortunately, the Seers in the camp recognized the threat a few hours beforehand. Last minute preparations were made, including the hiding of most of the women and children (such as Stiggur). His father went out with the other men and fighting women to ambush the war party. Even with the element of surprise, the battle was harsh and vicious, for the ghouls brought firearms. When the hour of fighting was done, the Zokas proved victorious. They returned to their families and the kumpania hastened on to safer ground.

Awakening & Mentorship

What Stiggur didn't tell his elders that day was that he, too, dreamed that the revenants would attack. Worse, he foresaw his father returning as one of the dead, carried on a stretcher, shot to death. So when his father returned just as he envisioned, Stiggur went autistically quiet for a month. At first, his mother and his aunt, Pasha -- who stepped in to help raise him -- assumed it was just grief. But as it dragged on, his aunt -- who was gifted with the Sight herself -- pulled him aside to discover what was amiss. Finally, he blurted out the vision, weeping with guilt. But his aunt reassured him he did nothing wrong, that his father was destined to die that night in defense of his family. She explained to the boy that her Sight did not lend her a clue about his father's death. But this was because God gifted people with different visions and paths.

Over time, Aunt Pasha instilled Stiggur with a sense of responsibility. He grew accustomed to the strange visions and waking dreams he would see that usually foretold the future near and far. He even predicted the death of his mother a year later. He kept that to himself and spent the whole year trying to prevent it. He knew she was dying from a broken heart, from his father's death. He tried to rain love and affection upon his mother to keep her strong. But it nevertheless failed. She caught a fever and lacked the will to fight to survive. She died just as he envisioned. Stiggur once more blamed himself, growing sad and bitter. Aunt Pasha assumed again that it was grief.

Even so, Stiggur's visions continued. He had one almost everyday in fact, predicting what would occur the following day. Of course, the nature of the visions were largely minor and uneventful. But despite his youth, he was already revealing a sagacity to interpret those visions accurately. After all, it was one thing to be able to see the future in visions. It was a whole other ball game to comprehend what he saw. Occasionally, however, Stiggur would suffer nightmarish visions. And no matter how he tried, he could not figure out what they really meant. Not even Aunt Pasha, when he described such enigmas, could puzzle out their meaning. But he did envision one major event: Romania would win its independence from the Russian Empire in just a couple years down the line. Realizing that a localized government would seek to crack down on loose ends like the Romani, the kumpania headed out for Hungary in 1878.

While exploring and wandering through this land, Stiggur learned from his elders. As he was growing older, he ready to seriously learn the Dance of the Knife. From the men, he learned how to fight more proficiently. And from his aunt, he continued to develop and harness his precognitive abilities. A material focus, Aunt Pasha explained, was vital to anchor his mind to this world and make the visions more real. She preferred a black china bowl filled with water. The surface of the water in that dark container yielded much discerning knowledge to the Seer. And Stiggur found it to be true, adapting that into his approach to visions of the future and memories he never experienced of the past. The more he trained, the sharper he felt himself becoming. Stiggur couldn't help but feel stronger, faster, and smarter than many of his fellow Gypsies.

And this all accumulated in 1879. The sixteen year old Stiggur joined his seniors for the Knife Dance mid-morning. But since he woke up that dawn, he felt odd. Something tingled in his mind, on his skin, dancing just beyond the edges of his perception. He kept reaching out for it with his sight, searching for it with his hands. It was quickly frustrating him. But as he practiced the Dance of Knives, Stiggur focused. He summoned all his self-discipline to ignore the tingling and train in peace. And that gave him the edge he needed finally. His pure Romani blood, sprinkled with magic and the gifts of the Sight, combined with the simple but beautifully primal (and deadly) elegance of the Knife Dance helped him to Awaken.

Stiggur saw the past and future merge together as one, forming the present -- the very moment in which he lived and everything else. His knives glided through the air -- and cut through space itself. The other Knife Dancers blinked in awe as they witnessed the world be cut open and bleed with truths -- images of their own pasts and possible futures running together, as if the slashes were mirror reflections. Stiggur saw his own reflections, too, realizing that his life would be a prolonged battle from start to finish. It would end on the knife, he saw. Overwhelmed with driven awe, Stiggur continued the Dance for hours to come. Everyone in the kumpania came to watch in shock, to see their own fates. Some turned away in trembling fear, others smiled in grim satisfaction. But Stiggur especially reveled in it all: the truth revealed at last.

So it became clear that Stiggur was much more than Aunt Pasha or anyone else expected. By 1880, Stiggur was more aware than his Aunt Pasha was about how far his talents could and would go. The Skein of Destiny spread out wide in his dreams and he knew he could solve that massive riddle. He didn't yet know how. But he knew one day he would. The Seers and elders of the Zokas Clan did not know what to do with him. It was discussed all night. They knew of no Awakened Romani mystics anywhere in the region. But they acquainted a witch in the woods not far from their current campsite. She proved trustworthy even though she was gaje, both wise and selfless in the way she lived harmoniously with nature. Of course, Stiggur was warned that she was still an outsider and might try to con him out of the secrets of his Blood. He was advised to be cautious.

Stiggur left the next day alone, traveling into the woods in search of this witch to answer questions about his stirring talents. The woods darkened as he entered them, but he did not flag. Soon, a sweet singing voice lifted up from somewhere in that sylva. The young Gypsy wandered forward, trying to home in on the sound. Finally, Stiggur came onto a small hut in the middle of the woods. A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties emerged. Stiggur greeted her as politely as he could, even as shocked as he was when she didn't turn out to be an old crone or homely spinster. She introduced herself as Klara and invited him inside her home.

And this place fulfilled Stiggur's expectations better. It was more of a witch's home, down to the dead chickens hanging from walls and pickled parts in jars on shelves. But the place felt welcoming nonetheless and he was at ease. His Romani upbringing made all of this seem pretty normal. And that's why Klara was confused. After a brief opening conversation, he made it clear who and what he was. She mentioned how she thought it odd a Romani mystic would come to her doorstep for guidance. But since they had no mystics of his advanced sort around, she understood the necessity. Klara would accept Stiggur as a student in the ways of higher magicks. But she required a payment: a sampling of his magic-rich blood. At first, he recoiled in fear -- this was what his elders warned him about! He asked for a period to think it over and Klara gladly permitted it. Stiggur took the time to search his talents for a hint, for wisdom. And through the annals of time, Stiggur foresaw no risk. Klara was an innocent of nature, a true witch instead of the diabolic warlocks the church sought to persecute. And so he gave up some of his blood, which she stored away for her own treasure.

Then began his tutelage that would last four years. Stiggur studied hard under Klara, remaining there in her sylvan home the whole period. He learned of the witch's ways of magick through nature and respect for the old gods. He adapted some of her traditional methodologies into his own, while honing his applications of his own Romani heritage. By 1883, Stiggur came to another full and comprehensive realization: his talents were shared by others in the world, even gaje. The broad possibilities of magick were truly widespread and varied. Stiggur envisioned how so many different ways could all affect that Skein of Destiny for good or ill. And he spent those years in isolation with Klara, focusing his precognitive talents with the water bowl. He became able to summon and suppress those visions at will. Stiggur also explored all facets of life and nature. He became Klara's lover as well as student, coming to understand and respect the female form in all its potential. In the same measure, Klara learned from him. The old myth that women were naturally better seers, more sensitive to precognitive events than men, was false. Stiggur was living proof of that, and Klara was pleased to discover this reality.

The only way in which pupil differed from instructor was in his refusal to give up his Catholic beliefs. He was willing to merge the paganistic beliefs with his Catholic worship of God, but the "old gods" were rendered as angels and servant to the one true God, in his views. Thankfully, Klara did not take offense, and worked with him despite their contrary religious views. Stiggur often returned to his kumpania to visit with his friends and family. Aunt Pasha was always pleased to hear updates on his development and his lack of corruption by gaje trickery. However, Stiggur's visits to his wandering family became less and less frequent. The more time he spent studying a broader world beyond his xenophobic Gypsy family, the more obtuse he realized they were becoming. Their world views were becoming dangerously narrow and blind. Stiggur soon came to a decision: he would one day have to open the eyes of the Romani people good and wide.

Later in 1883, Stiggur was ready to undertake the ordeal of the Verbena -- for that was the Tradition of magick that he learned. Klara could not administer this initiation test alone. So the two left her woods and traveled to the outskirts of Budapest. There Stiggur met an entire coven of Verbena witches, male and female. The ordeal was undertaken in a single sylvan grove. Stiggur realized he was to be tested predominantly through his mind. After the ritual bathing, Stiggur readied himself for the trials that the coven would deliver and oversee. He knew there was no winning or losing. It was all in how he handled himself during the mental tests that were, in a fashion, illusions through which he had to struggle.

The illusory world in which Stiggur entered soon plunged him into a string of nightmarish sequences. Visions he had not yet had, of frightening futures of death and atrocity, shot through his mind. Stiggur was faced with one horror and dilemma after another. But he resolved each with morality and confidence. When the tests required him to react physically, in order to display his command of physical magics, Stiggur revealed a strong grasp of blood sorceries indeed. He shed his blood in selfless donation to the illusory victims in this dream. Stiggur sacrificed his will in myriad ways to the completion of this ordeal.

When it was done, Klara commended his fulfillment of the ordeal's expectations. He was entered into the ranks of the Verbena. The senior witches were both impressed and concerned with the calm facade Stiggur maintained during the ordeal. Visions designed to shock and rattle good folk to the bone didn't phase the young man nearly as much. But he was not a vicious or corrupt individual, so they saw no reason to criticize. But they were disturbed that Stiggur still prayed diligently to the Catholic God. Embittered by the Inquisition and Crusades, these pagans tried vainly to persuade Stiggur to give up his Christian beliefs. But he immersed the pagan beliefs with his love of God so intricately that he saw absolutely no reason to give up God. It was obvious then after that those bitter Verbena would never be accountable as friends. And Klara, under pressure from her peers, likewise drew distant from her former pupil. But Stiggur didn't care anymore. Let them keep their narrow views, he thought. He took his broadened vision and left Budapest and Klara. He returned to his kumpania with the intent to guide them with his Awakened wisdom. He became Kadukiyi, a Roma mystick. Though the Zokas Clan welcomed their son back, he detected a measure of cultural resistance from them. He lingered with his family for another two years, as he puzzled through a string of enigmas he began to receive in visions. He would later categorize strings of precognitive events into major periods of his life.

Blood Visions

But in 1885, he only knew what lay ahead for the next quartar century. This foreknowledge came to Stiggur in a string of omens he later called the Blood Visions. They were so named for their relevance to concerns and secrets of the blood, Romani and otherwise. He traveled with his original kumpania while he interpreted the enigmas of these visions. The first showed him streets of an old city with many wonders of architecture, such as the Opera House, that he later determined to be Vienna. It stood frozen like in a sepia photograph. He heard a steady dripping like spilling milk or blood off a butcher's table. As he searched for the source of this sound down these frozen and surreal streets, he came to a building with a simple symbol -- the cross -- but it was no church. As he approached the door, it abruptly opened and revealed a hearty man getting onto his middle ages. With a laugh, the man opened his arms to receive Stiggur in a heartfelt hug. Stiggur felt like he knew the man at the moment and they exchanged names like old friends in the vision. "Abraham Van Helsing, you madman!" he exclaimed good-naturedly. "Long time, no see!" And the famous metaphysician replied in kind: "Stiggur Ashe, you Gypsy scoundrel! Come! We have much to do!" And they went into the dark building. There the vision ended. Stiggur knew he could learn much from this man.

Once more, Stiggur parted from his kumpania. He traveled alone to Vienna, there inquiring the whereabouts of Dr. Van Helsing. To the medical school Stiggur was led. The Gypsy introduced himself to the metaphysician. Though Van Helsing didn't recognize Stiggur, lacking precognitive talent, he welcomed the new acquaintance. Stiggur soon discovered that the metaphysician was no mage, only a man who dabbled in the occult and occasionally hunted the occult. Van Helsing's open-minded brilliance and rustic charm appealed to Stiggur. Offering his services as a guide in Eastern Europe, the two began to travel and study together.

For a full decade, Stiggur and Van Helsing were almost inseparable. The Gypsy came to respect the doctor like no other gaje. Van Helsing in turn had a healthy respect for his Romani guide. He never prodded Stiggur for secrets of the Blood though he was admittedly intrigued by the mysteries and myths of Gypsy magic. He knew Stiggur was clearly gifted with such powers and learned what he could of him through observation and more casual conversations over time. Stiggur meanwhile learned much in the way of metaphysics and modern science. These concepts he adapted into his more ancient lore, eager mind gobbling up all the world's notions, true or false. Stiggur and Van Helsing also shared a similar goal or life vision. Both men wanted to rise in glory for God, performing some great deed like the Crusader knights of old. But Van Helsing knew he was aging, his time nearly up with only minor discoveries and heroisms under his belt. Stiggur was still young and on the incline of his personal abilities. Though his Path was still unclear, Stiggur realized that the Blood's powers bore great responsibility indeed. Every time he and Van Helsing's travels took a violent twist, this truth was nailed home. He and the doctor faced terrible monsters at times: vampires, spectres, and other demons. When his life was on the line, nothing mattered but his duty to the Romani, and thus mankind and the world. Stiggur became most aware of this reality in 1893, at the age of thirty.

Finally, in 1895 the pair separated. They wished nothing but the best for each other. Van Helsing wanted to settle down as he grew older. Stiggur desperately missed his family. For a few years, Stiggur was a welcomed addition back in his kumpania. Aunt Pasha passed on only a couple years past and he was the best Seer they had in her place. But a new vision troubled Stiggur in 1897. He foresaw the rise of a great dragon in the dusky sky. Crimson stained the heavens and screams whistled on the wind. Over the crest of the mountains he recognized as the Carpathians rose a fanged monster. The screams formed a word, the beast's name: Dracula. Rising up against this dragon was a small man of great wisdom and tenacity. Stiggur knew him to be Van Helsing, his old friend. It seemed at last that the old doctor found his life's challenge.

But this impending doom, this overshadowing monster, seemed to dwarf Van Helsing. Stiggur yearned to help his companion. He rallied the best Knife Dancers from his kumpania. Then he began to wander Eastern Europe, recruiting several other brave and young warriors from Phuri Dae and Lupine families. They called themselves the Dragon Slayers. Over the next several months, they trained to fight the undead. The band traveled towards Transylvania where Dracula resided in his great castle. Stiggur's party soon began to sabotage the evil Count's influence in the region. The Dragon Slayers assassinated key persons under his sway in the local government. Most of them were revenant ghouls. Stiggur did not have his band follow Dracula to England, however. He foresaw Van Helsing driving the vampire back to his Transylvanian home.

Only when Van Helsing's hunting party followed Dracula back to the monster's land did Stiggur contact his old friend. They soon coordinated a joint attack. While Van Helsing's party dealt with the Fiend himself, Stiggur's Dragon Slayers fell upon Dracula's private army of revenants. The plan seemed to work magnificently. Van Helsing's group succeeded in defeating Dracula. Stiggur and his Slayers slaughtered dozens of revenants in their barrack huts not far from the castle as the ghouls rested. Were Stiggur and his Gypsies not present to help, Van Helsing's party would probably have been destroyed by the roused revenant troop before they left the region. With minimal casualties suffered thanks to the element of surprise, the Dragon Slayers split up. Everyone went their own way and home, except their leader.

No, Stiggur felt compelled to linger a few years longer in Transylvania. The sorcerer snuck into Dracula's castle since the old Fiend was reportedly dead. He certainly wasn't home. But the place was not wholly uninhabited. Stiggur encountered many unnatural things in that dark place. His sanity was sorely tested at times. Most horrifying was when Stiggur came across remains of some of Dracula's most recent victims. Gruesome and twisted, the vile nature of the vampire sickened Stiggur to the core. He then decided that whatever his Path may be, the eradication of vampires would be included.

Then in 1901 came the last of Stiggur's Blood Visions. Once more the Carpathians loomed in a panoramic view. A flash of light shined from the highest peak. Stiggur decided that this omen yielded enlightenment if only he visited this peak. So he voyaged through the range, climbed craggy mountains, and soon arrived to the source of this vision. A campfire danced on the floor of a small, naturally-hewn cave in the peak of this mountain. Surrounding the campfire, warming their hands, were eight men and women of obvious Romani descent. They all exuded great power and wisdom. The elements crackled at their fingertips and Stiggur knew they were powerful mages not to be trifled with.

The group greeted Stiggur good-naturedly, however, and introduced themselves as the Circle of Nine. This confused Stiggur a bit -- there were only eight of them -- but he listened to their introductions and soon came to realize what was happening. Each member of the Circle claimed mastery and guardianship over a certain Sphere of sorcery and thus a vital aspect of the universe. Over the Sphere of Correspondence, Lucia was Master. The Art of Entropy beheld Zorya. The Sphere of Forces claimed Casper and Yarb dominated Life. Adelhart managed Matter and Bethany ruled the Mind. Dooriya was the Master of Prime and Absalom fathered Spirit. But there was no Time guardian. And that, as Bethany explained, was because Moisis, the previous guardian of Time, was dead. He was gobbled up by a terrible spirit of Paradox, the antithesis force to all magick. Stiggur, they explained, was invited to apply to replace Moisis. He proved his sense of duty and responsibility over the years. Of course, he had to prove his usefulness to the Circle of Nine, for he had not yet mastered the Art of Time despite his talents with the Sight.

But Stiggur was very intrigued. What was this group all about? How would he serve them and what would he get in return? It was soon made clear as the Circle of Nine filed back to the rear of the cave. They vanished into the shadows, beckoning Stiggur to follow. He did and found himself abruptly in a wide and spacious forest. Small, humble, but lovely homes dotted the area in which he stood. The Circle of Nine walked among these small buildings, relaxing and watching the newcomer. Bethany led Stiggur to the center of the village, where stood a tall tree that bore sweet-looking fruit. The Mind Master told Stiggur that he was no longer on Earth, but a spirit realm designed to look like a perfected version of Earth. They called the place Evergreen Heights. This was where the Circle of Nine dwelled beyond the ravages of time -- some of the guardians were hundreds of years old!

And that was due to the fruit from this tree, Bethany pointed out. Ursitories' Fruit granted the eater longer life. Stiggur was invited to partake of this amazing gift of longevity and found himself shedding away a decade. He was simply amazed and pleased. He learned, of course, that the tree's fruit-bearing abilities had strict limits. But for this longevity, he would come back to Evergreen Heights every nine years. Although Stiggur was still insistent on learning what the Circle of Nine's purpose was. And Bethany made it clear: the Seeds of Daenna were the Circle's concern. These fully Awakened Romani dedicated themselves to the task of protecting the Seeds from the greedy gaje demons of the world. They lent their mystickal might to their Gypsy brethren to keep the Seeds hidden away and safe for the Convergence -- the Apocalypse. Stiggur knew from his own lore that the Seeds were powerful and ancient items that were said to able to rebirth the World Tree and preserve the earth from destruction.

Stiggur readily agreed to aid the Circle of Nine in this endeavor on Earth. In return, he could visit Evergreen Heights anytime he wanted. He could partake of the Ursitories' Fruit every nine years. And he could study under the greatest Romani drabarne alive. He had to keep the Circle's existence a secret, work for the betterment of the Rom and the secreted protection of the Seeds, improve his sorcerous abilities, and master the Art of Time. One day, the Circle promised, Stiggur would become the Time Guardian. One day, Stiggur believed, he would lead the Circle to their greatest victories.

Bone Visions

While Stiggur dwelled in Evergreen Heights, he began to have visions with a broader scope. Whereas once his visions pertained mainly to matters of the Blood, this set of visions often extended to the rest of the Earth in a broad sense. Thus, Stiggur recognized this new era in his life as the Bone Visions. And most presently, Stiggur predicted the outbreak of the Great War. He saw how it would begin: a certain assassination detonating an already explosive political climate. And he envisioned how this massive war would engulf much of the world. Though he knew the Romani would elude this incredible mass destruction, he foresaw a deadlier conflict later in the future in which the Rom would suffer. And Stiggur also knew the factions of the Awakened -- the Traditions, the Technocracy, and the Nephandi -- would tear each other apart. Of course, it was all "behind-the-scenes". The Circle of Nine was not interested in this Great War, however -- or the Ascension War at all. But Stiggur believed the Rom should fight against the evils in this war.

So he left that Horizon Realm. Stiggur returned to the Zokas Clan. He astounded many with his unchanged appearance. But it was chalked up (correctly!) to Gypsy magic. He began with his original kumpania: he warned them of the violence lying ahead. Stiggur told the Rom about how they would elude this first massive war, but the next would engulf them with unspeakable atrocities. But they denied his predictions, trying to assure him that a future so many years ahead was not that certain. They could avoid all the wars. But the dangers of rising facism and socialism worried Stiggur. Controls would be slamming down on Europe. Stiggur felt that the Rom as a people should join together and help the free nations of gaje fight the aggressive "Axis" powers. Unfortunately, only a few younger Gypsies believed Stiggur's dire predictions.

So in 1912, he took those few young Rom and left the kumpania. Stiggur traveled across Europe, collecting other concerned Gypsies throughout and from many different families. And this new band, which Stiggur called the Whispers of Change, trained hard with the Awakened Phuri Dae. They developed their Knife Dance, trained with modern firearms, and worked on Blood Foci and other "pack tactics". Stiggur was taking this kumpania to war. And their preparations were ready none too late in 1914. World War I broke out across the continent.

Stiggur guided the Whispers against certain vampires and evil Nephandic wizards. Enemies he determined as potential threats to the Rom were targeted for twelve years. Stiggur and comrades swept through Eastern Europe especially. Several notorious vampires and mages were terminated over the years. They were excised from Earth before they could visit atrocity upon the Rom in future years. Truthfully, Stiggur hoped to cancel as many villains as possible before the Holocaust he foresaw. But it was desperate and ultimately in vain. No matter Stiggur's ability to foretell the future, he could not avert this disaster.

Stiggur took a break from this crusade in 1919. He returned to the Evergreen Heights to again partake of the Ursitories' Fruit. Stiggur reported to the Circle of Nine about his current activities. However, they remained quite stoic about the situation. Sure, they praised his victory over certain monsters like Baron Jarl Kohannen and the dark plague lord, Viro Jout. However, the Seeds of Daenna were safe and would remain so. Their inaction disappointed Stiggur. So he quietly returned to Earth and the Whispers of Change. Together, they continued to train in how to kill. The kumpania even managed to attract a few new recruits over the years. World War I was all but over, and the conflict left a hunger for peace on everyone's mind. But the Whispers of Change stayed loyal to Stiggur and ready for the horrors to come.

Before this Holocaust, Stiggur's visions led him to a more immediate danger to the Romani people in 1928. He saw his original Verbena mentor, Klara, in serious trouble. In his dream, she was shriveling up from the inside out. Worse, vampire-like beings surrounded the witch. They danced around her, peeling off her skin and eating it in flakes. This disturbing vision made Stiggur realize that Klara was being held captive. Her secrets could become their secrets. And that included the sampling of his true-bred blood. Stiggur took the Whispers to Buda Pest. He met with the Verbena coven that oversaw his ordeal long ago. Some of the faces there changed over time, and some were the same he recalled. They were shocked to see the Gypsy after three decades. And they were willing to help -- except they had no idea where Klara was either.

So Stiggur traveled out into the woods where he once studied under Klara. And her cabin remained, the Sanctum only recently derelict. Stiggur examined the mystickal Resonance of the place with his incredible, preternatural spells of awareness. Faint but disturbing impressions lingered on the quiet property. He saw Klara dragged away, her captors dark and predatory: vampires. Stiggur's band brought their hunting hounds. And the Whispers went on the chase. Stiggur tracked Klara and her captors by magick and forest survival sense.

And they were led to an old and abandoned cathedral lost in the forest. Stiggur scouted the building out carefully. Several vampires dwelled there and Klara was within, too. But he sensed that she was bound, vampire blood enslaving her to the monsters' whims. The Whispers waited until daybreak. Armed well, they then stormed the cathedral. As his men dealt with the vampires, Stiggur saw to Klara himself. The sleeping Cainites were slaughtered furiously. Stiggur released Klara from physical bondage. But she was supernaturally enslaved to the undead, addicted to their corrupt blood. As if driven to psychosis by this treatment -- or perhaps the Gypsies' assault on her new masters -- Klara lashed out at her former student. Magick spells of life and death clashed in front of that old and corrupted alter to God.

But Stiggur's experience ultimately outmatched Klara's isolated knowledge. She was battered back by raw force eventually. Defeated and weakened, she surrendered to her student. Beaten, Klara answered any questions. He interrogated Klara about his Blood. Did she pass on any of its secrets? And she confessed that she told her undead "benefactors" of what she learned. Sadly, Stiggur felt obliged to kill the tainted and aging Verbena. Surely, she could get past the Blood Bond. She was strong enough. But she wasn't strong enough to resist it in the first place, to stay silent about the secrets of the Blood. So he drew his blade across her throat and watched her bleed to death. She was gaje that could no longer be trusted with secrets that could affect the Romani people and perhaps the world. She had to be removed just like the vampires that captured her. Stiggur felt awful...nauseatingly awful. But he knew it had to be done. Knowing that never helped to dispel the look of shock in Klara's eyes as he slit her throat. It would haunt him for the rest of his life. The Whispers of Change left Hungary with that deed done.

Then in 1929, Stiggur once more left his war band's company. The Whispers of Change were left to their own devices for a year or so. Once more, he visited Evergreen Heights for the Ursitories' Fruit. And once again, the Circle of Nine proved staunch, stoic, and disinterested in the plight of the world. But Stiggur lingered there awhile anyway. He tried to puzzle through his visions about the coming Holocaust. The black flames in his dreams were incinerating everything he knew. As 1930 and his 67th birthday rolled around, Stiggur felt old. Ursitories' Fruit kept him physically young and he never missed his nine year dose. But he felt old. And he felt lonely. Everyone he knew died. The Rom of the Whispers of Change were young, but they would probably die before him, too.

As he looked out over the mental panorama of the great Skein of Fate, Stiggur felt a sense of disconnection. Destiny was his playground, but no one really knew how to play with him. Not even the Circle of Nine really knew, for they lacked his profound abilities of the Sight. At that moment, however, Stiggur realized and accepted that his Path was a lonely one. But as long as it might take, he resolved to complete his Path despite the odds. He had a responsibility to God, to the Rom, and even to the gaje. He would not let his world down.

Ash Visions

The dreams of everything crumbling to dust around him, to become the new earth he walked upon, gave birth to his third sequence of visions: the Ash Visions. Stiggur knew the atrocities of the coming Holocaust were almost upon his people. Stiggur watched from Evergreen Heights as Hitler came to power. Despite his dire predictions, the Circle of Nine continued to advise inaction and practice it themselves. The danger to the Rom from supernatural foes backing the Nazis was too great in these turbulent times, they warned. Stiggur saw an opportunity here, however. With the aggressive war machines of the globe on the war path again, Stiggur knew more puppet strings would be revealed. Analyzed closely and wisely enough, Stiggur could understand the workings of demons' schemes, including the Great Jyhad of the Kindred. He knew various supernatural agencies were making their own power grabs behind the greed of their Sleeper dictators.

So the Seer left the Horizon Realm and rejoined the Whispers of Change. For several years, the kumpania traveled stealthily across Europe. They spied on facist powers, especially Nazi Germany. And Stiggur observed many vampires were scheming behind this Third Reich. Still, the viciousness of the Gestapo tactics in consolidating Hitler's power sickened Stiggur. Indeed, the way the people of Europe turned a blind eye to these mounting atrocities disgusted him. His patience with the gaje was swiftly reaching its limits.

And so it was with the rest of his kumpania. Stiggur let the Whispers cull vampires and other villains as they came across them, and when it was prudent. Many monsters they had to let go. Their mission was now one of surveillence, not suicide. Still, they trained for the worst. Stiggur kept them ready at all times. In return, the kumpania gave him absolute loyalty, even unto death. Except the Whispers, of course, Stiggur was also displeased with his fellow Rom. The families across the continent adopted a "see no evil, hear no evil" policy. They largely ignored the rumors of Gypsies vanishing, especially in German countries. Their own Seers foresaw little to no difficulty for their families. Yet they ignored Stiggur's advice in the years past. Now they were ignoring the events he so accurately predicted. Who the hell did they think they were?!

As 1940 rolled around, the Holocaust was in full swing. But still the world, gaje and Rom, did next to nothing. A distant war was not saving millions of innocent people from the concentration camps. Stiggur yearned to help his fellow Rom so imprisoned. And he foresaw his chance in a vision. A monolithic town surrounded with swastika flags gave way to he and his band's sneaky entrance. The flags were held back only by his will. They extracted one of their own from this town. But the flags wrapped around Stiggur -- he would be captured if he saw this future mission through to the end. Stiggur knew the city in his vision was Berlin and the girl they would rescue was important -- though he didn't yet know how. Stiggur wasn't even sure he would survive capture and internment. But his conscience drove him to action.

When the event came to bear for the Whispers of Change only a few months later, Stiggur didn't hesitate to join the mission. An elder of the Phuri Dae lost his daughter, Minna Yayal, in a trek through Germany. She was to be deported to Auschwitz from Berlon. The elder begged Stiggur's aid, for the old man was of the Zokas Clan and knew all about the old Seer. Gathering his warriors, the band stole into Berlin. Clever ruses, deadly and stealthy bursts of violence, and Gypsy magic brought the endeavor to success. As the Whispers and the girl aimed to leave the city, however, Nazi patrols discovered them by chance (fate?). This unfortunate run-in sent them fleeing as best they could. Despite their efforts, several of the Whispers were captured or killed. The girl made it to safety with her escort. But Stiggur himself was injured and overrun by SS. He made sure of the successful extraction of the girl, even as he was dragged off to prison. When his Romani heritage was identified, he was...processed...and then shipped for Auschwitz. He found himself jam-packed on a train heading straight for a horrible doom.

On that awful train ride, Stiggur experienced an important vision. This vision not only promised that he would survive the concentration camp, but it would change his life forever. No more would he be so...Pathless. Stiggur saw a Romani man with resolve and determination in one hand. In the other hand, the man held hatred and cruelty. These qualities appeared as little fairies -- white fairies and dark fairies respectively -- dancing in the palms of the Gypsy's hands. He clapped his hands together, grinding those four attributes into one. Great fervor burned in the man's gaze as he hissed out his own name: "Korasca". When he opened his hands again, they were empty, but he grasped at motes of lights in the air -- the Seeds of Daenna. Stiggur realized he could use this man to fuel a means by which he could collect the Seeds and store them in the protective world of Evergreen Heights.

For a full year, Stiggur dwelled in Auschwitz. He awaiting the coming of Korasca there. The life in that place was horrible: no life at all, of course. Prisoners, mostly Jews but a number of Gypsies, were often led off to grisly death. That was if the sheer cruelty of the camp didn't claim the people first. Stiggur also saw prisoners, especially Romani, be dragged off for "scientific experiments". They never returned. But through his Arts, Stiggur spied on these experiments. Torture, really! He observed Nazis perform such atrocity upon his people that many times Stiggur nearly rose up in outrage. But he quelled his fury and for good reason. Stiggur detected many supernatural forces behind the Nazis, especially the twisted scientists. If he exposed his magickal talents for any reason but escape, he would be killed.

And Stiggur wasn't read to die or escape. Some of his fellow Rom prisoners recognized a durriken in their midst and asked what he could do to save them or curse their captors to doom. But Stiggur told them only he could escape and it would be for nothing. No one cared about the camps or the fate of the people imprisoned there, so trying to "warn the world" would be fruitless. They were shocked though that he didn't save himself anyway. But Stiggur said that he would share his people's fate regardless. And as for those experiments, as torturous as they were, Stiggur smiled. The attempts to discover the secrets of Romani blood were quite unsuccessful. Stiggur had no reason to act but to save a few unfortunate souls from that grisly fate -- but condemn himself in the act, and it would all be for nothing. No, he had to wait for Korasca.

Finally in 1941, Stiggur met Korasca. The young man just arrived to Auschwitz. When it was prudent, Stiggur began to meet with and befriend the angry young Gypsy. It was Stiggur's council that prevented Korasca from staging reckless rebellions or bad escape plans. Stiggur also shared his vision with Korasca. He saw him as a purifier of the Rom people. Traitors and bad blood would be expelled by his hand. Korasca would gather the Seeds of Daenna and unify the Romani world under a flag of fearlessness and strength. Never again would their people suffer the persecution of blind and racist gaje. Of course, all of this would have to wait until they could escape the concentration camp and work towards that final victory. Stiggur warned Korasca that it would be a long battle, that it would take all their lives.

Of course, that was not the truth of it all. Stiggur hid from Korasca the whole truth. He did not tell the young man how the Seeds would not be Korasca's or even his. They would be simply hidden away from possible acquisition by gaje greed. Stiggur did not tell Korasca that such a life would merely be mimicking the Nazis. Besides, to a degree he agreed: the Romani needed to be purified of traitors and weaklings that could drag the whole race down. Vampires were an especially dangerous link to maintain in the Romani race. The Ravnos had to go. Ultimately, however, Stiggur was using Korasca. He would use Korasca's hunger and his compelling drive to bring a new family of power into being -- a family Stiggur could direct and control, a family Stiggur could use to recover the Seeds of Daenna and shock open the eyes of the Romani people at whole.

But Korasca, recognizing the potent Sight talent in his companion and oblivious to Stiggur's true motivations, looked forward to life past this incarceration. Soon he and Stiggur began to gather like-minded young Rom in secret. They planned. Stiggur employed his crafty Arts to keep the growing group from being selected for execution or experiments alike. A couple months went by and the group managed to secure make-shift knives. Soon they could stage their escape. One night under the cover of dark, Korasca, Stiggur, and ten other young Romani slipped out. Soldiers were stabbed viciously in the necks and backs. But such a bold escape could not escape the tight guardianship of the camp. Alarms were raised. But machine guns were recovered from the assassinated guards and return fire ensued. The group broke through the fences with a stolen truck. But tanks were soon sent after the speeding team. Explosions rocked the earth nearby the truck as the Panzers bore after them. But Stiggur turned his potent spells on the Nazis at full strength down. He wove a deadly curse and not only did the three tanks in pursuit stop dead in their tracks, but the powder in their shells ignited all at once! Quite an Evil Eye Stiggur had, his comrades rejoiced! They fled into the night and laid low as they snuck from Poland and Germany both.

Once away from the Holocaust, Stiggur, Korasca, and the half-dozen survivors began to recruit Romani across the continent. From 1942 until the mid-50s, this group of angry Rom grew. Stiggur and Korasca parted ways now and again. Korasca would explore Europe for new recruits. Stiggur would train them in France. It was in '44 that Korasca fatefully encountered Trinka. It was then the man decided to turn his vendetta especially against the Kindred. After conferring with Stiggur, it was clear that destiny intended for this final resolution: the genocidal cleansing of the undead. Stiggur developed the fledgling family of hodge-podge Gypsies into killers and vampire hunters -- Slayers. Korasca named them the Tsurara.

For several years in isolation, this still-tiny family trained. The Tsurara drove to master the Knife Dance. They combined modern techniques of combat with traditional. As their recruits grew, their varied talents widened, too. Young durriken armed the Tsurara with spells and draba. Only the pure-blooded and devoted were permitted into their ranks. And Stiggur's visions promised them victory, glory, freedom, and vindication. Stiggur left the budding family rarely in those early days. He visited Evergreen Heights briefly in 1947 for the Ursitories' Fruit.

Then he returned to the Tsurara. With Korasca, he helped the Gypsy develop ways to detect the unnatural. He helped Korasca use his Blood to feel out other powers in the world: the Blood Sense. The other sworn Tsurara learned this talent, too. The Slayers were ready. Finally in 1950, the Tsurara tested their skills, honing their determined bloodlust on a few kumpaniyi of Ravnos. It was this aggression that inspired a number of Ravnos, mortal and vampire alike, to flee to America. A few Ravnos actually joined the Tsurara after harsh purification rituals. Mostly, however, these early Tsurara drew malcontents from other families, such as the Lupines, Zingaresche, and Phuri Dae. From so many backgrounds came a wealth of lore even Stiggur did not know. It fortified Stiggur's plans to find the Seeds.

Over the next few tears, Stiggur awaited and tried to incite visions regarding the Seeds. None came and the Tsurara continued to focus solely on slaying vampires. Stiggur's council as Seer kept the Slayers from targeting enemies of too great power. But they also passed judgement on other Rom, especially those that consorted with Kindred (namely Ravnos) or befouled their Blood's legacy by living and lying with the gaje. They even clashed brutally with early Skinhead gangs. Stiggur left them to it, returning to Evergreen Heights in 1956.

This time, he lingered a bit longer. The Circle of Nine was curious about his plans. So Stiggur shared his true motives for the Tsurara. To his surprise, all the Circle supported this resourceful machination. Even Bethany, the Guardian of Mind, supported this endeavor despite her Ravnos roots. Never before had Stiggur reason to distrust the Circle. But their approving reactions puzzled him. Still, he was the reigning expert of Time there. Stiggur foresaw no treachery from the Circle. He knew he could entrust this cabal with the Seeds, once he obtained any. Fortunately, by comparing lore and tales, Stiggur determined that the Banjara family in India held the Seed of Balance, Bonnerin. By tales gathered from Tsurara and Circle members, Stiggur knew the Seed was constantly on the move. It was passed from wiseman to wiseman in India.

Armed with this knowledge, Stiggur returned to the Tsurara. He took a dozen from the three score Slayers with him to India. For four years, Stiggur's kumpania, the Balance Seekers, tracked the Seed-bearers by minor vision and mystical resonance. The Banjara wisemen seemed to also possess the Sight and stayed ahead of the Tsurara. The recruitment of a few malcontent caliban helped the quest. But the Slayers also chased a few Ravnos vampires they encountered along the way. This in turn urged a powerful Ravnos Elder to hunt the Tsurara. This kept Stiggur distracted from his real goal, as he strived to stay ahead of that vampire. That taught the Seer to stay better focused on his purpose in the future!

At last in 1960, the Tsurara cornered the current bearer in a Hindu temple in Delhi. The old Banjaran was left alone. But Stiggur didn't hesitate to claim their trophy after unweaving curses and protective spells. The Seed was taken from the shrine, contained inside a glass sphere. Its power was nonetheless evident, especially to the sorcerer's eyes. He took care to shield its essence from all others, for fear they would become intoxicated by it. The kumpania left India quickly. Stiggur returned to Evergreen Heights, giving the Seed to the Circle of Nine to guard. To the Slayers, Stiggur reassured it was in their possession, just hidden away safely. As possession of this Seed accorded the family a new status of respect among the Romani, this satisfied Korasca.

Then Stiggur took much more of a backseat to the new family of power. He gave the reins entirely over to Korasca. Stiggur served only to guide the Slayers with his Sight to more targets. Ravnos kumpaniyi, vampires young and old, and any Rom who stank of betrayal were hunted. As the family grew from fresh recruits, so did its influence. Tsurara ended up in America, too. It was as if the Slayers were a counter-culture to the counter-culture. As liberal-minded hippies spread their gospel of moral ambiguity, the Tsurara were there to put foolish young Gypsies who would buy into that crap back in their place. Let the gaje have their muddled conceptions of right and wrong. The Romani should know better -- and the Tsurara certainly did.

Stiggur also searched for clues about the Seeds other families held. He knew from stories that the Urmen, Lupines, Ravnos, and his own Phuri Dae each guarded a Seed. But considering their inept reactions to the Holocaust, he considered them all unfit to guard the Seeds any longer. The Ravnos' Seed, Kooseren, is what Stiggur yearned for the most. This would dismantle any respect the marhime family might have at all. But his visions of the Seed were all too cloudy. Stiggur suspected Ravnos Elders were helping. That only fanned the flames of hatred that burned in the breasts of Korasca and his Slayers.

So in view of these fruitless searches, Stiggur worked on improving his Arts. He began to collect the remains of Kindred that the Tsurara killed. After a visit to Evergreen Heights in '65, where he conferred with Dooriya, Stiggur developed a ritual of purification. The Seer learned how to harvest the potential magic energies in the vampire body as fuel for his magick. Korasca was suitably impressed and a touch envious, especially at how the old Seer maintained his youth. But Stiggur wasn't worried. A few years prior, Korasca himself appointed one of his finest Slayers as Stiggur's personal bodyguard. It was Zlato Barosi, one of the first Tsurara and a fellow survivor of Auschwitz. Formerly a Lupine, Zlato believed in the Tsurara to his very core because the other families didn't do nearly enough. He also respected Stiggur immensely and was vastly honored to work with him. The two trained together and even spent their few leisure hours together. Gambling at cards became their favorite past-time. They shared tales of the old days, how Zlato "stole" Stiggur's female interest back in Paris. Zlato's son, Danior, was already growing into a fine Slayer in his own right. One day he would replace the aging Barosi as Stiggur's bodyguard.

By 1970, however, the overall infamy of the Tsurara spread world-wide among the Rom. A council of the "families of power" was called to Paris. Korasca, as the rumors spread that his new family possessed Bonnerin, was invited. Stiggur accompanied the moot. The five "original" families all sent representatives, including the Banjara. A number of minor issues were discussed but it became clear the focus was to be the Tsurara. They accused Korasca of genocide and of the theft of Bonnerin. Korasca scoffed, responding that he was merely committing euthanasia by exterminating sick-souled and impure traitors. The Ravnos were infuriated. Then (at Stiggur's advice), he denied the theft of the Seed. The other families' Seers could not confirm otherwise: Stiggur clouded their perceptions through his skillful Arts. So the Banjara grew angry.

Ultimately, the meeting resolved nothing. Everyone went home, fearful of the Tsurara's vicious and continuing crusade. When would they be judged? Would their trysts with gaje folk be discovered? Would their dirty little treaties with vampires and other monsters get them expunged from existence? And it was back to business for the Slayers. Stiggur as usual had virtually no social life. He continued to enjoy his friendship with Zlato, of course, and later his son, Danior. Stiggur also enjoyed the affection of women (Romani only!) now and again. To his amusement, not anger, Danior ended up stealing another woman's heart from him. Like father, like son!

Breath Visions

However, a new era was ushered into Stiggur's life in 1974. He was visiting the Horizon Realm for the Fruit when a new breed of visions began. They were characterized by Stiggur watching a clock very intently. As both hands reached the stroke of twelve, he gasped out a sudden breath. He'd be holding his breath with a feeling of dread anticipation. The Convergence was approaching! So began Stiggur's Breath Visions. This was a brief epoch, a moment to breathe before the Endtimes were upon the earth.

Stiggur also calme to a sudden realization while meditating at Evergreen Heights. He was 112 in 1975. Old age would not kill him. But Stiggur knew he would die in less than fifty years most likely. He was beginning to receive hints of his final fate in dreams. Stiggur would accomplish his true purpose in life. But it would claim him with death. Indeed, he would fall at the hands of other Romani. Yet this recognition only galvanized Stiggur's devotion. The man was promised to God. Nothing would sway him from his Path. Nothing.

Yet the next fifteen years saw a diminishment in the Tsurara family. With so few women in their midst, the Slayers depended upon recruitment of young Rom from other families. But it seemed that the other tribes' elders were cracking down on their youth. They dissuaded many from considering the dangerous life of a Slayer. And casualties took their tolls on the Tsurara. Still, a family that began as a few dozen now numbered several hundred. Kumpaniyi were scattered across the world.

Stiggur did not always like how Korasca directed the family, however. Hazing tests for new initiates were fine: the Slayers needed the strong, not just the rebellious. But other elements were incorporated that Stiggur didn't approve: gaje elements. Slam dancing became popular, for starters. The Romani culture itself was beginning to diminish in the hearts of the very crusaders sworn to protect it. And Korasca approved much of it. The Tsurara became less about purifying the Rom and more about forcing the people to think like and do only what Korasca wanted. He degenerated into nothing but another dictator. Stiggur's friendship with Korasca slowly deteriorated over years. Of course, Stiggur had no intention of abandoning the Tsurara. He was dedicated to their original cause. Plus, they provided excellent manpower to assist his quest in recovering the Seeds of Daenna.

So that was what Stiggur focused on from then on. Of course, this proved a difficult task still. Conferring with the Circle of Nine in 1983 yielded no concrete results. Finally, in 1985, he formed a kumpania around him and went touring across Europe and North Africa. Zlato remained in France, retiring at last from bodyguarding the Seer. His son, Danior, gladly took his place. He named the new kumpania Devlesa Jani (God's Madmen), for that was what the merry bunch of psychotics were! Despite their driven and genocidal lunacy, however, Stiggur took care to surround himself with Gypsies more interested in traditional Romani culture. They mastered deadly fighting arts of old without resorting to mosh pits.

Together, Stiggur and his Slayers searched for the Seeds. A vision finally clued the Seer into the whereabouts of Ruzlekin, which the Lupine family long held. But it was in danger from Kindred greed. This dream that Stiggur had in '91 predicted that a tremendous serpent, fangs dripping with venom, would snatch the Seed out of a great wolf's muzzle, slaying the noble beast in the process. And the two animals confronted each other in a great range. Stiggur recognized it as the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. Comparing the elements of the vision to lore, Stiggur recognized the undead Followers of Set and the Lupines' werewolf relatives and allies, the Silent Striders.

So God's Madmen crossed the Mediterranean and explored the Atlas chain. The Lupine kumpania bearing the Seed proved quite elusive. It seemed that Garou ran with them, and occasionally transported the Seed into the spirit world to throw off trackers -- like Stiggur. The Seer had limited experience with spiritual entities, and mostly with the ghosts of the dead. Ultimately, it was not Stiggur that found the Lupines but Danior, who noticed a third party in the range: the Setites. The Tsurara followed the vampires secretly, letting their enemy do the work.

Right before the Setites found the Lupines' encampment, Stiggur had another shock. Absalom appeared before him. The first time he ever encountered a Guardian outside of Evergreen Heights, here and now! Absalom assured the Seer that he was only there to help. He, too, was a Lupine Gypsy. But his Mastery of Spirit would help immensely. Stiggur readily accepted. Together, the mages tracked the Seed. Meanwhile, the Setites fellow upon the Lupines...and the Tsurara fell upon the Setites. As vampires and Gypsies clashed, Absalom drew Stiggur into the Umbra.

Through the Shadow the two searched. A werewolf was flushed from hiding with their approach. Around his neck glowed a trinket of amber, within which was held the Seed. Just as the mages approached to parley, a flock of vicious demon-vultures swooped down on them! These Banes assaulted the three at the behest of Setite demonologists. They fought with steel and spell, claw and fang. The demons were eventually destroyed to the last. Sadly, the Silent Strider werewolf was overwhelmed with wounds and perished. Stiggur and Absalom were not nearly so hurt. Ruzlekin was theirs for the taking. Of course, Stiggur left it to Absalom to take back to the Horizon Realm. This the Spirit Guardian did immediately. Technically, the Seed never left Lupine hands.

Come 1992 a few months later, Stiggur returned to Evergreen Heights. He checked on the status of the two Seeds and partook of the Ursitories' Fruit. The Seeds were still there, undisturbed. The Seer rested in the realm for awhile more. He pored through the extensive library at his disposal and reviewed the very late Moisis' notes and journals. He meditated on Moisis' discoveries centuries ago and realized something profound. There was no past and no future. There was only now. Visions of the future, memories of the past -- these weren't real. They were merely illusions of his own mind's making. But because he controlled what he saw and understood what it was he saw, so too could he control what others perceived of time...completely.

Thus did Stiggur Master the Art of Time at long last. No one's visions could perceive his place, his role, any longer if he did not wish it. And this accomplishment became known to the Circle. In an informal ceremony, Stiggur was finally inducted into the Circle as the Guardian of Time. With his official membership, the Circle confided their greatest secret. There weren't five Seeds of Daenna. There were nine! The theory most Rom held of the Seeds corresponding to five elements -- earth, wind, fire, water, and spirit -- and five families was partially wrong. In truth, two Seeds corresponded to the four natural elements:

  • Earth: Kooseren, the Seed of Earthly Awakening
    Bonnerin, the Seed of the Balanced Scale
  • Fire: Ruzlekin, the Seed of Burning Tears
    Kachlee, the Seed of Kindling Rebirth
  • Water: Eiavelan, the Seed of Brightest Waters
    Melakin, the Seed of Deepest Heart
  • Air: Jalomasin, the Seed of Stars
    Nivelan, the Seed of Dancing Winds


And the Seed representing Spirit was Urmasin, the Seed of Final Truth. As Stiggur already suspected, the Phuri Dae still guarded Eiavelan, the Urmen watched Jalomasin, and the Ravnos kept Kooseren captive. The Banjara once held Bonnerin and the Lupines clutched Ruzlekin until recently. The Circle explained that the Tinkers used to have Nivelan. The Zingaresche once watched Melakin. The Devlachak of Russia used to keep Kachlee. And the holy Anaela tribe of the Near East once possessed Urmasin safe. But over the centuries, for one reason or another, all of these unknown Seeds made their way into the hands of the Circle. Bethany helped cover up knowledge of their existence with her illusory Arts. Stiggur viewed them all, sensing the profound awareness of medicine, breeding, magic, and fate itself that these Seeds could donate their holders.

And the fact that the Circle members did nothing with the Seeds reassured Stiggur. Nor did his now implacable visions give him any reason to suspect his Circle-mates. So the Seer became only more determined to recover the last three Seeds. Stiggur returned to his kumpania and considered his plans of action. All the while, he searched for signs and clues regarding other Seeds. And he was not above torturing unfortunate Ravnos Gypsies and vampires alike for information and news of Kooseren. Four more years proved fairly unproductive, however.

Then in 1996, Stiggur was struck with another vision. This one did not regard the Seeds but Korasca. Stiggur foresaw the chief Tsurara snatching and grasping for the qualities Stiggur originally saw in the man's hands. But Korasca captured nothing but air. So he fell to his knees and began to consume the dirt. He contaminated himself, but stood back up younger, stronger, and healthier. Stiggur knew Korasca would begin to drink Kindred blood to retain vigor. Age was beginning to catch up to the first Slayer.

And the Seer couldn't help but blame himself. Korasca envied his magickal abilities and longevity. So Stiggur kept Korasca's corruption a secret. But he wanted to move far away from the man. Stiggur took his kumpania to America in 1997. He had a gut feeling that at least one of the Seeds could be found here. He hoped it was Kooseren. He waited for a vision to confirm his intuition. And while he waited, the Devlesa Jani toured the East Coast. They hunted vampires and lazy Americanized Gypsies as they found them.

Dust Visions

After three years of waiting, Stiggur finally beheld the vision he sought. And as this cued the start of a new era, Stiggur termed this and its followers the Dust Visions. Soon the Convergence would arrive and within fifteen years. The world as people knew it would soon crumble to dust.

In this first vision, Stiggur saw a bright star -- Eievalan -- dangling from a sea of stars in the sky. The sky was actually a net -- the Skein of Fate -- and the stars formed obscure patterns. To obtain the Phuri Dae's Seed, Stiggur had to decipher the patterns of the stars. The former Phuri Dae did so but it proved slow work. Each omen he recognized led he and his kumpania cross-country by city euphenisms, such as the "City that Never Sleeps" -- New York City. The slow and broken nature by which Stiggur deciphered the pattern disturbed the Seer. It was almost as if he were being led on. But his own fortune-telling talents reassured him of no danger from following these leads. So Stiggur continued...

And as his kumpania tracked this mystery, they discovered that the undead of this region were particularly vicious. These Sabbat were psychotic beasts. Stiggur felt it safe to leave his family only briefly for the Ursitories' Fruit in 2001. In various clashes, especially in Pennsylvania, they lost several of their Slayers. In Pittsburgh 2003, Danior himself was slain. At the loss of his long-time friend and bodyguard, Stiggur flew into a deadly rage his comrades never before witnessed. Without thought to consequence or Paradox, Stiggur blazed through the city in an indescribable fury of magick and steel. When the dawn rose, Stiggur clutched the scalp of the Sabbat's precious Archbishop. How could a temporally-ignorant vampire compete with a Slayer who could strike from the past and future at the same time? The undead wouldn't even know where to begin to defend themselves!

But the effort wearied Stiggur and the kumpania hurried west. In addition to further visions of the Seed, Stiggur had other dreams. Oddly enough, they regarded women and the roles they would play in his life. Firstly, he envisioned a blind girl of the Phuri Dae, and her belly swelled with child. This child would play a vital role in the upcoming Convergence -- but only if he were the father. The girl was named Siva Yayal, and she was none other than the great-granddaughter of the woman he saved from Berlin decades ago. Siva would also help him discover Eievalan, though perhaps unwittingly. The Seed dangled in the vista behind the pregnant girl, who was focused only on her child.

And then Stiggur foresaw she who he would call wife for the remainder of their lives. Narilla Barosi, the daughter of the late Danior Barosi, was to continue her family's legacy as Stiggur's bodyguard. At the time he envisioned Narilla, she was finishing up training in France under her grandfather. In just a couple years, Stiggur knew Narilla would join him. Their relationship would blossom into a passionate union. He saw them standing side-by-side at the end of the world, wedding bands on each others' fingers.

Stiggur and his kumpania trekked as far west as the Kansas City area. There they settled as Stiggur waited for both Siva and Narilla. While he relaxed in the area, he had his most intense vision ever: the Endtimes. Stiggur knew the world only had a decade left. Then nuclear fire would consume so many cities and lives? The mushroom clouds and shockwaves and melted flesh could not be mistaken. But Stiggur saw which parts of the world would be spared. He also viewed the role of the Seeds -- how, once planted, the World Tree would grow and dispel the radiation and contamination of nuclear war. Stiggur recognized it as his duty to protect the Seeds for this vital purpose, even at the cost of his life. Yet this was only the beginning, the first of many Reckonings, of many key turning points in the ages to come. This was just one of many Convergences. The earth was ignorant, however. So many gaje and Rom alike dwelled in delusion. The world teetered on the brink of doom. But Stiggur invited his fate with an eager eye to the future.

Devlesa Jani (Kumpania)


Devlesa Jani (God's Madmen): two dozen Tsurara killers honed and devoted to the sole purpose of exterminating the enemies of the Rom. All of them are also loyal to death to their baro and one of the original visionaries of the Knife Tribe -- Stiggur Ashe. At his bidding, they would attack anything. Fortunately, he is too clever to waste such talent on folly. He directs these Slayers at vampires and traitors to the Blood when appropriate. But for the most part, he employs them as muscle in his quest to obtain the final three Seeds of Power.

Most of the Slayers are men. Only a couple women member this kumpania (though Narilla Barosi is one of those women). The men all shave their heads. The group spends its days in training or reconaissance -- or the hunt. They spend little time in leisure, though when they do pursue free-time activities, it often includes traditional Romani dances and activities. They aren't into modern rock dancing, nor do they watch television. They remain fairly traditional as Stiggur desires.

Their talents are not specialized. Every member has skill in most common tasks, insuring that every Slayer is self-sufficient. The only task none excel at is the art of drabarne. So far, only Stiggur can command higher magics. And he often does so to the benefit of the Devlesa Jani, arming them with weapons that can cleave the flesh of the undead with ease and charms that protect them from the powers of the mind and illusion. Without Stiggur's aid, these Slayers can still call upon the Dance of Knives: all of them are of at least meager Blood Purity. Many also develop Affinities like Blood Sense, Instincts, and Luck.

Each member of the kumpania is a blooded veteran, a tested Slayer. In general, each is roughly equal in power to a Neonate vampire without Stiggur's direct aid. With Stiggur's magickal aides, every Slayer can be quite terrifying in battle. And they have no problem ganging up on single targets. With or without Stiggur, they are the Tsurara, the purifiers of the Romani, and the heralds of a new age.

Weakness
God's Madman


Stiggur is willing to sacrifice everything for his ultimate, secret goals. And he probably will lose it all by the time he reaches the finish line. Stiggur will succeed and in the process lose all his family, friends, allies, powers, assets, mind, and soul. But it's for the good of the earth. As far as he's concerned, such selflessness is ultimately rewarded.

Likelihood of Corruption


Low.

Stiggur is shrewd and very aware. It would be quite difficult for evil spirits to corrupt and trick this powerful sorcerer. Demons have a better chance of attacking him head-on. Of course, he can easily forsee and avoid these enemies.

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