Clifton Rey
Dreams-of-Blood

Wyrsta of the Loom
Tenere of the Ananasi
Shuravir of the Damhán
Gaderin of the Colony of Viscid Laniary

Description


Homid: ~Clifton Rey boasts good looks that are almost too well-chiseled. While of partial Hispanic descent, Cliff displays fair skin and lively blue eyes. The young gentleman commands a decent build if average stature, but imposes on the scene more with his confidence and curiosity. Cliff maintains conservative fashion, opting for unflashy suits, sweaters, or Polo gear. His dark-brown hair is trimmed close to the scalp and meticulously kept. Cliff seems tenacious and pleasant alike, yet remains somewhat detached from those around him. Is he a snob or yuppie? Whatever social class in which one places him by looks, Cliff definitely seems hungry. The part of his lips and yearning of his crystal-blue eyes illustrate that appetite. Yes...yes, Cliff is very hungry. But for what?~

OOC: Appearance 3; Cunning 3, Obedience 7, Wisdom 4

Lilian: ~Horrifying to say the least, Dreams-of-Blood assumes this shape only when communing with his Queen or battling enemies. He doubles in breadth, body lengthening and sprouting four more limbs. His fair skin darkens to a dusky brown and hardens like bone. Coarse black hairs sprout all over his now far more arachnoid appearance. His back becomes a plump abdomen aerodynamically ending in a spinneret organ. His long limbs angle sharply and are tipped in black nails that drip with ichors that could possibly be venomous. Two on each side of his abdomen act as quadrapedal feet, propelling him with frightening speed at whatever he chooses to advance upon. Meanwhile, the abdomen thins some and curves upward into a mocking cross between an arachnid's thorax and a human torso. His musculature is well defined here, though as gray as the rest of his exoskeleton. His face becomes quite alien. His black hair lengthens from the scalp, becoming shaggier. His jaws extend into a long pair of snatching pedipalps, limbs that clack and rattle and hiss and drip with necrotic venom. His blue eyes fade to become multi-faceted, multi-colored spider eyes that perceive the world all around. Four other limbs behave as clawed arms, clenching and unclenching, eager to capture and devour whoever foolishly opted to become the prey of Dreams-of-Blood. Despite this horrible monster's appearance, an intricate and beautiful tattoo was branded into his lower torso, centering on where his human navel would be. The markings identify his Rank, Faction, and Aspect, the design dominated with straight lines criss-crossing with incomprehensible complexities. Whatever or whoever this werespider is, clearly the most prudent action would be to evacuate the premises!~

OOC: Appearance 0; Delirium; Cunning 3, Obedience 7, Wisdom 4

Pithus: ~Disregarding all physical appearances of humanity, Cliff becomes nothing short of a giant spider. The size of a pony, this massive and plump Pithus appears exactly like a titanic version of its "normal arachnid" species. The hobo spider of massive size boasts the brown-gray colorations in its tough exoskeleton. Though somewhat faded, the Tenere's branded markings still decorate the front of its cephalothorax. Coarse black hair litters its entire body, abdomen and thorax and all eight legs. Those limbs are preternaturally swift and agile, and the monster advances with terrifying aggression. Those spidery eyes see everything, it seems. And those horrible, lengthy pedipalps open a door to a world of liquefied flesh and dissolved innards. To this Gaderin, you're nothing but dinner.~

OOC: Appearance 0; Delirium; Cunning 3, Obedience 7, Wisdom 4

Crawlerling: ~Though its common name doesn't sound frightening -- hobo spiders -- when Cliff breaks down into this mass of hunting arachnids, even the toughest and bravest have second thoughts of getting in their path. About as large as a human thumb, the brown and hairy critters sweep swiftly across the ground in a swarm of at least a hundred. To be overrun by these relatives of the brown recluse would surely mean death.~

OOC: Appearance 0; Cunning 3, Obedience 7, Wisdom 4

"I'd love to add it to my...collection."

History


Youth

It began with baseball cards. Then Clifton Rey started collecting and pinning insects. That gratefully turned into music cassettes and later CDs. But he returned to the insect world later on, only to focus on butterflies instead (which were more appealing than general bugs, if only a little). Cliff was raised in the suburban outskirts of Chicago, Illinois. His father, Emilio, was a hard-working paramedic. His mother, Joyce, worked as a secretary at the grade school he attended. She also served in management duties in many extracurricular activities, ranging from PTA to city council.

Both Cliff's parents were very strict but always busy. They insured Cliff got good grades in school, and he was intelligent enough to pick up straight As easily. He was never a spoiled child either. He made friends in school readily and participated in numerous competitive activities, ranging from hands-on science to soccer, from the chess club to lacrosse. The Reys weren't particularly church-going folk -- they all worked everyday of the week -- but decency was nailed home with Cliff. He was taught to be conscientious and responsible. During high school, he scored a part-time job at fast food and saved every dollar.

Throughout his youth, Cliff remained a curious individual, almost detached in his explorations of life's mysteries. At home and even elsewhere, his collections compelled his attention often. Sure, he had girlfriends throughout adolescence. He was too cute and smart not to! However, he wasn't entirely normal. Cliff never confided his dreams as a young boy with anyone, weird and arachnid-associated as they were, even when the dreams returned in high school. And perhaps the most disturbing thing Cliff noticed about his gradual metamorphosis was that he once wore glasses. The older he got, the less he needed them.

Metamorphosis

Still, Cliff's change came later than usual in his life. He was halfway through college in 2002, at age twenty-two, when it happened. Armed with a Bachelor's already, Cliff was next pursuing a Doctorate in endomology at Chicago State University. His arachnid dreams only grew more intense and he withdrew from classmates more and more. The dreams also became more colorful and were flushed with the smell and taste of blood. And to his dismay, Cliff became more and more hungry for blood and related visceral fluids. Worse, he lost the stomach for other foods. He began to vomit up most of whatever he forced himself to consume. Cliff managed to resist this hunger for months.

He finally "lost control" when he was out on a date with his girlfriend, Angie, of the time. A make-out and necking session stirred his urges beyond his control. Cliff could feel something strange bubbling up inside of him, as if he wanted to spread his limbs and shed his flesh and bone and grow into something else. Was he pupating or something?! He repressed the Metamorphosis only partially. Digging into his lover, he sank fangs into her neck and drank deeply. The poison inherent to his spidery teeth paralyzed the poor woman, and Cliff supped only briefly. He didn't take so much that she died. Unpanicked, Cliff sat back wide-eyed. He wouldn't kill Angie. He cared about her.

Cliff ran down the country road from where they were parked. As he ran, he felt itchier and itchier. He grew frustrated and screamed out at the uncompassionate night. Only silence answered him. Silence…and the constant chitter and songs of nocturnal insects. His hunger washed over him like a tidal wave. Next thing Cliff knew, his human shape was gone and he towered in the frightening form of Lilian.

Glistening Silk

For hours, the Lilian form of Clifton Rey stumbled through the field, trying to puzzle through what was happening. Fortunately, the nearby spirits hastily notified a fellow Damhán, a Kumoti called Glistening Silk. Languishing in the Microcosm at the time, Glistening Silk responded and gathered herself. She made haste to Cliff's location. While some spirits informed the Ananasi, others told the Garou… And a pack of werewolves was about to ambush the new werespider, since anything arachnid must surely be evil and forces of pure Stasis or Corruption.

With an array of terrifying Gifts and a horrifying appearance, Glistening Silk frightened the werewolves off. They were prepared for one, confused werespider…not a focused and deadly elder. While they would have returned with their courage and greater force, the Damhán were whisked away on the winds of spider magic. Cliff found himself in the company of another giant spider-creature. Instead of freaking out, he demanded answers, and found himself speaking in a grating, hissing, and chittering language. Glistening Silk took Cliff under wing (or four legs, at any rate) and taught him the ways of Ananasi. He learned of their alien culture and purpose. The Laws of Ananasa were nailed home. Glistening Silk imparted the physical realities of shapeshifting through his many strange and arachnid forms. And he learned of how to "crawl sideways" into the Umbra and what to expect of that strange spirit world. Intelligent as he was, Cliff picked all of this up swiftly. His inclination of appreciation of the insect world helped mute his already muted fears. Cliff's fascination with this vast new world and all his strange new powers and responsibilities grew each day.

Finally, the time came for Cliff to become an adult in the eyes of the Spider-Queen Ananasa. He was brought before a regional council of high-ranking Ananasi of all different Cabals. In this cave setting, the massive webs in the rear seemed to breathe with life of their own. That, Cliff was told, was the breath of the Queen herself passing into this cavern chamber from her spirit-prison deep in the Umbra. He bowed to his Queen without hesitation, and then accepted the tests set before him. He recited all the Queen's Laws, relaying the importance of their meaning to him. The Queen breathed more questions into his mind, ethical questions that tested his faith, fervor, honesty, self-awareness, and confidence. It was like a job interview from hell! But Cliff persevered. Clearly, his maturity eased his Metamorphosis more than usual. Ananasa then appointed to him his own cabal: he would labor for the Spider Queen under the sign of Gaderin. She even gave him his first assignment: Clifton Rey, now called Dreams-of-Blood among the Damhán, was to collect human parts.

Spare Parts

Leaving university without warning, Cliff dived headfirst into this mission. Ananasa wanted specific pieces of human anatomy to update her on the progress of human evolution. Apparently, humans evolved in minute ways so often that this was quite a common request for a fledgling Gaderin. Fortunately, Cliff did not have to hack off limbs. In fact, he was more interested in collecting organalia: livers, kidneys, intestines, and the like. While that might have been a horrendous task to ask other Ovid, Damhán were uniquely prepared through their detachment to carry out these sorts of orders. While Cliff still cared for his parents in ways Glistening Silk and his other elders did not understand, he was capable of taking what he needed from other human donors. Best of all, the donors didn't even have to be living. They just couldn't be decomposed bits from the graveyard.

So for the next couple years, Cliff raided organ donor vaults and anatomy laboratories for the pieces he needed. He often had to wait months to get a certain piece, until the science department or donation facilities received the parts he needed to complete his collection. In the mean time, Cliff did not want to go back to school just yet. Instead, he worked as a lab assistant for biology and zoology and entomology departments. He had to endure colleagues constantly telling him he had much greater potential than to be an assistant. Cliff just smiled and went about his business.

And sometimes that business got a little dangerous. Cliff made crafty use of his Damhán blood, Crawlerling forms, arachnid venom, access to the Umbra, and a number of spirit-Gifts adopted from Spider and other Insect-spirits. That didn't prevent the occasional run-in with a security guard or patrolling policeman. However, he remained wisely compassionate. Cliff inflicted little harm on those that harried his raids, using his potent venom and to disable but not slay them. He wasn't so much interested in maintaining conscience as he was interested in preserving healthy morsels of food!

Cliff further impressed his Queen by gathering the final "items" from his own parents. He paid what would probably be a final visit. They were quite worried about his sudden disappearance, but he reassured them with little white lies. That night while they slept, Cliff crept into their bedroom and cut off a single lock of hair from his mother, shaved a tiny layer of skin from his father, and by syringe took a sample of blood from each. Easy "items" to claim, Cliff purposely saved them for last.

Prized Aide

With that collection complete, Ananasa instructed Cliff in the next job. He had to leave the Chicago area altogether. Without question, he packed up his things and moved to Cheyenne as directed. There he was actually to provide his scientific expertise to an older Gaderin who was not so well versed in entomology. Simbo Shades was making a general collection of insects for the Queen's studies. Cliff was his helper, an indispensable font of knowledge and laboratory assistant.

So that was just what Cliff did for about a year. He didn't have to work; Simbo paid for his living expenses. He took advantage of that to attend the University of Wyoming and complete his Masters program in entomology. For Simbo, Cliff helped preserve and label the collection, and helped put together the final presentation to the Queen. By the middle of 2004, this mission was finished, too.

The young Gaderin appealed to his Queen for an acceptance of his outstanding work for her so far. Ananasa acknowledged his request for promotion, but only if he passed her test. Ultimately, it was a trick question: who of all the shapeshifters was his ally? While common sense to experienced werespiders, Cliff was still fresh to this life. He thought hard about it, recalled the Laws of Ananasa, and answered truly: nobody but the Damhán.

Raised Ante

The Gaderin's etched markings on his Lilian form's belly grew more intricate. With that promotion came more privileges. Cliff picked up more Gifts and learned more of his Queen's occult lore. But he did not have time to dally and revel in his new powers. He was to take them to his new mission. Once more, Cliff was to collect a precise selection of anatomical features.

But not of humans, not this time…oh, no. That would be too easy for a more experienced Gaderin as he was. Instead, Cliff was to make a collection of Ovid parts. He had to collect anatomical pieces from the Garou, but would be required to collect other bits from other shapeshifters later. He fortunately had a general list to fulfill, and did not need some from each Tribe. All the same, Cliff knew this would be a difficult task to fulfill. Fortunately, the Queen's wisdom was vast. She suggested that he move to Kansas City. There was an unusual menagerie to pick from there.

So once more, Cliff picked up and moved to a new town with no friends or allies. Knowing the mission ahead would be a long road, he was determined to also acquire his doctorate, too. Armed with his extensive knowledge and arachnid gifts, Clifton knew he would become a tour de force in the Ananasi's pursuit of Symmetry.

Sylie


~In the suburbs surrounding Kansas City, Cliff rents a small but spacious one floor house. His human effects occupy the main house. But the cellar he transformed into the spiritual center of his Ananasi activities. His Sylie dominates the entire basement, which was unfinished and musty to start. Now when one descends the creaky wooden steps, the heavy smell of organic, fertile odors is nearly overwhelming. The air is damp and the concrete floor littered with the remains of mammals and rodents that fell victim to the werespider's hunger. Great, sticky webs off-white or gray in color span, stretch, criss-cross, and otherwise complicate the entire cellar. There is virtually no open space left. And tangled throughout the webs are remnants of his captured dinners: neighborhood pets (or pests) mostly. Of course, hidden among the thickest webs one will find the occasional human remains. In the precise center of the basement, the webs thicken to an almost pulsating sac of pure spider-silk. It is not an eggsac, but simply the heart of his home, charged with his own soul and the mysterious link he shares with his ancient Queen.~

Significant Other


Margaret "Meg" Hill may be just a prostitute in Sasha Belle's brothel. But she's also a rare bird, aware and tolerant of the Damhán. Currently, Cliff considers her to be great relief and entertainment from his demanding duties. But she's as intelligent as she is sensual and beautiful. Cliff is contemplating wooing her as a mate and even more. He can even foresee himself one day proposing to the whore. But for now, after having met in the summer of '05, their relationship remains quasi-professional.

Meg

Weakness
Undue Sentiments


Cliff feels too much for the world and people around him. Now for a normal person, that's hardly a bad thing. But he's Damhán, and he has unique and demanding functions to fulfill. Emotion will only get in the way of both his success and progress. This is especially true due to his aspect of Tenere. Being under the Weaver, he should be particularly rational. On the other hand, he is Gaderin, which gives him some elbow room. A little.

Likelihood of Corruption


Low.

Cliff is cautious and aware of his environment, spiritually and physically. Though by essence he leans towards Stasis, his criteria for analysis tends to be quite critical. This provides some counterweight to the anal-retentive tendencies of the Tenere. This also makes it trickier for agents of corruption to confuse the balanced Gaderin.

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