They say absolute power corrupts, absolutely. And, perhaps no Essence Form is better suited to test that theory than that of the Blood Caller.
Blood was the last Essence Form we considered to be fully designed. It wasn't until Emergence was nearly ready for market that we had decided on the finer details of Blood Calling. Once we had, however, we all came to one amusing conclusion: we sort of unintentionally made a sci-fi vampire!
Much like with Star and Metal, information about Blood Callers is sparse. There are legends; monstrous warriors wielding their peers like violent puppets, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Trouble is, due to their rarity, their terrifying reputation, and their near universal outlaw status, it's proven virtually impossible to research or interview a member of this esoteric Essence Form. Rumors of their unmatched strength and sinister propensities vary between regions, further obscuring them in myth. However, one thing that is commonly known, yet hardly understood, may be the most dangerous detail about them: Blood Callers seem inexplicably and incessantly drawn to Star Callers.
"50 years ago, The Star Caller was forced to explode at the hands of a Blood Caller.”
Kat and I actually went through a few iterations of what would eventually become Blood Calling. It actually started as Human or Man Calling - a bit of a clue as to the evolution of the Form - but that was quickly scrapped once Earth was replaced by Eodiena as the setting. Then, for a while, we went with Flesh Calling, which… no. We needed it to feel powerful, but subtle, and even perhaps a bit… misleading.
Given that AtlA was already a huge influence on our work, our biggest concern with Blood Calling was that it would be compared to bloodbending, the most notorious of the MANY variations of waterbending. But, with the distinct differences in our magic system and characterisation, we think we've created a unique spin on the puppet master trope. Over the course of the saga, Valon Durey will thoroughly explore the range, scale, versatility, and power of Blood Calling, while Mira and the gang uncover its brutal and tragic history.
“These… people… have all but forgotten the blood on which their society was built." [Valon] clenched his fist. "Blood that should be honoured, not… hunted.”
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