Editing Caliban (Ravenloft) (section)

==Fluff==
So, we gave you a little information on who the calibans are as a general rule, now let's dig deeper.

To summarize it bluntly, if you hadn't already figured it out, calibans are like old-school [[tiefling]]s, only without the tenuous claims of badassery or coolness that having a [[fiend]] for a relative can get you. Their deformities and spontaneous appearances leads to them being shunned and hated; they are called "the hidden" by the polite, and "freaks, monsters or demons" by most. Your typical caliban is either a social outcast who was hidden away by a protective or resentful family, a half-feral being who was abandoned in the wilderness by disgusted parents, or a walking target who is believed to be a monster just because of how they look.

Calibans are a true-breeding race, both with their human progenitors and with each other. That said, the corruption that defines them alters them on a fundamental level, and so they are technically a [[demihuman]] race. That said, they are not inherently evil or insane, and even if they may remind onlookers of certain near-human monsters, such as [[Hag]]s, [[Therianthrope]]s, or [[Broken One]]s, they lack the inate power of those creatures and are most likely to be evil because... well, people treat them like shit, so they figure why not.

That's the true pity of calibans; mentally, they aren't born monstrous, they're just like humans. But in the backwaters of the [[Demiplane of Dread]], they grow up experiencing prejudice, fear, hatred and, at best, pity and shame. This persecution is effectively universal, as calibans aren't common or organized enough to have a society of their own. An unnatural death is the lot of the vast majority of their ilk; whether it be at the hands of a lynch mob or the command of a self-righteous judge or priest for some invented wrong, suicide, or a fatal overdose of drugs or alcohol.

Truthfully, the best lots in life a caliban can hope for are to either forsake "civilization" and live in the wilderness, to join the criminal underworld where their talents outweigh their visages, or become [[adventurer]]s and revel in their outcast nature. Some are taken in by various mystery cults dedicated to some combination of careless use ofthe Arcane, chaos, change and fiend-worship, though this is usually not the kind of attention one wants to receive.

Individual calibans react differently to their inevitably harsh lives. All calibans become jaded to common, petty insults and threats, having faced persecution so many times in their lives. They all learn to become extremely self-reliant and tough, knowing that they live in a society which fears and hates them for what they are. They come to learn the value of hard work, as this is almost always the only way they can be somehow accepted by society. They also often detest the laws of the state and society much as society detests the calibans themselves. Calibans also shun most religions, which view them as abominations.

The Church of [[the Lawgiver]] sees them as corruptions of humanity which must be destroyed, the Church of [[Belenus]] sees them as the wretched spawn of [[fey]] or [[fiend]]s (depending on the individual priest asked), the Darkonian sect of the Church of [[Ezra]] seeks to "cure" calibans, though their experiments haven't proven effective until now, the Mordentish sect argues within itself about whether to recognize calibans as cursed humans (Children of the Goddess) or monsters (Children of the Night), and the Dementlieu sect and Home Faith take no official stance, but generally view calibans with hostility.

The one exception to this religious shunning is to the Chuch of [[Hala]], whose open-minded worshippers are some of the rare souls willing to give calibans a chance on an individual level. The teachings of Hala, thusly, speak to them, and an increasingly large amount of calibans are said to be amongst the Weaver's flock, or even its priesthood.

The concept of racial pride appeals to some calibans, mainly because so many of them were degraded during their lives. Others live in self-loathing and denial of who they are, but most calibans walk a narrow path between these two extremes.

Some calibans, unsurprisingly, grow malicious and hateful from their constant years of abuse at society's hand, seeking to gain revenge on the society which denied them. Others become traitors to their own kind, being cruel to other outcasts to gain status in the eyes of the humans, who only mock them for this. The monstrous deeds of these creatures blemish the reputation of the entire race and reinforce the caliban stereotype. Other, much rarer calibans, realize the wrongs of human society and seek to correct them, by dedicating themselves to the betterment and service of the society which denied them, seeking to repay abuse with love and kindness. Most calibans walk a path in between those opposite philosophies, simply seeking to be accepted and not isolated outcasts. Children born to caliban parents (who are almost always living in caliban-caliban pairings) are educated according to their parents' view of life, and they are far less lonely and sad than calibans born to human parents, already aware of the dangers of the human world if they choose to attempt to live amongst mankind.

From their years of suffering, calibans come to value the simple joys of life, like the unconditional love of a pet, the beauty of the waves crashing on shore, or the petals of a flower, slowly dropping to the ground. Calibans also tend to be very loyal friends, as they know what it is like to be truly alone. They are much more in touch with nature than humans despite their unnatural origins, and many barbarians, rangers and druids come from the race, especially (and naturally) from Bestial stock. Years on the road have created the start of unique caliban folklore, such as the legend of the Haven (a marvelous city at the edge of the world where two seas meet, ruled by a powerful sorcerer whose soul is as beautiful as his face is hideous, who offers a sanctuary for all outcasts in his magnificent city). Many calibans have spent their lives in a quest to find this Haven, but no caliban has been able to find it yet. The legends say only one who is "purged" will be able to find the exact road leading to this Haven. Others say Haven is actually a bastardized word for "Heaven", where calibans go after death as a reward for their suffering in life for nothing. Thus, Haven doesn't exist in the mortal realm. The rare few calibans who were able to find rest in life and a place they feel comfortable and part of actually say Haven is no actual place in the mortal or immortal realms but a state of mind and being.

The calibans' own lack of realization they are a breed apart humans (as they constantly seek to belong in the human society which rejects them) prevents them from forming societies of their own, as are their relatively small numbers compared to the human population of the domains (less than 1% in most domains, though higher in places where the use of arcane magic flourishes, like in Darkon and Hazlan) and the oppression they face. Most calibans think they are unique, the only freaks in the world. Indeed, the only known caliban society in the Core are the wretched Cannibal clans of Invidia, devolved creatures prone to their most basic needs; barbaric butchers who do as they please as long as they may force their debased needs on others. By forsaking their humanity beyond and becoming like savage, hateful beasts, Cannibals who join one of these clans finds a sort of solace in causing pain and destruction to others and consuming their flesh.

Calibans have a mixed relationship with the various demihuman races which inhabit the [[Demiplane of Dread]]. Both [[halfling]]s and [[half-elves]], who are part of human culture, shun calibans. [[Dwarves]] respect calibans for their toughness, but are terrified of their magical nature at the same time. While full-blooded [[elves]] find calibans fascinating due to their connection to the Arcane, similar to the Elves' own distantly [[fey]] nature, they also tend to look down on the calibans for their unaesthetic appearance and their relation to the hated, upstart race of humans who pollute the world and disturb the balance between civilization and nature, magic and technology. However, some Witchspawn and, especially, Banshees have found solace in the elven society of Sithicus. [[Gnome]]s also find calibans curious, but fear them the same time. However, Gnomish society is more open to calibans than the human one.

===Birth of a Monster===
What defines a caliban is its corruption; the mystical poison that soured its womb and caused it to be born as such. And there are a ''lot'' of sources for this to happen:

'''Emotional Twisting:''' The fabric of the [[Demiplane of Dread]] is inherently responsive to emotions, which explains the abundance of hauntings and phenomena such as sinkholes of evil. A pregnant woman who experiences a particularly strong and/or consistent emotion during her pregnancy may give birth to a caliban, whose breed is determined by the emotion she was feeling. Brutes are born of fear or terror, Bestials of rage, and Banshees of grief. This is one of the two most common sources of caliban births, at least in the Core Lands.

'''Magical Twisting:''' Direct exposure to magic can result in mutagenic effects on unborn children. [[Hag]]s, [[fiend]]s, [[Shadow Fey]] and other powerful, magical creatures are most likely to cause this, but even proximity to a strong magical site or a magical artifact, or even being affected by a spell, can all result in caliban births. This most commonly causes calibans of the Witchspawn breed, but Brutes may sometimes manifest as well, presumably in response to magics relating to combat and destruction. Necromancy spells, or even just sources of necrotic energy, such as the presence of a powerful [[lich]] or [[vampire]], can cause the birth of Banshees. Alongside Emotional Twisting, this is the most common source of caliban births in the core.

'''[[Fleshcrafting|Flesh Sculpting]]:''' It goes without saying that dark arts of shaping flesh can be used on unborn children to turn them into monstrous new forms. The [[illithid]]s of Bluetspur have even been reputed to have shaped a new caliban breed through their experiments; the Carnium. This is described as a stunted, shriveled thing, like an emaciated baby with a distended cranium, whose affinity for [[psionics]] stands as a contrast to the Witchspawn's proclivity for magic.

'''Obsession:''' Such is the responsiveness of the [[Demiplane of Dread]] to strong emotions that a would-be-mother who desires it enough may find her womb filled with life, even if she were totally barren. Of course, the Dark Powers give nothing for free, and such babies are always marked and unnatural,  invariably being Witchspawn.

'''Tainted Flesh:''' Pregnant women who engage in cannibalism frequently give birth to the caliban substrain called, simply, cannibals. Who'd have thunk it?

'''Necrophilia & Possession:''' Thanks to the twisted humor of the Dark Powers, people who commit carnal acts with the dead or [[undead]] may find themselves the parents of caliban offspring, whether it is the woman impregnated by her [[vampire]] lover or the [[necromancer]] who finds his [[zombie]] sex-toy mysteriously pregnant. Even sex with someone possessed  by a [[ghost]] or other spectral undead can lead to the birth of a caliban. Such acts usually produce Banshees, but Cannibals or necromantic Witchspawn aren't unheard of.

'''Curses:''' Of course curses can be used to create calibans. As well as direct curses, even having sex on certain "cursed" days can result in a caliban's birth should conception occur.

'''Inbreeding:''' This taboo act frequently produces Brutes and Cannibals.

'''Chemistry & Alchemy:''' Mundane or magical pollution can deform the unborn as surely as raw magical energies themselves.

In addition to all of the above, sometimes, calibans are just born that way, and nobody knows why!

===Banshee===
Banshees, also known as Ice Queens and Wailing Women, are the second-rarest of the caliban breeds, and lack the blatant deformities of other breeds; their skin is unnaturally pale and cold to the touch, like that of a corpse just before it starts to decay. Sometimes, harmless frost will form and dissipate from their skin instead of sweat. Their hair, usually being pitch black, silver or white, is smooth and grows to great lengths at a relatively short amount of time. Their lips are likewise either black or white. Their voices are melodic and disturbing at the same time, filled with hidden melancholia and a longing for that which was lost.

Indeed, banshees are known for their beauty, and have been mistaken for [[human]], [[half-elf]] or even [[elf]] women at a glance, such is their delicate, almost spectral beauty. But the subtlety of their mutations, and the macabre, unnatural nature of that beauty means they are no less outcasts. They often mistaken for [[necromancer]]s and [[warlock]]s, or even for the more "beautiful" forms of [[undead]], such as [[vampire]]s and [[ghost]]s. Banshee performers are common, but are loved and feared at the same time; humans lust for their beauty, but hate and fear their association with death. It is said that when a human looks into a banshee's dark eyes, he sees the inevitability of his own demise, and her haunting voice, he hears the bells of the reaper.

Banshees have equally strong affinities for both music and magic, and so frequently become [[wizard]]s (almost always [[necromancer]]s) or [[bard]]s, if they don't [[multiclassing|multiclass]] between the two. Some of the most powerful Dirgesingers in the [[Demiplane of Dread]] are banshee calibans.

Incidentally, we all know that, even as banshees are canonically an all-female breed, you still want to play a ''male'' banshee who [[trap|is just so pretty that he gets mistaken for a woman]].

With [[Pathfinder]] having created its take on the [[Changeling]] as a "so beautiful it's a curse" magical humanoid with a tainted lineage (in their case, daughters of [[hag]]s), it's hilarious to look back and compare them to Banshee calibans.

===Bestial===
The third-most common of the five caliban breeds, the Bestials, or Man-Beasts, are very aptly named, as they display blatant beast-like features on an otherwise humanoid form; coarse hair, scales, carapace, predatory teeth and claws, an animal-like head, or the wings of a bat. Ironically, these mutations often blend into their frame with surprising harmony, so bestial calibans technically aren't as downright ugly as brutes and cannibals!

Strong and possessing keen senses, bestials feel an instinctive connection to the natural world, which sometimes combines with their appearance to make them be mistaken for [[therianthrope]]s or even [[beastfolk]], depending on how mutated they are. In a great irony, though they have very little chance of making even a cursory attempt to integrate into human society, they are often the most comfortable and well-adjust of their kin. Why? Because they have an innate affinity for nature, and nature doesn't judge them on their looks; most bestials find a genuine place to belong in the wild, hunting and foraging for what they need, and making friends of the animals that share their homes.

Of course, when you piss one off, a bestial caliban is capable of an animalistic rage that will result in them tearing you apart, so tread lightly.

The lands of the [[Shadow Fey]] are reputed to house a peculiarly stable sub-strain of bestials, whose arachnid-like deformities have earned them the moniker of "Spider Children".

===Brute===
Being born of fear, the Brutes - also known as the Accursed - are the most common of their ilk to roam the [[Demiplane of Dread]]. Legends relate them to the lost races of [[ogre]]s and [[giant]]s, and whilst they are invariably deformed and ugly, brutes tower over ordinary men, bulging with muscle and all but indifferent to pain. Common deformities include pock-marks, warts, tiny bone ridges jutting out of the skin, or mismatched eyes.

The closest of the breeds to the original "reskinned [[half-orc]]" caliban, brutes typically make their living in the fringes of human society, turning their strength and stamina to an advantage amongst labor-intensive or criminal enterprises - some have even been known to join circuses or carnivals as strong men.

Such is their towering might, and the ferocity of their rage, that humans generally don't say anything to their faces, unless granted confidence through numbers, weapons or mind-altering intoxicants. Instead, they snub brutes, and talk about them behind their backs. Because brutes tend to be somewhat mentally limited, they are often outwitted and exploited by smarter humans.

===Cannibal===
The Living Ghouls, as they are also known, are the most wretched and misshapen of the caliban races; common deformities include a hunched walk in the manner of a rat or a slithering snake, hairless rubbery skin, constant drooling, crooked but sharp teeth and a constantly wriggling tongue. They also tend to smell pretty bad. Worse yet, Cannibals suffer from a racial affliction, imbuing them with unnatural appetites; as their moniker suggests, many feel a strong compulsion to devour the flesh of humanoids, and they have been known to raid graveyards, gibbets and other places in order to sate this impulse without technically hurting anybody. Even those free of this impulse may still crave raw meat, blood, fresh viscera, rotten food, or other disgusting fare.

Second-most common of the caliban breeds, whereas brutes are imbued with strength and toughness, cannibals are imbued with speed and agility. They often become sewer-jacks or chimney-sweeps, or seek out the protection of the underworld as a [[thief]] or [[assassin]].

That said, some cannibals do succumb to their dark appetites and become serial killers, murdering  others for their flesh - a temptation they often succumb to as a result of pronounced bullying and abuse. Whole gangs of these living ghouls have been known to band together in the wilderness or in the most lawless city slums, preying upon the humans that cast them out.

===Witchspawn===
Rarest of all the caliban breeds, witchspawn possess a powerful, innate connection to magic, which informs their common nickname of "Arcane Scions". They are typically the most deformed looking of their kind - worse, their deformities tend towards stereotypical "witch marks" or fiendish traits, such as an extra nipple, unusual skin colors, horns, extra fingers, or even hooves for feet. Worse still, they all possess an uncanny, pulsing aura of power that unnerves men and beasts alike.

In exchange for their powerful intellects and strong magical affinity, they tend to be physically weak and frail, as if wasted or warped by the arcane energies within their being. For this reason, they rarely pursue any adventuring class other than [[Wizard]], [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|Sorcerer]], or even [[Warlock]].

Possibly the most hated and repulsed of all calibans, witchspawn are well aware of the fact they are the most likely to be killed by an ignorant mob, seeing as they combine the deformities of their kin with an innate affinity for magic - the one force most feared and shunned in the [[Demiplane of Dread]]. As such, they almost invariably abandon civilization, becoming traveling spellslingers or hermetic mystics, seeking to master the arcane power that is their birthright. A rare few will maintain some connection to human civilization, usually as the sinister "local [[witch]]" for a rural settlement that depends on the witchspawn's magic for survival.