Hello all! We just wanted to make a few points here, to clarify any questions y'all might have about the newest little freak in Noctua. Yup, we're talking about Tempest, the misplaced Spectre. So.. we'll open with a few explanations and RP guidelines for those who want to have their Sentinel poke at the little Outsider, and then we'll open the floor to your questions.First things first:
No, you can't have a Spectre too. We're very, very sorry. But it just can't happen, at least not for a while. You see, Noctua isn't just a B/C shop. It's also meant to be a fairly comprehensive RP world, with an established setting and an evolving metaplot. The Spectres are a part of this metaplot, and that means we're going to be introducing them ONLY through the development of this plot. When Spectres become something that is commonly available, we'll let you know.
What is a Spectre?
A Spectre is an Outsider, one of the other clans of intelligent birds who live in or about the forests of Noctua. While the Sentinels are based on a Bubo owl (specifically, the Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus), the Spectres are based on a Tyto owl (the Barn Owl - Tyto alba). The Tyto owls belong to a different taxonomic family entirely, and are very, very different from all other owls.
How do the Sentinels know the Spectres?
In the world of Noctua, the Spectres were part of the Great Clan Wars fought so many generations ago. They battled with the Sentinels and were one of the more dangerous enemies faced on the battlefield. Spectres were responsible for the death of two of the Brigadier's children, and orphaned countless other Sentinels over the generations-long combat. Clan memory of the Spectres does not extend to the times before the clan wars, as most common knowledge was replaced with propagandist rants against them.
How would a Sentinel react if they saw a Spectre today?
Most likely, in fear. And then the Sentinel would attack, or flee to report to an Elite. Spectres were rumoured to have done a lot of horrible things during the wars, and young Sentinels are often told to 'be good, or the Spectres will take you away!'
How would my Sentinel react to Tempest?
Good question! That depends entirely on how old the Sentinel in question is.
Fledglings would, for the most part, tease Tempest because he is different. Children can be cruel, remember, and only a fellow social reject would ever think to reach out to Tempest in friendship. Some fledglings might also react in anger or fear, if they paid enough attention to the tale-tellings of older and more paranoid Sentinels.
Young Adult Sentinels wouldn't really have much of a reaction, since they've never seen a Spectre and are a bit more removed from the wars. They've had a buffer of many generations of Sentinels between themselves and the lingering post-war paranoia. They probably wouldn't want their children associating with Tempest, but at least they're less likely to wish death upon him.
Middle-Aged Sentinels would be more wary of a Spectre, since their grandparent were either killed by them, or have survived to tell tales of their atrocities. Most would feel that Tempest should be killed, for the good of the clan, but if they were asked to examine their own feelings more closely they might realize that they are doing nothing but parroting their parent's emotions on the subject.
Older Sentinels were alive during the times after the end of the wars (even if most of them were just hatchlings at the time), and may have seen the aftermath what the Spectres did. They may even have experienced it, or lost parents to them. Almost all older Sentinels will be rabidly against the existence of the Spectre hatchling, and any such Sentinel in a position to poison the minds of others against Tempest would most certainly take advantage of that. It would be extremely unlikely that any Sentinel alive during the wars would think kindly thoughts about Tempest; many older Sentinels may find their faith in the Brigadier wavering after they learn that he allowed it to live.
Ageless Sentinels are among the only individuals wot have seen a Spectre (barring Tempest) and many of them experienced the brutality of those merciless opponents first-hand. Some members of the Ageless may be able to look past the sins of the forebears and react kindly to Tempest, but most could never trust the spawn of the enemy.
Of course, there are exceptions to these guidelines. An old Minder might hate the thought of seeing any hatchling killed, and a young fledgling raised by racist parents might even go so far as to attack Tempest outright. There are an awful lot of potential reactions that your Sentinel could have - and if you're not sure, you can always ask.
